Mon - November 19, 2007
Ready for the Quake
As you may or may not know, Japan
is one of the most earth-quake prone countries in the world. It sits atop four
very active tectonic plates, which slip and slide all the time. In fact, there
are dozens of quakes in Japan every day (granted, most go unfelt). I just
checked Yahoo.co.jp and there have been 9 so far today.
Anyway, I'm not
expecting the big one at any time, though talking about it gives me the
knock-on-wood knee jerk reaction that it may happen by writing this. Still, they
say you need to be prepared.
In some ways I am
overprepared, and in others... well... let's just say that if it's wrong time
wrong place, none of it will matter. Nothing is bolted down or secured in my
place, and I have a WHOLE LOT of glass items.
Where I am prepared is
with my emergency kit and bag (though again, if it's big enough and the house
collapses, I won't easy be able to get it, will I? Oh, and if I'm not at home),
and I won't even talk about the
food!
What I'm taking
so long to get at is that I got another order in from the Foreign Buyer's Club
today; a company I often use to import foods I can't get here. Well, let's just
say that I am OVER prepared if somehow my house were to survive a major quake
and I needed canned foods, etc. to live on. I could probably live for the better
part of half a year, in fact, without leaving home.
I'm hooked on it, and
always tend to order more than I bargained for. When I was putting it all away
and trying to make room, I looked at some of the expiry dates for things I
ordered long ago but haven't eaten: the 2-litre bottle of relish passed on
January first of this year (in my defense, it didn't look so big in the small
picture... guess I should have read the fine print). I also don't think I needed
six one litre bottles of Spanish olives, but I do love olives.
Anyway, my point is
I'm starting to look like Kramer in that episode of Seinfeld where he visits the
Price Club, and I better get started on my Biosphere 4 project!
So, if the big one
hits and I'm A-okay, and for some reason no one has any access to relief
supplies and you're in the area, head on over to my place!
I'm off to make some
scallop potatoes... and may have to add some olives.
Posted at 06:15 PM
Sun - November 11, 2007
The Next Trip...
Well, things are getting somewhat
hot and heavy, in some respects, with my girlfriend. We've been seeing each
other almost every day since I got back, going out on dates, and having a lot of
fun. It's great, though once in a while we misunderstand each other in Japanese
and it can be slightly awkward. Fortunately we're both at the level where we can
paraphrase in Japanese using other words.
Anyway, gave her a
nice Prada bag as a gift from Singapore, and have booked us for a hotspring trip
(with our own balcony outdoor bath), and today I booked a trip to Pusan and
Seoul, Korea, for the winter vacation. I haven't been to Seoul for more than 5
years, and have never been to Pusan, so it should be 2 weeks of lots of fun.
It'll be a bit weird to be speaking all Japanese with her in Korea, but I'm sure
she'll be happy to speak her native language with family and friends. Will it be
weird with the family?... sure, to an extent, but I've been there and done that,
and it always works out well and we learn from each other.
So, that's that. I've
been busy as hell when not out dating. The editing job is killing me, though
it's good money, and my regular job is changing rapidly... and perhaps not for
the better.
I should
really be saving money, not blowing it all... but I'm having fun, and that beats
having all the money in the world and no life.
Posted at 11:30 PM
Sun - November 4, 2007
Waiting for the plane...
Checked out of my guest house in the heart of
Kuala Lumpur and am now just biding my time until I head to KLIA (International
Airport) and catch my flight to Singapore. Unfortunately my flight is still 7
hours away and I have a rather large backpack to shoulder. What's worse, I have
to wait 6 hours at Changi (Singapore Int'l) before my 1 a.m. flight back to
Japan.
Anyway, I had a great time, but
essentially I did very little in KL, and of course Malaysia as a whole. I didn't
make it to Melaka or any island tours, the beaches, or caves, etc., because I
felt like chilling out and sleeping in. I DID get to see the towers, the night
markets, eat at hawker stalls, and met some wicked people at the guest house,
but beyond that... not much. I guess I kind of went over and beyond in
Singapore, and that just tuckered me out.
Still, all in all I had a nice time in
both countries, and I definitely plan to come back to Malaysia, hopefully for a
couple of weeks, and add Indonesia to the mix. I'll also, hopefully, not be
going by myself next time.
So, that's
it... this successfully killed a few minutes. I should go out and enjoy the
local foods one last time before heading to the monorail station, but my
stomach's a bit dodgy, I have said backpack (once I leave, I don't want to come
back to the guesthouse to pick it up if I leave it here), and I hate trying to
pack things into the last few minutes. In all likelihood I WILL grab lunch on
the way to the monorail -- some last satay sticks, perhaps -- but I'll
definitely be heading to the airport early to kill the remaining time studying,
doing sudoku, buying souvenirs and gifts, all over an overpriced green tea
latte.
Posted at 11:22 PM
Sat
- October 27, 2007
Off to Singapore/Malaysia Tomorrow!
Yeah, after a very very hectic couple of weeks,
the last which was practically NON-STOP work, I'm off!!
I probably won't sleep well worrying
about if I forgot to pack anything, but that's par for the course, more or less.
Anyway, I hope it goes well and I have fun.
The only sad part is that it's alone,
and right after things just started heating up with my new girlfriend. Ah well,
it's only for 8 days.
We had a wicked
date the other night in Osaka City... riding the Ferris Wheel on top of the Hep
5 building (it's a department store, not a disease!), had a nice Korean Bulgogi
dinner, and I tried (and failed) to win her a giant snoopy doll in one of those
UFO catcher games (to the tune of about $50!!!. Anyway, she's great, and it'll
be nice to come back to her.
Okay,
so... see you later! I'll try to keep in touch.
Posted at 11:21 PM
Wed - October 24, 2007
Things shaping up?
Not physically... in fact, this is probably the
least healthy I've been in my life, save that the gash I gave myself is healing
VERY nicely.
Anyway, this is not
really about my PHYSICAL being, so much as it is about my various situations.
Well, okay, I guess the only thing that's REALLY improving is the love life....
but I figure that will have such far reaching effects that other things will
improve in tow.
I've been dating up a
storm, recently, and knew that in the near future it would probably result in a
girlfriend, and I'm glad to say it more or less has; or at least, the woman and
I have both expressed our liking for each other.
So who is she?
She's a foxy little Korean woman that
I met some time back. I'll admit the relationship is a bit odd in that she can't
speak much English at all, and likewise my Korean is all but existent (save for
a few greetings and pleasantries). So, our mutual language is Japanese, and both
of us are imperfect speakers at that.
Anyway, for now it's fun to be
starting a new relationship, and I hope it works out.
Posted at 11:21 PM
Sat
- October 13, 2007
Not the best week, but getting better...
Okay, so it wasn't the best week. I did have a
really nice date last Sunday, and during it I went against my promise to not
drink, since she was drinking. Anyway, I got home safe and sound (had only one
drink anyway), and drank a bit more.
The next day I had no plans and so
just hung out, did a bit of work, emailing, scrabble, watched movies, and more
of the like. I also drank some beer (not too much, mind you). It was late that
night that I cut my fingers while trying to cut the top off a plastic bottle
(the top was caked in hard, dry salsa and it would have been tossed at a
recycling plant... though why I was suddenly trying to be a perfectionist about
recycling, I don't know!). That led to a humiliating trip to the hospital.
So went my vow to gym it as much as
possible -- the doctor told me to avoid getting it dirty, and putting too much
force on it, which means practically no machines in the gym, no shower after
(without a plastic bag on my hand or something, but wouldn't my hand still sweat
at some point?), etc. There also went my efforts to go to guitar lessons as much
as possible this month -- I can't bend my finger whatsoever, let alone play
classical guitar. Since I have to keep going back every couple of days, I waste
all my break time, and have cancelled a couple of dates because the hospital
'hours' are so odd here. I've also had to deal with all sorts of
gossip-mongering from students, who have heard rumours from, 'We heard you were
rushed off to emergency by ambulance!' to even, 'why did you try to kill
yourself?'. Just bizarre... but when it comes to gossip, being a foreigner here
makes you all the more a target. I don't care to much, to be honest, it just
gets tiring trying to set the record straight, and even then I think people
still believe what they want to.
BUT, it's all more or less good.
I'll be happy when the stitches come out and I can take care of it on my own at
home. Still won't be able to gym it or go to guitar for a while, methinks, but
at least I can put my break time to more valuable usage, and won't have to
disappoint my dates.
Had a very
nice date with a young Korean woman last night... who is SMOKING I might add,
and has a wonderful personality. It's a bit odd using Japanese only as our
language of communication (she has very little English, and I have very little
Korean, and that only being greetings and pleasantries). We're spending the day
together tomorrow, which should be fun. Here's hoping next week brings better
luck (or less stupidity) and health.
Posted at 12:56 PM
Sat
- October 6, 2007
Recently...
Okay, for those of you who know
me well it hasn't been the best year of my life. Pretty much exactly to the day
one year ago I was dumped by my girlfriend of five years, whom I actually
thought I might marry.
In retrospect, of
course, if that's how she felt it's a good thing it ended there (though earlier
would have saved me a lot of grief!).
Anyway, so over the
past little while, as, again, most of you who know me well know, I've been
experiencing a kind of violent cycle of emotions. No violence, mind you, just
going from one extreme to another. I've been madly depressed, then acting a
little wild, then relatively normal, then something else... bla bla bla.
I feel a lot better
today, though. Since October my Saturday nights at work will end at 6 p.m.,
rather than 8:30, when I would go home exhausted (no point going into the city,
since I would have to come right back on the last train (10:30 p.m.). So, this
evening I went nice and slow at the gym, then headed back home after some
shopping. It was so nice to take it slow and easy... and I'm happy that from now
on I can either take advantage of the gym after work, or go out with friends and
lay back...
Blind date
tomorrow... not usually my style, but since I'm not getting out, what the hell?
Should be fun, and since the person is a friend of a friend, how can it
hurt?
Anyway, all's
well, my friends, and getting better. Still waiting to hear about a certain
thing... but can't mention it here.
Posted at 09:43 PM
Tue - October 2, 2007
Cookin' Up...
Nah, I haven't hit the smack yet,
so no worries. What this entry refers to, in large part, is the cooking party I
went to yesterday.
It
was the second of what will undoubtedly become a regular thing between me, a
student of mine, a former student of mine, and a Viet Namese woman living in the
city. We go to her house (although the other two women live in the same
building, one residing across the hall, even) and she makes a Viet Namese dish,
while the rest of us make something else; the more exotic the better.
Last time I made
Greek, but this time I decided I would make up all the fixin's for some soft
tacos. Rather than make the salsa, guacamole, green chili sauce, etc. on my own,
I finally used a bunch of things from my massive stockpile in my pantry.
Anyway, the food was
great of course, and the talks were great. In short, we had a fun time and I am
looking forward to the next party, where I've been asked to make Italian.
Beyond that, there's
nothing new... in fact, I've just been at home, drinking and watching movies,
etc. with a little work here and there. I'm actually pretty bummed out at the
moment, thoughts of the cooking party aside.
I have to hit the gym
tomorrow.
Posted at 10:35 PM
Wed - September 26, 2007
Is Japan Out-Dated?
This is not an unhappy entry, I'm
pleased to say... nor is it a rant, per se, but there are a few points I have to
make to explain the title and main point of the entry.
So, here's the gist;
I've applied for a new job. Well, I'm actually in the PROCESS of applying, and
it may be too late since the deadline is the 1st of October, but at least I got
out there, updated my resume, and even WROTE ONE IN
JAPANESE!
Oh, and by
'wrote' I mean literally that... there are many places in Japan that still
demand you write a resume by hand. It seems absurd to me because they place so
much emphasis on you writing within certain margins and keeping an even
pen-stroke, and most Japanese will admit they write them out several times
before sending one away. Now, I admire the emphasis on writing skills, since you
have to write actual Chinese characters and what not and therefore require a
certain level of competency, but give me a break! It means that if you make one
simple mistake because you're nervous and/or in a hurry and you have to start
again. I have mine all done out in pencil and will have a friend check it for me
tomorrow, and then I only pray to god the overwriting in pen goes well... cause
I can't spare the time to start again from scratch.
Again, awesome
practice, but not very practical.
That being said... I'm
actually doing something. I did waste my weekend doing nothing... but at least
now I feel like I'm heading somewhere.
Posted at 12:53 AM
Fri - September 14, 2007
Off on travel, again!
Okay okay... I know I just got
back from Canada. I also know my credit cards are more or less maxed out from
said trip and that I have virtually no savings thanks to brutal Japan taxes, but
I have to take advantage of my holidays. Why don't I just stay here and save
money? I've thought about that, and tried it a few times, but it never works.
Living costs are such in Japan that one ends up easily spending as much as they
would otherwise if they travelled.
Well, okay... a
round-trip ticket to somewhere might cost more in total than you would spend
staying home, but the cost of most places (especially SE Asia) during a stay
would amount to far less than if you go out and about here in Japan.
So, I went in to
merely check ticket costs to various places around Asia, since I have a week off
from the end of October to the end of the first week in November, and I
impulsively booked something. I'm off to Singapore and Malaysia!! I've never
been to either, and want to cover as much of the world (at least nearby) as I
can, so that's that. It'll cost a pretty penny, but since it's the off season
and these places are much more expensive in the 'ON' season, I gotta take the
chance. What's more, I have a friend in Singapore I'm keen on seeing, and since
Malaysia is so close I may as well hit Kuala Lumpur. It sucks that I'll be in
the latter part alone, but hey... done it before and enjoyed it, and it's only a
short time, so why not?
Anyway, since I
survived my trip home with little ill-effect, I am itching to make up for lost
time in terms of international travel. So, I am now very much looking forward to
this trip. Should be fun.
Posted at 12:31 AM
Sun - August 12, 2007
Off to Travel Tomorrow...
Okay, so I'm off. I won't say where... too many
people read this thing these days, and I don't want to make too many things
public anymore. Anyway, will fill you all in later. Wish me luck! Be back in 2
weeks, and from then perhaps I'll update more regularly.
Posted at 09:07 PM
Fri - July 27, 2007
My Big Fat Greek Dinner...
Let me preface this by saying
that it is near impossible to find Greek food in Japan. I finally found one
restaurant in not-too-far away Kobe and when I went there to check it out, it
was the restaurant's 'set-holiday'. I haven't eaten Greek good, aside from a
small spinach pie here and there (for lack of a better translation), in 8 years
plus. I was dying to when I went to Aus., but the chance never came up.
So anyway, I have yet
to meet more than a handful of Japanese that have even HEARD of Greek food!
Hence, all the more appealing a date, and a wonderful promise for upping a
relationship; cooking a genius dinner that someone has never tried, and is
guaranteed to love (so long as they're not lactose intolerant!).
Menu:
1. Salad: Asparagos
Ladolemono.
- the
description sounds less genius, but I want to be brief. Al dante asparagus
wrapped in a slice of red pepper with a dollop of thick olive oil-lemon dressing
(which also has to be made by hand; 'ladolemeno').
2. Soup: Tahino
Soupa.
- A tahini based
soup with pureed tomato (just a bit), onion, brown rice, fresh lemon juice and
the zest of said lemon, etc. A simple soup eaten in times of Greek fasting.
3. Pasta: Pastitsio Me
Kima.
You have to
understand that to make Pastitsio you first have to make the white sauce, and
then the 'me Kima', both of which require ingredients that are not easy to come
by in Japan, and are very expensive. To explain it basically, but to not do it
justice, it is a casserole with ziti (uncut macaroni), white sauce, and a kind
of meat sauce. Again, this has absolutely NO bearing on look and taste... it is
genius. You cut a beautiful piece out and it is AMAZING. It's also the hardest
to do with all the necessary ingredients, etc. If you have not eaten Pastitsio,
you have not eaten Greek.
4. Fish: Psari Fourno
Me Ambelofila.
Basic
translation: Fish baked in grapevine leaves.
I decided on fish
because most Japanese still prefer fish to other meats, and might ease the
transition if the girl goes into gastric shock.
Anyway, it's fish
soaked in a fennel, rosemary, lemon, and olive oil marinade. The fist is then
covered with a whipped butter and anchovy combination and wrapped in grapevine
leaves before being baked. Man... I was looking forward to that one.
After this I even
wanted to make a nice pineapple ice dessert, but couldn't find a pineapple,
which in retrospect is a good thing. You see, the date cancelled AFTER I had
done the shopping, which I might add cost me near $100 CN (now worth far more
than the yen). It was a date I was looking very forward to. I LOVE cooking, and
cook for myself all the time, but I never go full out like I do for someone I
love or an interested in. I certainly don't cook this well for myself. I will
make the pastitsio because I've been itching to eat it for years, but that's
that.
Talk about a
waste...
Posted at 09:57 PM
Wed - July 25, 2007
The Real Thing...
Just an update.
I can't remember if I
said I got a new cell phone or not, but I did, and love it. The current method
of billing people in Japan for cellular phone use is incredibly monopoly-like
and extremely expensive, but I won't get into that here. The phone is well worth
it, and every day I am finding new functions on it. Yesterday, for example, I
figured out how to sign up for the service whereby I can pay for things by
simply swiping my phone (train tickets, convenience store purchases, etc.).
Beyond that, there's
not a hell of a lot that's new. Still dating up a storm, and some relationships
are becoming more promising, but I don't want to rush it quite yet, as I believe
I ought to meet a few 'new' people and make sure I'm not missing anything.
Yesterday I went to an
applied kinesiologist in Osaka City. No, I'm not suffering any physical
ailments, per se, though I did initially go to get my back checked (had some
lower back pain and just wanted to make sure I wasn't walking funny or something
NOW so that I can prevent it being debilitating in the future); I go there now
because the doctor is an American friend of mine. He and his Japanese wife are
wicked, and their method of kinesiology is better than the typical bio-mechanics
that go into things like rehabilitation. There's some of that, to be sure, but
no machines are used, and it's more like a combination
kinesiology/psychotherapy, along with holistic approaches thrown in.
So yesterday the doc
says to me that my nutrition intake (food, water, etc.) and physical state seem
to be in order, more or less (minus booze intake, for both), but my mental state
or spirit is out of whack. He did some 'work' on me and said that he believes
I'm having trouble some kind of grief, in particular with feelings of despair
over my current and/or accumulated over the past living arrangements.
One reason I never
really felt like talking to shrinks was that I believed, and still do (I know
from comforting friends), that you can say ANYTHING and people will take from it
what they need to hear. It seems silly for me to hear things I already know...
and I am pretty intuitive and perceptive on my own. Anyway, he was pretty bang
on with his assessment, and even though it all sounds a bit hokey I don't care.
As I said, he is a friend and I enjoy talking to him in that respect more than
as a doctor, but he also did indeed say some things I needed to hear. I know
them, already, in my heart, but it helps to have them affirmed from an outside
source.
Time to
analyze all those things, little and large, that are causing me so much stress,
etc. and to thrown them out, as well as to focus on what it is I really want,
and go for it.
Posted at 10:29 PM
Tue - July 17, 2007
Going Home, and Going to a Test
Alright, so a lots been on the go these days. I
paid the balance on my tickets to... this summer... and let me tell you in was
not a nice feeling to hand over $2400 cash to go home... but it's overdue.
Now, I am going to try and 'get in
shape' before going home. That's right, it means detox! I don't mean in the
super detox diet way I've done before -- I can't do that because I have way to
much food -- but it DOES mean no more alcohol... or very little (I do have some
farewell parties and should toast a glass or two back).
Off to the gym tomorrow and the next
day, which will help, and though I'm not going 100% detox diet I AM going to eat
better and drink a whole lot of water.
I also signed up and am sending off
the application for the level 1 Japanese Proficiency Test, to be taken on
December 2nd. I don't think I'm ready for it, but it will at least get me
studying a bit more.
Hmmm... there was
more I wanted to say, but I'll keep it there for now. The weather has sucked,
and there has been a major typhoon hit (though skipped my area), and a number of
earthquakes (the most damaging of which was not near me).
So that's things, in a nutshell.
Oh, and I passed my 7 year anniversary
here yesterday.
Posted at 11:22 PM
Sun - July 8, 2007
A Whole Lot Going On...
Let's start at the beginning.
There was a lot I
wanted to say in my last post, but I wanted to keep said post simply on the
topic of the Weaver Star Festival and it's uniqueness to Japanese culture.
But there is a whole
lot of other stuff going on, and so let me detail it for
you:
1. I booked and
paid a downpayment on a trip to... (you guess) for the summer. Yes yes yes....
it is a bit of a dream until I can kick these panic attacks, but I hope it will
come true. Hiding here in Japan isn't going to get me anywhere. Anyway, it's
been nearly 3 years again, so I better get there.
2. Tomorrow I go to
get my new visa. They're probably going to screw me again and strictly give me a
one year visa, because I'm pretty sure the government is screwing all foreigners
this way in order to get more money. You see, you used to be able to write that
you wanted a 3 year visa and you would get it. That means about $100 for a 3
year visa and multiple re-entry permit. As of last year, though, you could only
get it for one year, which means triple the money, and triple the pain in the
ass. Still, I need it, as my visa expires in a little more than a week, so we'll
see.
3. I have applied
for the Japanese Proficiency Test, level 1 (the highest). I managed to pass
level 2 last year after 3 failed attempts (ALL of them within 1% of passing,
which was infuriating since it's only offered once a year), but I want number 1.
Both are worth something on your resume when applying for jobs, but in
particular the first level kicks ass.
4. My fish are now one
year old, and doing well. Yes, I got them at the Star Festival last year, and
though 8 died in one week, the remaining seven have been going strong for 1
year, and are now huge.
That's it, in a
nutshell. There IS more... and I could embellish a lot on each of the four
things written, but figured I'd save you the grief. Besides, I may well be
seeing a bunch of you soon and can tell you in person. What's more... the
internet has eyes... haha.
Posted at 05:22 PM
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Published On: Nov 19, 2007 06:21 PM
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