Tuesday, September 29
A Lover's Hate of a Place He Loves
I hate this place as much as I love it. I find amusement in it's absurdity of normalcy and then find solace and home in it only minutes later. The people find place in me like a breath a longed to have. Then I hear of other people, of this thing called society and culture and I feel as if I have been hurt, wounded and want to strike out at this writhing force with something be it a chair, a fan, a book, even a stick, but I know that does shit. The mass still writhes and it still unnerves me like the hideous face of an actor hidden behind a mask. Can I call this place home? Yeah, of course. Do I desperately crave something of America here, Something so the core of me no longer boils? Nah, cause America has the same things. My blood boils there too, and a different but similar unwrithing mass draws me to action foolishly.
Sunday, September 20
Brief
Yesterday - Sat 19
I went to the monkey park, a mountain temple with an awesome view, Tenryuji (not as cool, prolly too many people), bamboo forest, aimless wandering then Kyoto for aimless wandering and then more wandering of seeing what is to do in Kuzuha. Which i found some cool looking bars, good looking food, a music club for rock, an arcade and numerous hostess clubs (I'm assuming you know what they are) with one host club. I told my host mother we are so going to it. She seems up for it. I think I missed some days, but my legs are dead at the moment. Well one is the other keeps going with this wonderful coffee they serve in Japan. Going to a Concert for Hina-chan today, then heading into Osaka for a Ferris Wheel and a bar. Got internet at home and upgraded my Flickr so will slowly be uploading these 400 some pictures, keep checking there for more tales and events like the Sesame Icecream and Canned Burgers. They'll be up this week.
Click the title "Brief" to jump straight there.
I went to the monkey park, a mountain temple with an awesome view, Tenryuji (not as cool, prolly too many people), bamboo forest, aimless wandering then Kyoto for aimless wandering and then more wandering of seeing what is to do in Kuzuha. Which i found some cool looking bars, good looking food, a music club for rock, an arcade and numerous hostess clubs (I'm assuming you know what they are) with one host club. I told my host mother we are so going to it. She seems up for it. I think I missed some days, but my legs are dead at the moment. Well one is the other keeps going with this wonderful coffee they serve in Japan. Going to a Concert for Hina-chan today, then heading into Osaka for a Ferris Wheel and a bar. Got internet at home and upgraded my Flickr so will slowly be uploading these 400 some pictures, keep checking there for more tales and events like the Sesame Icecream and Canned Burgers. They'll be up this week.
Click the title "Brief" to jump straight there.
Wednesday, September 16
"Water Boys"
So I got lost getting to the Zen temple the other day, so that trip went out the window. With nothing better to do at the moment I decided that walking around Kyoto for the day, granted in the rain, was the best option for the moment. There will eventually be some interesting pictures up of that, but have to upgrade my flickr first for more pictures (seeing I reached my upload limit). Also now can proudly say I know all my hiragana.
Sunday was sleep and tiredness raking its claws over me, like the dry soil of a Pennsylvania farm.
Anyway on to more exciting adventures and stories, after classes on monday I met one of the students who used to live with my host family. She was traveling before Grad school and came to visit. Overall, she seems nice. Though best part of the night not hoping to be reminded of the takoyaki we had for dinner was watching this delightful movie "Water Boys" (ウォーターボーイズ). Odd and funny as it shows these 5 boys who signed up for a swim team at school only find out it was synchro (synchronized swimming). So they go through the motions of learning, failing, etc all with wonderfully interesting characters like the dolphin trainer, the two drag queens, the martial artist love interest and the gay character who I only bring up because he looks like a young Bruce. Good movie, go see it.
Monday, September 14
Sleep and Alcohol
So I've not been getting much sleep lately, so forgive the awkward pauses and horrible grammar. Why the lack of sleep? Well it seems everytime I try to catch sleep, we end up wrestling on the bed in this burdenful heat while sleep repeatedly strikes my head forcing me to give up. So it's troulesome to sleep with the heat and the unbearable headaches, then as the heat breaks everything becomes freezing and there is no help to insulate me from the cold. I'm gonna try the airconditionertonight and see if it corrects any of these issues like my headaches. *fingers crossed*
So with my sleep gauge rather low and the prospect of filling it up, a foolish thought currently, alcohol is now my enemy. A bitter rival that one can (of beer or Gin&Tonic, yes they have cans of it here) puts me under jumping over the buzzed feeling and straight to a sleepy, noxious tiredness that saturates my muscles.
So sipping on this delicious iced-coffee from a can, I try to regain some energy before I start drifting away like a mastless boat at sea.
So with my sleep gauge rather low and the prospect of filling it up, a foolish thought currently, alcohol is now my enemy. A bitter rival that one can (of beer or Gin&Tonic, yes they have cans of it here) puts me under jumping over the buzzed feeling and straight to a sleepy, noxious tiredness that saturates my muscles.
So sipping on this delicious iced-coffee from a can, I try to regain some energy before I start drifting away like a mastless boat at sea.
Friday, September 11
The Gauged Hole of My Soul is Filled with Chunky Peanut Butter Pictures
Here is a Rapid Fire Shot of the Week
The days are a blur of food, classes and Japanese. Classes are moving at breakneckspeeds seeing that Speaking and Writing are seperate from one another allowing them to each move fast independently. Both language instructors are pretty awesome and funny individuals. Host family wise, it is always a blast interacting with Mariko-san and Hina-chan at the table or in general. Hina was joking her sports team for Sports Festival is Mira Mira San Saizu (Mira Mira being the sound fire makes, so 3 Soybeans on Fire). The other day me and Hina were drawing things with moustaches, beards and goatees like plants, clouds, ants, etc. Tuesday morning Mariko-san and I got talking and we ended up doing an informal tea ceremony. She also commented on my gauges, my size 8 gauges that are this awesome blue and orange. Another girl during the week commented on them, but I didn't roll high enough to start a conversation. Damn.
So the weeks kind of suck being that you are trapped in a University doing work for classes in Japan, looking forward to weekends. This weekend I'm going to a Zen Temple near Kyoto for some good old fashion zazen, dharma talk and tea. It will be wonderful, delightful and full of everything I need. The apple to my soul to keep the doctor away. Though being able to go back to a house and a family helps deal with that fact. It is also a nice feeling to think about going home after a day of classes. Also helps any homesickness I may have, though my mighty jar of chunky peanut butter and pictures of you guys help.
Oh I was showing Mariko-san pictures of home and friends and she was always surprised by the random pictures I had. She thinks Brian looks like Jesus too, for when she saw it she went "Jesus!" Also she thinks Jen with a moustache looks like Clark Gable and Kate looks like fun trouble. She laughed at the Hudson shirtless drinking water wearing a purse. She thinks all my friends are extremely talented and smart (which they are) and was impressed with what you guys have done.
The days are a blur of food, classes and Japanese. Classes are moving at breakneckspeeds seeing that Speaking and Writing are seperate from one another allowing them to each move fast independently. Both language instructors are pretty awesome and funny individuals. Host family wise, it is always a blast interacting with Mariko-san and Hina-chan at the table or in general. Hina was joking her sports team for Sports Festival is Mira Mira San Saizu (Mira Mira being the sound fire makes, so 3 Soybeans on Fire). The other day me and Hina were drawing things with moustaches, beards and goatees like plants, clouds, ants, etc. Tuesday morning Mariko-san and I got talking and we ended up doing an informal tea ceremony. She also commented on my gauges, my size 8 gauges that are this awesome blue and orange. Another girl during the week commented on them, but I didn't roll high enough to start a conversation. Damn.
So the weeks kind of suck being that you are trapped in a University doing work for classes in Japan, looking forward to weekends. This weekend I'm going to a Zen Temple near Kyoto for some good old fashion zazen, dharma talk and tea. It will be wonderful, delightful and full of everything I need. The apple to my soul to keep the doctor away. Though being able to go back to a house and a family helps deal with that fact. It is also a nice feeling to think about going home after a day of classes. Also helps any homesickness I may have, though my mighty jar of chunky peanut butter and pictures of you guys help.
Oh I was showing Mariko-san pictures of home and friends and she was always surprised by the random pictures I had. She thinks Brian looks like Jesus too, for when she saw it she went "Jesus!" Also she thinks Jen with a moustache looks like Clark Gable and Kate looks like fun trouble. She laughed at the Hudson shirtless drinking water wearing a purse. She thinks all my friends are extremely talented and smart (which they are) and was impressed with what you guys have done.
Wednesday, September 9
the Zen of Zombie Shoot-em Ups and Sexual Madness
Sept 7
Classes started today, well non-Japanese classes that is. So I'm all giddy like a kid in a ballpit to jump right in and play around in the material. Especially considering it is on Sex and Zen (sadly not in the same class, though I would teach a class on Zen and Sex like that if given the chance). So annecdote time on Zen Class.
We were asked to finish the phrase, "Zen is" easy stuff. My three phrases in my head "Zen is moo," "Zen is (followed by me trailing off)" and "Zen is nonsense." I ended with the nonsense seeing that anything stranger, weird etc would cause some issue that no one would understand. Though I was asked whether I meant nonsense as a positive thing or not, grr. The rest fo the answere invovled peace, meditation, tea, calm, sitting, simplicity, etc. Granted they are all zen and they aren't, but I won't explain that. Conclusion. I must have some pretty off views for Zen or I'm just heavily influenced by Western Zen. Because Zen can be rock, strangeness, complexity, absurd, loud, etc. Zen is the fire burning a pot of noodles and also the noodles burning inside the pot. The class on sex seems fun, didn't talk about it much just an overview. I started the reading and I either must be retarded and not learned anything from Anth Theory or they are explaining the construction of sex in a really easy odd way.
So odd dreams in Japan, I was fighting zombie monkies to which I have no idea where they came from and all I know was I lost to them. My other dream involved me riding a bicycle and getting hit by a car. Luckily this dream took place in the US. So note to self I am not going tio be driving right away when I get back to the States.
On that note riding bikes in Japan isn't that bad. Actually quite easy as long as you keep with the Street Hierarchy:
1. Traffic Lights and Crossing Signs: They are the vengeful and merciful gods and goddesses that watch over your progress as move down the streets. You pay your respect to them by never disobeying their fiery reflections. Even if you could go, or no one is coming, you don't disobey.
2. Other Bikes and You: Crossing Signs and Traffic Lights aside you are the in control as long as you have two wheels and a pedal. So enjoy the top, the issue is other bikers will threaten your power by veering close enough to you so as to knock you off or push you off. So you're playing chicken with the other bikers. Now it doesn't matter whether you're on the right side of the road or not, cause aside those lights and signs you are a god of the road. With them, you're like a demi-god still good, just not great.
3 and 4. Cars or Motorcycles/Scooters: Now as to whether one surpasses the other I am not sure at the moment, but both will stop to let you cross the street or will go around you as you ride in the street.
5. People
Classes started today, well non-Japanese classes that is. So I'm all giddy like a kid in a ballpit to jump right in and play around in the material. Especially considering it is on Sex and Zen (sadly not in the same class, though I would teach a class on Zen and Sex like that if given the chance). So annecdote time on Zen Class.
We were asked to finish the phrase, "Zen is" easy stuff. My three phrases in my head "Zen is moo," "Zen is (followed by me trailing off)" and "Zen is nonsense." I ended with the nonsense seeing that anything stranger, weird etc would cause some issue that no one would understand. Though I was asked whether I meant nonsense as a positive thing or not, grr. The rest fo the answere invovled peace, meditation, tea, calm, sitting, simplicity, etc. Granted they are all zen and they aren't, but I won't explain that. Conclusion. I must have some pretty off views for Zen or I'm just heavily influenced by Western Zen. Because Zen can be rock, strangeness, complexity, absurd, loud, etc. Zen is the fire burning a pot of noodles and also the noodles burning inside the pot. The class on sex seems fun, didn't talk about it much just an overview. I started the reading and I either must be retarded and not learned anything from Anth Theory or they are explaining the construction of sex in a really easy odd way.
So odd dreams in Japan, I was fighting zombie monkies to which I have no idea where they came from and all I know was I lost to them. My other dream involved me riding a bicycle and getting hit by a car. Luckily this dream took place in the US. So note to self I am not going tio be driving right away when I get back to the States.
On that note riding bikes in Japan isn't that bad. Actually quite easy as long as you keep with the Street Hierarchy:
1. Traffic Lights and Crossing Signs: They are the vengeful and merciful gods and goddesses that watch over your progress as move down the streets. You pay your respect to them by never disobeying their fiery reflections. Even if you could go, or no one is coming, you don't disobey.
2. Other Bikes and You: Crossing Signs and Traffic Lights aside you are the in control as long as you have two wheels and a pedal. So enjoy the top, the issue is other bikers will threaten your power by veering close enough to you so as to knock you off or push you off. So you're playing chicken with the other bikers. Now it doesn't matter whether you're on the right side of the road or not, cause aside those lights and signs you are a god of the road. With them, you're like a demi-god still good, just not great.
3 and 4. Cars or Motorcycles/Scooters: Now as to whether one surpasses the other I am not sure at the moment, but both will stop to let you cross the street or will go around you as you ride in the street.
5. People
Catch Up
Sept 4
Went to Kyoto in the afternoon with the roomies and 3 Japanese girls the university assigned. The train system is so easy and no one ended up in Queens! Anyway, Miho, Miho and Mina were all great as well as slightly crazy. They wanted to learn curse words at one point and I ended up teaching them the Portuguese swear word poha, to which they were yelling as we waited in line. They now associate Pedro with the word as he cracks up laughing as they keep saying poha which means cum. Used for our equivalent of damn. Went to visit a temple/shrine where I got to feel all buddhisty but not by much. Supposedly I have bad luck from my fortune and might end up with a kid before the year is out. Good thing this bad luck only lasts till the end of 09'. On our way down from the shrine that's way up on a hill, got some truly delicious green tea icecream. We then got some ramen before leaving, wonderfully delicious. Took the train back then the bus. Went to bed. Meet the host family on sunday and Hirakata Park today supposedly.
Sept 5
So karaoke is wonderful especially in Japan with friends and strangers. So we went out to a karaoke bar where you pay 1,000 yen or $10 for an hour of karaoke and unlimited drinks. Needless to say it becomes an entertaining experience from the start. Though the high point of the evening was when two random Japanese men joined our party and started drinking, singing and dancing with us. I had the honor of singing Hero by Mariah Carrie with on of the guys. So almost all my roommates were wasted and had thrown up at least once that night. I managed to hold my own with my own toxic alcoholic brime swirling about in my stomach, a combination of plum wine, tequila, rum, coke and sake. The night ended with drinking beers in the park and one of the roommates passed out on the toliet naked. A sight I wish to forget.
Sept 6
Met my host family today! Was nervous as hell of what they would be like, but they turned out to be fine. My host family consists of Nishino-san, Mariko-san and Hina-chan. They are pretty lively bunch, though Mariko-san keeps refering to them as a weird bunch. Mariko-san, the mother, does kendo, plays the violin / piano and has a huge geeky obsession for Samurai films and Firefly. To which I must have made a mark on her as I listed all the great samurai films I have seen, to which she would pull from her shelf and show me. I litterally named a little less than 3/4 of her samurai films. She has been teaching me Kansai-ben (Kansai-dialect) along with normal Japanese as I help her with her pronounciation. Hina-chan is their daughter who is this cute 11 year old kid that plays the french horn and violin. And whose brass band placed 2nd in all of Japan. She was teaching me some Japanese before dinner as she would point something out and give me the Japanese. Nishino-san gives that presentation of a stern quiet Japanese man most the time off in his own world not to be bothered, but he happens to be a funny guy around the dinner table. On that note, they watch tv when they eat and their house seems to be more modern/Western influenced. Which isn't bad, kinda wished I got a bit more traditional, but it still allows an insight into the Japanese family.
Oh funny note, I am not allowed to have members of the opposite sex sleep over. But same-sex sleep overs are fine. So it as my speaking partner says, "No one is gay/lesbian in Japan."
Went to Kyoto in the afternoon with the roomies and 3 Japanese girls the university assigned. The train system is so easy and no one ended up in Queens! Anyway, Miho, Miho and Mina were all great as well as slightly crazy. They wanted to learn curse words at one point and I ended up teaching them the Portuguese swear word poha, to which they were yelling as we waited in line. They now associate Pedro with the word as he cracks up laughing as they keep saying poha which means cum. Used for our equivalent of damn. Went to visit a temple/shrine where I got to feel all buddhisty but not by much. Supposedly I have bad luck from my fortune and might end up with a kid before the year is out. Good thing this bad luck only lasts till the end of 09'. On our way down from the shrine that's way up on a hill, got some truly delicious green tea icecream. We then got some ramen before leaving, wonderfully delicious. Took the train back then the bus. Went to bed. Meet the host family on sunday and Hirakata Park today supposedly.
Sept 5
So karaoke is wonderful especially in Japan with friends and strangers. So we went out to a karaoke bar where you pay 1,000 yen or $10 for an hour of karaoke and unlimited drinks. Needless to say it becomes an entertaining experience from the start. Though the high point of the evening was when two random Japanese men joined our party and started drinking, singing and dancing with us. I had the honor of singing Hero by Mariah Carrie with on of the guys. So almost all my roommates were wasted and had thrown up at least once that night. I managed to hold my own with my own toxic alcoholic brime swirling about in my stomach, a combination of plum wine, tequila, rum, coke and sake. The night ended with drinking beers in the park and one of the roommates passed out on the toliet naked. A sight I wish to forget.
Sept 6
Met my host family today! Was nervous as hell of what they would be like, but they turned out to be fine. My host family consists of Nishino-san, Mariko-san and Hina-chan. They are pretty lively bunch, though Mariko-san keeps refering to them as a weird bunch. Mariko-san, the mother, does kendo, plays the violin / piano and has a huge geeky obsession for Samurai films and Firefly. To which I must have made a mark on her as I listed all the great samurai films I have seen, to which she would pull from her shelf and show me. I litterally named a little less than 3/4 of her samurai films. She has been teaching me Kansai-ben (Kansai-dialect) along with normal Japanese as I help her with her pronounciation. Hina-chan is their daughter who is this cute 11 year old kid that plays the french horn and violin. And whose brass band placed 2nd in all of Japan. She was teaching me some Japanese before dinner as she would point something out and give me the Japanese. Nishino-san gives that presentation of a stern quiet Japanese man most the time off in his own world not to be bothered, but he happens to be a funny guy around the dinner table. On that note, they watch tv when they eat and their house seems to be more modern/Western influenced. Which isn't bad, kinda wished I got a bit more traditional, but it still allows an insight into the Japanese family.
Oh funny note, I am not allowed to have members of the opposite sex sleep over. But same-sex sleep overs are fine. So it as my speaking partner says, "No one is gay/lesbian in Japan."
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