The hell guys... lucidmedia got shut down so now I spend my time staring at the forever unchanging face of Boogaloo...
Life's been steadily picking up over here. I climbed a mountain recently, Mt. Hayachine, and I swear to god it was like being on Gutz. Ladder-climbing, chain-swinging, cliff-face-scaling, all with the added bonus of certain death if you fell. I went with my school's mountain climbing club (that's tozanbu, for those of you who are curious). Camped out the night before, had the students cook us dinner, "party" with the other 2 teachers there after lights out... great experience over-all. Next month we're hitting Mt. Goyo and Mt. Iwate.
My band, Kraken Strike (believe it or not, I was not the one who picked that name), has our first concert next month. Its an alright deal, what I've got going, though we've still yet to integrate each of our specific tastes in music into one cohesive whole. Covering the Ramones' "Rock 'n' Roll Radio" and then doing at least 2 of my original songs and one of my bassist's. Obviously we're opening. By that time we might have more under out belts, but at the moment that's our (nameless) set list.
Oh, check this out: I'm taking lessons from a Noh theater director. There's a possibility I might perform in a play in Morioka sometime during November, though I seriously doubt that. Difficult shit, and learning it to a sufficient measure by that time is more or less unthinkable, though its a thought I like to entertain.
I sent in my application for the 73rd Peace Boat voyage last week, though (and per the usual), I'm not at all confident in my chances. For those of you who aren't familiar, Peace Boat is a circumnavigating humanity aid cruise ship docked in Yokohama just outside of Tokyo that makes apprx. 3 trips around the globe a year stopping at different ports for varying spans of time to assist with humanitarian aid projects, as well as to open the world's eyes to different cultures. Normally, it costs (if I'm not mistaken) around 14k to ride. However, if you've got 18 months or more of ALT/ESL work under your belt by the time of departure, you have the chance to be taken on board as an English teacher and have all dues and fees waived. So its awesome, and by the time that 73rd comes around I'll have what, 19 months or so working like this? Hard to believe. Anyway, its doubly good if I actually am lucky enough to be selected because I can opt to not resign with this position when my contract expires in March, have a month of to dick around, set sail in April, and get back right around the time a lot of the contracts come in for another, better company located in Osaka with whom I've already spoken with about employment. That'd be a hell of a year, to say the least.
Alright, I need to go duct-tape more bags together - its getting cold and Japan doesn't know the first thing about insulation.
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Exactly how effective are duct taped bags as a method of insulation? Just wondering. Also that mountain climbing sounds badass.
ReplyDeleteLivin the dream dude...sounds sick. So how long have you been teaching at that school? The timeline of your Japanexperience is somewhat lost on me, but your summer list sounded amaaaaaazing. Sorry the blog sucks/I have written in a while. What happens?
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to say, but I had a supersick summer, working and playing hard. I made good money and I now I'm gonna spend a wad going to Vancouver. Ever been? I can't exactly say why I'm going. I guess it's just supposed to be an amazing city, but I'm super duper excited. Traveling is the shit, as I'm sure you know goddamn well.
Noh theater, eh? I did a Noh exercise a year or so ago, of extremely slow movement and I LOVED it. Sometimes when I'm feeling weird and I have some time to kill, I'll move around my room as slowly as humanly possible, getting out of bed, getting dressed. What else does Noh theater entail? I have...Noh...idea...AUGGGGGHHHH
cool to hear you've got a band too. Hope it's not a fireball-explosive failure and that you get some weird groupies at some point. Speaking of which, hows the japanese-babe front?
You rock
J
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ReplyDeleteOh, @Collin: Insulation is just trapped air, right? If I make a bunch of bubbles, and them seal them with tape (or, ideally, glue, I suppose) and plastic wrap against my windows, that'll create a big, dense bubble of air that'll help repel the cold... right? Or am I just making up science.
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ReplyDeleteThere really needs to be an edit button for comments...
ReplyDeleteI've been in Japan for a little over a year now - I got in on September 14, '09 - and Miyako for a little under - I got here on November 14, '09.
Anywho, Noh... its ridiculously boring. Almost every aspect is choreographed, which foot to start with, how far to place it, how to tilt your head, gestures, etc., etc., etc. And that's maybe what makes it so interesting to me, aside from the stories themselves which are ethereal, otherworldly, and based almost entirely death and impermanence (ultra-Japanese themes, especially that last one). I'm reading a book right now on the subject, and the interviews with the Noh actors all harmonize on at least one note, that being how with the extreme choreography and the donning of certain masks at certain times, the experience of both acting and witnessing the actor allows one to sense, or at least glimpse, something that transcends the sum of its parts... Can't say I understand it entirely, but the idea isn't lost on me. Let's just call it an acquired taste.
Thanks for the band encouragement... Hopefully it won't be the next Hindenberg/Hiroshima/Armageddon starring Bruce Willis, Ben Afleck, Liv Tyler, Steve Buschemi, and, I believe, Ving Rhames. Don't really have groupies yet, though I am in the company of three very distinct girls - choosing one has proven incredibly difficult, and here is where I ask your advice:
Bachelorette #1 (aka Yukino) is a whopping 19 years old (met her at a bar that she was saying she was 22 to drink at...), is a student at the local college, inexperienced but not naive, very stylish, and the smoking hot babe of the bunch. She works part time at an Izakaya owned by a friend/acuqaintance. Good, though shy, vibes from her. Speaks a decent amount of basic English, and would definitely fit into the Tokyo clubbing crowd, though I think she'd be that super hot girl in the back who isn't necessarily trying to draw attention to herself, plus she break dances or something... is 19 weird? I can't decide.
Hot factor: 9
My type factor: 7
Cool factor: 8
Weirdness factor: 3
Safe factor: 7 or 8
Karaoke factor: ?
Bachelorette #2 (aka Yuka) is 2 months older than me, and hails from the ultra northern city of Asahikawa in Hokkaido. That in itself is bad ass. She's self-assured, and falls lightly into the category of Japanese 'Yanki', which means more or less punk but not in the punk-rock sense. Works in an up-scale restaurant. Is nominally part of the gang, which makes me a bit apprehensive. Incredibly difficult to read, though no decidedly bad vibes, thus the elevated interest.
Hot factor: 7
My type factor: 8
Cool factor: 10
Weirdness factor: 5 or 6
Safe factor: 6
Karaoke factor: 1000
Bachelorette #3 (aka Satoko)is 26 (?) and is by far the most outgoing of these three. I feel like the girls of Boogaloo would get along with her very well, provided she spoke any English. Went to college in Aomori city for 5 years for Philosophy, now lives here working as a barhand (part-time) and a (drumroll) mortician (full-time-ish). Ultra-good vibes from her, though shes 150% free-spirit so making advance plans with her is near impossible - I was actually stood up once at the last minute because some guy died and she had to attend to it. She also digs on quite a wide range of decent music.
Hot factor: 7
My type factor: 10
Cool factor: 6 or 7
Weird factor: 13
Safe factor: ~1
Karaoke factor: 4 (but she tries real hard)
Of late, I've been going on dinner dates, movies, and occasionally to bars a lot with Satoko and Yukino. However, there's no formal 'this is my girlfriend' kind of deal going on with anyone of them... obviously. In truth, I'm kind of stuck when it comes to making a decision: Yukino is super hot and really nice, Yuka is ultra down to earth and speaks her mind (+++), and Satoko is that kind of crazy girl who you can't get your mind off of though you should probably do exactly that.
You're right, insulation is definitely nothing more than air bubbles. The smaller the better, but I'm sure the bags are better than nothing. Things over here are pretty good, we just moved about a month ago and Deirdra started grad school, so things have been a little crazy lately. I've just been working too much and trying to figure out a way to get out of my job and into one that's more interesting. Other than that, it's pretty much the same old story.
ReplyDeleteOn an unrelated note, what are the chances you could obtain and send me a chef's knife from over there? I'm wondering if you could get a Hattori cheaper than I can.
PS As to your lady situation I have no useful advice. Sounds like you're having a good time though.
ReplyDeleteYou fuck...ladies swarmin all over and ya don't know what to do, eh? Send one of em over here with a coupla holes punched in the box and I"ll take care of em. hahaha joking of course, just frustrated with lack of sexy flirtation in the western hemi, but I'm happy to give advice.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like Satoko is really up your alley and the one you would be most happy with. HOWEVER, practical considerations in mind this is not necessarily the case. How tough is she to track down? Claiming a funeral to attend to is NOT a flaky thing...it's a fucking funeral, dude. However, reading safe factor at -1 is awful iffy and personally, there's nothing worse than a chick who you wanna get down with and your PRETTY sure that she wants to get down with you but it just never friggin happens.
This is why I think you should pursue Yukino for the time being. Hot, fun, and hip to the scene, it sounds like exactly what you might need if Satoko is up and down and hot and cold. I could foresee Satoko finally coming around and giving the attention that you want, and that may cause conflicts if you've gotten serious with the 19 y/o (which, by the way, is slightly weird but you've got to use some serious observation skills to seek out insecurities and immaturities with an ubiased eye. That shit can burn you).
When/if that occurs, i think only your heart can decide :)