Packing=extremely difficult, but complete!!
Now must prepare for Japanese and American Sunday (leaving on one, and arriving on the other, and attempt to do something special with my last day.Current Mood:  extremely happy |
I am currently in a state of great perplexity. No need to explain why.
Anyways, today consisted of going-away party for the minami (my) 'chapter'. During this, I realized I'm leaving the day after tomorrow, to my great shock, and realized I'd much prefer to bring family and friends here than go back there. But I'm still glad to be coming back.
I haven't started my school reading, and don't want to, but need to.
party=many many photobooths, Italian breakfast, bowling, losing a perverted old man (extremely literal), cafe, wandering, dinner.
participents=Italian girl, three boys, and all our mothers (names aren't necessary because I haven't really been including them all along..)
I've slipped (also) into a state of neither sleeping nor wanting to.
Finished HP6 last night and was severely saddened for the evening over the death of whoever died. (Agh! It's so terrible)
Tomorrow=must pack (a task worthy of Hercules)
Dissapointed in international postal service (but then, I was never on particularly friendly terms with the postal service in the first place, was I? Oh god, that story >.<...)
Anyways, not looking forward to saying goodbye to my host-family as I lack sufficient talent in such things (I remember vaguely dissapearing a few years ago).
Recovering from injuries sustained from persistent host-brother. (who, by the way, is a casual user of uncomfortable bodily noises)
As (SHOCK!) Lauretta and Russell have apparently broken up (which I am appalled and confused by), I now have the ability to paint my room (though I feel terrible even thinking about that).
Watching a zombie movie. Which reminds me, I still haven't seen Annie Hall and I'd like to (particularly since my parents used to compare me to her very often).
Agh..
Ought to sleep, but instead, plan to write or read.
Oyasumi!Current Mood:  Hmm Current Music: Zombies a'moanin |
|
Currently recovering from last night's sleepover with Abby during which we stayed up till 6 watching movies. |
Oog, have been very busy.. Currently very tired
Shall start from unintentional hiatus began:
1. Today, my host-mom and I went out for pizza and wound up talking lengthily about marriage, though I don't know why. Anyways, I've mentally reconfirmed that divorce is scary and bad (to put it simply). Here in Japan, marriage works like this:
A. You live with your parents until you marry (returning to them after college)
B. You generally don't move in with your fiance till marriage (considered immature and a precursor for divorce)
C. In the event of a divorce, you never see each other again, and the father and children never see each other
Anyways, before all this, I made a religious journey to the distant Expoland (a theme park). There I was coerced (quite forcefully) onto a rollercoaster, on which I entered a catatonic state midway through (means of denial). Then we ventured through the regionally famous haunted house, wherein many-a-corpse chased drunkenly after us, and I was very much scared out of my wits. Upon sprinting out, I was heard repeating the phrase 'They had teeth! They were coming after us and they had teeth!'. This was followed by the arcade, where I was neither coerced or chased by the living dead. I discovered an extremely cool samurai game (like a shooting game where you hold the shaft and the screen detects movement), and attracted a small audience. Then I attempted DDR (again) and was (again) amazed by the fact that people like Jordan and Chris and Seth (all boys...) (at leat I think Seth was one) become DDR masters. After all this, I conquered an alligator pummelling game (competing against the other AFS students) and won a blow-up Duraimon, which I donated to the Italian Girls Whose Names are Agnese Foundation. Also, I bought a Totoro puzzle.
2. A Later Today
Holy poop! Today my mother visited me! She was with Serg, and not Rick (Dad was telling the truth). (she'd been in Hong Kong and her return flight passed through Japan, so she and Serg decided to stay a couple of days) (despite the heat). She was extremely pleasent and a good time was had by all, which was only slightly surprising due to the terms we semi-parted on. Wait! No, this isn't true, there was singing on the way to Hacienda, I have witnesses.
Okay, good, not surprising.
Mum=very surprised
That night=Chris's house for fireworks festival. There, there were served fried foodstuffs. I had four fried shrimp, which was apparently too many, as it took exactly this many to make me feel quite sick for a time.
Hanabi Misturi=biggest fireworks show all year in southern Japan. Very pretty, but ambiguous ending (believing it had ended, we ended up boarding the train before the finale. So we watched it through glimpses between buildings in the train windows. Very fun).
Chris made it very difficult to uphold my 'fireworks oath of silence', but it was mostly managed, and if you'd like to know what your wish was, kindly inquire.
Also, my host-brother's...behavior (?) resumed, but you'll be pleased to know (actually, I can't really assume that I suppose) that I removed his cheek half-way from his face (not really) after his beatings and semi-huggings became to much or too painful.. U_U I don't know why I'm suddenly attracting people (again, not really) here, but tis very odd when unrequited..
Tomorrow, which will soon become today, I take my mom and Serg to Nara Park (with the deer) and Todai-ji (it's now today, and it was extremely enjoyable, but perhaps too hot for them).
My plot of ultimate evil has come to a crux and should soon follow through or likely shan't at all (is no longer in my hands).
HP6 = highly enjoyable thus far (though I don't entirely agree with the specific couples errupting), but I've been constantly interrupted! (though often that only makes a book better, and often one reads in the hopes of being interrupted, though usually I don't). Anyways, interruptions are normally interesting.
New books bought: Hayao artbook (I probably sound obsessed by now, but this is stuff I haven't run across in America, and good deals to boot), Kiki's Delivery Service (children's book), and Vampire Hunter D.
It feels slightly strange that I've been reading all these movie/anime books recently, but I can at least take comfort in the fact that I'm not reading post-movie books (the kind with the movie poster as the cover. Horrible!), and that they were made into movies because they were good.
Also! I never knew so many animes were based on books! I was so surprised to find Vampire Hunter D..
Anyways, I've very much been missing movies and new bands..
And I can't wait to see everyone! And perhaps for them to see me..will be interesting.
..That was very much.
Goo nightCurrent Mood:  busy |
-_- host-parents=work
Mai and Ryou=tennis/sleeping
I'm very bored and watching a Japanese movie on television that I don't have the slightest hope of understanding..
Tonight my host-mom is taking Chris and I to kendo (or tendo, gah! No, it's kendo. Kendo.)
I have discovered disturbing, yet accurate, evidence that I have most certainly become tanner..(shocked)
And I'm suddenly curious. How many of you have actually read the new Harry Potter book yet?
I've decided that next time I come to Japan, I'll have to take a friend or so. Traveling is a lot less fun when you do it alone.. The question is, who can I connive to go to Japan..?
Still hoping to hear from Eleni.
(Agh, the super-movie-fest-sleep-over-bonanza I had organized with my friends here has been completely squished by a summer camp program Adele and Smee are attending.)
I have recently been struck by insomnia!
All the better, anyways, I need to go plot.
Lipstick=the height of villianyCurrent Mood:  covered in flour |
| » Jakken=Takahashi afterthought |
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So today I met with Abby in Osaka and we roamed about. I figured out how to use my credit card thing (bonzai!), and am now able to souvenier shop for friends and family.
On a related note, it seems like it would have been a lot easier to have burned some bridges and been disowned before leaving..
It seems very unlikely that I'll be able to fit it all in my bag, but I'm sure that if I can't, I'll manage to swallow some and later regurgitate it for your use.
Strangely, for the second time this week, my host-mother was speaking to me in private and broke out in tears..
In my off time (normally travel time) I'm trying to memorize simple codes, but am always distracted by other thoughts.
(On television) I just saw a man build two snowmen and make them kiss! (well, perhaps a snowman and woman..)..Nevermind.
Myspace=coma
If I'm correct, I'm back in around 10 days! When I get home, I'd like to make a crazy/overly-dramatic film..
Alright, rather than watch a guy skin a watermelon in less than a minute on TV I'm going to start a new book..(Japanese families never stop watching TV)
Jul. 28th, 2005 @ 08:03 pm
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| » Anger! |
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Today=baseball game at Osaka Dome
Sports=meant to be played not watched
Ender's Game=fini
Jul. 28th, 2005 @ 02:32 am
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| » Hermanos! |
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Monday =
Japanese final (didn't study!), general success, followed by my futon speech.
After school my 'chapter' went on an AFS field trip to a fireworks festival, which was mostly spent trying to get to higher ground to see the fireworks (I love fireworks! -_- Missed Fourth of July..). We eventually settled at Osaka Castle to watch the finale.
Obi=the corsette of the east.
That night we slept over at an AFS employee's house.
There, shower=usurped and then not provided with towel (improvised with handtowel..). Then! when our host person realized she'd deprived me of a towel, she ran over and started drying my hair with one, despite protest.. Very odd.
Today was mostly spent reading under the pretext of napping (I never actually nap).
Also, today has been spent avoiding the typhoon outside, which I was actually rather dissapointed by...(was hoping for a huge, crazy storm, but tis rather mild..)
I don't actually have any money left, because the visa my parents gave me has decided not to work, despite my guessing the correct pin number..
Today, I received an extremely entertaining letter from Jane, Ivy, and Katie (although I don't know what the fortune fish's positions mean. It folded up and rolled over in my hand), and a package from my Dad containing Harry Potter and a brief note from Lauretta, but nothing actually written by my father..
Anyways, thank you very much Jane, Ivy, and Katie!
Also, thank you guys who have been reading this crazy stuff ^_^
Sadly, I've become unbelievably bug-bitten within the past week (I need to start sleeping entirely under the blanket).
Ender's Game=Very good (going to finish before starting HP6)
Alright, I'm going to post new pictures!
Jul. 26th, 2005 @ 04:31 pm
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| » Unko Bunka |
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Saturday=NINJA VILLAGE!!!!!!! With Chris (DJ guy) and his host family.
Holy god, I love ninjas. Even though now I know most of their tricks were architectural (toured an original ninja house), I insist on buying ninja books when I get home and ruling the ninja underworld.
Saw authentic weapons and gear and colored rice alphebet and demonstration and such.
Also, I adopted a quazi ninja man (from the demonstrations), who I later saw eating udon alone in a corner and felt very bad.
That night=spent at Chris's house due to long drive
THERE....
I saw...
KILL BILL!!!!
Finally! And now my guy friends can only really make fun of me for not having played Halo 2.
Although I haven't seen episode two yet, and I really need to. I am now convinced that there is no better way to escape random mother movie monitering than to flee the country.
Oh god, it was so good. Weird with many bad effects and other such strangenesses, but still extremely cool.
I've decided that the yellow biker outfit would make a good Halloween costume.
And the anime scene...
I won't speak.
Before KB, Chris and I biked to the local river and began learning fly fishing, but he mostly (well, semi-entirely) left me on the rocks in the water and wandered upstream and practiced. I normally would prefer not to be an expendible tag-a-long, but the water was nice and I had Howl's Moving Castle (which I've finished)(about 300 pages I think), and there are few places better to read than in the middle of a river.
Bed=2AM
Wake=8AM
To my surprise, my host-parents picked both myself and Chris up and took us both to KYOTO.
(I've always wanted to go to Kyoto, but I know we didn't do nearly a fourth of what we could have there, and must therefore return later on).
Firstly, we went to the Golden Pavillion Temple, which had, in earlier years, been burnt down by a crazy monk who, according to my host-mom's most likely mistaken explanation, had a sexual fettish toward the building...?
Oh god, I love the temples here.
Secondly, a Shogun castle from the 1600s. Unbelievably cool and well kept (everything=original), but no pictures.
Thirdly, and lastly, another Buddhist temple with some number (above 500) of nearly identical (bronze, I'm assuming) Buddhist statues of a sexually ambiguous character with 42 arms.
Kyoto=lots to do
Tomorrow=finals and festival at night, after which I'll be staying at a stranger's house (along with 6 other AFS students) and returning home sometime on Tuesday, hopefully.
..So tired.
I saw a penguin hood/jacket thing that would have been perfect for Megan, but my money isn't working..
And oh! I have such a perfect idea! I'm such a fiend! (the following is not the idea)
Randomly (on the long car ride), I decided my DDay would go like this:
1. Paint ball (preceeded by a horrible surprise for the boys >:D)(what an evil face!)
2. Change
3. Dancing at Alpine Village (where elderly Germans go to dance to German folk music!)
But this may not be particularly possible..But! I can always guilt my parents with the absence of my 13th and 14th DDay parties (or was it 14th and 15th? I can't remember..), although I am trying to save those until some rainy day (celebrate my thirteenth birthday when I'm thirty >.<). If I used them as leverage now they would cease to exist...
Oh well! Doesn't matter till October!
I don't know why I feel so devilish lately..(probably from disuse)
My father is going crazy and I'm constantly astonished by the amount of drinking and smoking is happening among the others here.
Still haven't heard from Eleni.
Two weeks until return!! (mixed feelings)
Now, I must sleep with vigor. So tired..
Jul. 24th, 2005 @ 09:37 pm
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| » Owari |
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Alright, tea ceremony = lacking grace due to ignorance, but found serenity and godliness in the whisking!
Tea=bitter, therefore chugged (must finish, or considered rude) (but I'm sure chugging isn't exactly polite either..)
Also, tea ceremony is surprisingly painful! Hard on the joints..
After school everyone (except Adele and Shmee) went karaoke-ing for a half hour, followed by trekking to the Cuban restaurant, which was delightfully swank, but lacking in music (early).
No dancing ensued, but there was eating and consumption of illegal beverages.. (Abby and I did not participate).
After, everyone decided to go to an over-aged club in the redlight district in Namba, and as this is not the sort of thing I do, I stayed at the Cuban restaurant with Abby, Arturo, Marte, and Sara.
Marte and Sara were mostly only interested in each other and left early. Arturo takes salsa at home, and began teaching Abby and I!
There was live music, and all was enjoyable, and we plan to return after school finishes. Megan's right! Salsa is really fun, and (so far) not too difficult.
Got home at 10:30.
Tomorrow=10 AM two hour trek to an ancient NINJA VILLAGE! with Chris and his family. Apparently this will last quite a while as I am to sleep over at their house and be picked up Sunday morning.
Sadly, I've run out of camera memory, and so will have to make sacrifices for ninja pictures.
Also, recently there has been a strange influx of non-Asians about..
In fact, we met a guy from Ohio on Thurs (who Adele, also from Ohio, spoke with).
Please do offer me the most bizzare and illogical explanation for all these foreigners!
Whoever wins will receive..
..
a tarot card reading from me!
My host-brother happens to own all of the Battle Royale manga series. I started to read it (well, look at it, tis in Japanese), but had to stop. It was horrendous!
The artist is absolutely terrible and obsessed with shock value (not terrible in that he can't draw, but in that he should be drawing something else) (I'm assuming it's a he anyway..). In almost every single frame he has to have at least three bodily fluids. All the characters are always sweating and drooling and crying and bleeding and otherwise expelling liquids. He stays pretty blose to the story, but strays only in instances to make things needlessly dramatic (and therefore less impressive) (EX. Shinji's death does not involve his intestines spilling about, but they do in the manga; Mitsuko Souma is given an entire, and extremely graphic, sex scene that was COMPLETELY absent from the book; whenever ever anyone is hungry, turned on, or about to kill someone, they begin to drool..). Lastly, Sakamochi's chin has about a thousand little muscles that surely don't actually exist.
I'm ENRAGED!
(Not really.)
Howl's Moving Castle is very pleasing.
Remaining books: Ender's Game, Harry Potter 6 (shockingly, my Dad decided to ship it to me along with a bag of flaming hot cheetos) (I don't know why he always buys me flaming hot cheetos though..), Pride and Prejudice, Lullaby, Turn of the Screw, and Last of the Mohicans (last to are for school).
But they shall soon be defeated.
Anyways, sorry for all this book talk..
I wish I were a ninja...
Jul. 23rd, 2005 @ 01:14 am
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| » 'You are a brave little soldier' |
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Well, commencement commenced with considerable success.
Also, today I found something I've been looking for for a while!
And I saw a commercial for the FF: Advent Children film (other than the ones I'd downloaded)! Ach, I can't wait..
Today, I was told one of the most absurd things I've ever heard. The guy in my class (who I am quite certain never liked me in the first place) who had someone tell me he liked me, told me, "You know, someday, you'll regret not dating me." I dunno why, but I found this to be a surprising and ridiculous thing to say.
Anyway, I encountered two unbearable temptations while wandering Osaka with my friends.
One = Green train conductor hat!!!
But, $50...
Two = Bright orange sweatshirt with DB symbol for Jordan (as I am diligently shopping for you all), but over $75 (what?! >.<) and heavy (difficult to transport home).
Thoroughly smothered by prices..
I finished Alice in Wonderland! It was pleasant and interesting and nonsensical and riddled with strange symbolism (coming from a grown man that is, if a little girl had written it, the symbolism would be more understandable).
I just started Howl's Moving Castle since I can't see the movie just yet and I discovered it was originally a children's book (!), and it's very charming so far.
Tomorrow, since it's the last day we can actually gather (as it's the second to last day of school), most of my class (including myself) is going karaoke-ing and to a Cuban restaurant (I think it's Cuban..) for salsa dancing! I don't know if I'll do it, but I'll probably be coerced seeing as I'm not often salsa dancing in Japan. I'm supposed (and probably plan to) wear a dress for it.
Which reminds me! I wanna do some sort of crazy partner dancing class thing when I get back (like swing or waltz) >.<
Suddenly, my host-family became curious about my real family and California friends. So I pulled out my yearbook, which I brought for (mostly) just this purpose, and myspace, for those of you absent in the yearbook.
The said everyone is very beautiful, and though I don't really know who he is, that Luke Story looks like Draco Malfloy. They went on a semi-successful Asian hunt in the yearbook, but were dissapointed that the few Asians we have are mostly Chinese. Also, I was promptly ridiculed for my picture with Eleni (we're making crazy faces), and they were unable to comprehend Jordan's award-winning orangeness.
Tomorrow also = Serene and godlike tea ceremony performance!
Monday = last school day/testing/7 minute-long speech in Japanese and English.
I'm currently concocting something wonderful and writing a terribly corny speech, based, so far, on futons.
And! On TV there's an insane dating show in which one of the contestants is wearing only a Darth Vader helmet and tight black pants (no shirt, no shoes) and did some break dance! (which injured his bare back..)
All of the contestants (battling for one woman, a singer)have to sing and jump as far as they can into a pit filled with flour (which the Darth Vader man has done twice).
This, I believe, will certainly lead to true love.
Drawing and reading much. Studying little. Eating well. Sleeping little. Oversleeping much.
Lastly, have decided on paintball for (semi-)impending DDay.
Jul. 21st, 2005 @ 07:51 pm
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| » My poor fellow, whom I'm currently digesting |
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DINNER =
Hairy crab dipped in vinegar-sugar sauce. Very good, but guilt-inducing, especially since he still had his eyes!
ACH!
I normally can't eat food with eyes, but guilt of refusing nice (and presumably expensive) dinner anoutweighed that of eating a dead crustacean.
Oh, the moral dilema!
(that was a really hairy crab..)
Also, meat dipped in raw egg. (very odd..)
Jul. 19th, 2005 @ 08:49 pm
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| » Unrequited Incest |
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So, last night I went to a festival in the local shrine.
Host-mom, two Mai's, and I went to grandmother's house to adorn yukatas, and walked to the shrine.
Walking, especially long distance, in a yukata = slightly painful/surprisingly difficult/with effort, refined (seeming).
The two Mai's (who I have good reason to suspect dislike and ridicule me) wandered off and okaa-san and I made wishes at the shrine (give yen, ring bell, clap twice, wish, bow) and were blessed by a group of teenaged, dancing mikos (priestesses) with bells. (for those of you familiar with InuYasha, the mikos were dressed like Kikyou, except the head miko had orange instead of red).
Then Ryou and his friend (Nouhiko) from Nanba arrived, and host-mum abandoned me with them.
DISTURBING BEHAVIOR ENSUED:
Ryou constantly put his arms around me and pumelled my nose eastward with a plastic ball (no apparent damage). At the end of the night, though I know it was a joke, he also asked in broken English to join me in the shower...
I don't know how this began, but I'm beginning to suspect fowl play afoot..
(this also prompted me to come up with a fantastic, crazy idea. Will explain later*)
Also, a girl about my age gave me a wildly flirtatious smile and sidled up to me saying '3000 Yen' suggestively. I told here I was saving myself for someone back home, and she seemed to understand.
(The fist bit is true, I did receive an oddly flirtatious smile from a girl our age)
(Also this reminds me of that story I once began...) (should update)
For those of you who asked me to 'bring back pictures of hot Asian men', take comfort in the fact that there were many shirtless guys transporting the minishrines (which were actually huge and delightful), but not in the fact that I had no camera.
Also, I got to bob for goldfish! (and turtles..)
Goldfish = I caught one little black fish, named him, and threw him back (...supposed to be a term of mercy in fishing, but on further examination, really sounds horrible..)
Turtles =TWO! No, three. And the catching of three turtles was closely watched my a bent old man (a little bit too closely, but I suspect poor eyesight). Turtles = also returned to the motherland.
Returned. Fireworks. Then reluctant dinner with Ryou and Nauhiko, wherein one of the bowls of sauce had green goop (name has eluded me) that I swear, I thought was a little caterpillar trying to drink the sauce! It was actually very cute until I realized it was wasabe (that it!).
*Fantastic, crazy idea:
(actually, this'll probably be the most interesting thing in the entry..)
Okay, here's a crazy idea for a party (or general gathering).
1. Collect friends
2. Bathing suit them
3. Stuff them all in a shower with lots of soap and play loud, crazy music.
...Crazy as it is, this is now something I officially have to do. Now that I've thought of it, I'm compelled.
It's so horrible XD!
Also, I finished Battle Royale. It's so sad! But also quite happy. Ach! Sad/happy ending. Very glad I read.
Next = Alice in Wonderland! (small book, after probably = school reading)
Oh, and commencement has yet to commence. Supposedly, it's commencing tomorrow.
Lastly, I do tea ceremony on Friday, where I plan to be serene and godlike. (if you can imagine)
Le bonheur à tous, et peut vos enfants de mêmes parents ne flirtent jamais avec vous à moins que vous souhaitiez ainsi.
Jul. 19th, 2005 @ 08:00 pm
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| » Voila |
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I've returned from Awaji Island!
Long drive, passing over the Japanese equivalent of the Golden Gate Bridge. Arrived at Kitayama house in Awaji. Read. Ryou took me to the convenience store to stock up on ice cream and avoid boredom (two people on one bike=needless terrorism, but still fun). Slept. Woke up, breakfasted, drove to hotel, swam. The Japanese don't really wear bakinis..
Anyways, Awaji is known for its onions and shingles. (for breakfast, my host-mother cooked her meat on a shingle above a little flame) (in a restaurant).
I think I'm actually getting a little bit tanner (if I'm capable of such a thing) and my hair is getting lighter due to all the sun (biking/swimming). Currently sunburnt..
I experienced grape juice with pulp, and hope never to again.
About 450 pages into Battle Royale, and I was wrong earlier. It's about 600 pages.
GRAH! I can't believe #$%&> dies!!
Also! Before we left for Awaji, Ryou took me to Nanba (big city), and we met his slightly bizzare friend at the Nanba station (drinking chocolate milk from a bag, ninja scar on his shoulder, and orange socks!) (which, by the way, I also own a pair of orange socks now). We went to a karaoke place, and I was violently forced to sing (The Beatles and Queen were the only groups I recognized) and accompany on the tambarine (sp..).
There's a very strange song going around called B-Dash (I think)..
Lastly, I defeated a mega-spider and saved the Kitayamas from certain death!
Jul. 18th, 2005 @ 10:30 am
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| » 'Happiness is best to enjoy with fine friends' |
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High school=nontradition, therefore little to report other than survival.
Mother contacted and threatented visit. Insane, but probably good.
Pichi's sex tirade=mostly finished..
After visiting the high school (5PM) travered back to CB College to collect friend Abby's things and collectively consumed a lemon. Followed by further consumption in Fast Kitchen (nearby restaurant thing) in upper level with Abby.
There! I adopted a man as my older brother. He was lying alone in a booth, and had put his shoes on the floor and seemingly sketching something out the window. I decided we would approach him and ask to see his drawings after we configured jsut how to do so in Japanese. He was very nice and had impressive drawings and we got pictures of him.
Returned home. Met okaa-san's friends and conversed with a language major. This was followed closely by tiredness.
Throughout the day, people have been asking me how old I am and whether or not I have a boyfriend, and been continually shocked. Occasionally 'how tall are you?' was part of the quesitoning, though received considerably less shock.
Battle Royale is extremely interesting, but has caused me to believe that I would very much dislike killing you, and is rather saddening.
Tomorrow Ryou-kun is taking me to Nanba to partake in mysterious activity (even he doesn't seem to know).
Then, I believe we are driving to a nearby island and swim in the Japanese sea, provided good weather (though I'd very much like to swim in rain) (but that would be less than sanitary..) (..or safe). We'll stay the night, and return on Sunday, visiting Kobe on the way. Sunday night=fireworks festival in Yao (yukata show-down!). Monday=don't remember, but national holiday, meaning no school. Tuesday=Haircut Day.
Which, I've mostly decided that I'm going to undergo the procedure, but will warn that it's not insane or anything (IE I'm not getting a buzz cut), but it is shorter. Further complaint should be lodged immediately.
All luck (and I just figured out how to work the Caps Lock button!! Bonzai!)
Jul. 15th, 2005 @ 11:32 pm
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| » The Blue-Haired Man |
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So the principal of CB College sat in our class today (extremely effective). Strangely, he has blue hair.
Also, I've seen THREE (separate) old ladies with purple hair...I don't yet understand, but currently believe that they all belong to an elderly punk rock band.
This reminds me of the time I was in Hawaii and, randomly, decided that the funniest thing that could possibly happen at that moment was an old lady wearing a Tweedy Bird skirt riding a motorcycle, and within five minutes I did. I'm convinced that this was either magic or a psychological trick, where I had earlier seen her but hadn't taken notice..
And my crazy brother has done it again! Direct quote from father email: 'He has bought a new race car a 89 (your year of birth) mazda rx 7 an fc second
gen.
It has a racing seat and a roll cage and all.'
Tomorrow I visit a real Japanese high school, and introduce myself to an unknown amount of people. By the time I return, I'm sure I'll be a professional performer.
I'm hoping that while I'm there I'll be able to steal a school uniform for sinister purposes.
Ach! I got my yukata last night (summer kimono)!! Tis blue with morning glories and a yellow obi. I'm learning to tie the obi myself.
Mom has yet to contact.
Jul. 14th, 2005 @ 05:34 pm
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| » Abby Plan A |
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Before I get into what happened last night, I have to tell you about the Battle Royal semi-craze here. Battle Royal is a story about a group of 42 (or thereabouts) highschool students, put on an island
TO KILL EACH OTHER.
It's supposed to be sort of like a modern Lord of the Flies, and began as a book, then became a manga, anime, and liveaction film. My friend, Smee, bought the book here and read it in about three days (it's around 350-ish pages I think). Next in line, through deceit and conivery, is Abby, who's on her second day, and more than 200 pages in. Next I get it.
Arlight, last night.
Through accident of his family's proximity and his host-mother's pleasantry, my host-mom and I visited the DJ guy last night.
I actually had a lot of fun, and we conversed while treaking over a small mountain (he was showing me a local shrine) and setting off small fireworks. He turned out to be a really nice guy (who knows a lot about politics), only that he often seeks entertainment of the less than legal variety and (when he's around the other guys at least) occasionally says slightly disturbing things.
I discovered that he doesn't actually spin very often anymore due to the Evil CD Revolution and the expense of records and that he's 'oozing' on his host-sister. (I'd never heard that word before...)
LASTLY! I have a very important question:
On a scale of 1-10, how much do you like my hair?
This is not asked for purposes of vanity, so don't get the wrong idea. I'd actually prefer if you don't like my hair at the moment. So actually, just speak up if you feel the need to save it from pain of death. Deadline=Monday. Otherwise, wish it peace in its last days...
Jul. 13th, 2005 @ 04:15 pm
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| » Nin! |
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I believe I have a little more time tonight to talk about Japan and such.
Okay, from the beginning:
When I arrived, I finally understood how it would have made much more sense to have gone to France, like everyone had been persuading for about a year. Somehow I didn't understand that concept until I got here. But even so, I also understood that it would have been about a fifth as interesting and completely unpersonal.
Having my communication skills reduced to the most basic words and phrases two strange things have happened: (1) I constantly have to stop myself from speaking in French (because I feel like it would be understood, as it is also foreign. again, my logic astounds me). And (2) Breaking out in Olde English, calling people thou, and using obnoxiously long words, because I'm otherwise limited to an infant's vocabulary (knowing this, please excuse me if I ever sound like a 19th century book...I try not to, but that's how it comes out in my head.)
I actually spend more time on the computer than I had originally planned also. I'm often home alone and left to my own devices, and basically that means using the computer, reading, listening to music, and drawing.
Something disconcerting is the semi-accidental Jewish presence here. The first day I rode to the station, I passed a mini-shrine on which was painted a large swastika (sp?), though it appeared to be backwards. I was extremely shocked (I'll bring home pictures), but have since discovered that they're on most shrines (perhaps all..). I asked my friends about the reverse swastika and was informed that it was (or so I'm told) originally a positive Buddhist symbol, but was used by Hitler in a negative context (hence its reversal). Next, a couple days later in Osaka station, I saw a group of young school children wearing identical hats (ironically, orange hats) with the Star of David (I assume capitalization...) marking them. Also, the Star of David is in many animes, and was even available to decorate the photobooth pictures I took the otherday (which I in fact did use! in a crystal ball.)
Next! The toilets here are...I dunno, beyond description. They're either long bowls in the floor (not primative, if that's what you're imagining), or super space toilet's with functions like water jets and magic bubbles and brushing your teeth (but they actually do have water jets). I have yet to experiment with the space toilets out of what I'm assuming is fear...
Apparently popular anime/manga here: Naruto, One Piece, FMA, Dragon Ball (which my father likes to read!), Hana Yori Dango, Nana (I have no knowledge of this one myself), and others I don't yet know.
Most television and movies are poorly dubbed, and consequently entertaining (especially to redub in head). The first Japanese movie I saw last night was unbelievably cool and very funny (Nin Nin) (and in fact, was said to inspire much of Naruto).
I'm about to watch another ninja movie right now actually, called Azumi.
Things here are either suprisingly expensive or cheap. Engrish abounds delightfully.
I always see shirts with Engrish, but never have a camera on me, or feel rude to blatantly photograph a strangers chest area..
Today I saw a shirt saying 'Fuck Milk Got Pot?', which wasn't so much Engrish, as just remarkable, particularly since the girl wearing it didn't seem to be aware of its meaning.
Today, I bought a coffee cup for milk that says something around the lines of 'Have a good milk when feeling fine'.
I've also been buying a lot of key chains (for impending driving priveledges). One=Totoro, Two=Star Wars Storm Trooper!! (with a little tail and wobbly limbs), three=...
Anyways, movie = distracting.
More later!
Jul. 11th, 2005 @ 08:08 pm
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| » Sui Masen! |
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So today, my host brother took me to Universal Studios Japan.
It was much enjoyable, except the lines were incredibly long, and there weren't any actual rides...All of the 'rides' were giant moving matchboxes with screens in front (simulations!!!). At this, I was shocked.
Afterwards, we went into a photobooth.
...
Japanese photobooths are amazing! You choose all the backgrounds, and there's a screen to show you what you look like, and afterwards you digitally alter the pictures on a screen outside the booth.
Also, I discovered that I know another DJ! He's an AFS student at my language school. I made this discovery inquiring about his insanely expensive headphones. But he isn't very pleasant at all....
I've decided that I love futons. The only problem is that I keep falling asleep with my headphones on, and wake up with ear pain..
I need to sleep, and apologize for brevity/etc. of this entry.
G'night.
Jul. 10th, 2005 @ 05:07 pm
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| » Sekoi! |
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So today a boy in my class professed love to me through my so-called 'husband'. This was strange, because we've only been in class for about two weeks now.
Next I played a weird drum game on the PS2 with my brother, and we went out and bought 14 popsicles. FOURTEEN!
Off to do shukudaiiiiii
Jul. 8th, 2005 @ 07:28 pm
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