Monday June 30, 3:44 p.m.
The end of the month but I can't really say it's all that summery out there. But it is humid..I've been through a few mentholated wipes already.
"Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull"....hmmm, well we did catch it at The Shinjuku Plaza yesterday. It was a pretty good turnout: Movie Buddy, The Sylph, The Satyr, Miss Ivory, The Wedding Planner, me and of course, Skippy. Gotta say that Harrison's latest flick has guaranteed probably his first $100 million plus movie in several years. Just don't think it's worth all that much merit, though. It just struck me as being an extra-special episode of "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles". In other words, this was probably good for television but as a motion-picture-worthy movie...nahh.
The basic premise behind Indiana Jones is that this was Steven Spielberg's tribute to the swashbuckling adventures of the 30s. Note that I did emphasize that decade there. This movie takes place in the late 50s. I thought ol' Professor (Colonel) Jones looked awfully out of place in the middle of a nuclear testing field right at the beginning of the movie. I could see where Spielberg was going with this, though...have Indy confront the famed dangers of that decade: atomic testing, UFOs, Commies, leather-bound punk kids.
There was a definite funereal feeling with this latest (and hopefully, last) entry in the Indiana Jones series. Indiana was feeling (and looking) his age and his mileage, and there were glimpses of the late Henry Jones Sr and Marcus Brody along with accompanying musical cues. Plus, Indiana spending several minutes with his son just going through endless exposition basically slowed the whole thing down for the first half. The movie just felt old. Not a good sign for a franchise that's supposed to be all about the action and smart banter....I was so glad that Karen Allen popped in, even though the dialogue between Marion and Indy became somewhat more domesticated.
Generally, I think "Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" comes down with the rest of those recent unearthings of old 80s franchises such as "Die Hard" and "Rambo". It's one of those cinematic reactions to mid-life crisis.
Just a place to deposit my thoughts on life here in the Kanto and about anything else that sticks to my walls.
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Saturday June 28, 4:58 p.m.
Finished up with my three students today. But it looks like my schedule is gonna get pretty busy...and in the summer, too. I've got a few more model lessons to try out, including two back-to-back next Thursday.
And I just heard a collision outside of the building. Some motor scooter did a back-end collision with a van. From my vantage point, the poor kid riding the scooter looks to be in excruciating pain right now. I gather that getting thrown headfirst into a van at something over 10 km/h can do that to one. BC was able to hail an ambulance and the paramedics are taking care of him now.
Looks like I've got an eternal fan in the form of The Bostonian. She needed some help on some sort of announcement that has to be made for the foreign employees. Nothing too serious but she took it like I had just defused a nuclear bomb on her leg. She said she would show her PowerPoint printout to me next time in gratitude. I offered to sign it.
Then, I got that model student with that huge TOEIC score of 950...virtually perfect. He's quite a talker, too. Well, I guess I impressed him enough too. He's become another new addition to the flock. And henceforth, he'll be known...as The Talker.
I hadn't seen The Dentist in a few weeks. Still jolly as always. Her daughter apparently has an account on Facebook. I'll have to take a look.
I was briefly introduced to yet another model lesson student. She's a friend of The Dentist who handles makeup and hair for a lot of location shoots. So, she's pretty connected to show business. Speedy swooned half-jokingly about getting some of her celeb friends as potential students. I thought I would've been the miha one.
Well, it looks like the ambulance has gone, and now the police are interviewing the poor guy who was driving the van.
Tomorrow is Indy!
Finished up with my three students today. But it looks like my schedule is gonna get pretty busy...and in the summer, too. I've got a few more model lessons to try out, including two back-to-back next Thursday.
And I just heard a collision outside of the building. Some motor scooter did a back-end collision with a van. From my vantage point, the poor kid riding the scooter looks to be in excruciating pain right now. I gather that getting thrown headfirst into a van at something over 10 km/h can do that to one. BC was able to hail an ambulance and the paramedics are taking care of him now.
Looks like I've got an eternal fan in the form of The Bostonian. She needed some help on some sort of announcement that has to be made for the foreign employees. Nothing too serious but she took it like I had just defused a nuclear bomb on her leg. She said she would show her PowerPoint printout to me next time in gratitude. I offered to sign it.
Then, I got that model student with that huge TOEIC score of 950...virtually perfect. He's quite a talker, too. Well, I guess I impressed him enough too. He's become another new addition to the flock. And henceforth, he'll be known...as The Talker.
I hadn't seen The Dentist in a few weeks. Still jolly as always. Her daughter apparently has an account on Facebook. I'll have to take a look.
I was briefly introduced to yet another model lesson student. She's a friend of The Dentist who handles makeup and hair for a lot of location shoots. So, she's pretty connected to show business. Speedy swooned half-jokingly about getting some of her celeb friends as potential students. I thought I would've been the miha one.
Well, it looks like the ambulance has gone, and now the police are interviewing the poor guy who was driving the van.
Tomorrow is Indy!
Friday, June 27, 2008
Saturday June 28, 11:47 a.m.
Back at Speedy's. I thought I would beat everyone to the punch and be the first one in, but BC had actually gotten in before me. When I remarked about it to her, she just gave a nonchalant "Ah, so?" Whatever...anyways, I shared a doughnut with her from La Vie Du France. Why even mention it? Well, since it was yeast-raised. Until the invasion of Krispy Kreme almost 2 years ago, doughnuts in Japan were all of the Mister Donuts variety: cake donuts. Not that I have anything against cake donuts: a sweet is a sweet, after all. But yeast-raised donuts have become one of the biggest culinary revelations in this pop-culture-obsessed country since the coming of tiramisu 17 years ago. Now, with KK firmly taking hold, at least in the Kanto area, some of the other bakeries are probably getting into the act. And hopefully that will mean somewhat saner lineups at the 4 branches of Krispy Kreme.
I've got The Bostonian in about 25 minutes and then things will go pretty quickly. I've got another model lesson about 15 minutes after The Bostonian's done, and then The Dentist comes in some 45 minutes after that lesson. Luckily, The Businesswoman and Slim did cancel. Otherwise, I would've been ready for that stretcher.
I tried to give the juku boss' line-ridden monitor a bit of a quick fix-it, thanks to GC's suggestions. But the active screensaver didn't do anything. I asked the boss to unplug everything for the night, including the connection between the monitor and the hard drive. Maybe that could do the trick, but I've got a feeling that it probably won't mean a thing. She did say that her computer is 8 years old. In human years, that would put it firmly in geriatric status..
Back at Speedy's. I thought I would beat everyone to the punch and be the first one in, but BC had actually gotten in before me. When I remarked about it to her, she just gave a nonchalant "Ah, so?" Whatever...anyways, I shared a doughnut with her from La Vie Du France. Why even mention it? Well, since it was yeast-raised. Until the invasion of Krispy Kreme almost 2 years ago, doughnuts in Japan were all of the Mister Donuts variety: cake donuts. Not that I have anything against cake donuts: a sweet is a sweet, after all. But yeast-raised donuts have become one of the biggest culinary revelations in this pop-culture-obsessed country since the coming of tiramisu 17 years ago. Now, with KK firmly taking hold, at least in the Kanto area, some of the other bakeries are probably getting into the act. And hopefully that will mean somewhat saner lineups at the 4 branches of Krispy Kreme.
I've got The Bostonian in about 25 minutes and then things will go pretty quickly. I've got another model lesson about 15 minutes after The Bostonian's done, and then The Dentist comes in some 45 minutes after that lesson. Luckily, The Businesswoman and Slim did cancel. Otherwise, I would've been ready for that stretcher.
I tried to give the juku boss' line-ridden monitor a bit of a quick fix-it, thanks to GC's suggestions. But the active screensaver didn't do anything. I asked the boss to unplug everything for the night, including the connection between the monitor and the hard drive. Maybe that could do the trick, but I've got a feeling that it probably won't mean a thing. She did say that her computer is 8 years old. In human years, that would put it firmly in geriatric status..
Friday June 27, 8:32 p.m.
Pretty easy day today since I only have a couple of classes. I had The New Yorker up in Ichigaya. She had a great time in Okinawa. I got the usual chinsuko cookies as a souvenir. Her English is still pretty low, though. I've got The Ace in about 25 minutes. Over the past week, I've been showing the photos of my ordeal under the mikoshi from The Urayasu Festival almost a couple of weeks ago. Keep 'em laughing, I say.
Looks like that guy from the model lesson last week has decided to sign up after all. Hopefully, he'll be like The Yogist...pretty teeth-pulling model lesson, followed by some fine regular classes. He'll be labeled The Pessimist, since that is how he tagged himself last week. Not the best moniker for an English student but it's easy to remember. I don't know too many students who have admitted to being pessimistic. Anyways, he'll officially be starting with us from Wednesday. It looks like Hump Day will be back.
As I may have mentioned, the juku boss' computer has been getting annoying vertical lines cutting through the monitor. I sent out an SOS to GC who came back with some potential remedies which I'll try out as soon as I finish here.
We're approaching July now but the weather has been pretty comfortable, so far. Warm days and cool nights. Not sure how long that will last into the next month.
Pretty easy day today since I only have a couple of classes. I had The New Yorker up in Ichigaya. She had a great time in Okinawa. I got the usual chinsuko cookies as a souvenir. Her English is still pretty low, though. I've got The Ace in about 25 minutes. Over the past week, I've been showing the photos of my ordeal under the mikoshi from The Urayasu Festival almost a couple of weeks ago. Keep 'em laughing, I say.
Looks like that guy from the model lesson last week has decided to sign up after all. Hopefully, he'll be like The Yogist...pretty teeth-pulling model lesson, followed by some fine regular classes. He'll be labeled The Pessimist, since that is how he tagged himself last week. Not the best moniker for an English student but it's easy to remember. I don't know too many students who have admitted to being pessimistic. Anyways, he'll officially be starting with us from Wednesday. It looks like Hump Day will be back.
As I may have mentioned, the juku boss' computer has been getting annoying vertical lines cutting through the monitor. I sent out an SOS to GC who came back with some potential remedies which I'll try out as soon as I finish here.
We're approaching July now but the weather has been pretty comfortable, so far. Warm days and cool nights. Not sure how long that will last into the next month.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Thursday June 26, 10:04 p.m.
After a day that started 12 hours ago, I'm done like dinner. I finished up with Slim a half-hour ago. He'll be busy on Saturday presenting a new computer system so he won't be coming in.
I've just been going through the various Genkirockets videos on YouTube. I gotta admit that it's awfully hard for me to believe that Lumi is a virtual character. She's probably the most (photo)realistic person I've ever seen depicted on the screen. Even though her lone narration for one of the videos has some notes of artificiality, it's still pulled off jaw-droppingly well. If this is indeed the future, then we may see a real holodeck within the next few decades.
After a day that started 12 hours ago, I'm done like dinner. I finished up with Slim a half-hour ago. He'll be busy on Saturday presenting a new computer system so he won't be coming in.
I've just been going through the various Genkirockets videos on YouTube. I gotta admit that it's awfully hard for me to believe that Lumi is a virtual character. She's probably the most (photo)realistic person I've ever seen depicted on the screen. Even though her lone narration for one of the videos has some notes of artificiality, it's still pulled off jaw-droppingly well. If this is indeed the future, then we may see a real holodeck within the next few decades.
Thursday June 26, 8:01 p.m.
The lesson with The Carolinan was pretty laid back. Apparently, she and The New Yorker went to some Hawaiian festival at Roppongi Hills last week, and then off to an Okinawan place for dinner. The sisters do love their tropics.
BC's gone home, so it's just Speedy and myself. He's munching his own McMeal now since he didn't have time earlier in the day. Just waiting for Slim in about 30 minutes. It looks now like Saturday won't be the Hump Day of the week after all. The Businesswoman and Slim have canned their lessons for that day, so it'll just be The Bostonian, another model lesson, and The Dentist. Still, for a Saturday, it's pretty busy.
Skippy finally nailed down the time and place to catch the latest Indiana Jones movie. It won't be one of those newfangled theatres, although it'll still be in Shinjuku. I guess that she's gotten tired of playing concierge with us. Instead, it'll be one of the old-fashioned wait-in-line-to-buy-your-ticket places in Kabukicho. The review in METROPOLIS was pretty middling. He liked Harrison Ford and Cate Blanchett but found the movie a case of over deja vu. I kinda figured that would have been the biggest slam against it...a Lucasfilm reaction to mid-life crisis. Just dipping for past glories from a couple of decades back. Well, I'll just have to check this line out.
The lesson with The Carolinan was pretty laid back. Apparently, she and The New Yorker went to some Hawaiian festival at Roppongi Hills last week, and then off to an Okinawan place for dinner. The sisters do love their tropics.
BC's gone home, so it's just Speedy and myself. He's munching his own McMeal now since he didn't have time earlier in the day. Just waiting for Slim in about 30 minutes. It looks now like Saturday won't be the Hump Day of the week after all. The Businesswoman and Slim have canned their lessons for that day, so it'll just be The Bostonian, another model lesson, and The Dentist. Still, for a Saturday, it's pretty busy.
Skippy finally nailed down the time and place to catch the latest Indiana Jones movie. It won't be one of those newfangled theatres, although it'll still be in Shinjuku. I guess that she's gotten tired of playing concierge with us. Instead, it'll be one of the old-fashioned wait-in-line-to-buy-your-ticket places in Kabukicho. The review in METROPOLIS was pretty middling. He liked Harrison Ford and Cate Blanchett but found the movie a case of over deja vu. I kinda figured that would have been the biggest slam against it...a Lucasfilm reaction to mid-life crisis. Just dipping for past glories from a couple of decades back. Well, I'll just have to check this line out.
Thursday June 26, 5:11 p.m.
Currently digesting my coupon-bought Mac Cheeseburger set with McNuggets. Yes, my lifetime can now be counted in mere years rather than decades.
The Yogist was uncharacteristically late by a good 45 minutes. Apparently, the lass lost track of time trying to find a dress for her friend's wedding party in Shinjuku. She didn't lose any of her usual effervescence, though. And her loyalty is commendable; she's booked for the next 5 Thursdays. Then, an hour later, The Nurse came in for her 60. Not surprisingly, the topics tended to weave around food.
Speedy was gonna join me in the Mac coupon spree but he got bogged down with a counseling session. And then, there was another sudden buzz from the 1st floor enterphone, but it wasn't from a potential client but from the superintendant. Usually, he's a pretty mild button-down sort but I guess he got fed up of being the doorman for our school; recently, a lot of clients have been coming to the school (great for our business) asking him for directions. I was only privy to Speedy's side of the conversation but he told me that he'd gotten a bit of a chewout from the super and was asked to give clearer directions to students in the future. I don't think that's quite fair; even if students are given maps, they still tend to confirm their bearings and the super is the best source.
Found out from BC that that Gherkin Building in the heart of West Shinjuku is gonna be the HQ of a design school. I'd say considering the futuristic look of the place, the design school got it right. Speaking of our depressed employee, she and her friend will be heading for Korea for a bit of R&R next week. Hopefully, the trip will help her spirits somewhat. Even when I mentioned the small fact that both The Carolinan and I were a bit concerned for her, she started welling up. Man...
Well, got The Carolinan coming up here within the next 30 minutes and then it'll be Slim to wrap up. Hopefully, The Carolinan won't be asking the super for instructions.
Currently digesting my coupon-bought Mac Cheeseburger set with McNuggets. Yes, my lifetime can now be counted in mere years rather than decades.
The Yogist was uncharacteristically late by a good 45 minutes. Apparently, the lass lost track of time trying to find a dress for her friend's wedding party in Shinjuku. She didn't lose any of her usual effervescence, though. And her loyalty is commendable; she's booked for the next 5 Thursdays. Then, an hour later, The Nurse came in for her 60. Not surprisingly, the topics tended to weave around food.
Speedy was gonna join me in the Mac coupon spree but he got bogged down with a counseling session. And then, there was another sudden buzz from the 1st floor enterphone, but it wasn't from a potential client but from the superintendant. Usually, he's a pretty mild button-down sort but I guess he got fed up of being the doorman for our school; recently, a lot of clients have been coming to the school (great for our business) asking him for directions. I was only privy to Speedy's side of the conversation but he told me that he'd gotten a bit of a chewout from the super and was asked to give clearer directions to students in the future. I don't think that's quite fair; even if students are given maps, they still tend to confirm their bearings and the super is the best source.
Found out from BC that that Gherkin Building in the heart of West Shinjuku is gonna be the HQ of a design school. I'd say considering the futuristic look of the place, the design school got it right. Speaking of our depressed employee, she and her friend will be heading for Korea for a bit of R&R next week. Hopefully, the trip will help her spirits somewhat. Even when I mentioned the small fact that both The Carolinan and I were a bit concerned for her, she started welling up. Man...
Well, got The Carolinan coming up here within the next 30 minutes and then it'll be Slim to wrap up. Hopefully, The Carolinan won't be asking the super for instructions.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Thursday June 26, 11:54 a.m.
Luckily, Grandma Dynamite was full of her nickname today unlike last week. Speedy apparently warmed her up nicely by just gabbing with her...fine with me.
The bizarre crimes just keep popping up like a bad yen this year. A couple of days ago, a grandfather decided to pull off a first strike and exterminated his entire family up in Kashiwa, Chiba, just north of my little burg. It was incredible...this 77-year-old sociopath first hammered his wife to death, and then summoned his son and daughter-in-law separately to their deaths before taking care of his granddaughter. The media and police are pretty slow in giving out motives but Grandpa Psycho may have been triggered by his (late) wife's barb about him being a burden to the family.
And so it is with some surprise that I read that not only Fukuoka City got top marks as World's Most Livable City but Tokyo came up to 3rd place! And this is considering that 2008 will probably go down as the year of the spree killing in the world's biggest metropolis. I'll have to check the website for Fukuoka...but when I first read the news on The Japan Times website, I kinda blurted out the first three letters of the city.
Luckily, Grandma Dynamite was full of her nickname today unlike last week. Speedy apparently warmed her up nicely by just gabbing with her...fine with me.
The bizarre crimes just keep popping up like a bad yen this year. A couple of days ago, a grandfather decided to pull off a first strike and exterminated his entire family up in Kashiwa, Chiba, just north of my little burg. It was incredible...this 77-year-old sociopath first hammered his wife to death, and then summoned his son and daughter-in-law separately to their deaths before taking care of his granddaughter. The media and police are pretty slow in giving out motives but Grandpa Psycho may have been triggered by his (late) wife's barb about him being a burden to the family.
And so it is with some surprise that I read that not only Fukuoka City got top marks as World's Most Livable City but Tokyo came up to 3rd place! And this is considering that 2008 will probably go down as the year of the spree killing in the world's biggest metropolis. I'll have to check the website for Fukuoka...but when I first read the news on The Japan Times website, I kinda blurted out the first three letters of the city.
Thursday June 26, 10:11 a.m.
Not very much time to write this entry so it'll be short. Grandma Dynamite is cackling away in the next room with Speedy, so I assume she's over her attack of head and gas from last week. However, I'm feeling pretty tired since I only got 5 hours of sleep due to the late-running model lesson last night to wrap up. I'm gonna have to be wary of taking model lessons on Wednesday nights after The Diver. Both lessons are energy-sapping. But the lesson student looked promising although she said that she was looking at other English schools. She's a fashion designer of some experience in Aoyama, and she looks the part: smart-looking, whip-thin, manicured nails with a wool beret to top it all off. Plus, she has a passing resemblance to that lead singer from Shibuya-kei unit Pizzicato Five. Pretty fluent but there are a lot of holes to patch up in that cool mosaic.
It's raining again....as that ol' Supertramp song goes. Ended up spending nearly 2 hours in McDonalds since I no longer have the extra keys to the school, so it's back absorbing tons of smoke into my clothes. I did Febreeze myself off but smoke is pretty stubborn stuff.
The Big Lug did cancel his lesson for today but it'll still be a fairly busy day with five. Grandma Dynamite, The Yogist, The Nurse, The Carolinan coming in and Slim to wrap up. I haven't had time to prep for any of the lessons but today's lineup is pretty easy to get ready for, so I'm not panicking quite yet.
Speedy seems to be going a bit of overtime with Grandma Dynamite...maybe she came in late this morning.
Not very much time to write this entry so it'll be short. Grandma Dynamite is cackling away in the next room with Speedy, so I assume she's over her attack of head and gas from last week. However, I'm feeling pretty tired since I only got 5 hours of sleep due to the late-running model lesson last night to wrap up. I'm gonna have to be wary of taking model lessons on Wednesday nights after The Diver. Both lessons are energy-sapping. But the lesson student looked promising although she said that she was looking at other English schools. She's a fashion designer of some experience in Aoyama, and she looks the part: smart-looking, whip-thin, manicured nails with a wool beret to top it all off. Plus, she has a passing resemblance to that lead singer from Shibuya-kei unit Pizzicato Five. Pretty fluent but there are a lot of holes to patch up in that cool mosaic.
It's raining again....as that ol' Supertramp song goes. Ended up spending nearly 2 hours in McDonalds since I no longer have the extra keys to the school, so it's back absorbing tons of smoke into my clothes. I did Febreeze myself off but smoke is pretty stubborn stuff.
The Big Lug did cancel his lesson for today but it'll still be a fairly busy day with five. Grandma Dynamite, The Yogist, The Nurse, The Carolinan coming in and Slim to wrap up. I haven't had time to prep for any of the lessons but today's lineup is pretty easy to get ready for, so I'm not panicking quite yet.
Speedy seems to be going a bit of overtime with Grandma Dynamite...maybe she came in late this morning.
Wednesday June 25, 5:45 p.m.
Well, you can colour me shocked. Just found out that one of those bands I'd mentioned in the last entry, Genkirockets, is a CG concoction. The "lead singer", Lumi, whom I've seen in a video is an amalgam of a number of female singers. The names of these ladies have been kept more secret than a gold bar in Fort Knox.
I just read that some enterprising fellow in the States has cottoned on to the supposed insanity (or just plain inanity) of Japanese game shows and have brought his own take on them. The thing is that the contestants back Stateside are just regular folk while the victims in the original game shows are tarento....or professional pratfall targets. I have a bad feeling about this. So I guess "The Simpsons" won't have that Mexican bee guy to push around anymore.
Well, you can colour me shocked. Just found out that one of those bands I'd mentioned in the last entry, Genkirockets, is a CG concoction. The "lead singer", Lumi, whom I've seen in a video is an amalgam of a number of female singers. The names of these ladies have been kept more secret than a gold bar in Fort Knox.
I just read that some enterprising fellow in the States has cottoned on to the supposed insanity (or just plain inanity) of Japanese game shows and have brought his own take on them. The thing is that the contestants back Stateside are just regular folk while the victims in the original game shows are tarento....or professional pratfall targets. I have a bad feeling about this. So I guess "The Simpsons" won't have that Mexican bee guy to push around anymore.
Wednesday June 25, 4:21 p.m.
Well, 6 months before Xmas, and I've already started looking at Air Canada.com for tickets home in December. I was checking my Aeroplan points and was probably laughed at when I looked to see the chances of me getting some deduction in the inevitably huge cash outlay.
This morning, I finally got a chance to try out the newest and final subway line that Tokyo Metro will ever build, The Fukutoshin Line starting from Shibuya and ranging to Ikebukuro and beyond. It was set up to ease some of the burden on the local JR lines of Yamanote and Saikyo which are usually packed to the gills during rush hours. When I got off of the venerable Ginza Line, I made a long trek toward the west to get to this new line. I thought I was gonna end up in Daikanyama when I finally saw the lift heading deep underground for the Futokushin. Of course, there was a McDonalds sign just by the lift and I could catch a soupcon of the whiff of Le Mac Gros.
As I got to the Futokushin platform, I remembered last week's episode of Tamori Club, the late-night Friday program starring Japan's answer to Johnny Carson, Kazuyoshi "Tamori" Morita. He and a bunch of subway-loving comedians and members of an acapella group were given a tour of the line before it opened up on the 14th. Obviously back then, it was devoid of human activity. I could see that it was still pretty barren...surprising for anyplace in Shibuya. It had that new subway smell to it...the same went with the local train I got on. I got off a couple of stops later at Kitasando. The subway station there was virtually deserted...not surprising when I got topside. There was pretty much nothing except for Meiji Street between Shibuya and Shinjuku. I ended up just having lunch at the Subway across the street. The station looked brand-spanking new and untouched by human hands. Kitasando will probably remain devoid of life for the foreseeable future until the area itself gets more developed. METROPOLIS magazine did a feature on the line a few weeks ago and only noted for Kitasando that it was the location of the Japan Communist Party HQ. When that's the only remarkable landmark, you just know that the area won't be a real happening place.
I had much better luck when I got off a few stations later at Nishi-Waseda. It's ideally located by one of the campuses for Waseda University and is surrounded by the neighbourhoods of Korean-influenced Okubo and the student enclave of Takadanobaba. The "feel" of the area was neither traditional Japanese a la Asakusa or modern Japanese a la Odaiba. It seemed like an inner-city neighbourhood out of any Asian city such as Taipei or Hong Kong. There were blocky apartment buildings of varying heights and ages overlooking quite a plethora of Chinese and Indian restaurants, all selling various lunch specials for reasonable prices. Kinda regretted not having lunch there but I'll be back. There was even a Big Boy...maybe the only one in Japan. Of course, since it was around noon when I got there, I saw a lot of young'uns walking and sitting at the restaurants with Waseda University and Gakushuin Women's University situated nearby. I knew I wasn't too far away from Shinjuku since I could see the pearly green building that was Marui City off in the distance. I went as far south as Okubo before I made a U-turn and went off into the other direction toward Ikebukuro. Off in that direction, I could see the Sunshine 60 Building, one of that area's venerable landmarks.
Within about 10 minutes, I made my way to Takadanobaba. It was a very pleasant walk toward JR Takadanobaba and the Tozai Line. Again, a lot of restaurants suited for the poor student set, and I even went into a couple of secondhand CD stores. There were some full albums selling for just 700 yen...truly a bargain. I also noticed that there were a lot of real estate agencies renting 1K rooms for as little as 30,000 yen a month. Definitely student-oriented. If I weren't so poor and spoiled on 2K living, I would be very tempted to see about living there.
I popped back on the train after more than an hour of solid walking and ended up at Shinjuku San-chome station, deep in the heart of East Shinjuku. If there were true winners due to the construction of this line, they would be the folks working in this area. They can just hop onto the Fukutoshin and get into Shibuya within 4 minutes. Previously, they would've had to walk over to JR Shinjuku and fight the scrum that always populates the area around the ticket machines and gates to get onto the Yamanote Line. Other than that, it would've meant at least one transfer on the subways. Of course, walking through Tokyo Metro always means walking through long and wide corridors underground for several minutes. Such was the case at Shinjuku San-chome, although I could imagine that the underground corridors will be a cool refuge within a couple of months. I was pleasantly surprised that the corridors made it all the way to underneath Takashimaya Times Square. Ended up getting into Kinokuniya Supermarket in B1.
Takashimaya Times Square meant that I visited HMV on the 12th floor. Listened to a few of these new girl units that have fallen in love with the vocoder as a vital part of their performance. Of course, the biggest of these units is Perfume, a trio of vaguely Goth-Loli girls with the hit, "Polyrhythm". And then there were the other units known as Genkirockets and Plastic Love.
I continued my trek through Shinjuku by crossing the pedestrian bridge away from Times Square. I saw that Krispy Kreme #1 no longer had multi-hour wait times but there were still folks willing to wait 35 minutes for fried cholesterol. The last thing I wanted to see was that little brother to London's Gherkin Building. It turned out that it was still not completed. The main shell was done but there were still plenty of workmen and scaffolding at ground level.
Finally, I'm back here at Speedy's. I've got another model lesson later into July. Tonight, it's 001, The Diver and that model lesson. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Well, 6 months before Xmas, and I've already started looking at Air Canada.com for tickets home in December. I was checking my Aeroplan points and was probably laughed at when I looked to see the chances of me getting some deduction in the inevitably huge cash outlay.
This morning, I finally got a chance to try out the newest and final subway line that Tokyo Metro will ever build, The Fukutoshin Line starting from Shibuya and ranging to Ikebukuro and beyond. It was set up to ease some of the burden on the local JR lines of Yamanote and Saikyo which are usually packed to the gills during rush hours. When I got off of the venerable Ginza Line, I made a long trek toward the west to get to this new line. I thought I was gonna end up in Daikanyama when I finally saw the lift heading deep underground for the Futokushin. Of course, there was a McDonalds sign just by the lift and I could catch a soupcon of the whiff of Le Mac Gros.
As I got to the Futokushin platform, I remembered last week's episode of Tamori Club, the late-night Friday program starring Japan's answer to Johnny Carson, Kazuyoshi "Tamori" Morita. He and a bunch of subway-loving comedians and members of an acapella group were given a tour of the line before it opened up on the 14th. Obviously back then, it was devoid of human activity. I could see that it was still pretty barren...surprising for anyplace in Shibuya. It had that new subway smell to it...the same went with the local train I got on. I got off a couple of stops later at Kitasando. The subway station there was virtually deserted...not surprising when I got topside. There was pretty much nothing except for Meiji Street between Shibuya and Shinjuku. I ended up just having lunch at the Subway across the street. The station looked brand-spanking new and untouched by human hands. Kitasando will probably remain devoid of life for the foreseeable future until the area itself gets more developed. METROPOLIS magazine did a feature on the line a few weeks ago and only noted for Kitasando that it was the location of the Japan Communist Party HQ. When that's the only remarkable landmark, you just know that the area won't be a real happening place.
I had much better luck when I got off a few stations later at Nishi-Waseda. It's ideally located by one of the campuses for Waseda University and is surrounded by the neighbourhoods of Korean-influenced Okubo and the student enclave of Takadanobaba. The "feel" of the area was neither traditional Japanese a la Asakusa or modern Japanese a la Odaiba. It seemed like an inner-city neighbourhood out of any Asian city such as Taipei or Hong Kong. There were blocky apartment buildings of varying heights and ages overlooking quite a plethora of Chinese and Indian restaurants, all selling various lunch specials for reasonable prices. Kinda regretted not having lunch there but I'll be back. There was even a Big Boy...maybe the only one in Japan. Of course, since it was around noon when I got there, I saw a lot of young'uns walking and sitting at the restaurants with Waseda University and Gakushuin Women's University situated nearby. I knew I wasn't too far away from Shinjuku since I could see the pearly green building that was Marui City off in the distance. I went as far south as Okubo before I made a U-turn and went off into the other direction toward Ikebukuro. Off in that direction, I could see the Sunshine 60 Building, one of that area's venerable landmarks.
Within about 10 minutes, I made my way to Takadanobaba. It was a very pleasant walk toward JR Takadanobaba and the Tozai Line. Again, a lot of restaurants suited for the poor student set, and I even went into a couple of secondhand CD stores. There were some full albums selling for just 700 yen...truly a bargain. I also noticed that there were a lot of real estate agencies renting 1K rooms for as little as 30,000 yen a month. Definitely student-oriented. If I weren't so poor and spoiled on 2K living, I would be very tempted to see about living there.
I popped back on the train after more than an hour of solid walking and ended up at Shinjuku San-chome station, deep in the heart of East Shinjuku. If there were true winners due to the construction of this line, they would be the folks working in this area. They can just hop onto the Fukutoshin and get into Shibuya within 4 minutes. Previously, they would've had to walk over to JR Shinjuku and fight the scrum that always populates the area around the ticket machines and gates to get onto the Yamanote Line. Other than that, it would've meant at least one transfer on the subways. Of course, walking through Tokyo Metro always means walking through long and wide corridors underground for several minutes. Such was the case at Shinjuku San-chome, although I could imagine that the underground corridors will be a cool refuge within a couple of months. I was pleasantly surprised that the corridors made it all the way to underneath Takashimaya Times Square. Ended up getting into Kinokuniya Supermarket in B1.
Takashimaya Times Square meant that I visited HMV on the 12th floor. Listened to a few of these new girl units that have fallen in love with the vocoder as a vital part of their performance. Of course, the biggest of these units is Perfume, a trio of vaguely Goth-Loli girls with the hit, "Polyrhythm". And then there were the other units known as Genkirockets and Plastic Love.
I continued my trek through Shinjuku by crossing the pedestrian bridge away from Times Square. I saw that Krispy Kreme #1 no longer had multi-hour wait times but there were still folks willing to wait 35 minutes for fried cholesterol. The last thing I wanted to see was that little brother to London's Gherkin Building. It turned out that it was still not completed. The main shell was done but there were still plenty of workmen and scaffolding at ground level.
Finally, I'm back here at Speedy's. I've got another model lesson later into July. Tonight, it's 001, The Diver and that model lesson. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Tuesday June 24, 7:25 p.m.
Well, Suzanne is back in the house, and boy, did she have some drama to tell me after her 2 weeks in Oz.
For one thing, her host family was not much of one...pretty irresponsible, really. The man and his pregnant wife only saw her twice during her whole time there. But, Suzanne, with a laid-back aplomb, basically made lemonade from lemons and managed to fend for herself in a foreign land quite well. In fact, she may have done the thing that a lot of boyfriends are terrified of....she matured. Suzanne said that she used to be the dependent one on her boyfriend for everything from dinner plans to other things that couples do. Well, not anymore, and the result is that her boo is crying boo-hoo, and now she's at a crossroads about their relationship. To add a further dimension, she apparently met this rather comely young Australian during her time there who may have the hots for her. She's not quite sure what to make of the situation. Apparently, I seem to be the only one she could tell all this to; she hasn't told any of her family, boyfriend and even her female friends. I was definitely wearing the therapist's cap with her tonight.
I guess it's a foregone conclusion that Suzanne will be coming back for more from next week.
At the other end of the city, at Speedy's, Mr. TOEIC suddenly decided to book a lesson tonight there which had the bossman frantically calling me about what needed to be taught. I did get the green light to bring over The Carolinan once more to the school. And The Big Lug has re-scheduled for the 4th of July.
Still in a holding pattern concerning that model lesson student...The Londoner...from last Friday. In any case, whether she does sign up for lessons now or in 3 months, the juku boss has told me that the earliest she will start is in July.
In other news, NOVA ex-President, Nozomu Saruhashi, may be getting slapped with some further charges of non-payment of wages to teachers. Not sure where he's hiding out but his lawyers are doing the talking for him.
Well, it looks like I got most of Wednesday free, so I'll be taking a look at that new subway line, The Fukutoshin which ranges from Shibuya to Ikebukuro...provided that there aren't any more accidents there. It seems to have undergone the lion's share of growing pains in the first week of its existence. I might take a look at Kitasando and Nishi-Waseda and see what's out there.
Well, Suzanne is back in the house, and boy, did she have some drama to tell me after her 2 weeks in Oz.
For one thing, her host family was not much of one...pretty irresponsible, really. The man and his pregnant wife only saw her twice during her whole time there. But, Suzanne, with a laid-back aplomb, basically made lemonade from lemons and managed to fend for herself in a foreign land quite well. In fact, she may have done the thing that a lot of boyfriends are terrified of....she matured. Suzanne said that she used to be the dependent one on her boyfriend for everything from dinner plans to other things that couples do. Well, not anymore, and the result is that her boo is crying boo-hoo, and now she's at a crossroads about their relationship. To add a further dimension, she apparently met this rather comely young Australian during her time there who may have the hots for her. She's not quite sure what to make of the situation. Apparently, I seem to be the only one she could tell all this to; she hasn't told any of her family, boyfriend and even her female friends. I was definitely wearing the therapist's cap with her tonight.
I guess it's a foregone conclusion that Suzanne will be coming back for more from next week.
At the other end of the city, at Speedy's, Mr. TOEIC suddenly decided to book a lesson tonight there which had the bossman frantically calling me about what needed to be taught. I did get the green light to bring over The Carolinan once more to the school. And The Big Lug has re-scheduled for the 4th of July.
Still in a holding pattern concerning that model lesson student...The Londoner...from last Friday. In any case, whether she does sign up for lessons now or in 3 months, the juku boss has told me that the earliest she will start is in July.
In other news, NOVA ex-President, Nozomu Saruhashi, may be getting slapped with some further charges of non-payment of wages to teachers. Not sure where he's hiding out but his lawyers are doing the talking for him.
Well, it looks like I got most of Wednesday free, so I'll be taking a look at that new subway line, The Fukutoshin which ranges from Shibuya to Ikebukuro...provided that there aren't any more accidents there. It seems to have undergone the lion's share of growing pains in the first week of its existence. I might take a look at Kitasando and Nishi-Waseda and see what's out there.
Tuesday June 24, 4:09 p.m.
A hot one today...about 28 C; quite a contrast with yesterday's squalls and cool temps. This is probably the first truly summery day of the season.
Met up with The Beehive. Mrs. Tee finally showed up so I was able to unload my mother's present unto her, more than a month after Mom had given it to me. Mrs. Tee looked lighter but it was more from her hectic schedule than any intentional diet or exercise. As for Mrs. Travel, she came back from Sedona, Arizona with some great shots of the mesa-filled desert. Unfortunately, considering her status as a veteran traveler, she's yet to master the niceties of tipping.
Looks like The Big Lug has canned for Thursday which leaves some breathing room between The Nurse and The Carolinan. BC picked up the phone which I was a bit surprised about. When I asked her how she was, she replied with no great joy, "Surviving".
Supposedly, Suzanne will be here tonight followed by The Milds and then Jolly. Again, I always gotta be on my toes whether or not Jolly actually shows up or does a dotyakan.
There has been a similar attack to The Akihabara Massacre in Osaka over the weekend. However, luckily, three women were only slightly injured. Some psychotic woman apparently used a knife to slash them on the platform of a train station. She managed to escape but was hunted down by police after someone recognized her on TV. So far, she's been spouting gibberish. Straitjacket for one, please. Still, this does bring up the thought about when and where the next attack will take place in a crowded area.
A hot one today...about 28 C; quite a contrast with yesterday's squalls and cool temps. This is probably the first truly summery day of the season.
Met up with The Beehive. Mrs. Tee finally showed up so I was able to unload my mother's present unto her, more than a month after Mom had given it to me. Mrs. Tee looked lighter but it was more from her hectic schedule than any intentional diet or exercise. As for Mrs. Travel, she came back from Sedona, Arizona with some great shots of the mesa-filled desert. Unfortunately, considering her status as a veteran traveler, she's yet to master the niceties of tipping.
Looks like The Big Lug has canned for Thursday which leaves some breathing room between The Nurse and The Carolinan. BC picked up the phone which I was a bit surprised about. When I asked her how she was, she replied with no great joy, "Surviving".
Supposedly, Suzanne will be here tonight followed by The Milds and then Jolly. Again, I always gotta be on my toes whether or not Jolly actually shows up or does a dotyakan.
There has been a similar attack to The Akihabara Massacre in Osaka over the weekend. However, luckily, three women were only slightly injured. Some psychotic woman apparently used a knife to slash them on the platform of a train station. She managed to escape but was hunted down by police after someone recognized her on TV. So far, she's been spouting gibberish. Straitjacket for one, please. Still, this does bring up the thought about when and where the next attack will take place in a crowded area.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Monday June 23, 10:40 p.m.
And thus another programming day comes to an end. Just finished up with Medicine Man after his conference in Malaysia. Got a nice box of chocolate truffles as a souvenir...always better than, if not as healthy as, an apple. His mind is a bit sieve-like when it comes to movies; but I'm not one to lord it over him since my mind has definitely developed a few ozone holes in the past decade.
Looks like that new interview is a lock. But she'll just be covering a couple of nights. We still need that full-timer to take over for BC during the days...the major-domo to Speedy.
Gotta head home....
And thus another programming day comes to an end. Just finished up with Medicine Man after his conference in Malaysia. Got a nice box of chocolate truffles as a souvenir...always better than, if not as healthy as, an apple. His mind is a bit sieve-like when it comes to movies; but I'm not one to lord it over him since my mind has definitely developed a few ozone holes in the past decade.
Looks like that new interview is a lock. But she'll just be covering a couple of nights. We still need that full-timer to take over for BC during the days...the major-domo to Speedy.
Gotta head home....
Monday June 23, 8:58 p.m.
Just had Slim for his lesson. Really nice guy, that Slim. Helped him with his small talk for an upcoming international party he has to attend next Saturday. Plus, he's had to cancel his lesson for this upcoming Saturday because he has to oversee the cutting in of a new system that he personally knows that won't need his supervision. It's something that George Carlin probably has made hay of, and so I segue into his life and times. I remember seeing him hosting the very first episode of "Saturday Night Live" and some of his routines although I've yet to see his most famous (or notorious) routine of those 7 words you can't say on TV. Again, like the late Tim Russert, he probably has a share of his naysayers who don't regret his passing too much. Interestingly, a lot of them probably hail from Las Vegas.
Just had Slim for his lesson. Really nice guy, that Slim. Helped him with his small talk for an upcoming international party he has to attend next Saturday. Plus, he's had to cancel his lesson for this upcoming Saturday because he has to oversee the cutting in of a new system that he personally knows that won't need his supervision. It's something that George Carlin probably has made hay of, and so I segue into his life and times. I remember seeing him hosting the very first episode of "Saturday Night Live" and some of his routines although I've yet to see his most famous (or notorious) routine of those 7 words you can't say on TV. Again, like the late Tim Russert, he probably has a share of his naysayers who don't regret his passing too much. Interestingly, a lot of them probably hail from Las Vegas.
Monday June 23, 7:21 p.m.
Timing is everything...within and without an English lesson. About 10 minutes into The Full-Timer's lesson at the coffee shop, the clouds suddenly threw down buckets of precipitation in what was one of the most loaded squalls I'd ever seen. And as we were leaving, the rain had trickled into a more manageable steady sprinkle. Ordinarily, I would be worried about any other student heading this way, but since Slim is literally down the street, he'll be here in no time.
Looks like the era of BC is starting its close. The bossman is currently interviewing a potential young staffer. Sounds as if she's on the ball.
I'm not a huge Amy Winehouse fan...only know her from her ironically titled "Rehab". Why am I getting the feeling that she's heading the way of Janis Joplin and Elvis Presley? But then again, all of the media types were virtually reading obituaries for Britney Spears. And not only is she still alive, but she's just become an aunt...of a girl whose mother isn't even ready to vote.
Timing is everything...within and without an English lesson. About 10 minutes into The Full-Timer's lesson at the coffee shop, the clouds suddenly threw down buckets of precipitation in what was one of the most loaded squalls I'd ever seen. And as we were leaving, the rain had trickled into a more manageable steady sprinkle. Ordinarily, I would be worried about any other student heading this way, but since Slim is literally down the street, he'll be here in no time.
Looks like the era of BC is starting its close. The bossman is currently interviewing a potential young staffer. Sounds as if she's on the ball.
I'm not a huge Amy Winehouse fan...only know her from her ironically titled "Rehab". Why am I getting the feeling that she's heading the way of Janis Joplin and Elvis Presley? But then again, all of the media types were virtually reading obituaries for Britney Spears. And not only is she still alive, but she's just become an aunt...of a girl whose mother isn't even ready to vote.
Monday June 23, 5:27 p.m.
Kinda rushing through this since I see The Full-Timer in about half an hour...I've got everything prepped but the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup must be fueling the sugar rush.
In the past couple of days, I've been feasting on turtle jelly, that dessert delicacy from Hong Kong. I had been given it by The Lady last Monday after one of her frequent visits there. For a guy like me who won't get anywhere near natto (too slimy and smelly), tororo (looks and tastes like rabies spit) and uni (which planet is that from?), I'm oddly all right with this black jello created with powder from ground-up turtle shell that tastes like medicine. One reason is that I get a couple of small packs of liquid brown sugar to add to it which makes it quite tasty. No such luck with the noxious stuff I'd just mentioned.
The bossman is currently giving a model lesson to The Dentist's buddy...a person who, despite a fairly good comprehension, is still low on the level of the Grandmas. Speedy, of course, would like me to teach him. Oy vey!
GC sent me the latest excerpt from the 4th season of "Doctor Who" via Facebook. It pretty much ties up the Rose/Doctor love story in one big spoiler. Not miffed that I now know the ending since I'm not the type to get worked up about such things. But at least, I'm happy to know all that moping that David Tennant's Doctor will finally be rid of. I like my Doctors nice and asexual.
Just heard that George Carlin has passed on. He was one of the fathers of observational comedy.
Kinda rushing through this since I see The Full-Timer in about half an hour...I've got everything prepped but the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup must be fueling the sugar rush.
In the past couple of days, I've been feasting on turtle jelly, that dessert delicacy from Hong Kong. I had been given it by The Lady last Monday after one of her frequent visits there. For a guy like me who won't get anywhere near natto (too slimy and smelly), tororo (looks and tastes like rabies spit) and uni (which planet is that from?), I'm oddly all right with this black jello created with powder from ground-up turtle shell that tastes like medicine. One reason is that I get a couple of small packs of liquid brown sugar to add to it which makes it quite tasty. No such luck with the noxious stuff I'd just mentioned.
The bossman is currently giving a model lesson to The Dentist's buddy...a person who, despite a fairly good comprehension, is still low on the level of the Grandmas. Speedy, of course, would like me to teach him. Oy vey!
GC sent me the latest excerpt from the 4th season of "Doctor Who" via Facebook. It pretty much ties up the Rose/Doctor love story in one big spoiler. Not miffed that I now know the ending since I'm not the type to get worked up about such things. But at least, I'm happy to know all that moping that David Tennant's Doctor will finally be rid of. I like my Doctors nice and asexual.
Just heard that George Carlin has passed on. He was one of the fathers of observational comedy.
Monday June 23, 4:35 p.m.
Well, the dreaded continuation of yesterday's meterological cats and dogs has yet to show up, thankfully. I have the collapsible umbrella with me but fortunately, it's just been cloudy and slightly humid.
Just had The Class Act and SIL for their regulars but next week, they'll all be off which will mean a very leisurely Monday. Speaking of which, at this point, Hump Day will be largely humpless since I don't have anything til 001 on Wednesday night. Tomorrow will be the usual schedule with The Beehive, 002 and then the juku crowd. Suzanne may or may not be back at the leadoff spot.
In tribute to Saturday's arrival of the new "Indiana Jones" movie, the networks have been showing the previous three from a couple of decades ago. Yesterday was the original, "Raiders of the Lost Ark" which is, not surprisingly, the closest in tribute to the swashbuckling movies of the 30s.
Well, the dreaded continuation of yesterday's meterological cats and dogs has yet to show up, thankfully. I have the collapsible umbrella with me but fortunately, it's just been cloudy and slightly humid.
Just had The Class Act and SIL for their regulars but next week, they'll all be off which will mean a very leisurely Monday. Speaking of which, at this point, Hump Day will be largely humpless since I don't have anything til 001 on Wednesday night. Tomorrow will be the usual schedule with The Beehive, 002 and then the juku crowd. Suzanne may or may not be back at the leadoff spot.
In tribute to Saturday's arrival of the new "Indiana Jones" movie, the networks have been showing the previous three from a couple of decades ago. Yesterday was the original, "Raiders of the Lost Ark" which is, not surprisingly, the closest in tribute to the swashbuckling movies of the 30s.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Sunday June 22, 3:11 p.m.
A week ago, I was getting my clock punched by eager beaver mikoshi maniacs in sunny and warm weather at The Urayasu Festival. Today, all of us in Japan are being drowned. It is raining a menagerie out there which could be going as long as tomorrow morning. Commuting to Shibuya will be interesting, to say the least. I actually did my laundry this morning, and it's all hanging inside my apartment which means it'll be drippy humid in there when I get back.
Yesterday, I met Tully & The Coffeemaker for the first time in about a month...the former one for the first time in 2 months since he skipped out in May. The lad was able to secure himself a job at some company called Tokyu Dentetsu where he'll be eventually involved in urban planning. As for the class itself, it sounds like the two would rather pick up vocabulary and discuss stuff instead of going for handouts. The Coffeemaker got slightly prickly when she saw yet another photocopy handed to her.
Then, I went to Sugamo, one of the few places in The Big Sushi that I'd yet to visit in all my years here. When I got out of the station from The Mita Line, the avenue was remarkably wide. As for the famed shopping street known as the Harajuku for Seniors, it was definitely a lot more sedate place than its teen-infested counterpart. There were certainly more older folk there than younger....a possible foreshadowing of the demographics to come in Japan. The restaurants lining the street were of the wafu variety: sushi, yakitori and senbe galore. There was a shop selling red clothing of all kinds. My thought was that its market were the middle-agers hitting 60, since that is the age of kanreki (something that Mr. Mild has just gone through) when they are supposed to be feted with a red cape. I also saw red negligees being sold, but I won't make any comments about them. And I did make a celeb sighting...former boxer-turned-tarento Wajima was ambling along the street with a TV crew. He did get noticed by a few people. Of course, with all that wafu-ness of Sugamo, I ended up having lunch in a most appropriate place...Burger King. Yep, at the very area where Hideki Tojo and his minions were jailed and executed after the Second World War, there are now BK and McDs. The Home of the Whopper seems to be making inroads here like wildfire.
I returned a call to Speedy. Apparently, there will be another model lesson on the way. I have had a bit of a skid with my model lessons...I don't think I was too successful with that shy guy at Speedy's the other day, and I'm still not sure about the fate of that gabby woman at the juku on Friday. In any case, I've got one next week. Plus, it looks like BC's relapsed into her depression again. The bossman told me that she started going into her crying jags on Friday which meant that she had to head home early...the 2nd jag was because she felt badly about having to leave the boss in a lurch. Not sure who I feel more sorry for....BC or the boss.
A week ago, I was getting my clock punched by eager beaver mikoshi maniacs in sunny and warm weather at The Urayasu Festival. Today, all of us in Japan are being drowned. It is raining a menagerie out there which could be going as long as tomorrow morning. Commuting to Shibuya will be interesting, to say the least. I actually did my laundry this morning, and it's all hanging inside my apartment which means it'll be drippy humid in there when I get back.
Yesterday, I met Tully & The Coffeemaker for the first time in about a month...the former one for the first time in 2 months since he skipped out in May. The lad was able to secure himself a job at some company called Tokyu Dentetsu where he'll be eventually involved in urban planning. As for the class itself, it sounds like the two would rather pick up vocabulary and discuss stuff instead of going for handouts. The Coffeemaker got slightly prickly when she saw yet another photocopy handed to her.
Then, I went to Sugamo, one of the few places in The Big Sushi that I'd yet to visit in all my years here. When I got out of the station from The Mita Line, the avenue was remarkably wide. As for the famed shopping street known as the Harajuku for Seniors, it was definitely a lot more sedate place than its teen-infested counterpart. There were certainly more older folk there than younger....a possible foreshadowing of the demographics to come in Japan. The restaurants lining the street were of the wafu variety: sushi, yakitori and senbe galore. There was a shop selling red clothing of all kinds. My thought was that its market were the middle-agers hitting 60, since that is the age of kanreki (something that Mr. Mild has just gone through) when they are supposed to be feted with a red cape. I also saw red negligees being sold, but I won't make any comments about them. And I did make a celeb sighting...former boxer-turned-tarento Wajima was ambling along the street with a TV crew. He did get noticed by a few people. Of course, with all that wafu-ness of Sugamo, I ended up having lunch in a most appropriate place...Burger King. Yep, at the very area where Hideki Tojo and his minions were jailed and executed after the Second World War, there are now BK and McDs. The Home of the Whopper seems to be making inroads here like wildfire.
I returned a call to Speedy. Apparently, there will be another model lesson on the way. I have had a bit of a skid with my model lessons...I don't think I was too successful with that shy guy at Speedy's the other day, and I'm still not sure about the fate of that gabby woman at the juku on Friday. In any case, I've got one next week. Plus, it looks like BC's relapsed into her depression again. The bossman told me that she started going into her crying jags on Friday which meant that she had to head home early...the 2nd jag was because she felt badly about having to leave the boss in a lurch. Not sure who I feel more sorry for....BC or the boss.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Friday June 20, 10:30 p.m.
The juku computer seems to be encroaching senescence. There was a thin white line breaking through the screen. Now not only has it thickened but it's gained a second, skinnier little brother.
Well, I met that mystery student today first thing. She's a gabby one...not at all the lowbie that the boss had made her out to be. She's good on the basics and can show a few of the higher-level grammar but she's got sizable holes which we'll need to work upon. However, she did say that she may have to head out to Osaka for a few months due to work. Being my cynical self, I could take it as a hedge to not be my student to save face. At the same time, she did say that she would come back to be my student either starting from next week or next season.
Mild Jr. was his usual intense self when it came to his pronunication. And it looks like he's been having some personality clashes with a colleague at work. I saw The Ace for the first time in 3 weeks. He's been pretty busy himself.
But it's time for me to sign off and get some shuteye before I see Tully & The Coffeemaker for the first time in a month tomorrow.
The juku computer seems to be encroaching senescence. There was a thin white line breaking through the screen. Now not only has it thickened but it's gained a second, skinnier little brother.
Well, I met that mystery student today first thing. She's a gabby one...not at all the lowbie that the boss had made her out to be. She's good on the basics and can show a few of the higher-level grammar but she's got sizable holes which we'll need to work upon. However, she did say that she may have to head out to Osaka for a few months due to work. Being my cynical self, I could take it as a hedge to not be my student to save face. At the same time, she did say that she would come back to be my student either starting from next week or next season.
Mild Jr. was his usual intense self when it came to his pronunication. And it looks like he's been having some personality clashes with a colleague at work. I saw The Ace for the first time in 3 weeks. He's been pretty busy himself.
But it's time for me to sign off and get some shuteye before I see Tully & The Coffeemaker for the first time in a month tomorrow.
Friday June 20, 5:50 p.m.
Basically twiddling my thumbs here at the juku waiting for that first student to come. I ended up getting something to eat at the conbini so I didn't end up sleeping on the table. I am feeling more alert now. Max Coffee works wonders.
Speaking of Max, I've been reading some of the early reviews for the cinematic version of "Get Smart" with Steve Carell. I was rather surprised that it hasn't been the bomb that I was suspecting it to be. So far, the reviews have been mixed and apparently the reviewers on IMDB are just raving about it...which does make me even more suspicious than Siegfried. Well, at this point, it doesn't really matter since I won't probably be able to see it for several months...if it comes here at all...the show isn't really known in Japan. I guess it'll be like the movie version of "Dragnet" with Dan Ackroyd and pre-"Big" Tom Hanks.
The juku boss informed me that this prospective TOEIC student coming in about an hour had dropped by on Wednesday night for an initial face-to-face. I was rather surprised to find out the boss' assessment of her. Apparently, she's not all that high-up in the conversational department. The student claims that she was able to get 600 points (which would put her solidly in the intermediate territory) solely on the Listening section which got an unbelieving snort out of me (I hardly ever snort, which will tell you how surprised I was). You don't get 600 points just out of completing half a TOEIC test, sister. Well, I guess things may have to be adjusted once she comes in. Still not sure if she'll be a convert since she lives so far away in Narita. For that matter, I kinda wonder if Suzanne will return after her Aussie homestay. She lives all the way out near Ikebukuro in west Tokyo...not as far out as Narita, but still not sure if she really thinks the juku classes have been worth enough to justify staying in Urayasu that much longer after her part-time job.
In any case, it's just a job...
Basically twiddling my thumbs here at the juku waiting for that first student to come. I ended up getting something to eat at the conbini so I didn't end up sleeping on the table. I am feeling more alert now. Max Coffee works wonders.
Speaking of Max, I've been reading some of the early reviews for the cinematic version of "Get Smart" with Steve Carell. I was rather surprised that it hasn't been the bomb that I was suspecting it to be. So far, the reviews have been mixed and apparently the reviewers on IMDB are just raving about it...which does make me even more suspicious than Siegfried. Well, at this point, it doesn't really matter since I won't probably be able to see it for several months...if it comes here at all...the show isn't really known in Japan. I guess it'll be like the movie version of "Dragnet" with Dan Ackroyd and pre-"Big" Tom Hanks.
The juku boss informed me that this prospective TOEIC student coming in about an hour had dropped by on Wednesday night for an initial face-to-face. I was rather surprised to find out the boss' assessment of her. Apparently, she's not all that high-up in the conversational department. The student claims that she was able to get 600 points (which would put her solidly in the intermediate territory) solely on the Listening section which got an unbelieving snort out of me (I hardly ever snort, which will tell you how surprised I was). You don't get 600 points just out of completing half a TOEIC test, sister. Well, I guess things may have to be adjusted once she comes in. Still not sure if she'll be a convert since she lives so far away in Narita. For that matter, I kinda wonder if Suzanne will return after her Aussie homestay. She lives all the way out near Ikebukuro in west Tokyo...not as far out as Narita, but still not sure if she really thinks the juku classes have been worth enough to justify staying in Urayasu that much longer after her part-time job.
In any case, it's just a job...
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Friday June 20, 1:19 p.m.
Pretty unsettled out there. May or may not rain. Just had another tonkatsu meal. Ironically, as I was waiting for my meal to come out, I came across a comic strip in one of the cheap tomes that populate the shelf by the door which dealt with obese Japanese at a fat camp. I gather that its time has come. In a country where MegaMacs, Burger King Whoppers and eating contests reign supreme in Japanese pop culture, it's no surprise that I've come across folks who are even bigger than me. And did I forget to mention Krispy Kreme? I just heard that KK #4 will open up in Lalaport, the Funabashi mall?
I got the word from Skippy about catching "Indiana Jones". Looks like the date is set for the 29th. Luckily, I have no plans that day.
Just have the juku students tonight, including that model lesson with that intrepid TOEIC student. I've managed to cobble something together for a possible TOEIC-based lesson, but I'm not sure if the student would want a cobbler...a TOEIC teacher would be better. Afterwards, it'll be Mild Jr. and then The Ace.
Pretty unsettled out there. May or may not rain. Just had another tonkatsu meal. Ironically, as I was waiting for my meal to come out, I came across a comic strip in one of the cheap tomes that populate the shelf by the door which dealt with obese Japanese at a fat camp. I gather that its time has come. In a country where MegaMacs, Burger King Whoppers and eating contests reign supreme in Japanese pop culture, it's no surprise that I've come across folks who are even bigger than me. And did I forget to mention Krispy Kreme? I just heard that KK #4 will open up in Lalaport, the Funabashi mall?
I got the word from Skippy about catching "Indiana Jones". Looks like the date is set for the 29th. Luckily, I have no plans that day.
Just have the juku students tonight, including that model lesson with that intrepid TOEIC student. I've managed to cobble something together for a possible TOEIC-based lesson, but I'm not sure if the student would want a cobbler...a TOEIC teacher would be better. Afterwards, it'll be Mild Jr. and then The Ace.
Thursday June 19, 9:58 p.m.
I ended up teaching The Temp at that cafe where I'd been first introduced to her. Got there about a half-hour early so I indulged in a Keema Curry Sauce Pasta (pretty good) with a Caramel Milk (very good) before she arrived. If it weren't for the fact that her fluency was fairly low, I'd peg her as nearly an advanced student. We were lucky that it wasn't a busy night at the cafe...in fact, for the last 10 minutes, we were the only folks in there. And best of all, no crazed women.
Then, I got Slim. We had a good conversation in the last several minutes of the lesson which put us 1o minutes overtime about the somewhat progressive nature of his company. For one thing, his firm's sales staff don't need to fight against quotas in an industry which just loves them. Although sales will always be tough, a lot of pressure is taken off in his company because of the lack of quotas.
I'll have another leisurely Friday although I'll have to go to City Hall to find out about clinics or hospitals where I can get my checkup. Then, I'll have a threesome at the juku. There's that model lesson student for TOEIC (not sure how that's gonna go) and then Mild Jr. followed by The Ace.
I ended up teaching The Temp at that cafe where I'd been first introduced to her. Got there about a half-hour early so I indulged in a Keema Curry Sauce Pasta (pretty good) with a Caramel Milk (very good) before she arrived. If it weren't for the fact that her fluency was fairly low, I'd peg her as nearly an advanced student. We were lucky that it wasn't a busy night at the cafe...in fact, for the last 10 minutes, we were the only folks in there. And best of all, no crazed women.
Then, I got Slim. We had a good conversation in the last several minutes of the lesson which put us 1o minutes overtime about the somewhat progressive nature of his company. For one thing, his firm's sales staff don't need to fight against quotas in an industry which just loves them. Although sales will always be tough, a lot of pressure is taken off in his company because of the lack of quotas.
I'll have another leisurely Friday although I'll have to go to City Hall to find out about clinics or hospitals where I can get my checkup. Then, I'll have a threesome at the juku. There's that model lesson student for TOEIC (not sure how that's gonna go) and then Mild Jr. followed by The Ace.
Thursday June 19, 4:44 p.m.
The Nurse remarked that our lessons don't seem to make much progress in terms of text pages; it was another case of sidetracking again, not that she minded too much seemingly. Plus, she's observed that whenever she re-listens to our conversation on her recorder, the theme tends to hover around food a lot.
Which brings me to the confession that today has become a McD Day. Speedy was gently nudging me to take advantage of the coupons that have been hanging on our fridge door. I have to admit that it didn't take much arm-twisting to get in on the McMeal despite the fact that I'd had a McBreakfast this morning. This could be interesting when I head over to the cafe to teach The Temp.
Which brings me to yet another segue. It was a bit late in coming, but Speedy said that I could bring my newest student over to the school, if so desired. So I've sent over a better-late-than-never message to her about the bossman's offer.
I just saw the newest and last trailer for the cinematic version of "Get Smart"...the movie will open tomorrow in the States. I know that the movie will probably bomb worse than even....well, "The Nude Bomb" almost 30 years ago but I did enjoy the one scene in the trailer where 99 had to nudge something from Max's jacket with her bare foot....and I do mean in a humourous way. Aside from that scene, though, the humour looks pretty non-existent and the movie will probably end up being on the heap of failed TV show remakes.
The Nurse remarked that our lessons don't seem to make much progress in terms of text pages; it was another case of sidetracking again, not that she minded too much seemingly. Plus, she's observed that whenever she re-listens to our conversation on her recorder, the theme tends to hover around food a lot.
Which brings me to the confession that today has become a McD Day. Speedy was gently nudging me to take advantage of the coupons that have been hanging on our fridge door. I have to admit that it didn't take much arm-twisting to get in on the McMeal despite the fact that I'd had a McBreakfast this morning. This could be interesting when I head over to the cafe to teach The Temp.
Which brings me to yet another segue. It was a bit late in coming, but Speedy said that I could bring my newest student over to the school, if so desired. So I've sent over a better-late-than-never message to her about the bossman's offer.
I just saw the newest and last trailer for the cinematic version of "Get Smart"...the movie will open tomorrow in the States. I know that the movie will probably bomb worse than even....well, "The Nude Bomb" almost 30 years ago but I did enjoy the one scene in the trailer where 99 had to nudge something from Max's jacket with her bare foot....and I do mean in a humourous way. Aside from that scene, though, the humour looks pretty non-existent and the movie will probably end up being on the heap of failed TV show remakes.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Thursday June 19, 11:33 a.m.
Grandma Dynamite was anything but today. As Speedy passed her off onto me, he whispered that she wasn't firing on all cylinders...memory lapses, mumbling to herself, the whole schmear. She told me that she wasn't feeling too well; yep, I could see that...she was burping a bit during class. However, the yuzu jam tea helped her flagging energies somewhat. Maybe I could've used a cup of it as well, but I had to settle for ice water.
Well, I've got the first of two long breaks since The Nurse's lesson isn't til 3 p.m.
Grandma Dynamite was anything but today. As Speedy passed her off onto me, he whispered that she wasn't firing on all cylinders...memory lapses, mumbling to herself, the whole schmear. She told me that she wasn't feeling too well; yep, I could see that...she was burping a bit during class. However, the yuzu jam tea helped her flagging energies somewhat. Maybe I could've used a cup of it as well, but I had to settle for ice water.
Well, I've got the first of two long breaks since The Nurse's lesson isn't til 3 p.m.
Thursday June 19, 9:06 a.m.
Was looking for that Harrison Ford appearance on BISTRO SMAP via YouTube. Sure enough, it was there. He looked rather zoned out or befuddled, but when you're in the midst of Japanese pop culture, it can be easy to feel that way. I see that he's also paid his tribute to Japan by appearing in his first Kirin beer commercial in many years...this time, he's in a sauna.
Since it's another morning lesson here at Speedy's, it was another MacBreakfast. I gave the MegaMuffin another try after a somewhat underwhelming first try some weeks ago. This time, it went down a bit easier. Still, the slippage factor is of some concern. Forgive my anal nature, but I just don't like it when the contents of a sandwich threaten to vomit out the other side whenever I bite into it. The overall grease, ketchup and cheese act as a great example to hydroplaning. Overall, though, I think I'm pretty much filled up til dinner time when I meet The Temp for her 2nd lesson.
Was looking for that Harrison Ford appearance on BISTRO SMAP via YouTube. Sure enough, it was there. He looked rather zoned out or befuddled, but when you're in the midst of Japanese pop culture, it can be easy to feel that way. I see that he's also paid his tribute to Japan by appearing in his first Kirin beer commercial in many years...this time, he's in a sauna.
Since it's another morning lesson here at Speedy's, it was another MacBreakfast. I gave the MegaMuffin another try after a somewhat underwhelming first try some weeks ago. This time, it went down a bit easier. Still, the slippage factor is of some concern. Forgive my anal nature, but I just don't like it when the contents of a sandwich threaten to vomit out the other side whenever I bite into it. The overall grease, ketchup and cheese act as a great example to hydroplaning. Overall, though, I think I'm pretty much filled up til dinner time when I meet The Temp for her 2nd lesson.
Thursday June 19, 8:43 a.m.
Woke up later than I should have, but still managed to get out of the house within 15 minutes. That may not seem too impressive to you up-and-at-'ems, but for a guy like me who usually takes 3 hours between getting up and taking off, this is a matter for some celebration. So, it was with some irony that Speedy had overslept and had to rush on over here to see his very first student of the day. I'd first thought when I came in to an empty school that the student had cancelled, as he is prone to do from time to time due to the rigours of his work. So, when the student did arrive with no bossman around, I went into crisis mode. However, the student reassured me that he would be on his way....apparently, Speedy contacted his student on his cell while the student was en route.
I've only got 4 students today but my schedule is stretched out due to a combined total of 7 hours of downtime. A bit of a bummer but as they say here, sho ga nai.
Woke up later than I should have, but still managed to get out of the house within 15 minutes. That may not seem too impressive to you up-and-at-'ems, but for a guy like me who usually takes 3 hours between getting up and taking off, this is a matter for some celebration. So, it was with some irony that Speedy had overslept and had to rush on over here to see his very first student of the day. I'd first thought when I came in to an empty school that the student had cancelled, as he is prone to do from time to time due to the rigours of his work. So, when the student did arrive with no bossman around, I went into crisis mode. However, the student reassured me that he would be on his way....apparently, Speedy contacted his student on his cell while the student was en route.
I've only got 4 students today but my schedule is stretched out due to a combined total of 7 hours of downtime. A bit of a bummer but as they say here, sho ga nai.
Wednesday June 18, 9:37 p.m.
Well, it may have been a truncated Hump Day, but I still feel like I went through a wringer, thanks to that off-kilter model lesson and the usual roller-coaster ride with The Diver. 001 was fine, as long as we didn't stay too long on the text; she's not too thrilled with it anymore. She and The Diver did get their amusement from the pictures of me carrying the mikoshi.
Tomorrow, I've got another foursome starting with Grandma Dynamite followed by The Nurse, The Temp and then Slim.
Well, it may have been a truncated Hump Day, but I still feel like I went through a wringer, thanks to that off-kilter model lesson and the usual roller-coaster ride with The Diver. 001 was fine, as long as we didn't stay too long on the text; she's not too thrilled with it anymore. She and The Diver did get their amusement from the pictures of me carrying the mikoshi.
Tomorrow, I've got another foursome starting with Grandma Dynamite followed by The Nurse, The Temp and then Slim.
Wednesday June 18, 5:36 p.m.
Well, that model lesson was like an incomplete high school curriculum...no chemistry. The man's nice enough but he is apparently an extreme practitioner of that art of appreciating the silences between utterances. It was like pulling teeth. Not sure if I'm gonna make a convert out of him, but then again, I had no hope for The Yogist at her model lesson, and now she's a fan on the level of 001 or 002.
There's nothing like struggling through a model lesson to sap the energy out of you. I was ready for that conbini lunch. Fortunately, I have 001 up next before The Diver. If it had been the other way around, I would've needed an ambulance.
Well, that model lesson was like an incomplete high school curriculum...no chemistry. The man's nice enough but he is apparently an extreme practitioner of that art of appreciating the silences between utterances. It was like pulling teeth. Not sure if I'm gonna make a convert out of him, but then again, I had no hope for The Yogist at her model lesson, and now she's a fan on the level of 001 or 002.
There's nothing like struggling through a model lesson to sap the energy out of you. I was ready for that conbini lunch. Fortunately, I have 001 up next before The Diver. If it had been the other way around, I would've needed an ambulance.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Wednesday June 18, 12:38 p.m.
Another unsettled day....not particularly sunny but not too cloudy or rainy. And we're neither too hot or too cold, but it is humid. The morning wide shows have been analyzing the horribly mad world of the late Tsutomu Miyazaki. Miyazaki had once said about his killings that anyone would've been fine...dare demo yokatta. It would seem that this phrase may become a candidate for one of the annual catchphrases since it's been used by several of this year's psychos, including the one responsible for The Akihabara Massacre.
Looks like someone came a tad too early for my lesson. I just heard from BC and Speedy that The Big Lug made a mistake on his lesson day and arrived here 24 hours early instead of his time of 1:45 today. We would laugh but he lives quite a ways away. Also have a model lesson coming up right after him. And then it's 001 followed by The Diver.
Harrison Ford did the thing that a lot of Hollywood celebs do whenever they come into town to plug a picture...he showed up on the Fuji-TV morning news show, "Mezamashi Terebi". Well, the feature itself will be shown tomorrow morning. I'm pretty sure he'll be considerably less bizarre than Mr. Karube's last foreign guest, Mariah Carey. And I'm sure Ford will find Mr. Karube considerably less bizarre than the sight of Puffy as interviewers when he had come over to plug "Air Force One" years ago.
Another unsettled day....not particularly sunny but not too cloudy or rainy. And we're neither too hot or too cold, but it is humid. The morning wide shows have been analyzing the horribly mad world of the late Tsutomu Miyazaki. Miyazaki had once said about his killings that anyone would've been fine...dare demo yokatta. It would seem that this phrase may become a candidate for one of the annual catchphrases since it's been used by several of this year's psychos, including the one responsible for The Akihabara Massacre.
Looks like someone came a tad too early for my lesson. I just heard from BC and Speedy that The Big Lug made a mistake on his lesson day and arrived here 24 hours early instead of his time of 1:45 today. We would laugh but he lives quite a ways away. Also have a model lesson coming up right after him. And then it's 001 followed by The Diver.
Harrison Ford did the thing that a lot of Hollywood celebs do whenever they come into town to plug a picture...he showed up on the Fuji-TV morning news show, "Mezamashi Terebi". Well, the feature itself will be shown tomorrow morning. I'm pretty sure he'll be considerably less bizarre than Mr. Karube's last foreign guest, Mariah Carey. And I'm sure Ford will find Mr. Karube considerably less bizarre than the sight of Puffy as interviewers when he had come over to plug "Air Force One" years ago.
Tuesday June 17, 9:16 p.m.
I only had Mr. Mild today. Apparently, Mrs. Mild had a bout of dizziness due to fatigue. He gave me some of the shots from Sunday's hijinks. Man, I really DO NOT take good pictures. I looked like an exhausted Jabba Du Hutt carrying that mikoshi. Well, it'll be worth several minutes of laughs tomorrow at Speedy's. And as the saying goes, if you can get a minute's worth of laughter out of someone, that'll mean he'll listen to you an extra minute longer. I think I should coast through tomorrow's classes then.
Well, Jolly is indeed coming, albeit he'll be a few minutes late. However, since I have an afternoon start to Wednesday, I don't mind that much at all. It'll also be a slower Hump Day since I don't have The Nurse starting up in the morning and Medicine Man won't be coming in to wrap things up. I may be able to head home early yet again.
I only had Mr. Mild today. Apparently, Mrs. Mild had a bout of dizziness due to fatigue. He gave me some of the shots from Sunday's hijinks. Man, I really DO NOT take good pictures. I looked like an exhausted Jabba Du Hutt carrying that mikoshi. Well, it'll be worth several minutes of laughs tomorrow at Speedy's. And as the saying goes, if you can get a minute's worth of laughter out of someone, that'll mean he'll listen to you an extra minute longer. I think I should coast through tomorrow's classes then.
Well, Jolly is indeed coming, albeit he'll be a few minutes late. However, since I have an afternoon start to Wednesday, I don't mind that much at all. It'll also be a slower Hump Day since I don't have The Nurse starting up in the morning and Medicine Man won't be coming in to wrap things up. I may be able to head home early yet again.
Tuesday June 17, 4:54 p.m.
Well, after nearly 20 years, the government finally gave notorious serial killer Tsutomu Miyazaki what everyone (including himself) had expected and hoped for...his chance at the noose. He was executed earlier today and the Justice Minister made the announcement around noon. I'm sure the news hit the stands via bulletin. I'd just come to Japan for my stint on JET when the news of this owlish man who had killed little girls, desecrated their bodies and ate a couple of them hit the screens and papers like a howitzer. Miyazaki became the poster boy for all that was supposedly wrong with the otaku of Akihabara (ironically, not too long after, a tarento named Hachiro Taku parodying a doll-obsessed otaku became a popular fellow on TV). The timing of the execution is interesting...it came just a week after another otaku, Tomohiro Kato, had attacked Akihabara itself in a stab-and-run massacre and just a couple of days after a slew of copycats threatened to follow Kato's lead. A warning?
In any case, unlike in the States where executions are publicly advertised on all of the networks, the Japanese justice system never announces its executions until after the deed has been done. The death-row inmates sometimes get less than 24 hours' notice although they may have been waiting for years and years. I'm sure as I type this, the TV stations are going over the history of this madman Miyazaki once more.
Well, The Beehive just had a couple of its members show up...Mrs. Alp and Mrs. Jade. There was more on the Croatian trip....I received another souvenir in the form of Croatian raisins, or perhaps they should be called sultanas instead. They're fairly big and juicy suckers although I could hardly call them dates. I'll probably share them with The Milds in partial thanks for Sunday. Mrs. Alp also informed us that Mrs. Perth's father had finally passed away last Tuesday which brought up the topic of Japanese funerals. However, by the end of the session, the two ladies were bursting at the seams at this possible new project of setting up a private party at a nearby hotel when Mrs. Tulip returns for a summer vacation late next month.
002 and I had another rollicking good time although I'm starting to wonder if we're just chatting a bit too much in these lessons.
When I got into Urayasu, the lanterns from last weekend's festival were still up. But it was basically back to normal business after all of the mikoshi-fueled madness of last Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The welts on my right shoulder are healing quite nicely now, although I'm joking that they look like the aftereffects of a vigourous session at an S&M club in Roppongi. I'm still an hour away from seeing The Milds and perhaps Jolly. It'll be a short session tonight in any event. However, this Friday is looking atypically busy here. I've got Mild Jr. and The Ace, but before them, I may have a new student in the form of a lady who wants to up her TOEIC score from 600 to 800 points. That would be patently impossible but I'll see what I can do for her. I'm not sure if it would be worth the effort since she lives all the way out in Narita, but the lady says that the juku is on the way between her job in Tokyo and her home. Oooooookay. I did see The Brazilian...who was looking considerably less genki than she did when I'd first met her. She just went through 3/4 of a marathon grammar session with the boss before the boss herself cut things short due to her young charge's imminent collapse.
Well, I did try to hold off but the hunger is coming back again so time to grab a little something at the conbini.
Well, after nearly 20 years, the government finally gave notorious serial killer Tsutomu Miyazaki what everyone (including himself) had expected and hoped for...his chance at the noose. He was executed earlier today and the Justice Minister made the announcement around noon. I'm sure the news hit the stands via bulletin. I'd just come to Japan for my stint on JET when the news of this owlish man who had killed little girls, desecrated their bodies and ate a couple of them hit the screens and papers like a howitzer. Miyazaki became the poster boy for all that was supposedly wrong with the otaku of Akihabara (ironically, not too long after, a tarento named Hachiro Taku parodying a doll-obsessed otaku became a popular fellow on TV). The timing of the execution is interesting...it came just a week after another otaku, Tomohiro Kato, had attacked Akihabara itself in a stab-and-run massacre and just a couple of days after a slew of copycats threatened to follow Kato's lead. A warning?
In any case, unlike in the States where executions are publicly advertised on all of the networks, the Japanese justice system never announces its executions until after the deed has been done. The death-row inmates sometimes get less than 24 hours' notice although they may have been waiting for years and years. I'm sure as I type this, the TV stations are going over the history of this madman Miyazaki once more.
Well, The Beehive just had a couple of its members show up...Mrs. Alp and Mrs. Jade. There was more on the Croatian trip....I received another souvenir in the form of Croatian raisins, or perhaps they should be called sultanas instead. They're fairly big and juicy suckers although I could hardly call them dates. I'll probably share them with The Milds in partial thanks for Sunday. Mrs. Alp also informed us that Mrs. Perth's father had finally passed away last Tuesday which brought up the topic of Japanese funerals. However, by the end of the session, the two ladies were bursting at the seams at this possible new project of setting up a private party at a nearby hotel when Mrs. Tulip returns for a summer vacation late next month.
002 and I had another rollicking good time although I'm starting to wonder if we're just chatting a bit too much in these lessons.
When I got into Urayasu, the lanterns from last weekend's festival were still up. But it was basically back to normal business after all of the mikoshi-fueled madness of last Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The welts on my right shoulder are healing quite nicely now, although I'm joking that they look like the aftereffects of a vigourous session at an S&M club in Roppongi. I'm still an hour away from seeing The Milds and perhaps Jolly. It'll be a short session tonight in any event. However, this Friday is looking atypically busy here. I've got Mild Jr. and The Ace, but before them, I may have a new student in the form of a lady who wants to up her TOEIC score from 600 to 800 points. That would be patently impossible but I'll see what I can do for her. I'm not sure if it would be worth the effort since she lives all the way out in Narita, but the lady says that the juku is on the way between her job in Tokyo and her home. Oooooookay. I did see The Brazilian...who was looking considerably less genki than she did when I'd first met her. She just went through 3/4 of a marathon grammar session with the boss before the boss herself cut things short due to her young charge's imminent collapse.
Well, I did try to hold off but the hunger is coming back again so time to grab a little something at the conbini.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Monday June 16, 9:14 p.m.
Yes, as it turned out, Slim erred on the time so he literally dropped a rice ball and flew over here on a wave of sweat and embarrassment. He was profusely sorry but no worries here. He has established himself as a fine student.
Looks like Skippy's hopes for Harrison Ford to show up on the premiere day of the latest Indiana Jones flick will be dashed. The big man had already shown up for the Japan special premiere last week at Roppongi Hills and even did a Bistro SMAP. Kinda glad I missed that.
Anyways, I'm ready to get home at an insanely more reasonable time than I've had for a Monday in several months.
Yes, as it turned out, Slim erred on the time so he literally dropped a rice ball and flew over here on a wave of sweat and embarrassment. He was profusely sorry but no worries here. He has established himself as a fine student.
Looks like Skippy's hopes for Harrison Ford to show up on the premiere day of the latest Indiana Jones flick will be dashed. The big man had already shown up for the Japan special premiere last week at Roppongi Hills and even did a Bistro SMAP. Kinda glad I missed that.
Anyways, I'm ready to get home at an insanely more reasonable time than I've had for a Monday in several months.
Monday June 16, 7:42 p.m.
Uh-oh. Slim hasn't shown up yet, and he's usually punctual to the second. I've got a feeling he's misunderstood the time. We'll see...
Looks like the police have been keeping a very sharp eye for any copycat would-be killers after The Akihabara Massacre. The cops arrested a 17-year-old girl in one of the far-flung prefectures after they'd found out that she was "inspired" to do the same thing. Not sure if she had also been targeting Akiba, though.
Well, so far so good. BC seems to be in fairly good spirits. I asked Speedy quietly about her condition and she seems to be doing OK.
Tomorrow I've got The Beehive at the usual place. And I've still gotta give the last two presents from Mom for Mrs. Jade and Mrs. Tee. Then, it'll be 002 followed by the juku gang. Well, it'll be more like a trio...just The Milds and Jolly, although Jolly is always a maybe.
So I see that John Barrowman of "Torchwood" and "Doctor Who" fame will be showing up on CITY-TV's "Breakfast Television" in about an hour or so back in Toronto. I wonder if he'll be trying to pick up everyone in sight on Queen St.
Thought as much...Slim thought his class was for 8:30 p.m. He's coming around the mountain, as we speak.
Uh-oh. Slim hasn't shown up yet, and he's usually punctual to the second. I've got a feeling he's misunderstood the time. We'll see...
Looks like the police have been keeping a very sharp eye for any copycat would-be killers after The Akihabara Massacre. The cops arrested a 17-year-old girl in one of the far-flung prefectures after they'd found out that she was "inspired" to do the same thing. Not sure if she had also been targeting Akiba, though.
Well, so far so good. BC seems to be in fairly good spirits. I asked Speedy quietly about her condition and she seems to be doing OK.
Tomorrow I've got The Beehive at the usual place. And I've still gotta give the last two presents from Mom for Mrs. Jade and Mrs. Tee. Then, it'll be 002 followed by the juku gang. Well, it'll be more like a trio...just The Milds and Jolly, although Jolly is always a maybe.
So I see that John Barrowman of "Torchwood" and "Doctor Who" fame will be showing up on CITY-TV's "Breakfast Television" in about an hour or so back in Toronto. I wonder if he'll be trying to pick up everyone in sight on Queen St.
Thought as much...Slim thought his class was for 8:30 p.m. He's coming around the mountain, as we speak.
Monday June 16, 5:31 p.m.
Continuing on about The Urayasu Festival...Mr. Mild and I came back to his house for a little respite. We ended up playing his Wii Sports on the plasma TV. Well, mikoshi-carrying and Wii tennis may not be my forte, but I seemed to have been in the groove like Tiger Woods yesterday when it came to Wii bowling. Not sure what it was, but I was able to get 5 strikes in one game.
We made one more foray outside, but this time I changed back into J-Canuck, regular citizen. It was about 5 p.m. and our mikoshi had already reached "home" as it were and the young'uns were making one final tired toss of the shrine before finally calling it quits. Some congratulatory iced coffee and squid-on-a-stick, and then Mr. Mild and I were walking through the non-mikoshi festivities in old Urayasu. I keep mentioning old Urayasu, the reason being that Mr. Mild explained that The Urayasu Festival is only held in the original town, and not Shin (New) Urayasu which was built on reclaimed land. The main sidewalks were clogged with festivalgoers stopping at the various stands selling okonomiyaki, choco-bananas and yakisoba. One guy was even frying up chicken steaks. After a good long walk, we reached Seiryu Shrine, one of the three main shrines in Urayasu. We dutifully lined up and made our prayers. Also, the 38 mikoshi that were involved in all of the hijinks were to be brought majestically into the shrine grounds with all of the "Mae da!" that had been characteristic of the day. The schedule was running late, so I only saw the first huge mikoshi being brought in. That turned out to be the only really dangerous point in the festival as the exhausted bearers almost lost control of it and unfortunately there was a crowd surrounding the shrine. People ended up being slightly crushed and pushed as the guys struggled to get hold onto it. But that was about it. I gave my thanks to Mr. Mild and made my way home. Mr. Mild promised (threatened?) to show the prints from my stint under the mikoshi tomorrow at the juku. I'm sure much hilarity will ensue.
Today has been the usual Monday. I got to see The Class Act for the first time in a couple of weeks. I got a couple of small containers of turtle jelly from The Lady via her trip to Hong Kong last week. I'll probably give one container to the Milds in thanks for yesterday. I should warn them to put on lots of honey before eating the jelly. Then, I had SIL...again a lot of nostalgic talk. I'm having The Full-Timer in about 15 minutes followed by Slim to wrap up. It'll be an uncharacteristically early night since folks like The Tippler and Medicine Man won't be coming in tonight. I'll definitely head on back home once I'm finished with Slim.
That earthquake up in the Tohoku area has had deaths, missing and injuries regrettably. And the green hills look like whole slabs had been carved out from them. Although the loss of life is tragic, I still have to say that the consequences of that quake compared to the ones that have hit China and other countries in recent years have convinced me that Japan is the leading nation when it comes to earthquake prevention and emergency aid. Just wonder when The Big One is gonna hit the Kanto, though. It's like a geological game of Russian Roulette.
Continuing on about The Urayasu Festival...Mr. Mild and I came back to his house for a little respite. We ended up playing his Wii Sports on the plasma TV. Well, mikoshi-carrying and Wii tennis may not be my forte, but I seemed to have been in the groove like Tiger Woods yesterday when it came to Wii bowling. Not sure what it was, but I was able to get 5 strikes in one game.
We made one more foray outside, but this time I changed back into J-Canuck, regular citizen. It was about 5 p.m. and our mikoshi had already reached "home" as it were and the young'uns were making one final tired toss of the shrine before finally calling it quits. Some congratulatory iced coffee and squid-on-a-stick, and then Mr. Mild and I were walking through the non-mikoshi festivities in old Urayasu. I keep mentioning old Urayasu, the reason being that Mr. Mild explained that The Urayasu Festival is only held in the original town, and not Shin (New) Urayasu which was built on reclaimed land. The main sidewalks were clogged with festivalgoers stopping at the various stands selling okonomiyaki, choco-bananas and yakisoba. One guy was even frying up chicken steaks. After a good long walk, we reached Seiryu Shrine, one of the three main shrines in Urayasu. We dutifully lined up and made our prayers. Also, the 38 mikoshi that were involved in all of the hijinks were to be brought majestically into the shrine grounds with all of the "Mae da!" that had been characteristic of the day. The schedule was running late, so I only saw the first huge mikoshi being brought in. That turned out to be the only really dangerous point in the festival as the exhausted bearers almost lost control of it and unfortunately there was a crowd surrounding the shrine. People ended up being slightly crushed and pushed as the guys struggled to get hold onto it. But that was about it. I gave my thanks to Mr. Mild and made my way home. Mr. Mild promised (threatened?) to show the prints from my stint under the mikoshi tomorrow at the juku. I'm sure much hilarity will ensue.
Today has been the usual Monday. I got to see The Class Act for the first time in a couple of weeks. I got a couple of small containers of turtle jelly from The Lady via her trip to Hong Kong last week. I'll probably give one container to the Milds in thanks for yesterday. I should warn them to put on lots of honey before eating the jelly. Then, I had SIL...again a lot of nostalgic talk. I'm having The Full-Timer in about 15 minutes followed by Slim to wrap up. It'll be an uncharacteristically early night since folks like The Tippler and Medicine Man won't be coming in tonight. I'll definitely head on back home once I'm finished with Slim.
That earthquake up in the Tohoku area has had deaths, missing and injuries regrettably. And the green hills look like whole slabs had been carved out from them. Although the loss of life is tragic, I still have to say that the consequences of that quake compared to the ones that have hit China and other countries in recent years have convinced me that Japan is the leading nation when it comes to earthquake prevention and emergency aid. Just wonder when The Big One is gonna hit the Kanto, though. It's like a geological game of Russian Roulette.
Monday June 16, 4:40 p.m.
Well, we're past the halfway mark for this month again. It's getting warm out there...including my apartment which should reach oven levels in the next couple of weeks. I'm trying to toughen myself up from using my air conditioner so that I don't end up in hock to TEPCO.
Saturday night was once again DVD Night with Movie Buddy and The Satyr. First up was "The Kingdom", the action-thriller flick with Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Garner as an FBI team in Saudi Arabia. It was pretty much a connect-the-dots flick...not particularly imaginative or gripping but entertaining enough. The best movie of the night was "Superbad" which had teens with some unbelievably potty mouths. And the characters weren't the usual stereotypes...at least, not totally. Everyone, including McLovin, cussed each other out with equal measure. Then, there was "Apocalypto" which was 3/4 historical tragic epic and 1/4 "Rambo".
Strangely enough, while MB and I were watching "Apocalypto", I received a call from GC for the first time in years. It was almost as if there had been no grand silence between us. Unfortunately, the timing was rather bad since we were in mid-feature so I asked him to call me back the next night.
The next day had MB and I doing our usual post-DVD breakfast at the nearby Skylark's. While I was headed out for The Urayasu Festival, MB would be heading for Akihabara. He only realized it too late, but he was wearing a T-shirt which had what looked like blood spatters and some kanji which translated into "I'm sorry for cutting you into little pieces." Not particularly the right tee to wear, considering last week's bloodbath there.
As for The Urayasu Festival, I'd mentioned last entry about that frenzied scene in Classic Trek where the residents of Landru's planet always went completely nutso for about 12 hours. Well, this festival only comes around once every four years. And the residents of old Urayasu certainly acted as if they were members of Landru.
It all started when I got to the Milds' house. Mr. Mild had me decked out in happi coat, 27.5-cm tabi and sash. The weather was ideal for mikoshi-carrying...sunny but not too hot. At first, Mr. Mild and Mild Jr. took me to one of the main streets to see this huge parade of mikoshi, or portable shrines, each being carried by a dozen or so ever-so-happy folks in traditional gear. Finally, came our turn. Mild Jr. and I took our places under the wooden bars of our mikoshi. When it was time, we started strutting our stuff. We had to yell "Mae da! Mae da" (Ahead! Ahead!) which was the Urayasu version of what other festivalgoers usually say, which is "Wa shoi! Wa shoi!" I tell you...those 5 minutes were pretty much a roller coaster. The mikoshi itself wasn't too heavy since there was a good gross of hardier types carrying it along with me. But when it came to tossing the mikoshi up and down, my right shoulder ended up getting mugged worse than a tourist in Central Park. Mild Jr. would later tell me that I sounded as I had been slowly dying. That solid wooden bar just thwacked my shoulder several times.
It was a bit of break for lunch at the Milds' place where Mrs. Mild put out a pretty nice spread of food. Then, it was back to mikoshi-carrying again. The sun was far brighter and hotter in the afternoon, of course, and so I only lasted a few minutes, which probably didn't get much respect from the surrounding veterans. It was only a few minutes but I felt like I went through the wringer. However, to add to my internal humiliation, Mr. Mild, retired fellow, went under the shrine 3 times for some minutes each time, and a number of the younger ladies were literally shouldering the burden as well. Mr. Mild later told me that there were two types of people at The Urayasu Festival...those that were mikoshi maniacs and those who were mikoshi-phobic and preferred to watch. I think I became a convert to the latter. Mr. Mild and I noticed one guy walking in front of us...he was built like a sumotori and had a rather sizable hump on the back of his neck which looked like an angry red lava flow ready to blow...now he was a mikoshi maniac!
The majority of the time, the mikoshi carriers kept on doing their chants and moving along, but once in a while, they would stop and proceed to perform another action which involved bringing down the shrine to a low level and rotating it 360 degrees while the supporters yelled "Maware!" (Turn it!). That looked like backbreaking work. But the real craziness was when the dozen or so carriers would suddenly start tossing this huge heavy mikoshi up in the air three times....a bit risky but somehow they were able to steady the thing without having it crash onto automobile traffic (yep, there were some unfortunate motorists who had to negotiate through the strees of old Urayasu).
More later....
Well, we're past the halfway mark for this month again. It's getting warm out there...including my apartment which should reach oven levels in the next couple of weeks. I'm trying to toughen myself up from using my air conditioner so that I don't end up in hock to TEPCO.
Saturday night was once again DVD Night with Movie Buddy and The Satyr. First up was "The Kingdom", the action-thriller flick with Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Garner as an FBI team in Saudi Arabia. It was pretty much a connect-the-dots flick...not particularly imaginative or gripping but entertaining enough. The best movie of the night was "Superbad" which had teens with some unbelievably potty mouths. And the characters weren't the usual stereotypes...at least, not totally. Everyone, including McLovin, cussed each other out with equal measure. Then, there was "Apocalypto" which was 3/4 historical tragic epic and 1/4 "Rambo".
Strangely enough, while MB and I were watching "Apocalypto", I received a call from GC for the first time in years. It was almost as if there had been no grand silence between us. Unfortunately, the timing was rather bad since we were in mid-feature so I asked him to call me back the next night.
The next day had MB and I doing our usual post-DVD breakfast at the nearby Skylark's. While I was headed out for The Urayasu Festival, MB would be heading for Akihabara. He only realized it too late, but he was wearing a T-shirt which had what looked like blood spatters and some kanji which translated into "I'm sorry for cutting you into little pieces." Not particularly the right tee to wear, considering last week's bloodbath there.
As for The Urayasu Festival, I'd mentioned last entry about that frenzied scene in Classic Trek where the residents of Landru's planet always went completely nutso for about 12 hours. Well, this festival only comes around once every four years. And the residents of old Urayasu certainly acted as if they were members of Landru.
It all started when I got to the Milds' house. Mr. Mild had me decked out in happi coat, 27.5-cm tabi and sash. The weather was ideal for mikoshi-carrying...sunny but not too hot. At first, Mr. Mild and Mild Jr. took me to one of the main streets to see this huge parade of mikoshi, or portable shrines, each being carried by a dozen or so ever-so-happy folks in traditional gear. Finally, came our turn. Mild Jr. and I took our places under the wooden bars of our mikoshi. When it was time, we started strutting our stuff. We had to yell "Mae da! Mae da" (Ahead! Ahead!) which was the Urayasu version of what other festivalgoers usually say, which is "Wa shoi! Wa shoi!" I tell you...those 5 minutes were pretty much a roller coaster. The mikoshi itself wasn't too heavy since there was a good gross of hardier types carrying it along with me. But when it came to tossing the mikoshi up and down, my right shoulder ended up getting mugged worse than a tourist in Central Park. Mild Jr. would later tell me that I sounded as I had been slowly dying. That solid wooden bar just thwacked my shoulder several times.
It was a bit of break for lunch at the Milds' place where Mrs. Mild put out a pretty nice spread of food. Then, it was back to mikoshi-carrying again. The sun was far brighter and hotter in the afternoon, of course, and so I only lasted a few minutes, which probably didn't get much respect from the surrounding veterans. It was only a few minutes but I felt like I went through the wringer. However, to add to my internal humiliation, Mr. Mild, retired fellow, went under the shrine 3 times for some minutes each time, and a number of the younger ladies were literally shouldering the burden as well. Mr. Mild later told me that there were two types of people at The Urayasu Festival...those that were mikoshi maniacs and those who were mikoshi-phobic and preferred to watch. I think I became a convert to the latter. Mr. Mild and I noticed one guy walking in front of us...he was built like a sumotori and had a rather sizable hump on the back of his neck which looked like an angry red lava flow ready to blow...now he was a mikoshi maniac!
The majority of the time, the mikoshi carriers kept on doing their chants and moving along, but once in a while, they would stop and proceed to perform another action which involved bringing down the shrine to a low level and rotating it 360 degrees while the supporters yelled "Maware!" (Turn it!). That looked like backbreaking work. But the real craziness was when the dozen or so carriers would suddenly start tossing this huge heavy mikoshi up in the air three times....a bit risky but somehow they were able to steady the thing without having it crash onto automobile traffic (yep, there were some unfortunate motorists who had to negotiate through the strees of old Urayasu).
More later....
Friday, June 13, 2008
Saturday June 14, 12:43 p.m.
I got a taste of what the bossman must have gone through. During Slim's lesson, the phone was ringing off the hook a few times, and finally I thought I just had to answer it just in case it was Speedy himself. Instead, it was an inquiry from a civilian. Erk! I tried to muddle through my bad Telephone Japanese and just managed to jot down her phone number and a first name; it didn't help that she was talking next to a busy street. As for Slim himself, he came in 20 minutes late. He either seemed distracted because of work or he gets down on himself if he makes too many errors in his homework, so I tried to be as encouraging as possible.
But in any case, I'll be leaving the telephones to Speedy from now on.
I got a taste of what the bossman must have gone through. During Slim's lesson, the phone was ringing off the hook a few times, and finally I thought I just had to answer it just in case it was Speedy himself. Instead, it was an inquiry from a civilian. Erk! I tried to muddle through my bad Telephone Japanese and just managed to jot down her phone number and a first name; it didn't help that she was talking next to a busy street. As for Slim himself, he came in 20 minutes late. He either seemed distracted because of work or he gets down on himself if he makes too many errors in his homework, so I tried to be as encouraging as possible.
But in any case, I'll be leaving the telephones to Speedy from now on.
Saturday June 14, 10:28 a.m.
Back at Speedy's by myself. I've opened everything up...including a kettle of boiling water for the tea. Slim ought to be here in about 30 minutes.
Hmmm...been a morning of BREAKING NEWS on both sides of the Pacific. First, Tim Russert of "Meet The Press" heads for that newsdesk in the sky. Since we don't get NBC here, I only knew him by news clips on CNN and an interview on the same network on behalf of his book about his father a few years ago. Wolf devoted the entire hour of "The Situation Room" to him, and the way the other networks are covering the death, it almost sounds as if he were the second coming of Walter Cronkite. And TVNewser had two pages on the announcement; never saw that on the site before. Still, it's tragic to see a guy leave so young and just on the eve of Father's Day, too, when he had a son and a father.
Then, just as I was about to leave home, I saw my calendar weaving from side to side like a punch-drunk fighter, and then I felt a bit of vertigo. I first thought it was a breeze, then I realized it was an earthquake. There has been a M7.0 up in the Tohoku area...pretty strong one. Everyone in Tokyo got a whiff of it. If I could be TVNewser for a sec, NHK was right on top of it, including the prerequisite shots of the local newsrooms when the quake hit but it took another 5-10 minutes for the commercial channels to get on the ball. I guess they just couldn't leave their visits to the trendiest restaurants to cover a potential disaster in the making. We're pretty jaded about quakes here.
Speedy called me up last night after I'd gotten home from the juku just to say that I had to activate BC's computer to get access to the listening files in the textbook for Slim's lesson. He sounded a bit less frenetic, but that was only because he was so exhausted. BC has given so indication that she would be coming in, and Speedy has just given up on her. He has far more patience than me when it comes to people's foibles, but I think even he has reached his breaking point.
Back at Speedy's by myself. I've opened everything up...including a kettle of boiling water for the tea. Slim ought to be here in about 30 minutes.
Hmmm...been a morning of BREAKING NEWS on both sides of the Pacific. First, Tim Russert of "Meet The Press" heads for that newsdesk in the sky. Since we don't get NBC here, I only knew him by news clips on CNN and an interview on the same network on behalf of his book about his father a few years ago. Wolf devoted the entire hour of "The Situation Room" to him, and the way the other networks are covering the death, it almost sounds as if he were the second coming of Walter Cronkite. And TVNewser had two pages on the announcement; never saw that on the site before. Still, it's tragic to see a guy leave so young and just on the eve of Father's Day, too, when he had a son and a father.
Then, just as I was about to leave home, I saw my calendar weaving from side to side like a punch-drunk fighter, and then I felt a bit of vertigo. I first thought it was a breeze, then I realized it was an earthquake. There has been a M7.0 up in the Tohoku area...pretty strong one. Everyone in Tokyo got a whiff of it. If I could be TVNewser for a sec, NHK was right on top of it, including the prerequisite shots of the local newsrooms when the quake hit but it took another 5-10 minutes for the commercial channels to get on the ball. I guess they just couldn't leave their visits to the trendiest restaurants to cover a potential disaster in the making. We're pretty jaded about quakes here.
Speedy called me up last night after I'd gotten home from the juku just to say that I had to activate BC's computer to get access to the listening files in the textbook for Slim's lesson. He sounded a bit less frenetic, but that was only because he was so exhausted. BC has given so indication that she would be coming in, and Speedy has just given up on her. He has far more patience than me when it comes to people's foibles, but I think even he has reached his breaking point.
Friday June 13, 9:20 p.m.
I can hear the taiko drums out there for the festival, so I guess things are still going strong. Hmmm...I wonder if I'll need an alternate route home.
The juku boss came in all a-panting. She was decked out in her festival gear having lifted her share of mikoshi, and just as quickly, she went out. Mild Jr. came in. He'll also be in the festival lifting those portable shrines this weekend. He explained why The Urayasu Festival is quadrennial instead of annual. He said that it was for security...apparently, in years past, the festival had its share of violence via battling mikoshi of competing shrines which brought the wrath of the police. Mild Jr. also (half-)jokingly remarked that the mikoshi crews then battled the police. In any case, the powers-that-be decreed that the festival would only take place at an Olympic pace.
Tomorrow is the debut of the newest and probably last subway to be built in Tokyo, the Fukutoshin Line. I would love to check it out but it'll probably be filled to the brim by subway otaku.
I can hear the taiko drums out there for the festival, so I guess things are still going strong. Hmmm...I wonder if I'll need an alternate route home.
The juku boss came in all a-panting. She was decked out in her festival gear having lifted her share of mikoshi, and just as quickly, she went out. Mild Jr. came in. He'll also be in the festival lifting those portable shrines this weekend. He explained why The Urayasu Festival is quadrennial instead of annual. He said that it was for security...apparently, in years past, the festival had its share of violence via battling mikoshi of competing shrines which brought the wrath of the police. Mild Jr. also (half-)jokingly remarked that the mikoshi crews then battled the police. In any case, the powers-that-be decreed that the festival would only take place at an Olympic pace.
Tomorrow is the debut of the newest and probably last subway to be built in Tokyo, the Fukutoshin Line. I would love to check it out but it'll probably be filled to the brim by subway otaku.
Friday June 13, 6:54 p.m.
I recall an episode from Classic Trek, "The Return of the Archons", in which for about 12 hours, the residents of a planet go into a mad frenzy daily, screaming "Festival! Festival!" Well, things aren't as orgiastic here but The Urayasu Festival has started. As I was walking down Miyamae Avenue, all those lanterns that had been put up a few weeks finally looked appropriately positioned as crowds of locals were walking up and down the street, stopping by the stalls for franks-on-sticks, yakisoba, choco-bananas, and the like. Several older guys were dressed in their happi coats, headbands and tabi directing traffic, and a group of younger guys were practicing on their chants as they lifted their mikoshi. Of course, it wouldn't be a festival without a bit of Harajuku youth...there were small gaggles of boys and girls dressed slovenly with dyed hair schlumping along. I also did notice an interesting fashion thing as I was getting off at Urayasu Station. A few young girls...or I should say, gyaru...were dressed in happi coats and shorts but with yukata-like print designs. A new phenomenon in place? Pretty happy overall considering it's Friday The 13th.
But another festival...a weekly one, compared to the quadrennial one above...is truly feeling the wrath of Friday the 13th. The Public Security Agency put the kibbosh on the pedestrians' paradise of Akihabara until further notice...plainly because of the events of last Sunday, although the authorities had already been concerned about some of the other things that had been going on such as adult video actresses showing their wares, so to speak, in the hokoten, before the police swooped down. Still, a madman was able to accomplish what a politician had been hoping for. It's a pity...the hokoten was one of the events that put Akihabara on the map. The Maids will still be about on the sidewalks and perhaps in front of JR Akihabara handing out their flyers, but there will be no more dancing anime characters, no more otherwise innocent otaku walking about, and no more people just enjoying a Sunday afternoon in one of the most unique urban developments in the world.
I'm here by myself right now. I used my own key to the house to get into the juku. I guess the boss and her husband must be out in the festival right now. I've only got Mild Jr. tonight. Gotta ask him about the directions to his family's house on Sunday.
It was a nice day today...I actually felt good about walking outside. I headed out to Daiei and used up the remaining gift certificates on clothing and various household items, before noshing on a Wendy's meal. It'll probably be my last one for a good long while. I got my City Tax premium schedule last night. All I can say is OUCH! However, Speedy is majorly singing the blues. He called me to say that The Manhattanite is coming in at 1 tomorrow. I could tell that the bossman wasn't in a good mood. Most people get grouchy and their volume soars. As for Speedy, what he lacks in volume, he more than makes up for in speed of delivery. Yep, he was jabbering a mile a minute on the phone since it was just him in the office today being a one-man administration since BC has basically become hikikomori. I think it might be safe to say that BC may no longer be showing up at the office anymore. In any case, tomorrow, like I am right now in the juku, I'll be a solo in Speedy's school when I teach Slim and The Manhattanite.
The Satyr has confirmed his reservations for DVD Night, so it'll be back to a threesome tomorrow.
I can't quite figure it out, though. I gave that apology to The Carolinan last night for my fishy breath since she kinda made a sly back-and-forth about what I'd eaten. I got a reply from her saying that she doesn't what I'm talking about. I really hate these alternate universe shifts.
I recall an episode from Classic Trek, "The Return of the Archons", in which for about 12 hours, the residents of a planet go into a mad frenzy daily, screaming "Festival! Festival!" Well, things aren't as orgiastic here but The Urayasu Festival has started. As I was walking down Miyamae Avenue, all those lanterns that had been put up a few weeks finally looked appropriately positioned as crowds of locals were walking up and down the street, stopping by the stalls for franks-on-sticks, yakisoba, choco-bananas, and the like. Several older guys were dressed in their happi coats, headbands and tabi directing traffic, and a group of younger guys were practicing on their chants as they lifted their mikoshi. Of course, it wouldn't be a festival without a bit of Harajuku youth...there were small gaggles of boys and girls dressed slovenly with dyed hair schlumping along. I also did notice an interesting fashion thing as I was getting off at Urayasu Station. A few young girls...or I should say, gyaru...were dressed in happi coats and shorts but with yukata-like print designs. A new phenomenon in place? Pretty happy overall considering it's Friday The 13th.
But another festival...a weekly one, compared to the quadrennial one above...is truly feeling the wrath of Friday the 13th. The Public Security Agency put the kibbosh on the pedestrians' paradise of Akihabara until further notice...plainly because of the events of last Sunday, although the authorities had already been concerned about some of the other things that had been going on such as adult video actresses showing their wares, so to speak, in the hokoten, before the police swooped down. Still, a madman was able to accomplish what a politician had been hoping for. It's a pity...the hokoten was one of the events that put Akihabara on the map. The Maids will still be about on the sidewalks and perhaps in front of JR Akihabara handing out their flyers, but there will be no more dancing anime characters, no more otherwise innocent otaku walking about, and no more people just enjoying a Sunday afternoon in one of the most unique urban developments in the world.
I'm here by myself right now. I used my own key to the house to get into the juku. I guess the boss and her husband must be out in the festival right now. I've only got Mild Jr. tonight. Gotta ask him about the directions to his family's house on Sunday.
It was a nice day today...I actually felt good about walking outside. I headed out to Daiei and used up the remaining gift certificates on clothing and various household items, before noshing on a Wendy's meal. It'll probably be my last one for a good long while. I got my City Tax premium schedule last night. All I can say is OUCH! However, Speedy is majorly singing the blues. He called me to say that The Manhattanite is coming in at 1 tomorrow. I could tell that the bossman wasn't in a good mood. Most people get grouchy and their volume soars. As for Speedy, what he lacks in volume, he more than makes up for in speed of delivery. Yep, he was jabbering a mile a minute on the phone since it was just him in the office today being a one-man administration since BC has basically become hikikomori. I think it might be safe to say that BC may no longer be showing up at the office anymore. In any case, tomorrow, like I am right now in the juku, I'll be a solo in Speedy's school when I teach Slim and The Manhattanite.
The Satyr has confirmed his reservations for DVD Night, so it'll be back to a threesome tomorrow.
I can't quite figure it out, though. I gave that apology to The Carolinan last night for my fishy breath since she kinda made a sly back-and-forth about what I'd eaten. I got a reply from her saying that she doesn't what I'm talking about. I really hate these alternate universe shifts.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Thursday June 12, 9:46 p.m.
Looks like there has been some further movement in my schedule. Slim has booked in his next three lessons...one of which will be falling on Saturday morning. Well, c'est dommage, but again he's a good student so I don't mind, and I can still meet MB and The Satyr for DVD night a bit earlier than scheduled. That is, if their significant others can let the leash go for a few hours.
But now I've just heard that BC managed to leave one of her annoyingly cryptic notes in the schedule that The Manhattanite did indeed book a lesson for Saturday afternoon, so apparently barring a call from the girl, she's on after Slim. Man, if it weren't for the fact that BC was so on the edge right now...
The juku boss also left a message saying that The Ace won't be coming in after all tomorrow night (I thought that Jolly was the go-to guy for cancellations), so it'll just be Mild Jr. I'll have to speak to him about the directions to his house for the Urayasu Festival on Sunday. I think Mr. Mild steered me wrong about the bus directions.
Looks like I'll be keeping it close to home tomorrow, get some added sleep, get some socks and undershirts with the last of the certificates. Just trying to decompress right now...
I did send my written apologies to The Carolinan for pelting her with fish breath tonight. She may have been joking but it's never bad to be humble.
Looks like there has been some further movement in my schedule. Slim has booked in his next three lessons...one of which will be falling on Saturday morning. Well, c'est dommage, but again he's a good student so I don't mind, and I can still meet MB and The Satyr for DVD night a bit earlier than scheduled. That is, if their significant others can let the leash go for a few hours.
But now I've just heard that BC managed to leave one of her annoyingly cryptic notes in the schedule that The Manhattanite did indeed book a lesson for Saturday afternoon, so apparently barring a call from the girl, she's on after Slim. Man, if it weren't for the fact that BC was so on the edge right now...
The juku boss also left a message saying that The Ace won't be coming in after all tomorrow night (I thought that Jolly was the go-to guy for cancellations), so it'll just be Mild Jr. I'll have to speak to him about the directions to his house for the Urayasu Festival on Sunday. I think Mr. Mild steered me wrong about the bus directions.
Looks like I'll be keeping it close to home tomorrow, get some added sleep, get some socks and undershirts with the last of the certificates. Just trying to decompress right now...
I did send my written apologies to The Carolinan for pelting her with fish breath tonight. She may have been joking but it's never bad to be humble.
Thursday June 12, 7:55 p.m.
After the Yogist's lesson, I headed off to Kinokuniya in Shinjuku. The cats and dogs of this morning finally lifted, and I could get there without needing to open up the brolley. Noticed that Krispy Kreme #1 only had a 40-minute wait and it wasn't a bad day at that point, so I guess the trend has finally peaked. Mrs. Mild did point out that Krispy Kreme #2 only demanded a 20-minute wait from her until she got her two dozen donuts.
I picked up Movie Buddy's belated b-day present there using some of the remaining gift certificates. I tried to find something Bondian but the books there were of the expensive coffee-table variety. Instead, I got this new retrospective on Indiana Jones which got pretty high marks from the reviewer in EMPIRE Magazine.
I walked all over Shinjuku looking for some place for a late lunch or early dinner. Ended up going to SUBWAY for the first time in several months. I had stopped going when I saw them starting to actually charging for cheese in their subs. However, I had to relent and ended up having a full tuna sub. My choice would have ramifications later on.
When I headed for the subway, I did notice the newest skyscraper to hit the Shinjuku skies, west of the station. I don't know what it's called but it looks like that gherkin building in London, except it has some angles carved out of it...as if some mad rabbi circumcized the hell out of it. Any more of these buildings and we may get that Blade Runner skyscape after all. I also found that Burger King #1 in the basement plaza of Shinjuku I-Land. Not too many people there despite the fact that when it had opened over a year ago, there was a lineup to rival that of Krispy Kreme #1.
I got back to Speedy's just in time to see The Carolinan waiting at the station. As we were walking back to the school, we started talking about our mutual friend, BC. She had also noticed that BC wasn't too happy the other night when we all went out for dinner at the nearby cafe. We continued the talk into the first few minutes of the lesson. I then told her about her emotional breakdown a couple of weeks ago and how worried I and the bossman were about her fragile state. She related that another friend of theirs said that BC had declined her invitation to a concert of hers due to ill health. We can only hope that she can snap out of her funk soon.
One thing about The Carolinan, one of my longest-standing students. She knows me well enough that she can take a few potshots at me but she does it very indirectly. Apparently, my tuna sub breath traveled a little too far than desired...she just asked me innocently what I'd had for dinner. When I replied "SUBWAY", she then asked me which sandwich I'd had. When I replied tuna, she gave this "A-Ha!" look. I can take a hint...I'll duly brush after a tuna and onion sandwich or I'll just eschew it altogether.
Anyways, Slim ought to be here in about 15 minutes...
After the Yogist's lesson, I headed off to Kinokuniya in Shinjuku. The cats and dogs of this morning finally lifted, and I could get there without needing to open up the brolley. Noticed that Krispy Kreme #1 only had a 40-minute wait and it wasn't a bad day at that point, so I guess the trend has finally peaked. Mrs. Mild did point out that Krispy Kreme #2 only demanded a 20-minute wait from her until she got her two dozen donuts.
I picked up Movie Buddy's belated b-day present there using some of the remaining gift certificates. I tried to find something Bondian but the books there were of the expensive coffee-table variety. Instead, I got this new retrospective on Indiana Jones which got pretty high marks from the reviewer in EMPIRE Magazine.
I walked all over Shinjuku looking for some place for a late lunch or early dinner. Ended up going to SUBWAY for the first time in several months. I had stopped going when I saw them starting to actually charging for cheese in their subs. However, I had to relent and ended up having a full tuna sub. My choice would have ramifications later on.
When I headed for the subway, I did notice the newest skyscraper to hit the Shinjuku skies, west of the station. I don't know what it's called but it looks like that gherkin building in London, except it has some angles carved out of it...as if some mad rabbi circumcized the hell out of it. Any more of these buildings and we may get that Blade Runner skyscape after all. I also found that Burger King #1 in the basement plaza of Shinjuku I-Land. Not too many people there despite the fact that when it had opened over a year ago, there was a lineup to rival that of Krispy Kreme #1.
I got back to Speedy's just in time to see The Carolinan waiting at the station. As we were walking back to the school, we started talking about our mutual friend, BC. She had also noticed that BC wasn't too happy the other night when we all went out for dinner at the nearby cafe. We continued the talk into the first few minutes of the lesson. I then told her about her emotional breakdown a couple of weeks ago and how worried I and the bossman were about her fragile state. She related that another friend of theirs said that BC had declined her invitation to a concert of hers due to ill health. We can only hope that she can snap out of her funk soon.
One thing about The Carolinan, one of my longest-standing students. She knows me well enough that she can take a few potshots at me but she does it very indirectly. Apparently, my tuna sub breath traveled a little too far than desired...she just asked me innocently what I'd had for dinner. When I replied "SUBWAY", she then asked me which sandwich I'd had. When I replied tuna, she gave this "A-Ha!" look. I can take a hint...I'll duly brush after a tuna and onion sandwich or I'll just eschew it altogether.
Anyways, Slim ought to be here in about 15 minutes...
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Thursday June 12, 11:49 a.m.
Just finished with Grandma Dynamite. Found out that she's also a huge Mariko Takahashi fan along with Mrs. Mild (would just love to have those two together).
As expected, BC's bailed out again today. Now, she just can't (or won't) move out of bed...which brings up red flags. I think she's clinically depressed. Speedy may just want to get that want ad out now for new assistants. I may have a word with The Carolinan tonight.
I read...or tried to read...the Wiki entry on "Pink Lady and Jeff"...yes, it's been a pretty boring day. For those who are younger than 30 years of age, this example of Japanese & American cultural relations gone rancid was an NBC TV show whose producers inexplicably decided to have the legendary (at least in Japan) 70s pop idol duo, Pink Lady, co-host in the loosest sense of the word with comedian Jeff Altman a variety show. Of course, being part of an ethnic Japanese family in Canada, my parents made my brother and me watch the visual car crash. "Shogun" was also considered compulsory viewing when it came on a few years later....along with "Mr. T and Tina" (but that's another story). The two things I remember about "Pink Lady and Jeff" were their performances and the memory-cringing running gag of the two girls stripping off to bikinis and sharing a hot tub with Jeff (can you say bathing suits on washboards?) at the end of the show. The fact that it was one of the worst TV shows ever vomited onto the screen has been well known; what I didn't know was that it apparently was the final nail in the coffin for primetime variety shows. I gather that "The Brady Bunch Variety Show" didn't quite do it. Ironically, The Not-Ready-For-Primetime-Players were wowing them on a late night variety show called "Saturday Night Live" on the same network at about the same time. Thirty years later, though, there has been a happier coda of sorts with Puffy Amiyumi living their American life via The Cartoon Network. Still, I think AKB 48 needn't think about packing their bags quite yet.
Just finished with Grandma Dynamite. Found out that she's also a huge Mariko Takahashi fan along with Mrs. Mild (would just love to have those two together).
As expected, BC's bailed out again today. Now, she just can't (or won't) move out of bed...which brings up red flags. I think she's clinically depressed. Speedy may just want to get that want ad out now for new assistants. I may have a word with The Carolinan tonight.
I read...or tried to read...the Wiki entry on "Pink Lady and Jeff"...yes, it's been a pretty boring day. For those who are younger than 30 years of age, this example of Japanese & American cultural relations gone rancid was an NBC TV show whose producers inexplicably decided to have the legendary (at least in Japan) 70s pop idol duo, Pink Lady, co-host in the loosest sense of the word with comedian Jeff Altman a variety show. Of course, being part of an ethnic Japanese family in Canada, my parents made my brother and me watch the visual car crash. "Shogun" was also considered compulsory viewing when it came on a few years later....along with "Mr. T and Tina" (but that's another story). The two things I remember about "Pink Lady and Jeff" were their performances and the memory-cringing running gag of the two girls stripping off to bikinis and sharing a hot tub with Jeff (can you say bathing suits on washboards?) at the end of the show. The fact that it was one of the worst TV shows ever vomited onto the screen has been well known; what I didn't know was that it apparently was the final nail in the coffin for primetime variety shows. I gather that "The Brady Bunch Variety Show" didn't quite do it. Ironically, The Not-Ready-For-Primetime-Players were wowing them on a late night variety show called "Saturday Night Live" on the same network at about the same time. Thirty years later, though, there has been a happier coda of sorts with Puffy Amiyumi living their American life via The Cartoon Network. Still, I think AKB 48 needn't think about packing their bags quite yet.
Thursday June 12, 8:29 a.m.
It's raining a menagerie out there. Pretty miserable but I bet a month from now we'll all be begging for precipitation. I know that The Yogist just loves this type of weather. She could be absolutely manic today.
The only big question today is whether BC will come in or call in sick once again. In either case, she'll probably be hugely depressed.
It's raining a menagerie out there. Pretty miserable but I bet a month from now we'll all be begging for precipitation. I know that The Yogist just loves this type of weather. She could be absolutely manic today.
The only big question today is whether BC will come in or call in sick once again. In either case, she'll probably be hugely depressed.
Wednesday June 11, 10:44 p.m.
And thus another Hump Day comes to an end. 001 has been enjoying her weekly shots of "Heroes". I even showed her the final scenes of the season finale via YouTube during the break. The Diver passed again with flying colours. The angst remains though she is improving...really. And Medicine Man was his level-headed best though it's obvious he doesn't have much of a social life. He'll be headed off to a conference in Malaysia next week so he won't be around then.
It'll be another long day here tomorrow as well, since I now have Grandma Dynamite permanently on the schedule followed by The Yogist. And it looks like I may have The Carolinan sewn up as, at least, a frequent visitor to Speedy's which will keep both our nerves calm. Slim will be batting cleanup.
And thus another Hump Day comes to an end. 001 has been enjoying her weekly shots of "Heroes". I even showed her the final scenes of the season finale via YouTube during the break. The Diver passed again with flying colours. The angst remains though she is improving...really. And Medicine Man was his level-headed best though it's obvious he doesn't have much of a social life. He'll be headed off to a conference in Malaysia next week so he won't be around then.
It'll be another long day here tomorrow as well, since I now have Grandma Dynamite permanently on the schedule followed by The Yogist. And it looks like I may have The Carolinan sewn up as, at least, a frequent visitor to Speedy's which will keep both our nerves calm. Slim will be batting cleanup.
Wednesday June 11, 5:33 p.m.
Summer at Speedy's is just around the corner, y'know, when it's time to put in the air conditioner. The two of us installed it into the classroom window. The bossman also informed me that Grandma Dynamite is a lock for Thursday mornings. So, another early morning into the neighbourhood tomorrow.
Met The New Yorker down at Ichigaya, our old stomping grounds. Somehow I've gotta get her coming here to the school more often. Never easy teaching at a cafe in the middle of the afternoon. She'll be heading to Okinawa this weekend for a short vacation.
It'll be the usual Hump Day lineup: 001, The Diver and then Medicine Man. The Diver should have done her test...I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it is a clean pass. She may have a major heart attack if she doesn't.
Summer at Speedy's is just around the corner, y'know, when it's time to put in the air conditioner. The two of us installed it into the classroom window. The bossman also informed me that Grandma Dynamite is a lock for Thursday mornings. So, another early morning into the neighbourhood tomorrow.
Met The New Yorker down at Ichigaya, our old stomping grounds. Somehow I've gotta get her coming here to the school more often. Never easy teaching at a cafe in the middle of the afternoon. She'll be heading to Okinawa this weekend for a short vacation.
It'll be the usual Hump Day lineup: 001, The Diver and then Medicine Man. The Diver should have done her test...I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it is a clean pass. She may have a major heart attack if she doesn't.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Wednesday June 11, 11:59 a.m.
Crisis averted...The Nurse didn't get a perfect score on the Make-Up but she aced it anyways. The rest of the lesson went smoothingly. I did tell her that I had used some of her black rice supplement in my white rice on Sunday. Luckily, instead of getting a gray mix of carbs, I got a rather brilliant purple.
BC has called in sick. Speedy told me that she had to leave early yesterday as well due to...something. And here I was blogging last night about my concerns about her. I told him about her crying breakdown a couple of weeks ago while he was away. He figured that something like that would happen. I gather then that lessons with her are probably now off the table.
With all that has happened in the past few days, a feat such as Olympic Gold Medal swimmer Kosuke Kitajima smashing the world record on Sunday managed to barely make the news radar. Well, it did help that he did it while wearing that new miracle Speedo swimwear. That little controversy kept him and the rest of the Japanese team in the news. The problem was that though Speedo was helping all of these international swimmers break records, Team Japan could only use swimsuits manufactured by the sponsors Asics, Mizuno and one other company. Well, the impasse was resolved yesterday when a press conference announced that the swimmers themselves could choose the suit that would, in their estimation, be the most useful in getting that Gold. So, Speedo is now very welcome. However, Mr. Kitajima in his usual shoot-from-the-hip style said that the press shouldn't stress the suit as much as the person in it.
The Coffeemaker got back to me concerning Sunday. Yep, she's cool with the re-schedule. I'll see them on the 21st instead.
Crisis averted...The Nurse didn't get a perfect score on the Make-Up but she aced it anyways. The rest of the lesson went smoothingly. I did tell her that I had used some of her black rice supplement in my white rice on Sunday. Luckily, instead of getting a gray mix of carbs, I got a rather brilliant purple.
BC has called in sick. Speedy told me that she had to leave early yesterday as well due to...something. And here I was blogging last night about my concerns about her. I told him about her crying breakdown a couple of weeks ago while he was away. He figured that something like that would happen. I gather then that lessons with her are probably now off the table.
With all that has happened in the past few days, a feat such as Olympic Gold Medal swimmer Kosuke Kitajima smashing the world record on Sunday managed to barely make the news radar. Well, it did help that he did it while wearing that new miracle Speedo swimwear. That little controversy kept him and the rest of the Japanese team in the news. The problem was that though Speedo was helping all of these international swimmers break records, Team Japan could only use swimsuits manufactured by the sponsors Asics, Mizuno and one other company. Well, the impasse was resolved yesterday when a press conference announced that the swimmers themselves could choose the suit that would, in their estimation, be the most useful in getting that Gold. So, Speedo is now very welcome. However, Mr. Kitajima in his usual shoot-from-the-hip style said that the press shouldn't stress the suit as much as the person in it.
The Coffeemaker got back to me concerning Sunday. Yep, she's cool with the re-schedule. I'll see them on the 21st instead.
Wednesday June 11, 9:05 a.m.
Jolly did show up last night. Still had a slight fever but he was much more on the ball. In fact, he was definitely on the golf ball on Saturday...less than 24 hours after he appeared like Death Warmed Over to the juku boss and me. He had the best score out of his 17 workmates on the course. However, the other big news last night was me being drafted into the quadrennial Urayasu Festival this weekend by The Milds. I'm to help carry a mikoshi...those huge portable temples that everyone sees as part of traditional Japanese culture on TV all around the world. Unfortunately, by the time I'd accepted and gone home, I realized that I was supposed to have Tully & The Coffeemaker on that same day. Well, instead of breaking the bad news to The Milds, I decided to ask The Coffeemaker if she would consider re-scheduling...not the most appropriate thing to do but I figured that I see the pair once or twice a month. The Urayasu Festival is once every four years. And the pair has asked me to re-schedule on occasion, so I think I can sacrifice some professionalism for an opportunity...although my shoulder may not agree later on Sunday night. It was strange, though....I'm usually pretty good when it comes to checking my schedule before committing to something. But when The Milds invited me, I just jumped at it...and I'm not really a festivalgoer. Maybe some sort of kismet is on its way. Also, the festival appearance will mean an early start to MB and me after DVD night. I invited Movie Buddy to the festival, but he declined saying that he wasn't much for them either. Instead, he'll be heading over to Akihabara. I'll feel a little bad again about having to curtail our usual Morning After breakfast, but then again he would've had to do it anyway since I did have the lesson with Tully & The Coffeemaker.
Seguing into Akihabara, the media is still on The Akihabara Massacre. Allegedly, Tomohiro Kato has broken down into tears but has remained steadfastly unapologetic about his actions on Sunday. I guess that would be no surprise since he was (and maybe still is) a man filled with psychotic rage. There was a near-psychotic media scrum when he was taken out of Manseibashi Police Station. Despite his defiant stance, he did have his head bowed down in seeming penance. But there have been some interesting observations concerning the crime. One was that Kato's parents took the unprecedented step of holding a news conference outside their home and apologizing for their son's heinous deeds. Although their faces were kept away from the camera lens, the cameras and microphones were keyed on them as the mother collapsed in miserable prostration. Whenever any of these sorts of crimes have played out, the parents of the perpetrator have never been shown or at most, perhaps, the media only gets a secondhand account from them via the police.
The second thing was that on YouTube, I saw a remarkable video with a Maid speaking in fairly fluent English acting as reporter-on-the-spot just minutes after the attacks had begun.
I also read an editorial in today's "International Herald Tribune" which was gleaned from the Japanese affiliate, "Asahi Shimbun" which kinda grated on me. I'm not sure if the translation lost something or if the contributor hadn't meant to do it, but the tone of his or her description of Kato seems to treat him as if he were some petulant girl acting out for not being allowed to go out with her friends. Terms like "self-centred" and "selfish" were bandied about, and true, Mr. Kato does have those traits but those adjectives seem rather pale compared to the horror of what he actually committed. The man is a sociopath...he's no longer human.
Jolly did show up last night. Still had a slight fever but he was much more on the ball. In fact, he was definitely on the golf ball on Saturday...less than 24 hours after he appeared like Death Warmed Over to the juku boss and me. He had the best score out of his 17 workmates on the course. However, the other big news last night was me being drafted into the quadrennial Urayasu Festival this weekend by The Milds. I'm to help carry a mikoshi...those huge portable temples that everyone sees as part of traditional Japanese culture on TV all around the world. Unfortunately, by the time I'd accepted and gone home, I realized that I was supposed to have Tully & The Coffeemaker on that same day. Well, instead of breaking the bad news to The Milds, I decided to ask The Coffeemaker if she would consider re-scheduling...not the most appropriate thing to do but I figured that I see the pair once or twice a month. The Urayasu Festival is once every four years. And the pair has asked me to re-schedule on occasion, so I think I can sacrifice some professionalism for an opportunity...although my shoulder may not agree later on Sunday night. It was strange, though....I'm usually pretty good when it comes to checking my schedule before committing to something. But when The Milds invited me, I just jumped at it...and I'm not really a festivalgoer. Maybe some sort of kismet is on its way. Also, the festival appearance will mean an early start to MB and me after DVD night. I invited Movie Buddy to the festival, but he declined saying that he wasn't much for them either. Instead, he'll be heading over to Akihabara. I'll feel a little bad again about having to curtail our usual Morning After breakfast, but then again he would've had to do it anyway since I did have the lesson with Tully & The Coffeemaker.
Seguing into Akihabara, the media is still on The Akihabara Massacre. Allegedly, Tomohiro Kato has broken down into tears but has remained steadfastly unapologetic about his actions on Sunday. I guess that would be no surprise since he was (and maybe still is) a man filled with psychotic rage. There was a near-psychotic media scrum when he was taken out of Manseibashi Police Station. Despite his defiant stance, he did have his head bowed down in seeming penance. But there have been some interesting observations concerning the crime. One was that Kato's parents took the unprecedented step of holding a news conference outside their home and apologizing for their son's heinous deeds. Although their faces were kept away from the camera lens, the cameras and microphones were keyed on them as the mother collapsed in miserable prostration. Whenever any of these sorts of crimes have played out, the parents of the perpetrator have never been shown or at most, perhaps, the media only gets a secondhand account from them via the police.
The second thing was that on YouTube, I saw a remarkable video with a Maid speaking in fairly fluent English acting as reporter-on-the-spot just minutes after the attacks had begun.
I also read an editorial in today's "International Herald Tribune" which was gleaned from the Japanese affiliate, "Asahi Shimbun" which kinda grated on me. I'm not sure if the translation lost something or if the contributor hadn't meant to do it, but the tone of his or her description of Kato seems to treat him as if he were some petulant girl acting out for not being allowed to go out with her friends. Terms like "self-centred" and "selfish" were bandied about, and true, Mr. Kato does have those traits but those adjectives seem rather pale compared to the horror of what he actually committed. The man is a sociopath...he's no longer human.
Tuesday June 10, 7:29 p.m.
It's certainly been the most leisurely wait before a lesson that I've ever had at the juku in recent memory...and I am approaching the 4th anniversary of my time here. Certainly, when your first (and possibly only) students happen to be The Milds, the nicest couple of married English students you can ever get, well, you won't have to fret too much about what to do for the lesson. Plus, The Milds are the students that have been with me since their nearly mute beginnings. In the past 3 hours, I've managed to have my dinner and read through the latest issue of EMPIRE Magazine. The juku boss, feeling bad that I've had to "waste" a lot of the late afternoon waiting since The Brazilian has suddenly opted out, gave me a Haagen-Dazs sandwich, thereby adding to my fat content...metabolic syndrome, be damned.
And at this point, we're still having cool comfy nights to contrast with the increasingly warmer days. That should change as we enter July, but for right now, I'm quite happy with the meteorology. Still haven't heard from Jolly...not sure if he'll be showing up or not, but usually if he is to cancel, he usually does so around this time.
BC has continued to remain an enigma. Since her emotional breakdown in front of me a couple of weeks ago due to the shenanigans of her dastardly boyfriend, she's been having her mood swings...kinda like my ex....she's definitely not been a morning person....everytime I've come to Speedy's in the a.m. she's come off sounding as haunted as the character in Munch's "The Scream". However, she does warm up in the afternoon. Still, I'm not sure about what she really wants to do even though she has been accepted to school in British Columbia. She has yet to answer me about what she plans to do about any remaining lessons with me, although she really doesn't need me anymore in that capacity since she works alongside me, speaking English without needing to pay me. Well, we'll see what she's like tomorrow.
It's certainly been the most leisurely wait before a lesson that I've ever had at the juku in recent memory...and I am approaching the 4th anniversary of my time here. Certainly, when your first (and possibly only) students happen to be The Milds, the nicest couple of married English students you can ever get, well, you won't have to fret too much about what to do for the lesson. Plus, The Milds are the students that have been with me since their nearly mute beginnings. In the past 3 hours, I've managed to have my dinner and read through the latest issue of EMPIRE Magazine. The juku boss, feeling bad that I've had to "waste" a lot of the late afternoon waiting since The Brazilian has suddenly opted out, gave me a Haagen-Dazs sandwich, thereby adding to my fat content...metabolic syndrome, be damned.
And at this point, we're still having cool comfy nights to contrast with the increasingly warmer days. That should change as we enter July, but for right now, I'm quite happy with the meteorology. Still haven't heard from Jolly...not sure if he'll be showing up or not, but usually if he is to cancel, he usually does so around this time.
BC has continued to remain an enigma. Since her emotional breakdown in front of me a couple of weeks ago due to the shenanigans of her dastardly boyfriend, she's been having her mood swings...kinda like my ex....she's definitely not been a morning person....everytime I've come to Speedy's in the a.m. she's come off sounding as haunted as the character in Munch's "The Scream". However, she does warm up in the afternoon. Still, I'm not sure about what she really wants to do even though she has been accepted to school in British Columbia. She has yet to answer me about what she plans to do about any remaining lessons with me, although she really doesn't need me anymore in that capacity since she works alongside me, speaking English without needing to pay me. Well, we'll see what she's like tomorrow.
Tuesday June 10, 4:27 p.m.
Well, it looks like The Brazilian won't be showing up after all. I was greeted loudly in English by the juku boss as I was walking toward her house a full 20 m away. The lady who was walking on the other side of the street must've been wondering what that was all about. In any case, The Brazilian is apparently laden down with work and it looks like that she probably won't be attending either of our lessons for the rest of this month. She basically has the same job as 002...a health care worker for the elderly. But she appears to be working with a rougher breed of geriatric. When she came in for her grammar lesson with the boss, the boss noticed a huge hole...yep, that's right, a hole...in her right arm. The Brazilian remarked that one of the inmates...ah, I should say patients...chomped down on her hard. I guess having that second childhood means becoming like Baby Face Finster. The boss also noted that The Brazilian was just having a hell of a time getting through the most basic of grammar concepts. In a way, then, I'm happy that The Brazilian has opted out for the meantime. I can only imagine how she would've fared with me.
So, it'll just be The Milds and maybe...just maybe...Jolly tonight. Man, talk about what a difference a week makes. I was being swamped with work last week and now it looks like I'm on O-Bon holiday.
002 was her dependable self. We got onto talking about her futon which were sunning themselves nicely out on the balcony. I told her about a news report that I'd seen a few years ago about the need to replace pillows and perhaps futon rather regularly since they quickly become the new home for millions and millions of ticks and mites. That got her attention very quickly and also turned her off for a few minutes. To think, that the population of an entire solar system could be crawling around you all night as you sleep...well, maybe you won't after reading this. For the record, the experts suggest putting the pillow in a plastic bag and then stuffing it in a freezer for a few hours will halt the progress of the critters. And in the summer, I'm sure they will feel mighty refreshing once you hit the hay.
Yup, it's definitely summer out there. My wash must be bone-dry by now. However, I hear that the Rainy Season will be rearing its ugly head once more from tomorrow.
Well, the big battle over the legendary "Hockey Night in Canada" theme is over...for now. CBC couldn't put up the money so CTV snapped it up in a New York minute instead. Dolores Claeman, the original composer, was just so happy in her home in London (not a hockey fan probably), while CBC was commiserating that it couldn't hope to raise up the funds that its rival did. I guess CBC kinda feels what John McCain must be going through looking at the Obama machine. In any case, CBC is putting its chin forward and starting a contest welcoming new song candidates for HNIC with a prize of $100,000 (I think). Meanwhile, I'm wondering what CTV needs this song for...perhaps it has some ideas for a hockey program of its own. There are fans of the original song out there who are clamouring for some sort of protest to get back "The Hockey Song" to the Ceeb where it belongs, but it'll just be like those Trekkies who shouted to renew "Enterprise" after it had been axed. They'll yell and scream for a few months and then life will just go on.
Permit me to wax nostalgic on Canada's 2nd national anthem. When Saturday night was truly Hockey Night in Canada, that theme was the clarion call. But hearing the longer Mancini-esque version at the end always struck me as the signal to hit the hay for Sunday...that is, until I discovered "Saturday Night Live". Now since I've come here, "Hockey Night in Canada" has expanded to regular doubleheaders with all sorts of little programs here and there, and there's now an annual Hockey Day in Canada. Geez, you leave a country for a decade....
Well, it looks like The Brazilian won't be showing up after all. I was greeted loudly in English by the juku boss as I was walking toward her house a full 20 m away. The lady who was walking on the other side of the street must've been wondering what that was all about. In any case, The Brazilian is apparently laden down with work and it looks like that she probably won't be attending either of our lessons for the rest of this month. She basically has the same job as 002...a health care worker for the elderly. But she appears to be working with a rougher breed of geriatric. When she came in for her grammar lesson with the boss, the boss noticed a huge hole...yep, that's right, a hole...in her right arm. The Brazilian remarked that one of the inmates...ah, I should say patients...chomped down on her hard. I guess having that second childhood means becoming like Baby Face Finster. The boss also noted that The Brazilian was just having a hell of a time getting through the most basic of grammar concepts. In a way, then, I'm happy that The Brazilian has opted out for the meantime. I can only imagine how she would've fared with me.
So, it'll just be The Milds and maybe...just maybe...Jolly tonight. Man, talk about what a difference a week makes. I was being swamped with work last week and now it looks like I'm on O-Bon holiday.
002 was her dependable self. We got onto talking about her futon which were sunning themselves nicely out on the balcony. I told her about a news report that I'd seen a few years ago about the need to replace pillows and perhaps futon rather regularly since they quickly become the new home for millions and millions of ticks and mites. That got her attention very quickly and also turned her off for a few minutes. To think, that the population of an entire solar system could be crawling around you all night as you sleep...well, maybe you won't after reading this. For the record, the experts suggest putting the pillow in a plastic bag and then stuffing it in a freezer for a few hours will halt the progress of the critters. And in the summer, I'm sure they will feel mighty refreshing once you hit the hay.
Yup, it's definitely summer out there. My wash must be bone-dry by now. However, I hear that the Rainy Season will be rearing its ugly head once more from tomorrow.
Well, the big battle over the legendary "Hockey Night in Canada" theme is over...for now. CBC couldn't put up the money so CTV snapped it up in a New York minute instead. Dolores Claeman, the original composer, was just so happy in her home in London (not a hockey fan probably), while CBC was commiserating that it couldn't hope to raise up the funds that its rival did. I guess CBC kinda feels what John McCain must be going through looking at the Obama machine. In any case, CBC is putting its chin forward and starting a contest welcoming new song candidates for HNIC with a prize of $100,000 (I think). Meanwhile, I'm wondering what CTV needs this song for...perhaps it has some ideas for a hockey program of its own. There are fans of the original song out there who are clamouring for some sort of protest to get back "The Hockey Song" to the Ceeb where it belongs, but it'll just be like those Trekkies who shouted to renew "Enterprise" after it had been axed. They'll yell and scream for a few months and then life will just go on.
Permit me to wax nostalgic on Canada's 2nd national anthem. When Saturday night was truly Hockey Night in Canada, that theme was the clarion call. But hearing the longer Mancini-esque version at the end always struck me as the signal to hit the hay for Sunday...that is, until I discovered "Saturday Night Live". Now since I've come here, "Hockey Night in Canada" has expanded to regular doubleheaders with all sorts of little programs here and there, and there's now an annual Hockey Day in Canada. Geez, you leave a country for a decade....
Monday, June 09, 2008
Tuesday June 10, 10:02 a.m.
Well, we're still officially 11 days away, but I'd say today rates as a nice summer day, unlike the Noah's Ark-type of weather we had last night. I will be needing the menthol wipes by afternoon.
The analysis of Mr. Kato, the instigator of The Akihabara Massacre continues. The police and the media have painted a picture of a man of massive insecurities possessing an otaku-like exterior covering a volcanic temper. He's also a product of a broken home. His parents separated due to sarakin problems. There is a photo of him in survival game gear, as well as a cartoon drawn of him by his old classmates depicting him blowing up in rage.
Skippy informed me that although she was in Shinjuku at the time, an acquaintance of hers had been in Akiba at a time just after the attack; he'd thought it was some sort of popular performance and just avoided the massive crowds. MB just replied that he would see for DVD night on Saturday. He's not really the type to address anything that doesn't directly involve him. The Anime King also contacted me partly about the incident.
Well, we're still officially 11 days away, but I'd say today rates as a nice summer day, unlike the Noah's Ark-type of weather we had last night. I will be needing the menthol wipes by afternoon.
The analysis of Mr. Kato, the instigator of The Akihabara Massacre continues. The police and the media have painted a picture of a man of massive insecurities possessing an otaku-like exterior covering a volcanic temper. He's also a product of a broken home. His parents separated due to sarakin problems. There is a photo of him in survival game gear, as well as a cartoon drawn of him by his old classmates depicting him blowing up in rage.
Skippy informed me that although she was in Shinjuku at the time, an acquaintance of hers had been in Akiba at a time just after the attack; he'd thought it was some sort of popular performance and just avoided the massive crowds. MB just replied that he would see for DVD night on Saturday. He's not really the type to address anything that doesn't directly involve him. The Anime King also contacted me partly about the incident.
Monday June 9, 9:56 p.m.
Trivia of the Day: Alexander Siddig, ex-Dr. Bashir of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine", just happens to be the nephew of Malcolm McDowell ("Clockwork Orange", "Heroes", and he was Dr. Soran from "Star Trek: Generations"). Plus, he married (and divorced) fellow DS9'er Nana Visitor, and had a fling with Kim Cattrall, best known from "Sex and the City", but for Trekkies, known as Lt. Valeris, the treacherous Vulcan from "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country". Talk about your Trek royalty!
In any case, to continue with the Akihabara Massacre, apparently the AKB 48 girl group had been performing in one of the buildings on Chuo Dori during the attack. They didn't know a thing until their worried parents started sending frantic messages on their cells. I actually sent out a general message to Movie Buddy, The Satyr and Skippy to check about their whereabouts yesterday. So far, The Satyr checked in to say that he was home all day then. I did get some message of concern from The Wild Thing in Hong Kong on Facebook. I reassured him.
Finished up with Slim just now. Man, the classroom was a sauna, as it usually is as we head into summer. The major rain and thunder have subsided thankfully. Hopefully the sun will show up tomorrow as promised. At one point, even hail was forecast. In 14 years here, I have never seen so much as a frozen snowball come down in this country.
Trivia of the Day: Alexander Siddig, ex-Dr. Bashir of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine", just happens to be the nephew of Malcolm McDowell ("Clockwork Orange", "Heroes", and he was Dr. Soran from "Star Trek: Generations"). Plus, he married (and divorced) fellow DS9'er Nana Visitor, and had a fling with Kim Cattrall, best known from "Sex and the City", but for Trekkies, known as Lt. Valeris, the treacherous Vulcan from "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country". Talk about your Trek royalty!
In any case, to continue with the Akihabara Massacre, apparently the AKB 48 girl group had been performing in one of the buildings on Chuo Dori during the attack. They didn't know a thing until their worried parents started sending frantic messages on their cells. I actually sent out a general message to Movie Buddy, The Satyr and Skippy to check about their whereabouts yesterday. So far, The Satyr checked in to say that he was home all day then. I did get some message of concern from The Wild Thing in Hong Kong on Facebook. I reassured him.
Finished up with Slim just now. Man, the classroom was a sauna, as it usually is as we head into summer. The major rain and thunder have subsided thankfully. Hopefully the sun will show up tomorrow as promised. At one point, even hail was forecast. In 14 years here, I have never seen so much as a frozen snowball come down in this country.
Monday June 9, 6:42 p.m.
With all of the previous day's events, I did forget to mention that one of America's sports broadcasting legends had passed by over the weekend, so I wanted to pay a little tribute. ABC's Jim McKay passed on. I hadn't heard from him in years but on the news about his death, his voice and "The Wide World of Sports" theme began to percolate through my misty memories once more...especially his opening words during the theme: "....the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat..."
And then there is another sports legend which may be passing. But this one isn't a person, it's a theme song of its own. It happens to be the theme song for "Hockey Night in Canada"; I'd read over the past few days that the composer of the tune and CBC have had a falling out of sorts concerning the tune that's known to just about every Canadian born in the last half-century. I hope that there can be some happy ending to this little spat. I mean, I have only seen a HNIC broadcast barely a few times over the last 15 years since I've been here, but the theme song and the show are national institutions for Gretzky's sake. Heck, my cousin had an album with the original HNIC logo on it. It just wouldn't be a Saturday night without the brass playing that theme song (and it wasn't a few years ago during that stupid NHL strike). Man, just feel like going to YouTube right now and hearing for old time's sake. I'd say bring in Don "Grapes" Cherry into the negotiations. He'd kick some ass! Maybe bring in Blue as well (although I know the mastiff is probably long gone by now...tells you how long I've been here).
With all of the previous day's events, I did forget to mention that one of America's sports broadcasting legends had passed by over the weekend, so I wanted to pay a little tribute. ABC's Jim McKay passed on. I hadn't heard from him in years but on the news about his death, his voice and "The Wide World of Sports" theme began to percolate through my misty memories once more...especially his opening words during the theme: "....the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat..."
And then there is another sports legend which may be passing. But this one isn't a person, it's a theme song of its own. It happens to be the theme song for "Hockey Night in Canada"; I'd read over the past few days that the composer of the tune and CBC have had a falling out of sorts concerning the tune that's known to just about every Canadian born in the last half-century. I hope that there can be some happy ending to this little spat. I mean, I have only seen a HNIC broadcast barely a few times over the last 15 years since I've been here, but the theme song and the show are national institutions for Gretzky's sake. Heck, my cousin had an album with the original HNIC logo on it. It just wouldn't be a Saturday night without the brass playing that theme song (and it wasn't a few years ago during that stupid NHL strike). Man, just feel like going to YouTube right now and hearing for old time's sake. I'd say bring in Don "Grapes" Cherry into the negotiations. He'd kick some ass! Maybe bring in Blue as well (although I know the mastiff is probably long gone by now...tells you how long I've been here).