２００８年１０月２４日の日記

中学校で英語を教えながら、日本の英語の先生が言語の語彙をよく言うので、僕はよく「表現」とか｢発音｣など聞きます。初めて聞いた時は、それが全然分かりませんでした。大学で日本語を勉強したのに簡単と普通な日本語だけ覚えて述語をあまり覚えませんでした。それで、先生は生徒に英語の文法を日本語で教えてあげるときは、僕があまり分かりませんでした。だって毎日少しずつ分かるようになりました。今は、英語の文法を日本で説明するのが大体分かって嬉しいです。将来に僕は日本語で英語の文法を説明するようになるかな。。。

Octopus Balls

Takoyaki is a great thing.  Believe it our not, I never tried takoyaki during my study abroad in Osaka.  Previously, I had tried some supermarket bought fare only to be persuaded that it wasn't for me.  But on this trip, I decided to try the real thing from an actually takoyaki store and a famous one at that.  I tryied my luck in Shin Sekai Osaka, a part of town close the Tennoji Zoo and Dobutsuenmae subway stop, and boy was my world rocked.  The long line caught my interest at first, but then the pictures of TV personalites that I actually recognized hightened my interest.  Well "I'll give it a go" I thought.  The man in the pictures with the TV celebs was actually working on the from lines, so I thought it would be a good experience at the least.  But boy was I surprised, the takoyaki was actually good.  Piping hot and 8 balls for 300 yen was a good deal, and it was only 10 o'clock in the morning.  Yes, that's right, I had takoyaki for breakfast and it was so good that I went back the next day.  If you find yourself in the retro entertainment district of Shin Sekai I recommend you try the joint on the corner.  You'll walk away with a full stomach and a smile.

Osaka and Kyoto Photos

Osaka is always a great place to visit.  The people are lively, the city is broken up into distinct parts, there are numerous entertainment districts, and of course there is delicious takoyaki and okonomiyaki :)  Here are three pictures from the trip.  A proper write up will follow, but these should be enough to wet your whistle. 

Shrine in Ebisu-cho, Osaka

Buddha in Shitenoji, Tennoji, Osaka (四天王寺) 

Glico man in Dotombori, Osaka

Straight Ahead

Osaka, Japan

You might be worried about driving in Japan, but let me reassure you that as long as you can drive straight, like the picture above shows, you are all good.  Don't ask me what you should do if you have to turn though.

On a more serious note, driving really isn't all that hard.  Major stuff is usually signed in English and if you don't read any Japanese you can still functionally get around.  Of course, if you can read Japanese you get all the bonuses like short cuts and mushroom power-ups.  Mario Kart 64 Wooh!

Back to the picture, why in hell do you need that many signs block after block repeating the same information?  Yes, this is a street you can  go straight (that is the default isn't it?).  You don't have to constantly remind me :)  Well, the Japanese do love rules.

Oh, in side news I am back from Osaka and Kyoto.  Should have a video and more pictures up soon.

Travel Plans

Hypocenter Park, Nagasaki

I head off to Osaka this Saturday to visit some friends from Kansai Gaidai, where I did my study abroad for a semester just under 2 years ago.  To think that two years have passed since I was study in Japan is a little mind numbing.  I feels like so many things have happened--my views of and goals for life have changed, I changed the country where I reside, I have made new friends and lost others, dated different girls, worked a summer in Richmond, the list goes on.  So many things have happened, but the time doesn't feel all the long.  I guess I have collected enough years to have the perspective that 2 years really isn't all that long.  I have projects and plans in the works that will span a greater length of time.

Enough reminiscing and introspective.  I should be packing right now.  I will be going by shinkansen (bullet train).  The whole trip should take about 4 hours.  I am staying 4 nights, so I have a sizable amount of time to explore Osaka and Kyoto again.  I can't promise a lot of video or pictures for this trip is about people and reestablishing old connections that in hindsight really aren't that old.  Take care and if you have a blog or vlog leave a link in the comments.  You've been reading about my life. I think its time you let me read about yours.

Gaijn Guide

Current book: On the Road by Jack Kerouac

             song: "Don't leave the light on baby" Belle and Sebastian

           video: Scenes from 'The War Tapes' 

             drink: A glass of Cabernet Sauvignon - Santa Helena Siglo de Oro 2006 of Chile

Sexual Harassment

Poked, prodded, and yes even hooked.  That is an accurate description of my cock (sorry, I can't think of a more appropriate word; johnson, sausage, and genitalia just don't seem right) after a day at elementary school.  These kids are relentless and as single-minded as a dog with a hand waving food tauntingly in front of its nose.  They attacked in waves.  Yes, these kids had a battle plan that two slapping hands and waist gymnastics couldn't stop.  I am sad to say that today I lost the battle of young awkward school boy gayness by a sizable margin.  But luckily all parts of me survived, and I live to fight another day.  I am seriously thinking of investing in battle armor aka a cup. Assuming they have my size.  Oh snap! and Zing! on all the Asian men out there.  

Maybe I will spread the rumor that touching other boys' cocks makes yours smaller.  

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I might be on to something here.  

The world shakes

The finacial markets are havin' earthquakes.
The credits dried up
But the average man don't give a fuck

The Fed is taking the bankers to bed.
Free markets they screamed.
But when they mess up they work up a sheen.
Like Charlie, but their rehab is 700 bill

Where's the competition?
Oh, you messed up and got some toxic assets?
You borrowed 33 dollars to 1 when you were havin' fun
You could file for chapter 11,
but there's no time.
Your costing the country a nickel and a dime.
What's the plan.
Who's the man

Authority figure?
Lay down the law.
The bankers are in a bawl.

「We took too many risks and lost our head」
The finacial business is stricken to bed
This shit is mixed up like Britney and K-fed.

If we get this bailout of our head
And into our bed
Nothing could stop us
Not Osama, not Obama, not even yo momma.
Because we have vertical integration
We can stop a whole nation
Don't bemoan us,
This could be our finest opus.

2008.10.03
Owen
Oita, Japan

１０月１日の日本語の日記

先週の日曜日は、犬飼中学校の先生達は犬飼リーバーパークでの第６３回国民体育大会カヌー競技会のスタッフになりましたので、今週の月曜日は休みでした。その日にたくさんしたい事がありましたけれども、台風は来ていましたので、どこも出かけずアパートにいました。少しさびしかったです。誰とも話さなかったし、空は暗かったし、ずっと雨が降っていましたから。こんな場合は元気になる事がちょっと難しいと思います。普通は、音楽を聞いたり、コメデーを見たりします。しかし、月曜日はその代わりに、インターネットで「New York Times」とか「The Times」のサイトを読みました。それは面白くなかったです。そのサイトはアメリカーの経済だけ書いてありました。「ダウ平均が安定していない」とか「株価が急激に下がっています」そんな記事ばっかりでした。それを読んだ後でちょっと落ち込んでしました。今週の月曜日は楽しい日ではありませんでした。次回休みの日はもっと明るいことを望みます。

Photo used under the Creative Commons License.  Orginally appearing on stuckincustoms, which is an utterly amazing and exquiste travel photoblog.