Hello all. This whole blog thing is fascinating for me. In the beginning, everything was so new, so heretofore unique that I felt a desire to write it down, to share, to clue others in. That's why posts were frequent, long, detail oriented. It was also a way for me to process all these experiences, by going through them again, writing, picking out the parts that most stuck out, etc. And, in the last couple of months, the frequency of blogging has decreased substantially...not because I haven't been doing anything, but precisely because it has all taken on an eerily familiar feeling to it. As the people around me keep asking, "Ano, nihonno seikatsu ni narimashita ka?" (Have you gotten used to life in Japan,) I can only say that I've grown accustomed to living here. Sure enough, there are still interesting moments when I'm nearly floored by the fact that I'm in Japan (for instance, just the other day, I kind of got lost in a daydream during class while the JTE was lecturing on a grammatical point, and when I came to again, I looked around and briefly couldn't figure out why all the kids were wearing these strange uniforms and were all of Asian descent. And, then, boom, JESUS, I'm on this island on the other side of the world. Its quite a good feeling actually.) But, overally, this feeling has subsided greatly and I go about my day to day as all of us do, because it has become quotidian. Before leaving I didn't necessarily think it would happen so quickly, but it has.
So that leaves the question of the blog. While certainly I want to still use it as a medium to express and narrate my new experiences, I want to also start using it as a forum for discussion and reflection upon experience, rather than simply story telling. Hopefully that will work out.
Not much to say at the moment. On Sunday, I played in the Ishikawa Prefectural Basketball Club Tournament with the Houdatsushimizu Team. (They didn't know what size I was, so they got the biggest damn uniform available (XXXL) so I looked like a clown in it, but nevertheless). I had to guard #17, this lanky S.O.B. who played really rough (which is something I certainly didn't expect) and even though I was the tallest guy on the court, it didn't help our team, and we were defeated by the Wajima team 96-77. A good effort though, and many of our best players were not there. (And, and it might come as a surprise to you folks, but I'm by far not the best player, and size, although it counts for something, doesn't count for much unless its paired with skillz, and on that particular note, I don't sing real well). So we lost, but there will be more games and more fun. Yesterday was the first bowling game of the Ishikawa ALT bowling tournament. My team won, whoohoo. I bowled the best game of my life (170), which was a nice experience.
Nothing much going on at the moment. Trying to plan some stuff for when my family comes to the far east, but I hate planning, so a lot of that will have to be "winged." A couple of weeks ago, went to Osaka, for a rave. We saw Underworld, Chris Cox, and a bunch of others. It was a great time, and lasted from like 9:30 well into the "better catch the first morning train home" time. To party like that with 10,000 Japanese rocks. The place it was at was packed with people, and by 5:00 am, the place looked like a post-Katrina refugee camp, with people passed out in every which way imaginable on every open space of ground, table, chair, rolled, tile, carpet, etc. Great dancing energy fun.
Ok, back to study the Japanese. I heard its snowing over there and is the coldest winter in 25 years. Is that true?
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11 comments:
r, gotta bees more spsifik baut de four room thin.
transience is a bitch, though.
how did the ping pong tournament go? and with a little practice, do you think you could be a commanding presence on the basketball court? i'd love to hear about you kicking some booty over there.
on second thought. why forum? state goals and what not. lest it turn into too much blowing of air.
we miss you. can't wait to see you, too.
and man, i've started to sign on to aim every once in a while. i'm mockba05 if you remember.
It's the coldest December in 25 years, not the coldest winter. Get the rice out of your ears boy.
How far away is Osaka from you? I've been reading that Japan has been hit by a few earthquakes in the past few months, but they've mainly been on the northern part. Has there been any impact on the southside?
Represent the Golden Golphers!
mjk, what four room thin? i forgot; ping pong was a shattering defeat for me (look at the fotos, friend); as to basketball, I thought it was simply about me relaxing and not worrying, trying hard, not being afraid to take risks, patiently, persistently attacking the hoop, offensively and defensively; yeah, crap, until yesterday, when I tried to put all this into practice and committed like 37 turnovers in a twenty minute game (most embarassing - missing a layup, getting my board, and then repeating the process three times, when someone else got the board - that caused a laugh or two); you know i love to blow air my friend, but i got pretty upset about this propensity yesterday actually - i know exactly what you mean; can't wait to see you guys - we'll have a blast of a time here...will sign in soon; ginza, the other day, for god knows what reason, i was reading about tokyo and actually shed a tear of excitement at the prospect of being at the Ginza 4-chome intersection in Tokyo (something from Murakami, I guess) Just imagine that to yourself; thank you for the rice advice, I'm drowning over here; as to Earthquakes, all have been minor, even far out at sea; the southside hasn't had any effects, but the southside also has nothing to do with me, cause I'm on the west side (of the main island, honshu); i'm 2.5 hours away from Osaka by train; about 5.5 hours by bus (bus costs 3500Yen one way, train 7000Yen one way (about $35 and $70 respectively); out, peace, love, and understanding.
hey buddy,
four room thin = forum thing
anywho, yea, sign on dude! :) miss you, miss you. when we get over there, we gotta shoot some hoops. i'm sure you can hook us up with a basket somewhere, right? i'm also dying to get my ass kicked by you in ping pong.
ok, more importantly, we need you to help us figure out two-three-four "big" spots to visit. then, we'll fill in specifics with the help of a tour guide book and you, of course. 'cause we all want to plan this thing well.
see you, um kinda, soon.
peace
your mom is quotidian
As I recently discovered, we will have a grand total of 5 days together here, which is not a lot of time and doesn't leave much for the imagination...so, Tokyo and Kyoto should do it (if you want party, then Osaka as well); but what about visiting me on my home turf in the west? does that ring any bells for anyone?
what bells? i like hell's bells.
kyoto and tokyo (same letters) will be good, but also your place. i want to see your place (if you think it worthwhile). but it should be more than 5 days. sonya and i will be there for at least a week. i'm assuming you will be mostly available on weekends. but recommend places based on how much time we have in japan, not how much time we have together. i still think other than kyoto and tokyo, maybe just one other place will do. maybe your village + a close city combined? let me know what you think.
i'd like to see your home, roman. it would be nice to spend at least a day there, take in the surroundings and such. i think that we should have a serious meeting (at least one) in the near future to discuss what we're going to do in detail. i think it's pointless right now to just ask roman "...ummm, so where should we go, maaaan?" i think that we should first plan exactly what days we have overlapping, create a rough draft sort of thing, outlining places that we want to visit and see when we should visit them together and which places we should leave for the times when we don't overlap (this obviously only applies to birmans and the rozenbergs, since airopinbergs are stuck with either one throughout the whole trip).
boyz, its all in your hands; mjk and the rest, you must understand that my town consists of 7,000 people, so its barely a village even. kanazawa is the nearest big city and we can certainly make a very fun day and night of going there...so keep planning, get together, and i wish you all the happiest of holiday seasons; shlomo, its all good dude, let that be your mantra for a while. i'm too not awake to think of anything else worhtwhile at the moment...how's things?
I'm studying for one my hardest law school exams thus far and well, what do you know, suddenly I have the urge to leave a message in your little blog.
I've been reading your entries and not leaving any messages (like a true stalker) - but decided it was time to fess up, and leave one.
I hope you're doing well. I think slacking on writing in journals and e-mails while abroad is usually a sign that you're having a good time and acclamating well.
Certainly, I hope that's the case for you.
As you explore that which is mysterious and unfamiliar I return to the wonderfully boring world of sales transactions and the UCC...just think - - - this could have been you.
:)
Take care.
lana
great to hear from you and that you're doing well; its hard to believe it, but you do finish this year right? in June? and then taking the bar? and then beginning the lawyer's life? may i suggest taking a long vacation in between the two perhaps? on my end, things are fun here, but i've already joing your guys' camp in the sense that its as much a struggle for me as it is for you to make it exciting (in other words, it become familiar)...glad all's well and p.s. the language i'm trying to learn over here is, by the way, no where near as difficult as the language that you've been learning for the past three years...personally, i'm glad i have the one i do, and i'm sure you can say likewise...take care...
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