Monday, November 23, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Safe in the Osaka Hostel
Jessi, myself, and our friend are safe and sound in Osaka.
Our journey was long,
our bags were heavy,
our tummies our empty,
our wallets are lighter,
but we are safe, we have shelter, and will sleep very well tonight.
-Mack
Our journey was long,
our bags were heavy,
our tummies our empty,
our wallets are lighter,
but we are safe, we have shelter, and will sleep very well tonight.
-Mack
Thursday, November 19, 2009
A Trip to Kyoto and Osaka
With very brief planning and time in Japan running out, Jessi and I found ourselves with few chances left to see the South. I`ll let her explain the how and why, but for now we are on our way to Kyoto.
As in right now. Our bullet train leaves at 7:00 tomorrow, which provided a problem. There is no transportation to Akita from AIU so early in the morning. Our solution is elegant and simple. I write this blog from an Internet cafe in Akita city, where we each have a tiny tiny room rented for 6 hours. Enough to sleep and make the train with plenty of time to spare.
I say internet cafe because it is the only english equivalent. I type this from a closed wall cubicle, next to all the free drinks I can down, surrounded by a library of manga. A literal library of manga, comics, and magazines. Food is available, and so is internet access. All this for about $15. We couldnt rent a cab for less than this.
Pictures will be forthcoming, but it is late and we begin the long part of our adventure tomarrow.
As in right now. Our bullet train leaves at 7:00 tomorrow, which provided a problem. There is no transportation to Akita from AIU so early in the morning. Our solution is elegant and simple. I write this blog from an Internet cafe in Akita city, where we each have a tiny tiny room rented for 6 hours. Enough to sleep and make the train with plenty of time to spare.
I say internet cafe because it is the only english equivalent. I type this from a closed wall cubicle, next to all the free drinks I can down, surrounded by a library of manga. A literal library of manga, comics, and magazines. Food is available, and so is internet access. All this for about $15. We couldnt rent a cab for less than this.
Pictures will be forthcoming, but it is late and we begin the long part of our adventure tomarrow.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Akita City
From the reconstructed Guard Tower
of the ruins of a castle on a hill
we see the city of Akita
laid out before us
Also it is windy and cold.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
The Last / Best Bit of our Happy Halloween
Halfway through November and I'm still trying to wrap up Halloween
From last we left our Heroes, they had left the party at the AIU student center. Mack had doubts in his heart about how they would manage to get to Round One. It was already close to 10:00 at night, and there were those that planned to leave Round 1 by 2:00 AM.
The proposed mode of transportation was bus, train, and walking. Would we get to round 1 before 11:00? Would 3 hours at this fabled land of adventure be enough to merit the journey? Mack quelled his fears and followed his friends, for he knew that Jessi at least knew something he didn't, but it was a blind trust that Mack was unaccoustomed too.
The bus driver might have been confused as maybe 10 foreigners in costumes boarded his vehicle. If he was, he didn't show it. Several Japanese people on the train gave quick hurried looks at the kid in the black mask and cape, and at the student in a rabbit suit and tie. The streets of Akita City were nearly empty as a strange procession wandered down the quieter residential area's alongside a river. Like Alice, once upon a time, we followed a rabbit who seemed to know where he was going.
Lo and Behold we arrived at Round 1 with no problem at all. We bought our tickets and gathered around a table before festivities began. In fact we paused for a while, I was about to ask why we hadn't run screaming into the fun, when Sarah, the scottish girl interrupted me.
"Now that we're all here, me and Elle have a song we would like to sing, if you know the words I'd like you all to sing along." A traditional U.K. halloween ballad? A song to celebrate a successful bit of travel? Maybe something to remind us we were in Japan?
Nope, the song was none of those things, and as dense as I am I wondered who they were singing to when they started singing "Happy Birthday". Jessi came out from behind everyone with a cake for me, and candles. The most amazing cake I had ever seen.
A Totoro Birthday cake just for me. Now imagin how silly I felt for all the doubt that I had. I felt like I was being dragged around as an acessory to some Halloween venture that may not have worked out, when in reality it was a suprise Birthday Party for me. I can scarcely remember a time where I have felt more honored than when a group of new friends decided to suprise me with cake and a party. It was an incredible feeling, and the cake was delicious. Jessi and elle had been working on it all day, and the completed creation was a true taste treat. I was overwhelmed and the night was only just begininng. EDIT: Jessi would like to note that she is completely aware that the cake was pretty freaky looking. But given that its creation included an oven fire, and constant declarations of "As long as it's edible...", I think it turned out alright. Also, the whiskers are Pocky!
Round 1 is filled to the brim with all sorts of fun and excitement, and just past the entrance is a mechanical bull.
It wasn't working. . . but you can't tell that from the pictures.
They had a huge section devoted to Chuck-E-Cheese style playgrounds. With sections that were just filled with ballons.
My favorite area though was a kind of arena filled with NERF balls and air powered machines and guns. You pick up a ball from the floor, shove it into an opening, and it comes rocketing out of some other section of the arena. There are also two rows of guns set up facing each other for NERF style cannonade combat.
I really got into it.
Following our battle from the NERF stadium we went through the tubes and slidess of the Chuck-e-Chees style jungle gym. Till we came to the ball pit. Fun of prehistoric proportions.
Edit: Jessi would like to note that she loves her egg :)
The pictures are pretty self explanitory, except for how heavy those dinosaurs were. The were soft, but if they had been filled with sand I wouldn't have been suprised. I managed to lob one across the central bouncy area and it knock Jessi clean off her feet and into the ball pit. Safely, of course. It was incredibly tireing, so afterwards we required a break.
At Round 1 they have strategically placed massage chairs. Sarah remarked that they felt like they were filled with touchy little gnomes. Which was mildly terrifying.
After the brief rest, I was ready to strap on some roller blade and go to town. the sort of music they were playing felt very much like the sort of music that they played at roller rinks back when I was around twelve. Off beat bublle gum pop knock-offs and occaisonal 70's 80's hits. I felt a little unsteady with wheel strapped to my feet, but it didn't take me long to remember the basics. Edit: Jessi would like to note that she did not know Mack could rollerblade, and stood on the sidelines wonderfully impressed! She herself did not and cannot roller-anything.
After skating we came to the Arcade. There is an arcade that you can pay per play on the first floor of Round 1, but after you get onto the "wristband level" they have free play arcades. We spend a good 2 hours in there.
Elle and Dan played this racing game, where your speed was determined by how fast you could hop. the man in Bunny suit refused to play.
By now we had certainly passed the 2:00AM mark, but I had left my watch in my bag, and refused to pay attention to the time. I think everyone had a similar philosophy because noone made moves to leave. We we're having to much fun.
I even played a little tennis against the computer, to the laughter of everyone around me.
We ended the night with some karoke, exhausted, weak, our voices cracking. We called it quits about 6:00AM, grabbed a taxi, and made our way back home. An incredible day, one that taught me a valuable lesson, that I can trust my friends, that sometimes I don't need to have my hand in everything. Not to say I wont be proactive when it's required, but that I don't need to be at all times.
The Next Day
All of Round 1 happened the night of the 30th and the morning of the 31'st. For my actual birthday, Jessi and I went to a nice dinner, just the two of us.
We drank sake to celebrate my 21'st birthday, and ate abundantly. I was truly satisfied, it had been an amazing day, and when we returned there was a halloween party with Yatose, I was excited about. Tired but excited.
When we got off the bus however, Yatose was waiting for us. And they had some sort of cake. And they started singing Happy Birthday. Another complete suprise, the Halloween Party was a small gathering for my Birthday. The leader of Yatose baked a cheesecake into a pumpkin for me.
Yagi, Fuyonake, and Juunko
We laughed and disscussed Halloween Traditions, and I was wished a happy birthday until I was red in the face. They were great friends to have done this for me. Again I was honored and amazed that people would do this for me.
Afterward Jessi and I curled up together in a warm blanket and watched anime, ate milano cookies, and drank Sangria untill we both passed out. Edit: Jessi would like to make one last not that we did not pass out because we were drunk >_> Rather, because it was about 4 AM before we really considered going to bed.
To everyone involved with my Birthday, a million thanks. And to everyone who sent me well wishes through e-mail, facebook, cards, thoughts, and prayers, I thank you too. It was an icredible day that I will never forget.
From last we left our Heroes, they had left the party at the AIU student center. Mack had doubts in his heart about how they would manage to get to Round One. It was already close to 10:00 at night, and there were those that planned to leave Round 1 by 2:00 AM.
The proposed mode of transportation was bus, train, and walking. Would we get to round 1 before 11:00? Would 3 hours at this fabled land of adventure be enough to merit the journey? Mack quelled his fears and followed his friends, for he knew that Jessi at least knew something he didn't, but it was a blind trust that Mack was unaccoustomed too.
The bus driver might have been confused as maybe 10 foreigners in costumes boarded his vehicle. If he was, he didn't show it. Several Japanese people on the train gave quick hurried looks at the kid in the black mask and cape, and at the student in a rabbit suit and tie. The streets of Akita City were nearly empty as a strange procession wandered down the quieter residential area's alongside a river. Like Alice, once upon a time, we followed a rabbit who seemed to know where he was going.
Lo and Behold we arrived at Round 1 with no problem at all. We bought our tickets and gathered around a table before festivities began. In fact we paused for a while, I was about to ask why we hadn't run screaming into the fun, when Sarah, the scottish girl interrupted me.
"Now that we're all here, me and Elle have a song we would like to sing, if you know the words I'd like you all to sing along." A traditional U.K. halloween ballad? A song to celebrate a successful bit of travel? Maybe something to remind us we were in Japan?
Nope, the song was none of those things, and as dense as I am I wondered who they were singing to when they started singing "Happy Birthday". Jessi came out from behind everyone with a cake for me, and candles. The most amazing cake I had ever seen.
A Totoro Birthday cake just for me. Now imagin how silly I felt for all the doubt that I had. I felt like I was being dragged around as an acessory to some Halloween venture that may not have worked out, when in reality it was a suprise Birthday Party for me. I can scarcely remember a time where I have felt more honored than when a group of new friends decided to suprise me with cake and a party. It was an incredible feeling, and the cake was delicious. Jessi and elle had been working on it all day, and the completed creation was a true taste treat. I was overwhelmed and the night was only just begininng. EDIT: Jessi would like to note that she is completely aware that the cake was pretty freaky looking. But given that its creation included an oven fire, and constant declarations of "As long as it's edible...", I think it turned out alright. Also, the whiskers are Pocky!
Round 1 is filled to the brim with all sorts of fun and excitement, and just past the entrance is a mechanical bull.
It wasn't working. . . but you can't tell that from the pictures.
They had a huge section devoted to Chuck-E-Cheese style playgrounds. With sections that were just filled with ballons.
My favorite area though was a kind of arena filled with NERF balls and air powered machines and guns. You pick up a ball from the floor, shove it into an opening, and it comes rocketing out of some other section of the arena. There are also two rows of guns set up facing each other for NERF style cannonade combat.
I really got into it.
Following our battle from the NERF stadium we went through the tubes and slidess of the Chuck-e-Chees style jungle gym. Till we came to the ball pit. Fun of prehistoric proportions.
Edit: Jessi would like to note that she loves her egg :)
The pictures are pretty self explanitory, except for how heavy those dinosaurs were. The were soft, but if they had been filled with sand I wouldn't have been suprised. I managed to lob one across the central bouncy area and it knock Jessi clean off her feet and into the ball pit. Safely, of course. It was incredibly tireing, so afterwards we required a break.
At Round 1 they have strategically placed massage chairs. Sarah remarked that they felt like they were filled with touchy little gnomes. Which was mildly terrifying.
After the brief rest, I was ready to strap on some roller blade and go to town. the sort of music they were playing felt very much like the sort of music that they played at roller rinks back when I was around twelve. Off beat bublle gum pop knock-offs and occaisonal 70's 80's hits. I felt a little unsteady with wheel strapped to my feet, but it didn't take me long to remember the basics. Edit: Jessi would like to note that she did not know Mack could rollerblade, and stood on the sidelines wonderfully impressed! She herself did not and cannot roller-anything.
After skating we came to the Arcade. There is an arcade that you can pay per play on the first floor of Round 1, but after you get onto the "wristband level" they have free play arcades. We spend a good 2 hours in there.
Elle and Dan played this racing game, where your speed was determined by how fast you could hop. the man in Bunny suit refused to play.
By now we had certainly passed the 2:00AM mark, but I had left my watch in my bag, and refused to pay attention to the time. I think everyone had a similar philosophy because noone made moves to leave. We we're having to much fun.
I even played a little tennis against the computer, to the laughter of everyone around me.
We ended the night with some karoke, exhausted, weak, our voices cracking. We called it quits about 6:00AM, grabbed a taxi, and made our way back home. An incredible day, one that taught me a valuable lesson, that I can trust my friends, that sometimes I don't need to have my hand in everything. Not to say I wont be proactive when it's required, but that I don't need to be at all times.
The Next Day
All of Round 1 happened the night of the 30th and the morning of the 31'st. For my actual birthday, Jessi and I went to a nice dinner, just the two of us.
We drank sake to celebrate my 21'st birthday, and ate abundantly. I was truly satisfied, it had been an amazing day, and when we returned there was a halloween party with Yatose, I was excited about. Tired but excited.
When we got off the bus however, Yatose was waiting for us. And they had some sort of cake. And they started singing Happy Birthday. Another complete suprise, the Halloween Party was a small gathering for my Birthday. The leader of Yatose baked a cheesecake into a pumpkin for me.
Yagi, Fuyonake, and Juunko
We laughed and disscussed Halloween Traditions, and I was wished a happy birthday until I was red in the face. They were great friends to have done this for me. Again I was honored and amazed that people would do this for me.
Afterward Jessi and I curled up together in a warm blanket and watched anime, ate milano cookies, and drank Sangria untill we both passed out. Edit: Jessi would like to make one last not that we did not pass out because we were drunk >_> Rather, because it was about 4 AM before we really considered going to bed.
To everyone involved with my Birthday, a million thanks. And to everyone who sent me well wishes through e-mail, facebook, cards, thoughts, and prayers, I thank you too. It was an icredible day that I will never forget.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Heating and a Reasonable Conclusion
Differing Personalities
So I had at one point decided to not write any entries about my roommate, because these blogs being moderately public I did not want to make myself a gossip. Additionally, I try to adhere to the policy that if you have nothing good to say about a person, say nothing at all. I have some good things to say about him, but additional bad things to say about him, so perhaps the adage can give me some leway.
My roommate is a fellow name Artjiom, a Russian who goes to school in Germany. He is friendly, and pursues friendship in an unassuming way. He and I, however, are not the best of friends. He thinks very highly of himself, and I find that very abrasive.
The Hurdle
As winter approaches, the temperature has dropped a few degrees. Not enough for me to really want to crank the heater yet, but it is cool out. Artjiom appears to be freezing, and requires the room to be hot enough for him to walk around in his boxers. He has said himself that he is a terrible Russian for the cold, especially since the Californian is faring much better than he.
I have no problem with the heat, as long as it is done in a smart manner, and as long as it doesn't run up the electric bill. In Global Village we pay for our electricity ourselves. I try my best to be slow to anger, but I was frustrated as Artjiom's usage of the heater became wasterful. The heat was left on while noone was in the room, the heat was turned up to 30 degrees celsious, and he would leave the window open. I don't mind him using the heat, but I would prefer not to heat an empty room, a sauna, or the whole of bloody Akita out the window.
Rising tension from registration problems back at Ithaca made for tension I could feel in my shoulders. Struggle was my first reaction, anger and hate the second reaction, finnally I decided to resolve the issue.
A Proposal
Arjiom has come to Japan funded by the German Government, if he had a room to himself he could heat it ten ways till tuesday. Sharing a room, means sharing a bill, and I don't appreciate spending money on heat the way he does. Both of us our legitimate on our philosphies on how to heat the room, so I came up with a compromise.
In October our power bill was $43, and that was reasonable. I'm willing to pay half of that because I believe that October was a fair shake in terms of mutual power usage. Therefore, if our bill for November is $43 I'll have no problem. If it's any more, I'll pay half of $43 and he'll pay the rest. In return he gets to play with the thermostat to his heart's content. We shook on this agreement, we'll see how it turns out. Honestly I'm glad we came to a conclusion, because it's tough to live with someone with whom you constantly struggle over some menial task. We'll see if this agreement lasts come bill day.
Up next the rest and best of the Halloween story.
So I had at one point decided to not write any entries about my roommate, because these blogs being moderately public I did not want to make myself a gossip. Additionally, I try to adhere to the policy that if you have nothing good to say about a person, say nothing at all. I have some good things to say about him, but additional bad things to say about him, so perhaps the adage can give me some leway.
My roommate is a fellow name Artjiom, a Russian who goes to school in Germany. He is friendly, and pursues friendship in an unassuming way. He and I, however, are not the best of friends. He thinks very highly of himself, and I find that very abrasive.
The Hurdle
As winter approaches, the temperature has dropped a few degrees. Not enough for me to really want to crank the heater yet, but it is cool out. Artjiom appears to be freezing, and requires the room to be hot enough for him to walk around in his boxers. He has said himself that he is a terrible Russian for the cold, especially since the Californian is faring much better than he.
I have no problem with the heat, as long as it is done in a smart manner, and as long as it doesn't run up the electric bill. In Global Village we pay for our electricity ourselves. I try my best to be slow to anger, but I was frustrated as Artjiom's usage of the heater became wasterful. The heat was left on while noone was in the room, the heat was turned up to 30 degrees celsious, and he would leave the window open. I don't mind him using the heat, but I would prefer not to heat an empty room, a sauna, or the whole of bloody Akita out the window.
Rising tension from registration problems back at Ithaca made for tension I could feel in my shoulders. Struggle was my first reaction, anger and hate the second reaction, finnally I decided to resolve the issue.
A Proposal
Arjiom has come to Japan funded by the German Government, if he had a room to himself he could heat it ten ways till tuesday. Sharing a room, means sharing a bill, and I don't appreciate spending money on heat the way he does. Both of us our legitimate on our philosphies on how to heat the room, so I came up with a compromise.
In October our power bill was $43, and that was reasonable. I'm willing to pay half of that because I believe that October was a fair shake in terms of mutual power usage. Therefore, if our bill for November is $43 I'll have no problem. If it's any more, I'll pay half of $43 and he'll pay the rest. In return he gets to play with the thermostat to his heart's content. We shook on this agreement, we'll see how it turns out. Honestly I'm glad we came to a conclusion, because it's tough to live with someone with whom you constantly struggle over some menial task. We'll see if this agreement lasts come bill day.
Up next the rest and best of the Halloween story.
Friday, November 6, 2009
A Happy Halloween is not, without Michael Jackson
Thriller
When I heard the intro music I knew it was truly Halloween.
When I heard the intro music I knew it was truly Halloween.
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