For Your Viewing Pleasure

Erin sent me some lovely pictures. She knows how much I like looking at myself, so, naturally, I'm in every picture. Then I thought, I should share the pleasure of looking at me with all of you. Enjoy.




JETs on the ferry back from Nushima
[From left: Kate, Tam, Dayna, Patrick!, Ryan, Kris (not a JET), Gabe]







More JETs on the ferry
[From left: Luke, Amy, Someone, Kate, Tam, Dayna, Oscar the Grouch]







I got soaked by a rogue wave during the ride (Notice how I cower)







At the Kyoto festival (the old lady on the right was not asked to join)






Posing with a geisha (Don't mind my Metallica t-shirt)

Collecting My Thoughts

Looking back on the past weeks, I'm surprised at how much of my life I've failed to document. (I'm also surprised, in reviewing the blog again, by the unacceptable quality of my writing and the recurring spelling errors, especially since I am a perfectionist with regards to writing. But I digress.) For some time now, I have promised you tales of Osaka, Kobe, and more. Well, it's time to put up or shut up. The following entry will be succinct and unadorned, without my usual flare for lyricism, which is a shame because I get my kicks from that, but we are short on time, friends. So, beginning with my little Osaka and Kobe adventure, I'll spill the goods to you. Try to keep up.

This sketch begins on September 22. On a last minute invitation, I joined Kathy in Osaka. I was quite pleased with myself for managing the Japanese train system, but my nerves were a bit shot. I joined Kathy and her friends, Robbie and Lisa (fellow JETs). Together, we ogled the people and places in Osaka. There is a unique fashion sense in this city; to American eyes, the only way to describe it is weird. Kathy hunted these people with her camera. She stole picture after picture of lavishly dressed Osakaians. I won't even attempt to describe their costumes. When Kathy gives me those pictures, I'll kindly share. Here's an idea though: high boots, short shorts, towering hair, offbeat color patterns, and layers of jewelry. The young men, however, are just embarrassing. Allow me to elaborate. The current male fashion in Japan is ultra metro. Imagine plucked eye brows, orange, enormous hair, long fingernails, and tight shirts. Word has it, high school boys admire themselves in mirrors more than high school girls. Let's leave it at that.

The day in Osaka was fabulous. We shopped, sang karaoke, and ate. Around 8, the girls left for Kobe while Robbie and I elected to remain for the nightlife. Good choice.

The two of us met his friends who live in the area, both American, and our foursome set out. Soon I was quite drunk. There's a small bar called Rock Rock that we visited. (Side note: in Japanese there is a fondness for repetition: chichi, tokidoki, haha, etc.) We mounted the steps to this bar. (Another side note: because of the limited space, many businesses are stacked atop each other in 8 to 10 story buildings. Each floor is another bar, or restaurant.) Apparently Rock Rock is famous. When major bands play in Osaka, this little shack is where they retreat to for their after parties. The walls are adorned with Polaroids of various bands that have visited the bar. Some of the most notable are Kiss and Slipknot. I certainly cannot compile an exhaustive list because I was quite drunk when I saw these photos. A cool aspect of Rock Rock is the music and the open dance floor. I'm not much of a dancer, but I had no problem strutting my stuff that night. I hopped and twisted and sang along until we stumbled back onto the streets.

The obvious danger in bar hopping is the unavoidable cover charge. An excess of beer and recurring $20 cover chargers proved a bad combination. I spent a lot of money on that trip

We entered a posh little bar a few miles from Rock Rock that turned out to be a semi-strip joint. Models twirled through the air, dangling from a grimy pole plopped in the middle of a fancy stage. I catch sight of a disturbing old man sitting at the table next to us; he was filming the escapade. Back into the Osaka alleys, we prowled the night.

Later, we returned to Rock Rock where, to my disbelief, I met a JET from Awaji. It was Will. Will is a good guy. We drank and danced until 4 in the morning.

The fun doesn't end there. That night I stayed in a capsule hotel. Yes, a capsule. Those little hole-in-the-wall (literally) "rooms". The capsule is about 6 and a half feet long and 4 feet high. Cozy. And amazingly affordable. They also have public bathes. I had a quick one before passing out.

The next day I got a ten dollar haircut and made for Kobe. Robbie joined me. I was to meet with Ryan and Gabe. That night the "best DJ in Japan", according to some source Gabe had, was playing in the city. So we crashed the party. The club was underground and the music was excellent, but I wavered, still dragging from the night before. Regardless, I maintained my composure and persevered. We stayed there until 4 in the morning. There were some interesting people there that I will never see again.

Again, I checked-in to a capsule hotel, and by morning, I was thoroughly Osakaed and Kobed.

A few weeks past...

I haven't mentioned yet, but nearly every Thursday evening I teach an advanced adult conversation course at the city office. My class is small, no more than 8 students each time, so I can really get personal with the attendees. I try to make classes fun and active. We discuss differences in culture and difficulties in mastering foreign languages. It's good fun.

The reason I mention it is because the office that develops the classes had a dinner party on the 19th at a local restaurant. I was invited. No, no, I was paid to go. And dinner was covered. Also, I could invite other English-speaking friends. You see, the dinner was for community members to practice their English with native speakers. Only junior high JETs were allowed to attend though. It's a common discrimination. High school JETs are not comped like junior high JETs are. It has something to do with Board of Educations. Hey, I'm not complaining. So, I ate a free dinner and drank free beer and walked away with a pocket of cash. It was a good night.

The next day the Awaji JETs hiked Nushima. Nushima is a small(er) island south of Awaji. Kris, my Japanese teacher and friend, drove me, Gabe, and Ryan. Kris is a bad driver; ask her and she'll concur. Well, I was hungover and we took a mountain road to the south. Needless to say I nearly vomited, but we made it to the ferry.

The hike was excellent. We trekked the hills of the island, dodged gigantic spiders, and jumped some rocks. The highlight may have been when Kate scooped a 10-pound jellyfish off the beach and flung it at Ryan. It was dead, of course, but this jellyfish was unbelievably huge. Kate had to carry it with both forearms.

That night we ate Gusto burgers (delicious) and sang karaoke.

The very next day I went to Kyoto with Kathy and Erin. It was my third time visiting the city. We went for a festival, festival of the ages, but I missed most of it because I had to see a friend in Kobe. No worries. The three of us shared a hostel room. Kathy and Erin both had terrible gas, so the experience was not so great. Just kidding.

This past weekend I judged a speech competition. The contestants were high school students from around Awaji. I felt a little bad judging these kids' English. I felt worse when the last student delivered a near-perfect speech after the ten students before her struggled brilliantly. The final contestant won. She had spent 8 years living in San Diego. Will was also a judge, and he was quite upset with that fact about the student. She was Ryan's student, and Will instigated an argument with him. I rooted for Will but really didn't care. I got paid.

As for school, same as usual. An awkward thing happened recently. I was talking to a male student and asked if he has a girlfriend. He laughed and said, "No, I don't play sex." What!? That's all wrong. I promptly corrected him: "It's 'I don't HAVE sex.'" His eyes widened. "HARD sex?" he said. He jumped up and demonstrated "hard sex" in front of me. Thanks, buddy.

On the subject of school, I tagged along with the 3rd-year classes when they went to Universal Studios Japan. My ticket was covered. Unfortunately, I was very sick and couldn't enjoy the day.

Okay, I have Japanese lessons in 15 minutes. I have to ride my Cadillac bike across town now. Speaking of, I need to post some pictures of me on that beast. The weather's getting cold now. Soon it'll be winter. Winter is a vice here.

Please forgive errors; this was written in haste. But I finished it.

I'm the Pro of Postpone

I marched up a massive hill, then jogged up a treacherous mountain today, then went to the gym. Now I'm a bit knackered, so the blog must wait. Soon I'll have pictures from Kathy, once she decides to give them to me.

Oyasuminasai

Busy Me

Wow, I've been busy. Since last I blogged, I have visited Kyoto to see a massive festival and Kobe to meet a friend, and I have judged a high school English contest. I'll write about those happenings tomorrow. Right now, it's time for a sleep on my futon, which is currently sprawled in the center of my multipurpose room. Goodnight.

Watch Zeitgeist, People

If you haven't already, watch Zeitgeist. If you have, watch it again.

Zeitgeist the Movie

This documentary tackles tough issues that everyone needs to consider. Some topics are touchy and ancient, like an examination of Christianity. Other topics pose an immediate threat, like the ruling elite's collaboration to erase America's borders and unify the country with Mexico and Canada. Why? To create one world power know as the North American Union. This is a process that has begun without voter consent or even widespread awareness. The end result? The destruction of sovereignty and the dissolution of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

And most troubling of all, the movement to implant humans with microchips.

Watch the film. Don't watch it for answers, though. Watch it to educate yourself--exactly what the government and the people running the government fear most. Watch it, then explore the problems elsewhere, discover new sources. Watch it and empower yourself.

I guarantee that you will be outraged after seeing the film. That is, you'll be outraged if you still have a concept of self-importance, if you haven't become a sapless victim of the mass media and politics. Resist hypnotizing entertainment. Don't allow yourself to be stupefied.

Some might classify the film as a conspiracy theory. True, the 9-11 segment does have common elements of a conspiracy theory, but much of the information reported here is widely available. It's not unthinkably foolish or inconceivable. You can judge for yourself. Just watch it.

Day Trippin'

A danjiri festival is held in the city of Miki to celebrate Autumn. Men carry a large float through the streets, hoisting it over head and chanting while drums beat from inside the ostentatious carriage that weighs approximately one ton.

I joined Erin, Kathy, and Phil on a trip north to observe this festival. One ferry and three trains later, we stepped onto an abandoned platform. We looked at each other apprehensively. There was no one and nothing around. I openly suggested we get back in the train, but we pressed on instead. Scouring the city, looking for any signs of jubilation, we began to lose hope until Phil asked where the danjiri was. A local pointed us in the right direction, and before long we were squeezed into a crowd of onlookers, watching the majestic floats bob and weave above us. The drums rumbled out and vibrated my chest. The scent of festival food soaked the air.

Later, the carriers slowly and cautiously surmounted nearly 100 stairs leading to a gigantic temple on the hill.

Also, Phil made some new friends. A squad of drunken Japanese men were resting on the ground and spotted us. Our small foreigner group drew a lot of attention, since we were almost the only foreign people at the festival. The Japanese men order Phil to buy a beer then we all settled on the ground and chatted. The ringleader had a bullhorn he would not put down and spoke into it even though Phil was sitting five feet away from him.

Three trains and one ferry later, Erin gave me a ride home. I owe her one.

T'was good fun.

The (Foreign) Men of Sumoto

On this desolate rock, lodged between Shikoku and Hyogo, I've found outstanding friends. There's Kathy from Los Angeles, Erin from Virgina, and Phil from Chicago. But the people I've grown closets to are the foreign men of Sumoto.

I considered these men and came to an amusing revelation: We are all from different parts of the world. Steve is from New Zealand, Ryan is Australian, and Gabe English. How strange that we could find ourselves sharing meals and having drinks together and becoming good friends in a country none of us were born in.

Steve is the most outlandish of the bunch and my best friend in Japan. He's not a JET, but has lived in Japan for nearly two decades and has recently been troubled by the fact that he's thinking in Japanese more than English. It's ok, Steve. The total assimilation process hurts sometimes, but it'll all be over soon. Just let Nature take Her course.

I teach his son. Fifteen year old Saito-kun is a third-year student at my school. He's quiet and avoids me, but I sense he's a good kid. And he's tall. Tall as his father, who's around 6'3".

For fun, Steve dives off the pier at night. His shorts slipped last time and his pale ass glistened under the black waves. There's bioluminescent phytoplankton in the water here. When Steve splashed, tiny bursts of blue filled the darkness. He swirled his hands. A mesmerizing bubble of glowing florescence trembled at the surface. I rested my chin on the cold concrete, my stomach pressed against the ground, and stared down at Steve and the phytoplankton. They danced together in the still-warm fall water as night tumbled above, the eternal quest for a new day.

Ryan returned from Venice last week. He regaled me with tales of romantic adventure as I sipped a lime Chu-hi (drink of choice in Japan). I like Ryan; his humor is devastatingly poignant. His trip was an utter delight. A ten day excursion in one of the finest cities. The story was complete with exotic location and a girl. Ryan's dream girl. He'd met her in Kyoto--she was studying Japanese for a month in the same program Ryan had signed up for--and kept in touch with her after she went home to Venice.

Ryan teaches at a high school and loves his job. Just kidding.

Gabe is an intellect. I am happy I met him. We often have deep, pure, furious discussions about God, life, and music. Not always in that order. He's also extremely tall--nearly 7 feet--which makes him a target of jest by the Japanese. He deals with the incessant problem his own way, but I'm outraged each time I see people mocking him.

An eclectic group, indeed. I couldn't have asked for a better gang to fall into.

Long Time, No Write

I have been lax in my blog writing responsibilities. I apologize. A flurry of events transpired in the past weeks, and I fully intend to document them right here. The two primary topics will be my recent trips off the island. So return, if you will, in a few days and witness the updates to my behemoth blog; I promise to reveal more about my Japan adventure.