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Sunday
The cyclical nature of blogging and life in general has caused my absence from thinks for a while. I prefer reading other people's blogs at the moment.
We watched Jarhead yesterday, with Jake Darko. It's OK, but nothing really worth writing about. It's just a little bit in film no-man's-land. It is a war film, after all.
I'm listening to Grandaddy after a hiatus of many months. His voice is still soothing.
I now have 7 more days at my job and 20 days before we leave for the tropical paradise that is Hawaii. We've rented a Ford Focus for 6 days and this time we're sure to have a CD player. In LA our car hardly had an engine and Naomi ended up listening to her Ipod as I drove done the Interstate to the desert.
Yoski and I are going snowboarding again, the second time this year for two days. This time we're off to Naeba in Niigata prefecture.
Anyways, dudes.
posted by PA on Sunday, February 19, 2006
Blogs with prizes?
Have a look here and see if you can win a nice Babyatom t-shirt: babyatom music quiz
posted by PA on Monday, February 13, 2006
Peach Boy
Just finished my Friday night's music session. When I sung this song I was basically thinking of Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah! but that's not to say it's in that league. But everytime I write a Peach Boy song I seem to return to a Talking Heads hypnotic marching kinda rhythm. The only Talking Heads stuff I really know is from a DVD Yoski lent me with "Once in a Lifetime" and "Take Me to the River" on it. They left a big impression on me, I think. Firstly I liked the title of the DVD, "Stop making sense" and secondly I thought David Byrne's crazy on-stage antics were cool. He was feeling the music. He seemed to be anyway. I don't know much else about him. But now everytime I get my Korg into action I set the drum beat going and then really get into the rhythm. That's why, especially on this track, I can't be bothered making a chorus. The chorus just gets in the way of the rhythm...Anyway, here's my new song.
It's called, "I know" and it's track 6 at Peach Boy
posted by PA on Saturday, February 11, 2006
Friday in Japan
Well, Friday evening has arrived again. The bottle of wine has been opened and a little Arrested Development has been watched. It's very good actually. Very clever and very funny. Some great characters in it too. It's far better than Scrubbs, I reckon. Scrubbs incidently has the guy out of Garden State. Which we're hopefully going to watch tomorrow. Looks damn good that movie. Natalie Portman is my fave actress. Just for Leon and Closer, really.
Hey, I'm writing a little drunk and it's showing. See those short sentences?
Man, they're short!
I've now got a little over 2 weeks left at my job. I've got exactly one month before we leave for Hawaii.
Aloha.
posted by PA on Friday, February 10, 2006
Not much really, just signing in
I was just reading my brother's site and saw that I'm one of his friends. It then dawned upon me that I have a responsibilty to update my blog at least once a week, cause you never know someone might just be in need of some Unthinkable1 wisdom.
So here I am, back again. And here's my wisdom:
1. Do not let yourself be deceived by anything your mind creates.
2. Remember each and every moment that this is your life.
3. Happiness awaits you in every single moment, be it good or bad.
4. Always think of others and if there's no one around, think of yourself.
5. Never worry about looking stupid but don't go out of your way to look stupid.
6. Don't try to be what others think you are.
7. Listen and smell your world as often as you think about it.
8. Watch so much TV that you forget you ever existed.
(I'm starting backwards. I'm at number 8 so far. It's a start!)
posted by PA on Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Baby atoms, nuts and Arrested Development (Not the band!)
Well it's all fun at the little atom site: babyatom
And here I'm continuing with my rice-less diet. Tonite I'm having:
Gyoza
Onions
Peanuts
Cabbage
Two fried aggs
Raw ham
All stir-fried. I don't know what it's going to taste like but it's fun making it!
And tonite I'll mostly be watching Arrested Development Ricky Gervais likes it so I'll force myself to like it too. Scrubbs was OK but I'd kinda had enough by the end of Season 1 and 40 or so episodes. This looks better!
Right.
posted by PA on Thursday, February 02, 2006
A new diet...(physical and mental)
People at work were talking about diet recently. I've been thinking about it for a while but have never got round to changing my diet. But today for some reason I started. My new diet consists of not eating rice/pasta/bread every night - I have a cup of rice every night and I think this has created the "belly". That's the theory anyway. It's pretty darn fattening rice if you don't use the energy for exercise. And I usually go to the gym before having dinner so it all stays in my belly. Anyway, so here's what I had for my dinner tonight:
A can of tuna
A handful of pecan nuts
6 gyoza (Chinese dumplings)
A huge lump of tofu
What's cool is that I don't feel hungry after eating. I'd like to keep this up for a couple of weeks and see what happens.
I've reached the stage where I'm fed up with trying to know myself (See previous post) and just want to live again and stop thinking about stuff 24/7. I know the mind to be an amazingly complicated thing and often quite scary and maddening. But it's nice to know this. Thinking will never end and thoughts will never bring about an answer to the deepest questions in life. The more and more I get caught up in my thoughts the more determined I become to not get caught up in my thoughts again. And I suppose that's progress. I often think that I'm going backwards in my life, but really I'm going back over things I missed...
posted by PA on Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Storybooks
I got the final copies of the storybooks I've been writing over the past year. Here's a selection:
They look quite nice I think. I've got another 9 to write in March/April which I'm quite looking forward to...
posted by PA on Saturday, January 28, 2006
2 new bands and the quest to know myself
The other day I bought my first album online through Itunes. It was really easy and hassle free. Worryingly so! I bought the remixes version of Grizzly Bear's Horn Of Plenty. There are some fantastic tracks on there. It's kinda low-fi ambient and my favourite track is "Don't Ask." Some is very low-fi, I should add.
My second new album was off a friend from work and it's by Clap Your Hands and Say Yeah. These guys aren't low-fi at all - more like hi-fi, really. They're pretty good though. They sound to me like Talking Heads. The lead singers voice is probably what does it.
A great couple of new bands for me to copy on my D4!
Apart from music I'm trying to get my head around thoughts and their power and where they come from. Plato or Aristotle or Socrates (or another greek philosopher) said "Know thyself!" And Zen Buddhism is really about this too. I hadn't really acknowledged this before. As I see it, it's not about purifying the mind, becoming calm, or being pure: It's about knowing yourself. Once you know yourself, you can't be deceived by yourself. I sit here and start to feel like buying a pack of crisps. I think I'm hungry. If I didn't know myself, I'd think I was hungry and would go and buy a packet of crisps. But if I knew myself I'd know that I was actually craving a packet of crisps as comfort food because I just got short changed at the convenience store. Then I could say, "HA! I know your game!" and then would resume watching TV.
Brilliant!
But where do some thoughts come from? I've concluded after 2 minutes of thinking, that sometimes we think because we can...
posted by PA on Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Laughter is the greatest lemon tree
This is funny
I don't know what it is about Ricky Gervais. He just makes me cry with laughter. The last thing before this that made me cry with laughter was most of the Extras. Although Scrubs that I'm watching at the moment is quite funny...
Ah, leaving work today was like being enlightened. Snow covered the streets and the air was crisp and clear. A feeling of joy overwhelmed me. I stood by the road, a taxi passed and splashed me with water. Didn't bother me at all. Life is funny. Everything is so upside down, all the time. Even good days are all upside down...
posted by PA on Sunday, January 22, 2006
It's a liwle baby boy xylophone!
Seeing as it's a no-work day for me, I decided to enjoy myself. In the morning I went to the gym and ran for 30 minutes, swam for a bit and then sat in the steam room and jacuzzi. After that I went to this really nice and incredibly cheap fish restaurant (about 2 pounds 50 for as much rice and miso soup as you can manage and a small plate of sashimi or fried stuff) and read a bit of my Lonely Planet guide to Hawaii. Oh, yeah, we're off to Hawaii for 10 days in March!! I won't be working, you see...apart from writing 9 children's stories that is.
Then I went and bought my baby xylophone,
from a little shop nearby. I came back and wrote a little song for my baby xylophone but then realized that my guitar wasn't really in tune with my baby xylophone so I left him out for this song. Anyway, this new song is kinda strange. I think babyatom (or maybe Dylan) once said you should leave the listener wanting more. So recently I've been making the nice bits short instead of dragging them out. It kinda works I think...This song is called "My Footsteps" and it's track 4 at Peach Boy
posted by PA on Thursday, January 19, 2006
Stand off with an old lady and the wierd miscalculation
On the way back from work I was walking along the pavement by my house, saw an old lady approaching and moved to the side to let her by. Instead of walking by and appreciating the space I'd given her, she moved to the side too. And just stood there looking at me. I was too tired to exchange pleasantries or just walk on myself so I just stood there and looked at her. We stood like that for about 5 seconds. I wouldn't say it was a particularly enjoyable experience but when you're tired and on your way back from work, sometimes that's the best you get.
Or so I thought. Then I crossed the road to the convenience shop and bought my evening supplies. They came to 802 Yen so I put 760 Yen down on the counter and looked at the shop clerk. He looked at me and said my supplies came to 802 Yen. I reclaimed my 760 Yen and gave him a 1000 Yen note.
Both these events would be quite funny if it weren't for the fact that I wasn't doing them on purpose. In both situations I was like a lost child on the way back from soccer practice without a clue in the world...
I'm doing interviews this Saturday so I'm taking the day off tomorrow. I think it's best I rest.
Rest with my D4 that is...
posted by PA on Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Peach Boy shows his true colors
Nah, not really. I just tried out my distorted amp effect and it works quite well even though all the levels seem a little wrong. I was kind of imagining myself as Talking Heads when I was playing the verse and then New Order during the chorus. But the rythm of the first guitar is overpowered by the distortion of the second, so you probably can't tell! He he. This was a fun song to play though. Anyway, it's called Move On!
Some people say that you should play what comes naturally. But what happens if two completely different styles come naturally? I suppose the answer is obvious...
posted by PA on Saturday, January 14, 2006
Blog up!
Yes, it's the weekend and I feel as though I'm alive again and could write a brilliant post, but this one is enough for me: Classic
posted by PA on Friday, January 13, 2006
Scrubbs, Ebay and Waking Up
Waking up early and dragging myself out the door has never been harder. But then coming home and cooking my food, listening to music/podcasts and watching TV has never been better. I hope this doesn't mean that happiness is only really happiness because of sadness. If it does I don't believe it. I'm pretty sure that one can have a feeling of happiness without having felt sadness. They're not dependant on one another, are they? But to some extent they are, I suppose. Because of the long break, work is harder. Because work is harder, evenings are better. But there is a way to transcend it all, I think...and that invloves watching the Scrubbs.
I'm selling these Koala items on Ebay. They're made by Lotte a Japanese confectionary company. Basically I sell them to one person all the time. The same person each time. Can you guess the name of the buyer?
And here are a couple of pictures Naomi took with her new Pentax Optio 5 Mega Pixel digital camera she got for Christmas:
You can almost smell the trees...ooops, that's my fried rice! Better go :-)
posted by PA on Thursday, January 12, 2006
Myoko Suginohara, Nagano
Well it snowed and it snowed. I've never seen so much snow and it made some of the best powder snow I've ever boarded on. And the runs just seemed to go on forever, winding through trees and onto moguls and then into fresh powder and on and on. Long runs make your legs ache but they sure are fun:
Waking up to snow is nice...
posted by PA on Monday, January 09, 2006
First impressions of First Impressions
I've bought my copy of The Strokes new album and despite negative reviews online, I think it's ace. There are a few tracks that don't really go anywhere, which is rare for The Strokes, but most are incredibly creative and exciting. On my first real listen reading along with the lyrics I was amazed at how unpredictable the melodies are. They literally fly around like notes without a home. And Julian's voice is equally unpredictable, sometimes growling, sometimes mumbling, sometimes clear as a winter sky.
The immediate stand-out track for us was, "Ask Me Anything" - where Julian sings the same line, "I've got nothing to say" about 100 times in varying melodies. He took the words right out of my mouth!
And would you believe it, I'm still on holiday. But Naomi's gone back to work so I almost feel like I should be back at my desk too. But I'm not! So Yoski and I are off to Nagano for snowboarding and we'll be staying the night in a forest by a lake. In addition to the joyous fact we'll be staying in a forest (by a lake), the longest run at the resort is over 5km! Previous snowboard trips in Japan have been slightly disappointing due to the lack of long pistes, but on a 5km piste I can listen to a good 10 tracks! Perfect! However, it's been snowing heavily for what seems like the past year in Northern Japan. There's going to be a hell of a lot of white stuff...
posted by PA on Thursday, January 05, 2006
A busy Peach Boy
Man, I've caught the D4 bug, that's for sure. Today I really wanted to take it easy, but then I made the mistake of picking up my guitar and I stumbled upon a nice tune. Then I spent half the day destructing it and playing around with the chords and came up with a new song. It's called Galaxy 15: Peach Boy
posted by PA on Sunday, January 01, 2006
Silverhill Vs Peach Boy
Happy New Year!
Well so far I've written 2 little songs on my KORG D4. They're all works in progress, so if you notice a bad harmony or a drum beat that doesn't end when the song ends, that'll be why. Also, the reason I wanted the D4 was to get things down quickly and in a reasonably nice format before I forgot the damn tune. So these songs are mostly done in one take - if I can reach the end of the song without too many mistakes - and just on four tracks.
In theory, Silverhill will record some of these songs and bring them to their finality in the studio but for now the band is just me: Peach Boy
And that's enough computer for now. It is New Year's Day, after all.
posted by PA on Sunday, January 01, 2006
And so it begins...
From today I'm on holiday until the 10 of January. That is flipping long for a salaryman, I can promise you that.
I've really been feeling the stress of working recently and have just been running around non-stop trying to shake it off. So my recipe for a happy holiday is to just take it easy and...yup, just take it easy.
That's all there is, after all.
Happy New Year!
posted by PA on Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Our Christmas cake and burning snowman!
Merry Christmas!
posted by PA on Sunday, December 25, 2005
King Kong Vs. Santa Claus
If these two ever met and did for some reason start fighting each other, I think King Kong would win - hands down. For a start King Kong is 30ft tall. Secondly, he doesn't carry any baggage whereas Santa Claus would have a huge sack full of presents on his back and would have to carry that at the same time as fight...
We just watched King Kong and it's everything it should be: exciting, scary, moving and sad. The dinosaur scenes are especially impressive and had us squirming in our seats. The only negative thing I have to say to Mr. Jackson is that the part leading up to when they first arrive on Skull Island is too long. Apart from that, er...money well spent!
So, I leave work on Thursday for my Christmas break and go to buy a rice cooker - mine broke the day before. I have a look at the nice expensive ones on offer with fancy designs and then finally decide on the second cheapest one which is 7,000 Yen (30 pounds) . I take it up to the cashier and lay my money down. The lady scans the barcode and then for some reason unknown to me rings a bell and shouts "Atari!" ("You've won!") then there's a round of applause. It turns out they were having a promotion and every 100th customer wins their purchase. I was the 100th customer. How's that for a Christmas treat!
And then the depression set in. I spent quite a bit of time looking at really nice rice cookers. If I'd decided to buy one of them I'd have had it for free. I could also have bought a plasma TV, a new Ipod and a PSP and got it for free! Man, what a dooshbag...
Of course I wasn't depressed at all. I'm very happy with my rice cooker.
So tomorrow is Christmas Eve and in Japan it's treated like Christmas Day, which means I get to open my presents. I've got chocolates galore (We decided to buy each other lots and lots of chocolates from import shops around Tokyo. I think it's a healthy thing to do.) , a KORG D4, a dvd and a book to look forward to. Er...and the joy of giving presents ;-)
Merry Not Christmas Yet!
posted by PA on Saturday, December 24, 2005
Arcade Fire!
Arcade Fire are my new favorite band. They're awesome. They create such a desperate, longing, exlposive, apocalyptic, and yet uplifting sound that you feel compelled to move along with it and pay attention. I listened to them whilst running on the tread mill and managed to go for 30 minutes - my longest ever. It's thanks to Arcade Fire...There are dream-like scapes reminicent of Mercury Rev and marching beats that sound like Talking Heads and then there are melodies from a place not far from heaven...
Nah, I'm going overboard here. But they are flippin good...
Hey, Xmas is only a few days away. I've read most of my D4 manual and feel prepared for the day when I can actually use the machine. Excited is not the word. Nah, it is actually...
Right, back to Arcade Fire!
posted by PA on Wednesday, December 21, 2005
The future lies with D4...and the proles
Well, I haven't blogged for ages...
Today, we went and bought my KORG D4. It's under the tree waiting to be opened and created upon. Naomi let me have a little go before we put it away. I just listened to the drum beats - which took me about 10 minutes to work out. But they sounded cool. I can't wait to lock myself up again in a world of sounds and harmony. I've written 3 new songs which I'm quite happy with. Whereas before I stuck to a pretty basic formula: intro/verse/chorus/verse/chorus/instrumental/chorus/end, now I'm going for a freer and more experimental structure:
Intro/verse/chorus/strange bit/harmonies/verse/chorus/strange bit/harmonies/strange bit/melody from a different song/verse/end. Well, you know what I mean. I'm determined to write something different and interesting. Having said this, I played one song to Naomi today and she said it sounded like Travis, which is not a good sign. Tomorrow I'm going to buy myself some earphones too as my other ones went mouldy and I threw them out. I hate mouldy earphones, don't you?
Apart from D4 excitement, I watched the Fisher King the other day for the second time - it was beautiful. There this wonderful scene where Robin Williams' character is having dinner with the lady he is smitten with and she keeps dropping food on the floor and slurping her spaghetti. Robin Williams' copies her so that she doesn't feel so bad. It's a really nice scene. Although some parts haven't dated so well, it still retains the Gilliam magic...
And I watched the beginning of Smoke again before giving it to Naomi to take home and watch. It's such a nice movie - full of poignant stories and gentle wisdom. The soundtrack is nice too... Have I told you I'm quitting my job? Well, I am. I've written 12 storybooks, am in the process of writing my second textbook, have helped create a talking pen, organized a sound recording and helped with many more, written copy for a website, been on one business trip by Shinkansen and generally sat in an office working solidly for 8 hours or more, 5 days a week for a year and 3 months. It's been a manic period and one I really don't feel is worth repeating. I'll take the money please, Chris. Actually, I'm pretty sure anyone who's reading this has probably been doing the same kind of thing for a lot longer. But, hey, that's enough for me...Don't get me wrong, I'm ready to work hard. It's just I'd like time to write my blog too, like the rest of you folks ;-)
And finally, the bidding war has begun: koala
Merry Christmas to all and everyone...aslong as you're nice :-)
posted by PA on Saturday, December 17, 2005
Podcasts and relaxing bears
Haven't posted in a while. Life is like that - sometimes you have lots to say and other days you're like a tree. Today I'm like a tree but I thought I'd post anyway.
Downloaded some new podcasts today - Ricky Gervais and Lonely Planet. The funniest thing about Ricky Gervais I think, is his laugh. It's so infectious...
Did my Xmas shopping today and bought some nice goodies for the family back home.
Just a few minutes away now from my 3rd Ebay sell: My little Rilakkuma bear. He's really cute so I'm pleased someone has bought him and is going to give him a new home. Shame I only got one bid though. I've yet to feel the excitement of multiple bidders.
My KORG D4 has been purchased and is on its way.
Right, s'about it. Time to contact the buyer :-)
posted by PA on Saturday, December 10, 2005
Debut Album
I'm working on some new songs so that when Mr.KORG D4 comes next week (I can't open till the 25th though) I'll have something to record.
It's very difficult to choose a style for my debut D4 album: I was listening to Badly Drawn Boy the other day and I thought, that's the kind of music I want to play! Then I was listening to Pavement today and I thought, no, that's the kind of music I want to play.
I suppose that's the problem,eh. I like so many different bands and I can't be all of them so I write a song then throw it away because I don't like that style anymore.
But tonight I wrote a song and I think it's my style: soft, melancholic, but essentially uplifting and philosphical (if I do say so myself :-) ) So I think I'll write songs naturally and stop being influenced. Man, I wish I'd never heard a single Elliot Smith, Grandaddy, Pumpkins song...
Anyway, my first song is called, "I want to start again." Like the song at the end of Rushmore, "I wish that I knew what I knew now, when I was younger!"
Seems like it takes a whole lifetime to unknow stuff...
posted by PA on Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Say goodbye to my little bear
Recently I've been re-trying to sell some items on Ebay. Up until now I've sold 2 items - a GameBoy Micro and a little bear called Rilakkuma. In all, I'm probably down 10 quid what with the fees. I've been trying to sell this really nice Hello Kitty long wallet, but it never gets a single bid. It's now the 5th time I've put it up for auction. I've also been trying to sell Naomi's nice kimono design apron but no one bids on that either.
Then today, a bid finally came for my second Rilakkuma item. I won it on a UFO catcher so I'm definitely going to make a little money on that. At last, I could break even. That would be nice. There's 6 more days left so get your bids in folks. Plenty of time, don't you worry: My bear We watched Alfie which was a great little movie, we thought (Apart from the fact that we had to take a 30 minute break whilst I stayed in the toilet with a stomach ache from hell). I like Jude Law.
Right then. Time to go Christmas shopping and have a Mac - the benefit of going to the gym every day is that I can now afford to be really unhealthy - I think that's right anyway :-)
posted by PA on Sunday, December 04, 2005
I wanna have a warm Blog
I was blog surfing the other day and when I returned to mine, I felt it was too cold - for Xmas at least. So I went into the code and changed the color. I'm not sure if it's annoying to read or not, so please let me know... and I'll keep it the way it is.
How about this for a new segment: I give the first line of a joke and you have to finish it off.
Joke Quiz
A sumo wrestler walks into a pub and asks for a pack of Salt 'n Vineger crisps.
The bar man says...
posted by PA on Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Everybody is a genius
The 3 events The first: Whilst watching TV I learn that people can interpret the world with either the left side or the right side of their brain, then express it with the opposite side of the brain.
The second: I have a conversation at work about how in our youth we were really passionate about something and that maybe as we get older we push it aside.
The third: I am swimming and realize that maybe, just maybe, I could be an absolute genius swimmer if given the chance to train.
The Happy Genius
Caspian had been aware of the 3 events since birth. He'd dedicated his life to finding his genius.
At kindergaten he'd tried origami, flower arranging, calligraphy, archery, aikido, karate, kendo, ballet, tap dancing, gymnastics, parachuting, bungy jumping and horse riding, but he didn't really excel at either of them. He just couldn't immerse himself in these disciplines and as a result he fell short of genius.
At lower school he focused on music. He learnt all the wind instruments first, but to no avail. He then moved onto strings, starting with the harp. Then the banjo. Then the 12 stringed guitar. Then the cello. But again, he didn't excel.
At middle school he tried to immerse himself in academic disciplines. He studied mathematical equations until sunrise every night for his entire time at school. During the day he would study physics and create experiments to test the conductivty of earth worms. But once again to no avail.
In upper school, he read the classics. But often just the titles had him reaching for his dictionary.
In this way, he ended his school life.
He decided against going to university and instead immersed himself in the working world. His first job was as an apprentice mechanic. Then a pet shop owner. Then an intern with the Citizen newspaper. Then a data imputer for Aerospace. Then a car salesman, a door to door salesman, an EFL teacher, a farmer, a golden retriever, a gym instructor, a lawyer, a cartoonist, a radio dj...
The list went on and on as Caspian tried to find his genius.
But wherever he looked, all he found was the mediocre Caspian. Ever since his birth he knew for sure that everyone was a genius, and yet, he could not find his own.
Caspian grew old and weary until he reached his 90th year. Every day he lay in bed thinking and thinking about his life. And then it came to him - his genius.
"Yes!" he shouted. "What a wonderful journey I've made. Surely the journey of a genius."
And then he died a very happy genius.
posted by PA on Tuesday, November 29, 2005
God save the queen!
It came in a flash - what I want for Xmas.
Sandy Claus, I'll have one of these please: KORG D4
It's been a hell of a long time since I've wanted anything. And as I sat at work, it suddenly came to me: Not a PSP but something I can create with and write songs with.
I rushed out of work to Ochanomizu, the music goods center of Tokyo, and there she was, the KORG D4. Tiny, beautiful and cheap at about 100 pounds. There was a smaller one but the guy said it was harder to use. Basically I want something for dooshbags and this is the one.
Man, do I have to wait till December 25th?
Sandy Claus can be real mean!
Tonite I am drinking a Spanish wine and watching Easy Rider. I've never seen it and I thought it was about time. It is 9pm after all...
posted by PA on Friday, November 25, 2005
The 50p wisdom man
As I walked along the highstreet a man called out to me, "Wisdom for 50p!"
The man was standing on the corner with a lolipop sign which read, "Get your wisdom here for 50p!" in bright red letters.
I walked over to him and put a 50p coin in his hand.
"You have to get out of the hot shower at some point!" he said.
I grabbed my 50p coin back and ran home, feeling betrayed. "Wisdom!?" I sighed.
The next morning I had a nice hot shower. It had been a cold winter night and the air was still bitterly cold, so I'd woken up feeling frozen. As I showered I felt better. The feeling was so strong infact, that I couldn't will myself to leave the shower: In the shower I was comfortable; outside of the shower I was freezing. So I stayed a while longer...And then a thought entered my mind: The 50p wisdom man was right!
I wanted to get out of the shower, run to the street corner and apologize and give him his 50p back. But I couldn't. I couldn't leave the shower.
As I write this on my waterproof laptop I wonder where it all went wrong...
posted by PA on Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Lost in translation lost in translation
"Just like honey." That's how I'd describe Lost in Translation on second viewing. It's such a nice film - gentle, moving and funny. The scene where Bill Murray is in the hospital waiting area "talking" to an old Japanese man, makes me cry. There seems to me to be two types of Japanese: Those that think you're a completely different species and those that think you're their best friend. And they're probably in equal measure. But that guy I've met so many times before...Ah, there's many a funny scene in that movie - the strip club scene is funny too.
Tomorrow is a national holiday, so we're off to Kichijoji to go Xmas shopping. Shopping for Xmas. Sandy Claus and all that stuff.
OK. Movie Quiz time: In what movie is Santa Claus mistakenly referred to as Sandy Claus?
No prize for guessing!
posted by PA on Wednesday, November 23, 2005
For one to die, one must have lived
I had an interesting thought today...
Nah, I didn't really.
posted by PA on Monday, November 21, 2005
"You only live a day, but it's brilliant anyway."
That's a line from Elliot Smith's Independance Day. And recently I've come to understand what it is he's referring to: working life!
Basically, you work 5 days a week. Then you get one day off, Saturday. Then on Sunday you get ready for work again. So, as Elliot says, "You only live a day."
Probably not what he was referring to, but it makes sense to me this way.
So today, I'm living my day and it's brilliant anyway.
1 hour yoga. 30 mins on the machines. 25 minutes run. 10 minute swim. That'll do for me.
I managed 70 sit-ups today. I've still got my 1-pack though...
posted by PA on Saturday, November 19, 2005
Who switched on the TV?
So tonight, as ER wasn't in, I got out The Ring 2. Although I wasn't a huge fan of the first Hollywood remake, I thought the second might be OK. (It was shite)
So anyway, if you've seen the first Ring you'll know that the story centres around a scary video: Once someone watches it, they are doomed. And their TV keeps turning itself on...
So I get home from the video rental shop, put my DVD and TV dinner on the lounge table infront of the TV and check my mail on my laptop in the kitchen. Then suddenly the TV switches itself on. And off. And on again. And then back off. I immediately think I am doomed and wait for a long haired girl to climb out from my TV. Then I go into the lounge and search for the remote.
Can you guess where the remote was?
posted by PA on Thursday, November 17, 2005
A stroke of luck
Sometimes I'm a dooshbag.
Since the age of about 23 I've been following the basic premise that knowledge is a curse. I've met so many boring, self centered people who are very knowledgeable, but utterly devoid of self awareness and kindness, that I kind of gave up stressing about aquiring knowledge - I haven't met that many people who know a lot and still remain nice. So, along with a false view that Zen is against knowing things, I started on, to some extent unconsciously, the path of not-knowing.
Now, I like knowing things and am interested in lots of subjects, but because at my core I don't think knowledge brings you anything, I'm sometimes a dooshbag.
So, today at the gym I asked a swimming instructor how to do the breast stroke. As I was asking her, I remembered that I'm nearly 30 years old. And I thought, I'm a dooshbag! At the same time I thought, hey, who cares about knowing and knowing...
It turned out I was breathing out my mouth under water, instead of out my nose. Thanks very much.
Swimming's great. It's almost like snowboarding, I thought to myself: You just gotta carve through the water.
It's also a lot like life: If you start day-dreaming, you drown.
posted by PA on Wednesday, November 16, 2005
It's been a long dream
Second viewing of Unbreakable revealed a wonderful little film. The first time I saw it I wasn't that impressed. Maybe I was in the wrong mood. But this time round it was great. The idea that somehow he'd been repressing the real him and that actually he was a superhero, was cool. Wouldn't it be great if each and every one of us were given the time to really try and find the superhero in us. I reckon I'd be some kind of smelling superhero! I'm not very good at consciously categorising smells but I am usually quite aware of the smells around me. Not quite sure how this would work in the Superhero world. Maybe I'd be a low ranking Superhero to begin with and then I'd gradually climb the ranks. I'd learn to maybe smell corruption and evil.
What would yours be?
Podcasts
I listened to Chris Moyles this morning on Radio 1. His guest was Ricky Gervais of Office and Exras fame. He was really nice. I was surprised. They have this segment where you listen to the voice of a member of the public and you can choose whether or not to hear their question. Well, I thought this would be prime Gervais ground but he delcined and took all the questions without screening. And he is like a 5 yr. old kid, which is funny...
posted by PA on Saturday, November 12, 2005
Something's going on that I can't see
There is great mystery in the universe.
I'd like to know why certain things happen the way they do but I'm not sure it's ever possible. I'm not talking about the way the planets spin through space or the origin of life, but the way that people appear in a certain form just when you need them to. I don't think it's coincidence.
When people are needed, they come. If you live in a desert, a camel comes...
But there's always a difference between what I believe and what I know. Everything has to be known for it to have any value.
(Hey, this is my blog, I can say anything I want. It doesn't even have to make sense!)
Podcasts
Lately I have mostly been listening to Sandy Togsvig on London's LBC 97.3. She's brill. I used to watch her on "What's my line" ( was it?) and she's always very witty and articulate. I'm a dooshbag at talking so it's nice to hear people are can talk in complete articulate sentences.
I also have been enjoying my Zencast of late. Mindfullness of breathing was interesting...
posted by PA on Wednesday, November 09, 2005
A story inspired by something that happened at work
Not much existed in the world. There were small groups of people who had settled along rivers. They fished and grew vegetables. After their day of fishing and cultivating vegetables, they would all get together and just look at the stars. Often they dreamed of other worlds. But they never filled their dreams with anything. They were empty dreams; vacant longings.
Then one day, an old wise man came carrying a large bag on his back. He had walked through distant universes to reach them. He had something to show them.
The wise man told them to follow him as he walked up a steep hill just outside their village. The villagers all looked with curiosity at the large bag, wondering what it was.
Finally the wise old man stopped and took the bag from off his back. All the villagers held their breath as they watched...
Inside the bag was a large cone-shaped instrument. The wise old man took it out carefully and lifted it high up in the air. Almost immediately, the villagers began to hear music. It was very faint, just a little murmur, but sure enough, it was music. Everyone fell silent and began to gather round in awe, pushing their ears up to the cone.
As night fell, all that could be heard was a tiny murmur of music from a distant universe.
On another note
I went to the gym after work today. I did my 25 minutes jog, 100 sit ups (!!) 10 minutes of swimming, 10 minutes of jacuzzi, 5 minutes of steam room, 3 minutes of sauna and then a hot bath followed by a cold shower. Then I had a salad with a can of tuna and watched some TV. It really is true; work's not tiring at all. Everything just gets stiff when you sit for so long. It's almost like dying and coming back to life. Only to die again...
posted by PA on Tuesday, November 08, 2005
I've found the way!
Yes, you may think that title is a bit lofty, but I think I've got it. Right, what you do is this:
Do Zazen every morning for 30 minutes followed by 2 hours of yoga. After that you have a sandwhich full of healthy vegetables. Let your food digest a little (you can listen to a podcast whilst you wait) and then do 30 minutes swimming followed by 10 minutes in the jacuzzi and 5 minutes in the steam room. After this, take your time getting changed and maybe apply a little fuzzy peach cream to your body. In the afternoon watch a little bit of a lighthearted dvd and then restring your guitar - it's best to restring than just play your guitar because there's a feeling of accomplishment at having restrung your guitar, plus new strings sound so nice - then try and write a song. If you can't, just give up. In the late afternoon have a little doze.
In the evening, go to a temple and do some more Zazen. Meet some friends and drink a little wine. Have dinner and then watch the news. Sleep and repeat until you start to get really old. If you find yourself becoming really, really old, just die. If not, carry on a little bit longer and avoid GameCube games that are too exciting.
CAUTION: Above all, do not work in an office where you sit down for 9 hours looking at a computer screen and breathing in CO2.
Today's yoga was ace. There was lots of leg-wrapping-contortion going on and I even managed the full lotus. Once you'd achieved the full lotus you had to raise yourself off the ground with your arms. No-one could do it, so the teacher just laughed. I like yoga. I think it got me into Zazen. At the end of the session back at uni, we used to have 5 minutes meditation lying our backs. It gave me my first taste of meditation: You close your eyes and the teacher guides you soothingly as you try and drift away into a relaxed zone. I remember really liking those final few minutes of guided meditation. But nowadays I just find myself thinking, "no, don't go into your cave! Stay here!" What a bloody dooshbag, I am! Next time, not only will I go into my cave, but I'll slide on the penguin's back, God dammit!
posted by PA on Sunday, November 06, 2005
No. It's frikkin' good. Gosh!
I'm probably a year and a half behind everyone but Napoleon Dynamite was frinkkin' good. Worth waiting for. Although all of it was pretty damn funny, I especially liked the very first scene where he boards the bus and a little kid asks, "What are you going to do today?" And Napoleon replies, "What every I feel like I wanna do. Gosh!" then throws a little super hero figure tied to a piece of string out the window. That's a crazy thing to do - you ain't gunna get that super hero figure back in one piece, let me tell ya!
The gym life continues. Today I went to my first yoga class. I hadn't been to a yoga class since my last year at uni. It was really relaxing but I prefer yoga when it's really intense and you come out feeling like you've used every muscle in your body. I'm going to take the basic yoga class tomorrow which should be better. Today's was "raku raku" ("easy easy") yoga. Basic's gotta be harder than easy easy, right? Even so, today I did the camel, fish, and cat poses. Those animals have got it sorted.
Right.
I'm thinking of buying a toy xylophone, a small and easy to use 4 track, and writing some songs.
Plus I'm thinking of winning the lottery. They say dreams come true if you work at them so...
posted by PA on Saturday, November 05, 2005
No need to whine
So the weekend finally comes after an excrutiatingly short/long week of sitting down.
As I sit during the week, I rise to the stars and fall to the ground a million times a second.
Friday night I always buy a bottle of red wine and watch a dvd. Last Friday I tried Shiraz. And yesterday I had a few glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon. I like drinking wine at the weekend. But for some reason yesterday, I couldn't stay up beyond midnight.
I'm off to my first yoga lesson at my new gym in an hour. After that I'll do my 25 minute jog and then relax in the sauna/jacuzzi/steam room. Naomi got out "Napolean Dynamite" for our evening viewing. Which is nice...
The other day I remembered my dream. I haven't remembered a dream of mine for ages. And what a dream to remember: I walked up to a lottery booth and asked for a scratchcard. The lady in the booth looked at me and then her eyes fell on my bag. She pointed and said, "You have a lottery ticket!" I'd forgotten I'd bought it. So I took it out and gave it to her and her friend who had just appeared out of nowhere. They both started to smile. "You've won 40,000,000 Yen!!" I managed to get a quick look at two of the winning numbers: 17....57...
In my dreams I win the lottery :-)
Fuck yeah!
posted by PA on Saturday, November 05, 2005
It's life gym, but not as I knew it
I've finally got round to joining the closest gym in the world. I see it on the way to work, on the way back from work, on the way to Mcdonalds, and on the way back from Mcdonalds. It's fab.
So, I started with a 25 minute jog. Now this in itself is interesting. I started jogging a while back and found it very hard to break the 20 minute barrier without killing time getting out the appartment and doing my shoelaces up. But today I managed 25 minutes and I was hardly breathing.
I got off the treadmill, tried to avoid all human contact with overly happy fitness instuctors and went to the sit-up machine. Now again, this machine is interesting. I always thought that doing sit-ups is a pain: A serious pain in the stomach. But with this machine, it's easy. I did about 50 ( I didn't actually count. I prefer guessing. That way it's easier to lie.)
After sit-ups I went and had some water. Absolutely nothing interesting about the water. But it was incredibly cold. Next it was time for the aqua side to my work out.
I changed into my swimming costume and went for a swim. I'm shite at swimming. I'm thinking of taking lessons because I still can't really do the breast stroke. But I did my best and managed 100 metres before the lifeguards starting getting worried. I got out and went into the jacuzzi. Now, I don't mind saying that I'm flippin' good at jacuzzi. I sat there for 10 minutes. After the jacuzzi I went into the steam room. There were some bloody noisy salarymen in there talking about bosses that don't expect you to do overtime. I sat there wishing I had their boss. Upon realizing that boss-switching is very unlikely, I pretended to do Zazen. I managed about 5 minutes before Buddha started getting the funeral sutras ready. I left the steam room and had a shower. Next it was time for the second part of my aqua workout: sauna and hot bath.
Sauna is probably my favorite thing at the gym. It's very uncomfortable and flippin' hot, but I like to sweat. I stayed in the sauna for 4 minutes and then went into the hot bath. The hot bath is like the jacuzzi but hotter and minus swimsuit. I like it.
So that just about rounds up my first gym day. I feel replenished, relaxed and above all, like a normal adult: This is life gym but not as I knew it.
I just watched my first ever episode of Sex in the City, hence my style of writing today. It's very well done I think and isn't crammed full of jokes, which is nice too.
Tomorrow is a public holiday so we're off to a Zen style Starbucks in Kamakura (I discovered it last time I went hiking in Kamakura. There's a terrace with a view of a garden and the decor is very minimalist Japanese) and a bit of wandering about.
And finally Napolean Dynamite is out on DVD with the very strange Japanese title, "Bus man."
posted by PA on Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Wow! An American!
As I was doing my washing at the laundrette, a line of kindergarten kids passed. A boy turned to me and said, "Suge! America jin da!" To kindergarten kids, "American" means foreigner. I was kinda pleased by the "Wow!" as he looked like a very wise little kid. I'm sure he knew something I didn't. Maybe he saw my furture...
I want to write about time, but I don't want to risk taking an hour writing about Time. If there's any one subject that really confuses me, it's Time. I wonder if, because we relate to and remember events through thinking, that Time becomes bent : I sit here at my table in the nice breeze and remember thinking at work that it'll be the weekend before I know it. And now it is. And it seems that those two thoughts - the one here now and the one at work - are so close physically, that time hasn't really elapsed at all. All that has passed are lots of thoughts. Maybe it's just the feeling that time passes really fast. But I always used to do this as a kid. I remember I used to sit on the toilet and think, "A year from now, I'll be sitting on the toilet again" and I'd try and encourage myself to remember at a later date what I was thinking back in the past. Hey, it might be my intuitive understanding of Impermanece. I recall reading, I think, that Hakuin (the guy who invented the Koan, "What's the sound of one hand clapping?") as a child went to the sea and began crying when he saw the waves coming and going.
Or maybe I've just noticed that Time flows pretty damn fast. Not as deep, but it'll do...
posted by PA on Saturday, October 29, 2005
Man, I wish I could remember stuff
Having become very bored with all the bentos I buy for dinner, I've been cooking myself these days. Yesterday I had some nice Ozzy steak, rice and broccoli. Today I'm back to my salmon, salad and rice.
This isn't the subject of my post, but it is connected.
So on the way back from the supermarket I felt myself rushing to get home, eat my food and sit back whilst watching Punk'd on DVD. And when I realised this, I let myself relax and enjoy the walk back. I felt better.
I've realised this so many times, but I keep forgetting to do it.
It's been pretty gloomy all day and it's getting a bit chilly. To me it feels like Christmas, but most people just think it's a gloomy day in Autumn. Am I going crazy?
I like to think so...
posted by PA on Wednesday, October 26, 2005
The more you think about it...
Humans are pretty damned stupid really: Years and years spent thinking about how our lives should be; years and years spent worrying about how our lives are; years and years spent wishing we hadn't spent years and years thinking and worrying.
And all this is happening in a place we have nothing to worry about - in our minds. If a big monster with huge pointed teeth were to enter our minds, we'd be safe. These creations of our minds are wierd. How can they be so harmless and yet control every last part of our lives? If we could just see them for what they were, we'd be free.
When I die and come back as a pro skater, I will do ollie impossibles till Kingdom come :-)
posted by PA on Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Fucked if I know
The Zen guy I like to read is trying to sell his life-story to Hollywood. Click on the link at the bottom of the post, Hardcore Zen The Movie: http://www.hardcorezen.blogspot.com/ and see the promo.
I don't know about you but when he says, "Fucked if I know!" he's pretty scary.
Been listening to a few Zen Podcasts and they're pretty good. There was one about mindfullness. There's a type of meditation practice in Buddhism that encourages labeling your thoughts: If you're feeling angry, you say, "Feeling angry"; if you're feeling anxious, you say, "Feeling anxious"; if you smell something sweet you say, "Smelling something sweet". I'm not into that but the idea of noticing what you're feeling and ackowledging it is important I think. Like today I had so many feelings going round my head I couldn't see. But as I began to look at them and accept them, I felt I could see again. I had set my feelings free! So I bought myself a nice dinner!
Ha ha, Zen for poofs :-)
Ahhhh, satsumas.
posted by PA on Monday, October 24, 2005
Starman
Recently I've really been bitten by the Podcast bug. After having spent 6 years in Japan, homesickness is starting to kick in. It sure took its time. But with the advent of Podcasts I can keep up to date with TV back home on "I Miss Blighty"; movies on the Simon Bates and Mark Kermode show; general lad culture on Radio 1 with Chris Moyles; and slightly more high brow lad culture with Chris Evans' Radio 2 show. Plus I can listen to Zen talks, science, philosophy and loads of other interesting stuff to balance out the incredible amount of shite there is on Japanese TV and througout mainstream culture. I know there's an incredible amount of shite in British mainstream culture too but I haven't been around it for 6 years. Plus I think there's a finer line between mainstream and quality stuff in England. The majority of people in England liked The Office, and that was quality. The majority of people in Japan like Louis Vuitton designer bags, and that's just stoopid. But then because the majority is just so overbearing, the minority rebels and goes in a completely different direction and creates some magic: Miyazaki films, Manga, Beat Takeshi films, "The Taste of Tea", "Bright Future", Karaoke, Ultraman, Anpanman, rotating sushi, and Zen. (Man, that was a difficult list to compile, but you get the point!)
Maybe it's because there's so much shite, the cool people become more passionate.
Anyway, Podcasts are real nice. Thanks Mr.Pod!
posted by PA on Sunday, October 23, 2005
Empty music
Yesterday we had the biggest presentation of the year. We all had to present our parts of what we'd created over the past year infront of 30 or so trainers and managers. I told myself the day before not to worry at all. It didn't work. By the time I was facing the room full of people I had little control over what my brain did and what my mouth said. Needless to say, I was shite. But I didn't mind at all - it was the best I could do.
Anyway, after the presentation we all went out to dinner and then on to Karaoke. Most of our group left around 12 to catch the last train, but the hardcore karaoke fans (3 of us) kept on singing our hearts out until 4 in the morning. I mean, we really sung our hearts out. I have never sung so loud and full heartedly in all my life. With the relentless flow of beer and the amazing choice of songs to sing, we were in heaven. The duets were the most fun : Simon and Garfunkle, Stevie Nicks, Frank Sinatra, Guns and Roses, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Beatles, Pixies, Bod Dylan etc. Ah, it was really good fun and we really didn't want it to end, which was probably why we carried on so late oblivious to the fact that we had to go to work in 5 hours...
Well, the other 2 made it to work but I had the morning off with an alcohol induced headache.
Good fun - Yes! No regrets - Of course not! Tired - Of course!
Ahhh, empty music.
posted by PA on Thursday, October 20, 2005
I'm not really sure about Wes Anderson...
Rushmore was great. The music was uplifting, the acting perfect, the story absurd, the relationships touching and the humour gentle.
The Royal Tenenbaums I really didn't get at all.
Life Aquatic was good, but it's not great. It looks wonderful and the story is lovely and absurd and Bill Murray is ace as is Owen Wilson and Cate Blanchett. But there's something missing. Or most probably something I've missed. There's a couple of really funny bits, but the rest is just too gentle, I reckon. I like gentle, ambiguous films where I don't know what's happening but this one is gentle without really having anything there.
Style over substance. No?
It's kind of "much a do about nothing". No?
Come on then, tell me why it's brilliant.
posted by PA on Monday, October 17, 2005
I wanna be a Hawaiin folk guitar singer songwriter!
In a previous life, I spent my days sitting on the beach with my guitar singing my next life. I earnt nothing, ate palm leaves and drank water from a waterfall. I had one friend, a little turtle called Josh. Josh was a quiet type and I sung his life too. Sometimes he cried and sometimes he laughed. And at least once, as I was out gathering leaves for lunch I heard him sing a song on my guitar. As I came back I caught the last line before he blushed and put the guitar down. The line I heard I will never forget. Now what was it now? Something about...no...it was...ah, nevermind. That's not the point. The point was I heard the song and I was moved. At least I remember that.
This post is for my friend Josh, the turtle.
(This post was inspired by Jack Johnson and his album Bushfire Fairytales)
We're finally getting round to watching Life Aquatic.
posted by PA on Sunday, October 16, 2005
Eggs or stead
In Japan, some days you win, some days you lose. Some weekends are super long and some are super short - like just Sunday. Oh, well, you can't count your chickens and have two birds in the hand, can you?
Ah, freedom blogs are nice!
I'm eggs or stead so I'll go and have a lie down...
posted by PA on Friday, October 14, 2005
Rotten Apples
Last week as I got up from my futon I crushed my earphones. So yesterday I went to the local grocery store and got myself some of the new earbuds.
I should have read the reviews before: Rotten apples. It's like listening to your neighbour's music through the walls. It really is that bad. I could make earphones with better sound quality than these things. I can't believe Apple have been able to make the greatest portable music jukebox on the planet at the same time as making the worst earphones I've ever heard! I don't get it.
If I wasn't so lazy, I'd take them back!
Nah, I will take them back. Bloody awful...
posted by PA on Thursday, October 13, 2005
Don't do your best! Just run!
The Japanese live by the word"Ganbaru" which means to do your best. (Really it means, do lots of overtime and go to school at the weekends.)
And due to the fact that I've been living in Japan for going 6 years now, I've started doing the same. But I'm not really convinced of the merits of constantly putting oneself under this pressure. If you have to say to yourself, "God, this is tough but I'll do my best!" everyday it has the effect of reinforcing the idea that this is tough. Before you know it, going to the shops to get a bag crisps is tough!
There's this commercial on TV advertising a sports' drink. The slogan is, "I'll just drink and walk!" meaning one doesn't really need to run to get fit if one has this sports' drink. But it's also about being an individual and going your own way and making your own decisions: Everyone thinks they should run, but I'm just going to walk! I thought that people might watch it and think, yeah, I'm going to be an individual and make my own decisions like her and I'm going to walk too! It's kind of like the Zen man I read. He tells everyone to think through everything themselves and not to make Gods of anyone, but because he lives this way I kind of want to follow his way. But it's his way...
Does no-one like Hello Kitty anymore?
We watched "The Machinist" with Christian Bale (Yeah, he got to watch himself.) at the weekend. It's very much like...ah, best not say. I thought it was very good though.
If I were as good at skateboarding in real life as I am on the GameCube, I'd be a rich and happy man.
It's an effort but I think I'll go and get some crisps after all :-)
posted by PA on Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Sin City
Last night we watched Sin City. I don't know whether you've heard much about it or not but it's quite an awesome film to behold. It's based on the graphic American comic of the same name - which I hadn't read or heard of until recently - and is an ultra violent, stylised, black and white, film noir staring Bruce Willis, little hobbit boy, Mickey Rourke, Del Toro and a host of other top names. I reacted to it in the same way I am reacting to a lot of films of late: It was fantastic but I didn't enjoy it that much! Elijah "little hobbit boy" Wood is really freaky though. And it's a great film. But I didn't enjoy it that much. It wasn't even the violence that turned me off - I can handle my on-screen violence. It was more a question of having watched so many visually impressive films, that they just don't do it for me anymore. I need substance. Until my search for reality is over, I need films that point me in the right direction rather than show me nice pictures...
The Zen master guy I like to read has got a new blog and is updating a lot. There are also lots and lots of Zen master followers out there commenting on his comments. I thought it was just me and him battling the world, but there's about a billion other people writing him aswell!
Zen man
posted by PA on Sunday, October 09, 2005
Variety
It's funny how sometimes I don't realize some very simple things and yet I know loads of complicated things like...er...
Usually I write my blog coming from the same angle each time. This angle is usually the, "I can't quite put my finger on the answer to the question I know the answer to" angle. But I don't have to write from the same angle every time. And I don't have to write about the same stuff everytime either. I can write about anything and everything. This is the way to live.
It's like this: When I go to the CD shop I go straight to the section where I can find my favorite bands. But I won't find any new bands there. So I'll just stick to the things I know and fall off the planet only having listened to Elliot Smith!
It's the same with my blog as it is with everything I do. I just do what I know. I read what I know. I eat what I know.
So let the freedom begin - Das experiment!
posted by PA on Saturday, October 08, 2005
Hey hey it's Ebay
Fancy a Hello Kitty wallet? lovely
Fancy a Kimono waist apron? lovely
We watched Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the weekend and thought it was great. I still think the original is better but the kid who plays Charlie in the new version is great. He was in Neverland and he's much better than "I see dead people" boy. Hands down.
Also watched Aviator - s'aright, Coffee and Cigarettes - great, a few episodes of CSI - s'aright and am listening to Moyles podcast - great!
Knackered though, am I.
posted by PA on Monday, October 03, 2005
Caspian in Heaven and Hell
Caspian falls asleep on the train and dreams he's in Hell. He sees visions of fire breathing dragons, flying daggers and little, ugly goblins.
When he awakes he thinks he's in Heaven. The sky is blue, angels fly overhead and harps are playing a nice melodious tune.
He reaches his stop and gets up. He approaches the door. An angel comes in, a flash of light by its side, and flies straight towards him. Caspian tries to move out of the way but is too late - the dagger has pierced his skin.
He falls to the ground in a pool of blood.
( I was going to have Caspian say, "I see!" and smile his last smile, but I always do that in my little stories. Plus it would read like a Zen riddle.)
posted by PA on Wednesday, September 28, 2005
And so it begins again...
Japan is great. Coming off the back of a 3 day weekend, I worked 3 days and then there's another 3 day weekend! Brilliant! Personally I prefer these 3 day weekends to the usual 2 day weekends. There's just something about them :-)
Tomorrow shopping, Saturday Nagoya to see Ben Folds and Sunday get back at 6 am and probably sleep alot.
So, I've been trying to sell a new Game Boy Micro on Ebay and a lovely little Japanese bear, but it's not going so well. It's not going at all! I had two mails the other day regarding the Game Boy Micro: One to ask me the postage fee and the other to admonish me for having used false advertising! Bummer...But it's a bargain this Micro. It's cool and black and not out in the UK for months. I think maybe everyone's buying from the Americans seeing as it's out there and cheaper. Bummer...Well, it's now my 3rd attempt at selling it. I've put the price down so it's not really worth me selling at all, but I just want to get a sale under my money belt :-)
I got out "Closer" to watch tonite. I've heard good reviews so I'm looking forward to it.
My search for reality hasn't been successful as of yet. I thought I saw it on the way back from work, but it was just a dozing salaryman. It's got to be somewhere...
Music quiz
"Oh no,
things were looking up least that's what I heard.
Oh no,
someone came and washed away your hard earned peace of mind."
A black Game Boy Micro to the winner.
posted by PA on Thursday, September 22, 2005
Atami is alright!
We spent the day in Atami and it was nice. It's a real mess of a town but there are lots of rolling hills and sea views and a nice free onsen for the feet. We had a dip in the sea, ate some nice sashimi, had some dried squid, walked around, went up a little hill in a cable car, had a sit down, had some coffee and had a bento on the way back on the train. Lovely.
Atami pics
posted by PA on Monday, September 19, 2005
My legs hurt!
Well, because I hadn't sat for such a long period for so long, my legs felt as if they were going to fall off after half an hour. The second round of sitting was just a case of forcing myself not to get up and walk out. For some reason though, the second round finished early - divine intervention!
Today we're off to Atami to dip our feet in hot waters and eat some nice, fresh fish. "It's a perfect day for banafish!" ...
posted by PA on Monday, September 19, 2005
"Li fef lies by inse conds"
(Just listening to Benf Olds in preparation for the gig next Saturday.) Today, after a hiatus of about a month, I'm going to my Zen temple. It's not mine, but I'd bid if it were on Ebay. I like it because it's really old and I can just go straight in and walk along the wooden floors to the Zendo. Most people visiting a temple don't get the chance to walk through the atrium of the temple, and that's the real joy of a temple - experiencing the long wooden floor corridors under barefoot, the smell of incense mixed in with the smell of tatami floors and the surrounding greenery, and the knowledge that you're entering a world of complete boredom for a couple of hours. Well I don't think it's that boring though. I enjoy it. It's nice to do something that you believe is good for you rather than doing things that you have to do or are just too lazy not to do :-)
Right off I go.
posted by PA on Sunday, September 18, 2005
AHA!
For two weeks I couldn't publish my blog because of an error. Then today I worked out what it was. Fuckin' genius, I am...
I've never sworn on my blog before.
So after a week full of 12 hour working days and getting up before people go to bed, I have arrived at a 3 day weekend.
Recently I've been wondering what the meaning of life is: I feel I can withstand a certain amount of pain and suffering and I enjoy a lot of things in life, but so what? There's a fundamental question that I have to answer (or ask) : Are Doritos better than Pringles?
After having answered that, I have to answer the next biggie: What is reality?
It sounds very ponsy, but I think it's the only way for me to be.
Maybe I'm just mimicking the books I read on a subconcious level but I think that's OK - I don't read books about killing people.
posted by PA on Friday, September 16, 2005
If a tree falls in a rainforest in Brazil and lands on your head, would it hurt?
This is the ultimate question, right? I think it would hurt. I know some people who wear big helmets that say it wouldn't hurt at all. I don't know though. It's gotta hurt, right?
posted by PA on Friday, September 09, 2005
Might aswell
Well, I tried sitting and waiting but nothing's really happening. I am getting used to my slump, that's for sure. I really feel though that I emerge and then seem to intentionally fall back down. Just like a kid starts to learn to walk and then remembers he couldn't a while ago and then falls down again. I remember all is empty and then encourage myself to remember that all is "full". And when you're in a slump you forget to do the things that helped you stay above ground...
Oh well. You only live once!
he he ( because it's Friday :-) )
posted by PA on Saturday, September 03, 2005
I suppose I'll just sit and wait
I've reached a slump in my "blog" existence. These things happen, eh. It's almost as if there's a cycle and I just have to let the slump pass. And I will. Maybe the slump doesn't really pass but I just get used to it. And the feelings of being in a slump are just my way of getting used to being in a slump. That'll be it. I've been reading "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer about the Everest disaster and he writes about how the body acclimatizes to the lack of oxygen at high altitudes. Did you know that on the peak of Everest, there's only 30% of the oxygen there is at sea level?
So, I'll get used to my slump...
posted by PA on Thursday, August 25, 2005
My grain
So, yeah, I'm back and apart from having lots of migraines and French pastries, I'm watching 24 Series 4. Apart from the fact that the storyline is almost exactly the same as all the other 24s, it's nice to be home. Jack's a leaner, kinder fighting machine and I like him for it.
And have you heard of Frank? It's an American underground comic book written by Jim Woodring and it is mind bendingly awesome. It's the way I think comic books should be: Deep, meaningful and crazy. And this is all that and more. I honestly don't get them at the moment - I've only been reading for a few days - but they're fascinating. I have a suspicion that Frank in Donnie Darko is related to this Frank. But I'm not sure. If anyone knows, don't hesitate to know. One of the stories, entitled "Frank in the mood", has pictures of Frank staring curiously at a snail, an aeroplane, a candle, what looks like a mini brain, and a shelf full of strange pieces of pottery. And then the last frame has Frank staring blankly at the reader. I get it. ( I don't ) Frank
And I bought X and Y. I think it's nice. But I'm sure I've heard half of those melodies on the other albums :-)
posted by PA on Wednesday, August 24, 2005
I'm back
Since coming back I've had two sleepless nights, two migraines, one day of fasting, and quite a few lunette (French pastry).
I think the holidays were a little too much fun to abandon without a fight. And fight I did. The Mark Twain adage about holidays couldn't be further from the truth: The best thing about a holiday is the holiday!
I'm watching CSI now. It's pretty damn good, I think. I've started with the second series so I may have missed some vital character plots, but I doubt it : It seems that the crimes and how they solve them is the focus of CSI, rather than the characters themselves. The last one I watched was really clever. It turned out there was no murderer at all and the death was the result of a series of coincidental events - a Chaos murder mystery! I'm going to watch a few more of those tonight.
It's incredibly hot outside so I've decided not to go out all afternoon. Which is probably why you haven't seen me whizzing by on my bike :-)
posted by PA on Saturday, August 20, 2005
Enfin
It's time to leave for France,
where the sunflowers smile
and the cows wave 'bonjour'.
First thing to look forward to is the flight. I am flying with Malaysian Air
and rumour has it, there are game consoles on board. It has been my dream
since before I learnt to dream, to play games during a flight. The second thing
to look forward to is the flight again. Rumour has it, there are individual TV screens
even in Economy Class. You may well say these are very childish things to look forward
to and you'd be right.
Ah, it's 11:30 pm now and I think it's about time to start packing!
"Saucisson s'il vous plait. Merci beaucoup."
"C'est tout?"
"Non. Et une mille feuille!
Ah, merci bien. J'adore les milles feuilles."
A la prochaine
posted by PA on Friday, August 05, 2005
Scary Zen Garden
This weekend was a pleasure. On Saturday, Naomi and I went to a buffet dinner at the Tokyo Dome hotel and it was great. We had roast beef, coconut curry, fish, nice salads, fish shaped chips, and crepes for dessert. And a beer. It was nice to splash out a little :-)
I also went shopping for pressies for my family. I bought some cool stuff and it was fun to shop for everyone.
Today I went to Tsurumi temple. I hadn't been for a year or so. Although the sitting - 2 40 minute sessions - was fine, it kind of hit me that training in a Zen temple is a lot scarier than I had previously thought. At the entrance to the temple, by the temple gates, they were initiating a new monk. Man! It looked harsh. There were 4 or 5 monks standing around a trainee monk who was sitting in zazen. They were having him chant a sutra and were shouting at him. I looked in through a gap in the window and the head monk smiled at me, then resumed his scowl. Later on during Zazen the trainees were all shouting in the hall next to our Zendo. It gave me chills just hearing it. Zen gardens are really nice but they've got nothing to do with Zen. And it dawned upon me how incredibly depressing it would be to just sit in a dimly lit, old, sepia hall all day. I hadn't really thought about the reality of it. I'd been dreaming of Zen gardens and quiet forest temples and sitting as a nice mountain breeze wafts over me. But if you started enjoying all that you'd have no chance!
But, I did get the chance to fullfill a dream of mine - I got to clean the floor! Not with a mop, but a la Zen monk. It's probably just me who thinks this is cool, but they get down on all fours with a cloth under their hands and then run sliding the cloth along the floor. It's great fun! I did this back and forth one time and felt a rush of joy and a stitch. He he. I'm going to keep my idealized view of Zen monks if it kills me!
Anyway, was a nice weekend.
6 days to go to France :-)
posted by PA on Sunday, July 31, 2005
Typhew
Dude, I've never experienced such a hot day. Yesterday night we had a typhoon and it cleared away all the pollution, so today we were left with hardly anything to block the heat of the sun - no clouds, no pollution, no air. It kind of burned me out. I knew when I saw Fuji from my balcony that it was gunna be hot!
I think without doubt the most difficult thing about working is being told off. But to want to be praised is worse that being told off. So being told off is a good thing. Or a necessary thing. The world is not a kindergarten :-)
I finally made it out of the Philippine jungle only to land in the Burmese jungle! War sucks...
The countdown to France begins: 10 days.
Cheese, baguette, family, lake, saucisson, sun, space, trees, bike, mountains, lemonade, poker, smoking, golf, tennis, French....come to mind :-)
A bientot
posted by PA on Wednesday, July 27, 2005
The weak are long
Some weeks are long. Some long to be weak. Some are too weak to long. Some long for weeks...
The most important thing in this world is...ipod shuffle. A very close second is a GameCube. In last place is being earnest.
We went to the Premiere of The Island yesterday. It's a fun film, but a little trite. A big trite. But Scarlet Johansen is cool and Ewan is his usual self. But the previews tell you everything you don't need to know. I already knew the twist so when it happened it didn't feel like a twist at all. In Japan they like to tell you everything. When there's a movie on TV, when the commercials come one they show you previews of the rest of the movie. This usually entails showing the ending. Like for Star Wars it would be the scene where Luke kills his father. Or in 6th Sense it would be where Bruce finds out he's dead. Yep, he's dead! And so it was for The Island. Nevertheless it was good fun. And it was free :-)
Man, Jeff Buckley's still dead...
posted by PA on Friday, July 22, 2005
Stuck in the jungle in the Philippines
Surely there's no fate worse than being stuck in the jungle in the Philippines, is there? I keep going round and round in circles, not a Japanese sword in site. Man, getting lost sucks...
I've decided to make my blog as light as the night air. When you read it, if you don't get a waft of freshly cut grass, I'll give you your money back...
It's been a very long time since I wrote a blog haiku. So here goes:
"It's too hot to move.
What a pleasure!"
posted by PA on Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Frisbee golf
Today is a National Holiday so we've had 3 days off in a row. It's been so incredibly hot I've had to take showers every hour or so to prevent myself from over-heating.
Today I road to Ueno, about a 15 minute ride from my place, and bought a 15L North Face ruck sack. I love it. I had a look at more practical-sized ones but when I saw this mini bag I was a'taken. It fits A4 size so it's not too impractical. Anyway, no more cigarette buts in the front pocket for this baby :-) After that I came back home and, feeling restless and hot, set off to find an outdoor pool. I road for half an hour and found an outdoor pool : Closed and actually an outdoor paddling pool for kids! I came home and watched Thirteen. It's pretty good and Holly Hunter is excellent. On Saturday we went to a huge park outside of Tokyo and played frisbee golf. It was ace. Naomi was pretty good. She beat me on the first hole but then I found my form and started upon my path to victory, until I threw my frisbee out of bounds and picked up a 10 shot penalty (Naomi decided the penalty) . I still won though :-) But frisbee golf is excellent fun. Most holes were about 70 yards and par for beginners was 4. Once you're within a few yards from the basket it's quite easy to get it in. The basket is about 6 feet high and there are chains hanging down from the top so if your throw is straight, the chains will stop your frisbee and plonk it in the basket. There were some serious people there too with little camera style bags full of frisbees. Some would roll their frisbees to gain more distance. It was all quite a surprise - I thought it would be a little patch of grass and a few baskets but it was a full 18 hole course! It's amazing what's out there,eh?
In the evening we watched, "Shattered Glass" with Anakin Skywalker. I quite liked it. It's based on the true story of a journalist writing for the New Republic. I won't say anymore... My Game Cube is awesome! I've been playing NBA Street and Medal of Honor Rising Sun. Both are pretty cool, but Medal of Honor is taking up most of my time. I'm now in the Phillipines and the Japanese keep coming at me with swords! I'm stuck in the jungle and can't see a thing most of the time. It's a nightmare. War sucks.
And the good news is Napolean Dynamite is coming out early August, we got free tickets to The Island and I bought a mini ruck sack :-) (Same one)
Another thing that everyone knows is that lying down in front of the TV, watching DVDs and playing games, listening to music - all these things I do to relax - aren't relaxing at all. Well they are a little I suppose, but not really. I'd been quite busy doing all these things all day and then as my head began to explode I turned off everything and sat down...and then I remembered what it's like to be relaxed. It's different...
posted by PA on Monday, July 18, 2005
Time to Blog
It's a very rare day indeed that affords me time to blog from work, but I came back from lunch just now and thought, I've worked solid for weeks now and it's time to relax a little. So here's my very rare work blog:
My work mate is leaving next month and has lots of things he wants to sell. So today he brought me in his Game Cube with NBA Street and Dr.Mario. I accepted. I'm so excited to go home and play NBA Street.
We played frisby at lunch time in the scorching 31 degrees heat. My back is all sweaty and I feel hot, but at the same time I feel happily rejuvenated. I'd been sitting like an old man for 4 hours prior to lunch, and now I feel like a young boy. Couldn't eat a whole though :-)
Today on my podcast I learnt about the Deep Impact Space Project. It's just like in the movies -they're blooming blowing up meteorites!
I'm losing steam here. Let's call it a day.
Thanks for coming.
Leave your wallets at the door.
Drive your cars to my house and drop your keys in the letterbox.
(Edited by PA)
posted by PA on Friday, July 15, 2005
Worrying aint what it used to be
It constantly amazes me, the habits we pursue even though we know them to be a waste of time and energy. And I wonder if we just follow them out of habit. Fuck, yeah!
So recently I've embarked upon the path of "no worries" and it works pretty well. Even if I run over a dog on my bike, knock down two old grannies and end up cutting my finger off whilst making my salad, I really can't be bothered to worry about it. And without worry, you just have stuff as it is. And stuff is kinda cool. stuff - 1, 360,000 bits of stuff to enjoy. Can't go wrong...
posted by PA on Thursday, July 14, 2005
Transcendental Lynch!
Pretty much my all time favorite director, David Lynch, is a transcendental meditator. I downloaded a podcast today of him doing a speech at a university in the US about how T.M could bring about peace in the world. I don't know what to think. I'm all for peace in the world but it sounds a little like a get peace quick scheme! Who am I to say he's not right, though? But I had the image of him being really at peace with his own crazy, wierd world rather than trying to find a nice well ordered one. And I still prefer the idea that any sound philosophy must include the imperfect aswell as the perfect...whatever that means :-) Like the world is full of imperfection at the same time as being perfect. I like that paradox more than the idea that everything is perfect and we should never feel pain. It's a bit like that riddle, If God is all-powerfull, can He make a rock he couldn't lift? If he can, he's not. And if he can't he's not. Well, it's not much like that at all, but I just remembered it. But Mr.Lynch talks about a state of bliss and starts to sounds a little like Patric Swayze in Donnie Darko. If you have to close your eyes and drift away to get bliss, then we're doomed....
Ahhhh! I'm starting to sound like that Zen guy I keep reading. Watch out for false prophets! And false profits :-)
The mind is a dangerous thing if you don't keep watch,eh!
But David Lynch has got a new film coming out, which is very exciting. But you have to sit down quietly with your eyes closed to see it!
posted by PA on Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Tonite we fly
So recently there's a new addition to the ipod gadgets. Now you can get podcasts! I haven't uploaded it yet but I thought I'd post about it anyway, in an effort to sound up-to-date. Well, that's about it for up-to-dateness from me :-)
posted by PA on Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Ash Monday
Tonight we went to see the first of our gigs: Ash.
I remember way back in 1994, I heard Jack Names the Planets on John Peel. I then went out and bought the single. It had a raw adolescent feel to it and the innocence of youth. 10 years on they haven't changed a bit. They are still full of youthful exubernece and charm. Tim was on top form hacking away at his guitar and constantly saying, Fuck yeah! I assumed this was from the movie Napolean Dynamite? Is it? Mark, the Star Wars fanatic was funny - at one stage he jumped onto a speaker then jumped onto the scaffolding above the audience and swung into the mosh pit. It was the drummer's birthday and he did quite a few "One foot in the grave" impressions which the Japanese audience laughed at without surely knowing the show. But it was cool. The girl is from Mars. She should be in the Pixies with her cool, rock persona, lush voice and other worldy beauty. And they played Jack, Girl from Mars, Goldfinger, Oh Yeah! Kung Fu, and a cover of Only in Dreams by Weezer. We were right at the front next to the speakers so afterwards we couldn't hear a thing. We'd heard enough though! It was great to be back in the mosh pit, though. And the Japanese mosh pit is so friendly. Everyone gets their little space. No-one pushes. Peace is found in the mosh pit.
Anyways, a great night's music. Next up, Billy Corgan followed by Weezer :-)
posted by PA on Monday, July 11, 2005
5 Star Wars
We watched the 3rd episode of Star Wars today and it was startastic, a really good final prequel. We were completely entralled for the duration of the film and gripped by the emotional depth of the unveiling drama. The power of it I think lies in the fact that you're not watching just one film but watching all three sequels aswell and piecing it all together. Anakin Skywalker's fall into the Dark side is heartbreaking, for reasons not entirely clear to me. I was never a huge fan of the Star Wars trilogy but they were a part of my childhood, so it's almost impossible not to be moved by the unravelling of the story. Sometimes I remember the events of films as if they were my own past. So in a way, watching how Anakin becomes Darth Vader is like watching how my dad became my dad or how my mum became my mum. Although neither of my parents surrendered to the Dark Side. And Yoda is the coolest...Jedi I've ever seen.
Great film, it is.
posted by PA on Sunday, July 10, 2005
Things are moving
Yosuke and I watched Poltergiest yesterday night. I remember watching it is as a wee kid and being really scared by it. Some 15 years later, it's become a comedy. It's still a great little movie, though.
And everything changes. Things keep moving around, but the force of habit keeps everything looking the same.
Weezer is coming to Tokyo in August. Now we have 4 gigs to go to: Ash, Ben Folds, Weezer and then finally Billy Corgan. It's like being at Uni again, if it weren't for that pesky job!
Pesky pesky pesky. No matter how many times you say it, it still sounds like it shouldn't be a word.
posted by PA on Saturday, July 09, 2005
Copycat
The music quiz is back! he he.
Just one line from me, because apart from when the title of the song comes up I can't get the lyrics.
"And she never told me her name"
Do you ever wonder what people are thinking? Are we all basically caught up in our own worlds and walking about pretty much without concern for others, just trying to fulfill our needs. Or is everyone looking out for each other? I don't know. Pretty much 100 per cent of the time I am thinking about everyone else. I don't mean this in an ultra altruistic way. Just that I worry about offending people or upsetting people or creating bad feeling between me and others. Taken to the extreme it's a pretty unhealthy way to live, I think. If it's just thinking, I suppose it would be fine, but worrying causes a problem. Sometimes when I'm wearing my shades on an overcast day, I have to exentuate my expressions in order to not appear offensive or arrogant. It's wierd because all the people I meet during the day - the kiosk ladies, passengers on the train - I'll never see again. So what does it matter?
One of the most annoying things about this blog is the fact that I keep writing the same stuff. And it makes me realize that nothing changes. I think a few posts back I wrote that we can't please all the people all of the time. And it's true. So I write it again.
I've been reading, "The elephant vanishes" by Murakami. It's so good. Really wierd stuff. The common theme throughout seems to be a sense of alienation from and bemusement with the world. The absurd. There's this one story about a guy who keeps seeing TV men. They just come in and put TVs down and then walk out. I'd like to tell you more but that's pretty much it...
Where's Donnie?
posted by PA on Wednesday, July 06, 2005
 Stomach the knife
Sunday night I had a stomach ache and this morning I hadn't really recovered so I took a day off. It's amazing how long the day is when you have nothing to do.
I watched a bit of the Wimbledon final up to the second set last night. I had never seen Federer play and he is absolutely awesome. He's like a machine. And he's so calm. I can't see how anyone can beat him...
We watched War of the Worlds at the weekend. It was disappointing to say the least. There are some magical moments but all in all it's very average. For a guy who made ET, Indiana Jones, Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, you kind of expect something special. And it's not that special. Infact I've almost forgotten it already...
I'm off to France in a little over a month now. It's going to be nice to have a break and see the family and the mountains and the saucisson. I'm looking forward to a nice baguette with loads of saucisson and a glass of lemonade. Might even play a bit of poker under the stars...
posted by PA on Monday, July 04, 2005
Direct transmission
Today we went into the studio to record all our work of the past 8 months. I was the director for the recording. Kind of. Well, I was. But everyone chipped in really. I didn't get a big chair or anything. There was one, but I'd sat down before I noticed it and I couldn't be bothered getting up again, so I left it in the corner. I felt like I was walking on egg shells though with a couple of the voice actors. Although I feel like that with everyone these days. I feel everyone is just moments away from having a go at me. Must be the stress, the stress of having just watched The Stepford Wives! Bloody awful film...
But it's an important thing to learn, that you can't please all the people all of the time. And trying to is futile.
I'm not telling you, cause you know.
Hey, I just put that picture in. That's pretty cool. Totoro Totoro!
posted by PA on Friday, July 01, 2005
The early bird
Recently I've done a string of overtime. Yesterday I worked till 10pm. Although it's kind of fun to pretend to be a salaryman, it's also really tiring. What with the intense humidity at the moment I feel deliriously tired. Luckily though today I got to go and observe classes and got back home at 6pm. It's a pleasure, indeed...
I saw a dead crow on the way back from work. That's one down! They are so noisy and annoying. Just when you think you can have an extra 5 minutes sleep, they start their crawing. And what's it for?
"I'm over here, where are you? I'm up on the roof, where are you? I'm up a tree! How's the view? It's good, how about you? It's good!" And then another one joins in. "Where are you?"
And on and on...They can't be discussing anything important, can they?
posted by PA on Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Humid the human machine
These days the humidity level is so high I can hardly breathe- I have to drink! It seems kind of normal these days to work an 11 hour day. One side of me sees it as some kind of battle of will. The other side sees it as an absurd state of existence. I've never really liked living by any particular philosophy but recently I've been living by the words, "Do not be deceived!" Any thought you have, good or bad, you just remind yourself not to be deceived into believing it. Even if I have the thought, "Do not be deceived!" I remind myself not to be deceived by that too...It'll do for now,eh.
Did I mention it was flippin humid?
These days I ride to the station in the mornings. It's about 3 minutes on my bike! But when I finish work and get back to my station, I'm so overjoyed to ride those 3 minutes. I sing my heart out and scare all the lowly pedestrians. If I could ride to work I'd be so happy. Yes, that would do it. That would bring total joy. It's around this time I remind myself, "Do not be deceived!"
It's a solve-all philosophy! And then again, "Do not be deceived!"
He he, the cyclical nature of thought,eh.
posted by PA on Monday, June 27, 2005
A goldfish
Yesterday Naomi and I went to our outlet store in the countryside. It's really nice out there. After shopping we went to see if there was a goldfish I could buy. We had a look round all the fish, wierd fish with bulging eyes, fat fish, ugly fish, tiny fish, but couldn't find one that we really liked. We ended up having some of their friends for dinner instead, at the conveyer belt sushi. Usually we don't go together because Naomi doesn't like wasabi, but at this place there was sushi without wasabi too. It was funny: I had the normal fish- salmon, makerel, tuna and Naomi had the wierd stuff - fermented soy beans and dangly legged squid.
It's flippin hot and bloody humid :-)
posted by PA on Sunday, June 26, 2005
Wierd wierd weather
I've never seen a weather forecast like this before : Tokyo next week
posted by PA on Thursday, June 23, 2005
Please choose to be less miserable
I was just reading a blog I often like to read and someone posted a comment to the writer, "Please choose to be less miserable". Some people can be so mean. And stupid. Not that I think being miserable is in itself a good thing, but I do think that thinking deeply about the world and not pretending or forcing yourself to be happy is a positive and cathartic thing. I don't think that by blocking out the miserable, we can be happy. I remember not so long ago I wished for no negative thoughts as a new year's resolution! It's just impossible though. And anyone who manages that must be putting themselves under enormous pressure to conceal it all. It's those that endure great hardship and suffering that truly learn to live in the world with grace. Because they no longer avoid things they hate or fear. They learn to live with themselves as they are right here and right now.
Anyway, I cut my hair and am listening to my ipod on shuffle mode. Babyatom sure is right!
posted by PA on Thursday, June 23, 2005
The empty world
It really is funny, this world we live in. I'll tell you the funny bit at the end.
Today was exactly like the kind of day I hate: Lots of phone calls, deadlines, a stiff neck and rain. And yet I enjoyed today. And the other day as I went to the toilet, I felt really happy. And then as I walked back from work today, I took a lungfull of magnolia scent. That was nice too. There's something for everyone, all the time,eh.
And the funny bit was during my lunch break. Usually I play frisby with my buddies, but today I took a late lunch and went and had a bento at a little square by the office. As I sat eating my bento, 3 little sparrows came over and started nibbling at my food. One of them liked my egg roll. I let them eat with me. And then 2 Japanese salarymen came over. They didn't start nibbling at my food, fortunately, but they did have some questions for me. It was one of those moments when the whole world just wants to be nice. And every one wants to nibble at your food or ask you questions.
posted by PA on Wednesday, June 22, 2005
The Taxi Driver
There was this taxi driver. One night he takes on a beautiful model from Australia. Later on he takes on a Russian businessman. They talk for a while about things he'd never dreamed of talking about. A little later he takes on a rock star from America. He is kinda cool so they speak a lot. The Australian model seems a little quiet so the taxi driver guides the conversation in her direction. The Russian businessman falls asleep. A French writer gets on. They're all pretty cramped now in the back of the taxi, but the taxi driver keeps on picking up people. By the end of the night, there are 237 people in his taxi and the Russian businessman has woken up. Everyone is talking. Nothing makes any sense and the taxi driver isn't really sure why he ever let them all on. Surely he must have known it would get this cramped. He tries to shut them up by shouting at them but no-one can hear him anymore. So he keeps on driving through the night. On and on. Every now and then he joins a conversation and tries to reach a conclusion but he never succeeds. Even when he does, the conversation seems to start again, right back at the start. He becomes sleepy. The sun rises. The sun sets. The sun goes down. For years and years he drives and drives...20 years pass by.
Then one day, he stops listening to them. And one by one, they all leave his taxi. The last man to go is the Russian businessman. He stops the taxi and says, "Hey, find somewhere else to sleep!" and the businessman lets himself out. The taxi is now empty. But still he can't find no rest. All those people have been riding around so long with him, that he kinda misses them. So, he goes back and tracks all 237 people down and gives them a ride.
The taxi man is still driving to this day, around the streets of New York.
And if there's room, he'll give you a ride.
posted by PA on Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Film weekend
This weekend I had a bit of a film marathon.
Naomi and I watched Batman Begins which was fantastic. Very dark and cool. Bale is awesome as the bat. Oldman is great as the kindly policeman. Freeman is his usual stoic self. I loved it so much, I decided to buy some Batman merchandise they were selling outside. I bought what I thought was going to be a cool Batman Begins batman figure. It turned out to be a wierd joker character I'd never seen in my life. I put it in the bin. Never again will I be caught up in post movie consumerism. Unless David Lynch starts making Eraserhead figures!
I also watched Starsky and Hutch which was funny. And immediately after I watched Jackass the movie. They are such nutters. Absolute and utter nutters. Any number of those stunts could have killed them. Ooooh, there's some horrible stuff in that. I quite like the simple ones though, where Knocksville gets made up to look like an old man and he goes shoplifting. The toy car one...well...
And then I watched Chrisopher Nolan's first film, "The Following". I was so impressed with Batman Begins that I thought it only right to trace his origins. Now there's a classic. Shot in black and white, it follows the story of a writer who follows people to get inspiration for his writing. He ends up following the wrong guy...the mood is similar to that of Eraserhead, or is that just because it was black and white and a bit wierd. Anyway, it's a damn fine film noir masterpiece.
And now it's Sunday night...
posted by PA on Sunday, June 19, 2005
The Art of Conversation
I can't think of anything right now...
But I wonder, the more immersed you become in what you're doing, do you lose the art of conversation?
I just watched the MTV movie awards and "Napolean Dynamite" got best movie. I know it's been out ages ago abroad. I wonder when it's coming out here in Japan. It looks cool. There are loads of those dumb, yet funny, American movies coming out these days and I'm missing them all. Bring 'em on!
Today I observed classes and got back home before 6. It was lovely to come home when the sky was still bright. Well, if it hadn't been raining! We're now in the official rainy season - that's a month of rain, officially.
I'm optimistic about the role of cynicism in a true understanding of the world.
I've never really been able to come to a conclusion about the relativity of time. It just depends, right?
Sometimes I find it hard to breathe. Sometimes I find I breathe too hard.
Just trying to exercise my brain...gotta try something :-)
posted by PA on Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Don't let them fool you
Today was a very rare day indeed...
Basically, I didn't let myself be fooled. When I woke up I had these words going round in my head, "All is well, all is well". I then I reminded myself that the situation I'm in is good for me: It's better than if I were in a really carefree environment, living the life of Reilley - if my mind isn't broke, I'll never fix it!
I have lots of these ideas but I don't usually follow them or trust them. But today I knew all was well and that my life is how it should be. I should be facing trials day in and day out because it forces me to confront things. It is what I need to overcome myself...
Maybe people have these sorts of days, everyday. But recently I haven't. I've let myself be fooled...
posted by PA on Monday, June 13, 2005
Baching up the wrong tree
Bach makes me feel like an old wise man. A man content with his life and the memories it has given him...
I try and make Friday night last aslong as possible. I am half asleep as I write this, but I will not let Friday night end!
Zzzzzz.
knight, night, nite
posted by PA on Friday, June 10, 2005
A zen mail
I mentioned I'd read a Zen book a few posts ago and that I read the authors' site quite regularly. He gets loads of mails but I thought I'd mail him with a question. I wasn't trying to trick him or anything. I just had a sincere question with regards to something he talks about in his book. So I mailed him a few weeks ago and he finally replied today. I read it at work. It was a nice mail. Very friendly, simple and to the point. I liked it. For a second I felt a weight lifted from my shoulders, and then I looked at the mound of work I had to do and I put the weight back on. It was kinda cool to get a mail from a Zen master, though. Yeah, I know Zen masters are just like you and me, but it gave me a bit of strength - It's not everyday a Zen master takes the time to write you a mail. It's kinda like getting a mail from a rock star or something...
He he, anyway...
Let the waves crash on!
posted by PA on Thursday, June 09, 2005
A crying baby
I came out for a smoke break at work today and heard the sound of a baby crying. I smiled. The pain and suffering the baby feels is very real to him but to me it's quite small. Maybe he dropped his Anpanman out of the pram. And it dawned upon me that we're all just dropping Anpanmans out of our prams. That's all we're doing. Just different characters each time. Today Anpanman, tomorrow Pikachoo.
It's a nice theory, eh? I'll put it with the others I have and store them away for another day.
Ash is coming to Tokyo, and Ben Folds to Nagoya and Billy Corgan to Tokyo. Should be cool...
Anyway, there's a sofa waiting for me...
posted by PA on Wednesday, June 08, 2005
A nice night
Since restarting smoking I've had really bad stomach troubles and today I had a headache from headache hell. Even so, I felt as if I could lead a normal life once again, be it as a smoker...
I left on time from work and got to see the sky and smell the trees and flowers...that will do for one day. That's my ration of nature.
Music quiz:
"So we restore harmony
smooth the lines on the face of an old enemy
but there's no wood on the fire again"
Today's prize is a pint of thoughts and a packet of memories.
posted by PA on Monday, June 06, 2005
Night On Earth
I just watched "Night On Earth". You can't get much better than that. It's really just a collection of 5 vignettes, a collage of moving tales and interesting conversations. It reminded me a lot of "Smoke".
Anyway, unthinkable1 recommends it.
Naomi and I watched, "Forgotten" staring Julianne Moore. Although it's a bit cheesy and the script is trite, it was good fun. There is one of the scariest car crash scenes I've ever seen - Naomi literally tore my arm off! And there are some other clever scare techniques I hadn't seen used before. And it had Doctor Green from ER in it, so...
I'm still smoking! That's 2 days now. Not bad,eh :-)
Yesterday we went to Karaoke and I sung loads of Elliot Smith. He's one of the few songwriters whose lyrics I can really understand:
"Fights problems with bigger problems"
Although he probably meant something different, I feel that worry is a lot like that. I have a worry and instead of letting it go or dealing with the problem, I just replace it with a bigger one. And it goes on that way, piling worry upon worry until there's nothing but layer upon layer of worry. Instead of dealing with a problem, I just move onto the next bigger one.
The first step towards any kind of wisdom is understanding the problem. If we don't, we just get deceived all the time. There was a Zen master who, when he awoke every morning would shout, "Don't be deceived, Master!" And he'd reply, "No, I won't!" That's kinda cool, I think...
Anyway, words words words...
Once again, the weather forecasters get it wrong - it's a lovely day!
"Damn fine coffee!"
posted by PA on Sunday, June 05, 2005
Why I just had a smoke
Well, after exactly 5 weeks of not smoking, I broke. I can say with a smile, it's been 5 weeks of hell...
No excuses though. Hopefully it has taught me that I don't need to smoke to be relaxed.
There's never a good time to quit smoking and I suppose a stressful time is probably the best time to quit. Having said this, I haven't got a strong enough reason to quit. For now. That sounds about as stupid as saying I want to get cancer, but that's the way it is. For now.
I say, for now, because hope is my friend. At least I hope he' s not an enemy.
Anyway, now I can get my smoke breaks back :-)
Jeez, it's a funny old world.
Yoski and I went into the studio today. We mostly improvised stuff and it was cool. I need to learn some songs though. And write some more.
Todays music quiz:
"You can't fool me, I saw you when you came out"
The winner gets a Ben Folds' box set and a signed copy of the single, "Gracie"
posted by PA on Saturday, June 04, 2005
Bring on the plagues
I worry about absolutely everything all the time. And if there's nothing to worry about, I'll make something to worry about. And if I can't make anything to worry about, I'll worry about that. But then there are those rare days when I just think, nope, I'm not going to worry. And I stop and just let everything go by. These days are fun. I feel like a super hero and my suffering feels like a joke.
Man, I could eat a horse.
posted by PA on Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Snowball fight?
Bring it on
(click START GAME)
posted by PA on Tuesday, May 31, 2005
A colon, a dash and a bracket
I'm trying to work out the reason I sit in an office for 8 hours a day.
And as I sit here, I can't find the answer.
Maybe the constant whirring of the PCs is the answer.
Nope, that's not it.
A colon, a dash and a bracket. That's the answer.
:-)
(Maybe it is that simple)
Music quiz:
"It's a chemical embrace that kicks you in the head
To a pure synthetic sympathy that infuriates you totally
And a quiet lie that makes you wanna scream and shout
So here I lay dreaming looking at the brilliant sun"
The prize is the beauty of knowing you knew it without Googling.
Google luck!
posted by PA on Tuesday, May 31, 2005
The moon was huge
I like to go for walks in the evening. It's nice and cool around my neighborhood and also very peaceful. Tonight as I walked down the street I noticed the moon - it was huge! It was so big, my initial reaction was fear. I thought the planets had all become unaligned and we were about to crash into the sun and become extinct. But as I walked in the direction of the moon, it seemed to gradually get smaller. Once I'd reached the end of the street, it was back to its normal size. I don't know why it seemed so big from a distance.
And here's the meaning of this metaphorical experience: Things always seem big from a distance. It's like Monday mornings: From a Sunday they seem terrible, but from a Monday they're pretty much like the rest of the week...
"X O" by Elliot Smith is so damned good. He was a true genius...
posted by PA on Wednesday, May 25, 2005
The frog on the path
It rained heavily this evening and with the rain came the frogs. I saw one on the path outside my appartment. Thinking it was a stone, I picked it up and through it across the lake. It bounced along the water 205 times and then sank beneath the water. I miss the frog and I wish I hadn't thrown him quite so hard...
posted by PA on Monday, May 23, 2005
Music to mine ears
Our monthly trip to Janis, the cd rental shop, was a great success. We were greeted by new albums by Weezer and Teenage Fanclub and old albums by Elliot Smith (X O) , The Pixies (Trompe Le Monde) , Evan Dando (Baby I'm Bored), The Lemonheads (It's a Shame About Ray) and REM (The Best OF).
Weezer's lyrics are funny but the music is basically plain old rock. It's OK though.
Teenage Fanclub sounded good.
Elliot Smith is wonderfully melancholic and heartfelt. And in the light of his suicide, the songs have even more resonance: Lyrics like "I always feel shit"...
Evan Dando is nice and cool. Like a summer breeze.
And the rest is quite old. The little gem on REM is The Great Beyond, a cracking song about pushing elephants up stairs and crashing pianos...
posted by PA on Sunday, May 22, 2005
Putting off happiness
It seems that life can all too easily become a succession of moments in which we put off happiness.
You sit by the computer looking forward to being on the sofa. Then you sit on the sofa looking forward to watching Temptation Island. Whilst watching that, you look forward to being outside playing in the sun. When outside playing in the sun, you look forward to being back on the computer...
Our minds can easily become fashioned in this way without really noticing. And then we die...
I think this is why the world aches. If everyone could set their minds straight we'd hardly fight at all. We wouldn't need to fight because we'd have everything in every moment. To mis-quote Hardcore Zen*, living in reality is the best thing there is, because it's all there is. But then it starts getting paradoxical: If this is all there is, then even this suffering is the best there is. If we try to run from this suffering now, then we're once again putting off happiness. As I sit here, I wish I could understand that here is all there is. But once again I'm putting off happiness...
He he
I'm really determined to realize this. I don't want some spaced out trance-like guru from outer space hippy happiness full of false smiles and love, but I want to realize that here is all there is because it just so stupid to live a whole life putting of happiness. What a huge waste of time...
*I put a link to his book because I'm just regurgitating what he wrote. I don't want to pretend anything I write is mine!
posted by PA on Saturday, May 21, 2005
Only my brother reads my blog
Well it seems that no one is entering the unthinkable1 music quiz.
The previous song was Gwen Stephani's "Hollarback Girl"...
Yesterday Lynn ( a girl at work ) and Naomi ( a girl at home ) and I ( a boy at home ) went to Shibuya Club Quattro to see "The Trash Can Sinatras". (Man, I just got a nice whiff of pollen then :-)) It was great fun. I hadn't been to a gig since watching "Ron Sexsmith" with Yoski last year. Naomi hadn't been since "The Strokes" 2 years ago and Lynn hadn't been since Bob Dylan many years ago. So it was really nice to see a group of people on stage singing their hearts out and creating nice melodies to entertain the masses. We've decided to go and see more gigs...Rocking the Suburbs!
Today's music quiz:
"Stop the world, I'm getting off, I'm getting off..."
Good luck!
Ah, the weekend has come. I thought it would never. I have now been a non smoker for 3 weeks. The small cravings have all but gone but I still get these big longings for a smoke. And I feel sad I can't have a smoke and watch the world go by whilst high on nicotine...Oh well. As they say, "It takes two to tango"...
Man, it's lucky only my brother reads my blog!
posted by PA on Saturday, May 21, 2005
The early bird gets tired earlier...
It was "Road to Joy" by Bright Eyes.
At the moment, I really like this song:
"A few times I've been around that track
So it's not just gonna happen like that
Cause I aint no..."
The organ sound reminds me of Twin Peaks. It's real eerie.
A lifetime's supply of oxygen to the winner.
A lifetime's supply of carbon monoxide to the loser.
posted by PA on Wednesday, May 18, 2005
It's nice to know...
I finished "Hardcore Zen" and I would thoroughly recommend it to everyone, if it weren't for the fact that it probably isn't for everyone. But I found it really eye opening and a great incentive to sit more and to stop wasting time. I wish I hadn't read it so fast though - got nothing to do now!
Here's my new music quiz:
"No-one ever plans to sleep out in the gutter,
sometimes that's just the most comfortable place"
Today's prize is a piece of a Mars bar and 3 drawing pins.
posted by PA on Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Tower Records
We bought lots of stuff at Tower Records in Shibuya on Saturday. We rarely indulge ourselves other than on food and clothes - oh, and holidays - but there was so much stuff we wanted to buy that we just let go of our consumer inhibitions: I bought a Smashing Pumpkins' DVD and "Hardcore Zen: Punk Rock, monster movies and the truth about reality" by Brad Warner. Naomi bought a Ben Folds' DVD. It doesn't seem like very much, but it was exciting to buy things of cultural value rather than, as I said before, clothes and food - oh, and holidays! And there was so much more we wanted to buy : Elliot Smith CDs, a Morissey DVD, the new Teenage Fanclub and Weezer albums and Q magazine and also some scores for the guitar. But alas, one can't have everything one wants, can Juan?
The tune was The Happening, by The Pixies. No-one gets the prize. No-one even entered.
Hey, today was day 17 of no smokes. I went to Zazen and felt the difference: I swallowed less phlegm! I hope the cravings disappear soon though. It's a pain, quitting smoking. I had about 4 cups of coffee to combat the cravings today. The mornings are the worst - I'm chain drinking in the morning...
Anyway, that book on Zen I bought is cool. It really feels like true Zen. A bit like Tyler's line in The Fight Club when he burns the acid onto Norton's hand: "Stay here! Don't go into your cave!" It's basically a whole book like that line. I like that sort of stuff anyway...
posted by PA on Sunday, May 15, 2005
I walk away
As Agent Utah says, I walk away...
Smoking used to be my little pleasure it times of stress. But I had stress before I smoked and I dealt with it without smoking. Smoking isn't the only thing in this world that brings pleasure to me. Before I started smoking I was pretty happy and when I smoked I was pretty happy. But before I smoked my lungs were pure and when I smoked my lungs were full of tar. There's no choice really. No reason to smoke. Nothing positive comes from it...
If I start again tomorrow, I'll just delete this post (:-)) Ah, the freedom of self editing!
Babyatom has been doing music quizzes of late on his blog, so in true copycat tradition I'll do one too:
"I'm almost there to Vegas where they're puttin'
on a show they've come so far i've lived this long
at least I must just go and say hello"
The winner gets a pair of tickets to go see the Beatles in 1967.
posted by PA on Thursday, May 12, 2005
Smoke Off!
Well it seems that I'm trapping myself in the world of a non-smoker. I keep telling everyone I'm quitting smoking so I feel I really can't smoke anymore.
It's quite sad, but it's really tough, especially at work. I think the most important thing to remember is that it's going to be hard. And I have to accept that for a while I will suffer...
I keep thinking I'll start again but just reduce the amount I smoke. But I'm just tricking myself. The brain plays many tricks...and I have to keep telling my brain to smoke off!
posted by PA on Tuesday, May 10, 2005
No smoke without fire
This Golden Week has been a battle of will. I haven't smoked now for 5 days. Sometimes it's easy, sometimes it's hard. But I always have the feeling that something is missing. It's true though; something is missing...
Tomorrow we're off to Izu! Yeah! The weather looks set to be perfect. 25 degrees and a blue sky.
We watched Gothika last night. Halle Berry is in it. It was good fun. But so many films tend to throw it all away at the end, especially Hollywood films. Everyone just ends up running around.
There's always something missing...
posted by PA on Tuesday, May 03, 2005
Just like honey
We're on Golden Week holiday and it tastes just like honey. On Friday we took it easy walking around and then watched Pieces of April which was good. On Saturday we went to an outlet store in the countryside. We bought some nice clothes and had a nice Starbucks. We came home and watched The Village which was good. I'd read bad reviews but we thought it was good. On Sunday, I got up at 6am and went and played tennis from 8:30 - 12:30. It was great, but I got pretty sleepy by lunch time. On the way back I listened to my new CDs on my ipod - Velvet Underground, Jesus and Mary Chain, Badly Drawn Boy and Dinosaur Junior. Half asleep listening to new music is nice. Then I went to Zazen...
We have another 4 days of holidays! I haven't smoked now since Friday. That's 3 full days! It's a bit of a drag quitting during my holidays, but if I don't do it now, I never will. Today we're off to the cinema and a nice restaurant somewhere. Tomorrow we're back to Izu. Last Golden Week we went to Izu and went up a really cool volcano. But by the time we reached the top it was raining and overcast so we didn't get to see the nice view they promise. So this time we want to go and see the view. And dip our feet in the volcanic waters!
Jesus and Mary Chain...ah, I'd abandoned them. If you haven't already reclaimed them, do it now!
The Velvet Underground...ah, it took me a long long time to get the banana album, but finally I made it. It's pretty damned good. Sunday morning...
I slept with my plant at my head last night. It felt nice waking up to the site of green leaves.
"The way I feel tonight I could die and I wouldn't mind!"
"Makes you wanna blow the stars from the sky!"
posted by PA on Monday, May 02, 2005
Boiling the universe and looking glasses
I watched a very interesting interview with a physician today. He was talking about the origin and future of the universe. According to him and his chums, the universe began when matter was compressed into a black hole. Matter compressed to such an extent that it popped out the other side, into a parallel universe. Something like that anyway. Now, according to him, we can see into this parallel universe by boiling the universe. This causes bubbles to form in space - these are looking glasses, as in "Alice through the looking glass." It enables one to look into Wonderland or a parallel universe. So, the theory is that when this universe explodes again or self destructs, we can boil the universe up to the same temperature as during the Big Bang, create these space bubbles and escape to a parallel universe!
How cool is that?
So, I quit smoking till the morning...I'm going to try again over the holidays which are coming up next week. I've got my Nicorette gum waiting. It certainly helps with the cravings, I find. It was 3 in the afternoon today before I realized I hadn't smoked since my 11 o'clock smoke!
posted by PA on Friday, April 22, 2005
I think I'll quit smoking...
I've never tried breaking so many habits in such a short space of time. But I feel that time is running out. Time passes by so fast and nothing seems to change. All these habits will be mine until I die unless I break them. I'd hate to die unhappy...
So, I've started jogging. I've quit smoking. I've quit eating snacks after dinner. And I've increased my Zazen time.
Well I'm using past tense in an effort to appear victorious, but apart from smoking, it's been about 2 and a half weeks. I quit smoking 3 hours ago! Got to start somewhere,eh?
posted by PA on Thursday, April 21, 2005
Shit
It just came to me in a flash, that word. So what better way to start off the week?
Yesterday I played tennis for 2 hours and then went out for lunch with Yoski's dad. It was really good fun and what better way to end the week than to play tennis in the sun? This is what convinces me that to be happy requires just the barest essentials : I was running in the sun, and I was happy. Even without ipod, Gucci, car, or hamburger, we can be happy.
We watched Constantine on Saturday. It's a pile of shit. Completely rubbish. Keanu is always fun to watch though. I saw an interview with him and the interviewer asked him what he'd do if he could see demons and angels, and he couldn't answer the question. He had lots of ideas and given an hour or so to get his thoughts together he could have given an intelligent answer. But he only had a minute...This is how I feel a lot of the time: Give me a bit of time to Google up an answer and I'll be right back. Anyway, that's why I like Keanu...
posted by PA on Monday, April 18, 2005
The place where I work.
posted by PA on Saturday, April 16, 2005
The place where I don't work.
posted by PA on Saturday, April 16, 2005
Strongend
This weekend was nice. Naomi and I went to Kichijoji to see the cherry blossoms in Inokashira park. It was packed. I've never seen so many people in one place before. I did a bit of shopping for my brother's birthday present at the 100 Yen shop. Only kidding. I found some good pressies and I'm considering keeping them myself.
In the evening we watched United States of Leland. It was really good. It reminded us of Donnie Darko. It's not as good as that but it does go in the right direction.
Today, I went to Pachinko in the morning - I hadn't been in 3 months - and I won a little. I left before I lost a lot and went on a hike. It's quite a nice hiking course that takes you up to a little temple and then past loads of rock climbing walls with nice views of the sea. It was a windy day and some little dogs were getting blown off the ground...
I listened to Bob Marley on the way back. I'm getting into Bob...
Then finally I went to Zazen. I sat with my back to the open window. It was nice to feel the breeze on my body - it kept me awake.
Alas, the weekend always seems to end. They can get a man on the moon, but they can't stop those weekends from coming to an end!
posted by PA on Sunday, April 10, 2005
Jogging round the world
It looks like I might well have become a jogger. I went jogging Saturday and Sunday, and then Monday, Wednesday and Friday - who jogs on a Friday night, apart from a habitual jogger?
And dude, Elliot Smith was good. He and Jeff Buckley should have hung around a bit. And John Lennon. And Kurt Cobain...And Buddy Holly and Bob Marley...
posted by PA on Friday, April 08, 2005
Sitting on a mountain at the bottom of a mountain
If you truly accept things as they are, everything is no longer as it was.
I think that's interesting: If you try and change something within you, it's very difficult. But if you don't try and change it, it changes.
Anyway, I never know whether to use "you" or "I" or "we" when I post this style of post. "I", sounds like a confession and "you" and "we" sounds as if I'm preaching something, which I'm not, I'm just thinking aloud. I might use I. Better than sounding preachy.
Today was 25 degrees. We had a two hour lunch break and went to the park for cherry blossam veiwing. It was brilliant. Really refreshing to be outside on such a lovely day. And coming back wasn't half as bad as I thought it would be.
posted by PA on Thursday, April 07, 2005
Lazy bones
In Budhism, being lazy is almost a sin. You won't rot in hell for it, but you'll suffer in life for it.
Yesterday, the head monk at my temple was talking about laziness. There are so many things I put off and don't do because of laziness. And if I don't acknowledge this habit now, I will forever be that way. I've started jogging a bit nowadays. I came back from work, put my rice cooker on, got changed and flew out the door. After running for about 10 minutes I started to give up and headed for the supermarket. Then a few seconds later I realized I was being lazy. I did a u-turn and headed up a hill. I jogged for 10 more minutes before heading to the supermarket. I can see why laziness is so frowned upon in Budhism, more so than taking drugs or whacking people. Maybe not more than whacking people, but at least equal to: If you're lazy, you're mind is unwilling to live and it sleeps.
No-one is happy to sit and watch TV for 6 hours. Unless it's the Office. But with a bit of laziness, you can do it easily.
In every choice we have, there is a route of laziness and a route of will. The first leads to the supermarket at 7pm. The second arrives 10 minutes later. It's up to us...
posted by PA on Monday, April 04, 2005
Thoughts are flying around the world
On the way back from work today, a very strange thing happened to me. I was on the train in my usual post-work trance. The train stopped at a station and the doors behind me opened. I then felt the urge to turn around and look out the window. At that exact moment, my mate walked by writing a mail on his mobile phone. I then grabbed mine and started to write to him saying I'd just seen him. At that exact moment a mail came from him saying, "I really like that CD you lent me". I have no doubt in my mind that I read his mind. Or rather, he sent me his mind to read.
Now I thought that after this experience, my life would be forever changed: Because if it is true that our thoughts are flying around, and we are nothing but thoughts, then I am flying around the world. And if this is the case, then we are completely free...
But I came back, completely forgot about it till now, and watched some rubbish TV.
Bugger.
posted by PA on Thursday, March 31, 2005
Eternal Sunshine of the...
"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" is a little masterpiece. Cool, profound, moving, funny, wierd and satisfying : A little gem that brings sunshine to the darkest corners of life...
I bought the new Bright Eyes' album, "I'm Wide Awake, It's morning". It's sounding pretty good : A little gem...
posted by PA on Saturday, March 26, 2005
days off days off days off
I used to love watching catchphrase on Saturday night, with fish and chips and a can of Lilt : Say what you see!
Tomorrow Naomi and I are going to Cosco. It's an American wholesale super market. Gunna get me some Twinkies and bags of chips.
Sunday, the zoo is celebrating some anniversary and it's free, so I'm having my Japanese lesson there with the monkeys and elephants.
Monday might be nice for a hike or maybe we'll go to the park and have a Subway.
Could I make this post more boring...(That was Chandler)
Temptation Island UK series 2 starts tonite. I love that show.
I'm now burning grapefruit oil. It smells nice. Infact, it smells a little like grapefruits.
I was wondering today, whilst in the toilet, whether enlightenment was just the realization that our brains know absolutely everything about everything. Recently I've started re-watching Steve Martin films. Then I speak to this guy at work and he says Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is on tonite. Now I reckon I knew that, and I had been getting ready for it by re-watching some of his older movies. There are endless examples of this all the time. And it's not luck. Our brain is planning and thinking and processing all sorts of signals all day everyday, and it reaches its own conclusions too:
1: I see an advert for a new Steve Martin film at the cinemas and my brain knows that there will be a Steve Martin film on Japanese TV at some point. (They do that here. Before the release of Matrix Reloaded, they put The Matrix on TV)
2: I start getting back into Steve Martin in preparation for the Steve Martin film on TV.
3: I forget where I saw that advert for the new Steve Martin film.
4: A friend tells me Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is on TV tonite.
5: I think it's coincidence...
Just sit back and let the brain do its thing...
posted by PA on Friday, March 18, 2005
Sitting...
When I think of sitting, I think of a nice breeze flowing in through my window; a cloudless blue sky; and the smell of flowers. I remember my mind as clear as the night sky, and the stars that shine so bright.
I wish I could sit for hours.
And yet everyday I settle down to sit and last about 7 minutes before getting up and saying, "I wish I could sit for hours!"
Hmmm. No matter how valuable I know it is for me to sit, it's still incredibly hard to sit alone.
There's a habit within me that always puts things off till tomorrow.
But tomorrow I will sit for longer...
I watched the Office Series 2 again whilst I was sick. Genius. Sometimes it's just too painful to watch...
posted by PA on Thursday, March 17, 2005
One flu over the...
On Saturday I fell asleep with my aromatherapy pot still burning. I woke up with a sore throat. And therein lies the root of my current flu. The temperature keeps changing too. One day it's 17 and the next it is 10.
Oh well.
Naomi just surprised me with a bag of goodies: sausage rolls, noodles, bananas, yogurts and a sports drink. Now I'm on the road to recovery...
Watched Saw the other day. That's a good film. A cross between Cube and Texas Chainsaw Masacare.
posted by PA on Tuesday, March 15, 2005
TV and Movie freedom at last!
I bought a region free DVD player today. This means I can watch all the DVDs from England - the comedies - and the DVDs I bought in the US - Akira and Mulholland - and all the DVDs in the video shop! Plus I can buy movies when I go home/holidays for cheap and watch them here on the big screen. And I can finally watch anime - if I buy from the US - with subtitles.
It was really cheap too, the DVD player. The zoom function is funny. What's that for?
I watched a bit of everything today: Akira, Mulholland Drive, Early Doors and Little Britain. Before I had to watch everything on my computer screen and it was very unromantic. Now, I am free to watch good stuff on the big screen...
But first, I must watch my fave Japanese show - "Let's stay in the country!"...It's better than it sounds!
posted by PA on Sunday, March 06, 2005
The Box people vs The Convertible people
The first thing you notice when you come back to Japan after a holiday is that no one talks to anyone. Everyone's existence is denied. Take today for instance : I was at the local take out deli and was waiting to get a serving of salad from the self service bar. There was a girl by my side and she was deciding what to get. I had already decided and made this clear by standing next to her and leaning towards my decision - the broccoli and prawn salad. I leaned and leaned and glanced at her but she didn't acknowledge my presence. In the end she just walked away still unaware of me. This is a common occurence in Japan. People walk alone, live alone and only awake when amongst friends. I would add family, but they don't even talk to them so...Maybe that's a bit cynicle. This will probably be my downfall in Japan. I'm not a big talker but I love smalltalk and casual conversations. And here there is none of that. Sometimes it happens but this is rare.
Oooh, ate my broccoli a bit too fast!
In LA when we were waiting for the locksmith to come, a lady passed us and smiled. I said hello and she said hello. That's the way to live, I think. We're not alone. We're always at home with friends...
I bought satsuma oil when in LA. Now that's the way to live: Burning satsuma oil.
I bought lots of Twinkies while in LA. Now I have a toothache: That's not the way to live.
Next Monday in LA the temperature is 21 C. Now that's nice. We'll be leaving Sunday night!
Now holidays are a tricky affair. They can cause as much heartache as joy. It's a balancing act.
Remember it, but don't long for it.
Easier said than done though. If only they'd get rid of those palm trees, blue skies, open roads, beaches, shops, chocolate bars, friendly people, laid back vibe, I wouldn't long for it! Bastards!
posted by PA on Wednesday, March 02, 2005
California sun
We're back.
We had adventure after adventure. A road trip to the desert, with shopping at Desert Hills Outlet on the way; shopping on Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica and malls in Beverly Hills; walking round the Venice canals, Venice pier and Santa Monica pier; driving along Mulholland Drive and around Beverly Hills; enjoying the luxury of the Beverly Hilton hotel - a huge plasma screen TV, a kingsize bed, and inclusive continental breakfast; and finally just enjoying shopping at supermarkets and 7 eleven.
All this was interspersed with car rental trouble, nearly running out of petrol on Mulholland Drive, locking our keys in the car, driving for the first time in 5 years in a storm in a strange city and finally not really being able to understand when we could cross roads.
3 days was far too short. We're thinking of going back next week.
No, not next week, but next year maybe :-)
Have a look at the pictures : California
At Body Shop in Santa Monica we both bought Satsuma oil. I'm burning it now and it's tubular dude. Sorry, it smells really nice.
posted by PA on Sunday, February 27, 2005
LA tomorrow
So, finally we're off to Los Angeles. I still can't wait. Although there are mudslides and floods and tornados at the moment in LA, it doesn't matter. These are American mudslides. American floods and American tornados! They have to be tipped. They drive in big cars and make cool movies. And serve big portions...
Enough stereotyping, let's see for ourselves.
Things to look forward to:
Er....everything.
See ya
posted by PA on Monday, February 21, 2005
The sun turns us to stone
That's a Bright Eyes lyric. He's my current fave. It's one of the few bands where it's really important to listen to the lyrics. Really good lyrics I reckon. I recomend it whole heartedly. It takes a while to unearth the beauty but it's worth it...
Now we're just 4 days away from the US of A!!! I have a feeling I'll never want to leave. Oh well. Such is the nature of holidays,eh. That's what happened with me and Japan!
Oh yeah. I'm up to 7 cigarettes a day during the week. Thas not bad for a quitting start! I just cut out the unnecessary smokes - walking to and from the station, before lunch - and I'm down to 7. Well....unnecessary indeed!
posted by PA on Friday, February 18, 2005
LA and Arousing the mind of will
Since Friday I've been reducing my smokes. Friday I only smoked 2; Saturday I smoked 4; and today 3 so far. It's interesting: I feel better already. I think my body is more relaxed, and I think mentally I'm in a state of aroused will power, and hence I feel calmer. Probably nothing to do with cutting down on my smokes though! But if you think about it, I've been used to having a smoke every hour for the past 9 years. And then suddenly, I deprive myself of a smoke for over 5 hours or so. That's got to do something to the mind and body,eh. Anyway, I hope I can keep it up during work too...
I am now sooooooooooooooooo excited about going to LA. Even though we've decided not to do Death Valley - it takes 6 hours just to the entrance from LA - and go to Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park instead, it's going to be great. Naomi and I had a big LA meeting yesterday and talked about our plan. On the first day we're going to hire a car and drive into Hollywood, have "In and Out" hamburger for lunch and go to Beverly Hills Centre. Late afternoon we'll go to the Beach Towns, and drive down from Malibu to Santa Monica and then Venice Beach. There we'll watch the sunset over the Pacific and then have dinner - at a steakhouse maybe. The next day we'll get up early and drive to Palm Springs, go shopping in the outlet store, and then take the cable car up the mountain for a view of the desert. After that we'll drive to Joshua Tree National Park and see the sunset over the desert and hopefully some animals. Then we'll drive back to LA and have dinner somwhere cool. Our last day, we'll explore more of LA...not sure what yet!!
Just a week to go...
And we went and got out loads of music to listen to in LA on my ipod - Pavement, Lemonheads, Bright Eyes, Aqualung, Ben Folds Five and Ash. That should do!
posted by PA on Sunday, February 13, 2005
The Universe is infinite
It's nice to be deep and it's nice to be simple. The universe is infinite.
I'm now forcing myself to write something deep. I remembered something the hardcore Zen man once said on his Blog: How could you be perfect if you're not also, imperfect? Something like that anyway. It's kinda clever I think.
Most people who are interested in Zen think that it's a way to becoming perfect and whole. Me included. When actually it's a way of realizing we're perfect and imperfect at the same time. We're the entire universe and also a little speck. I am a little ant and I'm not a little ant. Another quote from a Zen book I read, "The Iron Cow Of Zen", compares this to that picture of an old lady who also is a young girl, depending on how you look at the picture. The trick, says the Zen Blog man, is to see both at the same time. I think in Japan, the old lady is emphasized, which means that people's imperfections aren't taken into consideration and as a result people are forced to work as if they didn't have bodies and limitations. The boss of our company once said, "If you do this, you'll never get tired!" Humans get tired though, there's no way around it. Just as humans get sick and no amount of vitamins can prevent it. I think it's a healthy way of thinking, this Zen. Aha! You see, that's how far I've got - it's still just a way of thinking! But actually, I've started sitting again every night. I'd kind of stopped since starting my new job, but I'm back in Zen form again...Everytime I sit I think, "Yup, I want to be a Zen monk". And then I think, "Stop thinking you want to be a Zen monk and count your breaths!"
I'm off for the next three days and LA is now ten days away...
"How many people ride a buggy?"
posted by PA on Thursday, February 10, 2005
When work isn't really work
My first real deadline came and went at work. There was no excitement, no fan fare and no balloons. We sent the stuff off to the designers and will embark upon the next batch. Such is life: You climb one mountain only to find another one behind it...well, that was the case of my brother and I in the Italian Alps!
I wrote two stories and we're going to send these off to the illustrators. I am so excited to see what they look like. I really hope they work out well and the kids like them. My worst fear is that they start mimicking the characters by climbing up ladders to distant clouds and trying to fly to school. That's not such a bad thing though,eh.
A guy at work showed me this : subservient chicken he he...my fave order is, "die". I'd been doing it a long time by then!
LA countdown : 14 days. It's going so quickly. Donnie in LA Mullholand in LA he he...how cool?
posted by PA on Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Walking in someone else's shoes...
Yesterday, a friend from work invited us to go out with her Zen monk friend. We went to a very cool Christian/Gothic themed bar in the heart of Shibuya. It was a nice night out and we had lots of fun. The Zen monk was funny. What I found funniest of all was that he has exactly the same trainers as me, and I've never seen anyone with those in Japan. So I see it as a great metaphor-
either he's walking in my shoes, or I in his...
Today Naomi and I are off to Kichijoji. I like Kichijoji.
And this weekend, I shall not be doing any work.
Which is nice.
posted by PA on Saturday, February 05, 2005
Sunsets, feeding the kites and lying back by the sea...
Here's the sunset:
and here are the kites:
and here is me laid back:
Naomi and I watched "Finding Neverland" and liked it a lot. Jonny Depp never fails and the little Peter is impressive.
I've learnt something about writing picture books. And about myself. When I do something, I basically just jump right in and feel my way through it. I learn things as I go. And learn something, I did: The pictures are meant to tell the story!!! Sometimes, because I jump right in, I miss really obvious things. Oh, well...
LA countdown...22 days!!!!
posted by PA on Sunday, January 30, 2005
The weekend comes but once a week
This week has been such a long week - I thought I'd become trapped in weekdays. But luckily Friday came and went and the weekend has arrived.
This week it really felt like I was working: I had meetings, deadlines to keep, answered the phones in Japanese, gave feedback to my team mate, and got treated like a worker. I even worked a couple of hours unpaid overtime to emphasize the fact that I was indeed working. I quite like having loads to do at work though and for the first time this week I really got immersed in the job. This was mainly due to the fact that I am starting to write stories now and I remind myslef as often as possible how lucky I am to be able to do this...
But on the dark side, my brain doesn't seem to work. It does some cool things like come up with stories and ideas for kids' games, but it doesn't seem be very logical at all. One needs a logical and systematic brain for meetings and the planning stages of a project. Hmmm. Where can I get one? My brother has both, but I don't. Maybe it's just that I've never needed one. That's it! By Jove, that's it! The braincan be trained...
Have you heard of Aqualung? I'm going to get that out tomorrow. It's nicely nice...
posted by PA on Friday, January 21, 2005
Forgetful Haiku
I must remember
that behind the clouds
the sun always shines.
posted by PA on Saturday, January 15, 2005
Brown rice and Zazen
I used to always eat white rice and white bread. And then a friend at work reminded me that white rice is basically just glue. All the good stuff is taken out of brown rice and that's white rice. Well anyway, I don't care what I eat. A Big Mac is just as nice as an expensive meal at a plush restaurant, so I might aswell just eat what's healthy, and then see what happens. So I've started eating brown rice everynight. It's full of vitamin B6 which I'm told is good, and lots of other nice vitamins. So far I've noticed I don't feel as bloated after eating as I usually do and I can't stop ****ing (Farting). I'm told this too, is a good thing. All that fibre is doing its job,eh! The only trouble is it takes twice aslong to cook brown rice. But, I've devised a plan to do Zazen whilst I wait for the rice to cook.
Perfect.
Brown rice and Zazen!
posted by PA on Thursday, January 13, 2005
Misaki Guchi
An hour or so south of Tokyo, looking over Sagami bay towards the Hakone mountain ranges and mount Fuji, is the Miura peninsula. It's really nice and the journey there on one of the nicest trains in Tokyo, is equally nice. Here are a few pictures from my day of looking at Fuji and radish fields...
posted by PA on Tuesday, January 11, 2005
posted by PA on Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Fuji was huuuge, but so small here!
posted by PA on Tuesday, January 11, 2005
posted by PA on Tuesday, January 11, 2005
He he
Why can't everyone be this nice?
posted by PA on Saturday, January 08, 2005
Everyday is like a holiday
I say, "Everyday is like a holiday", but it would be more correct to say, "Everyday is a holiday". After having had 8 days off in a row for Christmas, I have another 3 days off in a row! I'm getting so addicted to these days off that my working days seem like some strange phenemenon: It just feels really wierd going to work...musn't grumble though, I've got 3 days off!
I observed some kids' classes today and we were singing "Incy winsy spider" when it suddenly dawned upon me that music is cathartic : As I sat there making my fingers into spiders, I felt happy. I say, "Dawned upon me", but I should really say, "Remembered".
As I exited the train station tonight, I made my way to the convenience store, when I suddenly remembered the old man who owns a tiny liquor store - I have never seen anyone go in there and he's always sitting there half dead reading a book. So I thought, even though the beer is more expense there, it's worth it just to bring him back to life a little, and bring him back to life I did! As I faced the door to his shop, he jumped up and opened it for me, then told me I could put my bag down on the table by the till. I put my bag down and then went to the fridge to get my Chu-hi, his eyes following my every move. When he typed in the price on his till I felt his joy at having sold something. He was so happy. As I left he apologised for me tripping up over the door step...
I bought about 10 chicken balls for 140 Yen! That's really cheap. I also bought a potato salad for 240 Yen. That's quite expensive. You win some, you lose some!
I'm reading some more Haruki Murakami: Norwegian Wood. It's really good, Norwegian Wood. I really like him. He really is a genius, I think. There's something about the way he writes that's just so absorbing and interesting. Even if he's talking about 2 people just walking around a city for hours on end, it's fascinating. And he's funny and wierd too...
As I waited by the side of the road for the lights to turn green, I remembered something from the past. But I really couldn't remember if it was a dream I was remembering or a real past experience. I suppose past memories and dream can get mixed up. Or there's no real difference. Living in past memories is like living in dreams. Living now is the only way we can live...
Which leads me nicely to my dinner!
itadakimasu!!
posted by PA on Friday, January 07, 2005
Everything that starts...
A new year and a new color for my Blog.
Well, the Christmas holiday is over. We had fun whilst it lasted: Naomi and I sung our hearts out at Karaoke, went for Hawaiin hamburgers, walked around a few temples and shrines in Kamakura in the freezing cold, joined the crowds in sale shopping, watched Howl's Moving castle and Harry Potter and Secondhand Lions, had a couple of Starbucks, had yaki niku and many hot teas, and walked around in the snow. Yos and I went snowboarding in Gunma, driving through thick snow and winter darkness whilst listening to my mini ipod stereo system, and then gliding down beautiful white powdery snow without a care in the world, waving as we zoomed passed one another. Then a nice meal at a service station...
I have two days at work, then yet another public holiday on Monday! You see, everything that starts must end...
posted by PA on Wednesday, January 05, 2005
I knew yeah!
Happy New Year to all who read this!
New Year's Eve we spent out at Karaoke-they've got 20 new Ash songs- and then a bit of shopping-I bought a carbon heater-then out for Yaki niku near my house, then home for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban-really good that-then out at midnight into the slush to a temple and then a shrine and a can of hot tea. A nice way to spend New Year's Eve.
New Year's Day was a very depressing return to a habit I'd rather forget about forever...A new year changes nothing....but cocaine has its benefits! Ha ha! That's what I've noticed about Early Doors:It's all about mis-direction. I remember those two lads were standing at the bar talking about how his wife found out, and that she would probably leave him as it wasn't the first time he'd done it etc. Then at the end of the conversation we find out that he'd actually pissed in the wardrobe by mistake whilst drunk. We were led to think he'd been caught with another woman!
Most of the jokes are like that. I'm going to watch it again. That's my new year's resolution, to study the things I like. Usually I watch things once even if I absolutely love it. Then someone asks me, "So, what's your favorite film?" And I reply, "Mullholland Drive, what's it to you?" And they say, "What happens?"And I say, "Hmm. Can't really remember. But it's bloody fantastic!" Even though it's my fave, it doesn't mean I have to have memorised every line, does it? But this world is full of humans, and we like to talk, and what can we talk about if not the things we love? So there it is, the background to my resolution.
Today we're off for a bit of sale's shopping around Shibuya, Shinjuku and Ikebukuro...
The sun has got his hat on,
hip hip hip hooray,
the sun has got his hat on
and it's freezing anyway.
Oh, and my next resolution, even though I hate the transient nature of resolutions, is to sit more. And to be bored. Running into the lights to escape boredom always gets me. Not that the lights are bad, but there's something to be said for taking it easy...
And...man I want to go snowboarding again!!
posted by PA on Sunday, January 02, 2005
Tanbara ski resort in Gunma
The day was basically a survival adventure....
1. Snow chains snapped whilst whizzing down the motorway. Yoski slams on the breaks and we come to a sudden stop on the hard shoulder.
2. After having taken off the snow chains we enter snow country, turn into a rest area to put a new set of snow chains on and begin to slide towards a post. Yos slams on the breaks, a language which falls on deaf snowy ears, and we slide straight into a post and over a mound. Scary.
3. Put on the snow chains and had deeper into snow country and up the mountain. Yos accelerates round a corner and we spin. He manages to tame the car...scary.
4. We get stuck in a traffic jam for a couple of hours just a few hundred metres from the pistes. 5. We arrive, some 6 hours after departure. Yos hires his gear and we get in the long long line before the lifts. 45 minutes later we get to the top, and I realise my bindings are at a strange angle. I ask the guy at the top to fix them. This takes 20 minutes. At 2:35, we make our first descent and all is forgotten!! It's great to be back on the slopes, free as a snowboarder.
6. We have lunch and then 2 more wonderous descents in beautiful soft powder before the lifts close for the day...Bugger.
7. On the way back, Yos nearly falls asleep because he only had 2 hours sleep the night before. ...although his attempts at keeping himself awake are funny, we decide to pull over and watch tv for a while. This does the job and we get back on the road feeling wide awake!
8. Sleep. A long and safe sleep.
(My camera battery runs out when we get to the slopes so I can't take any pictures of the action)
posted by PA on Friday, December 31, 2004
Here we are...It makes you kinda crazy being in a car for 6 hours when you want to be on the pistes. It makes you even more crazy if you're the driver!
posted by PA on Friday, December 31, 2004
There was a constant snowfall which made the pistes covered with powder - really good snow and just to the side of the pistes it all built up and I cruised down the sides. Lovely!
posted by PA on Friday, December 31, 2004
Merry Crisps
Had a nice Christmas did you? I did. Back at work today and tomorrow but I'll be back in festive mood come tomorrow evening. Eight days in a row!! Lovely, cracking, super, smashing!
I got a lovely Porter bag from Naomi. It's really nice and no matter what you put in it, it stays sturdy. That's what I want in a bag. Isn't that what everyone wants. A bit of stabilty in their bags?
I also got Little Britain and Early Doors on DVD. They speak for themselves, I think. I'm going to go home and watch an episode tonite. Maybe two. Maybe three.
and I'll have a curry tonite. I made it.
I'm writing this at work in a dazed state...I wonder if it shows...? It's 6:20 and I can't be bothered to go home. But I didn't bring my DVD's so I'd best get off....
posted by PA on Monday, December 27, 2004
Good morning!
Yesterday we went out to a nice Izakaya and then on to Karaoke. It was good fun...And the night before, I watched Duets, a film with Huey Lewis and Gweneth Paltrow, about the binding power of karaoke. It really does. Karaoke rocks! Or Pops! Or Countrys! Or Ballads...
Ah, but I've got a headache...
posted by PA on Thursday, December 23, 2004
Ah! The moon!
On the way back from work, a little girl walking with her mother suddenly shouted, "Ah! the moon!" For a second I marvelled at the innocence of the little girl, then completely forgot about it.
That's what happens : You make an amazing discovery then forget about it. Not like in the books I read...
10 things to look forwad to: ( everyone seems to have this kind of section, so why shouldn't I? )
1. Xmas day food and a nice video wiv Naomi.
2. Driving to a ski resort, snowboarding till my calf muscles are dead, and then soaking in an onsen
3. Having 8 days off in a row
4. New Years Eve. Going out and feeling the atmosphere of decadance and anticipation of a new year of joy!...
5. Going to LA...in Feb....staying at Beverly Hilton!!!
6. Going to a temple and sitting for a day and a night.
7. Finishing this damned list
8.Ditto
9.Ditto
10.Ditto
posted by PA on Monday, December 20, 2004
Xmas is for home
Xmas just doesn't work anywhere but home.
I tried to find it in the supermarket. I looked for it at the park. I searched for it on TV.
But it's not here.
So I bought myself some sour skittles at the local import shop ;-)
posted by PA on Sunday, December 19, 2004
I feel allegorical
There lived not far from here, a little snail. His name was Susan. Why he had a girl's name nobody knew and nobody cared - he lived alone under a green leaf and no-one ever visited.
His week went something like this:
Monday he worried that it might rain, and his leaf would fall off.
But it never did.
Tuesday he worried he wouldn't be able to find any food.
But he always did.
Wednesday he worried that the wind would gain in strength and blow him away.
But it never did.
Thursday he worried an eagle might swoop down and eat him.
But it never did.
Friday he worried that Saturday would never come.
But it always did.
Saturday he worried that ants would crawl into his shell and take control.
But they never did.
Sunday he worried about Monday.
As you might have guessed, Susan was a worrier. Then one day not so long ago, he decided to stop worrying and take each day as it comes. And you know what happened?
On Monday, his leaf fell off and he got washed away. Tuesday he awoke and couldn't find any food. Wednesday he got blown away. Thursday he awoke to find himself in an eagle's nest- the eagle ate him. Friday he spent in the belly of that eagle, and Saturday never even came. But you know what? He never worried about Monday again!
posted by PA on Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Thank you Mr. Shankly
I feel in a thanking mood. I think people are nice. Even though sometimes they may not seem it, they are. Thank you.
And thanks to my big brother who always writes me something funny, nice and very often both!
Thanking mood and a sleeping mood...
"Good night to every little hour that you sleep tight"
posted by PA on Thursday, December 09, 2004
Being a bee is good...
I've realised that being busy at work is a blessing. And also that having tough tasks to do is a blessing too. I don't mean this in a spurious religious way, but in a gritty real way. Take this morning for instance : I had some reading to do and a bit of brainstorming for a product packaging and the minute hand hardly moved. I swear I was stuck in a time vacuum. Then in the afternoon, we had a long meeting and then I had to make a phonecall and then we had to go over some things and the time flew like a hawk on a Shinkansen. It's not just the fact that the time flew fast that was good, it was that I felt as though I'd overcome an obstacle and that I'd grown in confidence from that of an ant to that of a more confident ant...
posted by PA on Wednesday, December 08, 2004
LA...la la la la
Yeah yeah, live life in the present! Don't daydream about the future!
I found out from my "Time Out guide to LA" that Beck lives in Silver Lake, LA. Might drive on down. Really keen on driving through Death Valley too. And Santa Monica, Venice, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Palm Springs and Mullholland Drive! I wonder if I can find that diner where that guy recounts his dream and then sees the monster behind the "garbage can". I wonder if I can find the little people too.
Anyway, more of that tomorrow. I'm going to watch St.Elmo's Fire now. Keeping the American vibe going...
posted by PA on Monday, December 06, 2004
I stand in the river of Time, where the source is everywhere and the end is everywhere...
Since having started my new job, I've noticed the strange progression of time. I wake up Monday and then I wake up Saturday. I've started telling myself that Monday is Saturday and that Saturday is Monday. I've always had this feeling that time is irrelevant and that with a twist of the mind, you can do away with it. Maybe it's the extreme routine that is making this feeling more prominent: Days are beginning to look so alike that it's natural for my mind to morph them into one. I sit at my computer today, remember sitting at my computer last week, and remember thinking back to sitting at my computer the week before and on and on - nothing seems to have changed. I've never been so aware of this passing of time and how fleeting everything is. It's a double-edged sword though. If I'm in a meeting, I know it will end, so I don't worry. But if I'm watching a film, I know it ends, so I'm sad.
Another reason I may have become more aware of this is that I have so many things to worry about, that I don't worry so much. The mind is layered and beyond each worry there is another; under each concern lies another; behind each joy lies another. So with the increase in burden comes a de-sensitization to burden and with this comes a feeling of equanimity that results in a morphing of time and events...If I approach things in this same way, wherever I am and whatever I'm doing, I'll feel a consistency that will cause past/present/future to morph into one time...Maybe that's what I'm feeling. Or maybe I drink too much green tea!
With a dream-like Aphex Twin tune in the background and the windows open, it's Haiku time again:
Time's not square
Today here.
Tomorow there-
What color was the sky?
posted by PA on Saturday, December 04, 2004
I wanna live in Los Angeles, not the one in Los Angeles
It's official. Well, unofficially - Naomi and I are going to the Us of A. It's still in the early stages of planning and we won't be going till sometime in February, but it's pretty much definite. We'll be staying in LA and then hiring a car to travel around LA and through the desert to Las Vegas, maybe stopping off at a diner for a big hamburger and Cola. I'm so excited. Just to go into a diner where the waitress comes over in a bad mood, and order steak, fries and a big Cola for 5 Dollars will make my holiday. Just paying in Dollars would be enough. Or to drive down a highway cutting straight through the desert, that just continues forever over the horizon, with Pavement on the stereo. Or just to flick through the 100's of channels on TV and by chance catch an episode of ER, or better still 24 series 4! Or to see a view like the one Donnie Darko sees when he wakes up on top of the hill. These are my American dreams...
posted by PA on Thursday, December 02, 2004
Running out of sound
I finally got round to putting up Silverhill's new single, "Running out of sound".
Please have a listen and let me know what you think. It's on the Silverhill page, Silverhill
posted by PA on Saturday, November 27, 2004
Tis the weekend to be jolly, tra la la la, la la la...
I love weekends, me.
Yesterday evening the winds gusted like the end was near, cleaning up the pollution and leaving the sky a perfect blue this morning, affording me a wonderful view of Mr.Fuji from my balcony.
Since having started my new job, I appreciate my weekends a lot more. Just being able to wake up a little more slowly; to look at the view from my window; to open my windows and let the breeze in - these are my little weekend treats!
The other day at work I learnt how to use tabs. I know this is really easy, but I never really understood what they were. So, I stayed late and worked it out with the help of a guy at work. We also had another meeting with a designer. She brought in some sample illustrations for the textbook my partner and I will be making. They were fantastic! I was really happy to see the characters we had thought of come to life. But at the same time, I was competely blinded by this enthusiasm. All I could say was, "Yeah, they're cool! I love them!" which is probably not appropriate feeedback on a first round of sample designs. Tricky stuff....
Anyway, I think I've let the breeze in too long - I'm freezing!
Today we're going to watch the new Tom Cruise movie...
And I'm going to do my washing. I look forward to doing my washing now. Am I going crazy?? The joy of just being able to sit around and wait is magic after a long week of meetings.
Right, go, I must.
posted by PA on Saturday, November 27, 2004
Where am I?
Here I am!
I had a long, metaphysical post all ready but I just haven't got the energy...Man, it was gunna be good.
posted by PA on Thursday, November 25, 2004
My I'm doomed
I'm pretty sure that my computers been infested by the new Mydoom virus. My internet explorer didn't work for a while, I keep getting errors and and everything's really slow...hmm....So I've updated my ZoneAlarm firewall and am hoping for the best. I don't know what else to do really. Apart from watch Jackass! Hey, I think I will.
posted by PA on Wednesday, November 24, 2004
It's raining
28 years of life and all I have to write today is : It's raining.
Oh yeah and Silverhill's second single is ready. Yoski will hand over the goods on Sunday and hopefully I'll put it up in the evening. Our second single is a little Velvet Undergroundy. I'm looking forward once again to seeing what has become of the song I wrote...
It's called "Running out of sound"
posted by PA on Thursday, November 18, 2004
The end of a long week and the start of America
This past week I have been at teacher training. It reminded me why I don't want to teach anymore : standing up infront of people, following structures, faking smiles, doing the same thing everyday, having to focus on image etc. For a week we planned lessons, learnt the lesson structure, did presentations, and practiced lessons with real students. It was the most gruelling week of my life. This sounds like an overstatement, or an indication of the ease of my life up until now, but everyone agrees that it is like a boot camp. Crossing legs wasn't permitted; you had to look attentive at all times, with positive body language; no chewing gum; no drinks during working hours; you couldn't take your jacket off even if it got too hot. From day one I treated it like a Zen retreat. By day 2 I'd had enough. But I battled through, and thanks to the great people I met there, made it to the end. They were mostly Americans. From California, Texas, New Jersey, Indiana...places I've only seen in David Lynch films or Donnie Darko, Fargo or the tv series, Eerie Indiana. It was cool to put a face to those places. I really want to go and see all those places now. After the last day of training, everyone went to Karaoke and sung their hearts out. Throughout the week they'd called me P funk, because I am just about as un-rap like as you can get, being British and polite, and then they all encouraged me to sing 50 Cent, In Da Club, which incidently is an ironic fave of mine. It was great fun - "Come give me a hug, if ya inta getting rubbed..."Anyway, we carried on till 5 in the morning and then took the first train back this morning...
Now I'm watching Punch Drunk Love for the second time...he he
posted by PA on Saturday, November 13, 2004
All work and a Noh play
It's a privelege to be able to enjoy a little part of a job, I reckon. Today I finally got round to doing something cool at work, rather than saving it for home. I made an activity roulette game. And it's exciting to think that it will be in the textbook. It's so easy to get bogged down with all the meetings, discussions, and theory and forget to think of fun and exciting activity ideas for the kids. After a meeting, all I want to do is have a sleep. Well that's an exageration, but meetings aren't particularly condusive to having kid-like thoughts, but I need to have them to think of ideas for activities. But ideas are wierd: They just come when they're ready.
I got out Aphex Twin - Ambient Works. It's cool. About 10 years late, but finally I get it - It's for when your mind has had enough of thoughts. But it didn't have the track I really wanted: the really really nice melodic soft tune. Maybe there are two CDs and I've just got the first. I'm not sure. Ahh, I loved that one...
Anyway, tomorrow is a national holiday which means tonight is too. Bring on the......tv!
posted by PA on Tuesday, November 02, 2004
Nagoya Nagoya...Where were you?
Today was my first ever business trip, and I learnt one important thing : It doesn't really matter where you go, you don't see anything but the conference room anyway! We got the Shinkansen at 9:50, arrived in Nagoya around 11:30, went into the conference room, did our presentation until 4:20, then went a few blocks to have late lunch, then back to the station to board the Shinkansen for Tokyo, arriving back in Tokyo at 7. Having said this, I saw some mountains, rice fields, orchards and Hamamatsu lake on the way up, which was nice. And had a smoke on the Shinkansen whilst gazing out into the darkness on the way back. That was nice. And we all had a beer on the way back to celebrate the end of the presentation. That was nice too...
Ah, tomorrow is the day. I'm almost definite Kerry will win. If he doesn't, Bush will win. That's just my view...
posted by PA on Monday, November 01, 2004
Rain rain go away, come again never again
Well it's the weekend, and even weekends in Japan have that element of work about them - you're not meant to really ever relax in Japan, unless it's the holiday season and even then you have to relax with all of Japan, which isn't relaxing at all. I only say this because it always seems to rain at the weekend. Not that I have anything against rain in principle - it's nice and refreshing - but it's impractical. And I can't wear my shades...Hey, it's well easy being cynical about Japan.
Well, it's the weekend, and even weekends in Japan have that mysterious quality about them - even though it's the same place, neighbourhoods are so much quieter and relaxed. I only mention this because the rain that seems to fall over Japan at the weekends seems to add to this repose. Not that I am particularly fond of rain - it's wet and cold - but it's so calm inducing. And I can sit and post all day...Hey, it's well easy being optimistic about Japan.
One day, two ways. Whichever I choose, I lose.
Man! Now that's a ponsy post!!
He he
posted by PA on Saturday, October 30, 2004
Umm. I pressed enter and published a paragraph. Right, no pressing of enter! So, a month has elapsed since I started my new job. A crazy month of firsts: Meetings, conference calls, lesson observations, emailing, office exercises, speeches, writing stories, thinking of charcters, commuting in the peak rush hour, and generally being in an office for 9 hours. It's been an experience, both fun and nerve wracking. I can't believe a month has passed already. How time flies when you're busy with all those things I just mentioned. It takes some getting used to. One of the main things I've learnt is probably that I can just be myself. I don't have to force a creative opinion when I don't have one. Sometimes the boss asks us what we think of something, and at the beginning I rushed to give my opinion even if I didn't really have anything worth saying. Now I just speak if I have something valuable to say. I suppose this is a natural progression. Unfortuantely, I rarely have anything valuable to say! Ha ha. And I think I'm kidding...But this is really a rewarding job. At the moment we have basically been preparing ourselves for the work that lies ahead, but over the next month we should start getting into the meat of our task, which I'm looking forward to. Thinking of ideas to entertain and educate the sproggs is cool. And I'm looking forward to see what the final textbook will look like. You'll notice by now that I'm not using paragraphs. This is because if I do, I'll have to write another post! My, how tempting it is to press return! Today I observed, or rather joined in with 5 kids' lessons. It was really good fun. It is nearing Halloween so everyone was in fancydress. I went as the "Cat in the hat", and Frankenstein's monster. One kid wouldn't stop stealing my hat! Anyway, tis the weekend and I'm going to watch "Intolerable Cruelty". I don't have high expectations but....Wow, I'm already getting fat! I just felt the existence of my belly...Office work,eh. Must exercise more...must exercise more...must watch telly more....oops.
posted by PA on Friday, October 29, 2004
Well, I can't seem to sign into Blogger without causing my computer to crash. So I'm posting via Picasa...
posted by PA on Friday, October 29, 2004
John Peel
I haven't had the occassion to write about John Peel's death. And I'm not going to do it now. Suffice to say, he was a legend and I'm sad he died so suddenly...
posted by PA on Friday, October 29, 2004
Flu?No time for that!
On Monday I had the beginnings of the flu. Then I worked for 3 days, getting up early, coming home late, weathered a typhoon, and now it's Thursday and my flu seems to have passed. I have found a cure for the flu!!
It has been decided that I will go to Nagoya to present part of the stuff we have been working on. We will go by Shinkansen. Is there anything cooler? Yep, I'm sure there is, but I quite like the sound of travelling by Shinkansen for a presentation. I like the sound.
Today I left the office on time, at 6pm and got home at 6:40pm, after having bought supplies for my dinner. It's nice to come home on time. I think that's my plan. Work at work, then come home on time. Bring on the work. Sometimes I feel like that. Just give me loads and loads and loads of work, and I will do it. And sometimes I feel like, don't give me anything, and let me sleep. He he.
Tonight is sweet potato rice, meat balls, sweet and sour pork....and some crisps...and 24!
posted by PA on Thursday, October 21, 2004
Typhoon crazy!
It seems like there's a typhoon everyday of late in Japan. Tonight's one is mighty impressive. I left a nice shirt and a warm blanket hanging on the balcony, and it's just raining too hard and too fast to go out and retrieve my loved ones. Nevermind. Tomorrow the rain will stop and then the sun will shine and dry them out. That's the cycle of life, I suppose.
It's Haiku time
Potatos
If I could live today,
the way I'll look back on it-
That would be nice.
Today I had my company health check. I couldn't eat or smoke until 4:30. By that time I was almost delirious. I felt the grip of death upon me. Almost. If I were in 24, I'd probably die by the first hour...
posted by PA on Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Blueish Monday
I had a blueish Monday morning. The train kept stopping which meant my five minutes smoking time by some greenery near my office was being eaten up. I walked faster to the office to make up lost time and had my smoke. There is a God!
Apart from that, every now and then I think, "Can I really pull this off?" Then I think, "Of course I can, it's basically just sitting and writing and talking " - and I know I can do that. It's wierd that overcoming doubt is what's difficult, not the job. The job, without doubt, is sitting and writing and talking...and I know I can do that.
Anyway, by the end of the day, I was "doubtless" enough to do a bit of "free" overtime. All's well that ends well, eh.
posted by PA on Monday, October 18, 2004
New Blog title : Works
I'm thinking of changing my blog title to "Works". No longer do I have time for anything but work. And this isn't particularly depressing, surprisingly. The only way, it seems, to make work easier is to do it. Today, I got one textbook page done. This was done around many meetings, discussions, other little tasks, lunch, discussions, er, trying to work out how to use the scanner and then enlarge the image, and one smoke break! If I could have done it in a normal environment it would have taken...10 minutes. But then I didn't know how to adjust the scanned image, I suppose. So, with scanning know-how, maybe 10 minutes! Now I know though...
Hey, this blog is getting boring!! Ah, but that was interesting. We had a character drawn by a designer who made the logo for Lion King, and we discussed whether we could use him as a designer. It was quite cool. I think my little panda character is going to have to take a back seat!
Anyway, I have to watch 22 hrs of 24 series 3 in 1 week. Haiku time.
Bugger.
I'll never watch
22 hrs in one week!
posted by PA on Wednesday, October 13, 2004
Out of the office
Once a week, I am going to a school to observe kids' lessons. Today was my first attempt at that and it was cool. The teachers were nice enough to let me join in, and I got to play with the kids without the weight of the lesson on my shoulders. It dawned upon me that kids are great when there is none of the stress of teaching them. I did some hopping, stretching, pushing of my nose to make a beeping sound, quacking, asked them how they were, raced a carriage round a rollercoaster...another day at the office? Nope. And that makes a ncie break. The huge project we have undertaken is starting to make sense...
I borrowed 24 series 3 from one off my co-workers. Guess what I'm going to do now?
posted by PA on Tuesday, October 12, 2004
Writing kids' stories
My first full week has ended. It was pretty hectic but at the same time quite calm and fun. I'm still trying to get to grips with all of the project. We have to write so many parts of the kids' curriculum that it's difficult to keep track of everything. Textbooks, storybook, teachers' plan, activity book, homework book...For the first time in my life, I actually need an organiser - and I have to use it!
Yesterday, a big typhoon passed over Tokyo. It was meant to be the biggest one in 30 years but it died out by 9 pm and a stillness remains. Naomi and I watched "Wag the Dog" which is pretty funny, and "The Call", which is pretty crazy. We also had a big feast of KFC chicken! It was nice to watch videos at home...we hadn't done that for a while.
At night I wrote one of the stories for work. About a kid meeting a little hedgehog. It's been decided that the stories will ryhme and have a constant rythm throughout. Plus, we have to incooporate all the vocabulary from the syllabus into the story. This makes it quite tricky! It's fun though. For example, one lesson might have "Do you have...?" as the teaching point, and the next lesson might have, "Yes please!" These have to be part of the story. I really have to stretch my creative powers!
This weekend is a long one, so I have 2 more days of freedom!
posted by PA on Sunday, October 10, 2004
Meetings and Conference call
Today was meeting day and conference call day. Both were pretty much firsts for me so I did the appropriate thing and got nervous. The conference call machine/pod thing is cool. Thought it was a game. We spoke to our office out West and they were funny. It's really wierd talking into a machine to someone you've never met and cannot see and everyone else is there watching you. Meetings are tough too. What to say, when to say it, how to say it, if to say it, were dilemas I faced in my first meeting. But if I keep my eyes and ears open, I am sure to learn the Zen of meetings and conference calls.
Anyway, I got out a dvd tonite, Chainsaw Masacre, but realised if I don't watch it immediately I won't have time!! He he. Time is not like an everflowing river, it stops round 10 pm!
Anyway, no time to blog now...
posted by PA on Wednesday, October 06, 2004
Second day
My second day wasn't at all like the first. I spent all of today looking over the new syllabus and writing a story for children. I'm getting used to the office quietness too. Not much talking, which means I don't have to worry about being quiet! Works out well.
I have to wear a suit. I go down 19 floors to have a smoke. Today whilst having a smoke, a taxi rolled up and the driver got out and spoke to me in Japanese, asking for directions. It was cool. At my previous job I always wore shorts and a t-shirt. I never got spoken to in Japanese. That's kinda cool. He spoke to me as if I were a Japanese salaryman. That's not so cool!
Anyway, now I understand why office workers don't blog so much!
posted by PA on Monday, October 04, 2004
The first day...
I finally had my first day. It was quite tiring! Exhausting! We had my welcoming party the night before and that left me too excited to sleep that night, which in turn left me a bit anxious about my first day. Strolling in to work at 10 o'clock was nice though. Once there I had my orientation along with another girl from Canada who had just started too. There's sooo much to do! I'll never be bored in this job, that's for sure. Might get exhausted but rarely bored.
The most difficult part of the day was leaving. My shift was 10-7, and when 7 o'clock came I was outa there. Everyone else on that shift was still there though...but I was done for the day! He he. In Japan though, many people wait until everyone else leaves. But another guy on the earlier shift left on time so I followed his style!
Anyway, time to rest!
posted by PA on Friday, October 01, 2004
See you Nick!
My friend Nick, from back home, left today. Our last night was spent at Ebisu beer station where we had an overpriced alfresco beer, then at his favourite Yaki-niku restaurant in Harajuku, where we consumed a monstrous amount of cow tongue, beef, pork, corn on the cob, and grilled rice balls. From there we walked to Shibuya where we settled into the Happy Hour at Gaspanic. I think it's a good club if you're a visitor to Tokyo. For Nick it was like a familiar base for his travels. We came back around 23:30, then Nick booked a hotel in Hong-Kong, his next destination. We got to sleep around 2:00, then we had to wake up at 6:00 for him to catch his train to the station.
Now, he's gone and my holidays are almost over, it's time to get prepared for work! I'm a bit nervous, but I know that after I get used to it, it'll be a great job. I should count myself lucky I didn't get myself into a sales job, or something equally not me. I'm looking forward to being able to immerse myself in the creative side of my job.
Anyway, it's raining super hero cats and magic dogs...
posted by PA on Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Another Kamakura : Through the eyes of a friend
Today I met up with a friend from work and went to Kamakura. I showed her my usual hiking course and choriso sandwhich restaurant, then she showed me her favourite temples. It was great. We went on the Enoden line which is a tiny railway line that has only 10 stops. The train passes within a few inches of the houses and skirts the coast, and even goes on the main road at one point. It's the cutest railway I've ever been on. Just an hour from Tokyo, it feels like you're lost in time...
The other day I watched Happiness. This is an absolute masterpiece. Undeniably harsh and shocking but so well acted with such a great script that it's hard to find fault. Sexual deviance, emptiness and loneliness being the central themes, from the title scene in which a guy gets dumped by his girlfriend , you know the title is irony in it's purest form. I'm going to watch Storytelling next which is meant to be in the same vein.
Just a week to go now before I start my new job. Got lots of ideas down for the characters. I hope they like them. I've got Floating animals, Weather family - including storm boy and rain girl - and Shadow kids - who wear cool shades! I kind of made them all slightly in the style of Western characters, if that's possible. The Shadow Kids especially are very much in the vein of children's adventure story books in England. Anyway, I could think forever about characters, I think. There are so many possibilites.
Now, where was I ? ( a Haiku )
It's amazing -
How easy it is
to forget to live.
posted by PA on Thursday, September 23, 2004
So that's what I did as a child!
Incredible! I'd always wondered what I did and felt as a child and now I know. I must have spent half my life watching cartoons! This site is nostalgia in www format : Cartoons from the past Ah, I remember watching Cities of Gold with my bro after school, and Dungeons and Dragons. They were sooo good. And it's not the rose tinted lenses of time. They were fantastic! And then Banana man, Mighty Mouse, Mr Benn!!!, Super "Now I'll say my secret word" Ted and Jimbo!! For God's sake, did I ever go out? This is all research, by the way. I'm trying to work out what character to use for the older kids. I wondered whether kids here prefer different kind of things and I've concluded that it's pretty similar. They have their Dragon Ball, we have our Thundercats, they have their Pokemon, we have our Dungeons and Dragons, they have their Doreamon, we have our Jamie and the Magic Torch. Definitely very different in style and look, but ultimately the same.
So, I bought a nice new folder for work, some colored crayons, and some A4 paper. It's 22:55 and I'm going to sit and let the imagination flow. That's what it's for after all...
posted by PA on Saturday, September 18, 2004
Chiba - Inba marsh and Sakura town
So, for my first real bicycle outing I hopped on a train from Nippori, and hopped off it an hour later in Sakura. From there, I unfolded my bike and rode through the pleasant town of Sakura, up over the hills passing farms and allotments, then made my way past rice fields to Inba marsh. Then I crossed a bridge and headed up some more hills to see some more farms and secluded allotments. A marvelous blue sky all the way, I was truly blessed on my first ride in the countryside. Here are some pictures. Personally, I think the lady painting infront of the windmill is my best yet. Unintentionally, of course.
My characters are coming along now. I sat down by the windmill and ideas flowed from me. It's very difficult to come up with something 100 percent original though. Just about any object/living thing has been made into a character in Japan, from walls to bread. Is there anything left?
posted by PA on Thursday, September 16, 2004
My mode of transport...Rapide!
posted by PA on Thursday, September 16, 2004
A family of ducks
posted by PA on Thursday, September 16, 2004
Nice bicycle path by the marsh
posted by PA on Thursday, September 16, 2004
Windmill by Inba marsh
posted by PA on Thursday, September 16, 2004
Someone's house...wish it were mine. But all the hosues round there looked just as nice!
posted by PA on Thursday, September 16, 2004
Dragonfly...
posted by PA on Thursday, September 16, 2004
More rice?..anybody...anybody...anybody...
posted by PA on Thursday, September 16, 2004
Doves flying...peace in the air!
posted by PA on Thursday, September 16, 2004
The rice is burning!!
posted by PA on Thursday, September 16, 2004
Those rice hats again!
posted by PA on Thursday, September 16, 2004
Marsh mellow
posted by PA on Thursday, September 16, 2004
Move on over...
Dunno why I'm all the way over on the left now...
Watching ER series 9 now! Man, it's good.Ramano just got his arm severed off by helicopter propeller....next episode now.
posted by PA on Wednesday, September 15, 2004
A nice character
I've had my mate Nick from back home here with me the past few days. We've been everywhere : up Tocho in Shinjuku, had food by Tokyo Tower, drank beer till 3 in Gaspanic in Shibuya, had Yakiniku in Harajuku with Naomi, had Izakaya night in Shibuya, took a boat along Sumida, went to Meiji Shrine, walked through Yoyogi park at night, went to Sensoji temple in Asakusa and had Yoshinoya, drank lots of coffee al fresco around Shinjuku and Ochanomizu. Now he's off to see his brother in Yamaguchi ken. Lucky sod!
So, I start my new job on October the 1st. Before then, they've asked me to think about the characters we can use for the children's textbook I will be creating. At first I thought of flying strawberries and helicpoter apples and bouncing grapes, but now I'm thinking more along the lines of animals with their favourite foods stuck to their bellies. These characters will travel by flying apple-ship or some kind of bus. Man, I can't believe this will be my job!! These characters are for toddlers aged 0-4, so I concluded they've got to be pretty simple, have big smiley faces and be based on something familiar to them. And animals and food and vehicles seems to be the focus of most little people in Japan. For the older kids I can be more adventurous I think, seeing as the current fave is pocketmonsters for boys and super hero princesses for the girls. Anyway, I got a bit of time off before I start so I'm going to try and draw them and develop their characters. I was thinking of giving them all specific personalities. I think kids like that. Even tiny kids. So, Penguin might fall over alot, Monkey might climb around all the time, Panda will fall asleep all the time, Rabbit will always be munching away on lettuce or carrots, and Giraffe won't be able to fit anywhere cause his neck's too long. Anyway, just getting some ideas together for now...It's good fun!
posted by PA on Wednesday, September 15, 2004
And then it hits you...
Finally, I feel a pang of sadness. Tonight we had mine and Yoski's farewell party. It was nothing like I'd expected. I didn't have to give a sentimental speech, no-one said that much about us leaving, and we just drank and ate and sung our hearts out at Karaoke. Hamamura san, a very cool Beatles fanatic, and I, sung two Beatles Medolies. I really enjoyed that. He did the Paul and I did the Lennon. Yoski sung a cool Japanese tune. Matsuoka san sung, "Have you ever been mellow?" by Olivia Newton John, the tune of which is staying engrained in my brain. Have you ever been lonely~~~?Todoroki san, the manager sung lots of Enka ( Japanese blues ) note for note perfect. Another manager was very drunk and completely different from his usual self. And Yamaguchi san and Watanabe san sung some Enka and oldies, again note for note perfect. It seems people in Japan can sing. It was good fun.
They're a very nice bunch and I'll miss them. But actually I'll see them again so I won't miss them at all!
The manager who was very drunk and not his usual self was very entertaining. He disregarded all social customs and asked all the ladies their age, then started chatting them up, and questioned them about their first kiss etc. Then he went on to tell us about a 100 Yen Noodle restaurant round the corner. I amost understood what was happening!
Anyway....a lady bought me a train pass holder, so I'm happy as can be...
posted by PA on Monday, September 13, 2004
Koishikawa Korakuen
Today I had my lesson at Koishikawa Korakuen, a nice scenic park near Tokyo Dome and in the heart of Tokyo. Even though it's in the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, there is a rice field, plum trees, ponds, and many nice weeping willows. And of course Koi carp and turtles.
Little pond, Lotus pond, Hills, Trees, Hedges, Big Egg ( baseball stadium ), Rollercoaster...Anything else you want?
posted by PA on Friday, September 10, 2004
Hills...
posted by PA on Friday, September 10, 2004
7 Plank Bridge...
posted by PA on Friday, September 10, 2004
Lotus...
posted by PA on Friday, September 10, 2004
Scarecrow scaring crows by a rice paddy
posted by PA on Friday, September 10, 2004
Koi Carp at Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens, Tokyo
posted by PA on Friday, September 10, 2004
Scary Zen
People are crazy. I was reading a few Blogs on Zen. There was a guy who wrote to another, "who is this you that seeks enlightenment?And where is enlightenment? etc etc." As if he/she was going to awaken the reader! It made me scared. People writing all this stuff they've read. Religion often seems like nothing more than another argument waiting to happen...Sit down and shut up! seems like the best advice I've ever read about Zen.
posted by PA on Monday, September 06, 2004
Dragonfly on my shoulder
There was a dragonfly darting about in the train as I made my way back from work tonight. It rested on a guy's leg for a while then crashed about into windows and then landed on my shoulder. People in Tokyo rarely bat an eyelid at anything that happens on the trains. In the morning someone dropped their hankerchief as they got off the train and everyone stared at it lying their on the floor, but no-one said a thing. Then, true to form, no-one seemed to care that a dragonfly was perched upon my shoulder. Apart from me, that is. They're huge and they're not meant for shoudlers. They're meant to be free, darting around in the sky and perching on flowers. Anyway, true to form, the Japanese didn't bat an eyelid, but a Korean guy smiled and as our eyes met, we shared a laugh. I kinda wanted to save everyone from the dragonfly, but when it was on me, in a reflex, I just flicked it into a girl's face! He he, you have it! But it flew away to not-bother some other commuters...
3 more days left. I got some cards from the kids today, but I don't think they knew what/who they were for. At one point, a girl thought it was for her and started to walk away with it. It isthe thought that counts, eh?
posted by PA on Monday, September 06, 2004
A nice forest or a big mountain please!
I can always tell when I'm worried about something : I look at absolutley everything with envy. Riding the train, I wish I were in the cosy little houses I see out the window. Sitting at home, I wish I had a family. Watching TV, I dream of far away holiday destinations. Walking outside I wish I were walking by rice fields, in some small village high in the mountains. All this happens when I'm worried. It comes in handy, as a signal. Because sometimes it's not so easy to know why I feel the way I do.
I used to do this a lot...
Now, there's an optimistic end to a post. I put it in red so you can feel the optimism.
4 more days of teaching kids!
posted by PA on Sunday, September 05, 2004
This is Shinjuku. I'll be working in the business area, the other side of the station...
posted by PA on Friday, September 03, 2004
Shonan Beach, taken on the way to work the other day. This picture uploading function on Blog is great!
posted by PA on Thursday, September 02, 2004
Just my baby and me...and a pond and some nice old buildings
It really is a lovely area where I live. I just went on a night bike ride from here to Ueno, and sat by the lotus pond. The moon floated gently above me in the clear sky, and the neon reflected in the water. On the way back I went through the old downtown area of Tokyo, going up and down the hills, passing many old houses, temples, big trees, and little bars nestled in quiet residential areas. The air was cool, and people seemed to be enjoying themselves, out late at night. It felt as if we were defying the world : being out when really we should have been inside watching TV!
I had a nice evening tonight. Usually I search in vain most of the night to find something worth watching onTV, or playing on the internet. But today, I cleaned my house a little, watched Nick and Jessica, had a phone call, uploaded some cds to my ipod and then went for a ride. I chose my evening rather than letting it choose me. Ok, the Nick and Jessica bit I did with a mixture of pain and enjoyment, but it was only 30 mins of nonsense...
The Quiet
Even as the train passes,
it's so quiet.
I can't feel the noise.
hmm.Bit ponsy that one.
posted by PA on Tuesday, August 31, 2004
Typhoon Tea
Typhoon number 16 has arrived in the southern islands of Japan, Kyushu. Looks like a big one, and my windows are rattling like mad. There is lots of news coverage with pictures of trees swaying in the wind and news casters decked out in yellow raincoats struggling to be heard through the gusting, strong winds. But here in my little appartment, apart from the rattling windows, I am safe. Safe from volcanoes, earthquakes, and typhoons. I get a few wobbles every now and then, rattling windows but absolutley no volcanic ash flying through my windows. I am a lucky man.
Today, I had my first sad student! Sad to see me go, that is. I was naturally quite moved. It just so happens, she is one of the nicest students I teach. Thanks very much for being sad.
Haiku time. I'm quite into these lately. I think it's because I'm so tired, I can't be bothered to write much. Haiku's are short enough to write even in a state of complete exhaustion.
A Haiku Habit
Why is it,
I can't spend my time
forming good habits?
posted by PA on Monday, August 30, 2004
Fahrenheit 9/11
My friend is very keen on conspiracies and political intrigue, so although I'd avoided any reviews of this documentary, I'd pretty much heard the main premise : The Twin Towers are bombed on 9/11, then Bush does a half-hearted invasion of Afghanistan to appease the public, then moves onto Iraq and Saddam. The leap to invading Iraq is supported by breeding fear into the hearts of Americans and making up things about Iraq having WMD. In the background is the Bush family's links to Bin Laden and Saudi businessmen, and a host of congressmen who have business interests in the oil fields of Iraq. If we are to believe Moore's accusations, Bush is a nutter. If we are to distrust Moore, Bush is still a very stupid guy who is in charge of the most powerful country in the world and that accounts to the same really!
F 9/11 has some very disturbing images of the wounded in Iraq. And as a piece of anti-war propaganda, it certainly does its job. Some of the most disturbing images are of young Americans talking about "being pumped up" listening to their hard rock cds whilst bombing Iraq, as if war really is just a game. I didn't feel any anger towards them but rather towards....I dunno. I doubt it's Bush who has any real power after all. Maybe just towards the idea that any war can serve any purpose at all. They should have got Jack Bauer in there to assasinate Saddam and saved all the rest of the country from being ravaged by bombs.
F 9/11 does get lost in pure propaganda though quite often. Scenes of people all free and happy before the war are a little tough to swallow. I don't think he should have made out that life in Iraq was all roses before the invasion, because when he does so, it makes it just a little bit harder to believe what he says later on.
But all in all, I think he casts extreme doubt on the morality of Bush's motives for invading Iraq, and unearths the rife corruption that exists at the heart of the world's most powerful nation. And that's scary!
posted by PA on Saturday, August 28, 2004
Cool
I think summer has finally bid us farewell for this year. It's nice and cool now. Summer's nice but it was a little bit too hot this year : Baking heat and so humid you could leave a glass outside and it would be full in a few minutes.
Tomorrow we're going to go and watch Farenheit 9/11 in Virgin Cinema, Roppongi Hills. Quite looking forward to that. I'm intentionally not reading anything about it. I know the premise, and most of the controversy, but I haven't read any reviews. Let me decide!
Goodnight...nah, a Haiku....well, I write Haiku, but it really hasn't got anything to do with a proper Haiku. None of that 7-5-7...But the idea is there, I suppose : To represent something in its purest essence.
"ipod sings out loud
and I wonder -
What's the problem?"
posted by PA on Friday, August 27, 2004
The Skeptic's world
You look forward to stuff, and then it ends. Then you look forward to more stuff, and that ends too.
The Optimist' world
You look forward to stuff, and then it ends. Then you look forward to more stuff, and that ends too.
I watched a great movie the other day, Switchback. Danny Glover, Dennis Quaid and Jared Leto were in it. I'd never heard of it - it was made in 2000 I think - but it was really good, and I caught it for free on satelite, a rare treat! It's a fairly straight foward serial killer movie but it's so well written and nicely paced that it really delivers!
Today, my return journey from work took me 2 hours and a half! But it didn't feel like it at all. The reason being.....iPod!!Oh yeah, and the great book I'm reading a tthe moment by Haruki Murakami, The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. Honestly, it's a fantastic book. I'm going to describe it in one sentence : An erotic, metaphysical tale of a man's search for reality in the face of an ever spiralling series of mysterious events, all of which gradually and painfully force the protaganist to challenge the foundation on which his life is based. And there's this bird that winds up the world....still trying to work out the metapohor in the title...
posted by PA on Wednesday, August 25, 2004
Sunflowers...
These are the sunflowers I got from the mothers at work today.
And here's my sunflower Haiku :
"I remember the fields of sunflowers in France.
A few memories in an
Oolong vase"
posted by PA on Tuesday, August 24, 2004
Endless Goodbyes...
Now the summer holidays are over, I've entered the eternal goodbye section of my life. I've worked for Mebae for over 4 years now and have had a great time. In truth, Mebae saved me from the nightmare, for me, of teaching adults. If Mebae hadn't saved me, I'd have gone insane. Thanks to Mebae and all the very friendly teachers and staff, I've been able to really absorb some of the finer aspects of Japanese culture : Anpanman, Kttychan, KamenRider, Sailor Moon, Shimajiro, Pokemon, Babe Rade, Mushi King etc. Not to mention the boundless joy of kids. Although many of them are exploding with excitement brought on by excessive sugar intake and too much high-speed TV, many of them are just what you'd expect from kids : Funny, kind, innocent and free. Anyway, everyday from now on till the end of my contract, involves goodbyes. And I'm shit at goodbyes. Come to think of it, I'm shit at hellos too. I think any instance where I feel the pressure to have some kind of emotion, I'm shit.
I got some lovely flowers from the mothers today. Mini sunflowers. They're gorgeous.
Ooh, it's hot tonight.
posted by PA on Tuesday, August 24, 2004
Cute golf and Studio Silverhill
Today Yos and I went to play golf at a little course near his house. His area is an hour or so from Tokyo and is quite lovely really. The trick is to have a car, so you can escape the immediate confines of the town. Once you travel off the main roads, it becomes a bit more open and countrysidey. The golf course was very cute indeed. The first hole was 50 yards long. The second was 56 yards. The longest hole on the course was 110 yards. I think there were 2 bunkers on the entire course. The view from the 6th hole was awesome, looking out over Chichibu national park. We stopped for a smoke there and looked out over the rolling mountains. The farmers were burning their fields and the smoke hovered over the hills without a care in the world. The golf course was friggin expensive though, at 2500 for 18 holes. But I suppose the price of joy is about that. Although those 30 Yen chocolate bars are pretty nice too...
After that we went into the studio to record our second Silverhill single. We started off with a Pixies esque song which went ok. I liked it but he didn't care much for it. Then we did a Velvet Underground esque song and it was brilliant. I mean it felt brilliant. It was soft and harmoniuos and natural. I'm looking forward to hearing what Yos does with it. It could well turn into a classic. I mean, it will feel like a classic to us...
posted by PA on Sunday, August 22, 2004
inMotion and Kamameshi
Today was my belated Birthday party with Naomi. We had a lovely meal of sheesh-kebabs and Kama meshi ( rice with peas, egg, meat, sea food, mushrooms ) and beer. Delicious. Before that though I got my first pressie, inMotion speaker and docking pad for my mini ipod :
I'm listening to Happy End, a very good Japanese band from the 70's. One of their songs was in the soudntrack to Lost in Translation.
posted by PA on Wednesday, August 18, 2004
Nikko
We've just come back from a great road trip to Nikko. We saw so much and had lots of fun. Jamie has been visiting for a few days. He came up from Yamaguchi ken. We had lots of fun in Tokyo playing games, especially the horse racing game; visiting Apple in Ginza; Tower records, Kiddyland, and Meiji shrine in Harajuku; table tennis in Shibuya; and The National Museum of Western Art, Ameyoko, Pachinko, Ueno park, and Kaiten sushi in Ueno. At nights we played James Bond on the N64, drank on my rooftop and watched Totoro. Then today and yesterday, we were in Nikko having even more fun : Nikko
It seems like he's having such a great time down in Yamaguchi ken! Good stuff.
posted by PA on Tuesday, August 17, 2004
Holiday Haiku
Beautiful views.
When I come home,
they are still beautiful.
I have a tendancy to turn wonderful experiences into painful ones. This, to me, is one of the meanings of the Buddhist saying that everything is suffering. Even happy times disappear, and when they disappear, we long for them again. When they're here, we fear they'll disappear. And even if we don't we're too excited to enjoy them. But this time I was aware of my tendancy. So, I calmed myself down, didn't worry when Naomi wanted to go shopping ( he he ) and actually enjoyed every moment, instead of rushing to find the best moment. We were shopping in a store surrounded by mountains after all. And then when I got home, I didn't long to be there anymore. I had my pictures, my memories, and felt replenished. Because what's the point of a holiday, if only to come home and be worse off than when you left? Mountains, trees and open spaces are great, but they're not there to make me despise the city! But man, it was nice...
Tomorrow, Jamie is coming to visit Tokyo and he's staying with yours truly. Going to be great! We'll be off to Nikko on Monday, Karaoke and stuff Friday, and whatever else he wants to do. I even bought a futon and bean pillow for him, although actaully I needed a new one, so when he goes, I'll use the new one...
Right...
posted by PA on Wednesday, August 11, 2004
Yamagata ken
Whoever made that place is a genius - Tohoku
Got a free Yukata too at the ryokan and I'm wearing it now. Can't lose the feeling now, can I?
posted by PA on Tuesday, August 10, 2004
Tohoku iku
Today we're off to Tohoku. I woke up at 7, unable to sleep anymore. We're taking the 1:42 pm Shinkansen, but I'm ready to go now! It's nice to wake up early. The air is fresh and the morning still. The weather in Kaminoyama Onsen is welcoming : sunny and cool.
Booked our pension in Nikko too, yesterday. Yos, Jamie and I will be staying in a little wooden house just a ten minute walk from Toshogu shrine. It was surprisingly hassle-free to book one week ahead in the busiest season of the year, Obon. Incidently Obon is the "festival of the dead", a time when ancestors are meant to return to earth for a holiday. My name when said in Japanese is eerily similar to this festival name. Add to this the fact that I was born during Obon, have an interest in Buddhism, and live in Japan, I think you'll agree this is one fine coincidence. Can you imagine that Dad knew I would come to Japan, so he chose the name Auban? Or better still, he didn't know I was going to Japan, but once I'd been named after the Japanese festival, I started, unbeknowest to me, upon a path to Japan. At school I knew a Japanese girl. Near my house is a Nichiren Temple. Then at university, I met Naomi. I suppose if you look for coincidences, you find them, but I'm not looking. They're all there...
Right, 3 hours and half till I meet Naomi...hmmm. I got up too damn early.
posted by PA on Monday, August 09, 2004
Pachinko Mayhem : The Whole Truth
The Parlour was pretty much empty when I entered at 10:00 am. I perused the machines and found my hope for the day. I got myself a drink, sat down and inserted a 10,000 Yen bill. By 1:00 pm, I'd inserted 5 10,000 Bills and my "hope for the day" was slowly turning into my "nightmare for the day". Everytime a ball finds its way into the "start" hole, the fish spin. This had happened 1036 times and I hadn't won yet. Then I won. 3 hours later I was back on top, having won 60,000 Yen : I had a stack of 12 crates neatly lined up behind me. A nice couple beside me kept urging on my machine and I urged on theirs and we all kept winning. Then I started losing again. I put 6 crates back in, in an attempt to get a mini ipod for Naomi! Gradually and surely, my luck was running out. It was a losing battle. So by 10:00 pm I was down to 6 crates and was 20,000 Yen down. The parlour closes at 11:00 pm so there was little chance of me getting it all back : But there was a little chance. And sure enough at 10:20 pm, I started winning again. I won 5 crates, my last one came at 11:00 pm, and I was left in a virtually empty parlour to fill up my crate. The loud music turned to soft "ending theme" music, as my new friends bid me goodnight. So, 13 hours later, I was 5,000 Yen up, a pack of cigarettes down, and I had deep vein thrombosis...
You may say I'm a fool, and you'd be right. But until I lose, I'm a lucky fool.
One day till, Shinkansen time!
posted by PA on Sunday, August 08, 2004
Holidaze
Ah, the holidays have arrived. Two weeks of them. Everything changes when you know you don't have to exert yourself against your will. I have two weeks where I can live as I please and see who I please and go ( within reason ) where I please. Although I like the idea of doing things I'm not to keen on, as a means to overcoming myself, it's also nice to not have to overcome anything for a while. ..
Now, I am importing Pisces Iscariot. Then I will upload onto my ipod. Then I will sit in the cool manufactured breeze of my old fan and listen. I may even play one of the games on my ipod, although they're shite!
posted by PA on Friday, August 06, 2004
Yamagata Kaminoyama Onsen
Today I booked our trip to Tohoko ( north-eastern Japan ). I have never been up in that area so I'm dead excited. Tohoko is famous for being a little backward and rural, which is fine by me : Everywhere is mountains. Where we're going you're meant to have a view of the sacred Bandai mountains, where lots of ascetic folk run up and down in hope of attaining something or other.
We're catching the Tohoku Shinkansen at 13:40 from Ueno, Monday, and we'll arrive at our hotel at around 16:30. Being a stop on the Shinkansen line, the town itself seems to be quite built up, but full of stuff to keep us entertained. There are 5 foot onsens, old streets lined with tradtional houses, temples and of course onsen galore. After all, this is an onsen town. Our place has a rotenburo ( hot outdoor spa ) on the roof. So, we'll stay the night in a Japanese style room, play some ping-pong.....I don't half get excited about holidays. I spent hours and hours trying to find pictures of the place we're going to. We'll be there in a few days, so it's a bit silly really. Anyway, well come back on the Shinkansen the next day, leaving mid-afternoon. Hopefully this will give us ample time to explore the town and see a few vistas and boil our bodies in volcanic waters!
posted by PA on Thursday, August 05, 2004
Double Zen
Yesterday, Silverhill went to do Zazen at my local temple. I always go on my own and it was a welcome change to have a partner in Zen, if only once. I sat and listened to my brain buzzing from excessive Pachinko and ipod, and then all of a sudden, Yos bowed and asked to be whacked! I've been going for 2 years and I've never had the courage to asked to be whacked. I smiled to myself and almost chuckled. Then I tried to concentrate on the chirping cicada, but it was hopeless : My Zen was down. They say that to be able to do Zazen you must have "beginner's mind" and that seems to be the case. I sat there trying to sit like a non-beginner! I didn't want all my effort to have been worthless...Ah, the things you learn when you sit with your thoughts!
ipod haiku
Shall I listen to Keane,
or maybe Pixies, Smiths or Stone Roses?
No choice.
posted by PA on Monday, August 02, 2004
Mini Ai Pod
I am in love and the object of my love is the mini ipod. It is the coolest thing the world has ever created. It can contain all the tunes that help to lift the soul in every situation you'll ever encounter. This is the answer to all of life's problems. Someone whacks you in the face? Doesn't matter, get your ipod playing you favorite calming tune and you're saved. Going crazy? Doesn't matter, get the ipod playing your favorite metaphyisical tune. Feeling tired and weary? Put on some Grandaddy. Genius. I have about 30 bands in there at the moment. All my fave tunes in one place! Starting to sound like an advert for ipod now...
Supposedly, all the mini ipods sold out within the first day in Tokyo but, the jammy sod that I am, I walked in today, a week after they went on sale, and got myself a silver one. Someone had cancelled their order and I came in just at the right time.
Anyway, music is back in my life. ipod has made music so easy to listen to...Tunes I haven't listened to for ages, because I couldn't find the md or didn't want to listen to them on my pc's dodgy speakers, are once again music to my ears. Or tunes I just didn't have with me at the right time are once again reverberating in my ears. Or great tunes that are lost on mediocre albums are just a few clicks away. Or tunes that I'd forgotten were great, are now just so easy to find, listen to and rediscover. It's all so simple....Simple as i
Bless ipod...Mini ipod bless mini ipod
amen
Did I mention it looks so damn small and cool?
posted by PA on Friday, July 30, 2004
The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, by Haruki Maurakami
I'm reading this book at the moment. To say it's fantastic is an understatement! This line made me laugh as I sat reading on the train this morning :
"I observed form and went to ask Kumiko's parents for her hand in marriage. To say their reception was cool, would be an understatement. The doors of all the world's refridgerators seemed to have been thrown open at once."
I'm hooked on this book. Murakami writes with such freedom and joy, that it's so invigorating to read.
I'll write a proper review once I've finished.
posted by PA on Thursday, July 29, 2004
"Why can't everyone just be nice to each other?"
I'm getting overly sensitive to people being nice: Ozzy made breakfast in bed for Jack and my eyes watered...what's going on?
I ate some crisps tonite.
I watched some TV.
I cleaned my appartment.
Life in Tokyo is not so different from life in every other country that has TV's...and appartments....and crisps.
posted by PA on Wednesday, July 28, 2004
Hakone
Ahhh, lovely...I wish I could say it's great to be back in Tokyo : Not Tokyo
It was really cool too, in Hakone. Now it's back to oven weather...
posted by PA on Monday, July 26, 2004
Haiku
Seeing as it's really too hot to conciously exert the brain, I thought I'd just make a print of my brain :
"Hot"
So there you go: It really is hot.
This Sunday we're going to stay in a little cottage in Hakone and the following day we're going to play golf. It's going to be 33 degrees, so I'd best take along my cooling back pack. Bugger, I haven't got one. I'm really looking forward to it though. I haven't seen a tree for a month or two. And I've got my new clubs and new swing to try out.
Let's try that brain print Haiku thing again :
"Tired and hot and sweaty"
Hmmm. It really works.
posted by PA on Thursday, July 22, 2004
That's why I was melting!
Yesterday was officially the hottest day ever in Tokyo : HOT
And today is probably the same.
Ahhhhh take me to the sea or a bath....
posted by PA on Wednesday, July 21, 2004
Mary Poppins!
So, I'll be getting some financial assistance from Naomi for my new ipod, as a prize for sitting up in that room. The ipod mini is out next week. There's only a 5,000 Yen difference so, unless I really am just getting an ipod for aesthetic reasons, I can see no reasons whatsoever in getting the ipod mini. Then again, it does look nice! It seems everyone is waiting for the new Sony player though. Naomi's friends are techies, and they're doing that. And so's my bro. Hmmm. I haven't got the patience to wait though. I usually buy shoes that are either too small or too big, just because I can't be bothered to wait, so a music player is no different. But you can't wear an ipod on your feet. Well, you could but you'd need a special clip or something. I don't think they have that yet ( trying to do Alan Partridge then, but failed. It's gotta go off at a tangeant and be funny ) . 4gb on the mini. 1000 songs. Fancy colors. 28,000 Yen. Actually, I think I will go for the ipod mini after all. It's limited edition, so the man in the shop said. I'll have to be quick.
Had shabu-shabu yesterday. Deelicious.
posted by PA on Monday, July 19, 2004
Geelorius day
A new day so why not a new font?
So, yesterday, I did the complete Pachinko ride from Nishi Nippori to Shinagawa. It was ace. Very very tiring indeed. On the way, it was scorchingly hot and stiflingly humid. It took about 30 mins to Hibiya park where I stopped off at a little stall selling drinks and snacks. I asked the lady for a "Ramone", which is Japanese English for Lemonade, and she replied rather rudely, "Eh??!!". Then she understood what I had said and gave it to me. I said, "It's very hot isn't it?" to which she replied, "Yes, well it's summer, isn't it?". I countered her remark with, "Yes, but it's too hot!". She laughed and told me to put my empty bottle in the bin. Hmm. "She's a bit rude", I thought to myself and the trees. I sat and pondered whilst I drank my ramone. After a while I became hungry and thought this was a good way to break the ice between the stall lady and me. I bought a strawberry thing, then said, "I've just ridden from Nishi Nippori!". To which she replied, "Ahh, you've come from there, have you? How long did that take you? About 40 minutes?". "Yes, about 40 minutes. Now I'm off to Shinagawa". "Ah, you have friends there?" she asked. "No, no, going to play Pachinko", I replied. Then she laughed and told me she never plays because if she spends 10,000 Yen and loses she feels bad - she could buy some clothes with that money! Some other customers came at this point and on my way off, she said, "arigato ne, ki wo tsukete. moukaruyouni" ( goodbye and take care and I hope you win ). This is becoming my current obsession : To grow conversations out of the dust.
So, on I went. Along the way, I got a bit lost, so I asked a postman for directions to Shinagawa. He pointed me in the right direction, a little hesitantly, and I rolled on. But, once again, the obsessive conversation grower came into action, and I rolled back and asked him where his post round was. I swear I'm losing it. But I think maybe this runs in the family. So we had a little chat, and once again I was offered a "ki wo tsukete" as I left. In Japan, this is a friendly espression a bit like "take care". I set off again, the words "ki wo tsukete" turning over and over in my mind, and crashed into a bus!
I did't crash into a bus.
I arrived at the "House of Sin" 30 minutes later, and sat like a zombie for....too embarassed to say. But it includes the words ten and hours.
So, it was 9:30 pm by the time I headed out onto the streets again. Now, it was like walking by an oven when the door is open : Flippin hot! On the way back I stopped off and had a sausage curry. I passed Tokyo Tower, all lit up like a Christmas tree, and zoomed down the slopes around Kanda and Ochanomizu, and made it home for 11, absolutely exhausted.
posted by PA on Sunday, July 18, 2004
Dan!Dan!Dan!Dan!DAAAN! ( Alan Partridge )
Ahhh, how I cried. Perhaps the funniest moment on TV since Brent's Red Nose day dancing!
Genius.
When he meets Dan for the first time, Dan slips him his business card as they shake hands. Alan says:
"I used to do that, but I kept getting it wrong: Ended up giving a paper cut to a guy from Nestles"
Hey, this font's a bit odd...
posted by PA on Sunday, July 18, 2004
Alan Partridge, yeh
I watched the first episode tonite. There are about 100,000 jokes in it. You think he's finished with the joke then he adds another layer to it. Brilliant!
posted by PA on Friday, July 16, 2004
Ah~nostalgia!
I was reading a forum about people coming to Japan for the first time and worrying about what to say. There was one about a guy wanting to phone his girlfriend in Japan, but was scared her mother or sisters would pick up the phone and start waxing in Japanese, as they often do in Japan. I remember when I used to phone Naomi up and I'd get her mum and I'd say my few hesitant words of Japanese and be thrilled that she fiegned understanding. It was all so fresh back then. I was phoning this world so far away, so clean and orderly and nice. That was my biggest impression back then: Japan was a nice place, with friendly people and everything seemed so damn cool. I used to really think the Japanese were too cool for this planet. I used to say that to Mike. He used to correctly say that they think we're damn cool too. When I first came to Japan, I stayed for 2 weeks at Naomi's house. It was fantastic. I used to have a beer every night with her Dad, I watched completely incomprehensible TV with the family, ate very impolite amounts of everything that was put infront of me, and visited these places that were just so damn cool : Shibuya ( bloody noisy friggin place full of stupid high school girls ) Tokyo tower ( still cool ) Sensoji temple ( s'aright, but I'm too cool for it now! ) Okonomiyaki ( fried omlette thingy, which is still very nice although haven't had it for ages )Japanese wedding ( the first and last. Was great...I recall getting really nervous when I had to say congratulations to Naomi's brother! ) Nike Town ( haven't been back since with her brothers dicount passes! ) Ueno First Kitchen ( every time I pass the Ueno store I remember my first hour in Tokyo. We'd taken the train from Narita, we got off at Ueno, walked through these crazy streets and had a burger and butter chips! The trip from Narita was amazing : All I remember was that there were friggin loads of cables and pylons! And I was friggin nervous about meeting Naomi's parents! I had a smoke on the train which was cool too ). I returned from my trip a heart full of presents : CD player, Nike shirts, shoes, beckoning cats etc. I think this holiday changed my life! Everything changes our lives, but this changed my life completely. I also remember smoking mini "Hope" cigarettes that were damn small and cool, on the stairs outside Naomi's appartment. I would look out over Shinobazu road and breath in the fumes and humidity. This smell stills remains with me : It's probably a terrible smell, but it's associations transcend it. I know these feelings will never come back. But now I have new ways of looking at Japan and Tokyo. Back then I really didn't see any of the negative aspects of Japan. And I didn't really see any of the positive ones either- I was lost in a haze of joy. Usually looking back is a trick : We never see things as they were or even are, but I think back then in those 2 weeks I really did have a great time. I don't think I'd be here otherwise.
It's nice to look back. If I don't do it sometimes, I feel lost in the present.
Anyway, that was my present nostalgia and earlier today I did "my brother coming over" nostalgia. That was fun too.
Ah~nostalgia!
posted by PA on Thursday, July 15, 2004
Phoenix Nights
The one legged Elvis impersonator. "Look at that, he's playing his leg!!Do you do anything else?". Elvis: Yeah, Blue suede shoe!"
he he
posted by PA on Thursday, July 15, 2004
Phoenix Nights
Clairvoyant : "1 quid for two questions regarding your future"
Customer : "It's a bit expensive innit?"
Clairvoyant : "Yes, it is. Second question..."
he he
"Le beer, le dickhead!"
he he
Pretty funny so far...
he he
posted by PA on Thursday, July 15, 2004
Now or never sunshine
You can say, "you gotta make the most every moment", till it's time to die.
It's wierd: To really do everything we do full-heartedly, it's seems so difficult. And yet, all we can do, is do things. So why not just do them? So, why don't I just do them?
I remember having a shower once. I mean a proper shower. Enjoying the shower, not drifting away. Sometimes I do things, sometimes I don't. But there's a heavy bias on the latter.
"But I'm ok..."
I suppose, without something to work at, I'd just sit at my pc all day! er...
posted by PA on Thursday, July 15, 2004
Mystic River
Mystic River has a power house of a cast : Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Laurence Fishburne, Kevin Bacon, to name a few. I never really liked Sean Penn, but since watching 21 Grams, and now this movie, I think he's great. Tim Robbins always gets my vote though. Kevin Bacon too. The movie itself for the most part is good. A little predictable and forced at times, and the ending is just plain wierd, but with the great acting, makes for a fine movie.I think it's an evolutionary tale, about how the strong get stronger and the weak get weaker : In this respect it is very sad. And the weak are often only weakened because they carry the heavy burden of truth : In this respect it is even sadder.
I forgot to say I watched 21 Grams. That's a better movie. Sean Penn is great and Naomi Watts is insane and that cool Mexican guy is just plain cool. 21 grams is meant to be the weight of the soul. After watching this film, you begin to think someone's miscalculated! The pain and suffering of the characters; the whole universe of emotions and feeling, only amount to 21 grams...
Baby time! Had a pack of crisps whilst watching the movie and now my belly feels like 42 grams : I've doubled the weight of my soul! Gunna go and sweat it out...
posted by PA on Monday, July 12, 2004
What a day
Went out early morning and sat in a room high up above Tokyo. Went to Pachinko and won lots. Smelt smoke as I got off the train at Nishi Nippori : One of the appartments in the block of flats above the video shop was on fire. There were 5 fire engines, a helicopter, big flood lights, and huge crowds. It's amazing how many people had turned out for the spectacle, all with their cameras snapping away. Do they have no souls? Someone is in there getting burnt alive and all they can do is take pictures and enjoy the spectacle. But then it is very exciting. If I could get off the train to fire engines and helicopters, or to bugger all, I'd take the fire engines any day.
Very hot.
What a day.
Tomorrow I'm going to buy a golf bag with my golfing partner...
posted by PA on Saturday, July 10, 2004
It's story time
I read a story by Sherwood Anderson, in his book of interrelated short stories called, "Winesburg, Ohio". I really love those stories. They are the most ambiguous, soft and subtle stories I have ever read. They leave me with a vague feeling that is hard to express. I don't know what they mean; I don't know what's happening sometimes. But they're great. I think they reflect well the nature of exisitence, if I can be so lofty. The unthinkable, the unknowable, the morphous nature of feeling and life itself, that we try so hard to pin down and categorize, and own. When we see a nice picture, are we happy because we like the picture or because we have some memories that connect to the picture, which in turn start off an infinite succession of other memories, some related, some not? It's impossible to know exactly why some things attract us or repel us,isn't it? So, I want to write a story like this, that flows into the ocean...
Time to squint, play the guitar and drink tea.
posted by PA on Wednesday, July 07, 2004
Zen story
This is a great story, of the lives of three Zen Masters : http://www.nozt.org/masters.shtml#anchor567596
Dooood, if only it were true! Is it? I dunno.
posted by PA on Sunday, July 04, 2004
My baby is a bike
My baby is a bike: http://www.unthinkable1.com/pics.htm
Tokyo is quite small, I realised today. Greater Tokyo is big, but inner Tokyo, I just rode it! Well, not really but I did the East coast. I've got an American urge these days, so I enjoyed the big open streets the best. Tokyo Tower was great too. Especially at dusk. Pachinko was aright. Saw a few purple fish, but after a while I missed my baby. My baby is a bike!
Had dinner wiv a mate tonite too. He came round and we watched tv. It was good. Having spent such an inordinate amount of time on my own, bombing around the streets, it's nice to be social. Having said that, here's a sample conversation I had whilst at an intersection, on my baby:
Me:"Hey, is that Meiji street?"
Old man: "Yes, I think so."
Me: "Hey, I'm going to Shinagawa to play Pachinko!"
Old man: "Really?"
Me: "Do you play Pachinko?
Old man: "Yes, I love it. I play a lot!"
Me: "Really?He he!Ok, I'm off, see you!"
Old man: Didn't hear what he said, I was off in the distance before he had time to respond.
I think I've got human contact deprivation, so I end up talking to anyone, and saying really stoopid stuff - it's fun!
posted by PA on Saturday, July 03, 2004
Work and shopping
Today I worked at the office, which was nice. I got to talk Japanese most of the day, interupting people's work!
Then I went golf and DVD shopping. I ended up by an electric razor tho...Duh.
Tomorrow I will shave and the world shall bear witness to the power of the razor.
It's hot. I have things on my mind. It's time to sleep.
Bit of mu first. Mu first. Mu last.
A haiku:
Mu
Mu
Goes the enlightened cow!
posted by PA on Wednesday, June 30, 2004
Pockets full of ice
With my pockets full of ice, Yoski and I went to play pool in Ikebukuro! It was cool. As we were returning from work in the direction of Ikebukuro, I said, "hey, we should do something fun. Pool, bowling, batting centre, Karaoke or something". There's such freedom here in Tokyo sometimes. You can literally do anything, whenever. So anyway we played 9 ball first, which was good fun. You have to pot the balls in order and whoever pots the nine ball is the winner. Then we played 8 ball !? I think it's called 8 ball. Just normal pool I used to play in the social club with my Dad, brother and friends. With the betting at 100 Yen a game, tensions ran high. After 6 games, I was 200 Yen up! I pretty much hate winning though. People don't like losing, do they. But Yoski didn't mind so much, but winning is always nicer,eh!
With my pockets full of Diet Cola, I am stabbed by a Keane melody, "I'm getting tired, I need somewhere to begin!"
Right, this world is mine. And yours is yours. Let's make them nice! Why would anyone want to make their world a horrible world? Just doesn't make sense...
posted by PA on Tuesday, June 29, 2004
Still hot
Oh lord, it's hot. Just staying alive in this season is a trial. I watched some of a DVD on migratory birds and they just set off round the world to find the temperature that suits them, soaring over beautiful landscapes. I think I might do the same. I'll strap my laptop to my back and take off, only stopping to tap away at my keyboard, describing all the wonderful sites I've seen from 2km above land. Might even take my camera and post a few pictures of the mountains of Nepal, the deserts of Siberia, the jungles of South America, the plains of Africa, the lavender fields of France, the patchwork rolling hills of England, the volcanoes of Japan, the fjords of Norway, the Swiss/French Alps, the Wild West of America, the outback of Australia, the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, and on and on, until the battery runs out! Oh, the memories I'll have when I return home, exhausted and watery-eyed. I wonder if birds have a favorite part of thier migratory journey. Do they enjoy flying over the earth? They do it out of necessity, but that doesn't mean they don't enjoy it does it? They escape suffering like all living things so they have must have preferences. Man, they must have a good time up there. I'm looking forward to joining them.
Oh, lord it's hot.
posted by PA on Monday, June 28, 2004
Tis hot, tis not cold
It seems the rainy season hasn't even bothered coming, like every year I've been in Japan. People talk of the rainy season as being some big inconvenience, but I think it's just an excuse to complain about something. It never really rains anyway, during the rainy season. It rains for a few days off and on, but nothing to warrant the title, "rainy season". Maybe I'm missing something...
Anyway, it's like an oven outside. I went on my bike to the shops but that's about all I can handle tonite. I feel I've let the "cycling team" down. I'm sorreeee!
I've been thinking a lot these days about being a foreigner in Japan. I try to think what it would be like being a minority in England or France, and I'm convinced that I have it easy. But easy, isn't always easy. Paranoia can set in and your whole outlook can change in an instant without realising what has happened - like a Ninja attacking your brain. Where once were friends, enemies appear. Sometimes it annoys me that people cannot just accept each other as different, instead of different and bad. The Japanese always have this certain fear of foreigners, which either dissipitates upon introduction, as I often find, or worsens due to misunderstanding or conflict. Their fear is often due to shyness, lack of confidence or a feeling that foreigners have a different way of doing things that is incompatible with the Japanese way of doing things. This last one annoys me most. Grrr. Grrr. No, the Japanese way of doing things is not so different from every other culture on this planet. Sure, there are big differences, but we all share basic theories on politeness, tact and kindness and so I have no doubt that we can all get along nicely...unless you're a complete arse! I once had a student's father tell a co-worker that foreigners are meant to be "WHEHAY COME ON!!HOW ARE YOU??!!!" ie. really loud, noisy and obnoxious. What? Where? Can anyone be that stupid? I think some Japanese think all foreigners are Hollywood actors on a publishing shoot. But for the most part, once the ice has been broken, I am greeted with kindness, so I suppose this feeling of being feared initially, is something I will have to accept. I've never had it before, being a small kinda guy, so it's strange and tires me sometimes. But as I said, I have it easy...
Time for a Haiku:
I saw a monk on the train,
his back straight.
I slouched and closed my eyes.
posted by PA on Thursday, June 24, 2004
Just my baby and me
My first bike ride was a resounding success. I ended up somehwhere I'd never been, passing lots of little temples and gardens and restaurants. My goal was a "Double Mac Gran" value set meal - it tasted good after the long ride. I'm sweating like a ping now as it's really humid and hot. Here's the moon at Hakusen :
I took some more but I can't master my camera settings and they all seem to turn out blurred or too dark.
Oooh it's hot!
posted by PA on Tuesday, June 22, 2004
Greatness is next to smallness
We took the train to Kamakura, riding in the green car, and got off at Kita-Kamakura. It was busier than Shinjuku station. We set off on our hike up the surrounding hillside, and the crowds dispersed to reveal greenery and blue skies. We walked all the way to the beach, along the beach and to Zushi coast. We watched the windsufers and the surfers and the kites soaring overhead. Then we took a bus to Zushi station and headed home. On the way to the bus stop we bought ice-cream at a local shop and had a chat with some of the customers and the owner. I'm sure they'd never met foreigners before. They were so happy that we were enjoying our time in Zushi. They told us our Japanese was good, after we'd said a few words. I regard that compliment as having almost the same meaning as, "it's nice that you make the effort to speak Japanese". On our way out, a little old lady came into the shop and said, "ki o tsukete" ( "Take it easy" ). Nice to be nice and to receive niceness, by the nice sea. Tsukete in some instances means to attach and ki, means energy or force so I like to think of that phrase as having the Yoda-like meaning of : Use the force.
And.....I bought my bike!!It's absolutely ace. I'm in love with it. I love her. She's a Dahon, an American brand, made in Taiwan, foldable and weighing in at 13kg. Here's a picture:
Rode it back from the shop in Ueno, and got looks of awe from about 12 people. They were all on shitty shopping bikes, you see.
posted by PA on Sunday, June 20, 2004
Damn hot!
It's really really hot today in Tokyo. To avoid the heat I played Pachinko and won 65,000 Yen. Most of my satisfaction, though, derives from the fact that I don't go everyday now, just once a week if I'm free at the weekend, which is most weekends! So, I feel as though I have tamed the beast, so to speak. I picked such a winning machine today, that I started thinking of all the things I could buy with 200,000 Yen! But alas, I ended up with 65,000 Yen which is still good. I'm going to buy a little bicycle. It's been absolutely ages since I bought anything interesting myself, so I'm looking forward to it. I also might by some Nike sandals which I saw for the first time today. They're 1,300 Yen but/and they're cool! Well actually with regards to their coolness, I was a little uncertain, so I'll go back with Naomi's keen eyes - and the rest of her too!
Before Pachinko, I went to Ochanomizu and visited my favourite little shrine by the station. I didn't take any pictures. I shall describe it:
It's nice - really nice - with lots of trees, and a big statue of Confucious ( at least I think it is Confucious )and a curved, green roof and a big Spanish style courtyard. Who needs pictures,eh!
Tomorrow, Doug and I are off to Zushi, by the sea. Should be nice...
posted by PA on Saturday, June 19, 2004
And now for a rabbit!
Here's my friends' rabbit, called Pochacco. It's a lovely rabbit :
To find out more about Pochacco and the lives of his owners, visit them at http://meetpochacco.tripod.com/andrew/index.html ( There's not much on there yet, but to be honest, I think that's a sign of a healthy lifestyle! )
posted by PA on Friday, June 18, 2004
One flu over the cuckoo's nest
I have the flu today so I took the day off work. It's wierd, it's 31 degrees and sunny outside and yet I have the flu:
(the sky outside)
It just goes to show that the flu isn't from cold,eh. So, I ate healthy products today: Tofu, soy beans, and salmon. The lady in the shop said, "Do you like tofu?". I said, "Yep, I have the flu, you see, so I'm eating healthy". "Very Japanese", she replied. I laughed...then coughed.
Anyway, I feel really hot and feverish, but the flu's harmless enough,eh. Makes me feel like I'm in a dream more than anything.
So, with all this free time on my hands I decided to get up to date with ER, which incidently has been replaced on NHK by "Fuyu no sonata" ( Winter sonata ) a Korean drama. Recently the Japanese have been going crazy over Korean dramas, as they focus on "pure love", whatever that is. So, I've missed out on ER. But not any more. They have the whole of series 8 at my local vid store. I just watched a great episode where Carter, Abi, Luka and co. get reprimanded for invading a patient's privacy and wind up in a classroom together, questioning each other for the whole day. Luka and Carter are such great characters...
And I re-did my hello page using a "Bivvie" picture I'd downloaded some time ago off the net. Not quite sure what it is, but it works well, I think.
Time for a rest...
posted by PA on Tuesday, June 15, 2004
Blogging Crazy
Recently I've been having a look at other bloggers living in Japan - and there are a lot of them! I'm delving into people's lives and looking at pics of people I've never met before as they pose atop mountain peaks and wax lyrical about noodles, the Japanese countryside, new gadgets, cultural differences and Japanese idols. I don't know what will become of me. It's quite interesting though, and it's nice to know there are other people taking pictures of their food! There are 160 "Japan Bloggers" on the webring I've "almost" joined, and some are pretty fine. Might just give up on mine and read other peoples...
Man it's hot today and tomorrow is going to be 32 degrees. I think that's too hot to continue a normal life. It's the weather for an Aqua Park or something. If I were king I'd make hot days, "Aqua days". Bugger, I'm not king...
posted by PA on Monday, June 14, 2004
I get the impression...
I get the feeling my website is way too serious : http://www.realultimatepower.net/
My challenge to you is to go to "Pump Up" and read the story plus the very last line without a few tears of joy! I'm pretty sure this is irony - hope so anyway! If you go to the "History" section then click on the time line there's a great "Kung-Fun Mixer"!
posted by PA on Sunday, June 13, 2004
The Sound of One Clock Clicking
Today is Naomi's birthday so we went and watched "The Day After Tomorrow" and had Chinese for dinner. The movie was very poor but the special effects are fantastic, especially the huge hail stones, fast-freezing New York and tornadoes. Donnie is in it and he looks cool but the script is soooo bad. Dinner was nice. It was last orders by the time we made it to the restaurant so we ordered loads just in case we didn't order enough, if you know what I mean. It ended up we ordered way more than even a group of food-deprived alien invaders could have eaten. It turns out that food is actaully better in small quantities. But it was nice just the same!
I watched my Truman Show DVD. It's really great that movie. Can't see much difference between our lives and Truman's, to be honest. Apart from the fact that...nope can't see any difference at all : We're being watched; we accept everything around us as gospel; and most of us prefer a safe plastic convenient world to reality. The film also takes a grim view of God. Looking forward to Jim Carrey's next "proper" movie!
Monday tomorrow. Had to come eventually,eh.
posted by PA on Sunday, June 13, 2004
About A Boy
Ahh, I love that movie, especially the last line : "Reminds me of what Bon Jovi once said: No man is an island". He he. Hugh Grant is awesomely funny, I reckon.
It's raining like hell now. It certainly is the rainy season.
posted by PA on Friday, June 11, 2004
No pics today!
It's raining like it never heard of sunshine.
Today was the last day for some of the students so I got a nice card from the mothers AND 2,000 Yen voucher which I used in HMV as soon as the lesson was over. I bought "About A Boy" cause it reminds me of England, and it's funny, and "Truman Show" cause it reminds me of Jim Carey - he's in it you see. So those two DVD's cost me 3 quid, thanks to my students' mothers. They were very nice students and full of that stuff kids are meant to be full of: Joy. So I'm pleased.
Still raining.
posted by PA on Friday, June 11, 2004
Here's what I had for dinner, although I don't remember the place being that yellow!!
Here's what I saw before work : Ofuna Kannon
Dinner was nice. Haven't been to that fast food chain for a while. The staff is made up of high school kids which in any country other than Japan would mean you get slow service and unidentified objects in your food, but here in Japan it means they work like hell!
Ofuna Kannon is nice too, but I was reading the blurb about it and it cost something like 40 Million Yen ( 250,000 pounds )to make - I'm not really sure it's worth that. There are a lot of those big white Kannon ( Buddha of compassion ) around Japan, but I often wonder who they're for: No-one here that I know of is Buddhist. I mean a practicing Buddhist. There are probably about five in Japan! But I suppose it has the same effect as a church : It looks nice and makes you want to be more spiritual and kinder to people. And I suppose, praying infront of a statue hoping for your own happiness, or a friend's, is a nice thing. Hey, after all, it was worth the money!! I dunno, sometimes I don't know where to go with my opinions :-)
And here's my article published on Japan-guide.com. It's under Forums/Experiences/and my brother's punny title, "The Land of The Rising Fun" : http://www.japan-guide.com/
posted by PA on Thursday, June 10, 2004
The Train Boy 2
Oh, sitting on a train for 3,000 hours sure makes you crazy. So, here goes an abstract portrayel of my present condition:
Rain falls chin chin chin on the iron, glass and leaf world. On my yoga mat it goes chip chip chip. A cool breeze breezes in and wafts the smoke from my cigarette into the lounge, where tatami awaits me for a lie down. Stretching my face with a grimmace and a scowl, my neighbour watches perplexed. I live in Japan, but where is she now? I cannot see Fuji or a temple or sushi. Ah, my tatami and train sound effects remind me. I write a Blog to play with words and words they play with me. I had a game of football with "camouflage" only yesterday, and we lost the ball in the trees. Sitting down, I remember how it felt to be young, but can't really remember it like it was. Reminiscing is like painting a new world : Those emotions can never be the ones we used to have. But, even so, it's nice to do. The past is more like the present sometimes. Or maybe the past is the present. But the rain still falls and I hadn't noticed....Sitting on a train for 3,000 hours sure makes you crazy.
posted by PA on Wednesday, June 09, 2004
The Train Boy
So, since starting my job with Mebae, I've been sitting on a train for 125 days or 3,000 hours! How stoopid is that! Today was my 3,000th hour, so I celebrated by having a sleep.
posted by PA on Wednesday, June 09, 2004
Shinbashi!!
Yosuke lent me some Japanese comedy by a double act called the Ramens. They're pretty funny. This is one of their sketches I found on the net : http://www.in-duce.net/archives/shinbashi.swf
Even if you can't understand Japanese, it's funny, I reckon. It's meant to be a French lesson, but they don't speak any French at all. Instead, they just mispronounce loads of Japanese words, most of which are Tokyo train stations.
posted by PA on Tuesday, June 08, 2004
24 Season 2 Finale
Absolutely brilliant! I think it's better than Season 1 : The twists and turns, the surprises, the excitement, and Jack Bauer's complete control of any situation. I don't know exactly what my emotions consisted of whilst watching the last hour, but there were a lot of them and I've never been so excited by action TV. Season 3 will be out sometime this decade here in Japan, so I'll just have to wait....and wait....and wait.
posted by PA on Sunday, June 06, 2004
Pachinko oh no!
Today was an absolutely glorious day : Perfect sunshine, mid 20's, a cool breeze, nice smell in the air - I spent it in the Pachinko parlour! The Pachinko parlour, on the other hand, was very smokey, noisy, and air conditioned. From a philospohical standpoint, I'm a plonker. From a monetary standpoint, I'm a plonker. From a Zen standpoint, I'm a plonker. I put in a ridiculous amount ( not going to say how much cause it's just embarrassing ) then went to Macdonalds for some more healthy lifestyle, then went back and won most of my money back. It took me 10 hours!! They're going to make a film of my Pachinko comeback : The plonker's Pachinko revenge. Anyway, that was the riskiest financial day of my Pachinko career. But, I don't want to pretend there's some method to my madness, but it does afford me some very nice encounters with the Japanese. On the train, Japanese rarely talk or look at anyone, let alone a foreigner. But at Pachinko, we're all in the same boat. I had people whacking my machine for me ( to urge on a win ), had a nice chat about England and food and Hyde Park, advice about Pachinko techiniques etc. It's nice and a rare treat. Sometimes, I feel really foreign in Japan : On the outside, Japanese can be really distant and cold, staying in their private space. But once I'm able to talk to Japanese people, I'm always amazed by their simple friendliness and warmth. I don't think this is a unique quality of the Japanese at all, but everyone keeps to themselves most of the time in Tokyo and often foreigners are avoided on trains, so it's easy to start thinking you're living in robot land where the robots are Japanese, and foreigners are forever a different species, and never the twain shall meet. But it aint so. Although cliched, Japanese people are shy and, on the train, if they have a choice between sitting by a foeigner or a "safe" Japanese person, they usually pick the safe option. The fear of being asked a question in English infront of everyone is too much. Sounds silly really, but I think that's the truth. Obviously there are racist buggers, who think we're smelly and strange, but for the most part, I think that shyness causes them to steer clear sometimes. There are many occassions where I'm quizzed on my nationalty, age etc. on the train, but more often than not, everyone is in their "space". Pachinko leaves no space for shyness!
"Shyness is nice and shyness can stop you from doing all the things in life you'd like to"
Bit of a long Blog, but cathartic.
I haven't eaten dinner today, and it's too late now, so I'm going to sleep on an empty stomach and a futon!
posted by PA on Saturday, June 05, 2004
It's that sunny rainy season again!
I was so tired at work today. I had four lessons and by heck, that was enough for me. I think part of my tiredness was due to the fact that I attempted to walk from the station to the class, which is a 20 minute bus ride. I got lost and ended up in a deserted part of town. Tumbleweed, tumbled. Crows, crowed. The sun, shone. As soon as I knew I was lost, I started searching for a taxi. But no taxis, taxied. I asked a man, in Japanese, who I happened to pass, if he knew how I could reach my destination, and he replied in faultless English, "I don't know" and walked off. I passed him a few minutes later : I think he was lost too! I eventually flagged down a taxi and arrived at my destination with 15 minutes to spare! I could have spent an extra 15 minutes talking to that man! Damn you...
I have tomorrow off. And the day after that. And the day after that. And my weather pixie says it's going to be sunny and hot.
Time for a High Coup:
I can't be bothered,
Bringing down the government.
Been smoking too much weed!
Time for a Hi Ku:
Aright Ku,
Been a while.
Maybe we didn't need each other.
Time for a Haiku:
I can't be bothered,
Bringing down the government.
The moon at dusk
posted by PA on Thursday, June 03, 2004
Pain in the neck!
I've got this pain in my neck. Must have slept in a headstand or something...
I got home, went to close my curtains and saw two huge insect legs hanging down from my roof onto the outside of my window. It scared the **** out of me. It's the start of the invasion, I thought to myself. But no, it was a cricket of some kind. "Bring your friends", I said to it as I flicked it on its merry way.
I've got one more day of sproggs then I have a 3 day holiday! It feels like I've been working non-stop these days. Dunno what I'll do with my holidays but I'll try and find something to do; maybe watch 21 Grams, go to Kamkura, play some golf or something.
These days I've been trying not to eat snacks after dinner. It's quite a test of will. I've managed for quite some time now, but tonite I got the urge so I thought I'd blog instead. Just a question of boredom,eh.
Series 3 of the Ozbournes starts tonite. Tonight! Should be nice. Well, not nice, but funny.
Right, think I've overstayed my welcome tonite. Tonight!
posted by PA on Wednesday, June 02, 2004
Graham Coxon : Happiness in Magazines
Just bought/rented it. It's real good. Reminds me that making music is about invention and having fun with words and music. It sounds like Sex Pistols, Buzzcocks, Blur, and some other stuff and also Graham too! There are some nice melodies, some funny punkish songs, some heartfelt songs...S'a grower, I reckon.
Tonite, Naomi and I went for an Italian : Pizza, cheese appetizer, Japanese style spaghetti, squid salad, and mille feuille( Annoyingly not the mille feuille the name suggests, but a few fruits, wafers and ice cream!!! And I hate ice cream. If I'd have known "mille feuille" had ice cream in it I'd have ordered ice cream and not mille feiulle!!). Nice pizza though and as always, nice company :-)...
posted by PA on Sunday, May 30, 2004
Simple can be so hard
"Freedom in Action -- Gautama Buddha's most basic teaching was "Don't do wrong, do right." The important thing here is our conduct. He explained that right conduct is always a balance between two factors: activity and passivity, optimism and pessimism, tension and relaxation, and he explained that we can attain this balanced conduct, not by intentionally endeavoring to correct our wrong actions, but by practicing Zazen. The practice returns us to the simple peaceful balance we often enjoyed as children, where we are fully involved in the present, and unclouded by intellectual judgements of right and wrong. In Buddhism, to do right is simple action, not the result of thinking." By Gudo Nishijima.
Nice and simple. Now if I could just muster the energy to sit in this humid stifling weather, I'll be fine!
posted by PA on Saturday, May 29, 2004
A Few Things
1: Japanese TV and the mainstream modern culture it exhibits is in such a state: Most channels are centered around a vast array of young girls who force themselves to smile for the duration of the programme and say nothing but, "Cute!" and "Yes". In addition to the girls, there are so called "Famous people", who are sometimes deservedly so, but often not. There are some great reality shows and documentaries though, about poor families, the Japanese countryside, Blackmail TV,travelling abroad and some others but most are very depressing. The problem is that it's all the same! Every single programme features a nice looking but very empty headed girl, a guy who tells some jokes and a hell of a lot of exaggeration and noise and screaming and nonsense. What's wierd though is that, out of all the people I know, only I watch the stuff! But it is a scary thing really, Japanese TV. I suppose all TV has become like this: Entertainment for the lowest common denominator. But Japan, with its emphasis on consensus and the group, has gone too far! I'm giving up on Japanese TV : I'm going to cut down my viewing time to 10 hours a day...
2: Dood, was gunna write about 10 things but that TV subject got me excited and I wrote too much! My second thing is about meditation. Zazen isn't meditation. Meditation is where you focus the mind on an object or emotion. Zazen is just sitting, and letting the mind concentrate itself. It's an interesting thing though and I read a good quote today on the net by that Zen guy who lives in Tokyo, and he said something like: Meditation is like changing your rose-tinted glasses for violet ones; Zazen is doing away with the glasses all together! Like when in the Fight Club, Tyler burns Edward Norton's hand with the acid, Edward Norton starts to think of his cave and Tyler says, "NO!Here! Stay with the pain!"... I like that idea.
posted by PA on Thursday, May 27, 2004
The Old Lady
There was this old lady who always cried: When it rained she cried; when it was sunny she cried. A young boy went to visit her and asked her what made her so sad all the time. The old lady replied: "I have two sons: One owns a market stall, and the other is a farmer. When it is sunny, the crops in my son's field die. When it rains, there are no visitors to my other son's market. Therefore, I am always sad.
I just heard that story on the website of the temple I go to ( Zenshoan's site is all modern now with a little Windows Media Player! ). The ending has a Zen monk telling her that she is "holding her mind wrong": When it rains ,she should be happy for her farmer son. And when it's sunny she should be happy for her other son.
Kinda nice, I think.
posted by PA on Wednesday, May 26, 2004
Back Early
I don't know how long it has actually been, but it feels like ages since I came home straight from work. Ah, how nice it is to be bored for a change and not be filling my head with 1000 decibels of inane nonsense!
Today I had absolutley no energy at all. Almost dead. But somehow I managed to feign life in order to teach the little sproggs.
But I did find out some interesting info on London Bridge. The lady at work asked me about the bridge in the nursery rhyme but all I really knew was that it wasn't the Tower Bridge! It turns out, the London Bridge in the nursery rhyme is no longer and another London Bridge was dismantled and taken to America - Arizona - and the present one is very normal and made in the 70's, I think. But that's not the London Bridge of the nursery rhyme...How was I, a British man, meant to know that? But then I suppose it did fall down in the rhyme, didn't it!
posted by PA on Wednesday, May 26, 2004
Big Fish
That truly is a lovely film, full of fresh and lovely imaginative ideas and filled with great actors. A tall story of a film, coming out nothing short of a little classic. I had a little niggling feeling that maybe it could have been even greater, but as films go it's as fresh and alive as they come. It has a touch of the "Life is like a box of chocolates" about it, but it's more subtle and surreal than its predecessor. A big thumbs up for the Big Fish.
A surreal 2 and half fish out of 6 tall tales.
posted by PA on Saturday, May 22, 2004
24 Season 2
I nearly had a heartattack whilst watching Season 2 12:00 episode. It's just so good! Palmer should be the real President of the US! And Jack should be his Vice President - then we'd have a kick arse world!
posted by PA on Saturday, May 22, 2004
I love that game!
I love that evil game! I won 10 little tubs this time and all night I had dreams of fish and Pachinko! Ha ha. Addiction is wierd. There's no way I'm going to succumb this time. That money is mine dood. Bring on the desire and cravings, and I'll laugh in their face. That money is mine dood. Pleeeeease let me keep it!! There's this Koan about a monk who comes to enlightenment and his first words are "I can't be deceived!". That's cool I think. The desire is caused and created by me and is little pulses of electricity telling me to do something because I have a memory of it being nice. But then I don't have to be deceived by these pulses, do I? Infact, my brain should be telling me to not desire it because I know I'll lose my winnings. But unfortunately my brain isn't so clever...
Today we're going to watch Big Fish, Tim Burton's new film. I hope it's good.
Tomorrow, if the weather's nice I'm going hiking.
Things that I like
Hitting a clean drive at golf
Hitting a passing shot at tennis
A nice moving heartfelt tune by The Pumpkins, Grandaddy, Badly Drawn Boy, Pavement,Bright Eyes, Divine Comedy, Stone Roses...
Other people's acts of kindness
The Office
Zazen
Trees and mountains
Tatami flooring
Hot baths
A nice film like Mullholland Drive, Fight Club, Donnie Darko, Shawshank Redemption...
Playing the guitar
Normal people who are normal
Wierd people who are normal
The smell of rain
Snowboaring on a sunny day
Travelling to new places
Games
Sweating
Getting up early with nothing to do
Reminicing of times that maybe didn't really happen
posted by PA on Saturday, May 22, 2004
I need me some wheels and a chocolate bar ...
Standing on the train on the way back from work today, I looked at all the ads for super healthy vitamin drinks, fashion mags, soft porn manga, cars, pachinko parlours, chocolate bars, holidays, luxury appartments etc. And I thought, why do I have to have all this rubbish shoved in my face 27 and a half hours a day! A capitalist country like Japan is full of advertisements to make us dream of a better time. Thank you very much! If I were King, as Radiohead said, I would give everyone a car, a chocolate bar, and a nice luxury appartment and then put ads for small cramped rooms and boring tv and tap water and rainy days. Then I'd be standing on the train dreaming of a time when I could get all those things and become happy. Thank you very much!
Ah, yes, that's why I decided to write this. When I was on the golf course, I was wondering why I like nature. Apart from the fact that I associate it with fresh air, which is good for my little brain, I think it's because it doesn't tempt me. Or it doesn't try to. It's just there. I don't want to eat it; I don't want to buy it; I don't want to play with it; I don't want to do anything but just sit and look around. For that reason it's very calming. I suppose that's obvious but so is the fact that super healthy energy drinks aren't really healthy at all, and yet millions buy them....
posted by PA on Thursday, May 20, 2004
Arse
I hate that evil game! The guy who invented it is an arse. Anyone who plays it is an arse. Anyone who wins and then puts in his winnings is an arse!
I am an arse x 2!
posted by PA on Wednesday, May 19, 2004
Kendo
I really want to do Kendo. I'm not very interested in Samurai though, I just want to whack people with a stick! It's the ultimate kids' sport, I reckon, though I'm not sure these guys will agree : http://www.kendo.or.jp/english-page/51thAJKC-video2.html Who won then?
Me------------------n!
I read my Blog and felt a bit misrepresented : It seems that I always write positively about whatever I do, as if I'm living in some kind of carefree heaven. I'm pretty sure I don't live in a carefree heaven, but I do like to make the most of stuff. I suppose that's why my Blog seems overly positive sometimes. And I'm in that "shifting perspective mode" all the time. I can't remember when that started, but probably with my interest in Zazen. I didn't used to do that. If something is shite ( apart from music and films ) I always seem to shift around to a different view, like even though it was raining on me and I lost at Pachinko and all the kids in my lessons were like distressed monkeys and the guy on the train slept on my shoulder; it's a shite day, but it's not so shite. Even if I feel like it is, I know it's not. And I suppose, I write from this perspective.
posted by PA on Wednesday, May 19, 2004
Golf
Golf is a question of faith : Letting the club just swing. That's what I learnt whilst having a lovely time in Gunma prefecture today. We played one round of golf, had a nice sento, lunch and few smokes... http://www.unthinkable1.com/Gunmagolf.htm
posted by PA on Tuesday, May 18, 2004
Zazen
I went to my local temple to do Zazen tonight. I really enjoyed it. It's nice to know that just by sitting down quietly for 20 minutes or so, you can be happy. It's quite wierd really when I think about it. We have a world full of things to make us happy, and you can actually just sit down without anything and be happy - for 20 minutes anyway!
posted by PA on Sunday, May 16, 2004
Laugh and the world looks blurred
Instead of waking up and worrying about the day's events, today I work up and laughed. It was quite funny. I'm not quite sure why. First, I had new blue sheets on my futon which made me a bit more perky upon waking up ( usually I have black sheets! ). Secondly, I read two Blogs : http://www.babyatom.com/bigblog.html and http://meepstuff.blogspot.com/ and they made me laugh. Thirdly, it's very sunny. Fourthly, I don't know. Fifthly, that word doesn't exist.
Maybe, I've been waking up too seriously of late when in fact waking up is funny. All this time wasted...If you think about it though, waking up is funny. You disappear for 8 hours and then stand up feeling a bit wobbly and tired and stumble to the bathroom.
But be caution!( As the Japanese recorded message says as you use the escalators in Tokyo station )As soon as I make any discovery, I always start thinking about it all day, which results in me being full of thoughts all day and has the inverse result of making me feel dull and braindead. Be caution!!
posted by PA on Saturday, May 15, 2004
Tis indeed a great day
I just had my Japanese lesson which was fun. We concluded that I should use the new phrases and words I've learnt or I'll never improve. Today's phrase was to bear a grudge - uramu. The example in today's lesson was : ooya ni urandemo ima sara, atama ga yoku naru wake jyanai!! ( Even if I hold a grudge against my parents for giving me my stupidity, there's no chance of me getting cleverer now! )...Hmm. Doesn't make much sense that one. Anyway it almost makes sense! It seems that in the same way that if I just let my fingers remember my forgotten passwords, I can remember Japanese words. What's it called again? Mechanical memory or something. Well, if you mouth the new vocabulary you've learnt, or use it, it's more likely to become ingrained in the brain. Maybe it uses a different part of the brain, a more accessible part! But I am no brain scientist, so what do I know!
"Lunch time Haiku"
It's lunch time,
Is that why I am so hungry?
Or is it because I'm hungry that it is lunch time?
A bit of both...
The moon in Autumn.
He he. My friend's mum loves Haiku and she told me that you have to use seasonal symbols. Always the moon in Autumn!
posted by PA on Friday, May 14, 2004
Baby cockroaches aren't very cute at all!
Lying watching a very poor edition of Jessica and Nick on MTV, I saw something scurry across my tatami. It was a tiny cockroach. About the size of an ant. Anything that small is usually quite cute and loveable. Ha ha, but not cockroaches! It still had that inhumanly fast scurry and those excessively large tentacles. I squashed it and felt little remorse. These days I hate to kill anything that moves, but baby cockroaches don't move, they scurry.
Recently I've been reading some of the essays of this American guy who is an ordained Zen priest and lives in Japan http://www2.gol.com/users/doubtboy/index.html
He's very irreverant indeed. Some of the essays are really interesting I think. I especially like the one, "Zen is boring" but they're all worth a read if you're that way inclined.
Bloody humid today and on the way back from work I had two salarymen falling asleep against me. Two!! One part of me wanted to whack them, the other thought, "Ahhh, they must be so tired, let 'em rest on my shoulders". Thankfully, I had to get off the train before I put either into action...
posted by PA on Thursday, May 13, 2004
Tennis is a God
Tennis is great. I played in a tournament with Yosuke's Dad today. We won the first match 6-4, after having been up 4-0. Then the second match we lost 5-7. It was an exciting match. We made a good team, him at the net and me on the baseline wacking passing shots down the line. It feels like it has nothing to do with me. I am a backhand master. One of the few things I don't feel the need to be humble about - because it's not my talent; it was born into me! Sounds a bit ponsy but it's true. I know I am not the best player in the world, but my backhand is! Ah, it's good to be straight sometimes. I did this backhand that was just so sweet I couldn't help but think : "Where the hell did that come from?" And then the Becker curling passing shots too. There is nothing finer than seeing one of those go in. Anyway...
I borrowed about 6 videos of Yosuke too. Lots of Kurosawa Kiyoshi movies. If you get the chance check them out. Pulse ( Kairo ) and Bright Future ( Akarui Mirai ) are superb.
He's also taken it upon himself to teach me useful Japanese which is cool. I'll get there! I really need to battle on with Japanese and use it more and more. I often get stumped and can't put coherant sentences together, even though I can understand a lot of people conversations...
A bird in the hand is pretty cool.
Too many cooks make shit food.
Beauty is in the eye of the tiger.
posted by PA on Sunday, May 09, 2004
"Back to work, back to reality"...Beats International was it?
Yeah, yeah, back to work. Was a lot more tiring then sitting around watching videos. Why is that?
Open two windows and it creates a nice breeze. Open three and it's bloody freezing!
I bought some eel for dinner. Thought it said 50 percent off, but actually just 50 Yen off. It was originally 398 yen. So, how much did I pay more than I expected? ( IQ around 10 if you can work it out )
"I have a stomach ache", "My stomach aches"...."The stomach aches"? The last one sounds a bit like Shakespeare.
Spaced really gets better as the series draws to an end. I really like Daisy and Tim. I wonder why the jokes are so much better towards the end. I suposse they just got the hang of it. Wicked!
Right, enough rambling for today- I haven't rambled on here for ages; kinda nice to do it again :-)
posted by PA on Thursday, May 06, 2004
Gogatsu byo
This refers to the depression felt by school kids upon returning to school in May after their nice Golden Week holidays. I've got it too: There's nothing better than holidays....nothing worse than holidays coming to an end.
Usually in these sorts of moments, I philosophise in order to change my perspective but this time I've decided not to. Of course the holidays coming to an end isn't a cause for rejoicing, but what happens if you don't think that "rejoicing" is good and "not rejoicing" is bad?
There, I've done it again - trying to change my perspective!
But anyway, what I mean is that if you don't try and escape your lot, you have everything!
posted by PA on Wednesday, May 05, 2004
My new favourite mountain
There are a lot of these cone shaped volcanoes/mountains around the world, I imagine, but as it was the first time I'd seen one close up for myself, I was quite excited :
(I took this off the net. I didn't see it like that :-( )
posted by PA on Wednesday, May 05, 2004
Days 4 and 5 of holidays
Yesterday I played tennis with Yoski's dad, and his mum cooked me a feast. I am going back this weekend to play in a tennis tournament. It's always good fun going round there!
Today, Naomi and I went to Izu...http://www.unthinkable1.com/Izu.htm
posted by PA on Tuesday, May 04, 2004
Day 3 of holidays - another loony day
That was a crazy day. Got up, had a bagel then headed of to Pachinko. Put in 3,000 Yen and then started winning. Then I started losing all my winnings and went down to my last few balls when suddenly I started winning again. I finished up with 27,000 Yen. The plan was to get enough money to cover mine and Naomi's train and bus fare to the Izu Peninsula and I did it no worries with money to spare! I cannot believe how jammy I am. It seems my Karma is linked to those machines. After Pachinko, I went to get the tickets and also, remembering I am in dire need of some nice summer trousers, went to Marui department store and found exactly the kind of trousers I'd been searching the world for. They were very very very expensive! But they are very very very nice. Anyway, my winnings are spent and we're off on a day trip!! Can't wait. I have a sneaking suspicion it is going to rain though....nevermind, I can't have everything!
posted by PA on Saturday, May 01, 2004
Day 2 of holidays
Naomi and I went to Harajuku. Had gyooza lunch and then walked down the backstreets to Shibuya, dropping in at the cool shops along the way. Watched Lost in Translation. It was a very subtle and quiet movie, permeated with the kind of music we like. I felt this throughout the movie: This was by someone a little like us and for people a little like us. No overstatements; just a quiet and gentle flowing of images and conversations all taking place against the backdrop of Tokyo. There were some nice insights into life in Japan too - the scene where Bill Murray's character tries to talk with an old Japanese man without either of them knowing a word of each others languages, brought tears to my eyes - but most were slight and fleeting, leaving the bulk of the story to the relationship between the two central characters lost in time. I had hoped for more focus on Tokyo but alas, this was not a film about Tokyo. There were some great shots of the Tokyo skyline, some temples in Kyoto and general shots of the city streets though. People have been condemning it is a racist film. I don't understand this at all: It merely shows two people who visit Tokyo for the first time and the alienation they feel. I give it a big thumbs up!
posted by PA on Saturday, May 01, 2004
Steven Wright
"I have the world's largest collection of seashells. I keep it on all the beaches of the world... Perhaps you've seen it"
posted by PA on Friday, April 30, 2004
Day 1 of holidays
Had Japanese lesson. Walked around Yanaka area of my neighbourhood in the blazing sun. Had a look around little 'Japanese paper' shops and bamboo craft shops. Went to have a really nice lunch at a famous tofu restaurant. This was my first time and it was great. Our lunch set cost 2,600 Yen and went something like this: Big chunk of pure tofu with no seasoning ( deeelicious ); tofu with miso paste ( deeeesgusting ); soy milk and prawn soup ( nice ); tofu in soy sauce with a dab of mustard ( wierd ); rice with shredded tofu on top risotto ( deeelicious ); soy milk ice cream ( deeelicious ); and a constant supply of green tea ( of course, deeelicious ). It's cool having a Japanese treat like that. Well, any treat is nice really! But I think this was an especially healthy treat!
I've put up my bamboo pictures in a new photo album format, so please take a look. It was much easier to put up my pictures this way and it's quite practical, no? http://www.unthinkable1.com/pics.htm
posted by PA on Thursday, April 29, 2004
Holidays are here
Yes, the whole of Japan is on holiday now for a week. And that includes yours truly. I feel good, I've done nothing but good all day, and I've resisited Pachinko temptations! Well, wasn't really tempted actually. So, what to do. Doesn't really matter, eh, it's the holidays and with it comes natural happiness. I'm going to go and do my washing now. Yeah!!! Washing, but knowing tomorrow you don't have to work, is "holiday washing". Nothing like normal "washing". Everything changes. Everything is change. My holidays have taught me a valuable lesson in Buddhist philosophy and I am thankful: There is no washing, just a "view" of washing. Well, I'll be off then.
Shite! Got to do my washing! And it's a holiday! Shite...
posted by PA on Wednesday, April 28, 2004
Studio
Tonite Silverhill went into the studio. I didn't have any songs prepared so we decided just to improvize. Never again! I couldn't think of any good melodies for a riff I'd made up....We did make a reasonably cool "Pixies" kinda song but I had to sing so high to replicate the melodies of Kim and Frank that I now have a sore throat. Anyway, it was good fun just the same but unproductive.
I bought "Dog Day Afternoon" for 1,000 Yen. I really like that movie.
I left 3 huge bamboo shoots on the first floor of my block of flats in a small box with a sign saying, "Do you want some? These are freshly picked bamboo shoots!" and they've all gone, including my box!!!I didn't give the box away!!!The box is mine!!! Got four left now....hmmm bamboo anyone?
posted by PA on Monday, April 26, 2004
Bamboozled
That was a great day. I met my Japanese teacher at the station and then we met up with her friends who took us by car into the Chiba countryside. Chiba isn't very famous for anything in particular but the scenery is wonderful, I think. Andy and I went last year and had a great time hiking in the woods and this time was no disappointment either. Here's a picture of a graded rice paddy :
First we had fresh sashimi by the sea and then we headed deep into the mountains where we met another friend of theirs who owns a big house on top of the mountain, with bamboo fields and orchards. We had a rest after the long journey there ( about 2 hrs and a half ) and then got to work digging for bamboo. It's quite good fun. After selecting your bamboo shoot, you have to carefully dig around it until the roots begin to appear. Then you chop it just below the roots creating a straight cut - if it's diagonal, the bamboo shoot will only be good for a few days! Anyway, I thought we were digging for the common good, but it turned out we had to take home whatever we dug up! Unfotunatley, I was digging like a mad man trying to feed the world and ended up with 12 fairly big bamboo shoots in 4 plastic bags which I had to carry on the subway like a country bumpkin and then up my hill like a country spaskid! Anyway, all's fair in love and war. But what's that got to do with bamboo picking!!?
The drive back was awesome, passing my favourite site of teared rice paddies and lush forests and little temples.
Conc. It takes a while to get to the Japanese countryside from Tokyo, but once you're there, it's pretty damned nice!
posted by PA on Sunday, April 25, 2004
Quite an eventful day!
Finally I got the big win I was waiting for: 56,000 Yen! Pachinko is a funny game; just when you think it's time to quit, you start winning and winning. Today I had a magic machine or something - it just kept on going and going! Anyway, that's put me back on top in my Pachinko career. Now the trick is not to spend it all like last time!! They say,"Anyone who plays Pachinko is a fool!" And I agree. Even if you win, chances are you'll put it all back in. But not I, for the adage is for fools, and I am no fool - I am a plonker!
A lady at work put into words something quite interesting about the Japanese mentality: Japanese, in general, live within their own metaphoric little box. They live within this box without bothering anyone on the outside. They don't reach out of it with open hands, nor do they reach out of it clutching a knife: They exisit with their box, that's all. This way, a kind of natural harmony evolves. They often come out of their box to greet and talk with foreigners out of curiosity and often kindness, but other strangers are kept at a distance. What is often seen as coldness on the part of the Japanese, I think is a kind of ultra-private nature, a desire to not risk losing harmony. A cynic would see it a different way, but I just won 56,000 yen so I don't really care for cynicism!
And I met a Japanese guy who'd studied in America for 4 years and we had a chat whilst playing Pachinko. He was almost certainly gay; everything he did was just like a girl. Or maybe he was a girl, I don't know. Well, no, he was a man, that's for sure! Anyway, I'll refrain from making a Pachinko pun at this juncture....
So that was it, my day in Tokyo, Japan.
posted by PA on Friday, April 23, 2004
24
It's soooo exciting now!! I'm up to 9 o'clock now in the second series. So many twists and turns. People who I thought were goodies turned bad then good again - will the excitement never end? Yes, but many more hours left!!
Just signed up for Gmail, the new free mail account run by Goolge.com. It's quite exciting to be one of the first! Probably not really one of the first though. A computer reads your mail and then adds links corresponding to the information within the mail. Quite a good idea, bit dodgy maybe, if the computers take over!
posted by PA on Thursday, April 22, 2004
Zazen
I went to my temple for my Zazen practice. The head monk wasn't there for the sitting but just as I was leaving, he arrived in a taxi with a monk friend of his. He always looks like a big kid when out of the main Zendo. I said hello to him and then he came up to me and said "doko nano?" (which meant "Where do you live?", but it is so familiar and friendly that it caught me off guard : Literally, it means "Where is it?" I was so close to answering, "I didn't do it!!!") I managed to reply, then he smiled the biggest smile you could fit on a face and said "Aha ha, I see!" then went on his merry way. He he, he's a funny chap. The monk who took his place in the Zendo today is really funny too. He never prepares a speech, but prefers to speak really slowly, making it up as he goes along. More often than not I can't follow much of it, but usually he talks at great length about seasons, pain of Zazen and what he got up to last week. It's good though. I don't go for excitement anyway. The more bored I get, the more incapable I am of sustaining any interesting and tantalizing thoughts, and the better goes my Zazen. In theory anyway...
posted by PA on Sunday, April 18, 2004
It's very summery here indeed- too hot even to sit in the sun for any length of time. So, I walked around Ueno, on my own as loners do, and did some study at a temple, and went to Pachinko for a while. Every time I go now it's the same old story!Today I went pretty early and so I was the first person to play on my machine. Every machine starts at zero at the beginning of every day. I put in a 1,000 Yen and won after about 5 minutes. This is very rare indeed. "Great", I thought, "I'm going to win a fortune!". Any |
