I'm back from China and it was great! I will blog about it later, but in the meantime, random news....
So yeah, Wal-Mart isn't totally evil, apparently, but it still isn't good. This article is really interesting for both the environmental info, plus it is amazing how one decision can make such a difference. Particularly this bit:
If it succeeds in selling 100 million compact fluorescent bulbs a year by 2008, total sales of the bulbs in the United States would increase by 50 percent, saving Americans $3 billion in electricity costs and avoiding the need to build additional power plants for the equivalent of 450,000 new homes.
That's freaking crazy how much power they have. Anyway, everyone should use these bulbs. They last for freaking ever and they are good for the environment! Eduardo and I were good Oregonians and used them and you should, too :P
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
China!
I dont think I will have a chance to blog anymore before I go on vacation (YAY vacation), but in case you want to stalk me and know where I am for the next two weeks, here is my itinerary for Chizina! I am too lazy to edit out the random squigglies that appear in it, so you can just deal with it!
Dec 21st Beijing Arrival stay at Tiantan Hotel ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
Arrival in Beijing, met and transferred to Tiantan Hotel or same class. The rest of the day is free.
Dec 22nd Beijing ( B L ) stay at Tiantan Hotel ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
Beginning the day with a visit to Tiananmen Square, the world largest. Then move on to the imperial palace, also known as the ¡°Forbidden City ¡° that symbolizes the imperial and traditional China. After lunch go on with the visit to Temple of Heaven, the place where the emperors of Ming and Qing Dynasties worshipped heaven and prayed for peace and harvest. Back to hotel
Dec 23rd Beijing ( B L D ) stay at Tiantan Hotel ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
Today's highlight is to visit the Great wall , symbol of Chinese civilization. After lunch, continue a visit to Dingling , one of the Ming Tombs, where 13 emperors were buried in Ming Dynasty. Peking Duck dinner and Peking Opera Show in the evening.
Dec 24th Beijing -- Xi'an by air stay at Xian Hotel Or Tangcheng Hotel¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï ( B L )
Take a morning flight to Xi'an. After lunch, city tour begins with a visit to the Shanxi Museum, the Bell Tower and City Wall. Stay at Xian Hotel or Tangcheng Hotel
Dec 25th Xian Stay at Xian Hotel Or Tangcheng Hotel¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï ( B L D )
Beginning the day with a once-in-a lifetime viewing of the extraordinary 2200-year-old terra-cotta Army of China's First Emperor-Qin Shihuang. Three exhibition halls house the continuing excavation of am army of 7,000 terracotta soldiers and horses that guard the tomb of the the First Emperor. After lunch visit Huaqing Hot Spring and Big Goode Pagoda .Local flavor dinner--dumpling . Tang Dynasty Show in the evening.
Dec 26th Xian ¡ªGuilin by air stay at Park Hotel ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï ( B L)
Take morning flight from Xian to Guilin. Arrival in Guilin, met and transferred to Guilin Park Hotel. After lunch, visit to Fubo Hill ,Seven Star Park.Back to your hotel.
Dec 27th Guilin stay at Park Hotel ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï ( B L D )
Enjoy a morning cruise down the winding Li River to Yangshou. Return to Guilin. Dinner and Minority Performance in the evening.
Dec 28th Guilin ¡ªShanghai by air and stay at Golden River-view Hotel Shanghai ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï or Shanghai Ocean Hotel ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï ( B L D )
Half day City tour of Reed Flute Cave, Elephant Trunk Hill. Afternoon flight to Shanghai. Stay at Golden River-view Hotel Shanghai or Shanghai Ocean Hotel In the evening dinner will be served. After dinner, you will be arrange d to watch the fantastic acrobatic show
Dec 29th Shanghai ( B L )
Today's highlight is your visit to Yuyuan Garden and Bazar. After lunch, move on to the¡± Pedestrians only ¡° Nanjing Road and the Bund. Take one hour cruising on Huang Pu River.
Dec 30th Shanghai Exit ( B )
Transfer to airport for departure
That last part isnt right, tho, as Cindy and I have extended our stay in Shanghai until January 2nd. I am excited for that, as it is the city I am most looking forward to seeing, plus it is the best city of all of them to have New Years in! Yay! So, ittekimasu....I hope I survive the cold hell known as Beijing! ;)
Have a great Christmas and New Years...hope everyone is eating TONS of holiday food and drinking eggnog and whatnot for me!!!
Dec 21st Beijing Arrival stay at Tiantan Hotel ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
Arrival in Beijing, met and transferred to Tiantan Hotel or same class. The rest of the day is free.
Dec 22nd Beijing ( B L ) stay at Tiantan Hotel ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
Beginning the day with a visit to Tiananmen Square, the world largest. Then move on to the imperial palace, also known as the ¡°Forbidden City ¡° that symbolizes the imperial and traditional China. After lunch go on with the visit to Temple of Heaven, the place where the emperors of Ming and Qing Dynasties worshipped heaven and prayed for peace and harvest. Back to hotel
Dec 23rd Beijing ( B L D ) stay at Tiantan Hotel ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï
Today's highlight is to visit the Great wall , symbol of Chinese civilization. After lunch, continue a visit to Dingling , one of the Ming Tombs, where 13 emperors were buried in Ming Dynasty. Peking Duck dinner and Peking Opera Show in the evening.
Dec 24th Beijing -- Xi'an by air stay at Xian Hotel Or Tangcheng Hotel¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï ( B L )
Take a morning flight to Xi'an. After lunch, city tour begins with a visit to the Shanxi Museum, the Bell Tower and City Wall. Stay at Xian Hotel or Tangcheng Hotel
Dec 25th Xian Stay at Xian Hotel Or Tangcheng Hotel¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï ( B L D )
Beginning the day with a once-in-a lifetime viewing of the extraordinary 2200-year-old terra-cotta Army of China's First Emperor-Qin Shihuang. Three exhibition halls house the continuing excavation of am army of 7,000 terracotta soldiers and horses that guard the tomb of the the First Emperor. After lunch visit Huaqing Hot Spring and Big Goode Pagoda .Local flavor dinner--dumpling . Tang Dynasty Show in the evening.
Dec 26th Xian ¡ªGuilin by air stay at Park Hotel ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï ( B L)
Take morning flight from Xian to Guilin. Arrival in Guilin, met and transferred to Guilin Park Hotel. After lunch, visit to Fubo Hill ,Seven Star Park.Back to your hotel.
Dec 27th Guilin stay at Park Hotel ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï ( B L D )
Enjoy a morning cruise down the winding Li River to Yangshou. Return to Guilin. Dinner and Minority Performance in the evening.
Dec 28th Guilin ¡ªShanghai by air and stay at Golden River-view Hotel Shanghai ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï or Shanghai Ocean Hotel ¡ï¡ï¡ï¡ï ( B L D )
Half day City tour of Reed Flute Cave, Elephant Trunk Hill. Afternoon flight to Shanghai. Stay at Golden River-view Hotel Shanghai or Shanghai Ocean Hotel In the evening dinner will be served. After dinner, you will be arrange d to watch the fantastic acrobatic show
Dec 29th Shanghai ( B L )
Today's highlight is your visit to Yuyuan Garden and Bazar. After lunch, move on to the¡± Pedestrians only ¡° Nanjing Road and the Bund. Take one hour cruising on Huang Pu River.
Dec 30th Shanghai Exit ( B )
Transfer to airport for departure
That last part isnt right, tho, as Cindy and I have extended our stay in Shanghai until January 2nd. I am excited for that, as it is the city I am most looking forward to seeing, plus it is the best city of all of them to have New Years in! Yay! So, ittekimasu....I hope I survive the cold hell known as Beijing! ;)
Have a great Christmas and New Years...hope everyone is eating TONS of holiday food and drinking eggnog and whatnot for me!!!
The Time Traveler's Wife
I just finished reading The Time Traveler's Wife and it was SUCH a good book, I LOVED it. I haven't loved a book like this in a long time! I was purposely reading it slowly so that it wouldn't end! I highly recommend checking it out, I loved it loved it loved it! Thanks to Holly for forcing it down my throat, btw :) Hee hee.
A random quote from the author in an interview, which I found interesting:
"I do not quite understand why people are so suspicious of fiction. Nonfiction is every bit as managed and shaped as fiction is and has the disadvantage of being too much like real life."
Monday, December 18, 2006
Keitai Pictures
So I have been far too lazy to blog about what I have been up to lately, so instead I will just post random keitai pics, and they sorta say things about where I have been, so there ya go!
Plate #1 of the 3,765 servings I had at the Thanksgiving dinner in Maebashi. Oh my god, it was SO good and I literally ate at least 6,000 calories and loved every minute of it! Of course, it wasn't as good as my Grandma's, but what is?
My parents and grandma ROCK because they sent me my favorite thing in the world....my grandma's Thanksgiving rolls! ONLY my family would spend the time and money to express me rolls, but they are fucking AMAZING! Pure butter! They are my favorite part of the meal! MMMM!
So, I have heard nothing but incredible things about Beer Lao from everyone that goes to Laos (yes, people actually go to Laos!). I have heard it is the best beer in the world, but that they don't export it for unknown reasons (hello, you'd think they would want to make MONEY in that country?!). Anyway, I seriously was pondering going to Laos just to try the beer, but fortunately I found it at a sketchy Thai restaurant in Tokyo! Of course I don't think any beer could meet up to such expectations, but it was good!
The Christmas tree at Disneyland! It was huge! I LOVE DISNEYLAND CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS!!!!
A moving Christmas tree in the Christmas parade (I was Japanese and actually watched the parade...usually I take advantage of the no-lines for rides during that time!).
This is currently my keitai wallpaper to get me in the Christmas spirit! So cute!
Is this not the cutest picture EVER?! Kawaii! Thanks to Ann for sending this!
I finally got to ride the Buzz Lightyear game for the first time ever! There is usually a huuuuuuuuuuuuge line. You ride around and shoot shit with your laser. Dude, apparently I should be in the military because I kicked fucking ASS at that game! I don't know if that is a good thing or not!
Mami is a genius and had us leave the park for lunch, and we went to a Hawaiian burger place. HOLY SHIT, I had the biggest and best avocado burger ever! I had been craving one for a month and it more than made up for it! I didn't know how to eat it, it was dekaiyo.
What can I say, I can fit big things in my mouth ;)
This is my AWESOME present I gave to a very lucky ALT for the gift exchange for the ALT Christmas enkai in Haruna. Is it not BEAUTIFUL?! ;)
Yes, only the best presents come from the conbini!
Plate #1 of the 3,765 servings I had at the Thanksgiving dinner in Maebashi. Oh my god, it was SO good and I literally ate at least 6,000 calories and loved every minute of it! Of course, it wasn't as good as my Grandma's, but what is?
My parents and grandma ROCK because they sent me my favorite thing in the world....my grandma's Thanksgiving rolls! ONLY my family would spend the time and money to express me rolls, but they are fucking AMAZING! Pure butter! They are my favorite part of the meal! MMMM!
So, I have heard nothing but incredible things about Beer Lao from everyone that goes to Laos (yes, people actually go to Laos!). I have heard it is the best beer in the world, but that they don't export it for unknown reasons (hello, you'd think they would want to make MONEY in that country?!). Anyway, I seriously was pondering going to Laos just to try the beer, but fortunately I found it at a sketchy Thai restaurant in Tokyo! Of course I don't think any beer could meet up to such expectations, but it was good!
The Christmas tree at Disneyland! It was huge! I LOVE DISNEYLAND CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS!!!!
A moving Christmas tree in the Christmas parade (I was Japanese and actually watched the parade...usually I take advantage of the no-lines for rides during that time!).
This is currently my keitai wallpaper to get me in the Christmas spirit! So cute!
Is this not the cutest picture EVER?! Kawaii! Thanks to Ann for sending this!
I finally got to ride the Buzz Lightyear game for the first time ever! There is usually a huuuuuuuuuuuuge line. You ride around and shoot shit with your laser. Dude, apparently I should be in the military because I kicked fucking ASS at that game! I don't know if that is a good thing or not!
Mami is a genius and had us leave the park for lunch, and we went to a Hawaiian burger place. HOLY SHIT, I had the biggest and best avocado burger ever! I had been craving one for a month and it more than made up for it! I didn't know how to eat it, it was dekaiyo.
What can I say, I can fit big things in my mouth ;)
This is my AWESOME present I gave to a very lucky ALT for the gift exchange for the ALT Christmas enkai in Haruna. Is it not BEAUTIFUL?! ;)
Yes, only the best presents come from the conbini!
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Lactose intolerant people are GAY!!!
Oh, boy, I can get married and have kids and watch football all day long! All I have to do is stop drinking soy milk!
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
A sign I may be out of touch with American culture....
K, so until like two days ago I thought Tenacious D was the name of some rapper that I didn't know anything about. And it turns out it is two fat white guys, one of whom is Jack Black. Hmm, interesting. K, I know nothing about American culture anymore, let alone youth culture. Sad.
Monday, December 04, 2006
What is this, CHRISTMAS?!
Shout out to Holly (and Joja!) in the subject, yo!
Anyway, I have a confession to make….I have been downloading some MAJOR guilty pleasure music in the last week! I am on a one-man mission to make it feel like it is Christmas time. In the last week I have watched Love Actually, drank an absurd amount of sparkling apple cider (they have it here!!!!!!!!! WHEEEEEEEE!), and had about 500 gingerbread lattes from Starbucks. The next part of my Christmasification is...dare I say...listening to Christmas music! Yes, despite my absolute hatred for Christmas music that was caused by a life-altering four holiday seasons in a row at Barnes and Noble (oy), I am actually CHOOSING to listen to Christmas music! And not just any Christmas music, no no no...guilty pleasure Christmas music oh fo sho!
What is this music, you ask? Um, can we hear some Mariah Carey love up in here??? Yes, I hate her with a passion, but hello, who doesn’t love her Christmas album (namely “All I Want For Christmas is You,” which causes me to dance around Japanese department stores). I also MAY have downloaded the Nsync Christmas album. Also, it MAY have only been available in a huge file with their complete discography in it. Just maybe. Um, guilty pleasure FOR SURE! Jeff gonna be doin’ some dancing around his apartment (a good way to burn off Christmas calories, might I add!).
I also just downloaded some album called the VA Christmas Hits 3-CD package? I am not sure what that stands for, but I think it might be “Very Awesome” because it is some good shit, yo! It is the most random compilation album ever, as the artists include Bing Crosby, Michael Bolton, Cyndi Lauper, Frank Sinatra, Christina Aguilera, Wham, Elton John, Backstreet Boys, Eartha Kitt, Doris Day, Destiny’s Child and many more. Intriguing!
I also just learned of the existence of a new Sarah McLachlan Christmas CD? It is good, but like the most depressing Christmas music ever! That will be Jeff’s go-to-bed Christmas music, perhaps! I think the album should be called “Slit Your Wrists by the Fireplace.”
Anyway, yes, I think I may have enough Christmas music for now...next step in my Christmasification is Christmas-decorated DISNEYLAND this Friday! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!!!!
Anyway, I have a confession to make….I have been downloading some MAJOR guilty pleasure music in the last week! I am on a one-man mission to make it feel like it is Christmas time. In the last week I have watched Love Actually, drank an absurd amount of sparkling apple cider (they have it here!!!!!!!!! WHEEEEEEEE!), and had about 500 gingerbread lattes from Starbucks. The next part of my Christmasification is...dare I say...listening to Christmas music! Yes, despite my absolute hatred for Christmas music that was caused by a life-altering four holiday seasons in a row at Barnes and Noble (oy), I am actually CHOOSING to listen to Christmas music! And not just any Christmas music, no no no...guilty pleasure Christmas music oh fo sho!
What is this music, you ask? Um, can we hear some Mariah Carey love up in here??? Yes, I hate her with a passion, but hello, who doesn’t love her Christmas album (namely “All I Want For Christmas is You,” which causes me to dance around Japanese department stores). I also MAY have downloaded the Nsync Christmas album. Also, it MAY have only been available in a huge file with their complete discography in it. Just maybe. Um, guilty pleasure FOR SURE! Jeff gonna be doin’ some dancing around his apartment (a good way to burn off Christmas calories, might I add!).
I also just downloaded some album called the VA Christmas Hits 3-CD package? I am not sure what that stands for, but I think it might be “Very Awesome” because it is some good shit, yo! It is the most random compilation album ever, as the artists include Bing Crosby, Michael Bolton, Cyndi Lauper, Frank Sinatra, Christina Aguilera, Wham, Elton John, Backstreet Boys, Eartha Kitt, Doris Day, Destiny’s Child and many more. Intriguing!
I also just learned of the existence of a new Sarah McLachlan Christmas CD? It is good, but like the most depressing Christmas music ever! That will be Jeff’s go-to-bed Christmas music, perhaps! I think the album should be called “Slit Your Wrists by the Fireplace.”
Anyway, yes, I think I may have enough Christmas music for now...next step in my Christmasification is Christmas-decorated DISNEYLAND this Friday! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!!!!
Sunday, December 03, 2006
The Best Conbini in the World!!!
On Thursday, Cindy and I skipped school so that we could “put extra pages in our passport” (our cover story for getting our Chinese visa). While there was drama with the visa (um, can I pretend to be Chinese and work at the embassy??? They work FOUR HOURS a day and don’t do shit!), it was worth the trip to Roppongi just to see a Natural Lawson! Duuuuuuuuuuuuuuude, they are the best conbinis EVER!
So, Lawson is a conbini that is good enough, though not particularly amazing (Ministop forevah, mothahfuckahs!). However, they have recently opened Natural Lawson, which is a conbini but with natural stuff, veggies, fruits, good products, etc. They are only in Tokyo and there aren’t that many of them, so I was excited to see one on the way to the embassy. And dude, they fucking rock, yo! It is like a mini Trader Joe’s, but in conbini form! It was fucking awesome.
I took some blurry pictures with my keitai (I had to do it in a hurry because I was embarrassed):
Their man, mmmm.
Anyway, if you find a Natural Lawson you’ve gots to try the man, yo! They are the SHIT! We had a kurogoma anman (black sesame and azuki paste), a sweet potato man, and a fucking AMAZING takaya man, which is spinach and pork. It tasted like it was just made by Chinese peeps in the back! Then again, maybe it was, as we were in China Town! Hehe.
Anyway, here is their site if you are interested. And even more interesting is their menu of man (dude, I am going back for the pumpkin one, yo!).
K, I am a loser, but it is the shit, yo! Non-food-related posts (gasp!) to come later in the week :)
So, Lawson is a conbini that is good enough, though not particularly amazing (Ministop forevah, mothahfuckahs!). However, they have recently opened Natural Lawson, which is a conbini but with natural stuff, veggies, fruits, good products, etc. They are only in Tokyo and there aren’t that many of them, so I was excited to see one on the way to the embassy. And dude, they fucking rock, yo! It is like a mini Trader Joe’s, but in conbini form! It was fucking awesome.
I took some blurry pictures with my keitai (I had to do it in a hurry because I was embarrassed):
Their man, mmmm.
Anyway, if you find a Natural Lawson you’ve gots to try the man, yo! They are the SHIT! We had a kurogoma anman (black sesame and azuki paste), a sweet potato man, and a fucking AMAZING takaya man, which is spinach and pork. It tasted like it was just made by Chinese peeps in the back! Then again, maybe it was, as we were in China Town! Hehe.
Anyway, here is their site if you are interested. And even more interesting is their menu of man (dude, I am going back for the pumpkin one, yo!).
K, I am a loser, but it is the shit, yo! Non-food-related posts (gasp!) to come later in the week :)
Yummy Seasonal Stuff
So, in Japan they love love love having seasonal stuff. With the change of seasons comes all kinds of new products (of course I am referring mainly to food here). Go to any conbini right around now and you will find tons of new “limited time” winter treats. There is limited time sparkling cider (mmmm!!!), limited time Kit-Kats, limited time winter-y chocolates, etc. etc. Now normally Jeffrey doesn’t like change and would want the same yummy treats to be available all year-round. However, for some reason it is okay in Japan!
Two winter things that you MUST HAVE if you are in Japan are:
Strawberry daifuku! HOLY SHIT, they are so good. I had my doubts last year, but they are the most amazing things EVER! So, normal daifuku are mochi (rice cake) with azuki bean paste in the middle. It is sweet and YUMMY. However, strawberry daifuku are 300 times better! The mochi is somewhat strawberry-flavored AND there is a strawberry in the middle with the bean paste! IT IS SO GOOD!!!!!! They just came out this week and I have already had three. MMMM!
This is new this year...white chocolate and pistachios combined into one orgasmic cube of delight! Hello, could there be a better, fattier combination?!
I don’t have a picture of it, but fukahire man (shark fin Chinese-style dumplings) from Ministop are the shit, too! YAY limited time oishii stuff!!!
Two winter things that you MUST HAVE if you are in Japan are:
Strawberry daifuku! HOLY SHIT, they are so good. I had my doubts last year, but they are the most amazing things EVER! So, normal daifuku are mochi (rice cake) with azuki bean paste in the middle. It is sweet and YUMMY. However, strawberry daifuku are 300 times better! The mochi is somewhat strawberry-flavored AND there is a strawberry in the middle with the bean paste! IT IS SO GOOD!!!!!! They just came out this week and I have already had three. MMMM!
This is new this year...white chocolate and pistachios combined into one orgasmic cube of delight! Hello, could there be a better, fattier combination?!
I don’t have a picture of it, but fukahire man (shark fin Chinese-style dumplings) from Ministop are the shit, too! YAY limited time oishii stuff!!!
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
I love the fall!
Dude, I have had the easiest weeks EVER lately!!!! This month I had the 3rd off (Culture Day), then a full week of school (um, not acceptable!), then on the 15th I got the day off, as I had to teach two classes on Saturday, the 18th (an acceptable trade, as I got the whole Wednesday off!). Then I got Thursday the 23rd off for Labor/Thanksgiving Day last week, and this week I have a conference on Wednesday (no shou, yay!) AND I get Thursday off to take care of passport drama (well, hopefully, the Chinese Embassy is sketchy!!!). Then I am taking next Friday off for Disneyland (!!!), then SADLY I have a full week, followed by a 3-day week before China!!! WOOT! Then I have two weeks off, then two days of sitting on my ass in the staffroom, then a 3-day weekend before the term starts! I love this shit!
Free shit at school!
Dude, this week at school rocks, as I have gotten random free shit! It is especially helpful, as I am broke as shit at the moment (more on that in a future post). Anyway, last Friday Momose Sensei gave all of the 3nensei teachers these lemon drinks that were really yummy? Not that exciting, but still nice! Then I arrived at work on Monday to find a big present on my desk. It was from a high school in Kiryu that gave all of the 3nensei teachers presents to try to suck up to them. Thankfully, I am a fake 3nensei teacher, so I get the presents, too (including a set of pens that I love, woot). It is not the most amazing present in the world, as it is a HUGE towel with an ugly picture of a samurai or something on it, but whatever, that means I don’t have to do towel laundry as often ;) Then after school I came back to my desk to find a piece of apple pie on it! One of the 3nensei teachers made apple pie and gave slices to every 3nensei teacher! Awww!
Then today I needed to move around, so I was walking around the halls, when the home ec. (is that how you spell that?!) teacher stopped me and was like, do you want some leftover miso soup? Hell, yeah! So I chatted with her while I ate yummy miso soup that 2nensei students had made. Ironic that I was walking to burn off calories and then ended up eating a bowl of soup, but oh well! Hehe.
So yes, lets hope this week of free stuff continues, and a 3nensei teacher decides to treat us all to a trip to Thailand or something!
Then today I needed to move around, so I was walking around the halls, when the home ec. (is that how you spell that?!) teacher stopped me and was like, do you want some leftover miso soup? Hell, yeah! So I chatted with her while I ate yummy miso soup that 2nensei students had made. Ironic that I was walking to burn off calories and then ended up eating a bowl of soup, but oh well! Hehe.
So yes, lets hope this week of free stuff continues, and a 3nensei teacher decides to treat us all to a trip to Thailand or something!
Friday, November 17, 2006
I'm back in bloody middle school!
K, I have decided that I am living in junior high again, and I really have no desire to do so, as it wasn’t even fun the first time! I used to think that my kids were retarded (I mean that in the best way possible!) kids who didn’t really notice anything. However, I have come to realize that they are like queeny gay men, observing one’s characteristics and (most importantly) personal flaws, just in case they are needed for a cat fight in the future! Today my special needs kids were doing impressions of various teachers and they were SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO good at it (and fucking hilarious), it was ridiculous!!! They totally notice the….how do you say komakai tokoro? Like, details. It is really crazy!
Anyway, you can totally notice the kids judging you when you walk by them or when you are teaching. Not necessarily because they are bitches (tho some of them are), but because they are teenagers and that is what they do! It’s especially sad, as I realized that I worrat they think. They totally know that I have like three pairs of work pants that I rotate on a regular basis. They also affect what I wear! I don’t want to wear something too often or they will be like, "Oh, you’re wearing THAT shirt again!" Hahaha. Not that they would say it (probably), but you know they are thinking it!
So yeah, sad, I am totally a 13 year-old again. Bah!
Anyway, you can totally notice the kids judging you when you walk by them or when you are teaching. Not necessarily because they are bitches (tho some of them are), but because they are teenagers and that is what they do! It’s especially sad, as I realized that I worrat they think. They totally know that I have like three pairs of work pants that I rotate on a regular basis. They also affect what I wear! I don’t want to wear something too often or they will be like, "Oh, you’re wearing THAT shirt again!" Hahaha. Not that they would say it (probably), but you know they are thinking it!
So yeah, sad, I am totally a 13 year-old again. Bah!
So for my 2nensei class I am having them do a dialogue in which one person is going to Tokyo and doesn’t know where to go, and the other (who goes to Tokyo all the time) is suggesting good places to go. It has a basic set thingy and the kids insert certain words and places themselves (which I am italicizing here). Today two of my best students had funny ones that I had to share. Plus it is in good English!!!
A: You look very tired.
B: Yes. I am going to Tokyo on Friday! I want to go sightseeing, but I don’t know much about Tokyo.
A: Oh, really? I love Tokyo! I go there every week with my
girlfriends.
B: Really? Will you please tell me good places to go sightseeing?
A: Why don’t you go to Kabukicho? It is very fun. You can meet many kids of women there.
B: That sounds great! Thank you!
A: Have fun in Tokyo!
K, that is only fun if you know about Kabuki-cho, but it is funny, dammit ;)
And one other:
A: You look very angry.
B: Yes. I am going to Tokyo on Friday! I want to go sightseeing, but I don't know much about Tokyo.
A: Oh, really? I love Tokyo! I go there every day with my
three thousand dogs.
B: Really? Will you please tell me good places to go sightseeing?
A: Why don’t you give up going to Tokyo? It is very dangerous. You can not do anything there.
B: That sounds great! Thank you!
A: Have fun in Tokyo! (and he wrote in (?) here, hehe)
K, so maybe these don’t seem funny to anyone but me, but you have to be an ALT here to understand! They actually thought outside of the box!
A: You look very tired.
B: Yes. I am going to Tokyo on Friday! I want to go sightseeing, but I don’t know much about Tokyo.
A: Oh, really? I love Tokyo! I go there every week with my
girlfriends.
B: Really? Will you please tell me good places to go sightseeing?
A: Why don’t you go to Kabukicho? It is very fun. You can meet many kids of women there.
B: That sounds great! Thank you!
A: Have fun in Tokyo!
K, that is only fun if you know about Kabuki-cho, but it is funny, dammit ;)
And one other:
A: You look very angry.
B: Yes. I am going to Tokyo on Friday! I want to go sightseeing, but I don't know much about Tokyo.
A: Oh, really? I love Tokyo! I go there every day with my
three thousand dogs.
B: Really? Will you please tell me good places to go sightseeing?
A: Why don’t you give up going to Tokyo? It is very dangerous. You can not do anything there.
B: That sounds great! Thank you!
A: Have fun in Tokyo! (and he wrote in (?) here, hehe)
K, so maybe these don’t seem funny to anyone but me, but you have to be an ALT here to understand! They actually thought outside of the box!
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Takasaki AEON!
On Saturday Cindy and I went a pretty-much-ridiculous distance to check out the new Takasaki AEON. It is either the biggest AEON in western Japan or all of Japan, I am not sure which...either way it is damn big, yo! It is three floors and has tons of stores and food and shit! It was really crowded but it is big so it wasn't overwhelming. Of course Cindy and I mainly got excited over the food places that they don't have at our AEON. Apparently the other people were equally excited, as there were HUGE lines for all of the dessert places! It looked like fucking Tokyo Disneyland (where more people wait for food than for rides)! Anyway, here are a few keitai pics from the trip:
They had a VERY dorky exhibit of replicas of costumes from a Power Rangers-ish show (I forget what it is called). There were tons of costumes, tho! Needless to say, a buncha little boys (and scary otaku) were very excited about it.
The MOST exciting news of the month...Starbucks has SEASONAL DRINKS this year!!!!! That's right, I finally finally finally get to have a damn gingerbread latte, my favorite drink EVER. And they have toffeenut lattes (woot!) and chocolate mint mochas. Um, you had better believe I am going to Starbucks as many times as possible in the next two months! It IS Christmas!
Me and my gingerbread latte.....pure joy.
They had a VERY dorky exhibit of replicas of costumes from a Power Rangers-ish show (I forget what it is called). There were tons of costumes, tho! Needless to say, a buncha little boys (and scary otaku) were very excited about it.
The MOST exciting news of the month...Starbucks has SEASONAL DRINKS this year!!!!! That's right, I finally finally finally get to have a damn gingerbread latte, my favorite drink EVER. And they have toffeenut lattes (woot!) and chocolate mint mochas. Um, you had better believe I am going to Starbucks as many times as possible in the next two months! It IS Christmas!
Me and my gingerbread latte.....pure joy.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Love Hotel Lovin'
Yes, I lost my love hotel virginity, and I have the pics to prove it!
What seems like a normal hotel room.....
Cindy shows off the amazingly real cityscape
Hmm, how strange, why would a hotel provide condoms to its guests?
One flip of a switch and the romance begins!
The control above the bed that helps you control the magic...
Love hotels rock!
What seems like a normal hotel room.....
Cindy shows off the amazingly real cityscape
Hmm, how strange, why would a hotel provide condoms to its guests?
One flip of a switch and the romance begins!
The control above the bed that helps you control the magic...
Love hotels rock!
Friday, November 10, 2006
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Mikan!
It is a glorious time of year, as mikan are in season! Yay! Perhaps one of the only good things about the dreadfully cold winter to come is that at least I can eat mikan all day long. For those who don't know, mikan are like small oranges. There is some random English word for them, but I don't know it and you probably don't, either. They aren't tangerines, though. Anyway, they are perfect, as they are yummy and vitamin C-y, but not too big to eat for one person like an orange! They are the perfect snack. AND they are the ONLY cheap fruit to be found in this country! To celebrate this momentous occasion, I bought a huge bag of them and have been having approximately four mikan a day. Woot!
One of my kids has personality AND can speak English?!
K, so Cindy and I have the same blog and we are both writing about what our students wrote in class, but get over it! Hehe. I was gonna say this anyway, dammit ;)
Anyway, in the 3nensei class we are doing this boring (I mean exciting! Yes, EXCITING!) handout with questions about the kids' favorite song. It is like what is your favorite song, who sings it, why do you like it, etc. The kids write the answers to the individual questions, then write a paragraph about their favorite song. Anyway, I go around and help the kids out while they write it, check their answers, etc. On Tuesday I got to this one boy who wrote "I don't know" to all of the questions, which caught my eye, so I read his paragraph, and it was the following:
I don't listen to music. I don't like music. But I know many singers. I don't have any money, so I can't buy CDs. Please give me money.
Hee hee! Maybe it isn't that funny in "real life," but it is nice to see someone thinking outside the box! And he only had one error on the whole sheet!
Anyway, in the 3nensei class we are doing this boring (I mean exciting! Yes, EXCITING!) handout with questions about the kids' favorite song. It is like what is your favorite song, who sings it, why do you like it, etc. The kids write the answers to the individual questions, then write a paragraph about their favorite song. Anyway, I go around and help the kids out while they write it, check their answers, etc. On Tuesday I got to this one boy who wrote "I don't know" to all of the questions, which caught my eye, so I read his paragraph, and it was the following:
I don't listen to music. I don't like music. But I know many singers. I don't have any money, so I can't buy CDs. Please give me money.
Hee hee! Maybe it isn't that funny in "real life," but it is nice to see someone thinking outside the box! And he only had one error on the whole sheet!
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