Whatever...

Ok, so it was not some floozy; it was a dude that I am supposed to remember, but really dont's girlfriend and she and Matt were apparently not banging. That is too bad, and I formally retract any statements made against her-AKA floozy. In my defense, if you met Matt's last girl you might have said the same thing. Hope that clears things up...leave it to me to create controversy at a memorial that I did not attend, and was not within (easily) a 1000 miles of. Go figure. The most surprising fact is that Jon and Bob, my commentors, found my blog in the first place. As I mentioned before, this is hardly a private venue to express ones thoughts.

Update on Matt Shipman

Well, I still always new that Matt was going to die young, I just never could see him getting old, but apparently "some floozy" was not responsible as I mentioned earlier, or it was someone I know and am supposed to like perhaps. I would get more specific, but the cryptic comment I received from Jon and Bob about it leaves much to the imagination. Oh well, I guess you miss school you miss out.

Ray


http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/updates/story/210198.html

I think I met this broad, but who the hell knows anymore.

Matt Shipman is dead

http://www.kirotv.com/news/14637835/detail.html

I have to go to work and deal with a whole bunch of kids that will remind me of Andy, I hope that kid is going to be OK.

Matt lived hard and died young. I guess I always expected him to go like that, and so did he. I hope whoever was with him in the car will be OK. I am glad the truck driver is OK. Matt had a way of dragging people around him down, and his final act will resonate with those closest at the time.

He was a wonderful father though. Of all the things I remember about him, I remember that the best. He would do anything for Andy, and to see them together was a treat, and a nice day in the making. Of all the things that Andy could have learned from his father, I hope that is the one that sticks out most of all. All the best that Matt was went into that kid. Smart, kind, funny, and cute. No man could ask for a better legacy than that.

Good night Shippy; where ever you are.

FRIDAY!

Well, it is getting cold finally, and I am ready for it. Summer here is too dang hot. There is just no way to keep comfortable here. I recently let my company know, informally, that I would not be renewing my contract at the end of the year. I got my new 3 year visa, and I am now free to move about the country as I choose for the duration of that. I am seeking a new apartment, and I am thinking about moving into the `gaijin ghetto` near Nagoya Station. It is a little pricey, and I will have to take in a roommate, but that might not be so bad. I wish I had a decent enough Job that I could afford to live on my own, but oh well. Life sucks eh? My current plan is to enroll in a full-time Japanese course here in Nagoya, and find a part-time gig. I have dusted off my IT resume, and having recently made some contacts in the business community here, I will try and score a job doing that, but I am not hopeful. I am pretty sure a full-time gig could be found, but everything is up in the air until you get it in your pocket: AKA who the hell knows!

Last weekend I went to Korankei with the International Club to see the fall leaves. It was a little early, but it was fun, and everyone had a nice time-about 9 people came, but I lost 3 after we arrived. They just wandered off and were never seen again. Hopefully, they are not dead.
http://www.jnto.go.jp/tourism/en/48.html

Tonight, I am going to a ball hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce, and the Japan-Canada Society of Tokai. It should be fun, and hopefully I will make some decent contacts. It never hurts to meet people that are doing better than you-as opposed to my usual drinking in the park with the rest of the bums.
http://www.tjcs.jp/champagne/program.asp


Anyway, I hope all is going well, drop me a line if you get a minute!

Ray

Football

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/09/sports/football/09football.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

This is a great article. I love the part about the footballers having to go apologize at the elementary school and and have their playing cards revoked if they smoke, drink, or do dope. Good times in a little town I tell ya! I dont even like football!

ACCJ

Well, after a long string of lame screw arounds, it is nice to have something go my way! The ACCJ meeting was exactley what I was looking for. I met the owners of most of the major foreign owned companies in Nagoya, as well as various and assorted directors, assitants to the such and such, a consular primary officer (whatever that is...), and even a headmaster. I got a stack of business cards a half inch thick, at least 3 lines on job prospects, and one solid offer-though it was an English school; we were talking about my possibily taking six months off to study and the guy was offerring part time work with kids at his friends school. I may take it yet. I really enjoyed it! The conversation was pretty different from that of drinking with English teachers or students, and I really felt like I was finally able to speak my own language here. There was a lot of talk about business, and a lot of talk about Japan in general, though that too usually related to business. I am planning to attend the next event in November as well, and after that, I will decide about dropping the 600US it costs to be a member-though I am leaning towards doing it. I learned a long time ago, and then again more recently, that the people you suround yourself have a direct bearing on who you are; in your actions, thoughts, and opinions on things. Being around people like that would be a good thing. I am very excited!

http://www.accj.or.jp/accj.or.jp/content/01_home

what up?

Hey,

What to say, what to say... Gotta work this weekend, but its cool. I don't care that much. I wish this was a more secure venue; I could be more forthcoming. No one reads this, supposedly, but some do, and don't leave messages to prove it. Such is life in a digital world, and I have secrets! So, I suppose in light of that, life is peachy, and if you don't believe me, then go fuck yourself. Love ya!

I feel safer...

If you cant trust the government with classified information, then we are pretty much fucked.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/08/AR2007100801817.html?hpid=topnews

Make sure you read the post below this one too!

Ray

OH MY GOD!

Now, I am pissed.

WWII soldiers' remains for sale in PNG: report

Reuters
Friday, October 5, 2007; 6:22 AM

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Selling the remains of fallen U.S., Australian and Japanese World War Two soldiers has become a lucrative business in Papua New Guinea, with a complete human skeleton fetching $US20,000, local media reported on Friday.

The South Pacific archipelago's Post-Courier newspaper said the skeleton was sold last month, and that plastic bags filled with bones were being sold for the equivalent of between $2 and $24.

Sanananda and surrounding areas saw fierce battles and heavy death tolls between Japanese and allied U.S. and Australian forces between November 1942 and January 1943 and was regarded as a turning point in eventually repelling the Japanese forces from what was then New Guinea.

Albert Awai, chief of Sanananda village, said government authorities were failing to detect the sale of the remains which had become a big industry, the newspaper reported in its online edition.

The recovered remains of thousands of Australian troops are interred at cemeteries in Papua New Guinea. But the remains of hundreds of other Australians killed during the fighting were never recovered

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/10/05/AR2007100500589.html

ME GO CRAZY!

Not really, but I think I missed my true calling...heavy metal lead singer. Yes indeed kiddies, I should be wearing leather pants and throwing my golden locks about willie nilly while I trash hotel rooms, and drink champagne from the bottle. Where are my groupies? Where is my gold records? Hell, where are my golden locks???

Bored at work

I had two classes today, and I am now sitting on my ass doing nothing; big fun in little Japan. I should be studying, but I got like 3 hours of sleep last night, due to a coffee error, and I am to friggin tired.

So, I am still sick of teaching. I like the kids, and when I am in front of the class I have a great time; the job is a blast, but I hate the teachers. In some cases, I actually HATE them. At worst they are racist and arrogant, of course at best they can be really great peole-it just does not seem to happen that way all that often.

I have started doing some preliminaries on a job search for the end of this year. I have not decided whether or not I will take a full time language course (my favorite option), or seek that bigger, better, faster job in....something (a more lucrative option). My resume is pretty much up to date, and I need only to tailor it appropriate to whatever job I am working on getting, but that has to wait for an actual application to be be filed, so we are holding there. For now, I am, like when writing paper, gathering resources, and trying to gauge the winds. Hopefully this will all turn out well...

Anyway, things are going good, except when I have to go to work, and I have only about 6 months left until whatever comes next.

OH! I ran into Aaron Randolph online...actually, he added me as a friend on myspace about 6 months ago and just now got around to figuring out who I was! We are talking about visiting each other. Speaking of which, I think I will research the price of tickets to shanghai....that will kill 20 minutes....

fan...

I have spent my whole life waiting for my life to begin , but in reality... this is my life...what does that mean?

Stone Cold

How the hell did I end up an expert on something so utterly useless? I been out and about in this world like what. ten fucking years? What the hell have I done? Not a goddamn thing to speak of. I am so jealous of my friends out there doing the deed, and sacrificing for the greater good. I sit here alone, doing nothing for the world, or at least not attempting to. I am utterly useless, and generally unimpressed with myself. I suck. I hate my life.

AMUCK AMCUK AMUCK!

NOW I remember why I had been growing to hate this job! Yet again, the sixth grade here is driving me nuts. The teacher is translating EVERYTHING; including sit down, and stand up. They have been studying English for six years at this point; nearly two with me personally, and they don’t get that? The first grade can understand that HALFWAY THROUGH THE FIRST LESSON, and these children need to have it explained every time I use it in class? This school also refuses to speak Japanese to me. The principal will actually chide the teachers to speak in English to me, and always makes a special and concerted effort to make sure I leave the school as soon as my classes are finished for the day. In short, the principal is communicating to the staff that I am not a part of the schools group, that I am an outsider. I can say, at least, that these teachers and students all know my name though, at my school next week they still call me English Teacher, as if that was my name. On a positive note, I got invited to my favorite schools undokai (kind of like a track meet, but a much bigger deal.) in two weeks, and they even told me that if I come, on Saturday, I have to work setting up with them. They have always treated me like one their teachers, and I greatly appreciate it. However, I am still done. I need to find a new job ASAP, before I lose my frickin mind

I think it was the hug that did it.

I had to share, be sure to look below, as I posted twice tonight.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/12/AR2007071202356.html?sub=AR

SOUL POWER!!!

I just came up on a whole mess'a James Brown, and that makes a guy happy. My next desire is for a whole mess'a Stevie Wonder. Life is good... Anyway, started my conversation group, and it went well. Hopefully it will continue and continue to be fun! I have been impressed with myself since I got back. I forgot a lot less than I thought I would in a month, and I have also started to feel like I can actually speak Japanese! I usually just feel like I know a whole bunch of random words and a smattering of grammar to boot. I am still lost most of the time, but I can hold fairly normal conversations with people now, but get hung up my lack of vocabulary. Just look around whatever room you are in now and then try to imagine just trying to learn the names of everything you can see now. After that, imagine going to the bank! I kind of like how hard life is for me here, it keeps things interesting. Anyway, if I can just manage to squeeze out a few more hours a week of practice time, say maybe 5 as a good start, I will be sitting pretty in short order. I got the basics of grammar, I know about 400 Kanji, and I can understand the words I know pretty easy. What I need now is to improve my vocabulary, immensely, and to train my mouth and head and ears to work together and actually make some use of it. Use the words a few dozen times, and they sort of end up in muscle memory; they just fall out of your head.

HOLD IT NOW...HIT IT!

OMG

830 at night, dark as coal, and it is 84 degrees. Screw this!

Back in Japan!

Home was great; but again I accomplished very little. I saw too few people, went too few places, and had nowhere near as many cups of Zoka coffee as I intended. Oh well, what can you do? So, since getting back I went to the new mall in Gifu; where oddly enough, while studying in Starbucks I met two of my students from Kusai Elementary. More odd yet, I know their mother from studying at the Starbucks in Apita in Konan; where we always chat about her kids. It was funny, and the kids were super excited to see me; that is always great, if a bit loud. The new mall is great! There is an Eddie Bauer, which I hoped for, and of all things a Sports Authority, which is where I had to go in the US to buy my underarmour shirts and skivvies-I highly recommend this clothing for people who live in hot wet climes, or who go camping. VERY comfortable, and the anti-microbial treatment means you can wear the same clothes for a week and not smell too bad. (Yes, I did try this, although I limited my experiment to 3.5 days.) Just about everything I wanted to buy in the states I found at this new mall. Oh well, at least I know where to get it next time; at a premium price, of course.

I am working on getting a Japanese Conversation Group together in Nagoya now. I am starting through the Nagoya International Club, but I am thinking of separating it, and using it as an additional recruitment tool for the club itself. If I advertise it separately, and then just make advertising available at the meetings it might work out well. We shall see. I am becoming quite the little community organizer! This complete lack of any real life during the week has its benefits.

I have just finished my first class! I am actually surprised how much Japanese I can still recall on demand, but I am definitely in a category I lovingly refer to as SUCK. The kids were great, a little tired and listless at first, but I took it easy on them, and tried to make it easy, exciting, and fun and they came around in the end. It remains to be seen how the rest of the little buggers are, but I am in top form today-despite the oppressive heat. I think I just saw a monk in a little orange robe burst into flames!!! Now THAT is hot!

UNITED is pissing me off!

I have been a United customer for ten years, and have been an exclusive customer for about five, but I have found that I am growing more and more dissatisfied with the service I receive at the check in counter in Seattle. When checking in for my return leg to Nagoya via San Fran I am always unable to use the automation, but when I explain that to the staff I am told to try again-despite the fact that I have gone through this process 3 or 4 times already on previous trips.

On my flight today, I spent 30 minutes (from 6:46 to 7:15 or so) at the counter (after waiting in line). On my last trip I spent a similar amount of time, and only got assistance when I refused to allow the staff to walk away from me again. Today, several of the staff were not greeting customers at all, only demanding documents; while standing for 30 minutes I heard one man in particular do this repeatedly with other customers. The person who eventually assisted me was polite enough, but after I put both of my bags on the scale, she grabbed the small, half empty one, and checked it in. After it was gone, she told me that I would have to pay 25$ on the second bag, as it was over weight. If she had mentioned that flights to Japan were limited to 50 (as opposed to 70 as on other flights) before, I could have easily balanced the bags under that weight, and when I said that, she told me I should have put the heavy bag on first-but they were both on the scale and I had already told her both were mine.

I have been a loyal customer, and still find every aspect of service, other than the check in staff, to be great, but even considering the miles I have built up, I am not sure that I am willing to continue to deal with the aggravation I repeatedly experience at United’s check in counter. The staff seems to think that they can behave like TSA personnel, and that I just have to deal with it. It makes me think that I should just pay more and fly ANA or JAL and receive exceptional service for my money.

Sincerely,

PS: The check in staff in Nagoya has been superb; every time.

That old black magic

Well anyway, some of you might have heard, others not. That job I was expecting to come through did not, in fact, come through. It just sort of petered out, and just the other week I got that confirmation, as well as a long over due explanation. I am the victim of good old fashion racism! They hired a Canadian about 5 months ago; despite some reservations, as he had held 3 or 4 jobs with Japanese companies in the last three years. It turns out those reservations were well founded. In order to work for a Japanese company, you must accept a few things. You WILL be unexpected to work unpaid overtime, you will be expected to attend company functions, and you will speak as much Japanese as you can and become a part of the company family. This guy, refused to do all these things. After 5 months, they eventually fired him, essentially for his inability or unwillingness to assimilate into the company standard salaryman mold. So, he sued them. A pointless gesture, as Japanese courts rarely find against Japanese in favor of foreign people. Though, sometimes they do. So, since that Canadian didn't work out, the company has decided never again to hire white people. I am white, in case you didnt know. So, I am SOL. One of the most valuable things I am taking from my time in Japan is an intimate knowledge of racism, and how it must feel to be black, or other such things in America. I was not at all racist before, but after this place, I have a new respect and understanding of such things. Merry Christmas Ray!

,,,

Just another one of those nights. When you remember that what we call scars really aren't. Scars heal, and you can look at em and say, man that shit hurt, but it don't anymore. It healed. Wounds are what they are; like malaria, something that just keeps coming back, again and again.

I do what I have always done. I put it all back in my pack, and I soldier on. One, two, three, four, I love the Marine Corps. One foot in front of the other, again and again, but you start to wonder where the hell are you actually going? I have taken the broken pieces of all that I am, and tried to make something new, but I am still that same flawed and broken person that I have always been. I am still fighting myself.

Henry Rollins said that you can spend you entire life walking around in the nowhere land of self-doubt, and I can see how that is true, but the fight against it, the constant effort to propel myself forward in spite of them is draining me. I do not wonder if I have the strength to continue. I am stronger than that. I can die with my fingers clutched around the throat of my enemies; kicking and screaming in glorious combat. I can continue. I don't know if it is self doubt to wonder if the cost of the battle is too great, but I find myself wondering that very thing. Am I fighting a battle I can not win; destined to fail? In the end, are the years I spend in pursuit of victory simply going to be part of the cost of that I pay?

I doubt myself everyday. I weigh the cost, and pay the price. Why do I fear mediocrity, and the simple pleasures of what even I would readily admit are the pleasures in life. Family, friends, and the knowledge that they will always be there? Those things that men have found for all of history. I live my life alone; often near desperation. I am very different, I tell myself, and not without good reason, but I am not that different, and a simpler life calls to me as well. I know the cost of my efforts, but I have yet to reap its rewards. To accept that life is failure, to succeed against its draw is success. I think. One, two, three, four, I love the Marine Corps...

update letter

Greetings all,
I got emails from several people I wanted to respond well too, and they backed up, so here goes with a generic letter that will also be posted on my blog, because I don’t post even half as much as I should. I ate whale today, and it turns out that I have eaten it on several occasions in the past without knowing it. At one point, the school actually lied to me and told me it was tuna. They know the rest of the world frowns on them eating it, and they act accordingly guilty. It wasn’t bad, but it was only school lunch, so you cant expect great things.

Things are going well here, as well as can be expected anyway. I am still teaching, but I might be starting a new gig in September. I am getting hired to do international sales, but I wont start doing that until I learn about the company and their products. So, I will start out working a machine in the factory for a year or so. It should be good practice for Japanese, which is also something I have to work on. The down side of this change is that I wont get long vacations any more. I had gotten used to them!

I am also trying to figure out what to do about a house here. I need a new apartment, but it is hard to get one on your own here as a foreigner. It is Japan, such things are legal here. They are talking about moving me into a really crappy public (read as tenement) building that is less than 150 a month, but I cant do that until after I start the new job, and my current apartment is tied to my old job. Therefore, I have to time it just right, or I am screwed. If only I didn’t have so much stuff. I don’t mind sleeping in the dirt! Trying to sort that problem out is my major concern just now, and it is preventing me from saying for sure when, or if, I will be home this summer. I really want to go on the kayak trip though, and I am working to make that happen. This year, we are going to the Broken Island Group again, and I am hardcore stoked to go there again. I love that paddle ground.

So anyway, besides all that, same shit different day. Any questions?

Take care, and don’t do nothing Id do!Ray

humming computer

Yet again, I am bitching. Today was another crappy day. I thougth it was just me, and I was being grumpy, and that was true, but the teachers today have been real dicks-at least my first two. The second actually had some of her kids workign on another assignment WHILE I was giving my lesson, as she walked around collecting and grading it. This would be yet another example of a good thing I dont speak Japanese well. If I did, I would have ripped her a new one, at least by JP standards, by asking her to knock it off. Completely disrespectful. Every time I come to this school, I eagerly await my impending departure. It turns out that I hate Japanese and American teachers, albeit for different reasons. It should be two more weeks until I get a finalized contract to consider...I am waiting impatiently.... I am ready to go!

Bells for class

I take it back about the sixth grade, this time I realized that I forgot after they told me on Friday about it. My bad! Still working on everything else...

Random Japanese kids...

I am writing in the staff room today. They screwed up my class schedule again today, yet again the 6th grade teachers at Hotei have proven themselves incapable of the simple task of using a schedule. I had to call the classroom after 15 minutes, and then we had to reschedule the class for the last period. This only happens here, only happens with the sixth grade, and has happened 4 times-twice in the two times I have been here this year. It really pisses me off that they can be so uppity, and yet so unprofessional.

I did not put in my notice yet, as my contract with the new place is still under negotiation. I am probably going to do so around July now, but who the hell knows. I am stuck in reactive mode; unable to proactively do much of anything at all. Oh well, fuck it. So, in other news, it is also now possible that I will not be going home for the summer. I have been doing the math, and it was going to be tight before, but it now seems very impractical; if not impossible. I needed 7 to start the new company and go home, and I will not have that. I really wanted to go, as it will be my last chance to take a lengthy leave, but fuck it, you gotta do what you gotta do. If I do stay, I will probably take an intensive Japanese course, and that will help me to start my new job on a less stressful and generally better foot.

Semper gumby.

Bad Religion

Let them eat war!

I am sorry I dont post that often, but there is simply nothing to report! I am getting stressed out lately. My Japanese still sucks, and I am not sure I have all my ducks in a row for a place to live come August when I am supposed to start this new job. I am giving my notice after June 1st, so hopefully this will resolve soon. I dont want to be in a position where I cant go forward and cant go back either...

The fan...it is already hot again

An odd night indeed. Got an email from a friend of mine the other day. He told me he was out with his girlfriend, and some friends. I thought this was odd, being that he was married, but of course I accept that people do that sometimes. Tonight, I got a call from him. The wife caught on. He failed to come home one night, I suppose he wasnt trying very hard.

I can understand that. He has been married, with two kids, since he was 22-32 now. Essentially, every day that I have spent doing whatever the hell I feel like, he has been doing the Cleaver thing. Recently, he started making some real money, and reflecting on his missed youth. Hence the problems arose. It is odd, because many people tel l me, including him, how lucky I am to be single and doing my own thing, but I would like nothing better than to be tied down and working towards the common good of the family unit.

I am tired of being alone all the time, and tired of leaving all my friends every few years. My hell, well, purgatory anyway, is every one elses heaven, and vice versa. Both him and I know, and said, that what he wants wont last long. The novelty of it will wear thin, and memories will eat him alive. Single life is not all that exciting, that is why people get married. I have done it for long enough to to qualify as an expert on the subject.

Bars, bar people, and weekends spent in a drunken haze are fun for a while, but, as I said, the novelty wears off and you are left with a hangover. He has to find that out for himself, and he knows it. I can understand his feelings, and I feel very bad for him. He knows it is a mistake, but it is a mistake he has to make. Well, at least he is alive, and one thing I know for certain is that things will work out. They may not work out well, and they may not end up like we want them too, but they will work out somehow. Life just keeps truckin, and we all just try to enjoy the ride as best we can.

The Unger Report

Welcome back to planet me! So, this week has been pretty good. Had some fun, dealt with some crap. I guess, "same shit different day" applies as usual. I had to hang out with some girl who is going home today last night. I don’t actually like her; she is kind of a bitch. All she does is talk shit, usually about me. I don’t mind being the butt of jokes, in fact, I am usually the butt of my own jokes, but she just gets mean about it. My tolerance only goes so far. Fortunately, she is going home, so I do not have to deal with her again. Yay!

On the plus side, I also hung out with a friend I met at one of my International Club events, Chiaki. I have no complaints about her; it was fun! However, the great Indian food we ate is haunting me this morning, it was very spicy-a good thing, but my stomach is all jittery today. Living in Japan has really decreased my ability to eat spicy food-Oh no! I must double my efforts and eat more spicy food to recover my abilities.

It has been called to my attention that I have not adequately described the company I should be starting in September. The company deals in car interiors, such as dashboards, and interior paneling. They get an order for a car-say a Toyota, and, using the manufacture’s specs, design the part, and make a test model. After it is approved, they make a molding, and develop the processes to manufacture it on a large scale, and then send the whole package to factories overseas in Korea, China, Mexico, and other spots to be mass-produced. The factories simply add their molds and tools to existing machines and stamp the crap out. It is not very exciting, but the international nature of the company, and the broad dealings with Asian customers offers an education in International Business that should be valuable, and potentially lucrative in the future. In addition, I will get to go to all those countries; eating good food and seeing exotic pretty girls-such things a man enjoys!

I hope this answers your question Travis! Take care all!

R~R

inane staff room chatter

Dropping a line at school again. So, I sent in my timtable for KTX, and it looks good generally; only a few hitches stand out. Most of the hitches are monetary, actually. I should be starting in Semptember, after giving my notice here in June. I still feel bad about that; I will miss the kids, and this year they made me a sort of mid level supervisor of sorts as well. Not a real big deal-I cant hire or fire people, so it is not high up at all. Mostly though, I will miss the kids. Teachers suck; kids are cool.

So anyway, I asked about help getting an apartment, and I can move into one near KTX after I start, but there is a break between one job and the other of more than a month. I dont really know what I would do with my stuff until then. The rent on that place is DIRT cheap though. like 150 a month for a two bedroom. Downsides, it will be shitty, and REALLY far from the station. However, my thinking is, take it and save cash for six months to a year and then get something else afterwards.

This trip and new job is going to suck me dry. I have to buy plane tickets, have a little money to spend, buy a car, and pay for all the crap to get into a new place. I will HAVE to keep that job after this, otherwise I will starve quickly. It sucks to be poor, dont it? Well, kind of poor anyway. Good thing I dont have kids; THEN i would be poor!

Actually Posting!

For some reason, I never quite caught on to the fact that I can post at work. I might actually post more often now. I have a philosophy that if I can get paid to do it, I will do it more! My parents left on Sunday, and I enjoyed their visit, but 10 days alone with your folks can be a little rough. I tend to sit home alone at least once a week, if not more, just on GP. I am pretty good at being alone!

So anyway, we had a good trip. We saw Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, and Kobe. My favorite part was the oldest Zen temple in Japan-I forgot the name, for now, but it is in Kyoto, and it is really cool. The mural on the ceiling is fantastic. I will post some pics when I get around to it. Today I set out my tentative itinerary for the next six months. I plan to give notice in June, move out in July, go home in Aug, and start my new job in Sept. My first order of business is finding a place to live. I am thinking closer to Nagoya, but not inside. Kami Otai is a maybe... I am also thinking of going to Wyoming and LA during my trip home. I think I have the time, so why not? Just a couple (!) extra bucks I dont have, right? Someday...

Today is dull. I have literally NO work to do today. Tomorrow I have maybe an hours worth, and on Wednesday maybe 3. I am BORED. I hate doing nothing. Anyway, hope all is well.


Ray

Still a Foriegn Policy geek

Mr Smith, (9th district, US Congress)

I am writing in regard to H.Res. 759, about "comfort women" in Japan. I am currently working in Japan in order to learn the language, and would like you to support this bill.

My studies have focused on the Japanese as our essential allies in the global community, and I feel that their refusal to accept their own responsibility for actions in the past is hurting their own, and our interests in the region. Especially now, concerning the issue of WMD in N Korea, their refusal to engage in dialogue until demands are met is creating a stumbling block on an important issue to all parties. In the following link, you can see how the issues of comfort women and wartime slavery generally, are very similar, though numerically greater than, the issue of Japanese abductees.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/23/AR2007032301640.html

The Japanese, next to the UK, are our closest allies, and this disconnect from reality and hypocrisy designed to play to local constituents is serving neither country. Please support this resolution, and help to bring them closer to participating in a regional historical accounting of a conflict that continues to divide an increasingly important economic and militarily unstable region.

Warmest regards,

Ray Proper III

Johnny Mathis

I had an ephinay today. Part of my education in Japan is learning about discrimination, and how it effects a person. In this case, it is me. I feel the effects of it here, some obvious, some not, but it is undeniably there. My ephinany is that I have become a little paranoid about it. I now see it where it isn't, as well as where it is.

I have a much better understanding of ghetto-ism, and knee jerk reactions to things I interpret as racist. Paranoia is an effect of living in a different culture, this is known, how do I bring myself to better interpret slights intended, from those unintentional, or those simply imagined? It is my mission of the week.

Also, how wrong are the slights? I apply my own standards of modernity to all other cultures, and I know that this is incorrect, but I have no other lens with which to view them. Is there a vision of modernity that can encompass all cultures??? How important are human rights, and what are those rights in relation to OTHER CULTURES?

Louis Armstrong

Same shit different day. I am making some natto curry just now, and the crap is boiling as we, uh, type. Not much going on. Since it is a break from japanese classes for me I have nothing to do at night again when I dont have my part time gig. I am going to watch a movie, eat my curry, and go to bed-while trying not break into the sake and drink all night! Beware the sake! It calls you when you are bored, and when you are happy, and when you are sad... You get the idea, I suppose. Got some new chairs for the "dining room" this weekend. Much more comfortable than the last ones, and they can seat more people as well if you lay em flat. Sounds odd, but if you lived here you would get it! Anyway, my curry is boiling, and I am famished, starved, possibly even a little hungry. Word to your momma or whatever...

silence

But, Itunes is opening! I have news. So, about four days ago, my part time job boss calls and says he wants to speak to me. I figure that he is going to fire me, but he didn't. He actually offered me a job at KTX. He offerred me any position I am interested in in the company. Including CAD and CAM, machinist, office staff, anything. The salary was less than I am making now-with his PT work included, and I told him so. Instead of saying, "oh, ok, too bad" he says he will try and get me the salary I want, but I can only do a few of the jobs they have, and all are filled right now. So, the deal is, we are going to shoot for four months, and see if one opens up. What he actually wants me to do is international sales rep, but I dont have any skills or knowledge, and so they need to train me for a year if they want to hire me, which they do. Basically, what it comes down to is that they know me, they like me, and they want me in the company. I have read that companies do this sort of thing, but I have never seen it! He is even offerring scheduled time, every day, to work on my Japanese. What a guy!

Company site-
KTX English

Bad Religion

Infected! Good way to start a morning, I think. Coffee, and a newspaper (albeit online) followed by BR! Now I have to prepare to meet the monkeys again today at school. I cant believe I have to do this another year. I am really sick of teaching English. I don't dread each day yet, but I suspect it is coming. The saving grace is the massive vacations that I have coming. Two weeks at the end of the month, and then all summer. I don't know if you know this about me, but I hate to work. I far prefer to screw off and do whatever the hell I want. However, I also tend to do nothing when I have no schedule, so it is probably for the best that I work, as little as possible. If I was going to stay home I think I would definitely be a fireman, like the old man, that 9 days a month thing really appeals to me, and I like that it is dangerous. I am trying to get my buddy Ben, from the Marines, to do that job. He wants to be a cop. I think he would like it much better than packing a gun, but it is his life.

Anyway, this last weekend I went to the Ogre Festival with my online group-up to 76 people now, not that you would know it from any events! Had my largest turnout yet, 12 people. The festival was fantastic, best I have ever seen. Visually stimulating, and veyr exciting, but very cold too!

Nothing

Been sick since Wednesday. I went home early, about 100, and I have been cooped up in here ever since-with a couple 15 minute trips to the store. Hell of a way to spend a three day weekend, I tell ya. was REALLY sick until Friday, and I been on the mend since then. Today, Monday, I feel allright. Not bad. Need to get up out the house, ya know? I have burned through a months worth of both "The Wire," and "Battlestar Galactica" on my slave drive. The "X Files" is getting low too, but since I found the other two I have not been as excited about that show. If you havent watched the other two, check them out! They aint bad! Work tomorrow, study today. Frackin weekend down the tubes...

So, here I am again! Its a sunny Sunday, warmer than usual, and I am waiting to head out to a Vocal Jazz concert in Gifu with a friend. I will meet them at Konan Station in about a half hour. Big fun in Japan; I tell ya.

Wanted to drop a dime on this new manga (comic) in Japan. The following is from a Yahoo groups list I am 0n, life in Japan. It kinda pisses me off, and so I will pass it along to you as well.
________________________________________________

Here are some "highlights" :
Back Page:
47,000 crimes by foreigners each year!!
There then follows a "danger rating" (kikendo) of each country, scattered on a world map surrounded by knives, guns and syringes:
China: 14 Russia: 5 Korea: 9 Brazil: 8 Colombia: 3 Etc.
None for the USA, Canada, Australia or the whole of Europe.
[And of course no stats for Japanese criminals for comparison.]

============ ========= ====

Article about crimes by Iranians:
iranjin o tsukamae!!
Catch the Iranian!!

Article lamenting Tokyo's demise into lawlessness:
furyou gaijin bouryoku toshi!!
City of Violent Degenerate Foreigners!!

Article about foreigners scamming Japanese for money:
mushirareru nihonjin. (katakana for accented Japanese): "shachousan, ATM kotchi desu"
Japanese getting conned. "Theesaway to ze ATM, Meester Managing Director"

============ ========= ====

Feature of foreign guys picking up Japanese women (What this has to do with "crime" is unclear)
YELLOW CAB REAL STREET PHOTO
[NB: "Yellow Cab" is Japanese slang directed at Japanese women who will let any Non-J man, ahem, ride them.]

omaera sonna ni gaijin ga ii no ka yo!!
You sl*ts really think foreign guys are so great, huh!!

soryaa nihonjin wa chiisai kedo...
We know Japanese guys are small, but..

============ ========= ====

Picture of black guy touching a J.girl's ass in Shibuya (obviously consensual too)
oi nigaa!! nipponfu joshi no ketsu sawatten ja nee!!
Oi N****r!! Get your f****n' hands off that Japanese lady's ass!!
(yes. It really does say "nigaa")

Picture of dark-haired [White?] foreigner kissing J.girl in Shibuya (again, obviously consensual)
koko wa nippon nan da yo! temee no kuni ni kaette yari na!
This is Japan! Go back to your own f****n' country and do that!

============ ========= ====

Picture of foreigner with hands down a J.girl's knickers in Shibuya (definitely consensual)
chotto chotto chotto! rojou de teman wa yamete kureru?
Woah! Woah! Woah! Stop with the f*ng*r*ng a girl's p***y in the street, huh?

Links to scanned images referred to above:
http://i44.photobuc ket.com/albums/ f40/mrscuzzbucke t/img037. jpg
http://i44.photobuc ket.com/albums/ f40/mrscuzzbucke t/img036. jpg
http://i44.photobuc ket.com/albums/ f40/mrscuzzbucke t/img033- 1.jpg
http://i44.photobuc ket.com/albums/ f40/mrscuzzbucke t/img034. jpg
http://i44.photobuc ket.com/albums/ f40/mrscuzzbucke t/img032. jpg
http://i44.photobuc ket.com/albums/ f40/mrscuzzbucke t/img031. jpg
http://i44.photobuc ket.com/albums/ f40/mrscuzzbucke t/img030. jpg
============ = STEVE'S REPORT ENDS ============ ========

One more report from another blogger in Tokyo:

============ = BLOG COMMENT BEGINS ============ =======
There's also an extremely puerile article about Korean "Delivery Health"
pr*st*t*t*on services, which give the lowdown on some of the "myths" that
surround them, entitled "Korean Delivery Health: True or Lie?"

Myth number 6 or 7 is "Is it true that Korean wh*res' v*g*n*s smell of
kimchii?". This is discussed at length, the basic conclusions being that no,
Korean wh*res' v*g*n*s do not especially smell of kimchii but you can expect
a general aroma of kimchii on her body.

Debito, this is one of the most irresponsible and mean-spirited pieces of
journalism and publishing I have ever had the misfortune to come across. It
truly is at least as bad, if not worse, than any underground right-wing
literature you'd find in Austria, France, Germany or the UK. But this isn't
"underground" --it's sold in Family Mart convenience stores apparently
nationwide and published by a firm that by all accounts sees itself as being
part of the mainstream.
http://www.debito. org/index. php/?p=192# comment-685
============ = BLOG COMMENT BEGINS ============ =======

COMMENT: The magazine is already making waves overseas (I just got called tonight by The Guardian (UK) for a quote), as it should. And the blogosphere is suggesting creative ways to sabotage the sales (such as sticking chewing gum in the copies on the newsstand).

You can also exercise your power as consumer by letting the stores in your area which stock this magazine know how you feel (be polite about it). Or if you'd like to head for the source, try these outlets (thanks Craig):

Family Mart Japan:
http://www.family. co.jp/english/ company/index. html (has postal address)

Family Mart USA (known as "Famima!" in the USA):
http://famima- usa.com/contactu s/index.html

Comments to Amazon.com USA can be made via
https://www. amazon.com/ gp/help/contact- us/placing- order.html/ 105-9838904- 9950035?ie= UTF8&nodeId=

Redacted version of a letter to a friend

So, Japan is going well. I am winding down my first year as an ALT-assistant language teacher. At my schools (I teach at 5) there is no language teacher, so really I am an English Teacher, but since I don’t hold a teachers certificate I am not licensed and so am “only an assistant.” That kind of thing happens in the states too sometimes. I am planning to staying put for one more year doing this. The pay is OK, the hours are good, and I get to study at least an hour a day at work.

However, I am bored out of my mind. Since I went to university, I have become a bit of a geek about what I studied-basically international relations in Asia. I like reading and talking about it, but basically, I like using my head now as much as possible; thinking about things. As you can imagine, being an elementary school ALT is a whole bunch of fun; I play games with kids everyday, but it is also very simple. I don’t need to think at all. It is mind numbingly easy. In general, I hate teaching English. However, as I said, I can study, often as much as two hours or so, at work.

Speaking of Japanese, I am getting better, but I still suck. It pisses me off because I keep thinking that if I had studied Spanish, for the two years or so that I have been studying Japanese and living in country for a year, I would be fluent by now. Instead, I study Japanese, and I can barely order food. It can really make you feel dumb for having started this in the first place. In response, I decided to study Spanish as well when I finish with Japanese.

I mostly just work here. I have two jobs, both English teaching. One is full time, as mentioned above, and one is two nights a week at a company that makes plastics in my town. I teach their employees. Good work; it pays like 45 an hour, but I only get 3 hours a week-enough for me! Two more days a week I take Japanese classes in Nagoya-which is my nearest big city at about 25 minutes and 4 bucks on the train from here. Four nights a week I am not home until between 8 and 10 at night. Its not bad though. I get lonely here in my empty apartment during the week, and so it keeps me sane to do stuff.

My plan is to get a Microsoft certification, and find a tech job here in Japan in 08. Then I can keep studying the language and work out my next stop. I have been considering going to a crappy law school-my grades are VERY average, or perhaps even a Japanese law school. I want to study Asia on the front lines where decisions are made, and that would be a great way to get there. Or, I will not, and just do something else. Who knows? First stop, a better job in Japan for 08!

I have a lot of friends here, mostly Australians, but some US folk, some Brazilians, and of course, Japanese. We all meet up in Nagoya and usually we karaoke.

I am also a member of an online hiking club, and so I go hiking here about once a month. I would like to go more, but I don’t have any real friends who want to go with me! I also started an online club patterned after an online club in Seattle. It is called the Nagoya International Club. I consider it volunteer work. Once a month, I host a gathering for people to meet in Nagoya and do something. Today for example, I hosted a trip to a flea market in Osu, but since no one wanted to go I am home writing you. The Seattle club of the same name has over 1000 members, and is very active. My club has about 60, and I have only met 10. I am working harder this year to advertise more, and am hoping to get that it will really take off soon. Now, mostly, I host events that maybe one person will show up at. It is kind of annoying, but many people here are in schools in the country with no foreign friends at all-it gets really lonely out there. Also, Japanese people want to meet foreign people, but they are too shy to talk to them. So, I created this, in hopes of creating a physical community through a virtual one. It is exciting to think about, and boring to implement.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/nagoya_international_club/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/seattle_international_club/

Open Source

Well, it is monday morning; here we go again. One more week until the weekend, and chill out time. This weekend was cool, Mike dropped in and we drank, as usual, copious amounts of booze, ate kaiten sushi, and generally made a nuisance of ourselves. We also tried to go to Gifu Castle, but that didn't work out. We got up too late, had lunch too late, and arrived (wait for it) too late. Oh well, it isnt that far of a drive. This week; figure out the best way to get my Microsoft coursework, and hit the Japanese book as always. I am at Hotei this week; the largest school in the disctrict. They usually throw me out of the staff room by 3, so I will likely get off early all week. That is good, but I still have to work in the evening. I like the cash I get from that job, but I am really tired of doing it. I have better things to do with my time than work!

Dennis Prager

Hump day again. I gotta work tonight after work. I hope I get fired from that part time gig soon. I am tired of it. The fact is I hate teaching English. It bores the shit out of me. Kids are fun to teach, if still really easy, but adults just suck. I hate entertaining them, and listening to them ramble incoherently is such a chore. I need to hurry up and improve my Japanese so I can do something else. Maki stopped calling; I am down to one. One down, one to go!

Early morning train

Well, I am back in Japan. Odd, but when I left the states I didn't feel ready to go, but when I got back here I felt relieved. It has been hard to get back into the swing of things though. I have been suffering the worst jet lag I have ever had, and am only just getting over it. On Monday night I couldn't go to my Japanese class because I was too tired to get back up-at 530. I managed to stay awake until 830, and then I got up at 5. That was a productive morning though! Last night I was awake until 1030 or so, and then I got up at 6 today.

It is frickin cold here (Mr. Bigglesworth)! I am still confused as to which is colder, Seattle or Nagoya. One thing I can say is that niether is a tropical paradise in winter.

My trip was expensive, but after I returned I realized how much I needed to get home and recharge; reinvigorate!

I think I put my concerns for my general plan to rest. I think I will put off grad school, and try and focus on my technology skills as the way forward. After another year of teaching, I will try and find a technology job here somewhere, and keep working. Although I had previously decided that IT was not my path, I am not worried about stepping back onto it. I realized that keeping that skill is going to be broadly useful, and shouldn’t be left to wither; also, bilingual IT jobs pay rather well. Once I go that direction, it’s possible that I will find more interesting work at a software or computer company in a business oriented capacity. There are plenty of IT companies in Seattle, and not that many people really speak Japanese.

So, I am feeling a lot more comfortable with the next four years, now that I have a "thought" on what I want to do.

For anyone who is interested, here are my resolutions for the year;

Improve my Japanese to a solid level 3. (がんばれ！）
Improve the condition of my temple. (get in better shape!)
Improve my understanding of financial matters.
"Catch up" on IT related materials.
Read more.
Drink less
Work harder on the Nagoya International Club

I have decided that some friend of mine were in fact correct; I am an intellectual. After about the fifth set of blank, glazed looks I got at home I realized that my interests are really specific, and my study of them is quite in depth. People should stop asking my queustions about Japan; they are nearly gaurenteed an answer much longer than they were looking for.

On that note; the Japanese Defense Agency became the J Defense Ministry yesterday. This is big and exciting news! (For me anyway)

See this article;

Asahi.com