:: My Urban Eyes ::
All that I see, and then some.
:: Monday, September 29, 2008 ::
Japan-bound
This may seem sudden... but that's because it sorta is.
I'm moving to Japan.
The whole story:
My boyfriend, Ken, is Japanese. He'll be finishing up school this December, giving us the opportunity to move someplace neat to start the whole adult/life thing. And where better than Japan? The chips really fell into place--his dad dabbled in real estate during the Bubble and bought an apartment, hoping to make money on it. He picked an awesome location--a five minute walk from two different train stations, a half hour from Shinjuku, Tokyo, on the 21st floor of a modern apartment building with views of Mt. Fuji on a clear day... the works.
Well, the Bubble crashed and now the apartment is worth half of what it was in the early 90's. The mortgage was finally paid off and the last renters left long ago, leaving a nice, furnished crash pad for Ken's flight attendant sister and business-tripping dad.
When Ken's family heard that we were interested in moving they said, "Why don't you stay in the apartment?" Rent free. O_O
So, we have a place to live, he's searching for a gaming company to work at (he's an illustrator), I'm doing the whole job search thing to find a nice English language school to teach at... and my life will be changing significantly come 2009. I can't wait. ^_^
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 6:23 PM [+] ::
:: ... 2 comments
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Will I ever see you again???? First you move across the country now across the world. Well it will give me an excuse to visit Japan :-)
# posted by 
: 11:02 AM
: 11:02 AM
How exciting!!. Of course you can blog from anywhere in the world. So it will be nice to hear more from Japan.:D
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:: Saturday, September 13, 2008 ::
Instant Natsukashii
All of my "Japan" friends, listen to this--it will bring everything right back. I'm doing a little dance and dreaming of cheap pineapples even as I write this. ^_^
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 2:04 PM [+] ::
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:: Sunday, July 20, 2008 ::
And the Winner is...
...Japanese. At least for now. A radio internship application is off in the mail and what is done is done. Time to get cracking on the second language.
Pages and pages, solid with characters, or 漢字 - kanji.
To be considered fluent in Japanese you need to be able to read and write roughly 2,000 kanji. To be prepared for the JLPT level 2 I need to know 1,000. Over 700 of them are on these four pages. I've been working on it, but I'm not there yet. Thank goodness the test is in December. ^_^
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 5:47 PM [+] ::
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:: Monday, April 28, 2008 ::
Whirlwind, Calmly
So, a lot's been going on. Something I couldn't mention in my last post--I'm transferring to a different Starbucks. There's a new store opening a block from my old store (I know, I know) and I'm going to help them open it smoothly. The location is wonderful, the manager is awesome, and I'm going to love the challenge. We open next week, and this week is setup. I also took four days off for myself, which has been really really nice. There's actually seven days here where I don't have to wake up before 4 am. It's wonderful. ^_^
Before I forget, here's my latest FO:
Comfort Socks
Pattern: My usual Plain Jane over 60 sts
Yarn: Trekking in color 62
Needles: US 1s/2.25mm
Cast on 4.13.08, cast off 4.26.08.
A fairly quick turnaround on these, and it would have been even faster if another project didn't distract me between the first and second socks. Trekking is my go to yarn and my current favorite. This isn't one of my favorite colorways, though--I like something with a little more punch and variation. I'll still wear them lovingly, of course. ^_^
And on a completely unrelated note, the other day I wrote a beautiful Japanese character, and I was so proud.
Can you see it? In the middle of all those hastily written, lopsided, still being learnt kanji there's a glimmering textbook example of penmanship, shining like the star it is. ...no? Can't see it? Okay, let me highlight it for you:
There. That is a, dare I say it, a perfect ki. The two horizontal lines are at exactly the same angle, the bottom swish is just as swishy as it ought to be. As soon as I wrote it I looked back and wondered how it even came from my hand. I mean, look at the rest of the page. I wasn't trying to write neatly, and yet still I am graced with this ki. My heart is still aflutter. ^_^
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 6:59 PM [+] ::
:: ... 2 comments
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Congratulations on the writing...I just came back from Japan and boy it would have been nice to be able read/write/speak/understand ANYthing. I know learning the language is quite a challenge, but I think I may begin to tackle it. It is possible to get around without a whip of Japanese...just not quite as much fun!
# posted by : 1:12 PM
: 1:12 PM
I'm so jealous. My letters are horrible but I guess they're better than my kids' of course they are just learning how to write English as well ;)
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:: Friday, November 09, 2007 ::
Tawashi Time
Japantown is wonderful. It's a beacon of all that is good and Japanese, from food and restaurants to kitchen supplies and origami paper. The brightest jewel, though, is the Kinokuniya bookstore. They have every Japanese novel I could ever want, daily Japanese newspapers, study books straight from elementary school classrooms (I'm loving the 4th grade books at the moment), and last but not least, craft books. So, I bring you this:
魔法のタワシ - Mahou no Tawashi - Magic Scrubbers
The cutest dishcloth/scrubber things ever. EVER. Here's my proof:
The ball is featured on the cover and is crochet. The middle square is garter stitch edged in crochet, and the spiral is crochet. Here are some other designs that I haven't gotten to yet:
And what is this last weird creature? Well, a duster, of course!
Whomever did the design had amazing color sense as well--next time I order dishcloth cotton I'm going to stock up on the solids so I can do these designs justice.
Needless to say, I'm in love. Kinokuniya is full of books like this, and you don't even have to know Japanese--an understanding of crochet (most are in crochet) and chart-reading skills are all you need. Craft on.
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 1:25 PM [+] ::
:: ... 2 comments
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They are too cute. What a great idea. They look like they are easy and fast projects. Hope your still doin fine, it was great to talk with you! Love Love Love
# posted by : 3:18 PM
: 3:18 PM
That book looks awesome. One of my absolute favorite things to do is go to Kinokuniya and browse craft books. I have one that I haven't made anything from yet, but I keep buying pretty cotton and linen for those patterns.
Awesome scrubbers!
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Awesome scrubbers!
# posted by : 5:07 PM
: 5:07 PM:: Sunday, April 29, 2007 ::
Jidai Matsuri
The Jidai Matsuri, or Festival of the Ages, is one of the newest festivals in Japan, meaning it started only a couple hundred years ago. The parade showcases historical figures and the various eras of Japanese history. I don't know what period these guys are from, but the girl's look is timeless.
(full size at flickr)
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 7:45 PM [+] ::
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:: Thursday, April 19, 2007 ::
バンビ～ノ！
A new drama season has started in Japan, which has given me a lot of first episodes to go through. Sometimes the acting is so bad I can't get past the ten minute mark before deleting the file. There are a couple of good shows this season, and the first one I've been able to watch all the way through is バンビ～ノ！, or Bambino. The story is about a country boy who loves to cook. Everyone in town thinks he makes the best pasta, which has swelled his head some. He gets a chance to go to Tokyo to work in a real Italian restaurant and test his skills, leading to all sorts of adventures and realizations.
I usually watch everyday type dramas with little specialized jargon, so Bambino has been a bit of a stretch with all of the cooking terms thrown in. Every once in a while, though, a 30 second passage makes perfect sense and I get the urge to translate it.
「何だその顔は。え？バンビ。」鉄幹が言う。
「え？バンビ？」
「今日からお前の名前だ。イタリアのバンビーノ。一人じゃ何も出来ない、生まれたての赤ん坊。ま、ガキんちょっていう意味だ。どうだ？お前にぴったりだろ。バンビーノ。」
「・・・うっす。」
Chef: What happened to your face? Well, Bambi?
Ban: Huh? "Bambi?"
Chef: That's your name starting today. From the Italian bambino--a newly born child that can't do anything on its own. Well, "brat" would be a better translation. It fits you perfectly, don't you think? Bambino.
Ban: ...yes, sir.
I wonder if my Japanese will ever get to the point where the entire show would flow as easily as that.
Labels: Japan
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 2:42 PM [+] ::
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:: Wednesday, March 28, 2007 ::
A True Coffee Shop
This is the first Kissaten (traditional coffee shop) I visited in Niigata, Japan. The idea is that one cup of overpriced coffee buys you as much time as you would like to sit, read, listen to music, flip through their magazines, or whatever else you like. I did puzzles while waiting for my midnight train home.
(full size at flickr)
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 2:10 PM [+] ::
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:: Saturday, February 17, 2007 ::
Recorder Song
From when I visited an elementary school in Hirakatashi, Japan.
(full size at flickr)
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 1:18 AM [+] ::
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:: Friday, November 17, 2006 ::
Konnichiwa, pasokon desu.
I'm a big fan of the "I'm a PC/I'm a Mac" ads... and they've finally come to Japan! The cultural differences are funny--the PC dude is a "salary man", and the Mac dude uses slightly less formal Japanese. The acting isn't as good as in the American version, though. :/ Here's my favorite vid, followed by a translation by yours truly:
Mac: Hi there, I'm a Mac.
PC: Hello, I'm a PC.
Mac: Ah, an iPod. What'cha listening to?
PC: Some Eurobeat.
Mac: Eurobeat?
PC: Isn't iPod great? iTunes is easy to use, and podcasts are fun, too.
Mac: Well, a Mac is just as simple for stuff like photos and movies, since it uses iLife.
PC: iLife, eh? Well, I have some pretty cool software, too.
Mac: Ahh, like what?
PC: A calculator.
Mac: ...anything else?
PC: A clock!
edit [6.18pm]: Here's the original ad in English. ^_^
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 5:54 PM [+] ::
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:: Friday, November 10, 2006 ::
Ceramic Goodies
I just realized I never posted the pictures of my work from the second semester of ceramics class... so I'm gonna fix that! ^_^
Plate, white clay, dripping shirohagi over black (OF), W.19.5cm H.2cm.
I made a dinner set using this design--four dinner plates, two dessert plates, four sushi plates, a saucer-like plate, a bowl and several cups. Fell in love with the look of it. ^_^
Bowls, white clay, slip decoration, sekkai (OF), W.14cm H.5.9cm.
I use these whenever I have cereal--the perfect size! Sensei and I joked that they are setto-ppoi, or "a set... ish". A good potter can make bowls very similar in shape and size, a master potter can make perfect copies. I on the other hand make stuff that's bascially a set, but doesn't stand up to scrutiny.
Jar, white clay, inside - shirohagi, outside - spraying kurotenmoku and shirohagi separately (RF), W.10cm H.11cm.
Bowl, red clay, pouring haiseiji inside after dipping irabo (RF), W.12.5cm H.8.2cm.
This bowl, destined for large servings of soup, broke en route to America. -_- All in all I lost one large rectangle plate and three bowls of various sizes... not too bad considering how much I sent back, but sad none the less. I took my most prized pieces--the dinner set, a teapot made by Sensei, and others, in my carry on.
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 6:11 PM [+] ::
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:: Sunday, November 05, 2006 ::
Random Remembrance, Plus
- There are no unit prices in Japanese supermarkets. So when you're trying to decide if the jumbo size is really worth it you're left to your mental math or cell phone calculator. Added difficulty--in US it's a given that you'll save money if you buy the gargantuan box of cereal, but that's not always the case in Japan. A six pack of soda costs the same as six single sodas. It makes the unit price more important, and it's lack more glaring.
Other randomness:
I just clipped my nails--it's like an instant +5 for tasks like typing or using my electronic dictionary. Instant ease! It also ups my typing speed--I feel like I'm flying right now!
Mark bought the new Final Fantasy and is loving it. It's neat because I get to watch, ask questions, and enjoy the storyline, but he does all of the fighting/grinding/leveling. -_^
I hope everyone who is eligible votes on Tuesday, if you haven't already! I just watched the HBO documentary on Dibold voting machines, and how easily they are hacked... I might vote absentee next year, just to be safe.
Today I fiddled around, crocheting and knitting some cup sleeves (the cardboard ring that protects your fingers from the heat of your drink). I don't have an actual Starbucks cup here to test it on, so I eyed the size from memory. I get to test them out tomorrow... we'll see how it goes.
I open tomorrow, but I don't want to go to sleep now. It's my day off, I want to enjoy as much of it as possible! The reality of waking up at 3:30 am is fast approaching, though. Boo.
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 10:49 PM [+] ::
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:: Tuesday, October 17, 2006 ::
Aoki-san Branches Out
This may only make sense to Kansai Gaidai-ites, so bear with me.
We all love Aoki-san, ne! Look, here he is with Arashi on Music Station!
Wait wait wait, the actor Takenaka Naoto is on Music Station? Why would that be? Well, to sing his new song, of course! Here's the music video (he's the guitar-less one):
I'm still in shock.
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 9:10 AM [+] ::
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:: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 ::
Golden Year
Now that I'm basically settled in and have time to breathe, I find myself thinking about Japan a lot. It's all too easy to picture myself there--at the University, walking to the train station, doing all-night karaoke at Jankara, exploring Namba with friends. The bittersweet part is that I can remember the spacial elements so clearly. I can still remember which escalator to take to get to the 300 yen store in Vivre and what buildings line the road to school. I can close my eyes and bike down the steep hill to Tsutaya at 11 pm to get the newest game for my DS Lite. Seeing it and knowing that it's half a world away makes me want to cry.
My time in Japan was a golden year in my life. I made amazing friends, saw incredible sights, and grew and changed in more ways than I thought possible. While high school and college bring the prospects of reunions and homecomings, a study abroad is final. There is no way that all of us can get together again from all corners of the globe, stay in the dorm, and hang out 'like old times'. This is something I realized during my last few weeks in Japan, but denied in order to enjoy each moment to the fullest. I guess this pain, this bittersweet natsukashii, is what I get on the back end.
But I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. It reminds me that these are things to remember, friends to cherish, and a self discovered. In that sense, I hope this awful feeling lasts a long long time.
To everyone I met in Japan: I remember you, I miss you, and I thank you.
Labels: Japan
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 11:26 PM [+] ::
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:: Monday, September 11, 2006 ::
The Fad I'm Glad to Miss
Over the past two weeks I've found myself thinking, "Last year, at this time, I was in Japan" quite a bit. It's a bittersweet natsukashii, or nostalgic, feeling. While sometimes I see a dorama/music video/quiz show that makes me wish I were back in Japan, now and then something comes along that makes me glad I'm back home:
This ad is all of the rage in Japan now, the media you cannot escape. These girls even perform the ad live on morning and variety programs. Crazy, eh?
As for the move, it went really really smoothly. We had six people total and it took two hours for two van loads. The couch (!) also arrived yesterday, and the cable guy came in to do his thing. Today is a lot of unpacking and settling in.
The apartment is awesome--Mark and I are taking such joy in the little details. Things like the bathroom actually being a walk away from the bedroom, having a couch to nap on, a rug in front of the couch to put your feet on, a kitchen with actual drawers. Not to mention being able to stretch without smacking something or someone. -_^
It's my day off, but the city is calling me--time to do some shopping! ^_^
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 12:24 PM [+] ::
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:: Tuesday, May 23, 2006 ::
Sayonara is the Hardest Thing to Say
(This blasted thing won't let me write in Japanese characters, so this will have to do...)
Demo, sho ga nai, ne. Nihon, iroiro na koto, watashi no kokoro kara, arigatou gozaimasu. Meccha tanoshikatta. Mou ichi do aimashou, ne. Hayakereba hayakuhodo yoi. ^_^
Sayonara.
Labels: Japan
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 3:59 PM [+] ::
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:: Saturday, May 20, 2006 ::
Graduation!
Yea for graduation! Boooo for saying goodbye to so many people. T_T Here are some pictures of everyone... omoide!
This is what happens when it starts raining, a huge gust of wind comes up, and the photographer gets wet and the subjects get worried. Me and Noriko (not my speaking partner, but another Noriko... a really common name).
Ceramics Sensei is wearing a suit! Quick, take a picture, take a picture! -_^
Robby ("Robbie" in my mind, though!)'s friends gave him this shirt for Christmas, daring him to wear it in Japan. When is better than at graduation? This is during the luncheon, where they had an amazing spread... and free beer. In huge bottles... like the one Robby is holding.
Travis! His hair really grew out while we were here, hehe. He's from Texas, but he's really nice. ~huuuuuge wink~
Ridwan and Karen.
Robby and I with Komura-sensei, whom we happened to catch at a bad time. -_-
Me and Matt. ...and the ceiling. -_^
The darling Elaine, whose Japanese is so good that she's taking classes in Japanese this semester.
Ian, Robby and I. We were in the same language classes, both kanji and speaking, both semesters.
Ashley, who I'm really going to miss--especially going to karaoke together.
With Chae.
My roomie Georgia. She's from Australia, and we get along so well it's scary.
Jen rented a traditional outfit worn at graduations... I think it's called a hakama. It's not a kimono, but it is kimono-esque.
Joe and Josh. Since we always use last names in Japanese class, I didn't know Josh's first name until today. -_-
Robby and Molly were in my classes this semester, too. And Robby looks... befuddled? Hehe.
I met Takashi on a trip to Kobe, and I caught him at the graduation. When I asked him why he made the face, he said, "That face is all of my feelings! Happy, sad, sabishii (lit. lonely--sad that people are leaving), hung over, all of it!"
Yea for people! Boo for saying goodbye. Meccha sabishii.
Labels: Japan
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 8:37 PM [+] ::
:: ... 2 comments
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GAAAH! SO MANY POSTS!!! We're so PROUD of you!!!!!!!(lots more "!!!!"'s)!!!!! I hope the trip goes well and smoothly and that they give you lots of those little packets of peanuts and sodas and waters. I hope that you can fit everything into your suitcases! Those ceramics looked so pretty. I sorta feel bad that you have to come home, but I'll be happy to see you. That was such an awesome experiance! Let me know when you make it back to your mom's (like, a short blog post or something).
I sure hope they give me a lot of peanuts--the first leg of my flight is 12 hours! Hehe. Last time I flew on Northwest, which stunk, but this time I'm on United, so I'm going to have my own personal screen to watch stuff on, yea! I'm thinking it will be a much better experience ^_^
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Ceramics Videos
There is no one in the dorm tonight (everyone's out partying, I think) so the internet connection is actually decent, yea! This means... I could finally upload some videos! These two are from ceramics class.
This is a walk-around, narriated by yours truly (my voice is lower in my own head, I swear), of the ceramics studio at school. It was the last day of throwing, so everyone was working really hard.
Hard to see, but Sensei's kampai (cheers, toast) from our farewell party at Asian Days. The important thing is the audio though--Sensei has a cool way of mixing together English and Japanese, even when he's trying his hardest to speak only English.
Labels: Japan
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 8:33 PM [+] ::
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Graduation Day
It doesn't feel like it though. On Wednesday I took the last final of my undergraduate career, and tomorrow I'll attend my graduation here at Kansai Gaidai. By an odd twist of fate, it is the same day UAlbany is holding their graduation.
Due to paperwork issues, however, my diploma will read August, 2006, but in my mind I'm a graduate. I'm not sure how it feels though, since I'm stressing and packing. @_@ So much stuff to do! Cancel cell phone, close bank account, sell bike, get general deposit back from the school, pack up my ceramics, clean, say goodbye to everyone, have a last go at karaoke, not to mention getting my luggage together and getting my butt to the airport (gonna take the highway bus--love the trains here, but three train changes with all that luggage? I'll pass).
The way that the bus schedule works, I'll be getting to the airport something like six hours before my flight. I think I'll know every store inside and out by the time I depart! -_^
My plane takes off from Kansai International at 6 pm local time May 24th, and arrives in Chicago at 4 pm local time, same day. How cool to land before you take off! Then there's a two hour layover in Chicago to get through customs, then it's a two hour hop to Albany, where I'll arrive at 9 pm. 14 hours in the air, 16 total. If you want to be really mean, you can add in my six hours at Kansai International waiting and travel time to *get* to the airport and it turns into a 23.5 hour ordeal. -_^ Thank god my family is picking me up when I get home--I think I may collapse into their arms! Hehe.
If anyone has any tips for beating jet lag I'd love to hear them. I plan to drink a *lot* of water on the flight, but beyond that I don't have much of a clue. I'd love to hear your tips! ^_^
Labels: Japan
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 9:34 AM [+] ::
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:: Wednesday, May 10, 2006 ::
Ceramic Hurrahs
I love my ceramics class sooo much, and it's quickly drawing to an end. Here are some pictures of the class, in an effort to capture, well, everything. ^_^
Sasha is working on a huge pot based on the Jomon style. It is simply awesome.
Things to be trimmed, waiting on the overhead rack.
Levi and Jane sharing tunes. Most students here have ipods, and most people are listening to them as they work on the wheel. Sensei plays some awesome music, too--everything from classical to Tracy Chapman to the Beatles to Japanese indie bands.
And here's an artistic (or so I would like to think) shot of Kimie at the sink.
I tried to upload a video, but it just didn't work. ~shakes her fist at the school network~ Maybe soon. ^_^
Labels: Japan
:: Kazen @ Always Doing 12:50 PM [+] ::
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