Also, to start the hype: I will be hiking Fuji again this year, and the date is this upcoming weekend. Let's hope there isn't a flash blizzard like there was last year and that it is 晴れ (springtime weather) the entire time we're climbing, not just after we're done wondering what sort of white storm we hiked through to see the top of Fuji pristine and cloudless. Boy was that frustrating.
This year I will be in charge of a new feature for the Okayama Fuji Climb: The night hike. The intention is to climb starting at 10pm through the night for sunrise on the summit. This is the true way to experience Fuji, seeing the red sun rise over Japan. Somehow I have been listed as an "experienced" climber. I think this is more just to quell the fears of others who have not climbed Fuji yet.
Regardless, I will take pictures and as promised, post a teaser or two here, and the rest of the beauty on my photosite website. This website is linked to the "My Web Page" link in my profile, so it's easy to get there (there being npallaver.photosite.com).
Monday, September 12, 2005
Sunday, September 11, 2005
30 minutes late
So I forgot I had to return some movies that were going to be late, and then forgot some other things in my apartment, such that I was about 30 minutes late to school today. Remember that I have absolutely zero classes on Monday. It turns out that the VP came over to me and gave me a quick little talk about how I should be here at 8:30am, and the next time this happens, nenkyu or paid leave will be taken out.
Surprising, considering I'm not trying to beat the system. I think it was more done because there has to be some sort of face maintained by the VP to give the impression that these things are unacceptable. Regardless, I was a little phased by it, and decided to retaliate by making the word of the day: pointless, or 無意味な （むいみな）.
Things are going well in Tamano as of late. My apartment has become extremely clean and tidy and is a far cry from the pig-sty of a bachelor pad of yesteryear. I figured out how to hook up my stereo to my TV so I watched an action movie last night through the stereo, and when the first bus blew up, it totally caught me by surprise. Wow. When the movie was over, I restarted it just before the bus blew up again to experience it again. Fantastic.
Friday night was Tamano's first organized party in awhile I believe. It was without a doubt the most people I have ever seen congregated in our apartments; upwards of about a dozen people came. After preparing a huge dinner (my portion being a very healthy salad with tomatos, avocados, cucumbers, eggplant and mustard chicken on the side to add yourself as you please), which quite frankly took too long since by the time it was ready at nearly 9:30 or 10pm and was not very readily consumed since everybody was a little bit full from previous beverages to eat a huge meal of what was salad, sushi, curry, and rice, we headed on the Berry for Takamatsu.
Surprising, considering I'm not trying to beat the system. I think it was more done because there has to be some sort of face maintained by the VP to give the impression that these things are unacceptable. Regardless, I was a little phased by it, and decided to retaliate by making the word of the day: pointless, or 無意味な （むいみな）.
Things are going well in Tamano as of late. My apartment has become extremely clean and tidy and is a far cry from the pig-sty of a bachelor pad of yesteryear. I figured out how to hook up my stereo to my TV so I watched an action movie last night through the stereo, and when the first bus blew up, it totally caught me by surprise. Wow. When the movie was over, I restarted it just before the bus blew up again to experience it again. Fantastic.
Friday night was Tamano's first organized party in awhile I believe. It was without a doubt the most people I have ever seen congregated in our apartments; upwards of about a dozen people came. After preparing a huge dinner (my portion being a very healthy salad with tomatos, avocados, cucumbers, eggplant and mustard chicken on the side to add yourself as you please), which quite frankly took too long since by the time it was ready at nearly 9:30 or 10pm and was not very readily consumed since everybody was a little bit full from previous beverages to eat a huge meal of what was salad, sushi, curry, and rice, we headed on the Berry for Takamatsu.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
typhoon day off
So last Tuesday (two days ago), there was a typhoon. It was a decent sized one, but for those that were present last year, nothing like hei-nen's #16. This one was number 14.
I was supposed to go to Gokane Shoogakou, but after calling them and finding out my classes had been cancelled (perhaps since they didn't want to drive to my house and back and with those winds there was no way I was biking), I had my vacation day after all.
Turns out the next day, my JTE asked me why I had not come into school, saying she had left a message. There was a message, although it was one of those 'just hung up as the answering machine picked up' type.
The words of the day today are:
to play hookey - Risa wasn't there so the reply as to why was 学校をサボる.
phat - the only small, easily pronounciable word that starts with ph other than physical (or phenomenon)
I was supposed to go to Gokane Shoogakou, but after calling them and finding out my classes had been cancelled (perhaps since they didn't want to drive to my house and back and with those winds there was no way I was biking), I had my vacation day after all.
Turns out the next day, my JTE asked me why I had not come into school, saying she had left a message. There was a message, although it was one of those 'just hung up as the answering machine picked up' type.
The words of the day today are:
to play hookey - Risa wasn't there so the reply as to why was 学校をサボる.
phat - the only small, easily pronounciable word that starts with ph other than physical (or phenomenon)
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
the color black
So last night I went out to a bar in Nakasho, the same as last week, with nearly the same outcome: I didn't get to bed until well after 4am.
This time around it was because last night was the "Black Nabe Party", the reason being yesterday's date was kugatsu rokka, or simply put, kuro, or black in Japanese.
Thus if you were highly encouraged to show up wearing all black. Actually, if you did, you saved over 500yen, or the price of one drink, since the price for all-black wearers to eat was 696yen (yes, all 6s and 9s).
It was an interesting night, but combine the fact that there was a typhoon going on with the fact that it was a very interesting (read: sketchy) group of people who use lots of slang, I had a real hard time following the conversation. In fact, I didn't even understand half of it. This is a truly a drag, and definitely makes me realize I have a lot of studying left to do.
To make matters worse, this morning's first two classes were distaster. There was zero response to my call of "Good morning" in either class. It's supposed to be an English conversation class, but when nobody speaks, I might as well turn it into a Neil speaks Japanese and see if you can understand him class. Ridiculous. Days like these make it obvious that one year is more than enough for some JETs. If it wasn't for the amount of fun I have outside of school, the same would ring true for me too.
I didn't take very many pics because I forgot my camera, but took two with my keitai. I'll get them onto the computer and up for you to see the "blackness" of the party (and the nabe). Tonight's going to be an early night for sure.
This time around it was because last night was the "Black Nabe Party", the reason being yesterday's date was kugatsu rokka, or simply put, kuro, or black in Japanese.
Thus if you were highly encouraged to show up wearing all black. Actually, if you did, you saved over 500yen, or the price of one drink, since the price for all-black wearers to eat was 696yen (yes, all 6s and 9s).
It was an interesting night, but combine the fact that there was a typhoon going on with the fact that it was a very interesting (read: sketchy) group of people who use lots of slang, I had a real hard time following the conversation. In fact, I didn't even understand half of it. This is a truly a drag, and definitely makes me realize I have a lot of studying left to do.
To make matters worse, this morning's first two classes were distaster. There was zero response to my call of "Good morning" in either class. It's supposed to be an English conversation class, but when nobody speaks, I might as well turn it into a Neil speaks Japanese and see if you can understand him class. Ridiculous. Days like these make it obvious that one year is more than enough for some JETs. If it wasn't for the amount of fun I have outside of school, the same would ring true for me too.
I didn't take very many pics because I forgot my camera, but took two with my keitai. I'll get them onto the computer and up for you to see the "blackness" of the party (and the nabe). Tonight's going to be an early night for sure.
Friday, September 02, 2005
New Beginnings
This is a test of the emergency Blogger system. Please follow all exit signs and scream at the top of your lungs, "Gaijin!"
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