Blah, long time no xanga. I am back in Shiz for the first time since moving to Yokohama. And I'm sick. Oh well. Yokohama is dope. Skateboarding is fun. Shiz has good sushi though.
Living in Japan, this is a serious issue. This video explains perfectly, the bathroom etiquette where I was brought up. I cannot possibly explain how uncomfortable it was the first time a Japanese friend started to hold a conversation as I was urinating. I could... not... answer him.
SO, how was your summer? I'm glad to hear it! Mine was ok too! We have something in common! I took a few pictures this summer that I would like to share with you. This was before summer actually. But it's pretty funny. Jen has gorilla boobs.... hahahaha
This person really loved the fast and the furious. Or as they say in Japan, "Wild Speed."
This is a giant shoe that sits 3 sories above a big street near us. It's not a shoe store. It's a dollar store....
Can you believe these vans cost more than a Mercedes in Japan? Yet a few people actually buy them! I don't understand.
These are vending machines. The first one sells rice. Well, of course. I mean, it IS Japan. Just like we have bread and potato vending machines back home. Oh wait.... The second is obviously a coke machine. What I love is that there are only 2 kinds of soda. Everything else is coffe, tea or sports drink.
Japan is blatantly racist. Though it is less mean here I think than in the US. Yes, I have had cabs literally peal out to get away from me when they saw I was not Japanese, BUT, the general type of racism here seems to me to be more of a "Isn't it wierd that these people who aren't Japanese do this stuff totally different from us?" than a "These people who aren't us, are less than us." Well, except for southeast Asians. But thats more the older generation. Young people like everyone. Anyway, these masks are fucked up, but its still funny that they do it. They even have an Asian one, with buck teeth. Do you think they picked up that Chinese sterotype from early last century America or did they do it to themselves? I dunno. Anyway. This one is just plain fucked up. And I mean, damn, what the fuck were they thinking? Were they from Alabama or some shit? Who actually says shit like this? If you can't read it, it says "Arrest Black Babies: before they become criminals." Damn
The guy on my left is one of my ex-students. He was a fun. Now he has big hair.
And last but definately not least!!! We went to Fuji Q highland! Home of.... Fujiyama! The worlds fastest, tallest, traditional complete circuit roller coaster! We rode twice. It was goooood. AND These funny ass stickers on the urinals! Sorry if its blurry, I was laughing and trying not to be to obvious about taking a picture in the urinal. It looked like I was taking a pic of my wang. Which I may, or may not have done also. But you will never know. This says "No smoking! It stinks, it's dirty, it's uncool. Please quit." hahahah, no beating around the buush.
Ack, so Japan's summers are hot. Well, it's summer, so its supposed to be hot I guess. But humid too? Well, yeah, ok, so it's summer. We had the welcome ceremony for new ALTs today. For us, we look at it, and it's not really a big deal. You step in, say hi, your name thanks, and some guy (the Superintendent of schools) gives you a piece of paper before making a prepared speech (which sounds suprisingly off the cuff) and then running out the door. But it's Japan, so it's a pretty big deal. They LOVE ceremonies! The have one on the first and last day of each trimester, PLUS graduation AND entrance ceremonies (graduation reverse). I have heard, but cannot confirm, that they have graduation ceremonies for each grade of Elementary school. These grades are mandatory, but still, they get ceremonies. I have to/ get to wear a suit. Today I went with cream. Well, darker than cream, lighter than tan. But nice. But somehow I got oil or something on it! How upset was I? To use my 6th favorite British expression, "I was gutted." Maybe riding a motorcycle to work in my cream suit was a bad idea... But still, I looked good. Anyway, this was kind of an excuse to talk about 2 things I have been diggin lately. New music and the Boondocks animated series. Daaaaaaaamn that is fucking funny! If you haven't seen it get it. And Brotown, the New Zealand animated series. Actually that one comes before Boondocks. It's "money" as the saying goes. And the music. Jedi Mind Tricks. Unreal good. To use my 5th favorite British expression "fucking brilliant." And Danger Doom The Mouse and the Mask AAAAAhhhh, soooooo nice. Typhoon #something or other is coming, but will not hit us. Hope we stay sunny. I had a nice view of Mt. Fuji riding to work this morning. Could explain why I was riding the way I was....
