Greetings readers! (If there are any left)
I'm posting to let you know that I'm returning to the wonderful land of Japan on June 4th. That is the day I'm set to travel from Atlanta. I will accompanied by two wonderful ladies named Sarah (Hooper) and Sarah (Johnson). Without both of them, Perkins, our friend Britney, and my dad this trip wouldn't be possible. So thanks ya'll.
I'd also like to thank my sister and my brother-in-law for letting me stay at their lovely home near Savannah, Georgia until it's time for me to go to Atlanta. You're both wonderful. I love you and the boys.
I'll be posting here as frequently as possible. I'm hoping that I can get the mobile application for iphone to work so I can post on the go. If you want to stay up-to-date with me, check here frequently. In the interim, I'll be posting my pre-Japan adventures in Savannah, my packing plan (of rage), and, hopefully, some pictures. I hope you will tune in to this blog for my future updates!
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Not Something You See Everyday
This post might get kind of graphic. I plan on being descriptive with what I saw this evening. Unless you work as a police officer, doctor, EMT, or in another area like that you don't usually see a great deal of blood. I saw a puddle of it coagulating on the asphalt toinght.
Perkins and I were coming home from dinner. We stopped at 7/11 because I wanted some bread for my breakfast tomorrow. Then we stopped at Ofukuro Bento-San because Perkins wanted more food. While we were on our way in we noticed that traffic was being stopped and there were some police officers and medics running around the road. I didn't get a very good look then. All I saw was what looked like something that had once been a motorcycle near the center of the lanes and two cars under the bridge leading to the International Student Center. After Perkins got his bento, we decided to get a closer look.
We went a round-about way to get up to the bridge. I had to jog my bike up the big ramp behind the building. Once we were there I peeked over the edge. The first thing I noticed was all the people standing around. There were some people taking pictures with their cell phones and small cameras. There were people talking to the police, gesticulating the way in which the motorcycle had come from. Lights were flashing from the police cars. People were standing on the side of the road, some with worried faces and others with expressions that just reflected curiosity. There were several people on the bridge next to us, and a girl walked by and grabbed her boyfriend by the arm and squeaked out, "怖い." "That's scary."
When I looked over the rail at the street below I realized what she had been talking about. There was a piece of crumpled up black cloth lying in a puddle of blood. It looked like there were some other things lying the puddle, but I couldn't make out what they were. I could only guess that they used to be attached to the person who was riding the bike. It was shaped like most puddles, uneven and rounded at the edges. But it was thicker and more reflective than a gathering of rainwater. I think Perkins and I were suddenly reminded of how mortal we all are.
Perkins and I were coming home from dinner. We stopped at 7/11 because I wanted some bread for my breakfast tomorrow. Then we stopped at Ofukuro Bento-San because Perkins wanted more food. While we were on our way in we noticed that traffic was being stopped and there were some police officers and medics running around the road. I didn't get a very good look then. All I saw was what looked like something that had once been a motorcycle near the center of the lanes and two cars under the bridge leading to the International Student Center. After Perkins got his bento, we decided to get a closer look.
We went a round-about way to get up to the bridge. I had to jog my bike up the big ramp behind the building. Once we were there I peeked over the edge. The first thing I noticed was all the people standing around. There were some people taking pictures with their cell phones and small cameras. There were people talking to the police, gesticulating the way in which the motorcycle had come from. Lights were flashing from the police cars. People were standing on the side of the road, some with worried faces and others with expressions that just reflected curiosity. There were several people on the bridge next to us, and a girl walked by and grabbed her boyfriend by the arm and squeaked out, "怖い." "That's scary."
When I looked over the rail at the street below I realized what she had been talking about. There was a piece of crumpled up black cloth lying in a puddle of blood. It looked like there were some other things lying the puddle, but I couldn't make out what they were. I could only guess that they used to be attached to the person who was riding the bike. It was shaped like most puddles, uneven and rounded at the edges. But it was thicker and more reflective than a gathering of rainwater. I think Perkins and I were suddenly reminded of how mortal we all are.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Like you haven't already heard
Indeed, the inevitable has happend. The H1N1 virus has reached the shore of Japan. According to an article on the Washington Post's website the number of cases in Japan has reached 191. Schools in Kobe and Osaka were shut down. Students ended up gathering for karaoke because they had nothing else to do. Some of the owners of the karaoke clubs put up signs saying that teenagers whose schools were closed down due to the flu were not welcome there.
Here in Tsukuba, there are fliers posted all over the student service offices warning about the dangers of the flu. As far as I know, if the H1N1 virus makes it as far as Tsukuba, the school will be closed down like the schools in Osaka. We're supposed to be keeping an eye on the school's website. Suzuki-sensei, my teacher for Japanese Culture and my academic adviser here, talked to us about what to do if we felt sick. He said Tsukuba has a facility that is capable of dealing with infected persons. I'm too concerned about my allergies and school work to worry too much about catching swine flu.
Some students are hoping for school closings, but I'm not really looking forward to that. I'm hoping the school won't close. It's nice having things to do that mean something to me. Otherwise, I guess I'll just go back to messing around on the internet all day. As fun as that may sound, more than an hour or so of internet gets boring pretty quickly.
The Yomiyuri Shimbun has a fairly detailed history of some of the travel patterns of the swine flu in Japan. (Contrary to the information in the web article, Ibaraki's schools are not closed yet). With so many people living in such a small amount of space it is likely that H1N1 will continue to spread.
Here in Tsukuba, there are fliers posted all over the student service offices warning about the dangers of the flu. As far as I know, if the H1N1 virus makes it as far as Tsukuba, the school will be closed down like the schools in Osaka. We're supposed to be keeping an eye on the school's website. Suzuki-sensei, my teacher for Japanese Culture and my academic adviser here, talked to us about what to do if we felt sick. He said Tsukuba has a facility that is capable of dealing with infected persons. I'm too concerned about my allergies and school work to worry too much about catching swine flu.
Some students are hoping for school closings, but I'm not really looking forward to that. I'm hoping the school won't close. It's nice having things to do that mean something to me. Otherwise, I guess I'll just go back to messing around on the internet all day. As fun as that may sound, more than an hour or so of internet gets boring pretty quickly.
The Yomiyuri Shimbun has a fairly detailed history of some of the travel patterns of the swine flu in Japan. (Contrary to the information in the web article, Ibaraki's schools are not closed yet). With so many people living in such a small amount of space it is likely that H1N1 will continue to spread.
Monday, April 20, 2009
A Trip To Ueno Zoo! YAY!
On Saturday the 18th, Kira and I went to Ueno to meet her friend (from the intarwebs) Josh.
HOW WE GOT THERE: For anyone who so happens to come across this blog in search of actual, useful in formation about Japan (and Tsukuba in particular), I will chronicle our adventure starting from Ichinoya Dormitory. If you're coming to Tsukuba from Purdue, you will most likely be staying in this dorm. If when you first get here you think to yourself, "My goodness! It's so small and seems pretty old," stop yourself. There is no other dorm on campus better to live in than Ichinoya.
I rode my bike from Ichinoya to Hirasuna Friday night and stayed at Kira's. Hirasuna is much closer to the Tsukuba station, so it was strategically a better idea to stay over night at Kira's, and we wanted to watch South Park together. On Saturday we rode our bikes to Tsukuba station. It is imperative that you park in the designated areas. If you're going to be gone over night, find the parking areas near that station that you have to pay to keep your bike and leave it there. It's worth it because if you leave your bike in an area that you're not supposed to park in over night you'll get a citation or they may even take your bike. The only way to get your bike back if they take it is to go all the way to the Sakura Branch Office (where you will need to go to get your Alien Registration Card when you first get here) and talk to the people there about it, I think. There's some kind of office in that general area that handles bikes.
So, you want to ride the Tsukuba Express to Akihabara? If it's on a weekend, the cheapest and best way to do so is to go to the basement of Dayz Town and buy the weekend tickets from one of the machines for 800 something Yen one way. Remember: when you take the tickets, leave the package they come in. There's a repository for them. DO NOT TAKE THE ENVELOPE/PLASTIC BOX. What would you do with such a tiny envelope anyway? If it's a weekday, you may as well just suck it up and pay the 1100 Yen for a one-way ticket. It's very expensive, so planning trips to Tokyo for the weekend is a better idea. It's also important to remember that the machine in Dayz Town is only open when Dayz Town itself is open, so plan ahead.
Kira and I took the Tsukuba Express to Akihabara, then we took the Yamanote Sen to Ueno. To buy tickets for the Yamanote Sen (Line), you have exit the Tsukuba Express via 4 escalators then make a left. Above the ticket machines is a giant map of the Tokyo lines. Some of these maps have no English, so it might be a good idea to either write the Kanji for where ever you're going down or bring your Keitai (cell phone) and look it up by writing a text message in Kanji. By that I mean, you act like you're texting someone and the Kanji may come up. You don't actually have to text message someone. There are several different lines in the station. The Yamanote Sen is the easiest way because you don't have to transfer, but that's not always faster. If you're in a hurry, you may want to see if transfering would be quicker.
THE ZOO: Hooray! Ueno Zoo! The entrance fee is only 600 Yen. I love zoos, so it was worth going at least once. This is just for posterity, but on our way to the entrance Kira got crapped on by a bird. This is when Josh decided that she was the designated target of birds. They wouldn't poop on us because Kira was a far better target. This came in handy later when we were chilling next to some llamas and they began to have a spit fight. Spit fight doesn't really cover the amount of saliva that was being exchanged though. I don't know if you've ever seen llamas have a spit fight, but if you've ever played with the water hose outside during the hot summer you've simulated it. You put your thumb over the spout of the house while the water is flowing full force and it just sprays all over your friends or the lawn. That was what this spit fight was like. Josh and I went behind Kira to keep from getting hit, but we all managed to escape unscathed. It was at this point that Josh designated Kira the bodily fluid shield. She was to protect us from all animal excrement. She never agreed to it, but that was her title.
The llamas just before they spat EVERYWHERE!
There were two other zoo battles that we bore witness to. One battle was a flamingo face-slapping spat and the other was a kangaroo kicking contest. The flaming fight was really weird because they were all doing some kind of synchronized call and dance with their heads. Then they just suddenly stopped and started headbutting eachother. The kangaroo fight was entertaining because a tiny kangaroo was attacking a much, much larger kangaroo. I'd never seen kangaroos fight, but they use their tails. It's pretty cool. Josh is the commentator in the background of the kangaroo video.
So, that's all for now. I'll post more later! (Seriously)
HOW WE GOT THERE: For anyone who so happens to come across this blog in search of actual, useful in formation about Japan (and Tsukuba in particular), I will chronicle our adventure starting from Ichinoya Dormitory. If you're coming to Tsukuba from Purdue, you will most likely be staying in this dorm. If when you first get here you think to yourself, "My goodness! It's so small and seems pretty old," stop yourself. There is no other dorm on campus better to live in than Ichinoya.
I rode my bike from Ichinoya to Hirasuna Friday night and stayed at Kira's. Hirasuna is much closer to the Tsukuba station, so it was strategically a better idea to stay over night at Kira's, and we wanted to watch South Park together. On Saturday we rode our bikes to Tsukuba station. It is imperative that you park in the designated areas. If you're going to be gone over night, find the parking areas near that station that you have to pay to keep your bike and leave it there. It's worth it because if you leave your bike in an area that you're not supposed to park in over night you'll get a citation or they may even take your bike. The only way to get your bike back if they take it is to go all the way to the Sakura Branch Office (where you will need to go to get your Alien Registration Card when you first get here) and talk to the people there about it, I think. There's some kind of office in that general area that handles bikes.
So, you want to ride the Tsukuba Express to Akihabara? If it's on a weekend, the cheapest and best way to do so is to go to the basement of Dayz Town and buy the weekend tickets from one of the machines for 800 something Yen one way. Remember: when you take the tickets, leave the package they come in. There's a repository for them. DO NOT TAKE THE ENVELOPE/PLASTIC BOX. What would you do with such a tiny envelope anyway? If it's a weekday, you may as well just suck it up and pay the 1100 Yen for a one-way ticket. It's very expensive, so planning trips to Tokyo for the weekend is a better idea. It's also important to remember that the machine in Dayz Town is only open when Dayz Town itself is open, so plan ahead.
Kira and I took the Tsukuba Express to Akihabara, then we took the Yamanote Sen to Ueno. To buy tickets for the Yamanote Sen (Line), you have exit the Tsukuba Express via 4 escalators then make a left. Above the ticket machines is a giant map of the Tokyo lines. Some of these maps have no English, so it might be a good idea to either write the Kanji for where ever you're going down or bring your Keitai (cell phone) and look it up by writing a text message in Kanji. By that I mean, you act like you're texting someone and the Kanji may come up. You don't actually have to text message someone. There are several different lines in the station. The Yamanote Sen is the easiest way because you don't have to transfer, but that's not always faster. If you're in a hurry, you may want to see if transfering would be quicker.
THE ZOO: Hooray! Ueno Zoo! The entrance fee is only 600 Yen. I love zoos, so it was worth going at least once. This is just for posterity, but on our way to the entrance Kira got crapped on by a bird. This is when Josh decided that she was the designated target of birds. They wouldn't poop on us because Kira was a far better target. This came in handy later when we were chilling next to some llamas and they began to have a spit fight. Spit fight doesn't really cover the amount of saliva that was being exchanged though. I don't know if you've ever seen llamas have a spit fight, but if you've ever played with the water hose outside during the hot summer you've simulated it. You put your thumb over the spout of the house while the water is flowing full force and it just sprays all over your friends or the lawn. That was what this spit fight was like. Josh and I went behind Kira to keep from getting hit, but we all managed to escape unscathed. It was at this point that Josh designated Kira the bodily fluid shield. She was to protect us from all animal excrement. She never agreed to it, but that was her title.
The llamas just before they spat EVERYWHERE!
There were two other zoo battles that we bore witness to. One battle was a flamingo face-slapping spat and the other was a kangaroo kicking contest. The flaming fight was really weird because they were all doing some kind of synchronized call and dance with their heads. Then they just suddenly stopped and started headbutting eachother. The kangaroo fight was entertaining because a tiny kangaroo was attacking a much, much larger kangaroo. I'd never seen kangaroos fight, but they use their tails. It's pretty cool. Josh is the commentator in the background of the kangaroo video.
So, that's all for now. I'll post more later! (Seriously)
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Gonna Need a Bigger Mic
This one's pretty personal. It's a long spring break, so I have a lot of time to think: When you’ve been doing something for a long time, sometimes you forget why you’re doing it. I’ve been learning and studying Japanese language and culture for about 3 years…maybe four. When people ask me why, I usually deliver the typical artificial answer of it interests me. But, there’s something deeper that I can’t explain about why I’m here in this country. Despite the fact that I admire and adore the people and the language, I can’t bring myself to study it. It seems like I let everything else get in my way. I was thinking the other night before I went to sleep about what I’m going to do with my life. What is to become of me? I’m 22 years old. My new name is Jesie Patricia Fess. I don’t have any children. We don’t even have our own house yet. I’m going back to school for my 5th year in college and I’m deep in student loan debt. My husband works in the Navy. He started working there in order to pay off his own student loans when he discovered that he didn’t enjoy what he thought he loved. Maybe that’s why we have such a tight connection, and I can’t let go of the thought of him. I’ve been thinking about him more and more every day now and about how I want to return to him. How I just want to spend time with him, doing something as simple as watching a movie or cooking dinner with him. I want to see his smiling face again. I don’t tell anyone, but sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't have married so young. I don’t regret it. I don’t regret things. It’s just something I refuse to do. But the world is so big, and I’m so small. I want to see all of it, and I’ll never be able to do that and be with him at the same time, will I? I want the best of both worlds. I want a family life with him and I want to travel and see the world. Is it possible? I’m not sure yet.
But, back to what I was originally talking about. My dreams. I should have thought of this earlier. I was thinking the other night that I should meet and talk with a manga-ka while I’m here. I suppose I could buy books about it when I get back home, but what’s the use of that when you can ask a real person with experience? The problem? My Japanese isn’t nearly good enough for that, and I’m sure I’ll run out of time before I get the chance to do that for now. Maybe I’ll have to wait. I’ve decided something. I’ve decided that no matter what, I want to become a writer. I want to touch people so deeply that they never forget the feeling my words gave them. I’m not very good right now, but I hope to get better. I feel stagnant, though. I want to get good enough for people to want to read what I have to say, and finally someone may listen to me with all the attention that I so quietly demand.
Somehow, Vic Mignogna has brought me to this decision. This may seem disconnected, but one day, when I’m a famous author, I want to thank him in one of my novels. I know I can do it. I know I can be good enough. I didn’t even get the chance to ask him if, when he was my age, he thought he would be able to touch so many people’s lives with his work. I want to do what he does in my own way. The only way I can think of is to write. I don’t know what I’ll be writing yet, or how it will affect me, I just want people to see it and think about it. I want them to think deeply about my words. I want them to feel. This world is boring and often strange. That’s why the news is such a big deal, and why the news is so often bad. It’s interesting. It’s kind of sick, actually, if you think about it. People thrive somehow off of others' tragedies. I suppose there are cases of good news that compels people to do wonderful things. Despite how disconnected I feel from the Bible and that whole Bible culture, I know there are people who truly embrace the actual intentions of the original creators of the Bible. There are people who do good works simply because they believe good works need to be done. I like to think about that, anyway. That’s what I want to believe.
All the questions I have for Vic are the ones that will lead me to my ultimate goal. Eventually, I want to write and illustrate my own stories. It won’t be manga to some people, but the categorization is not important. It usually isn’t, despite the amount of importance human beings place on categories. How did he get to where he is today? Did he have to struggle? Was he afraid that he wouldn’t make it? Did other things get in the way? Did he ever think he would impact people the way he has? I wonder if he tells all his fans that he loves them. I’m sure he does, and I’m sure that he means it. I’m going to write. I’m going to create something that people will pay attention to and draw strength from. I’m going to do something that no one else has done before, OR, as is often the case with art, I’m going to do something that someone else has done before but do it better. That’s what I want for myself. And I’m writing this to remind myself that my ultimate goal is to write and grab readers by their deepest emotions and never let go. To make them think. Maybe I should plan out how I’m going to do all this. No matter how hard it gets, I can’t quit. That’s going to be the hard part. I know I will fail. I will probably fail more often than I succeed, but I have to remember to learn from each failure. That’s the part I have problems with. How will I fight off my apathy from my routine life? So boring. Perhaps if I remind myself a little every day what I’m doing all this for, I’ll start to perform a little better.
Since Mom died, I’ve never been the same. I’ve become weaker in some ways and stronger in others. I can handle a lot of emotional stress for extended periods of time. I can take on the problems of other people, not healthy, of course, but I’ve always been that way. But, since she died, I’ve become less diligent and less interested in my future or the world at large. My studies have taken a back seat position to my interest in wasting time…waiting for it all to be over with. What are we here for anyway? I used to say that I knew my purpose. I still think I do, but sometimes I forget. I’m supposed to gather knowledge and share it with the world as best I can. I’m going to need a more powerful microphone.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Intermission
Another batch of missed posting days. Oops! Oh, well.
Perkins and I have decided to start a 4 hour per day study regimen. I haven't been so successful with that, but it makes me feel good to know what I'm trying more. Back in December and early January I was having trouble just motivating myself to get out of bed. I'm not completely sure why I'm doing so well now, but I'm not going to question it too much. I'm just glad I'm feeling better.
Today was awesome because the weather was so nice that I bought a bento and ate it outside on the terraced grass of the International Student Center (it took me a long time to remember the English for that. Is this bad?). I just sat in my T-shirt in the sun chowing down on a croquet and rice. It was nice and warm. I also noticed how light my arms are from not getting any sun over the winter. I hadn't realized until I was staring at the sun reflecting off of them. O__o
Thursdays and Mondays are my least favorite days of the week. I don't like Monday because I've never liked Monday. The beginning of the week is such a downer. You have the entire week's work ahead of you, and if you had a crappy weekend you don't have anything to be happy about. I don't like Thursday because I have to get up earlier than usual because of kanji class at 8:40. Kanji class is kind of boring, too. I dread quiz days. I seem to be getting worse at remembering my kanji. Maybe I just don't use it enough. That's what I really miss about the Japanese program at Purdue. Everything that was taught was built on all the former lessons, so if you learned some kanji in the previous lesson the chances that you would use it in the following lessons was pretty good. That program was just so organized, and this one seems a jumble of grammar that doesn't have a good base to build on. That's mostly the reason Perkins started his 4 hour study program, and why I'm copying him.
The next time I post I'll be talking about last weekend. It should be pretty interesting because I took the Shinkansen (bullet train) to Maibashi in Gunma prefecture to go see Toshiko Ishikura. She's the mother-in-law of my friend Misuky back home. She was super nice! And she had a bunch of awesome things to show me in Maibashi, so I'll have pictures and video of that. Until then, ja!
Perkins and I have decided to start a 4 hour per day study regimen. I haven't been so successful with that, but it makes me feel good to know what I'm trying more. Back in December and early January I was having trouble just motivating myself to get out of bed. I'm not completely sure why I'm doing so well now, but I'm not going to question it too much. I'm just glad I'm feeling better.
Today was awesome because the weather was so nice that I bought a bento and ate it outside on the terraced grass of the International Student Center (it took me a long time to remember the English for that. Is this bad?). I just sat in my T-shirt in the sun chowing down on a croquet and rice. It was nice and warm. I also noticed how light my arms are from not getting any sun over the winter. I hadn't realized until I was staring at the sun reflecting off of them. O__o
Thursdays and Mondays are my least favorite days of the week. I don't like Monday because I've never liked Monday. The beginning of the week is such a downer. You have the entire week's work ahead of you, and if you had a crappy weekend you don't have anything to be happy about. I don't like Thursday because I have to get up earlier than usual because of kanji class at 8:40. Kanji class is kind of boring, too. I dread quiz days. I seem to be getting worse at remembering my kanji. Maybe I just don't use it enough. That's what I really miss about the Japanese program at Purdue. Everything that was taught was built on all the former lessons, so if you learned some kanji in the previous lesson the chances that you would use it in the following lessons was pretty good. That program was just so organized, and this one seems a jumble of grammar that doesn't have a good base to build on. That's mostly the reason Perkins started his 4 hour study program, and why I'm copying him.
The next time I post I'll be talking about last weekend. It should be pretty interesting because I took the Shinkansen (bullet train) to Maibashi in Gunma prefecture to go see Toshiko Ishikura. She's the mother-in-law of my friend Misuky back home. She was super nice! And she had a bunch of awesome things to show me in Maibashi, so I'll have pictures and video of that. Until then, ja!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Not Breaking Any Records
More Casey Baker, bringing more self-truths to light. When I listen to music, I feel it and I use it to think about many things: life, myself (who doesn't like thinking about themselves?), my friends, school, well, less school than other things.
It's at these times that I can feel my most intense feelings. And late at night, when I'm listening to this music I feel my most intense loneliness. Tonight I thought about my husband. I thought about how badly I miss just being able to see his face, to tell him about how I'm really feeling. I have many friends here, and I care for them deeply, but I'm the type of person who has trouble trusting other people, especially with my personal feelings. I guess I think if people don't know certain things about me, they can't use them to hurt me later. That may seem rather insecure of me, but it's how I function. I don't tell a lot of people about my true feelings. I'm sure that other people don't always tell me the truth either. Of course, it's not so much that I lie. I don't like to lie. Rather, I hold so much back that sometimes I think people don't really know or care for my opinion at all. Doesn't everyone just want someone to ask them what they really think of something? I would like it if someone asked me that. "What do you truly think of so-and-so's relationship with other so-and-so?" Do people ask you those kinds of things?
Even if someone did ask me that, I would probably evade an answer unless I was close enough with them. To me, friends are people you can trust with nearly anything. I say nearly because not everyone needs to know everything. There are some things that are better off being no one's business.
Sometimes it feels like no one is listening. Even worse, sometimes it feels like no one cares to listen. People will go about their lives around you, they will go through their daily grind without even remember that you exist. And when you try to prove your existence to them by sharing your thoughts and feelings with them, they only seem interested in themselves and their own problems, or they pretend to be interested in what you're saying while they're actually planning out the rest of their day in their head or imagining you naked.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)