Semi-Hallicinogenic
Well, this weekend was interesting in that I was basically semi-hallicinogenic for a lot of it. I really didn`t do much of anything except try to recover. I think I might be a lot sicker than I want to think I am, but I`m too broke and too scared to go to the doctor. Mostly too broke. Doctors don`t actually scare me. I don`t have those weird insecurities about needles or anything.
I`m not coughing as much, but my head still feels really fuzzy. Really fuzzy. Not as though I`m robo-frying or anything, although I am on med`s to be sure. I have no idea what I`m on as it`s entirely in Japanese. So, maybe it`s the same ingredients as robutusin, I have no fuckin` clue. (@_@)
Maybe the caffiene will help??? Or maybe make my head more spinny. Hard to say.
It was mostly fun lying around the house. I usually don`t do such things and caught up, well more or less, on some other projects that I usually don`t have the patience for. But, with my head being morosely slow, it wasn`t so bad.
So, I don`t want those of you who actually care about me to get worried, but I am sicker than I`ve been in a long time with "just a cold." It could be something else, but I am SLOWLY recovering, so I`m gonna hold off on the doc for now.
That`s it in a nutshell. Time to try to focus on getting lesson plans actually done. If I can concentrate....
Hack, Hack, Hack
Yeah, well, I hope that I`m through hacking. I`m getting better, but seeing as how it`s Friday and I almost passed out about a million times and still don`t feel great, I probably won`t be doing anything exciting tonight. Well, I`m kind of broke anyways, so fuck it.
I`ve been working on my "projects" as such anyways. Slowly chipping away at the language in particular. I need some new tunes too, I`m sick of what I have on the Mac. (Especially the 80`s bullshit and most of the スパン語 stuff...がんまんできあないで!!!!) We`ll see what I can dig out of my partially medicated brain in terms of what sounds good. The second I sit down to find "new" music, I forget what music seems like it would be cool. Sounds like alzheimers has set in early.
Probably shouldn`t mention this, but I don`t care.... I was at the bar the other night with some other ALT`s that I don`t usually hang out with, 2 first years and 1 second year. I asked the first years if they were home sick (they seemed like it) and they were. They asked me.... My response was "Fuck `em." For those who truly know me, you won`t be offended. `Cause you know who comes first in my life.... (Mom, thanks for teaching me that important lesson in life. You`re the best.) Anyway, NO, I don`t really miss "home" where ever that is.
So, shout-outs go to my fam-damily. Whoever the fuck that might be.
Do I sound angry? Have I used the word "fuck" too much? Are you offended? Maybe you don`t know me as well as you think you do. (^_-) And if you think you know me, you probably don`t....
"Meanwhile," I am pondering my weekend options. It`s not looking good with this cough and lack of funds. (BTW You are always welcome to donate to my favorite charity--Beckie. Thank you for your continued efforts.) Either I need to get creative or be boring. I probably do not currently have the mental capcity to organize and sort the necessary data to be creative. Perhaps I should make an effort and start mailing my friends to see what the score is. Perhaps...
6 Months....And Counting!!!
Yeah, it's my 6 month-a-versary. I've been away for a half a year. I haven't killed anyone, including myself as you can plainly tell, done anything too crazy (that I'm willing to admit to), or injured myself. I think I'm relatively healthy...maybe too much rice in my diet, but whatever. I think I drink too much coffee--not like some people I know, mind you, but still--and don't exercise enough (join the club, okay bad pun).
Anyway, it still feels like I just got here. Maybe not just got here, but as though I've been here only for a couple of weeks. I obviously have lost track of time. I really need to start doing more while I'm here and make the most of it. Seize the day and all that shit....
Attack of the Killer Cold
Well, okay, still not 100% yet. That`s okay. I woke up freezing my ass off under the electric blankey and thought I was gonna hack up both lungs. What can you do? I am very fortunate this week, however, and only have 1 class today, none tomorrow, and 1 on Thursday. I think I can probably handle most of it. Mostly because I have my lessons mostly done for once. Procrastinating per usual.
On the fun side, I`m gonna teach the kids about rhyme--Beastie Boys anyone? A lot of them love rap. In fact, most of them know more lyrics than I do to many, many English songs. It`s rather embarrassing. But, that`s what happens when you spend your allowance at karaoke. I`m starting to know a couple of J songs--especially the English parts--so, I guess it makes sense. It`s a lot easier with the words flashing up on screen (although the J songs use kanji which I often can`t read unless it has the furigana).
One of my favorite students always asks me if I know some band or another. "Beckie, do you know Metallica?" Funny. They`re quite talented, those J kids.
On the other hand, I guess that they`re not really taught to think critically. I did a class on Martin Luther King, Jr. and I told them how important it is to be tolerant of other people. It`s important to treat everyone the same--something that they don`t think about because it`s so homogenous here. My principal just watched the last class I did on that topic and he thought it was really interesting. They`re not taught to think like that at all.
I was speaking to my vice-principal the other day and he explained to me how J people remember numbers so well. It`s one helluva crazy mnemonic system that`s for damned sure. He asked how we remember numbers and I said that I just simply memorize them. (I used to be the human phone phonebook.) But, that in the U.S. we don`t emphasize the memorization of numbers (the square root of 2 for example which he did in fact remember) or dates (he remembered when Shakespeare was born and died, well that`s assuming that we really know who Shakespeare is, but that`s another issue).
This really explains my Japanese classes back at the U of MN and how they tried to force us to memeorize things that we really thought was better to understand the concept. No, J people don`t think conceptually generally speaking, they memorize. Very different. Explains why they`re better at math and science though. J people also always use the same expression for explict things. Very much imbedded into them. For example, they can`t not yell "irryashaimase" at you when you enter into a store that they`re working at. Don`t mess with them or they get confused. (Some of my friends like to be sacrastic or fuck with the staff, but it ends in confusion which can be very funny.)
Illogical
So, I felt pretty shitty all day yesterday. I woke up at 1 pm, took a nap from 3-5 pm, and headed out intending to catch the last train home. I had to go out--yes, HAD TO. It was a friend's birthday and you got show your love, man.
First, I ate cheap Aden (100 yen). Next, to a British style pub for 2 drinks (a shot that had some 190 proof liquor in it and a Long Island--Jumbo sized) and fish and chips. Then karaoke for some tunes. 1 tall boy. Clubbin' until 4 am--1 tequila sunrise and 2 Sky Blues. Then some grub at a takoyaki joint where we had (of course) takoyaki and yakisoba. Quite an evening.
You would think that 1) I might be hungover (well I'm not really) 2) I would feel like shit because I was already sick and went drinking 3) I might be tired because I went to bed at 7 am and got up around 11 am (but I'm 元気 as hell) 4) my cold would be worse from drinking a lot (it's better than yesterday) 5) I would be unproductive (I've gotten so much shit done, it's crazy). Is that logical? Not to me it isn't.
Maybe it was the nap on the train that helped. Maybe it was the C.C. Lemon (1000 mg of vitamin C) or the aspirin I took before going to bed. I'm not at 100% in terms of health, but fuck it, it doesn't matter. I feel better than I thought I would after pulling an all nighter. I don't even having the aching "dance muscles." Lesson: drink it off. Alcohol really does kill germs.
I'll keep my fingers crossed that I keep this up. I think some veggie juice is in order. Compai!
頭がクラクラなあ
Jeez. Not feeling 100%, that`s for sure. I`m trying to work on a lesson plan, it seems easy enough, but I can`t hardly focus. I`m getting a cold. So, need to be good tonight (even though it`s Friday) so I can seriously do it up on Saturday. (^_-)I`m going clubbing, so gotta rest up.
I really out did myself last night. I went to the Outback and had my fill of American crap--bloomin` onion, bacon cheeseburger, fries, bread, and drinks. I thought I was going roll back to the train station. It was good, but made me realize (again) why Americans are so fat. Always eating that type of crap. I find that I`ve mostly been eating rice lately, despite the expense. Of course, I`m too lazy to make much else and I haven`t been feeling the need to eat out as often. I`ve been too busy after work lately to bother with much of anything.
In fact, I`ve been so outta it that I haven`t been studying, doing lesson plans (hence me posting now), or anything. Just too wiped out. I`ve been trying to cram some Japanese into my head, but....
My friends watch J dramas on tv, so I think I`ll start watching with them. Yeah, the men cry like lil girls, but some of them are so hot! So, even if I don`t understand the language, there`s eye candy and usually it`s easy enough to understand the melodrama. I`ll see if that helps out the language barrier. I know that when I yell "Wooo!" like HG that everyone loves it because it`s so damn funny and everyone knows him here. Knowing a little culture can go really far. (SMAPxSMAP anyone? I think I too love Kimura (*^.^*)....)
Time to teach....
Illiterate
I really hate being illiterate. It`s a terrible thing. What is even more perplexing to me is that some people can`t read or write in their native language. (How can people mix up such simple things as to and too even? That`s 2nd grade grammar for gawd`s sakes.) How is that even possible? Hmm. Well, I haven`t seen too much of that here fortunately and there are 3 syllabaries that are used. I only struggle with one in particular, but that`s only because in order to read a newspaper (4th grade level in the U.S.), you need to know 1945 characters (and the other two systems of course). This makes me really wonder about the U.S. educational system, or if people in the states are just simply retarded (for lack of a more p.c. term).
Well, it`s a good challenge. I take comfort in knowing that Japanese people sometimes struggle with it too, but certainly not in the same way. It`s all because of the keitai and the preemptive text. I struggle with the on and the kun readings more than anything, if I do know the character.
Back to code cracking....or match the characters depending on the situation.
Yeah, Yeah
I have too much free time sometimes, and yet never enough. I should really calculate how many hours I "work" because it`s probably only about 25-30 a week maximum, that counts class time. (Do you consider hangin` out with a bunch of kids work anyways? Hmm. Hardly takes much effort unless I`m yelling.) I wish I had more free time and more money. Oh face it, I want to be independently wealthy....That would allow me so many more pleasures in life.
The most difficult part of the job by far is trying to think of crap to teach the kids. I have nothing to do with grammar really (thankfully) and have to think about what might actually interest kids and teach them something. It`s easy sometimes.時々 楽するだと思う。きほんてきに生活は簡単やねん。だけどあほの主人がガンマンできないで。めっちゃあほでなあ。それから友達もが敵になったねえ。まあ、しゃない。日本語はがんばれ。
So, in general, I have to say, doesn`t it suck to be me? (^_-) もちろん。（笑）Whining about "nothing" again....
Fuck. I`m trying to "work," but I`m not in the mood and I need to collaborate on up-coming lesson ideas. But, I`m about ready to do a face plant into this crappy パソコン. Well, there`s being productive and getting shit to actually happen. Dreaming and action are two seperate things, I wish some of you would learn that for yourselves. It`s a lesson learned all too late for some people. Tisk tisk.ごめんねえ
てか、大きい鼻の人はきれいじゃないで.
Anyway, looks like I wanna be studying right now. (^_^)v
Pondering Life While Eating (Strawberry) Pocky
Yeah, I`m in the office trying to cram as much Japanese into my brain as possible. I think I got a flat while doing so. Maybe I have a spare somewhere. Between just learning regular words that I don`t know (really things I should know), grammar, idioms, kanji, and Kansai-ben, it`s getting pretty crowded in my head for more Japanese. I think it`s slowly replacing English...sort of.
So, a Pocky break was certainly in order. With all of the craziness that`s continually happening to me, or rather self-created drama, it`s good just to sit back and relax every now and then. (And by self-created that doesn`t mean that some of you didn`t contribute to it BTW.)
While I`m going crazy cramming, I`m starting to feel slightly more comfortable speaking Japanese. I`m starting to understand more bit by bit. I can`t have deep, philosophical conversations yet; however, I doubt that I could in English either. Overall, I don`t give a crap about most of that anyways. Except knowing that some of you are going to hell when you die (^_-) Haha. (I don`t believe in hell. But I might be going there just for fun anyway.)
Seriously though, I`m trying to keep abreast of this beast known as Japanese (well, to you that`s what it`s called). がんばります!!! I can communicate on a very basic level, so that`s saying something. I guess I just always thought that my progress would be much faster than it is. So, I`m frustrated with myself. まあしゃない....
Potato flavored Fries
Yeah, when I was eating burgers at this J-hamburger joint, I had cheese fries and a couple of other people got BBQ, and then there was the "potato" flavor. Hmmm. Not sure what's up with that. Go figure, French fries that taste like potatoes.
The fun part about sitting outside and eating our strange burgers (mine was a bacon, cheese, egg burger), was the people watching. Sorry no pic's. But today is "Coming of Age" Day, a holiday for us (^O^)/ but everyone who turned 20 in the past 12 months dresses in kimonos and parades around. I'm not sure what else happens. There were these 3 guys with orange hair, one had partial corn rows on the side (looked like bad 80's punk rock) and all were wearing their male kimonos. Very weird. One girl looked like a transvestite due to bad makeup.
Anyway, trying to finish my lesson for tomorrow which unfortunately is taking way too much reconnaissance time on the internet. Meanwhile, watching 24 and SMAP x SMAP. Gotta love those "boys." (SMAP is a boy band with their own variety show--I missed a couple of weeks ago with Madonna--except they're all like 34. Not so boyish really.)
I've been busy screwing off, avoiding studying, and hoping that I don't keep killing my back. Don't be Dad Jr. That's what I tell myself. I'd would've done even more screwing off except I'm broke. Probably from doing nothing. That's the good and bad thing about vacation, don't get anything accomplished.
But, tomorrow is work. I have 3 classes and no lesson completed--yet. がんばります
At Long Last...
Well, just trying to catch up on some things. My sister returned back to the states yesterday and I am playing catch up at work....well, not really. I did however need to get some cleaning done, which is only partly complete. My back is killing me, so I'm rather useless in that capacity anyway.
I feel so dead............(@_@) Damn back.
Movie time. Can't take it anymore.
あけましておめでとう!
Yeah, I really have no idea what Japanese people do on New Year's Eve or day. Something about expensive bentoo boxed lunches and going to the temple. I'm not really sure. I wasn't invited to anything like that. I was invited out for New Year's Eve drinks and dinner. Sounded good. And it was. Creole food in Japan for New Year's Eve, not exactly traditional, but what the hell? At least I didn't stay home like I have done for so many years I can't even count.
Yep, Happy 2006, Biatches! We'll see how crazy this year gets. 2005 was record breaking in too many ways to discuss. I don't even want to think about it.... My head will spin otherwise. Maybe 2006 will be crazy for the rest of y'all too!
I'm glad I'm starting the year off correctly--not in the states. Haha. Yeah, you can be pissed off about that statement if you want to. Whatever.
Compai! To the New Year!
