holiday so far in brief!

hey! am in Kyoto with the P's. Having a lovely time, and I can't believe how tiring wondering around doing nothing much can be! Honestly Mum and Dad are off to bed by 9pm every night!

We had a few days in Osaka looking around, and caught up with Japanese friends. That was wee fun, went for nomi/tabehodai and then some karaoke! Yay! Mum was most excited as she had her first heated toilet seat experience!

We've done 5 temples in Kyoto, 4 of the 5 I've seen at least once. But no more, Dad seems to be templed out and wouldn't even go in to see Ryoanji's rock garden cos he didn't want to untie his shoes again! Typical Kiwi guy!

Tomorrow we are off to Nara for 2 nights then home. Can't wait to get back to Asa, and be at home! And I have just discovered why I couldn't read Paul's blog before now, and with everyone elses blogs to catch up on...it's going to be exciting times back in Asa! Poor Mum and Dad..! Jaa, ne!!

I'm going to Osaka!

Yay! Thought I'd blog once more before I leave! Off to meet Ann and Dave, have a wee trip around before bringing them back to the Guch! My apartment has never been so clean, but I'm sure it will be as dusty as before when I get back...

Somehow my bag is really full, but I figure this isn't some South-east Asia holiday, where I'll be slumming it in shorts and T's..! Anyway, sure I'll find some down time to blog while I'm away, so you'll be informed!

Happy Spring Vacation, and safe travels to peops going away, esp. anyone going to Bangladesh (I don't actually know if any of them read blogs..!)! Jaa, ne!

Rainy Wednesday...

I've just had one of my most boring classes in a very long time. I'm sure I could've tried to change it, and make it more interesting, but to be fair, I don't really care! I have one more of the same, so I will just get through it and then I will be finished with classes for a few weeks! It's obviously that time of the year, when I would rather grin and bear it thru a booorrrring class than actually put some thought into changing it!

It's pouring again, and that sucks cos I thought today was meant to be clearing up. What's the crack with that I ask. On happy news though, last night Meag and I went to Shimonoseki to meet Jo, Jocelyn and Gillian for sushi. Ah what a happy occasion that was! It wasn't til we were heading down there on the train that I realised that it had been many months since my last salmon cheese! Now I've had a wee fix, and I am so looking forward to possibly going 2 more times in the next 2 weeks! Yay!!

It's almost kyushoku time and I'm a bit apprehensive about it... I saw konnyaku is on the menu. I hate this shit, but if it is the fruit jelly form I like it...just please don't let it be in the black-speckled rubbery, slimy form they think is great in soups and other mushy substances of soupy resemblance!

Oh one more note, if Mary is reading this...you'll notice I added you to my newly updated links. I have faith that you haven't disappeared from blogging permanently, that is why you're still there! Don't let me down man!

My new 'hometown'...

(Note: I just blogged and it didn't work...not happy about it!)
So today Sanyo-cho is no more. Gone is the little town, made up of little villages. Gone is the town with a shinkansen station and little else. Instead, I know live in the strangely named Sanyo-Onoda-shi. Welcome to the part of a city that is 7 (or more) km away from the actual 'city'. Where there is nothing city-like about the place, except it has a shinkansen station! Ah Japan... So we get a new name and not much else, but please don't let that stop you from coming to play!

Today while I sit at school all day because of bad schedule planning..!, I have been doing the pre-interview task for the CELTA certificate course I am going to apply for. It's really quite difficult for someone who hasn't thought a great deal about grammar in a while! Thankfully the internet seems to have plenty of grammar sites to help me! I know how to make the sentence grammatical, but God knows what the grammar functions are! I also struggle to describe a word without actually using that word in the description! Some will recall a particularly bad game of 'Taboo' I was in last year...!

And how about this weather today in the Guch!? Rainy and cold. Not happy, as yesterday was glorious, when Meag and I went off to Kokura for my hair appointment (it was a success, and no major embarrassments!). I am really hoping it warms up and clears up in the next two days cos I don't want to be giving the grand tour to Ma and Pa in bad weather..!

So sidenote about my hair appointment. I am now convinced that my hairdresser thinks I have no friends in Japan! Everytime I have been, I've been with Meagan. After she left I went alone, the salon staff were like "where's Meagan?" And my hairdresser even used the word "sabishii" (lonely!!). So this time I go, and Meagan is with me! Hmm, so I'm sure they probably think I have no friends in Japan..! How sad is that!!

Ok, I better go, class soon and I just realised I can't write the kanji for Onoda, which I will need to be able to do from now on!! Jaa, ne!

the weekend so far...

I am tired, and there is still one day of the 3-day weekend left! Phew! On Friday after school I got the train to Paul's for a night of doing nothing in particular. We ate at a local izakaya, while struggling to do the CELTA pre-interview test...really quite challenging! By the time we stuffed around, and decided what movie to watch, it was midnight. We haven't heard the best things about "Shall We Dance", and it turns out we can't pass judgement either, since we both fell asleep not long into it!

On Saturday, Tori came and met us for sushi, and then we headed off to Hiroshima for the big night out to welcome Meagan back to Japan! We shopped a little. I was the closest I have ever been thus far to buying an Ipod Mini, except they didn't have the 6GB in blue. We then met Jo, Gillian, Louise, Alex and Lauren to head for dinner. The plan was Shakeys for pizza and nomihodai...after getting off the tram one stop too far, we walked back to where we were meant to be...to find Shakeys is no more! Just our luck! So we headed back to town, and ended up at The Shack, where wemet Jocelyn, drank while we waited for a table. Just after ordering, Meag called and Jo, Jocelyn and I went out to meet her!

So exciting! It was like she'd never left! Jo couldn't stop staring at her! And I had forgotten how loud her laugh can be! I think the newbies who didn't know her, were thinking she was cracked when she let rip with that laugh for the first time! So we ate, went back to the Ryokan to change and met the non-Ryokaners for the night to really begin!

It was such a fun night. We ended up at The Mac bar all night, with occasional trips out to El Barcos, or the conbini by some. We danced around like idiots to old-school music. Paul tried to defend my honour when this NZ guy said that Timaru = Gang Warfare. So so wrong, as there has not been gang-related issues for at least 10 years! It cracked me up, but Paul was convinced that I was pissed off, so proceeded to tell all the others that I was pissed off at the guy, and they should hassle him. Paul's solution to my "greivance" was to try and engage the guy in a discussion about Shortland Street, by asking him ridiculous questions about characters from the beginning of the programme! It lasted about 10mins, before the guy begged Louise for help! Another major activity of the night was trying to keep random guys' friends distracted while their mate chatted to one of the girls! Paul deligated, and generally Louise, Gillian and Jocelyn did the task! Ah how fun twas the night!

So this morning Meag and I woke up after a few hours sleep, went to the station. We grabbed some food, and headed for the shinkansen, and while we waited to leave, it was delayed longer and longer. Eventually we were all told the shinkansen wasn't leaving, and we found out there had been a major earthquake in Northern Kyushu. I think we were on the tram when it happened. There were stranded travellers everywhere, and tv crews...all very exciting atmosphere. In the end we found out the train wasn't going to run until the tracks were certified safe, so we laxed back in comfy seats at Starbucks. We eventually were able to get the shinkansen back to Asa, but it ended up taking nearly 2 hours with big stops at each station.

Thankfully it seems their have been in deaths from the earthquake despite the magnitude of it. When we got home there were 4 things fallen on the floor from the quake. So yeah exciting weekend, and I just felt an aftershock as I am typing...freaky! Tomorrow I'm planning to get my haircut and coloured a little in Kokura. I seem to have come up with lots of plans, that I don't actually know if Meagan wants to do...Oh well, she'll get over it!

I've hopped on 'The OC' Bandwagon!

yip, it took a while, but I too am loving The OC! I had it for a few weeks before I started watching it, but when I started I couldn't stop! Hence, I am always tired and sleeping in in the mornings cos I go to bed saying to myself, "I'll just watch one episode". But once that one is finished, another starts and I think, oh I have to see what's happening! I have now covered the 1st series, in about 2 weeks. At the beginning, even in the serious parts I watched with a smile on my face, due to the sheer delight in enjoying the programme!

I do have to say however, after watching so many episodes one after the other, so quickly...they do start to irritate me sometimes. Seth, goes on and on a lot, Summer being Summer gets a bit much, and then all the silly drama that is The OC, can get a bit much too! But, I am still happy, I think a bit of moderation is called for... I shall only try and watch one episode a day...

New Look...!

I have been trying to help Tori with her blog, so I decided to change blog image! From now the colour of my font will be tealy/greeny/bluey when I remember, otherwise black I guess. I have been trying to change the colour of my post font in the template but it's all a bit muzukashii, so I give up!

Last Thursday was Kencho... last one in fact. I like kencho meetings for the fact of catching up, chatting and stuffing around with everyone I don't see often or I see all the time. It's always a lovely day, despite potentially boring, or pointless presentations..!

On Friday night, the St Pat's Party was held in Tokuyama. I was so looking forward to it, and it was heaps for fun! Less people made it than last year, but all the same it was a good night. Last year, Paul was by far the drunkest there, and I was well drunk too. If I remember correctly I was not a happy bunny traveling home the next day...eh Meag! Anyway, that, and my new leaf of "sensible drinking" gave us the idea to make t-shirts! And very cool t-shirts they ended up being too! Both green (of course), and on the front of mine it had "sensible" and Paul's "drinker", then vice versa on the back. Both sides accompanied with appropriate pictures! On the sleeves there was cool wee Leprechaun, and on the other our 'Irish' names - O'Donovan and O'Hutton! Right classy they were! And we drank sensibly! Though I'd had plenty of cold medicine during the day, and I dont' know if I was just hyper or the medicine and 3 drinks I had mixed, cos I was being rather hyperactive and dancy considering I had a real flu cold..!? At one stage Paul and I were throwing plastic lei's at each other trying to get them on each others necks at the same time... We did it a few times to great excitement, but we also collided heads a couple of times...!?

Anyway, Saturday was great, cos it was Saturday and not Sunday... Do you get me!? I love it when you have a big night on a Friday and then still have two days left of the weekend! On Saturday night, Paul and Jenny hosted Casino Night at Lee's. Fun times, drinking, chatting, and playing poker, blackjack, craps (or our form of the game), roulette, and card blowing! I think card blowing by far ended up the most popular game, with high betting and tense moments!

On Sunday Jenny, Jimmy, Paul and I went back to Tokuyama and after a quick round of card-blowing (where I won my first game and Jenny lost her first!!), we headed to Gusto for burgers and scrabble. I haven't played that game in so long...and possibly haven't thought of any intelligent vocab in about the same length of time! Hence my first three words were "zit", "ping" and "dingo"!!? I will have to start reading the dictionary I think...!

Update...

I have left the ol' blog high and dry for a while. No reason really, just couldn't be bothered to update it. Sure things have even been happening but still I couldn't be bothered. So instead I will just update the last 10 days or so in a nutshell...

So weekend before last, Jo, Jocelyn and I went to Tokyo. Left Friday night, arrived in Tokyo got to Roppongi, and ate some food at Hard Rock Cafe. Jolly good it was. On Saturday we went to Disney Sea, good times. Chotto chilly, but once kitted out in silly hats we were happy as Larry! It amused me greatly to see so many guys seemingly happy to be wearing their silly hats or Mickey Ears! Even matching ones with their girlfriends! I find it hard trying to imagine seeing it happening in NZ..!! So we stayed at Disney Sea all day, managed to catch a few moments of Mickey and Co.'s show, went on some rides - the best being the trip to the centre of the earth. We dropped straight down for a bit in one of those gut meeting your tonsils moments! Very amusing! After that we went on the Indiana Jones Ride. I think the fact that I was expecting the same event made the ride better, cos I decided I didn't really want that feeling again, and I was totally thinking it was the next thing to happen around every turn!

We left there, and got back to Roppongi at about 9.30pm, met Paul, got changed, drank a chu-hi then went and met Jimmy for our night of drinking to begin. Good times. Lots of drunken dancing and banter as you do. Then finally kebabs on the way home, some more drunk than others...!

Sunday we slept til after one, and then decided we shouldn't waste the day. So Jo, Paul, Jimmy and I went to Harajuku to search out the freaky J-folk. After being misled, and taking a tiki-tour we did come upon them! Very cool, in a weird ol' way! There was even this little kid dressed up all gothic with her Mum! After wandering and seeing the Rockin' ol' Rock-a-billies, we headed to Shinjuku to meet for dinner with Jocelyn and Rei. Prior to that though, being all shopped out, and alcoholled out, Jimmy and I decided to go and have a soft drink at a pub. The drunkest guy happened to sit beside us (and this is at 7.30pm). Somehow we got chatting, and he didn't get how Jimmy was Irish but his favourite football team is Chelsea!? Then when he got knowledge that we were on JET...he wasn't happy! He continued to say, slurred,"I hate JET"! All rather funny really!

Anyway, tea was eaten at Mexican, well nice, then a drink at a cheap izakaya 3 floors below ground somewhere in Shinjuku before home for bed.

Monday to Wednesday was Yokohama for the JET Returners Conference. Twas interesting. Didn't give the meaning to the rest of my life here on in, as I was hoping but it gave me plenty to think about, worry about, etc. Being in the situation of "what the F*&k am I going to do with my life after JET", it's unsettling to listen to so many people who have their plans, ideas, etc mapped out. Being a Kiwi I got to listen to Auckland's JETAA President speak 3 times (the Aussies got to hear him 2 times, and British and Irish once). Peter's is a life/business/...coach in NZ, and boy did that come across! I have to say by the 3rd time hearing him, thinks did get a bit repetitive, but at least I know I need "Clarity" then "Focus" then "Follow Through", and it all takes the 3 P's - Patience, being Positive, and Put myself in other's shoes!

In between conference hours, where I will have you all know I attended every session!! We went to Chinatown. Nicest one I've seen, ate great nikuman, and so-so Chinese. Went drinking and karaoke with Jocelyn, Jimmy, Rei and Paul. And a bit of shopping too. Good times.

So we arrived at Yamaguchi Ube Airport at about 8pm on Wednesday night. I got back to Asa Station at 10.10pm!!!!!!!!! Oh my God, if there was ever a time I hated Yamaguchi's inaka-ness, it was then! I mean, come on, the actual travel time was 15 mins by bus, and 20 mins by train...you do the maths!

This past weekend I went to Fukuoka to see Cirque Du Soliel's Alegria 2 with Jo, Jocelyn and Selena. Jolly good show ol'chap! hehe! Anyway, yeah it was cool. bit of trapezing, fire baton spinning, acrobatics, freaky contortionism, tumbling, spinning, etc...all the makings of a good circus put together beautifully with great music, costumes and performance.

After meeting Gillian, we went for Indian, then back to Capsule to get ready. Now, since a little before Tokyo weekend I decided I didn't need to be getting so drunk when I went out. I decided I was turning a new leaf in my drinking. That leaf is called "Sensible". It worked in Tokyo, I even had everyone having a glass of water during the night! Then in Fukuoka, pre-going out I wasn't even that interested in drinking! Shock horror I hear you say (and I know which ones are uttering it...!) I was considering not getting the Happy Cock Party Pass even! I did, but I didn't hit it like I would be saving a nation if I drank as much as I could! I was sensible! I really think all this talk about sensible drinking has gone to my head...! Anyway, good night out. Lots of random people, no hot guys, but lots of friendly chatty J-folk! This funny wee guy had us baled up at the end of the night chatting, hand shaking, and hugging for ages! Oh and sexy bouncer was working. That was fun, and such a nice guy.

So Sunday shopped a bit, and then bussed home. That my friends it my past wee while in a blog!