The Life Updater (Verbos Happenstance)
Hi, bet your all wondering who I am. The name is Rick, I'm actually one of your friends from long ago who disappeared a few months back. Well here I am posting again. Sorry about that.
So what is up? Lots I guess, which is why i haven't been posting. You know, busy.
EVERYONE: Yeah, busy getting it on with Japanese chicks, partying in Tokyo, and going to Festivals where people hit each other with giant lanterns.
Me: Well, yes actually, that's about right.
EVERYONE: Did we mention that we in congress hold a deep, open hatred for you?
Me: Yes, you've mentioned this multiple times, on various occasions.
EVERYONE: Very well, proceed.
So yeah, things are in general "th3 goodn355." School is invariably a joke recently, as I literally for the last two days in a row have done nothing due to Mid-terms. I sit here and try to amuse myself with the internet. On the plus side I have found some funny stuff like Im in Ur Manger , which I have now watched ad-nausium. Also, thanks to Brad, I have listened to Murmaider to excess, and have played it now to others, who worry over my mental stability because of it.
What else? I'm going to do the DJ thing again before I come back home, on the 15th of December. This time I have 50 minutes and it has to sort of be less dancy and more laid back loungy rock. I'll get into it more in another post, but as always you are all my ins to this stuff and I want to bring the thunder, even if this time it's not so much thunder but more akin to sensual jams. Actually that might be what I call it. "Rick's sensual Jams." There is wordplay, inside jokes and my name in that, which means it's a good working title. The goal is.... oh hell I'll talk about it in another post.
On the good and band front, I ran a half marathon about 3 weeks back now, and well, that was cool. It sucks though, because I am sort of training to run the Tokyo Marathon, but I am pretty sure I fucked up something in my left leg from the half marathon. The tendons behind my knee give way to pain when I run more than 15 minutes. I don't know if i should train through it or take time off, but in either event it does not bode well for a good Marathon time. Suckage. Oh well. We shall see. I just feel bad because Kirk laid out a sexy marathon plan for me, and I fear now that I will not be able to do it the way I want to. Th3 suck.
Also of note is I visited Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Kick ass time indeed, and I finally threw the pics up on Flickr, along with all my back logged pics, including the trip everyone took here to Japan. (Yes, that's how long I had not updated for. Yes, they are mostly pictures of myself with Nick's glasses on) There are varying opinions by different people in JET, but personally I felt Hong Kong was the coolest, whereas Macau and Taipei were sort of up-and-coming but not there yet. Well okay, Macau is sort of like the Vegas of Hong Kong, so it's there, but Taipei sorta needs some help before I consiter it totally metropolitan. Anyways, I am actually working on an update for that, as well as a curtailed one for Thailand, so I will eventually post on these things. As I see it, if Mike has not finished his posts from his time in Japan, I can still lag on my posts of everything there-after.
EVERYONE: Terrible Excuse. Shit, when is Mike gonna update again? That shiz is funny.
Me: I agree.
(Note my ability to deflect expectations upon Mike. Sorry bro.) So yeah, I also took like, 4 very stupid videos that I will post to Youtube soon, but have not had the chance to. But when I do, prepare for marginally forced chuckles and over-all dumb-assedness of yours truly.
Once again for those who didn't know, from December 21st to January 2nd I am home. People have been saying, "Let me know when your free! We should hang out!" Well as of now I am free. No one has really given me solid dates to do stuff, so if you wanna chill let me know when works for you so we can schedule something. I'd like to hit up NYC at least one of the days/nights and if I can do it on a day/night that works for more people I'd love to schedule that. Same goes for night(s) when I head out to Ocean Side. I want to maximize my see-peoples-ness. So help me to help you Barbie, Help me to Help you.
Which reminds me, has anyone notices that Scurbs has taken a turn into serious land? I mean, I don't even know if anyone still watches it, but really, what are they doing? I feel the whole "JD growning up/everyone growning up" Arch/concept/plot/story/thang is getting a little forced. On another point Avatar the Airbender is awesome. I have been waiting and searching for Episode 12 for the last week and feel dorker everytime I do it. I watch Heroes, abed grudgingly. As Hsien knows, I only watch it now for the hair. MILO FAN CLUB 4 LIFE YO!
Most anime/manga is junk recently save two things; The Naruto Manga is finally approaching topics/battles that I actually want to see, but even then it could be just another tease and these characters will disappear/avoid fighting one another and it will go on again for another 50 chapters. Oh well. Here is to hoping on that one. Gundam 00 is actually kinda fun, in terms of how it takes the usual, well abused Gundam theme of Warring states and sorta added some interesting, relivant elements to it. Terrorist attacks are now a promonent concern in the show, which I find to be (granted, a milking of contemporary paranoia to engadge the audiance but still) a nice way to mix issues of reality with that of an anime. Though the question in the show that sort of begs to be answered is that in this iteration, is it not the Gundams that are themselves terrorists too? I feel that if the Gundams in this show were to take action in the manner that they do in today's world (maybe not as Gundams in today's world, but as say super advanced planes/tanks), they would be labelled Terrorists before they would be consitered heroes. An interesting concept and it's pretty much the reason I am watching it now. How old am I getting, huh? I used to watch anime because Giant Robots were Fucking Cool, now I watch because I am concered how a piece of Japanese media will portray armed intervention of globalized political conflict.
Oh and I mean, not a big deal but I turned 26 last week, which was cool. Sort of. Driving home last night from a movie (Beowulf, kinda enjoyed it) with Teacher I felt slightly older. A hard moment to explain really. It was night, we were driving and as she does, Teacher was listening to bad grundge rock from back when I was in High School. Save for the Japanese signs though, it was sort of a flashback and I felt like I was driving along on a rainy night back home. I then realized I'd be home soon. I then realized that it was of course not going to be the same as when I was home last time. That both excited me and saddened me a little. An interesting thing. I suppose it's *GASP!* Growing up.
As mentioned, the weekend was cool. The lantern festival of doom happened again, and so hundreds of sweaty dudes did battle in some pit with giant lanterns. It was cool. I did not jump in this year though. In the streets I ran into enough students of mine to hold about 4 classes. Half of them were smoking like little stupid derelicts. Afterwards I was brought to Takeshi's girlfriend's family's house, where me and my guest Carla (she was crashing so she could take atest in Oyama the next day) were fed beer, sushi and Kobe beef. It was pretty rad. After this I hit up Ocha Nova for a second and then chilled at Magokoro Coffee/Cafe/whatever and just missed a jazz show that was being put on by one of my co-workers. There was light drama regarding one of the other westerners here and his friend, and his sister, who are all my friends, so that was interesting. Basically one bud wants to date another bud's sister, and he thinks the one bud won't mind, but the other bud, in fact, minds that his bud (who he's seen hit on/talk about/get with other girls) wants to date his sister. Very funny. Well, funny because I'm not directly involved and I am a malicious observing asshole when I see people walking into a shitstorm of their creation. I'm sure everything will be okay though. That or someone will get stabbed. In either event I'll be okay and entertained.
So yeah, thats about it. Such is my life. I'll get more on here soon hopefully. For now, later.
So what is up? Lots I guess, which is why i haven't been posting. You know, busy.
EVERYONE: Yeah, busy getting it on with Japanese chicks, partying in Tokyo, and going to Festivals where people hit each other with giant lanterns.
Me: Well, yes actually, that's about right.
EVERYONE: Did we mention that we in congress hold a deep, open hatred for you?
Me: Yes, you've mentioned this multiple times, on various occasions.
EVERYONE: Very well, proceed.
So yeah, things are in general "th3 goodn355." School is invariably a joke recently, as I literally for the last two days in a row have done nothing due to Mid-terms. I sit here and try to amuse myself with the internet. On the plus side I have found some funny stuff like Im in Ur Manger , which I have now watched ad-nausium. Also, thanks to Brad, I have listened to Murmaider to excess, and have played it now to others, who worry over my mental stability because of it.
What else? I'm going to do the DJ thing again before I come back home, on the 15th of December. This time I have 50 minutes and it has to sort of be less dancy and more laid back loungy rock. I'll get into it more in another post, but as always you are all my ins to this stuff and I want to bring the thunder, even if this time it's not so much thunder but more akin to sensual jams. Actually that might be what I call it. "Rick's sensual Jams." There is wordplay, inside jokes and my name in that, which means it's a good working title. The goal is.... oh hell I'll talk about it in another post.
On the good and band front, I ran a half marathon about 3 weeks back now, and well, that was cool. It sucks though, because I am sort of training to run the Tokyo Marathon, but I am pretty sure I fucked up something in my left leg from the half marathon. The tendons behind my knee give way to pain when I run more than 15 minutes. I don't know if i should train through it or take time off, but in either event it does not bode well for a good Marathon time. Suckage. Oh well. We shall see. I just feel bad because Kirk laid out a sexy marathon plan for me, and I fear now that I will not be able to do it the way I want to. Th3 suck.
Also of note is I visited Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Kick ass time indeed, and I finally threw the pics up on Flickr, along with all my back logged pics, including the trip everyone took here to Japan. (Yes, that's how long I had not updated for. Yes, they are mostly pictures of myself with Nick's glasses on) There are varying opinions by different people in JET, but personally I felt Hong Kong was the coolest, whereas Macau and Taipei were sort of up-and-coming but not there yet. Well okay, Macau is sort of like the Vegas of Hong Kong, so it's there, but Taipei sorta needs some help before I consiter it totally metropolitan. Anyways, I am actually working on an update for that, as well as a curtailed one for Thailand, so I will eventually post on these things. As I see it, if Mike has not finished his posts from his time in Japan, I can still lag on my posts of everything there-after.
EVERYONE: Terrible Excuse. Shit, when is Mike gonna update again? That shiz is funny.
Me: I agree.
(Note my ability to deflect expectations upon Mike. Sorry bro.) So yeah, I also took like, 4 very stupid videos that I will post to Youtube soon, but have not had the chance to. But when I do, prepare for marginally forced chuckles and over-all dumb-assedness of yours truly.
Once again for those who didn't know, from December 21st to January 2nd I am home. People have been saying, "Let me know when your free! We should hang out!" Well as of now I am free. No one has really given me solid dates to do stuff, so if you wanna chill let me know when works for you so we can schedule something. I'd like to hit up NYC at least one of the days/nights and if I can do it on a day/night that works for more people I'd love to schedule that. Same goes for night(s) when I head out to Ocean Side. I want to maximize my see-peoples-ness. So help me to help you Barbie, Help me to Help you.
Which reminds me, has anyone notices that Scurbs has taken a turn into serious land? I mean, I don't even know if anyone still watches it, but really, what are they doing? I feel the whole "JD growning up/everyone growning up" Arch/concept/plot/story/thang is getting a little forced. On another point Avatar the Airbender is awesome. I have been waiting and searching for Episode 12 for the last week and feel dorker everytime I do it. I watch Heroes, abed grudgingly. As Hsien knows, I only watch it now for the hair. MILO FAN CLUB 4 LIFE YO!
Most anime/manga is junk recently save two things; The Naruto Manga is finally approaching topics/battles that I actually want to see, but even then it could be just another tease and these characters will disappear/avoid fighting one another and it will go on again for another 50 chapters. Oh well. Here is to hoping on that one. Gundam 00 is actually kinda fun, in terms of how it takes the usual, well abused Gundam theme of Warring states and sorta added some interesting, relivant elements to it. Terrorist attacks are now a promonent concern in the show, which I find to be (granted, a milking of contemporary paranoia to engadge the audiance but still) a nice way to mix issues of reality with that of an anime. Though the question in the show that sort of begs to be answered is that in this iteration, is it not the Gundams that are themselves terrorists too? I feel that if the Gundams in this show were to take action in the manner that they do in today's world (maybe not as Gundams in today's world, but as say super advanced planes/tanks), they would be labelled Terrorists before they would be consitered heroes. An interesting concept and it's pretty much the reason I am watching it now. How old am I getting, huh? I used to watch anime because Giant Robots were Fucking Cool, now I watch because I am concered how a piece of Japanese media will portray armed intervention of globalized political conflict.
Oh and I mean, not a big deal but I turned 26 last week, which was cool. Sort of. Driving home last night from a movie (Beowulf, kinda enjoyed it) with Teacher I felt slightly older. A hard moment to explain really. It was night, we were driving and as she does, Teacher was listening to bad grundge rock from back when I was in High School. Save for the Japanese signs though, it was sort of a flashback and I felt like I was driving along on a rainy night back home. I then realized I'd be home soon. I then realized that it was of course not going to be the same as when I was home last time. That both excited me and saddened me a little. An interesting thing. I suppose it's *GASP!* Growing up.
As mentioned, the weekend was cool. The lantern festival of doom happened again, and so hundreds of sweaty dudes did battle in some pit with giant lanterns. It was cool. I did not jump in this year though. In the streets I ran into enough students of mine to hold about 4 classes. Half of them were smoking like little stupid derelicts. Afterwards I was brought to Takeshi's girlfriend's family's house, where me and my guest Carla (she was crashing so she could take atest in Oyama the next day) were fed beer, sushi and Kobe beef. It was pretty rad. After this I hit up Ocha Nova for a second and then chilled at Magokoro Coffee/Cafe/whatever and just missed a jazz show that was being put on by one of my co-workers. There was light drama regarding one of the other westerners here and his friend, and his sister, who are all my friends, so that was interesting. Basically one bud wants to date another bud's sister, and he thinks the one bud won't mind, but the other bud, in fact, minds that his bud (who he's seen hit on/talk about/get with other girls) wants to date his sister. Very funny. Well, funny because I'm not directly involved and I am a malicious observing asshole when I see people walking into a shitstorm of their creation. I'm sure everything will be okay though. That or someone will get stabbed. In either event I'll be okay and entertained.
So yeah, thats about it. Such is my life. I'll get more on here soon hopefully. For now, later.