The Japan 30-day Meme: Special
Flamingos Take Shape of Flamingo
A painful review of the new Hooters Tokyo (Japanese)
Fix the US deficit yourself!
Phone app will count calories from photo
Anime: Koi-sento "Super SF love comedy" set in Nara, land of deer.
Anime: Marvel Comics' Wolverine I don't know whether to be excited or horrified at the image on their front page. No seiyuu listed yet.
Anime: Hourou Musuko Still hating this.
Anime: Level-E pre-site open
And now for a very special edition of The Japan Meme. Although I haven't done this for the past two years, after my first year in Japan I made a list of the highlights, landmark events and disasters that characterised the year.
I've just reached my fifth year in Japan and to prove it I'm waiting on my visa results. Things are pretty stressful right now and I'm convinced November is cursed.
Anyway, I'm starting up the tradition again.
The Japan 30-day Meme: Special
November 2009
Preparations continue for Foreigner Appreciation Day at my school.
December
I went to Sin Den and got my hair cut with Eda for free. I found out recently that they've believed her to be my girlfriend for the past year. At least they recognised I have good taste. :)
There was a Christmas party at Adele's.
I went to Jump Festa, Tenimyu and Goutokuji.
January
We went to Jamie's to celebrate the new year, watched videos, and then tried to walk home because the trains didn't seem to be running. It was a good, relaxing night despite all the walking.
Eda became a princess for the night at Princess Heart.
And preparations continued for Foreigner Appreciation Day...
February
I ate eel with friends.
Foreigner Appreciation Day actually happened ... with several different punchlines.
I went to Sendai and ate yakiniku with Adele and drank tea in the same place Date Masamune may have done while watching the snow fall on pine trees.
March
Firewalking at Takao
I visited Edo Tokyo Tatemono En.
Tokyo International Anime Fair
I forgot to have a birthday party.
April
New school year started.
Musical Air Gear.
May
I went to Nagoya. I wasn't impressed. Inuyama was great though, but the misokatsu was a disappointment.
Kuroshitsuji musical.
Dream Live 7th was around this time, I think.
My first Design Festa.
And I auditioned for Midsummer.
June
Went to Midnight Mess and tried to dance.
July
I visited the ruins of Hachiouji Castle. There were no ghosts, but huge numbers of insects.
Tokyo Toy Fair
Awa Odori festival.
Chofu Fireworks festival.
August
My holiday in the UK and buckets of angst.
First rehearsal for Midsummer.
September
Tokyo Game Show
Went to Tokyo Comedy Store for the first time. Returned to Dr. Sketchy's... and loved it.
Lindsay's dance performance
India Fair in Yoyogi Park.
October
Midsummer performance.
Halloween dinner at TGI Fridays.
Let's hope they let me stay for another year...
The Japan 30-day Meme:
Day 01 - A picture of you "in Japan". (doing or wearing something "Japanese")
Day 02 - Describe your neighborhood in Japan.
Day 03 - Most interesting person you've met.
Day 04 - What's your favorite place that's not in any of the guidebooks/lists of places to visit?
Day 05 - Which, if any, Japanese mannerisms or expressions have you adopted?
Day 06 - Food that you swore you would never eat but now love (or tolerate).
Day 07 - Which Japanese words do you use in English? (hanami, shinkansen, etc.)
Day 08 - Are you a Herbivore or Carnivore? S or M?
Day 09 - Favorite stores/shopping centers.
Day 10 - Something about Japan that sets it apart from anywhere else.
Day 11 - What did you find most overrated and underrated about Japan?
Day 12 - Describe a fail!gaijin moment, where you did something wrong or completely misunderstood because you couldn't ~read the air~ or just plain had no idea what you were supposed to do because you weren't born and raised here. Describe a gaijin!smash moment, where your foreignness was to your benefit.
Day 13 - CHANGED: What's your favourite live event you've attended in Japan?
Day 14 - What is the hardest thing about living in Japan versus your home country?
Day 15 - Weirdest food item you've seen, and weirdest food item you've actually eaten.
Day 16 - How you realised you'd acclimated to Japan. (if you have)
Day 17 - Your karaoke top 5, your sushi top 5, your conbini top 5.
Day 18 - Post some amusing/cute/faily purikura.
Day 19 - Your favorite Japanese character(s) and Gachapon/UFO Catcher toys
Day 20 - Favorite Japanese festival or folklore.
Day 21 - Favorite and least favorite Japanese fashion trends.
Day 22 - Your favorite Japanese saying or kotowaza (proverb).
Day 23 - What is something you have/do in Japan that you wish you had/could do in your home country?
Day 24 - Your favorite Japanese slang or borrow-word (外来語), e.g. セフレ "sex friend"
Day 25 - Most interesting vending machine find.
Day 26 - What's your favorite/least favorite train line.
Day 27 - Place you avoid going to if at all possible.
Day 28 - A picture of you looking like a weaboo/A picture of you trying to blend in and failing.
Day 29 - What's the thing you [will] miss most about Japan when you leave (either on vacation, or move away)?
Day 30 - Did Japan meet your expectations, both good and bad? What has been the most surprising thing about Japan for you, or the thing you least expected?
A painful review of the new Hooters Tokyo (Japanese)
Fix the US deficit yourself!
Phone app will count calories from photo
Anime: Koi-sento "Super SF love comedy" set in Nara, land of deer.
Anime: Marvel Comics' Wolverine I don't know whether to be excited or horrified at the image on their front page. No seiyuu listed yet.
Anime: Hourou Musuko Still hating this.
Anime: Level-E pre-site open
And now for a very special edition of The Japan Meme. Although I haven't done this for the past two years, after my first year in Japan I made a list of the highlights, landmark events and disasters that characterised the year.
I've just reached my fifth year in Japan and to prove it I'm waiting on my visa results. Things are pretty stressful right now and I'm convinced November is cursed.
Anyway, I'm starting up the tradition again.
The Japan 30-day Meme: Special
November 2009
Preparations continue for Foreigner Appreciation Day at my school.
December
I went to Sin Den and got my hair cut with Eda for free. I found out recently that they've believed her to be my girlfriend for the past year. At least they recognised I have good taste. :)
There was a Christmas party at Adele's.
I went to Jump Festa, Tenimyu and Goutokuji.
January
We went to Jamie's to celebrate the new year, watched videos, and then tried to walk home because the trains didn't seem to be running. It was a good, relaxing night despite all the walking.
Eda became a princess for the night at Princess Heart.
And preparations continued for Foreigner Appreciation Day...
February
I ate eel with friends.
Foreigner Appreciation Day actually happened ... with several different punchlines.
I went to Sendai and ate yakiniku with Adele and drank tea in the same place Date Masamune may have done while watching the snow fall on pine trees.
March
Firewalking at Takao
I visited Edo Tokyo Tatemono En.
Tokyo International Anime Fair
I forgot to have a birthday party.
April
New school year started.
Musical Air Gear.
May
I went to Nagoya. I wasn't impressed. Inuyama was great though, but the misokatsu was a disappointment.
Kuroshitsuji musical.
Dream Live 7th was around this time, I think.
My first Design Festa.
And I auditioned for Midsummer.
June
Went to Midnight Mess and tried to dance.
July
I visited the ruins of Hachiouji Castle. There were no ghosts, but huge numbers of insects.
Tokyo Toy Fair
Awa Odori festival.
Chofu Fireworks festival.
August
My holiday in the UK and buckets of angst.
First rehearsal for Midsummer.
September
Tokyo Game Show
Went to Tokyo Comedy Store for the first time. Returned to Dr. Sketchy's... and loved it.
Lindsay's dance performance
India Fair in Yoyogi Park.
October
Midsummer performance.
Halloween dinner at TGI Fridays.
Let's hope they let me stay for another year...
The Japan 30-day Meme:
Day 01 - A picture of you "in Japan". (doing or wearing something "Japanese")
Day 02 - Describe your neighborhood in Japan.
Day 03 - Most interesting person you've met.
Day 04 - What's your favorite place that's not in any of the guidebooks/lists of places to visit?
Day 05 - Which, if any, Japanese mannerisms or expressions have you adopted?
Day 06 - Food that you swore you would never eat but now love (or tolerate).
Day 07 - Which Japanese words do you use in English? (hanami, shinkansen, etc.)
Day 08 - Are you a Herbivore or Carnivore? S or M?
Day 09 - Favorite stores/shopping centers.
Day 10 - Something about Japan that sets it apart from anywhere else.
Day 11 - What did you find most overrated and underrated about Japan?
Day 12 - Describe a fail!gaijin moment, where you did something wrong or completely misunderstood because you couldn't ~read the air~ or just plain had no idea what you were supposed to do because you weren't born and raised here. Describe a gaijin!smash moment, where your foreignness was to your benefit.
Day 13 - CHANGED: What's your favourite live event you've attended in Japan?
Day 14 - What is the hardest thing about living in Japan versus your home country?
Day 15 - Weirdest food item you've seen, and weirdest food item you've actually eaten.
Day 16 - How you realised you'd acclimated to Japan. (if you have)
Day 17 - Your karaoke top 5, your sushi top 5, your conbini top 5.
Day 18 - Post some amusing/cute/faily purikura.
Day 19 - Your favorite Japanese character(s) and Gachapon/UFO Catcher toys
Day 20 - Favorite Japanese festival or folklore.
Day 21 - Favorite and least favorite Japanese fashion trends.
Day 22 - Your favorite Japanese saying or kotowaza (proverb).
Day 23 - What is something you have/do in Japan that you wish you had/could do in your home country?
Day 24 - Your favorite Japanese slang or borrow-word (外来語), e.g. セフレ "sex friend"
Day 25 - Most interesting vending machine find.
Day 26 - What's your favorite/least favorite train line.
Day 27 - Place you avoid going to if at all possible.
Day 28 - A picture of you looking like a weaboo/A picture of you trying to blend in and failing.
Day 29 - What's the thing you [will] miss most about Japan when you leave (either on vacation, or move away)?
Day 30 - Did Japan meet your expectations, both good and bad? What has been the most surprising thing about Japan for you, or the thing you least expected?