Totoro broke Daddy's umbrella and it's pouring!
I was doing pretty well with my postings this holiday week until I wore myself out with . . . hmmm . . . not sure what as I have little to show for myself but I must have been doing something . . .
I believe that Wednesday turned out to be one of those frustrating days where no matter that you stayed inside all day and tried to do work, whilst outside the day glittered with beckoning perfection, you really achieved nothing very much!
I think the better part of the day - once I awoke late - was spent in comtemplation of the future and what topic I could choose for a thesis, if any.
In the evening Katsura, Alex, Evan and I had pasta for dinner whilst watching 'The Life Aquatic' which whilst amusing, was a little hard to follow in the noisy environment and probably not quite as funny as 'The Royal Tennebaums' - Are they by the same people ? It seemed likely . . .
We all found the music highly amusing - though I failed to pick that the familiarity of the melodies was because they were all Bowies. Made me think of brillig and wonder why so many bands reference Japan in their lyrics . . .
I will stand corrected but I do believe that this occurs in two brillig songs (though one is a cover). Obviously The Vapors and then the Hilltop Hoods get in on the action . . . Right now I can't think of the other band I noticed the other day . . .
Maybe it's part of a huge tourist conspiracy . . .
Thursday - again I awoke late . . .
Alex and I head up to school about midday for the school festival which turned out to be a whole lot of food stalls, some second-hand clothing stalls - called a 'free market' - and not much else. We both tired of the rigours of eating by about 4pm and decided to head home as things were unlikely to work themselves for a good few hours - and compared the excessiveness of an Australian fireworks show - or those specially displayed by fabulous magical people - the Japanese don't really know how to put on a fireworks display! They think that five minutes is sufficient! I think it must be the whole 'less is more' aesthetic that is so prevalent here. All the kids get so super excited about 5 fireworks! Maybe that's the way to go if you want people to always be coming back for more; in anticipation . . .
So, I tried to study and believe I had some horrible and unsatisfactory msn chats - the intermanet - such a wonderful and cruel invention!
Friday . . . yet another nice day spent in vain . . . More study, reading, thesis consideration . . .
Maki came by after 4pm and we had a good chat about life, the future and unvierse and everyth . . no, hang on! we forgot about the dolphins . . . - it was my first 'normal' angsty girly talk that I've had in Japan with a Japanese friend - no Julie for that anymore! *sadness*
Then we made tuna patties, a nashi & coconut crumble which were all pretty nice and then we tried to watch a video lent me by a friend. This led to the tap egetting stuck and having to have extensive discussions with the security guard, which is never much fun - they must go out of their way to find the wackiest guys in Japan just for us. But later when I was washing up, listening to 'Pterodactyls' and Eiderdown he came along and started chatting to me about how good my Japanese was - yay! Anotgher late night . . .
Saturday I woke late, but managed to finish my book 'A short history of Japan' which I was scurrying through looking for a thesis ideas. Then I dashed out to get a train to 新井口 (Shininokuchi) to meet up with Kyoko for some conversation practise and shopping - perfect combination! We then had a lovely, but huge! lunch at a tradition Japanese restuarant where Kyoko's friend works - and after we went for some afternoon karaoke all together.
Kyoko's Mum also sent some persimmons along for me - I like this already without even knowing her! Persimmons here a brilliant! But strangely, share a name with oysters!
To continue the trend of non-studiness I caught a tram into town, considered some second-hand Japanese Harry Potter books before heading off a nomi- and tabe-houdai with the Art club! We all know what that means - all you can eat, but Japanese style! Actually, the restaurant was Chinese and all I can say is that it's lucky I'm not so full-on about my abstinence from meat in Japan . . .
Then I didn't do Australia very proud at bowling . . . But I did discover that at "Hiroshima Park Lane" aka the bowling alley - they have a DRINKBENDER - ahhh! don't we all wish we could have one of those just sitting in our bowling alleys ?
Now we get to the relevance of the photo . . . We found Totoro - he really does exist!! At Miwako, an hour from Hiroshima . . urban sprawl did kill him at all - he just went commercial - the whore! Plus, he broke the umbrella that Satsuki and Mei lent him - what did they get ? Seeds! I ask you!
We went there for a BBQ for one of our teachers' seminar. Unfortunately, Evan woke late, when I buzzed his room, and in his rush to catch the bus his bike broke and he took a tumble - poor guy was out of sorts after that. I woke with a cold and thus the day was a little marred for me too. But the car trip was beautiful - Whilst the trees have yet turn red in Miyajima, they are out in all their glory higher up the country. I can now really understand why the Japanese are so keen on their autumnal motifs and colours!
I believe that Wednesday turned out to be one of those frustrating days where no matter that you stayed inside all day and tried to do work, whilst outside the day glittered with beckoning perfection, you really achieved nothing very much!
I think the better part of the day - once I awoke late - was spent in comtemplation of the future and what topic I could choose for a thesis, if any.
In the evening Katsura, Alex, Evan and I had pasta for dinner whilst watching 'The Life Aquatic' which whilst amusing, was a little hard to follow in the noisy environment and probably not quite as funny as 'The Royal Tennebaums' - Are they by the same people ? It seemed likely . . .
We all found the music highly amusing - though I failed to pick that the familiarity of the melodies was because they were all Bowies. Made me think of brillig and wonder why so many bands reference Japan in their lyrics . . .
I will stand corrected but I do believe that this occurs in two brillig songs (though one is a cover). Obviously The Vapors and then the Hilltop Hoods get in on the action . . . Right now I can't think of the other band I noticed the other day . . .
Maybe it's part of a huge tourist conspiracy . . .
Thursday - again I awoke late . . .
Alex and I head up to school about midday for the school festival which turned out to be a whole lot of food stalls, some second-hand clothing stalls - called a 'free market' - and not much else. We both tired of the rigours of eating by about 4pm and decided to head home as things were unlikely to work themselves for a good few hours - and compared the excessiveness of an Australian fireworks show - or those specially displayed by fabulous magical people - the Japanese don't really know how to put on a fireworks display! They think that five minutes is sufficient! I think it must be the whole 'less is more' aesthetic that is so prevalent here. All the kids get so super excited about 5 fireworks! Maybe that's the way to go if you want people to always be coming back for more; in anticipation . . .
So, I tried to study and believe I had some horrible and unsatisfactory msn chats - the intermanet - such a wonderful and cruel invention!
Friday . . . yet another nice day spent in vain . . . More study, reading, thesis consideration . . .
Maki came by after 4pm and we had a good chat about life, the future and unvierse and everyth . . no, hang on! we forgot about the dolphins . . . - it was my first 'normal' angsty girly talk that I've had in Japan with a Japanese friend - no Julie for that anymore! *sadness*
Then we made tuna patties, a nashi & coconut crumble which were all pretty nice and then we tried to watch a video lent me by a friend. This led to the tap egetting stuck and having to have extensive discussions with the security guard, which is never much fun - they must go out of their way to find the wackiest guys in Japan just for us. But later when I was washing up, listening to 'Pterodactyls' and Eiderdown he came along and started chatting to me about how good my Japanese was - yay! Anotgher late night . . .
Saturday I woke late, but managed to finish my book 'A short history of Japan' which I was scurrying through looking for a thesis ideas. Then I dashed out to get a train to 新井口 (Shininokuchi) to meet up with Kyoko for some conversation practise and shopping - perfect combination! We then had a lovely, but huge! lunch at a tradition Japanese restuarant where Kyoko's friend works - and after we went for some afternoon karaoke all together.
Kyoko's Mum also sent some persimmons along for me - I like this already without even knowing her! Persimmons here a brilliant! But strangely, share a name with oysters!
To continue the trend of non-studiness I caught a tram into town, considered some second-hand Japanese Harry Potter books before heading off a nomi- and tabe-houdai with the Art club! We all know what that means - all you can eat, but Japanese style! Actually, the restaurant was Chinese and all I can say is that it's lucky I'm not so full-on about my abstinence from meat in Japan . . .
Then I didn't do Australia very proud at bowling . . . But I did discover that at "Hiroshima Park Lane" aka the bowling alley - they have a DRINKBENDER - ahhh! don't we all wish we could have one of those just sitting in our bowling alleys ?
Now we get to the relevance of the photo . . . We found Totoro - he really does exist!! At Miwako, an hour from Hiroshima . . urban sprawl did kill him at all - he just went commercial - the whore! Plus, he broke the umbrella that Satsuki and Mei lent him - what did they get ? Seeds! I ask you!
We went there for a BBQ for one of our teachers' seminar. Unfortunately, Evan woke late, when I buzzed his room, and in his rush to catch the bus his bike broke and he took a tumble - poor guy was out of sorts after that. I woke with a cold and thus the day was a little marred for me too. But the car trip was beautiful - Whilst the trees have yet turn red in Miyajima, they are out in all their glory higher up the country. I can now really understand why the Japanese are so keen on their autumnal motifs and colours!
posted by Eleanora Martinez at 11:42 AM
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