Endings . . .

My last Thursday lunch with the Alexmiester!
Originally uploaded by 絵理.

On Thursday we had our last exams. One either side of lunch. Alex and I sat in Forest as we have many times before and ate our last lunch together. Today I'm trying to motivate myself to read the Czech history book and write my essay but I can see it's going to be a hash job tomorrow at school; a race to hand it up - again! If it was English there'd be no problem but the prospect of an entire book in Japanese on a topic that I'd have difficulty following in English (Czech history is complicated~~All that changing of borders and country names that goes on in eastern Europe . . .ugh!) is soo demotivating!

Anyway, I plan to go and see Alex off at the Shinkansen entrance at Hiroshima station this arvo . . . Funny how you can look back on a year and see all sorts of things. Everyone is different, but Alex is one of those special ladies who doesn't hold back on the kindness to the peeps. She's very shrewd and straight up. If she hadn't listened and comforted me on countless occasions the last 6~9 months especially in Hiroshimaland would have been much closer to insufferable without her.
So big bugs and fishes to a great lady!
Will miss your perceptiveness in this land of craziness! Thank you so much!

Then there's apparently a party for Keinan moving out of the Kaikan, Victoria and Lane are also heading out of Hiroshima in the next week or so . . . A whole lot of endings . . .

Took some good photos at the 花火大会 (Big Fireworks Show) on Friday which I'll try and post tonight.
Oh the freedom of holidays is just around the corner.

And I must lament general inability to accurately gauge ages of people of different racial backgrounds . . . Oh so cute but farrrrrr too young. The pain of hanging out with Uni students and hitting an age where by all rights you ought perhaps to be out there winning your bread, how it stings! o(>~<)o Hee hee

Oh righto, back to old Praha~

Unlike Amelie's Mum . . .

Yes, I am stamped, a Champion!
Originally uploaded by 絵理.

. . . I don't mind the odd rumpled clothes induced wrinkle.
A champion indeed, who has successfully navigated exam hell! Only a book left to read (in Japanese about the history of the Czech Republic - go figure!) and an essay to write about said book.
But tomorrow we got to Miyoshi for firework show, Saturday I have a class drinking party and Sunday I have the said and sorry farewelling Alex off on the shinkansen to Kansai Aeroport on my hands! Who'd have thought that the year would fly by like it has!

Then holidays! Lots of hanging out with friends and it seems that I suddenly have a trip to climb Mt Fuji all oragnised with minimal fuss to myself. I'll be heading off at the end of August so it looks like I'll be toasting Mel her 25th on the top of Mt Fuji!! Maybe she'll be up some mountain in Italy . . . we're all doing the most amazing of things these days!

Then Beenz will be here - am concocting all sorts of schemes!

Only, when I think that the end of exams spells the end of my stint at Shudo I get a little . . . something. What does the future hold ?

Well, time to call this night a day anyway, want to head to the doctors earlyish in the morning. Then we head off to Miyoshi mid-afternoon. Lots of reading to be done in between all that too!

Another one bites the dust!

Well, that was number four out of the way. I had my usual Monday Headache again yesterday and so I had to ditch extra study in favour of a kind early night at 12 after studying til almost 8pm at school and then heading home. Got up at 6 in the end and though in hindsight if I'd done a tiny bit more revision on one more small section I'd have had almost full marks, as it is I'm pretty sure that this will be an exam that gets me a decent result and what's more I know that it was a class worth taking. Unlike yesterday's first lesson which just felt like a hotch-potch of too much kanji or memorization of katakana (read specialist and completely random English loan words that I am unlikely to use and know the meaning of anyway, generally, because it's English!!!(of a sort) Though it today's class the katakana words could be a pain. Whilst I have it easy in understanding the meaning, when asked to explain the word in Japanese it gets tricky! Usually katakana is a plus for English-speakers (like kanji is for native Chinese speakers) but in this case it's no help at all because you know what it means you don't necessary bother to learn how to explain it in more complicated old-fashioned terms that Japanese kids are unlikely to use themselves. Having said all this to outcome is that the class has really helped me to improve my comprehension skills (it's like the comprehension part of the yr 12 English exam or somesuch activity) only now I've moved on to doing it in Japanese! Still not hot what the hell a predicate is even if I can remember the kanji for it in Japanese . . can rarely work out what it is in English! But Jules (Linguistics queen that she is) would be way proud of me and by process of elimination in the end it struck me that the teacher was just being fancy and only wanted us to underline the two main verbs of the sentence . . at least I think that's what he wanted!!! ～(.>＿<.)～
Also learnt lots of interesting idiomatic phrases and had the opportunity to have the teacher explain them in Japanese. I find that I now have moved on to feeling really comfortable being taught Japanese in Japanese!! Yay!

Today on the train this morning I couldn't concentrate on my studies for all of the thoughts that my brain kept skipping over with regards to crafty items. Japanese women seem to have this thing about the sun which induces to cover up the money they have paid so much money for with crazy black sun visors, detachable sleeves to protect your arms and other such accroutrements. It makes me laugh and wonder why people spend all this time on their appearance only to patch it all over and make themselves look quite ridiculous . . . wonders of daily life will never cease to amuse and entertain.

Anyway, I thought that if I got a hold of some of them arm thingos I could embroider and otherwise decorate them and such and make them into accessories that hip to the kids cyclistics (my arms are getting frecklier as the days go by regardless of suncreen, though I doubt this would really induce me to wear them when riding!) and general vogue groupies would so get into. I think such items would probably be a hit with emo hipsters and fit right in with the fancy designer sweat bands. Then I thought up lots of ideas for badges to make to go with them and stuff . . All when I should have been focused on subjects, object, predicates and kanji.
NO stealing my ideas people!

I have great new polka-dot sockettes on today! To all those who have recently received packages, how are everyone's great little tiny socks doing? Love them love them! Just can't get enough . . .

Righto . . . might go have some lunch and see about some revision for Thursday's two exams. Night off tonight . . . should be fun!

3 down, 3 to go

Kumi and Riyo
Originally uploaded by 絵理.

This is a photo of Kumi and Riyo enjoying Japanese curry ~ Riyo reminds me greatly of a little blonde-haired boy some years ago with a similarly messy face.

Rina and Riyo are very cute and it would have been lots of fun hanging out with the last night but as it was I so stressed I could only quietly hope that eventually they would tire of coming to chatter away and randomly pass me things saying 'hai', respectively. I wished I had the time to just mess about but I felt like screaming with the thought of how much there was to be revised and even learnt for the first time!

Yesterday was a big blur of feeling anxious and jittery about today and then racing into town to meet up with Keiko on her brief trip back from China . . . Funny to think that we are unlikely to see each for years or much ever again in the course of our lives. But really, when you consider it I suppose that relationships with most people are like that. A rare few will stay but can't hold our breath on those! Lots of laughs were had and it was worth the effort and time out of study because I figure this is my one life and study is not worth making your life a misery over.

I think I will have passed the first exam even though I couldn't write more than a couple of the kanji I needed to. I figure some of the dictation will get me by and it wasn't a class that I was ever going to do very well in. It was something to challenge me and that it did! But it was interesting and I figure I'll use the materials again once in Auslandia and preparing for the Japanese Proficiency Test in December.
The second exam I though I'd go better in but my mind couldn't bring up most of the words that I had only just revised and I ended up in a flurry and I question whether my characters will be legible.
Third exam, that is the one I BOTHERED to really study for. I aced the second page and most of the answers I know are correct - a couple that I vagued out on but I can deal with that. Because I lucked out on the kanji!!! I happened to have just skimmed my eyes over a few kanji, having fairly much abandoned trying to be able to write the multitude required, over a number of the kanji that were included, and in addition to that in what seems ironic, the reading was provided for one of the kanji that further down the page we were required to write the reading for . . . hope it wasn't some sick exercise . . . I miscopied it at first (must have been karma) but I noticed it in the end as I spent all the time for the exam, rather than leaving after I'd basically completed it within the first 30 minutes. Anyway, lucky lucky on the kanji!! So, I feel satisfied with that - I know that I did well with the time allowed (I should have used the time a little better - but there is that question of enjoying my life here in Japan as a life thingo again!!) and I know that I achieved where I could. When it came to the earlier class, considering that my classmates are almost entirely kids who grow up learning kanji as part of their native language than I figure I need to have some perspective. Whatever way I look at it I will have learnt something regardless of what some test score shows.

Now, I really should move on to preparation for tomorrow's exam which, providing that I study for decently, getting a decentish mark should be attainable.
Then Alex and I will be hanging out with Ryoko tomorrow night. Followed by our final two exams on Thursday. And one essay for me to do.

Then . . . . holidays!

Thanks to those kind peeps who sent me an email or two. Will get back to you soon when exam fog lifts, but in the meantime, thank you! It's always lovely to receive mail, even of the e kind.
Speaking of lifting the rain is dogged. For a country in which the rainy season has lifted it has been awful wet continually for the past week since 梅雨　(tsuyu) officially ended!~????

I Wish

誕生日のカラオケ
Originally uploaded by 絵理.

I was able to be out partying rather than stressing about how much work I have to do by tomorrow, whilst knowing I will never be able to get it done and therefore feeling paralysed into not being able to know where or how to start . . . Just like I predicted!

Friday night was lots of fun though!
Our farewell party. Sukiyaki and then Karaoke and a nice ride home in the early hours of the morning. Nami and Marie both turned up which was a lovely surprise - especially as I have seen Nami for 5 minutes once since I have been back sinec March!! It was such nice time and I can't wait til exams are over, then we can do more of it!

Faith

宮島
Originally uploaded by 絵理.

When at a temple once I bought an omamori (お守り) for my Dad that was supposed to help him keep safe driving on the roads. He's crazier than me on them! I wish I'd bought the one for good health. I'm not a believer in anything much and sometimes I think 'more's the pity' ~ at least it might give you some sort of positive spin - apart from all that crazy original sin nonsense which doesn't make anyone feel good. On top of the usual chemo stuff I have just heard that he had to have bits hacked out of his head that we all thought was a scratch that wasn't healing but turns out to have been some kind of skin cancer.
My host Mum is Buddhist and we often offer up prayers and stuff at the family shrine. I join in the chanting every now and again but it's seems as relevant to me as when I used to sing songs from Mass in Latin. Kumi says that 'Namyo can cure anything if you pray hard enough' or stuff to that effect. I have long been accustomed to religious faith talk and probably I have a greater tolerance for Buddhism than other strains of religious belief, but no matter how kindly I try to attend to such statements I just can't put any faith in them. I don't believe it.
I would give up a whole lot to have my Dad healthy again.

I took this photo in a series of many at about midnight last week at Miyajima. I'm so pleased with the way it turned out in the end. I really am enjoying learning more and mucking about with photography.

Tonight I had a fantastic time when having hung out spending time talking to Erie-san in the International Exchange Centre I determined to go and do some study in the library. Listlessly considering where to sit as I realised that thousands of students are all in exam frenzy and studying overtime at school, I heard a voice call my name. I have come to associate Ryoko with studying in the library (her studying, rather than myself) and as it happened she had come in today to study. She's been so busy with work and her Grandfather was gravely ill with pneunomia last week so that there hasn't been a chance for us to hang out much. I have really missed her because we have such an easy way conversing. Her English is brilliant after being in Canada for 2 years and so we flip about in a lively mix of English and Japanese which seems so natural and enjoyable. I decided I'd rather catch up with her and head on home than do half-hearted study for an hour or so, thus we ended up chatting away as we drove through the rain, chatting away and looking up English and Japanese words as we sat drinking warm soy-based beverages at Tully's. We did a bit of bargain hunting at Comme Ca and I came away with a few more new tops and a cheap new trolley case so that I can beginning to get organised with packing up for my return to Australia in September, accompanied by the fabulous Beenz.
It was soooo good to see Ryoko and now we're also got Tuesday evening to look forward to - before Alex goes home we are to have a Pictionary Party!! Hopefully English will come out then better than it has today . . . . imagination not remembering 'combination'!!!!

Right - From now on it's Exam Prep lockup for me!!!
Well, at least until 6pm tomorrow night! o-(＞。＜）-o

I forgot the point . . .

The point of the anecdote was that I got a lovely, useful and appropriate, nicely sized (easy to travel home with) thoughtful gift. It was unexpected, unlooked for and thus perfectly lovely. Risa also wrote sweet letters to both Alex and myself beause she wasn't sure whether she would see us again before we leave. This was the last time Alex will see her but thankfully I will get a chance to see her again - After the hell of exams have passed. She's great value and unlike many young people has an interest in ranbling about the place going to unusual spots in her own country; learning about her own country's history. Funny how so often we set our sights on things that aren't close to home and miss out.

勉強　頑張れー！！！　(benkyou ganbare~)

A little afternoon blogging to relax by . . .

Kana models gumboots foｒ Sarah's benefit . . .
Originally uploaded by 絵理.

I'm feeling distressingly contented having just completed my final presentation for one Japanese class (6 exams and an essay to go - 3 exams on one day!! Monday no less!). I have done better - presented more cooherent and easily understandable things before but today I had to explain 2 books worth of story and couldn't come up with a good way to present them with pictures. It took me too much time to get down but oh well . . . My teacher praised me for my hard work this semester, saying she now understands how hard I work - cf last year when she gave me a rather awful mark for the same class because I spent many of her classes in silent tears of despair and frustration for various reasons and then missed a week of school and my turn to present. She said to hand up whatever I'd done but the truth was I'd never done anything and I was too depressed or drunk or busy trying not to be depressed that I gave it up for a lost cause and enjoyed myself as best I could.
Yeah! for being finished!
The distressing aspect is that I should be firmly and steadfastly focussed on exam preparation but instead I am here wasting time (But I am documenting! Which is what I wanted last week or was that this week - seems a long time ago)
And tomorrow we have our farewell party. I still don't want to leave - for a whole host of reasons. Glad I still have a little while left.

What follows is an anecdote . . I can't vouch for its amusement factor but it was intended to be funnyish. I got distracted . . . it got long . . this is your warning! . . . . .
Whilst I know that my fancy for colour coordination has always been amusing . . Over here is has become something of a talking point with Alex regularly commenting that I have far too many sets of ornamentation and an seemingly endless concoction of combinations (Do you know I just had to look that word up in the dictionary by entering the Japanese equivalent to come out with English - what am I coming to? This is a frightening new development!) Today as it is wet, again, but simultanesouly and unseasonably cool I decided to wear a new three-quarter length sleeved blue to I got at a bargain price at Comme Ca (then Kumi insisted on giving it to me as a present) along with a new green cap (I would have worn Sarah's lovely blue one but was worried about it getting ruined in the rain and knew that the seagreen woolly one I acquired on the weekend would be okay) to keep the rain from running down my face. *I got up at 7am having gone to bed at 2:30am so that I could come to school early but there was a little rain starting as I was about to leave at 8am so I decided to wait it out a little. It only got worse! Turning out to be the previously forecast downpours seemingly all saved up from the last couple of days when it's poured all over the place but here it seems. At 9:30 I gave myself up for a drowned rat and took off sans umbrella. It was lovely. I have developed a great affinity for walking and riding in the rain. I have been going for long walks of a night and the rain and sweat (which no longer bothers quite so much as it used to - the immediate coating when doing nothing at all incurred by the stupidly high humidity).
Anyway, in typical fashion I am getting overly word and rambling wayyyyyyy off the point. The point was that I decided I couldn't be bothered missing my last chance to have lunch in the food hall with Alex and Risa so I chose to not wrote my impression of the manga for the presentation but go and see them. Lisa got a cold and couldn't come to my birthday party so today she brought along a little present she had organised - I really must learn how to say 'You didn't have to, but it's very kind of you' in Japanese . . .
It was blue beaded bracelet (sorely lacking in bracelets - wish I had been less restrained in China) that perfectly tones in with my outfit! As Alex noted, lookng under the table, 'of course, your shoes are matching too!'

Speaking of shoes. This photo is one I meant to post up and send to Sarah for her perusal as regards gumboots! The lovely Kana (for whom I am making previously mentioned MD - actually, it's done and I've just been listening to it to check it over) is modeling a pair from an amazing assortment of printed pattern boots. Incredible! However, she has unusually large feet for a Japanese girl - normal to an Australian - and she couldn't quite get her foot in . . but she still did a lovely job. This was when we went shopping at Alpark and ate okonomiyaki ~ I also rode all the way to Itsukaichi station from where I live - a feat which had most people staggered. From a country of people with a strong bicycle riding culture they don't really expect much from their equipment - it was only over an hour and a bit to get there and on a crappy no-gears grannybike (ママチャリ - mamachari) but it seems to be regarded as an amazing achievement! I must stay that it was a bloody hot and humid day. Sure, I'll admit that I rock!

Right - should get back down to business . . . Ohh! Looking forward to tomorrow night! There's so going to be some karaoke going down! o(^_^）o

Hope you are well and enjoying the coolness and holidays of the southern hemisphere - for those of you who are in it and still students, etc ~ For all you others, (＞o＜)／　What are you doing out of the Lucky Country?　　Bugs and fishes!

Moontide

厳島神社
Originally uploaded by 絵理.

I should be feeling as flooded with work as this shrine; as numerous places all over Japan that are experiencing landslides and floods. There is so much work to do for exams next week but I can't CAN'T get up the drive that I know I need to plow through it all. Things keep popping up to draw away my attention or pull at my heart . . all distractions that I can't seem to avoid. I'm floating in a world of frustration as I watch myself inert and unable to work, knowing it'll all come flowing in 10 fold on Saturday at the latest.

Took this photo at Miyajima when went to see the festival exactly one week ago. The tide was the highest I've ever seen it - the water was lapping at the bottom of the wooden floor of the shrine. When we arrived the water was so far out you could walk out to the Torii - the difference was quite amazing.

Okay - Here I go to shut myself in my room again and try for another couple of hours solid study.

Documentation

宮島でキャンプしてた
Originally uploaded by 絵理.

I wax and wane so much in my efforts to keep recounts of my daily life. Even when travelling I generally end up focusing more on the events as they happen and make this my excuse for never getting around to making even just a few notes daily.
Thus I end up 5 years down the track with a bag full of odds and ends half remembered. Almost a year after a travelling adventure with very little to show for an amazing adventure with the person I loved. Just blank pages and a few random dates. There are a number of things that I have wished to work on . . . this is one of them. In a way the blog functions positively for this. Although I went on hiatus last summer when I traversed J-land like a maniac, and other times when I can't see the computer screen for tears and piles off study, I generally manage to keep up a reasonable flow - and it helps to debrief from a day, a week even in this smallest of ways.

Last week we had a random camping adventure at Miyajima.
We camped at a pretty rough and ready sight on the opposite side to the shrine. About a 50 minute walk around to the Shrine precinct where the festival we went to see was taking place.

On the way to Miyajima I stopped off and visited Maki's parent's at the pottery shop which was thoroughly enjoyable and meant I was in a position to run around buying all of the forgotten things the girls who had already arrived discovered that we needed!

This is a shot of our rackshamble tent and Tori attending to the curry which would later be eaten by deer - they licked the pot so clean it was as if it had been washed! Ara and Alex are looking at my photos from China, as we listen to music, have a drink or three and had a photo-taking field day.

NOW down to study business!
Today I really really will get lots done . . . hmm, maybe I should take a walk to the post office and post Jess Jess's parcel . . . lovely procrastination!

Native flora and fauna

Riyo 'n a bucket
Originally uploaded by 絵理.

Wouldn't it be nice for women if kids did grow in buckets with water and maybe the occasional sprinkling of blood and bone - I'm mainly thinking of my friend whose suffering from awful morning sickness and all those women I have ever talked to about labour - something to look forward to there, hey ladies!

The Long Weekend . . . just the start of things.
I should be in the midst of pre exam preparation but I slept in yesterday, somehow exhausted and then ended up feeling pretty unwell for the day. I organised stuff for Miss Jess Jess and did some vaguely study related readings, paper tidying, then gave up and watched Amelie which I was sent for my birthday. After that I decided to start organising an mix MD for Kana. She wants to come to Australia on exchange so I thought she might enjoy some of the local stuff I had. For one reason and another I now only have a lot of this stuff on an MD for I went out for a long walk and one last listen before I say goodbye to that part of my life. It was a nice walk by the river in the dark as lightening flash out over the distant bay. Now that I've been in Japan for a while I'm resigned to being sweaty at the drop of a hat and being slicked with what feels like floodwater. I overtook a lady at one point and then passed her on the way back and received a friendly saltutation that I couldn't quite make out but responded with a smile and a bow.

As you might realise from the photo of little Riyo climbing into a bucket to cool off - it's HOT here. But not really so hot yet that everyone feels it is time to revert to the ariconditioners! Ahh! The humidity is such a killer. Since my arrival here in April Riyo speech has come along amazingly. She's always been a smiler and I know that I miss her and Rina so much when I leave. (*In a footnote, while I was out at school on friday Riyo did this trick again but ened up falling out and spliting her lip and bruising her cheek - moral of the story is to be careful buckets hey! Much better to be wading around the fountain in front of the Adelaide Museum on North Tce like I used to do! ～【＾^＾】～) Whilst it can take away from my own time, living in a household with kids again is rather lovely. Talks your mind off your own problems, and at times puts them in perspective. Like the time I burst into tears and ran to my room when I got an email, only to be followed by Rina asking who had died . . . Had my Dad died? . . . Who was sick? Had so and so had a baby? . . . Hard not to laugh through tears at questions like that that make what you are going through seem a little stupid and self-indulgent.

Today I spent the whole day out with Kumi, Hide and Riyo. Shopping around and having lunch. Nothing much at all but it was nice just to get out of the house and do stuff with them. Bought yet a few more clothes for myself and am brilliantly stocked up already now for Xmas for a few special peeps. We came home and had a crazy mix of things that we just ran around buying at the shop and I had some Ume-shu and am now feeling rather sleepy and like curling up with someone who's nicely and cuddley.

I have done some planning of the upcoming trip that Beenz and I will be doing on our tour together of this western tip of Japan.

Tomorrow I am meeting up with Alex and Osan for lunch because it's the last time that Alex will see Osan before she goes home and it's be a threesome kind of friendship for since not long after Alex arrived so that will be weird. Must find Alex a going away present ~ Kakigoori making machine ?? It's the new mochi.

Right, off to bed, cuddles and sleep and maybe some more trip planning. From tomorrow! 頑張れ～試験をよく受けるように~
　。(^～^)/
The studies will start and I WILL start reading my book about the Czech republic (in Japanese) . . and I will do a good job of my presentation which I only just remembered now!!
I will do these things and do them well because this is the final stretch; this is my Shudo swansong. And despite the exhaustion and frequent headaches that are dogging me I will do these things!! Because it's important for me to succeed now, at this last hurdle.
*Today I shelled out big dollars (well, yen) to get my hands on some iron supplements without dairy products in it. I'm hoping this will help with the abovementioned health issues.

Did you all know my face could look like this ???

animeme
Originally uploaded by 絵理.

How is it that I have remained in the dark on this front for so long? Or is it all just a part of what The Vapours were so good at conveying through song . . . Not only am I turning Japanese, I really think so, but my face is becoming like Dr Black or something!
That's right, and my weapons are a plastic spoon and かき氷！(Kakigori - flavoured ice)

Mwahh ha haaaaa

So many things in my brain they are falling out . . .

. . . the things that is, not my brain(s).

Yesterday it hit home with force that there are things I will never be or do.
An Amercian lady, Janet, that I spent a bit of time hanging out in Seoul with said something like that during one of our D&Ms. She looked at what I was achieving studying in Japan but could easily say 'yes, if I'd done such a thing that might have been good, but it's all too late for that now - let's do things that I can'.
Now I know that it may seem stupid to be thinking in this manner at the relatively tender age of 25 (depends on who and how old you are as to your opinion on this!!) but I realise that I will never be a Rhodes Scholar - not that I necessarily wanted to be or anything - but it's just one of the doors closing. Hmmm . . funny that I'm looking at it this way when so often I feel that there are too many choices and I wish that things were simpler.

It's weird to think that this is it! It's all winding up~ all too soon my time here will be up and this timeslip of a life will be over and as Geets says 'I'll have to return to real life and be an adult'.

Two and a bit months left of this and then what? I hardly feel more sure than when I left, if I don't in fact feel worse. I came away to find a direction. I knew that being in Japan would tell me on way or another about the potential of following Japanese further . . for the fun of it, for the possibility I could find a job working with languages and not just end up just another girl who went to the Con, then realised music wasn't much of a rewarding way to make a living and wandered off the path. That life was so hard on so many levels and in some ways it's a relief but then I still dream, get sad and wonder about the potential that remains down that path. I was heartbreaking to see that dream fall apart and I was devastated when it dawned on me in a hotel in Kyoto that in all probability I had made a choice to walk away from any future in that area without even realising. At the time leaving Adelaide felt like something that I had to do, not something that I could really choose. Well, I got an answer in Japan and as it turned out it opened up a whole can of worms (world of possibilities depending on one's mood). It didn't seem to proved more focus, just a new set of complications. I ended up losing what I thought was the most relationship I had. Sometimes it feels like a rock and a hard place. I've simply exchanged one form of hardship and dissatisfaction for another and I'm not sure that I've got the better end out of the bargain.
But I can't change what I did and I wouldn't.
I just can't see the way forward yet either.

Beenz is coming to Japan and that's soooo totally excelllllent! It will be good to do stuff together again, but also for the first time. You know how as kids you don't click but then with time, age and space somehow you realise that a person who was there all the time and that you took for granted or wished would go away and stop being pesky turns out to be one of the most important people whom you feel you almost wouldn't cope without. So in one way it's just a resumption of time with said person but conversly the relationship is all different and you've know way of quite knowing for sure but you think it'll be really good and altered from now on.
チュー！　リーニーが大好き！　。(＾～＾) 。

Tomorrow is the 21st of the lovely Jess Jess of BD fame. I wish I could be there to be celebrate but am instead am sending you lots of ether hugs and maybe a parcel when I find the time out of exam prep!　　HAPPY BIRTHDAY LADY!! You're such a brilliant gal and really important friend to me. <～[^~^]～>

This morning was very hot like yesterday but almost worst. Sooooo humid and now that the rainy season seems to have miraculously lifted (Oh Japan! and Japanese sometimes things that people say and think here really make you want to pat them on the head or give them a cuddle because they just seemly innocently ridicuous!) Kumichan told me the other day that 梅雨 tsuyu (the rainy season) was going to 'lift' on Wednesday - apparently according to the weather forecast. While I must admit that Japan's weather is very changeable and works in a different way entirely from the south of our Great Southern Land, but the quaintness of people's belief in the weatehr forecasts is so endearing. As a token of my faith in such things as developed in Auslandia I never listen here either - and then I wonder why everyone is carrying umbrellas on the train (>.<)~?
But now the sky has clouded over and as I arrived at school to do some study and meet up with Yoko it was rather cooler than earlier - well, we are in the mountains but still . . . the weather is quite a fascinating creature.
(In an update - it did rain!!)

Monday is 海の日 Ocean Day can't imagine I'd brave a Japanese beach again after yesterday! Uggghh! 汚い！！

What else did I think to say ?

There are stories, photos and video photage of my birthday remaining.
There is the story of the Deer and Curry.
Exams are coming up.

Oh must dash!

Making headway through the mass of work . . .

Hmmmm . . not sure if I am improving at this whole essay bollocks or if they just expect less here and I'm getting used to that but I just churned out a 'report' entirely based on hearsay and options . . . It's pretty adhoc and I hate that you always need to make some sort of stupid and overstated conclusion. This is so Yr 10 High School.
I wonder what Shelley will think of my couple of hours work in comparison to her year's of toil on a similar topic?!
Sacrilege?

I'm too busy with work to get anything much written to figure I'd post thi sjust to prove it!
Despite the busyness one must make time to enjoy the culture - that's why I'm here - so I'm going out drinking at a Beer Garden on the top of the Asahi (brand of beer) building tonight and tomorrow I am heading to Miyajima for a festival - Camping in tents with Vickers and Alex - hope that our passports don't get eaten!


Karaoke Culture and Japanese Music Industry

A prevailing image of Japan as a country largely populated by hardworking, hard-drinking men in suits who make drunken fools of themselves as they slur into a microphone is an amusing stereotype that lingers on from the ‘modern culture’ rampage of the bubble economy in 1980s. As is the case with most stereotypes, examples can be found but the depth of the situation is much greater than this image acknowledges. Karaoke is a Japanese phenomenon that has found its way into Western culture to a certain degree but it remains on an entirely different level to its prominence in Japan, and other nearby Asian countries such as Korea and China whose youth have been greatly influence by the vogues of their affluent neighbour.
In Australia there was a brief fad for karaoke in bars where people could go to drink and sing a favourite song or two in front of friends and strangers. There are very few such bars in and the notion of a building filled with rooms set up for groups to come and sing karaoke is a great novelty. In my hometown of Adelaide there is one such karaoke centre in the nightlife precinct of the city centre and is generally frequented by a majority of young Asian students. Before coming to Japan I was aware that karaoke was an activity far more popular here than in Australia but I was surprised at in what a different way people consider karaoke. Karaoke is considered to be a normal choice in the list of potential activities for a day or not out with friends. Unlike Australia, in Japan the suggestion of going out to karaoke is as everyday and acceptable as one to go to shopping, to see a movie, or a cup of coffee or drink. Karaoke holds a place in the standard repertoire of pastimes and this seems unlikely to change soon.
In Japan karaoke is a pastime with few barriers. It’s not considered to be an activity only suitable for girls, groups of men also frequent karaoke centres. While not everyone likes karaoke, anyone can and is encouraged to participate regardless of skill and ability. In Japanese there is a word specifically used to refer to people who are not good at karaoke (音痴(おんち)) but this isn’t really considered to be a particularly derogatory term. Karaoke is seen as just another way of enjoying time and bonding with others and it’s not a forum where people are made to feel inadequate. In this it is a typical representative of the Japanese attitude of appreciating the efforts of all when they attempt something to the best of their ability whether or not they results are overly successful.
It also seems that karaoke’s popularity helps to support the national music industry. Globally the popularity of American produced music and cultural products is huge and Japan is no exception. However, Japan has the largest consumption of nationally produced music in Asia. In other words, the amount of music by Japanese artists being bought in Japan is far in excess of foreign music.
The entire music industry in Japan works in a way that slightly different to that in Australia or America. In these countries prefabricated groups such as the historically popular The Monkees, and The Spice Girls and other such bands have all had their reputation tainted to varying degrees when it came to light that the group was manufactured by a music production company in a style akin to a marketing exercise. In contrast, this is a well-established and openly acknowledged tradition in Japan, where attractive and keen youngsters are chosen for grooming by star-producing companies. These people are then trained to be an all-round perfect entertainment package of good looks, dancing and singing ability.
TV media are also heavily involved in this process with the majority of variety programmes from quiz, physical challenge and dare, dating to cooking shows largely involving Japanese celebrities, generally singers and actors, as participants. The TV media constantly promotes and parades Japanese music and musicians so that even those with little interest in popular music are aware of the latest hits. A particular highlight in the TV media for the music industry’s year is the annual 紅白歌(こうはくうた)合戦(がっせん) which is aired on December 31st and has traditionally been a popular aspect of New Year’s celebrations for all ages. This is a programme that presents well-known artists whose songs have been popular hits of the past year, divided into two teams (male and female), competing for a victory by popularity vote based on that night’s performance. On many karaoke machines there is an option which allows you to choose a 紅白scoring system for rating your own karaoke performance. The strength of the Japanese music industry helps to support the karaoke culture, which simultaneously continues to supply a constant demand of product from the music industry. While the style of much popular Japanese music has origins in the popular music of the West, in typical Japanese fashion these beginnings have been adapted in a uniquely Japanese way so that the national music industry has become yet another way for strengthening and development of Japanese culture and the nation’s identity. Karaoke is indeed an important cultural activity of the country that supports many larger cultural institutions of Japan.

(Did have a picture - go Google if you feel desperate!)
SMAP - An example of the Japanese music industry at work. SMAP are a group produced by the famous ‘Janni’s’ company. The members are all accomplished dancers and sing adequately, however their tours are always hugely popular and is it fair to say that every member can be seen on TV every day! They appear as the main characters in drama series’; in commercials advertising food products, horse racing, and laundry detergent; they host ‘this is your life’ TV shows about other celebrities; act as interviewers; host variety and music TV shows, and the band even have their TV show SMAP SMAP which features the 5 members in a cooking battle producing specialty dishes for guest celebrities and they perform their latest predestined hits.


You read this far ?!! Good for you! How dedicated!

THANKS to BEENZ, MIDGE and POOJ for two excellent parcels in the post!

A Very Merry UNbirthday . .

日光
Originally uploaded by 絵理.

Yet again I don't have the photo I meant to have up for the occasion but here we go anyway . . .

I have lovely cousin called MissSareB and various other names that are all very cute but don't need to be repeated here. She's super ace July baby, though I remember her being a little cruel as a kid and not playing with me when I went and lived with her family and went to the famed Kalangadoo Primary School, but still . . . we all have innumerable memories from our childhood we would rather forget so I by no means hold it against her . . just another of the cousin memories!! Along with that year when we shared a room - and shared completely different sleeping patterns - how did we cope ?!
Now, she's all grown up and a simply lovely lady!
She's doing some many amazing things as she works away at her PhD . . . and she's waaayyy creative with a sewing machine and is the lonely person I know to have made a quilted bedspread!!
She's also a supportive reader of this here blog and regularly graces these dingey depths of the ether to post sweet comments upon the electronic page.

The photo is of a temple lintel in Nikko . . a brightly coloured temple backing onto a mountain and overlooking a forest of tall trees. It was cold in February . . a little snow remained. NOW it's stupidly hot and only bound to get hotter.
BUT there's plans to go a beer garden tonight despite upcoming exams and a presentation on Thursday . . also a festival tomorrow night at Miyajima. So, in SareB's honour I'll drink up tonight!

Here's to our SareB on her birthday!
Much love and many happy returns!
Hope you like the presents - who could ask for more than g-strings for you feet ?

誕生日のパーティー

誕生日のパーティー
Originally uploaded by 絵理.

あいにく、雨が降ってしまったので中央公園でピクニックが出来なくなった。
色んな友達が風邪を引いたし、人数が少なかったが、すごく楽しかった。
みんなさん、来てくれてありがとう～～こんな素晴らしい友達が居なかったら今日までに着かなかったかも～友達が居るこそ前の半年位が耐えられた。
パーティーが終わってから、佳織ちゃんと王さんと一緒に3人で本通りに行って佳奈ちゃんとケイちゃんに会い、5人でカラオケに行った！あたしはやっぱり歌うのが大好きで最近よく聴いている曲をいっぱい歌った～とっても楽しかった！後、あたしの家に泊まる王さんと帰ってきて遅くまで話し合った。

Today's weather was hot and the blue sky beamed all day!
What irony! We had the most amazing rain last night and all day it rained meaning that we had to move the picnic indoors and I ran late because of trains ~ I love my bike!
We all had a lovely time and even though lots of people couldn't come suddenly because they'd caught colds, were forced to work or were stuck due to rain . . . the lot of us that made it had an amusing time. Lane and I enjoyed ourselves drinking away.
Then a few of us went karaoke ~ have some funny clips I might try to post.
I'm so thankful for those who came along to help me celebrate ~ I know that without the support of those who came, and others who couldn't, I would have faltered long ago. This past half year, year, year and a half have presented many difficulties and hardships. If I hadn't had the support of these amazing friendships I don't know that I'd have made it. Thank you.

Ta to Beenz for such a lovely email.
Sarah and Wiz for phone calls.

Tomorrow is soooo going to suck.
やっぱり宿題が出来てない～～どうしよう？？

7月8日。。。あたしの誕生日

25歳になっちゃった
Originally uploaded by 絵理.

25歳になっちゃった

And it's raining . . .

on my picnic.

Rain often lets up in the mid morning but the ground will be all wet . . what to do?
And we've not had rain for the past few days!!

And so the 25th year of my reign upon the earth begins.
Alone. Studying Japanese grammar.

Warm and fuzzies . . . The Magical Map of Popularity . . .

It's quite ridiculous but I think I'm becoming obsessed with my Map of Popularity, as I choose to call it. But when I'm down it's certain to make one feel that tiny bit better . . .
Now, it may all be a complete sham but I choose to believe that I'm turning into a world-wide 芸能人（げいのうじん geinoujin - celebrity). Sometimes I really wish that I could through some unlikely chance of fate become a Japanese celebrity . . and yes, there are a number of foreigner celebrities on TV here - one in particular makes his bread by speaking intentionally weird and funny Japanese . . . another is a magician who speaks both Japanese and English when presenting, if you speak English then you're bound to be popular! . . American from the accent. Most celebrities just seem to end up doing the rounds of TV shows . . . quiz shows and cooking shows . . randomly eating and talking their way through life and presumably being paid handsomely for it. What a cushy life. As a rising intercontinental identity I think it's a about time I was recognised for my brilliance!

Today's unknown spots on the map . . .
This sure is one way to whet one's appetite for studying geography . . I only wish that the map provided location details . . .
The is a new red dot inland somewhere in upper NSW or lower Queensland . . see, I'm not even very good with Auslandian geography!

I noticed a new red dot in America the other day and there were already a number of unaccountables there anyway!

Somewhere in Hokkaido has popped up.

Did I mention India the other day ?

A number of new and unidentifiable locations in Europe . . is that another for Finland or just another country entirely ?

Is that Greece I see ?

And, who do I know in Darwin ? No one . . that I can bring to mind . . . YES! This is definitely FAME people!

Why is it that we only have one short life . . . SOOooooooo many places to be going and so many languages that I wish I could speak . . . so far I only have one and a half . . . and a few scattered bits and pieces about the place! What am I to do ?

Is looks as though I maybe succeed in persuading my skin and blister to come on over to Japan for some travelling action!! It'd be so ace, kiddies! There's always been a fairly obvious age barrier between the two of us, but as time has passed that has disappeared and various hardships that we've both endured in more recent times have served to bring us much closer together and now I'd say she's more like a friend than a sister. Rather excited at the prospect - no pressure or anything, Beenz!!

I know there were more 'Crazy Japan' anecdotes that I wished to recount but they escape me at the present . . . with in anticipation my avid readers . . or should I say 'fans' ?!!!

Picnic in park on Saturday . . will need to put up my teraterabozu to ward of the rain . . Have you been hearing about the landslides and torrential rains we have been having in Japan ? I don't remember hearing about it at all last year but this year I notice the strength of the river as I ride over the red bridge everyday. The other day . . Sunday, it must have been, when I rode out to Alpark (it took about an hour and I sure worked up a sweat in the heat of the day, but it was good to get out and about) the golf courses and driving ranges on the low-lying banks next to the river was mass of swampland.

Right, must get homework done so I can have the weekend off!

An early Happy Birthday shout out to Miss SareB to make up for the fact that her parcel is unlikely to arrive in time for her actual birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY LADY!

Happy Birthday Call Out

Tomonoura
Originally uploaded by 絵理.

Born on the 4th of July . . .

For lack of an appropriate photo that I thought I had posted I thought this would be a pretty substitute. The old stone quay at Tomonoura . . .

Anyway, getting to the point . . .

Today is my Dad's birthday.
He is the man responsible for much of my personality being the way it is! For better and worse!! But he has given me so much over the years and really excelled in the role of parent. I'm sure it wasn't easy to raise me but he worked hard at it. Without him (and Mum) I wouldn't have got half as far as I have.
Though I know that he doesn't think birthdays are really all that much, especially since he got sick . . . 'you ought to savour each day, and treat people as if everyday were special' . . . I want to take today as an excuse for putting up a post to him just to say thank you so much!

Looking forward to our next random adventure together whenever it may be!

Much love, El

Hmmm . . . not much work done this hot rainy day

. . . just another rainy season day.
But oh so soon my time here will be up and then what shall I do ?

Yesterday Rina and I made Honey Crackles - funny that everyone in Australia has probably eaten them at any number of parties as kids yet they were a big sensation at a party with kids last night.
A funny anecdote from said party was being questioned by some Korean kids (whose Japanese was surprisingly hopeless)whether my husband was Japanese . . a little shocked I displayed my ringless lefthand . . Oh, but the baby??
I can't imagine finding a Japanese boy who'd suit me . . .
The baby? As you should know, that was Riyo! She's such a happy little thing.

Tonight we made a form of Baked Apples.

This new map thingo is having a rather interesting effect . . . I realise how attrocious my understanding of geography is as I wonder who on earth in what countries in Europe is reading my blog?!! Especially the further you go east . . hopeless when it comes to small European nations! Good thing we can just get away with calling it all the EU in the main now! Ha haa

Tomorrow I must find a present for my pater whose b'day it will be with the dawning of the 4th of July. He's a tricky one to buy for - too much in the house already if it's not useful don't want it attitude . . .
Kana and I are going shopping.

Need to send out messages about the picnic next weekend . . . Transitive and intransitive verbs . . pffft! Wonder what I shall do if it rains?

Only about two weeks before exams.
Then holidays. No travel plans yet . . . will be sad to see Alex go - she's proved to be a rock. Think I would have gone mad with out her - she is one special lady and I must find a present for her before she leaves.

More on books: I quite enjoyed The Horse and His Boy. Maybe knowing the story of the second book in the series detracted from my enjoyment but I thought this one was the best so far. Interesting to note similiarities with Tolkien and other authors. Isobelle Carmody is one that springs to mind amongst others - though I must say even if she borrowed some ideas I think she does them far more justice. Maybe I'm too old for these books now but I just think he's a bit pedantic at times and then the whole Christian creation thing. Especially in the latest book which so distinctly seems to contain a situation analoguous to the whole Christian/Islamic discriminatory divide.
By the way, if anyone has ideas on how to sleep when you can't I'd like to hear suggestions because I can't live on no sleep for much longer. While reading til I pass out at 4am is one way of passing the sleepless hours I need to find another option.
Speaking of which . . . maybe I go try lying down for an hour or so as preface to the sleep I hope shall come.
Should have a shower after the riding today but given how sticky it is you can't tell the difference between sweat and humidity.

Saturday arvo . . .

And what am I doing ?
Should be studying by all rights . . . and have had only a partial victory with regard to posting videos.
The quality ain't so hot.
Only one appears to be working at the present.
And now somehow the side panel with my profile, map and other bits and bobs has ended up at the bottom of the blog and I can't make it return to itself rightful place at the head of the class.

Can some computer literate person help me . . . please . .
I'll send you Pocky and random flavoured Kitkats - the like of which you won't find outside this country!!

お願いしまーす

As a side note, I used to hate emoticons but now I hate email as a form of communication believe it's worse than useless in trying to convey explicit meaning and I long for emoticons that I can put in my blog! It doesn't feel write not to put them in anymore.
You should see the array of things I have to choose from on my mobile phone . . . Sadly, since the Host Dad Vomitting episode (in which said keitai (mobile phone in Japanese) was flooded with bile) it hasn't been quite the same. It turned off of its own volition the other night when I was mid-mail! Upon inspection I discovered that my attempts to clean it at the time had not been thorough enough as the inside was also coated with now dried gastric juices - charming!!! Makurokurosuke remains in the bathroom - a sorry sight. Though I have attached in its place, a little replica of a bottle of Okonomiyaki sauce that Keinan gave to me ages ago - you can't buy them anywhere - LUCKY! Eat your heart out Poojster!

Well, should do some study before everyone comes home.

Ironing out bugs . . .

Hmmmm . . . Not sure that worked so well. But I think this next one should go okay . . . . I meant to space them a bit more but seeing as the previous doesn't appear to be working its magic so well I give this next one a shot.

Actually taken eariler than the kindy expedition this is a random bit of footage from when we three Auslandian ladies went to Kasaoka in Okayama prefecture with one of our teachers to participate in a boat racing festival.
There was another longer one but I'll run with this one as it gives you a much better idea of the boats!
Also featuring the lovely Alex of Wollongong and various other places in Auslandia.

I discover the world of posting your own home videos online . . sorry!

As promised I found out home to put videos I take on my camera up on my blog . . . with help from Josh - ta!

I was expecting to put this up in any vaguely public forum so apologies for the bumpiness and shortness - ran out of space on memory card. But in the future I shall be more prepared! Watch out world!

So this is a little documentation of my second, and solo, visit to a local kindy.
I taught the kids Twinkle twinkle little star in English (BTW also have just come back from a similiar activity with older kids taught by a lecturer from school - the mums made gyoza (Chinese dumplings) kids were rawdy but sure know a whole lot of nouns already!). Anyway, back to the other week, the kids then did a presentation of a traditional kids song complete with actions for me. They were in training for some sort of concert they were going to be giving in public.
Watch for the great little mover in the middle of the second row - such a cute little boy!