tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46851471055984101962024-02-06T20:40:45.785-08:00A Weird Guy Living in JapanA blog in which I discuss living in Japan and some interesting and weird things that happen to me.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340768751615974816noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685147105598410196.post-90654325390405718692014-10-25T22:48:00.000-07:002014-10-25T22:48:01.464-07:00Living in Japan: Should I Stay or Should I Go?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyT-Wgkx_93GJvhFQaL8rZlppg8CSfxX5oXR5sPwktEGkW2h3u0mMErMNWftiHBT6oGe3DYgXrPJK_sku0df5t7wbL4u-EFGB9uia0USv2GEDHYj6APa2zvAfd94vID_4J7e3w3Q3ulMA/s1600/IMG_20140809_200308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyT-Wgkx_93GJvhFQaL8rZlppg8CSfxX5oXR5sPwktEGkW2h3u0mMErMNWftiHBT6oGe3DYgXrPJK_sku0df5t7wbL4u-EFGB9uia0USv2GEDHYj6APa2zvAfd94vID_4J7e3w3Q3ulMA/s1600/IMG_20140809_200308.jpg" height="320" width="182" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frozen beer: The Breakfast of Kings</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
Well, that was a long break. Sorry for anyone that was interested in this blog. I kind of just abandoned it when I started working on my new fantasy-related blog. However, I'd like to pop in here more often than I have been (been over a year!)<br />
<br />
I'd like to start updating this blog again as I'm going to be making some big life changes soon. Ultimately, I'm going to be deciding whether or not to leave Japan permanently within the next two years. I have a "countdown clock" so to speak. Every week I'm going to put a coin in a "Should I Stay" or "Should I Go" jars. By 2016, depending on our situation, this will be one of the determining factors of staying here. I can't seem to make up my mind if I want to stay or not. Luckily, I have a supportive wife that wants to do whatever makes us both happy.<br />
<br />
While I love Japan, I have to start thinking about a permanent lifestyle here. This means finding a somewhat permanent working situation. If this becomes impossible, this is going to tip the scales more towards leaving and heading back to the U.S.<br />
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So what are determining factors for "Should I Stay:"<br />
<br />
1. Ease of daily life<br />
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I find living in Japan to be relatively easy from certain standpoints. I prefer walking and taking public transportation than owning a car. It's just a preference of mine.<br />
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2. Good food and new locales<br />
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I love the food in Japan and I think I would miss it a lot if we left. It's also great to be able to take a train to somewhere new and see around.<br />
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3. General safety<br />
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I find living in Japan to be relatively safe. I don't have to worry about getting shot, stabbed, or robbed on a daily basis and people are generally very trusting.<br />
<br />
Then on the other hand, what are the "Should I Go" factors:<br />
<br />
1. Lack of permanence<br />
<br />
While I've liked working here for the most part, the jobs for foreigners don't seem to have as much permanence. Meaning short term contracts make it hard to remain stable over a long period of time.<br />
<br />
2. Lack of language<br />
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This is a problem I'm perpetually flip-flopping on. Not being able to speak Japanese well has a huge effect on being able to function and get better jobs. This has to be one of those things I really just dive into head first or I'm going to be treading water forever.<br />
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3. Variety of jobs<br />
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Teaching English is really the only option you have if you don't either have (a) other skills that are needed or (b) Japanese ability. This severely limits the kind of work I can get.<br />
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As time wears on in the next couple of years, I'll be making some final decisions on these issues. I hate to leave Japan as it's really my second home, but I have to factor in long-term goals at some point.<br />
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That's it for now. Stay tuned to see what I ultimately decide. I'll be posting some various blog entries in the coming months to highlight some of these shifts I'll be doing. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340768751615974816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685147105598410196.post-7645435816427758802013-08-25T07:07:00.000-07:002013-08-25T07:07:00.231-07:00My New Blog: Fantasy Free-for-AllHey everyone that reads this blog. I still plan on updating this now and again, but only when it comes to issues about Japan. I'm going to make this my "Japan" blog. For all things fantasy related (games, movies, writing, books, TV shows) I have a new blog that I'm going to update more regularly. I've been living in Japan for a while now, and while I still find new things that interest me, I find myself stretching to think of blog topics that relate to Japan or just my life in general right now. Since fantasy consumes most of my life, I'm going to focus more on that other blog.<br />
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In the meantime, if you have any topic you'd like me to explore regarding Japan (Japanese language, culture, travel, etc.) post it in the comments here and I'll make a blog post regarding it.<br />
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For now, I can say, Japan is hot! Like super hot. That's about all I have to say about it at the moment.<br />
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So for those of you that follow this blog, please follow my new blog, especially if you love fantasy-related games, movies, books, writing topics, etc. This new blog will also be my official place for announcing anything related to me writing career. <br />
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Check it out! <a href="http://philipoverbyfantasy.blogspot.jp/" target="_blank">Philip Overby's Fantasy Free-for-All</a><br />
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Thanks and remember, if you have a Japanese topic you're interested in, let me know in the comments below.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340768751615974816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685147105598410196.post-26303430622388648302013-07-05T22:15:00.001-07:002013-07-05T22:15:38.758-07:00My Journey into Freelance WritingI've recently decided to bite the bullet and really give this a shot. What, you may ask? Freelance writing, like the title says. If there's one thing you can say about me, I'm good at titles. Right?<br />
<br />
Since beginning this journey, I've found out several tid-bits of information:<br />
<br />
1. There are many scams out there in freelance land.<br />
<br />
2. It's not quite as difficult as I imagined it would be to find legit work.<br />
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3. People really, really need freelance erotica writers.<br />
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4. There are loads of other people trying to do the exact same thing I am.<br />
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It would be awesome if I could make money solely doing freelance writing, but I know that's not a reality at the moment. I still plan on pursuing some other ideas, all while slowly transitioning my white desk with crap all over it into my home office.<br />
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I've only been doing this one month, but I've found several skills that are really important to longevity:<br />
<br />
1. Patience<br />
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If I scan some listings and say "All these jobs suck" then I might as well not even try freelancing. Yes, there can be some work that's not very attractive, but if you're patient and do a lot of research, you can find diamonds in the rough. Patience is key.<br />
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2. Flexibility<br />
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Some jobs may require extensive revision. You have to be willing to be flexible to do what the client asks. I've always been a relatively flexible person so this works out in my favor.<br />
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3. Good Writing Ability<br />
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Notice I didn't say "awesome" or "Shakespeare-level" writing ability. Writing is a skill that requires precision, but it doesn't have to blow anyone's mind. Just do your best. If your best is not enough, then keep trying. The worst that can happen is someone rejects your proposal.<br />
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4. Judgment<br />
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Judgment is very important to both preserving your precious writing time and not wasting someone else's time. If you're not willing to put in the effort on a particular topic, avoid that topic. Your disdain will shine through in your writing. Having good judgment when picking clients is also very important. If you get a bad feeling about a client (seems like they're sketchy about payment, ask for weird requests, etc.) then severe the relationship immediately. You can find other work, just keep grinding.<br />
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I like to think of freelancing like a Final Fantasy game. If I keep grinding levels, the game will be much easier.<br />
<br />
That said, here are some places I've been using that I think work pretty well:<br />
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oDesk: This is one of the big freelancing sites. It takes a while to get set up, but there are loads of jobs available. They do a "bidding" style, so you'll be competing and interviewing against other writers, but there are so many jobs, some that need work done immediately or very quickly that others may not be willing to do. I've found some interesting jobs on here so far, but haven't committed myself enough to it yet to actually secure work.<br />
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Textbroker: I've actually been paid through Textbroker and I like the way their system is set-up. You can get Direct Orders from clients or you can view Open Orders and just write what you find. You're not going to become a millionaire by any means, but you can make extra money to go towards bills or spending money.<br />
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Constant Content: Another one I've registered for, but haven't used much yet. This one is similar to Textbroker, but you can also just write articles and put them out there for people to view. If someone likes your article, they'll offer to pay you for it.<br />
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Some others I haven't used yet, but have heard good things about or seem to pay well:<br />
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Demand Studios: They're connected with several websites, including eHow.<br />
Break Studios<br />
Elance <br />
Associated Content<br />
Xomba<br />
Craigslist: Avoid scams, but can find good work I've heard.<br />
Helium<br />
Suite101<br />
Guru<br />
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You can do your own research for some of these, but I've heard various opinions throughout the internet about them.<br />
<br />
I may be popping up at several of these places over time. So if you see me there, say "Hello!"Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340768751615974816noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685147105598410196.post-41234587047082900882013-06-16T06:55:00.000-07:002013-06-16T06:55:36.082-07:00Don't Trust Doctors SometimesI've been silent on the blogs for a while and I'd like to say so for good reason. Anyone who knows me knows that I suffer from chronic kidney disease. Meaning I get loads of kidney stones. I actually at the moment have half a dozen small ones floating around in my kidneys. This being after I've severely restricted my diet and have drank almost nothing but water. But that's how my life is I suppose. I'll deal with stone after stone and just hope I can pull through.<br />
<br />
Most important to note is that I've had a shadow looming over me since November of 2012. Literally. I went to the doctor and he said I had a "concerning shadow." Since November, I put it out of my head and went on living my life, made a trip to Mississippi to visit and get officially married (have a ceremony anyway, I was already officially married). Upon returning, I began doing yoga and dieting. I lost weight at first and things seemed to be going fine.<br />
<br />
That is until I went to go get my check up about this ominous shadow.<br />
<br />
When I sit down with the doctor to discuss things, I notice Kumi seemed unnerved by what he's saying. Since I don't understand Japanese much, I just sit there blinking.<br />
<br />
That is until he turns to me, points at the shadow and says the words no one wants to hear from a doctor:<br />
<br />
"Tumor."<br />
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I remember my heart racing suddenly and my mouth going dry. "Sorry, what?"<br />
<br />
"I think it's a tumor."<br />
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My mind raced. My blood tests came back fine last time. How could I have a tumor? Wouldn't that have shown up? I panicked, I freaked, and sat there wanting to go home.<br />
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This was early May. My next appointment with this doctor was May 31st. I had to wait a whole month to find out if I had a tumor.<br />
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I remember that night I came home and started riding my exercise bike. The number one thing my doctor said to do was lose weight. I rode it so fast, my legs started burning and going numb. I just broke down crying, blubbering, trying to figure out what I could do. They could remove my kidney, right? At least then if I had a tumor it wouldn't spread. Or maybe it was benign and not bad.<br />
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I'm already a hypochondriac. To hear I might have a tumor confirmed all my irrational fears all these years.<br />
<br />
Here it is June 16th and after talking to two kidney specialists, I've found out that no, I don't have a tumor. I do have a cyst though. Apparently that isn't anything to worry about and doesn't require treatment at the time. Cysts can be cancerous in rare circumstances but apparently the one I have isn't one to worry about or else I assume they would have said something. I need to follow up on it in a year and see if it's changed.<br />
<br />
Regardless of my diagnosis, I've come to terms that my kidneys are going to be a constant source of problems for the rest of my adult life. There's a chance I may have to lose a kidney down the road or require dialysis. My doctors are hoping that diet change, lowering my sodium intake, and losing weight will help control my issues. Perhaps I can get to a point where I don't have stones and I just need to monitor that cyst to see if it changes at all.<br />
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In any case, I've learned that going to the wrong doctor and getting a poor diagnosis can disrupt a life pretty easily. I lost motivation at work, found myself floundering in my daily life, and have felt the need for drastic changes in all aspects of my future.<br />
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So, here's hoping I have some good doctors this time. And here's hoping these stones go the way of the dodo one of these days.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340768751615974816noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685147105598410196.post-14650214773713724352013-04-05T02:44:00.000-07:002013-04-05T02:44:40.298-07:00Japan 2009 vs. Japan 2013So I haven't written anything about Japan in some time (the country's name <b>is </b>in my blog title) so I wanted to write a sort of retrospective entry. It's been almost four years since I first came to Japan and a lot has changed in my life since then. Some great things, some not so great things. But most of all I've noticed both changes in how I deal with daily life in Japan vs. how I dealt with it when I first came here in 2009. Sometimes it's interesting to look back on yourself and see if it's in fact that you changed or is it the fact your environment has changed around you.<br />
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<b>View of Myself</b><br />
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2009: 2009 Phil was quite a strange bird. I was anti-social, depressed a lot, and in general a pretty wishy-washy person. If I look back on myself then, I would probably not want to talk to this guy. I drank a lot then also, which I think contributed to my bizarre personality at times.<br />
<b> </b><br />
2013: 2013 Phil is a bit different. I have more friends in Japan now, but I'm still verging on anti-social. Most of my time I spend with my wife and I don't typically go out anywhere. I've long lamented not having many Japanese friends. I've thus become "that guy." The one that lives in Japan, doesn't know the language that much, and mostly relies on other people to take care of things for me. However, being that I'm aware of this makes me hopeful I can change. Every year is the year I'm going "break down and really study." I'm just too focused on other things though. We'll see how it pans out.<br />
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<b>View of Japan</b><br />
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2009: 2009 Phil tended to look at Japan as this wonderful new adventure. People didn't know me here so it was a chance to re-invent myself. I did let myself down some in that I didn't re-invent myself in a good way. Again, I was "that guy." I think I viewed Japan back then as a country I'd never come close to understanding. The way some things work here surprised and baffled me at times. That comes with the territory of living in any new country though. <br />
<b> </b><br />
2013: 2013 Phil sees Japan in a whole new light. It's not a place to have adventures only. It's a place to live. It's my home. I don't travel as much as I used to, but I guess I don't feel I need to do that as much. I've seen lots of awesome places over the years living here. Now I've sunk into that "I live here" phase, where I take for granted that there are still so many things I could be doing more. Honestly, some days I don't even leave our apartment.<br />
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On the other side of the coin, I have a profound respect for the Japanese. After seeing the hardships endured after the Tohoku Earthquake, and how Japanese pulled together, it made me so happy to live here. I don't identify myself as Japanese, but I do strive to take the qualities I like (hardworking, polite, strong-willed) and apply them to myself.<br />
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<b>View of the World</b><br />
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2009: 2009 Phil didn't know anything about the rest of the world besides what I watched on TV or read about. I still viewed the world as a scary and strange place that maybe a guy from Mississippi just couldn't handle. I remember after the rocket launch from North Korea that sailed over Japan, I panicked because I could never imagine how people could be so calm. I guess my life had been rather insulated until that point so I never had to worry about these kind of issues. Even back then, I viewed America as my one and only home and I was anxious to go back. I got in that lull of "nothing is familiar" and that caused me a lot of rough days. <br />
<b> </b><br />
2013: 2013 Phil is a bit different. It's strange, but since I've lived here a while, it almost feels like America is a foreign country to me now. I love America and it will always be my home, but I don't know, I feel increasingly distant to the way things work there. When I went home recently, I didn't experience any reverse-culture shock, but I did notice people in service roles were a lot more abrupt with me. I'm just not used to that now living in Japan. I'm not going to say all restaurants, bars, stations, etc. in Japan are all full of friendly people, but I'd say 99.9 percent of them are. It's just how it is.<br />
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With the threat of any kind of conflict with North Korea and the possibility of another rocket sailing over us, I can't say I'm as anxious as I was in 2009. These threats have happened so often that it's sad that if something actually does happen, no one is really going to expect it. I can't live in fear though. After dealing with radiation fears in 2011, I try not to let that consume my life anymore. <br />
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Overall, I try to enjoy my life here as much as I can. I'm not as adventurous as I once was, but that's due to me getting settled in. I still have so many things I want to do here and grow more and more. I still see Japan as my second home and will continue do so even if I leave one day. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340768751615974816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685147105598410196.post-73974198721430032072013-03-06T20:41:00.001-08:002013-09-06T06:52:01.071-07:0052 Week Story Writing Challenge: Updated 9/6/13This is something I've decided to do after being inspired by different folks across the inter-web. I'm going to write (but not post here) a story a week for 52 weeks, culminating with 52 completed stories by this time next year. Since I'm starting this challenge in March 2013, it should feasibly end in March 2014. Maybe my math is wrong, but I'm going to give it a try.<br />
<br />
I'm going to post all the results here in this very blog post, editing it over and over again instead of making new individual posts. If you want to follow my progress you can do so here. Feel free to join up as well and let me know if you're doing so in the comments below.<br />
<br />
I did a 30 Day Story a Day Challenge before, which was pretty rough, but still fun. This will give me a full week to write something, edit it to the best of my ability, and then start submitting places. We'll see how it turns out.<br />
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Look here for any updates!<br />
<br />
<b>MARCH</b><br />
<br />
Week 1: March 3rd-March 9th: "Burn it Up, Burn it Down" completed. Story about a dragon looking for his "Chosen One" who is supposed to slay him. Quite enjoyed writing this one. I tried 1st person POV which isn't something I use much and I think it worked out pretty well. <i>3,634 words.</i> <br />
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Week 2: March 10th-March 16th: "Obsidian City" completed. Obviously, a story about and obsidian city. Yeah! <i>1,891 words.</i><br />
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Week 3: March 17th-March 23rd: "The Dance of Five Hells" completed. Loser has dance battle with a mummy. Enough said. <i>4,439 words.</i><br />
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Week 4: March 24th-March 30th: "The Beast of the Lost Sun" completed. Two hunters seek payment from a wizard employer that skips town. They find more than they bargained for when they go looking for him in the dangerous Garrul Marsh. My longest story so far and finished at the last minute! <i>5,287 words.</i><br />
<br />
<b>APRIL</b> <br />
<br />
Week 5: March 31st-April 6th: "Red Paint" completed. Former marauder forced to paint towns he helped destroy is on a mission for vengeance after a "friend" is killed in a kingdom where violence of any kind is strictly forbidden. <i>5, 454 words.</i><br />
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Week 6: April 7th-April 13: "Snakes and Fakes" completed. Wrote this in one night. More of a flash piece for a challenge. Had fun writing it in any case. One of my more direct titles. It's literally about snakes and fakes. <i>1,076 words.</i><br />
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Week 7: April 14th-April 20th: "Sixty-Six Dragons" completed. Had a rough week so I had to scramble to write this, but I made it! I think it's a pretty good story about a little bit crazy old woman who loves killing dragons, maybe a little too much! <i>4,500 words.</i><br />
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Week 8: April 21st-April 27th: "The Time of Trees" completed. Time travel story about guys with proton rifles, dragons, and a tornado made of fairies. <i>821 words.</i><br />
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<b>MAY</b> <br />
<br />
Week 9: April 28th-May 4th:"The Shallow Grave" completed. A man searches for his mother in a graveyard and finds a witch with many secrets instead.<br />
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Week 10: May 5th-May 11th: "Diving for Dragons" completed. A base jumper goes looking for a hidden dragon, but finds some wily cat people have made her job a lot harder as she descends down a ravine. <i>1,266 words.</i><br />
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Week 11: May 12th-May 18th:"Woman Scorned, World Burned" completed. Flash fiction inspired by terribleminds.com contest. A mystical woodcutter and protector of the forest is plagued by his mysterious, destructive ex-girlfriend. <i>797 words.</i><br />
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Week 12: May 19th-May 25th:"Long Haired Beauty" completed. Story about following a woman who you don't know what she looks like. A bounty hunter learns an important lesson. <i>1,652 words.</i><br />
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<b>JUNE</b><br />
<br />
Week 13: May 26th-June 2nd:"Choices" completed. Flash fiction about a man facing losing some important things due to his infidelity. His wife isn't the push-over type either. <i>667 words.</i><br />
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Week 14: June 3rd-June 9th:"Alok's Head" completed. Sometimes monster killers aren't what you imagine. And neither are the monsters. <i>2,254 words.</i><br />
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Week 15: June 10th-June 16th: "Daddy's Girl" completed. Sibling rivalry is taken to the extreme when a family of elf hunters have to deal with the threat of "mutterlings," mischievous scavengers with a taste for flesh. <i>1,402 words.</i> <br />
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Week 16: June 17th-June 23rd: "Office Interlude" completed. A bit off course for me. Something of a romance story. <i>2,705 words.</i><br />
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Week 17: June 24th-June 30th: "A Lesson in Trolls" completed. Killing trolls is fun. It's not fun when you're hungover. <i>2,172 words.</i><br />
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<b>JULY </b><br />
<br />
Week 18: July 1st-July 7th: "Exterminators" completed. Some fantasy bug exterminators run into bigger problems when an infestation is worse than they expected.<i>2,386 words.</i><br />
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Week 19: July 8th-July 14th: "The Winetaster" completed. A ransomed noble is forced to taste wine for a warlord. But when the noble is almost poisoned, he learns how to manipulate the warlord to do his bidding.<i>1,567 words. </i><br />
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Week 20: July 15th-July 21st:"The Lost Tavern of Girlai" completed. When collectors go looking for old spirits, they find old spirits. <br />
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Week 21: July 22nd-July 28th: "Dead Bards Don't Talk" completed. A bard is murdered by a jealous warlock, who then causes the investigator to commit several sins of his own.<br />
<br />
<b>AUGUST</b><br />
<br />
Week 22: July 29th-August 4th: "This is Going to End Badly" completed.When a writer doesn't get the answers he wants, he finds an editor to be a captive audience.<br />
<br />
Week 23: August 5th-Augst 11th: "Stampede of the Satyrs" completed. Two big game hunters collect the horns of satyr for jewelry makers, but soon find out that the goat people come looking for revenge.<br />
<br />
Week 24: August 12-August 18th: "I, For One, Welcome Our Alien Overlords" completed.Aliens don't get a warm welcome and a good ole boy figures out how to save the world from nuclear annihilation. <br />
<br />
Week 25: August 19th-August 25th: "Bone White Dread" completed. Take your daughter to work day doesn't work out so well when dragons are involved. <br />
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Week 26: August 26th-September 1st: "The Circus of Black Burlai" completed. A story about what happens when a dragon slayer isn't so fearsome, but people still want to kill it.<br />
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Week 27: September 2nd-September 8th: <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340768751615974816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685147105598410196.post-68128364432343051342013-01-04T18:48:00.001-08:002013-01-04T21:21:17.031-08:00Wrestle Kingdom 7: Live In-Person PerspectiveAnother year, another Wrestle Kingdom. Another year, another Tanahashi victory. Since I've started living in Japan and going to the annual Tokyo Dome show, this has been the status of the main events of Wrestle Kingdom:<br />
<br />
Wrestle Kingdom 5: Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Satoshi Kojima to become the IWGP Heavyweight Champion.<br />
<br />
Wrestle Kingdom 6: Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Minoru Suzuki to retain.<br />
<br />
Wrestle Kingdom 7: Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Kazuchika Okada to retain.<br />
<br />
Each show? I heard thousands of fans calling out for Tanahashi. No matter how much some people want someone new at the top, Tanahashi still IS the number one guy in New Japan. Watching him in action, I can tell why.<br />
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It's very rare that my heart actually races during pro wrestling matches anymore. Maybe it's because I used to wrestle on the independents and that makes me numb to some things and makes me not get as excited. But Tanahashi vs. Okada was pretty spectacular to watch. They had the fans in the palms of their hands.<br />
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I can say this for sure as well: Okada has cemented himself as a major player in years to come in NJPW. Everything from his entrance (where I managed to catch some Okada money raining from the ceiling) to his demeanor, to his resilience as a challenger, that was one match I sat there thinking "I have no idea who is going to win this." The suspension of disbelief. What every wrestling fan becomes a fan for. <br />
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(I'm starting from the main event and working backwards here, so here are my thoughts on the other matches.)<br />
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Shinsuke Nakamura is entrancing to watch. If anyone personifies a snake, it's him. The way he sort of slithers around the ring and just cocks back and blasts folks with the Boma-Ye is really quite impressive. Sakuraba was an excellent challenger though. He had an answer for every move Nakamura made, locking him in a variety of submissions. Lots of nice transitions to give this fight the MMA flavor that both competitors have. I think Nakamura holding the new-ish Intercontinental Championship lends credibility to it as well and I hope he continues to build it's prestige in the coming months. And that knee to Nakamura's face? All I can say is I can't believe his head didn't fly off! The hand-shake at the end signifies that we may see Nakamura shifting more towards a babyface role going forward. I'm still excited to see if they ever put together Okada vs. Nakamura, as I think that would be an excellent match.<br />
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Also the surprise of Stan Hansen being there to present the championship to Nakamura also made the moment and the championship more special. <br />
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Togi Makabe is New Japan's best babyface. I'm not saying he's more popular than Tanahashi for instance, but he evokes so much sympathy in his beat downs, that he really manipulates the crowd's emotions with ever facial expression and dizzied stumble. Shibata pummeled him with kicks and knees and swaggered around the ring as if to say, "Really? This is all you've got?" Makabe's comeback and brutal table power bomb (I saw a Japanese table break!) showed that even when he looks near death, Makabe is a strong presence in the ring. This was my first time seeing Shibata in action, only being a recent fan of puroresu, and I was very impressed. I can see him being in the main event scene at some point in 2013.<br />
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You could see the look on Daichi Hashimoto's face told the whole story: he was supremely disappointed to not be competing at WK. The chants of "Hashimoto! Hashimoto!" rang out through the crowd as a video of the late Shinya Hashimoto played on the screen and Otani stomped his way down to the ring carrying the long white bandana that was Hashimoto's trademark. Through the whole match, Otani, a late entrant, really stood out. He ran himself into Tenzan's chops and looked like a man half his age. Overall, I think the match was designed to put Daichi on the map, but it was still a solid match. Kojima's crushing lariats nearly decapitated both Mutoh and Otani alike. It's always awesome to see Mutoh unleash a dozen or so Shining Wizards as well. Otani's leg sweep tribute to Hashimoto got a nice reaction as well. The slap from Daichi at the end may show a darker edge to Hashimoto's son?<br />
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The triple threat match for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship was all I expected: an incredible display of athleticism from three of the best juniors in the world. Ibushi was the star of this match for sure. The fans were clamoring for an Ibushi win, much like they were at Wrestle Kingdom 5 (Devitt vs. Ibushi is still one of my favorite matches ever). However, Low Ki's intensity really stood out for me. His tribute to the Hitman series of video games was cool, complete with the bar code on the back of his head. Seeing him kick and flip in that suit made him look really unique and made me want to see him utilize that more.<br />
<br />
Yuji Nagata vs. Minoru Suzuki was another great match of two veteran's taking each other to the limit. Both men are two of the best wrestlers going today even being older than most. Suzuki's entrance with the live music really pumped up the crowd and it was probably the first time I saw a genuine smile on Suzuki's face and not a cocky smirk.<br />
<br />
The IWGP Tag Team Championship match displayed why the Killer Elite Squad (Lance Archer and Davey Boy Smith, Jr.) may be a force to be reckoned with going forward. Both Hirooki Goto and Karl Anderson are extremely popular on their own, but they didn't have an answer for the brute strength of the champions. I can see Goto and Anderson both go on to more singles matches in 2013 with Anderson specifically being put in high profile matches. I could see Anderson main eventing several big shows for New Japan throughout 2013. Lance Archer had a pretty badass entrance on top of that with the red mask and riding in on a motorcycle. He's legit scary in the ring in Japan. He has that big man aura that terrifies both the fans and challengers alike. I think the KES will continue their reign of terror in New Japan for quite a long time. <br />
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The NEVER Openweight Championship match (which I'm still not sure what the title is for) was a pretty good match for its length. Shelton Benjamin had his hands full not only with Masato Tanaka but Yujiro Takahashi on the outside. I'm happy to see Tanaka on the Wrestle Kingdom stage consistently as I think he's one of the top guys I like to watch in all of Japan.<br />
<br />
The first official match of the night dealt mostly with Manabu Nakanishi gaining revenge on Takashi Iizuka for constantly stripping the clothes off the announcer when he comes to the ring. It was funny to see the announcer get in the ring after the match and give Iizuka a clothesline for all his years of tormenting him. Akebono and Bob Sapp are huge in person. I have a really crappy camera and the only clear picture I could get was of them because they're so big. Strongman is probably the most jacked person I've seen in person. MVP did very well and got a lot of good offense in. I always enjoy seeing the Ballin' elbow and hearing the fans here chant along with it. Yujiro Takahashi is going to be a big star going forward. He's really come into his own as a cocky playboy type of character. I was a little disappointed Iizuka didn't go into the crowd and start wailing on people, but it's Wrestle Kingdom so...<br />
<br />
The two dark matches were both very good. I was most excited to see Jushin Thunder Liger make an appearance. I'll be glad to see some of these guys in the dark matches on the main show in the future, such as Tama Tonga, Ryusuke Taguchi, KUSHIDA, and BUSHI.<br />
<br />
Overall, another awesome night. I have to admit, I was disappointed there were no title changes, but I think I have to stop thinking of Wrestle Kingdom as if it's Wrestlemania. I think Wrestlemania likes to bring all of their big storylines to a close, whereas Wrestle Kingdom is more like a showcase of who is going to be the focus of that specific year. Tokyo Dome looked packed, so I'm sure they'll do big business going forward.<br />
<br />
Biggest Pops:<br />
<br />
1. Hiroshi Tanahashi's win<br />
2. Togi Makabe<br />
3. Shinsuke Nakamura<br />
4. Hashimoto's music/Keiji Mutoh's entrance<br />
5. Kota Ibushi near-falls<br />
<br />
Most Heat:<br />
<br />
1. Taichi interfering in Nagata/Suzuki<br />
2. Kazushi Shibata<br />
3. Killer Elite Squad<br />
4. Minoru Suzuki (after everyone forgot about his awesome entrance)<br />
5. Yujiro TakahashiAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340768751615974816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685147105598410196.post-68363612713866870372013-01-01T04:56:00.002-08:002013-01-01T04:56:55.387-08:00End of 2012 Thoughts (Ski Trip and Fuji Q Highlands)Just had a pretty good winter vacation and thought I'd blog about it a bit. <br />
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1. I suck at skiing. I fell over a bunch of times and rocketed down the mountain like a crazy person. Pretty scary actually. Overall though, pretty good experience.<br />
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2. I suck at skating. I'm not good at anything involving ice due to being from Mississippi and/or just my overall lack of coordination.<br />
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3. We went to Fuji Q Highlands in Yamanashi. We rode some pretty awesome rides. Here is one of them, called Eejanaika. <br />
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Not only does this ride go backwards, it also flips around as you're going, which makes it even more insane. Probably one if not the scariest roller coaster I've been on. </div>
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Here's another one we road called Takabisha, which holds the Guiness World Record for steepest roller coaster in the world:</div>
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<br />
So that's what we did at the end of the year in 2012.<br />
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What else happened?<br />
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Well, I had a good time when my dad came here in March. I got to visit all sorts of places including Osaka and Nara and saw sumo wrestling for the first time.<br />
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Went to Wrestle Kingdom VI in January and planning to go again in a few more days for Wrestle Kingdom VII! <br />
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Read a lot of books and became part of an awesome new e-zine called <a href="http://ezine.mythicscribes.com/">Myths Inscribed</a>.<br />
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Worked on a ton of writing including the Summer Shoot-out ran by Martin T. Ingham.<br />
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I also worked on two novels, both of which I'm hoping to wrap up here in the next several months. <br />
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Overall, a great year! Looking forward to 2013!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340768751615974816noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685147105598410196.post-88741656850026255762012-10-19T07:34:00.003-07:002012-10-19T07:34:56.136-07:0010/19/12: How to Find New, Cool ThingsThis time I'll be talking about how to discover new things in my four favorite topics: fantasy writing, video games, Japan, and wrestling.<br />
<br />
So here we go!<br />
<br />
1. How to Find Cool New Authors<br />
<br />
a. Amazon-I find the vast majority of books that I buy just by surfing through Amazon. Their recommendations are usually pretty good, so if something piques my interest, I'll give it a shot. Sometimes I'm kind of baffled by the recommendations, but for the most part they're decent.<br />
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b. Goodreads-I haven't gotten into this site too much, but I feel it's probably one of the best places to connect with other voracious readers and find similar tastes in books. If you can link up with someone you trust, then you can find tons of good books that way.<br />
<br />
c. Blogs-Random blogs sometimes have great recommendations. For instance, this blog! I recommended lots of great writers in my last post, so check them out if you trust me!<br />
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d. Authors You Like-Oftentimes, authors you like will support other authors or mention them in interviews. I found Jack Vance through interviews with George R.R. Martin, and I've been really enthralled with his Dying Earth stories. <br />
<br />
e. Wikipedia-Everyone's favorite source for random articles, this is a great resource for finding other books you may like in a certain genre, as they'll sometimes list a lot of similar authors under articles.<br />
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<a href="http://suvudu.com/files/2011/11/lawrence-prince.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://suvudu.com/files/2011/11/lawrence-prince.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
f. Forums-My favorite forum, Mythic Scribes (<a href="http://www.mythicscribes.com/">www.mythicscribes.com</a>) is a great resource for hooking up with other readers and writers. I also dig Fantasy-Faction which has some great content and articles to find new fiction. I found out about Mark Lawrence there (whose book <b>Prince of Thorns</b> is listed above), who I'm excited to read at some point in the near future. <br />
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2. How To Find Cool New Games<br />
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a. Youtube-There are tons of great folks that review games on Youtube, including popular publications like IGN and Gamespot. One of my favorites tends to be Angry Joe. He does really good video game reviews and doesn't pull any punches. <br />
<br />
b. Amazon (again)-Not the best resource for finding new games, but it's still helpful at times.<br />
<br />
c. Twitter-I found out about Dishonored, a game I really want to play, through Twitter believe it or not. The trailer was so awesome, I was like "Whoa, I need this game."<br />
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d. Just Going Shopping-One of my favorite things to do is just go shopping for games. Sometimes I'll stumble across something that looks cool just from looking at the box art and back of the box description. Can't go wrong there!<br />
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3. How to Find Cool Japanese Stuff<br />
<br />
a. Again Youtube-There are tons of great vloggers who discuss Japanese stuff on Youtube. They're pretty easy to find. Some discuss learning language, culture, or just general topics. <br />
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b. Japanese forums-While not my favorite places to visit due to the usual overwhelming negativity, you can find great advice for living and traveling in Japan if you go to places like Dave's ESL and Gaijin Pot. Just be ready to wade through some crap to get there.<br />
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4. How to Find Cool New Wrestling<br />
<br />
a. Youtube-Boy, I sure do love Youtube! Dailymotion is also a good place to find some quality wrestling vids. <br />
<br />
b. Support Indy Shows-Just go to shows! You may find something in your local area that you like. <br />
<br />
c. WWE's Library-I'm sure finding WWE's In-Demand service can hook you up with all sorts of classic wrestling. Since WWE owns practically all of wrestling, it's worth a shot.<br />
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d. Facebook and Twitter-If you are fans of specific wrestlers, they usually will post links to shows they are working and have worked at. Just from word of mouth, I found CHIKARA, ROH, and SHIMMER, which I've all enjoyed to various degrees.<br />
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This is from CHIKARA. Once seeing Kota Ibushi in action, I've since seen him in DDT and New Japan Pro Wrestling where he has excelled. Finding wrestlers you like and following them to various promotions can open up your wrestling world a bit more. <br />
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OK, that's it for this time! Thanks for reading and leave a comment if you have any of your own suggestions. <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340768751615974816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685147105598410196.post-41403771046451189662012-10-11T16:18:00.000-07:002012-10-11T17:02:25.663-07:0010/12/2012: FansOnce again, as always, I'll be addressing my four favorite topics: fantasy writing, video games, Japan, and pro wrestling. The common connecting topic this week will be "fans."<br />
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What are fans? Is it short for "fanatic?" Or are they just people who decide who is popular and who is not with their pocketbooks? How much should a fan expect? How much should someone famous let fans dictate how they approach their life? Some thoughts below:<br />
<br />
1. Fantasy<br />
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So this is a common complaint especially about George R.R. Martin. Some group of fans seem to think it's OK to demand their favorite author to only work on the series that they want to read. I'll admit, at some points, I felt that sense of entitlement as well. But here's the thing: are you a writer? If you are, then you know how difficult it is to get your vision absolutely right. Sometimes it's not going to be perfect when you sit down and write. As a fan, it's your job to read and enjoy what someone writes and not demand perfection at every corner. I think when the series is all said and done, everyone will be happy that Martin took his time and gave us an awesome series.<br />
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So the job of the fans? Go read something else. Here's a list:<br />
<br />
J.R.R. Tolkien, Steven Erikson, Joe Abercrombie, Richard K. Morgan, R. Scott Bakker, Brandon Sanderson, China Mieville, Daniel Abraham, David Gemmel, Robert E. Howard, David Anthony Durham, Terry Pratchett, Andrzej Sapkowski, Ursula K. Guin, etc. etc.<br />
<br />
2. Video Games<br />
<br />
With the coming of Dragon's Dogma to my doorstep, I've been reading tons of reviews. Not all of them are glowingly positive. But they're not all awful either. I think fans of RPGs expect certain kinds of things in their games at this point. From what I've heard of Dragon's Dogma, it takes some risks, and some pay off and some don't. At the end of the day, if fans of RPGs don't like the game, then they won't make another one. But I think the overall feeling is that the game can be another great series for Capcom, who has had gang-busters success here in Japan with Monster Hunter. If this can be a new franchise for them to hang their hat on, then I'm sure they're excited.<br />
<br />
And let me just say, I sort of predicted this. Um...yeah, I did.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://mythicscribes.com/miscellaneous/final-fantasy/">East Meets West?</a><br />
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<br />
3. Japan<br />
<br />
So I heard that KARA is now in trouble for not agreeing that some islands belong to Korea because they don't want to obviously offend their fans in Japan, where they are huge. Because they didn't firmly support one side or the other, they are now facing dwindling popularity in their home country of Korea. It seems like a case of the Dixie Chicks type thing, except KARA didn't go looking to get involved in a political situation. Do fans of music really care what someone's political affiliation or whatever is? They're just young women who sing songs. Let them do their job and leave politics to politicians.<br />
<br />
4. Pro Wrestling<br />
<br />
So CM Punk hit a fan? It was a mistake, as he admitted, but where do we draw the line? I'm not so much thinking about the incident itself, but the way the fans seem to treat wrestlers like they're sub-human. If it's true and some fans said "Let's push (Punk) down the stairs" then I don't blame Punk for lashing out. True, security should have been in place, but if someone is threatening to do you bodily harm and you feel you're in a volatile situation, sometimes the only reaction is to lash out. I've always personally been against shows where wrestlers go into the crowd. It can be a potentially dangerous situation in any case. Suffice to say, I don't think WWE will be letting people go through the crowd anytime soon. Like Punk said, I'm just glad no one was hurt. I don't think he meant to hurt anyone, but when you touch a wrestler, you've become fair game.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340768751615974816noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685147105598410196.post-89265545838786308382012-10-08T05:26:00.000-07:002012-10-08T05:26:28.665-07:0010/8/12 Update: Fantasy, Japan, Games and WrestlingI haven't posted a blog in a bit, but I'd like to get in the habit again. There are basically four things I'll talk about on my blog:<br />
<br />
1. Fantasy Writing-books, articles, movies, etc.<br />
2. Japan-life, learning, etc.<br />
3. Games-video games, RPGs, etc.<br />
4. Wrestling-US, Japan, and whatever else I find<br />
<br />
I'd like to focus on all four of these topics throughout my blogs. So starting today, I'll discuss what I think about various thoughts about these four topics. I'll probably post once every couple of days, or a week, just to update some cool links, videos, etc. that I've found pertaining to these four topics. I'll share my thoughts on them as well. If one of these topics isn't interesting to you, you are free to skip them of course. :)<br />
<br />
But I'd like to cover my main passions in life and hopefully keep them interesting for others.<br />
<br />
For my first "new" blog, I'll discuss some things I'm interested in at the moment.<br />
<br />
1. Fantasy: Article!<br />
<br />
I wrote a new article for Mythic Scribes discussing Creative ADD in which other ideas infiltrate current writing projects. You can check it out here: <a href="http://mythicscribes.com/inspiration/crush-creative-add">http://mythicscribes.com/inspiration/crush-creative-add</a>/<br />
<br />
For now, I'm working on my current novel and finally made a break-through after struggling a bit. I'm planning on doing National Novel Writing Month in November and already have some plans to discuss that.<br />
<br />
2. Japan: Learning Japanese Again<br />
<br />
So I go back and forth on learning Japanese now and again. It looks like I'm going to give it a solid go again. I'll either be learning from my wife or I'll be taking lessons in the coming months. In addition, I'm going to join a gym for the first time in my life so I can work out and see how that treats me. Things are looking good for the time being so let's just hope work doesn't crush me completely.<br />
Any motivation to study is greatly appreciated.<br />
<br />
For now, for people studying Japanese in Japan looking for a Japanese teacher, I highly recommend Labochi. I haven't had a teacher from here yet, but you can find one pretty easily. Just put in your preferences, and then you'll start getting offers from teachers within a couple of days. I'm interested to test this out if things with my wife don't pan out. Check it out!<br />
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<a href="http://labochi.com/">http://labochi.com/</a><br />
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3. Games: Monster Hunter Portable 3G and Dragon's Dogma<br />
<br />
Looks like I'm in a Capcom mood at the moment. I'm playing Monster Hunter Portable 3G (long title) with help from the wife in Japanese. It's quite a slough, but I think I'll really enjoy it. Waiting on Dragon's Dogma to come as well. I've seen lots of reviews for it and I think the positives outweigh the negatives. I'll be sure to update my thoughts on it when the time comes.<br />
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In the meantime, check out this footage from Monster Hunter Portable 3G (only in Japan!)<br />
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And here is some footage from Dragon's Dogma, which I'm pretty excited about.<br />
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4. Wrestling-New Japan and WWE<br />
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New Japan did its first U-STREAM international PPV tonight here in Japan and I hope it did great numbers. I'd really love to see New Japan broaden their horizons even more. They're my favorite company in Japan and I've neglected puroresu for quite a while now. Going to a show is long past overdue. For news on New Japan in English, check out their Facebook page.<br />
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/newjapaneng">New Japan: English Facebook Page.</a><br />
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And finally WWE. With some big PPVs coming up, Survivor Series, Royal Rumble, and Wrestlemania, I'm expecting things to get interesting with the news that Mr. McMahon is returning to TV tomorrow night. Looking forward to what he has to say as always. <br />
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So that's it for now!<br />
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Hope everyone likes this new format. A little something for everyone I hope! <br />
<br />
See you soon! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340768751615974816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685147105598410196.post-89243820951326163912012-07-21T18:33:00.000-07:002012-07-21T18:33:04.711-07:00Why I Love Fantasy Part II (Tabletop Games)This is part two of "Why I Love Fantasy." I left out some stuff last time, so I wanted to add more to get the full picture.<br />
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I guess I was around 13 when I started playing D&D. It was always sort of a "forbidden game" around my parts growing up in Mississippi. People thought it was about devil worship or some such. To me, it was just about being someone else for several hours a night. I remember we'd all gather over at a friend's house and have to wait until midnight to play for fear parents may drop a ban hammer on us. My first character I made was named Raxtar. I still remember this! He wielded a halberd (a long pole-arm) and probably wore splint mail because that had the best Armor Class at Level 1. I don't remember what Raxtar did in that first game, but I'm sure he did something cool.<br />
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Weekends were D&D time, plain and simple. At first, I was a player. The first major campaign I remember involved us being sucked out of the real world into a sort of alternate reality fantasy world. We spent many a night hunched over a kitchen table, rolling dice and trying to keep one friend who was a "little too loud" quiet. <br />
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As I got older, I became the DM of my group and we had an ever-rotating cast of characters. The main PCs in my game were a thief, a necromancer, and a warrior. Throughout my game I had several others rotate in and out, but those three were the main ones. I always tried to make things that happened in my game seem important, so that the characters were emotionally invested in some way. The way I did this was by using the old standard "this person is your brother/sister/mother/father." It's sort of a natural way to connect someone by blood.<br />
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I had my PCs in a place called the United Orc Republic. A place ironically named because there were no orcs there. Just a sinister army called the Black Horde. The Black Horde were both evil and cool, so they had an appeal on various levels. When my PCs fought someone, it usually meant something. But I had a lot of memorable "random" encounters. A bugbear with a yellow curtain draped over his neck, a group of strangely named assassins (Akanaka Blacka), "shadow guys," tech-mages, robotic death knights, basilisks, an orc named "Butt" and many others. In any case, my D&D game ended around the time I started college and never really picked back up from there. I have played on and off since then, but nothing captured the magic from age 13-18. <br />
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It was amazing how much I missed out on "real life" during that period. But it's also amazing how I don't really regret it either, because those were awesome times. I didn't have girlfriends really or have an interest in sports outside playing soccer off and on. D&D was my passion. I remember sitting at K-Mart in the stock room doodling pictures and planning games for the weekend sessions. Something that linked me to wanting to become a writer later on. My PCs were my audience, and I'd do whatever I could to hook them, to entertain them, to get them wanting more. One day I thought, "What if I could do that for more than three or four people?" <br />
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Thus, my love for writing was born. <br />
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I sometimes think back and wonder what my life would have been like if I never rolled that first d20. I think it would have been a lot less interesting, that's for sure.<br />
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Part III coming soon, in which I'll discuss video games.<br />
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Any memories of your D&D (or other game) days?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340768751615974816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685147105598410196.post-5110123175145335592012-07-19T04:43:00.002-07:002012-07-19T04:43:36.811-07:00Why I Love FantasyIt's been a long love affair. Fantasy and me go way back. I can't really remember a time when fantasy wasn't a part of my life. Drawing pictures in my room, creating worlds for my GI Joes. I've always prided myself in that I've never "grown up." I'll always love creating stories and reading about different worlds. It's just ingrained in me.<br />
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It started at an early age. Probably not as early as most, but early enough. While other kids were playing sports, I was either playing video games or reading. When I was in elementary school, I used to love this book series
called Wizards, Warriors, and You. It was just like the Choose Your Own
Adventure books that were immensely popular, but had a distinctly
fantasy theme to them. I remember being wowed by those books. Just to
be able to make my own story in a way was so cool to me. Greek
mythology was also a big factor in my early geekdom. There was this
massive Greek mythology tome in the library that no one else ever read.
But I'd stick my nose in it every chance I got. Since my mom was a
teacher, I'd stay after school a lot. I spent a lot of time in the
library, just engrossed in the legends of Hercules, Perseus, and
Theseus. Even though I could barely read these names, I loved the
stories.<br />
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Things would change drastically when I became a teenager though and I fell in love with Legend of Huma by Richard A. Knaak. Ever since, I've been a huge fantasy fan. I owe this mostly to my friend Danny, whose room was covered with fantasy posters. I remember being so jealous of how cool his room looked and how drab and boring mine did. What attracted my eye the most though was a bookshelf crammed full of fantasy novels. Most of them Dragonlance. I grew up with those books, so I'll always praise Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman the most for keeping a book in my hand throughout my childhood. <br />
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From Weis and Hickman, I discovered R.A. Salvatore, another writer who had many epics I became engrossed with. I crawled through the caves of the Underdark, and journeyed with Drizzt and company to Icewind Dale. Such great books with memorable characters and lots of action.<br />
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Then at some point, I just started buying everything. Seriously. I must have thousands of books in my dad's attic. Just sitting there, collecting dust now. I started getting more into other speculative fiction, including horror. Reading Stephen King and Jack Ketchum really got my blood pumping. I delved into Kafka and Gogol. Some Elmore Leonard dashed in there. Then later came George R.R. Martin, Steven Erikson, Robert E. Howard, Joe Abercrombie, China Mieville, and Andrezj Sapkowski. And the list goes on and on (I'll stop name dropping now.) Each writer's words soaking into my skin, staining my brain, and just making me love the world of fantasy even more.<br />
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I get excited every time I "discover" a new author. I get a great recommendation or find an awesome review. A writer I like spreads the word about a writer he likes. That's why I really relate to a community like Mythic Scribes. It's home to lots of burgeoning writers and some already established ones. I hope that word continues to spread and more and more people get involved. <br />
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I have a passion for fantasy more than most believe. I want to share the worlds I started creating in my bedroom at a young age. To delve deeper into my mind to find those word weaving through, begging for me to use them.<br />
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I hope that will become a reality soon. 62,000 words later into my novel, I'm coming one step closer to completing my first full-length book.<br />
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And just think, it started in Arlington Heights Elementary all those years ago. In a perfect world, some kid is sitting in that library right now, picking up that same worn, hard-back Greek mythology book, and losing track of time.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340768751615974816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685147105598410196.post-26863739659588352572012-07-16T04:02:00.000-07:002012-07-16T04:10:32.207-07:00Phil's Links Across the WebGive Up: You'll Never Be Published <a href="http://mythicscribes.com/publishing/give-up-never-be-published/">http://mythicscribes.com/publishing/give-up-never-be-published/ </a><br />
<br />
This article focuses on a problem a lot of beginning writers have. They don't stick with anything. They give up easily or find something better to write. I'm guilty of this as well, which is why I'm glad I wrote it. I can go look at it whenever I feel like giving up. Most of my articles are mostly written for myself. <br />
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How to Obliterate Writer's Block <a href="http://mythicscribes.com/writing-process/how-to-obliterate-writers-block/">http://mythicscribes.com/writing-process/how-to-obliterate-writers-block/</a><br />
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This article deals with getting rid of writer's block, in a humorous way. I tend to try to use humor in my posts, to varying results. <br />
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The Impatient Writer's Guide to Getting Published <a href="http://mythicscribes.com/publishing/impatient-writers-guide-getting-published/">http://mythicscribes.com/publishing/impatient-writers-guide-getting-published/</a><br />
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Another humor column. My first of the sorts. I rather enjoyed this one and hoped more people would have gotten to read it. <br />
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Final Fantasy Re-Imagined <a href="http://mythicscribes.com/miscellaneous/final-fantasy/">http://mythicscribes.com/miscellaneous/final-fantasy/</a><br />
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I really liked this article, my first for Mythic Scribes. Dragon's Dogma almost fits this criteria that I mention in this article. So I was on to something maybe? <br />
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Wrestle Kingdom VI: Live Review <a href="http://www.puroresuspirit.com/2012/01/10/wrestle-kingdom-vi-january-4th-2012-live-perspective/">http://www.puroresuspirit.com/2012/01/10/wrestle-kingdom-vi-january-4th-2012-live-perspective/</a> <br />
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ALL TOGETHER at Budokan <a href="http://www.puroresuspirit.com/2011/09/02/all-together-august-27th-2011-live-perspective/">http://www.puroresuspirit.com/2011/09/02/all-together-august-27th-2011-live-perspective/</a><br />
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Two articles I wrote for Puroresu Spirit, a website that focuses on Japanese pro wrestling. I'm very passionate about wrestling as most people know, so I was happy to write articles for this website. <br />
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Phil's Facebook <a href="http://www.facebook.com/philip.overby">http://www.facebook.com/philip.overby</a><br />
<br />
My Facebook page where I make updates every so often. <br />
<br />
Phil's Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/The_Drill99">https://twitter.com/The_Drill99</a><br />
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My Twitter page which I use mostly for posting links and recommending other links. <br />
<br />
I'll be posting a real blog soon, I promise! But in the meantime, you can see what I've been up to recently. Thanks! <br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340768751615974816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685147105598410196.post-70672541478689343252012-04-18T05:55:00.004-07:002012-04-18T06:23:04.111-07:00Story Time: Necro-N-Hancer<span style="font-style: italic;">This is for terribleminds.com challenge, "Death is on the Table."<br /><br /></span>John Vackner here, to deliver an exciting new product from Xanprixal Industries. <br /><br />What if I told you your death could be like one big, endless wave of euphoria? What if I told you that you'd beg to die instead of living another second on this pain-filled Earth?<span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>Friends, I offer you the Necro-N-Hancer, a revolutionary machine that you can literally plug into your preferred orifice or self-made entry hole, to make your once uncertain descent into oblivion now a tapestry of your life's most wonderful memories, thoughts, and images.<br /><br />Necro-N-Hancer (NNH) is patented by the US Department of Technology, and is endorsed by the Inventors of America, the Sisterhood of American Witches, the Canadian League of Horse Surgeons, and the Necromancer's Association of Central America.<br /><br />This is not, I repeat, not, a machine that makes you a ghost. Ghosts are not real! Necro-N-Hancer is real!<br /><br />Is your back hurting from an old spring mattress? NNH makes your big sleep on a mattress made of Pegasus feathers.<br /><br />Girlfriend/wife/animal familiar driving you bat-shit crazy? NNH turns them into skeletal minions in lingerie who do your bidding within a spiraling abyss of never-ending massages of the scalp and neck!<br /><br />Tax time got you down? NNH eats taxes! Like a crazed space-faring beast hungry for bloody numbers!<br /><br />So why deal with this stupid, unpredictable world of misery? NNH guarantees your every fantasy in death will come true!<br /><br />Explosions! Laser spears! Star-collisions! Parades! Horse tranquilizers! Dragons! Sexy cat women from some Asian country! Fortresses made of candy and devil hair! Eclixian trans-dimensional mantis demons! Brownies!<br /><br />Don't let the NNH escape your grasp! Get one today!<br /><br />For only five easy payments of 999,999,999,999,999 you too can own the NNH!<br /><br />Listen to what Death himself, that's right, Death himself says about this wonderful product!<br /><br />"It's pretty fucking nice."<br /><br />Live death in style! Get the Necro-N-Hancer today!<br /><br />I'm John Vackner and I too endorse this product!<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">John Vackner is celebrity and is not affiliated with any of the above agencies in any way. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340768751615974816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685147105598410196.post-65468424160610718162012-04-07T05:43:00.004-07:002012-04-07T06:13:47.055-07:00Japan Hammer: Top 5 Things I Learned about Sumo<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6nYCszhC_4MTVQemIAkABEmV_WggKBajMjV06s_JwBdIUKfAt_7GLc1zfzqVLfOxy74EFbbylJXKkzWZSI_eAPnpZEm6UuAFQGx01sBZki6m71tuHM6-cFA_IVV4d5dmBjvvxdm8p9_0/s1600/PICT2446.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6nYCszhC_4MTVQemIAkABEmV_WggKBajMjV06s_JwBdIUKfAt_7GLc1zfzqVLfOxy74EFbbylJXKkzWZSI_eAPnpZEm6UuAFQGx01sBZki6m71tuHM6-cFA_IVV4d5dmBjvvxdm8p9_0/s320/PICT2446.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5728641759226942498" border="0" /></a><br />My recent trip to Osaka to see one of the tournaments there gave me some insight into how sumo works and how it is viewed. This was a very interesting cultural observation for me being the first sumo show I've ever been to. Having a background and love of pro wrestling, I didn't realize how closely the two are related in some facets. I never knew much about sumo until going and I still don't completely understand it, but I think I learned enough to share.<br /><br />Hope you enjoy!<br /><br />5. Not all sumo guys are huge: <br /><br />You don't necessarily have to be a gigantic guy to be sumo, which was a misconception I had. I also assumed that the biggest guy would always win, which wasn't always the case. As you can see in the picture above, not all of the guys are massive. <br /><br />4. Not all sumo are Japanese:<br /><br />While I knew this largely, I was surprised how many foreigners are actually involved in sumo. Hakuho, who is the current Yokozuna, is actually Mongolian. And others such as Baruto (Estonian) and Kotooshu (Bulgarian) are from Eastern Europe. I was surprised when Baruto tossed his opponent like a rag doll out of the ring. That guy is extremely powerful. All of the sumo are in fact. They aren't just big guys running into each other.<br /><br />3. Sumo matches are extremely short:<br /><br />Probably the longest match was about 20 seconds? I figured they weren't that long anyway, but some of them were literally 2 or 3 seconds. Boom. Fall over. <br /><br />2. The ceremony before the matches are extremely long:<br /><br />There is a lot of ceremony and posturing before the sumo actually lock up. That means they face off with each other, throw salt, face off again, throw salt again, increasingly getting more and more aggressive each time. It's kind of cool to see and reminds me of other martial arts where they have to do the right things before starting. <br /><br />1. Some sumo are superstars<br /><br />Just the mention of some of the names got quite a buzz from the crowd. Hakuho in particular because he's been quite a dominant yokozuna. Baruto had his fair share of supporters and there are others that have smatterings of cheers and applause. Takamisakari seemed to be one of the most popular in that when he did his preparation he'd really, really get into it. Slapping his face hard and making grunting sounds. The crowd seemed to love that. Lots of people dig that sort of thing in sports. Those are different always have the most reactions. The same in all martial arts, pro wrestling, and MMA. <br /><br />So, those are some things I've learned about sumo. What do you know about sumo? Did any of my observations surprise you? Comment below!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340768751615974816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685147105598410196.post-88946775230852690422012-03-29T05:30:00.009-07:002012-03-30T20:02:50.432-07:00Story Time: Quetzalcoatl's Apartment<span style="font-style: italic;">This is for the terribleminds.com Flash Fiction Challenge: Choose Your Own Setting. </span><br /><br />The feathered serpent sat in his recliner as the end of the world came, just as the Mayans had predicted. His penthouse apartment was covered in sacrificial blood, hand sanitizer, and bones of mice. The sun shot a narrow beam through the window into Quetzalcoatl's eye just as a crazed man kicked in his door. A vision of leather and spindly limbs.<br /><br />"I must save the world!" The stranger screamed as he threw off his sunglasses.<br /><br />Quetzalcoatl squirmed in a pile of used tissues, feathers, and TV Guides. "Just sit here with me and watch it end."<br /><br />The window cracked. The frame groaned. An unseen hand slowly crushed the apartment under its weight.<br /><br />"The world can't end this way! It's supposed to be a meteor, dammit!" The stranger held up a copy of some book. Presumably one he wrote. <span style="font-style: italic;">It's Supposed to be a Meteor </span>by Rick Robbins.<br /><br />The apartment throbbed. The feathered serpent jerked his head back and forth creating a whirlwind of refuse. A laptop computer, coffee cans, and a refrigerator door gave the mini-tornado a bit more heft. Robbins covered his face, but the twister buffeted him back out of the doorway.<br /><br />A blender struck Quetzalcoatl's head. Shattering into a million pieces. Then a swordfish came harpooning down from above his fireplace, almost piercing right through his face. "What the fu--?"<br /><br />Robbins appeared back in doorway. "I'm a psychic asshole! You're costing me tons of money!" Putting two fingers to the side of his temple, he blasted a mind wave of invisible energy at the feathered serpent, flipping him over into a bundle of tangled tail and wings.<br /><br />Quetzalcoatl hissed. He uncoiled, lashing out at Robbins with incredible speed. But he only crunched against a psychic wall of force in front of him. A ripple of dull pain surged down the length of his body. His tail went limp and he sagged to the floor.<br /><br />"Change it! Stupid Mayan prophecy! This is wrong, wrong, wrong." Robbins prepared another mind blast, but Quetzalcoatl unhinged his jaw and clamped it down on one of the psychic's heavy boots.<br /><br />The apartment shifted. Glass broke somewhere. A table collapsed. Posters peeled off the walls.<br /><br />Robbins dragged Quetzalcoatl across the floor. The fangs were deep though. The psychic frantically looked for stuff to mind-hurl at the serpent. A painted vase spiraled from the top of a bookcase, crashing against Quetzalcoatl's coiling form. Nothing. Knives were flung from black marble holder. They cut, but not deep enough. A velvet love seat battered the serpent violently, causing him to gasp but not to release his death grip.<br /><br />The apartment began to revolt. A wall stud shot out and pinged Robbins in the eyeball. The ceiling fan whirled out of its socket and thwapped him in the side of the head. A fluorescent light tube exploded into his mouth. As he reeled, a wooden beam swung down like a pendulum and uppercutted him into the ceiling. Even with the psychic's head stuck, Quetzalcoatl still hung onto his foot like a tacky key chain.<br /><br />Then they both fell in a heap. They lie there as the sun seared their skin, gravity slowly collapsing the apartment around them. The sound of dying brick and wood. An inhuman groan.<br /><br />"Maybe a meteor will still come. You know, afterwards." Quetzalcoatl wrapped around Robbins's abdomen, feeling his ribs crack. "Just relax now."<br /><br />The psychic doom-sayer screamed silently as the air left his lungs. As the apartment's shadow became smaller. As the sun's heat became hotter.<br /><br />"But-" Robbins's veins in his face throbbed. He sputtered and placed his fingers gently against the serpent's rainbow-colored scales.<br /><br />"That's it. Just let it end."<br /><br />The Mayans were right. About the end. About him. A breeze slid through the broken window, and a heaviness left the room. Quetzalcoatl breathed it all in. And the apartment breathed with him, its last breath as it finally imploded into a folding darkness.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340768751615974816noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685147105598410196.post-27833866770235213132012-03-21T23:44:00.005-07:002012-03-22T00:25:33.360-07:00Japan Hammer: Top 5 Ways to Learn JapaneseThought I would blog a bit about a popular subject: how to learn Japanese. Being a high-level beginner of sorts, I could suggest techniques that have helped me learn Japanese while living in Japan. These are also suggestions that other people have given me or ways that even Japanese have told me help. While these methods may not work for everyone, they worked for me so far.<br /><br />1. Buy some flashcards<br /><br />To learn hiragana, katakana, and kanji there is no better way than using flash cards in my opinion. White Rabbit has a good series you can find on Amazon or elsewhere. Use the flash cards daily to keep yourself on the up and up and also write down what you learn in a notebook of sorts. I learned most of the kana (hiragana and katakana) within about a month of studying them everyday. <br /><br />There are also tons of websites to get flash cards online. I won't list them here as you can find all that pretty easily with a search. <br /><br />2. Make Japanese friends<br /><br />I'm not listing these in order, but making Japanese friends would probably be number 1 in my book. In my case, my wife is Japanese so it makes learning certain words and phrases a lot easier for me. However, be careful when learning from people. If you're a man, try not to learn too much Japanese from women because then you'll sound like a woman. Vice versa for women.<br /><br />This has been one of the top ways friends have said that they've learned tons of Japanese in shorter amounts of time. Plus, it's a good way to learn slang and phrases you won't learn from textbooks. There are resources and such for slang online, but finding a good book couldn't hurt either. I have a book called Dirty Japanese which is helpful for certain things, but I wouldn't recommend using it unless amongst friends you're comfortable with.<br /><br />3. Buy a good text book<br /><br />A lot of people say "Japanese for Busy People" and "Genki" are both nice books to use. I personally haven't used either one. I have several books myself, but I can't think of any that have been really mind blowing or that I can recommend. The guy who runs YesJapan.com has a series called Japanese From Zero which I would recommend without even reading it, because his info and videos on his website is excellent in my opinion. <br /><br />4. Study everyday in some capacity and immerse yourself whenever possible<br /><br />Watch Japanese shows. Read Japanese books. Talk with Japanese people. And study. At least for 30 minutes to an hour everyday. I fall in and out of my study habits and have had mixed results with my improvement. I don't speak to my wife in Japanese often (not as much as I should) but I do pick up things by constantly going to restaurants, stores, and being around Japanese people at almost all times.<br /><br />If you can get the ratio of Native Language: Japanese to 50:50 or even higher in the Japanese range, you will see a noticeable improvement in a quick amount of time.<br /><br />5. Don't give up<br /><br />Seems simple enough. Just be consistent and steady with your studies and you'll get better over time. A good solution for doing anything. <br /><br />And below, here are some resources and such I use:<br /><br />www.livemocha.com (good for language exchange and learning)<br /><br />www.textfugu.com (good resource for everything)<br /><br />Youtube videos where they speak Japanese (I like Japanese for Morons channel)<br /><br />Tae Kim's Japanese Grammer guide (www.guidetojapanese.org)<br /><br />White Rabbit flash cards<br /><br />Minna no Nihongo text book<br /><br />Other books people have recommended: Japanese From Zero, Genki Japanese, Japanese for Busy People, Barron's Japanese Grammar/Barron's Japanese Vocabulary)<br /><br />Other text recommendations here: http://thejapanesepage.com/w/index.php?title=Selecting_a_Japanese_TextbookAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340768751615974816noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685147105598410196.post-41897253070146526242012-03-09T17:10:00.003-08:002012-03-09T17:13:42.254-08:00Final Fantasy Memories: West Meets EastThis isn't an actual blog, but a link to an article I wrote about blending Western and J-RPG elements together to get a new type of Final Fantasy game. Check it out at Mythic Scribes and give me some feedback. Thanks!<br /><br /><a href="http://mythicscribes.com/miscellaneous/final-fantasy/">Check it out here!</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340768751615974816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685147105598410196.post-86200213185663466672012-03-04T09:43:00.008-08:002012-03-04T10:32:09.866-08:00Japan Hammer: Top 10 Myths About Japan Broken<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcZrebYeRkIJQPQRFSm-dU5DFNwPUP48b2lsCCQMtiR-zF01qLYCD3iZoD6MitpRgIQz4lciNcLQM8YFtKoPdpB785R6AGcLTrGQRO2cbpPxqrR-hybND9tdHTS6iJpRNDu1ZhvEmtP4/s1600/PICT0617.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcZrebYeRkIJQPQRFSm-dU5DFNwPUP48b2lsCCQMtiR-zF01qLYCD3iZoD6MitpRgIQz4lciNcLQM8YFtKoPdpB785R6AGcLTrGQRO2cbpPxqrR-hybND9tdHTS6iJpRNDu1ZhvEmtP4/s320/PICT0617.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716111016746550946" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here's a picture of the "deadly kirin" that rampages about and destroys Tokyo! Uh, yeah...<br /><br />So I always see all these videos and blogs about how Japan REALLY is. People have lived here for a bit and maybe that have a bad taste in their mouth. Or people haven't lived here and long to live in the land of rainbows and gumdrops. Well, this blog is going to shatter some illusions and conceptions about Japan. I've lived here for about three years now. I'm by no means an expert about Japan, but my wife is Japanese and I do live here, so I have some perspective on the matter.<br /><br />Without further ado, I'm going to address the Top 10 myths about Japan and smash them into tiny little micro-myths. Japan Hammer, SMASH!http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />10. Are Japanese people racist?</span><br /><br />You see tons of videos of this on Youtube and blogs that discuss it. You can type in RACISM IN JAPAN on Youtube right now and about twenty videos on the subject will pop up. <br /><br />"Someone called me 'gaijin' in a mean way and now I'm going to pout about it and cry." So what? People get called far worse things everyday.<br /><br />I don't believe in this idea that Japanese people are racist. I think they're "guarded" which makes sense considering 99 percent of the population is Japanese. Plus, a lot of their guardedness is warranted. Foreigners do have a bad reputation for running on bills, getting too drunk, picking fights, and being generally noisy. Not to say ALL foreigners act this way, but the conception has spread enough that some Japanese are guarded in regards to any foreigner. Does that mean they're racist? Maybe some of them are. But I don't believe in this idea that "OMG Japanese people are so racist!!!"<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />9. Is Japan like one big anime/manga/video game paradise?</span><br /><br />Wrong. With the exception of big cities like Tokyo or Osaka, most of the quirkiness of Japan is widely over-exaggerated. Most places you go are just regular, modern cities with regular people going to work. Rural places have regular farmers. Some people may not even know any anime that you mention to them.<br /><br />Sure, certain parts of Japan are a bit bizarre, but overall this is a pretty average country as far as people go.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />8. Is Japan dangerous because of radiation and earthquakes?</span><br /><br />Well, I'm not going to completely "break" this myth. The radiation crisis here is still largely unknown and there is no way of knowing the long-term effects. However, authorities and independent researchers have kept track of radiation in various parts and it has returned to normal mostly. There may be pockets, but nothing that's going to kill you if you step in it.<br /><br />On the other hand, earthquakes are very prevalent here. Luckily, most modern buildings are built with incredible foundations. Even if a large earthquake hits, you'll more than likely be fine if you're in a newer building. My rule is "watch the Japanese." If they are panicking, then I panic.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />7. Does no one speak English in Japan?</span><br /><br />I'd suffice to say that if you walk up to a random person between the ages of 12-40 something, they'll be able to speak at least some English. Lots of people I've met in their 20s speak enough English to carry on a basic conversation. Take a shot in the dark if you don't speak Japanese.<br /><br />However, if you live here, don't be lazy. Learn Japanese.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />6. Are all Japanese women cute or hot?</span><br /><br />No.<br /><br />However, there are some very beautiful women here. Hell, I married one! :)<br />What you see on the internet is not representative of all of Japan. I will say Japan has a very large ratio of beautiful women, much larger than a lot countries. But I guess I'm a bit biased now!<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br /><br />5. Is all sushi in Japan awesome?</span><br /><br />Again, no. Some sushi I've had here tastes old and processed. Just because you're in Japan doesn't mean all the sushi will be great. Convenience store sushi, I'm looking at you.<span style="font-weight:bold;"><br /><br />4. Gross, I'm not eating octopus/squid/creature from the deep!</span><br /><br />Be adventurous. Octopus actually isn't so bad once you get used to the consistency. And takoyaki is extremely popular here and delicious! Just because something has tentacles, doesn't mean it's gross. Unless it's like Cthulu or something.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />3. Oh look, a foreigner, he must teach English!</span><br /><br />This has been addressed on other blogs and videos. Just because someone is a foreigner in Japan doesn't mean they teach English. They might not even speak English. Sorry, but I am the walking stereotype at the moment. I'm an English teacher that speaks little Japanese. But give me time. I'll bust out of this mold sooner or later!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">2. Is Japan super safe? (the opposite of number 8)</span><br /><br />Yes, Japan is pretty safe compared to most countries. I can leave my wallet unattended and come back and it'll still be there. I've walked around all sorts of places at 2 or 3 am and not had anyone harass me.<br /><br />However...<br /><br />Certain places in Japan can be dangerous. I had my bike stolen. Theft seems to be the most rampant crime here. Stabbings and fights have happened, but not often. If you go to notorious areas (Roppongi for instance) then you may find trouble more easily. But even Roppongi isn't THAT dangerous. Just have to be careful.<br /><br />And now, the number 1 myth to break about Japan...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />1. Godzilla is not coming</span><br /><br />As many stupid jokes people have said to me about Godzilla or some other lame stereotypical Japanese joke, there is no proof that a giant lizard is ever going to attack here. Stop saying it. It's not funny.<br /><br /><br />So that's my top 10 list! Hope you enjoyed it.<br /><br />Which myth did you think has the most truth to it? Leave a comment if you have questions for any other myths you may think of.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340768751615974816noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685147105598410196.post-78531353456306923202012-02-29T11:30:00.015-08:002012-03-03T01:14:18.733-08:00Japan Hammer: Top 5 Traditional Japan Spots<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyapuQXrUeqOXIsCumpVNtTL_qYD1t1M7m_KyISPpCwG2JW3d5p2h41LOkdNQBIWe-HXWlEQYBxePCqjjKQ-X6zxu9TmmW_oiiHjImHhAXvS8LDldB2SSk72hcXhT9Sk1GHxmMpwkfO8A/s1600/Kiyomizu+temple.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyapuQXrUeqOXIsCumpVNtTL_qYD1t1M7m_KyISPpCwG2JW3d5p2h41LOkdNQBIWe-HXWlEQYBxePCqjjKQ-X6zxu9TmmW_oiiHjImHhAXvS8LDldB2SSk72hcXhT9Sk1GHxmMpwkfO8A/s320/Kiyomizu+temple.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714642906955350658" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br />All pictures taken by Philip and Kumi Overby.</span><br /><br />Here's Kiyomizu Temple in Kyoto. One of the most famous and scenic places in all of Japan. Thousands visit here every year. Today I'm going to talk about traditional Japan. Hope you like it!<br /><br />Leaving the world of the weird and getting to blog on some traditional Japanese spots that I've enjoyed. This doesn't necessarily mean these are the best spots to go to, but I'll list where I've been and where other of my friends have recommended. If you want traditional Japan away from all the glitz and bright lights of the modern spectacles, then this list may be for you.<br /><br />5. Tokyo<br /><br />Yes, Tokyo! While Tokyo is often connected with urban, modern Japan, there are several temples and shrines nestled within the city that one can visit. Also the famous Imperial Palace is located in Tokyo that features beautiful gardens. The Ryogoku Sumo Hall can be a stop if you're interested in seeing sumo during tournament months. Asakusa is also quite a bastion of old style Japan. It's easy to find on the main Yamonote line. Here's a pic from Asakusa:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxx7e6U4W478H5fGG70sMGN8FqXkxFvPUNhICxk3aV-OqjyYQSvIZ8f4Ej87bbXPcmNvjPLqxSRZGJCAo7mgcJN1Mt1F37YWk3KZlhKrxXCnrSSAuGWD-Jb4HOh_FbF7duYvJmNmnF5o/s1600/PICT1858.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoxx7e6U4W478H5fGG70sMGN8FqXkxFvPUNhICxk3aV-OqjyYQSvIZ8f4Ej87bbXPcmNvjPLqxSRZGJCAo7mgcJN1Mt1F37YWk3KZlhKrxXCnrSSAuGWD-Jb4HOh_FbF7duYvJmNmnF5o/s320/PICT1858.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714644188762787698" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Here's some pics from near Ryogoku, including me eating the famous sumo stew "chanko nabe." Very delicious!<br /><br />Pic of a sumo wrestler at the station:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAny_B8_Q8V9bhKo0gC8Vzsx2k2zamPlTHa6nqN-O-z466V6AnuXb8YUyJvmfHcfnRd7HTtzwpd0dJubkGXiVGDHug6IAlsf4sCjnXE_u5oqDPTVS6h1ha5ku9RFr18I-QacgspezqmWQ/s1600/PICT1821.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAny_B8_Q8V9bhKo0gC8Vzsx2k2zamPlTHa6nqN-O-z466V6AnuXb8YUyJvmfHcfnRd7HTtzwpd0dJubkGXiVGDHug6IAlsf4sCjnXE_u5oqDPTVS6h1ha5ku9RFr18I-QacgspezqmWQ/s320/PICT1821.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714646035735644738" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A statue nearby Ryogoku Sumo Hall:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB7R0_AzALPgPwrcPVIAOj95JlFyJNkPiIUnaluRj3PBrW3zkycAbGGmCPxEpzLiC4aeviVqhbaV_AMJLrwR1BSIbAQMWXYC9oS2Y4ZdXkjXYqPw8b0YmMDXR4UfPZJjAZTKP0ZAvoqD0/s1600/PICT1822.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB7R0_AzALPgPwrcPVIAOj95JlFyJNkPiIUnaluRj3PBrW3zkycAbGGmCPxEpzLiC4aeviVqhbaV_AMJLrwR1BSIbAQMWXYC9oS2Y4ZdXkjXYqPw8b0YmMDXR4UfPZJjAZTKP0ZAvoqD0/s320/PICT1822.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714646024328139634" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Me in front of Ryogoku:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3dTp00fBtKZzr4j2rOY6TUL61x6wzdP-oqFy0bwaSuQmTrZXRtCxlfDrgqAjiBzbxAzzPdwQ0kMo5gfSgq7mz8VxQhDUwbhbgXP7qTPX56UezQ7ISQVBw18ZxdLFkGxSNSeiq27Gzq2M/s1600/PICT1823.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3dTp00fBtKZzr4j2rOY6TUL61x6wzdP-oqFy0bwaSuQmTrZXRtCxlfDrgqAjiBzbxAzzPdwQ0kMo5gfSgq7mz8VxQhDUwbhbgXP7qTPX56UezQ7ISQVBw18ZxdLFkGxSNSeiq27Gzq2M/s320/PICT1823.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714646019968815058" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Enjoying some delicious chanko nabe! It has all sorts of stuff in it!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFX0_4tCLdXwkxoiLqIOOzZ_94_gIPmhFTtognNK71PWY11pOdgCogC2uqMNZTA-LjVaj9hkmJAqYgrgIjTX9wptG_dv3BGPjhOnRIq3yvcxmDJ3srtAVfOijUNRtxTYdUrLXn4Mmx44/s1600/PICT1832.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyFX0_4tCLdXwkxoiLqIOOzZ_94_gIPmhFTtognNK71PWY11pOdgCogC2uqMNZTA-LjVaj9hkmJAqYgrgIjTX9wptG_dv3BGPjhOnRIq3yvcxmDJ3srtAVfOijUNRtxTYdUrLXn4Mmx44/s320/PICT1832.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714646039260153362" border="0" /></a><br /><br />So if you want a taste of modern and traditional Japan together, Tokyo has plenty of places to visit.<br /><br />4. Nikko<br /><br />I've been to Nikko but didn't visit any of the famous places there. However, I did go to a Edo Period recreation park which had lots of samurai walking around and even some traditional food being served. It was a pretty faithful recreation and a fun place to visit.<br /><br />Here's a pic with a samurai!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPefQH1NPZC28V5UAVIMMEwL3eMqqgTBqZPJpO6wQVM3Euowzaqu3F109zkr2QeAxCofoh02NyXX2TtNZSTuJZu67dSbloqrxyIZfwqTxz-CSwpXt7WwtMCiYL7VUeQg4qwtfseXaJ-Ag/s1600/With+Samurai+2009%25282%2529.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPefQH1NPZC28V5UAVIMMEwL3eMqqgTBqZPJpO6wQVM3Euowzaqu3F109zkr2QeAxCofoh02NyXX2TtNZSTuJZu67dSbloqrxyIZfwqTxz-CSwpXt7WwtMCiYL7VUeQg4qwtfseXaJ-Ag/s320/With+Samurai+2009%25282%2529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714646931992977554" border="0" /></a><br /><br />And another at an oiran play, a traditional period play.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi88fQw5NUnsrqEuw0305F43th3HPSNBwTB4hYw0pz-XoMqBnKzrdNXMfkVHMoqGO6u-L4P4b_WJgrPoeENkhk5EJLZUnLmZd3UVAby6JnZ6lYg-aPmm1E9z_xwMvR3uZVm2DRtep7_Jfc/s1600/Oiran+in+Edo+2009.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi88fQw5NUnsrqEuw0305F43th3HPSNBwTB4hYw0pz-XoMqBnKzrdNXMfkVHMoqGO6u-L4P4b_WJgrPoeENkhk5EJLZUnLmZd3UVAby6JnZ6lYg-aPmm1E9z_xwMvR3uZVm2DRtep7_Jfc/s320/Oiran+in+Edo+2009.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714646934542049682" border="0" /></a><br /><br />While these aren't really representative of Nikko completely, you can find tons of traditional stuff there. <br /><br /><br />3. Kamakura<br /><br />Kamakura is actually pretty close to where I live. It used to even be the de-facto capital of Japan at one point. The most famous landmark is the Daibutsu or Amida Buddha statue that is rather iconic. I didn't see it when I was there, but I did see some temples and there are plenty of them here. <br /><br />When I went there it was dark, so I didn't get many good pics. But I did get a pic of some lanterns that were hanging everywhere. This was a nice place to go for a winter stroll.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0F-RtzoH-nV67FMjsJmD3OD0lEK2QBqVonx4Rp69f-sulh53GP0uFxtUe0N1G3oN7RUOwu_StvSOAYqH3olq38H3EvCXOrTG7tnAaewqkPk1zXrif077aK0-_PjQsNGPVe5aozfIJ_H8/s1600/PICT1694.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0F-RtzoH-nV67FMjsJmD3OD0lEK2QBqVonx4Rp69f-sulh53GP0uFxtUe0N1G3oN7RUOwu_StvSOAYqH3olq38H3EvCXOrTG7tnAaewqkPk1zXrif077aK0-_PjQsNGPVe5aozfIJ_H8/s320/PICT1694.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714648118668822850" /></a><br /><br />Kamakura is of course filled with historical sites, so if you're interested you can visit their website for more details.<br /><br />2. Nara<br /><br />I've never been to Nara, but it is known for being one of the oldest and most traditional cities in Japan. It's been highly recommended by friends, so I'd like to visit there one day. One remarkable thing about Nara is that deer just wander about and that they are so familiar with humans that they'll just walk right up to you. There are several beautiful temples here as well that are probably best visited in the spring when you can see the sakura (cherry blossoms) in full bloom.<br /><br /><br />1. Kyoto<br /><br />The final spot belongs to Kyoto. Widely consider "the" spot to go if you want to experience all that can be found about traditional Japan. You can see maiko (apprentice geisha) walking about and even watch them perform with various instruments such as the koto or shamisen. You can try the local favorite: yatsuhashi. A sweet filled with beans or green tea and often very tasty!<br /><br />The biggest attraction here seems to be the temples though. The big three seem to be Kiyomizu-dera (Clearwater Temple), Ginkaku-ji (Silver Temple), and Kinkaku-ji (Golden Temple). I was able to visit two of the three and that wasn't even the tip of the iceberg. There are just so many places to visit in Kyoto it's impossible to get to them all, especially with the main source of transportation being the bus system. <br /><br />In any case here's another pic at Kiyomizu-dera(same as the one I posted at the top of the blog):<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsOWjW-haYkcKjqHrVZrteg0O2jVns4m6OZFA6eCz4QMLhrkWYozikUC0fe0zXnE1wp-nR01h_aLq6_DMsAAmb3-lDJOyHzWiw8jCia-RiE9xka0jwwQ88HQeN9fJmDt7RdfuyhrCROo/s1600/kiyomizu+2009+%25286%2529.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsOWjW-haYkcKjqHrVZrteg0O2jVns4m6OZFA6eCz4QMLhrkWYozikUC0fe0zXnE1wp-nR01h_aLq6_DMsAAmb3-lDJOyHzWiw8jCia-RiE9xka0jwwQ88HQeN9fJmDt7RdfuyhrCROo/s320/kiyomizu+2009+%25286%2529.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714651413950990578" /></a><br /><br />Here's one at Kinkaku-ji. Notice the golden color. I heard this temple was actually burned down and had to be rebuilt. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBErmyHSsgIzWIRLfqhSiCL3qWqxHGgjVwhmet7lVkBpJT4P5WhjLLPbWpeTSDcR-Iweo9PghQIBwwdyvp94Hp2SDhDT3SPgRpiSx6KzEUHq5kqwppI0BB7M5oCivoS58BsPpCkmPvDsI/s1600/kinkakugi.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBErmyHSsgIzWIRLfqhSiCL3qWqxHGgjVwhmet7lVkBpJT4P5WhjLLPbWpeTSDcR-Iweo9PghQIBwwdyvp94Hp2SDhDT3SPgRpiSx6KzEUHq5kqwppI0BB7M5oCivoS58BsPpCkmPvDsI/s320/kinkakugi.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714651414893265538" /></a><br /><br />There's also a famous park where monkeys roam free called Iwatayama Monkey Park. Though I didn't get to visit it, I did get to visit a monkey park in Tochigi that was fun. Here's a pic from there:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMAvErskPUsKqFk1ntSm7Oo9a5KgxzPtoJLX5GZb0xzjBEBeTAPjMu_lWXqbUiN2OT4vW9f_RIhTAHE9kpa2ko_eCnw8Gbu0AzywsXRTRujb2yzJFERig96fk-NVafLv2PIU5AoeywF2g/s1600/7628_1265219950547_1231200952_30783887_2642981_n.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 287px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMAvErskPUsKqFk1ntSm7Oo9a5KgxzPtoJLX5GZb0xzjBEBeTAPjMu_lWXqbUiN2OT4vW9f_RIhTAHE9kpa2ko_eCnw8Gbu0AzywsXRTRujb2yzJFERig96fk-NVafLv2PIU5AoeywF2g/s320/7628_1265219950547_1231200952_30783887_2642981_n.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5714652985638700962" /></a><br /><br />So my monkey friend and I must bid you farewell now. With a tip of my hat, I'm off to find new adventures in Japan. What places have you visited that are historical or traditional, in Japan or worldwide?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340768751615974816noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685147105598410196.post-11118068756175051622012-02-25T22:38:00.005-08:002012-03-03T01:15:23.740-08:00Japan Hammer: Weird Japan Part 2<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjztNylZu7mw_SJSCvLRwdCdRXDxtrVs8FAnXcB7AzlIxToR0SksvuzUAqPf7YRYCFFT_YYUmn4pWGydaSWL0k4UGvddKcEqv7gC2Tld6_YJSRrnYe4yGCBVGcMgyUlIOwlgL8oSjVqQio/s1600/PICT1874.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjztNylZu7mw_SJSCvLRwdCdRXDxtrVs8FAnXcB7AzlIxToR0SksvuzUAqPf7YRYCFFT_YYUmn4pWGydaSWL0k4UGvddKcEqv7gC2Tld6_YJSRrnYe4yGCBVGcMgyUlIOwlgL8oSjVqQio/s320/PICT1874.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713331196105653810" com="" img="" gif="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />So here's part 2 of Weird Japan. I review the weirdness of certain images or ideas from the internet regarding Japan. All credit for linked images goes to their respective sites.<br /><br /><br />5. Yamanba or Mountain Hags<br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yamanba#Yamanba">Nice makeup...</a><br /><br />Weirdness: 2/10<br /><br /><br />This isn't so weird. Maybe this extreme is a bit weird, but the Ganguro style was relatively popular in Japan in the 1990s and early 2000. You don't really see it much outside of Tokyo, so it is weird to see somewhere like Yamanashi or something. This immediately turns heads of foreigners though and is widely regarded as one http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifof the weirder styles. It still exists in smaller and less extreme pockets, but Japanese people don't seem to be very bothered by it.<br /><br />4. Random People on Food<br /><a href="http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2KJkIbY3klP2xAAyqOJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dputin%2Bpudding%2Bjapan%26n%3D30%26ei%3Dutf-8%26y%3DSearch%26fr%3Dyfp-t-701%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D1&w=550&h=450&imgurl=files.sharenator.com%2Fputin_Those_Wacky_Japanese_Part_2-s550x450-54739-580.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sharenator.com%2FThose_Wacky_Japanese_Part_2%2F&size=40.7+KB&name=putin+-+Those+Wacky+Japanese+...+Part+2&p=putin+pudding+japan&oid=44b433c521d2aab07c25f3f1d46d87c5&fr2=&fr=yfp-t-701&tt=putin%2B-%2BThose%2BWacky%2BJapanese%2B...%2BPart%2B2&b=0&ni=112&no=1&tab=organic&ts=&sigr=11mr3jt83&sigb=13n0dckn8&sigi=12du9jd07&.crumb=26xJRCnnB9q">Tastes like...something.</a><br /><br /><br />Weirdness: 4/10<br /><br />This is Putin Pudding. It's higher on the weird scale as it's not an American or Japanese celebrity on the food. And the last thing I think of when I see pudding is Vladimir Putin. The idea of putting public figures on food probably won't end here. It's definitely eye-catching. And a bit weird.<br /><br />3. Ridiculous Parodies of American Culture<br /><a href="http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2KJke0830lPdn0AM9eJzbkhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dmega%2Btamago%26n%3D30%26ei%3Dutf-8%26y%3DSearch%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D1&w=572&h=600&imgurl=www.iclickfun.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2011%2F05%2Fmega-tamago.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.iclickfun.com%2F14-fast-food-items-not-available-in-the-u-s-that-should-be%2F&size=57.6+KB&name=Mega+Tamago&p=mega+tamago&oid=ed3086f3b2d4773dc1dbb1117082baa8&fr2=&fr=&tt=Mega%2BTamago&b=0&ni=112&no=1&tab=organic&ts=&sigr=12k7g7hok&sigb=132ndoa3b&sigi=11s8ipckg&.crumb=26xJRCnnB9q">I am cholesterol incarnate!</a><br /><br />Weirdness: 5/10<br /><br />Almost any time my students think of American food the first thing they say is hamburger. So suffice to say, Japanese have tried to emulate the outrageous, gluttonous extremes of American food by making these monstrosities of beef. I've seen these tower burgers all over the place. I'm assuming they're made for more than one person? Anyway, it's moderately weird when first seeing it but then it starts to become the norm at some burger joints. There's always the "WTF Burger" at any given place.<br /><br />2. Ridiculous Blends of American and Japanese Culture<br /><a href="http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2KJkK2L30lPCxoA_XSJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dronald%2Bvs.%2Bcolonel%2Bsanderhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifs%2Bjapan%26n%3D30%26ei%3Dutf-8%26y%3DSearch%2BImages%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D3&w=350&h=691&imgurl=news.3yen.com%2Fwp-content%2Fimages%2FRonald-McDonald-Colonel-.jpeg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.3yen.com%2Fcategory%2Fgeneral%2F&size=111.8+KB&name=ronald+mcdonald+vs+colonel+sanders&p=ronald+vs.+colonel+sanders+japan&oid=e93e3c0826ca997b635dcca5f8f1bc71&fr2=&fr=&tt=ronald%2Bmcdonald%2Bvs%2Bcolonel%2Bsanders&b=0&ni=112&no=3&tab=organic&ts=&sigr=116vsmv5m&sigb=13ut3mg3l&sigi=11te27vm9&.crumb=26xJRCnnB9q">Limit Break: McOmnislash!</a><br /><br />Weirdness: 8/10<br />This is only so weird because it's also very creative. Taking Ronald McDonald and Colonel Sanders and blending them with Final Fantasy 7 characters Sephiroth and Cloud is pretty unique. The most common examples of this sort of splicing of culture are the McDonald's Big America series. Hamburgers with eggs and salsa and whatever other thing they can come up with. Just bizarre mixtures. <br /><br />The popularity of Colonel Sanders specifically is rather interesting. There's a famous story about a group that threw a Colonel Sanders statue in a river near Osaka that was dredged up like 20 years later. Mysterious!<br /><br />1. More Stuff for Lonely People<br /><a href="http://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A2KJke0u3ElPph4AIZGJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBlMTQ4cGxyBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1n?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dweird%2Bjapan%26ei%3DUTF-8%26fr%3Dyfp-t-701%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D367&w=480&h=337&imgurl=img.ezinemark.com%2Fimagemanager2%2Ffiles%2F2010_re%2F2010-08-28-19-38-37-8-100602cl3nhatban-28.jpeg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fentertainment.ezinemark.com%2Fweird-images-only-in-japan-77364ab53712.html&size=92.5+KB&name=Weird+Images+only+in+Japan&p=weird+japan&oid=ca9901da5f2312031866a3742cd0047b&fr2=&fr=yfp-t-701&tt=Weird%2BImages%2Bonly%2Bin%2BJapan&b=361&ni=112&no=367&tab=organic&ts=&sigr=12ft3qhit&sigb=1335dq37j&sigi=12s6lq9a8&.crumb=26xJRCnnB9q">Forever alone...</a><br /><br />Weirdness: 9/10<br /><br />This is just weird to me. It's not really a sex thing. But more of a comfort thing. Which is weird they have pillows shaped like a woman's lap. It makes me sad that people buy these things. I'm hoping they aren't that popular. <br /><br />I'm assuming this is weird in any culture though.<br /><br />Well, that's it for part 2. Next blog I'll explore cute Japan! What really is cute and what is just "meh." <br /><br />So what did you think of the Weird Japan blogs? More? Or any other suggestions?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340768751615974816noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685147105598410196.post-64126960200843509822012-02-22T19:09:00.006-08:002012-03-03T01:16:46.729-08:00Japan Hammer: Weird Japan Part 1<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh3G1dxXJPrCuQbqBb8DuvtSROPnOF3y06ApYqZ0snBlCdfTOSIlnlfHbe6IkBaDQKA8ln06sD9fKr3ZO_pGZ_cpoSDzFiYNKh0lGJWHvrVC81s9ERvU17VKa1sP81m6H8cIeOjsQymf4/s1600/In+Koriyama+city+2009+047.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh3G1dxXJPrCuQbqBb8DuvtSROPnOF3y06ApYqZ0snBlCdfTOSIlnlfHbe6IkBaDQKA8ln06sD9fKr3ZO_pGZ_cpoSDzFiYNKh0lGJWHvrVC81s9ERvU17VKa1sP81m6H8cIeOjsQymf4/s320/In+Koriyama+city+2009+047.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5712174864779074386" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Above is the Pokemon train. Which I'll discuss more about later. And no, this isn't that weird.<br /><br />Since the title of my blog is "A Weird Guy Living in Japan" not necessarily "A Guy Living in Weird Japan" people may get confused as the content of my blog. I post just about anything really, but most of my blogging about Japan has been relatively tame. That is until today.<br /><br />There is a website called <a href="http://www.japanisweird.com/">www.japanisweird.com </a>(warning: some images may be graphic or Not Safe for Work) which has random photos depicting some of the weirdness that you may encounter upon coming to Japan.<br /><br />I'd like to preface with this: these photos are in no way representative of how Japan <span style="font-style: italic;">really </span>is (for the most part). I'd say about 99 percent of Japan is like anywhere else. Normal people doing normal things. There are not many being dressed in cos-play walking about and it's not like one big, happy anime. Get that concept out of your head. If you like that kind of stuff, go to Harajuku or Akihabara. That's where I see the greatest concentration of all that.<br /><br />So, today I just want to post links to various pics (not sure if I should post them on my blog since they're not mine) and I'll discuss what I think about the pic and whether it's really so weird compared to other things I've seen here.<br /><br />5. Hattoyama riding space-age scooter thing<br /><br />Weirdness: 4/10<br /><br /><a href="http://japanisweird.com/weirdjapanese/popular/17548-even-japanese-version-of-st">http://japanisweird.com/weirdjapanese/popular/17548-even-japanese-version-of-st</a><br /><br />Hattoyama was the prime minister around 2009 or 2010? I don't know, they change prime ministers here so much I can't keep track. The reason this picture isn't <span style="font-style: italic;">too weird</span> is because Hattoyama himself was considered a pretty weird guy. He was out of touch with common people (sound familiar to your government?) because he was from a rich background and often was referred to by the nickname "Alien." As you can see by him riding this futuristic space car, he doesn't look that weird. But his wife, on the other hand, is weird. She claims she's from Venus or something. Another reason this isn't so weird is because in Japan anything that would normally blow my mind in being really cool or awesome is just sort of like "meh." Now the androids they've developed, those blow my mind.<br /><br />4. Dinner with a screen saver<br /><br />Weirdness: 6/10<br />Creepiness: 9/10<br /><br /><a href="http://japanisweird.com/weirdjapanese/unmoderated/64707-forever-alone">http://japanisweird.com/weirdjapanese/unmoderated/64707-forever-alone</a><br /><br />I don't really get this. It's not really as weird as you'd expect, but it's definitely not normal. Some otaku (nerdy folks) have taken to having virtual girlfriends and plastering their room with images of anime and manga girls. It's not really considered healthy, but it's not so weird. Eating dinner with a computer is pretty weird. The strange thing about this "virtual girlfriend" phenomenon is that the men who do this see it as completely rational.<br /><br />This ties in to the whole obsession with AKB48 and other bizarre idol worship which is widely accepted in main-stream here. Not to say that this doesn't exist in other countries, but it just has a creepier vibe here.<br /><br />3. Old man wearing school girl outfit<br /><br />Weirdness: 2/10<br />Creepiness: 6/10<br /><br /><a href="http://japanisweird.com/weirdjapanese/unmoderated/70679-mr-miyagi">http://japanisweird.com/weirdjapanese/unmoderated/70679-mr-miyagi</a><br /><br />Cross-dressing is more widely accepted here than I think in other countries. A lot of mainstream celebrities have done it without blow-back from morality groups. I personally don't care if people do it, but when they dress up like school girls...yeah, sorry, that's creepy. Weird, not so much. I've seen this more than enough times on TV that I'm desensitized to it. "New-half" shows (drag queens) are actually quite popular in Kabukicho and Roppongi. I haven't been to one, but then again, I try to avoid those areas (see other blog post about 5 Favorite Places in Japan)<br /><br />2. Pokemon Bus<br /><br />Weirdness: 3/10<br /><br /><a href="http://japanisweird.com/unmoderated-weirdjapanese/unmoderated/33765-hey-little-buddy-want-a-ride">http://japanisweird.com/unmoderated-weirdjapanese/unmoderated/33765-hey-little-buddy-want-a-ride</a><br /><br />This isn't so weird either (see Pokemon train at the top of the blog). Anime and manga are integrated a lot into anything involving children. Oftentimes at family restaurants they will have Doraemon, Anpanman, or some other popular kids' character on the special kids' menu. So seeing a Pikachu bus may seem strange to foreigners, but I don't think Japanese people would even flinch at this.<br /><br />If I saw this I'd probably say "Oh look! A Pikachu bus." Then I'd go about my day like nothing happened.<br /><br />1. Weird Drinks or Food<br /><br />Weirdness: 6/10<br /><br /><a href="http://japanisweird.com/unmoderated-weirdjapanese/unmoderated/47267-the-successor-of-potato-fla">http://japanisweird.com/unmoderated-weirdjapanese/unmoderated/47267-the-successor-of-potato-fla</a><br /><br />Ok, so this picture is of Ice Cucumber Pepsi. I'm not sure why anyone would want to drink Cucumber flavored soda, but whatever. I rank this number 1 because this is the most common occurrence. It usually has to do with taking something foreign and then making it really, really Japanese. I'm not sure how well this sold, but they had other flavors that were just as weird.<br /><br />You can see more details here: <a href="http://www.loneleeplanet.com/2011/07/weird-japanese-pepsi-flavours/">http://www.loneleeplanet.com/2011/07/weird-japanese-pepsi-flavours/</a><br /><br />I'll list them below though with their weirdness level. Credit goes to loneleeplanet.com for the resources.<br /><br />1. Ice Cucumber-6/10<br />2. Shiso (herb?)-4/10<br />3. Azuki (red beans)-5/10<br />4. Baobab (citrusy taste)-2/10<br />5. Blue Hawaii (pineapple and lemon)-1/10<br />6. White (yogurt)-5/10<br />7. Mont Blanc (chestnut)-6/10<br />8. Red (ginger/spicy)-4/10<br />9. Caribbean Gold (sapote)-3/10<br />10. Carnival (tropical fruit)-1/10<br /><br />So the weirdest to me is definitely the Ice Cucumber. I'll post a part 2 for more weirdness!<br /><br />Let me know if this is interesting to you in the comments!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340768751615974816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685147105598410196.post-12005885635706796942012-02-16T08:24:00.000-08:002012-02-16T08:27:54.977-08:00Story Time: Robert Frost Excellent Warlock Troll Butcher(This has nothing to do with Japan, but sometimes I feel like posting stories here. I'll call them Story Time! WARNING: May be too explicit for some?)<br /><br />Reaver buried his Prosaic Axe of the Harpy's Vertebrae into another troll's stinking, wart-riddled flesh. A bluish fluid sprayed into his face, almost getting into his mouth. Yet his Chewing Gum of Warding had created a thin film of red, sparkling, cinnamon magic that kept him safe. Good thing. Reaver couldn't handle another night trying to get the blue stains off his tongue.<br /><br />Robert Frost headbutted another troll beside him, his steel-gray hair fluttering in the desert wind. He spat. “I must stride again/A winter's delicate kiss/Never-ending fades/Into an encroaching dawn.”<br /><br />“Why do you talk like that?” Reaver blasted the fallen troll in the face with a Rainbow Grammar Hex spell. Every kind of grammar possible. Nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, gerunds, conjunctions. Soon the troll's body parts would rot off in a brilliant array of colors: putrid green, neon orange, rose red, and ultra-violet. Pretty parts.<br /><br />“I must travel these roads/Only I can take/The long winter's come/On this frozen lake.” Frost mumbled to himself as another troll scraped his claws against his ABAB Glyphed Heavy Free Verse Plate. <br /><br />“Dude, we're in the desert. It's not winter for the last time.” Reaver ignored his verse spouting companion and just waded further into the clump of trolls, letting his axe make music against their bursting flesh. Streams of blood crossing sand, bubbling like brooks along a long forgotten trail. A mystical song of ancient rhymes of ancient mariners--<i>Ah, crap.</i> Now he was thinking like Frost. <i> I've got to get rid of this guy. I don't want him telling my story. He can't write prose. He's a poet and doesn't seem to know it. That he can't write prose, that is. I wasn't try to rhyme. Seriously.</i><br /><br />Waves of trolls kept coming. They spouted such barbaric war cries as:<br /><br />“ur teh suck, lolz!” One of the grisly beasts wailed, his black braids trailing behind him like licorice in a raging snowstor--<i>ah, stop it!</i><br /><br />“then he took an arrow in the knee...” Another murmured, his rancid breath hot on Reaver's neck. <br /><br />“I CAN HAZ CHEEZBURGERS NAO, ROTFL!”<br /><br />“Gross, stop it!” Reaver beat back the mouth-breather. “Why are you all here? Leave us alone!”<br /><br />Robert Frost suddenly went epic, stream of consciousness. An Infinity Sonnet. The trolls were entranced, dancing in that break-neck, boogie down style that they do. Frost's tongue loosed such epicness that Reaver had never seen before. Allusions. Alliteration. Onomatopoeia.<br /><br />“Pow! Boom! Bang! Zoom!” Frost's poems were cold as ice, bro. Trolls flew in every direction, befuddled and battered by the waves of pure poetic carnage. One particularly nasty limerick took off a troll's head, leaving a dancing fountain of warty gore popping and locking as it collapsed in a heap.<br /><br />How does he does he do it? Is the Poetic Way truly better than my own Prosaic Way? Were the darkest arts of Forgotten Verse truly superior to the Paragraph Magicks?<br /><br />Reaver, in a jealous rage, unleashed his dreaded Ectoplasmic Ban Hammer of Holy Crushingness. The slime of the lime green hammer left trails of corrected grammar sputtering from the mouths of even the foulest trolls with the foulest of comments.<br /><br />“lolz” became “That is funny.”<br /><br />“n00b” became “Rather inexperienced gentleman.”<br /><br />“pwn3d” became “I defeated you both efficiently and succinctly.”<br /><br />“ROTFL” became “Ha, ha, ha!”<br /><br />The trolls howled with displeasure in hearing their twisted, guttural, nonsensical language of bastardized tongues transform into something that actually made sense.<br /><br />Robert Frost was angry too. As angry as a poet can get. His ice blue eyes shimmered with an unearthly rage that could only exist in the warped mind of a poet who's run out of subject matter. Dark, Gothic poetry fell from his lips. Teenage journals. Ramblings of a collapsed MySpace.<br /><br />“What is happening to me?/Am I losing my poetic gift/Or something/Ugh!” Frost, wading through the slush of devastated troll goo, pointed a crooked, ink-stained finger at Reaver. “Only one of us can tell this story/Dude!”<br /><br />Reaver's prose had proven stronger than he expected. The trolls were fleeing or lying in quivering mounds. Their grammar had improved and they were scattering to the farthest reaches of the Earth, back into their dark caves with no light and pictures of scantily clad troll vixens.<br /><br />It was only Reaver and Frost now. In the desert. Poetry vs. prose. <br /><br />“My art is more coherent and easier to understand, Frost.” Reaver bellowed. “Your poems are old and obsolete. I am the true Word Weaver!”<br /><br />Frost's pale skin glistened with sweat. Or maybe they were small comma splices. Reaver wasn't sure. The amalgamation of words still hung in the air, clouding the skies. With a wave of his hand, Reaver cleared the hanging words away. Deleted them almost. Frost seethed.<br /><br />A ghostly sword made of aborted and long-dead poems appeared in Frost's hand. The tears of broken-hearted bards. The buried verse of Emily Dickinson. The cold-fire and old wine of Poe. The white-hot veins of the Beats, snaking their way through the spectral blade.<br /><br />“I want to try to/Do this attack in haiku/But they suck bad...man!” Frost pushed the last syllable out with a caustic venom. He was bringing the pain this time.<br /><br />Reaver blinked and rushed forward, Ban Hammer swinging overhead. He'd smash this poet into oblivion and finish his quest to eliminate distorted language from the world forever. “Eat this!”<br /><br />A jagged bolt of stream of consciousness rippled across the clear blue sky. “The trails of earth are mine alone and yours are mine and sands and glass and broken dreams all hinge upon the tattered seams of fathers' pride and mothers' eyes galactic squid of ten thousand comets--”<br /><br />“Ah! Shut up!” Reaver battered his way through the poetic bolt. “Just use regular magic! Regular words!” His hammer came down with the force of highlights, red ink, edits, and revisions. The gooey hammer splashed across Frost's silvery, feathered hair, knocking the poet back into the sand, mumbling something about “spidery silk.” <br /><br />“I yield./I yield./Yield.” Frost stammered. His poetic-ness had been driven out of him like an exorcised demon. “I will take the road less traveled. Or more traveled. Sorry.”<br /><br />Reaver looked down at Frost with sadness. A tinge of guilt struck him. Who was he to tell others how to tell their story? To practice their craft? To express themselves? Unless they were babbling trolls, everyone had the right to use their own unique style. Their own magic. <br /><br />“Stand, Frost.” Reaver offered his troll-mush slicked hand. “There's room in this world for two Wordsmiths. If only we can stand together to fight ignorance, bad grammar, and needless flaming, I care not for how you do so.”<br /><br />Frost nodded, his grandfatherly head bowing in respect to Reaver. “You are right/dear friend/by which way the sands of time lead us/we all stagger in quicksand.”<br /><br />“Whatever, dude.” Reaver mumbled, putting his arm around the veteran poet-warrior. “Let's just go kill some more trolls.”<br /><br />And with that Reaver and Robert Frost ventured to the land of Yutoob to find the troll's den, to finally root them out once and for all. But will the dark and mysterious, cloaked bird-man the Twittering Wanderer with his Sword of Limited Text cross their path? Or the much maligned Free I-Pod Knight of Sullied Dreams?<br /><br />Who knows? But Reaver shall be ready. Wherever there needs to be moderation. Wherever there needs to be correction. Wherever someone's words need to be moved to another section because they don't go where they were originally placed, Reaver will be there.<br /><br />Waiting. With his weaving words.<br /><br /><i>Ah, damn alliteration...</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340768751615974816noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4685147105598410196.post-4506224894001507082012-01-27T02:32:00.000-08:002012-02-16T07:21:17.464-08:00Japan Hammer: Top 5 Places in Japan (That I've Been)Sometimes people ask me, "Where's your favorite place in Japan?" Well, that's a difficult question. I have several favorite places for completely different reasons. I have yet to travel all over Japan, but I've been to some of the "hot spots" so to speak. In my opinion, these places are cool, but if you already live in Japan or plan to visit, maybe you'd have a different opinion. I'll also name some popular places that I'm not that fond of for various reasons.<br /><br />In no particular order, here are my Top 5 Places in Japan:<br /><br />1. Ueno, Tokyo: For a taste of Tokyo that doesn't completely overwhelm the average tourist or traveler, Ueno has a good blend of stuff that makes Tokyo popular without all the insanity of more popular places. There's a zoo there, several museums, and also tons of shops. The popular shopping area Ameyoko is also nearby which can provide tourists with tons of little souvenirs to take home. I enjoy Ueno Park as well, as it's pretty open and sometimes there are various performers about. There are also a staggering number of homeless people here, but that's not really a good reason to visit. <br /><br />2. Minato Mirai, Yokohama: This is bar-none one of my favorite places in Japan. The giant Cosmo Clock Ferris wheel is a pretty famous landmark and very beautiful during night time. It's a pretty busy area, but not too much. I like Yokohama more than Tokyo because it has a lot of the same charms, yet Yokohama feels more open and less cramped. There's also several ships in the port to look at and it's a nice place to go for a romantic stroll during the night. I personally like going here in the winter time as it has lots Christmas lights up and makes the walk around that much more entertaining. Also, World Porters has lots of shopping stuff inside if that's your thing.<br /><br />3. Kiyomizudera, Kyoto-This is a temple in Kyoto which I really enjoyed visiting. It has a breath-taking view during the autumn season with all the changing leaves and is nestled in the mountains for an even better view! This is one of the more famous temples in all of Japan and was extremely crowded when I visited there. I highly recommend Kyoto overall for a "balanced" visit in Japan, as you can see some modern things and still get a taste of the old capital with lots of traditional temples. I spotted a maiko (geisha in training) when I was there and that was sort of cool to just see her walking around.<br /><br />4. Hakone, Kanagawa- Hakone is a popular tourist spot mostly for its famous onsen (hot springs) but I liked it for its stellar view of Mt. Fuji from one of the nearby mountains. We took a trolley up to the top of this mountain and hiked around and also took a boat ride on the lake. I got sunburned the worst I've probably been in a long time, but it was worth it. This is a great place to relax and enjoy a leisurely stay if you're in Kanagawa.<br /><br />5. Enoshima, Kanagawa- This list heavily favors Kanagawa as that's where I live, so I have some bias when it comes to talking about the area. Enoshima is really awesome for me. There's a nice beach to hang out at and winding steps up a mountain that leads to many different shops and temples littered throughout. The climb of the steps had this haunting drum music following us everywhere that gave a really cool vibe. I took some time to stare out over the sea wall and smell that salty air. Really makes me relax a lot. The trip all over was tiring but definitely worth it. I highly recommend a stop here especially during hotter times.<br /><br />Now, here's my list of places that I don't like very much personally. Feel free to give them a shot, but they're not places I'm really into.<br /><br />1. Roppongi, Tokyo-Roppongi is sort of the gaijin (foreigner) paradise. There are tons of bars, tons of places for entertainment and debauchery. Well, I'm not in my 20s anymore, so that kind of stuff doesn't interest me as much. Plus, the place usually gives me a creepy vibe. I did have a wonderful night here once at a work-related party at the Ritz Carlton with an amazing view of Tokyo Tower lit-up from the 48th (?) floor. But that's unlikely to happen again. So, I have mixed feelings about Roppongi. I've heard many bad stories from other people getting in trouble there, but if you know how to take care of yourself, you should be OK.<br /><br />2. Shinjuku/Kabukicho, Tokyo-Probably my least favorite of the Tokyo wards would be Shinjuku. I don't know, it just doesn't do anything for me. This area is extremely popular with Kabukicho being more of the "night-life/adult entertainment" district. I was harassed one time when I went down there (I guess I looked like an easy mark) so it put me off on visiting there in the future. Just not really my cup of tea. But I've heard if you really want to get into the more "edgy" side of Japan, Kabukicho is your first stop.<br /><br />These two places stand out to me the most as being "not my thing," but I'd recommend going there if you're smart with your money, careful with your drinks, and don't follow strange women to strange bars. Then maybe you can still have fun there without ending up in jail at the end of the night.<br /><br />So, hope you enjoyed by lists! Feel free to ask any questions about other recommendations if you'd like!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17340768751615974816noreply@blogger.com1