Trippin’

Yeah, everyone here runs everywhere.  And because they’re wearing sandals, they trip a lot.  I’ve never seen so many grown people running and tripping over things in my life.  And they do take some pretty hard landings sometimes, too.

I think you have to be drunk in order to enjoy karaoke

Said after a somewhat sober evening of karaoke.  I think this speaks volumes about karaoke’s limited appeal, by the way.

Also, the reason for the sobriety was because of Japan’s weird zoning laws that only allow 1 convenience store within a certain radius to sell alcohol.  After walking around for 15 minutes and trying 3 different 7-11/Lawsons, we gave up.  Who ever heard of a 7-11 without beer?

Multi-Facial

What race in Vin Diesel?  Honestly, I’m confused.  Which is why I’m pleased he put together this wonderful film to explain it all.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0226168/

Regarding public places

“My temple is in a very pubic place.”

Heh, kids say the darndest things.

Do not speak Japanese, it will only lower your value in their eyes

Fact: Speaking anything more than simple phrases found on page one in any Japanese textbook will not endear you to anyone.  Stick plainly to classics like otsukaresama deshita, oyasuminasai, and shitsuree shimasu.  Japanese people do not want to hear your attempts to strengthen your Japanese ability, only your hilarious misuses of common words.

Evidence of non-fascist behavior in Japan

The bed that I found in the closet 3 months ago and finally decided to put together fits neither my mattress nor any of the futons also found in my closet.  This would never happen in a real fascist country, where the trains always run on the dot and no one is allowed to express opinions in open dialogue, like Japan.

English-learning textbook inspired band names, part 1:

Hang in there Bob and the Make that a Promises.

On an unrelated note, my JTE prefaces every sentence of hers with “To be honest.”  I get a lot of honesty over the course of a day.

Little kids just got less awful in my mind

I was walking home yesterday and a little elementary school kid came up and said “Hello” to me.  So I repeated it back to him, and asked him how he was.  He parroted the “How are you?” back to me, and I said “I’m fine, how are you?”  And he played his little game and said “I’m fine how are you!” before running off cackling to his friends.

And a moment later I realized that he had actually been speaking with an almost perfect English accent while mimicking my words.  This little kid could do what hundreds of worthless high school students utterly cannot: speak without the damn accent in even the simplest of circumstances.  And it gives me hope.

Japanese teacher makes funny

Ah sensei, are you thinking about something? (as he’s staring out of the window sucking air through his teeth).

JTE: Ahhh no. I’m watching for Kenta-kun. He is so very fat…so I make him run…laps around the sports field… but… he is hiding in the bushes, when I’m not looking him. He is very cunning.

-Someone’s JTE with the winning line of the week.

Everyone can relax. God is IN CONTROL.

Me: So the US elections are coming up in two days…are you nervous?

Horry: What? Oh, not really.

Me: You mean you don’t fear another 2 years of Republicans imposing Bush’s world views on everyone?

Horry: The US government does not decide what happens in the world…

I mentally prep an argument about how the US basically does decide policy in spite of what the world might think.

Horry: …GOD is in control of what happens.

My argument evaporates in the face of unreasoning religious fanaticism.

Me: Uh…well they do say, ”God helps those who help themselves.”

Horry: Well that’s what they say, but that’s not true. God is in control.