A year
is short enough to remember, long enough to forget.
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
yo
Taking a break from downloading various forms of, well, crack [Arashi PVs, among others]. Last night I got to watch part of a show where they try to pair off these high school kids from different areas in Japan. At first I was like, WTF? But I was transfixed [I blame it on too much shoujo manga] since the guys had to make confessions to the girl of their choice. One of them had two guys confess to her. In terms of looks and overall coolness, A >>> B, but B had a more heartfelt and eloquent confession [and the hosts of the show thought so, too].
But the girl chose A. So what if he's cute, tall, can pull off a punk-wannabe hairstyle well, popular with the girls, and can play the guitar? He just seemed so full of himself, you know, like really confident that her answer can only be YES. Kind of like Gaston in "Beauty and the Beast", maybe.
But I'm pretty sure I steoreotyped, and besides I didn't get to watch the whole show anyway. And what are they doing, really, making a show centered on
Nice-but-not-too-good-looking guys [and for that matter, girls] don't really finish last, right? RIGHT?
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
buildings and stuff.
Life is all about choices. There's the mundane: chocolate or vanilla? Blue or green? To walk or go by bus? And then of course, there are the choices that will change your life forever. Or at least, affect the flow of life for years to come. Which school [Not that this was a tough choice], course [Which I seriously considered shifting out of, once], org [Kelangan pa bang i-memorize yan? There can only be one. :D], prof...
I made a choice. And acknowledged that choice --- I mean, there are times when even though something's figuratively in your face, you refuse to look at it, or are too much of a coward to do anything about it.:D
Am glad to say that I am out of this slump that I have found myself in this past couple of days. All it takes is an email, apparently. And re-reading an old diary.:D
It was good to reminisce...
1. The pages of gossip with Jerome in EnE class [with thoughtful drawings re: dynamite fishing :P]
2. Something that could happen on May 16, 2010, involving rich relatives [Right, Nin?]
3. 2ni-pet, and the end of a dream :P
4. JFPennywise escapades! <3
5. Juggling-everything stress: Acads, orgs...
6. Post-its and various SCLGA
And so much more.:) It felt so far away, parang, oo nga no, ganito yung nangyari! Can't believe this much time has passed.
Might I just add [although not related to anything in this entry, just crossed my brain], though, that really, folks, gut feelings mean something. Like if your intuition is telling you that X is someone you should stay faaaar away from, it probably is right. I mean, our primate ancestors relied on the gut feeling for survival. Without it we wouldn't even be here today.
A strange confession: I have found that I am unreasonably disturbed by the buildings here with signs that say, for example, "ABC Build" or "XYZ Bild" (as opposed to Bldg.). I feel all twitchy and look away, but I cannot stop myself from glancing at the signs for the second time, to my great annoyance. [Will post pictures sometime. Really.]
Am also getting hooked on milk tea, and well, tea in general. Alas, I have joined the ranks of the tea-drinkers!
Another strange confession: I love watching the Tenki Yohou or the weather forecasts on TV, even if I've watched that forecast on another channel before. It's just the short ones that entertain me so, as the 24-hour weather channel on cable does nothing for me. And it delights me to no end how the weather forecasts here are fairly accurate, ie. Sunny = Sunny, not Sunny = Drizzle.
So tomorrow, the weather is cloudy, with rain in the afternoon. Tomorrow is also French class and yosakoi. The weekend's fully booked, too. On Saturday [cloudy -> sunny] I got invited to [switch to TV shopping channel voice]not one, not three, but two! TWO parties![end TV shopping voice] But I have to go to Isahaya to check out a school festival where some Filipina exchange students are gonna dance. Thus cannot go out to have lunch with Risa, a Geology classmate. Oh well.
Seriously, who knew days passed by just. Like. This?
I made a choice. And acknowledged that choice --- I mean, there are times when even though something's figuratively in your face, you refuse to look at it, or are too much of a coward to do anything about it.:D
Am glad to say that I am out of this slump that I have found myself in this past couple of days. All it takes is an email, apparently. And re-reading an old diary.:D
It was good to reminisce...
1. The pages of gossip with Jerome in EnE class [with thoughtful drawings re: dynamite fishing :P]
2. Something that could happen on May 16, 2010, involving rich relatives [Right, Nin?]
3. 2ni-pet, and the end of a dream :P
4. JFPennywise escapades! <3
5. Juggling-everything stress: Acads, orgs...
6. Post-its and various SCLGA
And so much more.:) It felt so far away, parang, oo nga no, ganito yung nangyari! Can't believe this much time has passed.
Might I just add [although not related to anything in this entry, just crossed my brain], though, that really, folks, gut feelings mean something. Like if your intuition is telling you that X is someone you should stay faaaar away from, it probably is right. I mean, our primate ancestors relied on the gut feeling for survival. Without it we wouldn't even be here today.
A strange confession: I have found that I am unreasonably disturbed by the buildings here with signs that say, for example, "ABC Build" or "XYZ Bild" (as opposed to Bldg.). I feel all twitchy and look away, but I cannot stop myself from glancing at the signs for the second time, to my great annoyance. [Will post pictures sometime. Really.]
Am also getting hooked on milk tea, and well, tea in general. Alas, I have joined the ranks of the tea-drinkers!
Another strange confession: I love watching the Tenki Yohou or the weather forecasts on TV, even if I've watched that forecast on another channel before. It's just the short ones that entertain me so, as the 24-hour weather channel on cable does nothing for me. And it delights me to no end how the weather forecasts here are fairly accurate, ie. Sunny = Sunny, not Sunny = Drizzle.
So tomorrow, the weather is cloudy, with rain in the afternoon. Tomorrow is also French class and yosakoi. The weekend's fully booked, too. On Saturday [cloudy -> sunny] I got invited to [switch to TV shopping channel voice]not one, not three, but two! TWO parties![end TV shopping voice] But I have to go to Isahaya to check out a school festival where some Filipina exchange students are gonna dance. Thus cannot go out to have lunch with Risa, a Geology classmate. Oh well.
Seriously, who knew days passed by just. Like. This?
Monday, May 15, 2006
Tempus fugit
Have not been feeling too motivated lately.
That is all. Not trying to be cryptic, but I'll sort this out and be all genki again. I hope.
That is all. Not trying to be cryptic, but I'll sort this out and be all genki again. I hope.
Monday, May 08, 2006
Golden Week = Fat Thighs
Golden Week is a series of holidays here in Japan all clumped together into, well, almost a week. This year it started on May 3 (Wednesday) until yesterday (Sunday). For many Japanese it's a time to take trips or just go back to their hometowns and relax. For me, it was supposed to be a productive period of studying, finishing reports, cleaning, etc. What it turned out to be, of course, is entirely different. And fun. And money-draining.
What Transpired During Golden Week
a) Stuffing myself
I went to not one, not two, but THREE! THREE buffets. Darn. The first one was at this tofu restaurant, so you'd think it would be OK since tofu is good for you and it doesn't make people fat even if eaten in large quantities. But noooo...They had a pancit canton-ish dish [the flavor seriously reminded me of home], karaage [fried chicken], pasta, tofu hamburger [Masarap! Who knew tofu could actually taste like meat???] and the dessert buffet. Which totally ruined me, because it had unlimited ice cream.
The second one was at this Chinese restaurant. They were gonna close down this week so when Su Lynn invited me to come along, I did. Oh well, it was Chinese food, but not the dim sum I wanted. The dessert was mango pudding. I swear I ate more than 10 of those little bowls. Haha.
The last one, just yesterday, was at this organic food place. There was supposed to be three of us going to pig out, but the Indian guy bailed out at the last minute, leaving just me and Matt. This was also a great place, but they had some unusual dishes, like this apple and seaweed concoction that wasn't too good. Bleah.
Amidst all these porkiness-causing events, there was also...
b) CHEMISTRY concert! Huzzah.
In case you've forgotten, or never known, CHEMISTRY is my fave JPop duo, and I used to fangirl crazily over one of them (Dochin). There was even a stage where I thought it would be bliss to be his personal assistant and/or love slave [Yeah, that sounds kind of sick now, huh]. Went all the way to Fukuoka, 2.5 hours away by bus, all for the sake of fandom.
Fukuoka is known for its ramen, so I just had to sample that.;) [More food.] I went to this shop recommended by Lonely Planet [the guidebook]. Before you enter it, you have to fill out a questionnaire about how you want your ramen: the firmness of the noodles, the fat content of the soup, with/without pork fillets, kind of onion, amount of garlic, amount of "secret sauce", etc. There was a pretty long line outside but since I was alone [how sad] I got a seat almost immediately. Plus, when you enter the place, they don't have a normal seating arrangement. Each customer has an individual cubicle, and to order you just push this red button in front of you. When they serve your food, they also pull down this little curtain in front of you so you can eat in complete privacy. It's kind of creepy.
Anyway, back to the concert: I was so faaaaaar away from the stage, but a friend lent me her high-power binoculars so it was kind of okay. And they had gigantic screens on both sides of the stage too. It was sort of disappointing, because when i thought of concert I was all like, mosh pit, yeah! but it was so...orderly. Hmm. I fantasized about just going amok and planting myself in front, since this is prolly the only chance I have of seeing them live, but nah. Post-concert, CHEMISTRY love has resurfaced.<3
So back to porkiness. Loosely connected to a),
c) Shopping
Spent a whole lot of money this weekend on clothes and shoes. WHY? Have no self-control. Wanted to buy these cute khaki capri pants [linen] but did not because they highlighted my fat thighs. Which I only became fully aware of then. Ugh. Also bought books. IN ENGLISH! Oh joy. Currently reading Freakonomics, which is verrry fascinating.
d) Jet-skiing
Was able to jet-ski for first time ever, for free! Went to this secluded beach with a Japanese friend and played around for a couple of hours. There was a jet ski rental place there, and the owners chatted with us and let us ride for free, saying it'd be a good Golden Week memory. And it was, too.:)
So now I cram for my exams tomorrow. Rahr.
What Transpired During Golden Week
a) Stuffing myself
I went to not one, not two, but THREE! THREE buffets. Darn. The first one was at this tofu restaurant, so you'd think it would be OK since tofu is good for you and it doesn't make people fat even if eaten in large quantities. But noooo...They had a pancit canton-ish dish [the flavor seriously reminded me of home], karaage [fried chicken], pasta, tofu hamburger [Masarap! Who knew tofu could actually taste like meat???] and the dessert buffet. Which totally ruined me, because it had unlimited ice cream.
The second one was at this Chinese restaurant. They were gonna close down this week so when Su Lynn invited me to come along, I did. Oh well, it was Chinese food, but not the dim sum I wanted. The dessert was mango pudding. I swear I ate more than 10 of those little bowls. Haha.
The last one, just yesterday, was at this organic food place. There was supposed to be three of us going to pig out, but the Indian guy bailed out at the last minute, leaving just me and Matt. This was also a great place, but they had some unusual dishes, like this apple and seaweed concoction that wasn't too good. Bleah.
Amidst all these porkiness-causing events, there was also...
b) CHEMISTRY concert! Huzzah.
In case you've forgotten, or never known, CHEMISTRY is my fave JPop duo, and I used to fangirl crazily over one of them (Dochin). There was even a stage where I thought it would be bliss to be his personal assistant and/or love slave [Yeah, that sounds kind of sick now, huh]. Went all the way to Fukuoka, 2.5 hours away by bus, all for the sake of fandom.
Fukuoka is known for its ramen, so I just had to sample that.;) [More food.] I went to this shop recommended by Lonely Planet [the guidebook]. Before you enter it, you have to fill out a questionnaire about how you want your ramen: the firmness of the noodles, the fat content of the soup, with/without pork fillets, kind of onion, amount of garlic, amount of "secret sauce", etc. There was a pretty long line outside but since I was alone [how sad] I got a seat almost immediately. Plus, when you enter the place, they don't have a normal seating arrangement. Each customer has an individual cubicle, and to order you just push this red button in front of you. When they serve your food, they also pull down this little curtain in front of you so you can eat in complete privacy. It's kind of creepy.
Anyway, back to the concert: I was so faaaaaar away from the stage, but a friend lent me her high-power binoculars so it was kind of okay. And they had gigantic screens on both sides of the stage too. It was sort of disappointing, because when i thought of concert I was all like, mosh pit, yeah! but it was so...orderly. Hmm. I fantasized about just going amok and planting myself in front, since this is prolly the only chance I have of seeing them live, but nah. Post-concert, CHEMISTRY love has resurfaced.<3
So back to porkiness. Loosely connected to a),
c) Shopping
Spent a whole lot of money this weekend on clothes and shoes. WHY? Have no self-control. Wanted to buy these cute khaki capri pants [linen] but did not because they highlighted my fat thighs. Which I only became fully aware of then. Ugh. Also bought books. IN ENGLISH! Oh joy. Currently reading Freakonomics, which is verrry fascinating.
d) Jet-skiing
Was able to jet-ski for first time ever, for free! Went to this secluded beach with a Japanese friend and played around for a couple of hours. There was a jet ski rental place there, and the owners chatted with us and let us ride for free, saying it'd be a good Golden Week memory. And it was, too.:)
So now I cram for my exams tomorrow. Rahr.
Monday, May 01, 2006
Partaaay
Had a ton of fun this weekend [thus not getting anything remotely related to academics done]. No pics to post [again?!] because I'm having them burned on CD, thanks to Matt. Yeah. Was also hoping to get the manga files I saved surreptitiously on one of the Center's PCs on CD, but all in all they were too large to fit my teensy flash drive.-_-
Friday - Toppu [Yosakoi Club] Welcome Party. These Japanese kids, they party hard. It was basically a free-flowing food and drinks [mostly alcoholic, but there was juice too], getting-to-know-each-other event. After that it was karaoke and more chatting. Got back at 3:30 am in the morning.0_o
Saturday - As if it wasn't enough that I stuffed myself senseless the day before, last Saturday I also went to a lunch buffet with other exchange/research students on Dejima. Unlike the other buffets I've been to in this country, this one had no time limit, so you could theoretically eat from 1130 am until around 3 pm. And I got to eat WHALE MEAT! I'm a terrible person. But it tasted like something between fish and chicken. After that we hung out at the Seaside Park and ooh-and-aahed over Sumit's new iPod nano. Of course there was purikura, and then we headed home.
Sunday - Went to our Tea Ceremony sensei's house, where we had thick green tea [terrible stuff that stains your teeth], lunch [sashimi, which I don't like and so secretly gave my neighbor], sweets [my favorite part of all this :P], and thin green tea. Then twas off to Dejima again for the Hanzen Matsuri, where we waited like 6 hours to watch the fireworks.
Counter-productivity can be great.<3
Friday - Toppu [Yosakoi Club] Welcome Party. These Japanese kids, they party hard. It was basically a free-flowing food and drinks [mostly alcoholic, but there was juice too], getting-to-know-each-other event. After that it was karaoke and more chatting. Got back at 3:30 am in the morning.0_o
Saturday - As if it wasn't enough that I stuffed myself senseless the day before, last Saturday I also went to a lunch buffet with other exchange/research students on Dejima. Unlike the other buffets I've been to in this country, this one had no time limit, so you could theoretically eat from 1130 am until around 3 pm. And I got to eat WHALE MEAT! I'm a terrible person. But it tasted like something between fish and chicken. After that we hung out at the Seaside Park and ooh-and-aahed over Sumit's new iPod nano. Of course there was purikura, and then we headed home.
Sunday - Went to our Tea Ceremony sensei's house, where we had thick green tea [terrible stuff that stains your teeth], lunch [sashimi, which I don't like and so secretly gave my neighbor], sweets [my favorite part of all this :P], and thin green tea. Then twas off to Dejima again for the Hanzen Matsuri, where we waited like 6 hours to watch the fireworks.
Counter-productivity can be great.<3
