Seriously, what's colder than a young Elisabeth Shue running around with a bunch of C-list kid actors in the dead of Chicago winter? I don't even want to know.
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Daaaaannng it was cold last night. It was so cold it made me want to watch Adventures in Babysitting, aka, the coldest-looking-movie-to-be-in ever.
Seriously, what's colder than a young Elisabeth Shue running around with a bunch of C-list kid actors in the dead of Chicago winter? I don't even want to know.
Seriously, what's colder than a young Elisabeth Shue running around with a bunch of C-list kid actors in the dead of Chicago winter? I don't even want to know.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
extra, extra
Today in the International Herald Tribune (big big English-language New York Times-collaborated internationally distributed newspaper long parenthetical explanation) there was an article about Fort Collins! My coworker alerted me and I was excited, until I found out a lot has changed since I left the Fort:
- apparently, "Renewal is a way of life" is our official motto, and
- they might start drilling for uranium? Jigga what?
Just kidding. The article was actually a little boring -- I didn't even get through it. And here's a blurry picture of it taken with my phone!
Monday, November 19, 2007
sumo media wrestler heavy
Today me and my friend Cristina watched sumo wrestling from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. NO SERIOUSLY.
We didn't really mean to be so extreme about it.
Everything we'd read and heard about one of the six Grand Sumo Tournaments held in Japan per year suggested we needed to be aggressive about procuring two of the hundred tickets set aside daily for non-pre-buyers. The tournament started at 8:30. We figured there'd be a line, even though it's Monday, and dang it, we wanted IN -- so I left my house at 6:10 to meet her in Tenjin at 6:45 just to be safe, since we didn't really know where the event center was.
Luckily, we got on a bus and found someone who appeared to be going to the same destination:
And so we followed, or at least tried to:
(I got scared because when we turned the corner there were a whole bunch of them just standing there, out of nowhere, and they're so...UNREAL, and I didn't want to be all gawky!)
They were all standing there because the doors weren't open yet. Yes -- we got there so early not even the competitors were being let in. So we walked to get some coffee but still wanted to get back about half an hour before show time because surely we'd have some competition in line by then. While out we got a good view of some fall foliage ooo:
When we got back we faced said competition:
It was rough. Especially since we weren't exactly sure when we were allowed in (and since, apparently, I'm only capable of doing things where there's a crowd to lead my way):
Anyway, we were let in and soon found there was no reentry, which meant that we were really REALLY in since all the major matches are in the evening and all the minor matches are at 8:30 in the morning when there's NOBODY there and since we were UP and all we just decided to make a big long day of it.
And I had a blast. It was fantastically entertaining, the entire ordeal -- small match, big match, small wrestler, big (and bigger! oh man, SO bigger) wrestler -- entirely great, and the change in the crowd and amount of pre-fight ritual (ask me about it someday) throughout the affair kept it interesting. Them boys is HUGE.
The ring.
Pre-match ring-entering ceremony.
And here's a whole face-up, rituals and all:
We watched so so so so so many, and it was all so super fun happy Japan timey.
We didn't really mean to be so extreme about it.
Everything we'd read and heard about one of the six Grand Sumo Tournaments held in Japan per year suggested we needed to be aggressive about procuring two of the hundred tickets set aside daily for non-pre-buyers. The tournament started at 8:30. We figured there'd be a line, even though it's Monday, and dang it, we wanted IN -- so I left my house at 6:10 to meet her in Tenjin at 6:45 just to be safe, since we didn't really know where the event center was.
Luckily, we got on a bus and found someone who appeared to be going to the same destination:
And so we followed, or at least tried to:
(I got scared because when we turned the corner there were a whole bunch of them just standing there, out of nowhere, and they're so...UNREAL, and I didn't want to be all gawky!)
They were all standing there because the doors weren't open yet. Yes -- we got there so early not even the competitors were being let in. So we walked to get some coffee but still wanted to get back about half an hour before show time because surely we'd have some competition in line by then. While out we got a good view of some fall foliage ooo:
When we got back we faced said competition:
It was rough. Especially since we weren't exactly sure when we were allowed in (and since, apparently, I'm only capable of doing things where there's a crowd to lead my way):
Anyway, we were let in and soon found there was no reentry, which meant that we were really REALLY in since all the major matches are in the evening and all the minor matches are at 8:30 in the morning when there's NOBODY there and since we were UP and all we just decided to make a big long day of it.
And I had a blast. It was fantastically entertaining, the entire ordeal -- small match, big match, small wrestler, big (and bigger! oh man, SO bigger) wrestler -- entirely great, and the change in the crowd and amount of pre-fight ritual (ask me about it someday) throughout the affair kept it interesting. Them boys is HUGE.
The ring.
Pre-match ring-entering ceremony.
And here's a whole face-up, rituals and all:
We watched so so so so so many, and it was all so super fun happy Japan timey.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
oh, you
It suddenly turned from comfortably brisk fall weather to chillingly cold winter weather today and my turtleneck, jeans, and thick socks weren't cutting it so I decided to call in the heater guns. Kapow!
My heater is remote-controlled and has, along with the other various controls of the japartment, a diagram of functions drawn by a former tenant to aid in usage on a sheet of paper. I unfolded the sheet for the temperature setting remote-control as it was still on air-conditioning, and what should I find behind said sheet but YOU!
I didn't know you were here! Man, you look great. Let me get a closer look at you!
I love what you've done with your face! Seems like you've been doing fine, nothing too exciting or three-dimensional going on.
Anyway, it was good running into you! I should get going, I might be going to a sumo match tomorrow. It was really good to see you. I'll unfold you if I need anything. See you later!
My heater is remote-controlled and has, along with the other various controls of the japartment, a diagram of functions drawn by a former tenant to aid in usage on a sheet of paper. I unfolded the sheet for the temperature setting remote-control as it was still on air-conditioning, and what should I find behind said sheet but YOU!
I didn't know you were here! Man, you look great. Let me get a closer look at you!
I love what you've done with your face! Seems like you've been doing fine, nothing too exciting or three-dimensional going on.
Anyway, it was good running into you! I should get going, I might be going to a sumo match tomorrow. It was really good to see you. I'll unfold you if I need anything. See you later!
Saturday, November 17, 2007
I live on the eighth floor and my japartment faces southeastish. Sometimes it's a bit windy because the sea is near, but not it's not usually what one would consider "gusty" or "really frickin' blowin' out there." I can't even tell if the wind is blowing from up here, except when there's this tiniest of breezes in a certain direction -- I don't know what that direction is, but I DO know that it hits SOME area in SOME part of my balcony that makes a sound that could only be imagined to be heard in an old Western with a single saloon and a tumbleweed passing by in the first shot. Upon looking outside, the leaves on the trees below are barely rustling, yet the shrill whistling whooshing highly implies otherwise. It sounds like a typhoon wind SHOULD sound like -- but it's not!
Mostly I just use it as an excuse to pretend it IS crazy windy and horrible out so I can stay in on the weekends. Mostly.
Mostly I just use it as an excuse to pretend it IS crazy windy and horrible out so I can stay in on the weekends. Mostly.
Friday, November 16, 2007
know what i love?
Crackers, of any variety, especially Wheat Thins and Saltines. And puppies! I love them, too. And random Japanese children dressed as old Japanese people!
Thursday, November 15, 2007
The people of my neighborhood have a staring problem.
Yes, I'm a foreigner (egads!) Yes, I'm tall (oh my!) Yes, I'm a female without a child in tow or on my way to the market (heaven help us!)
Some days it's fine. I'll be striding along (because the staring only happens when I'm running -- when I'm in a suit and clearly making a contribution to society I might as well be invisible as evidenced by my never never being able to get where I'm going without being blocked/cut off from/walked in front of at a sloth pace) and the jumpsuited construction workers will go about their business, the men and women walking to work won't bat an eye (but they will look kind of dead inside), the really elderly people just keep moving along (but they will look kind of dead outside).
Then there are times like this morning, though, where everyone -- bicyclers, pedestrians -- even the children and dogs -- will not only look alarmed at my presence, but will turn their heads after I've passed their line of sight to watch where I'm going. I wore sunglasses but was stared at in the eye so many times I'm surprised I didn't turn to stone and then carved into with the words "Beware, Gaijin!" (Gaijin means foreigner which apparently means devil person.)
I want to say something to them like "knock it off!" or "WHAT!?!?" or "a hex on you and yours, J-hag!" but I'm afraid it might kill them to hear me speak.
It makes me feel like I'm either doing something terribly wrong or have got a third leg growing out of my forehead, which, if the latter enabled me to run away faster, I suppose wouldn't be so bad. Wait, what I'm a saying!? See, this is what happens when the Japanese people forget their manners. Let it be a lesson.
Yes, I'm a foreigner (egads!) Yes, I'm tall (oh my!) Yes, I'm a female without a child in tow or on my way to the market (heaven help us!)
Some days it's fine. I'll be striding along (because the staring only happens when I'm running -- when I'm in a suit and clearly making a contribution to society I might as well be invisible as evidenced by my never never being able to get where I'm going without being blocked/cut off from/walked in front of at a sloth pace) and the jumpsuited construction workers will go about their business, the men and women walking to work won't bat an eye (but they will look kind of dead inside), the really elderly people just keep moving along (but they will look kind of dead outside).
Then there are times like this morning, though, where everyone -- bicyclers, pedestrians -- even the children and dogs -- will not only look alarmed at my presence, but will turn their heads after I've passed their line of sight to watch where I'm going. I wore sunglasses but was stared at in the eye so many times I'm surprised I didn't turn to stone and then carved into with the words "Beware, Gaijin!" (Gaijin means foreigner which apparently means devil person.)
I want to say something to them like "knock it off!" or "WHAT!?!?" or "a hex on you and yours, J-hag!" but I'm afraid it might kill them to hear me speak.
It makes me feel like I'm either doing something terribly wrong or have got a third leg growing out of my forehead, which, if the latter enabled me to run away faster, I suppose wouldn't be so bad. Wait, what I'm a saying!? See, this is what happens when the Japanese people forget their manners. Let it be a lesson.
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