I'm in Taiwan and I'm having a great time. I believe I've gained about 2 or 3 kilos so far, which would be, what, 5 or 6 pounds. YC and I have been eating like maniacs because that's what you do in Taiwan. You eat a giant, unbelievably good meal, and then you waddle around for a bit and talk about what you will eat next. And you just hope your stomach doesn't misbehave.
(Mine has only misbehaved once so far, FYI)
I'm keeping both a written and photo record of everything I'm eating. Maybe this sounds a bit obsessive, but if you've been living off of plain, white, beautiful but not so exciting Japanese food for a year and a half, and then you get the chance to eat whatever you want in Taiwan, you'd understand. It's like being in a food theme park, and the icing on the stewed pig intestines is that everything is cheap, which means that I (being, naturally, a cheapskate), enjoy it that much more.
Anyway, just wanted to say Hi. I hope everyone had a great Christmas. I spent mine in Taipei, walking around the city during the day and (literally) eating myself sick at a giant night market at night.
I was just summoned for a late night egg dish made by YC's Auntie. How can I resist?
Friday, December 28, 2007
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Saturday, December 22, 2007
ho ho ho... i'm exhausted
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
It's been an absurdly busy month. Between work and working on lots of my special little concoctions, I haven't had much free time to delve into the depths of Nonsense. But fear not, all of that will end tomorrow, when I will get on an airplane which will take me once again to the Kingdom of Crazy Things, China. Or, rather, Taiwan, but hey, it's close enough.
So yeah, my holiday will be spent in Taiwan, where I plan to get massively fat by eating steamed bread products and parts of animals that never even make it to American soil. We'll also be visiting YC's family and, um, well I have no idea what else, but definitely a lot of eating will occur.
I wish any and all who take the time to read this a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I sincerely hope that your 2008 will be filled with as much ridiculousity and nonsense as you can handle, and then just a wee bit more on top of that. I love you all, unless you are hideously ugly or have somehow wronged me in the past, perhaps by cutting me off in traffic or buying the last size 10 pair of pants on sale at the Gap, in which case I don't like you much, but I still hope your holiday is relatively mediocre.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
It's been an absurdly busy month. Between work and working on lots of my special little concoctions, I haven't had much free time to delve into the depths of Nonsense. But fear not, all of that will end tomorrow, when I will get on an airplane which will take me once again to the Kingdom of Crazy Things, China. Or, rather, Taiwan, but hey, it's close enough.
So yeah, my holiday will be spent in Taiwan, where I plan to get massively fat by eating steamed bread products and parts of animals that never even make it to American soil. We'll also be visiting YC's family and, um, well I have no idea what else, but definitely a lot of eating will occur.
I wish any and all who take the time to read this a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I sincerely hope that your 2008 will be filled with as much ridiculousity and nonsense as you can handle, and then just a wee bit more on top of that. I love you all, unless you are hideously ugly or have somehow wronged me in the past, perhaps by cutting me off in traffic or buying the last size 10 pair of pants on sale at the Gap, in which case I don't like you much, but I still hope your holiday is relatively mediocre.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
what the...
Spotted this today in the 100 yen shop...
Declinable foot care. No clue. And this is the COOL TYPE, no less.
Declinable foot care. No clue. And this is the COOL TYPE, no less.
Sunday, December 09, 2007
making things
I've been making lots of things lately. Some of them are secret things, so I'm not going to tell you about them, but some of them are not secret.
Everything in Japan is too expensive and after a while, it all looks the same. But it's been getting colder, and I have a slight preoccupation with the idea of always having many layers on hand to wrap myself up in should I feel a chill. Because I love cold weather, and I hate being cold. Know what I'm sayin?
So I've been knitting stuff for myself. Knitting, like cooking, has always sat on my shoulder and whispered in my ear that it's something I might want to learn to do in case I ever have children. Not that I exactly see myself knitting things for a child - or cooking things, for that matter. It's more like if there's some terrible natural or nuclear disaster, or if I end up destitute and in the bread line, I feel like I should at least have some basic knowledge about how to make something warm for me and my offspring.
Umm, anyway, with the help of that most glorious teacher The Internet, I made this hat.
And this scarf.
Well, that's all I had to say. Stay warm, wherever you are.
Everything in Japan is too expensive and after a while, it all looks the same. But it's been getting colder, and I have a slight preoccupation with the idea of always having many layers on hand to wrap myself up in should I feel a chill. Because I love cold weather, and I hate being cold. Know what I'm sayin?
So I've been knitting stuff for myself. Knitting, like cooking, has always sat on my shoulder and whispered in my ear that it's something I might want to learn to do in case I ever have children. Not that I exactly see myself knitting things for a child - or cooking things, for that matter. It's more like if there's some terrible natural or nuclear disaster, or if I end up destitute and in the bread line, I feel like I should at least have some basic knowledge about how to make something warm for me and my offspring.
Umm, anyway, with the help of that most glorious teacher The Internet, I made this hat.
And this scarf.
Well, that's all I had to say. Stay warm, wherever you are.
this is just weird
I was out in the countryside with friends a few weeks ago and I spotted this monstrosity.
It's a.... a... well, I guess you can answer about as well as I can. It's a giant gorilla Statue of Liberty; crown, torch, book, and all. Were I just a tit bit more pretentious than I actually am, I would propose that this is some artistic comment on America and our animalistic drive toward Capitalism.
However, seeing as how I think that sort of thing is a big load of hooey, and considering that I found this giant statue outside of a Pachinko parlor (Pachinko is like gambling but instead of using money you do things with small metal balls - yeah, I don't understand it either), I must conclude that the Gorilla of Liberty is simply yet another instance of tacky, tacky nonsense in Asia. Which definitely works for me, seeing as how I am a veritable gourmand of tacky, tacky nonsense.
i.e.
It's a.... a... well, I guess you can answer about as well as I can. It's a giant gorilla Statue of Liberty; crown, torch, book, and all. Were I just a tit bit more pretentious than I actually am, I would propose that this is some artistic comment on America and our animalistic drive toward Capitalism.
However, seeing as how I think that sort of thing is a big load of hooey, and considering that I found this giant statue outside of a Pachinko parlor (Pachinko is like gambling but instead of using money you do things with small metal balls - yeah, I don't understand it either), I must conclude that the Gorilla of Liberty is simply yet another instance of tacky, tacky nonsense in Asia. Which definitely works for me, seeing as how I am a veritable gourmand of tacky, tacky nonsense.
i.e.
Friday, December 07, 2007
ways to get warm
Winter in Kagoshima is nowhere near as long or cold as it is in Massachusetts. However, summer in Massachusetts is nowhere - perhaps this needs capital letters - NOWHERE - near as long or hot as it is in Kagoshima. Thus, it makes sense that buildings in Massachusetts are well-insulated and generally built for cold weather, and buildings in Kagoshima are not insulated at all, seeing as how they are built for [excruciating, unbearable, incomprehensibly, horrendously] hot weather.
It makes sense, but it's a real drag. Winter in Kagoshima may not be as cold as it is at home, but it definitely feels as cold. Walls are thin and glass sliding doors are rampant. Any kind of central heating system - actually, on second thought, any kind of heating system at all - is completely non-existent. People generally rely on small electric space heaters to keep them warm, but the truth is, small electric space heaters are incapable of keeping a human being warm.
The best way I've found to keep warm in Japan's winter is with my kotatsu. What's a kotatsu, you ask? It's this awesome table wearing a skirt.
There's an electric heater hidden under the table top, and the skirt keeps the heat inside. You sit around the kotatsu and put your legs under it and it keeps you delightfully warm. It also makes you sleepy and, for me anyway, makes my throat sore. Nevertheless, if you don't have a fireplace on hand, it's definitely the best place to curl up and read a book, drink some coffee, work things out.
The other way I've been keeping myself warm is with this new thing YC bought for the Wii (the Wii is Nintendo's latest and greatest video game system, in case you are my Grandma or live on the moon and haven't heard of it yet). The thing (I don't know what you call this kind of thing - game accessory, maybe?) is a white plastic board called a "Balance Board." It comes with a fitness game called Wii Fit. You stand on the board and do lots of amusing, silly things like head-butt soccer balls, catch fish on an ice see-saw while dressed in a penguin suit, ski jump, etc. The board registers all the tiny movements your feet make, and your on-screen likeness mimics them. You can also do yoga and muscle training; it's not a workout, necessarily, but it's fun, and I'll spare you all the rest of my geeky analysis on this subject.
Instead, if you are so inclined, you can watch some videos of me demonstrating Wii Fit for the masses. YC has posted some gameplay videos on YouTube, and I, with my bottomless grace and fierce strength, was naturally selected as the fitness model. You can see what I mean below, as I demonstrate a stellar ski jump.
Or how about some soccer head-butting?
Now, didn't that just brighten your day? If you really need to see some more of this ridiculousness, go here. I promise you, if the flying panda heads weren't enough to make you smile, the video of me attempting step aerobics in my living room will surely do the trick.
Stay warm, and have a good day.
It makes sense, but it's a real drag. Winter in Kagoshima may not be as cold as it is at home, but it definitely feels as cold. Walls are thin and glass sliding doors are rampant. Any kind of central heating system - actually, on second thought, any kind of heating system at all - is completely non-existent. People generally rely on small electric space heaters to keep them warm, but the truth is, small electric space heaters are incapable of keeping a human being warm.
The best way I've found to keep warm in Japan's winter is with my kotatsu. What's a kotatsu, you ask? It's this awesome table wearing a skirt.
There's an electric heater hidden under the table top, and the skirt keeps the heat inside. You sit around the kotatsu and put your legs under it and it keeps you delightfully warm. It also makes you sleepy and, for me anyway, makes my throat sore. Nevertheless, if you don't have a fireplace on hand, it's definitely the best place to curl up and read a book, drink some coffee, work things out.
The other way I've been keeping myself warm is with this new thing YC bought for the Wii (the Wii is Nintendo's latest and greatest video game system, in case you are my Grandma or live on the moon and haven't heard of it yet). The thing (I don't know what you call this kind of thing - game accessory, maybe?) is a white plastic board called a "Balance Board." It comes with a fitness game called Wii Fit. You stand on the board and do lots of amusing, silly things like head-butt soccer balls, catch fish on an ice see-saw while dressed in a penguin suit, ski jump, etc. The board registers all the tiny movements your feet make, and your on-screen likeness mimics them. You can also do yoga and muscle training; it's not a workout, necessarily, but it's fun, and I'll spare you all the rest of my geeky analysis on this subject.
Instead, if you are so inclined, you can watch some videos of me demonstrating Wii Fit for the masses. YC has posted some gameplay videos on YouTube, and I, with my bottomless grace and fierce strength, was naturally selected as the fitness model. You can see what I mean below, as I demonstrate a stellar ski jump.
Or how about some soccer head-butting?
Now, didn't that just brighten your day? If you really need to see some more of this ridiculousness, go here. I promise you, if the flying panda heads weren't enough to make you smile, the video of me attempting step aerobics in my living room will surely do the trick.
Stay warm, and have a good day.
Monday, December 03, 2007
nonsense update
So, YC reports that the capsule hotel was pretty nice. The inside of the pod was really high-tech, with just enough room to sit in a semi-crouched position. He described the building as "a giant, nice frat house." It cost 3800 yen, somewhere around $35, and his little pod came with a free breakfast and a nice bathing room. You leave your shoes at the entrance and it's sandals, socks, or bare feet from there on in. There are some game rooms, some lounges, a restaurant, and a few massage parlors.
Unfortunately, it's men only. So, my interest has waned and I feel a little gypped. Though, honestly, I can't imagine many Japanese women I know sleeping in that little pod. I have several reasons why I can't imagine Japanese women doing this, but I have a feeling they'd come out sounding mean and cynical, so instead, I'm going to show you a picture of a very cute baby.
Ahhhh, see, isn't that better than making rude, condescending comments? And, just for good measure, let me throw in a photo of me with aforementioned cute baby.
She is Japanese, I am American, and yet somehow I think we both look very British.
Unfortunately, it's men only. So, my interest has waned and I feel a little gypped. Though, honestly, I can't imagine many Japanese women I know sleeping in that little pod. I have several reasons why I can't imagine Japanese women doing this, but I have a feeling they'd come out sounding mean and cynical, so instead, I'm going to show you a picture of a very cute baby.
Ahhhh, see, isn't that better than making rude, condescending comments? And, just for good measure, let me throw in a photo of me with aforementioned cute baby.
She is Japanese, I am American, and yet somehow I think we both look very British.
Sunday, December 02, 2007
i think this is cool
YC is taking a Japanese test in Fukuoka (a big Japanese city) today, so last night he took the bus there and slept in this.
I am so jealous. It looks like a long, weird womb. It's a capsule hotel. Since I have yet to actually experience one myself, my only knowledge of this kind of place is from when Kramer slept in the drawer on Seinfeld. Ha, remember that?
From the photo, it looks cozy but it also looks like it'd be terrifying to actually sleep in. Just last week I caught a bit of a B-horror movie where this kid gets cooked to death in a tanning bed, and when the girl comes to check on him his body has been reduced to this disgusting shriveled black mass, like the way it looks when I make popcorn, because I always burn the popcorn.
Well, anyway, now I've forgotten what I was writing about and I want to go eat some popcorn. If I get any nonsense details out of YC about what it was like to sleep in a uterus, I'll let you know.
I am so jealous. It looks like a long, weird womb. It's a capsule hotel. Since I have yet to actually experience one myself, my only knowledge of this kind of place is from when Kramer slept in the drawer on Seinfeld. Ha, remember that?
From the photo, it looks cozy but it also looks like it'd be terrifying to actually sleep in. Just last week I caught a bit of a B-horror movie where this kid gets cooked to death in a tanning bed, and when the girl comes to check on him his body has been reduced to this disgusting shriveled black mass, like the way it looks when I make popcorn, because I always burn the popcorn.
Well, anyway, now I've forgotten what I was writing about and I want to go eat some popcorn. If I get any nonsense details out of YC about what it was like to sleep in a uterus, I'll let you know.
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