tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-169635682012-02-17T11:08:46.534+09:00.. in Japan.Jnoreply@blogger.comBlogger1881100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-34261803486385760342007-08-07T13:17:00.000+09:002007-08-08T23:01:10.888+09:00

I finally got my webspace up and running so, head on over and bookmark my new website. As of today, this blog will no longer be updated.

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-58163082934939446352007-08-06T02:04:00.001+09:002007-08-06T02:09:54.893+09:00

I made it back to Canada with everything intact. I don't have time to do a full update atm but I bought a real web domain so, please update your bookmark and check out my new blog page. I'm still waiting for the domain to propagate but it should be up and running by next week (provided I can figure out how to use wordpress).I hope to see everybody there! Thanks for reading.

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-37674983987995668132007-07-16T19:24:00.000+09:002007-07-17T07:47:53.636+09:00

I didn't summit Mt. Fuji.We tried, and made it to the 7th Station, but the typhoon made it nearly impossible to go any further. At 11:30 pm, I swallowed my pride and admitted defeat. After months of planning and hours of research, it was tough for me to descend without reaching the top. Frankly, I felt lousy. However, I really (re)learned something valuable: And I quote, "Life is a journey,

Jnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-38378179876023584012007-07-11T23:50:00.000+09:002007-07-12T00:09:35.866+09:00

I will cancel my Internet tomorrow. This probably means no more IM-chat, evening blog posts, etc. I'll have access to the Internet at school until the 20th so, if you want to get a hold of me please, EMAIL ME. I'll probably try to write one more blog post then (obviously). As I mentioned before, I don't know if I'll maintain this blog after I go back to Canada. Hopefully something

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-51594229243399049252007-07-09T17:28:00.000+09:002007-07-10T16:46:20.901+09:00

Time is fleeting. I'll probably cancel my Internet sometime this week so, I'm not sure how much longer I will blog. I'll be able to check my email at school but as for regular posts, it doesn't look like I'll be able to continue much longer. Things have been good -- if not unbelievably busy. Anyway, no complaints -- in 14 days, this will come to an end. It's been one heck of a ride.

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-89223761515721599082007-07-06T17:00:00.000+09:002007-07-07T02:18:19.564+09:00

ダレが俺の傘をぬすんでいった？！Everybody in Japan has an umbrella. 5 of them are mine. Japan is definitely one of the safest countries in the world. People carry wads of cash to pay for things; you can walk around at night completely safe in the knowledge that 99.8% of the time nobody will get in your face; people leave their bags, wallets, laptops in restaurants without even considering that it might get

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-65296066603979028232007-07-02T23:36:00.000+09:002007-07-02T23:46:53.193+09:00

Actually, not really. I think I've been so busy recently that it has kind of slipped my mind that I'll be leaving Japan in exactly 3 weeks. I'm right now focused on something bigger so, there won't be any countdowns on this blog -- not yet anyways. In other news, I finally got a leg-up on the packing/cleaning today. Although I still have quite a bit of rubbish to sort out, the place is

Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-76747583782863048382007-06-28T23:30:00.000+09:002007-06-28T23:33:45.231+09:00

It looks like Mt. Fuji is still covered in snow despite the beginning of the "official" climbing season starting this Sunday. Volunteers have been trying to clear the snow to make way for the climbers that traditionally ascend the mountain on the first day. I'm hoping things will warm up substantially in the coming weeks. :\

Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-88037264174280828772007-06-27T21:33:00.000+09:002007-06-27T22:04:50.173+09:00

On the weekend I went on another photo trip with a few friends. Jon decided we should check out Mojiko so, on a somewhat cloudy Saturday morning, we drove up and spent the day photographing. We were a little anxious heading up to Mojiko because it looked like it was going to rain (indeed, it had actually started to rain when we left Hakata) but by the early afternoon, the sky had cleared and we

Jnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-5514846882149192052007-06-24T17:55:00.000+09:002007-06-24T18:02:30.945+09:00

I had a -real- post planned but I caught some sort of bug again. *cough*

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-68330933444289128252007-06-22T15:54:00.001+09:002007-06-22T16:33:55.574+09:00

I haven't done one of these in awhile so, I thought I'd better try to fit one in for this month.It looks like the US Congress is about to pass a resolution demanding Japan apologize, unequivocally, for the use of sex-slaves or "comfort women" during World War II. The resolution is set to pass with support from both parties. You can read the article HERE.Suppose the resolution does pass? Since

Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-78982150208926179032007-06-21T16:52:00.000+09:002007-06-21T17:02:32.593+09:00

Whew. I can't believe how often Japanese people party. I can't keep up with the Sayonara-enkai's (goodbye parties) and general enkai's around this time of year anymore. I've already had to decline a couple of enkai's as well because they overlapped. Mind you, this isn't a complaint -- merely an observation. In fact, I'll be going to another enkai tonight. Huzzah!

Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-46302862357081347692007-06-18T20:02:00.000+09:002007-06-18T20:25:57.993+09:00

Ever wonder what happens when you post something on the Internet? It comes back to haunt you. Not that it's actually happened to me (yet) but I was just talking to my friend about a possible future scenario: Company Representative: "Well, your resume looks good. You have the qualifications but, we Googled your name and found some comments that you made when you were 15 years old. You appear to

Jnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-6424815122511740562007-06-17T22:29:00.000+09:002007-06-17T22:35:35.432+09:00

Perhaps I spoke too soon. As I mentioned a couple of days earlier, I had posted a few boxes to send home. I thought everything was swell until a post office worker came by today to ask me for a -detailed- and -specific- list of things I had labeled in my two boxes "Clothes" and "Personal Effects". Of course I didn't remember everything exactly but I did as requested to the best of my memory.

Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-84999366241421876192007-06-16T16:23:00.000+09:002007-06-16T16:38:04.141+09:00

One of the things I'll miss about working in the Japanese countryside is its beauty. On some days, it's just stunning. While I mentioned that I'm definitely a city-slicker (who uses that word anymore? Right, I do.), it's nice to see the "other-side" occasionally. Unfortunately, a lot of people have the misconception that Japan is just one giant, urban country made entirely of lasers and

Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-68173593927192112582007-06-12T22:09:00.000+09:002007-06-12T22:27:34.667+09:00

My 2 years "teaching" English in Japan is rapidly coming to an end. I went to my first "Sayonara Party" last weekend which was quite sad. I'll definitely miss Japanese beer. I wish I could say I've imparted some basic knowledge of English while here -- but alas, I suppose, given the overwhelming evidence (see exhibit A), I have failed miserably. My apologies. As the Japanese say, "It can't

Jnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-85903044554721689282007-06-10T22:16:00.000+09:002007-06-10T22:18:51.979+09:00

These things don't stop! Over and over, and around, around they go. When will it end? Nobody knows!

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-43330803045145871082007-06-08T19:06:00.000+09:002007-06-08T19:59:40.352+09:00

A pachinko parlor is -the- eyesore of the Japanese architectural landscape. Not only do they look like cheap houses of "entertainment", the vapid souls it lures in with its flashing lights and noisy sirens is itself a study in stupidity if nothing else. Naturally, I was intrigued. I "smooth talked" my Japanese language teacher to skip class with me and teach me the basics of pachinko. Armed

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-7245858355959567742007-06-05T22:17:00.000+09:002007-06-05T22:26:48.160+09:00

And the tickets are booked! In about a month I'll be ascending Mt. Fuji -- the tallest mountain in Japan -- in what will probably be my last trip in this land of the rising sun. Will I be able to scale the mountain successfully? Or will I be thwarted by Mother Nature and/or old age? Stay tuned for this blog just got a whole lot more interesting...

Jnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-61668239561176009662007-06-04T22:43:00.000+09:002007-06-04T22:53:04.432+09:00

I was going to write a blog update but Japanese TV really sucks you in so, here's a photo update instead!

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-78903143247844111492007-05-31T21:52:00.000+09:002007-05-31T22:29:58.121+09:00

I've been really trying to take advantage of the lovely weather these past few weeks. Although occasionally a little too humid for my taste, most days are sunny with the temperature hovering around 22 degrees Celsius. I've also been on quite a number of "photography trips" with my office-mate Jon. I thought last year's name situation in the office with four people whose name started with "J"

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-53483141499262500642007-05-30T17:08:00.000+09:002007-05-30T17:09:45.164+09:00

Just a photo update this time. Time for Japanese class!

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-17953916821800219182007-05-29T20:16:00.000+09:002007-05-29T20:29:50.215+09:00

I wish I could say that I'm cherishing every moment I have left in Japan. I've started packing recently and the closer I get to the end, while not exactly "thrilled" to be leaving, I don't feel all that unhappy to "move on". Don't get me wrong: I'm not trying to sound ungrateful for this amazing opportunity; nothing is the same anymore, that's for sure. But I guess the more I look toward the

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-76514409341574272012007-05-28T19:45:00.000+09:002007-05-28T21:49:46.202+09:00

I've been deceived. My impression of Japan has always been a country that reveres silence. Nothing would make me more happy than a quiet work environment. I guess I never really noticed it before but the Japanese teachers staffroom is noisy. And I don't mean just the general background noise of people working, I'm talking about shouting matches, people hollering across the room, teachers

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-60181141563979894612007-05-27T20:27:00.000+09:002007-05-27T20:35:54.314+09:00

It was a busy weekend; Heck, it's been a busy week. But no complaints -- it's nearing the end so, I'm just trying to take everything in stride. I'll have plenty of time to contemplate the "meaning of life" and other absurd mental pursuits in due time. But for now, enjoy the video!

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-80098162132238005882007-05-25T21:06:00.000+09:002007-05-25T21:11:55.868+09:00

I finally had to turn on my air-conditioner today. The rainy season is upon us and that means flash thunderstorms, the humidity index reaching 80% (just today!) or more, and the return of the giant spiders (sorry, no photograph this time). Where has spring gone?

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-21566801297401194382007-05-24T22:32:00.001+09:002007-05-24T23:45:24.261+09:00

It's been another busy couple of days. We had the annual JHS Sports Festival on Sunday. I probably circled the track at least 20 times and took approximately 800 photographs. Aside from my concept shots, I'll be giving all the photographs to my school to use for posters, slide shows, etc. Sports photography is -difficult- and I had trouble figuring out which controls to use on my camera.

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-45117744398958146172007-05-22T11:30:00.000+09:002007-05-22T11:36:01.889+09:00

In case you haven't heard, Blizzard officially announced the development and highly-anticipated release of StarCraft 2. Of course I won't be able to play it as intensely as I did when I was in high school (ahh~ the good ol' days..), but it sure does bring back a lot of memories. Anybody up for the original? Haha~

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-89791986047899359432007-05-20T19:25:00.000+09:002007-05-20T23:29:51.116+09:00

One thing that has changed since I've become more addicted to photography (let's face it fellas, photography is a drug!) is that I'm starting to notice things a lot more. Be it the colour of the sky, the reflection in a puddle, or the neon-lights of a city ready to party. Things that I never thought were particularly interesting become a challenge: How can I make this mundane subject more

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-29905310413034346712007-05-18T19:41:00.000+09:002007-09-08T15:12:26.514+09:00

I just read a very interesting article in The New York Times about China's problem ensuring its food and drug exports are safe for human and/or animal consumption. You can read it HERE . The reason why I thought this was interesting is because I thought this was fairly old news. When I went back to Canada for Christmas, nobody in my family was buying "Made in China" products because of some

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-59513278428482412242007-05-17T22:40:00.000+09:002007-05-17T22:55:46.915+09:00

A very kind teacher helped me collect some boxes from school and then brought them to my jutaku after work. ありがとう。I can, and probably should, start packing. I thought I had a lot more stuff to box up, but looking around my place now, I'm starting to think otherwise. That's a good thing, though. Less rubbish to send home means less money I have to spend on postage. However, the problem is,

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-9119657997033956342007-05-15T21:21:00.000+09:002007-05-15T21:36:33.941+09:00

It's funny, you know, how a single moment can change everything. It doesn't take much to sway the fickle. Sometimes no matter how certain you are about something, it can turn out to be exactly the opposite of what you thought. Conviction -- or the unsubstantiated opinions of the hopeful -- isn't always enough to change the systemic limitations imposed on the individual by particular

Jnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-70725248954188012792007-05-14T15:38:00.000+09:002007-05-14T23:12:14.978+09:00

I spent my last day in Seoul with no real plan. I was pretty exhausted from all the sightseeing and wanted to just take it easy on my last day in Seoul. I flipped through the Lonely Planet: Seoul lying on my friend's desk in the morning and decided to check out some of the local museums. My first stop: The National Museum of Korea. Recently constructed, this museum was huge and housed not

Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-71480927728790885612007-05-13T20:03:00.000+09:002007-05-13T21:36:38.957+09:00

This was by far the most interesting part of the trip. IMHO, a trip to South Korea is incomplete without checking out one of the world's most heavily fortified borders. The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is the military demarcation line that runs along the 38th parallel and separates North and South Korea. Running along the DMZ is the Joint Security Area (JSA) which is the only part of the border

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-67689109110227200022007-05-11T18:56:00.000+09:002007-05-11T20:51:25.652+09:00

I was -forced- to wake up rather early today because my friend insisted we check out one of Shannon's English conversation class. Normally I wouldn't have a problem observing a class except that the class was at 8 o'clock in the morning and, in case it wasn't obvious, I was on vacation. To be fair, it worked out well in the end because we had some stuff planned in the morning that took us

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-58519805636100990522007-05-07T20:43:00.000+09:002007-05-07T21:51:31.028+09:00

We woke up fairly early again to catch our hour-long train-ride to the UNESCO World Heritage city of Suwon. If we had known that there would be so much to see and do in Suwon, we probably would've tried to wake up even -earlier-. But, we settled on spending the rest of the morning and afternoon at the Korean Folk Village and the Folk Museum (did I already mention that I'm a museum geek?).The

Jnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-2165151677007091352007-05-06T19:17:00.000+09:002007-05-06T21:48:47.245+09:00

We decided to wake up early on Saturday so we could pay for our USO-sponsored DMZ tour (more on that later). My predecessor, who I finally got to meet after almost 2 years of strictly email communique, kindly took us in the morning and showed us around the city a little bit; afterwards, we grabbed lunch in one of the restaurants near Insadong Market. Insadong Market is a good area to get Korean

Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-75751421809592235732007-05-04T18:54:00.000+09:002007-05-07T21:51:54.246+09:00

We landed in South Korea in the evening and grabbed the highway bus from Incheon International Airport to Seoul. The bus ride was originally supposed to take about an hour but ended up being more than two because of the weekend traffic. My friend Shannon, who worked in the same office last year but is currently working in Korea, picked us up from the bus stop and we proceeded to walk back to

Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-23308419208344043622007-05-04T12:42:00.000+09:002007-05-04T13:43:56.040+09:00

Japan? Check.China? Check.South Korea? CHECK. One of my major goals before coming to Japan was to try to visit every country in East Asia. Granted, there are only three (well, 4 if one counts North Korea) but it was a challenge to find time (and resources) to visit South Korea even though it is so close. Well, it took some convincing on the part of my colleagues but I decided this Golden Week

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-57358833657967222142007-04-24T21:49:00.000+09:002007-04-24T23:06:18.654+09:00

My intention was to recap what I did this past week but decided against it because that would take too long so, I'll just do a quick rundown:1) Spent a lot of time in the office reading.2) Met my new supervisor, teachers, staff members, students, schools, etc.3) Went to far too many enkai4) Spent a whole week at school with no classes to teach and, for the most part, alone in the teacher's room5)

Jnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-22696495309900547362007-04-23T23:28:00.000+09:002007-04-24T21:49:01.009+09:00

I want to say I've been busy with work so, that's why I haven't blogged much -- but that wouldn't be completely true. I've been busy -- it just hasn't always been of the working variety. As for my pictures, I actually have quite a few to post but I'm having trouble getting them to display properly via Flickr. I shot most of them in RAW and after converting them into JPG in iPhoto, there seems

Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-19147404205309703742007-04-17T22:42:00.000+09:002007-04-17T22:51:37.738+09:00

We truly live in an age where information travels at the speed of light. No sooner had the incidents begun, web pages, blogs, a wikipedia entry and, in one case, a live video of what was going on at the scene, appeared on the Internet for everybody to see. Live updates were being made continuously by those around and inside the premises. Astonishing.

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-45770749568626554242007-04-11T22:13:00.000+09:002007-04-11T22:33:10.431+09:00

I had the dubious distinction yesterday and today trying to explain to a couple of Japanese teachers why Canada sanctions the slaughter of 250,000+ seals a year. Personally, I couldn't. I could only apologize and bow multiple times (you know, in that general way) and try to explain to them that I don't know much about the hunt (which I don't). That being said, I wasn't defending the hunt (hey,

Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-71289752460539573102007-04-08T21:00:00.000+09:002007-04-08T21:27:32.170+09:00

The view from below.I wanted to post this last week but age got the best of me and it slipped my mind. Ever wonder what goes on during a very formal Japanese ceremony? Lots of bowing. I say this because recently we had the annual Fukuoka Board of Education bowing ceremony. This is a time where we welcome all the new people to the office and strive to "try our best"! Oddly enough, us senior

Jnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-70776776939001635742007-04-07T20:00:00.000+09:002007-04-07T20:22:43.761+09:00

Last year, some government Boards of Education decided not to teach history to students because they deemed it "unnecessary"; now, when they do decide to teach it, they get it all wrong. Okay, obviously I'm exaggerating but stuff like this boggles me. You can read the full article HERE. As a side-note, why on earth is the government responsible for screening textbooks in the first place?

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-33222613332175395662007-04-06T20:38:00.000+09:002007-04-06T21:34:39.433+09:00

The Train Home.Well, it looks like the cat's out of the bag. After a year-and-a-half of general anonymity, today most of my teachers now know I keep a personal blog; I can't help but ponder the implications of their discovery. Row of Sakura Trees.To be honest, I don't really mind. It probably won't change what I write or what I post -- at least not in English. I will probably have to write a

Jnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-11149395460459306822007-04-05T20:30:00.000+09:002007-04-05T22:01:21.507+09:00

Who have you inspired today? You know, it's a difficult thing to inspire others. Politicians often try to inspire others with their words, but once you cut through the rhetoric, they tend to behave in a way that often induces cynicism. Here's looking at you.I think the way in which people succeed in inspiring others is when they do something with -passion-. It's no coincidence that the most

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-25404236331676610272007-04-04T23:15:00.000+09:002007-04-04T23:22:36.907+09:00

I'm too tired to do a full update so, here are some photos of the sakura blossoms this year. Spring is definitely the most beautiful season in Japan (albeit a little cold and wet this year).Sakura and train in B&W.Sakura grows on trees -- unlike money. Another B&W Sakura shot.

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-37792184099438620672007-04-01T11:32:00.000+09:002007-04-01T11:37:11.399+09:00

Well, it looks like I'll be leaving Japan sooner than I thought. Due to a change in policy, I decided to leave Japan a few months earlier than expected. It's been a great experience. This blog will probably be on temporary hiatus until I figure out "What's Next," until then, thanks for reading and take care.Sayonara.

Jnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-81814546134849779022007-03-28T22:48:00.000+09:002007-03-28T22:55:43.321+09:00

How times have changed. I just found out from a friend that an English Teacher from the UK has been murdered in Japan in what is probably (as far as I know) the first such homicide of its kind. You can read the full article HERE. My only comment: Be careful.

Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-44312461842358687372007-03-27T22:17:00.000+09:002007-03-27T22:44:12.522+09:00

write haiku,inevitable,japan time.skill of rhyme,lacking in my blog,leads to crime.bow bow bow,apologies said,bow bow bow.painful post,almost to the end,follow rules?take care now,thanks for endurance,never, end.

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-22611873989426707152007-03-25T22:41:00.000+09:002007-03-25T23:48:25.593+09:00

Errhmm. Even writing about marriage makes me sweat! I guess that's the only pitfall to attending a wedding and being the only unmarried person there; it did make for some interesting conversation though. I mean, I got plenty of [unwanted] advice on how to propose, what kind of food should be served, the music, etc. And everybody unanimously agreed that I should have a Japanese-style wedding.

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-13316055153114446682007-03-22T21:58:00.000+09:002007-03-22T22:41:50.298+09:00

Today was the annual "Office Burning" ceremony. Every year around the end of the Japanese fiscal/academic season, our office gathers papers, notes and other rubbish acquired during the past few years and sets them ablaze in an office bonfire. Bizarre? Indeed. We were requested to assist in the transportation of the "kindling" (i.e., old lesson plans, books, folders, forms and other useless

Jnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-24589865916816549222007-03-19T21:06:00.000+09:002007-03-19T21:24:39.623+09:00

I had to return my telephoto lens because Nikon recently announced a newer, and significantly better, telephoto model. Added to that, the price of the new telephoto lens isn't much more expensive than the one I just purchased. There won't be any sniper-shots for awhile I'm afraid. This is the Fukuoka City Museum. I was trying to replicate a photograph of the museum I saw on the subway the

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-55028066992880495642007-03-17T22:16:00.000+09:002007-03-17T22:49:56.577+09:00

昨日、学校の卒業式に行った。ちょっと悲しい出来事でしたが、卒業生には、本当に嬉しかった、ね！とにかく、今から生活を楽しんで下さい。誰一人も未来を知らないよ。だから、自分の道をジブンに決めろ！いつも頑張って、な！今年も、ありがとうございました。皆、さよなら。ファイトーオ！じゃ、な。

Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-40577198946700219822007-03-15T22:47:00.000+09:002007-03-15T22:55:14.856+09:00

I'm not quite sure where this student learns English -- but it certainly isn't in my class! lol. Tomorrow is the 3rd-graders graduation ceremony. I can almost remember my own JHS graduation. I remember there being tears, cheesy slide-shows, singing, long speeches and other stuff. Like I said, I can -almost- remember it; my memory is starting to fade in my old age.. :)

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-90902656164392876032007-03-12T20:23:00.000+09:002007-03-12T21:22:25.647+09:00

Maybe it was a good idea to leave Japan this year after all. Or maybe it's because I -know- I'm leaving in a few months and therefore, I'm unwilling to tolerate some of the more unusual quirks that one experiences while living and working in Japan. Regardless, I'll miss this place. On Friday is the graduation ceremony for the third-graders at my JHS. It's gonna be sad to see some of them go.

Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-67160681643512998432007-03-10T19:14:00.000+09:002007-03-11T01:14:23.150+09:00

This is Yasukuni Shrine. It didn't feel menacing or frightful; in fact, it pretty much felt like any other shrine I've visited in Japan. There were no black vans blaring right-wing military propaganda; nor were there noisy pro/anti-Yasukuni demonstrations. Perhaps the only difference between this shrine and the others was that there was a police guard at the front -- you can just make him out

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-56521783441750702332007-03-08T23:15:00.000+09:002007-03-09T00:14:21.990+09:00

One of the last places anybody would want to go to to get -away- from a hectic, urban lifestyle would be Tokyo. That's partially the reason why I chose not to visit some of the more famous locations one normally associates with Tokyo (no Shibuya or Shinjuku this time; sorry folks). Instead, I decided to check out some places I didn't get a chance to visit yet. First stop was Kairakuen Garden

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-58665704980857046312007-03-06T23:15:00.000+09:002007-03-06T23:29:26.833+09:00

.. to update my blog right now. It's been a very long-weekend and I'm looking forward to Thursday when I can come home at a decent hour and just do absolutely nothing (I may be doing a whole lot of nothing in a few months though.. :) Stay tuned for some pictures of Tokyo (I managed to grab -one- shot while in Tokyo that I think is half-decent -- I consider that a success!), the ume festival in

Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-58410744414395777252007-03-01T21:53:00.000+09:002007-03-01T22:10:15.925+09:00

Fukuoka Softbank Hawks: 2, Tokyo (?) Sebiu Lions: 0. I don't have a whole lot to say about the game (I don't have a whole lot to say about anything to be honest). It was okay. Not as good as the first-time around but a free game is still a free game. Also, I didn't get my telephoto lens as planned; they were sold out when I went this week so, I had to make due with my regular lens The last

Jnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-17922035647909608412007-02-25T21:02:00.000+09:002007-02-25T21:16:35.807+09:00

I didn't get a chance to take any pictures this weekend. The weather was nice but I didn't go or do anything worth photographing. I'll be heading to Tokyo (again) next weekend for some work-related stuff so, hopefully I'll be able to grab some interesting shots then. I don't have much planned in the way of sight-seeing except a short trip to Kairakuen Garden in Ibaraki Prefecture. It is

Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-42385351727460154142007-02-23T22:20:00.000+09:002007-02-25T00:09:42.221+09:00

皆、こんにちは。今から、このブログによくより日本語で書くつもりです。出来るかな。。？　多分ちょっと可笑しく日本語を書けて、意味を分ければ、大丈夫でしょう？今、決めることをたくさん考えています。ちょっと心配する〜　例えば、試験を落ったらば。。どうする？　実は、次善策にまだ予定しないよ。もちろん、僕の生活設計にちゃんと考えた、けど時々自分の予定ことを出来ない。カナダに帰る？　オレも、まだ信じられないよ〜　さぁぁぁ。。

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-68330545474290922562007-02-22T20:38:00.000+09:002007-02-22T22:01:08.874+09:00

I'll be getting THIS telephoto lens soon to round out my camera for the time-being. It is not a top-of-the-line model lens -- nor is it terribly expensive -- but it will more than suffice for my photographic purposes. Expect to see sniper-shots of things more interesting than this dull bird. I was at one of my "inaka" schools this week and these wretched roosters kept interrupting my

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-84650677804530582007-02-18T15:13:00.000+09:002007-02-18T15:25:55.272+09:00

Happy Chinese New Year! Arguably the most important day on the Chinese calender, this year welcomes the year of the BOAR and all the astrological superstitions that come with it. However, I'm betting this year will be better than the last! Anyways, I hope everybody has a great New Years -- wherever you might be. 新年快樂! 恭喜發財!

Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-4780867131150492452007-02-15T19:38:00.000+09:002007-02-15T20:08:22.665+09:00

It's been a little slow at school because the students are busily studying for exams. Not wanting to just sit in the teacher's room and study all day, I grabbed my camera and walked around the school taking photos. There are a lot of flower shots in this update because, well, they caught my eye. Can you spot the bee?There are a lot of different flowers around my school -- unfortunately, I

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-21668642904414171722007-02-13T19:14:00.000+09:002007-02-13T03:03:28.126+09:00

Yesterday turned out to be a great day to go outside, grab some fresh-air, and to just, you know, relax. Despite the dire prediction -- forecasted by my eternally-optimistic friend James -- of more cold weather to come, I can safely say, "It ain't so!" The photograph featured above is an example of a very typical Japanese-style park, i.e., lots of cement. I haven't roller-bladed in almost 10

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-81345664818807278372007-02-12T21:54:00.000+09:002007-02-12T23:08:41.399+09:00

And now, for a real post. My time in Japan will be coming to an end. I've decided not to re-contract for another year which means at the end of July, I'll be heading back to Canada. It took a lot of time and thought to reach this decision, and I -still- have doubts, but I think it's for the best. I could go into many reasons why I made this decision but I guess the one that stands out is that

Jnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-55961324438636365392007-02-11T22:04:00.000+09:002007-02-11T23:16:37.432+09:00

Thank goodness for weekends. In most Western countries, and I believe every other country on the planet -- except Japan (of course) -- regard the weekend as a time to relax and for personal recreation. This weekend is a long-weekend in Japan but, as I asked the teachers at one of my schools what they would be doing this weekend, most of them replied (roughly translated), ".. umm, probably work.

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-22905356880270538532007-02-08T19:03:00.000+09:002007-02-07T08:24:00.865+09:00

FAILED! That's right, I failed the level-3 Japanese Language Proficiency Test. If this test is any indication of my future plans, I'm in big trouble. On the bright-side, I did manage to pass (barely) all the sections of the exams but failed to achieve the necessary 60% to get the certificate. I guess there's always next year.. ? In light of this disaster, I think it's TIME to REFLECT on what

Jnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-46089742664056338132007-02-06T17:37:00.000+09:002007-02-06T18:40:58.710+09:00

I've come to realize that most people in Japan don't get my sarcasm. First, some context:I was at my JHS today and was asked to "monitor" 2 classes simultaneous while an open class was being conducted down the hall. "Okay, no problem," I said. The two classes were pretty quiet (regardless of me being there or not); indeed, I think my presence -in- the classroom was actually a worse distraction

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-54493614709515728002007-02-05T19:43:00.000+09:002007-02-05T20:18:02.481+09:00

Winter has come and gone. Friday's unusual snowstorm had me worried that we would be in for another few weeks of cold weather -- fortunately, that hasn't been the case. Today was a balmy ~15 C in Fukuoka and, while it may be a little premature to say, I think spring has finally arrived! :)A real Mexican dog in real Mexican clothing! If this dog could talk I bet it would say, "Get me out of

Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-28680152091062555182007-02-02T20:56:00.000+09:002007-02-02T21:05:12.666+09:00

I apologize for not didn't bring my camera with me to school today but, it finally snowed here in Fukuoka. It was a fairly heavy snowfall that lasted about 2 hours; however, it completely melted by noon. That's it for this week -- enjoy the weekend!

Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-89605471194935034612007-01-30T20:42:00.000+09:002007-01-30T21:09:49.279+09:00

I got to spend some time exploring Maebaru this weekend (despite the bitterly cold weather) and testing my new camera. チッカパ好き〜Anybody want to guess what the above photo is? And in case you were wondering about the previous "What am I" photo; yep, Catherine, you got it right. :)***BEGIN INTERMISSION***"Hey, I'm thirsty.. what should we drink?""I don't know, you decide!" "AHH~ That hit the spot!

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-78855631054822744452007-01-30T00:28:00.000+09:002007-01-30T00:33:32.346+09:00

I couldn't make this up even if I wanted to. In another apparent political blunder, the Health Minister of Japan referred to women as "birth-giving machines" and said that they should, ".. try to do their best per head (to increase the birthrate)." You can read the full article HERE.

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-21418858759731304452007-01-27T23:27:00.000+09:002007-01-27T23:53:36.598+09:00

Just some of my favourite photos from my vacation.I had to wait some time for the water to stop moving to get this shot; even then, it still didn't turn out the way I hoped. Slippery clouds. I applied the B&W effect to reduce the glare from the sun. If you think this picture looks a little bit off -- you're right. This isn't a photo of the park, it is the photo of the pond in the park.Look at

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-21394854645018979832007-01-25T18:21:00.000+09:002007-01-25T20:58:02.144+09:00

.. continued from the Seattle post:After spending just one day in Seattle, my friend and I drove, for 12 hours (15 hours including breaks) to sunny California. Originally, we had planned to only explore Vancouver and Seattle. However, we soon realized that we had almost a full 2-weeks of vacation and that, since we were on the West Coast, it would be wise to visit one of the United States' most

Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-76901929925538187522007-01-18T17:22:00.000+09:002007-01-18T17:34:51.977+09:00

Well, I finally did it. I've given up my compact point-and-shoot camera for something a little bit more fun to play with. Initially I was hesitant to make such a big purchase (this -is- just a hobby after all) but after giving away my Sony, I was left with no other recourse. :) I will be getting the Nikon D80 in about a week. The best part about purchasing it online in Japan: I get to pay for

Jnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-11815565102319914982007-01-15T22:02:00.000+09:002007-01-15T22:41:15.223+09:00

Continuing my journey exploring the Great North American West Coast, my friend and I drove about 3 hours to Seattle. Seattle is an interesting place and, if I did more research, could have probably found more than 3 points-of-interest.. Nah, I doubt it. 1st Stop: Farmer's Public Market. This place was busy. A shopping complex with a hodgepodge of all sorts of crap. From vintage movie posters

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-70057250319412568462007-01-12T22:03:00.000+09:002007-01-12T23:08:52.426+09:00

After spending nearly 2 weeks in Toronto, I was on an aeroplane again to enjoy the rest of my vacation. My first city: Vancouver. Located on the Western edge of Canada, Vancouver was ranked the "Best Place to Live" by the Economist Intelligence Unit (a London-based think-tank) in 2005 (and will probably top the list again in 2006). It was my first visit to Vancouver and my impressions of it

Jnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-66065832412960699072007-01-11T23:51:00.000+09:002007-01-13T19:17:51.698+09:00

Believe it or not, I didn't actually take that many photos while in Toronto. I probably -should have- but I just didn't find anything that unusual or unique. I guess everything just felt so "normal" that, upon further reflection, there probably were hundreds of missed photo opportunities. Well, regardless, I'll have plenty of time to photograph Toronto when I go back. One major photo request

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-79511876910897936222007-01-08T23:27:00.000+09:002007-01-08T23:32:57.443+09:00

I'm back! After spending nearly 3-and-a-half weeks in the glorious New World, I'm back in Japan continuing my "other" vacation from reality. Anyways, I hope everybody had a great Christmas and an awesome New Year. I have plenty of pictures to share.. it'll take some time as I have over 1500 to sort through! :) Anyways, stay posted and, if I haven't said it already, thanks for reading!

Jnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-54998776322094158832006-12-13T22:13:00.000+09:002006-12-13T23:32:11.418+09:00

It's been a busy couple of weeks at work, but my first trip back to Canada since I came to Japan has finally arrived; needless to say, I'm looking forward to it. There will be no blog updates until I get back. Take care everyone.Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 皆さん、クリスマスおめでとう！恭賀新年！じゃ、またね。

Jnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-68517148836588489882006-12-05T14:57:00.000+09:002006-12-05T16:44:20.118+09:00

Winter in Japan just plain sucks. Today I got no less than 6 emails, in the morning, on my keitai commenting on how terribly cold it was. Indeed, I think winter has definitely arrived in Fukuoka. Some of you probably can't understand how me, being Canadian and all, can't tolerate the cold. Well, I can actually; I do it pretty well I think. Being cold doesn't really bother me but it's the

Jnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-80659850967344408952006-12-02T21:25:00.000+09:002006-12-02T21:34:29.447+09:00

So, tomorrow is the day I get to offically measure my Japanese Language ability. I'll be writing the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) tomorrow and I don't have much confidence I'll pass. But, we'll see.. 頑張ります〜！

Jnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-49239702051124473682006-11-30T14:55:00.000+09:002006-11-30T15:21:36.444+09:00

I was going to hold off until December 1st to start counting down the days till I head back to Canada for Christmas but, what's one more extra day, eh? 15 Days and counting.. :)Click on the flag to learn more about Canada!

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-32335107251167611362006-11-26T21:15:00.000+09:002006-11-26T22:15:36.567+09:00

Another student in Yamagata Prefecture has jumped to her death in what appears to be another bullying-related suicide. However, the focus of the newspaper article wasn't about the bullying problem itself, or the conditions that led to her suicide rather, the article focused on the conduct of the school staff following the incident (they went partying). The superintendent of the school board

Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-48460344561796698832006-11-25T22:09:00.000+09:002007-09-08T15:09:12.253+09:00

It's been awhile since I went to my Saturday morning Japanese class. While I'm thankful for all the cultural stuff they organize, waking up early on a Saturday isn't exactly something I'm gung-ho about nowadays (Saturday is usually the only day I can sleep-in because, for some reason, I've had to work on quite a few Sundays this year.. unbelievable!). That being said, I promised my Japanese

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-50819533503738962952006-11-23T22:47:00.000+09:002006-11-23T23:39:05.774+09:00

Today is Thanksgiving Day in Japan. I've asked Japanese people what they do on Thanksgiving or what is the cultural significance of this day and so far, I have yet to come across a meaningful response. Most say it is just another holiday and therefore, they don't have to go to work (although some will still go!). I guess it is no different for Canadians when one mentions "Boxing Day" or "

Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-677492965052805082006-11-19T20:38:00.000+09:002006-11-19T22:32:51.564+09:00

Today I went to my school's Culture Festival. Culture Festival is like a school concert in Canada; there is music, singing, plays, speeches, etc. It was a pretty standard festival: lots of group activities (individual performances?! No way~), humour (which, thankfully, is universal some of the time), choral competition (compulsory and free categories, of course), certificate-giving (lots

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-18289029696689944202006-11-18T00:03:00.000+09:002006-11-18T00:17:52.906+09:00

I haven't done a photo update in awhile so, here are some of my favourite photos of the past month or so.. well, actually, these are the photos still on my computer after burning most of them onto DVD a few weeks ago. I'll have to do some digging to showcase some more.The photo featured above is probably the sharpest/clearest image I have of the famous JAL hotel (well, just the logo actually) in

Jnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-9714403762536513212006-11-14T20:58:00.000+09:002006-11-14T22:03:53.016+09:00

I finally did it. 1.5 years after arriving in Japan, more specifically Kyushu, I managed to visit every prefecture on -my- island. Over the weekend I headed down to Kagoshima to check out, what the local JETs call, "The Kag". It was an awful 4-hour bus ride down but it was well worth it once we got there. Kagoshima is far more countryside than Fukuoka but it definitely has its charms. The

Jnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-25324400295130961192006-11-08T22:26:00.000+09:002006-11-08T22:31:19.236+09:00

After 12 years, the Democrats have finally managed to take control of the House of Representatives; and, if things go the way they seem to be going, the Democrats might even seize control of the Senate as well. Talk about a shift in power. Let's not be naive and assume that there will be a monumental shift in policy but, this change certainly speaks volumes of Bush's second-term in office.

Jnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-22122880103325587042006-11-06T21:35:00.000+09:002006-11-06T21:58:13.927+09:00

This weekend I was fortunate enough to attend Karatsu Kunchi -- a three-day festival in Saga Prefecture. This festival reminded me of Fukuoka/Hakata's own Yamakasa Festival except it wasn't as big. Nonetheless, the streets were still packed and there was definitely a lot of energy and excitement going around. Surprisingly, each float takes about two or three years to complete and costs about

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-41798869220870406992006-11-03T12:35:00.000+09:002006-11-03T14:55:23.970+09:00

My office likes to hold meetings. Lots and lots of meetings. Usually there are at least one or two (sometimes three or four!) meetings a month for us "Fukuoka Board of Education" ALTs. I'm not always sure what we're supposed to be doing or why we need to have so many but it just seems like these meetings are an integral part of Japanese business-culture. There are welcome meetings, pre-event

Jnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-21167106690378712272006-10-31T18:33:00.000+09:002006-10-31T22:54:52.575+09:00

So, it appears the situation regarding some public high schools and boards of education not teaching their senior high school students basic World History/Japanese History is finally starting to show some progress. The results of the preliminary inquiry were revealed today in the Lower House and measures to ensure that affected students would be able to graduate in March were being considered.

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-36952586528897755062006-10-29T15:55:00.000+09:002006-10-29T16:01:56.523+09:00

I was reading a 'Wired' news feature today and came upon this quote that I found absolutely hilarious: "Atheism is like telling somebody, 'The very thing you hinge your life on, I totally dismiss.'" You can read, if you're interested in that sort of thing, the article HERE. Happy Halloween!

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-33528514094013730802006-10-28T00:08:00.000+09:002006-10-28T01:09:09.840+09:00

So, it seems like some of the top high schools in Japan have deprived their graduating students basic knowledge about the world around them. And I quote: "Most of the schools are the top academic performers in their regions and have told their boards of education that they focused on the subjects required for university entrance examinations, omitting those they felt were unnecessary." The "

Jnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-79462956248737632012006-10-24T20:49:00.000+09:002006-10-24T21:28:59.539+09:00

I just finished chatting with a former-JET friend over IM and she told me that one of her students recently committed suicide because he was being bullied at school. School bullying in Japan is a very common phenomenon and Japan has the highest student-suicide rate in the industrialized world. The problem is so prevalent that even children, from as young as elementary school, have committed

Jnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16963568.post-7423691024727090092006-10-23T20:44:00.000+09:002006-10-23T20:58:27.553+09:00

Let's face it, I'm a techno-geek. I apologize in advance if this post bores most of you but, I finally -- after many months of bugging the clerks at Yodobashi Camera -- got my Nintendo DS Lite! Naturally I'm using it as a "study" tool (*coughs*) and the occasional game. :) The games are fairly cheap in Japan and it can also play older, Nintendo Advance games. Needless to say, I'm quite

Jnoreply@blogger.com3