whaddaiwannado!

As I mentioned in the last post I've got some stuff I wanna do this year. Of course I wanna save money, but let's imagine that money is no object... wait, that'd be silly, so we're gonna imagine that we're in the real world and look at some things that I want to buy, and some places that I want to travel to that are fairly likely to be bought or reached. Some concessions will probably be needed because I doubt that I'll be able to buy/do all of them, but...

Let's get it started with the goodies I wanna buy!

#1: new PC!
the main reason that I want a new PC is because mine is terrible! It has a tendency to take forever (literally) to do anything. I can't run more than a couple of things at the same time and don't even think about trying to listen to music while doing something else. I use alot of programs that are pretty intensive, alot of recording stuff, and art programs that kill the performance of this p.o.s. Also it's just a laptop and according doesn't have the performance that I need. I figure in the last year I've lost roughly a solid week of time just waiting for my computer to react to the request I've made... I do have a mac laptop back home that would help out a bit, but I haven't been back since I got here and haven't had a chance to get it.

#2: an iRiver!
I'd like one of these things because first of all, I'm done with iPods! I've gone through about 5 or 6 of those things since they came out and I've had more than my fair share of problems with them. The second reason is that with the iRiver I can record on the road. I think it might make for some interesting no airplay shows down the road too.

#3: a new wallet!
The wallet I have now is rad! I love it, but it's kinda falling apart, well, really the zipper is broken and has rendered it somewhat non-functioning. It's too bad, it's a really cool design and I'd like to just get the same one again.

#4: an Xbox 360!
Yeah, I know they've been out for a long time, but I haven't got one yet. They came out a little while before I came over here, and I've wanted one for awhile, but I only want the U.S. version, because all the games that I would play wouldn't come out here... namely football games.

#5: a new phone!
I've had mine for nearly 2 years and when April rolls around I'll be able to get a new one with no transfer fee

#6: a camera!
I'd like a decent camera, nothing crazy fancy (although that would be nice) because I just can't do all the stuff I want at the quality level I'd like with just my phone. It's served me well, as all the pictures on my blog (except maybe 2?) were taking on my phone, but if you've ever clicked on an image and looked at it full size, the quality isn't great.

I think that's about it. There are some other things I'd like too, like a new guitar, amp, TV and probably some other things... what is it that Buddha said...

Places I'd like to go...

#1: Home!
Home is around Seattle. I haven't been there in about 2 years and 4 months. I stayed down in Arizona for about 6 months before moving here because my family had moved down there. Since I've been here, the family moved back up to the Seattle area, and I'd love to go back for a visit... but there are rumors of another move... back to Arizona maybe... I'd love to go back home for a visit, but I'm not sure where I'd be going...

#2: Hiroshima!
I've wanted to visit Hiroshima for awhile. Sure it's got the atomic dome, and Miyajima and probably some other things too, but I want to go to see Hiroshima Municipal Stadium, home of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. It's gonna be it's last season of operation as a new stadium is being built near the main station in Hiroshima. I'd Love to make a trip after the new stadium is built, but I have to see the old stadium first, it's 50 years old and a part of the history of the NPB.

#3: Kobe!
Kobe's the home of Seattle's sister city and home to Skymark (Kobe Green) Stadium. That's about the only reasons I can think of.

#4: Sendai!
Fullcast stadium, home of the Tohoku Rakuten Eagles.

#5: Hokkaido!
Again there's a baseball stadium here, but I'd mostly like to visit to see my boy Tora. Also, in all my time in Japan, I've never left the island of Honshu. Of course I'd like to check out all the 4 main islands of Japan, but gotta start somewhere, guess this would be a good place.

#6: Outside the country!
Of course being here there are several countries that are fairly close, namely Korea, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, etc. and any of those would be fine, but I'd really like to try India, Nepal, Mongolia, Thailand, or maybe Vietnam or something. They're all fairly close.

So there you have it, let's see how many of these I can cross off the list this year!

2007, year in the rear view...

So, as mentioned before, it's now 2008. So I figure it's a good time to look through some pictures and try to piece together the previous year...

Wow, from January-September I posted a total of 4 times, time to see what I did...

Jan '07
The year started off pretty regular... and in fact, no decent pictures survive from January. I can tell that I did go to a couple of parties, and also played poker, but that was about it. Also, from reading my one Jan 2007 post I realize that at that time I was doing the whole split days off thing... so onto the good stuff...


Feb '07
Feb kicked off with a Tool concert in Odaiba. It was a good show, they played alot of favorites, but the show was a bit short, and the Japanese audience was a bit of a let down with their ultra laid back politeness, it's rock folks, freak out!
Next up was a visit from dude? that became the L.W.D. (the Long Weekend of Debauchery 2007, see April 2007 post)




Mar '07
March saw me applying for a visa renewal and also saw the last time I cut my hair. That's about it.






Apr '07
April was packed with action, starting with a trip to Kaneyama Shrine for the Penis Festival coupled with a trip to Yokohama Stadium for an unfortunate beat-down of the Baystars on opening weekend of the NPB season. Shortly after I went over to Meiji Jingu Stadium for a match-up of the Swallows and Tigers where Kanemoto hit a grand-slam on his birthday to send the Tigers to an opening win! Also during April I went to Saitama to see my first J-league game with the Reds taking a thrilling 2-1 victory late in the game. Next I headed back to Yokohama stadium for another Baystars game, and finished the month with a wicked drinking party under a bridge by the Tama River.




May '07
May included a trip out to Chiba for my first game at Chiba Marines Stadium between the Tohouku Rakuten Eagles and the Chiba Lotte Marines, as well as a going-away party for my favorite staff member at work. Also came across some crabs in bags...





Jun '07
In June I tried the "Mega Teriyaki Mac" (couldn't even come close to finishing it), I observed the "crocs" epidemic, bought a drum machine, and again back to Yokohama stadium for a game between the Baystars and Tigers. June also brought dude? in from Osaka, and saw the formation of the world's greatest band! The Wang Bangers?!!! and the creation of their masterpiece "...il phiasco de opus...a lesson in epicness..." Also we went with A.O.S. up to Saitama to see the Tigers and Lions (tigers lost...) and then dude? and I headed out to Chiba for a game between the Marines and Tigers, probably the best game I saw this year with the Tigers coming back late and scoring 9 in the 9th (I think).

Jul '07
Looks like July was a quiet month... Not too much happened, probably because of the stupid humidity and heat, but it seems the only things that I did were go to a strip club for a friends bachelor party, and also go to a football game between the U.S. and Korea during the group play stage of the World Cup of American Football where the U.S. won something like 81-0... don't remember the actual score, but it was close to that.


Aug '07
August held another Tigers game in Yokohama, and a Baystars game in Jingu. I also made a trip to the Baseball Hall of Fame at the Tokyo Dome and visited my old college here in Japan, Takushoku University. During August I also bought a Dreamcast in order to play my favorite game of all time, "Pro Yakyu Team de Asobou!" a brilliant Japanese baseball game made around 2000.

Sep '07
In Septemeber I went out to Osaka to visit dude? and we went to a Pelican/Envy show that was absolutely amazing! Went to the Tokyo Dome for a battle between the Giants and Tigers that saw the Tigers take first place in a dramatic win (it was short lived as they plummeted to 3rd place to finish the season) and also back to Jingu stadium for another Tigers game. Sept 15th was the last time I was payed.

Oct '07
October was my b-day and the beginning of the end for VONA. Oct 14th marked my last day of work. October also marked my first post since May, and the revival of 'no airplay'. Went to an O-eshiki, went to Oktoberfest out in Yokohama, went to Burger King, ate some giant nan, and began the long march towards the JLPT test...



Nov '07
November saw the creation of the 'no airplay' podcast and the overhaul of the site. Also we had the final death gasps of the once great and powerful VONA corporation. The biggest event of the month though was the 1st annual Yukigayaotsukapolooza! This is also when I started to go up on the roof pretty much daily to watch the sunset.




Dec '07
December began with the JLPT test and ended with a series of unfortunate events. Not too much in-between. I revitalized my interest in bike riding and I did have an interview near the end of the month... The very end of the month was packed with action as Tora came into town for a visit, we went to The Emperor's Palace but didn't get in, also met some of his fellow Hokkaido Gajin down here and in 1 day had 2 tabehoudais (Indian Curry, and Yakiniku) and drank a ton, visited a shrine at midnight, and ate some Toshikoshi Soba.

2008...
This year I'm hoping for some stuff to turn around. Hopefully starting next week I'll be back working. I want to take a trip home for the first time in 2 years to see my nieces and nephew, and also my big sis, bro-in-law, daddy-o, and Punk. I'd like to really dedicate myself to studying Japanese much harder and prepare for the JLPT test level 1. I'd like to eventually change to a not teaching English but rather using the Japanese that I started studying exactly 10 years ago this month (I didn't study continuously, really probably studied for about 4 years total, just started that long ago). The other thing I think I would really like to do is save some money. I have alot of traveling I'd like to do, and alot of stuff I'd like to buy (check the next post for more info on those) but I'd also like to cut out alot of the stupid money that I spend this year. Don't get me wrong, I don't make new years resolutions, this is just general planning...

welcome to the year of RATT!

(here's one of my recent projects for someone, it's her New Year's card, welcome to the year of the Rat!)









Happy New Year all! Just wanted to take a min and let everyone know that it is now 2008! Congrats! Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu! I hope that this year is better than the last. I ended it on kinda a bad note I guess. Lost my job of course, then in the last week of the year I got a cold, had a recuring wrist problem flare up (left wrist), and then a whole new terrible wrist injury in my right wrist which I have no idea the cause of... (Yes, yes, insert all the masterbation jokes here you want) I also accidentally stepped into a freezing cold pool by the emperor's palace while trying to get closer for a picture to cap it all off. But hey, I laughed. 2008 is gonna be a great year! Hope you all have a good one too! Rock!

waaaaaaaay too much butt?

Here's a little something I put together to honor the many different looks I've rocked here in Japan. *!warning!* may induce vomiting!

vol. 7!

A wicked special Christmas/Emperor's B-day episode! Featuring: new year's Japanese, possible workforce reinstatement? And 4 songs! 2 versions of "Kimigayo", the kick off of the *new* Wang Bangers? project "32 causes of...", and a butt? 2006 original "Merry fuckin' Christmas!"

a merry christmas to you!

So I guess today is Christmas, coulda fooled me. It's not done up as much as it is back home, and thank god for that! I'm not a big fan of the holiday, or the season so much, crowded stores, ridiculous advertising and people worked up into a frenzy over nothing. I could go off on a rant here, but I just don't want to... I don't like Christmas. But Here's a picture of La Cittidella (sp?) out in Kawasaki all done up for Christmas, enjoy!
Also, the problem with English in Japan is that there's no checking with native speakers, case in point: this is a test picture for some printers at Yodobashi Camera in Kawasaki. The kid's shirt says "wuschkdc? dyke drugs". Is that something you would let your children wear?

Hail to the chief!

Over the weekend (officially observed on Monday) we celebrated the birthday of the reigning emperor, Mr. Akihito! Yeah! He was born Dec. 23rd 1933 and was just a boy when his father, Hirohito, was in the chair for Japan's attempt at taking over the world, remember? Many people in the west don't realize that the Emperor's position is one of little to no power, and was also so during Hirohito's time. Akihito ascended to the throne in 1989 after his father's death creating the "Heisei" period. 2008 will mark "Heisei 20," the 20th year of the Heisei emperor, and if you live here, you'll need to remember that for official documents. He is the 125th* Emperor in Japanese history (according to tradition) and he's a little old man who is a noted ichthyological researcher (fish zooology). Here's to you Akihito! Banzai~! Banzai~! Banzai~!

epico dos, part 1! (32 causes of...)

I finally finished recording the opening part to the new project that dude? and I are working on. It's tentatively titled "epico dos" and it kicks off with a little diddy called "32 causes of..."
It took me a little longer than I thought to get this done because I went trough about 7 different ideas before settling on this one, I'll probably come back to some of those other ideas as the project progresses. Take a listen, hope you enjoy, should get dude?'s response by next monday (maybe tuesday).

To find out more info about the project please click on the link on the right side of this page for the "Home by 8 Drunk by 10" page.

good news, bad news, great news!

(i think this might be left over from some sign that was hung up here long ago, looks like a person no? Click it, you'll see!)

So to start I dusted off bikun to get him all ready for monday's epic ride to the mouth of the Tama river. He was in a sad state. I haven't ridden bikun in several months, and his tires were flat, his bell was still busted and the basket cover I put on to deter people from putting their garbage (namely empty coffee cans) in his basket was falling apart. I put on a new bell, a new basket cover and pumped up his tires and took him out for a spin. 30 mins turned into an hour, and an hour gave way to 2. It was a great ride! I got lost a couple of times and visited a number of neighborhoods, namely:

Denenchofu x2
Okusawa
Tamagawa
Chidori-cho x2
Kugahara x2
Ikegami
South & East Yukigaya
Ishikawadai

and a few others all leading me back to Yukigayaotsuka in the most round-about way possible. It was intense, according to some rough calculations I went for about 15-17 miles or so. Pretty good preperation for the 23.5 mile adventure on monday...
ah, the bad news, the bike ride on monday has been postponed! I'm pretty torn up about it, but wait, there's some great news! I got the papers that's I've been waiting for for basically 3 months as of today! Jubilation! Because of getting my papers I had to postpone the trip with melvis on monday so we can head down to Hello Work and begin to get our F'n money baby! You take the good, you take the bad... and there you have, the facts of life! SWEEEEEEET!!!! 3 months of waiting for this day. I'm sure there'll be much more about that next week, but back to today's ride...
While in Ikegami I stopped in at Mr. Donuts and had myself a cup of coffee and a "The Simpsons Donut" it was "mixed berry" flavor, and it wasn't all that good. They have 2 options, this or some banana one. I also observed this sweet sign, which makes me wonder, how often do police remove bikes that look like this?

an allegory...

It's the last day of high school...
You've met an amazing group of people that you will know for the rest of time, I mean, these bonds are made forever right? Sure, some people may be headed across the country to a better art school, or law school than is offered in your neck of the woods, but they'll be back for holidays, and you'll visit them for spring break... right? The bonds made here are lasting, they're un-breakable. The greatest moment of of your life will continue forever, and the people you know will never change. The common ground forced upon you will for sure keep you together for all eternity. Things change. People change. The 5 best friends I had in high school I talk to in only random myspace posts. My best friend now I barely knew in high school. My 3 best friends in college I rarely hear from now-a-days. The wonderful people I met while on my study abroad, I have no idea what happened to them and only randomly run into them hundreds of miles away in front of a Starbucks in Osaka... The greatest experiences of your life have yet to happen. It's hard to believe, but it's quite possibly true. We, and I myself most of all, wish to believe that time is a frozen moment, one which we can hold on to forever, one which no matter what shakes it will result in the same outcome, but it isn't. The end of an era has approached me. It is a sad day. When I arrived at a little school in Gotanda, Tokyo I was witness to an end of an era myself. I wasn't involved in it personally, so what did it matter? But I know that to the people there before me, it was over... just a few stragglers hanging on to what had been. The day I arrived change had begun. Old teachers were leaving, and new ones were on their way. I don't regret not having come earlier, I'm am only greatfull that I came when I did. First was me (excluding 3 of the best people that I've ever known that hung on for the next generation, A.O.S. Crow, and Naj) and then came Mr. Matt Damon look-a-like, and then Deuce, next was Doogle, and Melvis, eventually and (in-between) teachers came and went, transfered and quit, but a bond was formed between us. The same kind of bond you feel whenever common ground is thrust upon people who are willing to accept. The kind of bond that makes you promise to visit on holidays. The kind of bond that will never be broken... I love those guys. Love all of them, just hope things don't turn out like high school, hope that I mean it this time....