Last night, I met a few of the new Hosei students from Japan. They are here for just 5 months rather than the full year and are mostly doing cultural and language modules. I can remember Rui, Takahiro, Masato, Harumi, Miki, Natsumi (who was very friendly - stop it Rich!) and a load more whose names I have completely forgotten. "I can remember the face but..." I think there was a Satoko as well. Oh well, I'll get their numbers and demand some facebook when I see them next time at our big intro party thing.
Afterwards, I ended up meeting a few international students who I knew through my Japanese friend last year. It also looks like Masato 'scored' with an English student of Japanese who is resitting this year. Ah, well done kind sir, showing us how its done. *jealous*
In the words of my flatmate, that was just the start of things. The real buisness begins when we meet the proper exchange students. Mostly, I got on well with them last year. I think I really need to know every Japanese person here, as last year I was a bit anti-social at times. It would be nice to know every single Japanese student in Sheffield, although that is a big ask.
New classes are just less than a day away and I am now very nervous. Because my kanji has gone to pot and my grammar, speaking, listening.... ARRRGHHH HELP ME!!!! The thing is, I just feel really rusty. Its not as if I have done no Japanese in the holidays, I just can't remember stuff as easily as I could. Its going to be nice to have some schedule in my life. I'm so sad, that I'm actually looking foward to printing out my study schedule.
However I am really looking foward to doing this Japan's Minorities module as it looks really interesting. This module could be a blessing in disguise for me.
Despite my reservations, I still feel really excited about this year. Japan seems closer and the Japanese language is now seeming less challenging to me. Is this self confidence? Me? I think I may need to just sit down.
I have finally ended what was a pretty bizarre relationship with Yukari today. In short, she is making me feel upset. I feel extremely sorry for her, because she is turning into a cast iron figure of sorrow and its making me feel lonely and depressed too. I want to speak with some of my friends who don't divert the conversation to relationships every six seconds. Yukari is a nice girl and she'll find happiness sooner or later. It just won't be with me. I'm going through a lot of things right now and being stuck in something like that - will only make things worse. Friends should make you happy and tell you what good things you have in your life, not showcase what is utterly wrong with yours like a prophetic mirror of doom.
I'm just really sad, because I don't think she ever will find happiness if she continues to act in the way she does.
For a girl at least, it can be damaging thanks in part to wilful and negligent sadism of men. I really hope she can do some growing up, because her behaviour has totally ruined things. It was never my intention to forge anything more than a decent online friendship with her, but now even that is ruined. Maybe, I am to blame for leading her on. Sometimes what I say and do can be misinterupted as something else. I can be overfriendly and perhaps she got the wrong impression.
I feel really sorry for her now. Because I feel like I have abandonded her, depsite the friendship we both created. But I feel as if, it had to end - for both of us. I'm just really sad, it has ended on such a sad note.
Well to lighten the mood, there will be some new Japanese students to meet in Sheffield soon - so no doubt things will be a lot different!
Argh! Big news! Yesterday I found out, there is indeed a clash and there is nothing I can do about it. So now I have only three modules available to me in SEAS (Society and Lit in Contemporary Japan, Japan's Minorities and Modern Japanese History)
The latter I cannot take without History credits and the first one has a very demanding reading list per week. So, by Hobson's choice (no, not Hugo Dobson - the legendary Japanese Studies lecturer) I choose studying about Ainu and Zainichi.
This could prove a blessing in disguise. The guy who teaches the module is just pure awesome and really loves his subject matter. Although, I was slightly concerned when he said he may have to cap the numbers this year, so I might just end up filling in this Add/Drop form really quickly just to be on the safe side of things.
It will also be a nice complement, as I have never done any social science modules and tackled anything about Japan from a social point of view before. I thought I would hate learning about stuff like this - but I could be proved wrong.
Say hello to my timetable for 12 lovely weeks.
Its looking a lot more user friendy now isn't it?
10 hours contact time! 2 hours less than last time I think.
Feels exactly like Rich at 23. We'll I'm older, smarter, wiser and have more experience of Japanese now. Thanks for all the birthday greetings I guess.
The sad thing is, I'm typing out this message dressed like the above.
Just about sums it up. Click to enlarge...
Hahaha. Brilliant! I actually really hate the Flames more than I do the Habs and Sens. But, still, I'm really excited about the season starting again and watching the Leafs miss out on the playoffs once again.
I'm itching for the year to start and I don't know why. Perhaps I just want an excuse to go studying or maybe its just that I'm genuinely excited to be learning new things and seeing all the old and new faces in my respective departments.
I also have to read these three books in 6 days now. *eep* One is almost done, as its just two short case studies about corpus development, whereas the other has about 100 pages left and just keeps on going with its unrelenting boredom that language is not just language but something vague and delicious that can't be explained, although the author is attempting to do so. The final one I need to pick up in the IC tomorrow and is basically one of the books that is not on the reading list, but I'd thought I'd read it anyway - because I'm hard. And sad... And some other adjectives I can't think of right now that sums up my nerdyness. Is that even a word?
[Lisa Simpson]Oh my God! I'm losing my perspicacity![/Lisa Simpson]
Note to self: Stop watching the Simpsons and get back to studying.
Oh yeah, I also need to type up some suru verbs later. I guess I'm taking it slightly easier now that freshers is among us. And at least I have got over my kanji hangover. They are coming a bit better now, although I'm still stuck with a few. Focusing on the ones I can't get, just forces out the ones I used to be able to get.
I absolutely adore these things, simply because I love being able to watch human interaction from afar. I often tell people - if you view want to view how everything works, then sit at a cafe and watch the world go by for a good ten minutes.
This one is outside Nagoya station.
Keeping with the Nagoya theme (I trust you - this is not intentional) Here are a few guys trying to score free hugs. I tell you, the reason why there is so much suicide in Japan, is that people don't hug enough random strangers. The problem I think they had, was it that it was a clear attempt to get free gaijin hugs - we are the highly suggestible type us lot.
Anyway the whole thing is spearheaded by the free hugs campaign. Anyway, they'll be around Sheffield sometimes, so check em out. I just wanna hug all those people in the first video now!
Its technically the first day of freshers in Sheffield and all I've seen so far are some random people holding maps looking lost and a bunch of people wearing pink hanging outside the IC. I've yet to be annoyed by one yet (a fresher that is) although I'm sure it will soon kick off. Living in a place like I am really brings home the serenity of not being a fresher anymore. I feel so... adult. For a less of a word.
I also can't get this awful joke out of my head since I told my friend it on MSN this afternoon...
- I am watching the Israeli version of Diff'rent Strokes at the minute.
- Oh yeah?
- What Jew talkin' about Willis?
*cue 10 seconds of silence*
- yeah, so as I was saying...
Also what ever happened to the second 'e' in the show Diff'rent Strokes? Was it molested by a bike shop salesman or squandered like Gary Coleman's cash? I guess we'll never know! Man, I really need a girlfriend with this sense of humour and boredom on a Saturday night. Yaaaarrrgggh! My parents are coming up tomorrow and are bringing the rest of my things. It will start to feel like home again (maybe - not until I get my plant and some posters in my room though.)
Diff'rent Strokes in Japan was actually called Arnold bouya wa ninkimono. Arnold the popular boy? There's a little gem for all you J-freaks out there.
Today I helped moved my flatmates things from west one across west street and into the appartment. The trip should take 10 minutes at most. But when you are carrying the entire back catalogue of every single manga ever written its difficult. However I got a free subway sandwich out it, so it wasn't be that bad. Now my arms is hurting - hahaha. Oh man.
I also got the cold shoulder treatment from a few Japanese people through e-mail and MSN recently. I sent some e-mails out out kindly as both thank yous and keep in touch - because they are generally quite nice and kind people (and some also cute - but I'm not going into that just yet) and had some zero responses. Shame. I am such a bad person? Surely not... Perhaps they are just too busy. I know I am. I recently broke off a connection with some random Japanese girl I met in London a few months ago - but that was partly down to pure laziness on my part. Mamiko I think her name was. Hmm.
So far only Minami, Taku and Saori have taken me up on the offer of helping my Japanese through e-mail. Yukari would help me out, but only if I moving to Nagoya (I am still not sure about this.) My flatmate thinks Nagoya is bad. Amongst many Japanese, they see it as a rural bumpkin town - even though its a huge metropolis and the 3rd largest city in Japan. >o< I guess, I want to go to a national university for the cost - but the majority in Tokyo are private. I still think Rikkyo looks good, but the fact I have a 2.1 from last years - means I can apply to most unis without clear academic rejection. But this bye the bye, I need to pass the exams first. I'll worry about this around Christmas time, when I have time to plan everything (including my trip to Russia and China.) There are some many things to consider. Its not just the city, its also the cost, the course, the practicals and people. For some reason - i do not want to go to Sophia because of the number of Americans there. I'm not anti-America, I just know it would fucking grate me for one year. I know I would really enjoy Nagoya. I'm not one of this people who view Japan as the big buildings and huge electronic gadgets - I'm one of the people who like the nature and the abiltiy to travel otuside to some small towns to see real Japanese people.
Whether there is a Japanese girl there or not is a moot point. As I said before, I value my friendship with her as much as I do with Saori. That's what I'm telling myself anyways. I'm sure she'll want to see me, regardless of my relationship status.
My flatmate is now back and the set is complete. The flat is now at its full complement and Sheffield is struggling to handle us. ven though the flat holds 4, we have an extra Chinese person living with us for some unknown reason. However they are both quiet and clean - it its no real problem for us.
Now according to my recently moved in Japanese flatmate, he has some information on a year abroad student from Japan. According to one of my friends last year who was from Keio, supposedly one of the two girls coming from that uni on an exchange to Sheffield is hot. Hmmm. Calm down Rich, calm down. The problem is, that this information comes from a dubious source, as the person in question has a bizarre rating of women. And also, what's hot and cute for a Japanese person is not necessarily the same for an English person. The amount of times, I've had people say the girls I've fancied in Japan are only midly attractive by Japanese people is either jealously or presumably a kernel of truth wrapped in there somewhere. Bah! Less competition I say!
Hahaha. Still its going to be fun finding out - and I least I have a few conversation starters somewhere. Oh, you're from Keio - you must know X-san and Y-san then? Yeah they are my best friends etc etc...
このブログであまり日本語が書かないな？それで、今から日本語を書くことにするつもりんだよね。がんばりましょうね！
じゃぁ、今日は「サクシ」ってレストランに行かなかったんだけど、雄飛さんはイギリスに帰ったとき、行って、「Ｊａｐａｎｅｓｅ Ｐｅｒｓｐｅｃｔｉｖｅ］って聞くでしょうね。また、ながい先生にＥメールを貰ったんだ。
さぁ、
楽しくなそうだよ！
月曜日と木曜日火曜日には一授業課もがあるんだよ！じゃ、他方で水曜日はめんどうくさそうだよ！
三時間アツ・タワーに行って、言語学レクチャーのために、ヒックスってビールに行ったら、アツ・タワーに行き帰らなくちゃ！
Joint Honoursんで、みなさん！
最後、ユニオンで道に迷うそういしわた先生を見た。多分、付けてあげればよかったね。。。
二年生になくなったね！
New facebook is kinda like new coke. What the idiots in the 80's realised then haven't been realised by the idiotic bigwigs in today's industry.
You take a stable product with a clean crisp design and instead make into a horrible garbled mess brought on by some bizarre inferiority complex over a shitter product for skateboard suicide emo faggots. Anyways, there is no way in hell I'm killing time with that rubbish, so I've brought it back thanks to the magic of greasemonkey.
Install that on Firefox and then this
Oh and tell the idiots and facebook where you stand. They'll get the message soon enough.
My page was really all nice and neat and easy to read. You could see what I liked, what I didn't and who my friends were. On the new thing, you struggle to see anything. I really hope they change that. Because they will lose a lot of people through that.
Hopefully, I can start a series of this... because I generally do as the title says;
Japanese Cilit Bang.
バン。。。！！！それから、汚れは消えました！
Believe or not, I bought this in my hometown and waited 30 minutes on the checkout as the women tried to give me a price for it. It was so worth it.
My shower is now broken and I have not been able to use it yet. I called in twice downstairs and still nothing done. The thing is so small in detail, I would happily do it, if I was allowed to. I can see a situation of me being charged for damaging it. All it needs is to be opened up and the switch placed correctly, because the switch head has not been fitted on right.
If there is nothing done tomorrow. I'm taking matters into my own hands with a very large screwdriver (to batter the people downstairs to death with!!!)
Anyways, to prove how sad I am here's the start of my Japanese sticky wall, full of random facts and stuff I have to remember. Who knows, maybe it will get out of control and end up consuming the entire back wall of my bedroom?
Tomorrow, I'll be trying out the new Japanese sushi bar (Sakushi) and trying to get this t-shirt done up. Maybe... Possibly.
Nico Nico Douga (ニコニコ動画) is possibly one of the greatest Japanese sites on the internets at the minute. The name literally means smiling video or something of that ilk.
There are 1.5 million videos on the site and around 6.5 million members. Most impressive.
The funniest one doing the rounds so far is the Ronald McDonald 'meme'.
http://www.nicovideo.jp/watch/sm2057168
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nhizo7KrZrw&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-43qYNJjaPE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVcewUPbROU&feature=related
This is a spliced advert from a McDonalds ad in Japan. Yes, clowns are still selling burgers in Japan. The comments on the screen, are actually members comments which scroll along. Its a unique feature for the website and allows a bit of interactivity with the video. So of them like the above, can get very schizophrenic at times.
The second one was a mix between the anime Lucky☆Star and of course the creepy advert. It was taken off Nico originally, but is now on youtube for all to see.
Yay! I've finally moved in. My room is clean(ish) my flatmates are nice and clean (in more ways than one *cough*) and I got the internet working as well. The flat itself is not a bad price considering we get a flat screen HD-TV, super fast broadband, a big bed and en-suite. Oh sir, with these facilities you really are spoiling us. Overall I think we are saving about 500 to 600 from last year.
Rockingham House (awesome name) is literally a stone's throw from campus - which is handy for those nights out - and given the fact its on a fairly uncommon route - is not always full of students keeping everyone awake.
I also seem to be the only white person in this entire building! Seriously. Yay for ethnic diversity! But its obviously something I'm going to have to get used to in a few years as I'll be surrounded by Japanese/Chinese/Koreans all day. Its a weird experience being back in Sheffield right now. No-one is back and the IC has a creepy air about it. The air of saddos studying in their own time. Saddos like me.
I really now have to start studying though. The kanji writing come and go like the wind, but the readings should really be set in stone. I discovered a fair few extra readings which we haven't learned but which are probably quite effective in a few years. I also gave myself a scare when I had a sneak peak at the Year Abroad handbook. Its really putting me off now. The whole money/jouyou kanji/scholarship thing. I have come to the realisation that I probably won't get into my chosen uni (whatever that is) and won't get a scholarship (I don't work hard enough) and won't get a girlfriend, a well paying job or a nice car. Woe is me. >o<
Apparently I've learnt the following already;
* I can't work until 3 months into my visa (which the uni will advise against even after the 3 months.)
* I have to obtain a certificate of eligibility - which is issued in July/August (when I may be in China!)
* I need to take this thing to the Hong Kong embassy - because the Japanese embassy in China don't issue to non-Chinese nationals and take an age to sort things out.
* I need about 6 grand in the bank
Oh well. These are problems for another day. I have to plan and apply for my trip yet! And I also have to pass this year!
Laters;
Richard
リチャード☆
(Putting the Rock in Rockingham House!) ^o^
Ugh, I'm starting the detox early and never eating fatty foods again. I stupidly ate a KFC today and I feel like crap. I actually feel fat and stodgy. My whole body has some sort of ache about it. The thing is, I'm not really addicted to this thing. It just somehow forces its way down my esophagus.
Honestly, I don't know why I put myself through this much pain. I am going to the gym tomorrow to sweat out this crap and then detoxing with some nice fruit and veg and water. I was planning to start my diet and detox when I get back to Sheffield, but I've decided its best to do it ahead of schedule.
I'm also giving up the booze and will only drink in social situations when I go out with friends to the pub or nightclub. My body is slowing down. Aaaarrrggggghhhh. I also installed MSN ahead of schedule because I need to talk to Murakawa (ah bless him - he's even back on facebook now.) Sadly its getting unintsalled in about 30 minutes because I want to stay true to my promise and not just detox my body. I want my mind in tip top shape for the start of my second year in Sheffield.
Unbelievably, I have given up the idea of finishing these books for linguistics. The main problem is the sheer distance to the library. I can't focus at all in my room and I have to go to the library to study. However its 2.6 miles either way (that's a total 5.2 miles on the bike) and I just don't have the strength to do the journey just to read some books.
Thankfully I'll be able to study when I get back as I'll be in a much more stable environment and of course a far less daunting journey to get there! For the first few days back in Sheffield and pretty much 75% of fresher's week I'll be studying in the IC. What a comepletly sad bastard I am!
I don't know where this optimism for next year is coming from... Perhaps its living with people I genuinely like, or maybe its because I've braved the first year and have developed a smugness. I don't have to work hard as those in their final year, and I can lecture the first years on life in Sheffield and beyond.
I'm starting to plan what I'm going to do for freshers, as last year was a bit of a washout because I still felt way out of my comfort zone at times. It should be nice if we can get something organised for all the JS crew (that's Japanese Studies folks) as it would be really good to get to know everyone. The wonderful thing about Japanese at Sheffield is that because its such a niche subject, everyone knows everyone and there is a friendly, family feel amongst the people who study it.
Hopefully the dates we plan for the intro thing, will be on a date that suits my timetable! ^o^
There is something weird in the air. Maybe its week old beer and monster munch farts, but I think this year is going be quite good for me. Maybe, just... maybe. We shall see. Optimism is an usual thing. I just wish it isn't a cruel one.
On Friday, I bit a bullet. Both literally and figuratively. The day before, after eating something hard, I felt a searing pain on my tooth. Soon enough the pain turned into a headache and my mouth was aching. Wonderful. Now I have to see a dentist. Except, my membership has ran out and if I want to see an NHS one I have to wait 4 months. My mind turned somewhat because, they might not be anything wrong with my tooth and it might not need any attention. But then again it *may* and I *may* need to have some work done on it.
Well the ending of the story is that I paid 139 pounds, yes that's 1, 3 and then 9 in order for a stand-in dentist to say there was nothing wrong with me and it was just some mild trauma caused by sensitive teeth. Grrrr. >o< So, my financial prudence this year gets off to the worse possible start by being minus 139. The way I see it, its more of an insurance for this year and looking ahead a good insurance before I go to Japan. I want to get the all-clear before I head off abroad so I'm not lumbered with astronomical dentist bills in the land of the rising sun (or should that be receding gums? Ho-ho-ho-ho. Not funny is it?)
Later on a saw the new Guy Ritchie film called RocknRolla - which was okay and then gave myself mild food poising by eating some mouldy cheese. Ugh. Well perhaps it was the cheese or England's first half performance against Andorra. 2-0, against Andorra. I do despair, although I really want England to qualify I'm not optimistic with performances like that. Let's hope both Japan and England don't mess it up. With any luck, I should be in Japan for England's final few games of qualification. But I've banned that particular 5 letter word from my brain until February. Must study. Must STUDY!!!
Its also been 3 weeks since the event that semi-changed my perspectives, I feel far better for it. I'm actually really excited abut returning to Sheffield now! 6 days to go? Yatta!!!
