Day 7

31 December 2005

During the day we met the Kichi family. Four children, a father and mother. Father is known in the SG around here for his business experience. He’s really awesome—made us superb tomato and basil for lunch. They have three children who are studying at Sodai here in Hachioji. They seemed to be a bit out of it—maybe it was early for them. Heh. We also went to visit the Hasegawas. The Hasegawas are family friends from Yokosuka (there’s an Airbase there). They’ve supported my brothers and I for a long time—they’re kinda like godparents to us. Japan’s New Year’s tradition is the Kohaku. It’s a super-long 5-hour TV bonanza that goes from 7PM to 11h45. From 11h45, all turns very quiet on NHK. It’s actually hilarious…they have the big send-off from Kohaku and then it’s the history of New Year’s celebrations in Shinto tradition—very serene, but hella abrupt.

Day 6

30 December 2005

Went to Miyoko Obasan’s house in Oi-machi with my dad and Miyuki iitoko (cousin) in the evening. Met a couple of SGI members from Switzerland, one who was studying at SUJ as a Ryugakusei (study-abroad student) and another, her friend, from Zurich, as well as a friend of both who doesn’t practice. We had fondue, another oishii.

Day 5

29 December 2005

I was in bed the whole day—sick. Woke-up around 7pm (about 24 hours after I fell asleep the day before) feeling like my passages had cleared up and that I had a lower fever.

Happy New Years and Happy Holidays to all!

I'm in Japan. Whoohoo! Unfortunately, after going to Kamakura yesterday I became sick. My head hurts, and I feel like crap. The plan is to go to my aunt's house, Miyoko's, tomorrow in the afternoon. I'm trying to get better for that. I hope I will be. I want to get outta Zushi and see those Tokyo sights...not that Zushi's bad. I am sleeping tons...and I think we're going to Onsen on 4th and 5th...the day that Ann is planning on being in Tokyo...that sucks. I wonder what we can do about that.

Day 4

28 December 2005

To Kamakura with Setsuko and Yoko Obasan (Aunts). We went to the big Buddha Statue and to several temples and landmarks in Kamakura with some sort of connection with Nichiren. We had okonomiyaki for lunch as well—oishii. Afterwards we went the big park above Zushi at around 3:30 or 4:00 PM. Very sutekii. Fell asleep early at 7pm.

Day 3

27 December 2005

To Shinanomachi in Tokyo, went to Gakkai-honbu (HQ). Had some interesting lunch at Hakubun. Heh—some sort of Ramen.

Days 1 & 2

25-26 December 2005

Leave for Japan; Arrive in Japan…sleep about 2 or 3 hours in between. Up until 12-ish.

I'm going to japan

Shit, I'm going to Japan!

I'm going to be in Japan in less than 72 hours. Wow!

I'm excited. But totally not thinking about it.

To bed

But before I go to bed I have to tell you ONE thing:

Ambient: 60-110 bpm
Techno: 130-160 bpm
Breakbeat: 80-100 bpm
House: 110-130 bpm
Progressiu/Progressive: 140-160 bpm
House progressiu/Progressive House: 120-150 bpm
Trance: 130-170 bpm
Màquina: 150-170 bpm
Jungle: 150-170 bpm
Hardcore: 160-200 bpm

Hao Mingtian A! ?????

http://www.compfused.com/directlink/167/

Recent quote-age

"Buddhism holds that everything is in a constant state of flux. thus the question is whether we are to accept change passively and be swept away by it or whether we are to take the lead and create positive changes on our own intiative. While conservativism and self-protection might be likened to winter, night and death, the spirit of pioneering and attempting to realize ideals evokes images of spring, morning and birth."

"And yet we are forced to acknowledge that the world today is at anything but peace. Rather, having entered the new century, we find ourselves living in a world of ever-greater confusion and complexity, wracked with ominous tension. In the midst of this stifling reality, we hear the insidious voices of despair, counesling us to accept war as an inevitable aspect of the human condition."

"Go, dear friend! if need be, give up all else, and comence to-day to inure yourself to pluc, reality, self-esteem, definiteness, elevatedness; Rest not, till you rivet and publish yourself of your own personality."

"If they answer not to they call walk alone, / If they are afraid and cover mutely facing the wall,... / open thy mind and speak out alone."

"The life we posess as human beings has within it the inherent capacity to transform any hardship or adversity into new flights of creativity. It is our encounters with adversity that, more than anything, enable us to draw forth and unleash this capacity."

"One's-Self I sing, a simple separate person, / Yet utter the word Democratic, the word En-Masse. / Of physiology from top to toe I sing, / Not physiognomy alone nore brain alone is worthy for the Muse, I say / the Form complete is worthier far, the Female equally with the Male I sing."

"Next on Sick Sad World." O! Nostalgia!

The best week ever

Tinki Lala - captain of Killer Pandas! says: haha i wanted to know what ur mom and dad looks like
Tinki Lala - captain of Killer Pandas! says: u guys have distinct looks
Tinki Lala - captain of Killer Pandas! says: like unique
Tinki Lala - captain of Killer Pandas! says: or something like oh yeah, they look different but they do have that reker-ness in them

Quotes that hillarified me today...

"The language thing is tricky," said Thom Lynch, the director of the San Francisco Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Community Center. "I feel sorry for straight people."
--from an online dictionary entry on 'heteroflexible.'

So, today has been an interesting day.

This story from the LA Times interested me...actually...I was happy. Apparently, teaching 'intelligent design' is a form of establishing religion.

I'm also set to go with Hilary tomorrow down to Boulder to help her show the apartment she and Emily are renting to a new guy, a possible roomie for next year. I hope we can catch up on the trip down.

Listening to "Con Te Partiro," for some reason, excites me. I always feel like there's an expanse out there that I am a part of when I listen to that song.

Shucks, it's time to get off the net. I've spent most of the day on here. Haha.

Linkage-ness.

I'm sending out cards soon!

Welcome back to Colorado

Man, that was a long-ass trip back home. I don't think there's any cushion in the backseat of the Acura because I can't sit in that seat comfortably and I even have some natural cushioning.

So while finals hell was over, I'm still dealing with a lot of stuff.

I guess I'll start with what's most recent. This trip back home. Btw, it's freezing cold in Colorado. The trip back home took about 22 hours. That's the longest amount of time I've ever spent driving/on the road. Positive points, we didn't have to drive any ice until we got to Colorado, we didn't have to go over the divide in Colorado, I flirted with our waiter in Albuquerque at Mimi's Cafe and I think I got free espressos outta that, got to drive in the snow for a good couple of hours and in the fog for an hour or so before that.

Before the trip, we went to Tinki's dad's sushi shop. Wow! It's so good. The Japanese food we had there was so awesome. Got back late and I was up late finishing holiday cards to my friends at Soka. I made so many cards in the days before I was starting to lose track of who was getting what card; I hope y'all got the right one. If not you can shoot me when I'm back at SUA.

Before that, I watched one of the best gay movies I've ever seen in my life. Not that your standard gay flick is bad, but this one was hilarious. It's called Nine Dead Gay Guys; it's a British flick that I watched with Brian. I honestly didn't know what to think 'bout the movie. Wow, sarcasm, dark comedy, and oh-so-British comedy. I love it. (shoot that reminds me of Jarvis' "south coast" quote).

Before that, I just chilled. I don't know what it's like to live a life outside of school, but I'm starting to get it....it's boring. Haha. Maybe, it is, maybe it isn't. But it seems to be really quiet.

I don't know what I want and that's something that I've been using to keep myself in a low life condition. I want to have a high life condition. That's what I want to work on while I'm here at home and in Japan. I want to enjoy what there is to see in Japan, as much as I can.

So finals hell is basically over

I knew I would get through Finals week, the question is now rests on the measurment of how well I did. I made a goal of making a 4,0 GPA this semester, and I know I'm close, I hope my finals tip my grades to the positive direction, though I'm not so sure with my Econ Development grade. That class I slacked off on today, I was supposed to wake up early and do the take-home final, but I biffed and slept until 11am and made the final in about an hour. Shieeet! Anyways, I was stupid, I shall not do that again.

Things are looking better. I'm trying to maintain a positive attitude towards life, coming from a place that is truly happy on the inside to be living life. I hope that my determination to live happily in every moment, that I made last week--you know, when I was at my low point--will last. I am happy now, and for some reason during this finals week, I have been.

I am realizing that my days with specific Juniors is coming to an end. I know that Tinki will be back for graduation, I'm so happy. On the other hand, I know that my time with a lot of the Class of 2007 is coming to an end. I'm sad that I may not see some of them ever again; however, I know that we're related through bonds of soka education forever.

I'm missing those from the class of 2005 as well. With Justin working at IT for the few months going into the semester reminded me of the class of 2005. Now that most of the 2005ers have left the campus or that I've gotten used to them being apart of the 'background,' it's like somethings missing. I want to be able to bring that 'something' that 2005 added to the campus back. I hope I can mentor the members of the 2007,08,09 in such a way like those of 2005 did.

Guardian Unlimited Books | News | Art, truth and politics

Guardian Unlimited Books | News | Art, truth and politics