Hey Sleetse!

I guess you're number 5000. Kinda appropriate I guess since you probably leave me more comments than anyone else... but not the most props. As anyone who has been visited by sleetse knows, he only leaves ONE PROP, the cheapskate. 全く、けちで、せこい奴だ。hahahaha. Too bad it wasn't Masumi, tho. I had a nice present for number 5000 if it was a girl. Lots of guys on Xanga hit on Sleetse thinking he's a girl, but I KNOW better. Ah well, I guess i'll save it for #10,000. hahahaha.

Today's Snapshot
A hard day at work. Lit class and then a couple of students coming for extra help... you know who you are. I head to the Metro station, walk through the turnstiles and head down to the platform where I see... thousands of people milling about restlessly. Ok, maybe not thousands but more than a couple hundred. The lights at the edge of the platform are blinking indicating that a train is approaching but... no train. I ask someone on the platform, and she shrugs her shoulder saying that there hasn't been a train or an announcement for the past 20 minutes. Great... If I go back to my office, I gotta go through the turnstiles again and be out $1.20. Apparently I could write to Metro and get my money back: use stationary, envelope and a 37 cent stamp, not to mention my valuable time, but that doesn't seem worth it. During such stoppages, Metro should put up a sign at the turnstile explaining that there is a delay or something. But that would make WAY TOO much sense. Anyway, the train finally arrives after about half an hour. They are running both directions on one track so its taking time to switch them over. Apparently they had a "police" situation at Metro center. And there's something obviously wrong with the tracks if they are only running one track. I hope it wasn't anything too serious....

Thanks for Reading
I can't believe I am nearing 5000. Scroll to the bottom of the page and see if you are number 5000. If its you, leave a comment... or not. haha.

UCLA

Okay, my Bruins are even at .500 going into Pac-10 play next week against Washington. Ok, ok, this was accomplished last night with a victory over San Diego State, 20-10, a win that is not so impressive. I mean, geez, did you see Cal beat '$c? In triple overtime? Damn, why can't our boys in blue pull wins out like that?!? *sigh* SD State does not instill fear into most teams. But keep in mind tha this team had the third best defense in the nation and almost barely lost to Ohio St. in the Horseshoe 16-13. That has to count for something. SD State is no push over this year.

Anyway, I didn't get to watch the entire game because it was at a local sports bar where last call is at... 12 midnight. Damn, these people in Virginia are a bunch of wimps. can you believe this. I've said it once and I'll say it again: Washington DC is inaka--rural, the sticks, the boon docks, a hick town. It is pathetic. You'd think that the capital of the mightiest country in the freakin' world would be more exciting, dynamic, cosmopolitan. Ok, Fairfax is not DC, but it is a major suburb. Can you imagine a bar announcing last call at 12 freakin' midnight in Westchester, NY? No, wait, bad example. Long Island, yeah, I KNOW there are places to go on Long Island, right? How about Evanston, IL? Huh? They gotta have places serving alcohol after 12, on a Saturday night! I know they serve afer 12 in Santa Monica, West LA, and East LA. But here in the Commonwealth of Virginia? Fuhgedaboutit...

AND, the reason I had to see the game in a sports bar to begin with is because DishTV doesn't carry Fox Sports West 2. They carry everyother Fox sports network, even FSW, but not 2. Something about only being able to carry on programming option per region. Bull! then why is in on Direct TV? I blew it. I shoulda gotten Direct. This DishTV really blows. I mean, the whole point of getting a satellite in the first place was to get these channels...

Okay, that's my rant of the day, hopefully for the week. We're all busy and tired and stressed. Well, I'm really stressed and tired and overworked and underpaid. I mean, this Saturday football is my ONLY release from the stress. I wish I could at least get what I paid for.... Sheesh... Is that too much to ask for?

Nefarius look alike

I was sitting at a bar in Georgetown last night and two seats down was a sexy looking girl who kinda reminded me of some of photos I had seen of Nefarius Hatter. You weren't by any chance in DC this weekend, were you? I kept looking through the mirror to get a better look, but it was hard. I would have asked her directly, but in the seat between her and me was Musubi-chan... hahaha... I value my life.

PaikyPoo: this is wot i had to wait a day for? pffft... i was expecting some n00kie or something... bah, i'm goin back to doin my laundry.
I like ya' Paiky; you're too much. And I really like the honesty in your posts. I need more info on these FTFs. But sorry, not here. I like nooky, and I like to talk about it. But not here. I am simply not anonymous enough. A lot of my kids might croak--Eee yuuu! But I have written a number of comments on other people's sites that I would NEVER write here. Ha! I know a number of people have come by through the links on these other sites, but I think they leave disappointed, cuz the O-man's Xanga is rater PG.

Not Living Up to Expectation
Installment eight.... continued: First half posted yesterday; see below.

One thing I wanted to do while I was in Japan was me up with YI, the girl I went out with for a few weeks after MM. She was pretty cute and smart and spoke Japanese. Sorta like BA with Japanese and English skills. The only reason why we broke up was because at the time 1976 she was a senior in high school (18) and I was 21. Her parents were not amused. Anyway, I went to see her but she was out with her friends--stupid me, I didn't call before I stopped by--and left with her mother the omiyage I brought for her. Her parents' condo was near ICU, where she went, and I decided to visit the campus--who knows, I thought naively, maybe I'll run into her. Well, you've probably guessed that I ended up strolling the campus by myself, seeing a whole lot of nothing. I decided to head back to Nishi-Ogikubo and hopped on the bus back to Mitaka Station. As I gazed out the window, wondering if I would ever see YI again, some called out to me in English.

"Onigiriman? Is that you?"
"JU? What are you doing here?"
"I'm a ry琦akusei. From UCLA"
"Man, I haven't seen you since when? Boy scouts? Karate?"
"About six years, I guess, huh."
"Man, no shit." Kinda lonely about not being able to see YI, I thought it would be fun to hang with JU, who was a couple of years younger than me. He was in the same patrol--the Firebirds--in our Boy Scout troop and we also took Shotokan Karate together at our church. "So what you doing now? Got a date? Going to work?"
"No, I was just going to go to the station and do some shopping."
"Screw that. Let's go to Shinjuku and get a drink. My treat."
"Yeah, okay."

Well, we went to Shinjuku, and found a small dive outside Nishiguchi west of the station on the main thoroughfare Omekaid・ We ate lightly but imbibed rather heavily in o-sake. I think we finished more than a bottle (one bottle = 1.8 liters)... I think. I don't really remember much after reaching the bottom of the first bottle. What I do recall is paying 18,000 yen--pretty hefty for 24 years ago--and helping my friend throw up onto the tracks from the platform of the Chuo line. I sorta recall being warned by someone to take care of him as he seemed pretty bad off. I was pretty drunk, but I guess I can "appear" more sober... Anyway, I couldn't send him back to school in this condition, so I brought him home... much to the displeasure of my cousin. Hahaha. He was really put out. Alvin is a really square dude; naive as naive gets--even in Tokyo--and he couldn't wait to call Australia to report to my grandparents. All i could do was put my friend in a futon and let him sleep it off. Next morning, I wake up to find my cousn gone to school. I wake up with JU and he's still groggy as hell, but he insisted that he had to go back to school, so I went with him as far as Mitaka Station to make sure he got on the right bus.

It was November 5, 1979. I remember the date rather distinctly. I returned home with with a headache and a woozy stomache. I laid down on top of the futon and turned on the TV, hoping the static of Japanese would lull me to sleep. News. Some kind of turmoil in some unnamed third-world country. I couldn't really tell, because while my Japanese was passable for everyday conversation, I still had problems with the more sophisticated language of news. I changed the channel and recognized the same footage. Damn, I need some stupid daytime drama to put me to sleep. I click a again and its still the news. What's going on? Something pretty big must have happened, so I tried to focus and understand what the newscaster was saying. Iran, American taishikan? That's "embassy", right. Hitojichi? I look it up in the dictionary: "hostage"... What the...? I wasn't really sure what happened, the newscasters spoke too fast for me in language I was too unfamiliar with. But i got the gist: Some Iranins entered the American embassy in Tehran, Iran and took hostages including marines. Late afternoon, I hurried to Nishi-Ogikubo station to buy the evening paper. I return home and try my best to read the newspaper with a dictionary. I was struggling but I understood more: So-called students stormed the embassy and took marines and embassy personnel hostage. They were crying for the death of the US. I was shocked. And angry. How could they do that to us... "Us"? Did I just say "us"?

I learned two things on this trip. One was the new form of entertainment, karaoke, where one could sing a favortie tune accompanied by music that was pretty close to the original. This was a revelation. This was, to the best of my recollection, the very first time I thought the Japanese were world leaders in "having fun". But, the other thing I learned was more revealing: I was an American.

And that I probably would never see YI again...

End of installment 8

Thanks for the love

I just realized that I am fast approaching the 5000 hit mark. While Xanga is not supposed to be a popularity contest, it is nice to know that people find what I write interesting enough to come by from time to time, even if I don't write sexually explicit stuff, or that I have no hesitation about talking about myself or about topics that Musubi-chan refers to as "dirty topics", in reference to things best left in the toilet--like yesterday's post, although it was no where near as graphic as it would have been in person and after a few beers. Hehehe. I'm just an immature ojitarian.

Speaking of ojitarian: Does anyone know if the oyaji (re: late middle age, the old-man, pops) syndrome is genetic or race specific. I wasn't born or raised in Japan, but symptoms--oyaji (corny) gags, toile talk--suggest that I'm afflicted anyway. Is there maybe an oyaji gene that proliferates after a certain age? Do other East Asians suffer similarly? Or is Japan the only country affected? ANY advice would be welcome--Capstew! where are you when I need ya'?

Thanks for waiting
Well, I finally "made" time to continue writing NLUTE. School has kept me very busy and I have had little time for myself... well, maybe to see a football game or two. But that's beside the point. I truly feel that this semester may end up being the most stressful of my career. Thank goodness for my kids. They are the core of my existence (well, beside Musubi-chan, that is), and the only reason why I can continue to work where I work without going crazy.

Not Living Up to Expectation
Installment eight....

RECAP: After years of screwing around--playing in a band, ditching school, drinking like a fish--I realized that I should stop screwing around and get serious with education, but I was again enticed by the thought of pursuing an alternative career when I entered a singing contest. And I won, winning a trip to Japan. Click NLUTE to read the previous seven installments.

Well, I learned that the prize wasn't all that great. I first had visions of grandeur. The Suntory Corporation would pick me up in a limosine at the airport and wisk me away to a posh Akasaka hotel. The reality was much different.

The ticket to Japan turned out to be a one-year open round trip ticket from LA to Tokyo on China Airline. Further, the only connection the sponsor, Suntory, had with the contest was providing money for the low-budget plane ticket. Indeed, the Suntory name was supplied by the local Suntory office, and the Tokyo headquarter had nothing to do with it and knew nothing of this contest. So all dreams of being "discovered" went up in smoke. As I think of it now, I was pretty naive

But still, I got a free trip to Japan, so I wan't complaining too loudly. I decided to go in my favorite season, Fall, and left LA around the beginning of October. In Japan, I stayed at my grandparents condo again in Nishi-Ogikubo, but they were not living there. My grandfather was sent to Australia by his trading organization for a few years, but they had my cousin Alvin--who was by then a Waseda student, and still reminded me of a chipmonk--house-sit the place while they were gone. So I had a room to myself, little of my grandparents house-cluttering items, and a cousin who usually spent time at school and with his friends, so I could spend my time as I pleased.

For a week, I puttered around local areas, going to Shinjuku a couple times to get my self oriented to Tokyo, again. I also went to visit my relatives in the boondocks of Fukushima for a week or so. It was kinda embarassing. I told them that the contest was no big deal, that Suntory was only lending its name and had no real interest in the contest or its winner, but they would have no part in it. One look at the photo, and they figured they had a bonafide star in the making... or something. My cousin--Issei on my dad's side--got all the relatives and a couple of the local council members who were friends to come over for a party to celebrate my winning the contest. My family on that side will use any reason to hold a party. I wanted me to sing the song I won with, and Akio, my dad's cousin, searched the entire village for a karaoke tape of the song--Karaoke was in its infancy back then--but he couldn't find one, so I ended up singing at the party a capella...

One thing I wanted to do while I was in Japan was meet up with YI (re: NLUTE installment 5-6), the girl I went out with for a few weeks after MM...

Continued tomorrow...

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Korikai!
Have a nice time at Outback?

Drinking Water and the Power of Suggestion?
Man, I had a scare today. Last week, when Hurricane Isabel blew through, our neighborhood was more or less spared the inconvenience of the sustained power shortage experience by others. Happily, we went about our business, enjoying the day off from school and work. Yesterday, I talked to a colleague at work and we chatted about the storm and she told me how her townhouse was in the dark until Saturday morning. She also told me how the Fairfax County Water Authority put out an alert for all consumers to boil water, since the power outage caused the treatment plant to lose water pressure and the water may have been "compromised". She and her husband had been boiling water and taking showers at his mother's house in MD to avoid being contaminated.

Gulp... I live something like 5 minutes away from my colleague in Fairfax, and I had been drinking water, showering, brushing my teeth... I suddenly felt very woozy. But I had to run to class. I taught for three hours with a gurgling, churning stomach. I returned to my office, left my material and headed straight to the head. Can you spell d-i-a-r-r-h-e-a? Oh~~~~. I was convinced I had contracted somekind of dreadful bacteria. I once drunk the water from a stream in Mt. Rainier in the NW, and paid for it a week later with the same symptoms. I returned to the office and called Musubi-chan, even as I Googled Fairfax County Water.

"Are you feeling okay?"
"Fine, Why?" She asked
"Didn't Unagi-kun (our son) have the runs yesterday?"
"Yeah, he was complaining about a stomach ache since Sunday, but he seems better today. Why?"
I frantically clicked my way through a couple of links, until I got to the Fairfax County Water Authority homepage.

Boil Water Notice Lifted for Northern Virginia

Ah, shit, there WAS a notice! "Well, I just heard that the water we drank may have been contaminated..."
"But I feel fine, are you sure?"

As a precautionary measure, the boil water notice was issued early Friday morning.

"A notice was issued on Friday."

Once water pressure in the system was restored, sampling was conducted on Friday and Saturday to test for potentially harmful bacteria.

"Huh? Where was it posted? Why didn't they mention it on TV?" Musubi-chan pressed.

No harmful bacteria were found in the sampling.

"Uh, nevermind. I'll be home the usual time..."

Whew! I guess we didn't drink anything harmful afterall. But then, what was the earlier stomach cramp all about? I will never, ever underestimate the power of suggestion again.

Lunch: Unagi-don

Hi Onigiriman! It's been 101 days since you joined Xanga... won't you support us by going Premium?
These guys are tenacious! Has it been 101 days? I think this calls for something special... I know! How about continuing Twenty Questions? Hahaha! I've fielded 14 questions and some have nothing to do with me: either people already know too much about me, or they couldn't give a sh*t. In any case, subscribers have had their chance and I will open the field to those who may be interested. BTW: I never wrote you couldn't ask personal questions, just not embarassing ones... I also reversed the order ot the questions from the previousl post, most recent first. One more: Paiky scolded me counting a double post. I guess, "technically", he has me, so Cultof Dizzo, if you wanna ask another question, go ahead.

Hamamoto: Do you think the death tax should be permanently repealed?
Posted 9/24/2003 at 11:07 PM. Okay, I'm stupid. What's a death tax? Haha. J/k. I just play dumb since this would never affect me directly: my father doesn't own a business and neither do I. It could, however, affect me indirectly. If you're unfamiliar, the govt. levys a tax--as much as 55%--on business assets and property inherited upon an owner's death. Since this tax is rather exhorbitant, many people who inherit a business (typically, small to medium size) end up having to sell their assets in order to pay the tax. An interesting point is that an estimated 0.65 cents is expended to collect every dollar. So while the govt. doesn't really make a whole lot of money by collecting it, the inheritor loses a business, employees lose jobs, and the overall affect of the community in which the business it is/was located could be negatively affected--look at J-town. Whew. Too much heavy lifting. That's 18.

Windward_Skies: What did you aspire to be when you were a kid?
Posted 9/24/2003 at 9:04 PM. Hmm. This might sound kinda negative, but I don't ever remember aspiring to be anything. You hear of kids saying they want to be the president, a fireman, a baseball player. My greatest joy was music, but I guess I always new I would never be accepted. I watch TV, The Ed Sullivan Show, Hullabaloo, American Bandstand, and there was never an Asian to be seen anywhere. Actually, there was never an Asian anywhere, except within my immediate community. The only Asians were houseboys who cooked, did the dishes and laundry. And in the movies, they were either the evil Japs of WWII or phony Asians like Carlie Chan. Nothing to aspire to. Indeed, even the Asian women in moveis like Sayonara and Teahouse of the August Moon fall for white men, not other Asians. Rather disheartening, don't you think? So I didn't aspire to anything. All I knew is I had to do better than my dad. That's 17.

BaBeEhGrL143: Oh man, your entry is hilarious. I could not stop laughing. That last question was a bit odd though. But still funny. I did the last question a bit insulting. "In your youth?" You are not that old. To be honest with you, you look very good for your age. Are you a issei? Nissei? Sansei? Just wondering.
Posted 9/24/2003 at 3:29 PM. I love easy questions. Sansei... But I love compliments even more. No, Purin_kun is a student of mne and know that I am quite old, at least from his perspective. when you're 20-22 yeasr old, a person reaching the half century mark is understandably "old". But its the heart, right? It's how old or young you feel, right? Ne, ne, ne sou deshou? That's 16.

lovingxmemories: What made you want to become a "Japanologist" as you answered before in Grom's question?
Posted 9/23/2003 at 7:57 PM. I think you mena MattBlue? Anyway, it was more or less an accident. When I met that professor who changed my life, he taught human anatomy. It was cool, and I thought how cool it would be to be a doctor, particularly surgery. I wanted to major in Biology, but at UCLA transfer students had to have X number of unit credits of natural science before declaring a major in Bio or Chen, but i had to declare something so I thought, "Hey, I speak a little Japanese" and went with it. Haha, guess what? I found out I didn't really know as much Japanese as I thought. So I started studying harder, learned the language, literature and culture and discovered that I found it fascinating, something I wanted to share with others. The rest is history.... That's 15.

PaikyPoo: ok, u can't double post questions and count them against the 20 questions... that's a party foul. u must drink heavily for each foul anywho, my guestion is... if u could go back in time, what would u do differently in regards to female (or male) companionship? ie if there was a gf u let go of that u now wish u hadn't, tell us the story. ahhhhh... dat brain fart felt good...
Posted 9/24/2003 at 3:38 AM. This is a matter that used to haunt me for a long time. If you've read my story, "Not Living Up to Expectations" then you might guess that the person is BA. She was--at least for me back then--virtually perfect. She was bright and intelligent: she has a Pharm.D. degree and the last time I talked to her--20 years ago!--she worked at UCLA Medical Center. She was talented. She was the lead female vocalist in our band, and she played piano. She could cook and sew and she accepted all of my friends without batting an eye lash. She was sweet and understanding and indulged me to a degree that is embarassing to admit now, but I will. Once she went out with her female cousin and I got upset; I was the jealous, possessive type--y'know, the stupid type. Well we got into a big argument. Later, I realized how stupid and childish I was and sorta felt guilty. The next day, even as I was genuinely down on myself, she came to the bank where I worked, and gave me a bag of my favorite cookies--home-made peanut butter--with a note stating how sorry she was and how it was HER fault... I almost died, and in fact it made me feel even worse. Of course, we made up, and I did everything I thought she would enjoy: I wined her and dined her, we went to see the show, "A Chorus Line", then playing in LA, and a Toer of Power concert and assorted movies and anything I could to make it up to her. Alas, I was ever the idiot. As I wrote in NLUTE, I had and perhaps still have an identity crisis to deal with: being Japanese American. I had learned converstional Japanese and believed that speaking Japanese was a crucial part of being JA. BA did not speak Japanese, not even a little. And I eventually broke up with her in my futile attempts to seek the perfect companion. But if I could turn back the hands of time now, I would not. I am happy now. Musubi-chan is not perfect, but I have given up on perfection, in that her imperfections help me perfect myself. BA would have let me remain imperfect, I think, and as a result, I may never have grown, but she was such a loving and understanding girl... *sigh* Sexually speaking.... hehehe, never mind. This is 14.

HattoriHanzo: Who do you see in the top 5 of NCAA football 6 weeks from now?
Posted 9/24/2003 at 12:40 AM. Tough one. Top 5? In 6 weeks? Hmm. I don't have a crystal ball but here goes... 1. Oklahoma. 2. Ohio St. 3. Florida St. 4. VA Tech/Tenessee. 5. LSU. Oklahoma should handle Texas. Ohio St won't lose until they face Michigan. FSU and Miami is a toss up because they play at FSU. But I give FSU the nod because this is Miami's year to leave the top five. And either VA Tech/Tenesee will beat Miami cuz after losing to FSU, Miami either look forward to Tenn and lose to VA Tech, or be so beat up after VA Tech, they'll lose their first home game in years to Tenessee--My hope is that they'll lose to all three teams. No 'SC cuz in the next 6 weeks they play Arizona State, Notre Dame, Washington and Washington St. WSU is the only home game, the rest are away and one of these teams will beat them. If not then they deserve to be no. 2 or maybe 1. If Miami goes unscathed, they should replace Oklahoma as no. 1. That's 13.

Purin_kun: Did you, in your youth, ever play the "Kancho Game?" It is very popular with my elementary school students, and has me scared sh1tl3ss (maybe a Kancho would help me out with that?).
Posted 9/24/2003 at 12:06 AM. Another winner! Kancho mean "enema" and that is why the kids are trying to stick their forefingers into the rear fold of someone else's pants. But I'm not sure this is called a "game" per se. It is a form of horsing around. But I did not partake in thie particular type of entertainment, but I think it would be similar to what we used to call giving "melvins". This entailed grabbing the center rear belt loop of someone's pants and lifting him off the ground, thereby pulling the pants into the folds of the buttocks. The fun part was watching the recipient of a melvin trying to pull out the embedded fabric from between his butt. Better yet, and perhaps more in line with "kancho", was "squirelling" which involved what squirels do best, searching and grabbing and squeezing "nuts". It was a painful form of play, but hey, as many of the Ladies of Xanga have noted on their own sites, boys/men/males are stupid, and I cannot rebut... That's 12

Hi Onigiriman! It's been 100 days since you joined Xanga...

Hi Onigiriman! It's been 100 days since you joined Xanga... won't you support us by going Premium?
Oh my goodness! Has it been 100 days? I think this calls for something special... I know! How about Twenty Questions? The first 20 questions I receive from those who subscribe to me. Now, be nice. Don't ask obviously embarassing questions, for I just may answer "No comment" and you will have used up a whole question needlessly... BTW: I never wrote you couldn't ask personal questions, just not embarassing ones... I also reversed the order ot the questions, most recent first.

Shiroi_Norite: What is the worst thing about your job?
Posted 9/23/2003 at 10:32 PM. Finally,a hard ball. The worst thing is the politics involved within an academic world populated by people with little or no social/business skills. I am fortunate to have colleagues within the program who have adequate skills, but as for everyone else...pfrzzzt! Forget it. They have Ph.D.s and are brilliant people, but for the most part, they went straight to graduate school directly from undergraduate, got a full scholarship, did their research with adequate funding, and did not hold a "real" job until they got a tenure track job at a university. Few have actually worked at jobs where, people skills are necessary, where production and efficiency are a requirement. As such, they have little or no skills in how to deal with the dynamics of a department or committee or faculty of diverse people. It ends up being a power grab by the most popular people, sorta like politicians... I always find myself rolling my eyes in disgust... Not to say that I have a extraordinary people skills. My kids know me so they are better suited to evaluate me. But I have worked full or near full-time jobs outside acedemia: bank (serious efficiency quotient required), warehouse employee (serious physical stamina), and of course manager of the sweetshop (all kinds of stress). I brought all this to where I teach and help put together a J program that is efficient, effective and growing, the best sign things are working... That's 11.

CultofDizzo: wow, I am very humbled and feel kinda bad. How did I miss it before? Eh...well thanks for anwering my question 3 times.....sorry...
Posted 9/23/2003 at 8:05 PM. How did you miss it before? Hmm. Isn't that your second question? Sorry only one per individual, even though you have a cool site.

lovingxmemories: What made you want to become a "Japanologist" as you answered before in Grom's question?
Posted 9/23/2003 at 7:57 PM. I think you mean Mattblue's question? But I'm onlly answering questions from people who subscribe to me. If, however, I don't get a full twenty questions, I will answer your question.

pochi124: i'm not sure if u used up ur 20 questions already. . .but what do u think about suicidal ppl??
Posted 9/23/2003 at 7:55 PM. This is a very difficult question. I am not a trained economist so I am nowhere near being a psychiatrist. But there are, as far as I know, 2 general types. One is truly mentally ill and needs a psychiatrist's help. I give them my sympathy. The others type is less an illness and closer to a "disorder", one who can't handle problems and/or does not have the appropriate support system at hand to deal with these problems. I offer sympathy for these people as well, but would also encourage them to work hard to continue to solve their problems by seeking solutions positively and proactively. Dwelling on problems only make them worse. But in either case, seeking the advice of a professional is always good. In the meantime, I will offer moral support. That's 10

Ichiro_Suzuki: how many times have i hit grand slams in amelica?
Posted 9/23/2003 at 3:07 PM. Two, both this year, against the KC Royals and Boston Redsox. But this is just another wasted question. Be egotistical on your own Xanga. This is my house! Hah! That's 9

Tiggerj: A totally separate question about Japan. Now there is a recession in Japan so I kind of expect people to be saving their money or putting them somewhere... However, super-lux brands are doing extremely well in Japan. (Brands like: Prada, Hermes, LVMH Louis Vuitton, and others...) In fact they are doing so well that Prada has opened the Epicenter store, "a spectacular showplace in Tokyo's posh Aoyama neighborhood." In economic theory, sales of expensive handbags should fall in a downturn, when incomes fall. However, sales way are up. So what's up with that?
Posted 9/23/2003 at 1:42 PM. I took the liberty of editting your question. If anyone wants to read the whole question, click on comments. Anyway, I am no economixt, but as you say, the Japanese don't seem to follow the economic model, so here's what I think. As the economy goes down, real property gets harder and harder to obtain. For most J, owning property, a house or even a condo, is beyond the realm of reality. So what should they do? Feel pity for themselves? Save for something that they feel is unabtainable? No. They will use disposable money that will still make them "feel" rich. They may not own property, but they still control the most important thing for them: a sense of self worth. Certainly a $330 handbag is more attainable than a condo. And given the headaches of home ownership--I am a prime example--they opt for the easier "high". I have talked to guys who buy cars for this very reason: Can't buy a house, but have you seen my car?!? That's 8

CultofDizzo: WHAT IS BUNGO!!!!!!!???????!!!!!!!!!
Posted 9/23/2003 at 10:38 AM. I already answered this. Didn't you read the post for September 20? Well, here's another wasted question/answer: Despite the fact that Masahiro and I answered your question a couple of days ago (re: Monday Sept. 15 comments), I will write it here again: Bungo 文語 is literary Japanese. It is the Japanese used in classical texts but was used extensively in written Japanese until WWII. To read govt. documents, you need bungo. To read newpapers and journals pre-WWII, you need bungo. Any serious Japanologist needs to master this if he intends to do serious research. That's 7.

mmh: What would you do if you won a million?
Posted 9/23/2003 at 10:05 AM. A million yen? Save it. A million dollars? Hmm... This is a relatively easy question since I think about this everytime I buy a lotto ticket. After paying off my mortgage, I would set up a scholarship fund for students studying classical Japanese literature in the name of my parents. Why classical? Cuz I've been dissed about studying this most of my academic career. Actually, unbeknownst to many, classical Japanese betrays an uncanny understanding of the instability of meaning in language. In other words, the meaning of texts are based on the context in which it is read. The compiler/editor of Ise monogatari from the early Heian (ca. 10th cen.) placed poetry into prose texts in an attempt to arrest this movement of meaning by forcing readers to read the poems within a structured context. Later in medieval times, renga--linked poetry--played with this fluidity by intentionally allowing verses to be read differently in different contexts. How cool is that?!? As an analogy for my students, I tell them it is like the US constitution. The phrase "all me are created equal" does not include "all men". It means all white men. Blacks were not instantly freed when the consitution was adopted. Indeed, the author, Jefferson, owned his own slave, so you know he didn't include black men. But now, it is different, no? This phrase means not only ALL men, but all men and WOMEN. Did the words change? No. Only the reading of the words changed. How? The context changed, our current modern society. This is so fundamental to how we live our daily lives. Everything we see and feel is understood through the prism of our own experience, our own context. And I try to convey this through classical Japanese literature. Anyone wanna take my class? That's 6.

korikai: Hm, now that you mention it, there are so many things I could ask... But I'll just bother you during your office hours one day when you can't escape...hehehe....
Posted 9/23/2003 at 9:47 AM. Like when you come to ask me for a letter of recommendation? Didn't you graduate already?

Piratechan: What can render you speechless- with awe, sorrow, or joy?
Posted 9/23/2003 at 8:46 AM. Not much. I usually have an opinion to express on virtually anything, particuarly things that inspire awe or joy? You couldn't shut me up. This player juked the defender for the touchdown and we won the game, or a sudden cold front in autumn cause the leaves to turn a beautiful hue... Yeah, I know, not very romantic, but that is what I am. Outrage at senseless violence also gets me to express an opinion all the time. But things that arouse a sense of sorrow usually leave me groping for words. I never know what to say at a funeral to people directly related to the deceased. I think this might have something to do my "rational" mind. I am always searching for cause-and-effect relationships in events. However, how can you rationalize a sense of sorrow, or a sense that something--or someone--is missing? What is it that causes me--anyone--to feel that emptiness inside my stomach, that wrenching pain in the guts. I wonder if that's the reason why many Japanese expression dealing with emotion refer to the belly--hara? Hmm... That's 5.

Grom: If you could eat lunch with any famous historical person (aside from Einstein or Jesus), who would it be?
Posted 9/23/2003 at 3:39 AM. After pondering this question a bit, I thought of a number of people I'd like to talk to. As a JA and Japanologist, it would be interesting to talk to Jakuren, the poet-priest who was the topic of my Ph.D. dissertation. Of course, I also thought of Tokugawa Ieyasu (How'd you bring peace to the entire country?), Toyotomi Hideyoshi (Did you really think you could defeat Korea?), and Sen Rikyu (Did you ever imagine that the way of tea would still be popular 400 years after your death?). But you said lunch, right? Well, lunch with these dudes would entail a gruel of coarsely polished rice, boiled roots and ferns, and maybe some dried fish, so forget it. I think I'll break bread with an American president--people who know how to eat. Maybe with Jefferson (What did you really mean by "All men are created equal"?) or Harry Truman (Why did you drop the A-bomb when you HAD to know that Japanese was on its last leg and there were other options? Were you a "Yes man" or just stupid?). But to answer your question--finally--I think I would like to have lunch with JFK and ask him, "How good was Marilyn?" That's 4.

PaikyPoo: well, that's 3 wasted questions... i don't have anything clever to ask so i'll wait until i have a brain fart and think of something.
Posted 9/23/2003 at 3:32 AM. The first intelligent comment! hahaha! Anyway, three down, seventeen to go.

nefarious_hatter: which came first, the chicken or the egg? ok. that's not my first question for you. I was just yoking. haha. bad joke. Anyway, If you could turn back time like Cher could, what in the past week would you want changed. Yourself? current events? socks?
Posted 9/23/2003 at 2:08 AM. Man, does no one take me seriously? The egg! I thought every woman knew the answer to THAT! But to respond to your first question, I would change myself... into the reincarnation of Sonny. No, no, seriously. I would change my literature lectures last week. I thought I was prepared but I botched them. I would want to say something more "humanitarian" like prevented attacks against American troops in Iraq or pushed aside hurricane Isabel from the East Coast or convinced UCLA coach Dorrell to forfeit their game against Oklahoma so they wouldn't embarrass themselves. But this is my Xanga, so I may as well stay consistently self-centered. That's three.

mattblue: Damn, Masahiro stole my question...but here's another one. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? Ok, ok, seriously - what made you decide to teach Japanese?
Posted 9/23/2003 at 1:19 AM. Like I wrote, only one question per individual. A woodchuck cannot chuck wood, so the answer is zero. But I'll let you slide this once and answer your question seriously. It's not so much teaching Japanese, but to become a teacher. I met a professor when I went to the community college who saw something in me that I did not know existed. He encouraged me to strive and convinced to go to UCLA, a school I thought I had no chance of getting into. But I did. This man changed my life and I decided to dedicate myself to being as encouraging an influence on others as he was for me. Actually, this story will probably be a part of installment nine, if I ever get around to finishing it. That's two.

Masahiro: How many licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop?
Posted 9/23/2003 at 1:10 AM. This is definitely a wasted question, but a question nonetheless. Complain to Masahiro. Anyway, this is a subjective question, but for me, exactly nine (9) before I bite the hard candy outside. Someone told me it was related to sexual frustrations--like chewing ice-- but I have yet to see scientific proof of this. That's one.

Getting old

I must really be getting old. Judging by the posts I read, there is a lot of action out there in twenty-something land. Damn, all I have are memories... But that's cool... What else am I gonna say?!? Hahaha! Anyway, you know you're getting old when you can no longer say, "f*ck it", and get away with it. If I said that, my kiddies would revolt, I'd get fired, I wouldn't be able to pay the mortgage, blah, blah, blah. And things are starting to catch up with me... money, time, work... There are not enough minutes in an hour, hours in a day, days in a week, so on and so forth (another insipid phrase). Am I ranting? Aaargh! Oh yeah, a new profile pic to reflect a more somber mood.

: What's in a name? :
I am very adamant about allowing people to read texts freely within the context it is read... But I found out this may not be a very flattering situation for me and my name in China. My name in Chinese characters is written blossom-viewing 花見. But these innocent looking characters can be disasterous sounding to people who speak more than one language, specifically English and Chinese. Well, almost Chinese. In Mandarin, the name is pronounced Hua-jien. Not too bad, maybe even melodic. But in Cantonese, it sounds derogatory, not to the Chinese speaker but to the English listener. It's pronounced Fah-gin. I did a double-take when I first heard it.

"So how do pronounce this in Cantonese?"
"Fah-gin."
"Excuse me? Did you just call me f*ckin'?"
"Yeah, you're name is Fah-gin."

If I ever go to Hong Kong, I would never use the Chinese characters for my name. Can you imagine if they paged me at the airport or hotel? It would sound like, "Phone call for Mr. F*ckin'" Be happy its not YOUR name....

I'm Hungry

Damn! Nafarious and her discussion of mayonaise and fried foods; and Takunishi talking about tomato sauce got me thinking too. Let's see, 5 cloves of garlic, sauted, with sweet Italian sausage; add diced onion and freen pepper, mushroom and olives, add two tins of whol tomatos, a wine glass of merlot and lots of Italian seasoning, some salt and pepper and bay leaves.... simmer for at least two hours. Serve with linguine. I love to eat... so let ask a question. If you died and went to heaven--or hell, depending on your perspective--and the proprietor of the joint told you to choose one cuisine to eat for the rest of eternity, what would it be? My candidates in no particular order:

1. Japanese: Sushi, sushi, sushi. Need I say more? I also love tempura, although this is almost cheating since tempura really originated from Portuguese. But the source and relationship is now so vague that I guess we can call it "Japanese". I also love tofu, soba noodles and nimono (roots boiled?). I am not a fan of udon--usually too soft, with no "koshi" (al dente). And while I love yakizakana (grilled salted fish), I'm not sure if I could eat that with dried seaweed, miso soup, pickled radish EVERY morning for breakfast. I guess I'm too Americanized.
2. Chinese: It uses all kinds of meats, seafood, vegetables. The range is wide: steamed fish and Peking duck on one side to gyoza and ramen on the other. I mean, really, what self-respecting Asian guy would disagree? Drink? Laochu is one of my favorites, along with Tsing Tao. For morning, the okayu (rice porridge) is rather tasty, and I can certainly live with daily afternoon dim sum. On the down-side, it could be too fattening. They use a lot of oil.
3. Italian: I also love pasta--espepcially linguine and penne. Tomato sauce is a good source of lycopene. And I just plain love tomatoes. Like Chinese, it uses a wide range of meat and seafoods. And remember, Italian isn't only about pasta. Eggplant parmiagian (sp?) is wonderful. Italian antipasti, like hams, saugages, grilled and pickled vegetables, are incredibly delectable. And, of course, the king of football foods: Pizza! And don't hold the ancovies...
4. American: Steak and potatoes, Big Mac and fries, bacon and eggs and pancakes and biscuits and gravy. Can you spell: Haert atactk? Of course, pizza and gyoza are no slouches in the coronary attack department, but if I'm gonna go, how about a little pizzaz? Huh? I just notices... are these words--pizza and pizzaz--related?
5. Thai: I love Thai curry, and the dishes. They are in variety similar to Chinese, except with a kick to it--although Shisen also has a kick to it--and "exotic" ingredients such as lemon grass and coconut milk. When I go eat Thai, I alway order their whole fish dish. Mmmm. And Padtai (sp?) to sate my pasta craving.
6. Korean: Another winner. Many of the dishes are similar to Japanese--noodles, sushi, nabemono (soup/stew?)--but what separates Korean food would be their inclusion of MEAT. Korean BBQ? Man, is that good or what! Of course there is the cold noodles in summer and on of my all time favorites stone-bowl bibimbap (sp?). This has the namul (sp?) and raw egg on hot rice that is placed in a HOT stone or cast iron bowl. The top is cool, the inside is hot, and the rice that lines the bowl becomes crunchy/crispy! If ever there was a reason to introduce a Nobel prize for food, this would be it. And don't forget kimchee, particularly kakuteki (kimchee radish, gakdukki? I apologize to my Korean readers, I could never transliterate Korean). On the downside, Korean sushi is okay, and I certainly prefere Japanese takuan (pickled radish) and soba to the Korean version.
7. Mexican: Almost forgot. The confort food I was raised on. Burritos? Get a Hollenbeck at Manuals. Tacos? An al-Pasteur at King Taco. Refried beans? I'm kinda glad most people don't eat it, cuz I usually eat it for them. And I could eat tamales all day long. Guacamole? Is there a person on this earth who doesn't like it? Unfortunately, while seafood dishes exist--fish tacos don't count--they are not eye popping.

And the winner is.... Hmm, either Chinese or Italian, I think. Its hard to choose between the two. To be honest, of all the choices above, I think Japanese or Thai--although both good--would come in last. Ramen is Chinese, so is gyoza. Thai flavors explode in the mouth, so I could tire of this after a while. Japanese food--real Japanese food--is very subtle and for me can get boring at times--yes, I crave sushi and soba and tofu. But that's because I don't eat it everyday--remember, the deal is you have to eat one cuisine everyday for eternity. And yes, you read correctly, I don't think I could eat sushi everyday... Does this mean I have to turn in my degrees in Japanese?

Ha! It's precisely this kind of post above--and probably the hurricane updates below--that convinced some to unsubscribe to my Xanga. Not that I blame them, of course. My entries tend to be long winded, and often devoid of content. As many of you know, there are a number of Xanga sites that are sexually explicit. Yes, I read them sometimes, 'cause they can be pretty funny; and while I might be a "sensei", I am not a prude. But I guess some people thought I would write some explicit things as well, since I have made a few comments on some of these sites. But I don't, so perhaps that is why they unsubscribed. Mostly, the reason why I don't write stuff like that is because I'm too old, and the things I did would be pass・for most of you out there... No wait, that's not the real reason. It's because I don't want to offend anyone... Um, that's not really it either. I guess its just plain embarrasing since I am not really very anonymous on this site. Too many people know me. Now, if I had a truly anonymous site... hehehe...

UCLA Crushed

Musubi-chan is the best. I live and breathe UCLA football. We are not the best team in the nation. Crap, we're not even in the top 25 or maybe even top 50. But I love 'em anyway. I've been rooting for them since I was a wee lad. Well, today Oklahoma, the number ONE team in the nation, a team in a part of the country that probably has little else than Oklahoma football, handed UCLA its ass. 59-24. There were some bright spots--only a true fan could see anything good in this debacle--but the final score is ultimately the bottom line. *sigh* Anyway, Musubi-chan understands my love for this team and will stand by me all the time. Sure I'm just watching on TV, but she could have easily gone to another part of the house and done something else: laundry, get ready for dinner, read a book, write a letter, anything. But she stayed with me until the bitter end--as a die hard fan, I will watch until the end, as ugly as it may get... Anyway, UCLA lost, but I can savor a moral victory knowing that Musubi-chan will always stick with me. This will likely sound rediculously insipid to many out there--Seriously, who the hell would stay to watch a losing team in a game for which you have little interest in the first place? Ah, that's what separates Musubi-chan from the other women I have met. If she will stay by me through the thin--a stupid football game--then she will certainly stick with me through the thick. Now that's something to feel good about.

*HURRICANE ISABEL UPDATES*
Saturday: Well, the storm had passed us. Just some light rain here and there today (Friday). But the winds had screwed up something, so I had no internet access until now. Went shopping today and it was a little scary since most people don't know how to drive when there is a power outage. As far as I know, when a signal is out, all drivers must treat it as a four-way stop, no? If anyone knows different, tell me. I stopped and got the finger from one driver, I also saw near misses a couple of times. I decided to take a circuitous route home with the fewest number of traffice lights.

Today, my beloved bbruins play the number one team in the nation, the Sooners of the University of Oklahoma... I don't have too much hope for our team, I mean I love them, but this is a tough team. They aren't number one for nothing... All I ask is for the team to play hard and don't give up at all. There is a lot of speculation that the new coach Karl Dorrell and company have been sandbagging it, so they can surprise Oklahoma, but even if this were true, this will still be a tough game. I will keep an hopeful but realistic attitude. Let's see now, I have the beer ready, my favorite chair, chips, remote control, VCR is set. Yeah, I'm ready... Go Bruins!

: Redundant Question :
Dizzo: What is BUNGO?????????
Ok, ok. Despite the fact that Masahiro and I answered your question a couple of days ago (re: Monday Sept. 15 comments), I will write it here again: Bungo 文語 is literary Japanese. It is the Japanese used in classical texts but was used extensively in written Japanese until WWII. To read govt. documents, you need bungo. To read newpapers and journals pre-WWII, you need bungo. Any serious Japanologist needs to master this if he intends to do serious research.

HURRICANE ISABEL UPDATES

Thursday 11:45pm: The worst of it has apparently blown by. We were pretty lucky, even though the power was going on and off intermittently for most of the night. Other areas, though, were pretty hard hit and I send my prayers to those who have suffered significant damage. I went to pick up the mail aobut 15 minutes ago since it stopped raining. The Wind is still stiff and I noticed a tree had been blown down across our street. Fortunately, our electrical/telephone lines are underground so there is little chance of it being affected. But, all in all, it wasn't as bad as everyone had feared...

5:45pm: Just had a power outage for about an hour. Virginia always has power outages during any major storm. The infrastructure must be pretty bad. Our area is pretty modern but damage to other older ares will still affect us... Anyway, gotta hurry and do things before another outage...

4pm: Not much to report. I replaced the water flow valve in the downstairs toilet. It seems to be working for the the time being. The wind is picking up, more like gusts of winds. I don't mind the rain so much, as long as the wind doesn't send a tree through our window. Mmh and Bebe remarked that I looked too young to have grandkids. (re: 2pm update) Well I AM TOO YOUNG. Hahaha. Actually, they are my step-grandkids, 3 boys. 6, 3, and one month. They belong to my eldest stepson who is 25 (?) years old. Musubi-chan--same age as me--married early and had three sons, bang, bang, bang. No big deal. We always talk about it when we're BSing with strangers at bars and stuff. Their eyes widen and their jaws drop when they hear we're grandparents. Like Bebe said, maybe its an Asian thing. Me? I attribute it to good clean living. Y'know, 真面目な生活? Muwahahaha!

2pm: Raining steadily, but the winds are not strong; breezy might be the word for now. Went to Safeway and a local Korean Market called Lotte to get those gas containers for those indoor table-top stoves. Of course, had to get beer, and ice to keep it cold in case the power goes out. Also went to Home Depot. Our toilet water valve went on the fritz last might so I went to get the necessary parts--ah, the pleasures of home ownership. Remember you guys: NEVER buy a fixer-uper if you are not ALREADY handy with household repairs/maintenance. I did a bit with my dad when I was a youngin'. To date the biggest repair I have accomplished is to remove Kleenex shoved into the toilet by my then 1.5-year-old grandson... from underneath. This required me to remove the toilet, guide my hand through unspeakably foul-smelling, mushy-feeling brown stuff (to this day I am trying to convince myself its somekind of toilet algae), to clear the path. Then reseal the toilet to the floor. The sealing--using somekind of special toilet wax--is the tricky part. If you don't seal it right, then the toilet will leak... Yuck. Its been two years, so I'm reasonably sure I sealed it correctly... Anyway, I got on this tangent to tell you that, other than fixing toilets (which might have to do with my special affinity for it), I am totally incompetent with tools. So you can put together an Ikea table or chair? Not good enough. Learn to use a blow torch, then you're be in business.

12 noon: Nothing so far. It's cloudy outside with a slight breeze. No rain. Lot of adult male neighbors milling around. I am obviously not the only one who has work off today. I hear a hammer pounding: Is someone boarding up their windows? Nah, they can't be serious... A gust of wind... I'm going to Safeway to get some ice. If the Electricity goes down, the beer won't stay cold and Musubi-chan's attitude will turn south.... Hahaha Besides, time to get batteries.... Extras, just in case.

Wednesday night: YOSHA! No school tomorrow (Thursday): Government is closed, Metro trains will be down. Better get some D batteries for the flashlights, but I got plenty of candles... more later.

Etymological Question

Tiggerj asked the following: What is the historical context behind 'hakujin' ?
At first, this seemed to be simple and mundane question--whites are "white", right? The Chinese compound is 白人;　白=white (haku); and 人=person (jin). But this is, I think, a recently coined word. This compound, bairen in Chinese, originally meant "commoner" or "one without offical standing". In Japanese, this same compound, read shiroto, is similar, suggesting an amatuer, one without recognized training. So the word hakujin is a modern term, probably reflecting western terminology differentiating the races.

But it begs the question: Why in English (or the West) is a white person called a "white"? Or for that matter, a black person a "black"?

This may seem like just another insipid question, formed to incite unnnecessary arguments. But really, why is a caucasian considered "white"? Strictly speaking, a caucasian is not white, as in "white as the driven snow." If you ask me, most have a "pinkish" tone. Could it be that the image of what is good and pure is "white"? Perhaps I am being facile, and besides this point has been discussed by more intelligent people than me, and does not need any regurgitation from me.

But let me play devils advocate.

Consider: Look at the seemingly innocuous box of Crayola crayons. Tell me, what is the color of "flesh tone"? Isn't it that beige-pink combination? Do you suppose if Crayola were marketing its wares in an African or Asian country, do you think "flesh" would have a darker hue?

Of course, Crayola has rethought its terminology and renamed this particular color "peach", sorta confirming my observation of this pinkish color.

Interestingly, 黒人 kokujin--black person--is also read kuroto. As the opposite of shiroto. it suggests the "professional", one who is recognized as having all the appropriate training and know-how.

Go figure!

Its My Xanga and I'll cry if I want to...

Hehe, not really... It's Monday night and the another week in the life of a Japanese instructor continues. Class was so-so today. Tomorrow is more Bungo and Advanced Modern. They have to read the story High Heel by Murakami Haruki and one of my students told me that she reread the translation I posted over the summer. [*EDIT* Oops, my BAD, Hanazakari said she told me first, THEN RE-read it... is there a difference?] Gulp! I forgot. Oh well, gotta leave it up now. If one saw it, I have to let all of them see it... Whadda idiot I am...

Sleetse (sleazy): his latest post attempts to put a finger on why Japanese people love whites. If you got an opinion, tell him. He likes to get a lotta hits. In any event, I'm not sure I completely agree with the premise to begin with. Do Js love whites? Hmm... Well, one thing is pretty clear--except to the Japanese, of course: they see themselves as the West in the East, the hakujin (white folk) of Asia. Have you ever seen the movie, World Apartment Horror? Its by the guy who created Akira. In it, a chinpira (thug) is charged by his Yakuza boss to try and move a bunch of Asians out of an apartment so they can build a new builiding. The Asians--4 Chinese (Mahjong group), Taiwanese, Filipino and and a Bangladeshese--refuse. He tries making loud music, but the others simply start joining in the singing karaoke style. He uses an insect repellent bomb to smoke them ou: no good. The Asians are bewildered:

"Why are you trying to chase us out? Aren't we all Asians?"

"Wrong." says the Chinpira "Nipponjin are not Asians..." then in a low voice, "We're hakujin."

Hahaha! Great flick. But when I show this to Japanese, they get all indignant. "This is not us!" Yeah, right.

About Me

* Late night edit below
:Ucla :
beat Illinois! Yeah, baby! But it was an ugly win... 6-3 at home... I hate to say it but the offense was again offensive! They sucked big time. Where's the West Coast offense that first-year coach Darl Dorrell claimed to be bringing to the Bruins... The TV people have been saying it take time to incorporate a system, but it shouldn't take time to identify you best players. RB Manny White didn't even touch the ball last week, and this week it took until the third quarter before he was getting number called consistently. Mighty Mouse Ebell was nice last year, but I think most defenses have his number; he hasn't been able to run since the '$C game last year--'sc, BTW, kicked Hawaii's butt up and down the field. The bright spot is the defense. Damn they're tough. They've been holding teams way below their offensive averages. But still, I don't really look forward to next week's game against Oklahoma. If the defense can hold OU to around 20 points, that'd be great, but OU's strong suit is their defense and I'm afraid our Bruins will get their asses handed to them.

Enough football....

: About Me :
Who gives a sh*t, right?!? Well, I do. So here's a few things about me that you may not know even if you've faithfully read the installments of "Not Living Up To Expectations":

1. I am lactose intolerant. I never eat milk chocolate. But I do like dark chocolate. In fact, I'm addicted.
2. I grade papers on the train to and from work. Its the best way to kill travel time. Besides, when I get sleepy--or actually fall asleep--on the Metro, I find that I am a fast but easy grader... good for my kids.
3. I like dark chocolate.
4. I like Mexican/south-of-the-border food, and am disappointed that there are no good places in the DC area at reasonable prices. My gawd, the best place is--get this--Chevy's. I mean, Chevy's would even make it on my top 20 list in SoCal. I went to a place in Vienna called Anita's that advertised itself as the most authentic Mexican food in NoVa, and ordered a Hollenbeck. The cheese that was melted on top of it tasted like CheezWhiz... Yeah, real authentic. If you're in LA, go to El Tepeyac--the locals call it Manuel's, the owner's name--on Evergreen in East LA. If you go at night go with 4-5 guys, cuz it kinda scary, but its the best food for the best price! They have a branch in San Gabriel, but its not the same. Go to the original--crap, I can talk about food forevah!
5. I use single ply instead of double ply toilet paper. No Charmin for me, it runs out too quickly. And my butt will live even without its gentle caresses.
6. Nasonex over Flonase. Only people with hay fever will know what these are. hahahah.... why am I laughing?
7. Okay, just came back from shopping... Musubi-chan wanted to get a drink and I ended up having 8 pints as I watched the Carolina Panthers (Bruins) beat the Bucs in overtime--sorry Hanzo, but I gotta root for a team that stocks itself with UCLA Bruins. Anyway, my head is light... what the heck am I gonna teach class tomorrow? Anyway, the Dude Hamamoto said that King Tacos in East LA rules, and he is right to a degree... They serve a El Pastuer at King Taco that they don't have at El Tepeyac and it is friggin good--of course you have to be an Eastsider to appreciate it, and as all my faithful readers know, I am a dyed-in-the-wool LA Eastsider. BUT El Tepeyac is the king, King Taco comes in at a very close third! hahahaha What's second? You ELAC cholos chime in and guess what it is.
8. I love all kinds of music everything from classical to hard rock... For me, there is no "genre" to like or dislike--ok, maybe disco--but there is good and bad in EVERYTHING. I'm a Mozart and Beethoven fan, could care less about most of Bach. I enjoy McCoy Tyner, Ron Carter, Miles Davis, Noel Pointer, Maynard Ferguson, Stan Getz and lots of other jazz, but I can do without Chick Corea. I'm a Beatles fan, but only between Help and Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band--before and after I can do without (Long and Winding Road? Hey Jude? Boooooooooring). I am really into people who challenge the music scene with something that is new AND innovative... Of course this is only my opinion.
9. Old Fogey? Yeah, but I listen to new stuff too, although it is influenced by my love for REAL rock and roll. I listen to mainstream people like Dave Mathews--who else has a violinist and a saxophonist in his band--I listen to new/different/marginal folks like Fuel, Nine Days and DC Talk (Christ! Christian music?!?).
10. I am stuck on Sketchers shoes lately. In fact, almost every pair I wear--from athletic shoes to dress--is Sketchers.
11. I wear briefs, not boxers. There's something about it just hanging there, y'know what I mean?
12. Man, can you tell I''ve been drinking? I'll talk about ANYTHING, like: FAVORITE SEX POSITIONS! Just kidding. I think my kids would faint if I wrote something like "missionary" or "doggey-style". Indeed, they would croak if I wrote what I REALLY did, and Musubi-chan would kill me. Does anyone know the scissors? hahahaha, just kidding, again. No letters, please....
13. I love potatoes. When I was courting Musubi-chan, she mentioned my love of potatoes... No, you pervert! Not to use but to eat! Everytime we went to an Izakaya (pub) in Japan, I would order at least on potato dish. Never occured to me until she mentioned it, but I guess I really like potatoes.
14. Medically and physically, I suck wind. I have a scar on my right cornea which prevents me from seeing in 3D. You guys who can see normally, appreciate what you have. When something jumps off the screen from a 3D movie and your the only one who doesn't flinch... well that's pretty pathetic.
15. I exercise semi-regularly, which is to say I exercise regularly when I exercise--15 miles running a week--but when I slack off I do nothing, like for the last 5 weeks. My excuse: School started and I was busy... Okay, pathetic excuse, and I'm paying for it, 6 lbs. worth... Crap!
16. I am a caffeine-holic but cannot take it... Yeah, whadda wuss. Any coffee after 2PM and I can't go to sleep. But I drink it anyway, and regret it the next day. I'm so sleepy from lack of sleep, I have to drink coffee again, and then I can't go to sleep again, and the cycle repeats itself... Pathetic.
17. I was raised a Republican but am now a Democrat... with many caveats. I am pretty left leaning with regard to social issues, but I am middling to right on economic matters. Tax cuts? I'm all for them, but only to a degree... there are many issues that must be addressed and can only be fixed through the taxes we pay... this is really tough. I think we need an Asian politician to represent this very REAL and reasonable middle ground--hehe, actually it's the middle I perceive so everyon else can disagree. But I nominate Nefarious_hatter...

Almost 12 midnight (EST): Time for this Cinderella to hang it up. Further lists coming...

Weekend Update

Okay, UCLA won, although it was another ugly win, 24-21. But that's okay. A win is a win is a win. It doesn't matter how ugly it was. The Bruins were just palin flat. But I still think they showed a lot of heart, because even though they knew they were flat, they still tried hard. I know it sounds contradictory--how can you be flat and still have heart? Hmm... I think they wanted to play hard once the game started, but they were flat because they were ill-prepared for Arizona's intensity and actual talent.

Lost in Japan : update:
On Friday, I went with Musubi-chan to see Lost in Translation by Sofia Coppola. People have told me it was funny so I expected it to be a comedy, but it turned out to be a different kind of movie. Parts were funny, other parts were "romantic." The quotation marks are there because I can't think of any other to describe the connection made between a man, Bob Harris (Bill Murray), and women, Charlotte (Scarlet Johansson), that is so intimate and yet lacking in sexual passion. This intimacy is suggested from the opening scene where the title of the film is displayed at the bottom of the screen in an opaque aqua-blue, almost difficult to read in the shadow of a derrier of a female lying on her side on a bed. The derrier is not naked, but covered in a sheer pink panty--hinting at intimacy. However, it is not a thong or bikini or a g-string; rather it is a sensible full-cut panty covering her entire bottom--implying the absence of an overt sexual attitude....

So the main story surrounds the relationship between Bob and Charlotte. But more interesting to me is their interaction with Japan. It is, in a way, the thing that links them. Once they return to the US, they will no longer be able to share the intimacy. Tokyo is their Paris, a la Bogart and Bergman; a place they can share mentally and maybe emotionally, but no longer physically. As such it is interesting to see how they interact with Tokyo.

Individually, the focus is on Bob. He does a whiskey commercial and photo shoot with Japanese individuals. The lack of subtitles forces the audience to feel what Bob is going through. It is--in my mind--a form of participational art: the viewer participates in the confusion that Bob is enduring, thereby using this confusion--and the possible frustration it arousses--to understand and appreciate the film. I almost wish I didn't understand Japanese so I could participate, as well. Instead, I got to play god, the omniscient observer. more later.

Saturday's post: Another week has past and Saturday is upon us. UCLA plays the Univrersity of Arizona, the sorriest of the Pac-10 teams. Of course, the only reason its the sorriest is because UCLA crushed Washington last week. Before last weeks game, UA and our beloved Bruins were neck and neck for the distinction of sorriest team. I hope they play well today, as they have shown improvement week to week, albeit in minisicule increments.

Other Sites

Okay, so the Bruins lost last week, but it was the first game with a new coaching staff. Today they play the Illinois Illini--I think this is the name of an American Indian tribe? Well, nothing against you people who live in the the great state of Illinois--Nefarious, Paiky, et al--but I hope the Bruins kick their butts all over the field! Say what? You don't give a rat's ass cuz you don't go to UI? Oh, okay, playing it safe, don't wanna insult anyone, just covering this rat's ass...

I was surfing here and there and have come to the realization that Xanga is vast... Yeah, yeah, I knew it was huge, but what gets me is the variety: everything from sex maniacs/nymphomaniacs to self promoting lawyers. The nymphos are pretty anonymous--at least the Asian ones; y'know, you gotta live up to expectations. Geez, and here I thought I was the only one... Hah! Anyway, I was reading Paikypoo--a straight talkin' Korean dude who is closer to my age than most, but not by much--who led me to twenties_chica--a very explicit Korean chica; don't click on the link if you are easily offended, okay? DON'T CLICK--who led me to happy_toki--fun read--who led me to the following by Tina Kim. This is right up my alley.

After seeing this, I feel I HAVE to resume "Not Living Up to Expectations"--just for Piratechan. But it's been hard to get back into the groove, since it's just another boring life-story of another narcissist: ME. And since its about ME, there's no sex--some of my students have told me they cringe when I write about my previous gfs: Oh the horror, to think that Onigiriman might have had a girlfriend or two around when he was 20! *sigh* If I wrote I had sex in this room in that position x times, I'd never hear the end of it. But if you wanna waste the next 15 minutes of your life and read the first 7 installments w/out searching through my previous posts, go to the JAJournal--click the above banner.

Maintaining Culture

There are a number of "Japanese" traits that many JAs continue to manifest. Many are straight-forward practices and can be categorized as mundane, such as taking off one's shoes before entering a house, or automatically expressing a greeting at appropriate times. There are also those traits that are just as noticeable but less quaint...

1. Omiyage: the practice of bringing back something from a trip to distribute to friends and relatives is relatively common. I practiced this when i lived in Japan, because to not to meant being totally anti-social. But back in the US, I find very few non-Japanese/Asians who do this. Even Japanese who have lived here a significant number of years seem to have stopped giving omiyage, so I sorta did too: Why continue to give omiyage to people who accept it, but NEVER return the courtesy? This may sound rather selfish, but how many people coninue giving Christmas gifts to those to don't return the courtesy? Very few i would imagine. Of course, since I married Musubi-chan,this has changed. She is steeped in J tradition, so she can't imagine NOT bringing back omiyage. Fortunately, the number of omiyage is slowly decreasing as she begins to realize that many truly don't return the courtesy...

2. Enryo--reservation/modesty: this is, in my opinion, the kiss fo death for JAs in American culture. Indeed, I would venture to say that this is the root of the "model Minority" syndrome. "Oh, Mr. Tanaka, you did a very good job. You deserve a raise." "Oh no! Not me, I must have been lucky. I just try to do my best..." Well, that gets you no where fast in American culture. More often than not, people will accept your opinion of your work and leave it at that. "Mr. Tanaka? Yeah, he did a good job, but he doesn't seem to think much of it. Maybe he didn't really put that much effort into it, so he probably doesn't really need (choose one or more) a. raise, b. promotion, c. recognition."

3. Tsukiai: In Japan, cultivating a relationship with friends and colleagues takes hard work, or more specifically, hard drinking. Indeed, I too have indulged...er, I mean, been subjected to this way of life. Even in LA, I had a lot of fun... I mean, was forced to cultivate relationships with colleagues in J-Town. The only problem is that sometimes this gets out of hand. How often have I had to babysit a sick friend at a Denny's until they sobered up? Once or twice is okay; a wild Friday night? Maybe understandable. But when it becomes a regular Wednesday thing, or a Thursday tradition, I had to start drawing the line. When a friend started to ask me to lie or hide things so his girlfriend would find out, then I began to wonder what this friendship was about?

I'm sure there are more "customs" that don't seem to fit into the US lifestyle. I'd also bet that JAs aren't the only ones. I have heard about Korean cultural practices that would even boggle the mind of the most conservative of Japanese. For example, if you're a smoker, you can NEVER smoke in front of an elder. I thought this was mostly in Japan--I became friends with a few really old school (read: North Korean/Kita-Chosenjin) people--but I have seen a number of my Korean students hurriedly put out their cigarettes whenever they saw me approaching them on campus. I have known a few to leave the room in order to smoke. Talk about smokin' in the boy's room! Anyway, if you got another one, time to share...

Remembering

Two years ago on this day, many people died at the hands of a group of desperate people--people who, I wrote a couple of weeks ago, shared similar traits to the suicide kamikaze of WWII. I didn't mean to "revise" the image of kamikaze as desperately battling the cultural encroachment by and hegemony of the West; neither did I intend to equate the actions of kamikaze pilots on military targets with terrorists on non-military ones. But I do believe that desperate people resort to extreme measures to accomplish their goals. It is frightening and more than a little sad...

On a lighter note on this solemn day, I would like to tell you that there seems to be an affinity between disasters and me sitting on the can. As I mentioned earlier this week, I was sitting down, doing my business when the '89 SF earthquake hit, and fearing my body would be discovered under undignified circumstances. Well, two years ago on 9/11, I was again reading the newspaper in my favorite place when Musubi-chan pounded on the door to hand me the telephone receiver--damn, these cordless phones! It was my sister and she was screaming at me.

"Oh my gawd. It's horrible!"

"Huh? Calm down, what's up?" I said, half jokingly.

"Haven't you heard? You're ALWAYS on the toilet. A plane crashed into the World Trade Center."

I was frozen in horror because my sister worked right across the street from the WTC. But I immediately calmed down as I remembered that she just happend to be in LA taking care of our mother.

"Gawd, Onigiriman." No, she doesn't really call me this. "There was a crash at the Pentagon, too. Didn't you hear? Isn't your school near the Pentagon? Do you LIVE in the bathroom?!?"

"..........."

I don't mean to make light of today's significance. But this is pretty much how it unfolded for me that day. It is now a standing joke in our house that I spend far too much time in my special room, and whenever I'm there, there's always the possibility of a disaster. Musubi-chan yaps about my time there, and my sister always tells me she's glad we have extra bathrooms. Whenever they start talking like this, I grab the most recent issue of SI or Newsweek and head to the... uh, you-know-where.

For a more intimate description of the events of that day, read caffeinenicotine. He was near ground zero and his account is vivid and moving.

Sweaty Football

I know there are some sweaters out there. No, I dont' mean the garment you wear, but those who perspire a lot. Musubi-chan would kill me if she actually read anything I wrote here, but she's a sweater, too! But then, she's a former aerobics instructor and when she starts running or dancing, man, it just streams. But that's cool for me, cuz her sweat is my sweat, y'know what I mean? Personally, I don't sweat that much, and Musubi-chan makes fun of me all the time telling me that I'm out of shape, that I don't have an athletes metabolism... well, DUH! No, no, I don't say "DUH" to her; she'd give me another freakin' shiri pen-pen.

Hey, I heard that! Who just said, "Eeyuuh"!

Anyway, over the weekend, in the Miami-Florida game, they were talking about the Miami center and how much he sweats. The quarterback commented that the center sweats so much that the ball is sometimes slick and difficult to throw! Crap! I mean Musubi-chan's sweat is one thing--y'know, the sweat of someone you love?--but the sweat of a total stranger... of the same sex?!? No freakin' way!

Then on Monday Night Football, Al Michaels and Jon Madden were talking about Wade, the center for the Tampa Bay Bucs. They say he sweats so much that it drips not only from his face onto the ball, but off his back, through his pants and drips from his crotch! Guess where Brad Johnson--Buc's QB--puts his hand for the center snap to get the ball? THAT'S RIGHT! Under his crotch. They showed a close up of his hands between Wade's spread-out legs before the snap, and one of them--Michaels, I think--said that Johnson is the fastidious type, the kind who takes 6 showers a day, and for him to put his hand in.... the RAIN FOREST! (Or something like that.) Oh gawd, too gross, too funny. I couldn't stop laughing!

Michaels and Madden make an incredibly ridiculous pair. Monday Night Football has reached its nadir...

: No really, it's an honor just to be nominated :
Nefarious just told me that I've been nominated for The Dudes of Xanga by AlterEg0. Hah! Don't get excited folks. He's just playing, its--ahem--nothing really... Umm, but gee... First, an animated feature of Onigirman and now a Dude of Xanga nomination?!? I'm blushing... Hahaha! For those unfamiliar to this site, PLEASE NOTE that I have my tongue--er, fingers--firmly planted in my cheeks! I'm not really that pompous... usually... Y'know, I was wondering why I was getting so many hits yesterday and today... Thanks AlterEg0, you made my week!

Classes

The new semester seems to be going okay. Just gotta settle down a bit, get used to juggling four different classes at once. I'm always afraid that I'm not prepared...

: NLUTE : 
Piratechan said: ...You just keep on being yourself, better story that way. no one likes perfect people. However I would not be adverse to another installment "not living up to expectation". =)
Okay, now I'm feeling the pressure... Now that I think of it, I haven't written the next installment of NLUTE. Busy with getting ready for school... (in chanting voice) Pressure, pressure, pressure... By the way, are you calling me "not perfect"? Hrmph!

But seriously: I need to think about Not Living Up To Expectations a little bit. I think I left off when i won a trip to Japan, and the story should continue from there. The previous installment about the contest virtually wrote itself. I'm starting to understand what some authors are talking about when they say they just let their fingers type... Not that I'm an author or anything... Anyway, the story needs to return to work its way back to my thoughts of being Japanese American. When iwent to Japan that fall of 89, an event happened that changed my image of myself: the student takeover of the US embassy in Tehran... Hmm...

I missed a day

I'm a pretty dedicated poster, so just in case anyone's wondering, I'm still alive and kicking, despite UCLA's loss. *sigh* And NO I did not get drunk, I just had a lot of things to do...

: Ucla :
lost...16-14 but it was only the first game. Got some kinks to work out, but we barely lost to a team that is ranked in top 25 and already had a game under its belt, a wild one against their rival CSU, so yeah, CU was already battle tested... I can just imagine those posters at the SC blog that refer to us as "fucla"--yeah, these people have a lot of class--gloating like crazy...

Not to seem lazy or anything, but I just have to respond to the comments I received.

SATO: Hey Onigiriman Arigatou for all of your encouragement. I decided to start writing my xanga again. Your Xanga is always looking exciting.
Always write. It's good for the soul. I started writing on Xanga not expecting to have anybody read what I wrote. I just wrote about what was on my mind, everything from JA issues to football to my own life story. It's what's in your heart, dude. Be honest, forthright and serious... really, I'm serious all the time, right guys?

nefarious_hatter: I'm insulting?! wow! really? I've always wanted to be insulting. Thanks for the compliment! I'm being sincere ;) not sarcastic.
LOL! Yeah, you can be... and its great reading it. I love your descriptions of bus drivers and random riders and classmates! They really do crack me up. And your responses to those Yahoo "love connections". Do you REALLY talk to those guys? And seriously, Maxipad slippers? LOL!!!! Total crazy! I read your site and crack up so much, I think Musubi-chan is beginning to suspect I'm having somekind of internet love affair! You other guys have got to read this girl. Unless you're sensitive to material that can be very un-PC.

Pochi: i'm not young anymore >_< i'm turning 16 in 4 months >_< can't wait until i can drink sake legally...
Ok, ok, you're ALMOST 16, so not young anymore... (Don't laugh everybody!) I'm talking in relative terms. I'm an oldie, like THIRTY years older than you, so in my eyes, that makes you young. Oh yeah, what did you mean by "LEGALLY"? As opposed to "ILLEGALLY"? Did I just hear you say "Oops"?

Mr_Mephisto: Thanks for the Big Ups!.... That's right, I am kendo girl, I just bought crazy awesome bogu which is currently being handstiched by an 94 year old man...which is a GOOD thing.... actually, when kids are scared to recite some [English] dialogue that they are supposed to remember, I recite Hojoki for them to show them its all Gravy. ;)
LOL!!!! For those of you who don't know, Hōjōki is a famous essay from medieval Japan. I have my bungo kids memorize the first paragraph. Quadruple props to Mr_Mephisto for remembering Hōjōki!

takunishi79: UCLA... it was a good game, at least... I mean, last minute wins are what Colorado's all about... u know... shit happens. I'm sure our boys will redeem themselves against Illinois!! (^_^)V
I don't wanna talk about it....

takunishi79: I've been having issues these last couple of weeks... eh? No, I've been having issues throughout all times but I just haven't been able to hide the more recent ones, is all. :p And hey, you keep calling everyone else the "young ones" and granted I'm probably older of the bunch, I really am 23, going on 24 in December. No, seriously...
We all have issues, and we all work through them. I'm sure you'll work through yours. We're all rooting for ya'. And by the way, I didn't mean to insult you about your age. I know you're young, too, certainly compared to me. But some of my readers--Pochi and Those_days, just to name two--are high schoolers, but I don't wanna call them kids either. If they wanna leave a comment on my site, then they are old enough to be treated as... hmmm, non-kids (?) Besides, I bet none of them have been stabbed! (Anyone wanna know what I'm talking about, read Taku's site. It's buried there, somewhere. Scary...)

mattblue: In order to learn to read the grass writing for kobun, I had to buy this book called 変体仮名の手引, but it still looks like it'll be insanely hard. I'm up for the challenge =) Oh, I usually don't like to watch UMass's football team, since they're not that good. But somehow they beat Central Connecticut State 51-7 today...I guess I should go to more games!
51-7?!? Damn, go to the game. Show school spirit. And reading grass script is insanely hard. When you learn it, teach me. Hahaha... Why am I laughing? I'm serious....

HattoriHanzo: Go Noles! Yeah baby we won against Maryland! Well they weren't really all there but still a threat. The coach over there hasn't lost back to back games before so this will seriously hurt his rep. Look at the other teams in the ACC! Georgia tech and Wake Forest pulling up upsets! wow! And those bastards at Colorado...just remember to watch us kick there asses on September 20th for you guys! We'll get 'em! I'm goin to that game so i might be on tv
Yeah, I thought that Maryland was gonna bite FSU's ass when they returned Rix's interception for a TD, but they bounced back nicely. Go kick some Buffalo ass for us... no, wait, if CU beats FSU, that gives UCLA some respectability. Just kidding! That kind of thinking is for wusses. Respectablility is earned by directly, not indirectly. I'll look for you on TV.

Killawhale: thanx for doing that ^^ school is busy now, applying for college bye for a while..btw, ive always been a devoted reader of ur xanga
Always study, man. As Mr_Mephisto will tell you, I am a slave driver in the classroom! Study! Memorize kanji! But it will all pay off later! I bet she NEVER thought she would use the Hōjōki after she graduated! Hahahaha!

Piratechan: the [onigiriman] animation is currently in storyboard phase, it's official, so come the end of the semester, I will send you the movie.
Woo hoo! Everyone read that?!? It's official! When can we see a trailer? Will it play in theaters nationwide? Or will it only be in those artsy-fartsy movie theaters? When does the promotional tour begin? Should I order 8 x 10 glossies? Should I contact my agent? Should I get a haircut? Should I stop acting like an idiot?

CultofDizzo: thanks for the shout-out! You aren't premium yet? damn yo - i think all your loyal readers better put a fund together to hook u up.
Nah, don't need premium... but don't tell those Xanga people, they'll "accidentally" lose my previous post! J/K, J/K (you can never tell when they're watching...)

Yakezake

Musubichan wanted to drink yakezake for the second week in a row... For those of you unfamiliar to the word, it kinda means sake that you drink when you're frustrated. I'm not at liberty to discuss the circumstances in public, but it has nothing to do with me, honest. It's related to the VA drivers license test... Anyway, thanks to the yakezake, I have a major headache... again. Blah!

: Ucla's First game is today! :
That's right folks, UCLA will finally play its first game today! Against Colorado and so I will be incommunicado until around 7 EST. If... uh, wait, WHEN the Bruins win, I will be back... Go Bruins! Crush some Rocky Mountain Oysters! Ok, now, to get in the mood, let's do an eight clap--this includes you, Taku: 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-U***C***L***A***U-C-L-A FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!

In the meantime...

: Weekend Fluff : Xanga Intros :
"Hi Onigiriman! It's been 83 days since you joined Xanga... won't you support us by going Premium?" ... Uh, no, but after 82 days, I thought I'd provide a list of fellow Xangans I enjoy reading.

Nefarious_Hatter: She's the best. Crazy humor: sarcastic, pointed, and at times even insulting. But she's an artist, so what do you expect! Besides she's quite a looker, as I've recently discovered--Yes, those are her lips in the piece to the right--Whoo-hoo! Go to her site to see other samples of her work.

Sleetse: Another crazy humor guy. Sarcastic and funny. All he can think about is girls--Yeah, Sleetse, I agree with you: some non-Asian men view Asian women with a different eye; but doesn't this make everyone happy? But I know he's really a good natured guy. I think Xanga is his place to play Mr. Hyde (as in Dr. Jekyll, not L'Arc en Ciel). But, he's not as sexy as Nefarious.

Piratechan: Aah, the bucaneer. Another artist but she does animation, too. She's Mr. Mephisto's sister and she gets kudos from me, especially since she's gonna animate my life story! Or I think she is... Hmmm... Don't wanna put any undo pressure on her... If your interested in her artwork, she has a link to her own website on hre Xanga page. Hey, Sleetse, you might like it, there are some nudy ones, too. Hahaha...sorry, Piratechan, but sometimes you have to try everything to drag a horse to water... Can I make a link to one of your pieces too?

Mr_Mephisto:  Speaking of sisters, Mr_Mephisto is the punk who got me addicted to Xanga! Well, she's not really a punk... She's one of my kids and in Japan on Jet. She's cute, but she was also the president of the school kendo club, so if you were a bit persistent, bang! Right across the chops! How come you don't visit anymore?

Mmh: New acquaintance who seems to rant quite a bit... but then, that's what Xanga's for, right? Besides, she also provides humorous perspective from Macao. That's gotta be worth something!

Takunishi: Good ol' standard Xangan. Unfortuantely, he's been having issues the last couple of weeks and his posts have been kinda ranting too. But he's a coo guy and I'm sure things will work out for him.

Those_days: One of the younger ones I read. I don't know what it is, but her attitude and style reminds me of my own daughter. In fact, they are the same age, sorta.

CultofDizzo: My non-Chinese Chinaman, off teaching in Shanghai! Always a good read. Uh, do you do take-out? Just kidding! But he seems pretty busy these days too.

TiggerJ: Y'know, this guy is still a mystery to me... I read his posts--when he posts--but I can't peg him. From what I've been able to figure out, he currently lives in France, has lived extensively in the US (and Canada?) and is related somehow to South America. Oh yeah, and he doesn't like baseball, I think. Hah!

HattoriHanzo: My young FSU poster. He's really into movies and pop culture. Its actually a good subject to sudy. I should look into it myself. Go Seminoles.

: MIA :
There are a few who I enjoy reading but they don't post as often anymore. I hope that its just because they're busy, and not because of other issues. Masumi, Fooky11, PerfectSanjuro, Kumachi: Are you guys okay? Genki?

: Providing young perspective :
I also read the posts of young people to gain a greater perspective of this Xanga World. These include gurlekka, killawhale, dorkus_maximus, mattblue, Rayenne, Kayanized, pochi124, dAnxdAn, Zella.

: My kids :
Of course, I also read the posts of my kids, but I won't list there names here, 'cuz they are my kids...