Q & A

On Eating Grass (4/28)

Mr_Mephisto: I can't imagine what you were thinking!?! Eat something on fire?! Thats like Fear Factor stuff.

O-man: I don't know what I was thinking either. I guess eating a lit stick would be like a stunt on Fear Factor, except I didn't get any prize money for doing it.

avidevi: That's desperation. Or being really high. cause the whole time I was thinking "why didn't he just spit on it or something?"

O-man: Indeed, I was desperate. Had I been sober, I like to think that I was smart enough to spit on it, but I was neither sober nor smart. But I was young, inexperienced and panicking like crazy, so hey, I did what I did. I ain't proud of it, but it makes for a good story. I do, however, think that these experiences allow me to relate better with my students. Not that I'm mister cool or anything, but I am definitely no mister "ivory tower". I've done a lot of stupid things in my life and I figure, anything my students might do, I have probalby done worse...

hoymahal: nice story, hahahaha...how did you feel after you ate it?

O-man: I felt sick from the taste, but otherwise I was okay. Of course, had I known then that charred food can be carcinogenic, I might have had second thoughts... or not...

crotchety_old_man: stash huh?? u ever get the band started? or were u too busy runnin from LAPD?

O-man: Yeah, we thought the name of our band was cool. Everybody liked it. Especially the girls. And we did start the band. I will write about it someday when I'm in the mood, but you can read about some of it in NLUTE. We never had to run from LAPD, but we did get busted by the LA County Sheriffs once for disturbing the peace. The neighbors complained to the man when we kept practicing until 11 PM. "Free Ride by Edgar Winters can get a little loud...

Link_Strife: Voz and Diddily. Sounds like cartoon characters.

O-man: Actually those aren't their real names. I'm not about to reveal them here, especially without their permission--if they're still alive that is. I made them up from my imagination. Pretty cool don't you think? hehehehe. Voz was half Asian, half Hispanic and he was the singer. He had a habit like the devil, but a voice like an angel, so I call him Voz which means "voice" in Spanish. Diddly was the drummer. He taught me a particular rhythm called a paradiddle--hence the name Diddly.

It is a four count drum roll that you've all heard: pa-ta-pa-pa / ta-pa-ta-ta / pa-ta-pa-pa / ta-pa-ta-ta. Slap your hands on the table or your knees, right-left-right-right / left-right-left-left, speed up slowly and you'll get the sound..Not that i could ever do it....

SammyStorm: Makes me wonder what's really in the middle of the onigiri, and I don't think its umeboshi.

O-man: Hahaha. You never fail to crack me up... But you're suspicions are justified; according to my wife, its mostly fat inside.

takunishi79: you and i both... escaping the police on some whim, every time, no? it's really quite a wonder, how often i've been drunk off my ass and made it clear of being caught or dying en route. . . . . SAY NO TO DRUGS! Posted 4/28/2004

O-man: Well, not everytime. But, yes, everyone. Listen to Taku. Say "NO" to drugs. I experimented some when I was young but I don't recommend it to anyone. This recommendation comes with experience. I remember being told to stay off drugs by people who wouldn't know a 'lude from a red, or coke from talc. What they said meant nothing to me, cuz they didn't know what they were talking about. But I did it, and its not a pretty site. I've known my share of addicts. One OD-ed, another from complications due to constant use... Stay clean, friends...

Re: To the Sun (4/29)

fooky11: what did you think of Mishima Yukio? my mom told me that she his seppuku live on the TV news...

O-man: I think your mom saw the incident from the outside. I'm pretty sure there is no footage of the actual seppuku by Mishima. But there was of the aftermath. I only saw the photos. It was pretty disgusting. Mishima was a right wing Nationalist, who wanted to ressurrect Japan as a militarist nation. He was also gay. I wonder how he'd get along with Pat Roberts?

AsnHoopla: Did you ever read Memoirs of a Geisha? It's just a good book, that had a lot of contraversy. The geisha that was blamed for the whole book, was asked by her fellow geishas to commit suicide because she had shamed herself, and dishonered the geisha secrets.

O-man: No, I haven't read it yet, but it's one of the books I plan to read this summer. Actually, I'm reading the new translation of Genji by Royall Tyler. Anyone wanna join me in a discussion on Xanga about it?

Random Questions

gt_ninja: Is the flu mask and sunglasses to keep people from noticing you look like Iron Chef Morimoto?

O-man: I was freaking out when I saw Morimoto on Iron Chef America. M was watching it and said, "Don't you kinda resemble him lately?" I had to agree to a degree. I think I'll get serious this summer and lose the pounds...

ekin: What's the the SARS profile? lol.

O-man: Well, its not SARS, but hay fever. As anyone who has been to Japan will know, people there will wear surgical masks to protect themselves from the pollen. I have a vey low tolerance and so use any and every means to protect myself. The sunglasses are for the scarred eye I've mentioned before. I can't see through it, but it is extremely light sensitive. I am a medical mess. Any doctors out there who wanna work pro bono?

fooky11: I also wanted to know how much time you spent writing entries on xanga...? you write SO much!!! Also, what do you make your students to call you by?? what do you think about students calling their professors by their first names??? Posted 4/25/2004

O-man: My students call me sensei. I insist on it. If they refer to another prof, by using their last name only, I'll remind them to use either Prof. as a title or add sensei to the end. I will not stand for students who "name-toss"--in Jp. yobisute. The meaning is perhaps closer to "spitting out a name" and in Japan it indicates the person being "tossed" is an equal or lesser and does not require or deserve the requisite respect. And none should refer to me by my first name. No, that to suggests a lack of respect. I suppose that makes me an anal SOB, but that's the way I am. I've worked hard my life, treat my students with respect and try to help them as much as possible at all times. I believe I have earned my title. But on Xanga, Onigiriman, or O-man is quite sufficient, although some of you already call me sensei... And I spend perhaps too much time writing on Xanga. I used to whip out an entry nonchalantly, but now I will devote an hour--sometimes more--if I really want to make a point. Especially now that I know that some of you actually read my entire posts! It kinda makes the time investment worth it, although I really should use my time more judiciously...

Cboy918: Whoever created xanga is brilliant, but I do wonder what it would be like if we were to all meet in person someday? Posted 4/30/2004

O-man: I have always thought the same thing. There are many I would love to meet. Certainly Sammy. We lived in the same part of town in Tokyo and we'd probalby have a lot to talk about. Taku is another JA soul who would be interesting--I wanna know what that knife wound is all about. I'd certainly like to get drunk with Paiky at Orange. And I'd love to meet SleepingCutie and Nefarious. SimplyMarie is a must as well, oh fellow Bruin! And of course, I'm dying to see how Bane the Vixen is... hehehehe....

PaikyPoo: cell phones will bring this world closer to its end...

O-man: Here, here. I still don't own a cell phone. I don't need a leash.

SleepingCutie: Sensei... I coudln't bear the thought of leaving you. :T So I decided to return.... I'm so sorry to pull a stunt like this. makes me feel really embarrassed in my most inebriated state....

O-man: (-_-)....

zettonv: COOL PIC OF YOURSELF ON THE SIDE!!!!!! YEAAAAAA THATS GANGSTER!

O-man: Thanks... I think. That's perhaps the most recent photo of me. It was taken by Superbunnyfluff, at the J program flower-viewing o-hanami picnic. That's when we had the jan-ken-pon tournament.

So what does everyone else think? Is the photo gangster? Personally, I think I look like I'm giving a lecture... BTW: the pic is on the left hand side on the main page.