Weekend fluff

Now I should be grading, but I always seem to find myself in the brutal clutches of Xanga. Anyway, it's Sunday and time for some fluff.

Random O-man records:

Most servings of rice in conventional rice bowl: 12 servings, 1973 (18 years old). I ate it with tororo imo (long mountain potato), grated to a gooey consistency and poured over the rice. I think one of the workers told me that if I ate it, it would give my stamina for... you know, like oysters...

Most beers in one sitting: I remember a hot summer night in in Hachioji, Tokyo when I drank mug after mug of beer with M, just to see how much we could put away. I don't remember exactly how many mugs I had, but I do remember calculating it to be about 5 large soda bottles. In Japan that would be 1.5 liters per, so that's about 7.5 quarts. That's equivalent to 15 pints at a bar or 3 six-packs + 2 at home... *belch* I can't do that now...

Most Comments/E-props, one entry: 53 comments, 94 e-props, February 18, the day I said I was leaving...

Most Xanga hits, one day: 331 hits, April 28, 2004. I was on Featured Content so in reality it was a bunch of people who clicked on it, then disappeared into the night. If you are one who came randomly through Featured Content and decided to subscribe, leave a comment and let me know. Just curious...

The Movie I have seen the most: Tampopo. I just love this movie. I've lost count, but I must have seen it at least 20 times... which is a lot for me, who rarely sees movies twice.

The Movie I have seen the most in a movie theater: The Exorcist. 1973. This movie was so popular, it was amazing. I guess we all wanted to see Linda Blair screw her head 360ｰ, masturbate with a crucifix and spew projectile vomit. We were rewarded in spades. The first time I went, I stood in line for 5 hours at the National in Westwood. The line went around the block and when it reached the theater from the other side, I doubled back. My friends and I took turns waiting to stretch our legs and go on bathroom breaks... I heard that the MacDonald's in Westwood had record sales in the first month of the movie. Speaking of which...

Most food at MacDonald's: Certainly not something to brag about, but one day in high school, we had a pig out contest at MickeyD's. I ate 3 Big Macs, 1 fish fillet, 2 cheeseburgers, 3 fries (they only had one size back them, as I recall), an apple pie and two strawberry shakes. And lost... the winner started with 5 Big Macs. We were in awe...

Most I've ever weighed: 182 pounds. And this is all bad weight. I rarely exercised from my mid-20s and early 30s, so the 182 was all fat. When I look at photos now, I think I looked pretty disgusting...

Least I've ever weighed (as an adult): 118 pounds. this is how much I weighed after I came back from Japan the first time, January 1975. I was 19. I ate little and walked a lot over there. Some thought I was sick. I had a 28 inch waist.

Most students registering for Bungo (literary Japanese): 15 for Fall 2004. This is also the first time I reached the cap for this course. I am awed... and a little intimidated. I guess I have to teach this course like a real course...

Most Xanga Subscriptions in a month: 20 new subscribers in April 2004 (does not include sutdents/Xangans I already knew). I am again awed, and a lot intimidated to think this many people think this blog is an interesting read. Maybe it was the onsen diaolog... What do you think?

10,000th hit: Simply Marie

20,000th hit: Detachable

25,000th hit: ?

Any questions?

Re: Fuyuki's questions

fooky11: oh, I was wondering what you thought of Mishima's writings... also, have you seen the movie, Kinkakuji? what did you think of that?

O-man: I think Mishima was a great writer. His stories are detailed and deep, and he was a strong sense of his tradition. Indeed, his nationalist tendancies provided fodder for his many books, including Kinkakuji--I never saw the movie--and Runaway Horses. But my favorite book is Confessions of a Mask. Although it is about his struggles with homosexuality, it can be seen as the struggle any young man feels about his sexuality and place in society.

fooky11: so, what do you think about professors who introduce themselves using their first names and tell their students to call them by their first names? All of my professors from the education dept. did that. my violin teacher, who is Korean, told her American students to call her by first name but she told me to call her sonsennim, which means "teacher" in Korean...

O-man: I don't think anything. Each individual has their own relationship with students. I guess I'm old school. Actually--at the risk of sounding immodest (nothing new)--I like to think of myself as a good combination of both old and new; I provide structure and a little social discipline but academic and intellectual freedom. I allow my students to voice any opinion... You're violin teacher is unusual, I think. She is holding you to a different standard, which is one thing I would never do. I treat my students equally. I know there are students in my Lit or Film class who think that I give extra consideration to my Japanese majors in class. But if you ask the Majors, you'd hear the opposite. I am as strict and demanding. But they tell me they are relieved, because they know I don't show favortism toward anybody and so they rest assured they will not be treat unfairly. And they seem satisified with that, despite my demands. And some call me prof, some sensei, some both depending on their mood.

fooky11: oh ya, can I still call you "dad"???

O-man: You can call me anything you want... But what would your real Dad say? Wouldn't he be upset if he heard that? Think about him, too...