OK, again a while since the last update. Last week, I was actually feeling really out of it, as my tinnitis was acting up and it was really hard for me to concentrate. This week, it’s been slightly warmer and I’ve been able to run more frequently and sleep more, so I’ve felt a lot better. So here’s a synopsis of what’s been going on in my Japanese Blog, plus some other random observations.

On the 22nd, I went to go see Acid Mothers Temple here at Tokuzo in Imaike. It was the first show I’ve seen in Japan (apart from the many free shows in Central Park and near Osu). It was absolutely my favorite kind of show. There couldn’t have been more than 50 people in that little room, and the entertainment was spot on. One of those shows where I really lived in the moment, thinking “This is exactly where I want to be, experiencing these very sensations.” Some of the features of the show: Really really long beards. Percussion using various kitchen implements and religious artifacts (like Tibetan singing bowls played on the guitar’s pickup), a broken guitar string that didn’t matter because the artist was so entrenched in the performance, and a little ditty about Japanese convenience stores. These pictures taken from my keitai don’t do it any justice, but in a way it’s ok. It’s a kind of performance that has a life of its own in my memories. Oh, I also realized that I missed Bob Log III there just two weeks before :P

Tokuzo

Sunday the 24th was my birthday. There was no big party this year (mostly because I didn’t tell anyone about it), but it was still fantastic just the same. My favorite person in Japan took me out for a fantastic sushi dinner. She also spent a lot of time making me wonderful cakes and candies. 広美さん、本当にありがとうございました！

２００８誕生日

Other than that, I went to a meeting of people who want to learn to speak French. Of course, it was more Japanese practice for me, but I think I’m going to be spending a lot more time speaking French than I ever thought I would.

At work, I’m in charge of the music, so when the boss is away we have a good time listening to things like 80s music, Persian, and J-pop. And at home, I’ve just started getting into this 80’s J-pop station on USEN.

And my final guilty pleasure I’ve been getting into is Days Of Our Lives. I’ve watched that show since I was, like 8, and it had been like 15 years since I’ve watched it. But it took me all of two episodes to get right back into the storyline, since it moves so damned slowly. Lots of things to wonder: Why did Chris Kosichek turn into Roman Brady? How many times has John Black had his memory wiped? How is it that Patch still has the same unknown checkered past that he had 20 years ago? Does anything ever change on this show? Inquiring minds want to know!