Blogging for fun and profit

The blog is back in honor of GREM 650. What is a blog? According to the all knowing:

A blog (short for web log) is a user-generated website where entries are made in journal style and displayed in a reverse chronological order.

Blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject, such as food, politics, or local news; some function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of most early blogs. Most blogs are primarily textual although some focus on photographs (photoblog), sketchblog, videos (vlog), or audio (podcasting), and are part of a wider network of social media.

The term "blog" is a portmanteau, or, in other words, a blend of the words web and log (Web log). "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog.

There are blogs about pretty much anything you can think of including, surprise, museums!

This is a really good site for finding museum blogs: http://www.museumblogs.org/

Check it out.

Mina Daisuki Katamary Damacy!

I know I do. Because I most likely have too much free time on my hands and because I've been playing a lot of Me and My Katamari ; I sculpted a little Oji figure, slightly larger than life size, out of Granitex (basically the same as Super Sculpey). Check it out. If I feel motivated I make his cousin Kuro as well. I think I like him and Dipp best (Dipps the crazy disco ball one.)

What do you think? How does mine compare to to Ctrl Alt Doll's katamari figs?

Hisashiburi desu ne...

Okay, besides the poker uderwear that was a pretty substanial break in posting. Mostly it was a result of my feeling the current goings on of my life were rather too mundane to warrant any blogging about.

Well they haven't changed too much, but they soon will. You can see the picture here of the view from my current home in the mountains of North Carolina. The time between returning from Japan and now has been occupied with a graduate class in Research Methods, some Advanced Japanese study, teaching the ocasional art class and working at a place called the Mast General Store. The classes were interesting, and the work continues to be good. One of the perks of working at Mast General is the occasional deal on outdoor goods. I actually just got a sweet pair of Chaco Sandals for dirt cheap.

This will be the way of things for another few months until I head to graduate school. More likely than not the University of the Arts in Philadelphia will be the place. They've offered me a pretty good deal and living in Pennsylvania again has another of positive aspects to it.

I'm currently very jealous of my brother who is, right the minute, in Tokyo on business, and within reach of the new slim-line DS Lite. Nintendo why do you tempt me so?

BTW "Hisashiburi desu ne" is Japanese for "Long time no see"

and "Jya mata" is Japanese for...

Catch you later.

Saraba...

It's 10:55pm here in Japan, and I'm writing from a 24 hour internet, gaming, lounge, billiard hall, dart place, in which you can rent time by the hour and enjoy all of the above along with plenty of risque magazines and free drinks. Good times eh?

The theme to Howl's Moving Castle is currently drifting through the place from speakers hidden somewhere above me. This will be my last post from Japan (at least for now...) My three years are up and I'm getting shipped back home. I'm not sure what the future will bring after I go back home besides a lot of reverse culture shock to be sure. I may come back here, I may get a job, I may go back to school full time. I have lots of options, I just have to decide which one suits me. I don't know how long it will be until I'll be back, but for now I'll say to Japan, farwell, and thanks for all the fantastic times.

"Ashita wa, ashita no kaze ga huku..."
Tomorrow, another wind will blow...

Capsule Hotel Nagoya

Had a great time at Sumo this past weekend. Went down to Nagoya on Friday and saw Nagoya castle and caught some sumo later in the day, then two of my friends joined me for a fun night out in Nagoya and then for a night at the New Capsule Hotel Nagoya. Check out the pic!

The place was way nicer than I thought it would be the lobby and inside of the place looked like a nice hotel, except past the lobby and the lockers was rows and rows of little capsule rooms lined up slightly disconcertingly like a catacomb/morgue. It was definately worth the cost just to check it out.

Saturday was another big day of sumo fun. This bassho really was the best in the last year I think. It came right down to the wire to decide who would win the tournament, either one of the new European wrestlers Kotooshu, or the reigning Yokozuna Asashoryu. In the end the pressure got to Kotooshu and after his lose on the last day, Asashoru came through with a win on the last and most exciting match of the day to cinche the title for the 13th time.

Sumo!

Less than a week left in Japan now, and I'm starting to get a little stressed out packing everything up, and taking care of last minute details.

Before I leave though, I really want to go see Sumo one more time. I've been really into sumo for about two years now and I've been to the main sumo stadium in Ryogoku, Tokyo about 4-5 times now.

The summer basho, which is going on now is being held in Nagoya. I've not seen the Nagoya stadium before, so it a perfect opportunity for one last trip. While we're in Nagoya, two of my friends and I are going to try out one of the oft talked about capsule hotels of Japan. Should be interesting!

If you want to know more about Sumo, check out this great web page , you can also watch sumo videos online here, at www.banzuke.com.

Snapped this funny picture of a Star Wars ad in Tokyo last weekend.

Still not sure who is teaching who about the dark side...

For more Darth fun check out the I <3th> Darth Adventure Comic

snowboarding etc.

What's that? You're bored, it's summer, and you're lazily browsing the web? Go and check out this snowboarding video to cool off and marvel at the bottomless powder of Niseko, Japan. If you look closely you might see someone you know...

Didn't see any familar faces there? Rectify that by checking out this fine example of how they do web pages down under.

Web page and picture courtesy of The Baron.