So, now that I am internet connected again, I've been able to watch Rove, kind of an Australian Leno/Letterman/Conan but better (it is an Australian show, after all) and I realized I had forgotten how much I like Hamish & Andy and their shenanigans!
Here's one clip (not new) of their original and hugely popular new sport Ghosting!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peAtB_dFUh0&feature=related
Here is another clip; Hamish & Andy do Japan/The Future!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYSs00yC73s&feature=related
Check out some related links too if you are bored! ^^
8.29.2009
Volleyball and camping?
For the past months or so I've been having volleyball practice every week with the teachers from one of my schools. I did not sign up for this, but found myself having been signed up by the team captain. He seemed very confident in my volleyball skills that he signed me up for the "Attack number 1" team, or, the A-team, or, the team that were playing to win (compared to "Receive number 1" who were only playing for fun). How was the poor team captain supposed to know that the last time I played volleyball was in a 9th grade P.E. class? I am not exaggerating when I call my skills non-existent...
Anyway...
Last weekend we had a "warm-up" tournament that did not go too well (we totally lost). The odds (and the expectations) were not great as we walked into the gym of the school hosting the "big" tournament earlier this morning. We were off to a good start though, we managed to win our first game! Encouraged by our victory, spirits were high as we began our second game, only to sink again as we lost the game.
When all teams in our group had played their 2 games it was clear however that we all had one win and one loss. This meant that the team with the most won points would advance to the final. I don't know if they calculated correctly, but we found ourselves on the floor, playing against the winners of group 2. It was a very close game, not aided by me getting nervous and missing 2 serves (oops). Despite this, we won the first set, and somehow, the second as well, making the "Attack number 1" team this years winners! We got a huge trophy and 2 bottles of sake, as well as numerous bows and high fives. I have to admit, it felt pretty good!
After the tournament, I hurried home, showered, had some lunch, then packed a bag with some clothes and jumped into my car to catch up with some friends who had gone camping about an hour away. Before I left Chino at about 16.00 I bought a sleeping bag, a bunch of beer cans, heaps of fruit and a few bags of cookies. I got back home about 22.00 after driving for hours trying to find the others...
I managed to catch up with my friend and Japanese teacher Kayo, who also was a bit lost, while searching for the right road, and together we spent about 2 hours looking for them before we gave up, went to dinner and after that drove back home...At least I'll be sleeping on my futon tonight instead of uneven ground in a tent, but I think that is the one good thing about missing out on the camping party...Damnit! ^^
Anyway...
Last weekend we had a "warm-up" tournament that did not go too well (we totally lost). The odds (and the expectations) were not great as we walked into the gym of the school hosting the "big" tournament earlier this morning. We were off to a good start though, we managed to win our first game! Encouraged by our victory, spirits were high as we began our second game, only to sink again as we lost the game.
When all teams in our group had played their 2 games it was clear however that we all had one win and one loss. This meant that the team with the most won points would advance to the final. I don't know if they calculated correctly, but we found ourselves on the floor, playing against the winners of group 2. It was a very close game, not aided by me getting nervous and missing 2 serves (oops). Despite this, we won the first set, and somehow, the second as well, making the "Attack number 1" team this years winners! We got a huge trophy and 2 bottles of sake, as well as numerous bows and high fives. I have to admit, it felt pretty good!
After the tournament, I hurried home, showered, had some lunch, then packed a bag with some clothes and jumped into my car to catch up with some friends who had gone camping about an hour away. Before I left Chino at about 16.00 I bought a sleeping bag, a bunch of beer cans, heaps of fruit and a few bags of cookies. I got back home about 22.00 after driving for hours trying to find the others...
I managed to catch up with my friend and Japanese teacher Kayo, who also was a bit lost, while searching for the right road, and together we spent about 2 hours looking for them before we gave up, went to dinner and after that drove back home...At least I'll be sleeping on my futon tonight instead of uneven ground in a tent, but I think that is the one good thing about missing out on the camping party...Damnit! ^^
8.17.2009
8.14.2009
8.11.2009
Duck and cover!
Is it true that you are supposed to make your way to a doorway when there is an earthquake? That is what I did, after about 5 seconds of "What is going on?" and another 10 seconds of "WOW!". I sat in between my bedroom and living room, and tried to remember what else one is supposed to do.
It didn't seem like a scary big earthquake, so I felt pretty safe, but I thought "What do I know, I've never been in an earthquake before!", so I decided I'd better put some clothes on, just in case I had to go outside. Didn't want to scare my neighbours, I figured they would've been through enough having to run outside because of plate tectonics...
After I had managed to wiggle my way into a tshirt the world was still again, so I never had to run outside, but at least I was dressed enough to take the picture of me in the previous post.
I then remembered that you are supposed to turn off the gas when these things happen, but I figured that since I couldn't smell anything, and since the shaking had passed, I wouldn't have to do so. Not that I know how to do it anyway...
Does anybody know what else you are supposed to do? Might come in handy, the knowledge I mean...
It didn't seem like a scary big earthquake, so I felt pretty safe, but I thought "What do I know, I've never been in an earthquake before!", so I decided I'd better put some clothes on, just in case I had to go outside. Didn't want to scare my neighbours, I figured they would've been through enough having to run outside because of plate tectonics...
After I had managed to wiggle my way into a tshirt the world was still again, so I never had to run outside, but at least I was dressed enough to take the picture of me in the previous post.
I then remembered that you are supposed to turn off the gas when these things happen, but I figured that since I couldn't smell anything, and since the shaking had passed, I wouldn't have to do so. Not that I know how to do it anyway...
Does anybody know what else you are supposed to do? Might come in handy, the knowledge I mean...
8.10.2009
It is just after 5 in the morning, and I was just woken up. My pulse is still racing and my ceiling lights are still lightly swaying. I just experienced my first earthquake! Such a strange feeling to wake up to the floor shaking and windows rattling! I wonder if the shaking has made my windows fit better in their frames...Gotta check...
Wow, this is so strange, but they actually do! Amazing! There was always a gap between the window and the frame in my bedroom. I have been worrying about that gap, thinking to myself it is going to cause my apartment to get extremely cold the coming winter. Thoughts of gaffa tape and thick curtains have kept reoccurring. Now, the gap that was about 2 centimeters at the top of the frame (and none at the bottom) is down to maybe 2 millimeters!
Extraordinary! My first earthquake =)
Wow, this is so strange, but they actually do! Amazing! There was always a gap between the window and the frame in my bedroom. I have been worrying about that gap, thinking to myself it is going to cause my apartment to get extremely cold the coming winter. Thoughts of gaffa tape and thick curtains have kept reoccurring. Now, the gap that was about 2 centimeters at the top of the frame (and none at the bottom) is down to maybe 2 millimeters!
Extraordinary! My first earthquake =)
8.07.2009
The internet is dangerous!
It is!
I got connected Tuesday evening, and since then I have been very antisocial, only doing things that were already marked in my calendar. Also, I have already made a brief visit to amazon.co.jp and spent a big chunk of this month's pay check...
Although, to be fair, I tend to feel spending money on books is completely in order, and should be done a lot more often ;) At least I now have something to look forward to next week, a parcel with 10 (or something like that, I think it was more like 12-13) books in the mail! Aaah, can't wait!
Ponyo btw was absolutely wonderful, loved every minute of it, so cute! Have even seen it twice now =)
Yesterday I spent the evening learning 3 "dances" for the Chino festival taking place tomorrow. I am going with one of my 6th grade classes, I even have a t-shirt with the class number and school on it so that people will understand I belong in the festival parade and am not some random gaijin!
Last Saturday, I was just some random gaijin at the Chimosuwa festival. This did not prevent me (and my friend Nerida) from making a lot of friends in the parade after having been persuaded to join all these people pulling a boat from one shrine to another. It also did not prevent us from ending up in the local newspaper. In fact, I am pretty sure we only ended up in the local newspaper BECAUSE we were some random gaijin...
Will post some pictures from all my festival escapades, have already been to the one in Chimosuwa and one in Matsumoto, then there is the one here in Chino tomorrow, and 2 or 3 others before the end of my 2 week holiday! =)
Oh, btw, any movie tips?
I got connected Tuesday evening, and since then I have been very antisocial, only doing things that were already marked in my calendar. Also, I have already made a brief visit to amazon.co.jp and spent a big chunk of this month's pay check...
Although, to be fair, I tend to feel spending money on books is completely in order, and should be done a lot more often ;) At least I now have something to look forward to next week, a parcel with 10 (or something like that, I think it was more like 12-13) books in the mail! Aaah, can't wait!
Ponyo btw was absolutely wonderful, loved every minute of it, so cute! Have even seen it twice now =)
Yesterday I spent the evening learning 3 "dances" for the Chino festival taking place tomorrow. I am going with one of my 6th grade classes, I even have a t-shirt with the class number and school on it so that people will understand I belong in the festival parade and am not some random gaijin!
Last Saturday, I was just some random gaijin at the Chimosuwa festival. This did not prevent me (and my friend Nerida) from making a lot of friends in the parade after having been persuaded to join all these people pulling a boat from one shrine to another. It also did not prevent us from ending up in the local newspaper. In fact, I am pretty sure we only ended up in the local newspaper BECAUSE we were some random gaijin...
Will post some pictures from all my festival escapades, have already been to the one in Chimosuwa and one in Matsumoto, then there is the one here in Chino tomorrow, and 2 or 3 others before the end of my 2 week holiday! =)
Oh, btw, any movie tips?
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