11-29-01
Pointless Update
#1 is Here!! Don't fool yourselves, there is no cohesive
theme holding this update together, whatsoever. We're talking
this update has all the continuity of a fever-dream, baby. But
it couldn't be helped, I've just been a little too scatterbrained
after the past few days.
This week has flat-out sucked. I've had Elementary school visits, a 2-Day, Mid-Year JET seminar, a Vice-Principal that was not informed by my Town Office that I had a 2-Day Mid-Year JET seminar and was thus wondering where the hell I was for two days, and to top it all off, I really want a cup of Hot Chocolate right now, but I'm at school so fat chance that's going to happen. On the bright side, I finally got my packages from the States, which means my apartment can now officially be christened The Dreamcastatorium.
In other news, it has come to my attention that I am entertained
by fat-men in jock-straps hugging each other. But I swear it's
not what you think. Or maybe it is, who knows. In any case, I've
grown quite a fondness for that enigmatic 
bastion of Japanese culture,
Sumo wrestling. I can't explain it. I mean, last time I
was in Japan, Sumo bored me to tears, and now I can watch it for
four hours at a time and not even realize it. Me and Fletcher
took the opportunity to go to Day 8 of the Fukuoka Tournament
the other day and it was pretty darn neat. And for those of you
who have never been to a Sumo Match and are wondering - yes, they
look as fat in real life as they do on TV.
Anyway, I only managed to snap off one pic before the batteries in my camera mysteriously died - despite the fact that said batteries were inserted into my camera only 40 F#%*ING MINUTES EARLIER!! I've contacted Fox Mulder regarding this inconvenient conundrum and am eagerly awaiting his findings. In the meantime, here is the sole picture of our Saturday outing to Fukuoka-bashyo (Yes, I realize that they're not even wrestling in this photo. Shut up).
That being said, it's come to my attention that I keep mentioning Fletcher as if all of you know who he is, just like I did a few sentences ago, when obviously you don't. So let's start by introducing, not only him, but our main cast of characters which will probably be popping up here and there throughout our adventures on this site.
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Scott (aka Me) Occupation: ALT, JET Programme (1st Year) Country of Origin: United States Previously, Scott lived in Portland, Oregon where he dabbled in mind-numbingly, boring customer service jobs while using his B.A. in film as a decorative place mat. Little Known Facts: Scott was introduced to Japan by way of a Japanese video game based on a popular manga(comic) and is pleased to have finally achieved his goal of getting paid to live out an episode of Ranma 1/2. Quoted: "I know! I'll start a website! It'll be easy and fun to update it on a weekly basis!!" |
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Fletcher (Yes, that's really his name) Occupation: ALT, JET Programme (1st Year) Country of Origin: United States Also a Portland native, this is Fletcher's first time to Japan. He has a second degree black belt in Economics and Accounting which doesn't help him much when he's being heralded by his students, and pretty much everyone in town, as a Baseball-Pitching God. Little Known Facts: He is not, in fact, a Baseball-Pitching God. Quoted: "F@%* you, what do you mean I'm not a Baseball-Pitching God!?" |
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Ben Occupation: ALT, JET Programme (1st Year) Country of Origin: United States Ben is the only fluent Japanese speaker of the group, having grown up speaking it in his Maryland home with his Japanese mother and fluent father. He aspires to one day be as much of a bad-ass as Nicky Santoro. Little Known Facts: Ben spends most of his free time memorizing "bad-ass" movie lines by Robert DeNiro or Joe Pesci. Quoted: "You're really pissing me off. Hand me that pen." |
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Rory Occupation: ALT, JET Programme (2nd Year) Country of Origin: Northern Ireland (Note: For God's sake, don't ever say he's from the UK!!) When Rory isn't beating up English police officers and dodging rubber bullets, he's actively pursuing a career teaching English in the Southern Asia region. Little Known Facts: Although he's a native English speaker, he claims his first language as "Irish" (specifically, Gaelic). Quoted: "I swear, you say the words 'out of beer' to me again and you're dead." |
When
I first started this page, I had mentioned that one of my main
aims was to help answer the question of 'why I want to live in
Japan. Well, last weekend was a prime example. I went to Kumamoto
City, where I lived five years ago when I was on exchange as a
college student, and hung out with a college friend. She teaches
at an English school in the city, so she invited some of her students
and friends along and we all went out for a night on the town.
Eight of us ended up going to karaoke and singing and pissing
the night away. Why is this so great you ask? Because as the photographic
evidence indicates, I was the only guy there!! 
Bwahahahahahahahahahahaha!!! (actually,
since I'm taking the picture and am not actually in it, I guess
it's not great evidence, but trust me anyway)
I'm sorry every time I think about it, I just start laughing diabolically. One guy to seven girls.....BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
<ahem>
This is why I came to Japan. ;)
BTW, everyone there just about lost their minds when I waxed old-school with MC Hammer's U Can't Touch This.
"STOP! Scotty-Time."
Last but not least, I need everyone's
input on a very important decision I'm about to make. For those
of you who don't know, from my Junior year in High School until
a year and a half ago, I had a small braided rat-tail in the back
of my hair. Sadly, I cut it off after many faithful years much
to the delight of my dear father. Yes, he hated that thing with
a passion and I suspect he even had a secret notebook full of
nefarious plans to go about cutting it off when I was least suspecting
it. Anyway, it's been a year and a half and I'm thinking it's
time to annoy my father with another outrageous hairstyle choice.
It has been unanimously decided among The Regulars, that my hair would be best fulfill it's potential for coolness if it was fashioned into a small afro-perm reminiscent of the one sported by Kenny from Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. My friends have even gone so far as to decide that this is a noble enough initiative to chip in ¥1000 a piece to bring their plan to fruition.
While I don't have anything to lose by doing so, and I'm probably going to do it anyway for the hell of it, I'm very curious what you all think about this. So drop me a line with a Yay or Nay.
See y'all with a new update next week. And of course, by 'next week' we all know by that I mean 'next month.' :P
Toodles.
