After the Fundoshi: Yokozuna Out to Farm

When athletes retire from other sports, they usually retreat into a life full of terrible clothes, even worse golf and lots and LOTS of apparently really good food. If you have any doubts about what that means, look no further than our favorite big man from yesteryear, Sir Charles Barkley…
Clearly the man has not missed a meal!

But what happens when you’re already a big guy, say for example, a sumo wrestler? The recent retirement of the the baby-faced (but drunk and violently tempered) yokozuna, Asashoryu, had me thinking: what do sumo wrestlers do when they leave the sport? Do they go for what they know and take up coaching? Or do they get in to showbiz? Or do they spend their later years knocking down residual groupies? We see you #23!!!
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Get ‘Em Tiger!

“It’s been a long time! I shouldn’t've left you….”

Indeed, it’s been a minute since my last post! So long so, I have to start off by saying, “Happy New Year!!!” And it’s damn near the middle of February! How pathetic is that!?! In any case, I’m back and I don’t plan on leaving you again any time soon. And now with that out of the way, on to the post….

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The Gregorian New Year started 40 days ago but the Traditional Chinese New Year doesn’t start until Sunday, February 14th. As you must know by now, according to the Chinese zodiac this is – and will be soon in China – the year of the tiger! Tiger years are often described as being a time of great personal and social upheaval. But for the brave and the strong, this is the time to show courage, to summon great inner strength and rebelliously throw the things and ideas that have held you back. In short, it’s a time of personal revolution.

So I ask you what are your goals for 2010? What is your personal revolution?

2009 Kanji of the Year

It’s that time again!!!

Japan Today reports that the Japan Kanji Aptitude Testing Foundation has conducted it’s annual Kanji of the Year survery. And in a public opinion to find of which single character out of the 3,000 over so Chinese characters used in standard Japanese best represents and reflects the events of the past year, voters selected 新 [shin - new] as this year’s character.

With a new prime minister, new American president, and a “new flu”, 2009 has been a year of new things in both Japan and the that mystical land, known here affectionately as, 外国 [gaikoku - foreign country]. The announcement was made in Kyoto, with a priest at the famed Kiyomizu Temple ceremoniously writing the character on traditional Japanese paper. Ironically enough, the announcement was presided over by the new president of the foundation as the last was arrested for mispropriety. How’s that for “new”?

Anyway, it may be the Kanji of the Year for 2009, but I’m co-opting it for 2010. See, 2010 is a new year, one filled with endless possibilities to start over, do it better and get it right!  Here’s to 新!!!

Music: Kid Cudi

Earlier this year, in my daily worship at the altar of Kanye I discovered a new GOOD Music artist by the name of Kid Cudi. The video for his lead single Day and Nite really grabbed my attention. Sure, it was mad creative, but what would you expect from one of Kanye’s artists? Still, the video resonated with because it’s really just a guy going about his day imagining his life as something other than it is… walking in his own daydreams as it were. If you know me for real, you know that’s pretty much me!

Listening to the album, Kid Cudi really takes you there with the depth of introspection and emotion. He’s something like Kanye minus the ego, something like hip hop emo. And I was feeling it from track 1. Months after I first “acquired” it, Cudi’s Man on the Moon is still in heavy rotation. It’s something the soundtrack to my day on the grind! And perhaps no song primes me up for that daily grind more so than this track here….Pursuit of Happiness!

Grind with me on this one!!!

If you ain’t up Man on the Moon yet, you LATE AS HELL! Lemme help you though…

Man on the Moon: The End of the Day

Resident Extraordinaire: Aleksandar Dragicevic

I haven’t done one of these in a good, long while so I thought it was about that time to bring y’all another one of the City’s uber-talented resident extraordinaires. Previously, I served up the Polish sensation, Przemek; my own cocohime, Miss Mo; and last but never least, my tranny godmother, Anthony. This go ’round I want to serve up another helping of Eastern European genius, and dare I say, sexiness!

I can’t remember when or where we actually met for the first time, but it seems like I heard of him, this character referred to only by the name of his superstar diva idol, for ages. Needless to say, I was anticipating meeting some super-duper die hard fan whose entire existence is a tribute to his diva idol (envision all those Michael Jackson impersonators sliced up to look like MJ – may he rest in peace – or pretty much every third Black dude impersonating his favorite rapper impersonating Tony Montana). When we did end up meeting though, I was pleasantly surprised, and almost disappointed even.

The man I ended up meeting was instead an absolute sweetheart of a man named Aleksandar, or Alex for short. And did I mention he’s gorgeous? What is it about Eastern European men!?!

Born in the former Republic of Yugoslavia, this Serbian sensation is a long-time resident of the City Under Red Sun. And like so many other of my circle of acquaintances here, he is also an uber-talented artist, videographer to be exact, who draws his inspiration from theology (yes, theology, you heathens!) and technology. His vision, he describes, is a re-creation of reality with the freedom of abstraction. He says, “it is all about creating sense out of the nonsense and then gong back to nonsense.” If you follow my blog for real, then you’ve already seen his brilliance in the fabulous. When I asked what can people expect from him in the future, he forwarded me this!

ENJOY! Or as they say in the City Under Red Sun, douzo!!

And if you haven’t gotten into the Tranny Trash Burgers, do it! DO IT NOW!!!

For my more of Alex’s tranny fab video work, check out my previous post here!!!

Two Sun Dawn and My Jerry Maquire Moment

In the 7 weeks that I’ve been out of work, I’ve decided that for the time being at least I should focus on trying to do a lot of the things I’ve always wanted to do but never had the time to actually do. One of these things that I’ve been dying to do is to create an online magazine. Getting everything together for that though has been a process that is still ongoing. Y’all are NOT ready! LOL

In the meantime though, you know, I’ve been working on getting an internet media firm together to manage the magazine and a few of my other creative projects. In addition to managing the magazine, I want to get in to writing, publishing, and artist management. It’s ambitious, I know. But I’m starting with what I can do now, just me, my MacBook and Adobe Suite.

I’ve always down web design and development projects, so I figured I’d churn out a few projects to make some dough to subsidize my income (or rather lack thereof). I know I haven’t actually designed a site in a while, but please believe ya’ man still has it! I did after all get this blog up and running, and designed the logo. As for the extent of my skills, give me a few weeks and I think I’ll knock your socks off!

So I’ve been meeting with a few potential clients these past few weeks. And needless to say, it’s been HARD as HELL! I mean ,they all were interested in my work, which was definitely a good thing seeing as though I don’t have an extensive portfolio (or any portfolio to speak of right now). It was also good that they all wanted things which are well within my technical capabilities. But what was definitely not good was how much they were talking about paying! I mean I know it’s a recession, but DAMN!

I know alot of y’all out there HATE Kanye. But the man is a genius and the inspiration of genius in others. I found this clip on his blog the other day, and it so sums up so much of my interaction with my potential clients as of late.

Sometimes I so just want to scream, “Show me the money!” FYI, I do have one serious client and also is an effing genius. I can’t wait to get his project up so y’all can see what we both can do!

The Dream….

OK, OK, OK! I’ll promise! From today, I will be posting AT LEAST twice a week! My word is bond!!

So the post…..

My dreams are very deceptive experiences. They’re so real I often go to sleep in the dream only to wake up in “real life” confused as to where/when I am, and if that last bit of craziness really just happened or not. Needless to say, they’re all quite memorable. And while I generally make it a point not to share my dream experiences, this is one that I have had repeatedly over the course of months, years even. I thought I’d share this one because it’s taken on some many new and profound meanings. So without any further ado, the Dream…

It’s cold. The night sky is moonless and dark, and the stars sizzle and pop electric in the crisp, cold air. I’m climbing a rough, rocky ridge. The jagged rocks cut my hands as I pull myself up. Pulling with my heads, pushing with my feet… no harnesses. I’m doing it all on my own. Indeed, I’m alone on this climb.

Pulling and pushing. I can’t see the ground. Pulling and pushing. I can’t see the peak. Blood, sweat and everywhere the metallic taste of iron. Pulling and pushing. Heaving and the heavy thumping of my heart.

And it comes as an unnerving shock. My hand reaching but not finding. Finally there is nothing left above me. Pulling myself up to the craggy landing of a summit, I can see the subtle lightening of the sky. A rainbow in black and indigo heralding the coming of the new day. Absolutely quiet. The world is still. All of G-d’s creation charged with anxious anticipation. I know now that I have come here to witness an event. And then bursting forth on the horizon, there is not one but TWO SUNS! And I know things will never be the same.

Behold the two sun dawn!

I know I (still) have a few loyal readers. I loved to hear from you. What do you think it means? And are you ready for your own two sun dawn?

The Catch-Up Part III: Pharrell’s #1 Fan

[*The actual words have been changed because my Japanese is not that good and I was too drunk to remember anyway!]

凄い [sugoi : wow!], he said, ファレルに似てる [Fareru ni niteru: You look like Pharrell!]

It was something I hadn’t heard in a long time! No, not that I look like Pharrell. Being in Japan, I’ve been told I look like every African-American AND East Indian that has ever been on Japanese TV! No, what surprised was that is was an unmistakable pick-up line!!! I was being 軟派’d [nanpa'd: picked-up]!

You gotta understand that Japanese guys are usually painfully shy. And with this whole 草食男子 [soushoku danshi: male herbivore] phenomenon about, I had just gotten used to scared lil’ J-boys looking but being too “herbivorous” to even be interested, let alone actually try to spit game. I was caught off guard!

He was cute for sure! But very Japanese. And I made it New Year’s Resolution to stop dating Japanese boys. Contrary to popular belief, I AM NOT A RICE QUEEN! Just a lil FYI!!! So me and the boys went ahead and got our party on in Kagero. And boy, did we get our lives in that one there! Big ups, Black Mamba, Ming and Nonke!

At a certain point though, I stumbled my drunk, asthmatic ass out of the club and there he was still standing, Pharrell’s #1 Fan! He was cute before but with my ummm, rum-and-coke goggles he had become phoine! And yo, my man had a phatty! LOL Yessir, I was sold.

Now don’t remember the details here… Blame it on the alcohol! But I got him to come in the party, and after a few minutes of sloppy, drunken dancing and even sloppier dance floor groping, I invited him back to mine. I’m gotta edit ALL the details here unfortunately because my Mother may read this, but let it suffice to say that baby boy “took that D like the champ that he is”! (Thanks for that line, Drake!!!)

I woke up the next morning with a real-life J-boy in arms! And he was even more Japanese than I remembered. For starters, he didn’t speak a word of English!!! I still don’t know what it was though but something told me to 頑張れ [ganbare: do my best]. I wasn’t just going to toss this one out.

That was almost 2 months ago! It’s not been easy with the huge language barrier (read: my terrible Japanese and his non-existent English). Or the 8-year age difference – he’s only 21! Or the gross differences in life experiences and expectations. But this one’s sweet, and let’s me be my naturally sweet self with him. I like him! And unlike so many of the other guys I’ve called myself liking, this one likes me back. And that’s 珍しい [mezurashii: rare and odd].

In the midst of my downward spiraling, he’s been something like the a true 神風 [kamikaze: divine wind] carrying my aloft. And he doesn’t even know! My baby…..

*And now I have a reason to get serious about learning Japanese for real for real!!! LMAO

Resident Extraordinaire: Anthony Moynihan

So I took my Brother Pat, who was here visiting, up to Ageha for party. It was a yet another drunk night in which the details are all a blur. But I remember at some point I was cornered by two very beautiful ummmm, “women”. At first we were talking about my frat brand, but then the conversation turned to piercings. “Do you have any piercings?” ummm… she asked. “Yeah,” I replied. I can’t remember know how I was convinced to show them. I was drunk so I prolly didn’t need very much convincing at all, but right there in the middle of Ageha I pulled out my joint and showed them my piercing. Let Anthony tell it, he was in love with me from that very moment! (But then again, isn’t everyone! LMAO)

We exchanged numbers and it was only after 3 months of emailing back and forth that I realized that the “woman” I met was actually a man!!! Yeah, I’m slow but if you see how beautiful and fabulous Tranny, as he’s most affectionately known, is as a woman you’d be inclined to forgive my country-boy dense-ness.

We became fast friends! Hitting all the fabulous parties, meeting all the beautiful people, experiencing the city as absolute rockstars. A native of London, he’s been here in the City 13+ years now, and as a fashion designer, stylist, interior designer, party host and all around diva idol, he knows EVERYONE (and just about everything)! But more importantly, EVERYONE knows HIM! He’s the archetypal Resident Rockstar Extraordinaire, and my 先輩 [sempai: mentor].

All the many outrageously fabulous (and fabulously outrageous) parties aside, he’s a true angel-heart, who’s taught me so much about being true to myself and living my life in abundance. He’s helped me find my own inner fabulousness and showed me by living example how to live boldly in it. And then, when my world turned upside down last year, he was there to help me pull it all together. And it’s for that I’m eternally grateful.

I could go on and on about just how absolutely amazing Anthony is as a person, an artist and a friend. He’s just that kinda spirit that not only commands that kinda adoration but inspires everyone he meets. Yes, I stan for him!!!

This is waaaay LONG overdue! But yea….

I love you, Tranny! XOXO
Tranniliciousness After the Break!

“We Will ALL Be Migrant Workers”

Each day I get closer and closer to marking 4 years here on the archipelago, and as the last of my JET-set friends prepared to head home, I am increasingly asked the same question: “So when are you going home?” Truth is, I’ve been home at least a dozen times already, and most people already know that. So what they’re really asking is:  “When are you moving back?” After everything I’ve learned, after everything I’ve been through, the answer may just be “never”. That’s right! NEVER.

Don’t get me wrong! I miss the hell out my family and my friends and the fabulous, American-sized life I  had back in the States. There is a part of me that crazy as it sounds wants nothing more than to move back to T-town and live some fantasy life of “ordinary” (no disrespect). But for me, it remains just that… a fantasy. My life is waaaaay to ummm, “complicated” to make that dream a reality.

I tend to present my life as a Resident in the City Under Red Sun as something like enchanted. But in between all the boys, the trannies and the fabulous parties, there’s been some real rough patches here and there which I’ve also tried to document in the pages of this blog. So I’m certainly not here just because it’s easy. Nah, that ain’t it at all!

I’m here because I am an (aspiring) artist, and for me this is where I’m supposed to be developing my art. It’s about going where my work is. So I want to posit this as a concept, the idea that in the 21st century we must all be a sort of global migrant worker. OK, the term “migrant worker” has a lot of negative connotations associated with it. Maybe  the term, “emigrant” might be a lil’ less socially/ethnically charged. In any case, the idea is that we must all be willing and able to go wherever in the world it is that our job [read: our innate calling, whatever that is] demands that we go.

Just as the great freedom seeking artists of yesteryear ran off  to Paris. Just as singers flock to NYC today. Just as the aspiring actors [read: waitresses and bartenders] all wind up in LA. Just as ummm, God’s fabulous Children flock to Atlanta. So too, everybody  – yes, EVERYBODY! – is going to have to seriously consider moving, and to consider moving increasingly farther and farther away from the places of origin. Indeed, given the global flight of what were once purely domestic industries, many of us may even have to move overseas. This means that we’re all going to have to get up on our foreign languages and our knowledge of foreign cultures. That also means that we’re all going to have take an ACTIVE interest in what’s going on not only in our own communities but what’s going around the world. Our new neighbors just might be Sudanese refugees. Or who knows you might have to take that position in Dubai. These days, ya’ never know!

The world has changed. And the way we think about our “place” in that world must change with it. The question for everyone though is: Are you ready?

And, incidentally, while you’re thinking about that. Check my previous post on Japan’s  expediant plan to deal with unemployment in its South American nikkei community here: http://cityunderredsun.com/2009/04/03/you-can-go-home-now-thanks/