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

Mission: MBA

In my last post, I wrote about Japan’s Yakuza hitting the books for their mobster MBA’s. I got mad jokes about the yakuza and just how pathetic some of them (lemme make sure I don’t wake up swimming with the fishes!) have become in their attempts to wade their way through this recession. Honestly, though we all gotta respect the hustle, especially when that hustle means getting an education. As an MBA student, I especially gotta respect that!

Thinking about my last though, I realized that I’ve made several references to going to school here in the City under Red Sun but, I’ve never really done a post on my educational pursuit. Truth is, that is the MAIN reason why I’m still here even after all the drama of the past few months, and really the past two years! A post on what I’m really doing is like waaay past due!

So here it is….

I’m a second-year MBA student at Temple University Japan, and in less than 6 months I will have earned my MBA. I still remember distinctly looking at schools all over the US, certain that I wanted to go home after my 3rd year on the the JET Programme. But, wanting to study international business, it just made more sense to try to find a program abroad. Yeah, I studied Spanish so there was alot of thought given to going to, you know, one of those really beautiful countries with warm climates and hot boys. But ultimately, I was already here in Japan and it seemed reasonable to stay put (read: I forgot all the Spanish I learned!). If nothing else, it would give me a chance and a valid reason to relocate to the city.

I studied for my GMAT, took the test and got all my application materials together and sent them off. I was so nervous when I came in for my interview that I needed buckets to collect all the sweat from my hands. My voice trembled and when Dr. Leeds extended his hand for a handshake, I felt that my wet, pruney hands sealed my rejection. But about a month later though, I was surprised to discover an email in my inbox kindly informing me that I was accepted! With a scholarship!! WHAAAAT!!! Boy, you couldn’t tell me nothing that day. Blasted that Kanye song ALL the way home! Bounan Middle School just don’t know, I was ready to quit on the spot!

My first class started about a month after that. And so almost every Saturday from 9am to 6pm, you can find me here on the 4th floor of Mita Hall taking in all in. It’s ALOT of work, I can’t lie. And it takes up ALOT of time. But me being me, I think these two factors have kept me out of alot of trouble. It’s also kept me from getting too too caught up in my own ever-changing mental, emotional and financial states. Like, you can’t spend all day in the bed depressed, or all night in the, ummm, far end of that street in Ni-chome when you got a case to write and presentation to prepare.

Looking back on these past 18 months, yeah, it has been alot of work. I’m always saying that I’m studying. And it really seems like I am. even though I’m man enough to admit that there are times when I’ve used studying as an excuse for being anti-social. But for real, IT IS NOT A GAME! And I haven’t been out on Friday night in only G-d knows how long. But I honestly, I feel like I’ve learned what I’ve needed to propel my entrepreneurial spirits. Six months from now when I graduate, I don’t know whether I’ll be staying here in my beloved City under Red Sun or moving on to fairer pastures (read: someplace where I can actually get paid something resembling what I’m worth), but with what I’ve learned in my courses, I really believe that I’m capable of doing it big, doing it right and making millions. And now I’m hungry!

I’m definitely not getting paid to say this! My, how I wish they were!!! But if you’re looking for an excellent MBA program (or any higher learning experience) in an international and very unique learning environment, Temple University Japan might be a good look for you.

There Are Things Like This I Want to Say But….

LMAO!

I know I have a very small but faithful group of readers! And I love and appreciate the HELL out of y’all! Y’all mean so much to me, if for no other reason that there are so many things that I want to say but can’t quite seem to be able to express anywhere else but here. So…. Thank you! Sorry it’s been such a long time since my last post. From today, I promise to get back on it and try to catch you guys (and gals) on all the extreme craziness that has transpired in the last few weeks.

In the meantime, I saw this video a few weeks ago when Black Mamba came for visit. I had never heard of this group(?) before but I was feeling this song from the break. Granted I don’t what ol’ boy is singing/rapping about but I dig his passion, and the song is just beautiful in any language.

伝えたい事がこんなあるのに [Rough English translation: There are such things I want to say but...]

Yeah, there are sooooo many things I want to say! Stick around and I’ll tell you my story….

Drifting?

Yo, y’all remember that last Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drifting movie? Maybe you don’t. It was gawd awful!!! I ain’t even gonna front…. I did see the movie few times. But with a gang of teenage and pre-teen nephews in the house I was bound to see a least a snippet of it where and there. Thanfully that snippet didn’t not include any real life ummmm, acting. LOL No, my precious neurons were spared that bit of abuse! That part I ummm, survived was a particular scene were the skilled Japanese racer drifts his way up a circular garage ramp. Shiiiiiit, I was impressed! And apparently, so were alot of you! ( The movie did pull in $160M USD!!!)

I had no idea that drifting is a actually something real people do with real cars. But it’s very real – just look here!

Or here:

With moves like that, how could you not love these guys?!? LMAO

The latest though from Japan Today, my favorite source of irrelevant news:

Drift gang leader, 19 others arrested

The leader of a gang of drifters, Tetsuya Okajima, 40, and 19 other drift racers have been arrested, police said Monday. Police said they had also ascertained the identity of a total of 84 drift racers.

The 20 have been charged with dangerous driving by the traffic enforcement bureau of the Metropolitan Police Department. According to police, Okajima was the leader of the hotrodding gang known as the “Blacks,” and is an influential member in the drifter world.

Okajima was quoted as saying: “No matter how many times you arrest me, I’m still going to cruise on public roads.”

The group was arrested for drifting in four vehicles around 1:30 a.m. some mornings at Oi Pier in Tokyo’s Ota Ward since May.

Tranny Trash Burgers

Sure, I’ve been out to the random joint here or there, or for a cocktail or 10 in Ni-chome with the boys. But I haven’t REALLY hit the scene in quite a while. (I did go to one party where I met a very interesting character I’ll call “Pharrell Fan” but more on that in a different post.) Blame it on the recession! Indeed…

In my absence though, the City Under Red Sun has been taken over! Taken over, I tell you!!! Like when General Zod and his crew went and wrecked shop all up and through Metropolis! But there aren’t three, there are FIVE of them! Not since Godzilla emerged from the ocean has the City faced such a threat!

Ladies and gents (and everything in between), behold your negation! Behold, Miss Kisstress, Lady Pussy L’Amour, Princess Katarzena D’Porte, Countessa Vershuka Horkova and Captain Nonke, AKA the Tranny Trash Burgers.

Luckily for all of us – Natives and Residents alike – these devastating divas are less concerned with murder and mayhem and world domination. And more concerned with obscenely outrageous fabulousness. Your President (or Prime Minister) will not have to bow before them. Instead, they might “bow” before him. LOL All, except Captain Nonke, that is ’cause nonke don’t get down like that.

And here they are doing what they do best…

In addition to terrorizing the populace,  the TTB’s are also hitting the small screen! Peep the outrageousness! (courtesy of the Baltic Bombshell AKA Genkiserb – Thanks, babes!)

Tranny Outrageousness After the Jump

The Tree is Always Taller…

I was just a 8 year-old tiny-tot-for-Christ when I got my first hair…. you know, down there! It was a cute novelty that set me apart from most other boys my age. I know because I looked! LOL But as that single stalk became a wild field, the novelty of it all wore off kinda quick. One thought came to mind: MUST. CONTROL . THE. HAIR! And with that I lathered myself down with shaving cream and shaved for the first time. That was over 15 years ago!

I gave up shaving maybe right after that first time. Itchy crotch is just not a good look, ya know! But make no mistake I abhor body hair. And no matter how busy I am, or how much I errr, let myself go, I always make sure I’m properly trimmed. I call it “manscaping”. And I personally consider it an essential grooming habit for every man, woman and wolf child. It looks cleaner but most importantly it smells cleaner. I kid you not!

In the City Under Red Sun, I’ve had the opportunity to see a great many ummm, bushes- male and female. (Don’t ask! LMAO) When I say “bush” here, I really mean bush because unlike the “love nests” which I’m most familiar with, the Natives have something straight and pointy resembling the quills of a porcupine. It’s menacing to say the least! And with the same sharpness as porcupine quills, it can be downright dangerous should one ummmm, ever come in contact.

I know it’s cultural thing, with some people preferring that au natural look and feel and smell (gross!!!). But at the risk of offending those delicate cultural differences, I think that EVERYONE EVERYWHERE should at the very least “trim it up”. For starters, no one likes a mouthful of hair! LOL For you ladies that like “special attention”, imagine how much more special that attention will be once baby boy can find “it” without being attacked by it… coming up all scratched in the face!  But for my fellas, my beloved fellas, there’s another reason. Natives, Residents and guys all over the world, know this: The Tree is always taller when the grass is cut! Yep, that lil’ gem is so good I’ll say it again: THE TREE IS ALWAYS TALLER WHEN THE GRASS IS CUT! There’s a stereotype known and repeated around the world that Japanese/Asian men are small…you know, down there. But I contend that that may not really be the case at all! You’ll just have to trust me on this, I know! But it might (sometimes) just be a case of “not seeing the tree for the forest”! For my J-boys: 周りの草を刈った方が高く見える!

Resident Rockstar Extradordinaire Miss Marilyn has a wonderfully fabulous salon here in the City, called Boudoir. Ladies, if you’re not already up on your hygiene…. GET IN TO IT NOW!!! She’s abso -F-ing- lutely fabulous! Fellas, unfortunately, Miss Marilyn and her girls don’t do man-zilians! And I as helpful as I am, neither do it! LOL You’ll have to do it yourself!!!

Need help? All you need to know about man-scaping here!

What Are Your Super Powers?

Continuing from the last post, we all have superpowers. Certainly, here in the City Under Red Sun I have mine…. but what are yours?

City Under Red Sun Revealed

I thought at some point I had written about why I titled this blog “City Under Red Sun”. And why I almost always refer to the City as such. Yesterday, one of my favorite residents Miss Mo’ asked me to explain the title, and it turns out though that maybe I hadn’t. So here it is (my super-secret inner otaku revealed):

According to the Superman myth, Kal-El was born on the planet Krypton. Under Krypton’s red sun, Rao, the beings of Krypton lived technologically advanced but otherwise unextraordinary lives. After the destruction of Krypton, Kal-El is sent to Earth, and here under Earth’s yellow sun he discovers he has the amazing superhuman abilities, including the ability to fly, the ability to see through walls, and the ability to easily lift super massive objects.

I maintain that I am no superhero. But under Japan’s red sun, it seems I (and all of the 外人 [gaijin: foreigners]) do have special, superhuman powers. While not quite as impressive as Kal-El’s, my abilities include the ability to fly and swim great distances (like across the Pacific), the ability to communicate in more than one language, the ability to safely consume the food of the Gods (i.e. natto and umeboshi) and not be killed instantly, and the ability to deftly use the sacred tools of the most ancients (read: chopsticks). In addition, I can shape-shift into Usher, Will Smith, Bobby Ologun, President Obama or some random Indian guy,  adopting their particular skills and abilities in the process. I can alter local gravity and focus all attention on me. I can create a shock wave and clear all native life within a 10 meter radius. And sometimes, quite unexpectedly, I can disappear altogether.

It’s like in the City Under Red Sun, I can be everything and nothing at all, all at the same time! And that’s how I came up with the title of this blog. And far from being just another blog about Japan, this here is an account of my amazing journey through a life less ordinary.