The Hawkeye Initiative
A very amusing, somewhat polite, mostly very clear attack at the most often pointed-out problem of many comic-book and video game heroines, particularly the fact that "empowered" often looks a bit... Indecent, to say the least.
The objective is to take a pose a female heroine is in, and re-draw that picture. Instead of using the heroine for the pose, draw Marvel's Hawkeye in the pose. If it cannot be made to look appropriate for him as a male, then chances are, it's inappropriate for that female.
Not to mention physically impossible, concerning some of those poses.
I was amused, and even if you're not an activist in these sorts of things, perhaps you'll get a chuckle out of some of the pictures.
Some fruits have gotten really cheap in Japan!
I went to the store today and found them: at my local store, tangerines are 30 yen a piece at the moment [and delightfully in-season], avocados were 65 yen a piece, pumpkin was about 28 yen per 100 grams or something metric like that, and a bag of about eight apples is 298 yen. Why they didn't just round up to 300 is beyond me, but hey. They add the taxes on the price listing, instead of America's "leaving you to guess the taxes [unless you want to take the time and add it all up] and accidentally overspend" tactic, so I appreciate the honesty, at least. It won't last for very long, but I will definitely be taking advantage of it while I can.
And I believe that's the point of it all. Besides that, as I've said before, the fruits are actually good here, since it's their proper time to come off of the vine or the tree or wherever it is they're coming off of. If they're picked before they're ripe, I can't tell, as it would be closer to ripe than anything I've managed to get in a stereotypical store in the US.
Just thought I should inform you all of that victory, because it is certainly a very delicious one.
I haven't taken any photos for the week, but I have done a couple of things. And I can take a picture of at least one thing for you.
On Thursday, I went to Yodobashi Camera in Machida with a friend of mine. She wanted to buy a new camera, and I have been itching for a pair of decent speakers for my computer. Yodobashi is a place that primarily deals in electronics, you see.
This is the exact one that I went to.
I almost went to Denny's just for nostalgia's sake.
I thought investing in a good pair of speakers for my computer from Japan might be a good idea, although things aren't nearly as high-tech as the hype in the States would like to believe it is. Granted, there are things that are nice and convenient, but other things are quite bizarrely... Not progressive. People still use fax machines here--it's really interesting. I read an article about this topic on a casual, silly news and information website. You can read the article here, if you're so interested. I would be inclined to disagree with a couple of topics, but numbers 5, 2, and 1 are quite true (technology isn't as advanced as people think, you will always be an outsider, and Japan isn't as weird as it's made out to be). I have heard nothing ill of point 3 besides the author's complaints (hospitals and inefficiency), and I can kind of understand number 4 (houses having no heat), but since I have only really been in apartments in colder months, I cannot comment. I would be slightly inclined to disagree with the writer about the majority of anime and manga and such being "for kids," but I might admit that they are meant primarily for those under 30. However, since those currently under 30 will eventually be over 30, I expect that might be changing pretty soon. Whether or not that's true, I'm not sure, but. I wouldn't worry about being scrutinized for liking a couple of anime or manga series, as most people, even those in college, do. Obsession, of course, is another matter, but a simple hobby is hardly frowned upon, as far as I have been able to tell.
That all may have been a bit negative-sounding, which probably stems from my recent frustration with personal matters, but it's not meant to be. Japan is a wonderful place, just don't imagine it to be quite the nerd-wonderland filled with technology and robots and sushi and everything that everyone imagines it to be. The best nerd-wonderland in Japan that I can recommend would be Akihabara, a part of Tokyo that I've mentioned a couple of times before, but even then, that's only a tiny portion of just Tokyo, it's not even the entire city, so it cannot be an entire country.
Anyway, sorry about that tangent!
Moral of the story is, though, that I bought speakers.
Yaayyy speakers!
And these speakers are of good quality and make me happy. I don't even know how loud they can get yet. I'll find that out when I'm home, most likely. I don't want to be a bother to the neighbours. After coming home with my speakers in victory, I proceeded to celebrate by listening to music and watching various shows online.
I spent Friday afternoon sleeping off a sleep debt and a bit of an under-the-weather feeling, and Friday evening I went to get Thai food with my friend from Thailand at the restaurant that she works at.
And let me tell you, the boss spoiled us absolutely rotten. We ordered two things, he gave us four different foods, a full plate of rice, and drinks, and would not let us pay a single yen to compensate for it. Hurrah for nepotism yet again, although I did feel guilty for it. But, it was delicious and she and I ate way too much and talked and had a great time. Afterwards, we went to her room and watched more of the Thai ghost-hunting programme that she showed me a while ago that I have taken strongly to.
Saturday morning, I ran around a bit doing some things on my to-do list, such as buying new minutes for my cell phone before my old ones expired [I don't see why they don't just let me keep them, with as few as I use, but you know. Well, they do let me keep them, but they make me buy new minutes regardless, before they expire], taking my trash out, and other such things. That evening, my friend and I got together again and went out for Okinawa-styled food [heavy American influence, I'm assuming from the massive US Military Base there]. I had the first root beer I've had since I've been here. I'm sure I could find them if I looked, but I just haven't had any particular interested. Well, I didn't, until I saw it on the menu. Afterwards, we went back to the dormitories and did a bit of a language-exchange. I helped her with some English, and she started teaching me Thai. It's quite fun. The tones are difficult and she says I say things in a "cute" way [I'm sure she's secretly saying I sound funny, haha], but overall, I like it thus far. Maybe I'll pursue it more in the near future.
Sunday and Monday I spent primarily doing homework, sleeping, watching news programmes, and talking to family.
Tuesday was a little rough for me, which still has me in a bit of an off-mood at the moment, so I'll pass on talking about it. Besides, it's kind of personal, and I'm sure none of you want to hear about any of that. It's incredibly boring.
I'll feel better by next week, though, I expect.
Today was all right, though, over all. I went to class, came home, put together a project for an upcoming class during my free time, and then went back to finish up my classes.
Afterwards, my friend from Vietnam and I went to the gym for a little while, and when I returned, I was asked to, along with some others from the dormitory, model for the upcoming JF Oberlin/International Dormitory information packet or something. I'm not exactly what it was for, but I'm sure that it's fine, so long as I never see the pictures. Haha.
Once the photos were finished, I was famished. I had to go to the grocery store to buy some food, and then I made dinner.
Took a shower, and here we are now!
So, now that you are all up to date, I have some homework that I must do before I can sleep.
I'll talk to you all next week!
Should be making another trip to Aikawa on Saturday--look forward to pictures, provided I go.
Ciao ciao,
-RD
No comments:
Post a Comment