So Stay With Me and I'll Have it Made.

So I've started going back and listening to a lot of old Japanese songs that I used to listen to when I was in my mid-teens. 
And now that I can actually get the gist of what they're saying, some of them are actually pretty downright creepy. It's not that I like the songs any less, they're just... Not quite what I thought they were. It's pretty funny.

Well, I have just been downright busy as of late!
Let's get down to business and let me tell you all about it, shall we? I may need to be a little brief; I've got some things to do still before I can go to sleep, and gosh only knows how much I want to go to sleep right now.

Thursday, after class, I was approached by a friend of mine to see about surprising my friend from Thailand for her birthday. Karaoke, cake, and rice balls made up that delightful evening. It was a good time, although it was so abrupt that I didn't manage any photos. They would likely have people in them, at any rate, so you probably wouldn't see them. I managed to sing my first two songs in Japanese completely without the crutch of the actual singer singing the song, and that's where I began to realise that some of these songs that I listen to are actually kind of creepy. 
But they're still delightful. 
We all left the karaoke bar at about midnight and I came home, did some homework, and promptly fell asleep.

Friday, for my Folklore class, for whatever reason, we all took a trip to a local elementary school. I'm not one much for kids, but I must admit that I did really, genuinely enjoy myself. We hung out with kids from about grades 3~6, and we all had automatic celebrity status for being foreign. We arrived early, so while we were initially only going to hang out with the sixth graders, we had recess with the 3~5th graders, and it made me realise just how much I miss recess. 
Can we start having recess in college? 
Anyway, some girls started talking to me when they realised that I spoke some Japanese, and we introduced ourselves and talked for a little bit before their turn to play came up. 
Once recess was over and the teachers were trying to round the kids back up to go back to class, three boys came up to me, and I noticed that the two on the outside were practically dragging the one in the middle up to me.
Suddenly, with a thick Japanese accent, I heard the boy in the middle say "You... You are very beautiful!" before wriggling out of his friends'grip and bolting away into the safety of the school building, his friends not too far behind him. He was the winner of adorable for the week, if not month. I wish I had gotten time to thank him for the compliment, haha. 
After recess, we went up to the sixth graders' rooms, played games, did origami, and made general small talk. I've had a bit of an aversion to origami since fifth grade, when I had to make 100 paper cranes or so for some project one of the teachers wanted to do, so as a result, I've forgotten how to do that. A really shy girl overcame her fear to help me out, so, in the end, we traded paper cranes. 
Didn't get to spend too much time with the kids, though, as we had to head back pretty quickly. 
After the field trip, I ran into some friends of mine back at the university, and we made plans to hang out in the evening. Stopping at the convenience store, I chanced upon some tortilla chips, plain tortilla chips, for the first time since I've been here. 
So I bought two bags and planned some guacamole and chips in our evening together.
But first, I had to head back to the university and exercise. While I was on the bus and waiting to leave, the 7.2 earthquake hit the northeast part of Japan. It was still really strong by the time it got to Tokyo, and, I must admit, it had me a little nervous. But, the shocks on the bus likely just exacerbated the shaking, so it probably wasn't quite as bad as I felt it, although people were talking about how it was a lot stronger than the usual ones.
At any rate, everything is fine and life went on as usual. I met up with another friend of mine and we put in our exercise for the evening, before I returned home, showered, and got chips and dip ready for my evening with friends.
And we spent it watching Whose Line is it Anyway. Eleven episodes of it in one solid marathon, and it was so much fun. 

Saturday, like I told you all I might be doing, I went back up to Aikawa/Miyagase. 
It was a little late for the full effect of the changing leaves, but there was still some lingering things.
Let me upload some pictures... I'll write in-between some of them to explain where we were and what we were doing. 
The first set are right off of the bus near the river.

First picture off of the bus.

Flowers still blooming! Wow!

Find the bird! I was so pleased with this.

If it were warm, I would have loved to play in it.

But it wasn't warm, so we couldn't play.

We left the are and began our walk to... Wherever it was we were going. We had left early, so it was still only almost noon by this time. The days here have gotten really short, so my friend and I had decided it would be best to leave early, which was a good decision. Along the way, we'd stop at the convenient store and get lunch, but that wasn't going to be for a while yet.

We found trees that were still changing colours. 

And we really.

Really.

Liked this one.

For obvious reasons.

I wanted over in that bamboo thicket, but I couldn't make it.

My friend joked about me being a "crazy bamboo princess from a bamboo forest" and warned me that if I were doing anything strange like knocking on the bamboo, he was going to say that he didn't know me.

I can't help I like the sound it makes, haha. It's a hollow echo of some sort, and it's very lovely.

I'm a bamboo maiden, guys! 

Peeking at a shrine.

This was one of two situations that I managed.

I may need to go to China for some bamboo forests.

We had our lunch by the river and headed off again. Initially, we weren't intending to go to Miyagase Dam again, but we decided to head that way since there's a lot more over that way that we hadn't seen. After eating, I had some soba noodles with tempura vegetables on top of it in a nice broth, and he and I split a piece of sweet bread, we headed back out.

Ran into this pretty lady.

Who either is very fond of the Green Bay Packers, Australia, or Brazil.

Not sure yet, but since Japan has a lot of Brazilian/Brazilian-Japanese people in it, perhaps Brazil.

This was the other bamboo area that I could find, although I still couldn't go stand in them.

Oh, Miyagase. It has been a while.

This was off on another bridge that lead off somewhere. I couldn't go in, though. 

Because this little fellow was blocking me.

"It's dangerous! You can't go in here."

He's the friend to the crocodile/godzilla sign from last time.

It looked like wavy waffles to me and it was amusing.

Speaking of our dinosaur/godzilla/dragon thing. 

It says the same thing.

My friend and I weren't sure if this little fellow was dead or not, really, but he was lovely.

The silvery parts were actually a little reflective. 

It was really neat.

From the top of the dam.

You can still see a little bit of colour from the fall.

We were going to explore some of the dam area again, but we looked off and there was a highway that the dam connected to which we hadn't gone to yet, so we decided that it was time that we head that way.  

... What?

It was about this point that he and I came across a hiking trail which we expected to be aimed at older people to look at trees or such. So, with me grabbing a hiking stick [my legs were tired from exercising the day before and I found a really nice one], we set off on the trail.

The entry.

 We soon found out that the area wasn't for kids, though, as there was even a sign warning about bears.

Sure enough.

But, deciding that we may as well, he and I climbed that mountain, and several times in my poor shoes and with my legs in their weakened state, I had my life flash before my eyes. 
But it was well worth it.

Although the path was obscenely narrow in some places.

View from the top.

 We finished climbing, completely free of bear and bear-hunter incidents, and managed to get back down [after knocking several rocks off and listening to them fall for what felt like ages], and then continued our walk. We still had a little daylight left.

... Bear bridge.

That's nice. Thank you.

 On the way to the mountain that we climbed, we had come across what was going to be a light show by the time evening rolled around, so we headed back to where that was. 

Fair treats, Japanese style.

A campfire for freezing people while we were waiting for the lights to start.

And voila! 

 It turns out that he and I had found the end portion of the light show, and so we started heading to where the hubbub was. 
I managed to take a couple of photos, but since my camera isn't very good with light shows, I kind of gave up after a while. 

Christmas is a time for lovers around here, usually.

"Love love bridge."

Yeah, made me feel gross, too. 

After exploring, we got some dinner and headed back home. 
We had been out for nearly 12 hours, and it was all quite fun, although I was positively exhausted by the time all was said and done. 

Sunday wasn't much, except for Mexican food with a friend. 

Monday I cleaned, and then went to an izakaya, the Japanese traditional style food/bar places, with some friends of mine that I hadn't seen since last semester. It was a good time, but there aren't any pictures from that, either. 

Yesterday I went to class, I went to work, and then I got busy with homework.

Today I went to class, and went to the gym.
I made dinner when I got home.
Took a shower.
And we're here now.

So, with all of that, I must bid you all a fond farewell.
I've got a vocabulary quiz tomorrow that I have only barely studied for. 
Will catch you all later!

-RD

But, oh, What Beautiful Things I'll Wear, What Beautiful Dresses and Hair

Before I get started, this gets honourable mention, because it is just that good. I may be joining it at some point in the near future, myself:
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