I Got You Under My Skin

Okay, I'm here today.
Sorry about the wait! With finals and all, it's been kind of hectic and I keep forgetting what it is that I'm supposed to be doing. I had some free time yesterday for the first time, and got completely wrapped up in doing something until Mama reminded me about the blog. Whoops. By that time, with the time-zone difference, it was roughly midnight and I was getting ready for bed since I have early classes most days of the week. 

How is everyone doing? I hope you're all happy and well. 
I... Yes. Like I said, it's been pretty hectic, but since I've been pacing myself and trying to manage my time, the procrastination I did over the weekend hasn't hurt me too badly, for which I am extremely grateful. My last two classes on Friday will also have my final tests in them, and I get feedback for one of my tests next Wednesday, but besides that, my classes will be over and I can start doing things again: things to tell you about instead of just ranting about classes and how tedious they get. 

I also wanted to talk a spot about the weather in this post, too. At least the winters. Japan's summers are notoriously hot and humid [though no worse than the US delta's, so I wasn't shocked by that], so we don't need to mention that. The climate, overall, is almost exactly that of the US delta's, at least in Tokyo, I would say. It's just a couple of degrees cooler, and the spring and fall seasons are longer. They also have flowers over here that bloom in fall. It was the craziest thing.
But the reason I wanted to talk about the winter was just as a friendly warning. The winter, when it's not raining and/or snowing [which it did for, apparently besides flurries, the first time in years the other day], has been extremely hard on my skin, drying it out and causing it to flake up a bit. It's nothing I'm not unacquainted with, having lived in Wisconsin for two years and suffering through those winters, but it surprised me to find that kind of dryness in such a typically humid area. For those who have easily dried out skin like mine, or even just normal skin, I would suggest that you prepare yourselves if you're staying over during the winter. Bring your favourite lotion if you have one, or buy one while you're here before it gets too cold--you can buy in bulk pretty cheaply if you go to a drug store, but buying small things of lotion can get kind of expensive, just like in anywhere else. Just a memo for myself and others who may be reading this and about to travel. 

Oh yeah, guys. It snowed the other day. Monday, I think: 

The view between the bars.

The view with the bars keeping me from...

Falling off the balcony? Feels a bit like a prison, but whatever.

We got about 4~5 inches of accumulation, and it snowed all day. 
And don't gripe about not having enough pictures of the snow. I almost didn't take any photos at all, because I have an intense dislike of cold weather and snow. It's lovely while it's falling, but it is Thursday, almost Friday now. It should be gone, but it is still on the ground. 
And snow gets just as dirty in Japan as it does anywhere else. 

We had a three-day weekend in Japan this weekend [though I have a three-day weekend every weekend, so there was nothing different about that for me], so my friend also had the day off, and he also wound up getting told to stay home from work, too.
So he dragged me out into the snow to go get Indian curry, when I was only planning on staying inside all day and being warm. 
But, congratulations to all of those during Coming Age Day! It was technically my Coming of Age Day, too, I think, since I turned 20 late last year. That's the legal age in Japan, you see. I didn't do anything, though, except scowl at the snow, work on my project that was due the next day, and watch a movie with that same friend who took me for food.

I spent my weekend procrastinating, like I said. Saturday or Sunday, when I was planning to start working on a project ahead of time, I got dragged around by various friends around the dormitory and hanging out. It was a lot of fun, but I got nothing productive accomplished.
I suppose it's all right to have unproductive days, though, so I didn't scold myself too hard for it. 

I believe it was Tuesday evening, too, that had the prettiest sunset I've seen in a while: 

I actually stepped out on the porch to look at this one.

And that... Yeah. That was about the colour it really was.

It was pretty astounding.

Cold, but astounding.

Tuesday was spent prepping for things due on Wednesday, and so there's not much to report on that. Yesterday was easier, when I found myself finally able to stop and take a break.
My friend also made me a dip and shared some vegetables with me for it. 
It was astounding. Spicy and delicious and whoa. 

It came from my Thai friend, of course.

I've started eating cabbage raw because of her.

I didn't realise that raw cabbage was sweet.

It's really neat.

And in other food news, I ate my pomegranate. The one I bought in Chinatown? 
Yeah, I ate all of it in one night, I was so excited for pomegranate. 

Once I opened it.

Had to look up a tutorial on it, though, to try to remember how to open it properly. It had been since last year since I ate one last, but once I read how to do it, it all came back too me.
My fingers were stained pink afterwards, but it was well worth it. Shared some with my friend from NZ, who had never eaten a pomegranate before, and she absolutely loved it. 

The days are starting to get longer. That's exciting. 

This weekend, I'm not really sure what I'll be doing, but whatever I do, it will be done in a celebratory fashion. 
Because I will have finished my first semester as a junior, and finished a semester in general, which is always a thing to be celebrated. 

I'm planning on going to the military base with a friend to see about mailing off a few packages of things that need to get to the States before I do. I don't have the room for it in my suitcase, so it's got to get over there via parcel. 

That's really all that I know of right now, though. If I think of anything, or if anything swell happens, I'll let you all know on Wednesday! 
Take care! I'm going to sign off for now and go take a nap, I think.
Ta for now. 

-RD

This is a Cold War--Do You Know What You're Fighting For?

Happy Wednesday, all!

Not too much has changed since Friday, but there's a little bit that I can go over. 
Saturday was spent lounging about at home, if memory serves me correctly. I spent the day watching things online and cleaning my room once I got home from work. My Sunday was also relatively uneventful. I lounged about with a friend of mine, mainly. 

Monday, however, I took another trip to Yokohama again with my NZ friend to go explore the Chinatown over that way. The days over this way have been very short [the sun setting at around 4:30 in the afternoon], and so we left at about noon to try to have some time to explore. The trouble with that, however, was that I haven't been to Chinatown since I had just arrived here (the last time I mentioned it on my blog was the last time I had chance to go), and I had forgotten how to get there. 
We got off at Yokohama Station, walked out, and then proceeded to get thoroughly lost. 

I don't know.

It was a bridge. Above us was a highway, which was terrifying.

But I liked the colour of the water.

Finally, the two of us caved and decided to ask for directions, and upon receiving them, we were off.
As it turns out, we hadn't gone as far as we needed to and had to get back on the train. Oops. 

Nevertheless, and despite the fact that it was already about 2:30 in the afternoon by the time we got there, she and I made it. 

I thought the curves in the street were interesting. The guy in the photo, when he saw I was taking a picture of the... Street, basically, turned to see what it was that I thought was so photo-worthy.

Wonder if he saw it.

The first entryway to lead you to Chinatown.

The main entrance marker.

The view from across the street. 

A pretty lantern. I think they put them up for New Year's. They weren't there the last time I went.

A display. On the poster is an advertisement to let people know the events going on for the Chinese New Year.

I won't be here when they happen, so it's kind of non-applicable to me.

But if anyone is going to Japan soon or will be here for the Chinese New Year, go check it out.

Then let me know how it is.

Street view--no cars were coming, so I stopped and snapped the photo.

Because of the cold weather, there were hardly any people out, but the vendor food was just as delicious and the shops still as intriguing. My friend and I got wrapped up in a couple of South Asian and Hawaiian inspired stores, we ate a lot of the street vendor food, and in general wandered around.
I also found a pomegranate to buy. It was a very happy occurrence. 

We also found a cactus with a hat in one of the stores we liked so much.

What's not to like about a cactus wearing a hat?

Everyone needs one, I think.

There was also a pineapple with a smiley face knitted into it. 

Another view of one of the gates.

Remember the photos from earlier in the year when the place was absolutely stuffed with people?

It makes me want to go back to Asakusa and see if it's nearly as crowded as it was when I went the one time.

Yummy. 

Except not for vegetarians. Didn't think about that.

My camera isn't as good at night, sorry about that.

But you can get the gist, I hope.

My friend really likes tea. I do, too, but she wins.

She was looking for white tea, and we managed to come across some oolong tea with monkeys on it.

Apparently it was a monkey who first discovered oolong tea or something,

But I loved the can, even without the background story.

The temple that was so packed with people when I first went.

Nearly empty that day.

A view of a pagoda and some of the lamps.

I wish the photo had turned out a little better. 

The panda still wants to eat you.

They also had keychains of the asian-style spoons with various foods in them.

I would just get hungry. 

From Chinatown, she and I decided to go back to Sakuragi-Cho, a part of Yokohama near the port, and run back to the PokeCentre and Jump Stores to buy a couple of things. I had some present shopping that I needed to do for a couple of people, and there was something in the Jump Store that she wanted. 

We came home after that, except we stopped in Yokohama because there was a mall that had--wait for it--
...
A Krispy Kreme. 
Which.
Yes. 
Just--yes. 
I'm usually a bit more frugal than that, but while Mister Donuts makes decent doughnuts, and Wisconsin is home to the best doughnuts that I've ever had, I do like Krispy Kreme a lot.

The front of the store and the top of my friend's head.

You could buy dozens, actual sets of 12 instead of 10, just like in the US.

 I was a bit floored and wished I had known of its existence sooner.

I bought two, and even though they weren't fresh like they sometimes have, the people behind the counter still offered to make them warm.

My friend had never had a warmed doughnut before, so watching her face was hilarity. 

It was amazing to her, nostalgic for me.

We headed on back home after that. She had some schoolwork she needed to work on and I had some procrastination to do. Went to the grocery store for another friend of mine just before getting home, and he came over after he got off of work so that we could do some studying.
Of course, we wound up mostly talking and swapping music, but we did get quite a bit of studying done. Tuesday my classes started back, and I have tests every day this week.
So I haven't had much room to have too much fun. After typing out the bulk of one of my final papers for one of my classes, though, my friend dragged me upstairs to say good-bye to another of our friends who was leaving... Today, as a matter of fact. Heading back to Holland. Wound up hanging out and staying up way too late, but it was well worth it, since I don't know when I'll be able to really see him again, you know? 

Today after my first class, my stomach started acting up, so I decided to stay home today for the rest of my classes and rest it off.  Didn't get around to exercising today, either, of course. Feeling better now, I don't know what that spell was, but whatever it was, it has passed and I will be going back to classes tomorrow, and exercises on Friday. 
Finals are happening tomorrow and Friday for my core class. I'd better get back to that. Will be back next week, which is my last week of official school, I do believe.
Wish me luck!

'Til next week, loves.

-RD

We Must Awake, Our Lives to Make

Phew! Well, I made it. I don't know about all of you, but I have had a very busy holiday season, as unconventional as it's proven to be. 

I hope you all had a fantastic batch of holidays, though. 

Happy New Years, too. May it be a good one for us all. 

I told you briefly about my second Miyavi concert, did I not? I think that was about where I left off, if I remember correctly.

I mentioned yesterday that these past couple of weeks have been a positive drain on my finances, what between travelling from place to place and finally buckling down and buying Christmas presents for people. But, I've found a new way to save money, and it did come from a rather surprising source. I'll get to that in this entry. 

After the concert on Wednesday successfully wore me out and left me tired and grumpy, we stayed at home on Thursday, and I sent my friend off to Harajuku on Friday on his own to go explore and do whatever he saw fit. I needed a little bit of quiet time, you see. So my friend was away for the day, and I slept. 

Saturday, however, he and I ventured to Kamakura. We left a little late, however, and only had time to, besides doing a little wandering around aimlessly, look at Koutoku Temple, the home of the famous, enormous statue of Buddha. 

It is, indeed, quite enormous.

A lovely place, although my poor mood soured the adventure a little bit. I was still a little tired, and the holidays are always a little difficult for me, no matter what I'm doing or where I am, apparently. I'll try to go back again though, maybe a little earlier, before I leave, to see about enjoying it and going to places besides the temple. It was a lovely place, but Kamakura is absolutely dripping with history, and I want to see as much of it as possible. It was a charming town, besides. 

For whatever reason, the photos on my SD card are all out of order, so I'll write explanations underneath wherever they need, of course.

My friend went underneath to go see how it was built. I couldn't be bothered at the time, for whatever reason.

This was along the way to the Buddha statue, actually.

Part of the temple.

Two different trees from two different times--the other one was much earlier.

One of my closest friends over here is from Thailand, so I've grown a bit fond of the place. 

A different part. Behind the Buddha, there was a little doorway that you could walk through and get to a different area.

This was beside the big pair of shoes in the temple.

One of the trees from Thailand.

Incense burner in front of Buddha.

His back, for some reason, has windows. 

From there, my friend and I went back to the main portion of the town and walked down a street to look around before deciding to come back to the dormitory and eat dinner. 

He made some pretty delightful Indian food for me one night, and I returned the favour another night by making chicken quesadillas. 

Sunday, I stayed home again while he went back to Harajuku to go see the shrine for Emperor Meiji, but on Sunday, he, my friend from New Zealand, and I, all decided to go to Yokohama to enjoy the last day of 2012 there. We initially wanted to go to Chinatown along with the PokeCentre and movie theatre, but we would have missed the movie by the time we got back from Chinatown, so we decided to just go to a boat harbour and then go back to the main part of the city and eat dinner together before the film. 

This was actually at the end of the trip, when we were heading back that night. People were dressed up as snakes to celebrate the new year.

Year of the snake, and all.

It's shiny! 

This was when we first got here--the boat port that's beside one of the bigger shopping centres. 

And the fair in the background.

A picture in a rather obscure place over in the city, underneath a staircase.

No clue. But this was on the big port that people can walk on.

It was getting pretty dark. Started raining just a little bit after we got inside.

This was my dinner. It was slow to be made and expensive, but made from scratch and positively delicious.

Well worth the wait and expense.

Another skyline view.

The entryway to the port that we went to.

End of the port. It's quite long.

The walkway again.

So, yes, we three went to see the Hobbit, finally, after much waiting and anticipation, and I was certainly not let down. Quite excited for the next film. I would go watch it again, but the tickets are painfully expensive in Japan and I just cannot afford it at the moment.

I also want to see Les Miserables because I love the musical, but... I may need to wait until that one is out on video before I can watch it, haha.

At midnight, we were all watching a television show on my laptop and eating oranges. 

After we woke up in the morning, we all headed to Goutoku-ji, where I went previously on the field trip to see the lucky cat shrine and other things. The place looks about the same, except it was packed with people unlike the last time. 

But it was a good trip.

Afterwards, I saw my friend off so that he could go back to Nagoya, and then went back to the dormitory with my NZ friend. 

Along the way, we stopped in Machida and went to a cafe for a snack.

Yummy. 

I came home, cleaned up my room, and prepared myself for my next guest, a friend of mine from Kansai, visiting for two days. 

We didn't do that much on the first day, but he and I went to Ueno Park on the second, which is where my money-saving idea comes in.

In some of the museums in the park, they have really, really good discounts for college students. The Western Art Museum and National Museum both have tickets for 400 yen a piece, provided you have your university ID with you.

And the museums are stunning and you should all go if you ever get the chance.

The western art museum has a room full of nothing but Medieval works, and then another room of nothing but Monet.

To look at them was amazing, to see the detail and the care put into every piece, and yet, at the same time it can make a person feel so under-accomplished and so unworthy of looking at something by someone(people) that great. 

Then, in the National Muesum, there were items from Egypt dating all the way back to before the dynastic periods.

Which made me feel very small, to say the least. 

It was a mixed bag of emotions, the trip to the museums.

But I love those kinds of places, so I'm planning on going back when I've got the free time.

On the way home, on the train, there was a little boy [around five years old, maybe]. who kept looking at me. He was Japanese, and he stared hard at me. To be honest, I thought for a while I had offended him somehow. And then he started feeling his nose, staring at mine, I guess to understand the difference. 

It was charming and delightfully human in the very mechanical, very stiff Tokyo. 

I was quite moved.

And today... I saw my friend off and went back to my room. I gave another friend his Christmas present, because I hadn't yet had a chance since we'd both been so busy. He had a really good reaction to it, too, and it made me happy that he appreciated his gift so much.

But that's all I've really done, so I will sign out henceforth and tell you about my what is likely to be very uninteresting weekend on Wednesday.

See you all later~ 

-RD