Moving

Moving was surprisingly easy. Each day I took over one carload and slowly everything disappeared from Pasadena and appeared in Claremont. Everything save two particular items: the 5 keys to the various building to which I have access at UCR (my office, the mailroom, the Comp Lit library, and two buildings) AND my master's diploma. That's it so far...

Updates

I have safely returned from Japan and spent a wonderful month in Boston with family after attending Priya's wedding in Colorado! Knowing that I would be spending the month of August with family at the beach was the only reason leaving Japan was not too difficult. Moreover, I hope to return to that engaging country next year. I flew back to Cailfornia on Sept 1 and spent the first three weeks moving to Claremont from my beloved Pasadena while entertaining 2 guests from Japan. I just had a wonderful weekend in Chicago with a new friend and saw Eri - who is pregnant and looks great!

Now, school has started this past Monday with many long but good meetings. Classes began just yesterday. I am teaching French (again!) and am auditing a creative nonfiction writing course, which is my inspiration for starting this blog once again. Please check out my Flickr website for lots of pictures from Japan, and more recent ones too.

Blood Types

As in America, one might ask "What's your sign?", in Japan one is likely to hear "What is your blood type?" It is a popular way of discerning someone's general character just for fun. Roughly translated from the Japanese, they are as follows:

A - "nervous" These people are serious (majime), keep a very clean house, worry a lot, are perfectionists, and like to care for others.

B - "going my way" （自己中心的）These people are easily absorbed into different matters, are excited about various hobbies, can be rather selfish, and are often artists' blood types.

O - "optimist" (大丈夫）These people are very open and easily befriend anyone, they are often the leader of the group; however, their attitude and mood can change frequently affecting those around them.

AB - "has many faces" They have two sides to themselves: cold and friendly; excitable and quiet; enjoyable and boring. They can be rather confused people.

So... what is your blood type? Interesting many Japanese people are A; while I think many Americans are O, isn't it so?

Rainy Season

The rainy season officially began, according to the weather report, a week ago Thursday. It is hot and terribly humid and raining. A steady heavy misty rain. One that drenches you completely while you barely notice it falling from the sky. Everyone's mood seems a bit heavy these past couple of days.

Die Hard 4 and other comments

Last night (Tuesday) I went with my friend Ayano to Oosaka to see Die Hard 4 before it is released to all other theaters in the area, which will occur on Saturday. I suppose last night was a premier showing, although it may have already opened in Tokyo? Regardless, Ayano had entered a contest and won two free tickets to see the movie in a theater in Oosaka, so off we went. Interestingly, neither of us had ever seen 1, 2, or 3, nor, if we were in the States, would we have planned to see 4. Yet free tickets and Oosaka are quite alluring.

This was the first movie that I have seen on the big screen in a long while. Because of my exams, I truly had not seen a movie in a long while. Moreover, daily life in Japan is more quiet, less intrusive, and more tame than life at home.

This movie was so loud, in your face, action-packed, violent, and crazy, I could not help but laugh and jump and shriek the whole movie through. What an experience! Normally, I would probably not really like this type of movie, but Die Hard 4, I loved! It was excellent.

However, I could not believe that all the Japanese people in the audience (Ayano and I were the only two people in the entire very large theater that were not from Japan) did not move a muscle the entire movie through. How they sat there ever-so-still while cars were flying through the air and blowing up helicopters, I will never know.

Moreover, after seeing this violent, action, end-of-the-world movie, I can only wonder what impression they must have of America.

If anyone has seen the movie, please let me know what you thought!

Paying Bills

While often a dreadful topic at home, paying bills in Japan is the most easiest of experiences. All bills: water, gas, electricity, cell phone, land line, etc. are paid at the konbinis (at the convenient stores such as 7 eleven, family mart, circle k, etc. The paper bill arrives in the mail. One walks to the closest konbini, and there is literally one on every corner. They are more common than all coffee shop chains combined in the States. At the konbini, one hands the cashier the paper bill and then one hands the person in CASH the correct amount of money. The cashier, in return, gives a receipt and the whole process is finished! Moreover, most all konbinis are open 24 hours a day everyday so there is little worry about being late. No checks, no money orders, no stamps. It makes paying bills (except for the dishing out money part) quite simple.

Changes

Calluses are developing just below my kneecaps. I had not realized how much time I spend kneeling in Japan!