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I told my story on April 11th.  But there are others that describe what happened in a completely different way.  You believe me, or you believe them.  It's up to you.

Kevin's side of the story:
http://www.xanga.com/lmfdean9 

Jason's side of the story:
http://www.xanga.com/jman106 

 

But I advise that you don't believe any of us.

 

In other news... I need to go buy a whole bunch of books for my law classes.  Yes, I am taking law classes.

–¯Ž–‘i×–@I@(Civil Procedure I)<-- Japanese CivPro of course.
Œ›–@“ÁŽêu‹` (Special Lecture on Constitutional Law) <--- Const. Law of China
ŒYŽ––@“ü–å (Introduction to Criminal Law)<---- Japanese CrimLaw of course.

This is like... the first half of what 1L's do in law school!  Only, it's in Japan. 

 

And I've started to think of different plans for myself right after graduation.  I'm thinking of doing a few short-term study abroad programs to increase my language ability in a couple other lanugages.  

My logic behind it is if I am to work as an US lawyer in the Tokyo office, I will most likely be working with not only lawyers in Japan but also in Korea.  In that case, I should know some Korean.  So maybe I'll go to Korea for the short term and learn some Korean.  And I'm thinking about going to Spain to brush on my Spanish since I already know some Spanish.  Might as well get it as close to perfection as possible right?  And think of the power my resume would hold if it shows that I can speak four languages... wow....
 

I've decided to brush up on my Spanish.  I keep three books on Spanish sitting right in front of my laptop so whenever I have to restart or have free time while starting up a program, I would take one of the books in my hand and start reading from it.

Yes, a newfound studying technique.  I have this habit of picking something up and reading it whenever I have to wait for my stupid computer to start something up.  So why not put books around me that are actually academic. 

 

There is a bicycle tour today for the new first years.  Those brave 2nd years; they are willing to weather the cold just to show those babies where things are here (there isn't much here... you can wander around and find everything you need).  Oh well, I can't forget these first years were high schoolers not too long ago.  I feel like an old man already.

 

I got to say, some frustrating things happening lately.  Let me give you some keywords:  1984, George Orwell, First Amendment, Blog Functions, Noam Chomsky.  And maybe I should frickin join the EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation).  Anyone interested?  Go here: http://www.eff.org/br/

 

Oh and did I ever tell you I think Utada's Final Distance is a GREAT SONG!?????

A lot's happened the past few days.... One story of which is worthy telling you all right now..

4/9/05 approx 0130

We were all enjoying our drinks when all of a sudden...

Kevin and Erika found this guy on the ground all beat up...  Kevin is smiling, but he's actually really worried about him.

The culprit shows, and Kevin takes it upon himself to defeat evil.

Justice prevails!?

The guy fell in love with the hero but....

You can see he wasn't interested...

 

The man's heart was broken. 

"Not to worry!" says Jason "We got the right thing for him!!!"

A couple of cans of beans in (up?) his :: and he'll be just fine.

Peace returns.

 

By the way, you're not famous.

This is a bit late but:

03/17/05
J3 says to J5: "Bectraband (spelling?): for big, juicy puss nodules" after J5 puts the ointment in question on Kangaroo's cut but in reality it was prescribed for _____'s acne.

Who's Kangaroo?

This is Kangaroo, aka Tripod.

 

James' "Where the heck am I?" Special

where the heck am I? - Singapore Version

where the heck am I? - Hong Kong Tram Version

where the heck am I? - Taipei market Version: "I swear the hotel was somewhere around here!"

but no worries.  at least he knows where the food is at. haha

And you all thought ENGRISH only existed in Japan. 

No one ever thanked me for patronizing them until... yeah...

Gosh darn the past 5 days have been busy.  Helping out my friends move the new freshman in their dorms for three days (4/4-4/6) was quite a workout.  I don't know how many times I carried a fridge up however many number of stairs.  I don't know how many cardboard boxes I carried.  But it was great 'cuz I got to meet a lot of new people and they are all good kids.  They are so young and I feel so old, but they are fun anyway.

The night of 4/4, we went to a restaurant called Ume and met the new Hirasuna dorm kids, 4/5 was the same; only we went to eat at a different place.  The night of the 6th, all the frosh arrived and were divided into their respective classes (Class 1 through 4) and had their own Class parties.  I went around to all 4 and handed out potato chips.  And at every class party my second year friends made me do the school tradition self-introduction drinking game.  Takes way too long to explain and describe but it was fun anyhow.

4/7, I helped my third year friend move to her new place, and then I went to grab the new course catalog.  That night I took 4 first years out to eat at my favorite place, Gurumeshiya.  I also unilaterally, and quite randomly created the Department of International Studies Spicy Foods Circle... Don't ask, it was random... but I already have 2 members (not including me).

4/8, Nyugakushiki.  "Entrance Ceremony."  Lots of clubs were out performing and inviting the froshies to join after the ceremony.  I particularly liked the Shamisen Club (Japanese three string guitar).  They kick ass.

Tomorrow I will go watch the cherry blossoms while drinking and eating with my buddies.  A very fun filled week, sorry this entry turned out like a diary, but I have nothing that intelligent to say other than report what's been going on these past few days

 

It's now April.  By the time July starts, I will be out of Tsukuba.  I'll probably still be in Japan but I will say goodbye to this wonderful place that I've come to love.  So that leaves me three months here.  What am I gonna do with the time that is left for me here?  How I use my time in the next twelve weeks will probably decide, or at least greatly influence my thoughts on whether or not my year here was a fruitful one.

April marks the beginning of a new school year in Japan... a whole new year.  New people, new environment.  Bicycle traffic jams, rookie cyclists, cherry blossoms everywhere.  Various minor construction projects completed on campus and all that good stuff.

All this renewal... somehow inside me, it feels as if all of this is telling me to move on.  Clear my mind of all that has been bothering me for so long.  Look at the new, set aside all that I have been looking up until now and put it in a treasure chest marked "wonderful memories".

Yet even so, these feelings won't go away, not for a while.  These thoughts will still be in the back of my mind. My willingness to help, care, and comfort will still be there.  No matter how pointless, no matter how useless...

Call me stupid, call me sad, pathetic, pitiful.

But after all, I've never cared this much about a girl before...

But I know... I'll keep driving forward. 

But no one said I couldn't look in the rearview mirror.

 

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March 28, 2005.

Went to Tokyo with Kei... he was freaked out by the number of people and cars in that city.  He's a country boy for sure, whereas I know now that I'm a city boy.

Saw Miyu, was able to give her the presents I bought for her. Happy to see that she liked 'em.

 

Coming Soon: More pics of my trip

Hello all.  It's amazing how time flies, almost two weeks since I left Narita for Singapore, marking the beginning of my first trip all planned out by me and me only.

Though, for this trip to go smoothly as it did, I've got to thank those that were kind enough to take us around:

Thanks to Jyh-Feei and the rest of the Lin family for their hospitality and taking the time to drive us around all over the place so James and I could enjoy the best experience possible in Singapore.

Thanks to Kevin for being our big, bad, tour guide of Hong Kong, keeping us away from gangfights, kung-fu hustlers, and showing me so many filming spots of HK movies.

 

 

SINGAPORE: 03/15/05- 03/18/05

Narita Airport, Gate 28F.
 

Time: approx 1550 GMT+9:  James arrives from SFO on UA flight 837.  Akiko calls approx 1557.

Board flight to Singapore, First Class. I tried to reach and rest my foot on that foot rest there but I couldn't reach it.  Poor me. 

What's this???

Ohh!

I see now!  I press the button, my seat moves forward and now I can rest my foot.  Gelato and coffee, stretched out legs, and a movie... ahh the wonderful life!

 

Upon arriving in Singapore, the first thing that welcomes me is this:

Not that I'm gonna bring drugs in or anything ("fluid stool" stoppers anyone?)

And don't you even think about bringing in Durians in the MRT!!

Did I mention you can't eat or drink, smoke, or bring in flammable goods either?

But that's the same with the Bay Area Rapid Transit huh?

 

Coooooool house!

James is about to lose his breath on the way up to the spiffy house... Jyh-Feei is telling him he's only got a little bit to go.

Doggies welcome us.

The monkeys also welcomed us.

 

James and I in front of the MerLion

What's Miyu thinking anyways.  I look sooooOOOooooooOOOO much better than that guy on the right.  But the MerLion gets more points for being able to spit that much water so far... Darn him.

 

Revelation 1:  I smile better when holding a Durian (the smell and the prickly spines must have done it)

 

J's 1 thru 4 attempting to seek their own revelations while being Hindu gods and goddesses for this pic... if you can see it...

 

Ack... this is all I can write for now.  I'll edit and update later.