dr. phils words of wisdom

"if you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time."

ah, dr. phil. bringer of happiness, eliminator of doubt.

on fashion

i just made the realization shopping this weekend that i no longer have a clue whats in fashion anymore. ive been pounded into submission over the past few months by japanese fashions that i dont know if anything i bought here would be considered tacky in the west.

ie: i bought some camoflauge pants for my halloween costume that ive come to like quite a bit, not only because theyre comfortable, easy to wash, and can be worn with lots of stuff, but because camoflauge is considered fashionable here. i have no idea if it still is (or ever was) so in vancouver.

after months of seeing terrible mascara jobs, hairsprayed nightmares disguised as haircuts, school uniforms en masse, salarymen and salarywomen business suits en masse, decorated nails, flamboyant high heels, and english shirts that either make no sense at all or make a really obscene statement unknowing to the 15 year old girl wearing it, ive given up trying to separate the tacky from the classy. its all one big fashion melting pot and everyones being served.

the winds ablowin

i have no idea how it happened overnight, but it suddenly got a little cold. went out last night and had to wear jeans, shoes, long sleeve shirt. even had to dust off my leather jacket and put it on...it hadnt seen action since the beginning of may. not that cold yet (despite japanese coworkers claims to the contrary) but the wind chill isnt anything to joke about and i think itll dip another 10 to 15 degrees once winter hits. now it finally feels like fall, only 1 week before halloween.

and on a halloween related sidenote, the lack of jack-o-lanterns, halloween candy, pumpkin pie, or any stuff included in halloween lore has been noticeably absent from nagoya. the ecc schools are decked out in the stereotypical halloween garb for theme week next week, and im sure some costumes will come out next weekend, but halloween is definately a western holiday thats been only semi embraced by the public here, and mostly only by the commerical retailers. my students dont even know about the concept of trick-or-treating.

go canucks go

ive noticed that the vancouver canucks are 7-1-1 right now, so i must give them credit for getting off to a good start. i received excellent news from karsten that ill be able to go to a hockey game with him on december 26 (vs. the flames), so itll be good to see their goal scoring prowess in person. by then theyll probably be slumping and half of the city will be asking for the trading of dan cloutier and the sedin twins, but a start like that must be paradise for canuck fans right now.

halloween week

so i finally had to go out and buy my halloween costume today, the contents of which are such:

a - camoflauge pants
b - grey t-shirt
c - camoflauge bandana
d - 2 toy guns
e - war face paint
f - wrist bands
g - aviator sunglasses
h - not really a purchase, but im going to shave my beard into the shape of a moustache

so im going as an army guy, rambo more specifically. i think the japanese are familiar with rambo. im still on the lookout for some dog tags. theres this kind of scary hardcore army store in osu shopping arcade that i may check out tomorrow for some, but who knows. its better than buying a generic priest or ninja costume from tokyu hands for 4000 yen.

what intentions? instead, ramblings part 4

about 2 days ago i posted that thered be a huge update about everything here. well, i can pretty much sum up everything here by this:

theres nothing new. everything is par for the course.

sorry. news for the japanese is basically that the leaves are changing color which is pretty useless info in nagoya since the city is devoid of trees, save for a few parks like tsurumai park and meijo park. for all of the emphasis on the changing of the seasons here im rather surprised that those who live in the major urban centers (nagoya, tokyo, osaka, yokohama, kobe, ect...) are so hyped up about it. hardly even the weather has changed much...im still walking around in a polo shirt, cargo shorts and flip flops.

my apartment has been an unintended boom town for english books...the english book library in the main office has proved quite resourceful, and with a lack of any good tv, reliable internet, video games, new music, or cheap english magazines, that free book library has been my main source for media/entertainment in the past month. the new one i picked up is the shining by stephen king, and while im far from a king fan, my obsession with the movie led me to the title and 300 pages in it isnt half bad...enough variants from the movie to make reading the book worthwhile. the movie is still better, though.

major elections in japan were the other week and as expected the current pm junichiro koizumi is still in power and even strengthened his hold on the government, that means he can proceed with his reform agenda, ie; privitizing the postal service. im not sure what any of it means to be honest...i have one student whos a political scientist, feminist writer and columinist for major japanese newspapers explain it to me every week, talking about women political assissins and the difference between the upper and lower house of government and its all a wash to me.

ive been computer shopping and ive finally made a decision on what computer id like to buy; a 12-inch apple ibook. ive been using my roommates mike 12 inch ibook for the past few months (im typing on it right now) and its the best and most reliable machine ive ever used. at first 12 inches for a screen is too small but you get used to it and the portability and coolness of the machine is just great. unfortunately its expensive, especially if you upgrade the ram, hard drive, and buy warranty and microsoft office with it (which i plan to do)...maybe next year for a purchase after i save some money, and possibly with it a new 60 gig video ipod. id be set for at least 5 years with that material. personal sidenote - yes, i am a technology geek.

some theme lessons are going to begin at kids classes at ecc, starting with halloween week. next month theres american thanksgiving week, then christmas week, then valentines week, then easter week. all weeks get a special theme lesson. the halloween one stands out because as teachers we have to go to school in costume. me, i think im planning to go as rambo, probably only so that i can bring 100 yen plastic guns to school under a pretense of "its part of my costume." then if kids get out of line i can tell them to get down and give me 20.

still watching lots of 24...that is an amazing show. in season 3 right now, and while it started out slow its getting really good now. truly the best show on tv. in other tv and media news, i seem to be winning every single game in my fantasy football pool despite a rash of injuries to all of my top wide receivers. i attribute that all to owning shaun alexander...with him on your team you simple cant lose a game, unless you play a team that has ladanian tomlinson, and even then alexander would probably get 4 touchdowns. i also see that the canucks are doing quite well, despite having a few players on the team ive never heard of (who the heck is lee goren???).

so yeah...not much new going on at the moment. work is going fine, the city itself is convenient, apartment is working out, people are pretty much the same, diet would be okay if i could just cut down on the fast food and the fake beer, health is fine, weather is probably better than vancouver at this point, and money is no problem.

i suppose there is one new bit of information that i hadnt revealed yet; i bought a flight home for the winter holidays. i leave here on december 23 and get to vancouver on the same day, and leave vancouver on january 4 and arrive back in nagoya on january 5. 10 days basically. its with united airlines and has a connection at san francisco, but at least i was able to fly out of nagoya instead of having to take the shinkansen to narita airport to leave japan. the cost...well, wont mention it except that sometimes i dont know how some of the airlines price people (or whatever you call them) sleep at night. japanese people only go on vacation 3 times a year; may golden week, august obon, and christmas/new years. coincidentally, those are the 3 major times that i dont work, meaning every time i want to go somewhere on vacation the price of flights, trains, accomodation, ect...will be incresed threefold or fourfold. not fair, but very japanese, as there really arent any consumer advocacy groups exist here to complain about it. complaining isnt really in the japanese mindset, it isnt considered polite. if it happened in north america thered be outrage among the degree that the teachers strike in british columbia is taking hold right now.

i think ive successfully rambled on here enough, so ill leave it at that for now.

intentions

i keep wanting to update this blog but a number of difficulties keep arising:

1) our internet service in our apartment has proven to be less than reliable
2) i start and think that what im writing is stupid
3) laziness
4) i start, get hungry, go eat and dont finish

right now is reason number 4, but assuming i dont work overttime tomorrow, ill do a big update then. for now, its a great weather sunday and i need to go eat. sorry.

manners and etiquette

this is ripped straight from another webpage, , but i think it should answer alot of questions about japanese manners and etiquette. unlike most faqs out there, all the stuff here is actually 100% true. enjoy!

JAPANESE MANNERS AND ETIQUETTE

Here's a word about good manners while living in Japan. Up to now, unless you've been living in a cave, you must have heard about taking off your shoes before entering a residence and not getting into a bath while still soapy, since others have already talked these issues to death. But there are a lot more items you may not know. Japanese are very conscious about hygiene (except for the park and train station toilets, which are LETHAL), and Japanese are a very sensitive people -- more fastidious about etiquette and proper form. Many Japanese already have a negative image of westerners after observing how some have acted in Japan--hence the reputation of some landlords and real-estate agents not to rent their apartments. Whether you help dispel their preconceptions, or just reinforce them by acting like you belong in a zoo is entirely up to you.

Whether you are in Japan for tourism, travel, or living in Japan, your actions have a profound impact on how others perceive you, particularly important if you're looking for work.

Here are a few do's and don'ts you should know--

Eating--

- It is impolite to eat or drink something while walking down the street.

- Do not bite or clean your fingernails, gnaw on pencils, or lick your fingers in front of others.

- In restaurants or when visiting it's customary to get a small, moist rolled-up towel (cold in summer, hot in winter) called an "oshibori" to wipe their hands with.

- It's impolite to wipe the face and neck with it though some do in less formal places.

- In Japan it is impolite to pour your own drink when eating with others--you pour your companion's drink and your companion pours yours.

- If you don't want any more to drink, leave your glass full.

- It's customary to say "Itadakimasu" before eating and "Gochisosama deshita" after eating, especially if you're being treated, as well as "Kanpai" for "Cheers".

- When sharing a dish, put what you take on your own plate before eating it.

- Do not make excessive special requests in the preparation of your
food, nor wolf it down.

- Do not use your chopsticks to skewer food, move dishes around, and
NEVER dish out food to another using the same ends you just ate
from--use the top ends.

- Don't use your chopsticks to point at somebody.

- Don't leave your chopsticks standing up out of your food.

- It is normal in Japan to pick up your rice or miso soup bowl and hold it under your chin to keep stuff from falling.

- Traditional Japanese food is served on several small plates, and it's normal to alternate between dishes instead of fully eating one dish after another.

- Don't leave a mess on your plate--fold your napkins neatly.

- Don't take wads of napkins, sugar packs, or steal "souvinirs" when you leave a restaurant.

- Do not put soy sauce on your rice--it isn't meant for that.

- Do not put sugar or cream in Japanese tea.

- There is no real custom like "help yourself". Wait until the host offers something.

- If you act as host, you should anticipate your guest's needs (cream/sugar, napkins, etc.).

- If you must use a toothpick, at least cover your mouth with your other hand.

- Be aware that in Japan it is normal to make slurping sounds when you're eating noodles.

- In Japan, it's good (in commercials, anyway) to make loud gulping noises when drinking. Expect to hear lots of it in ads.

- It is normal to pay a restaurant or bar bill at the register instead of giving money to the waiter/waitress. There is no tipping in Japan.

- It's considered rude to count your change after paying the bill in a store or restaurant, but the Japanese themselves do give it a cursory lookover.


Everyday Living--

- Thou shalt NOT BE LATE for appointments.

- There is no custom of "Ladies First".

- Avoid excessive physical and eye contact--forget the back-slapping,
prodding, and pointing directly at someone with your finger (use
your hand to point, if you must).

- Japanese often use silence for communication as much as speaking.

- Do not chew gum when working or in other formal situations.

- When Japanese start work at 9 AM, they START WORK at 9 AM.

- Avoid lots of jewelry or very colorful clothes when going to work.

- White-collar Japanese typically leave the office only after their superiors have done so. Do not expect someone to be instantly free once the official business hours are over.

- Exchanging business cards is de rigueur in formal introductions. You should extend your card to the other person with both hands, right side up to them (upside down to you). You receive cards with both hands also. Be sure to look at the card and not just pocket it. Never put it in your pants pocket and sit on it in front of them.
It is polite to put "-san" after anothers name, or "-chan" after a young girls name, or "-kun" after a boy's name, but NEVER use these after your own.

- Do not scream about why nobody speaks English, why there aren't
5 different varieties of a product you want, or why workplaces or
restaurants are filled with chain-smokers. The "health thing" is
not big here yet.

- Avoid shouting loudly at someone to get their attention--wave, or go up to them.

- If you have to blow your nose, leave the room, or at the very least try to face away from other people--and use a tissue--not a handkerchief!

- Don't wear tattered clothes outside, nor socks with holes when visiting someone.

- On escalators, stay on the left side if you plan to just stand and not climb them.

- Japan has no tradition of making sarcastic remarks to make a point,
nor "Bronx cheers" or "the Finger" -- avoid using them.

- The Japanese gesture of "Who, me?" is pointing at their nose, not their chest.

- The Japanese gesture for "Come here" is to put your hand palm out, fingers up, and raise and lower your fingers a few times. The western gesture of palm-up, closing your hand is only used to call animals to you.

- The Japanese gesture for no is fanning your hand sideways a few times in front of your face.

- Japanese residences have thin walls and poor insulation - don't blast your stereo or television.

- Don't wear your slippers into a tatami (straw) mat room.

- It's customary to sit on the floor in a tatami room (called "washitsu").

- Don't wear your slippers into the genkan (at the entrance to a home, where the shoes are kept), nor outside.

- Don't wear the toilet room slippers outside the toilet room.

- Japanese wear kimono or yukata (light summer kimono) with the left side over the right. The reverse is only for the dead at funerals.

- It's better to wear shoes slipped on easily when visiting someone.

- It's polite to initially refuse someone's offer of help. Japanese may also initially refuse your offer even if they really want it. Traditionally an offer is made 3 times. It may be better to state you'll carry their bag, call a taxi, etc., instead of pushing them to be polite and refuse.

- When they laugh Japanese women often cover their mouths with their hand. This comes from an old Buddhist notion that showing bone is unclean, as well as a horrendous lack of orthodontics in Japan. If you're a woman you have no obligation to copy this, but you will soon notice how frequently Japanese do this.

- It's polite to bring some food (gift-wrapped in more formal situations) or drinks when you visit someone.

- Gift giving is very important in Japan, but extravagant gifts require an equally or slightly higher extravagant gift in return. Avoid giving pricey gifts.

- Giving cash is normal for ceremonies like weddings and funerals; but given in special envelopes with a printed or real red tie around it (available in stationary and convenience stores). Use new and not old bills.

- After coming back from a vacation it is normal to bring a small gift for all those you work with, even if you don't really like them a lot. Nothing expensive is required, however.

- It's polite to belittle the value of your gift or food when you offer it, even if it's blatantly untrue.

- In more formal circumstances it's impolite to unwrap a gift someone brings you as soon as you receive it. In casual surroundings it's normal to ask the giver if it can be opened now.

- It's polite to see a guest to the door (or the front of a building even) when they leave.

- When someone visits it's polite to turn their shoes around and put them together so they can put them on easily.

- This is older custom, but in a home the guest is seated facing the room entrance. The highest ranking host sits across from the guest.

- Again old, but in a car the highest ranking person sits behind the driver. The lowest rides shotgun.

- For taxis the driver will open/close the rear left hand door for you.

- Japanese often compliment eachother to promote good will, but it is polite to deny how well you speak Japanese, how nice you look, etc.

- In Japan the whole family uses the same bath water -- as a guest you will probably be given the priviledge of using the bath water first. Do NOT drain the water out after you have finished your bath!