Back to the Future, three (Like where it was in the past, because I'm now thirteen hours in the past, since having left Japan)

Back to Ohio, which phonetically means, "Good morning!" in Japanese. But that joke has been overdone. Just not in America, because no one would get it.

So this is I back in... Oh. Hi! Oh...

Been here for about a month, now. It's good here. In Akron. With the Sharon and Brian. My fears placed in a sort of different stratosphere now. For example, in Japan, my main fear was offending people inadvertently, looking like or sounding like a jackass because of my misinterpretation of what was said or done, and the fear of regressing back to a state where i would be less direct with people and become more passive aggressive and confusing than I already was. Now what I fear is the possibility of being attacked while walking around at night alone, rocks or bullets flying through our windows, and getting sick with no health insurance. I like these fears better because they make me appreciate the important things in life like people and my heart's desires. That's good enough for me!

All right. I'm on a mission to help with paper-writing. And shall.

Two Months to Live

i leave the land of wa in two months. about. i'm still trying to deal with that. i haven't written anything in a while. i'm terrible at updating. forget what i'm updating for. i'm all confused with thoughts and anxiety that are really quite めんだくさい. i would rather i was not going to be extreme busy every weekend onward. i'm tired. i just wanna be done. of everything here. i'm just done. just wanna rest for like two weeks. hibernate. go somewhere warm. winter does make me like this. but i have no motivation and the day at school drains me. so where is the energy gonna come from? maybe i'm low in iron. it could explain the nosebleeds. and a lack of platelets could be causing me to be lethargic and stuff. says peter. it's possible.

*sigh*

yay.

Improvised/Arranged Songs (Mostly Vocal)

(some of it's silly, some of it's crazy)

"Improvised Midi"



Brian on "drums" and I smashing away at an invented midi setting on Mom's really old keyboard. I suppose this could pass for video game music?
Created August, 2007.

"Fever"

Can't remember how many of me sang this.
Probably six and a half.
Improv based on a poem I wrote when I was sick.
Music created Summer of 2007.
Poem created about two or three years before that.

"The Beauty of the Earth"

Improvised harmony with myself based on the original hymn.
Inspired by Dad's old favorite family band "Second Chapter of Acts" and sent originally to Candy by e-mail.
Not sure if she heard it before she died.
Created November 5, 2008.

"A Dream is a Wish"

From Cinderella, but in 7-part harmony with myself.
A little improv.
Created February 1, 2009.

"Geographical Solution"



Based on the song that Sharon and I are composing.
As this is in 8-part harmony with myself, this is the latest version of this arrangement.
Original created October 14, 2008.
Remixed February 28, 2009.

"Wade in the Water"

A little improv audio recording in 4- and 7-part harmony.
May be inspiration for a future gospel choir song for my class.
Created May 10, 2009.

Engrish - イングリシ

This is one of my favorite subjects of study here in Japan. Some of the choicest specimens of Engrish come from T-shirts, notebooks (notebooks particularly marketing toward Japanese students studying English), food, junior high students' poetry/test answer sheets, and the Japanese English teachers. The following is my latest compilation of finds. All typed examples are displayed exactly as seen printed. Please to enjoy.

Category One: T-Shirts

Brandy
No name girl
BANG
The seed grows
I have control
CAUTION
BETTER
The seed grows on the light brown before long.
The people, I will plow it together.
The seed grows on the light brown before.



SHIFT
the
***GLOBE***
Since it was early in the morning the
air was refreshingly pleasantly cool.
FEEL RELIEVED
MAKE A ROUND THE WORLD TRIP
Blessing of Mother Earth
MAY THE BLESSING OF
GOD BE UPON
YOU



POP
IDOL
IS
DEAD
BOREDOM AND NOT REAL

Category Two: Notebooks

MAGICAL CAT
I wAnt tHE CATFOODs
PLeASe PLeASe PLEASE




This note book has been differently
made up to each subject.
We would hope that your marks will improve




CUTE
ROCK
I feel refreshed
at this moment.
I've never experienced such a feeling!
Now, I feel very
comfortable




Look! That man is delighted.
Deep impression will enrich our
mind. The dish as the perfect
degree of tastiness. Today we'll
serve special deliciousness to you.
All kinds of tastes are loaded. These
dishes are made by hand completely.
-
TODAY'S
GOOD NEWS
New life begins from today.
Being surrounded by my fa-
vorites... My dream that has
begun to move. Let's produce
an elegant dining table. Soft
light makes foods delicious.
The table today is fully loaded
with every kind of taste.
Ever deepening taste of my
household dishes. I've come to
know true joy. I now live nicely.
Ah! An actual sense.



Lovely dessert forest
Let's go out in a dreamy mood.
All are glittering, aren't they?



I could have one hope.

Category Three: Food

My gum is blacker than your gum. I call it "black black."

This coffee is the boss.
It's also rainbow mountain blend.




Come on.
You know you want some CREAP in your coffee.

(Apparently creamy+powder=creap)




Enjoy the bright and refreshing taste.




New! Crunky slim packs!

Category Four: Student Writing

PART ONE: TEST ANSWERS
Sadly, some of these make sense.
(present) (past) (participle)

speak spork sporken
spend spoot spoot
take toke taken
teach trought trought

The correct words in parentheses
(Fun misspellings)

smire (smile)
figer (finger)
high king (hiking)
"Please tell me the way to the pork." (park)
"I wasn't bappy." (happy)
e-meal (e-mail)
T-shat
T-shart
brack (black)
"Do you like mush?" (math)

PART TWO: POETRY
These are actually quite brilliant.

English
It Subject
difficult, difficult, difficult
I can't speak English
good.


Game shop
It fun
I want games but
I don't have money
Sad


Sky
Like sea
Wrap of all
Very big and gentle
Warm

Category Five: Japanese English Teachers

(As was written on the back of the students' summer homework)

Here you are!
You did the good job!!
I'm very glad to see your hard work.
This is something to give you!!

(Excellent example of the the difference between transitive and intransitive verbs: when I was asked to hand papers to the students)
Vs.1: "Can you help me to pass out?"
Vs.2: "I'm in a hurry because we have to pass out."


I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS EPISODE OF...
ENGRISH FROM VERY FAR AWAY...

If You Want to Watch a Movie at the Theaters in Japan

It's best to think twice:

a) Round-trip train ticket to the nearest city that has a movie theater is 960円 (~$9.60)

b) The movie ticket itself costs 1800円 (~$18.00)

Thus, it technically costs about $27.60, per ticket, to watch one movie. So I better know that I have to see the movie at the theater. Otherwise there's surfthechannel.com or iTunes. Because the local video/DVD store only has Region 2 DVDs (which I cannot play on my computer).

God-damn-bless the fools who invented region codes.
That's all I have to say.
For now.