The past week was pretty busy. Asheville last weekend, then Hamptonville the next weekend. Busy busy busy!
Travel
Beach Report
I just got back from a week at Wrightsville Beach, NC, with my extended family. All 14 of us. In one beach house. For a week!
Snowmageddon? Not Quite.
It snowed enough to cancel my piano class, but it never stuck.
Aaand, I’m Back Again.
I’m back from the mountains. I took some nice photos, which I will post as soon as possible. Other than that, it was a nice, quiet Christmas. I’m totally exhausted.
Push Off to Asheville
Ableton Push looks damn sexy as a composition tool. I love how scales are laid out on the device. I need to do more research to make sure. Also, I’m headed to the mountains for Christmas. I’m going early to help the folks out a bit.
N1, Take Three
Another year, another N1. I feel okay about how I did. If I passed or failed, I’m sure it was close either way. (I hope I passed!) In general, I’m going to focus more on writing to improve my Japanese, as well as reading “meatier” stuff, like literature, as opposed to light novels. That sort of thing. Heading home tomorrow morning. Also, my hotel room is creepy.
Off to DC
Traffic was heavy on the way to DC today. I made it safely to my hotel, and studied some. I’ll study some more in the morning, then go take the N1.
Going Home in the Snow
I left New York to go back home today. It snowed a bit in the morning and in the evening, but it never stuck to the roads. Time to get into serious mode for the N1 now.
Celebrating Pocky Day in Manhattan
I spent Pocky Day at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, then went to Kinokuniya. Dinner was with friends in Greenwich Village. Tomorrow I go back home. It’s supposed to snow.
Back in Manhattan.
I made it safely to Manhattan, went to Kinokuniya, then settled down for the evening.
Career Forum Day Two, etc. etc.
I was done with the Career Forum by early afternoon, so I went to the USS Constitution, took some photos, then went to Shiki again.
Career Forum, Day One.
Day one of the Career Forum started with a thud. My new Nexus 5’s alarm clock didn’t go off because it didn’t like my USB charger. I still got there on time, and talked to a lot of companies. Then I fought the wind back to the hotel.
Lots of Yellow and Red…Made it to Boston Anyway.
It was a long, frustrating drive up to Boston from Delaware. I wound up fighting with Google Maps a lot. I don’t like not being able to choose an alternate route at all.
Off to Boston… Again.
I’m off to the Boston Career Forum again, to see what’s going on in the world of bilingual workers. I got as far as Delaware again, and stopped at the same place I stayed at least year.
Raleigh Greek Festival
We went to the Raleigh Greek festival last night, and loaded up on some great home-made Greek food. It’s a bit of a drive, but worth it.
Cash Is Still King.
Always carry some cash on you, just in case those servers go down, and the credit cards turn into useless slivers of plastic. This was reinforced for me today.
Wrightsville Beach
Another busy week as the entire extended family gathered for our annual trip to Wrightsville Beach, NC. It was good seeing everyone, but I’ll need to cut back on the food intake for a while.
Back Home Again
Back from Asheville. Lots of photos to process, including some fireworks in the valley, and a trip to Mt. Mitchell. Also, the new job is going well.
Headed to Asheville
I’m headed to Asheville for a few days to help the folks out. Also, JOI is pretty good so far. I’m pleased with the classes and the pricing.
Snow in the Mountains Again.
Snow! Well, only half an inch, but still, snow! I love snow, and taking pictures of it. I’ll put all of my mountain photos from the last few days in this post when I’m done editing.
In the Mountains Again
I spent the last few days in the mountains. I took a lot of photos of the mountains, and got some good macro shots of Christmas tree ornaments.
Another December, Another Try at the N1. (Day Two.)
The N1 was a bear again. After the bear mangled me, I went to Georgetown for a bit, then headed back to the hotel. I’ll be heading home tomorrow.
DC and the JLPT (Day One)
I made it to Washington, DC today for tomorrow’s JLPT N1 exam. I listened to podcasts on the drive up.
Books and Hot Pizza
I ran around Manhattan and checked out Book Off and Kinokuniya, then burned my tongue on good pizza at Frank’s. After that, I high-tailed it back home. I got back in around 1:30 a.m., and got to bed at 3. Oof.
Boston to Manhattan
I made it safely to Manhattan. The trip wasn’t too bad. I checked out B&H and Kinokuniya, and I’ll check out Book-Off and maybe Mitsuwa tomorrow.
Career Forum, Constitution, Shiki
I took one last trip to the Boston Convention Center for the Career Forum, then did some touring around the USS Constitution and Bunker Hill, and I finished the day in Brookline for dinner. Tomorrow I head to New York City.
Boston Career Forum, Day One
First day at the Boston Career Forum. I was there mostly to do some recon work, to see what the whole deal is like, and hear what the companies there are interested in.
Made It To Boston
A long day of driving, and I made it to Boston. You can read all the grisly details about the drive here.
Off to Boston.
I’m heading to Boston to check out the Career Forum there. Now if only my car can make there in one piece, all will be good. Also, I rant about speeding laws, which irritate me in how they’re implemented.
Asheville Again
I went back up to Asheville for Memorial Day, to help the folks out and to take a bunch of photos. I’m still a bit behind on the editing, so I’ll post them when they’re ready.
The Scariest Drive. Ever.
The car’s battery was dead, and so was mine. I made it to Asheville safely, but after 18 hours of flying, that’s not a drive I want to repeat.
Harajuku, Akihabara, and a View I Won’t Forget
Regardless of my sore throat, I pushed on today. I shipped out some boxes, went to Harajuku and had fish pizza at Shakey’s, bought more souvenirs for people, then went to Akihabara and looked at video games, manga, and electronics. After that, I stopped by Marunouchi and Maruzen, and then had dinner at Sou Hon Kei in Shinjuku again. The view was incredible. Tomorrow I go home. (Sad Face.)
Toughing it out
I started the day late because I wasn’t feeling well. I went to Shinjuku to do some more shopping for people back home, then went to the post office to get boxes to send stuff home in. Dinner was in Roppongi again, followed by more Christmas/souvenir shopping.
Great Luck, Good Food, Plastic Food
I went to Senso-ji, then Kappabashi (where they make the plastic food), had an interesting encounter with a toilet, then went to Jinbocho and finally had dinner in Shinjuku. It was a mix of plastic food and great food!
All Over Tokyo on a Sunday
Today I went to Harajuku, Ginza, Ikebukuro, and Roppongi to do some sightseeing, shopping, and dining, in no particular order. Tiring, but fun!
Towering Over Tokyo
First full day back in Tokyo. I looked around at electronics stores, went to the tourist info center near Tokyo Station, then went to the Tokyo Tower, missed out on some fireworks, got overcharged for “meh” yakitori, and wandered around Shinjuku a bit.
Sayonara, Yamasa, Sayonara, Okazaki. Tadaima, Tokyo.
A whirlwind of a day as I thanked everyone at Yamasa during the closing ceremony, had lunch with all of my classmates and said goodbye, then rushed to finish packing and got out of town. I made it to Tokyo and passed out in my favorite hotel in Shinjuku.
Fushigi na Tokoro
I’m happy with my test results. Overall, I’ve learned a bunch since coming to Yamasa. We said goodbye in JBPP, had a big Christmas party at ZigZag, and I packed some more. Tomorrow is the closing ceremony, and I leave for Tokyo!
Last Trip to Anjo
Today was the last big testing day. I forgot to attach a file I was sending to one of my teachers, so I had to race home at lunch to send it. There was an earthquake in class, too. After class, I went to the calligraphy store in Anjo, where everyone was really nice again. I bought more packing materials at the Daiso, and frantically packed until 2 a.m. Oof.
A Master of Saying Nothing
Getting ready for the big test tomorrow; mastering how to say nothing; one last trip to Nagoya to pick up supplies and souvenirs. I’m going to really miss living in Okazaki!
Jackson Pollock and The Tallest Toilet in Nagoya
Today I went to see the Jackson Pollock exhibit at the Aichi Prefectural Museum of Art, then went to the Midland Square Building to see some great views of Nagoya. More book shopping after that, then expensive crepes for dinner, and a train ride back to Okazaki. I managed to take some really good photos with my cheap little IXY, too!
Toyohashi!
Today I went to Toyohashi to pick up a calligraphy brush. The famous dish there is the curry udon, or so I was told by the people in the restaurant. It’s good, but really messy. I hope I can go back again sometime.
Jiko PR, Entry Sheets, Shopping and Shipping.
Yesterday’s grammar re-test went well. I owe M-sensei a lot. She’s been great. I also learned about Jiko PR, Entry Sheets, and about the concept of bragging without bragging.
Re-testing and Re-testing.
Short update on handing in the writing re-test, more Japanese resume writing, and getting ready for the grammar re-test tomorrow.
The Aptitude Test Redux
After taking the aptitude test again, we took more phone messages in JBPP. Then I had tea with S-buchou, who had some great advice for me about my calligraphy.
Calligraphy Lesson
Today was my first calligraphy lesson in Japan. I’ve been doing it for about five years in the US, but I’ve never had a chance to study it here. It was a lot of fun. Thanks to the teacher’s info, I’ll probably go to Toyohashi this weekend for supplies.
N is for Nagoya and N is for N1
I went to Aichi Gakuin University in Nisshin to take the JLPT N1, then did a little shopping in Nagoya. This was my first try at the N1, and it was a bear.
Nonbiri Saturday
A bit of a relaxed Saturday, with a few errands around town, and general chilling out before the JLPT N1 tomorrow in Nagoya. That’s going to be busy.
Kitsutsuki and Mokumoku
I love the food at Kitsutsuki on the Yamasa campus. Get the A set. I also went to Nagoya to do some shopping, and ate at Mokumoku again. Dumping food over the rice in the bowl is really tasty, too.
Genkan Confessional
I accidentally committed one of the big no-nos of living in Japan, but everything turned out okay. Also, next week is going to be full of tests. Yay.
Kinkakuji, Gion, LL Bean, and Going Home (Sunday, part 2)
In part two, I went to Kinkakuji, LL Bean, and Gion, then took a few trains to get back to Okazaki.
Nijo Castle (Sunday, Part 1)
It’s my last day touring Kyoto, so I headed over from Osaka, fought for a locker, and headed to Nijo Castle.
Arashiyama (Saturday, Part 2)
Part two of my big Saturday excursion, from Kyoto Station to Arashiyama, the Sagano Bamboo Forest, Nision-In Temple, the Togetsukyo Bridge, then dinner in Kyoto, and off to Osaka for my hotel.
Tofukuji (Saturday, Part 1)
I started my day with a trip to Tofukuji Temple, which is steeped in history, and packed with people! Part 1 of my Saturday excursion.
First Night in Kyoto
I made it to Kyoto; discovered a few things about buying shinkansen tickets, ate some delicious food in Kyoto, and some not-so-delicious food.
My Manly Hat
I bought a 100 yen manly hat, found someone to take my extra supplies, and I found a room for one night in Kyoto, but not two.
Feeling the Heat, and the Cold
Today was my interview test in JBPP, and it was pretty stressful trying to remember everything I need to do in the proper order. Japanese-sized clothes still don’t fit. Also, Family Mart gloves save me from freezing.
Okazaki-jo and Anjo
The Tokugawa theme continues from yesterday, when I did some local Tokugawa-related sightseeing today. I visited Okazaki Castle and the Ieyasu and Mikawa Bushido Museum, then went to Anjo to pick up some calligraphy supplies. This time, I took pictures!
I’m Only Happy When It Rains
In spite of the pouring rain, I went to Nagoya, saw the Tokugawa Art Museum, shopped a bit, and made a full day out of it.
Nagoya and the Port Area.
A rare sunny Saturday, so I headed to Nagoya. Atsuta Jinja, the Port Area, the Aquarium, and more!
Shopping in Nagoya. In the Rain. Again.
Went to Nagoya, got my money back at Bic Camera, found a nice international grocery story near JR Nagoya, got lost, bought more books, had to buy a bag to carry it all, then ate some organic food, bought a blanket, and even found a Krispy Kreme.
Dumb Things in the Rain
It’s Sunday, and I didn’t do much today. I mostly rested. But in the evening, I started to go stir crazy. So I decided to go on a search for a store that doesn’t exist!
ã”ã‚ã”ã‚ and é›»å辞書 (Gorogoro and Denshi Jisho)
It’s Saturday, and for once it’s not raining. It’s not really sunny, but it’s not raining. I’ll take what I can get. My electronic dictionary is dying, so I’m off to Nagoya to buy a new one, among other things.
Plates, Pens, and Tonkatsu. Must Be Aeon Mall!
I headed down to Aeon Mall in Okazaki for a little shopping. I only got lost once.
Running to Nagoya Castle
After hearing about an out-of-season blooming cherry tree at Nagoya Castle, I decided to go and check it out after classes ended.
Mall-ed on a Saturday
The Nagoya Matsuri was cancelled today due to rain, so I went to Aeon Mall in Okazaki. A lot of other people had the same idea.
Nagoya Again!
I decided to head to Nagoya one more time today, to pick up some odds and ends. Before leaving town, I stopped by the Post Office to take out some money. The postal ATMs are a great deal. There are no fees, other than whatever your bank charges, and there’s English support if you need … Continue reading
Placement Test!
Today was my last private lesson. But first, we had a placement test at 9 a.m. I knew were going to have it, but I didn’t know it was such a big deal. When I came to Yamasa four years ago, right after I got off the train and came into the teachers’ office, I … Continue reading
Sunday Is For Laundry, and Another Trip to Nagoya.
It’s Sunday, a day for laundry, and for going to Nagoya again. So, laundry. I have this really long metal pole that hangs horizontally in the middle of my apartment, over the TV. It’s suspended from the ceiling by two other big metal poles. Apparently this is my clothes dryer. I come from a country … Continue reading
It’s Saturday, So It Must Be Nagoya.
It’s Saturday. No classes, and it’s beautiful outside. So I went to Nagoya to do some shopping for some much-needed necessities. No photos on this trip, because I didn’t take my SLR with me. It was too heavy to carry around while I went shopping. I needed to buy sheets, a wireless router, and after … Continue reading
Getting Used to Apartment Life
More classes today. I have a lot of gaps to fill in in my Japanese. Today I have my private lessons, then I’ll probably go to Nagoya to do some shopping. I need to get a wireless router and some kitchen supplies, as well as some sheets ASAP. Those are all top priorities. I’m getting … Continue reading
Back in Okazaki!
Today I made it back to Okazaki and Yamasa again. I got up early, and grabbed a shinkansen, the Nozomi from Tokyo to Nagoya. I could have grabbed it in Shinagawa, which would have made more sense, but I know the way to Tokyo Station better, and I didn’t want to get lost and miss … Continue reading
Off to Japan! (Wait, Didn’t I Use This One Before?)
It’s 3:30 a.m. Saturday, September 24th Sunday, September 25th. The driver is going to be here in an hour and fifteen minutes, and I’m trying to close my humongous Samsonite 29″ suitcase. My plan was to have a giant suitcase big enough to stuff Jimmy Hoffa into, but slim enough to fit nicely behind the … Continue reading
Through the Trip Prep Looking Glass
Note: This is about stuff I did before the trip, but I’m actually writing it about 10 days into the trip, but I’m going to put this chronologically before it anyway, so that it makes sense. Because It’s There. Before this 3-month trip to Japan, I decided to do what I did before I came … Continue reading
Going Back to Okazaki.
I mentioned earlier that I was dissatisfied with the way my Japanese was progressing when I took the JLPT N2 last month. After talking to Michele, I realized that I have completely neglected my spoken/written Japanese in order to prepare for the N2, which tests neither skill. I considered my options seriously, and realized that … Continue reading
London School of Economics (Lessons Learned from London)
Whenever I travel, I learn some new lessons about what works, and what doesn’t. Here’s my list for the London trip. Now watch me totally over-analyze everything I packed. The Best Camera Bag That Isn’t a Camera Bag Camera Non-Bag: The Mountainsmith Kit Cube is very clever, and very useful. But, it comes with a … Continue reading
Good Line Karma
Well, I’m finally back home. Long day today. I got up at 5:15 a.m. after a 2 hour nap, got the last bits of packing done, had breakfast, and got out the door at 7 a.m. Base2Stay was a lovely hotel, and I thoroughly recommend it. Check-out was a breeze. Off to Earl’s Court, then … Continue reading
Greenwich Down Time
I woke up today feeling like the bottom of someone’s shoe. My throat was sore (probably from a combination of snoring and the A/C in the room), I had a raging headache, and my right ankle was sore, too. So Greenwich was out. As I get older, I realize more and more that I have … Continue reading
Towering Over London
Today was a really busy day. I saw the Tower of London and Tower Bridge, then went to Piccadilly Circus yet again to pick up some tea at Fortnum and Mason. After that, I had some noodles and karaage, and picked up some Japanese confections at Minamoto Kitchoan. On the way I came across the … Continue reading
Shooting Through the Gallery
I had an ambitious plan today, and got whooped by the National Gallery. That’s one tough museum to get through, even on roller skates. I started out early enough, but made my first error when I headed out the door and down the street, having forgotten to brush my teeth. I hate it when I … Continue reading
London Loves the BL.
It’s Thursday, and I had to move out of my double room today. Before I did that, I started to check over my camera from my trip to Westminster yesterday, and what do I find, but the UV filter on my 80-200mm lens is smashed to bits, and it’s bent into place. I forced out … Continue reading
Pounded
It’s Wednesday, and I’ve crested the hill of my trip to London. Today I had to move out of room 114, a nice little room, so I spent some time throwing everything into bags. I had also decided to send two boxes full of unneeded books home. Using the mail turned out to be a … Continue reading
Wandering Around Piccadilly Circus
My first stop today was Piccadilly Circus, where there’s a neat used Japanese book store called Adanami. It’s in an old dry cleaner’s, and when I got there, I could still see the old dry cleaner’s sign. I got there just a little too early, because they were still closed. They open at noon, and … Continue reading
Caution: 175 Steps.
The test’s over. My brain still resembles Jell-O, but it’s time to be a tourist. So let’s start off big. How about the British Museum? Is that big enough for you? It’s big enough for me. I headed off to the Russell Square tube station, and encountered a sort of tube station that I haven’t … Continue reading
Crossed Up at King’s Cross
I met up with Michele (pronounced the men’s way, not the women’s way) from Italy today. He’s someone who also posts on the RTK forums, and is really good at Japanese. He’s in town to take the JLPT N1. We had a bit of a mess at first trying to meet up. We agreed to … Continue reading
Paddington Bares All
First a word about where I’m staying. It’s a hotel called Base2Stay in Kensington, about 5 minutes’ walk from the Earls Court Tube station. London hotels are ungodly expensive, and when researching a place to stay, I came upon horror story after horror story about cheap hotels that had terrible service, or no air conditioning, … Continue reading
The flight from Heck
I made it to London safely, but it wasn’t without a few snags. For starters, the flight was overbooked because the Sunday flight was cancelled, and they were trying to cram as many people on board as possible. There was no way a mere $800 voucher was going to lure me away from taking my … Continue reading
Bele Chere
I’m in Asheville for the weekend, and I decided to take in the Bele Chere festival today. Yes, that’s how it’s spelled. According to the official website FAQ, it’s Scottish for something along the lines of “have fun.” It’s definitely not a misspelling of the French phrase that refers to your beautiful loved one. All … Continue reading
Dis-AAdvantaged
I just had a shocking discovery– my AAdvantage miles have been taken away from me. American Airlines pulled the rug out from under me when I wasn’t paying attention and expired them, since I haven’t flown American in the last 18 months. So the 23,500 miles I had so diligently hoarded in hopes of getting … Continue reading
Rich 1, JR Pass 0
I found the whole breakdown of the various trains I took on my 52,000-yen Japan Rail Pass last Fall, prices and all. They’re in no particular order, but that’s because I’m too lazy to sort them out properly. Sendai -> Tokyo 10,390 (Shinkansen) Nagano -> Sendai 15,220 (Shinkansen) Nagoya -> Nagano 6,390 (Limited Express) Osaka … Continue reading
Last Day In Japan. ;_;
I managed to get packed last night, but I was up late doing it. No surprise there. First thing this morning I backed up all of my photos to DVD. I just had this horrible image of a security guy ruining my laptop, all 3,000 photos, with no backup… *shudder* Then it was off to … Continue reading
Hot Doughnuts Now! Shinjuku, Takashimaya Times Square, Krispy Kreme!
Busy day today, with ups, downs, and a Krispy Kreme sighting. I started off at 9:30 by running to Ikebukuro to buy a suitcase. Ugh. But I did find one. It’s not the best one I could find, but it was the right mix of cheap and not too shabby. Then breakfast, which was more … Continue reading
Senso-ji and Akiba Fun, Part Two, Akihabara, Ikebukuro, etc.
Akihabara So on to Akihabara, or Akiba as everyone calls it here. First, I stopped at Asakusabashi station again, as I transferred from the subway to the JR line. I had a wait, so I took some more photos of Asakusabashi station: Asakusabashi platform: Roof detail: Signal lights: My train came in, and I made … Continue reading
Senso-ji and Akiba Fun, Part One, Senso-ji and Asakusa
Reversal! I was at about 70% today, but I was good enough to go. I decided to keep my plans simple. First off would be Senso-ji in Asakusa. On the way there, I had to change trains at Asakusabashi station. So I took a photo. I got to Asakusa, and headed to Senso-ji. It’s a … Continue reading
Odaiba
I woke up feeling really crummy today. But I decided to head to Odaiba anyway. (Bad idea.) I should have had a clue when I was feeling wonky riding the subway… but I didn’t. I pressed on. The longer I rode the Oedo Line, the worse I felt. I had to ride for 15-20 minutes … Continue reading
Mind the Gap, Please
Long day. I got up early, researched some ideas, and settled on hitting Nakano Broadway, because it’s full of all kinds of shops, some of which I may be interested in. Since Time Out recommended a trip, I figured I’d give it a shot. I hopped on the Chuo Rapid to Nakano, got there, and … Continue reading
So I Was Shopping in Ginza Today…
I’m going to use my new favorite phrase now. So I was shopping in Ginza today… … yeah, that’s my new favorite phrase. Some massive stores in Ginza (with matching prices, I’m sure!) Seibu department store: Anyway, I was shopping in Ginza today, looking for two stationery stores mentioned in Time Out Tokyo. But first, … Continue reading
Tokyoverload.
Leaving Sendai Finally made it to Tokyo. A brief synopsis of the day: First, a jar of KitKats. Yep, a glass jar full of KitKats. Never seen one of those! I got up early to make my 10 a.m. checkout, went to the station, and made some calls overseas to the family. (Hi family!) I … Continue reading
Buses in Japan. How to Cope.
I’ve mentioned buses in Japan before, but I thought I would mention them again to give them a little special attention. In order to get to some out-of-the-way places, you will need to ride buses. They can be the most intimidating of the various forms of mass transit, because they can be a bit confusing, … Continue reading
Matsushima, Seagulls, The Magnificent View, and Taiyaki. Part Two
Oku-Matsushima, A Hidden Gem… If you could hide something that big. At the station, I got on the train to Nobiru. When I got there, I talked to the lady in the shop at the station, and rented the bicycle (there’s only one, and it was available!) for 300 yen for 4 hours. I was … Continue reading