Recent happenings

30, January
Saturday

We waited quite a long time to get seats in a cheap, kaiten sushi place and spent way too long in a furniture store while doing so. But I have decided that I can't tell the difference between “fresh”, expensive fish and the cheaper versions. And I certainly can't tell the differences between the varying priced cuts of fish. It all tastes nearly the same to me. I can see a difference from the sushi in Oklahoma (and by sushi, I mean the rolls they give you), but in Japan, the difference seems quite marginal. Maybe since it's all relatively fresh here, it hasn't had time to acquire that “fishy” taste and therefore barely has any taste at all. But what do I know? I'm no connoisseur.

31, January
Sunday

I went to Yoyogi Park. Unfortunately Meiji Shrine had already closed, but I saw all of the cosplay people on the bridge near the entrance. Some of them had interesting costumes; but for the most part, they all looked the same and sat around on suitcases doing nothing really. It seems like they just go there just to sit around and have their picture taken.
But man oh man, was there a surprise waiting for me just inside the park. I was greeted by a rockabilly dance group wearing their poodle skirts and letter jackets. There were, of course, the black-leather-jacket-wearing cool guys just standing around, probably talking about how much they hate squares. But most of them were just having fun cutting a little rug to some good old rock'n'roll.
In sharp contrast to those stool pigeons dancing ever so mildly, however, were some true rebels, dressed in all black leather and who's jackets read something like “black shadows”. They were truly a fear-inducing sight to behold. When they weren't howling, they were shredding on their air guitars. Their leader was adorned with a black crown of hair that was at least a foot tall and almost as cool as the righteous jams being played at a volume obviously loud enough to drown out those yellow-bellied softies no more than 40 feet away.
However, in the midst of all this sauntered what must have been no less than the emperor of all that is rock and roll. His shoulders and back were graced with a leopard-print cape; yet left revealed was his royal chest which bore the tattoo markings of his rockin' holiness. He was no doubt regarded as a czar by both groups and feared by all present. Should you ever venture thither, you had better play your cards right.

The rest of the park was OK too.

1, February
Monday

Today was the last of the elementary school trips until April or so. Feelings of sadness were shared by all as it was Jordan's last of such trips, being that he will return to Australia in March.

I managed to get some good action shots of everyone on the video camera, though!

Afterwards, we went to our adviser/organizer lady's house for a Sukiyaki dinner to celebrate. The food was amazing and seemed relatively simple to make. She put on some really weird and awkward Japanese music. Apparently one of the songs was about “finding the g-spot”. Then we listened to some early Beatles and had plenty of jokes and awkward conversations over some incredible chocolate and fudge mochi ice cream. It's called daifuku and the half Japanese/Australian guy, Daniel, talked about he and his brother used to call it “Die fuck you!”
It was a good evening.