Relax and treat yourself...

One more thing I want to mention about Japan before I forget are the Onsen.

Onsen are the bath houses in Japan. Think "Spirited Away" but not as grand, depending on which one you go to. But they all have their charm and the basics remain the same.

Now, for you westerners it maybe a shock to the system but you must enter them starkers. You get to carry in a hand towel, but that's about it. Out of respect for the other you cover yourself as you walk around...or not, if you are so inclined.

The great thing about the Onsen is the variety. They is the aroma bath. Each time you go in it's a different scented bath ranging from Peppermint to Lemon. There are your jet-powered Jaccuzi style bath. And also outdoor bath, which is great in Winter. And what surprised me was the electro-bath. They are little currents running in the bath. It's not dangerous mind, if you sit between the sides, it just feels like you're having never-ending pins and needles. lol. There is also the pure cold water bath, if you feel a little too over cooked or brave enough to jump straight in.

Asides from the bath themselves, they also have Saunas. They are awesome. If you can stay in there longer then about 15 minutes, big ups to you.

After taking a dip, the saunas and anything else you decide to get (messages, Korean-style rub downs, etc.) what awaits you is after bath beer and food!

It might not sound all that interesting, but it's a big part of Japanese culture and history, if you ask me. So if you do ever go to Japan, do not miss out on the Onsen experience. You'll never be more satisfied to see so many of the same sex naked. :P

Ippei.

The food, the food. All the glorious food!

If there ever was a reason to go back to Japan for me (y'know, besides seeing family and visiting "home" and what not), is all the food. I cannot tell you in my limited vocabulary how GOOD the food is back there. And cheap too! ...if you know where to look.

Being back there for only a week this time 'round, I didn't get the chance to have "everything" I wanted. But I made damn sure I had what I really wanted.

Ramen - You cannot go to Japan without having some ramen noodles. Depending on which area of Japan you go to, you'll get different flavours of it. But being a Kyushu-boy, the Kyushu-style pork-stock flavoured "Tonkotsu" ramen is the best there is.

Now this one place that my uncle to me to, they had the tasty ramen EVER! When it was served it wasn't steaming at all. I'm like what the hell? But the bowl was certainly hot. I soon discovered that there was a layer of oil on top of the soup, which kept the temperature entrapped. So no matter how long it took you to touch the damn thing (but why delay), it was as hot as it could ever be. It was damn large bowl too. All for just 500yen ($5AUD more or less).

Yakitori - It translate literally to grilled chicken. But it's so much more. Everything will come on skewers and cooked right in front of you. Every part of the chicken is available, the skin, liver, wings, breast, you name it. And all grilled to perfection. But you can also have your choice of other meets including but not limited to pork shank and pork ribs, etc. They are sooooo good and go for about 70-100yen per skewer (70cents - $1AUD).

Okonomiyaki and yakisoba - Now the best of these can be found it's origin of the Kansai area. But where ever you get it in Japan (mostly) it's sure as hell beats anything you get in Australia. Again cooked right in front of you with your choice of toppings, usually a selection or all of pork, squid, lettuce, egg, etc. The Okonomiyaki is a glorified pancake. Topped with some mayo, sauce, green seaweed and fish shavings. Eat it while it's hot! Yakisoba is fried noodles, essentially cooked on the same pan as the Okonomiyaki, adding that extra flavour to it. It comes wrapped in an omelet. Depending on what you have 500-900yen ($5 -$9AUD)

Ah, crap I'm getting hungry typing this. I'll finish with one more...

Sushi - Now, this is the only thing that wasn't "cheap". It goes for a decent price, BUT it's worth every penny/cent/yen/dollar/all the currency in the world! Now you would expect raw fish to taste all that different right? WRONG! OMG how wrong we can be. The Toro (the fattiest part of the tuna, almost light pink-ish in colour), is THE BEST sushi/sashimi you can have. It quite simply melts in your mouth! And it's so full of flavour, every time I ate it, it made me smile (but I'm weird like that). 5,000yen - 10,000yen ($50 - $100AUD) for a platter depending on what you order.

And there you have it. It's quite a misconception that Japan is expensive. With the dollar as strong as it is now, Japan is relatively cheaper...well, at least in terms of food and groceries. You could live of about $15 dollars a day on food I reckon, if you don't need to eat large. You can get really good lunch boxes at 7-Eleven or similar convenience stores (of all places) for about $5. And trust me when I say, they are REALLY good.

Anyway, I reckon I gained about 10kgs whilst on my trip. A kilo a day, that's not bad, eh?

Anyone wanna come with me on my next trip back? ...when ever that'll be... :P

Peace,
Ippei.

It's all in the family!

Argh, my lazy bones have attacked me again...

Before I post any more about my latest Japan-trip, (already over two week ago!) I thought I might post the photo above.

It's of the Kadota and Nakamura cousins (only missing the Fukushima cousins, from mum's side of the family). It's quite possibly my favourite photo of the moment. :)

It's especially great because I don't know when the next time I'll get to see them will be (hopefully sooner rather than later). But also the joy of seeing them everytime is encaptured in this photo. It was so touching that when I mentioned I was only there for a week, there's response was "Why?!" lol. All of them also, either saw me off, early on a Sunday morning, at the house or the airport. It's a great feeling. I definitely felt the love. Thanks guys! (Not that you'll ever read this. :P)

Peace,
Ippei.

27...30...3...?

I'm back! ...not that I was gone for all that long, but still!

I was going to blog during my trip, but the combination of eating, meeting up with people, and cold-ness...well, you know the same old story. A week was hardly enough, so I really had no time blogging whilst I was there!

Anyways, the first thing that hit was the change in temperature. It was expected but, it was much more drastic than I had imagined. As the title suggests:

27 degrees. The temperature in Melbourne when I left. It had been rather cold-ish (at least for Melbourne at this time of year) the past few days, so mother nature of Melbourne was giving me a nice warm send off, with the return of the uncompromising sun glare.

30 degrees. It was slightly hotter when I landed in Singapore. The bad thing is that it stayed that temperature (or there abouts) for most of the night and following day. It was that kind of mucky, humid weather. You just start sweating, standing there.

3 degrees?! Bloody hell! As soon as I landed, on went a sweater, a big wintry jacket, beanie and scarf. It was literally like that scene from "Cool Runnings". It was just cold, the wind chill was nasty! It cut through your clothes and to your bones!

So there I was traveling from a place where:
if you wore thongs, you'd get sunburned (and I have my foot to prove that!) to a place where,
if you wore thongs, you'd sweat like you've been working out to a place where,
if you wore thongs, you'd get frostbite and your toes would fall off!

Really made me appreciate how BIG, our small world really is...

peace,
Ippei.

Tattoo me up!

ah, the consequences of sleeping all day...now it's almost 3am and you're in your PJs and still wide awake, blogging away...


Tattoos.


They have always been something I was interested in, but for whatever reason (be it time, guts or money) I never got around to getting one. Well, I guess it's time to change that now. After all, it is the year of the rat! (I know that has nothing to do with anything, but give me a break. lol)


Now, I've gotten the okay from pops. Ma, I'm sure wouldn't mind but her being in Japan probably helps things. Other than that, it's just me I have to get okay from and hell, I think I've waited long enough.


Grandparents are another story though. I think they would absolutely freak! (I've probably mentioned this before somewhere, but they are traditionalist Japanese.) So my plan now is to get it after I return from my short trip to Japan in a week's time. Then at least they won't know about it for another while. :P


Another problem is that they may not let me into the hot springs (known as the Onsen) in Japan. They tend to ban people with tattoos. But I've been told that that is because in Japan, people with tattoos are a part of the Yakuza (Japanese mafia). Apparently no body gets them as a fashion statement. So it'll be interesting to see how they treat me after I return with one. And NO, I don't look like a Yakuza! lol. :P


As for where on my body, I've narrowed that down too. I'm thinking two at the moment. Well, I'll start with one and see how I feel/how much it costs/how much it hurts, before getting another.


One on my right shoulder/back. Essentially on my shoulder blade. The second just on my left upper arm. The traditional place.


As for the design...well, that's where I'm stuck at the moment.


My dad, the joker that he is, suggested that for my shoulder, I get his label (if you've ever been to dad's restaurant, you'll know what I'm talking about. If not, it's essentially a caraicture of him with the words "dontac" under it) done.


I asked him, "Why?"


And he replies, "Well, I'll always be watching over you..."

Which I thought was kinda sweet. Then he says, "...and eventually I'll become a burden and be a load on your shoulders!"


Funny man, my pops. LOL.


I was thinking about getting a guardian angel/dragon/phoenix type design there anyway. I came across this, which I thought didn't look too bad...

But as for the second on my left upper arm...I've got no idea at the moment. I'll keep searching I suppose. I'm open to any suggestions too. lol. (But please, no Chinese/Japanese charaters.) Something small and meaningful...well, it doesn't have to be tiny but definitely meaningful!

I've already acquired a location to have the tattoos done (friends and facebook are extremely useful in these situations). And as I mentioned, as soon as I return from my trip, I'll go about getting it done.

I'll post up pictures when I do.

Peace,

Ippei.

A year on...

hmmm, a some what familiar title...but oh well. :P The swinging pendulum that is my mind, I'm sure I've repeated myself countless times without even knowing. Glancing through my old posts, it's interesting to realise how much your mindset changes depending on certain situations. It's incredible. But that's how it should be.


Right now I'm in a good place. At least I think so. From the outside perspective it might not look it, but I'm enjoying life. Working hard, sleeping lots, seeing friends, watching movies, eating (very) well. Not much to complain about.


Looking back on some photos I have, it's strange. Not one to carry around a camera myself, though i have a very good one, I can't be picky about the collection. I do have many great photos. What's strange is that I don't have many with the people I'm closest with or care about the most. That not to say i don't care about people who I've photos with (I love you all, you know that. :P).


Me thinks this needs to change. Pity then that, they are also the people I don't get to see that often, for a number of reasons. Some I might not be able to see for a long time.


I digress...


This post was meant to be about my (now annual, for now. :P) trip back to Japan.

As was the case last year, I'll be stopping over in Singapore for a few days (hopefully). Then it's back to good ol'Fukuoka for a week. No frills this time. It's only going to be a ten day trip. Mostly to visit people, so it's not too long or too short. It's weird to call it "going home" but that's what it is. Technically. :P


It'll almost be to the day a year ago that I got back from the trip, when I leave. I'm fairly excited about it. But the excitment purely comes from seeing the people again; Aaron (and maybe Shez) in Singapore, relatives in Japan, friends of family, etc. etc. Not to mention my sister who I haven't seeing since I was last there. That might not sound like anything, but that's the longest period I haven't seen her, since she was born! lol.


I finish this post with a photo...

...only two weeks-ish to go...(would have also been a photo with Aaron and with Shez, except I don't have one! :S)

peace,

Ippei.

Welcome to Post #1

Well, actually, it should have been Post #29 a LONG time ago, but shit happens and you get lazy. :P

For those that I haven't seen or talked in a while, Happy New year! A big hug and a kiss for 2008. (C'mon, you know you love it.)

I probably had better things to blog about in this, the first post of 08, but I thought I'd do a random update of my blog and figured I might as well do a post.

I figured the picture to be appropriate as we look forward to a new year. It's open see and vast horizons ahead as we wait and see what this year will bring. 2007 seemed like a year wasted to me. Didn't get a whole lot done (except the whole graduating thing, but that's overrated. :P) 2008 already feels good. This is continuing on from the great finalé I had towards the end of 07.

Plus it's our year fellow Rats (people born in 96, 84, 72, etc.)! Let's make something happen. lol.

Peace out for now and not forever...hopefully,

Ippei.

bringing out emtions that you never knew you had...

I've been meaning to post this for some time now. Well, at least ever since I got back from Japan which was way back in Feb. I've talked to some people about it, other will be hearing this for the first time...

Being born in Japan but raised here, I'd never previously had the opportunity to visit Hiroshima. Now that I had a railway pass (ulimated travel on the Shinkansen-system) I wasn't about to pass up this chance. I was hoping that either my sis or ma would come with (they had been there before) but both refused. It was probably for the best.

Let me set the mood. It was a cloudy and dreary day. There was no sky to be seen, just an endless stretch of grey and misty rain falling non stop. It was a very somber atmosphere. It suited the site I was to visit on this day.

It was the Peace and Memorial Garden/Park (I'm annoyed I don't remember the exact name of this place). As soon as you get off the light rail the imagine below hits you...

That's the Atomic Bomb dome. It what remains from the building that was pretty much directly below where the bomb exploded. Imagine it though surrounded in mist and it coming clearer as you got closer. It was that type of weather.

As you work your way around this park, you encounter the Peace Bell, the countless tributes, the memorials and it concludes with the mueseum. I'm not a shamed to admit that I had saltwater well up in my eyes several times as I spent a good 2-3 hours here. I think the weather might have contributed to that though. :P

What suprised me the most is how emotional I got. It was kinda shocking but also inspiring at the same time. It's something that's affected a lot of people in Japan, and even probably the world. I guess thinking of it that way, it's no wonder I was. lol.

If you ever get the opportunity to go to Japan. Please visit it. It might not effect you in the way it did me. But I'm pretty sure it's an important part of world history and something that we all need to learn from.

Peace,

iP.

Long road back...

Results are in. But it's not anything I wasn't already expecting...

I have a full tear in my ACL in my right knee. But you couldn't tell by just looking at me. lol. I feel fit as a fiddle, just can't play any sport that involves turning, twisting and the like. I'm kinda like Zoolander now...except I can't turn right either. I'm walking in a straight line~~~! :P

Anyway, so what's the next step you may ask?

According to the physio (yes, the same hot one. :P), I'll definitely need surgery to get my knee good enough to play again. I can opt not to have surgery but apparently it'll never heal on its own. Dang. It doesn't look like I have much of a choice do I? I guess the only thing that would REALLY stop me from getting surgery is the cost. As in whether I can afford it or not.

The other thing is, even with the surgery, my knee will never be 100% again. 80-90% at best. But like I said, strong enough to allow me to play sports again. Also apparently there will be a 12 month rehab process. Double dang. Is it really going to be worth it? It's not like I play sports professionally.

Either way, I'm meeting the Orthopaedic Surgeon on Tuesday week (30th). He'll be able to tell me more and discuss it in more detail before I make my decision. Either way, it's a long wait and road back, it seems...

As for now, I'm concentrating on strengthening the muscles around the knee. Especially my quad. It won't help with the healing, but it'll help with the support. It's the only thing I can do at the moment...

Just on an end note though, it's kinda ridiculous how long this process is taking. The lag is the worst. Good thing I don't have a life threatening illness. I'd probably be dead by now.

peace out,
Ip.

all gone?

Hmmm. So much for the "walk it off" attitude that most us, males, have. :P

Visited the physio on Wednesday, to check out my troublesome knee. Turns out it could potentially be a lot worse than I had expected. Afterall, I can walk, jog, jump, step and hop like I could before. All I can't do is play high impact sports. lol.

After testing out my knee until I cried out in pain, the physio (who was hot, might I add) concluded that I may have a torn ACL. That's the Anterior Cruicate Ligament to those playing at home. At least she told me I showed positive signs of it. What ever that means...

So the next step is to get an MRI scan done to confirm this. It's all speculative at the moment but I'm bracing for the worst. And the worst case scenerio is that I need to have knee surgery to repair it, especially if I want to be playing basketball again anytime soon. Bummer. :S Of course, I could choose NOT to have surgery but the rehab and healing process will keep me off the courts for longer, I would suspect.

But I'm getting ahead of myself. First thing is first. The MRI.

I was given a list of places I can go to get it done. The closest was Albert Park (the next suburb over). I was like "sweet". I call them up. "Yes, I'd like to get a MRI done on my knee." "Sorry, we don't have a MRI machine here. Only the Malvern branch has it" Bullshit. I thought to myself. I call up the Melbourne branch. They tell me the same thing. Dang. What's worse, the earliest date is NEXT Thursday at 9.30am. This is so shit...

So now I wait, with uncertainty on my mind. But with a hint of... excitement? hmmm, that's not the right word. I MIGHT be getting knee surgery man! It's like I'm a big name sports star. lol. Yay-yeah! :P

much love,

Ip.

Fade out?

Gosh, I'm lazy. I used to be pretty good with my blogging...at least i think. Facebook has taken most of my time whilst online i think. It's pure evil. But I can't get enough.

First thing is first I suppose.

My recent interview and application with NOVA Group (the teach in Japan company) was good. Interview went well and I was given a preliminary offer. By in large that meant I was accepted, all I had to do was hand in the paper work and it was confirmed for early 2008.

If only it was that easy...

Only two days before the paperwork was due. As I sat on the tram, actually contemplating what my life back in my homeland would be like, getting excited about the prospect and having already talked to a few friends about getting them to come visit me, I received a phone call.

In short, NOVA Group is in financial strife and cannot guarantee me a position at the moment. They told me to wait a few weeks whilst a few things get sorted and they hear more about it. It'll be two weeks tomorrow since being suspend in time. That's what it felt like anyway. It was like yay! ...aww.

---
Getting back on a basketball court was something I was looking forward to and something that was meant to be a happy return. It was three months since last playing and spraining my knee. I had been stepping up my cardio training in particular to strengthening my knee and I jog without a problem.

The movements in basketball are so not like jogging. lol.

I nervously got back on the court warming up and stretching out to minimise impact and maximise mobility. Jump shot. Way short. But that's how I always start anyway. Once I got back into the rhythm, jumping up and down and chasing down the ball was not a problem. I was happy. I was back!

Some randoms came over to challenge us in a little three-on-three. I could barely hide my excitement...and that's as far as it went. Moving in straight lines is easy. I couldn't slide to the side, change direction or put absolute power in my knee without pain.

It was frustrating because the pain didn't last. It was in those short sharp pains when I needed to move. I gave up. Being the fittest I've been in ages, yet I can't make a sudden turn. :(

I need to rehab my knee. Schedule in an appointment with physio next door. I can't wait for my knee to be fully right again. Kick some ass on the court.

much love,
Ip.

The old man in the red coat...

Before you all start thinking it's a little too early to start thinking "Christmas", though it is only about three months away (OMG! by the way), this post isn't about Christmas or the Santa Man.

I recently found out something really interesting.

Have you ever wonder why Santa wears red? Of course not. Because the way Santa is presented (see above) is the universally accepted, friendly old man that brings joy to us all!

BUT did you know, prior to (I think) 1937, Santa was never dressed in red? Every country had a Santa, but none wore red. They general wore different outfits. Usually suiting the culture of the country.

So how did we come to have the Santa we all know and love?

The year (I'm pretty sure) was 1937 and the clue is in the picture above. Have you gotten the answer yet? Yup. Believe it or not, it was apparently a Coca-Cola campaign during Christmas that gave Santa his colours. The campaign and the colour was so successful that it has stuck ever since.

Kind of an iffy story, I know. And I've done absolutely no research on this. But it's actually not that hard to believe, if you think about. Coke is the only company/organisation/entity to have successfully conquered the world!

much love,
Ipz.

Year 24 begins...

Before you correct me, yes I know. I'm 23. Just recently in fact, but so hence I'm in my 24th year of exisitence. Or whatever you might like to call it.

(mmm...I like clothes straight from the drier. So warm...)

I went through a few phases last week. Triggered, of course, by the date that is recognises as my own. The 21st of August. I still struggle with the fact that it's winter over here. Funny, given that it's been 17 years since I moved here. But I guess something in my bones, my blood, lets me know that I'm a summer boy. Albeit with a winter body. :P

As all my friends will no doubt know. I don't celebrate my birthday. At least not in the traditional sense. No parties, no presents. Barely even a recognition. But that's the way I like. I don't like making a fuss about a day that lets me know I'm one year older. It happens every year and everyday for someone else. No big deal.

Thank you to those that sent me txt, emails, messages on Facebook or gave me a call though. Don't think I don't appreciate it because I do...a lot! :)

The week was unusually busy. At work I mean. I had more shifts and there was a sudden abundance of customers. It was the best it's been in years, dad tells me. Which is terrific. Perhaps it's good karma finally paying off. lol. No coincidence it was in the week of my birthday then, eh?

It was all capped off with a little splurging. C'mon you have to right? :P

Then you hit the relfective phase. You've been on this earth for 23 freakin' years. What the hell have you achieved? mmm, good question. I'd say a lot but nothing at all. Nothing I can hang my hat on I suppose. But that's okay. Or rather I don't care.

People have always told me, I should go out more often, or get a girlfriend already, or have more fun, or get a job, or whatever. And I'd at times felt as though I was obliged to do so. And felt like an incredible loner if I didn't go out partying every night. But I realise now, and should have always known, that it doesn't matter what people say. I'm living my life the way I want, and hey, I'm enjoying it! There are things I'm sure that would make my life even more great but "good things come to those who wait" or so I've heard. :P

I've got Friends. Great friends in fact. Some I should call more often and some I wish I knew better.
I've got my health. Except my freakin' dodgey knee. Probably overweight in most categories but I don't feel it. lol. I'm healthy enough to donate blood (or from now on Plasma).
I've got money. Not excessive amounts, but enough to get me by. Even enough to satisfy my spending spree moments.
So what if I over indulge in movies? That's what I love. So what if I don't have a girlfriend? I've still got a lot of friends. So what if I don't have a job? That's only a matter of time. I should have more fun? How do you know I'm already not?

...argh, I hate reflective moments. It always comes out in a jumbled mess. blah!

So as I continue with my journey in life, one major path may soon reveal itself. I have an interview with the "Teach in Japan" people this coming Tuesday. If all goes smoothly, I might be out of here sooner than I realised. All those wondering about my AIESEC exchange, the process is taking too long. SRB is in late sep or early oct. Don't like the wait.

My path may yet continue back in my homeland. And as I said, I might be there quicker than i had previously anticipated. Beyond that though, I can't tell you. I can tell you I don't see myself "living" in Japan permanently. Yet I might end up there for a while. Who knows? I'm just a little bit excited at the prospect. But I've learned not to count my chickens before they hatch. All will be more clearer come this tuesday.

One thing is for sure though. I need out of Australia for a while. Be it a week, a month, a year, a decade. I hate leaving behind everything I have here, but it's a change I might need. Or at least want.

much love,
Ipz.

The weird, the strange, the unique, the good...the MIFF!

Okay, so it's been a good two weeks since it ended. I have nothing to do most the time, yet I have no time to do anything. Go figure that one out. lol.

The MIFF (Melbourne International Film Festival, for those of you playing at home), was something I talked about going to every year. It was always, "Oh the festival is happening. I have to go check it out." Then the festival goes as quickly as it came.

But this year was different. I took a stand (...against myself?) and decided to go. I bought me a mini pass. This entitled me to any ten movies (excluding the opening and closing nights, which cost like $25 a ticket or something ridiculous like that) and three free 'day' sessions. So if utilised effectively, that's 13 movies for the handsome price of $110 (conc.)

Not too shabby.

Only catch though is that most of the movies (at least) I'd never heard of, so a lot of my choices were made at random. This could be good and bad. You go in not expecting anything at all, on some occasions not even knowing the plot. The strike rate, I'd say was about 50/50. But hey! When else am I gonna get the opportunity to see 13 (mostly) random movies, right?

The line-up included: 5 US films, 3 Korean, 1 Japanese, Russian, Danish, Romanian and UK. US heavy, I know. I couldn't be as adventurous as I had hoped. In my defence though, most of the US films, I had already heard about and wanted to see.

The movies were as follows (look these up on imdb.com, if you want more info):

1. My Friend and His Wife (Korean) - Confusing. In a sense that, the actions taken by the characters are very hard to fathom. It's out of the norm and you ordinarily wouldn't expect people to act that way. I don't know if it's whether I missed something, or the Koreans have whacked sense of morality or what. It was weird.
2. The Mourning Forest (Japan) - Festival-ly. Apparently it had rave reviews at the Cannes film festival and it's THAT type of movie. Slow paced, drawn out and hard to tell what it's trying to say.
3. Bug (US) - Trippy. The most whacked out, tripped out, crazy ass thing I've seen. It's about paranoid schizophrenia. And it's so crazy it's almost humorous. But there was something so believable about it. Had decent actors.
4. Black Snake Moan (US) - Gritty. One of my favourites from the line-up. Terrific performances and awesome soundtrack. More commercial for a festival film though.
5. Rescue Dawn (US) - Duplicated. Had not soooo many movies like this been made, this would be awesome. However it's not original or creative enough to lift it above the other prisoner-of-war movies.
6. Day Watch (Russia) - Fun. Completely enjoyable. It the 2nd installment of a trilogy. The fun part about this was the fact that the subtitles were almost "part" of the movie, so it was a bore having to read them.
7. Woman on the Beach (Korean) - Random. In the same vein as the first Korean film. It's about love and relationships and all that, but it's totally random. Things happen but not much of it made sense.
8. Fay Grim (US) - Mish-mesh. Comedy/espionage movie. The audience apparently found it hilarious. I didn't get it. Sure it was funny, but THAT funny? Had one of my favourite actors, Parker Posey, in it.
9. The Boss of it All (Denmark) - LOL. This was so funny. Even with subtitles. Now that's rare. Being an European film, it doesn't have a what-you-would-expect ending.
10. Interview (US) - Copycat. Another film that is similar to previous movies that you wonder why they bothered. Having said that though, this was made very well and actually pretty good. Just nothing new.
11. Breath (Korean) - Finally. Third time lucky for the Korean pictures. lol. This was still very artsy and heavy on the 'deeper meaning' aspect, but it was quite well made and fairly enjoyable.
12. Mister Lonely (UK) - Zzzzz. I don't know if the movie was shit or I was just tired, but I actually fell asleep in this one. I'll have to see it again to give it a proper judgement, but initial signs don't look good. lol.
13. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (Romania) - Brilliant. It's film making at it's best, particularly with a very difficult subject matter of illegal abortions in the '87 communist ruled Romania. It's the type of film that would garner awards.

As you can see, I was quite a busy boy. But it was so much fun. I'm ready to do it all again next year...provided I'm in the country, that is. :P

Much love,

Ipz.

options open...excitment fills the air...

ワクワクしてきたぜ...

It's the moment you start to realise there actually might be a light at the end of the tunnel, you feel...good. It's more than that. It's sense of joy. It's a cocktail of emotions (as a friend would put it). Excitement, anxiousness, etc, etc....God, I can talk shit when I want to. hahaha.

Reason for this post is that things have become clearer in my mind. The way I see it, I have three options from here on out.

1. Teach conversational English in Japan - this idea died after I was discouraged to go by my mum (the company I was going to go through were in the news in Japan apparently). But by chance (actually, I was dragged to an AIESEC stall) I went to the 'Work abroad' expo at RMIT and talked to the recruiters and it re-ignited my desire. And talking to people who've already done it has further emphased this.
2. AIESEC exchange - call me a hypocrite. I don't care. After promoting it and helping people actually do it, I figure I should experience this myself. More so than that, I want an international experience through AIESEC. No better way than through exchange.
3. Work in Australia - I haven't applied for anything so in actuality this is probably the least likely of the three. But a friend says she might be able to hook me up with a job next year. If that happens, I'll be into full time work here. Not a bad prospect in itself.

I guess I could do all three. It's just a matter of what order and what comes up first. It's good to have options. And all viable options too. I best not count my chickens before they hatch however, I still need to apply and pass the procedures for all three of those things. lol.

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As an end note.

The count down has began for my year of the Jordan (ie. my 23rd). God damn, that was fast. It's so true that time goes by quicker as you get older. There are so many thing I want to achieve and time keeps ticking away for me to achieve them. Ah well. It'll happen eventually, I'm sure.

As for the massive birthday celebration i've been promising everyone...it's not going to happen this year. Still can't afford it. When I can though, I'll invite everyone to a "Ippei's Better Late Than Never Birthday Bash!"...I suggest you don't hold you breathe though...

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much love,

I.

A plasma...donation?

Yes, sorry to disappoint. I'm not donating plasma TVs now. Apparently it's something in your blood. Yes, I know! Go figure right? Or am I the only one that didn't know already?

I'd been donating blood for about a year now. As impressive as that may sound, that's only really three or four donations. :P They only allow you to donate once every three months, you see. Well, apparently since I'm such a special Australian (Japanese), I can donate Plasma as well.

They told me the procedure. Apparently they take my blood as with a usual donation. Then they distill/filter my blood and effectively take the plasma out of it. Then what they do is pump the blood back into me. :S Yeah...that's the look I had too. It sounds kinda scary. But I'm sure they have advanced machinary to make sure it's done safely.

...I just hope it's advanced further than the technology in the picture above. lol. Now to find out what the hell Plasma exactly is. Wikipedia, here I come! (I just found out about the amazing-ness of this kind.) lol.

much love,

I.

71...

アカン！　今日、１３日の金曜日やんけ。

Spontaneous 'kansai-ben' Japanese aside, it's been a while since I last posted and blardy hell it's Friday the 13th. :P Not that I'm superstitious or anything, but I like to expect the unexpected. lol.

Anyway, the title is "71" I figured that that was an appropriate number to focus on.

71, was the score I got for my final subject in uni, Ethical Issues in Accountancy. So that's a Distinction for those playing at home. Not a bad mark, but I don't think I've ever been disappointed in getting a D before. lol. Figuring since it was the second time 'round HD would have been on the cards, but barely even got a D...Which on hindsight is fair enough given the amount of time given to the subject. So I ain't complaining.

It brings an end to an era. The end of my educational-life...at least for now. Good bye and good riddance to study. Now I can be a master procrastinator, procrastinating from...well, nothing. hehehe. Here's to a good 16 years of education! Cheers! Now down to the pub! :P

...waiting half a year til the 'actual' graduation ceremony is going to be a bi-Atch though... :S

71% is how my knee is feeling at the moment. It's been almost three weeks. Visited the GP yesterday, told me I shouldn't haven gotten back on my feet so quickly. But man, I'm getting a little ancy. I want to get back out there runnin', playing basketball and more importantly hittin' the gym. Feel so heavy right now. lol. I've gotten some anti-imflammatories now, so should be 100% soon enough.

Going away from the number, I feel so out of touch with the AIESEC crowd. Attended a conference party and never felt more out of place at one. meh, I think it might be time to call an end to that short chapter as well...Many fond memories though...

I digress...but don't we all?

much love, I.

Not what I knee-ded...

Excuse the stupid pun. I'm a little annoyed. Mainly with myself. I've gone done it again...

Same leg. Doing the same thing. 'Cept this time it's my knee.

I hurt it, once again, playing the game I love. Basketball. But the pain I felt when I initially did it was hella crazy. Funny thing though. After the initial pain, for the rest of the day it didn't hurt. AT ALL. It was a very WTF moment.

On Sunday. I remember studder-faking to the right. Jumping up for a shot. And then the snapping feeling as I landed (it didn't turn out bad, but it sounded and felt like it was). I immediately knew my knee was fucked.

Friends helped me to the bench. And oddly enough I felt no pain. Bend. Nothing. Stretch. Nothing. I told them to go back to playing. I sat on the bench massaging it, bending and stretching. I felt good enough to get up. Good. No pain so far. Bend the knees. Good. Feels fine. I take a step with my left then a step with my right and BAM! It felt like my knees were either locking up or buckling. Then the shot of pain again.

I hopped back to the bench massage again...and the pain disappears. W.T.F.

Spending 4+hrs in the Alfred hospital was, oh! so much fun (please feel sarcasm here). And after all the checks and x-rays, they ruled it a sprained knee. But the fact that I felt no pain was apparently an 'unusual presentation'. No shit! After spending all the much time, all I got was a pair of crutches.

Monday was bad. The pain began in the wee hours of the morning. It started to throb. Then swell up. Then pain! I could no longer bend nor stretch and definitely still couldn't walk. Much of Monday was spent rubbing ointment and taking painkillers (Panadol).

Now it's the end of Tuesday and knee's feeling fine. It feels a little tight and hurt when I bend it, but other than that I can limp-walk, so it's all good. I should be fine by the end of the week...I hope.

And hey. I made the shot. :P

much love, I.

Impactful movies? ...Part II

It'd be about a month ago now...I was posed a question. "What movie has made the most impact on you?" My first answer was King Kong. Now I've another.

The movie is...Dogville. And this for entirely different reasons to King Kong.

I don't know if any of you have seen it. The entire film is shot on a sound stage. Meaning that there is very limited props and basically chork lines for buildings. It's like watching a stage show. It's an innovative idea, but one that fails miserably in terms of the "feel" of the movie. This isn't why it had an impact.

The impact comes in the story. It explores the ugly side of humans. And what could be interpreted as "human arrogance". I digress. Let me explain.

The movie is about Grace, who wonders into a small village called Dogville. A place with a popluation of 15. She is on the run. The villagers vote to let her stay, in exchange she does chores for them. It begins all rosy, but as soon as it becomes apparent that Grace is more than she seems, the attitudes of the villagers begin to change and they "bare their teeth".

It's the second half that's very impactful. Grace becomes a victim. She gets raped, abused, belittled and basically emotionally attacked. The villagers know about it but they don't care, they in fact act as if it's normal. This is the ugly side of humans I was talking about. The once cheerful and friendly villagers, who are for all intents and purposes "social hermits", become very bitter and vengeful as soon as they discover the danger in keeping Grace around. The turn is quite horrific and hard to watch (not visually, but it's just hard to bare). You get so frustrated and angry, you want to yell or throw something at the screen.

Then there's the other side. Grace's side. She accepts this abuse. Granted, she is in hiding, she doesn't necessarily have to stay in this village but elects to. It eventually gets to a point when she can't leave (they chain her by her neck to a heavy metal wheel so she cannot move freely), but that's later. And you realise why at the end and the key here is "arrogance".

The film explains that she allows all this to happen to her because she is arrogant. You might be thinking "huh?" but hear me out. It explains that she is so arrogant, that she puts herself on such a high peddistal. A peddistal to which she believes no body else can ever reach her level. So in her mind, if people like the villages who don't know any better and are trying their best to survive but do something bad, it's not their fault because that is what they know. That's their best.

It was a very "wow" moment after hearing that speech (delievered by James Caan's character). I probably didn't explain it very well. If you are at all intrigued, I suggest you check it out. Or ask me, I've got a copy of it. :P

By the way, this movie has a very satisfying ending. But it's by no means a happy one. It's not a movie you watch and you get the great feeling after. You've been warned.

much love, I.

A great passion?

What is passion really?

I think this word is thrown out there willy-nilly, like the word 'love', and the meaning of the word is starting to get lost. It's a really strong feeling/emotion for/or about something right? So I think in that case I've got two definite ones at the moment.

One goes without saying. The other...basketball...

Even with my current head-cold, I decided to brave the cold. Strap on my black and yellow sneakers. Pull on my elbow supporter. Grab that round leathery ball and head out for some shoot around. It's a 'kid friendly' park across the street. The ring lower than I remember. The weather cold as hell. The sun slowly fading.

I've just been craving to play. Dribbling. Shooting. Laying up. Wishing I could dunk. =P

Surprisingly, I hadn't lost any of my skills (at least of what I had. =P) but had lost all of my fitness. But I guess it's like the whole 'once you know, you know forever' kinda thing. Like riding a bike. Except I can't ride a bike...lol.

It was just me and the ball. 'Playing' basketball for the first time in who knows how long and as tired as I was getting, I felt so relaxed. So free. It was fun. Maybe because I was craving it so much. Maybe not.

It also reminded me of a lot of the past experiences I've had...

Watching the NBA on TV with dad. Playing basketball every lunch time and after school during primary and high schools. Rolling my ankle three times. Winning the 'B Grade' championship way back in 96. Crying because the training session was so tough. Getting our ass handed to us by a team at least twice our size but in the same age group. Countless jump shots I've made. Even more that I've missed. Always wishing I was taller, more athletic. Trash talking. Remembering when I used to be soft. Nailing a winning basket. Missing potential game winning free throws. Missing our finals because of sickness in 05. The days when a great friend and I played one-on-one for as long as both of us could see...

The funny thing is I don't even know when my love of this game started. But I guess that's what a 'great passion' is. Something you know that is important and means a lot to you, and it's been there since you can remember...

How many of these are you allowed to have?

much love, I.