You wait a year to show someone Westminster all lit up, and the one night you finally get down there, it's switched off.
I think it's in honour of 'Earth Hour', leading up to the G20 Summit. At least it's for a good cause.
There'll be plenty more nights, I'm sure.
Just to let you know I received one Japanese girl from the airport. I'd like to say 'fresh' but she's extremely jet-lagged and dead to the world right now.
I've tried poking her, and offering snacks, but she's unresponsive. I wonder if you can send them back and get a replacement?
Or does that only work for Thai brides?
Eight and a half months later, a two year visa, tomorrow's the day!!
An accurate portrayal of both the flight plan and plane size. As long as there aren't any snakes on the plane I think it'll be fine.
It's so exciting that I can't quite believe it. The only downside: in my nice minimalist (in every way!) apartment, there're going to be loads of girl clothes and shoes. The sacrifices we make.
(I'm leaving work a few hours earlier to meet Keiko at Heathrow. Which is fine since I'm starting earlier to help out on an HIV project. I wish I could write more about the job here but I think it's better to be more cautious than sorry.)
Just in case you missed staring at February's poster for over a month (I'm updating fairly regularly now!) here's the hayfever-relevant warning:
BBC4, my new favourite channel, is in the final furlong of its Japan Season; which is a little late know, I know, but there are always repeats.
The channel adopted a new ident (four in Kanji) as well as short VTs of "words of the day" etc. There have been some interesting documentaries on, including one about the search for 'wabi sabi' - the art of imperfection - as well as one documenting the nation's love of fish. Neither were particularly insightful as they both dumbed down slightly by highlighting the 'strange cultures' of the East, such as maid cafes and the geek culture. However, there were some brilliant inclusions, not the least being a scene in Tsunashima!
They went to the fish restaurant where you catch the fish you want to eat. The presenter was just as shocked as me when the sushi turned up on his plate along with the main body of the fish, still flapping. That's fresh!
Still, I can't help but wonder why both presenters for these documentaries were chosen: they had never been to Japan before, couldn't speak the language and were too wide-eyed overall that the programmes' aims were put on hold. I understand that most viewers were seeing Tokyo et al for the first time through them as well.
However, this is 'Hidden Japan' season after all. Take the fish documentary, for example. I could've shown an audience Hidaka, where the goldfish are released into the river during the annual town festival, or the koi carp streamers flying high during Golden Week.
Now, that's Hidden Japan.
In conclusion, I want to be a travel presenter. Awesome job.
Exactly today, three years ago, I arrived in Japan. If only I knew then what I know now.
Actually, I have no idea how that applies but it sounded appropriate and wise.
I do remember turning up just as the cherry blossom was making its annual appearance. It seems this year is no different:
Speaking of zombie attacks, this is my favourite YouTube clip in the world. A Japanese TV show pranked some young children who love horror movies. The whole neighbourhood was in on it, and the childrens' reactions are fantastic:
It doesn't matter if you can't understand Japanese. All you need to know is that zombies can write to let you know they're coming over, tabasco sauce can be mistaken for blood, and cling film is a monster deterrent.
The bucket over the door is hilarious. Pure gold.
3 comments already! That's enough motivation for me to type a little more.
Another weird one today - back at my Auntie and Uncles' house for a funeral-type thing. I swear, I'm never in my new apartment for more than two days in a row. And now it's late, so that'll do for today.
I'll leave you with this interesting thought: we have 'parents', 'sibilings', 'grandparents', and even 'cousins'. So why is there no collective for aunt and uncle? It's a frustrating aspect of English and I'm sure I've written about it here before, but never more has it been so burdensome when I explain (in a longer than necessary breath) "I'm staying at my uncle-and-aunties' house. Also, isn't 'uncle' such a strange-sounding word!
Finally, of course I enjoyed living with you Oli. I miss living with you now but I was in Bournemouth way too long and it was time to leave. I'll never forget the months we shared, or the memories: the coffee cake, The Office, the zombie attack that we just about survived. You're always welcome to come and stay.
That was the longest break on my blog since it began. A whole month between two posts. I'm not ashamed, I've been more than busy what with a new job, new home, new city, and non-stop things happening around me (friends coming, family etc).
But I'm definitely back.
Everything's going well, and the big news is... Keiko will be here in 9 days! It's been 8 months since I left Japan and we were considering how we would've felt if we knew then what we know now. I hope you'll be glad to know that we still would've gone for it.
I'm finally settled in now, without any big changes to routine, so I'm sure the weekends will be touristy and I'll have lots to report on. The evenings too, as the summer draws near; I'll explain in greater detail soon but where I'm living is great - today I walked home across Hyde Park and through Kensington High Street. Can't ask for much better in London.
However, I'm not going to write about the past month in one big go. I need to wean myself back into writing; I haven't forgotten how but I'm not ready to write an essay just yet. (Apply that to the bike analogy as you will.)
So just know that I'm happy and positive, and finally excited about the present, not just the future.
While my heart belongs in Tokyo - hence the remaining title name*/** - I'm content in London.
Here we go...
*I dreamt about Tokyo every night so far this week. This is a love story that isn't going anywhere.
**And I'm not changing the web address.
I'm finally in London but I don't know on a map where exactly, I started my job but I don't know what I'm doing, and I finalised my rent and picked up the keys but I haven't moved in yet.
So, you could say it's a transition. I have a lot to write about but since I'm not settled it'll have to wait a few more days.
For now, enjoy February's Tokyo Metro poster, which appropriately suggests lovers should take their business elsewhere (away from priority seats at least).
Happy 200th Birthday to one of the World's greatest men. To read a brilliantly written article, go here.
Asian horror movies do it well - the psychological torment - replaced by cheap scares in the Hollywood remakes. What lets a lot of those movies down are the ghosts and paranormal explanations (Ring, Grudge, The Eye). European movies are where it's at.
Although some take a monster route (werewolves, zombies), the gritty realism of them bring the scares closer to the viewer; this could be happening. It's usually the human choice and aggression that results in bad stuff happening. (Although it's neither technically a horror or European, the Canadian 'Cube' is a good example: how many of the cast die because of the traps compared to each other?) Anything from [Rec] (Spanish) to 28 Days Later (UK), they are tense and terrifying. The only movie I've ever stopped to regain composure is Suspiria, a 1970s Dario Argento Italian, which helped to define the genre with its music and use of false scares.
The only movie until now. Last night I watched a recent French film, À l'intérieur (Inside). I stopped twice, and even screamed once. The premise, about a pregnant woman living alone being tormented by a woman who wants to get inside (her house, and her belly -oooh) was fraught with peril.
This scene freaked me out - look closely and you can see why it was hide-behind-your-pillow-worthy.
It was so bloody and so bloody scary, and a modern classic.
With this box (lemon flavour), you can open it up, write your message, re-fold it using a special design so it completely closes again, and send it on anonyously.
from your secret admirer xx
Valentine's is coming up, which means a chocolate explosion around the world, dragging into White Day in March. So a few related entries to follow.
How about starting with this one. Although Snickers and a few other Wetern chocolates can be found in Japan, the most popular is KitKat. I don't know why but they're everywhere. And what's particularly special is the variety of flavours they come in. Like drinks in covenience stores, there seems to be a new promotion every month.
Nestle have a website, with a time machine and world tour. 
There's also a community-website dedicated to the flavours. Some of the highlights include: sweet potato, cherry-blossom, the infamous green tea, chocolate banana, muscat, soy sauce (!), caramel macchiato, and watermelon.
There are, literally, hundreds of flavours, either season-based, just for the hell of it or for occassions, such as entrance exams. Or...
Anything regarding tricking the mind, or inattentional blindness is fascinating. This is one of my favourite illusions. Which is darker, A or B?
Neither, they're the same shade.
This is the new illusion that has been flittering around the Internet. Which way is the woman spinning?
If you see her spinning clockwise, you are using your right hemisphere, and vice versa. The left brain relates to logic and fact-based knowledge, whilst the right is the more creative and emotive.
Only 14% of tested participants can see both, and are able to 'make' her spin in the opposite direction. There's a knack to it - focus on the outstretched leg and push it behind her body against the flow. Can you do it?
It's the worst snow Bournemouth's seen this week, although still not comparable to London. I started making a snowman with big intentions but I was lonely and freezing, so this is the result:
(She - she has nice lips - is strong, however; propping up the chair!)
We celebrated in style tonight, throwing beans around the flat (sorry Grandma) and each taking turns to be the 'oni' (monster) under attack. We also beckoned 'fuku' (luck) indoors.
Oli and I both ate our age in the beans.
There are a lot of developments regarding the London move, and when they become a little more concrete I'll explain them. Off to the capital tomorrow - if the coaches aren't cancelled. I hope it will prove a few more steps along the process.
For tomorrow to go smoothly (weather/transportation/suitable rent/job contract) it looks like I'll need that luck after all.
Tonight we had Bird's Eye Potato Waffles because, well, they're waffling versatile. And £1 for a box of 12 at the moment in Iceland. Oli and I had 6 a few days ago and I went to stick the rest in the oven tonight but I could only count 5. I searched high and low, in the freezer and at the bottom of the box, the mystery thickening to the point where I considered submitting it for an episode of Lost.
I was close to demanding my 12th of a pound back from Captain Birdseye (as well as demanding to know his Benjamin Button-esque secret to lose 30 years) or accuse Oli of snacking on one on his way to work.
But then there were 6.
The End.
(There's a Short Story Writing Competition in Bournemouth coming up. Do you think this is the type of thing they're going for?)
How can a country be so unprepared and useless in responding to snow outside of, say, East Africa? I understand airport runways closing are inevitable but nearly all of the London public transport shutting down?
It's times like these that Britain's undeserving of it's Great prefix.
Anyway, good news is, I've brought the snow back to celebrate!
It's a tough fight between Darwin and Shakespeare to top my list of the most important Brits in history. Given it has been 150 years since the former published his 'The Origin Of Species' and the BBC have dedicated a season to him, I'll allow Darwin the top spot for the time being.
Just now, David Attenborough presented an incredible programme, highlighting the scientist's discoveries, with a beautiful and simplified animated section (towards the end) illustrating the evolution of life from the simplest organisms in the oceans to the rise of the insects, mammals and other complex plants and animals on land. As if they read my mind, the very clip has been made available online. If you only watch one thing I recommend, it's this. Actually I suggest watching it here in all its HD (and larger size) glory.
Beautiful, hey?
The Open University are even giving away free wall posters documenting the Tree Of Life. Yes, free! Just type your postcode in and you're away.
The next programme 'Darwin's Struggle' is on tomorrow (Monday) BBC4 at 9PM.
(Hit the blog title to go straight to the main BBC Darwin website.)
