Days 2136 - 2142
Thursday, January 23 - Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Welcome to another week of my crazy, sometimes boring, sometimes interesting life in Yokohama, Japan.
Funny / Weird Picture of the Week (yeah this is my new initiative)
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| Pika boo! |
Day 2136 ( 905 Students Suffer Food Poisoning )
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Stayed in most of the day blogging and played some games a bit to ease my mind as apparently I'm stressed about something. My left eye has been twitching for almost a month now. VERRRRY ANNOYING!!! Or maybe I just need to take a rest from the computer/Television (My TV is my computer screen). I also printed an article to help my 3rd year volunteer student at my main school with a summary exercise. The article was about Bill Gates searching frantically for a new CEO to head Microsoft.
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This is kind of late news, as I've not been on top of my news reading recently.
905 students, 41 staff suffer food poisoning at Hamamatsu schools
Health and education officials in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, said Thursday that 905 students and 41 teachers and staff at 14 elementary schools suffered food poisoning on Wednesday and Thursday.
The affected people showed symptoms of food poisoning, said the local education board.
“Most of them developed such symptoms Wednesday night. They had eaten school lunch but any causal relation with the symptoms have yet to be confirmed,” said Seiko Terada, director of health at the board.
“We have detected norovirus in 11 stool samples taken from some of the affected pupils,” Hamamatsu city health official Toshihiko Furuta told a news conference late Thursday.
Twelve of the 14 affected schools were closed Thursday and will remain shut until at least the end of Friday.
Twelve of the 14 affected schools were closed Thursday and will remain shut until at least the end of Friday.
According to the board of education, school lunches served this week might have been the source of the epidemic. Lunches are made at each school and health officials are checking to see if there were any ingredients sourced from the same supplier.
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Friday, January 24, 2014
Had 2 classes at my main school and also my volunteer student who I'm trying to help to get into a very difficult university here in Japan. I think she will get in though. Then went to YMCA in the night.
I filled out some sort of survey thing about a month ago online. And the survey promised that I "MAY" get a 1000 yen starbucks card. So I did in fact get it today. It will help for at least 3 weeks with my starbucks purchases when I go there on Wednesdays for my private lesson.
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| I need a manicure! |
This is the incomplete me that the YMCA students created today.
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| Can't recognize what they were trying to accomplish here |
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Day 2138 ( Performance at Jamrock 4th Anniversary )
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Worked at the YMCA again then performed at the Jamrock Restaurant in Harajuku, Tokyo for their 4th anniversary.
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5 of Japan’s best locations to ski and snowboard
It’s still January, so the snow’s not going anywhere quite yet, but when the weather starts to warm up and the green begins to peek through the white we may wish we’d spent more time on the piste and less time thinking about it, so let’s get right to it.
5. Monstrous conditions: Zao, Yamagata Prefecture
Kicking us off is a resort not especially well-known outside of Japan. Zao has been described by foreign visitors as everything from “simply beautiful” to “snowboarding heaven,” and it’s not hard to see why. This place has some of the widest runs you’re likely to come across in Japan, making it perfect for those wanting learn to ski or snowboard or those who want to try out a few new tricks without having to constantly look over their shoulder, but perhaps the coolest thing about snowboarding on Mount Zao are the “snow monsters” that line the runs. As the winter wind blows and droplets of water from the nearby lake come into contact with the snow-covered trees in the area, bizarre shapes are formed and freeze solid, making the mountain look like it is covered with the frozen remains of mythical beasts. Along with the high quality snow that Yamagata Prefecture is treated to each winter, Zao pretty much guarantees good times on the piste. More info
4. Monkey business: Shiga Kougen, Nagano Prefecture
It’s probably no surprise to find a ski resort on our list situated in Nagano, the home of the 1998 Winter Olympics, but Shiga Kougen (or Shiga Highlands) is a must for those who can’t get enough of the white stuff. Spanning a whopping 21 resorts – all of which are accessible with just one ticket – Shiga Kougen occupies a massive 4.3 square kilometres (1.6 square miles) of mountain, making it one of the world’s largest resorts and packed full of variety. The snow quality is of course superb, there’s snowmobiling to enjoy when your legs eventually get tired, oh, and there are wild monkeys that enjoy taking dips in the natural hot springs dotted around the area. Monkeys! What else could you possibly want for? More info
3. Chillin’ up north: Furano, Hokkaido
Located not far from Asahikawa City (which is home to a great Fuyu Matsuri, or winter festival, each year), the Furano Ski Resort is spread over two main areas, both operated by the Prince Hotels Group. There is plenty for advanced snowboarders and skiers to enjoy at Furano, but for intermediates and those still learning the ropes especially this location is ideal, with tons of runs and some amazing powder snow. A word of warning, though: off-piste boarders will be spotted and stopped by the resort’s many hawk-eyed staff, so if you live to dodge trees while carving you’re likely going to have a hard time. More info
2. From downtown: Hakuba Happo One, Nagano Prefecture
Located in the Hakuba ski resort of Nagano Prefecture, Happo One takes our second spot thanks to its wonderful snow and usually great conditions. Just as importantly, though, it is within relatively easy reach of Tokyo, with direct links from the city and Narita Airport (through which overseas travellers usually enter the country), so if you’re visiting Japan and don’t wish to spend your entire time on a mountain, you can blend city adventures with powder fun relatively easily. Happo One boasts 13 pistes that (although lower-level snow lovers will still find suitable runs) are steeper and a little wilder than the average Japanese resort, so you won’t be disappointed, especially if you’re looking for somewhere to level up. More info
1. Powder heaven: Niseko United, Hokkaido
Our top spot, however, has to go to Niseko United. This is, in fact, four different resorts situated on the same mountain, the 1,308.5m (4,293ft) high Niseko Annupuri. Sure, this is in Hokkaido so it will require a little extra effort to get there, but the runs are as vast as they are various, and the powder you’ll find up here is considered some of, if not the best in all of Japan. The area is also incredibly accommodating to foreigners, and, along with dozens of restaurants and bars, there are hundreds of lodges, hotels and guest houses ready to take you in after a long day of snowboarding and skiing. If you only have time to hit one snow-covered mountain in Japan, make it this one.
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Day 2139 ( Chiropractor Visit 1 / Weird and Unflattering Nicknames That Jamaicans Call Their Friends )
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Since I came to Japan, I have been having some serious back pains. The chairs here are definitely not made for foreigners. Probably not made for Japanese either with so many old people I see walking around with some serious deformities of their backs. Last week I woke up with an excruciating pain in my back. It wore off for a bit then happened again recently. An old friend of mine said I need to change my bed because it is too soft (don't ask). Or I should at least purchase a harder mattress to sleep on.
I decided to go to the Chiropractor today. Luckily the chiropractor dude is a member of the band I play with from time to time. So he charged me only US$40 / 4000 yen. Though I am less than interested to have a male trying to sort out my back. I much prefer my friend here ......
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| Hey this was free!!! |
He said my back is soft and I need to do more back exercises. Plus I probably need to change my bed and get a harder surface, as well as change my chair. A good chair in Japan is so darn expensive !!!
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Weird and Unflattering Nicknames That Jamaicans Call Their Friends
So Jamaicans in general (certainly not all of us ... just in case any Japanese are reading and think all of us are the SAME!!!) tend to attach names to each other, based mostly on physical appearance. Most if not all of these names are quite discouraging and some are downright terrible.... To make matters worse ... You have NO CHOICE but to accept them or be tortured for life !.... And I do mean life if you end up living around these friends until you are old. Because the name will stick on you FOREVER !!! ... It is also possible for you to have more than one nickname, based on the amount of friends you have... for example, you go to school and they call you one name there, then at home, your friends there call you another name....
Jamaicans shouldn't be surprised if they return to their home town after several years, and an old friend see them and suddenly shout at the top of their voice " FATTA" (Name normally attached to a fat guy). Or a situation like this :
A Jamaican man walks through the shopping plaza with his wife and children on a busy Saturday afternoon. Out of nowhere comes a loud, piercing voice that seems to reverberate off the walls near him: "Yow Lippy! LIPPY!!! Backside, a you dat Lippy?”
The man pretends that he is not the one being called - not with THAT nickname and certainly not twenty years out of high school… And definitely not in public, with the family in tow. Finally, turning around, he looks carefully at the person calling to him. He vaguely remembers the face but the voice that continues to speak is unmistakable: “Lippy… how tings man? Bwoy, all ah now you nuh grow into dat lip yet, eh?”
And the humiliation continues.
http://www.thingsjamaicanslove.com/the_full_list/nicknames.htmlHere are some of those nicknames given... and the possible reason why they were given that name:
Headz / Head boy / Head master (normally given to a guy who is considered to have a big head)
Blacka / Black man / midnight (normally given to a guy who is exceptionally dark skinned)
Redz / Red man / Brown man/ Red ibbo ( normally given to a male who has light skin .... as to what is an "ibbo"? - your guess is as good as mine)
Lippy / Lipton tea / Lipton (normally given to a male of female with thick lips)
Fatty / chubby (normally given to a fat girl)
Fatta / Bigs / Bigga (given to a fat male)
Tallist /Tall man / Stretch / legs (usually given to a tall male)
Bulby (usually given to a male or female with big/full eyes like yours truly )
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| 2009 Bohol, The Philippines |
These are some of the regular ones... Jamaicans can get creative though, and will give you a name based on an even that took place or on anything that comes to their/our minds.... I had another name "Public eye" ... Again because of my eye size... and yet another "Eye Ball" ..... My friends called a girl "Backula" (rhymes with Dracula) because she had a really broad back. Some of my friends at university called another guy "Batty Lizard" for reasons unknown to me. Batty man is a derogative name for gays.... But Batty Lizard?!?!
They called a guy at my high school "teetus titus don't bite us" because he had buck teeth !!! A person with Asian features will always be called Ms. Chin or Mr. Chin ...... Doesn't matter if they are Filipino, Thai, Japanese or Chinese. And a person with Indian features will always be called a coolie.... or said to have coolie or chiney hair/eyes. I doubt this will ever change as this is just a part of our culture.
There are too many nicknames we give each other in Jamaica, hence the list is endless ...... Some of us really don't like the idea but what to do? Even if you object it won't make any difference.
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Day 2140 ( Video and Photo Shoot For Griffin Hartland in Tokyo )
Monday, January 27, 2014
Had to wake up early this morning to go to Odaiba in Tokyo for a photo and video shoot. An American friend of mine recommended me for this gig. This would be my first time modeling clothes in Japan. The brand is definitely not famous but I like some of the designs. Its a brand from England called Griffin Hartland.
When I got there, a Japanese male model came in shortly afterwards. This dude had a stylist from Belarus following him everywhere he went, combing and spraying his hair etc. I was just there .... Every photo this guy took, the stylist would be there shortly after attending to him..... Who was attending to me??? Some Japanese dudes who would just give me the clothes to put on. To be fair, the guy belonged to a modelling agency, so I'm not sure if the stylist was from the agency or was selected for this job specifically.
For the first couple of photo shoots, me and the Japanese guy had to be changing clothes and taking photos for about 3 hours !!! Seriously, doing the same thing and same poses for 3 hours is boring. We took a break after a while and had lunch. Then another model came by. This time a hafu... Half Japanese / Half American. The Japanese guy said he has been modeling for a year now while the girl said she has been doing this for 4 years.
The photo shoot was over and then it was now time for a recording session. So the director guy videoed us walking around, dancing and just doing random stuff while some music was playing in the background. The video will be a youtube commercial that will be uploaded after editing sometime around the end of February.
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| I hate the hat |
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| That's the director / photographer in the background |
When the video is uploaded, I will of course let you all know.... I was doing some crazy dances in the video... I have no idea what it will look like lol. I asked the director to send me 3 photos that he took of us modeling but he said he was too busy and sent me only this one.
The entire process took about 7 hours. I had to skip a class at the YMCA to do this but no worries, I will be paid wayyyyy more than what the YMCA would have given me.... For our hard work today, we got food and a pair of light green Griffin Hartland socks. We will be paid later.
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Day 2141 ( Computer Mouse Equipped With Camera Coming Soon )
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
Usual looong, busy Tuesdays. I am usually falling asleep when going to my second job on Tuesdays. Its a long ride between jobs.
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Camera-equipped mouse
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King Jim will release a camera-equipped mouse on Jan 31. The mouse can take photos and automatically save the image data to your computer in a quick and manageable form.
The image can be quickly and easily used. For example, if you want to include an image of something in front of you in an email you are about to send, if you take a photo of it with a digital camera, it could take some time to save it to your PC. The camera-equipped mouse can help you do it much more quickly. When you take a photo with the mouse, your PC’s screen becomes the camera’s display. And the accompanying software will give you photo editing options.
Photos taken with the mouse are about 300-500KB so you don’t need to compress them before attaching them to email.
Price: 4,200 yen
http://www.japantoday.com/category/new-products/view/camera-equipped-mouse?utm_campaign=jt_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=jt_newsletter_2014-01-22_PM
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Day 2142 ( 30 Day Push up Challenge )
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
I finished my first 24 day abs challenge and now I'm doing a 30 day push-up challenge which also include abs stuff. This one is wayyy more intense. I must say I'm seeing some improvements though... But there is some stubborn fat at the lower part of my stomach that just refuse to go. For this stubborn fat, next month I'm going on a meat fast. Don't know how long I will last but February will be my "stay away from all meat" month. I will also jog every Monday, Wednesday and Fridays from the station next to mine... Actually I already started doing this. Here is the 30 day push up challenge.
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