tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60806722011-12-12T06:52:24.180+09:00Asian AlienAn former English teacher in Asia...but still in AsiaAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.comBlogger1651100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-3084640419870770552008-05-06T08:54:00.008+09:002008-12-09T06:35:17.131+09:00Ladies and Gentlemen, The Teacher Has Left The Building...And Thank God! Actually I finished up my last day at the Hills school yesterday - not pictured above. Hills was by far the best English teaching job I have ever had and by extension the best job I have ever had. Unfortunately, it was only part-time. Nonetheless, I am thoroughly happy to be out of the teaching racket. Although I never AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-39080496772168982442008-04-30T11:50:00.004+09:002008-04-30T12:00:05.689+09:00Well, here goes my monthly update. In a bizarre twist on a bizarre situation working for a bizarre company... I gave a month's notice to G-Nova that I was going to resign. Now, the company is spiraling toward disaster as it is hugely understaffed with no viable means of recruitment. Even so, the crazy manager saw fit to put me on standby for the better part of the month. So paid vacation forAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-91755155798658975822008-03-25T09:05:00.003+09:002008-03-25T09:15:14.705+09:00My poor blog.I neglect it like a red-headed stepchild. Actually, I was ready with some real vitriol aimed at my current employer, but I thought it wise to wait until I landed a new job before spewing forth. Well, I got the new job. I start in May. I must simply finish up 5 weeks in what has become one of the worst jobs of my life. I would still elect the hardware store I worked at for one AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-86937388002664205302008-01-25T10:14:00.001+09:002008-12-09T06:35:17.364+09:00Teenage Sweet Mullet indeed!...from the cover of a Thai magazine in case you were interested. It seems Sweet Mullet is a rock band.In other news, although I haven't gotten around to repairing the computer keyboard, I did buy an external one with the annoying Japanese layout, which makes finding the correct punctation difficult. Such is life...A more thorough update on work will be forthcoming.AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-65000700266029769532007-12-31T10:43:00.001+09:002008-12-09T06:35:17.538+09:00Not only is it a bargain sale, but also price down and limited saleAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-13467070997712179252007-12-14T10:13:00.001+09:002007-12-14T10:23:37.486+09:00Having fried the keyboard on my new computer, it's with great appreciation that I welcome back the Captain's creative genius.Dear Mr G****,I am writing regarding your complaint concerning the application process for positions vacant in the R/D department of the Kyushu Tuna Farm Feasibility Project.As I am sure you are aware we protect the confidentiality of all applications and take the issue ofAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-84833627510781893792007-12-04T11:49:00.000+09:002008-12-09T06:35:17.776+09:00For your consumptionWith all my attention focused on the plight of Nova and its teachers I failed to dedicate much page space to the students. In order to rectify this, Niles P. Witherspoon III was sent on assignment to get a feel for how the students are enduring life without their regular fix of communication with the foreign countries people.Hironobu Ogura is a former Nova student of five AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-59759870742329380592007-12-01T08:57:00.001+09:002008-12-09T06:35:17.945+09:00The Devil Is In The DetailThis is a shot of a an enka performance held in front of the station where I've started back to work. Enka is a form of Japanese music that predates J-pop. It's heavy on vocals with a muzak accompaniment. Think cat strangulation in an elevator. AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-86966521159845066882007-11-28T09:52:00.000+09:002008-12-09T06:35:18.093+09:00This is a pondI started work yesterday for G-Nova. To clarify Nova is a school name that is owned by G-Communication and seemingly overseen by G-Education, a subsidiary of G-Communication. To the best of my understanding Nova is not a company owned by G-Communications in so far as we will be receiving our wages directly through G-Communications which owns G-Education, which in turn is running AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-25371999868528018692007-11-24T11:15:00.000+09:002008-12-09T06:35:18.277+09:00All the lights are on, but no one's homeI taught a private lesson yesterday at the shopping center where one of my old branches was located. A now notorious 'satellite' school that was part of the recipe for disaster,this branch never had more than one teacher at any given time and often the students (if there were any) got lucky man to man lessons. In short,the place was hemorrhaging money. AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-68529429420649320102007-11-23T12:21:00.001+09:002008-12-09T06:35:18.578+09:00(Mis)Communication is leaving a lot of people out in the cold. They have some pretty big shoes to fill as they are taking on the most scandalous English outfit in Japan, if not the whole of Asia. It seems they are up to the challenge, however. G-String, as they will be known henceforth due to the fact they are already stringing along employees, has begun operations predicated on the insincere AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-71229192596155235482007-11-20T10:17:00.000+09:002008-12-09T06:35:18.753+09:00A Financially Solvent English SchoolPictured right is the Hills English School, the only job left me. What's the secret of its success? The experience of its teachers? The cozy ambiance? Its location next to a mid-size train station? The fact that one of its main competitors is bankrupt? If you answered with any of the preceding, you wouldn't be far off. However, the true secret of Hills' AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-44195483117117488182007-11-17T15:01:00.000+09:002008-12-09T06:35:18.880+09:00In order to get a clearer picture of what the life of an average, unemployed Nova teacher is like I have dispatched Asian Alien correspondent Nigel P. Witherspoon III to interview one. What follows is from Niles' report.I sat down last evening in a dimly lit apartment to speak to 'Joe' about his life in recent times that I might glean a sense of what these unemployed Nova teachers are going AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-92001029565949399512007-11-16T10:28:00.000+09:002008-12-09T06:35:18.985+09:00Times must be tough when you receive rejection letters to jobs that you never applied for. I got both of these just yesterday.The first is from the Iwate Takamori Kokuritsukoen, a national park that sits on 2.5 sprawling acres between several housing developments and a highway in Iwate prefecture.Dear Mr G****,Thank you for your request for information regarding positions vacant at the Iwate AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-15278934454076265262007-11-15T09:53:00.000+09:002008-12-09T06:35:19.304+09:00Home Alone Waiting By The PhoneTo judge from what is being posted in forums at Facebook, Gaijinpot and Let'sJapan, there are a lot of nervous, Nova teachers sitting by the phone just waiting for it to ring. After being promised employment we were then told to wait for a call. This whole episode must remind people of what it was like to start dating in High School. Does G-Comm like me? Will G AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-18172624800890169682007-11-13T12:37:00.000+09:002008-12-09T06:35:19.320+09:00All's quiet on the Eastern FrontSo G-Communications is now in the business of finding keys. Evidently this must be slow going as the only indication of branches re-opening that I've heard of is one in Nagoya, coincidentally in the same city that their head office is located. Guess they must be in good with the local locksmiths. Last week we were hearing that the Golden 30 might be up and AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-84797132160283786222007-11-11T11:23:00.001+09:002008-12-09T06:35:19.425+09:00G's In Da' HouseThis grainy image that I snapped on my cell phone is of an informational meeting that was held in Nova's head office yesterday. It was one of two identical sessions held in Tokyo. Another two were held in Osaka, as well as several out of the way branches for those in the sticks. To be honest, there wasn't a lot of content that hadn't already been posted somewhere on the net. AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-83505612698075156242007-10-16T11:38:00.000+09:002007-10-16T12:22:47.420+09:00A pictureless post! Somewhat dark days are upon us here in Japanland. Unfortunately, it now appears that Nova is unsalvageable. The Japanese staff will not have been paid for a month and our payday has, for the first time in my 8 years with the company, been pushed back from the 15th to the 19th, though I hold little hope that we will be paid on the 19th. I have been in touch with Phil at AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-30566899467131799922007-10-03T10:35:00.000+09:002008-12-09T06:35:19.605+09:00Where bladders are bursting and bowels are bulging...Where mere mortals search in vain for a vestibule of relief...Where last night's burrito and the morning coffee collide...Where happy hour drinks plead for an exit...One man stands alone against all odds...One man guides the urgently needy to an oasis of comfort...That man is...Toilet Man!AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-46924296298591870092007-09-25T13:45:00.000+09:002008-12-09T06:35:19.702+09:00This blog haunts me. Not that I post frequently, but it does linger somewhere in the back of my head whispering, post, post, post you lazy son-of-a-bitch. I have been posting pictures and though that makes for a pleasant read, it's really difficult constantly coming up with a relevant image and half the time I end up posting with the picture as a starting point rather than just posting . With AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-22876238456212994422007-07-17T12:23:00.001+09:002008-12-09T06:35:19.885+09:00My supposed weekly posts have now become monthly - shame on me. My mother visited in June and we had a lovely time seeking out the several unspoilt vistas in Japan in front of which a decent picture can be snapped. Here Mom and Pocky pose with a student of mine who pays for my time by laboring at a Japanese restaurant that coincidentally happens to find itself next to a Japanese garden. AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-74014254587797310732007-05-08T13:34:00.000+09:002008-12-09T06:35:19.964+09:00What's Cooking?Almost always something good around here. Take a look at what the wife whipped up the other night - not quite sure what it is , but it certainly was good. The combo of living in Japan with a Thai wife (who is a fantastic cook) puts me into the culinary sweet spot of Asia. Now if I could just incorporate a Chinese neighbor and Korean landlady into the mix - I might never leave. AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-32595613508489111152007-04-18T11:25:00.000+09:002008-12-09T06:35:20.085+09:00Phil at Ajarn.com, a site devoted to teaching in Thailand, has again put me on the hotseat, an interview section where I answer question about teaching in Japan. Rather than outline what I said, I'll just include the link here.AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-86467300840690909412007-03-20T11:29:00.000+09:002008-12-09T06:35:20.212+09:00One of the interesting aspects of working in the Eikaiwa industry is observing employers inventive attempts at grabbing more market share. Several years ago the idea of classes for 2 year-olds accompanied by a guardian was introduced. I have no stats to back me up, but I get the impression that this market share was just too thin and exclusive (most parents just want to dump their kids and AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-8548591526761635592007-03-07T11:11:00.000+09:002008-12-09T06:35:20.355+09:00Money Money Money Money...moneyInteresting days for yen holders. The yen/dollar exchange rate has gone from 120 yen to the dollar down to 115 in the course of several days. I am not displeased at this turn of events as I send a lot of money back to the US to pay back debt and make investments. The Economist has a take on the currency situation here for anyone as boring as I am. One issue that AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-58937228950537716012007-03-01T11:01:00.000+09:002008-12-09T06:35:20.521+09:00It's been well over a year since I posted last, begging the question why. Well, one reason is that I was without Internet until September of last year - an experiment in primitive living that included residing in a house without hot water (don't ask). Another reason is that my 7 day week work schedule is hardly conducive to creative enterprise or, for that matter, any enterprise beyond eating AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1133754096856262122005-12-05T12:35:00.000+09:002005-12-05T12:41:36.870+09:00This could be any house in Japan, but as you correctly surmised it is the very one that I reside in. Sorry I have no more droll musings to add about life in the world's second biggest economy, but such is the nature of things. Financial stability has the downside of not being half as interesting as living in an impoverished state (and state) where cows are currency.AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1131592167477744952005-11-10T11:55:00.000+09:002007-11-25T07:56:00.237+09:00Hardly back with a vengeance, but back nonetheless. I am happy to report that I am employed full-time (only in the warped world of teaching conversational English could 27.3333 ad-infinitum hours be considered full-time) and hope to be back in the money one of these days...months...years? Also in the good news department, paperwork for Pocky's visas is coming along without hitch, which should AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1130395775680800632005-10-27T15:43:00.000+09:002007-11-25T07:56:39.045+09:00Lom Jomthong, my father-in-law, passed away yesterday.AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1128392899846318012005-10-04T11:20:00.000+09:002005-10-04T11:28:19.853+09:00My visa has become non-renewable due to new regulations that state three months of unemployment render the visa invalid, or something to that effect. I will return to Thailand on the 19th of October and re-enter Japan on the 26th of the same month. Hopefully, everything will go to plan and I will be back to work at the beginning of November, otherwise I will have some serious recourse to AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1125303345096129032005-08-29T17:15:00.000+09:002005-08-29T17:15:45.096+09:00We are mooving.Sorry I couldn't resist. It looks like we will move out of Khon Kaen to Nong Sao on the 2nd of September if everything goes to plan (which categorically never happens as there is no plan in Thailand). One thing is for sure, today is my last day of work at Be Smart. Yipee! I will be offline for several weeks with the move, but I thought one last post with a picture of our calf AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1124948466216708462005-08-25T14:29:00.000+09:002005-08-25T14:41:06.223+09:00I suppose I will drivel on a bit about my preparations to go back to Japan. Monday the 29th is my last day with Be Smart and had I been I probably never would have taken the job in the first place. There is always a sense of lifted burden when quitting a job, even a good one, but I can tell you that with these guys it will be like the lifting of a curse. In other news, we have a rental house AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1124379956667137102005-08-19T00:36:00.000+09:002005-08-19T00:46:55.510+09:00I could drivel on about my preparations to go back to Japan, but instead I've decided to post a picture of some cute village kids. Kids are kids where ever you go and these guys always seem to be having a great time playing in the dust, dirt and debris. It is hard to imagine what kind of futures they will have given their economic conditions, but for now they are as carefree as little crappers AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1123050412635276392005-08-03T15:13:00.000+09:002005-08-03T15:27:55.106+09:00Well, the visit was a smashing success. Pictured right is the bemused couple discovering the 'real' Thailand. Right down to the sunny weather on the day were drove out to the country, and overcast, yet comfortably cool weather on the other days, everything went to plan. Dan's back to beating his head against the wall in Japan where I will soon join him for the forehead to mural structure fun.AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1122017771346433322005-07-22T16:36:00.000+09:002005-07-22T16:36:11.350+09:00He cometh...AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1122017657992186182005-07-22T16:17:00.000+09:002005-07-22T16:34:17.996+09:00...my friend Dan, that is. On Monday Dan and his lovely fiancee will touch down in Prathet Thai where they will spend several days being dragged about Khon Kaen and Kalasin provinces. We may even stop at the Buddha on the hill pictured above. The poor couple don't know what they are in for. Dan will be subject to my long-winded pontifications on all things Thailand related as well as AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1121657831500032772005-07-18T12:13:00.000+09:002005-07-18T12:37:11.506+09:00Part of living in Thailand is plotting and scheming about getting rich quick. Realize that an income of twenty-thousand dollars a year would be very comfortable in Isaan and you'll understand the relative notion of getting rich. I've spun all sorts of silly ideas through my head on how I could supplement the monthly income. Of course in the end the best I could come up with is hauling my ass (AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1120626493515821732005-07-06T14:08:00.000+09:002005-07-06T14:08:13.520+09:00I don't remember my yellow school bus being anywhere near this cool.AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1120626266744712302005-07-06T13:53:00.000+09:002005-07-06T14:04:26.750+09:00Life continues per normal here in the Northeast of Thailand, in the Southeast of Asia. Visa runs made, highway(patrol)men bribed, classes taught. In truth, I have found myself back on a bit of a teaching high with several decent classes to thank. One private student I am teaching is about to go to America where he will work on his doctoral dissertation on...(I kid you not) Health in the AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1120034500569751572005-06-29T17:21:00.000+09:002005-06-29T17:41:40.616+09:00If like me you're concerned about the increasing population in the world then I don't need to tell you that by the year 2030 there will be another 2 billion people on earth. Now, I don't know where they are all going to go, but I have spent enough time in Japan to tell you that many people in one area makes for dour mugs on the early morning train commute and depressing scenes on the weekends AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1119433781106232182005-06-22T18:49:00.000+09:002005-06-22T18:49:41.110+09:00A friend in need (of a beer) is a friend indeed.AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1119433602583705682005-06-22T18:32:00.000+09:002005-06-22T18:51:35.676+09:00One of my best mate's, Daniel Pratt - a prodigious ale consumer and Yorkshireman rolled up in one, is threatening to come to Thailand. Now, this is not the first time a friend has told me that he/she was planning a visit, but I suspect from the number of emails he has sent me on the matter that he may actually be serious about it. This would be a great chance for me to practice my English AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1118995002940370582005-06-17T16:56:00.000+09:002005-06-17T17:01:42.740+09:00Ma and Pok eat into their winnings.AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1118986847398742142005-06-17T13:57:00.000+09:002005-06-17T14:44:01.390+09:00Ma Song has won the lottery. I know you think I am taking the Mickey here, but I swear on my lucky, gold-enameled Buddha pendant it is true. I have dispatched Asian Alien field correspondent Nigel P. Witherspoon III to the village of Nong Sao to get the full story.(camera pulls back from gaunt, pasty Englishman to reveal a small Isaan style dwelling. chicken sounds are distantly audible on the AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1118676193203319562005-06-14T00:23:00.000+09:002005-06-14T00:23:13.206+09:00No, really I insist - sleep on the floor.AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1118675917879981722005-06-13T23:50:00.000+09:002005-06-14T00:18:37.920+09:00For those of you whose free time is so inconsequential that you waste it tuning in to my musings, you may ask yourself, What has become of Ma Song? If you are a frequent follower, you will realize that my mother-in-law has been involved in more than her fair share of hijinks, often involving spitting or littering, that end up as fodder for my entries. You won’t have to scroll to far back to be AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1118331076846356942005-06-10T00:31:00.000+09:002005-06-10T00:31:16.906+09:00You saw the sign. Beware of me!AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1118299322531211342005-06-09T15:41:00.000+09:002005-06-09T15:42:02.536+09:00I have received official word from Nova about my reemployment. They have officially and ambiguously stated that they are not hiring in Japan, but would consider extending me an interview. If you are confused by this, how do you think I feel? I am still trying to clarify what is meant by their response. There has been some speculation from people on the inside that the Japan based personnel AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1118067192664292762005-06-06T22:35:00.000+09:002005-06-08T18:15:36.943+09:00Did my monthly thirty second visit to Laos today. Only stopped twice by the porcine highway patrol. Using what must be considered either brilliant or pathetic in the extreme, the first officer who stopped us claimed that we shouldn’t be traveling in the right hand (passing) lane of the highway. What in the name of God’s creation to they create the two lanes for, I ask? He was happy to let of AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1117946201395436962005-06-05T13:36:00.000+09:002005-06-05T13:36:41.400+09:00RugratsAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1117942106004010862005-06-05T12:27:00.000+09:002005-06-05T12:28:26.010+09:00Sunday, June 05, 2005 A full day about to get underway – my weekends are decent with the exception of one kids’ class that is out of control. There are ten students aged six through ten (quite a spread) and several of them have zero attention span, consequently distracting the others and myself before we can even get underway. I have kind of given up on them, and though I am not proud to say AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1117781178884025142005-06-03T15:46:00.000+09:002007-11-25T08:01:49.782+09:00AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1117777470684197702005-06-03T14:39:00.000+09:002005-06-03T14:44:30.690+09:00Wednesday, June 01, 2005 Another day off finds me in the village of Nong Sao. I am starting to pick up a little Thai and Lao so my ability to interact is a fraction better than before. The talk of the day centered around the Miss Universe contest, which was held in Thailand this year. It’s a testament to what a globalized place the world has become when the water-cooler talk in fortune five AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1117080816942241132005-05-26T13:12:00.000+09:002005-05-26T13:13:36.946+09:00Thursday, May 26, 2005 Checking in from Lazy Land – and I am not just referring to my life. You know you are in Thailand when a truck spraying pesticides specifically aimed at mosquitoes (there must be a word for that, like anti-mostiquaires) drives through your neighborhood and you welcome the potentially harmful fumes they spray because you read about an outbreak of dengue fever several daysAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1116482542402882902005-05-19T14:59:00.000+09:002005-05-19T15:02:22.406+09:00Thursday, May 19, 2005 A great day off yesterday, we went to a local temple before lunch and I got some good pictures, which I added to my online photos in the album entitled Isaan. After lunch, we went and got a massage. Thai massage is well renowned and deservedly so. It is a full body massage that incorporates a fair amount of stretching and torquing in addition to the typical rubbing and AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1116316809968001672005-05-17T16:59:00.000+09:002005-05-17T17:00:09.973+09:00Saturday, May 07, 2005 I am about to begin a fairly long day of teaching. I am as stressed as I have been in a long time. This is not fun. I am considering giving my notice on this job and leaving at the beginning of July.Tuesday, May 17, 2005 As a follow-up to the last entry, I actually called in sick the following day after a few too many that night. It is the first time I had missed work AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1115651555206945512005-05-10T00:10:00.000+09:002005-05-10T00:14:16.300+09:00Tuesday, May 03, 2005 We went to Kalasin yesterday to visit Ma Song in the hospital. I believe she had an inflammation of the intestine, though I am still not one hundred percent on the translation. She had stomach surgery and was not feeling well, to say the least, but was able to stand up and walk around. Going into hospitals is never something that I have liked. There were a number of fullAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1114830461306068922005-04-30T12:05:00.000+09:002005-04-30T12:07:41.306+09:00I was awoken this morning by a phone call from the Pa Tom (step-father-in-law) saying that Ma Song is in the hospital. After a morning of phone calls, it seems she is awaiting surgery on a stomach tumor. Obviously this is upsetting, especially for Pocky who has just dropped me at work and headed toward Kalasin to the hospital. I am sketchy on the details, but Ma Song is not the picture of AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1114011634925653922005-04-21T00:38:00.000+09:002005-04-21T00:40:34.926+09:00Tuesday, April 19, 2005 I am at one of those points that further fuels the cynic in me while making a whipping boy of the small optimist that remains. Other than the fact I am unable to stop my financial hemorrhaging, I am stuck (very temporarily) in a job that brings out laziest in me. There is so little in the way of responsible administering and guidance that I fall into the rut of expectingAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1113750947103945552005-04-17T23:43:00.000+09:002005-04-18T00:31:42.726+09:00I got back from the Songkran Festival on Friday the 15th, after four days of non-stop partying in the village of Nong Sao and the closest town, Kalasin. I took a lot of notes as I was thinking about doing a magazine article, but whether that ever comes to pass remains to be seen - I got a blanket rejection from the only rag (in print) that does Thai based stuff of this nature. Farang magazine is AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1112775901784979612005-04-06T17:23:00.000+09:002005-04-16T18:58:04.953+09:00Life may be a box full of chocolates, in that you never know what you’re going get; mine is an omelet. It might go back to the whole vacuum cleaner incident and a need for revenge, or it might have just been a spontaneous idea for fun at the foreigner’s expense, whatever the case, Pocky and Ma Song called me to dinner the other night and I sat down to an egg omelet that looked quite appetizing.AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1111588017935810092005-03-23T23:06:00.000+09:002005-03-24T02:08:42.510+09:00I have to be careful about what I post on this blog. I am giving away some price moments for free. Here’s another gem coming absolutely gratis. I have figured a way to defeat Ma Song and Pocky when they gang up on me in spitfire Lao and then laugh heartily while motioning at my midriff; I only need brandish our latest purchase…the vacuum. As the woman at the store put it when Pocky asked AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1111463515257962082005-03-22T12:51:00.000+09:002005-03-22T12:56:29.216+09:00Last Thursday I was in Laos for thirty seconds, maybe a minute or maybe fifteen. It all depends on our interpretation of being in Laos. If being in Laos is receiving permission to enter the People’s Democratic Republic – no laughing – then, I was indeed in Laos for the duration of time it took me to walk around the immigration building from the incoming to the outgoing side and wait to be AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1110950045130311002005-03-16T14:12:00.000+09:002005-03-16T14:14:05.133+09:00Every time I let this blog go for even a few days it becomes intimidating to make an entry because of the amount of material I could potentially cover. I’ll relegate this entry to my most cynical experience of the week, or should it be cynisizing experience? I had agreed to start a French class on Monday from 10am to 11:30. There were, evidently 17 would-be francophones set to embark on the AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1110511426915875792005-03-11T12:21:00.000+09:002005-03-11T12:23:46.916+09:00This is vintage Thailand. Pocky quit her job three days ago. The circumstances were less than great. I already wrote a bit about the crap working conditions. Well, if any more proof was needed that the employer was completely unscrupulous, she got a call today from her ex-boss who claims that she broke the such and such and will have to pay 2,500baht (50$) to fix it. Her outstanding salary AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1110193586820709162005-03-07T20:05:00.000+09:002005-03-11T12:03:01.036+09:00If my life now were a symphony, it would be heavy on the percussion instruments, lots of kettle drum and cymbals, none of that sissy triangle, though. My life is filled with ten times the drama as what passes for such on daytime TV. For instance, right now my girlfriend is probably quitting her job, another nail in the coffin that will send me back to the developed world for more money. I AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1109908604862891562005-03-04T12:53:00.000+09:002005-03-07T20:08:32.793+09:00Is posting on Thai related forums and then checking back every fifteen minutes to see if someone has replied a sign that I have now joined the world of the truly socially pathetic? The answer is an unequivocal yes. It’s not my fault I have no friends. I love (maybe ‘like a lot’) the city of Khon Kaen on so many levels, but all the ex-pats here are over fifty. I just can’t see myself at a bar AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1109764647686173912005-03-02T20:56:00.000+09:002005-03-02T20:57:27.686+09:00Another day off for me after a grueling hour and a half of work yesterday. My lifestyle is truly decadent. I suppose there must be some overriding rule of energy in all this… I worked harder than I ever have for about a year and a half, I was lucky to get one day off a week, and here I am lazing about with a dozen or so hours of work a week. Actually, I have a bit of a positive comment on the AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1109660230699156552005-03-01T15:55:00.000+09:002005-03-01T15:57:10.700+09:00I am supposed to be “planning” several classes now, so I have decided to write an entry instead. I was taken out for lunch twice over the weekend by students. One of the students had a birthday and the other group had their last class. I had yet another chat with the administratess of the school. As in the dark as ever about my visa situation, she relented on one point by saying that if I AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1109322998704602742005-02-25T18:14:00.000+09:002005-02-25T18:16:38.706+09:00Another visit from Ma Song. For those who don’t know, Ma Song will probably one day wear the dubious title of mother-in-law. She certainly is getting in shape for the part. She stayed over the last two nights, and I tell you, the lady has an innate sense for what will drive me up the wall and she uses this gift to said end. Just to give you a bit of the picture – the woman is in her AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1109236713668019882005-02-24T18:16:00.000+09:002005-02-24T18:18:33.670+09:00Brief entry as I have to bugger off to work in a half-an-hour. I just had a job interview in which I was offered a lower per hour rate than I had been anticipating. I accepted anyway as it’s just short term and the next two months could see me in a good way financially if I work hard. The job in question was willing to work around my full-time hours. Nonetheless, they asked me to design a AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1109050151187444342005-02-22T14:26:00.000+09:002005-02-22T14:29:11.190+09:00Idle talk last night between me and the missus about buying a house. It started at the local department store where a real-estate representative was displaying model houses for a new housing community. I already spoke a bit about the housing situation as we visited a housing community in construction when we first arrived in Khon Kaen. There is some temptation in buying a house because of the AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1108871503475484692005-02-20T12:16:00.000+09:002005-02-20T12:51:43.476+09:00Sunday, February 20, 2005 I must be the world’s worst negotiator. How else to explain my insistence that 300 baht hourly was sufficient, despite the lady at the school asking, “Are you sure you don’t want to negotiate for more?” No, no, really I insist I am worth no more than 300 an hour. I should backtrack slightly. I applied for a job. I have a job of sorts, but always looking for AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1108544723353410192005-02-16T18:03:00.000+09:002005-02-20T12:16:03.790+09:00On Monday morning we hopped in the car and drove three hours (maybe two, I wasn’t paying attention) to Nong Khai, the town that borders Laos on the Mekong and is home to the closest immigration office. For the princely sum of 2000 baht (50$) I was given another thirty days in the Kingdom. My next trip to Nong Khai will see me crossing the border into Laos to connive my way into some sort of AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1108267405433335242005-02-13T13:01:00.000+09:002005-02-13T13:12:37.686+09:00In some ways my experience living in Japan prepared me well for Thailand. Through Japan I have come to understand ideas of hierarchal relationships, group-orientated behavior and filial piety (meaning I can live with my parents until the ripe-old-age of whenever they die). On the other hand, Japan has actually stunted my ability to deal with Thailand in certain respects. I would have done AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1108108087270459722005-02-11T16:15:00.000+09:002005-02-13T13:04:17.250+09:00Interesting personal events have transpired today that lead me to reflect on an age old quandary of the ESL teacher abroad... socilaizing with students. My former employer expressly forbade student-teacher socialization, so much so that it was a part of the contract we signed. For the most part I didn't socialize with students, but more due to the nature of my job than the contract stipulation. AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1108091575100270792005-02-11T12:12:00.000+09:002005-02-11T12:12:55.103+09:00The Thai media is something. Everything is something, but the Thai media is really something, if you know what I mean, and you probably don’t. I don’t know much about the media in terms of reporting, but in terms of images I have never seen such visceral, bloody photos appear in newspapers or on TV elsewhere like I have in Thailand. Let’s say the headline is Local Official Shot Dead. In otherAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1108013280630773072005-02-10T14:26:00.000+09:002005-02-10T14:28:00.630+09:00Learning is essentially going from a state of ignorance to one of knowledge. We are ignorant of something and through the process of learning we come to understand the thing. Most human beings grasp the process of learning as such, nonetheless I have come across, and continue to, some people for whom the process of learning can never really commence because “I don’t understand.” Of course you AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1107778695012901932005-02-07T21:17:00.000+09:002005-02-07T21:18:15.013+09:00Monday, February 07, 2005
Yesterday it was a short trip to the village to vote in the national election. Thaksin, the incumbent, and his Thais Love Thailand party (has a certain ring to it?) were again elected to power. I don’t pretend to know, or care, much about the Thai political scene, however Thaksin is a populist and everyone in the village excluding my girlfriend was voting for him. AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1107495514610306142005-02-04T14:36:00.000+09:002005-02-04T17:10:03.243+09:00Wednesday, February 02, 2005
So I am online now. It was simply a modem error that was easily rectified, but it was the fact that someone more knowledgeable than the broad (that’s the best word I can think of for her) that usually answered the phone picked up when we called to inquire yet again as to why we weren’t connected. In short, she had completely lied about why we couldn’t access the net AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1107164828929406232005-01-31T18:45:00.000+09:002005-01-31T18:47:08.930+09:00I've done it. I have sucessfully rejoined the virtual world. I have stuck journal entries for the better part of January below. Lots of boring stuff, so scroll down to the bottown if you only want the latest. I should have some pictures up soon as well.AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1107164646649063332005-01-31T18:40:00.000+09:002005-01-31T18:44:06.650+09:00Wednesday, January 5, 2005
Interesting last couple of days (actually it’s hard not to have an interesting day when you’ve just moved to a foreign country). We are now moved into a nice, little house that rents for 100$ a month. We are quite pleased with our find. It’s about five minutes outside of town in a ‘moobahn’, meaning village. It would probably be considered a middle class, Thai AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1105863148407391582005-01-16T17:00:00.000+09:002005-01-16T17:12:28.406+09:00My apologies to anyone who has been checking this and hoping for more consistent updates. The moving process has been a busy one and I still don't have a phone line, though now am moved into a rental house and in possession of a new automobile. I hope to get some pictures online soon, but as I am dependent on the internet cafe I'm not sure when that will be. It seems that I have also found a AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1104725710573148712005-01-03T13:01:00.000+09:002005-01-03T13:45:07.053+09:00Still feeling a bit of the affects of the dietary change, though this morning things seem to have sorted themselves out. Yesterday was another interesting day. We found ourselves a rental house. The process for doing this is pretty simple. There don't seem to be many real estate agency around, so we just paid a tuk-tuk driver to take us around to various housing developments. Typically these AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1104589896415382302005-01-01T23:27:00.000+09:002005-01-01T23:31:36.416+09:00The alien has had a bit of a disappointing New Year. Last night was a bit of a bust- we returned to our hotel room here in Khon Kaen before midnight - and today I spent most of the day in the hotel room with a slight fever and not so slight bout of the runs, which kept me running to the toilet. Not the auspicious start to 2005 that I would have liked, but we'll keep a positive attitude. Tomorrow AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1104493729288559962004-12-31T20:47:00.000+09:002004-12-31T20:48:49.286+09:00Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Today we were up early and had breakfast about 9ish and after a couple of hours on the beach we rented a scooter and toured the island in the afternoon, albeit slowly as I didn’t want to become on of those vacation horror stories that occur all to frequently with two-wheeled vehicles and tourists. Koh Chang is probably the best beach we’ve been to in terms of AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1102382334167656452004-12-07T10:11:00.000+09:002004-12-07T10:18:54.166+09:00This will be the second to last day I sit at home and wait for OT (tomorrow being the last). The end is truly in sight now. I have eleven days left and almost as many drinking engagements. I feel a lot more relaxed now that I have got everything, almost, out of the way. One thing about leaving a place is the interminable goodbye parties that go on. I now realize it is impossible to both be a goodAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1101175624817938202004-11-23T10:56:00.000+09:002004-11-23T11:08:56.236+09:00Winding up to wind down and completely wound up. Well, it appears as if OT has utterly dried up in my company, as well as planning periods for those of us, like me, who are ostensibly in charge of the branches we work at. It might just be the ideal moment to jump off the Nova boat, if it weren't for the gadloads of money they throw at me for flapping my jaw - relative to teaching in Thailand of AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1099523581984805002004-11-04T08:00:00.000+09:002004-11-04T08:13:01.983+09:00 Elated by W’s victory I decided to take the day off work; it
‘s my company after all, I’ll do as I please. Turning the key in the ignition, I rev the engine of my Suburban several times in a symbolic gesture to those who would cripple America’s oil supply. Although I have the time and the McDonald’s is not crowded, I opt out of eating in. Instead I order my Big Mac Super-Sized Meal via the AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1098406344334587422004-10-22T09:45:00.000+09:002004-10-22T09:52:24.336+09:00Sitting at home waiting for a call for OT. I've been going at it like mad. I already have 29hours this month. I had 46hours last month. All this work doesn't leave for much time and what little free time I've had has been spent doing an online TEFL course (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) . I've succesfully sent off three boxes of stuff to Thailand and Jenjira is moving out of BangkokAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1091409409501190082004-08-02T10:12:00.000+09:002004-08-02T10:16:49.503+09:00Back at this after a long time absent. I logged 56 lessons of OT in the month of July, hence only two days off. Due to this work intensive lifestyle, I haven't had much time for anything of interest. All work and no play makes Matt a dull boy. I plan to keep up at this pace until December when I move to Thailand. My apologies for lack of wry prosiac insights into life in Asia, but I''ve AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1089078808272267482004-07-06T10:49:00.000+09:002004-07-06T10:53:29.903+09:00Been a while since I've updated primarily due to the recent move that I've made. That done, I again have some free time, but not much as I'm pulling six and seven day work weeks in preparation (financial) for my upcoming move to Thailand. Tentative date is December 15th. I hope to be a bit better about contributing to this, but I am still at the mercy of my room mate as I sold my desktop and AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-108640941297601302004-06-05T13:12:00.000+09:002004-06-05T13:23:32.976+09:00Anyway, great stay in Kuala Lumpur at a very expensive hotel that was well worth it just for the view of the towers. We also had lunch at a rotating restaurant on the KL tower, so I got a good feel for the city and its layout. We took a plane for about one hour and a taxi for another to get us to a jetty from where it was another thirty minutes to the island. The journey was worth it for the AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1085392487699632532004-05-24T18:45:00.000+09:002004-05-24T18:54:47.700+09:00I'm back from Malaysia. Great trip...for the most part. Fascinating mix of cultures, ethnicities and religions. As usual, I've got a slew of pictures that I will post, but as I'm now at the mercy of internet cafes and friends for my online access, I will not be able to post pictures immediately. A quick rundown of the trip - after one night in Bangkok (no not the song by Murray Head)we flew AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1084499389148801802004-05-14T10:48:00.000+09:002004-05-14T10:49:49.146+09:00I've been told that this blog hasn't been online, but then again neither have I. Off to Malaysia today. Will keep you posted as much as possible, but my modem is busted so...AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1082702374441786162004-04-23T15:39:00.000+09:002004-11-23T11:11:11.446+09:00The Alien is very tired, even exhausted, so it's probably good luck that he couldn't find overtime today. You can tell things are coming apart when you start talking about yourself in the third person. My passport came back with some new pages inserted. I'm very excited. I'm also reading a book by Anthony Burgess (wrote Clockwork Orange) about the post WWII period in Malaysia. Very interesting AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1082283941549643482004-04-18T19:25:00.000+09:002007-11-25T07:58:58.523+09:00Funny thing going to the American embassy in Tokyo, the security was tighter than a virgin's..., whoa, hold up, my mom reads this thing. Anyway, before I even got within three blocks of the building there was a cop asking me where I was going and why. I told him I wanted to get pages added to my passport. He let me through, but I played the Q&A game twice more before arriving at the gate. AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1081995019073086992004-04-15T11:10:00.000+09:002007-11-25T07:58:58.532+09:00Undoing the chain and turning the lock simultaneously, he opened the door. She walked in holding the tray at chest level. There was no water. This maid looked a bit young, not young and pretty, but young nonetheless. “Where’s the water?” She was headed toward the dresser to set down the tray. “Water?” He asked again. She didn’t seem to understand. There was something about her uniform.AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1081994538955247862004-04-15T11:02:00.000+09:002007-11-25T07:58:58.540+09:00Interesting to be in Japan right now. The kidnapping of three Japanese journalists has further polarized public opinion around the Japanese presence in Iraq. The usually opinion-less Japanese are actually expressing some views on this issue, albeit relatively subdued and wavering views.
In other news, I've been a bit stressed out running all over the greater Tokyo area, chasing down overtimeAAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6080672.post-1081130075255327742004-04-05T10:54:00.000+09:002007-11-25T07:58:58.548+09:00Our Sprawling, Supersize Utopia: "Just out of reach, just beyond the next ridge, just in the farther-out suburb or with the next entrepreneurial scheme, just with the next diet plan or credit card purchase, the next true love or political hero, the next summer home or all-terrain vehicle, the next meditation technique or motivational seminar; just with the right schools, the right moral revival, AAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01442910298409995901noreply@blogger.com0