Ninjas!!

Fight or flight?

I ran for it.

Hanami

On my way home. Cherry blossoms are out.

Meeting the good doctor again.

I met up with the good doctor again yesterday at our Alpha course. (Rubric! rubric!) Oddly, he seemed happy to see me. His head is chocked full of knowledge on various topics, especially medicine and religion.
He asks a lot of questions.
I think he was born in Tokyo. Lived there.
He changed jobs and came to work in Osaka. While in Osaka he has learned some of the local dialect, Osaka ben.

After the Alpha, in a Japanese restaurant, during dinner, he was telling us about how when in Tokyo, his Osaka Ben came out, and the Tokyoites were a little disconcerted, thinking he was mafia (so he said). He laughed about this soo hard, I have never seen a Japanese person laugh so hard, it was funny, it was infectious. Yoshihiko, Eiko, Kazuko Hikasa, Koichi and I. We all laughed. It was a hearty laugh. It is overused but I will say it. It is good to laugh.

My Triumphant Return

Almost three years ago I came to Japan on a short term mission trip. When I first got here, my brain could not take in everything, Japanese people's faces all looked the same, places melded into each other, my senses were overstimulated. Against this backdrop of blur, I went to a homeless mission meeting, with Dan the missionary man, and two Korean Pastors from California. They were thinking about bringing a short term team here and were scouting things out. We arrived on the train and then headed to the outside of the loop line (and because of my ineptness here is the picture that goes with it). In Osaka, in spite of what the maps tell you, the inside of the loop is Osaka but the outside of the loop is something else. Amongst the blur, I did happen to notice several things. I vividly recall the long lineup of homeless people waiting at a large building. I also noticed a youngish man in expensive black clothes standing next to his black Mercedes with black tinted windows, waiting for something. I saw him at least once or twice more, though we never went that way again. There was also a very old gentleman dressed in what looked to be towels and rags that in the way they were arranged could have been construed (with the right tweak of your imagination) to look like a dress. He seemed very happy to see me, took hold of me and with a big smile, exuberantly expressed to me in what I assumed to be Japanese, his greetings. After being rescued from his grasp I has informed by the more fluent of our group that he really liked me, and wanted to take me home. Being naive, I still haven't come to grips with the reason, but I'm sure the dress was a clue. So with out much incident we arrived at the place where the meeting was being held. it looked very "inner cityish" to me. The proceedings started with a continuation from the week before of the movie Titanic which was interrupted just as the boat was about to sink, to be continued the week there after. (I recall being amused how the "aww" of disappointed viewers, sounds the same in Japan as it does in Canada). The main part of the meeting consisted of a time of singing, a recital of the apostles creed, a message, prayer and then dinner. The last thing that I remember striking me was how well organized and orderly all these homeless people were, patiently waiting in lines and easily working together to see that everyone got food in an expedient manner.

Fast forwarding through a couple or three years and here I go again, my triumphant return to the scene of the crime. Michael phoned me up and said he wanted to go to the homeless mission and invited me along. We agreed to meet at the closest train station, we were going to walk together to Pastor So's residence to meet with him at about four in the afternoon. The over stimulation blur has gradually become more focused for me and I notice many more and different things nowadays. As I was waiting at the train station, I had a sense that the people seemed different to me, carried themselves differently. I should probably chalk it up to my imagination, as it was on the edges of reality, more of an intangible than noticed facts. After Michael arrived we hustled off toward our destination, neither of us knew where it was but Michael was confident he would recognize how to get there. Although I did not notice any Yakuza or see my old friend, the same long line of homeless people were still there, and looking none-the worse-for-wear (as far as homeless people can look non-the-worse-for-wear) and I hoped that they weren't too tired from standing there for the past few years. We purposely wandered around, conspicuous. The things that stood out for me this time were the perpetual garage sale items displayed all along the streets wherever there was a free spot that didn't involve taking someone else's frontage. The friendly salesman with a big smile who helpfully directed us toward the station (where we had come from) (assuming of course that we were not in the neighbourhood because we wanted to be). We asked him about the meeting in broken Japanese, bending and stressing if not breaking all our Japanese abilities. He helpfully directed us in the right direction. We purposefully wandered some more. We asked more questions. I was struck by the plywood and sawhorse tables, shiny and polished with use, surrounded by serious faced gamblers throwing out thousand yen bills. We were directed to a church building of some kind that many of the neighbourhood folk seemed to agree was where we needed to go, but was not. We continued our purposeful wandering. We came by the friendly salesman yet again. Smiled and nodded. We eventually happened upon Pastor So's house but by this time he had left and there was no one there. I know the area well now, and can take anyone interested on a tour, pointing out the sights and attractions. Eventually we ended up at the building where the meeting was to take place, across the street from the gaming tables. It was ten after six, we were late and Pastor So was waiting for us. The meeting went ahead in a similar fashion as before with the exception of the movie, but then again we were late so it may have finished by the time we got there. Since we were visitors we were expected to say a little something after the message. I had spent time in the morning preparing a little something. I had decided to read Romans 10 vs. 8-13 and I wanted to emphasize the everyone in verse thirteen. When it came to me, I jumped up brimming with confidence. I opened my little Japanese bible and launched into the reading with gusto. Not long into said reading I came to the realization that I had forgotten to pre-read this text. Not a big deal for me in English but another matter entirely in Japanese. I came to this realization as I got bogged down in drifts of Kanji the way my little Volkswagen used to, in drifts of Canadian snow. My knees were quivering, perhaps my vocal chords too. I ploughed through and managed to get to the other side. My confidence battered, bruised and shaken. I hastily made my one little point.

Everybody.

The frustration at not knowing

The frustration at not being able to express what you want to say when the Sensei asks a question. Having to stick to the structure and the few bits of vocabulary you have learned thus far is really annoying. But it is nothing compared to the frustration of not getting certain parts of the language you are trying to learn. And not being able to ask questions, or to intelligently inquire about what your are learning. As a kid when you are learning a language and processing things, it isall happening at the same speed. Learning a language as an adult, having already developed the ability to think and reason, makes things more frustrating. You have this great desire to pose questions, to confirm unclear things, to iron out this ambiguity or that. And yet it is next to impossible because you don’t share a common language.

On the corner

This is a blog that has been sitting, brewing, like a larva in a cocoon.
It has just metamorphosed into something, I'm not sure what. It might turn it to a really nice sort of butterfly, the kind you occasionally see fluttering in the cool breeze of a beautiful summer day. On the other hand I just may head toward a bright, stinking-hot light and well you know...
One time, Dan and I handed out some digest bibles.
We put together a little package, Digest bible, book mark from the digest bible people, Budounoki Cell Church bookmark, and a size matching orange Let's Alpha! flyer advertising the upcoming Alpha. It was a bookmark sandwich. Bible on one side orange flyer on the other side, with the bookmarks in the middle somewhere all packed in a just the right size Ziploc baggie.
In Osaka it is common to see people handing out flyers to passersby, often it is a small pack of tissues with advertising on it, sometimes it is a restaurant or a hair salon in the vicinity, sending out the employees to drum up some business.
As I stood on the street corner, in between potential people, I noted;
The orange side seemed attractive to passersby.
It was stressful, my first time to stand on a street corner and hand out.
My hands got cold. But I was well dressed for the weather.
The sun shone at times caressing me.
It drizzled for a short time, but we were not to be daunted by a little rain.
So many different people walk by, all created by God. So many different reactions, you can tell something about a person's personality by how they walk by or how they respond.
Some as far away as possible.
Some avert their eyes head downward.
Some ignore you, don't even acknowledge your existence.
Some are extremely busy, in a huge hurry,
Some smile,
Some are polite,
Some are senile,
Some are friendly,
Some are interested, in the foreigners who do something so Japanese but so "in your face"; handing out flyers on a street corner,
Some are intrigued,
Some accept because it is easier than rejecting,
Some reject out of long habit,
Some reject because it easier than accepting,
Some reject and then change their mind by the time they get a little further around the corner,
Some run as if in a hurry to catch the stale green light, but there is still lots of time left before the light changes,
Some fight over the one copy, Please have more,
Some stop to read instead of crossing the street,
Dan is good at handing out. You can tell he has done it before. I don't like it.
After the fact looking back, I feel I know the street corner. I stood there for several hours. The close corner which I walk by most often, was more comfortable to stand on. The far corner was less comfortable, for two reasons, one I walk there less often, and two it was where we started.
I feel I know my community better. I saw some of the locals, the building security/traffic director who always looks very friendly, who Aukje always chats with on the way to the church.
Eiichi-san the owner of Ottori. The strong silent type, he said hey to me with a smile and I responded with 'afternoon' in Japanese and asked him if he was 'genki'.
Yet while standing there, I felt a basic 'community feeling' that is difficult to find in a such a highly densely populated area.
So many faces, so many people.

The Guardians at Shitennoji Temple

It's enough to give me the hibbiejibbies.

Happy New Year!!

Our 2007 Nengajo. I don't think I got started any earlier this year.

Baking my Noodle.

This is the book I am currently reading titled ゆうたはともだち by きたやまようこ. It was a gift from a good friend, Motoko, who really enjoyed it and thought I might too. It is all about a dog and his boy. Yaknow how some books, like novels, can be easy to read, but how others, like your philosophy text book from university, can really bake your noodle? Well this is one of the latter.
Let me give you a marvelous sample from the first page.

おれはいぬ。 (I'm a dog.)

Hmm, in retrospect, perhaps not so marvelous, how about something from the more meaty part of the book.

おれはあしをあげる。(I lift a leg.)
おまえはあげない。 (You don't.)

Can you not just touch the brilliant wit, the concise substance, the deep profoundness of the thought processes. I will concede that there is a possibility you have to be able to see the pictures, (you know what they say about the value of pictures) and I must admit something has been lost in the translation. Nevertheless, if and when I am able to plow through the content of this book (all twelve or so pages), the next two parts of the trilogy await me!

Ho Ho Ho

Merry Christmas
メリー　クリスマス

For what it's worth and no more.

Some people think I am an optimist.
I would say I am just telling the truth.
Truth be told, deep down I am a pessimist and I try to hide it.

I apologize for lack of blog posts.

Terribly Sorry.
Please please, oh please I humbly beg your forgiveness.

Neko

It is some time ago now, nevertheless, while I was in school I had one elective class each week that was devoted simply to writing. Even though I like to write in English I was surprised to find that I liked writing in Japanese too. Sometimes it is frustrating in that you want to express something but lack the ability, but generally I enjoyed it. I remember working through this exercise, (we were given the pictures and had to make up the story), chuckling here, smirking there, thoroughly enjoying my astonishing wit and the prose I was weaving. I thought I would post a sample of something I wrote in class and you my faithful readers can enjoy my brilliance for yourself. I must admit something may be lost in the translation, so for anyone who can read Japanese I will include the original text as well, in case you find my chicken scratch on the pictures difficult to read.

ピンポン
おばあさんは「はい、何にか」といいました。
雄猫くんは「今日は、わたくしは山田雄猫ですけど、あなたのせんたくとそうじのしごとにおうぼをします」と答えました。
「でもあなたわ猫ですね」といいました。
「はい。しかしだいたい猫はせんたくとそうじが上手です。」
「どうぞ」
Ding Dong
"Yes what is it?" said Ms Oldlady.
"Good Day, I am Little boy Tomcat Yamada and I am applying for your washing and cleaning job" Little boy Tomcat replied.
"But you are a cat aren't you?" she said.
"Yes. But generally cats are very good at washing and cleaning"
"Please come in"


「インタビューをはじめますか」
「はい、お願いします。」
「なんさいですか」
「四十さい猫年です」
「ああなるほど。　あなたは結婚していますか」
「いいえ、まだですが、こいびとがいます。」
「血液型は何型ですか」
「私はA型です」
「ええ、自分のエプロンがありますか」
「もちろん。ポケットの中です。」
「じゃ今からしごとをはじめましょう」
"Shall we begin the interview?"
"Yes, please."
"How old are you?"
"Forty, cat years."
"Ahh I see. Are you married?"
"No not yet, but I have a girlfriend."
"What blood type are you?"
"I am A type"
"Ahh, Do you have your own apron?"
"Of course, it's in my pocket."
"Well you can start work right away."

山田雄猫はニコニコをしています。
「信じられない」自分に言います。
「ぼくはメイドです」
Tomcat Yamada　is chuckling to himself.
"I don't believe it" he said to himself.
"I am a maid."


雄猫くんはせんたくとそうじはあまり上手ではありません。　雄猫たからです。　しかし、お金がほしいです。人とビールのようにぎゅうにゅうを飲みます。高いちゅうどくですが。
Little boy Tomcat is not very good at cleaning. He is a tom cat after all. But he wants money. Like people and beer he drinks milk. It is an expensive habit.

There you have it. Upon giving it a second reading with a little perspective, I find it akin to something I wrote in grade three. Well no where to go but up I suppose.

On the Kotatsu

Recently I've been muddling my way around the IT department. My wife's good old Windows 98 computer has only been able to boot in safe mode for quite some time, and now that school is over I am able to attack the problem with gusto. I quite enjoy tackling these kinds of problems, back in the day I used to do it for PROMAT Engineering. Aaahh, nostalgic reminiscing always makes a situation more palatable.
I tried to find the reason why windoze would not boot and next decided to do a reinstall of windows. After that adventure came to naught, I resorted to restoring the machine to its original state from the original manufacturer's CDs. Things were going quite well... until the harddrive started to make noises that I am quite sure hard drives are not supposed to make. I hastily powered down, and on the next bootup my good buddy, (we had by now spent enough quality time together to become good buddies) the computer, informed me that there were no hard drives anymore and could I please do something about it. Well I couldn't let him down. I disconnected all vitals and laid him down on the operating kotatsu. I opened him up and removed the offending old dead internal organ and inserted an older working harddrive I had lying around. You are probably thinking at this juncture "that is no way to treat a good buddy!" and well that was exactly his reaction. As I tried to restore him to health he cacked and and informed me that this new harddrive was much too small and could I please do something about it. I tried a few things but in the end decided to head to the organ bank and shell out for a new harddrive. I returned home and inserted said new harddrive (roughly eighty times the size of the original) (something you do for a good buddy) but he was still mad at me over the first insertion. It's still too small he wined. We got into a bit of a kerfuffel at this point and words were exchanged. I lost my patience and he remained insolent and uncooperative. After a good nights sleep, we started afresh. I was able to cajole him into accepting the new organ, and restore him to health. Sounds like a happy ending, but meanwhile back at my own desk my old buddy the laptop was becoming jealous of my new buddy, not enough quality time and all I suppose. He too began wining. I hastened to his attention and quickly turned off the data drive, disconnected and laid it on the operating kotatsu. After going in and proceeding with the initial exploratory surgery, I found loose diodes that had fallen off the circuit board floating around in the drive enclosure. When it rains it pours and relationships always need a genuine effort.

Kotatsu

This is our kotatsu. Kotatsu in Japan are plentiful, traditionally used as a gathering place for families to enjoy dinner and each other's company. In recent years, from what I understand, kotatsu usage is in decline as homes come under the influence of western design. In our humble abode we have one though, a handmedown from MUP Luke10ers Micah and Melanie. One would sit at it on a pillow and be able to use it for most anything. Under the table is a built in heater, and it comes with a blanket and an underpad. In the wintertime, the pad goes under the table legs, and the blanket is draped over the legs but under the table top. Apply the heater and voila, you have an extremely cozy place to gather round and fall asleep.

Continuing Education II

Now that I am done with full-time Japanese language school, I must look for other options to continue to pick up the local lingo. And, one never knows where one will find peachy opportunities. This sign beside me as I was sitting on the potty made for some meaty study material. I found myself enthralled!

Today's Quote du Jour

I like rice. Rice is great if you're hungry and want 2000 of something. - Mitch Hedberg

I don't know Mitch. Rumour has it he is an American Comedian, but the quote is particularly apt to the culture I am living. It is funny, until someone like me who has been born and bred with a fork and spoon in his mouth, tries to handle two thousand of something with hashi (chopsticks). Then you just have to laugh.

おっとり

To celebrate the end of my classes at YMCA Japanese Language School, we had dinner at a charming little restaurant in our neighbourhood called Ottori. According to the dictionary the name means affable, agreeable, suave, smooth, one person said it is a place where you can kick back and relax. Ottori's specialty is chicken, and they serve other kinds of food as well. The shop's owners studied and met in California before getting married and returning to Japan. Our communication tends toward half Japanese and half English, but it gives me chance to practice my Japanese anyway.

On My Last Day of School

I left a piece of my heart at school today, but then I try to leave a piece of my heart wherever I go, and what ever I do.
It is a bit of a catch 22. It is painful to do so. It is the right thing to do in my mind, to do something well enough, to wrap yourself in it. My view of success too I suppose.
I did not pass the course, although I ended with better marks than expected. Passing is not neccesarily part of success. If passing is neccesary than you ought not to try anything difficult, you will always pass.
It was a bit embarrasing sometimes, not wanting to reveal my poor marks to fellow students. We all received report cards (not final ones) and I didn't want to look, I quickly put it in my bag. I was too anxious to look and I did not want to be embarrassed. Everyone else was comparing.
Just prior to that we received the marks back from our interview test. I usually did quite well on the interview test, and this time I got 22 out of 25. Everyone one else was comparing.
I had checked and quickly put mine away. But I was asked and had to say what I got. Turned out I was seconnd in the class. I went down in a blaze of glory.

Showing off my Japanese Conversational Prowess

Returning home from school on my bicycle, on the last leg of my journey. Riding beside the Keihan train line, which is mostly elevated, but for a small stretch where it ducks under the JR freight train line. The area looks some what like you would expect an area near the train tracks to look, industrial areas and dilapidated housing, dirty. I was at peace, in my own world, thinking about the day's events, kanji, grammar, listening, and reading tests. I was transitioning into the more bedroom community like Sekime area where I live, suddenly, from amongst the bicycle, scooter and foot traffic around me, a very jovial, weathered, friendly face I have never seen before, jumped out at me and exclaimed "元気そうなー" (roughly translated that would be "my you look healthy don't you!"). He seemed delighted, I not sure whether with me, himself, or maybe just life. I was taken aback (being in my own world and all) and I could only manage a curt はい(Yes) in reply, at which he laughed with surprise at the fact that I actually understood what he had said.
I must confess at this juncture that I do know why he would say such a thing to me. You see it has recently turned Autumn here in Japan, as in many parts of the world, and as every one here knows, no one in their right mind would wear a short sleeve shirt in the fall no matter what the temperature might be. I however, have taken to continue wearing my short sleeves, Japanese fall feeling pretty much the same as the latter half of a Canadian summer. I should not succumb to the weather when fashion is on the line, it is simply a matter of mind over matter after all, but I am not yet Japanese.