Gaijins are crazy

People don't lock their bikes here and that offends me. It offended me so much last night that I knocked several over. I unplugged the lit wreaths hanging on lampposts along Christmas lane because the Japanese only celebrate Christmas aesthetically. Last night's gaijin-dance party was so fun and so very successful, not only because I woke up without a hangover, but also because I remember everything that happened and now I know there's a 4 a.m. bullet train from Oita to Beppu.  

I have Wannabe stuck in my head

Firstly, HI JO

And secondly, today was awesome. Maybe it's my diet that's making me so happy. I've been taking a lot of St. John's Wort and everything I ate today either had sugar or caffeine in it. What a great Thanksgiving! 

Speaking of my irregular diet, even though I have my own kitchen, I have not actually cooked anything yet unless you count reheating leftover pizza in the toaster oven. I'm using my stove as a drying rack for wet dishes. And I haven't plugged in the fridge yet not only because I haven't bought any perishable food but also because I'm paying my own bills. 

In other news, I caught myself speaking English with a Japanese accent today in class. I think I'm turning Japanese.

   

 

    

JAPAN 2

The following are merely some thoughts with no transitions. 

Today I bought an electric blanket because it's cooooooold over heres. It's supposed to snow! I don't know what to do with myself.  

I made friends with a Japanese lady at the Beppu tourist office and I'm meeting her tomorrow for supper at her house. She's probably 60 years old. She's wants me to converse with her in English to improve her speaking skills. I accepted because I'm lonely, and I need her to help me get a cell phone, but she doesn't know that yet, so booyah. 

On Saturday I'm going with my new friends Minna and Iris to this gaijin dance party held inside a room. It's all you can drink for some exorbitant fee. I decided to go because I'm lonely and because the possibilities of where the night will end up excite me. The zero-likelihood that I will make the last train home at midnight with no place to crash means that this night is going to be interesting in the least.  

I will probably never write about work because my job is a joke. 

Inspired by previous post, besides recycling, these things also annoy me about Japan. I have striked out the language barrier because that's something I should learn since I'm in their country. 

- How google opens as google.co.jp. 

- Customer service. Construction workers, train station managers, McDonalds employees, every other damn clerk, etc. are so fucking polite. If you have a shit job, you don't have to be nice to me, o-kudasai. I like my coffee served with a side of disgruntled-worker angst. And no, I don't need a bag for that.  

- Taking off shoes indoors. Not only in homes, but in restaurants, dressing rooms, corporate offices, etc.    

- Cell phone charms. Cell phones in general, actually.  

- The price of fruits and vegetables. A cheap head of cabbage is 100 yen, or about a dollar. Actually all food is expensive and come in small portions. A shitty medium pizza cost me 1,700 yen, or about 17 dollars.

- Trendy Japanese male fashion

- Celsius. 

     

JAPAN

So if you're wondering, Japan rocks. I am so happy I did this. I feel free.  

I'm sitting on my tatami munching on potato chips, grape juice, and chocolate cookies and I couldn't be more pleased with myself. 

My job is alright. I teach like 3 hours a day and get paid in gold bullion. I also love everyone I've met through the job. 

Getting around Japan is easy. Trains are straightforward. Everything I need is in walking distance. As for the food, all the menus come with pictures of the meals so I just point at what I want and say, "o kudasai." 

I do miss home, of course. I would kill for an Entertainment Weekly, a fatty steak, or some so-Cal sun. The only thing that pisses me off about Japan is recycling. I really hate separating my trash. Tomorrow I'm going to dump my unseparated garbage in a McDonalds' trash can and walk away victorious.    

Accepted Everywhere

I got my VISA today. I am now legally allowed to work in Japan as a Specialist in Humanities/International Services. Fancy hmm? I've got my plane ticket booked, I know where I'm going to be staying, I've already made a friend there, and I bought a brandspankin' new backpacking backpack. All I need is some freakin' yen, and I'm set. I'm so ready to leave and conquer. 

 

I'm a winner!

I'm never drinking again. It's 9:05 p.m. and I'm still queasy. Here's how I ended up with the worst hangover of my life...or at least what I remember. 

Arrived at Nader's at 10 with a fifth of gin, a fifth of jack, and tonic water of course. We start drinking immediately. Rainey downs two gin and tonics and about two shots of jack along with a delicious steak dinner. During the course of the evening, I bring up how I want to jump into the Custom hotel pool and get kicked out for good. I hate Custom. I hate the people there and how incredibly pretentious it all is. The only time I have fun is when I'm shitfaced and by the time we left the apartment, I was very merry indeed.

Nader and I exchange pulls of the gin in my car once we arrive. I can't even fathom how much was consumed. The bottle was missing this morning so I'm assuming we drank it all. We get to Custom and Nader buys me a pint of Stella. By the time I finish drinking it, I am completely wasted. At this point my memory of the night is appropriately hazy. I don't remember a single conversation. But I was apparently able to communicate that I wanted to jump into the pool because someone pushed me in! I kinda remember the shock of being submerged in water but I don't remember how I got out of the pool or if anyone helped me get out or if many people were staring. I'm not entirely sure who pushed me in, hell, I thought it was all a dream, but the wet pile of clothes and shoes lying next to me on the couch I passed out on confirmed the abhorrent truth. I vaguely remember going to Oscar's apartment after leaving Custom. I have no idea when or how I got back. 

I woke up this morning with a pounding headache, stomach pains, still drunk and wearing Nader's shirt backwards and no pants. I slept with my contacts in, and I still have no idea where they are. They might be lodged in my eyes or I'm guessing they're somewhere on Nader's couch. I muster up the strength to leave, eat two Advils, kindly accept a a pair of pants and cup of water from James that I end up throwing up into a bush along with the Advils. 

The drive home was dreadful. My face was partially numb so I at least couldn't quite feel the headache, but the bumps on the road were not conducive to my ailing stomach. It was so bad that I threw up on myself while driving on the freeway. Nader's shirt is now covered in my vomit. The delicious steak wasted. I throw up exactly 6 more times throughout the day when I finally arrive home. 

You're welcome.         

**EDIT** oct. 30

Steph helped me piece together some of the evening in our following Skype conversation:

Lorraine Chow  

i still dont know who pushed me

Stephanie
[identity protected]

Lorraine Chow
ahaha

Stephanie
u told him to hold ur purse and to push u in

Lorraine Chow
no waay..
hahaha

Stephanie
and then cordel grabbed ur purse for u and the [person who pushed you in] acted like he didnt know u

Lorraine Chow
who's cordel?

Stephanie
one of the security guards

Lorraine Chow
perfect
and did i get out myself or did someone fish me out?
this is so sad that i have to ask you all this! i honestly don't remember shit

Stephanie
nader was pulling u out
but i knew i was far too weak
so i was next to him suggesting u get out by the stairs
after a few attempts of u getting out, nader fished u out
cuz u couldnt really help with the getting up part

Lorraine Chow
i could have drowned!

Stephanie
u were kind of an asshole that night lol
which im pretty sure was ur goal
not to me but just to others

Lorraine Chow
that was my intention
to leave with a splash

BADUM-CHHHH...

as i'm talking my words slip to the floor

I teeter between oversleeping and...undersleeping? I can go to bed at 10 p.m. and wake up still tired at 11 a.m. Conversely, I can sleep at 6:30 a.m. and wake up 4 hours later completely refreshed. I am currently operating under the latter scenario. I'm am under the assumption my diurnal/nocturnal sleeping habits operate like a credit system. Anyway, this information is hardly amusing and only worth its mention for the also hardly amusing following bits of info:

1. I was up because I drank a medium sized cuppa coffee after 5 p.m. Those who know me might know that that shit affects me like a bunny dosed on crack laced with speed laced with adderall. 

2. I was up because I bought an iPod Touch yesterday and found myself completely obsessed with syncing every worthwhile picture and song onto (into?) it and scavenging for free applications until the wee-hours. I am such a tool.  

3. I was up because I got a Skype account! Whilst iTouched mineself, I got a call from Kevin at 4 a.m., or 6 p.m. Bangkok time! (By the way, Skype is far superior to any form of instant messenger. Add me if you have Skype: candyraine8)   

4. After hanging up, I continued to stay up trying to claim Kevin's frequent flyer miles through NWA. I failed miserably and lamented my failure in a long e-mail.

5. Facebook inevitably keeps me up no matter what time it is. 

6. Finally, I was up because Adrian texted me from Boston at 9 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, prompting a serious debate on whether I should be kind and text back but suffer from a staggered back and forth until text-convo ends, OR...leave the text unanswered, feign that I was too far unconsciously lost in a REM cycle to hear his text, and reply to him when, I guess, people normally wake up in Pacific Standard Time. I decided on the latter option when the sun started to rise and that I probably should get some sleep before the gardeners wake me up in two and a half hours. 

These things really do keep me up at night. 

MEMEMEMEMEME!

I'm bored. I had a great brunch with my good friend Jean, and now I'm back at home doing nothing. I will kill time filling out these memes.

Don't read this entry unless you're as into me as I am.

General Q&A meme:

1. Last movie you saw in a theater?

Religulous

2. What book are you reading?

I'm simultaneously reading Brave New World and The Selfish Gene.

3. Favorite board game?

Monopoly

4. Favorite magazine?

Entertainment Weekly

5. Favorite smells?

Flower shops, fresh soil, bread

6. Favorite sounds?

Acoustic guitar, clicking on the keyboard, babies laughing

7. Favorite fast food place.

McDonalds

8. Do you sleep with a stuffed animal?

...yes.

9. Favorite drink?

Gin and tonic.

10. Do you eat the stems on broccoli?

That's my favorite part, actually.

11. Favorite sports to watch?

Eh...tennis. I'm getting bored of this meme. I'm going to start making shit up. I'm going to have to say artistic gymnastics. I also like watching animals get shot. And lumberjacking, best ninja, and competitive cooking.

12. What's under your bed?

Gypsies.

13. Morning person or night owl?

I'd prefer neither if I'm trying to sleep.

14. Over easy, or sunny side up?

Oh my god, this is so retarded. I want someone to scramble me a night owl with a side of grits.

15. Favorite place to relax?

Someone's fat belly.

16. Favorite pie?

Pot.

The following is a photo meme floating around cyberspace:

-Take a picture of yourself right now.

-Don't change your clothes, don't fix your hair...just take a picture.

-Post that picture with NO editing.

-Post these instructions with your picture.

Only fools rush in

The UCI fair was long, and the drive to and from was horrific. Rush Limbaugh's nut-job ranting didn't make the morning drive any better--in fact it irritated me even more. Road rage, sleep deprivation, and conservative talk radio should never be combined. But on the bright side, the newest Student Traveler is out. I'm published!! My name, three articles, and my mug (I'm second to the right in the pic above) are currently in circulation. As if my ego isn't big enough already! 

In my last entry I asked the proverbial question, "Now what?" mainly due to this quarter-life crisis of mine. I had been beating myself up over this for some time now, and, well, crisis averted! I've concluded that I don't need to pressure myself with an answer, as it all figures itself out. Why do I need to be interning in D.C., or have some entry-level job at a fabulous company, or studying for my first law/business/grad school midterms? I just really don't want any of that now, nor do I even know what I want, nor do I want to pigeonhole myself into someone else's plan because I think it sounds good. I'm gonna let the course chart itself. I'm excited about the possibilities and where it'll all lead--especially with Japan in the horizon. So many of the most wonderful things that have happened to me happened without any premeditation.  

My newly found contentedness is all thanks to this 30-something named Carrie I worked the UCI study abroad fair with. I spent four hours casually talking with her, and in our bantering she was so unexpectedly sagacious in the way that older generations are in their interactions with the generation behind theirs. I can only compare it to me giving advice to an 7th grader, in that having 10 more years of life lived certainly affords you the clarity and confidence someone 10 years younger doesn't. She made my problems seem so trivial. Her twenties were all about fucking up, moving around, taking chances, and losing sight of her dreams, but also stumbling upon the dreams she didn't know she had. How exciting!    

In other news, Kings of Leon was fantastic, of course. My third time being in the same general vicinity as Caleb Followill once again did not result in a makeout session, but at least I got a free poster.

I know, I can't afford to stop for a moment

Just got back from another road trip. San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, San Diego-- a Mid to South coast Californication filled with miles and miles of good-good people, boozing with good-good people, the resulting hangovers, inside jokes, the best smoked albacore taco in the world, the perfect slice of pizza, smiles, tears, delirious exhaustion, painful farewells, the bittersweetness of coming back to the comforts of home. It's done and over. I feel like I've finally kissed another amazing summer goodbye. It's actually getting colder now. After 100-degree dog day afternoons and nighttime slumbers with thin blankets, it's finally fall. I'm burrowed in comforters and sweaters and my toes are still cold and my skin ashy dry. I feel fleeted. 

Now What? has been my slogan of the season. Now I wait for the What may come. The only tangible things I can think of are returning DVDs, developing pictures, the Kings of Leon concert, cracking open Brave New World, and turning in my assignment on time. I'm too drained for anything else. For Now.