Hakone-Matata Part I

Back entry for...April?

Greetings loyal readers and fanatic readers alike,

Some time in April, my host mother and host father decided we would take a family trip to a Ryoukan (traditional Japanese inn) near Hakone. As always, I was grateful and excited for the adventure that would unfold. However, they were also kind enough to allow me to bring a friend along for the ride. I decided that, in a wonderful act of kindness, to ask my German friend from the Ueno excursion. You see, until that point, I'm not sure he had traveled far beyond the bounds of the area his dorm is in, and the more popular parts of the Tokyo area such as Shibuya. I asked a few days later and he was more than grateful. I later found out that in order to finalize our reservation, I would need to find out the German's age and last name. The age was no problem I just guessed at 21, but the last name proved challenging. The German didn't (and to my knowledge still doesn't) have a keitai, nor does he check his e-mail as obsessively as most UConn students. Therefore, it became quite a hassle to discuss logistics and discover this information. Then the deadline to find out the German's information arrived, and at the last moment I experienced a eureka moment and remembered his last name! Calling up my host mother, I joyously told her the last name. Arriving home that day, my host mother informed me that I had called a half an hour too late. Distraught over whether I now had to destroy the hopes of this young German college student wishing to go on a trip somewhere other than to his room, my host mother told me that my host father had come up with an ingenious idea. He made up a last name for the German! Asking, what name had been decided upon, my host mother told me that neither she nor my host father could remember, since it was so spur of the moment. Several days later they would later remember that the German had been given the last name "Beru". As such, all further references to the German will be made using the name my host family uses for him, "Beru-chan". Stay tuned to read about the actual details of the trip, on the next exciting entry!

Gambatte,

-DPN

Today's word is: Wasureru. The word means "to forget" and is the informal/plain form of the verb. Usage: Watashi wa kanojo no onamae wasureru or I forgot her name. Oddly enough, I can never remember this verb...

R.O. 6: Ever since I can remember I've been poppin' my collar...coincidently, ever since I can remember I've been savagely beaten by my peers

Picture found thanks to the Google-fu skills of the Valley-Chan

Sorry for the abbreviation in the title, but that was one a long one...

Today's observation will be a cursory look at Japanese fashion, specifically relating to teenagers in and around the city. I have yet to decide if everything the Japanese is trendy or just pushing the limits of fashion for the sake of pushing the limits. Then again, they could all just get dressed as they are having seizures (and the way some of them dress, you would believe it too). As always, this is a massive generalization of more common trends. As mentioned guys have medium to long length hair, often dyed any number of colors. Many wear outlandish colored polos (many still popping the collar), and often wear accessories such as multi-colored hats, scarves and purses. Yes folks, you did not misread, I said purses. Of course, right about now, many are saying, "DPN, every man carries a bag, you for instance carry a laptop case which could be seen as a purse". No folks, when I say purse, I'm talking Louis Vuitton purses that would be purchased in the female section of any American mall. To quote a friend, "as soon as I arrived, my 'gaydar' went off the charts". No, its not that every Japanese male is homosexual, but rather the standards of fashion are significantly different. This is very true, there are things that I CANNOT even imagine wearing back in America, without being absolutely certain that I wouldn't be ridiculed. But fortunately, not many Japanese male fashions appeal to me (phew).

As for the ladies, a common and I must say very sexy fashion that is in vogue are long stockings worn with either skirts or short shorts. Also, most Japanese girls I've seen so far wear heels all day, every day (hears the collective cringes of pain from all American femaledom). I'm not 100% sure how they do it as I was under the impression that heels hurt. But if there's anything we've learned from Japanese history, its that the Japanese are capable of dealing with great discomfort for some perceived greater purpose. Again, the standards of fashion in Japan are different. Americans I've spoken to agree that if an American girl attempted any of these fashions, she would look quite like a lady of the night. But most Japanese women manage to wear these various risque fashions and give off an aura of cuteness and classy sensuality...I love Japan

Gambatte,

-DPN

NOTE: NONE OF THIS APPLIES TO THE COSPLAYERS AT HARAJUKU AND SUCH PLACES. THOSE PEOPLE, WHILE CAPABLE OF LOOKING QUITE SEXY, OFTEN LACK THE CLASS PART OF THE EQUATION AND GO FOR OUTRAGEOUS

M.O.B Questions

Hey all you out there in T.V. land,

I hope all is well in your respective lives. I'm now reaching the point where I am a month behind! Oh well, that's life ne? With several new games, homework, and general apathy factoring into my life, it is hard to find time to update my dear blog. But as always we'll persevere ne? Just for the uninitiated, blog entries are reversed, therefore the most recent post is at the top. In order for much of anyone's blog to make sense, its usually best to start from the beginning. Many of you are thinking how common sense this is, but a certain blonde friend of mine has been reading in reverse order. Undoubtedly, like reading Moby Dick or seeing Who Framed Roger Rabbit in reverse, much won't make sense and the fun will be lost...but then again what fun is there in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, give me good old Moby Dick any day!

Questions: How are my classes?
Answer: They're classes, not particularly the most thrilling way to spend my day, but what can I do. They don't even really make a great conversation piece on M.O.B. Questions! As always thanks to EP for an insightful and thought provoking question!

Gambatte,

-DPN