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| Tuesday, 17-Feb-2004 00:00 |
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Melbourne
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Only a couple of weeks now until I go back to Australia, and I'm getting very busy. There is a hell of a lot I have to do here before I go - a couple of German classes, a Japanese class, a job interview plus of course my regular work.
Today I tried to get myself a little organised. I bought a few presents for family and friends back in Australia. I also picked up a new SD memory card for the digital camera - another 64 MB will come in handy while I'm away. In fact there ought to be a few photos at the end of this trip. I'm taking my APS camera, my phone with its small two or three megapixel camera, and the four megapixel IXUS.
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| Friday, 13-Feb-2004 00:00 |
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DIY Tim Tam Slam
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A mate from work (thanks Craig!) snapped this picture while in Odaiba, Tokyo. The card explains how to perform the famous "Tim Tam Slam". For those of you not in Australia (and who haven't already been exposed to this culinary phonomenon) Tim Tams are a kind of Australian chocolate cookie. A 'slam' is when you bite off both ends of the thing and suck coffee through it, eating up the rest of it before it disintergrates completely. It may look crude, but it tates amazing. Try it for yourself.
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| Wednesday, 11-Feb-2004 00:00 |
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Dinner/Going Native
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Kawaii, kids
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Went to dinner Monday night with housemate Rowan-san and a group of (mostly) Japanese friends. Actually formed full sentences in Nihongo, although nothing more exciting than "How's that salad?" and "Sure, another beer would be good".
Was feeling happy about my new-found language prowess until I went to German class the next day, during which my teacher explained to me that I "need to practice more". She failed to tell me exactly how I can achieve this being on an entirely different CONTINENT to Germany but, hey, she's the sensei... I mean, die Lehrin. 
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| Sunday, 8-Feb-2004 00:00 |
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Return of the King
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I finally saw Lord of the RIngs: Return of the King last night in Kawasaki. An incredible movie, despite some obvious flaws (the drawn-out conclusion, the Hollywood "Let's kick Orc!" one-liners, Aaragon's quick-growing beard and of course Denethor throwing himself off the battlements of Minas Tirith). Perhaps the most impressive moment for me was early in the movie, when Denethor sends his son to an almost certain death. I loved the way this sequence cut between Denethor stuffing his face, the song, orcs and horsemen. I'm almost certainly going to see the film again, and soon.
I was also lucky enough to also see trailers for two new anime movies - Miyazaki's new film "Hauru no ugoku shiro" and an AMAZING trailer for "Innocence: Kokaku kidotai" ("Innocence: Ghosts in the Shell"). Its going to big a huge year in anime - I'm told the director of Akira also has a new movie in production...
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| Friday, 6-Feb-2004 00:00 |
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A job
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Chinatown at night
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To my great surprise, I got a call yesterday from a university here in Tokyo offering me an job interview. I applied last week by email, but I didn't hold much hope as I was sick with a cold and when I wrote my application and didn't spend anytime checking it for mistakes.
This is the first time I've applied for a job more out of curiosity than desperation. I'm actually quite happy where I am and my present position pays more than at the university. But like most foreign employees of my present company, I find it hard to reconcile myself with 10 days paid holiday a year, few public holidays, no bonus and little opportunity for overtime.
It not all bad of course. If I got the job I'd have to say goodbye to my friends at work, many of whom I've known since I first came to Japan. I've made many good friends at my office and it would be hard to say goodbye to them.
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| Monday, 2-Feb-2004 00:00 |
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The Bloggies
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Convenient
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Kimono and Keitai
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Don't forget to check out this year's nominations for The Bloggies. There are some great sites out there - I particularly like Chocolate and Zucchini (of course I do... it involves food  ) and John Howard: Prime Minister.
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| Friday, 30-Jan-2004 00:00 |
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Travels
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My friend Sarah sent me this link for creating a funky map of countries you have visited.
Quote of the week comes from Tory legislator and writer Boris Johnson on Tony Blair:
| Quote: | | "It is just flipping unbelievable. He is a mixture of Harry Houdini and a greased piglet. He is barely human in his elusiveness. Nailing Blair is like trying to pin jelly to a wall." |
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| Thursday, 29-Jan-2004 00:00 |
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Daikanyama
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Daikanyama street corner
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Boston Club
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| Wednesday, 28-Jan-2004 00:00 |
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Chinatown
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Gate to Chinatown
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Chinese temple #1
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Chinese temple #2
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Took the train down to Yokohama yesterday. Had a fantastic time looking in the antique shops - if only I had a lazy 200, 000 yen I tell you! In the evening I met up with my mate Danny for drinks at an izakaiya. After too much beer and (what I know today to be) too little food, we did the karaoke think at Big Echo. Not usually my thing but I'd drunk enough for screaming into a microphone to seem terribly appealing...
My throat hurts. Death to the Pixies!
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| Tuesday, 27-Jan-2004 00:00 |
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Daikanyama to Shibuya
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Shibuya, 5.30pm
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Don't look at the camera!
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Hachiko Square
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Spent yesterday wandering the streets of Daikanyama. Reminded me of South Yarra or Toorak in Melbourne - some nice shops and cafes, but everything is way too expensive. After a lunch at News Deli, we walked to Shibuya, where I finally managed to get some decent photos of Hachiko Square and the area around the train station.
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