All,

 

I am in Tokyo and things are fine. Still feeling a bit ill but trying to get through it. This is my last post here. I appreciate all the reads (over 10,000) and comments and compliments. I have decided to write a book and it is going to take all my writing time and energy. The book is just about living here. Anyway, I have been talking smack about writing something and now is the time to put up or shut up. So please understand that I won..t be using myspace anymore. Any correspondence can come to my regular email account: spartancus@yahoo.com

 

Hope everyone is well. Stay healthy and take care ...

 

JC

I made it back OK. Well, sort of. I am a bit jet-lagged and more than a little reverse culture-shocked.

After 3 hours of transit and a 12-hour flight, I expected things would move along rather quickly once I got off the plane. But that was not the case at all. It took just shy of a year for the good folks at Metro to start sending down bags. When they did, five bags shot out. A few people grabbed theirs. The other 280 or so standing there had their mouths open in disbelief. When bags finally resumed coming out, this Chinese man grabbed what he thought was his bag. It wasn't. He then took the bag (clearly marked "fragile" and just dumped it on its side and back onto the ramp. More then a few people shook their heads. After using a Caribou Coffee employee's cell phone to call my bro, I was on my way. That was a nice gesture by the woman, so I gave her a 100-yen coin as a souvenir. She loved it.

After finally meeting by niece, Briar, (also known as the cutest child in Metro Detroit) and sitting with my brother's family, I fell into a bizarre, awful sleep that spanned from 5 p.m. to 6:15 a.m. I had good dreams, nightmares, paranoia ... this jet lag was no joke. Regardless, I got up and drank some coffee and then headed out on foot to the Secretary of State.

Let's just say the SOS was not the best place for a person trying to rehabilitate to life in the U.S. A line had gathered, and each person standing was downtrodden and sad in their own way. There were old men, beleaguered working stiffs, wrinkly, scuzzed-out women, trashy girls, surly boys ... just brutal. Some people in Downriver just do not take care of themselves and it's pathetic. Comparing it with Japan, it was more than a little shocking. But things got even worse once I started listening to the interactions between the customers and the poor workers. Those clerks better be making at least $18/hour for the shit they put with it. I tuned it out for a while with my iPod, but once I was made to stand on the dreaded purple square (meaning I was "next") I was forced to listen to some major crap. The guy on the right was pleasant enough until they told him he had to bring in more paperwork for some sort of registration. He sniffed and scoffed and started yelling at the woman, who told him there was nothing she could do. He must have asked "Are you sure?" 20 times. Yep, she's sure. Now shut up and move on. But the old man on the left was worse. This guy ranted and prattled about how he had been trying to get his state ID for months and months and how they were conspiring against him. Every once in awhile he would tap the table violently to make a point. He even got into the Mr.-Anderson-from-Beavis-and-Butthead-esque "I served this country in wear and don't have to stand for this." Do octogenarians really think this is a valid argument? Finally, the woman left to grab her supervisor. The manager cracked down hard, showing him the rules and asking "Do you have this with you?" He threw up his hands in despair, then left most of his paperwork on the counter and stormed out with his ancient wife. I honestly was shocked. What have we become? Courtesy is no longer a part of the American vernacular. I was close to telling that old prick that if he wasn't such an old prick someone would probably knock his dick in the dirt. What an asshole.

Breakfast afterward was a more pleasant experience. I ate at an atypical breakfast joint and sat at the counter. Two old codgers with Korean War styro hats were sitting there talking to one of the waitresses. I got a coffee and the big breakfast special and chatted a little with a waitress. They also had Frank's Red Hot, which I dumped on everything except the toast. Left a nice tip for her and the cook.

Though I am discouraged a bit, I also am keeping in mind that I am in Wyandotte, a doomed, gray, crumbling medley of sweatpants, tilted hats and chronic joblessness. My hometown has devolved into a shitpit. It was this way before I left, but it has gotten worse. I can only hope to weather the storm ...

And don't worry. I am happy to have no job and lots of time to see people. Just getting used to it and using this opportunity to record my thoughts while they are fresh. And I can watch Sesame Street and get to know my niece ...

Job wrapped up yesterday. I am leaving for Detroit in a few days. I will be home Monday afternoon. Sorry this is so robotic but I am using a crappy hotel PC that costs 100 yen for every 10 minutes. Anyway, looking forward to seeing everyone and thanks for reading my blog.

The first person to read this entry will be No. 10,000. Kind of cool to know that many people read about my misadventures and misery and brief, shining triumphs.

See you all soon ...

I realized if I just give up and stop this blog now, it's all for naught. I have been (sort of) keeping everyone in the loop during my adventures in Asia, and to crap out now when I am so close to the end is a pure waste. So you got me for a couple of last runs before I jet home.

My info: I am leaving Jan. 28th and taking a direct flight (fuck yeah!) back to Detroit Metro. So after a 12-hour grind on the plane, I will need to tune out for a day or so and rest before getting on my horse and visiting people and eating hot dogs and steak and real breakfast and drinking all sorts of goodness, most notably a Nestle Quik the second I see one. I truly want to see as many friends as possible, and since I will have no job and lots of free time, it can happen. I won't have a cell phone, so maybe email will be best for some time. Regardless, I can't wait to hang out with some people, see some new babies and share some laughs and pictures and stories.

As for my life of late, there is not much new to report other than the fact I have been really busy working and teaching and trying to tie up loose ends before I go. There is actually quite a bit of stuff I need to do from here on out, and none of it is fun. So I won't bore you. The weather has been pretty mild here for December. I just started a week-long vacation, so I am planning to mop up aforementioned chores, practice the guitar, study Japanese, and relax. I need to save some coin for the trip back here, so I can't have any huge blowout. And just to set the record straight: I am coming back to Niigata to teach, not Tokyo. I know I said I would be in Tokyo, but that plan is indefinitely delayed. So I am on for another year in Niigata and will go from there. This is where my overseas friends are, I know the city well, it's non-stressful and they have some beaches and other nice outdoorsy entertainment. Plus, the new job will afford me a chance to have evenings off, which will certainly change my lifestyle.

Despite the risk of this blog being crushed by some overzealous myspace employee, I am also informing everyone of my facebook presence. No big deal, no blog or anything, but pictures and an easier network for me, especially in Japan. So check it out sometime.

It's the end of the year, so I also wanted to share my favorite five movies of 2007. I reserve the right to tinker with the actual "2007" date because some of the films were released in Japan during that time ... also bear in mind that I have not seen a boatload of films including Darjeeling, PTA's new opus, Jesse James, Sweeney Todd, Once, Atonement, etc.

1. No Country For Old Men
2. The Prestige
3. Zodiac
4. The Lives of Others
5. Rescue Dawn

Just a quick note: No Country for Old Men is so damned good. It clearly deserves all the accolades and positive reviews because it is just that good. The Coen brothers patched together some seriously great scenes and dialogue, and the overall messages ring true. Also, scope out Lives of Others and Rescue Dawn, a couple of indie films with a lot to offer.

Hope everyone is having a great holiday season. Take care and see you soon ...

Another month, another long blog hiatus. Just not into writing so much these days. I felt stuck in a rut and couldn't bring myself to sit down and type unless I had something to say and something interesting to share.

It's pretty surprising we are almost into December. The past four months have whipped by and I am stuck now wishing I could stay at this nice, big, convenient apartment and be surrounded by friends and lots of things to do. At the same time, I can't forget about my family and friends in America and need to get back and see people and spend some time together. But honestly, I feel happy here most days. I went on a bit of a bender last week and was not so content with life, but as always I emerge from the alcohol cocoon a more focused and upstanding individual -- at least until the next bender. The stress of daily life is really low in Niigata and I feel like each day offers something new and interesting. I'm one of those types who can appreciate both routines and unpredictable moments. I get plenty of that here and I am grateful for it. That's not to say life isn't good in the U.S., because it is. But the way my home country functions is something I certainly don't respect in many ways, especially in regard to my own career ambitions and goals and of the way Americans are living in a sadly huge gap between haves and have nots. Japan has the same problem at times, but here you have every chance to succeed without having to muck through Western social bullshit and ultra liberal/ultra conservative attempts to balance a scale that ain't budging anytime soon. Sorry to be vague, but I challenge everyone to travel abroad and change your perspective a little; it's interesting to see how Americans are perceived by people from other countries.

Besides trying to figure out my next move (likely working in Tokyo after a trip home to the U.S.) I am also trying to make some personal changes. I have been playing quite a bit of live music recently and had my first actual gig at a friend's bar. We played nine songs and were on for about 30 minutes; the bar was pretty full-up, as well. I didn't rake in the yen but got free drinks and quite a few nice compliments, which I will gladly trade for cash. So music is a big part of my world again and I want it to stay that way. I am also attempting to shed some useless weight on my body and have started jogging. I actually fell back into the cancer sticks a while ago and finally kicked the habit again in early November after feeling like shit and suffering some bad sore throats. The only problem is being exhausted after work because we have been so busy of late. I am teaching what I consider quality lessons, but it is taking a toll on me and that was the cause of some stress and drinking. Not blaming, just saying. But the running is something I can carry on with for some time. The Japanese is coming along OK of late. I have been able to open conversations with strangers and the listening is finally coming around after like 10 months of frustration and struggling to comprehend. It is nice to understand some things and have a fighting chance of speaking to people in everyday situations. It's also something I can keep improving for a long time; trust me, the 10,000 character Kanji is a place to start if I feel like a know-it-all.

I am more or less going to keep my head down and just work until my time is up at my job, so there might not be much to blog about in the near-future. But feel free to contact me anytime. Hope everyone has a safe and memorable holiday season.

Suggestion box: Rescue Dawn (9/10, classic Werner Herzog and starring possibly the best actor in the world, Christian Bale)

Also, I made breakfast burritos for dinner tonight. They were awesome. When I get home, I will make quesadillas for anyone who gives me a sofa for the night ...

"How many times this guy gonna say hello?"
-- ??? "The Sopranos"

First correct reply to who it is (not the actor's name) and to whom he says it gets a cool Japanese souvenir. Hint: "The shoe falls off ... "

And good evening. Thanks to all for your birthday wishes. I am indeed 30, which I still can't fathom. We had a raging party out here for me and a couple of other birthday boys (23 and 25, the bastards) but all has settled back to normal. I am fortunate to feel that 30 isn't all that old, though I also feel I have had a pretty full life thus far. Here's hoping for 30 more.

Just for the hell of it, here are 30 things I like, in no particular order ...

1. Beer.
2. Sleeping late and then waking up and realizing it's a day off.
3. Discussing the world and life.
4. Reviewing films, or at the very least writing about them.
5. The beach.
6. Kurt Vonnegut.
7. Waking up and reading on the internet that U-M's football team lost to Appalachian State.
8. The State News gang.
9. Having a conversation in Japanese and understanding most of it.
10. My family and friends.
11. Burying one top-shelf in roller hockey.
12. That time I saw a marten while hiking in the mountains.
13. Catching a monster bass and bragging about it for seven years and counting.
14. Playing music in front of a crowd.
15. Hearing a deep cut on the radio at 3 a.m. while driving my truck and smoking a cigarette.
16. The smell of old books.
17. When a student thanks me for teaching them something.
18. Writing on deadline.
19. Drunkenly stumbling down the street while whistling "Peter and the Wolf."
20. Leaning in to crack a great one-liner.
21. A kosher hot dog with mustard and grilled onions from U.S. Cellular field.
22. Concerts in Detroit.
23. Being in a packed bar when the home team either a. scores the overtime winner, b. pulls off a huge upset or c. wins a championship.
24. Shark attack stories.
25. Films from the 70s.
26. Chocolate milk.
27. Reading on a bed as the sunlight spills in from the window.
28. Getting emails from people I love.
29. Remembering pointless trivia answers.
30. Walking outside on a cold winter day with a woman and feeling like the Freewheelin' Bob Dylan.


And, that took just shy of forever to write. Good thing I'm not 50.

On a quick note, the new season of The Office has been decent thus far; Creed is so goddam funny to me, especially his confessions (I was in a number of cults, sometimes as a leader, sometimes as a follower. Being a follower is more fun, but being a leader you can make more money.) and Dwight has been particularly out of control thus far, mercy-killing a cat and running a B&B at his beet farm.

Sorry to be so hit-and-miss on the blogs. I will try better ...

Take care, one and all.

Sorry, sorry, sorry. I know I have been slacking to the extreme with blogging, so if anyone has checked a few times (though I can't see anyone needing to read about a self-loathing, alcoholic almost-30-something) my apologies. Or maybe I don't feel bad. As Tim and I once heard from this kid from Downriver who thought he was black: "I ain't comin here wit no apolOgies."

Excuse 1: Busy. I know, aren't we all. But hey, I am in the most capitalistic country in the world. The place where work is life. Not that I have been killing myself on the job, but I get into these modes where I work my five days, go out/handle chores/catch up with friends the other two and have no time in between to sit and write something remotely interesting.
Excuse 2: Haven't felt like blogging. Sure I have all kinds of ridiculous, soul-baring emotions and some funny stories that might dredge up a small laugh, but for some reason the blog hasn't been on my mind at all. That's not to say I am not thinking about family and friends back home. This is about me. And my laziness. and my contempt for keeping regular schedules.

So beyond being uninspired and busy, here I am, back for a few words. Japan is still just fine, other than some days where I feel like a sideshow freak from the circus of the transmundane who is constantly stared at/expected to be some kind of show business monkey. The language is coming along OK, but (as many know) I am not the best listener. This goes triple for Japanese, which has poilte and casual forms and can come out pretty rapid fire when a person is drinking and/or a woman. But I try to study when I can (ie: right now I am listening to a CD while I type)

"Watashi wa Itaria ryori ga suki desu." I like Italian food.

OK, I'm back. As I was saying, it's nice to have a hobby like this where I can benefit from being in the natural environment of the language. Thinking back, I wonder if there are even any Japanese classes/schools in the U.S. outside the university level. My guess is nice private high schools might have a Japanese teacher and offer an elective, but the interest level is probably low. It's an interesting thought, especially considering the near-manic interest in our language, which is hella easy in my book.

As for social matters, lately I have been watching movies on my computer, watching LOST season 3 (again), going out to the same old bars and occasionally going to the beach or for a bike ride. Yesterday I played a four-song set with my friend Peter at a bar called Jekyll and Hyde. It's a pretty small bar, and it was especially weird for us because the crowd was 90 percent Japanese people. So I got some blank stares as I played and sang, but overall I felt the set went well.

Our super-sweet setlist:
Smashing Pumpkins, "Today" (acoustic and shortened)
Neil Young, "Out on the Weekend"
The White Stripes "Hotel Yorba"
Elvis Presley "Suspicious Minds"

The middle two songs were highlights. We tried playing Smashing Pumpkins for the first time, so my vocals were pretty shitty. And the Elvis was all fine and good, but I think maybe two people knew the tune. At the other place we play it's always a roaring success. But there are more foreigners there. So we played our set and then politely listened to the other Japanese acts play. The last band was a really loud, tight-sounding band that had absolutely no pop sense. Not trying to be overcritical; I respect bands who try their own songs, but there was nothing to them and they were in Japanese and there were no real hooks. And it was way too loud for how big the place was. Anyway, we stayed on until the end, the bar cleared out, and we went home. Overall, a good experience.

Today I went on a cleaning spree that included laundry, general cleanup (bathroom, vacuuming, kitchen) and general wiping and scrubbing. I also bought some new work shoes for 3,000 yen ($28). They aren't laceup, which I prefer, but they are pretty sharp and easy to wear. And most importantly, they actually fit. Bought some small items at the 100-yen shop and also went grocery shopping for the first time in about a month. Picked up the dry-cleaning, too. So as you can see, I keep pretty busy on the days off, mainly because I am not really permitted to spend a ton of money on entertainment and also just to take my mind off things. Helps me relax. Never thought I'd say cleaning and laundry and shopping helps me relax, but it does. (Insert "old" joke here).

Hope all is well and that everyone is safe and happy. Keep getting married and having kids and stuff so I can have a lot to talk about when I see you around the way.

Oyasumi nasai ...

I will bask in this one for a few decades ...

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=272440130

The arrogance will never go away, but U-M has to be humbled to its knees after losing to a Division I-AA team. Oh bliss. The only thing better would be to see the pasty Michigan fans weeping over their calculators after this groin kick. Thanks App. State. You rock.

Fall is nearly here in Japan. The weather is cooling a touch and most people seem to be shaking off the lethargy of summer. Yesterday after work I rode my bike with a friend out to Big Swan Stadium to see the pro soccer team play. We got there at halftime, but still wound up seeing the end result: the typical 1-0 soccer score. This time, a loss for the mighty Albirex. After the game, I thought I lost my bike key. This meant spending the next 30 minutes frantically searching seats and asking the lost and found if they had it. Nope. Content to just break the lock, I bent down and saw that -- derr -- the key was still in the lock. Nice. So we rode back and got a few drinks, and later I went to nightclub and met some new faces and played some pool and actually shot like a champ after taking off my glasses. The usual out-till-5 a.m.-gonna-be-hungover Saturday night. Felt like I had gone on a Nick Nolte-like bender when I got up today. Getting older, right?

We have an open mic set tomorrow and this week I need to buckle down and start studying more Japanese and stop slacking off so much. But last week I did have a pretty rough cold, so maybe I will perk up from here on out. Football is underway, new LOST episodes should start soon and the big 3-Oh (No) is in less than two months. Sounds like fall is all set out here.

Take care, all you brave centurions. Keep it dark ...

Ahoy, one and all. Hope things are a'ight your way. Out here in Japan, the man with no plan is doing OK. We have a new teacher, and -- guess what -- he also went to Michigan State. Small f'in world, eh? He's a pretty decent guy; a little older, so I don't know him from the days at MSU, but it's nice to have someone from Michigan working with me. Almost feels like home.

It's still hot as all hell around these parts. Muggy, sunny, blech. But the weekend was OK. I took the new teacher out to a couple bars on Saturday and introduced him around. Sunday was cool. We went to the beach and hung at at my friend's beach house. Had a few beers, then some fucked up storm coulds settled over the ocean. It looked like Independence Day (the film). We were all in the water, and for a second the temperature dropped like 20 degrees and a huge sandstorm kicked up along the beach. An hour later, the sun was out again and everything was fine. We even hit up the banana boat (cue the Scarface lines) on some choppy water. That boat got some serious air, and we got dumped off really hard a couple times. I may have a few broken ribs. Not sure, but it hurts like hell. Today I had a two-hour long Japanese lesson and did the usual household chores. I also took a walk and sort of cleared my head of a few things. I'm trying to make some small changes that will make life better for me. I have vowed to study the language more, save money by cooking my own dinner and start writing at least two pages a day in my pseudo novel, memoir thingy. It felt good to write tonight and just get some ideas out there. I'm always tired and not typically at my creative best after work, but I am trying to make a go of it from here on out.

As most of you know, my contract at my current job ends in late January. I am coming home, but it may be for only about a month or so. Things are really up in the air for me career-wise and money-wise, and going back to America might not solve the gaps. I am not willing to eat a poop sandwich just to get some scraps of work with no real future to it. At this juncture, journalism might be a dead end for me. I am more interested now in personal writing and perhaps becoming my own boss. I also enjoy teaching, and out here I can do it without having to grind through college for more certifications, etc. So I may be in the hunt for another teaching job in late winter/early spring. Probably in Tokyo, where work is bountiful and the excitement of the city invigorates me. I was there last week and truly enjoyed being out and about, knowing fully that there is a lot of opportunity and a lot of fun to be had. I guess right now I am not wired in to starting a family, settling down, etc. The only issue is not seeing friends and family, but I am confident those who know me understand that this period of my life is volatile as all hell and I am just trying to make some sense of it.

I know a lot of stuff I ramble about is contrary to what I may have written in the past, but trust me, I am even more confused than you might be. This is why I need some daily functions to sort of get me away from living in my loopy head all the time. Just like that jacked-up storm at the beach, everything will eventually become clear.

Hey you all, everybody. Apologies for abandoning the blog of late. It's been a bit hectic out here of late and I haven't really felt like writing or openly complaining about things. I have now been here over a year, which probably surprises me as much as anyone. It feels like about a year, yet when I think about it hard, it also feels like I have been here only briefly. Used to be a time when a year lasted forever. When I was a kid, the summers would just drag on and on with no end in sight. School years would take their sweet-ass time, too. We would all be in a big damned hurry to get the next year over with and move on to another step in growing up. Now I want to stop the world or at least slow her down a bit. Mentally, I am unprepared to turn 30, I am unprepared to be responsible and am especially not ready to make more choices in the winter. I'd rather just find another escape, another loophole that makes me feel like I'm starting over without having to worry about settling somewhere permanently. A lot of English teachers overseas do this. You get a taste of new life, new culture, and it becomes addicting. You know that if things get stale, you can move on to another country. Once you get that first dose of teaching experience under your belt, you see how easy things can really be. Not easy as in "my job is a piece of cake," but easy as in you don't have to come home punching the wall because your job is some bullshit excuse for a rut that drives you mad. Out here, we are able to step outside the normal boundaries of everyday life, mainly because it's different from the lives we knew in our home countries. It will always be a little tweaked, a little different. The day is embraced more as an adventure instead of a grind. New experiences replace that feeling of "been there, done that." In short, it's constantly challenging out here, but you can always take your foot off the gas if necessary.

That said, I am thinking of taking a vacation to check out another Asian country in a month or so. Leaning toward Taipei, Taiwan, but also have Shanghai, China, in mind and Seoul, S. Korea as a reliable backup. It will be off season for travel, so the prices should be wicked cheap. My logic is that I am here for now and may not get the chance to travel again this closely and cheaply. (Is that brutal grammar or what? I am an English teacher, right?). Taipei would be cool because it's big, but not overwhelming like Shanghai and Seoul. Plus, more people speak English there. That helps when you travel alone. The other two choices are intriguing as well. China is so completely different from Japan and is the cradle of Asian civilization. Korea is different enough and has awesome food. More on this as it develops ...

I have a week's vacation starting Thursday. I am taking the bus (whoopee! 5 hours) to Tokyo area to see some friends. I am crashing with my buddy in Kawasaki, but his apartment is pretty small. Regardless, I want to get out of Niigata for a few days and relax. Maybe see some new things down in the metro area. Tonight I am playing another open mic set -- Tom Petty, Creedence and Johnny Cash. We're trying out some new songs, which is always nerve-wracking, but you can't just do the same shit over and over. Besides, most people just get drunk and enjoy the music no matter how it sounds. This musical development has been the single-best thing about moving out here last year. I am playing with confidence and really enjoying the time spent with other people. As Dave can attest, it's a cool atmosphere.

Last night was the Niigata Festival fireworks. I went with a big group of friends and sat at a really good spot on the riverbank, which was flooded with thousands of people on both sides. All the women looked really good, too, wearing their yukatas and pushing their hair up. Looked really traditional. The display was pretty good, too. After downing some beers, I needed to use the john in that "fuck, why did I drink so much in this environment?" kind of way. Bathrooms were chuck-full and had huge lines. But, as I explained to a friend later, if you have a U.S. passport, you automatically know how to find a place to take a relieving leak against all odds. My spot was a parking garage, in front of a mini-van. It was so secluded -- yet convenient -- that I revisited it later when we left.

On the music front, I can't say enough good things about The White Stripes' new album. It has grown on me a ton. The lyrics might be the best Jack White has ever written. There's a nice twist of irony in most of the tunes, and the guitar work is raw and cutting. The new Interpol is OK, too. Not great, but a few songs highlight Paul Banks' improving voice. He has found some other ways to sing. But no way in hell is the CD as good as the first two. I am also openly begging for someone to send me a copy of the new QOTSA album. Sucker costs $30 U.S. out here. Heeelllll naw.

OK, let's take five.
God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater.