August
The Epic Fuji Adventure happened this month, as I'm sure you remember (see previous 9000 posts for details). However, in addition, there was also:
Summer Sonic (a.k.a. Music Meltdown, a.k.a. Why must all outdoor music festivals be held during the hottest month of the year?) -- A musical extravaganza featuring over 80 bands on six stages in Osaka. On day 1, I saw The Wombats, Vampire Weekend, The Hoosiers, Bedouin Soundclash, Radwimps, Devo (who ROCKED in their famous yellow jumpsuits and red flowerpot hats, I might add), and Fatboy Slim. Day 2 featured The Subways, Zebrahead, Panic at the Disco (*details to follow), the pillows, some of The Verve, and some Sex Pistols.
If I had to choose, I would probably say that the best show of the weekend was a toss-up between Devo and Fatboy Slim. FS was really fun and good to dance to, but he really didn't seem to be doing very much aside from walking around on stage holding a banana (I have no idea >.>). Devo, on the other hand, was totally into it, with choreography and costume changes, AND they flung hundreds of multi-colored bouncy balls into the audience during their encore (it looked awesome with the lighting, too). Tough call.
*With the Panic show, I got there early so I was really close to the stage (about the fourth row of people). Then, this group of J-girls cut in front of me, which ticked me off a bit. So, I kinda did an end-run around them and got back in front (what? they cut first!). The boys came out and did their show (and seemed baffled that all of their English stage banter wasn't working -- go figure), and it was good. I was so close, I could see when Ryan and Brendon were looking, well, I won't say at me, but in my general direction. I'm not saying it to be egotistical, just that in a show in Japan, a foreigner in a big, crazy hat, who actually knows the words to all the songs and is screaming them really loudly kinda stands out. >.>; Anyway, so they finish their set and they're walking off the stage and I'm trying to yell and cheer without getting jostled by the crowd that's already leaving, when the people all kind of surge forward. I look up just in time to see one of Spencer's drumsticks tumbling toward me. As I reached up to grab it, though, a tall guy in front of me knocked it a bit off kilter, so that it bounced off my head and into the row of people behind me. ;_; Who just so happened to be the same group of J-girls that I got back in front of earlier. Oh, karma -- why must you smite me? **shakes fist** But oh well, at least I can say I got knocked in the head by Spencer's drumstick once...
After Summer Sonic, the next weekend I went to Tokyo for:
The Summer Comic Market (a.k.a. Otaku Mecca, a.k.a. Natsu Comi, a.k.a. Comiketto, a.k.a. Comike -- given the Japanese propensity for shortening names, I wouldn't be surprised if next year it's just called "kuh") -- This convention? In-SANE! It's held in the Tokyo Big Sight (huuuge convention center), but even so, there were so many people inside, you could hardly walk. Plus, all of the packed humanity raised the indoor temperature to about 200 degrees; you know it's pretty bad when a person has to go outside, in the middle of the day, in August, to cool down. I can't say this was the best experience I've ever had in Japan, but it's definitely something that should be experienced. For good and for ill (there's a looooot of crazy stuff out there that people can think up). And that's all I'm going to say about that. :P
September
Honestly, I was too broke from August to really do anything in September. Went to my first baseball game (go Chunichi Dragons!) and the beach a couple times, and that was about it. Most of my time was spent getting my students ready for the annual speech contest, anyway. I did audition for a play that one of the other JETs is directing (performance in December), and I got the role of Mountain Goddess (heh-heh), so I went to (and am continuing to go to) some rehearsals for that.
October
Takayama day trip -- Went to Takayama for the matsuri (festival), since it's supposed to be one of the three most beautiful festivals in Japan. It was all nice and scenic and Edo-era-ish, since the town escaped the bombing in WWII. Yay, surviving history!
I also went on a trip to Naruto with the math teachers from my base school. Naruto, aside from being an orange-clad ninja, is also the name of a city on the island of Shikoku that is famous for its uzushio (whirlpools). We took a tour by boat to see them up close, which worried me a bit at first, until I saw them; the biggest one I saw was about the size of a small truck, maybe. I guess I just thought they would be bigger -- mention whirlpools, and I think Charybdis. Still, good times.
Also, can't forget the annual Halloween Party. I went as Lachrymosa, the emo muse. Nobody got it. **sigh** Then again, nobody knew who Neil Gaiman was when I went as Death last year, so maybe I'm expecting too much from them. I don't know how many times I heard, "Oh, Neil Diamond! I know him!" **headdesk** But anyway, the party was fun.
Whiiiich brings us to November, which we are still currently in. Hence, I am now UP TO DATE! Give or take a week or three. >.>
Whew. I'm tired of typing now. I hope you enjoyed this somewhat super-concentrated post, but let me know if there's any part that needs more details.
Sooo, until next time, here's your random J-pic:
またね！
