Adventures in the Looking Glass

So I began the year by reading Murakami's "Norwegian Wood".  Having heard so many people rave on about this book I had high expectations, so I was quite disappointed when it basically turned out to be a love story.  I expect to be pleasantly befuddled by a Murakami novel, not puking in my mouth from post-pubescent wallowing.  Toru Watanabe is another example of why I loathe Murakami's male protagonists - they're all passive, weak-willed "men" who retreat down wells/hide in their rooms/run away to Kyushu as soon as the slightest thing happens  to upset their selfish, navel-gazing little existences (which is usually their wife leaving them, and quite right too).  I spent the first half of the book wondering when the Murakami trinity would kick in - weak-willed man (evident from page 1); hiding in well/room/Kyushu (about half-way through); cat - just after half-way through, so I wasn't let down in that respect. 

This time I found reading "Norwegian Wood" just as depressing as when I read "Dance Dance Dance", though perhaps the violent suicidal thoughts didn't present as they did last time.  And yet, by the end of the book, I had made my peace with it, and I am able to appreciate why it was so popular upon its release.  However, in my opinion, not his best. 

So, I move on from one depression-inducing book to one which I was warned would be thoroughly misery-making, Cormac McCarthy's "The Road".  It has been sitting on my shelf for about 7 months and my inner masochist decided now would be time to read it, what with the disappointment of the Copenhagen Climate conference fresh in my mind.  And strangely, so far I find it totally riveting, only slightly misery-making and less irritating than "All The Pretty Horses".  When the world goes to shit, which isn't far off, I can see this as a very credible projection of how things will end up.   Anyway, more on that when I've finished it.

So, on to other things.  Given the extremely bad mood I've been in the past week, I'm not sure what possessed me to watch "The Time Traveller's Wife" on Saturday night.  Perhaps because it seemed to be the only functioning movie on Ninjavideo, or was it the half a bottle of wine I'd consumed by myself?  I haven't read the book, and I really knew nothing about the movie.  I liked the idea of time travelling, and I also empathized with the wife of a guy who is genetically unreliable (maybe that's just me reading my own issues into things), but it's just a saccharine, nasty love story with a devilishly impish-looking little girl chucked in towards the end for cute factor.  I could see her with a big kitchen knife in her hand, that would have been a better ending.  

I made up for this torture by watching "Inglorious Basterds" on Monday night, which was much better.

So books and films this year:

Books                                                   Films

Murakami - Norwegian Wood              Brothers
McCarthy - The Road                          The Time Travellers' Wife
                                                            Inglorious Basterds

On Sunday, Chelsey and I ventured to Akihabara to get her a new power cord for her laptop.  I spent 20 minutes lurking in the station counting otaku before she turned up.  Our quest took us to different shops, the first two of which were totally useless as none of the staff were very interested in helping us out.  Coming out of Yodobashi Camera, our second stop, we walked though a crowd of people standing and sitting outside the store.  They were totally silent. Then I realized that everyone was crouched over a Nintendo DS.  So there was a massive silent crowd of geeky men (and two pre-pubescent girls) playing on their DS's on sunny Sunday afternoon in Akihabara.  Sometimes I love Tokyo.  Which is why I live in Yokohama.

So, I'm currently sporting a particularly fetching purple-black bruise on my stomach from a little bike accident.  I publicized this event on Facebook, fishing for some sympathy as I was quite achey and pissed off at the time, but only one kind soul expressed their concern for me.  Thanks a lot everyone else, remind me to punch you in the face next time I see you.  I received said injury whilst cycling up an overpass on my way back from the Tesco in Minatomirai.  It's a steep, curving slope to the top and you need to put a lot of welly into getting up there, which is why having a bag jam in the forks on the front tyre is not quite what you want to experience.  I ended up in a sort of reverse wheelie, and it took a lot of balance and muscle to keep the bike from tipping over.  So I came crashing back down to earth, upright, but ended up slamming into my handlebars. 

Hmm, so, next time I'll walk the overpass.

I've been thoroughly miserable since I came back to Japan. I know, I know, post-holiday blues etc etc, but I don't think I've ever had them this bad. I was telling my friend and co-worker Kazumi about how annoyed I was, and she said:

"But Japan's a good place!"

"Yes, it is!" I replied. "But... I want to be back in Thailand!" Maybe it's a sign of how much like home Japan has become that I feel a little downhearted to return, although, truth by told, I was quite relieved to get back here after my trip home in April, if only because I could eat brown rice and miso soup for breakfast.

The photos are back, but you'll have to wait a little longer for them all as I need to knock my ramblings into shape before unleashing them on you. Meanwhile, you can have this picture of me looking insanely happy in the sea:




( Read more... )

For some reason the payment for my LJ didn't go through so LJ has reverted me back to an account with advertising. I some ways it's a relief as I now have the money to pay for a magazine subscription that needs renewing. However, it does mean that my blog will have adverts on it, which is not something I'm not too happy about. See, I keep looking at them - Cthulhu statues, Cthulhu Lives T-shirts, lose 9lbs fast, goth clothes...

Anyway, I didn't talk about what I got up to Sunday. After two days of dismal rain I awoke to find it gloriously sunny outside. Having anticipated a rainy day in bed, I joyfully leapt out from the covers (well, not quite) and hopped on my bike. I went over to Tsutaya to pick up horror films. The selection there is quite dreadful. For example, they have Halloween H2O, and the duff sequels, but they don't have the original. I got "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" and "Marie Antoinette", which is a horror of a different sort.

After that I pootled back through town and went along a road I've never been down in order to find a shop called "Avenue" which had very cool hats earlier this year, and which obviously weren't there now. I need a nice hat for winter as I've gone off my hat with the devil horns and my other tight knit cap which is functional but not good-looking.

On the way back I found a little path leading up through very tall bamboo. I decided to check it out and followed some steps up into what seems to be some hillside garden still under construction. I then took another path but was creeped out by these huge, yellow bellied spiders who'd contructed 3-D webs above the path with silk that was worryingly thick. I kept thinking of greygirlbeast's "Silk" and getting one of those buggers stuck to me to I turned back round and went home (via Watahan to get Taiyaki).

And that was my Sunday in the sunshine. I headed to Nagano yesterday, which was not as painful as before despite having to change trains twice in each direction. And then I came home and hung around in the bath for ages. Lovely.

Yesterday was a rather lovely day, so to escape the stifling heat in my apartment I slapped on the SPF 50 and went out on my bike. I had planned to see how far along the river I could go by following the small road that runs along my side of the confluence, but after city hall it became a smaller road and ended up circling round some sort of stone works and then up along a main tributary to the Tenryu river which I had cycled along before. Knowing where I was I decided to cycle up this way and see how close to Takato I could get.

Takato is a nearby town well known in Japan for its cherry blossom in spring and people come from far away to view it. I was taken there once for a soba lunch, but that was the extent of my trip. I mentioned trying to cycle there to someone once. They sucked air through their teeth and told me it was too far. I've come to understand that the local version of "too far" involves any distance further than 10 minutes walk, as a lot of people here rely on their cars to get around. Admittedly, a lack of a "gas pig" makes getting about extremely dangerous in places as large trucks and bikes don't mix.

So I cycled up the small road and eventually hit the path that follows the river.



It's a raised path, which means you have a great view of the river and surrounding rice paddies as you go. It was also empty. I met no one until I bumped into a group of boys who'd parked their motorbikes and scooters right across the path. I had to jump off my bike to get round and one them at least apologised "Gomen nasai," he said, then, "Sorry."

" Daijobu," I replied, hopping bike on my bike and rolling away. I carried on, passing the spot I had reached on my previous journey this way at the 4.5km mark. Just after here the path runs along the main road and up ahead I could see the road bridge turning for Takato. However, I realised that journey was probably not right for a late afternoon jaunt and so took the cycle path on the other side of the river instead. Here the trees close in above you and the screaming of cicadas, normally just background noise, became deafening. I cycled on, hearing amongst the high-pitched screech the snap and crackle of "generator bugs". They sound like electric power lines. *



Coming out from the trees I passed close to the river and then by some "allotments" where I saw rows of what I think were peanut plants growing. On and on I cycled, enjoying the view, though beginning to feel the sun on my face a little too much. The 10km cycle path finishes at a picnic and mini-golf site where I was tempted to stop and read Harry Potter, having brought it with me, but I carried on, and headed back home via City Hall, which has a nice garden with a stream running through it.



I had a quiet sit down, noticing that my left knee was aching, but hopped up when I realised large ants were running all over me. I think one of them bit my leg too.

So back on the bike and home again. I think yesterday's ride clocked in at about 14km, possibly more, which makes me feel quite pleased with myself. My knee and hips ache slightly this morning though.

I spent the rest of yesterday reading Harry Potter. I'm up to Chapter 23, but am making myself wait until this afternoon before reading the rest as I need a bath, and then have to do my Japanese homework, and then go to my Japanese lesson.

Today is the start of Obon, a Buddhist ancestor festival. And last night, I missed the meteor showers. Maybe there'll be a few tonight...

* For an idea of what this sounds like check out (-)Ions on Tool's "Aenima" album.

Well, I's still unemployed thus have no money BUT...

I do get to sit in the garden sunning myself (though I did this too much the other day and made myself feel sick. Had to go and lie down in a dark room like a Victorian lady with the vapours!) I also get to go on nice long bike rides round Black Park (where Hagrid's house is!), take the dog for a walk, and do yoga in the sun on the grass. Alas, I am watching too much daytime TV - i will get a fat arse and start knitting if I'm not careful. Have been phoning lots of agencies saying "Gimme a job dammit!" but to no avail. I have had company these past two days as my sister has had food poisoning. This quite shocked me as I didn't think she ate... She's even thinner now...bitch.


I am off the the London Graduate Recruitment Fair next week so hopefully someone will take a fancy to me. I will be staying away from the MOD stand though - I've escaped once and have learnt my lesson.

Poor poor Hilary sitting at my old desk. I think about her a lot. We will meet up in therapy sometime no doubt - the Civil Service Recovery Anonymous group.