and so it begins

January 28, 2010 //
0

My last semester as an undergraduate student. I kind of don’t want to think about it, but it’s not going to make it go away, so I guess I have to. Haha.

Only taking 4 classes this semester, and aside from the stupid speech class I have to take for my last LER, they’re all very cool. Individual & Society, Foreign Language & Culture, and Comparative Religion. I wish I could have taken more of these types of classes.

I’m working at the same old computer place and I’m TA-ing again. This time I’m in an Advanced Speaking class. I don’t like it as much as my previous class, but there are definitely a few characters in it, so it could get interesting. The teacher’s pretty cool too.

I am working on my (THANK THE LORD FINALLY) last graduate school application, which is due on Monday. I originally planned to apply to 4, which turned into 3. UPenn, Hawaii @ Manoa, and Hawaii Pacific. At this point, unless I get into UPenn or Hawaii Manoa with amazing funding (totally unlikely), I’m pretty much just planning on getting a job.

But… I’ve already applied to two places and got shot down at both. Not looking good. I’m planning on applying to 3 more eikawa schools that interview in the US/Canada, then after that I’m trying to find smaller schools to apply to. If I can’t hook a job from overseas, then I’ll probably line up interviews and go to Japan to do them.

So, in conclusion, fuck this terrible economy.

Oppai Volleyball review

January 7, 2010 //
1

oppai_volleyball

Oppai Volleyball is set in 1979 Kitakyushu and is about a young teacher, Mikako, who starts at a junior high school. Enthusiastic about the new job, she agrees to become the advisor for the boys volleyball club, which consists of 5 fairly perverted boys who can’t play a lick of volleyball. She motivates them by reluctantly agreeing to show them her oppai (boobs) if they win a game. It works, they start to try their best, and she begins to gain back confidence she lost previously as a teacher, but the school finds out about her promise.

It sounded really stupid, but I love Ayase Haruka a lot, so I decided to give it a try. Surprisingly, it ended up being a fairly decent watch. 1970s Kitakyushu has been gorgeously recreated and the fun, poppy period music adds to the effect. The group of boys in the club really are perverted, as most junior high school kids are, but it’s actually kept pretty tame. Their obsession with breasts does get a little grating at times, though. You spend the entire time wondering if she’s actually going to show anything. Actually, despite the name, however, the movie is more about Mikako and her journey to grow as a teacher, rather than her students. This in turn leads to a sort of limbo between funny and serious in the movie that I think detracts from it a little bit.

The one thing this movie really, really lacked was character development, or at least timely character development. The main focus of the first half of the movie is on the boys, and while you see them working hard at volleyball, you don’t really get the idea that they have grown or matured very much: their main objective is still to see boobs. It isn’t until much later in the movie that you even get to the main issue: Mikako’s past. There’s also a few static secondary characters such as Mikako’s colleague and an ex-boyfriend that leave you thinking “why are they even there?”

Overall, I thought it was a fun, lighthearted movie. If you can stand numerous chants of “oppai” and aren’t looking for anything too deep, I think it’s a good movie to watch. ★★★★☆

Myers-Briggs

January 5, 2010 //
1

My personality type is apparently ESFP (Extroverted Sensing Feeling Perception)

ESFPs live in the moment, experiencing life to the fullest. They enjoy people, as well as material comforts. Rarely allowing conventions to interfere with their lives, they find creative ways to meet human needs. ESFPs are excellent team players, focused on completing the task at hand with maximum fun and minimum discord. Active types, they find pleasure in new experiences.

ESFPs take a hands-on approach in most things. Because they learn more by doing than by studying or reading, they tend to rush into things, learning by interacting with their environment. They usually dislike theory and written explanations. Traditional schools can be difficult for ESFPs, although they tend to do well when the subject of study interests them, or when they see the relevance of a subject and are allowed to interact with people.

Observant, practical, realistic, and specific, ESFPs make decisions according to their own personal standards. They use their Feeling judgment internally to identify and empathize with others. Naturally attentive to the world around them, ESFPs are keen observers of human behavior. They quickly sense what is happening with other people and immediately respond to their individual needs. They are especially good at mobilizing people to deal with crises. Generous, optimistic, and persuasive, they are good at interpersonal interactions. They often play the role of peacemaker due to their warm, sympathetic, and tactful nature.

ESFPs love being around people and having new experiences. Living in the here-and-now, they often do not think about long term effects or the consequences of their actions. While very practical, they generally despise routines, instead desiring to ‘go with the flow.’ They are, in fact, very play minded.

– - –

I bolded the stuff I think is actually very true. I never really think of myself as an extroverted person because I tend to be more reserved with new people, but I guess it’s pretty true that I’m friendly and talkative and all that when I get warmed up to people. And I definitely had a harder time in school if I don’t have any interest in the subject. I’m looking at you math and science.

What’s your type?

2009→2010

December 29, 2009 //
1

2009 is coming to an end soon! Another year has gone by so fast.
I think I’ve really grown as a person, and there were a lot of firsts for me.

Highlights
* Went overseas for the first time (excluding Canada)
* Studied abroad
* Fell in love
* Turned twenty-one
* Rode a train for the first time
* Made a lot of new friends from all over the world
* Traveled a lot
* Met Nakata Yasutaka twice
* Was on Japanese TV
* Saw Big Bang perform
* Went to a fancy pants politician’s party

2010 is well… not looking so great. I’m really worried about finding a job after I graduate.
But what else can I do but try my best?
I don’t usually make New Year’s resolutions, but here are my goals for the next year.

* Graduate with a good GPA
* Find a job in Japan
* If I can’t find a job, go to graduate school
* Take level 2 of the JLPT
* Have a more fashionable lifestyle

We’ll see how it goes~

New York City

December 27, 2009 //
0

I went to New York City from 12/21 to 12/24 with several of my friends. It was freezing cold, but lots of fun.
Me being the idiot I am, forgot that I’d put my debit card in my coat pocket, and proceeded to wear a different coat and fly to NYC with only $120 in cash. So obviously, I didn’t do as much shopping as planned, but my lovely Sho paid for me, so it ended up okay.

On Monday, I arrived earlier than everyone, so I just kind of wandered around downtown Manhattan. Saw the Brooklyn Bridge, Wall Street, WTC, etc.

P1010767 P1010764

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