Well, It looks like we are staring down the barrel of the 2012 gun. It's so amazing to think about all the disasters this world has encountered within just one year, from disaster to prosperity, we seem to make it though this thing we call life as well as we do. I really can not believe that it has not been almost 9 months already since the Twin Disasters in Japan that devastated their country and interestingly tourism from the west (Asia) for them has returned to pre-tsunami levels but the tourism from the east (America) is still not even 1/10th of what it was before. It makes me sad that we, Christian America (or what remains to be christian), seem to show very little compassion to their situation. I've heard though the grape vine that it's so bad that the Japanese Government is considering to offer a Airplane ticket to westerners on their dime to help bring the tourism back, in exchange they want the people chosen to write blogs and stories about their trips to encourage others to go (So, Yes. Existing bloggers have a better chance of being chosen.), But interesting if the proposal gets passed by their government, entries will not be accepted until at least March.
Wishing you a Merry CHRISTmas!
In light of it being Christmas Eve I want write about some of the history of Christianity in Japan. The first documented christian to visit Japan would be Francis Xavier in 1549 whom was affiliated with the Portuguese Catholics. It was assumed by the Japanese that Christianity was a new religion from India for several mistaken reasons. Over the next 50 years the Christian faith had grown to very large numbers until 1603 when Leyasu Tokugawa became the shogun of Japan, he placed limitations on missionary work, which lead to the outright banning of Christianity in 1626, in part because the Shogun was concerned that Japan might end up as a colony of foreign powers, as was happening in asia already, and they were also concerned that the rice farmers would turn on the government over the rice taxes. Despite the banning, thousands of kakure-kurishitan (hidden Christians) continued to practice their faith in secret, creating statues of Maria reworked to resemble Buddhist Bodhisattva and passing the torch from generation to generation. They even hidden icons of the reworked Maria image into lamp posts and roof tiles of temples, to let Christians that were on the run that they were with fellow Christians at these locations. Some hidden Christians ran to small islands to continue there faith, in which one island colony of Christians was not even known to exist until 1890 went they made them self's known. When Japan was reopened to foreigner access in 1853 many Christian clergymen were sent from Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox churches, though proselytism was still banned. After the Meiji Restoration, freedom of religion was introduced in 1871, giving all Christian communities the right to legal existence and preaching. Since World War II the number of Japanese Christians has been slowly increasing. I believe GOD has a plan for Japan and we Christians need to continue to empower these people to push forward. The thing that make me so mad about missions to Japan is missionaries have to rely on numbers to continue their work, every mouth asking for donations, this is not the way we should be going about this. I know money is important to missionaries but I feel like something is lacking when it comes to Japan. Please pray and support someone in Japan Today, I know I am.
A Japanese Kirishitan crucifix, 17th century. Christ is depicted as Buddha-like, in the center of the cross.
Christmas has been established as a secular holiday which was first capitalized on around 1910. Today Christmas Eve is seen as a romantic night young couples to go on a date and then on Christmas day many Japanese eat Christmas Cake (A Japanese Invention) and chicken from Home or incidentally KFC, in which has long lines on Christmas Day due to Turkey being rare is Japan and the Japanese don't have much taste for it.
Well, Just a little update about my latest life challenges. I'm out on my own, working with a friend, starting a Text Message Marketing business which will be one of dozens of services I will be offering to small businesses over the next year. Within one month we should have 31 clients and then he thinks he could get a total of 100 clients by the end of the year, per his relationship with dozens of Dunkin and Subway owners. Ever since my mom re-awoke my passion of Revival, I can't get enough of World Revival Church in Kansas City. I want to see Revival flood this globe and this is my fuel to reaching Japan. I see people whom I have known since I was little and they still struggle over tithing and believing GOD will get them though. Now, I'm not saying I'm perfect but come on this is not hard. That is one reason I like WRC because they being a new challenge to my walk with GOD. People want meat in their relationship with GOD not watered down kool-aid. Well, time for bed! Sleep Well and merry CHRISTmas.
Today is a very special day, one I've been waiting for for a long time: Pocky Day, 2011. The Japanese are fond of assigning special importance to days of the calendar, often for arbitrary reasons, like October 10 being "Moe Day" because of the way the date looks like the kanji for moe when written a certain way, or November 26th being designated ii furo ni hi or "good bath day," a day for companies that make interesting bath products to promote their wares. Since Heisei 11 (1999), the makers of Pocky have designated November 11 as Pocky and Pretz Day, since 11/11 looks like four little sticks lined up. Well this year is extra special since the date is 11/11/11, the only such day this century. So grab some Pocky and much on it now!
Pocky has gone from being a wonky snack worshipped by anime fans to become the flagship of Japanese snack culture all around the world. The chocolate-covered pretzel stick, which gets its name from the pokki! sound you hear when you snap one in half, was first introduced in 1965 by the Glico Confectionery Company under the not-so-cool name of Chocoteck, where it was an instant hit. The story behind how the company was founded is quite interesting, by the way. At the start of the 20th century, the son of Riichi Ezaki died due to poor health, and the saddened Ezaki went a seaside fishing village where he happened upon some children playing. They were exceptionally healthy, which caused Ezaki to look into the reason for their good health. He determined that a compound found in oysters called glycogen was a factor, and in 1919 he resolved to found a comp any that would manufacture sweets for Japan's children that would improve their health, to be named Glico, after the glycogen compound. The now-famous image of the Glico Running Man was adopted because one piece of Glico candy contains the energy you need to run a 100 meter dash. The company has brought out many hit products over the years, but none quite as iconic as the legendary Pocky. We hope everyone has a fun Pocky Day today!
Well, The month is almost over and the cold is setting in more and more every day. Halloween is only days away and the abandoned store fronts that are rented though the month of October to just sell Halloween stuff are now in full swing. I don't celebrate Halloween nor believe in it but I do like that idea of anyone getting the chance to dress up like anyone they want. I actually think that pretending to be someone or something else can be a very healthy way to release stress and for once not care what people think of you. That is one reason I love the idea of cosplay so much. I remember dressing up as a Samurai (I was just wearing a kimono.) at Blockbuster one Halloween night.
Halloween is here again. Time to get the cosplay out.
The other day I was thinking about the interesting fact that we Americans find modern Japan so interesting, such as sleeping pods that you can rent for just a couple hours to get a nap or the fact that their large soft drink is about the size of an American small soft drink, like wise I was thinking that there are many things that the Japanese find interesting about us such as why our drinks are bigger then theirs or that you can buy mulch at the gas station in the spring (This one recently interested me) or a pizza can get your house faster then an ambulance. These sorts of things interest the Japanese about us as much as it interests us about them.
My Japanese tutor is returning this weekend after extending her trip to Japan by three weeks due to her daughter getting burn. Hope she has great things to share.
Japan has the third highest suicide rate in the world.
The other day I learned that some young girl (I really don't know much about the story) last week committed suicide by letting her self get hit by a passenger train in Peotone, Illinois. I heard that just as the train was about to kill her; she made eye contact with the engineer. Regardless if I got the story right or not the point is that this kind of thing is happening everyday in Japan and being that Japan has the third highest suicide rate in the world, it make me ever the more persistent in getting to Japan. Yesterday, something very interesting happening to me which I am surprised it took me so long to realize it. A few weeks ago I went to World Revival Church and had a really awesome time and one thing that I remember as being good but did not fully understanding was a quote that Steve Gray made during his message, He said "Use what you have... Take action! Take what you have and give it out for the Kingdom of God! Stop wishing upon a star.", as I said, it was good but I did not know what to make of it until yesterday when I was downtown walking to my first stop when I noticed a homeless man sitting on a crate along the side of the walk way reading a bible. As I continued to walk; I remembered Steve's quote and thought to my self, how can I expect GOD to send me to Japan to help the suffering if I am unwilling to help those in my own backyard. So without much hesitation I walked into the Dunkin Donuts I was about do some work in and asked for a cup of hot chocolate (Yes, It was free because I was working there) and on my return trip I offered it to the homeless man and continued on my way. Some time later I was walking to my second stop when again I noticed another homeless man, I passed that guy several times as I brought stuff from my car to the store and each time thinking more or more about if I should help him too. My self was saying stuff like "You already did your good deed for today" or "People are watching, What will they think of you?", On my last pasting I finally thought "I do it or not, God help me decide!" when suddenly I was just pasting the guy and some string came lose from my bucket of string (A professionals must have.) and got tangled around my feet like it was being controlled to, I struggled to make the last few steps when the string got worst and tangled in my hand carts wheel so bad that I came to a complete STOP!. Tided up with nothing to do but free my legs and cart, I thought "OK, God you got my attention.". I went to the store and dropped that stuff off and headed back the homeless guys way and ask him to join me for lunch. I found out that his mother was abusive and left his dad who just died the year before from illness and he is now homeless since this summer. I bought him a sandwich and when we were talking I asked him what his next steps were to getting back on his feet. His answer was that he was in need of a job. I offered to call an owner of some Dunkin Donuts in Chicago and put in a word for him and he was more then willing to take my offer. I called and he went his marry way. If I improved that guys life or not the point is that I must use what I have to carry out GOD plan on my life instead of complaining. Why wait for the position within an organization before I work for his kingdom.
This is a time in my life where I need to make progress within my life and I find harder then ever to make progress. I am making some good money again and I have been determined to finally make it to Japan by next May. Because of some mistakes I have made I own a little money here and there but I am unable to pay back any of it with ease. I lost my unemployment back in June and now I am making just enough money to make small dents in my debt. This is discouraging because I wanted to have visited Japan since 6 years ago. I have made no wasteful spending for a last couple months now and I am looking forward to this May that it will finally be my turn for some reward.
I hate making progress then other things fall apart. I finally made a few hundred on the side which could have given me some progress and then I had an on the job injury last week. I have been off work for one week and just went back today. 8 days ago I was pulling some wire in the ceiling in a Dunkin' Donuts up north and behind my back a Light Fixture fell from the ceiling and cut the back of my calf. There was four code violations with the construction of the drop ceiling which includes: 1. The fixture was 2'x2' in a 2'x4' opening with no cross bar. 2. No side clamps holding the fixture to the bars. 3. More then 5' of BX from the light to the junction box. Which left the light hanging 6 inches from the ground. 4. No anchors (Wire or Chains) connected to the fixture and the joists. I went to the Hospital and received 8 stitches and an expensive hospital bill. (Don't get me wrong we have the best health care system in America with some faults that far exceeds to quality of any system in the world.)
On a lighter note the guy who took me to get an X-ray was named Ray. So now I have the joke X-ray Ray. LOL.
As I mentioned before I have been learning Japanese from a private tutor. My progress of learning Japanese is coming along. I get all fuzzy inside when I make my own combinations of words to form sentences that where not directly thought to me. My vocabulary has been lacking since my primary focus is on learning the Japanese alphabet.
By the way, For anyone out there that is interested in learning kana like I am should check out this website I found. (http://www.manythings.org/q/kana.php?u=hiragana) It has some different kana (hiragana and katakana) quiz flash card games. I can already see my progress in learning kana when I get 102 out of 105 correct. That right, 105 variations of unique sounds in the Japanese alphabet. Plus, not to mention that their are two different alphabets with the same sounds and the over 2000 kanji characters which are combinations of kana sounds. This is nothing like when I used "Hooked on Phonics" when I was a kid.
One interesting thing about Japanese is the heavy use of loans words from other languages. Many loan words we use in English come from French, for example, words like beef, pork and poultry came to indicate the meat of cows, pigs and chickens through the interaction between French-speaking landowners (who ate the meat) and their English-speaking hired help (who tended the animals). Most foreign loan words in Japanese are from the 20th Century but quite a few others came into use in the Edo Period and before, including tempura (from the Portuguese word for spice), ga-ra-su (window glass), ko-hi (coffee), and ki-ri-shi-tan (Christian). (Remember, In Japanese, "i" makes the sound of "e" as in "he") In fact, these words have been used for so long they have kanji characters assigned to them, which violates the (modern) rule that katakana is to be used to write foreign loan words.
This time will be different because this time I am laying the stepping stones to solidly hold feet as I make progress to Japan Such as supporting a missionary family in Japan since last march and now seriously learning Japanese. I am putting my money where my mouth is. Please continue to pray for me.
I can not believe the craziness that had prevented me from keeping my blog more up-to-date. I have been doing contract work for someone on the side, installing DVR (Digital Video Recorders) in over 300 Dunkin Donuts within the Chicago land area with very little time to focus on other things and my favorite of all announcements is that I am now taking Japanese Lessons from an Private Tutor. Unforchantly, I have to drive 45 minutes every Sunday to north Chicago. The cost is only $30/hr which I hear is very competitive. I am learning a lot and can not wait until the next lesson. That was my quick update and I wish I could say more but time is not on my side right now.
One reason anime is able to affect us so deeply is the quality of the voice actors, and without the outstanding performances of names like Megumi Hayashibara (Rei Ayanami), Kikuko Inoue (Belldandy, Kazami from Please Teacher), and Toru Furuya (pretty much every major male role in the 80s), the characters and stories wouldn't be so enjoyable. Back in 2007 attendees of Anime Expo were treated to a visit by the voice actresses of the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Aya Hirano, Chihara Minori and Yuko Goto. One of the most embarrassing moments came with the M.C. asked the girls how they came to be professional voice actors, which in the case of the Japanese stars involved attending special "talent" schools for years and giving up much to realize the ir dream of going pro. When the English voice actors were asked the same question, the answers were basically, "I saw an ad in the newspaper, went down for an interview and got the job that day."
Tall Fences on Japanese High Schools are to prevent suicidal students.
One thing that always deeply concerns me and drives my passion to bring salvation to the Japanese people is their extremely high suicide rate. I once heard a Japanese Missionary post that it is not uncommon that if you go the train stations in Japan and all trains are stopped, because the another poor soul committed suicide by jumping off the train platform. On many Japanese High School Roofs instead of simple fences they have installed massive 14 foot fences that curve inward to prevent suicides. Factors in suicide include unemployment (due to the economic recession in the 1990s), depression, and social pressures. Suicide is predominately the result of a combination of factors such as healthcare provision, social attitudes, cultural influences and economic distress. I personally believe that high levels of are because the Japanese are not finding wholeness within their own society, religion (Buddhism) and work. This is the reasons that we Christians need to reach Japan -- especially after this recent disaster -- to help prevent the high numbers of Japanese Suicides.
I have still been pursuing Japan with a passion and I can not believe how much trouble I am still having. The other day my Dad spoke with my Grampa and asked if he would be interested in going to Japan. My dad reminded me that my Grampa made me a deal last year that if I was to get my GED then he would pay the whole $3000 to $5000 for my trip to Japan. When he said it I was in shock that I completely forgot about that offer but at the same time am not surprised that I forgot. I can point out several times that either of my grand parents made an offer and never carried it though. For example when I was 16 they promised that if I got my Drivers License that they would pay for half of my first car but now I am at my First and Second car and the whole thing has come from my own pocket. So I am not surprised that I had forgotten.
I have a personality that if someone is trying to bribe me with something to get me to do something then I don't want to do it even more but my Mom says that for the size of this offer you should just simply buckle down and do it. I did declare that if my reward does not go to plan then I will have even a harder time in the future to trust any offers -- bribes -- from my grandparents, PERIOD. I HATE TESTS. I HATE BEING TESTED. I hate them so much because I feel like I am being forced to use my brain to make no progress nor anything constructive. I had to take a compass test last Fall and it was like a nightmare to do. To make it worst the compass test was only 3 subjects and 50 minutes but the GED test has 5 subjects and can take 2 to 3 hours, time is strictly controlled and you have to schedule a testing. Deep down inside I feel that this fear is sign enough to say that I am suppose to do it. I don't want to be afraid of this but for once this is something I can not get over. I wish I could just drive to someplace, take a small test and be done but no I got to find a center, take a pre-test, take refresher classes, schedule a test and then take the test which could take weeks of time. I already feel my hair falling out. RRRRRRRRRR!!!! I need help.
I would like to point out that it was this month of last year on the 10th that I was laid off from my job at AT&T. Just a side note.
Just four years ago there was a anime made called "Tokyo Magnitude 8.0" which tells the story about two siblings who have to find their way home after a magnitude 8.0 earthquake hitting in Tokyo. The Tokyo Tower and the Rainbow Bridge both crumble and the landscape was changed in an instant. Many anime fans noticed the similarity to the recent disaster in Sendai. Since the situation is not interesting enough to help with news stations ratings, many people have been asking about the nuclear issue. From what I heard the levels of radiation at the nuclear power plant in Fukushima was determined to be level 7, the same level as Chernobyl. On April 1st it was observed about 2 to 3 times the normal amount of radiation (0.10 uSv per hour) in Tokyo. (http://chottomatte.net/2011/04/01/tokyo-radiation-levels-daily-updates-april/) To have an effect on one's health, it is said that one must be exposed to 100 mSv=100,000 uSv over the course of a whole year, but if one is exposed to the current levels of radiation in Tokyo for one whole year, it would only add up to about 1/114 of that. Therefore, these levels wouldn't have any kind of effect on one's health locally or if you came in contact with products from the Tokyo area. The risk of cancer from 100 mSv would only raise by 0.5%. This is the farther lower level than the one of possible harm that tobacco incurs. Worrying about this level of radiation is like worrying about the risk of cancer that comes with wearing clothes that have been exposed to tobacco smoke. Because of the overreaction to these radiation levels, people are hesitant to buy Japanese Products. Remember, in light of this incident Imports will be watching Japanese Imports more closely. So it is more important now than ever to support Japan by continuing to buy Japanese products!
While Japan has always had a reputation for taking ideas from the West and improving on them (sometimes beyond recognition), the reverse is often true, too, and Japan has long served as a well of inspiration for various creators from the West. I read a lot of science fiction books, and it often seems I can't pick one up that doesn't have Japanese themes in it somewhere, with the best example being William Gibson, who built his career by weaving ideas he got from Japan into his books. Star Wars is filled with Japanese cultural and visual elements culled from Japan's films and history, from Jedi Knights to the Force to the design of Darth Vader, whose helmet and "first name" come from famous warlord Date Masamune. (I always wondered why Obi Wan Kenobi was wearing a kimono and bowing like a Japanese person.) When the new iPad was announced, people in Japan observed that the fancy magnetic "Smart Cover" looked exactly like the covers used to keep the bath water warm in between use.
I am still waiting to make the proper arrangements to help with relief work. The e-mail I received from Amy Eby was quite promising but when I sent a check up e-mail she was no longer available for contact. As it looks now is they might be interested in getting me volunteering at their HQ Office in Tokyo and going out on Relief Work when needed.
I need everyone for pray that GODs hand will be in this and help provide me with decent housing for I really don't want to stay in a lonely hotel. If I can find reasonable housing then the cost of my trip would be much less and the duration can be much longer.
Round Trip Flight: $1,000.00 to $1,500.00
Hotel: $50.00 to $100.00 /per day times 30 = $1,500.00 to $3,000.00
When you study a foreign language, sometimes one of the first things you learn unavoidably are the "naughty" words -- that's just human nature. However, students of Japanese are often surprised to learn that most of the bad words they're used to in English don't map over very well. The most common Japanese insults include baka(BAH-kah, stupid), aho (ah-HO, the Osaka-ben version of the same word), and boke (BOH-kay, basically meaning "nim-wit"). Almost all the anatomical words you may be used to just don't work in Japanese, nor does the "F" word, which doesn't even exist, except occasionally in English as a foreign loan word. The most basic Japanese swear word is probably kuso (KOO-soh), the "S" word, yet it's interesting to note that it's not considered a bad word, as it's used in children's anime like Yu-Gi-Oh quite often and no one thinks anything of it. It addition to the primary meaning, the word kuso can also refer to various bodily products. The stuff that comes out of your nose is hana-kuso (nose-sh--), and ear wax is mimi-kuso (ear-sh--). The stuff that builds up in your eyes as you sleep is me-kuso (MEH-kuso), and plaque on your teeth is calledha-kuso. Now you know some interesting (and probably useless) Japanese vocabulary words!
The ongoing crisis in Japan has caused a lot of deep thinking about the country in general by the Western media, and one article I caught on CNN was titled, "Are the Japanese Different?" This is certainly an interesting question: does Japan's calm, ordered response to this unparalleled disaster indicate that they're somehow fundamentally different from the rest of us? On the one hand the answer is yes -- Japan is an island nation with an incredibly unique and strong culture that enabled it to resist colonization by the Mongols and the European powers (the only Asian nation other than Thailand to achieve this), and it spent 250 years closed off to other nations, living in a highly structured inward-looking society. On the other hand, the common Japanese belief -- really more of a national meme -- that they are fundamentally different, that (for example) the Japan ese langauge is more difficult than every other language in the world and that Japanese brains are are uniquely tuned to speak it, is obviously untrue. These beliefs are part of what's called nihonjinron (lit. "theories of the Japanese people"), a body of ideas about the Japanese as a race put forth by both Japanese and Western writers who were trying to describe Japan's "special" role in the world before, during and after World War II. Among other things, the Japanese fascination with blood types determining one's personality derives from nihonjinron ideas, from back in the days when the Japanese Empire tried to figure which blood type made the best soldiers (it was type O, if you're wondering).
You might have heard of the movie coming out called "Battle of Los Angeles" but did you know it was based on a real event. In 1942, five years before Roswell, a huge craft was spotted coming in low over Los Angeles. It was hit by spotlights and photographed. The first thoughts were not of Extra-terrestrial but that it must had been sent by the Japanese. While it sat over the city, nearly motionless, and in plain view of thousands of folks and because of the recent Pearl Harbor incident the army started shooting anti-aircraft guns at it. 1300 rounds, 6 people died and shrapnel rained down. What ever it was, it eventually cruised off over Long Beach and disappeared into the night. The next day the above photo was published in the LA Times. Several years later the government claimed it was a weather balloon. Why is that always their explanation?
I would just like to give people a heads up on my current situation. I have just been notified by CRASH Japan that I just might be a contender to volunteer for relief work in Japan. I am very emotional right now because I feel like this is it. That GOD has been preparing me for the last 6 years and did not let me go to Canada because this is what he wants me to do. I am asking that people pray for the blessings of GOD to rain down because in reality if they ask me to volunteer I don't know how I can pay for the whole thing and even if it will be possible. I am completely putting my faith in GOD that if I am to do this that it will happen and it will the greatest testament to GODs glory and grace.
Please consider making a donation to the U.S. Red Cross or CRASH Japan. CRASH Japan is a network supporting Christians to do relief work in Japan and around the world.
It's moments like these when you really see the good in people, and Japan has been touched by the outpouring of help from other countries in their hour of need -- 91 countries so far. Everyone is thankful for the rescue teams coming from the U.K., South Korea, Germany, Mexico and yes, New Zealand (thank you everyone!). The U.S. brought the aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan and several destroyers in to airlift water, food and other needed supplies, a mission that's been named "Operation Tomodachi" (Operation Friendship), and I saw more than a few Japanese on Twitter saying things like, "I laughed at the silly-sounding name...then I cried and cried." There was a massive show of support on Pixiv, the Japanese artist community website, as artists from Japan and around the world created art of Miku Hatsune saying, Ganbatte, nihon! ("Do your best, Japan!"). It's been really amazing to see.
USS Ronald Reagan is in Japan
The character of the Japanese people is really visible at a time like this. While it's common for disasters to be followed by certain desperate actions by the citizenry, e.g. looting, this idea would be unthinkable in Japan. At the shopping mall in Tokyo, Japan, when the quake hit everyone ran outside holding the items they had intended to purchase. Though they could have just kept on going to their cars, everyone waited for the shaking to stop then went back inside to make their purchases before rushing home. There were no reports of looting or other problems, though basic foodstuffs and gasoline disappeared pretty quickly. In general Japan has been extremely calm and collected considering what they've been up against.
As some of you might have heard I have run into a huge road block on my way to Prince Albert, SK, Canada. I, Joel T Greene, Was denied access to Canada. I tried to enter on two separate days and the first day I was told no because there was no proof that I had any intention of leaving the country. Then the second day the Border Agent denied me access for he was concerned that I would be performing work while on a visitors visa. This is a huge disappointment but I believe that there is a reason stuff happens.
I can not believe the major disaster that happen this morning in Japan. There was a M8.9 off the coast of Sendai and the tsunami that followed destroyed a lot of structures and reshaped that coast line. Please pray for the Japanese as GOD helps them get thought this. Partially because my trip to Canada failed and because I have a heart for Japan, I am looking to volunteer for any groups that will be helping with the relief efforts.
I happened to catch an article about some corruption scandals cropping up in India recently, which are causing some big problems for the country. I've heard stories along these lines from friends who have lived in India before, for example the speed that the phone company installs your phone line is proportional to the size of the bribe you pay the clerk. That's one good thing about Japan: compared to most countries, it's very "clean," and the idea that you'd get someone to do something by applying palm grease is all but unheard of -- heck, you can't even tip someone who has given you outstanding service, as the custom of tipping never caught on here. So important is personal honesty that a ridiculously small campaign contribution of just $500 has brought down Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara, who quit his post over the weekend when the news leaked out. (He received the campaign contribution from a "foreigner," which is not allowed under Japanese campaign law, though the individual who made the donation is azainichi Korean, born and raised in Japan but maintaining South Korean citizenship for cultural reasons.) Of course, I'm not saying Japan is perfect. Influential Japanese politician Ichiro Ozawa is under indictment over a controversial land purchase, and Japan still has a big problem with hakomono, lit. "box-thing," the name for pork barrel construction projects with little social value. Still. as a rule Japan does pretty well at keeping corruption at bay. When Vice Defense Minister Takemasa Moriya was found to have been receiving financial and other perks from defense contractors, he was promptly arrested, and prosecutors descended on the Ministry of Self Defence to collect evidence. Can you imagine the U.S. Justice Department executing search warrants and scouring the Pentagon for evidence of wrongdoing under any circumstances?
Well, here is my promise for a post at stop number one. I am writing from a hotel room in Saint Cloud, MN. After a rocky start this morning I got on the road and drove 8 hours with only two stops. Well, my parent were a bit concerned with me driving 15 hours the first day so they forced/asked me to travel over two night instead of one. This hotel is not bad and personnel are quite nice. Tomorrow I plan to get out at about 6 am and travel 12 hours to Regina, SK, Canada. This will be the longest leg of the trip and I pray I will have to ability to battle it out. As so as I can find my data cable for my phone I will have several pictures on my trip. So, if you would excuse me I finished dinner am going down to the pool for a dip.
As I approach my final 12 hours at home I think about all the things that I will miss here. Like the ability to talk with my okasan (mother) or otousan (father) when I desire and the familiar scenes of America the beautiful. Watashi no kozoku wa ai desu.
Yesterday after getting my oil change and as I drove past the Borders Book Store I noticed a BIG YELLOW BANNER under the sign that read "STORE CLOSING". I have bought all my Manga from this store.
"My favorite Borders is closing"
This Saturday I visited Mitsuwa in Arlington Heights to buy Yoshi and Kevin a thank you present. I love the unique Japanese Environment, authentic Japanese Food in the food court and the Magazines and Books imported straight from Japan.
This is one place the really gets the blood flowing.
"Mitsuwa the Japanese Grocery Store is awesome"
"My Favorite Ice Cream is Green Tea"
There will be more posts to came from each major stop so please stay tuned.
Every man in Japan looks forward to receiving chocolate on Feb. 14
Valentine's Day is an important day in Japan, a time for couples to show their affection through the medium of chocolate. As is probably well-known by now, in Japan it's common for women to give chocolate to the special men in their lives, and in the days leading up to February 14 millions of fathers, husbands, boyfriends and would-be-boyfriends look forward to scoring some chocolatey goodness. There are two kinds of chocolate,honmei-choco or "real heart" chocolate, given to someone you actually care about, and giri-choco or "obligation chocolate," the kind female office workers feel obliged to give to the male employees at work, and their bosses. Chocolate companies are always trying to create new chocolate-giving trends, like the year they promoted gyaku-choco or "reverse chocolate," trying to get males to give chocolate to females as they do in the West, or this year's new buzzword of tomo-choco, chocolate given between friends. Of course, you never get a gift in Japan without giving one back in return (called o-kaeshi, a return gift), and March 14 has been designated as White Day, a day when men who received chocolate from women the month before should give something back, usually white chocolate or sometimes lingerie. South Korea also observes Japanese-style Valentine's Day and White Day, and has added a new tradition: Black Day on March 14, a day when single men who received no chocolate bitterly eat a kind of noodles in a black sauce.
Since I am so very interested in Japan and so many people I talk to don't know any more then me I would start making a post every so often with something I find interesting about the Japanese People or their culture.
the Japanese get red-faced when they drink.
I have had my fair taste of alcohol but I know I would never make it a habit like my aunts have made it but I have found this fact about the Japanese very interesting. Did you know that Japanese often get really red in the face when they start drinking, a phenomenon known as the Asian Flush Response, which has to do with some Japanese (and many other East Asian people) lacking a liver enzyme that breaks down chemicals in alcohol. I hear it's hilarious to see. Some will drink just one highball and suddenly they turns as red as a lobster, although they are not drunk at all. You occasionally see this phenomenon represented as a slight reddening of the face in anime characters when they drink too much, but don't be fooled: I hear the real thing is much more brilliant to behold. A similar phenomenon unique to Asians is the "Mongolian Spot," a blue bruise-like spot visible on the rear ends of Japanese babies until the age of 2.
Just thought I would post some crazy pictures of this crazy winter blizzard we are experiencing here in Homewood, Illinois.
Current weather map at 1:25 am. 10 hours in.
Northbound Picture of Kedzie (2:30 pm)
Southbound Picture of Kedzie (2:30 pm)
Picture taken at the 5th checkout in my locale walmart.
Seriously, 20 to 40 minute checkout times.
Come on people, This storm will only last two days not a week.
Just a few hours ago I drove to my dads work to pick him up because the van would not start. Most of the time I could not see any more then 20 feet in front of me.
Just thought I would give an update to my previous post because I have worked out some more of my trip details. I'm really excited that my new room mate is going to be Yoshi Makino who is a natural born Japanese Citizen and has been living in Canada for the last 6 years.
Yoshi Makino
My plans so far is to leave February 28th and arrive in Prince Albert, SK, Canada on March 1st. With no set return date.
There are two things that really make me believe that this trip to Canada is a calling from GOD. First one would be two people in my life that I really did not think would support this. The first one was my Dad who has been since my lay off putting a lot of pressure on me to look harder for a new job. The second person that surprised me would be my grandmother on my dads side who has always been nagging me to just to go to College, get a good job and become an engineer like your grandfather. Secondly, Like I had said in letter "My passion for Japan", "I believe that when the time comes the money will be there" and so far I am seeing a lot of money that I can scraping off the walls then I first thought. As far as its looking now I will have more then enough money for this trip and then some to put into my future trip to Japan. (Which could come sooner then me or you could think.) God has allowed huge blessing in my life over the last month. I am believing there is more to come.
Being that Christmas was very recently and Christmas was about the same time that Ebenezer Scrooge took a journey of his Christmas past, present and future in the classic "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens, I figured it would be appropriate for me to do the same but instead do a review of the last year finishing with what is to come. And away we go.
"A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens
Beginning the year of 2010 I had already been at AT&T for about 6 months. I remember making plans to take my Japan trip in June of that year. I had saved over $2500 and I had enough vacation to take two to three weeks. My biggest problem was who to go with. As much as I agree with them my parents I was desperate enough to be willing to just go and wing it. (Foolish I Know!)
My problems never seemed to have been solved with my Manager (Jonas Denose). All the work I was trying to put in improving my numbers never seemed to help because of the lack of involvement my manager took with me. I remember him always saying my problem was customer service but never once during my visits did he engage with my customer. I honestly believe that is he took more involvement in my work, he could have greatly help improve my numbers. Once March came around I found out that Jonas was being transfered to the Northlake Garage and my new Manager was going to be Tony White. Only two days on the job with him and I was greatly encouraged by his positive words and engagement. I remember having a repair job where I had to completely rerun all the wiring and hang a new drop and he came all the way out to my job and gave me a hand. I come into work on April 10th and tried to dispatch when my IFD refused. I remember going to Tony White and pointing it out. Several moments later he calls me into a meeting with my rep and garage manager. I was informed that I being let go (General Discharge). The actual reason was never solidly said and I remember being devastated for a couple months after.
AT&T is one brute of a company.
To make a long story short, Two months later after fighting the lay off. I was told by my rep that they will not be bring my case to arbitration. I asked why and he said that during my hearing I used the sentence "I think I remember doing bla bla bla" when I should of said "I don't remember". He said that saying that makes me look guilty to the arbitrator.
The crap that AT&T does is so stupid being that people who deserve to be fired keep their jobs and those who should not get the short end of the stick. Which is exactly what I got. Tony White and my Union Rep said I did. A good example of such bone-head-ness (Yes, I made it up. Do want to fight about it?) is in august I get delivered a summons by an Illinois Sheriff. Apparently some guy who rear ended my work truck the year before was suing me and AT&T personally for several thousand dollars. It took me a week to try to get a hold of someone within AT&T who could help me. Last I heard AT&T assigned my case an attorney. Literally the LAST I HEARD. I have no idea where it will go from there and they better hope I'm not OUT OF THE COUNTRY when the court date comes. The reason I say silly is because I can give you a 95% chance that the guy was just paid off.
I had a meeting with my Pastor back in December over my Passion for Japan and was very encouraged by his positive belief that this is really a great calling on my life. I remember mentioning that I'm starting to get concerned that because I just turned 24 years old and many of my friends from youth are already married that this would be a burden on my calling. He came right out and said that maybe GOD has placed this calling on your life at this age because he is calling you to actually marry a Japanese Woman. This shocked me because My parents and I were thinking the same thing. (Yes, Grandma you have a good chance of having Japanese Great Grandchildren.) As for the meeting I had wrote a three paged letter called "My Passion for Japan". Please take a moment and read it. Later this year I might have to write a revision to cover my current situation.
Sakatoon, SK, Canada
Back last year I remember giving the year of 2010 the name of "The year of Growth and Reward", I Think, But I never would have imagined that it would not be in physical means but of character and spirit. As I mentioned in my post on September 6th I went to World Revival Church in Kansas City, Missouri. I went to take a further seeming of GODs calling on my life but in additional I believe it was GODs will that I met Pastor Kevin Tabuchi. (Read more about him in my letter.) Hes an experienced missionary to Japan and pastors a church in Canada. After much time of communication last December he invited me to come to their church in Saskatoon, SK Canada. As it stands now I am leaving out on February 14th which will get me there late on the 15th because its a 23 hour drive. We are making plans for me stay for about 2 weeks to whenever. We have decided to work out a deal that because I would be on a Visitor Visa (Can't get paid) we would exchange work for Room and Board. They want to put me up in a room with a roommate by the name of Yoshi who I a Japanese Citizen. He has said that this will be a huge opportunity to met new people and learn lots about the Japanese People. Supposedly Yoshi is the son of a pastor back in Japan who is good friends with Tabuchi-san. I really don't have much to say until I get closure to February 14th. I called the other day and talked with Kevins Wife. When she answered the phone she asked who was calling and after I answered my name she instantly (Not to even pause to put a face with the name.) said "JOEL!!! It's so awesome to talk with you." Talking with them I feel like I'm some LONG LOST friend or even family. I'm very much looking forward to February and coming later this year I'm hoping that I will be able to join their missions trip to Japan.
Please stay tuned as I'm planning on writing frequent posts on the whole trip.
"Mitsuwa the Japanese Grocery Store is awesome"
