乙女の夢 (A Maiden's Dream)

みんあさん、おはようございます！ (Good morning everyone)

Today is the start of my first legitimate full day in Tokyo! However, since I am just sitting around under the kotatsu (a table with a heater installed under it--something I've always wanted to do) in my pajamas and watching some newsy show, I'll recap the "first" day aka the ARRIVAL.

We left the house at around 2:30 AM EST for my 6AM flight (since the pseudo-terror attack caused regulations to change, so check-ins needed to be speedier). My dad ended up driving toward the wrong airport, though, so a 30min drive became an hour and a half drive (providing me with ample time to take a refreshing nap--I needed to abate sleep as long as possible until the big flight). Fastforward to me flying to Toronto. It was super great; a smooth, uncrowded flight. The girl across from me had her small dog with her. One of the flight attendants said he liked my origami, too! :^) This, of course, made me very happy.

While hanging around YYZ airport, there were a few key points amongst the humdrum airport-waiting nonsense:
1. There are like. Superstores. Yeah. I made a small video addressing it which I'll post later.
2. FRENCH PEOPLE WHFJKENEEJKFD WHYYYYY (jkidding! ...right?)
3. I got lunch at a pseudo-pricey place while waiting but it was SO. GOOD. SO GOOD! I now have Canadian $$$. :^0 There was a poster in the airport, too, regarding the high number of moose-related car accidents. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH WHAT???
4. I saw the Japanese John Michael. You can only imagine how cool that was.

The plane was pretty large. I've never been on one that big before! All of the stewardesses were very sweet and the food was actually enjoyable! I was in a three-seat row, but there was no third person. My rowmate (a nice lady from the Philipines) and I had a great napping schedule. When I wasn't napping she was, and when she was I wasn't. This = getting to lie down across two seats instead of being cramped in one. I watched A Serious Man and Inglorious Basterds on the flight. A Serious Man was great, but I feel like a lot of it went over my head since I'm not Jewish. :^[ Inglorious Basterds was gratuitously gory and I wanted to punch Brad Pitt for his accent at times. The characters weren't all agreeable and the complete lack of loyalty to anyone ever whether or not they were your own men/whatever kind of annoyed me, but. Meh. It's war. It was entertaining, but really, really long. KAjkwsd. Salsa, they had like 5 eps of 30 Rock available for watching btw. I thought of you when I saw that!

The plane was just full of adorable, non-screaming forever babies, too. There were a loooot of mothers about walking the aisles and bouncing their kids. So cute. :D Uhm, yeah. Since I was flying east, we got no darkness despite it theoretically being an overnight/redeye flight. Bonkers! I liked seeing a little steamboat in the ocean off the coast of Russia (?). The clouds looked like huge ice floes, which made the image better.

This is basically all that happened of note on the 13ish hour flight. :x What comes next is the best though, because it's actually ME GETTING TO JAPAN.

Let me say first that going to Japan has been my dream since I was like 5 or 6 years old (thanks Sailor Moon!). I took like 2 Japanese lessons at age 6 or 7 and have been listening to the music since age 8 or 9. So, yeah. DREAM. DREAMS COME TRUE. Some are meant to die, but this was not one of them. And so, I am here. Now. Ahahhaahdbjsfeuhfukjrejgklre :^)))))))

Back to the trip: As the plane pulled into Narita, I felt a giddy excitement that I have probably not felt for ages. Not the excitement/anxiety of the first day of college, or the overwhelming glee of acing something, but the feeling of a dream being realised. I was simultaneously ready to begin adventuring the city and to vomit every single organ in my body up due to the rumbling joy.

After going through customs &c, I met Dan in the main lobby--I exchanged currency, fawned (NOT like the very fawn gates we know today) over items that the airport shops were selling, and we went down into the station (it's so beautiful, btw... I'll get pics of what the bottom of metro stations look like here later on). I got a PASMO (Japanese equivalent of a SmarTrip for those familiar with DC travel) and we began our two hour-ish journey to Taito-ku.

The area just outside of Narita is absolutely gorgeous--sprawling farmland, sporadic shopping centers in muted colours, big temples, crumbling stairs, traditional Japanese houses with strings of laundry and the glow of the setting sun painted beautifully across all of the serene scenery. Breathtaking! Hbdkjasbdjkasdcs <-- how I felt seeing it. DREAMS. Augh, anyway, yes. The journey was mostly uneventful. We met a guy named Michael on the train. He was from BC, Canada and is a chef at a gentleman's club in Roppongi (the district with all of the high-price bars and clubs, more ore less).

Side note: A commercial that was just on TV had a video of that cat from youtube who liked to launch itself stuck into boxes. There's also a priest grinning weirdly and doing a circular body motion on this newsy program. Looks like it's related to the New Year celebration?

Anyway, Michael has a huge, winding dragon tattoo that he's working on, and he plans on traveling to more countries to taste different foods, learn techniques and expand his cooking repetoir. How great, right? :^)

As the night finally came, we finally arrived at the apartment. Getting into the apartment proved the most troublesome of anything that night (including dodging bikes with several 889343893lb suitcases in hand/on back)--the key was supposed to be left in a visible place, but due to mail delivery, it had not only been placed out of reach, but was under stacks and stacks of mail and small packages! But,with guts and effort, we successfully removed it and got into the apartment (the process of obtaining the key earned us reaaalllyyy weird looks from a young couple leaving the building).

Japan has been nice so far--Sarah has an amazing, spacious and comfortable apartment. Daniel and I wandered Taito-ku (the neighborhood where I'm staying) in search of food after dropping off the bags. We stood outside of a ramen shop for several minutes trying to decipher the menu and decide whether or not to go in. While this was occurring, an older Japanese man sort of wandered past, staring. I dismissed it, since we did look pretty strange. However, not moments later, I heard a dripping noise and looked over to find him peeing on a streetpost. Uhm, yeah. He then approached us and spoke rather unintelligibly, but went into the ramen shop asking the owner (who he said was his friend) to give us a good, cheap deal! (HOW NICE, AMIRITE? omg) The ramen shop owner was shutting down, though, so we'd missed our chance. We wandered a bit more, checked out the grocery stores and tried to find me a rental/prepaid phone (no such luck in this small area), which I'll try again for tomorrow in the actual city-area.

We went to a bookstore whilst wandering, and I bought a large volume of Shin-chan (children's manga) to enjoy/use to practice my reading, and the new issues of Zipper Magazine (my favourite Japanese magazine!) and SPUR (which is pretty good this time around). Across from that was a cool bento (box lunch/meal) stand. The chefs spoke enough English to help us out and also had an English menu! :^) For a small bento with rice, seaweed, a small serving of veggies and some seafood plus a small bowl of miso soup, I paid only 430 yen! (this is like 4.50 USD)

We came back to apartment to eat our cheap food and it turned out to be pleasantly delicious. However, halfway through my tempura-styled-thing, I realised I was eating a tentacle. Now, I've eaten tentacle before, but for some reason the fact that I didn't realise it as I was eating it made me nauseous and upset, so I flew into a rage (hahahaha, no. not really.) and ended up dropping it off of a balcony. Uhmmm. Yeah. Did I mention that the balcony/hall thing isn't really enclosed? I'll take a picture, since I can't figure out a sensical way to communicate how ridiculous and amazing the design seemed.

Well, we finished eating and Daniel needed to get home before the trains stopped running (which is between 11 and 12, I think? It was about 10 when he left). Upon Daniel's exit, I asked him to press the doorbell before he left so I could see if it worked out properly. When he got down to the lobby area, he did so, but I'd accidentally pressed an alarm button when trying to turn on the video call option. I thought I had turned it off, but a security officer ended up coming to the apartment to address the issue. Mind you, I speak rather little Japanese (especially in relation to crime, accidents and such) and he spoke no English whatsoever (I'd tried speaking English to him, but when he contacted the office, he asked what language I spoke). Things were resolved rather quickly after that--I used an online translator to explain what had happened, and he came in to turn off the emergency alarm setting. So, Moritaka sama, wherever you are, thank you for your help!

I watched some TV after the madness (on Girls Bar, a late night talk show sort of deal for young women), some of the girls sang the Neon Genesis Evangelion theme song! (I know all of the words, btw, and was A. SO PUMPED TO HEAR IT (it's one of my favourite songs from one of my absolute favourite anime), and B. SO PUMPED TO BE IN JAPAN WATCHING A SHOW WHERE PEOPLE KARAOKE'D THE EVA THEME SONG).

My sleep pattern is kinda wonky right now/the apartment is currently pretty cold, so I've been up since about 5:30AM Japantime, buuuuut because of this, I caught a clip of the concert I didn't get to see on the 30th. A clip, specifically, of Tokyo Jihen's performance. TOKYO JIHEN, I LOVEEEE YOU, I AM LISTENING TO YOUR NEW SINGLE AND IT 'S SO BA I CAN'T HANDLE IT (they are my fave band, obvs).

Okay, I think that's aboot it for my first day. Sorry there are no pictures, but I don't have access to my own laptop right now, so they'll come later.

それ、じゃまたね！
L8r, sk8rs!

メリークリスマス！

HEY. HEY YOU GUYS. Yeah. You.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!! Or other celebrated Holiday. You know.

Also, happy belated Festivus--check out the wiki page for that; it's pretty boss.

Uhmmm, I got little this year because everyone is funneling money into my trip (THANKS SO MUCH, BTW, EVERYONE. I LOVE YOU ALL.)

SO! Onto the gifts.

Exhibit A.

I got A SUITCASE...set. Now I don't have to use my mother's anymore. Mine is smaller, but certainly fabulous and easy to distinguish at baggage claim. :^) And the colours of the Japanese flag (my mother was very excited by this fact).

Exhibit B.

I also got PROFESSOR LAYTON AND THE CURIOUS VILLAGE. YES YES YES. I'm so terribly excited. Now I can learn the ways of a true gentleman! I'll wear my hat while playing it and everything. And playing it will make me cool, because I'll be playing a JAPANESE game in ENGLISH... IN JAPAN!

Exhibits C, D & E.

Uhmm, I also got pocky! Hiiii, messy desk. Look, the Oscar Wilde book my roomies got me! It's all kinds of lovely. You can also see Persona 4 AKA video game obsession...

Exhibits F & G

Exhibits H, I & potentially J.

I also acquired some Christ-mas-socks, and slippers (which sort of resemble foot-consuming larvae... or Pupa, if any of you play(ed) Ragnarok Online)! Comfort heaveeennnn, thanks Dad + Auntttt. (I love that my elderly nature is being accepted and they've given up on buying me girly/scented things. God, yesss.) And say hi to Alex's shirt!

Oh, and another present... I've finished the next 100 cranes! *presses like button* And one of my roommates sent me a bunch more paper to use. Thanks so much, Bibka!Uhmm, HERE IS A PIC, YEAAAAHHHH (a la Bibs). My cat Leena is inspecting them. Hmm... かっこいいね？ 1/5 of the way there!

She smells a case!

Ah ah ah, in closing for this rambling entry, two of my favourite Christmas songs ever:

Poor quality, but this special is GOLD. I absolutely love how cheerful it is without being cliche... maybe because it's under the ocean? FILLED. WITH. JOY.

"Go a-way before I harm you bodily!" (never change, Squiward).

Mr. Krabs has the most beautiful falsetto ever, btw. Obvskies. And, finally, the Ranma 1/2 Christmas special song. I have been obsessed with it for approximately a decade--I have ALWAYS wanted to celebrate Christmas with this song as my festive-mood-setting centerpiece.


Uhm, this is only the video version... it's a bit longer. But yes, WONDERFUL. And cute. Rumiko, where did your magic go, bb?



Sidenote: I LEAVE NEXT WEEK. HOW WILD IS THAT? I hope to enjoy some vlogging at the Canadian airport. (YYZ... really good Rush song, too).

Ahhh, Japan, I am coming for yooouuuuu... *laughs creepily*

All of that aside, I hope everyone's holiday kicked epic tuchus. Any good gifts/fun family time/how many episodes of Dexter have you watched? Or seasons of Scrubs?

新世界へようこそ！

Jkidding! This isn't a new world by any means.

This is kind of a new start for my blog, though.

Well, excuse me while I panic about how close the trip is!

I haven't got my things packed, or my new wig delivered, or anything, so much to do!

よんでくださって、ありがとうございます！

(Is that right?)

Oh, P.S. here is a picture of the first 100 cranes! Thanks to everyone who helped--the next one hundred will be done before I take off. :^)

Dedicated to Spike or, 「コルコルコル。。。」

I am still unsure as to why I am not Russian. There must have been a genetic mix-up or some sort of overseas birthing fiasco, because I am far too into Russia to not be Russian. Amongst my jumbled Japanese language and film classes in college, I am forcing in a Russian history course, which I am SO EXCITED FOR. Zomg. Sleep? Sanity? Who needs those?

Anyway, have a fabulous picture-list of all things amazing and Russian:

Sasha, killing us all with her fabulosity, no big deal. (Don't act like you didn't expect it.)

Anton Yelchin AKA Pavel Andreievich Chekov. Russian in AND outside of the movie-verse. I promise.



Russia tea cookies/cakes. Delicious. Have you ever had these? Forget macaroons, blogosphere...

I couldn't not use this one, sorry to those who don't get it... Vladimir, don't ever change.

And finally, Ivan Braginski from Axis Powers Hetalia or Hetalia: Axis Powers. Creepy as heck, and all sorts of awesome.

I think we have an appropriate idea of how geeky I am at this point, so that's it for now. Outfit posting/style diary-ing will start... when I actually get a digicam/have time to wear non-work clothing...

Does anyone know how to fix the wonky sizing? I feel so n00by...

As an aside, writing in tags makes me feel like the King of the Cosmos from Katamari Damacy while he rambles things off on the loading screen...

[1&2: tumblr, the rest are google search results]

はじめまして

I am not ashamed to love this show. Bravo, never leave me.

Real posts soon? I am learning how to work the internets again...