I'll explain later.
Anyway, been quite busy with things as usual...work, hunting down CDs, dissecting their contents, that kind of thing. A few more shows as well.
Which I've been catching between shots of veggie soda:
If you're thinking of what to get dad for that belated Father's Day gift...
"Here, Dad, hope the hot pink brings out your eyes."
A few less than noble things from the West have, unfortunately, permeated here. Graffiti being one, although rebellion against society takes on a slightly different tone.
Well, as has become the norm, I'm spending a lot of time at shows, taking pictures and networking. One thing that can be a bit perplexing is having more than one good shot of what is essentially the same thing. Case in point: do I go with the focused shot with eye contact?
...or the fuzzier, but more-in-line-with-the-band's-aesthetic shot?
I dunno. I like both of those.
My friend Dan is a busy man. He's in no fewer than three bands at the moment, one of which, the Lickerish Quartet, played its first show. They recreate the sound of late 60s European sex film soundtracks, right down to the creepy guys with bad haircuts (which led to the introductory photo on this page.)
Their first show also afforded a good opportunity to try filters on my camera.
Jonny, the man in the mask, sans mask.
My friend Greg in his one man band, known as Escalade.
Yeah, he plays all that stuff. Thank god for loops.
Other bands, like the oft-photographed Yakochu. Here's Osamu looking suitably rock Goddish:
And then there's the Cyclones, 60s slacks and all.
But my favorite has to be Hanari Kyoko and the Snipers.
There were guys on stage too. I think they played music. I don't remember.
Anyway, upon returning to the daycare gig, I find some intriguing examples of speculative English.
Speculative English is English from someone who is not a native speaker, but has good knowledge of the rules and tendencies of the language. Someone using speculative English may be looking for a word that they know the roots of, but not the word itself. Say, for example, if they went to the zoo and saw a group of sea creatures. If one is an octopus, then a group might be...
...then again, maybe not.
Look closely at this:
Yes, it's a human butt crapping out an egg onto the skull of a bald, green duck.
Well, OK, that "duck" is actually Kappa, a legendary creature. Dunno about the egg, though.
(OK, OK, OK, "cuchi" is Japanese for "mouth." So..."Mouth Cam." There, it makes perfect sense.)
I'll leave it to you to figure this one out.
(Thanks to Dan O. for that one.)
Well, occasionally, homesickness does occur. Fortunately, with the right amount of time, effort and cash, anything can be had. Even burritos.
Note Surugi's non verbal comment on the atmosphere surrounding a burrito party. Some things aren't lost in translation.
----
"Hey."
"Hey. How's work?"
"Nothing special, same old. Go out last night?"
"Yeah, but went home early to go to bed. You know, early bird catches the worm..."
"Ha ha, very funny. Man, this elevator takes a while, doesn't it?"
Japan has everything. When you go tanning, you can even choose how nice you want the place to be, without having to comparison shop.
So, "face" is sleazier than "low class." I'll remember that.
Well, I've been here long enough that I'm starting to get visits from people I haven't seen in a while, like my old roommate's girlfriend, Reiko. Who has, apparently, not eaten since I've seen her last.
OK, no dessert for you.
GOOD LORD, HOW LOUD IS THIS THING??!?!
OK then, that's another dispatch from here in Kawaguchi.
Until next time, always remember...
As always, mail me here.