Friday Night and Look-a-like

Tonight was that most auspicious of occasions when I venture into the nearby city to do my laundry. Glamorous right? you think that living abroad is all eating gross things and taking fabulous vacations. I have to do regular person things too! Anyway, I went into Nirasaki to use the dryers at the laundromat. In the meantime, I decided to go to dinner with the only other person in Yamanashi that appreciates country music. Luckily he is a good conversationalist.

Can't figure it out? I am talking about myself. I got talking about country music last week with some other ALTs which got me curious as to who in the prefecture likes the like of Garth, Tim, Alan, and George. I asked on the forums and the answer came back...no one. I am alone here. I knew I stood apart being the only Mormon, Utahan, and Jazz fan, but I didn't think I would be the only one with a fine appreciation for songs that tell the stories of my people. Oh well. I may have mentioned it before, but I feel like I go through double culture shock here in Japan. I have the culture shock of being around other international and different foreigners as well as the Japanese. As to country music, I love it and I think I can help explain why...actually, Jeff Foxworthy does it well in this video: 

I like this video. It is a little high-minded about how great country music, but I think it helps grab some of the essence of how I feel about it. I can't say that I have always been a fan because I haven't. Luckily I dated a girl who liked country music. The girl is long gone, but the music remains. 

While I was waiting for my laundry to dry, I took myself out for a nice dinner at Coco's Restaurant. I went there once with a friend and was super impressed. Here is the think that helps make Coco's so amazing: it has pebbled ice and Coke Zero with all you can drink! That is huge in this country! Also they have some of the best hot chocolate I have ever tasted. I tried my best to drink my weight in it while I was there. Not bad for 189 yen. 

Here you can see the delicious sampler of (surprisingly) delicious sausages, fried chicken, and possibly the best french fries I have had in Japan thusfar. In the picture you can see my hot chocolate and Coke Zero...that is just how I roll.

While I was getting a refill on my sweet Coke Zero, a couple of high schoolers passed by me and said a bunch of things I couldn't understand. One thing I did understand though, suteeben sugaru. I am now an expert at recognizing western words through the Japanese filter and I can tell you with assurity that he was saying Steven Seagal. Yep. I thought to myself, "that is a weird thing to say." The two of them then continued to stare at me as I walked away. They thought I look like Steven Seagal. Cool?

After perusing pictures of Steven Seagal, I should have knocked that kid out with a Steven Seagal karate chop for saying such a slanderous comment.

After my meal and the comment on my look-a-like, I guessed that old Steven Seagal deserved a delicious banana crepe. What Steven Seagal wants, Steven Seagal gets...

I can say this about the night. The conversation was good, and at the end I didn't regret spending money on the activity (which is more than I can say for many dates I have been on...HIYO!). Now I am capping it off by watching the Two Towers. Jealous?

Hodge and Podge

I feel bad, I don't have anything exciting to say. I have had a few things kicking around in my old brainparts though for a few days. Because of this, I am making a hodge podge post. The following will make no logical connections to each other, so don't try and find the story line. 

First: I am not sure what I am going to do for my life...long term. I have been giving it thought in between teaching classes. I realize that right now I am very impressionable, partially because I feel like the world is (literally) my oyster. I don't really like oysters, but I understand that if I had a great many oysters, I could turn that into some kind of profit. Here is a list of careers that I have seriously considered in the past week or two, and how I came to consider it:

Dairy Farmer (Paul Rusch festival)

Fine vendor of delicious meats (Paul Rusch festival)

Corn Maze owner/operator (Halloween lesson for kids)

Spy (TV Show Chuck)

Mayor of a City (TV Show Parks and Recreation)

Archaeologist/Adventurer (Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark)

Restaurant Owner (Inspired by my fierce desire for first-rate bacon)

Blacksmith (Paul Rusch festival)

Philanthropist (inspired by my everyday desire to have money and give it away)

I am currently taking any suggestions on these areas of study because frankly, I am stumped. I don't know what I want to/should do with my time when I am back in the U.S. 

Second: I have been listening to a lot of music (not that this is a change from any other period in my life) and I have been thinking about how interesting your life is when you choose the soundtrack. I was driving along on the wrong side of the road listening to a song I have been listening to for years. The scenery has changed, but the soundtrack is the same. As I was thinking about this, I looked at my most played songs in my iTunes. I found one song that has been played 3 times as many as the next highest. It is no surprise that this is my go-to song to fix my mood. I have listened to this song hundreds of times in the last 15 months and I never get tired of it. Here is a link. Give yourself a few minutes and take a listen: 

I will let you all know right now that when I die and get to heaven (cross fingers), I expect this to be playing. Awesome.

Third: I know I keep harping on this whole 'bug situation' here in Japan. Luckily, all these suckers are going to die when it snows, and I shall dance on their graves. At the train station I use, they seem to not care about the rampant spider population. If I were to stick my hands above my head and walk, I would (not exaggerating) run my hands into no less than 12 spider webs. The spiders also have no fear of humans, they boldly go about their tasks of building a web and creeping me out. I would gladly carry around a can of spider-cide and show them the fear of the spray, but I feel like that would be frowned upon. 

I took a few pictures for you to grasp how large some of these spiders get when they are without fear and unchecked. 

 NOPE! You have got to be kidding me! I first saw this spider and there wasn't a pane of glass to separate us. This is the largest spider I have seen in this country. It is the second largest spider I have seen in the wild (we have some tarantulas in Cedar sometimes). Those things in the air, those are about the size of potato bugs...This one is monster, and no one cares.

Same type of spider, but about 200 feet from the other one. This spider is in a web hanging from a building 25 feet in the air. Here is a rule: If you can see a spider that is 25 feet in the air, run. Run away.

Happy Halloween (I guess)! The Japanese don't celebrate Halloween, but I bet they wouldn't be that freaked out by a room in a haunted house filled with spiders. Every time I go to church, I have to walk through the Hall of Human Nightmares, but the Japanese remain unfazed. 

Hodge podge complete. Hopefully you enjoyed it! If you didn't enjoy it, I am not really worried, because you already read it (which was my original intent). Joke's on you.