Blobs

My husband is the flash master!! If you don't believe me, watch it for yourself and hear what others have to say about his FIRST flash animation on New Grounds.

long time no post

Sorry for the lack of posts recently....I'm currently working on my final project for my Fulbright research and it's taking a good amount of time. In brief news, we had the Gion Matsuri this week which was quite fun. I wore yukata twice, and we enjoyed the thousands (I think it was at least one million) of people in the streets. The weather is beautiful, my fingers hurt from typing, my feet hurt from geta, and I'm going to find some breakfast. As was recentely said to me by a passerby Japanese, "Live long and prosper" na-new-na-new

things I see

Maybe Seuss would say "Oh the Sees you can See!". Down by the river, I saw many different things yesterday.
- A trick biker, jumping up onto the edges of the riverside park border
- A cat....riding on a bicycler's back! (we couldn't believe it just stayed there)
- couples riding bikes. This sounds somewhat normal, but in Japan, it is one couple per bike, so you can see how this starts to get funny.
- musicians of all sorts - flutists, guitarists, drums
- fireworks
- bubbles
- big dogs with little people
- little dogs with big people
- a cat on a biker's shoulder for the second time (he rode up one side of the river and down the other)
- pigeons, lots of pigeons
- cranes
- ducks
- at least 5 foreigners (not Japanese) with North Face backpacks
- a couple of Louis Vuitton purses

We also went to Taku-taku and saw the band, Chains. They were excellent (the best I've heard of Japanese bands), and it was great to hang out with friends. Check Chains out here.
It was a good day.

Hello Kitty???

(note:I didn't mean it, but this title is ironically funny when compared to my previous entry, "bye bye puppy")

I attended an academic lecture (well, at least that is what we were all led to think it was) at my university about Hello Kitty. Well, the true purpose of the symposium was to display ways that Japan is influencing the U.S., and this one particular lecture was about Sanrio's Hello Kitty doll/icon and its movement to the U.S.. The lecture, given by Dr. Christie Yano, an associate professor at University of Hawaii, came as a surprise to all who were expecting something on the academic side.

The lecture started out with a poem "Hello Kitty Has No Mouth" (which is on a website that also has a hilarious FAQ section on Hello Kitty's mouth). This was not too strange, but then as the lecture progressed, we realized we were in for a ride.

"...Kitty is a paradigm of the preadolescent female self, before young women are forced to internalize the images of what society promotes as necessary to become beautiful or appealing: uncomfortable shoes, control-top pantyhose, a cow-like Nancy Reagan gaze, and those twin demons -- silicone and StairMasters. Kitty is eternally uncorruptible. She doesn't want to please anyone except herself. She is girl power, not vamp power. ...A fellow Kittyphile suggests that Kitty, with her immaculate whiteness, is the embodiment of pure innocence." This is written by Ann Hanks who has something of an obsession with Hello Kitty goods. Dr. Yano discussed people such as this who adore Kitty from every aspect, but then she began discussing how some see Kitty as not so sweet and loving. She discussed Kitty's dark side....

Many people are the antithesis of the obsessed, character-collecting Kitty-lovers. They are Kitty-haters. They share a world where perverse writings, cartoons, and paraphernalia tear Hello Kitty to pieces. We start with the Hello Kitty vibrator - originally a "massage wand" became much more when put into...um...the right hands? Then, Hello Kitty gets a mouth! One may think this is good.....until they see the site. Dr. Yano had a clip from the dvd production which she showed a shocked audience as we watched a gigantic, life-sized Hello Kitty make some noises with her mouth as she used her "massage wand"!! The lecture went on with so many examples...of Hello Kitty Goths, Hell Kitty websites (sic.), Big mama Chinese b****es, Hello Kitty porn and many many more surprises. The close of Dr. Yano's presentation was a quote from the Kitty has no mouth website saying, "yous are all just jealous of hello kitty because EVEYONE loves her ! so go rot in hell you stupid mother f**kers....hello kitty is the BEST!!!!!!!!! ROCK ON HELLO KITTY LOVERS".

Now, why should I carry on about such a lecture? 1) it was a shock, so now I have to spread the shock, 2) this is academia?? 3) where can I get a job reading websites and studying something so interesting that pays me to fly to Japan and show lewd films?? 4) ya'll like the funny links and crazy Hello Kitty fans (yes, it is hard to believe that such a devote subculture exists!)

bye bye puppy

Today was the last day of our good pal Zipper's life. Thinking of him will always bring me happy memories, a smile, a laugh. He's been around through thick and thin....and he'll be missed.

friends

Today I received a birthday present from Amy, and it just absolutely made my day!! It was nothing huge, but just enough to bring tears to my eyes thinking of her and some of the other people I miss in the States. I just want to say that I have some of the best friends in the world back in the States, and I think of you all often. >o_o< Oh, and word to Amy for remembering my b-day!

word.

Checking some words at Webster's site, I noticed that the new words are out for the 11th Collegiate Dictionary. Among the new words are:
- bogart
- brewski
- bubkes
Do you know what they mean? Check them out to see the rest! I'm debating my favorites...it's between "oy" and "cheesed off". By the way, "word" as a greeting is not yet in the dictionary.

in this love

Today I've been married for two years. In the depths of my imagination I could never have created an image that would grasp the love and joy I have received spending my life with Craig. Let me just take a little time to describe what a blessing Craig has been to me. Even though words can never do him justice, Craig has heart that is made up of the stuff all girls dream of -- love, kindness, gentleness, patience, and so much more. The longer I spend with Craig, the more I see that these atributes are fruit of his spirit, which is devoted first to God. This year has been the most amazing year because he was sacrificial enough to up and move to Japan, allowing me to pursue my dreams. He has remained joyful and encouraging even through language and cultural frustrations that present themselves daily. We're still young in life, young in marriage and young in love, yet Craig has shown me maturity beyond his physical years. Since my imagination has never seemed to be able to grasp what the future has in store for us, I can only wait with eager anticipation as we continue to live our lives together.