me against the world

Hello out there.

I’m writing from the library on campus. Ever since I returned to school after the winter break, I have had a hard time getting into the flow of doing work and so I’m forcing myself to work here on campus.

I would make a joke about how well that’s going considering the fact that I’m blogging, but in my defense I am actually taking a break.

Anyway, part of my problem is that over the break I became addicted to HGTV (that’s Home and Garden Television) and all of the house hunting shows. I don’t know what it is, but I really enjoy looking at different houses and seeing what people decide on taking.

My favourite show right now is called ‘Location, Location, Location’. In it, a pair of British real estate agents help clients across the UK look for homes. I both love and hate the show because it shows me some beautiful properties and makes me want to move back to the UK, but all the properties have insanely high price tags.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?

This weekend I got three doses of Japan:

1) I’m almost done reading “Around the World in 80 Dates” by Jennifer Cox. The book is about travel journalist and author Cox, who realizes that while her work life is great, her love life is horrible. So in an attempt to fix this, she asks friends and friends of friends to help her set up dates all around the world. The book - part travel, part memoir - follows her thoughts as she goes through 80 dates around the world, all in the hopes of finding her Soul Mate.

Anyway, she just dated a few people in Japan and I enjoyed reading about some of the sights to see and things to do in Tokyo. I think I was more interested in reading the details about the area than what her dates were like. Just kinda =)

2) As many people had mentioned that I should watch it before leaving, I watched “Lost in Translation” last night. The movie is about two people in Tokyo who are just lost in their lives and desperately need to be found. I enjoyed the movie for its story, the acting, and also all of the hints as to what to see and do in Japan. As much as I see all these images, I still can’t imagine what it’s going to feel like to be in a car driving through Tokyo and seeing all the bright lights and people.

3) Today I watched all three hours of the mini-series “Kelly Osbourne: Turning Japanese” on Much Music (it originally aired on the UK’s ITV2). Kelly Osbourne is quite the character but I was really pleased with her in this series. I couldn’t help but laugh along with her and be impressed by her determination not to disrespect people and to try and understand. After all of her complaining or uncomfortable moments, she learned to understand. I enjoyed watching her go to different places in Tokyo, work various jobs, and take part in certain activities. Ha, I will never forget the Love Hotel segment. The best part was when she went to Kyoto and entered a Tea House to train with the Maiko for a week. It was great.

Anyway, as a result, I’m really itching to go to Japan and see everything that’s there. I think the biggest thing I’m worried about is being polite enough and not offending anyone. I’m just going to keep saying “sumimasan” (sorry) often to cover my butt :P

The time leading up to this trip has been very interesting for me so far because as part of the projects I’m working on at work, I’ve been reading and writing a lot about Japan, Tokyo, and Japanese history, customs, and traditions. I’ve been reading about things to see and do, talking to people about it, and also going through pictures to get a better idea. After watching both “Lost in Translation” and “Turning Japanese”, I’ve realized that I will definitely be overwhelmed by all that there is to see and do and how different things are in Japan from how they are at home.

It will be an interesting experience for sure. And I’m already beginning to think I’ll have to go back to Japan again in the future to see and do all the things I won’t be able to do this time around.

Watching “24″ is messing with my ability to accept the odd lapses of time on regular TV shows.

Take for example: “The O.C.”

One week, it’s Thanksgiving. The next week it’s Chrismukkah. And then the next, they are preparing for Valentines Day.

It’s hard for me to switch back from “every episode is the next hour, every minute counts, and every event unfolds step by step by the second” to “oh, and now three months have passed and they are so in love and even though you didn’t see it happen, you must believe us”.

It’s bad because it makes it harder to accept the character and plot developments.

At least with “Lost”, time passes but it’s only hours or maybe days, but definitely not months.

Oh boy.

Or maybe it’s not the time lapses that are bothering me the most.

Perhaps it’s the realization that some of the television shows that I used to watch, prior to getting swept up with “Lost” and “24”, are of poor quality.

Or, in some cases, they started of great and then went downhill from there.

Something like that.

It’s the late afternoon of Christmas Day 2006.

I’m trying not to take a nap. I really don’t know why though.

My brother gave me season four of 24 for Christmas. I am just halfway through season one. I have been told to try my hardest to catch up and watch all five seasons before season six starts on January 14, 2007. It’s not going to happen.

As with Lost, every episode leaves me clutching to the edge of my seat, my heart thumping, blood pressure rising, waiting to see what will happen next.

In order to live, I can’t really watch many episodes in one day. I might just pop a vein.

This is the first Christmas Day in my 21 years (that I can recall) that the weather has been good enough for me to wrap up warmly and go for a bike ride.

So I did just that. But, I forgot all about the fact that I would be riding at high speed with cold wind rushing into my face and down my shirt. I returned home with a rather large head rush.

Thank God for tea.

Also for the first time in my 21 years, I beat my brother at chess today. It was all because he made a fluke mistake and I wouldn’t let him reverse his move. Ha.

The Godfather of Soul passed away this morning. As far as my memory serves me, he was going to be touring in Canada in the next few weeks.

His songs really did make me “feel good” (despite the fact that I don’t got you).

(Please forgive my cheesiness…)

Meanwhile, Ethiopia vs. Somalia is taking off. Oh boy…

Anyway, I hope everyone is having a wonderful Christmas. If you are anywhere far east of our time zone, then I shall restate that statement just for you: I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.

Keep safe everyone.