People of Earth,
I am back in Mito. This is not really such a thing to be celebrated, because Mito means little to me of late, but let me tell you why I mention it to you now.
For the last month and a half (or so), I have been embarking on a cross-Japan trip, the endpoints of which were the city of Mito in the East, and the city of Ibusuki in the far south and west.
This Expedition, so headily titled, was many months in the making, planning for which began long ago, way back in 2009. For many reasons, three of which I will mention now, I undertook the mammoth undertaking of planning and then executing this trip. Firstly, at least chronologically, I had harboured bitter disgust over how my eikaiwa job turned out, essentially because apart from the little life lessons I learnt here and there, the general life of the job could be likened to wading through a sewage treatment plant, quickly realising how much better things can be here, and the potential for the world in general, and then being forced to stay in the sewage plant because I signed a fucking contract that would destroy my credibility should I break it. As Franky said, I took the blows. (No, it wasn't really THAT bad, but exaggeration makes life interesting).
The other reasons were I needed to, within my heart, truly and honestly, rectify the situation of the last paragraph. Anyone who knows me well (and that probably means anyone reading this blog) knows that I am not a fan of wasting time. I was locked in for a full year on a contract, hating a job I simply had to do but believed absolutely nothing of the things that I was ordered to do (only in the things that I ingenuised, and those were what my students thanked me for, not the orders). I could not very well slouch back to Australia having wasted, in professional part, the year between 21 and 22 years of age. So I rectified it (and here's the part that gives me a hard-on) using money that was saved in the hell-year, and using human resources for recommendations and ideas, whom I met every damn day at the school.
((And I will add here, somewhat cryptically, that the person closest to me during that year offered by far the least help on any front for the planning of this trip)).
And it should be mentioned that my a quirk of reality and timing, I was indeed situated four-dimensionally in the perfect place and time to undertake such a trip!::
I'd finished the job, had saved a bunch of money, had an active local bank account, can speak the language, have a map, all the time in the world, nothing waiting back in Australia to drag me out early, and I had the desire and a strong sense of "I'm going to make the most of this, if it's the last thing I do!!!!!"
The final reason, of course, was that Adventure was why I came here in the first place, and I'll be damned if I was going to miss out on it. This adventure was self-made, self-funded, and oh-so-sweet because of it! I wanted (and still crave!) Life Experience and Perspective and, as it turns out, Attitude. And I got it. I'll tell you all about it sometime.
As for the Route I took:
I started in Mito, Ibaraki; and headed WEST, with Nagasaki in mind as the final destination. After careful consultation with my most trusted advisers (ie my PARENTS), I decided to embark with absolutely NO time restrictions placed upon myself, therefore the only restriction was money. And of course, one day THAT will be no restriction for me, either. Especially if I have something to say about it, and I do.
So, to tell you the entire story I would have to sit here at this computer for so long that my palms would fuse to the keyboard. I'll probably write a book or something some day soon, just as soon as I can remember and condense 45 DAYS worth of life-changing experiences.
The Route, through some wonderful and totally unplannable developments, it expanded further and better than I ever could have written down before-hand.
Mito, Kofu, Tokyo, Oyama, Yokohama, Kofu, Chikuma, Nagano, Matsumoto, Nagoya, Kameyama, Seki, Ise, Osaka, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Himeji, Hiroshima, Iwakuni, Fukuoka, Dazaifu, Kumamoto, Aso, Kurokawa, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kagoshima, Sakurajima, Ibusuki.
And then back again:
Ibusuki, Sakurajima, Nagasaki, Fukuoka, Tokyo, Yokohama, Kofu, Mito.
That's 27, TWENTY-SEVEN, Japanese cities, and about 20 prefectures, for those of us who are counting.
I Came, I Saw, I Wandered. It was fucking awesome!
And lo and behold, I found a long-distance marker in Kagoshima, right down south, that said it was 960km back to Tokyo (as the crow flies). Add to it all the extras, and I've got myself a 1000 kilometre Expedition across the Land of the Rising Sun.
The Thousand Ks Journey.
(This shall be another subtitle).
Find them all on a Map, and you'll see a line stretch from the far eastern coast of the Far East, to the very southern tip of Kyushu (that's the big island at the south of Japan).
And don't worry, I HAVE A MAP, which I've been boasting to all the people I've met, including the nice people in Nagasaki and three Britons whom I also met there.
I met people from all over the world, in many different cities. One of the lessons I learnt is that there ARE nice people in existence on this planet. So I can put those doubts to rest now.
I have pictures, oh man, do I have pictures - snapping away everyday, spanning three cameras, I took probably 5 or 6 THOUSAND photos.
Who wants to see the slide-show???? :) :) :) :) :) ((BIG smile))
And, of course, the Journey is not over. I am not the same Tom I was when I disembarked from Shin's place here in Mito (to where I have returned and am currently typing this post).
I am a better, smarter, wiser, and improved Tom, with experiences and lessons that I have learnt from, and will continue to learn from after further future reflection, and comparison/contrast with more exciting chances I shall generate for myself in the future.
It has only just begun.
See you all soon.
From The Tominator.
Friday, April 30, 2010
I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!
Peoples,
It has been a long time. Apart from a movie review that I wrote just the other day while I was in Nagasaki, I have barely touched this blog for over a month.
More like a month and a half, or closer to two full months than that.
"You were gone?" I hear you ask.
Yes, I was.
"Where were you?"
More astute readers may notice that I mentioned the city name Nagasaki in the paragraph above. This wasn't just me dropping names in the hopes of getting laid (not that that would work for me anyway - I get laid the hard way).
My Peoples, the truth is that I was embarking on a first-in-a-lifetime trip across this country of Japan, and only yesterday night did I arrive back in Mito city.
For more details, see the following blog entry, entitled "The 2010 Expedition: I Came, I Saw, I Wandered".
From The Tominator.
It has been a long time. Apart from a movie review that I wrote just the other day while I was in Nagasaki, I have barely touched this blog for over a month.
More like a month and a half, or closer to two full months than that.
"You were gone?" I hear you ask.
Yes, I was.
"Where were you?"
More astute readers may notice that I mentioned the city name Nagasaki in the paragraph above. This wasn't just me dropping names in the hopes of getting laid (not that that would work for me anyway - I get laid the hard way).
My Peoples, the truth is that I was embarking on a first-in-a-lifetime trip across this country of Japan, and only yesterday night did I arrive back in Mito city.
For more details, see the following blog entry, entitled "The 2010 Expedition: I Came, I Saw, I Wandered".
From The Tominator.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Review: Clash of the Titans (2D)
Just saw Clash of the Titans. It is my last full day here in Nagasaki. I plan on taking a marathon trip back to Yokohama tomorrow, and was going to do it today, but all the prep etc. meant that I would quite figuratively be pushing shit uphill to do it all today. So I'm going tomorrow, armed with a complete and more than comprehansive plan. I am James Bond again tomorrow.
But enough about me (for now).
This being my last day in Nagsaki, Japan; Nagaski being a surprisingly small city with surprisingly little to actually DO, and the weather being what it is - overcast then now rainy, I decided to burn through another 1800 yen to go see the movie.
I'll preface, somewhat oddly, that 1800 yen (about $20 Australian) is FAR TOO MUCH to pay to see any damn movie, even the greats like V for Vendetta, the Rocky's (not 5) or The Dark Knight. But given that 1800yen is apparently the standard price to pay (I assume that wherever you have to pay more the price is justified by cinema staff slowly shoving gold rods up your arse??), and given that we can establish this as "standard rate", it was certainly worth every penny.
I'm not saying Clash of the Titans was a standard movie. Not at all. But let me start with the mediocre points:: The background scenery was a little unbelievable. I mean, I've been to see countless movies with ancient, Gods-are-among-us era movies like Troy, Gladiator, Alexander, etc., but this one seemed more fake in the backgrounds. Sitting through the credits, I noticed that much of the filming was done in Wales, somewhere in Eastern Europe, ie lands that the modern age left behind. So it was all real. But in my humble opinion, and not being an expert on the technology, I am guessing that the combo of real backgrounds and newer 3D imaging must work great when the filmmaker's focus is on making it look cool for a 3D cinema. but I saw it at a regular 2D place, and I don't think so much attention to detail was given for the 2D conversion. I'm trying to let them off the hook.
Of course, all the other special effects (my catnip for movies) were great - giant scorpions, Djinn made from wood and dark magic, gorgons, and the kraken, were fantastically fantastic, and looking good.
The story itself was, much like Sam Worthington's (the main actor - an Aussie!!!!) last film... have you heard of a little flick call AVATAR???
In that I mean that the story was HIGHLY predictable. Such points as the origins of the main character, Persius, the journey-centric storyline, and the names of the gods and monsters (although I didn't see the djinn coming, not that they did much).
There was also a pair of funny-guys, who were inserted into the story somewhat abruptly. But here is where I'll go on the defensive for the movie::
The story's central location, Argos, whether it existed or not, was not sullied and burdened by any kind of long backstory to prove to the audience its existence.
The presence of the Greek gods of Olympus was more or less assumed to be known by the audience. Although, personally I am quite familiar with stories from Greek mythology, so I enjoyed the lack of time-wasting. Maybe less versed people will have trouble grasping it. That would be a signal for such people to go and pick up a book on the subject and learn a little bit about those stories, because like or believe it or not, etymologically speaking, about half of the English language is based on gods and monsters and stories from Ancient Greece, adopted and morphed slightly by the Romans, and then left to us to wonder about.
the film begins with a narration saying, in part, that the oldest stories are written in the stars.
This is absolutely TRUE!
But not in such a direct and naiive way.
The Ancient Greeks, especially the Athenians, had a knack for philosophising. When not at war and sitting atop their acropolis (mountain-top) cities, they had a pollution-free, crystal-clear look at the night skies, and a likewise experience of the raw elements of this Earth unlike any foidn in the civilised world today in 2010AD.
So, when you have a good imagination and a LOT of time on your hands, and no modern 21st century science to explain phenomenons such as rainfall, flooding, thunderstorms, or also the things we don't know about yet, but have always desired certainty on, like the afterlife; when you have time, imagination, and a beautiful canvas of stars like the clear night sky can deliver, you will look at those stars and see images, forms, shapes. This is where the symbols of the Zodiac came from, which horoscopes still use to this day (and still try to bedazzle us with, to more success than an educated population should really allow).
Trust me, I went to a (all Japanese) planetarium in Nagoya, and before I fell asleep in the recliner in the dark room, I saw the illustrations on the ceiling of all the stories and creatures that the Ancient Greek and Chinese star-gazers had conjured up using the power of their imaginations. It was unbelievably detailed, and one could wonder how it got to be so. But the simple answer I have already given you stands - imagination, clear skies, and lots and lots of TIME! We went from using steam-powered boats, rifles, and wishing we could fly like birds to using nuclear-powered submarines with onboard ballistic missiles, machine guns and stealth bombers that fly halfway around the world before needing refueling inside of one century - and the Ancient star-gazers sat on their thumbs (technologically speaking) for centuries, so if they were not fostering real science to make their world more understandable, they were actually imagining up all those stories instead!
And to this end, Clash of the Titans, steeped deeply in Greek gods and monsters, was a rip-snortin' good story of an adventure, featuring fantastic creatures, beautiful women, men in skirts, and entertained me thoroughly for an hour or two. And the action scenes were pretty cool, too. Don't think this one will become a part of my hallowed DVD collection, which features greats like I mentioned before, because those other movies have spoken to me of deeper things to think about, life, interpersonality, etc. But Clash of the Titans will get you wondering about all those Greek gods and monsters that you MUST have heard about somewhere before - in a history book, when you watched the 1990's Hercules TV show, or ever been interested in astronomy or its unrelated and dumber roommate astrology (ie horoscopes).
Good fun, but nothing too deep. Perfect for a rainy, quiet last day in Nagasaki, chillin' before the marathon tomorrow.
Oh, and it should be seen on the big screen. If I don't have to pay using body parts, I will go see it in 3D either in Mito or Australia.
From The Tominator.
But enough about me (for now).
This being my last day in Nagsaki, Japan; Nagaski being a surprisingly small city with surprisingly little to actually DO, and the weather being what it is - overcast then now rainy, I decided to burn through another 1800 yen to go see the movie.
I'll preface, somewhat oddly, that 1800 yen (about $20 Australian) is FAR TOO MUCH to pay to see any damn movie, even the greats like V for Vendetta, the Rocky's (not 5) or The Dark Knight. But given that 1800yen is apparently the standard price to pay (I assume that wherever you have to pay more the price is justified by cinema staff slowly shoving gold rods up your arse??), and given that we can establish this as "standard rate", it was certainly worth every penny.
I'm not saying Clash of the Titans was a standard movie. Not at all. But let me start with the mediocre points:: The background scenery was a little unbelievable. I mean, I've been to see countless movies with ancient, Gods-are-among-us era movies like Troy, Gladiator, Alexander, etc., but this one seemed more fake in the backgrounds. Sitting through the credits, I noticed that much of the filming was done in Wales, somewhere in Eastern Europe, ie lands that the modern age left behind. So it was all real. But in my humble opinion, and not being an expert on the technology, I am guessing that the combo of real backgrounds and newer 3D imaging must work great when the filmmaker's focus is on making it look cool for a 3D cinema. but I saw it at a regular 2D place, and I don't think so much attention to detail was given for the 2D conversion. I'm trying to let them off the hook.
Of course, all the other special effects (my catnip for movies) were great - giant scorpions, Djinn made from wood and dark magic, gorgons, and the kraken, were fantastically fantastic, and looking good.
The story itself was, much like Sam Worthington's (the main actor - an Aussie!!!!) last film... have you heard of a little flick call AVATAR???
In that I mean that the story was HIGHLY predictable. Such points as the origins of the main character, Persius, the journey-centric storyline, and the names of the gods and monsters (although I didn't see the djinn coming, not that they did much).
There was also a pair of funny-guys, who were inserted into the story somewhat abruptly. But here is where I'll go on the defensive for the movie::
The story's central location, Argos, whether it existed or not, was not sullied and burdened by any kind of long backstory to prove to the audience its existence.
The presence of the Greek gods of Olympus was more or less assumed to be known by the audience. Although, personally I am quite familiar with stories from Greek mythology, so I enjoyed the lack of time-wasting. Maybe less versed people will have trouble grasping it. That would be a signal for such people to go and pick up a book on the subject and learn a little bit about those stories, because like or believe it or not, etymologically speaking, about half of the English language is based on gods and monsters and stories from Ancient Greece, adopted and morphed slightly by the Romans, and then left to us to wonder about.
the film begins with a narration saying, in part, that the oldest stories are written in the stars.
This is absolutely TRUE!
But not in such a direct and naiive way.
The Ancient Greeks, especially the Athenians, had a knack for philosophising. When not at war and sitting atop their acropolis (mountain-top) cities, they had a pollution-free, crystal-clear look at the night skies, and a likewise experience of the raw elements of this Earth unlike any foidn in the civilised world today in 2010AD.
So, when you have a good imagination and a LOT of time on your hands, and no modern 21st century science to explain phenomenons such as rainfall, flooding, thunderstorms, or also the things we don't know about yet, but have always desired certainty on, like the afterlife; when you have time, imagination, and a beautiful canvas of stars like the clear night sky can deliver, you will look at those stars and see images, forms, shapes. This is where the symbols of the Zodiac came from, which horoscopes still use to this day (and still try to bedazzle us with, to more success than an educated population should really allow).
Trust me, I went to a (all Japanese) planetarium in Nagoya, and before I fell asleep in the recliner in the dark room, I saw the illustrations on the ceiling of all the stories and creatures that the Ancient Greek and Chinese star-gazers had conjured up using the power of their imaginations. It was unbelievably detailed, and one could wonder how it got to be so. But the simple answer I have already given you stands - imagination, clear skies, and lots and lots of TIME! We went from using steam-powered boats, rifles, and wishing we could fly like birds to using nuclear-powered submarines with onboard ballistic missiles, machine guns and stealth bombers that fly halfway around the world before needing refueling inside of one century - and the Ancient star-gazers sat on their thumbs (technologically speaking) for centuries, so if they were not fostering real science to make their world more understandable, they were actually imagining up all those stories instead!
And to this end, Clash of the Titans, steeped deeply in Greek gods and monsters, was a rip-snortin' good story of an adventure, featuring fantastic creatures, beautiful women, men in skirts, and entertained me thoroughly for an hour or two. And the action scenes were pretty cool, too. Don't think this one will become a part of my hallowed DVD collection, which features greats like I mentioned before, because those other movies have spoken to me of deeper things to think about, life, interpersonality, etc. But Clash of the Titans will get you wondering about all those Greek gods and monsters that you MUST have heard about somewhere before - in a history book, when you watched the 1990's Hercules TV show, or ever been interested in astronomy or its unrelated and dumber roommate astrology (ie horoscopes).
Good fun, but nothing too deep. Perfect for a rainy, quiet last day in Nagasaki, chillin' before the marathon tomorrow.
Oh, and it should be seen on the big screen. If I don't have to pay using body parts, I will go see it in 3D either in Mito or Australia.
From The Tominator.
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