In the background of the Australian women’s gymnastics team performing on the balance beam a few minutes ago, there was a song that was playing. It’s from a movie that I’ve seen recently, but I can’t, for the life of me, remember what it was called. If I find it, I’ll post it.
Update: Now all I can recall is the theme to Bonanza.
Update: I just heard it tonight as the intro on Bravo to the women’s archery match between Greece and the USA. I still have no idea what the song is called.
I had set a goal for today, to tidy up a few items around the office and leave by 5. I would be home around 5:30, whip up something for dinner, clean, do laundry, finish packing by around 10 and relax to watch the Olympics. That was the goal.
Reality, though, has a funny way of intruding. Those items around the office never got tidy up. Instead, I spent the morning developing time estimates for work on applications I know nothing about. The leaving at 5 instead turned in to 7:30 as I spent the evening working with someone on a project that honestly did need the time investment. As for the last bit, it’s 11:15 PM and I’m still doing laundry while the Olympics drone on in the background.
Damn, reality bites sometimes.
As I watched the women’s individual all-around gymnastics medal ceremony tonight, I couldn’t resist drawing the pseudo-obvious connection between the placements and the evolution of the global superpowers over the past decade. In second place, the Russians, stabilizing but faded. In first, the U.S., currently enjoying its own moment in the sun. And in third, the rising Chinese, whom have an opportunity to become a huge force in the world as they evolve.
I’ve been waiting for tomorrow afternoon for over two weeks now, with the week’s vacaation that begins after I shut down my laptop at the office. Today was in some sense a waste of a day, since I accomplished nothing I needed to accomplish. The major distraction of the moment was the preparation of estimates for our Executive Director for all the applications migrating to our new data center. They’re done, of course, but the fifteen other things I needed to finish before I leave aren’t. And with half my day tomorrow taken up with meetings, that’s not likely to change.
Then again, I won’t be there.
I’ve introduced a few new pieces of functionality to the site this evening. The user account functions are now available, so you can add and edit your account used for posting comments. I have also put together an RSS feed for the site. Every update I post will now generate an updated RSS feed file, which will likewise updated in your RSS aggregator automatically. Use the RSS icon at the bottom left to subscribe.
Update: It’s all working! Great, off to watch some heavily biased Olympic coverage. To be fair, the coverage of the China-Cuba Women’s Volleyball match this morning on Bravo was fantastic. If only the primetime announcers were as good.
My voyeuristic side takes over when watching the medal ceremonies during the Olympics. I’m always fascinated by watching the tears of joy that are so common, and I constantly hunt for signs of the gold medalists singing along to the national anthems. The raw, unedited display of humanity this shows is such a wonderful contrast from the generally scripted and timid responses people usually show.
No, this isn’t about the BBC comedy. On Saturday, I’m off on a week’s vacation to San Francisco with my family. And extended family (i.e. aunt, uncle and cousin), at that. To say I’m looking forward to a few days of not having to monitor the flow of requests in and out of my e-mail, or the constant revising of my task list.
I’ll even, some say luckily, miss a number of meetings that I would otherwise be involved in. Being the control freak I can be about projects, the idea of not being there is rather difficult to swallow this week. Next week, when I’m happily riding the cable cars, visiting Japantown for the latest imports, and catching up with some friends, I don’t think I’ll care.
That much, anyway.
I’ve been absorbing all the Olympics coverage I’m home for, and it’s time for me to give out my applause and my irritations. First, I must applaud NBC for showing coverage almost around the clock and across a range of events, even if some of the most interesting, such as water polo or dressage, are not receiving any primetime play. What irritates me, however, is the nearly complete lack of context for the games. The coverage, particularly the primetime coverage, shows almost no coverage of non-American athletes. And when there is coverage of non-American athletes, the commentators can’t stop talking about Americans. Last time I checked, there were 201 other countries in the Olympics, and in the medal standings the Chinese had 10 gold medals to the US’s 6. What have the Chinese won in? I couldn’t tell you, NBC isn’t telling us.
–Originally written June 4, 2004–
As I watch from the 27th floor, people stumble through Shinjuku on their way home, inebriated and happy. I made my way back from Shuzenji to Shinjuku, in an otherwordly daze as I enjoyed the relaxing effects of the onsen.
For dinner this evening, I had a chance to meet up with a friend of mine, Kien, who lives in Yokohama currently finishing his third year in the JET program and aspiring to be a musician. He’s currently feeling his way around the scene in Tokyo, trying to see what happens and whom he’ll meet while he’s here. We met up in Shibuya and went to a funky place called the “Buttu Trick-Café”, where a giant Buddha statue keeps watch over patrons and they eat and consume copious amounts of alcohol. Flushed with three drinks and food (which was ohishii, I might add), I proceeded to become a little giggly around the edges as Kien and I caught up with one another and some of our mutual friends. Sometime after eleven, we split up, heading back to our respective locales along with the throngs of happy Japanese.
Breakfast today at Kikuya followed a pattern similar to last night’s dinner, with many fish or otherwise unknown courses served. I ate several of the dishes, including the udon and multiple helpings of rice. I couldn’t however, bring myself to attempt once again the grilled fish, despite the pride of the staff. The tofu (I hope) I did enjoy, along with a few other dishes I couldn’t provide a name for. My comfort level was also stretched when I saw (and was seen by) a other naked men at the baths. This was an experience the conservative Puritan ethic did not prepare me for, despite years of watching “R” rated movies, and I’m sure that at least some of the red color in my face as from this, and not just the heat. Regardless, the experience was worthwhile and I would recommend it to anyone looking to experience a more traditional aspect of Japanese culture.
Now that I’m leaving, there’s only one item left that concerns me at all. Quite simply, how in the world can you identify the ages of the Japanese, especially the women? To me, many of them whom are likely my elders appear as though they’re fifteen. And the Japanese seem to have no problem at all identifying one another’s ages. This vexes me as I wander around more than I can express.
–Originally written June 3, 2004–
Attempting to experience more traditional aspects of Japanese life, I left the comfy confines of the Tokyo Hilton, where the staff speaks English and serves sausage and bacon for breakfast for Kikuya Ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn and onsen. Like a bed and breakfast in the States, a ryokan provides a more intimate experience. A two hour shinkansen ride from Tokyo station, Kikuya Ryokan in Shuzenji is a hot springs resort where guests can relax in a more traditional, quiet atmosphere.
Greeted warmly by the staff, I was entertained in the waiting area with some Japanese TV (ah, how I really do love watching TV here, even if I only understand at best ten to fifteen words). A young naki brought me to my room, trying her best along the way to explain in English the layout and operating hours of the bathing rooms. Once we arrived in my room, she had me sign the register and served tea and Japanese sweets. Another naki, shortly thereafter, stopped in to bring a yukata (kimono-style robe) in a larger size and informed me of when meals would be served.
Dinner was a multicourse, colorful affair filled with seafood. While I am far from a fan, I did make an attempt to eat certain items. First was a series of cold plates containing sashimi, melon, and a hot soup containing, I believe, a piece of some fish. A very colorful, gelatinous affair containing shrimp and other pieces of crawling critters was also served, along with additional sauces and seasonings. This was followed by miso soup and a grilled river fish, of which I did eat some. Ginger rice and a delightful tofu and black rice dish was also presented. This was combined with some pickled vegetables and topped off with fish and shrimp tempura. Dessert was fruit and ice cream. While everything I ate was oiishi (delicious), the seafood definitely strained by eating capabilities. I did eat some of the fish and nibbled on the tempura, but I couldn’t bring myself to eat the crawlfish. And I can finally tell anyone who attempts to inform me that fish tastes like chicken that they are, in fact, quite wrong, and the two taste nothing at all like one another. Overall, though, the course had a delightful mixture of tastes and textures that my palate was unfamiliar with, all served in the wonderful ambience of a very traditional-style room.
The hot springs bath itself is sugoi! The indoor room is open twenty-four hours a day, and provides an easy atmosphere in which to relax. The open-air baths are open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., and the garden by the baths are very beautiful. After a few minutes, it is easy to become light-headed, but this is cured by a relaxing outdoor walk through the gardens outside my window. Outside there is the sound of rushing water from the creek which runs through the building, while cheers of ‘Kampai!’ and the singing from karaoke can be heard from some of the groups here in the banquet rooms. The Japanese I have seen have been friendly, and some of the other guests are amused at the sight of a tall gaijin wandering about. The staff is wonderful, and the naki assigned to watch me is indulgent and friendly, despite the language difficulty.
Perhaps there will be time for another bath before bed.