…And all I have to offer is this music video inspired by Bollywood movies sung in Spanish featuring Natalie Portman.

I came back to America at the beginning of June and I have to say that I still feel like I’m adjusting to being back home. I am not sure why I have been absent for so long from this blog, but I am guessing it is a combination of readjusting and plain lack of inspiration.

I also spent my days job hunting, and after many failed attempts landed at my dream job where I now serve as a graphic designer/website creator (so much for that whole majoring-in-East-Asian-Studies thing!) Unfortunately, the job is influenced by political campaigns and will end with the elections at the beginning of November, but hopefully if I work hard enough I will build up an awesome portfolio filled with flag graphics and headshots of fat old men and then everyone will want to hire me!

In other news, I have been watching movies practically every week since I came back, and came to the realization that four of the movies were all based off of comic book titles. Which leads me to this rant that I posted privately in my LiveJournal, but am aiming to take this blog in a different direction (can you tell?) and so I will post a snippet in here:

Sometimes when I watch movies that are based off of comics, I feel as though I am merely watching two pairs of testicles angrily flopping against each other, amongst car explosions and naked women. There is no room to breathe and no voice for the other half. It has become the norm for “good” action movies and summer blockbusters to be all about men taking care of business, with barely a main female role to play Smurfette in the all-male gun-toting extravaganza.

I realize it is a Catch-22 when it comes to comic book movies. Many titles were written in days where it was still blatantly OK to play down women and minorities in media. You cannot ask for a movie based off of old societal standards to resonate well with everybody and still be true to the original idea. But sometimes I wonder what movies would be like if all the male actors were replaced with women but everything else was kept the same way–dialog, actions, emotions. Would it still be successful? Would it all of a sudden turn into a chick flick?

These are the thoughts that have been troubling me lately, and for me I find it ironic that Japan offers more sexual equality in media despite the society’s on-going oppression of women, whereas the more liberal American media offer little solace for women who want to feel like the heroes for once. I have been sucked into watching Japanese dramas online and in particular am addicted to Life, based off a manga series by the same title.

The manga is written by a woman and the manga is geared towards to girls. The content is an unflinching look at Japanese school life, where both girls and boys lead messed up lives with horrible secrets. The girls are not sexualized and the interactions between them feel very real to me. I cannot think of an equivalent to this sort of show in the States except perhaps for Degrassi, but probably because it’s the only show not made by Disney aimed at the pre-teen audience containing serious material. Disney’s shows offer brightly colored teen pop stars to whom real girls could never relate to, but instead get the idea that they should want to be like them.

In any case, the world keeps spinning.

- Disney Offers No Dental Plan for Fireflies
- If Only My 5th Grade Teacher Was This Cool
- Font Conference
- The Candle Night Campaign
- Japanese Version of the Office

Despite having never seen the show (I know, just shoot me now), I found this clip extremely funny.

Here are my attempts at translating the mangled Japanese:

“Hello.  This is Pam.”
“Pam.  Pam, Pam, Pam, Pam…..-san.” (-san is the equivalent to “Mr./Mrs./Miss”)
“?? What is it?”
“(couldn’t understand)”
“I am Japan’s most interesting boss.” (holds up mug that says the same thing)
(phone rings) “Hello.”
“Where is the stapler?”
“Stupid!”
“What’s going on?”
“I’m sorry.” (repeats as they bow to each other)
(commercial for o-hime-sama tampons.  “o-hime-sama” means princess. This pokes fun at celebrity endorsements in Japan that you’ll never see in the West.  Right now Cameron Diaz is endorsing the cellphone company Softbank, and Chloe Sevigny for Uniqlo.)
“I am your regional manager.”
“I am the assistant regional manager.”
(haha, couldn’t make this part out either as he points to a guy sitting in the group)
“Let’s do calisthenics!”
“He is worried about everybody’s health (giggling)”
“Well, it was good.  We worked well. I…think so?” (holds up doll) “Yes, yes, yes!”
(karaoke) “Cheers!”
I don’t really consider the gags in here racist since the gag is more pointing fun at the cast than anything else.  Also, I found some humor in the way they spoke the language just like in actual Japanese comedy.  I think it would be racist if the cast spoke in an incomprehensible language (what usually happens when portraying foreign characters), but the idea that the staff actually went so far to speak Japanese (albeit horrendously) gains them a little respect from my point of view.  What do you think?  Is this depiction of a Japanese The Office racist or harmless?  Can there be such a thing as harmlessly portraying another country like this?

- What's Happenin' Friday
- Disney Offers No Dental Plan for Fireflies
- If Only My 5th Grade Teacher Was This Cool
- Font Conference
- It's Been a Crazy Two Months

Hopefully this video will make up for my lack of posting lately–school is coming to an end and of course all papers are magically due at the same time.

Anyway, this is the Algorithm March, which is featured as part of children’s programming in the morning on Japanese TV.  Basically they show you how to do an interactive dance and song, and then incorporate with a lot of people.  I think it’s a great way to entice kids to exercise, to practice these dances and try to get them right.  They are also amazing to see because the performers are usually in business suits and have completely serious expressions–it’s always fun to watch grown ups doing funny things.

Now you understand why it is hard for me to teach Japanese children through American kids’ shows, because they are just not this cool.

- What's Happenin' Friday
- All Asians Have Beef With Other Asians
- Disney Offers No Dental Plan for Fireflies
- If Only My 5th Grade Teacher Was This Cool
- Font Conference

I’ve seen these before (and dog cafes, too), but reading this article makes me want others to know about this bizarre and adorable service.

Cat cafes are establishments where you can go in, pay an hourly fee, and spend quality time with cats while relaxing. You basically have all the best parts of having a cat without actually owning one. This seems to be popular among stressed workers, and what better way to relieve stress than stare at adorable things? (Does Cute Overload get an increase amount of hits during exam season? Just wonderin’.)

There is a pet boom–particularly a small dog one–that has been resulting in a lot of animals getting thrown away by owners who have lost interest (example: I saw a stray pure-bred Siamese cat wandering around in Okinawa.) These cafes are a good solution to provide people with the ideal of being with pets without the responsibilities.

Mr. Maeda, of Neko JaLaLa, started the cafe with a neighbor who shared his interest in increasing public awareness of cats, particularly strays. He explains that he hopes his little cafe is the first step in raising a larger awareness of cats in a country where about 240,000 are euthanized each year, partly as a result of pet dumping.

With his companion, Jack, a three-year-old black cat, curled up at his feet, Maeda says, “Everything here is based on the idea of getting people to love cats.”

The cafes seem pretty ethical too–aimed more towards adults who just want to relieve stress instead of children, who might abuse the cats (Neko JaLaLa enforces a “no-pulling mandate”). This also seems to be a convenient way for people to meet (one couple ended up getting married after reaching out to pet the same cat), or just socialize with other cat lovers.

It can probably go without saying that such cafes would never exist in America–animal rights groups would go crazy, and the cafes would inevitably be targeted towards parents with children to make the bigger bucks. But you know how sometimes you will go into a small shop, and they have a cat just lazing about? Isn’t that the best?

Source: Tokyo’s cat cafes offer serenity in the city - Christian Science Monitor

- It's Been a Crazy Two Months
- Japanese Version of the Office
- Algorithm March...with Ninja!
- Japan Bans American Beef...Again
- Women's Only Okonomiyaki Eating Contest

Really, does this surprise anybody anymore?

A pack of beef, imported for the major Japanese restaurant chain Yoshinoya from the Californian plant of National Beef, contained spinal tissue, the agriculture ministry said.

Japan in July 2006 agreed to resume US beef imports on condition the cattle were not more than 20 months old at the time of slaughter, with brains, spinal cords and other risky parts removed.

The illegal shipment was among 700 packs or 17 tonnes of beef imported through Japanese trading company Itochu last August, the ministry said in a statement.

The spinal tissue was discovered on Tuesday at a Yoshinoya meat processing plant in Tokyo’s suburbs.

The meat hasn’t been shipped out for consumption, which is a good thing, but why take the chance over and over? This is the THIRD ban on American-imported beef because of slip-ups like this one. Why keep going back?

Oh wait. What’s that, you say? Pressure from our president? Our president?

Japan, formerly the biggest overseas market for US beef, first banned imports in December 2003 after a cow infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), the brain-wasting condition commonly known as mad cow disease, was discovered in the US state of Washington.

Under US pressure with the threat of trade sanctions, Japan lifted the embargo in December 2005 but slapped it back on a month later after a shipment included a risky part.

Japan has rejected US calls to increase the age limit applied to slaughtered cattle as it believes younger cattle are less likely to have accumulated infectious proteins that could cause BSE.

US President George W. Bush told Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda in Washington last November to “fully open” the Japanese market to US beef and beef products.

Shock, horror, etc, etc…

Source: Japan suspends imports from US meat plant: farm ministry - AFP

- It's Been a Crazy Two Months
- Japanese Version of the Office
- Algorithm March...with Ninja!
- Tokyo Cat Cafes (Why Aren't I Working Here Already?)
- Women's Only Okonomiyaki Eating Contest

I am so glad I was able to find a video of this ridiculous competition, in which four women competed to see who could eat the most okonomiyaki. I saw this on TV and was completely mesmerized.

For those unfamiliar, okonomiyaki is a Kansai dish that is not unlike a pancake with…everything you can imagine on it. Usually cabbage, eggs, bacon, and other miscellaneous food items. What makes the okonomiyaki though, is the sauce. It is kind of like a tangy barbecue sauce without so much sugar. Needless to say, this fried phenomenon is terribly unhealthy for you, and here we see four average sized women packing them away.

Excerpt from the article in Mainichi:

Four finalists of the women-only contest, who survived the preliminary round in March, competed to see how many pancakes they can eat in an hour. Each okonomiyaki weighs one kilogram and measures 30 centimeters in diameter.

Hatsuyo Sugawara, a 44-year-old housewife from Iwate Prefecture, won the contest after eating 5.2 pancakes, and received 550,000 yen in prize money, a solid gold spatula, and the privilege of having the restaurant’s largest okonomiyaki named after her.

Source: Northern ‘Witch’ wins western eating contest - Mainichi Daily News

- What's Happenin' Friday
- Disney Offers No Dental Plan for Fireflies
- If Only My 5th Grade Teacher Was This Cool
- Font Conference
- It's Been a Crazy Two Months

Japanese get jabbed while Chinese go shopping - Japan Times

“Chinese like gaudy things,” says the female guide escorting one early-morning group. “For that reason alone, cherry blossoms are popular. And Japan is the only place where they bloom in such profusion. Around this season, it’s a popular tour package.”

Stranger in a Strange Land: Japanese toilets require much skill - The Post

Known to the Japanese people as a washiki, or Japanese style, a toilet in Japan closely resembles, more than anything else, a urinal that someone has laid on the floor. The basis of its appeal to the Japanese is that one does not need to touch it in any way in order to use it. Never mind the suspicious puddles on the floor from time to time. For those ladies out there who always wanted to try peeing while standing up, this is the perfect opportunity. One simply cannot sit down to use the washiki.

Japan’s ‘geisha guys’ the latest accessory - CNN

It’s a dizzying reversal of traditional gender roles in a country long known for geishas pampering male clients with conversation, singing and dancing. Now a new breed of entertainer has cropped up — think of them as male geishas.

Sharp rise in suicide gas deaths - Daily Yomiuri Online

On Monday, a 32-year-old man killed himself in Sapporo by inhaling the hydrogen sulfide gas in his bathroom. A note placed on the bathroom door read: “Do not enter this room. Please call an ambulance. You might die if you enter this room.”

- It's Been a Crazy Two Months
- Japanese Version of the Office
- Algorithm March...with Ninja!
- Tokyo Cat Cafes (Why Aren't I Working Here Already?)
- Japan Bans American Beef...Again

From engrish.com

One thing that is hard for many people is making conversation. It’s even harder when doing it in a foreign language–you want to be able to tell jokes or get your opinions across in a completely different culture by using different words and in some cases, completely different ways of expressing yourself.

In this article from Positivity on mistakes in a conversation, an excellent point is made that can be applied to foreign language learners:

Poor delivery
One of the most important things in a conversation is not what you say, but how you say it. A change in these habits can make a big difference since your voice and body language is a vital part of communication. Some things to think about:

* Slowing down. When you get excited about something it’s easy to start talking faster and faster. Try and slow down. It will make it much easier for people to listen and for you actually get what you are saying across to them.
* Speaking up. Don’t be afraid to talk as loud as you need to for people to hear you.
* Speaking clearly. Don’t mumble.
* Speak with emotion. No one listens for that long if you speak with a monotone voice. Let your feelings be reflected in your voice.
* Using pauses. Slowing down your talking plus adding a small pause between thoughts or sentences creates a bit of tension and anticipation. People will start to listen more attentively to what you’re saying. Listen to one of Brian Tracys cds or Steve Pavlina’s podcasts. Listen to how using small pauses makes what they are saying seem even more interesting.
* Learn a bit about improving your body language as it can make your delivery a lot more effective. Read about laughter, posture and how to hold your drink in 18 ways to improve your body language.

Of course you’ll be eager to talk about everything in your new language, but rushing will lead to mistakes which leads to backtracking to get your points across. In other words, you lose your fluency. The more expressive you are and the clearer your voice is, the more effectively you can communicate.

Notice that the article encourages learning correct body language so that your audience will have no doubt as to how you are feeling. This also applies to foreign cultures as well–do your research! Find out what makes native speakers “native,” and how you can bridge the gap between an awkward foreigner and a cool insider. A lot of it has to do with body language and not just speaking abilities.

For example, take for instance person A. Person A is fairly competent in speaking Japanese, but wavers when they make a mistake and their confidence diminishes. They speak too fast in a small voice to try to cover up their mistakes, and ultimately confuse whomever they are talking to. Embarrassment on both ends.

Person B, on the other hand, is a native Japanese speaker. They make mistakes in speaking–as we all do–but laughs off the mistakes and keeps going, because they know they have the language skills to get their point across. The audience in question disregards the mistakes, or laughs with them and continues listening to the speaker.

Both people know the language, but have different ways of handling conversations. It’s imperative for language learners to gain confidence in speaking abilities despite making mistakes. At the same, you should speak clearly and slowly to minimize the chances of making silly errors.

- It's Been a Crazy Two Months
- Japanese Version of the Office
- Algorithm March...with Ninja!
- Tokyo Cat Cafes (Why Aren't I Working Here Already?)
- Japan Bans American Beef...Again

Source: Japan Times

Things are starting to look up with new Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda’s plans to increase career opportunities for women.

The government is pledging with the program to increase women’s social participation in areas where they have yet to play significant roles, including medical services, public services and science.

Gender equality minister Yoko Kamikawa plans to visit business group leaders and encourage the hiring of more women for managerial posts.

The program aims to raise the percentage of female employees in the central government ranked higher than section chief or equivalent to at least 5 percent by the end of fiscal 2010 from 1.7 percent in fiscal 2005.

I’ve mentioned before about the slow-but-noticeable increase in gender equality, but it’s still nowhere near ideal (or some semblence of.) It seems that the higher ups are starting to realize that without gender equality, a nation is only performing half as well as it could be–not to mention that Japan’s embarrassingly low gender equality statistics are constantly being thrown about.

I’m not sure if simple encouragement is enough, although this is a step in the right direction.  We need to see more examples of women leading successful lives in Japan to serve as role models for those following in their footsteps.  Although there is certainly nothing wrong with dreaming of becoming a housewife, it seems that so much talent and bright minds are going to waste because of ingrained societal expectations.  (Case in point: is there any reason why Empress Masako, a Harvard undergraduate and Oxford alum who is fluent in 3 languages, had give up everything in order to marry the Prince?)

Source: New program to boost women in workplace - Japan Times

- It's Been a Crazy Two Months
- The Candle Night Campaign
- Japanese Version of the Office
- Algorithm March...with Ninja!
- Tokyo Cat Cafes (Why Aren't I Working Here Already?)

There’s a lot of noise regarding Hideki Matsui’s marriage, which is very atypical of most sports marriages in Japan. Normally a sports celebrity marries someone in the entertainment or news industry to increase PR–in other words, make them look good. The woman, an attractive TV personality, normally quits her job after she gets married to the sport celeb, and is often older than him because naturally someone who leads such a stressful life needs a mother-figure in his life.

Now let’s take a look at Matsui’s marriage: his wife is a “regular person,” is eight years younger than him, and can make a “mean burger.” What? Marrying out of love? Japanese people?

Whereas other sports wives are public figures and remain famous for helping their husbands become famous, nobody even knows what Matsui’s wife looks like–just some sketches him and his brother drew for the press (awww. I think?)

Of course interest is piqued in this mystery woman, but it seems that Matsui is going at lengths to keep her identity a secret. I find this marriage to be a cool exception to the norm because Japanese marriages (especially celebrity ones) are traditionally not out of love but out of obligation of continuing family lineage. To marry someone who may even end up hurting your career takes a lot of guts, which makes me think this isn’t a PR stunt. This will be one time I root for a Yankees’ player

Source: Matsui’s got a nice wife, but can she cook a mean hamburger? - Japan Times

- All Asians Have Beef With Other Asians
- It's Been a Crazy Two Months
- Japanese Version of the Office
- Algorithm March...with Ninja!
- Visa Stays are Extended for Those With Japanese Skills