Monthly Archives: February 2004

Chinese Meat Market

The “butcher/deli” section in a market in Shanghai. Shopping for ingredients in Shanghai is an adventure of sights and smells. We wandered in a large, grey, hulking building and found each section of the two floors packed with a huge … Continue reading

Posted in Travel

A Good Beach Day, A Good Day To Be At Work

Nam is chasing the sea gulls next to Huntington Beach Pier, on a fabulous afternoon in January. Justin is sitting on the pale sand smoking a cig, and I am taking pictures. This was exactly what we wanted to do … Continue reading

Posted in Travel

Putz Master

This is a close up of a concrete pump in Shanghai, in front of a new gargantuan shopping mall under construction along the Bund. I had never seen a Putzmeister until then, and so I assumed that Putzmeister was a … Continue reading

Posted in Strange Words

Nastiness

Today I was eating lunch at the new Hoikuen with the Yuri-gumi (Hoikuen is divided by age groups from oldest to youngest: sakura-gumi, yuri-gumi, and ume-gumi) across from a 4 year old boy, while the 4 year old boy in … Continue reading

Posted in Education

It’s Gonna Be A Bright, Bright Sunshiny Day

The rim of the largest caldera in the world, overlooking Aso-machi. If you look closely, you can see steam rising from Aso-san. Sulphuric fumes released from the top of Aso kill a couple of people each year, mostly the old … Continue reading

Posted in Around Kyushu

The Soccermom Gang

A train of minivans, hailing from Fukuoka-ken, visits Ikeyama Suigen in Ubuyama-mura. Who was it that decided to form minivan club, and who are the people who chose to join? Of all the clubs you could choose to be in, … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized

Subliminal Subjugation

Take a careful look at this picture. I snapped this one in Okinawa but there are countless others just like it, all over Japan. Focus on it like a rorschach inkblot for a couple of secs. Now, what do you … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized

The Presidental Erection

Is how it would sound if you said “The Presidental Election” with a katakana accent. This post, however, is not gonna be about Engrish(at least, not very much), but will explore possible avenues for bringing your little General to attention. … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized

Virus Update

I don’t feel any better about the avian flu situation in Kyushu after reading this. Yesterday I was told that poultry farmers in Ubuyama are not allowed to sell eggs or any other chicken products until further notice. This morning, … Continue reading

Posted in Around Kyushu

Sick Irony

This year’s SARS is Avian Flu. Last year, many JETs were unable to travel to Southeast Asia, and even Australia because everyone’s Board Of Education was scared to death. I was barely able to slip out (turned off my cell … Continue reading

Posted in Around Kyushu