Big John's Blog

This is from our Kyoto trip. This is Kinkakuji or the Golden Temple. Its pretty awsome. This thing is over a thousand years old. They covered lacquered wood with gold leaf. Highly awesome. Neat reflection too!

Another Kinkakuji pic.

The huge buddha I was telling you about in an earlier log. 159 feet tall!!!! Holy Crap! Sadly, you cannot get a sense of scale from the picture. If you want to see it you will just have to come and visit.

In that same temple there is a hole in the base of this column that is the size of the nostril of the BIG Buddha and if you can pass through this hole you will become enlightened in the next life. OK, OK, OK

A cool statue guarding the big Buddha!

Wish I was a Xanga

Currently reading: Just Above My Head by James Baldwin
Currently listening to: Outkast's Greatest by Big Juan

Anyway, this book I am reading is really cood. I really like Baldwin's style. It makes me think of my life a little too much though. So much reflection = having to read things many times. Its amazing how many memories of old love (or almost love) and old friends and bad situations that this book has brought to mind. I find myself nervous and even embarassed by some of the things that are happening to the characters.

Its about this guys brother who becomes a famous musician and then gets killed. It kind of starts at the end and then picks it up from the beginning if you know what I mean. Judging by when the book came out, there is some pretty risque stuff in there. But hey, life is never easy when you are a gay, black writer. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Here are two pics that I stole off of Dougs website. I am being really lazy now so I will just post things that other people posted already. I have to apologize to Doug because I know that he HAS to check this page 2.5 times per day so nothing really new. Sorry!

I never realized I was so tall and everyone else in Japan is so short. I just thought it was some kind of sterotype.

Friends forever

As usual

Bored as hell at work today. I did teach four classes and will have five on my plate tomorrow and Friday. Weird part is, even having yesterday off for a National Holiday, I have had to teach more classes this week than any other in recent memory. Thats good though, cuts down on my time on the internet which has been disabled by the Ohio State win. I am on my usual one week media blackout. That is how long it takes for me and the media to forget about that horrible fiasco. Makes my blood boil.

I do however want to start making plans now to go to the game in Columbus in two years. Michigan will need to win that game in order to get to the National Championship game so that will give the game added importance. Also, I have never been to a road game (shame on me) so I am have to recitify that. Even if I am still living in Japan I will be there some way, somehow.

Anyway, I have a few pics to post but I have been dragging ass on them. Dont know why. Hopefully they will go up tonight.

What the heck?

I totaled my bike yesterday. I was riding down this back street on my way to school and you cant really see down these narrow ass streets. A car came out of a side street, I saw it in time, swerved and hit the breaks at the same time and . . . SNAP!

Never quite seen this happen to a bike before the back tire just gave and lost alignment or something but it pretty much refused to rotate any more. Dont know what happened but I must have broke some very important metal piece because to fix it would be more than the bike was worth. Personally, I thought the bike was priceless. I mean, a silver granny bike with the big basket on the front and my name in Katakana. Everyone wants one of those.

Maybe my ass was a little too big for that bike also. I thought it was kind of flimsy when I started riding it and I push it a little bit. You know, the need for speed on a granny bike. We have all gone through this phase at one time or another in our lives, it was only a matter of time for me.

Anyway, everyone at school was talking about it yesterday. Damn, some of these people need lives. But I got to make the -I'm going on a diet joke about a 50 times and all were happy that I have poor self worth (a Japanese tradition if I have ever seen one). But seriously folks, look on the bright side. I get another loaner granny bike for this week (so I can get my fix) and then next week I am getting a Mountain Bike! Yes! Tires that are thinker than one inch across, gears! The only drawback will be the possible absence of the basket. I make fun of the basket alot, but that thing is helpful for carry groceries and whatnot. And who has ever seen a mountain bike with a basket? Maybe will be Jerry-rig (sp?) one.

The world is my oyster and I will put a basket on it.

Duuuuuuude!!

Yo what up, this is Big John, Doug and some random guy hittin' you from the land of the Rising Sun with my main man, G Love, representin' Philly. Word up, yo! Picture courtesy of Douglas David Beacom, esquire. Trademark, All Rights Reserved, Incorporated, etc.

This is a picture of a guy who I met at a bar. He spoke no English but he was very interested in my muscles and getting me to smoke a cigarette with him. Highly random!

Mind the Gap!

Apartment and I still recovering from Typhoon Doug . . .

Well, had a cood weekend. Doug came up from Kyushu and we had a great time. He came in on Wednesday and we hit a bar right off, this place called Sugimoto's. Its the spot where all the JCMU (Japan Center for Michigan Universities) kids hang out on Wednesday cause the have free food and you know how cheap college students are.

I think the Gem of the weekend was Thursday. Went to Kyoto for the G Love and Special Sauce concert. We started drinking the old Sake at about 4 pm after I got back from school (had to take Friday off of course, but for Doug, anything, and I mean ANYTHING) after drunk dialing the Walmsley House and waking them all up at 1 am on a school day, (Im sure that they were all excited to hear from us. Got Cam out of Bed but she seemed pretty cool. Also got to wake the old man, T Beer from his slumber) we were off to Kyoto for the 7pm concert. Now who has a concert at 7? I guess many start at that time. We were three sheets to the wind by the time that the concert started.

Anyway, the show was awesome! A packed little club, a little reminiscient of New Orleans, was highly cood. I have never had such an easy time seeing the stage because everyone is so short, got to make it to a few more concerts. We were hammered but enjoying the show. For some reason Doug and I got the idea to get the people in the crowd to start shouting for Freebird. I dont think they knew what they were saying but we were Americans and obviously know what we were talking about.

After the concert we got to meet (albeit breifly) the band. Got to take our pictures with G Love and the drummer. There was a fight after the concert, some dumb asses fighting over a girl, and the first thing G Love says to us is, "Were you guys part of that fight?" I guess we were pretty loud and rowdy during the show so we were pubic enemy number 1. Whatever, we were having a great time, shouting our butts off, hyping the crowd up, banging on the rafters (I've got the cuts on my hands to prove it), and overall spreading love, not even thinking about fighting.

Outside the concert the sound man was pissed at us. I guess shouting, "Freebird, freebird!" and "Play some Zeppelin!" (which I do at all concerts anyway) was disprespectful or something. He said something like, "We've got 175 songs, man!" (In that hippy kind of way) and I was thinking, "Sorry for enjoying your concert, man and getting the crowd into it." What a piece.

Anyway we roamed the street for awile after that, checking out the nightlife in Kyoto. Had the best damn greek-pita loaf-chicken thing I have ever tasted. Gotta find that place again. Doug and I then when to this Bar where we were sitting with these Japanese guys, one of which kept asking, "Do you like asshole," as he put his arm around me. Now it has been a little while since I hooked up last but I aint that desperate . . . yet.

Our Hotel room in Kyoto was a sauna. It was hot as cheese, if you will. Had a terrible hangover on Friday (In college, I had maybe two hangovers total. Now if I have two beers I got a headache in the morning, sucks!) We did some touristy stuff, saw the Golden Temple, Kinkakuji, got some awesome pics (will post soon) and then went on the Romantic train, which sucked. Oh well.

Saturday was also cood. We went to Osaka and just checked out the night life, ate some awesome Mexican food at this Mexican wrestling bar (yes, Osaka has everything) complete with, wear your own/get Japanese people sitting near you to wear Mexican wrestling masks. We had the most awesome fajitas but they took about an hour to make but it was worth the waitl. We then walked around trying to find America Mura and after about a half an hour and many wrong directions we found it. Probably the scuzziest part of Japan that I have seen. Thank god its got Americas name on it. Doug thought it looked alot like America, I agreed, noting that there was a lot of garbage on the streets.

We went to a couple of bars and ended up meeting these two people, cant remember their names but they took us around and hung out. One was a Dentist and the other a Dental student. They were pretty funny especially when we started talking about sex. Japanese people are very interested in what Americans think about sex and what they are into. But it basically came down to them thinking the Doug was scebe (a pervert) and this was our word for the evening. Said it about 10,000 times, you know how I love to overuse things.

Dougs Japanese is highly functional. I learned more from him in the 4 days that he was hear than I have since I have been here. He is highly modest about it but his skills are good enough to never be lost, or to find a Mexican wrestling restaurant.

All in all, it was great to see Doug and to have old friends around, too bad that it made me miss my other friends more but great to see Doug and know that he is doing all right.

That is all. Pics to be posted when I get off my ass which might not be for a while. Doug will send me some of his also. I will share.

The Blah's

Folks, I have an incredible case of the Blah's. Don't feel like doing shit. Just over all tired and not really into the process of work right now. I had four classes today 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th periods. I wondered to myself how I would make it. I had to come in early to get a worksheet done, I was the first teacher at school so I get the inevitable question, "Why are you here?" pops up.

What the hell kind of thing is that to say to someone? I always politely reply, "I have work to do," and I smile. Inside I ask the question, "Why the hell do they keep asking me that?" All I'm trying to do is educate kids why the are they always seemingly telling me to work less/do a worse job? I guess its a cultural difference maybe, and I am just taking it the wrong way. I dont want to tell them to shut it but if I am a little bit on edge you never know what can happen.

Its all good though. Doug sensei will be here tonight. All I have to do is write a lesson for tomorrow and get my house in decent shape. I dont want Doug gettting a Staph infection or something.

My apartment is pretty tidy. When I look at the fellow JETs who live in my apartment complex, I am the neatest by far. Those of you who have lived with me or ever ventured into my room at any point in the last 23 years or so would know that I am a slob but hey, maybe I have turned over a new leaf.

But to get back to the original point, I thought I wouldnt make it at the beginning of first period but at some point about 10 minutes into class I started to feel the good vibes and it went pretty well. Randomly, they also canceled third period which was money. Let me let you non-teachers in on a little secret. The key to teaching is your attitude. If you can always remain positive and upbeat, class will always go much better than if you are obviously tired, sick, or just sick and tired of students. But let me let you in on another secret. THAT SHIT IS HARD TO DO FOR A WHOLE DAY, let alone everyday of the week. It is the most draining part of teaching, especially when you have students who arent feeling it. You have to conteract their either negative or non-existant energy and, of course, drag them to an education for their own good. No matter how you feel. I guees thats why they pay me the big bucks! I'm a regular Denzel Washington.

Good smells

The ni nensei are cooking brownies today in Home Ec. class. Reminds me of senior year over at the Dewey House when I made brownies like three times a week. And that time I was so overzealous about making the brownies (hummm. . . I wonder why) that I ripped the bag open and it exploded all over the kitchen. Im sure that they found brownie mix when/if they cleaned up at the end of the year. Man that place was a dump, should be condemned but there are still folks living there. Crappy neighbors too.

Its smells so damn good on the third floor that I couldn't concentrate for a second while I was in class. I am always hungry and the kids know it. It is my only weakness that is known to them. I should keep it bottled up but round about 1230 everyday my stomache is grumbling! Why do the Japanese eat lunch so late?

Halloween

Apparently Halloween is a big holiday in Japan . . . for Foreigners to get loaded and have a good time. We (myself, Doug and Colette) went to Omihachiman where this shindig was held. It was a good time, I drank Sangria all night, and spilled an entire drink on Arica's white shirt, sorry man. We stayed out all night and went to several bars and hung out with mostly JET people. My supervisor from work, Yoko, was there and that was cool that we got to see each other outside work and have a good time and dance and stufff. Highly fun evening!

I was a hick. It was the best I could do on short notice. I grew my hair out a little long (for a bald dude anyway) and then I cut a single strip from the bottom of my chin to the back of my head. A reverse mohawk. Got the idea from T Beer he was always bothering me to cut a reverse mohawk, I think because he never had the sack to do it himself. But here it is! I also cut a little half mullet on the sides as well. Anyway, I put on my Mardi Gras shirt from two years ago when all the boys from Walmsley Made one. I had to cut the sleeves off to make it more authentic. 'The Cood Shirt' as it was known. I also used it to fight feminism in Teach For America (its a long story not to be included here) but I dressed up in rags, i.e. my best clothes, and had a great time.

Here we have Colette and Arica. Arica went to King High School down the street from the old house on the Boulevard. Its cool that there are a few Detroit folks in my general area in Japan. Arica did go to Michigan State but we won't hold that against her, much.

This is TR (in the mask) and Michi and Yoko. Yoko is my supervisor at work. She is a first year teacher and lovin' it!!!! Yeah!

This is me and my upstair neighbor Colette. I think she is some kind of Japanese schoolgirl. I hear that is popular over here.

This is me in all my hickish glory on the train. Notice, if you will the reverse mohawk and the Cood Shirt.

This is a close up of the reverse mohawk