Can I have that time back please?

I just watched the most recent Star Wars. Christ almighty. One of my 8 year old Japanese students could have written a better script than that. Not that I was expecting Shakespeare but with all that eye candy on show I would have thought that I at least wouldn't have been too distracted by dull men tossing light sabres to Ewan McGreggor saying 'I think you might need this'. I'm not surprised the Emperor looked like he was pissing himself when Darth Vader went 'Nooooooooooo!' at the end. I was. Perhaps he'd just seen himself in the mirror and couldn't understand why he'd been dressed like something off of Blue Peter (can't help thinking encouraging kids to make 'stained glass biscuits' is a bit irresponsible. Still, who am I to question Blue Peter?) whilst being surrounded by some of the most futuristic beings ever seen. George, if you're reading this, you are a fool.
Oh well, perhaps I can negate the effects that Star Wars has had on me by watching some more of the excellent Monkey Dust. I finally managed to get the 2nd and 3rd series from my local, er, retailer. Brilliant stuff. Not for those who like their comedy sugar coated. Infact its probably not even for a lot of people who might have previously thought they liked black humour. Very very dark, sick even. Nothing is sacred. One of my favourite television programmes ever I think. Where have you been Clive.....?

My ears hurt

In about 1983 (a year sung about with great eloquence by Goldie Lookin' Chain - Roller Disco) I was given a walkman at Christmas (topical). I also got a copy of Now THAT'S what I call Music Vol 4. It included Ray Parker Jr's Ghostbusters amongst other classics whose names escape me right now. A lot, lot later on in life I bought an MD recorder. I loved this thing, so solid in your hand and the quality of recording was amazing. Tiny aswell when you look at tape/CD walkmans....BUT, I wouldn't dream of lugging such a weighty item about with me now. Yep, not so long ago I finally joined the queue of sheep and bought an iPod. A shuffle one. About the weight of an empty disposable cigarette lighter. I'd resisted it for ages.....why do I need one of them? I listen to too much music already. My BAD side gently coaxed my SLIGHTLY LESS BAD side into getting one under the pretext of learning Japanese :muchlaughter: Well, I did use it in this way for a bit, still do occasionally but I just couldn't resist for long. Walking without one just seems weird now, and riding a bicycle.... Today was a holiday in Japan and I wandered down Hondori. It was packed, a situation that might usually annoy me but with Massive Attack on it became the ultimate people watch, a video with me as the main star. I got so lost in it I wandered halfway up Hondori with my umbrella still up (Hondori is a covered street for anyone not familiar with Hiroshima....or most Japanese cities for that matter). I felt like a dark and brooding mid nineties trip hop video star.....I looked like a cock.
iPods.....get one

Snowing it's arse off

What is the polite term for heavy snowfall? (apart from heavy snowfall) Chucking it down? Come down in (light) buckets? Whateveeeeeeer, it snowed on saturday night. And it really snowed. I get a whole facefull of snow every New Year when I visit the country but snow like this in the city is pretty unusual (he says with all of 3 years of experience). WC spent the evening at a very nice restaurant in Nagarekawa for the Cross Nihongo school (which I don't mind saying is the BEST language school WC has ever attended) bonenkai. I can't remember the name and I can't make it out in the picture cos of the snow hugging the letters. Something like Ji Ji An. Done up like an old style house, we enjoyed lots of nice oden, soba and some tofu stuff amongst other things. Very pleasant indeed. As we were eating the snow started to fall. Nagarekawa isn't famed for its beauty but with nice places like Cafe Spice opposite it really did start to look lovely. Bit of a slow walk home though.

Oh and I wonder if the Rev Awdry ever imagined that his gentle stories of railway folk would one day be printed on seaweed for young kids to wrap their onigiri in? Luddite.

and relax....

Life has been well hectic of late. Saturday was the GetHiroshima/Koba bonenkai which GHB and myself did a bit of DJing at. I say a bit, GHB had to man the fort for a lot of the night, and even when I was there I wasn't really. Infact I remember very little of the night at all, not because of the drink for once but something else that has been on my mind and consumed my life for the last month or so.....my workplace's Happyokai....
Yep I've been losing sleep over worrying about forgetting to bring a whistle on the day or not having time to make a pair of cardboard decks. In the end I only fucked up once, and hey, it made the kids look stupid not me, so that's fine.
It also represented Windcheater's first outing on the stage. I haven't turned my hand to musicals (yet) but along with SH and the help of the children www.hiphopenglish.com finally saw the light of day. Well, the website is yet to make that leap but we did have 3 songs performed by our little homies and, bless their little cotton socks, they were great. The show finished at about 5 but it was only at about 9 o'clock later on in the evening after many drinks that I felt the weight lift from my shoulders. Now I'm just hungover.
I do remember one thing from Saturday night though and that's that Hifana are coming to Hiroshima on January the 8th. I'm so chuffed about this, can't wait. The Spins, who have featured on this blog a couple of times will be supporting at 4.14. It should be superb. If you're in the vicinity and you don't go, you're a bit thick.

Autumn Schmautumn

The funny thing about Autumn in Japan for WC is that I just won't let it go. Last Sunday was too warm for a jacket and the leaves were clinging on to the last vestiges of their redness as friends inexplicably decided to run around Miyajima rather than enjoy themselves with WC and SH. The week that followed was of typical blue skies and sunshine....and then it got cold...

This was the view that confronted me as I cycled back home tonight. I think at this juncture even WC has to admit that summer/autumn is over. It's snow for fuck's sake. Still, I like snow here. It's clean, it's white, and when I'm in the Inaka it's deep and untouched. I did think tonight though that to be cycling whilst wearing a wooly hat, big hooded jacket and iPod is a tad dangerous. Don't do it kids!

Next week is the GetHiroshima/Koba bonenkai which myself and GHB will be playing at at some point. Should be a great night.....oh to not have Happyokai the next day...

What else?...Bought an album online for the first time ever today. The times, they be a changing. Highly recommended Lotek Hifi - Mixed Blessings - UK hiphop? dub, dance hall stuff? I dunno, very good though.