Sunday September 30, 3:10 p.m.
It's been a nice weekend here in The Big Smoke. No precipitation, lots of sun and the temperatures have been great for walking. Which is what I did this morning. Took my 75 minutes of exercise strolling around the neighbourhood. It was nice to get that exercise to lose some modest amount of weight and clear my head since I had some work to get done for tomorrow.
The leaves are starting to change colour but I think it'll be another two weeks or so before they become really brilliant.
Meanwhile, over in my old country, Japan has been fighting off the effects of Typhoon No. 17. I was watching some of the news coverage from Okinawa. Naha was getting scoured clean, and one of my Mixi buddies said that Yokohama was getting majorly buffeted by high winds and rain. Autumn is always known as the season for that along the Pacific Coast. It used to be Okinawa that often the worst of the meteorological rage, but in recent years, Typhoon Alley has become Typhoon Boulevard so that Tokyo can also be in the crosshairs.
Took care of some invoices for the translator boss before figuring out my lesson plans for my final stint for that hyper-organized teacher tomorrow.
As it turned out, that former student and her family won't be coming here after all. I had kinda figured that when I didn't hear anything more from her in the last several days after her initial desire.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Ume-chan Sensei and Haruhi Suzumiya
Saturday September 29, 12:51 p.m.
Well, the latest NHK morning serial drama has wrapped up after its 6-month run. "Ume-chan Sensei" finished its time on Japan TV last night all happy and stuff. It didn't have nearly the scope and sturm und drang of its predecessor, "Carnation"; the story spanned a mere 16 years or so for this one as compared to the latter's near-century. And despite some of the tensions that have to pop up in a serial, it only took a mere episode of 15 minutes to get everything back into balance for the most part. Just like its setting in the immediate postwar era, "Ume-chan Sensei" was more of a gentle slice-of-life and day-in-the-life series with the oft-thrown in batch of comedy. Went down smooth. According to the teaser for the next serial which will premiere here on Sunday night, it looks like the new serial will be set in the present-day.
Just went through the fourth episode of "Haruhi Suzumiya". It's the one where all of the cards have been laid on the table by the three time travelers investigating Haruhi, with Kyon as the representative of the viewers. I mentioned in my last entry on the anime that Haruhi reminds me a bit of Lucy Van Pelt. Well, after watching this episode, I'm starting to think that the "Peanuts"analogy can be further expanded. Kyon strikes me as a far more competent Charlie Brown just because he's the male protagonist who has to watch all that is going on with a skeptical and cynical eye, Mikuru is the much put-upon Linus of the anime, while Nagato seems to be a Snoopy/Marcie hybrid. The newest guy is Koizumi....well, he seems to be the most well-adjusted fellow of the SOS Brigade, so I guess he wouldn't have a Peanuts equivalent. Franklin, perhaps?
Glad that I did read the summary about the series online. I would've been absolutely lost with the series without it.
Well, the latest NHK morning serial drama has wrapped up after its 6-month run. "Ume-chan Sensei" finished its time on Japan TV last night all happy and stuff. It didn't have nearly the scope and sturm und drang of its predecessor, "Carnation"; the story spanned a mere 16 years or so for this one as compared to the latter's near-century. And despite some of the tensions that have to pop up in a serial, it only took a mere episode of 15 minutes to get everything back into balance for the most part. Just like its setting in the immediate postwar era, "Ume-chan Sensei" was more of a gentle slice-of-life and day-in-the-life series with the oft-thrown in batch of comedy. Went down smooth. According to the teaser for the next serial which will premiere here on Sunday night, it looks like the new serial will be set in the present-day.
Just went through the fourth episode of "Haruhi Suzumiya". It's the one where all of the cards have been laid on the table by the three time travelers investigating Haruhi, with Kyon as the representative of the viewers. I mentioned in my last entry on the anime that Haruhi reminds me a bit of Lucy Van Pelt. Well, after watching this episode, I'm starting to think that the "Peanuts"analogy can be further expanded. Kyon strikes me as a far more competent Charlie Brown just because he's the male protagonist who has to watch all that is going on with a skeptical and cynical eye, Mikuru is the much put-upon Linus of the anime, while Nagato seems to be a Snoopy/Marcie hybrid. The newest guy is Koizumi....well, he seems to be the most well-adjusted fellow of the SOS Brigade, so I guess he wouldn't have a Peanuts equivalent. Franklin, perhaps?
Glad that I did read the summary about the series online. I would've been absolutely lost with the series without it.
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| courtesy of tarale from Flickr |
Another Client Back in from the Cold?
Saturday September 29, 12:34 p.m.
Well, I've had Mr. Moriya for the better part of a year as a Skype student. Now, another former student may be coming back into my depleted flock. Swank (a nickname I gave her since she looks somewhat like Hilary Swank the actress) has contacted me after several months to see if I could help her again with her written English. Apparently, it looks like she's back on the Eiken wagon again. Eiken is the Japanese abbreviation for the English Proficiency Examination back there which is one of the pillars academically and professionally for how good one is in the world's lingua franca.
I don't think she'll become a Skyper since this is all about the written stuff, and besides, considering my current Internet package with Rogers, I don't think my bandwidth could suffer another regular student through Skype. However, she'll probably be thinking about having me proofread her stuff regularly, and she was quite adamant about making sure I get paid. Hey, no complaints from this teacher. Plus, I've got the structure for any of that processing down pat thanks to Mr. Moriya. So, I'll be doing some light work today after all.
I used to teach Swank first at a nice cafe in Roppongi Hills, Tokyo for a few years before the gigs switched over to the local library near her home. I also taught her husband, the president of a company in Shinjuku for a year or so. Both of them are the nicest Japanese Trekkies one could meet. And the fact that Mr. Swank also likes kayo kyoku meant some classes went by without a single stitch of meaningful English grammar getting perused. Man, what I got away with at times!
Well, I've had Mr. Moriya for the better part of a year as a Skype student. Now, another former student may be coming back into my depleted flock. Swank (a nickname I gave her since she looks somewhat like Hilary Swank the actress) has contacted me after several months to see if I could help her again with her written English. Apparently, it looks like she's back on the Eiken wagon again. Eiken is the Japanese abbreviation for the English Proficiency Examination back there which is one of the pillars academically and professionally for how good one is in the world's lingua franca.
I don't think she'll become a Skyper since this is all about the written stuff, and besides, considering my current Internet package with Rogers, I don't think my bandwidth could suffer another regular student through Skype. However, she'll probably be thinking about having me proofread her stuff regularly, and she was quite adamant about making sure I get paid. Hey, no complaints from this teacher. Plus, I've got the structure for any of that processing down pat thanks to Mr. Moriya. So, I'll be doing some light work today after all.
I used to teach Swank first at a nice cafe in Roppongi Hills, Tokyo for a few years before the gigs switched over to the local library near her home. I also taught her husband, the president of a company in Shinjuku for a year or so. Both of them are the nicest Japanese Trekkies one could meet. And the fact that Mr. Swank also likes kayo kyoku meant some classes went by without a single stitch of meaningful English grammar getting perused. Man, what I got away with at times!
What the FAX?
Saturday September 29, 12:22 p.m.
Had a bit of a mystery when I got home yesterday and saw no less than 6 messages on the machine of which 5 were from the same number. One number I checked on the Net was 905-323-3900 which turned out to be some sort of spammyish enterprise. There was the usual give-and-take in the comments section with folks complaining about it while a few supposed folks who "work for the company"in question were defending themselves.
The other five were straight from the same number as I said. And all of them were made within a period of 40 minutes and left the same message of high-pitched fax wheezing. And my family has never owned a fax machine. It turned out that the number belongs to the X-Ray/Ultrasound clinic I had gone to a few days ago. For a couple of paranoid minutes, I thought the folks there were trying to tell me that I was in the late stages of a terminal disease. But of course, hearing the fax noises for each message that came within an average of 8 minutes of each other hinted strongly at more of a technological and communications breakdown. Plus, by law, clinic technicians are forbidden to give any diagnoses to patients, so I figured some receptionist dropped the ball. In any case, the clinic is closed so I left a message stating the problem. Annoying as hell, though.
Had a bit of a mystery when I got home yesterday and saw no less than 6 messages on the machine of which 5 were from the same number. One number I checked on the Net was 905-323-3900 which turned out to be some sort of spammyish enterprise. There was the usual give-and-take in the comments section with folks complaining about it while a few supposed folks who "work for the company"in question were defending themselves.
The other five were straight from the same number as I said. And all of them were made within a period of 40 minutes and left the same message of high-pitched fax wheezing. And my family has never owned a fax machine. It turned out that the number belongs to the X-Ray/Ultrasound clinic I had gone to a few days ago. For a couple of paranoid minutes, I thought the folks there were trying to tell me that I was in the late stages of a terminal disease. But of course, hearing the fax noises for each message that came within an average of 8 minutes of each other hinted strongly at more of a technological and communications breakdown. Plus, by law, clinic technicians are forbidden to give any diagnoses to patients, so I figured some receptionist dropped the ball. In any case, the clinic is closed so I left a message stating the problem. Annoying as hell, though.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Herbert Lom
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| courtesy of snapper31 from Flickr |
2012 is started to seem like the Year of Celebrity Deaths. Every year has its share of famous folks leaving this mortal coil, but it just feels like this year has had an especially big bumper crop. I mean, just a couple of days ago, it was crooner Andy Williams.
And now it's actor Herbert Lom. Unfortunately, I only came across a small rectangle of an obituary in today's Toronto Sun, although admittedly it's been a few decades since the heyday of "The Pink Panther"series, but I loved the first few entries. I've only known Lom almost only for that series (the only other movie I've seen him outside of it was "The Ladykillers"with Sir Alec Guinness). His harried portrayal of the increasingly insane Chief Inspector Dreyfus was one of the highlights of every movie. In the very first "Pink Panther", he, and Inspector Clouseau (Peter Sellers), played it both quite straight which reminded me of how the similar series "Get Smart"started off with Agent 86 and The Chief.
But then from "A Shot in the Dark"onwards, it was total mayhem between the two. A couple of my favourite highlights: in "A Shot in the Dark", after one near-meltdown by Dreyfus, he calmly asked his assistant to help find his nose. And then in a later entry at a sanitorium, Clouseau had to rescue his old boss from the pond and while he was administering mouth-to-mouth, a couple of old ladies physically remonstrated the pair for indecent activities. Just some classic comedy.
I heard he passed away at the age of 95. Hopefully, it was a good life as well as a long one.
Comfort Friday
Friday September 28, 8:52 p.m.
Unlike the brooding I was doing last night commiserating about yesterday's teaching performance, things went a little better today although my general feelings about teaching haven't really abated. At least, I was happily done at noon today. In fact, it's been my first day without either teaching or translation duties....and will continue to be so for this weekend.
I was hoping to grab a hot dog from the stand outside the school, but for some reason, it wasn't there, so I just got some paperwork done before I walked over a few blocks to that Chinese restaurant, Yueh Tung, that Sam had introduced me to back in August. Even after 1 p.m., the place was bustling like crazy. I did manage to get a corner table by the windows, and ordered my now-regular Manchurian Chicken on Rice. I'm sure a lot of the Chinese food purists would blanch at the name, but heck if it's good food, why knock it? The service was brisk but not unfriendly. It was obvious that the staff were looking out for the customers. The fact that I saw a number of regulars coming down and chatting a bit with the older waiters meant something to me.
I love my MCOR, but from my first two times with the dish, I had felt that something was missing from it. So I just added a bit of soy sauce, and things were fine with the world. At $6.99, not a bad way for lunch. And easy when tipping, too. I just hand over a $10 bill to the cashier (she kinda reminded me of Penny from "The Big Bang Theory"....but no need to worry about me getting wolfish....at my age, she's now just niece/daughter status to me) and skip the change.
It was nice getting a bit few zzz's on the subway although it was another interminable wait at Eglinton for the 34 bus yet again. But got back home and a few hours later, the parentals got back with a bag from The Golden Arches. From a weekly habit of noshing on Big Mac sets back in Tokyo to once every 6 months here in Toronto, it's ironic that I'm having to get my weight down right now.
Shard was supposed to drop on by tonight to give me some damn fine snow boots, but had to cancel at the last moment. He was quite apologetic, but unnecessarily so. I just suggested Tuesday as the next window of opportunity. Plus, I figure we can try the nearby Pizza Hut for a nice lunch.
The weather is quite comfortable now in The Big Smoke. Autumn has certainly arrived.
Unlike the brooding I was doing last night commiserating about yesterday's teaching performance, things went a little better today although my general feelings about teaching haven't really abated. At least, I was happily done at noon today. In fact, it's been my first day without either teaching or translation duties....and will continue to be so for this weekend.
I love my MCOR, but from my first two times with the dish, I had felt that something was missing from it. So I just added a bit of soy sauce, and things were fine with the world. At $6.99, not a bad way for lunch. And easy when tipping, too. I just hand over a $10 bill to the cashier (she kinda reminded me of Penny from "The Big Bang Theory"....but no need to worry about me getting wolfish....at my age, she's now just niece/daughter status to me) and skip the change.
It was nice getting a bit few zzz's on the subway although it was another interminable wait at Eglinton for the 34 bus yet again. But got back home and a few hours later, the parentals got back with a bag from The Golden Arches. From a weekly habit of noshing on Big Mac sets back in Tokyo to once every 6 months here in Toronto, it's ironic that I'm having to get my weight down right now.
Shard was supposed to drop on by tonight to give me some damn fine snow boots, but had to cancel at the last moment. He was quite apologetic, but unnecessarily so. I just suggested Tuesday as the next window of opportunity. Plus, I figure we can try the nearby Pizza Hut for a nice lunch.
The weather is quite comfortable now in The Big Smoke. Autumn has certainly arrived.
Tako Sushi
Forgot to mention that the last part of Anime-and-Foodie Sunday was heading out to Tako Sushi. I've been to my fair share of Japanese restaurants here in Toronto since my return: Zen, Kenzo, Don Don, etc.
However, it's been some years on either side of the Pacific since I've had teppanyaki at a restaurant. Twice a year, my family does it at home but my mother obviously doesn't do the knife acrobatics that are customarily shown at a Benihana.
The head waiter was polite if not all that friendly, but our chef at the grill was an amiable sort. Since it was dinner, we couldn't quite make it under $10 but at $12.95, this was my most inexpensive teppanyaki experience that I've ever had. The fellow wasn't too flashy with his cutlery, but then again I didn't come for the show. I wanted my sirloin.
The outer structure of Tako Sushi was also interesting in that the building reminded me of family restaurants in suburban Tokyo. There was an upper level with the ground area underneath used as a garage.
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