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Nar3: Japan

Big Earthquake in East Japan
Posted on Friday, November 14th, 2003 at 8:33pm by Brett.
(Saturday, November 15th, 2003 at 10:33am Japanese Standard Time)

There was a fairly big earthquake in east Japan this morning around 3:45am. It measured to a 5.3 on the Richter scale, and its epicenter was in my prefecture...Ibaraki. It wasn't as big as the one in Hokkaido a couple months ago, but it was still the biggest one I've felt.

( Read More | 78 views | 0 Comments )

Site updates!
Posted on Saturday, November 15th, 2003 at 1:12am by Brett.
(Saturday, November 15th, 2003 at 3:12pm Japanese Standard Time)

The site has been updated! COMMENTS WORK! Comment away people!

To comment, you have to sign up for an account. Why? Because I said so, that's why. If you don't have an account, check out the "Why Register?" link to the left. The basic part of the comments are done, but they're displaying ugly, and replying to a comment (commenting on a comment, if you will) doesn't work yet, but I'll get it soon.

Along with comments, the search...sorta...kinda doesn't work less than it used to. (Catch the double negative? No? hrm...) It will search, but it's ugly about it. None of the advanced options work...

You'll also notice a Popular Posts box on the left. It..well..lists the most popular posts currently. It lists by how many times a post has been read, not commented on...that may change..

Enjoy the new features!

( Read More | 124 views | 3 Comments )

The Ishi Maru adventure
Posted on Monday, November 24th, 2003 at 9:02pm by Brett.
(Tuesday, November 25th, 2003 at 11:02am Japanese Standard Time)

Yesterday, I woke up and my computer was off. I turned it back on, and it made the low battery sound. I looked at the power supply, and was in for a bit of a surprise...either the radiator heater had leaked all over the power supply, or it had started producing its own green goo. Either way, it's dead...

So I called a friend to see if she wanted to go to a nearby electronics shop called Ishi Maru. She was at the market with another friend who wanted to come, so I told them to give me a ring and we'd all go when they got back. Ishi Maru is about a 15 minute bike ride away.

So Liz, Kate and I went biking along toward the shop. It looked a bit like rain, so Liz had her umbrella. We were all in a line cycling. We were nearly halfway there when I heard a scream. I turned around just in time to see Liz flying over the top of her handle bars, and then landing directly on her face. Kate and I ran over to her, and she's banged up really bad.

Her umbrella had somehow gotten caught between the spokes of her front tire, causing it to obviously stop. It also made the mudrail wrap all the way around it...it's pretty impressive looking...

Kate stayed there with her while ...(More)

( Read More | 188 views | 4 Comments )

Computer woes...and happy news!
Posted on Wednesday, December 3rd, 2003 at 9:55pm by Brett.
(Thursday, December 4th, 2003 at 11:55am Japanese Standard Time)

My computer is still dead. I'm pretty sure I'm going insane without it. It's like I've lost an appendage or something. My TV was on my computer...all of my music was on my computer. Classes haven't started back up yet, so I just sit in my quiet room bored. I have rediscovered the joys of shoutcast streaming audio. My little handheld computer can keep up well enough, and I bought some $5 speakers so I can have some music going....It's only mildly maddening.

BUT! For some good news! One of my oldest and best friends ever is now officially engaged! Bri and Jeff are going to get married next year! She's being kind enough to wait until I get back from Japan, so the wedding will probably be in September. Congrats!

For everyone who has emailed me...It's way too annoying to type out an email through my PDA. As soon as I get my replacement power converter for my laptop, I'll answer the emails. The manufacturer wouldn't ship overseas with a credit card, so I had to send it to my parents' house and then have them send it to me. According to UPS's tracking, it's in Columbus right now, so should be to Jackson by tomorrow, one would ...(More)

( Read More | 82 views | 1 Comment )

Important Notice
Posted on Saturday, December 6th, 2003 at 7:12am by Brett.
(Saturday, December 6th, 2003 at 9:12pm Japanese Standard Time)

If I.....don't have....a real computer...within a week...

I WILL GO COMPLETELY MAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is all. Return to your lives citizens.

( Read More | 689 views | 8 Comments )

The Hirasuna Ofuro Adventure
Posted on Sunday, December 7th, 2003 at 7:24am by Brett.
(Sunday, December 7th, 2003 at 9:24pm Japanese Standard Time)

Every other Sunday, the showers in my dorm are closed. On these days, the options are a sink bath, or going to the nearby Hirasuna showers. Tonight, as I normally do, I opted for going to Hirasuna.

Going to the Hirasuna showers is always a gamble. The individual showers aren't always unlocked, and if they are, there is usually a wait. Last time, I waited over half an hour just for the private showers. I decided that was a stupid thing to do, and that I would be a man about it and use the (overly crowded) public Japanese style Ofuro this time if there was a wait for the private showers. If you're counting, this makes the second time I've used the ofuro here at Tsukuba. I used them also when I went to Kyoto, but then I didn't have a choice...

So I got into the dreaded Changing Room of Nakedness and as suspected the private showers were full. Sundays are always horrible a day to shower because it's just so crowded...more so than normal. I moseyed on over to find an empty basket to hold my clothes while I'm doing the showering thing. After dodging many nakies, my clothes found a home in a nice basket in the corner. I gathered up my shower gear and started to head ...(More)

( Read More | 1061 views | 3 Comments )

Whining
Posted on Wednesday, December 10th, 2003 at 8:22am by Brett.
(Wednesday, December 10th, 2003 at 10:22pm Japanese Standard Time)

The elusive power converter that holds the key to my sanity is now in the limbo know simply as "the post".

Classes have started back up, and that makes NOTHING AT ALL better.

My computer had my music on it...my TV was built into it...my school schedule was on it. I've lost my primary source of news, entertainment, communication, and organization. Imagine if a normal person (yes, I'm aware of the distiction I just made) were to lose his telephone, newspapers, TV, and daily planner. Why, madness and general panic would ensue. Not to mention extreme disorganization.

I've started having very inappropriate dreams about my laptop working. Sometimes, I'll grab the old power supply, and plug it in really quickly...ya know...to try to catch it off guard. Never works...grr.

With any luck, my new power supply will be here within a week. This is probably the worst time to try to send something because of all the Christmas mail going around.

The sanity is leaking away...

( Read More | 96 views | 3 Comments )

Christmas and Cell Phones
Posted on Thursday, December 11th, 2003 at 3:16am by Brett.
(Thursday, December 11th, 2003 at 5:16pm Japanese Standard Time)

I received in the mail yesterday a Christmas package from my family in the States. I'm not allowed to open it until Christmas Eve while my mom is on the phone with me. Not a problem...

Also, I got an email from Yuki, who is going to graduate on Sunday. Way to go Yuki! She'll be coming back to Japan for an interview at IBM Japan in Tokyo, and wants to meet up again, so we're trying to work out a good day right now. It will be nice to see her again. Last time I saw her was right after I got here...I remember very well getting off the plane and her saying "Welcome to my country!"

Following the trend of life hating me, my cell phone has decided to join in the efforts.

You seldom call people in Japan. Most communication is done via email or SMS on cell phones. The phone I used is a pre-paid plan. You have to recharge it so often or else you lose the phone number. It's not that much of a problem, really. I had been getting many Japanese emails from the central ...(More)

( Read More | 199 views | 10 Comments )

A test....it's a test...
Posted on Thursday, December 11th, 2003 at 10:35pm by Brett.
(Friday, December 12th, 2003 at 12:35pm Japanese Standard Time)

I have, in my hands right now, a package slip that says I have a package (my power converter) in the dorm office. The dorm office is closed right now for the lunch break.

It's a test....they're testing me....that's all...I can win...yeah.

........

Yeah. Got it...Yay!!!! My music, my...everything at all....
*sigh* mmmm...yum.
*contentment*

( Read More | 87 views | 3 Comments )

Webcam
Posted on Sunday, December 14th, 2003 at 2:05am by Brett.
(Sunday, December 14th, 2003 at 4:05pm Japanese Standard Time)

Alright everyone (read: "Mom"), I got my webcam going. Check out the link to the left and start your viewing fun.

Also, for a bit of extra fun, check out the webcam stats.

( Read More | 96 views | 4 Comments )

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