Sayonara

Three years ago, I began this blog as a means of documenting my experiences in Japan. At the time I knew very little, except that 1) I didn't want to jump into teaching in the States, 2) I needed an outlet for my writing, and 3) I knew virtually nothing about the country I was about to live in. I was, to be fair, clueless about what I was doing, but I thought I'd see where it went.

While I can't say whether the "experiment" was a success or not - the writing has ebbed and flowed quite unspectacularly, as most blogs do - what I do know is that the experience has proved invaluable. And I'm not just talking about the blogging. Living in Japan has been an unbelievable experience, one that has constantly rewarded me and tested me and ultimately - hopefully - made me a better person. It was a dream that, unfortunately, has finally ended.

So what now? Well, I think it's an appropriate time to end the blog. That isn't to say I'm ready to stop blogging, but it's time to find a new outlet for my experiences. Whether that outlet ends up looking like this is still unknown even to me, but I can promise that the result will be exciting and, as always, honest. And as for a job, well, that I'm working on too. I can't say I know exactly where I'll be writing from next, but even with a daunting job search ahead of me I can say that I can't wait to find out.

I'm not typically fond of this kind of self-referential post, but I'd feel remiss if I didn't thank anyone who has read the blog over the past three years, as well as anyone who might have helped me out or given me constructive criticism. I know I've got a ways to go as a writer, but God and Tom Cruise willing I'll get there.

Finally, as I've left Japan for the greener pastures of Wisconsin, I'd like to end, appropriately, with a little cheese. I chose the name "The Long and Winding Road" when I started out because I hoped that my journey would lead me somewhere - to "your door" or elsewhere. I feel fortunate to have discovered quite a bit throughout the course of that journey, and so now I feel like it's a good time to end the blog because, well, I feel as though maybe I reached the of the road. It doesn't mean that I'm done searching altogether, only that I'll be choosing a new path.

I hope you'll come along with me.

Thank you, thank you, and sayonara.

-Jeff

Packing up

It's been nearly two a half weeks since I told you to check back in on Monday, but after a long absence from the blog I'm back. Sort of. On top of tying up loose ends here I've begun packing, which has led me to believe that perhaps a) I'm a hoarder, and b) I want and need significantly less stuff in the next phase of my life. And if just typing that isn't enough to prove my conviction, take a look at the stack of extra bedding I pulled from my closets yesterday:



It's gonna be a busy last ten days, but I'll try to check in soon.

I'm going out

Today was my last day at one of my junior high schools, which means I'm slamming a canned coffee and heading out for some middleoftheworldcupnosleepdelirium fun. After three years of avoiding it like the plague, I'm playing pachinko with the boys. What does that mean? Mostly, that I'll be dropping coins into a bottomless pit while doing permanent damage to my hearing and being peer-pressured into smoking cigarettes that will later make me vomit during the 65th minute of the Brazil-Portugal game. Think I'm joking? Tune in Monday to find out.


Hooray for bad ideas!

Save me, Google

The pain in my jaw is not the result of a right hook. The jittery hands and accelerated heartbeat are not consequences of too many cups of Peet's Coffee this past weekend, courtesy of @henrydreyfus (no he's not on twitter, but isn't this how we're supposed to write names these days?) To the best of my knowledge, I am not on drugs, suffering from anaphylaxis, or dying. Yet.

The source of my troubles, rather, is my impending job search in August. When I moved to Japan and decided that I would explore career opportunities outside of teaching (yes, I knew that my job here still counted as teaching), I took comfort in knowing that my next job search would be at least a year away. When I signed a paper last year saying that I would be staying at my teaching job for another 12 months, the search was pushed back even further. Now, 11 of those 12 short months later, the looming search is pushing back. Faced with the stark reality of the ruthless feeling out process ahead, there is no comfort to be taken. Until now. Sort of.

Last week, after some discussion over my ambitions to enter the seemingly dying field of journalism upon my return to the States, Mr. @dreyfus handed me a copy of The Atlantic. Apparently he had been struck by an article detailing Google's plans to save the print journalism industry and suggested I check it out. I'm glad he did.

Below is a brief excerpt from the article. Written by Jim Fallows, it describes Google's attempts to think constructively about the problems facing print journalism in the 21st century and outlines, though somewhat vaguely, the company's plans for aiding the news business. Whether you'll agree with Mr. Fallows' summation that the future of journalism is bright or not will be up to you, but if I can manage even slightly better sleep tonight because of these pages, it'll be just one more thing to thank the geniuses at Google for.

Check it out.

How to Save the News

BY JAMES FALLOWS

Plummeting newspaper circulation, disappearing classified ads, “unbundling” of content—the list of what’s killing journalism is long. But high on that list, many would say, is Google, the biggest unbundler of them all. Now, having helped break the news business, the company wants to fix it—for commercial as well as civic reasons: if news organizations stop producing great journalism, says one Google executive, the search engine will no longer have interesting content to link to. So some of the smartest minds at the company are thinking about this, and working with publishers, and peering ahead to see what the future of journalism looks like. Guess what? It’s bright.

Read the whole thing here.

Night sounds

Thank you, Seoul, for the free entertainment.

Seoul in technicolor

6.5.10

Unreal.

Rugby 3.0

That cool breeze blowing across the Pacific this week is me exhaling after finally relinquishing my organizing duties yesterday. The 7th Annual Tokushima AJET Touch Rugby Tournament has come and passed, and while I'm happy to put the work behind me, I'll be sad to miss out on the action next year. The much-improved Su-touch-i squad finished with 26 points and its first ever top half finish, but as always the best moments of the weekend occurred off the pitch and in the company of 300 new friends. Here's a look at what has become far and away my favorite event of the year:


breaking it down before the first game


lookin' like Ryan Grant in the open field


beaten but not finished


giving a pep talk


swapping teams


a tired but pleased Su-touch-i team

Instant classic

One of the top ten commercials I've ever seen. Easy.

Smoke and frosting

Birthday cake for Patrick's 23rd. Shout out to the one guy who's as excited for the LOST series finale as I am.

Singing for drinks

After a month off, the "play easy Beatles songs" tour continued Saturday night as Adam and I hit up a small open mic downtown. Not sure they'll let me out with a guitar once I come back to the States, but I'll milk it for what it's worth as long as I'm here.


With A Little Help From My Friends


Come Together

It's coming

Just as the Lost writers are busy unraveling the remaining mysteries on their show (or are they?), Tokushima's biggest head-scratcher looks like it will finally be resolved in the coming month. What could we possibly be getting that just about everyone else in the world already has? How this didn't happen sooner is something I will never be able to comprehend.

Lock n' loll

When I wasn't busy dodging burgers like the one below in Kyushu last week, I was off in Beppu finding the best bar on this side of the Pacific. A short walk from the port, Hit Parade is an intoxicatingly bizarre blend of Japanese and Western culture. 3600 yen (3000 for women) gets you in the door, which is a steal once you see what's inside. Waiting when you get to your table is a bottle of Suntory whiskey and a rockabilly waiter ready to show you to the all-you-can-eat buffet. Throw in several sets of live American 50s music from the house band The Hit Paraders, plus SEVEN HOURS of nomihodai (all you can drink), and you've found a recipe for a great night out in southern Japan.

Accurate delivery of American rock lyrics? Not so much. A fun time anyway? You betcha.


the joint


the grub


the tunes

Tall order

From the hall of all things that don't make sense in Japan, I present to you the Lotteria tower cheese burger:



I found this baby while strolling through Fukuoka in the north of Kyushu, and while the nutritional facts were nowhere to be found on the restaurant's website, I think the picture speaks for itself. That's ten beef patties, ten slices of cheese, and all the ketchup and mustard you can handle. All for the modest price of 990 yen. In fact, if cramming all that inside your mouth still isn't enough for you, you can even add fries and a soft drink for an extra 250 yen.

Another mega meal, courtesy of the land of small people.

The strange country

A friend brought my attention to this video a while back, and if it weren't made by a Japanese guy I might have thrown it into the "overgeneralization" bin. Take it for what it's worth, but I suppose you can't deny the production value.

(click to view in a new window)

Strange or not, I'm officially out of here July 22. Here's to a memorable last three months.

Best movies of 2009

I may be four months late to the game, but now that I've more or less finished watching 2009's most talked about movies, I think it's about time I ranked them. Here are, in descending order, my favorite films of 2009.

10. Up in the Air
Cool, relevant, and surprisingly touching in spades. It’s a career-defining role for George Clooney, but I somehow doubt it will be his last.

9. Precious
A punishing film that, unlike fellow best picture nominee The Blind Side, highlights the struggle of one individual rather than the kindness of a few around her. The real meat is in the supporting acting, but make no mistake – this story is all about the triumph of its lead.

8. Zombieland
Call it surprise 1.5 on the list. Jessie Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson are hilarious as strangers brought together to fight zombies in post-apocalyptic America. Watch it for 2009’s best cameo alone.


a banner year for zombies, Nazis, and Woody Harrelson

7. 500 Days of Summer
The anti-He’s Just Not That Into You. A romantic comedy that forgoes box office muscle for actual acting talent with dazzling results. An endlessly charming movie that feels just right from start to finish.

6. District 9
An original story in a year full of re-makes. Treads a little too close to Michael Bay territory in its last half hour, but nevertheless gripping cinema that has me excited to see what Neill Blomkamp does next.

5. The Cove
The biggest surprise, for me, on this list. Thrilling documentary that had me cheering on the edge of my seat before its devastating final act. A must-see film.

4. Fantastic Mr. Fox
Two animated movies in the top five? You betcha. As funny as Up but with a few more winks and nods. It’ll make you think that all Wes Anderson movies ought to be animated.


big love for George Clooney's other role

3. Up
As close to a perfect film as 2009 had to offer.

2. Avatar
Like Star Wars but with a no-brainer environmental message. I suspect it’ll be even more well-received over time.

1. Inglourious Basterds
The best movie, with the best performance and the best single scene of any film this year. In fact, it may have had the three best scenes. It’s funny, scary at times, and perhaps Tarantino’s best work to date.


Christoph Waltz is thinking about how awesome he is

A kick and a smile

I'm currently feeling like I just escaped a fight with a bear, but it's worth it after a good weekend of competition at the Annual Awaji Spring Soccer Tournament. Three losses by a combined three goals put as at a modest 1-3-2 for the weekend, but the wins and losses can hardly be used to sum up two days of fun times with new friends.


closing down on the Predator


the opponent crying over his choice of uniform colors


Scott makes the turn


Team Shikoku

Stock watching

Yesterday marked the beginning of a new school year here, which for me meant a new desk and a whole mess of new teachers. While it's too early to judge this year's crop of English teachers, I have to admit I'm having a hard time adjusting to my new desk nearer the administration. Why is it so bad, you ask? Allow me to point to the LWP index:



The LWP, or "Lost Watching Potential" index, charts my ability to watch LOST during work hours. The far left part of the graph shows my LOST watching productivity during working year one, in which my desk was located in a far back corner of the staff room. The graph then dips as I was moved to a partially obstructed but high traffic seat next to the school lunch table last year, before finally taking a nose dive with this most current move to the front of the room.

Fair? Well that depends on who you ask. On one hand, one could argue that perhaps watching LOST is not the best use of one's time on the clock (although one could also argue that there is, in fact, never a bad time to watch Terry O'Quinn wrangle wild boar). On the other hand, with the school's high turnover rate, I've somehow found myself somewhere near the middle of the in-house seniority scale, which you'd think would land me a more choice desk location.

This little move may prove more productive in the long run, but it's guaranteed to be a whole lot less awesome.

Isn't this what twitter's for?

Thought of the day: In the past 24 hours, I have tripled my number of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches consumed since 2008.

And now, a video:

Homegrown

As the smallest capital city on Japan's forgotten island, Tokushima isn't know for much, but last week at Austin's South by Southwest Festival three Tokushima natives were making waves for their hometown. Joto High School's own Chatmonchy headlined the festival's Japan Nite on March 19, and while Japanese bands have had a notoriously tough time building a following stateside, the group was at least able to catch the attention of Spin Magazine, who included the girls in their "50 Must-Hear Bands at SXSW":

CHATMONCHY

HOMETOWN: Tokushima, Japan
WHY THEY MATTER: With catchy, raw, emotional rock anthems, this all-girl power trio is like the 21st-century Japanese version of the Runaways. Their sound has already swept their native land, and the band -- making their U.S. debut at SXSW -- is looking to repeat the success stateside.
YOU SHOULD KNOW: Almost all of Chatmonchy's lyrics are sung in Japanese. "We want to challenge ourselves in other countries and see if we can convey our music with just the groove, without the lyrics," drummer Takahashi told The Japan Times.

Read more from Spin here, or click here to check out the full interview from the Japan Times.

The marathon weekend

A conference in Yokohama, coupled with the Tokyo Marathon, gave me a five day weekend this past week and a chance to stretch my legs a little bit before school graduations and musical performances. They're not very exciting, but here are some digital-dry photos of the weekend's damp festivities.


picking up free goods at the marathon expo


cold and wet for the start


happy to be calling it a day after 10k


Yokohama by day


view from the bar in the Landmark Tower

Round 1

Musical starts tomorrow, which means three straight weekends of performances and six more nights of convenience store dinners. Not that I'm complaining...

Photos from the marathon still to come, but in the meantime here's some more press shots from The Lion King courtesy of fellow ALT Eric Williams. Keep your noses clean this weekend.


classic Disney character, Rufus T. Elephant


monkey pilgrim Mari


dancers


young Simba


Sarafina


Hyena Ed


Scar

A two page spread

I may be headed north this weekend for the Tokyo Marathon, but things are really picking up here in Tokushima with opening night for The Lion King only two weeks away. Pics of my travels hopefully to come, but for now here's an article about the musical that appeared in one of the local entertainment mags just yesterday.


(click to enlarge)

Open for input

Playing an acoustic night with my good friend Adam next month and currently paring down song choices. Were thinking about a collection of Beatles "deep cuts" (if such a thing exists), but we still need input.

Anyway, just had a fun thought that I'd put it to a vote. Check out the songs below, rank them in order from best to worst (or rather "should play" to "shouldn't play"), and with my fingers loosely crossed I'll promise to include the top 3 or 4 songs in our short set. Onegaishimasu!

- You've Got to Hide Your Love Away (Help!)
- I've Just Seen A Face (Help!)
- I'm A Loser (Beatles For Sale)
- Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby (Carl Perkins/Beatles For Sale)
- I'll Follow The Sun (Beatles For Sale)
- Norwegian Wood (Rubber Soul)
- I'm Looking Through You (Rubber Soul)
- Oh! Darling (Abbey Road)
- With a Little Help from My Friends (Sgt. Pepper's)
- Across the Universe (Let It Be)

Hiding under the kotasu

This is a picture of a kotatsu:



What's that, you ask? (Or, rather, somebody asked. Probably. Once)

A kotatsu is a low table frame covered with a heavy blanket and table top which is heated from below, and its also where I've spent the majority of my time since returning from the States. Why? Aside from the obvious reasons of comfort and general sloth, it's likely something to do with the dotted line I signed last week and my looming job search in the fall. While I can't necessarily defend such laziness, especially with a 10k to run in Tokyo at month's end, I can at least report that I've spent my time under the glow engaged in a number of productive activities. Namely:

- catching up on blu-ray releases from the past year
- playing out any number of Super Bowl scenarios in Madden 10, including one in which Jeff Blake returns to the Saints and leads his team to victory after an injury to Drew Brees
- waiting for someone to call and offer me a job based on my enormous talent and word-of-mouth press
- eating pickles from a large and overpriced jar purchased from Costco in Kobe
- theorizing about LOST
- yawning audibly

How I'm planning on breaking out of this self-imposed hibernation is still unclear, but I'm guessing it's going to take something extraordinary to coax me from the warmth. Like the Lion King musical. Or another jar of pickles. The only thing I know for sure is that I'm going to start looking for ways to ship this table home.

And I'm serious about that job.

Good people

A profile on Takao, one of the coolest cats in Tokushima and proprieter of one of my favorite spots in the city, YRG Cafe.

The Unlikely Restaurateur

By Claire Tanaka

Just three years into his first job, as an editor at one of Tokushima City’s vibrant local entertainment magazines, Takao Yamasaki wound up in the hospital from exhaustion and lack of proper nutrition. Instead of popping a multivitamin, downing another energy drink, and getting back to the desk, he decided to abandon his fledgling media career and go into the restaurant business, providing nutritionally balanced meals for his overworked and underfed friends and colleagues. The YRG Café, named for a nutritional concept taught to children about eating something yellow (carbohydrates), something red (protein), and something green (vegetables) with each meal to ensure a balanced diet, has been running for six years now with this unlikely restaurateur at its helm.

Read the whole article here.

Paranormal decision making

I did something last night that I’ve never done before in my life – I turned off a scary movie. The film in question? Paranormal Activity. It freaked me out so much, in fact, that I went to bed wondering if I’d make it through the night without anything weird happening.

What did happen was that I woke up at 6 a.m. and watched Brett Favre hit the self-destruct button on yet another Super Bowl run, which is about about as “normal” as things get. Why, you might ask, would a quarterback throw across his body into traffic with time winding down and his team tied and on the outside border of field goal range? Well, because it’s Brett Favre, and because despite how brilliantly the 40-year-old played this year or how admirably he bounced back from hit after hit in last night’s game, this is what he’s become in January.

An overtime toss-up to Javon Walker against the Eagles in 2004. Another overtime pick, this time to Corey Webster, to end the NFC Championship in 2008. And now this:



I’ve been conflicted about my feelings for Favre all year. As much as I hated watching him pick apart the Packers in two games this season, it was difficult for me to just set aside what he did for Green Bay for so long and the fond memories I have of watching him play. And this morning, when I stumbled out of bed and hit play on my tape, I sincerely wanted him to win. Not anymore. There may never be a second Super Bowl victory for Brett Favre, but at this point I just don’t care anymore. I can’t.

Sorry Brett. You may not have lost this one on your own, but you certainly had it in your hands. Again.

Promo

courtesy of the lovely Emily Denny

Tuesday check-in

I haven't gone away completely, but after a little self-imposed vacation from productivity I can report that all's well on this side of the pond. How well? Well, the first four rehearsals for The Lion King have gone as well as any I can remember and my biggest challenges this week are tracking down the Joker in Batman: Arkham Asylum and figuring out how to make mulled wine. Of course, I can't expect things to carry on so low key for long, but you can believe I'll enjoy it as long as possible.

The year in pictures

Back in Japan with my compass pointed north, but never too busy for a little reflection. Here are some of my favorite snaps from the past twelve months. Happy New Year!


Waimea Bay, January


Coldplay in Kobe, February


shouting contest in Wakayama, March


Koya-san, March


Okinawa, April


touch rugby tournament, May


open mic in Naruto, July


English camp, August


Awa Odori, August


Bali, September


Halloween in Tokushima, October


Fushimi Inari Shrine, November