(Warning: the following site is probably not suitable for kiddies and people who are: 1）pregnant with a heart condition and also has diabetes, 2) religious and their religion does not allow for altering of the mind to *see* god, 3) prudish, 4) sitting on the right side of the fence when it comes to politics, 5) employees of drug rehab centres, 6) junkies who are trying to come up with ways, apart from "breaking an entry to a private residence", to make money to suppliment their junk habit.)
I located a site thru one of the bloggers that I follow about a wonderful "strategy game" that I would love for some of you to visit. Check this out: Virtual Drug Dealer.
This is a good strategy game where you, the player, are a drug dealer with a certain amount of money, and you have to buy/sell drugs to make money -- almost like an illicit form of monopoly without the "Go to jail, pay $200 bail": it's just break or bust!
A game the whole family can play! Just imagine Granny Marge selling crack, trading acid, and buying E's (virtually) on line over the Christmas holidays!!!!
How fun would that be??
(ps. U can find other stuff at the site to keep U amused!! Search and U shall find...)
Friday, December 31, 2004
My Crazy Neighbour.... Oops Relative
Ok, having crazy neighbours is one thing, but having crazy relatives??? I think this beats it, Summer, don't you?
Am I Fuckuared??
Ok, it's festive season, I'm on holidays, and I have WAY too much time on my hands.
Guess what I found, dear readers? Loads of fun sites. Well, let me first introduce you to Am I Wasted which is a site similar to Hot or Not, but asks the visitor to rate how wasted and fucked someone is in the picture.
Gaarn, get your photos/votes in!! I know you are fed up with the "family", the 3 day Chistmas turkey (which is now a curry or something), Aunty Angie's tales of how she was a man killer, "in them ol' days", your distant relatives patting your head saying:"ohhhh, the last time I saw you, you were only a little wheeny!!" (yes, happens every year, doesn't it? Oh, by the way if you have pets, you can blame them for the mysterious disapearance of those disgusting socks/sweater/tie/anything that your relative gave you for Christmas. My best one is:"Oh, Belle (my cat) pissed on it, and the smell just didn't go away.... they just don't understand the concept of fashion police!)
Go have some fun, tell your family that they can sit around and play bridge with their full deck, to have more sherry, and to leave you alone for some "personal time".... only 5days, I promise mum. Only 5 days....
That's what I'm doing till my brother returns! (which is 2moro, btw. happy happy joy joy!)
Right, back to more introductions of funny sites!!
Guess what I found, dear readers? Loads of fun sites. Well, let me first introduce you to Am I Wasted which is a site similar to Hot or Not, but asks the visitor to rate how wasted and fucked someone is in the picture.
Gaarn, get your photos/votes in!! I know you are fed up with the "family", the 3 day Chistmas turkey (which is now a curry or something), Aunty Angie's tales of how she was a man killer, "in them ol' days", your distant relatives patting your head saying:"ohhhh, the last time I saw you, you were only a little wheeny!!" (yes, happens every year, doesn't it? Oh, by the way if you have pets, you can blame them for the mysterious disapearance of those disgusting socks/sweater/tie/anything that your relative gave you for Christmas. My best one is:"Oh, Belle (my cat) pissed on it, and the smell just didn't go away.... they just don't understand the concept of fashion police!)
Go have some fun, tell your family that they can sit around and play bridge with their full deck, to have more sherry, and to leave you alone for some "personal time".... only 5days, I promise mum. Only 5 days....
That's what I'm doing till my brother returns! (which is 2moro, btw. happy happy joy joy!)
Right, back to more introductions of funny sites!!
Thursday, December 30, 2004
Changing Lanes...
(note, this post was written on the 29th, but published only today.... festive season, too many social events, too drunk, too lazy.... 2many x-cuses??)
As some of you know I am in the process of (um, *thinking* of....) changing jobs after my company got bought out by a Japanese, hardware manufacturing pink elephant . Had enuf after nearly 5 years of slaving away for my company, and having not much of a life so I decided to see what my market worth was by sending my CV/resume on Dec 3rd. to a friend of mine, P, who is a a headhunter. I wasn't exactly expecting to find anything soon, but within 3 days I got a response from her company, and after an interview with the one of her colleagues a week later I was sent several emails of potential "clients" who wanted to interview me.
Today I went to my first interview that I was vaguely interested in.
I met with the CIO of a multinational company, a slight Japanese man, who was looking for someone to fill in a position in their IT department to start off their new project in April. For some strange reason we got on well (maybe we are both seasoned alcho's), we shared the same vision, and on leaving he even gave me some of their products as a "present"!!! (oh, how the Japanese are so polite and so corrupt!!)
I have been in the "job market" now for nearly 12 years, I've done anything from working on construction sites, to working as a "hostess" in Ginza, but this was my 4th "proper" company that I have interviewed with in my entire "adult" life....
Why did it go so well??? What is going on? I thought we we're in a recession???? I'm a drunken wench!!Not compute so good with me , lah!
I was expecting a "yes, we will be in touch with you, thank you for your time" just like the time I interviewed with Micky D's, and Denny's, and KFC, and other large supermarket chains, for they did not want to fill the position with "coloured" people. I was only 16, just looking for summer job, not a career!! Today I was expecting the same words that I heard over 15 years ago -- "yes, we have a position for you, doing photocopies round the back, nothing substantial... well, you know. The customers are not used to... well, you know..."foreign looking people" -- I know you are a full Japanese national. And I accept that. You are Japanese, but.... You know how in Japan it is not "customary to see gaiijin. (foreigners)".
I was expecting something simliar to the (racisit) rejections that I had encountered as a teenager trying to get casual employment in the "fast food" industry...
But.
He came back to me with a direct, simple: "We are an equal opportunities employers. We hire the best person for the position, whether they are men, women, people with disabilities. We only hire the best people. And we emphasise on quality not only on our customers, but also our employees, for they are our assets. They make this company what it is. Now. When would you available for the next round of interviews? I want to get onto next steps as soon as possible. I'm still undecided about which section I'd like to bring you on board, yet, but I want you to talk to my boss who I have to report to. Out of formality, please understand, but I think my boss would like fresh people like you.".... and with that he gave me a bag of goodies when our interview/chat ended.
I am part Japanese, and part Tanzanian. From my brother's picture you can see that he does not look too oriental (He looks more like Tiger Woods). Nor do I (but *I* don't look like Tiger Woods!). We live in a country where the people are so "homogenous" that less than 1% are "ethnically" non-mongolian. i.e we don't look like the guyz runnin' your local "chinese take-away" shop.
What is going on?? Is the world I live in "changing gradually" just as the orange man said? Nah, I think it's multinationals spreading their "Affirmative Action" across Asia!! WOW!! (OK, DWR, is this why you are abandoning the "Japanese" Pink Elephant to go and seek better feeding gounds? Yup. Why else?)
Oh well. I asked for a very handsome renumeration, almost for a joke, and he didn't even flinch!!! I will be interviewed by the regional CIO and the business unit head in the middle of Jan. I hope they don't tell me that they have a post for me to do the photocopying, and to make tea for the IT department....
(Post script: as far as any records show from any ambassies, I am (apparently) the first person born between a Japanese person and a Tanzanian person.... There may be others before me, but are born under suspisious/non-documented circumstances. Perhaps I should patent some of my DNA, for I could have some really unique, hardy combination going there (I could be immuned to all sorts of things!!)! But even before that, I am proud of my parents for breaking the racial barrieres, trusting in their love, and bringing me into to the world. Truely, and honestly to my parents: Namaste.)
As some of you know I am in the process of (um, *thinking* of....) changing jobs after my company got bought out by a Japanese, hardware manufacturing pink elephant . Had enuf after nearly 5 years of slaving away for my company, and having not much of a life so I decided to see what my market worth was by sending my CV/resume on Dec 3rd. to a friend of mine, P, who is a a headhunter. I wasn't exactly expecting to find anything soon, but within 3 days I got a response from her company, and after an interview with the one of her colleagues a week later I was sent several emails of potential "clients" who wanted to interview me.
Today I went to my first interview that I was vaguely interested in.
I met with the CIO of a multinational company, a slight Japanese man, who was looking for someone to fill in a position in their IT department to start off their new project in April. For some strange reason we got on well (maybe we are both seasoned alcho's), we shared the same vision, and on leaving he even gave me some of their products as a "present"!!! (oh, how the Japanese are so polite and so corrupt!!)
I have been in the "job market" now for nearly 12 years, I've done anything from working on construction sites, to working as a "hostess" in Ginza, but this was my 4th "proper" company that I have interviewed with in my entire "adult" life....
Why did it go so well??? What is going on? I thought we we're in a recession???? I'm a drunken wench!!Not compute so good with me , lah!
I was expecting a "yes, we will be in touch with you, thank you for your time" just like the time I interviewed with Micky D's, and Denny's, and KFC, and other large supermarket chains, for they did not want to fill the position with "coloured" people. I was only 16, just looking for summer job, not a career!! Today I was expecting the same words that I heard over 15 years ago -- "yes, we have a position for you, doing photocopies round the back, nothing substantial... well, you know. The customers are not used to... well, you know..."foreign looking people" -- I know you are a full Japanese national. And I accept that. You are Japanese, but.... You know how in Japan it is not "customary to see gaiijin. (foreigners)".
lovin'n in indeed...
Say it, fucker! You only want people who are ethnically "pure" orientals
surving your murder burgers, right? Even if I couldn't speak a word of Japanese,
for instance a Chinese, or a Korean student, you'd hire me without a beat, coz
I'd *look* Oriental, right? You're not hiring me coz I'm black, right?? Say
*IT*!!! For a F**kin' Mc'Job????? I can't be bothered with the
likes of you!!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I was expecting something simliar to the (racisit) rejections that I had encountered as a teenager trying to get casual employment in the "fast food" industry...
But.
He came back to me with a direct, simple: "We are an equal opportunities employers. We hire the best person for the position, whether they are men, women, people with disabilities. We only hire the best people. And we emphasise on quality not only on our customers, but also our employees, for they are our assets. They make this company what it is. Now. When would you available for the next round of interviews? I want to get onto next steps as soon as possible. I'm still undecided about which section I'd like to bring you on board, yet, but I want you to talk to my boss who I have to report to. Out of formality, please understand, but I think my boss would like fresh people like you.".... and with that he gave me a bag of goodies when our interview/chat ended.
I am part Japanese, and part Tanzanian. From my brother's picture you can see that he does not look too oriental (He looks more like Tiger Woods). Nor do I (but *I* don't look like Tiger Woods!). We live in a country where the people are so "homogenous" that less than 1% are "ethnically" non-mongolian. i.e we don't look like the guyz runnin' your local "chinese take-away" shop.
What is going on?? Is the world I live in "changing gradually" just as the orange man said? Nah, I think it's multinationals spreading their "Affirmative Action" across Asia!! WOW!! (OK, DWR, is this why you are abandoning the "Japanese" Pink Elephant to go and seek better feeding gounds? Yup. Why else?)
Oh well. I asked for a very handsome renumeration, almost for a joke, and he didn't even flinch!!! I will be interviewed by the regional CIO and the business unit head in the middle of Jan. I hope they don't tell me that they have a post for me to do the photocopying, and to make tea for the IT department....
(Post script: as far as any records show from any ambassies, I am (apparently) the first person born between a Japanese person and a Tanzanian person.... There may be others before me, but are born under suspisious/non-documented circumstances. Perhaps I should patent some of my DNA, for I could have some really unique, hardy combination going there (I could be immuned to all sorts of things!!)! But even before that, I am proud of my parents for breaking the racial barrieres, trusting in their love, and bringing me into to the world. Truely, and honestly to my parents: Namaste.)
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
Yokoso Japan, Yokoso Al Qaeda!
Yokoso means "welcome" in Japanese. Right now our beloved Priminister, Mr. Junichiro Koizumi, appears -- personally -- in adds abroad introducing our country's lovely hot springs, Fujiyama, Geisha, Sushi, Kabuki, and those Pseudo-Goths&Lolitas that hang around Meiji shrine in Harajyuku on sundays...
Yes, Yokoso indeed. I had a thought a while back watching the news about a Japanese guy who got kidnapped in Iraq. When the news flash appeared on TV saying that there was a report that an oriental man fitting his discription was found decapitated and dumped somewhere near Tikrit the government spokesman first announced that they were looking into the identity of the deceased. The next day, they announced "oh, no. It's not him. It could be some Korean guy." That same *afternoon* the spokesman announced "well, actually we are asking the Americans to look into it, coz it *could* be him, and we have no confirmation". And finally on the third day we found out that indeed the decapitated body belonged to that of Mr. Koda
So here were my thoughts: Do we have an intelligence agency to gather "any" information? Is it against our constitution to have a CIA equivalent? Why do we have to rely upon information from the Americans to confirm the safety of "our" people? Is it something to do with the security alliance/defence agreement that we have with the US??? Why does it take days to find out whether one of our nationals has been murdered on foreign soil? And why can't the government get accurate information????
What is going on?
So once again, in my usual blogg-warrior style, I decided to do a bit of research into our constitution, whether we have ANY intelligence agency, etc. And, well, here's my preliminary finding...
We're not too intelligent.
Apparently we have several "intelligence" agencies -- well 5 supposedly (exluding the Ministry of Foreign Affairs). The PSIA, Naicho, MITI, IARPB, and the Not-quite-military Intelligence Agency (Self defense Force stuff) , and most of "intelligence gathering" is aimed at *US* -- hunting for red army activists , highly-organised criminal activities -- including the "Rightist NPOs" (aka. facists), industrial spys, weird religious groups (also NPOs), drunken wenches... and that's about it? Why? (Oh, the answer probably lies somewhere in our constitution, but I haven't gone thru all of the clauses, and addendums to come up with a conclusion -- yet).
And the funny thing is that we don't really have a counter-terrorist organisation when we have whako, kidnappin', Stalinist, gluttonous, crazy neighbours like King Pong Pill -- I mean, Kim Jong Il!
Amazing.
Hell! My government might as well say to O. Bin Laden, and his band of merry men:"Yokoso Japan, Yokoso Al Qaeda! We won't bother you; we just keep a close eye on our own people. You can bring your Saudi wealth to boost our economy, and we'll just look the other way. So long as you are not connected to those red army people (who are probably soooo old that they need bifocals see when they make their motolov coctail, paid for by their state pension! Wow, what a terrorist treat! Zimmerframe-weilding Commies!).
Yokoso Osama! Oh, and don't forget to declare that 150g of French Semtex when you go thru customs....
Shit, I can't believe that we *elected* this dude... he has an ALBUM -get this- called "Junichiro Koizumi Presents My Favorite Elvis Songs" ... am I the only one who sees this farce???
(Post script: The more I dig up about this whole intelligency story, the more amazed at I am with current affairs of my country. The family of Mr. Koda had their hopes up, and shattered again. Why? I wish I had an answer for them, but I don't... I cannot change the past. I cannot change Japan's militaristic history. Our wartime attrocities, and it's legacy still haunt us today. It manifests in loss of loved ones, it manifests in apathy by today's youth, it manifests in underground activities by fascists that organise themselves as NPOs (another reseach item on my list), it manifests in our absence of an "intelligence" agency that *functions*....
Why?
My research on this subject is not over. I will continue to dig and follow the paper trail, for I think there is an ugly answer at the end of it all.
And my condolensces to the family of Mr.Koda, for they will never be able to celebrate Christmas, New Years, or his birthday with him. May he rest in peace. DWR)
Yes, Yokoso indeed. I had a thought a while back watching the news about a Japanese guy who got kidnapped in Iraq. When the news flash appeared on TV saying that there was a report that an oriental man fitting his discription was found decapitated and dumped somewhere near Tikrit the government spokesman first announced that they were looking into the identity of the deceased. The next day, they announced "oh, no. It's not him. It could be some Korean guy." That same *afternoon* the spokesman announced "well, actually we are asking the Americans to look into it, coz it *could* be him, and we have no confirmation". And finally on the third day we found out that indeed the decapitated body belonged to that of Mr. Koda
So here were my thoughts: Do we have an intelligence agency to gather "any" information? Is it against our constitution to have a CIA equivalent? Why do we have to rely upon information from the Americans to confirm the safety of "our" people? Is it something to do with the security alliance/defence agreement that we have with the US??? Why does it take days to find out whether one of our nationals has been murdered on foreign soil? And why can't the government get accurate information????
What is going on?
So once again, in my usual blogg-warrior style, I decided to do a bit of research into our constitution, whether we have ANY intelligence agency, etc. And, well, here's my preliminary finding...
We're not too intelligent.
Apparently we have several "intelligence" agencies -- well 5 supposedly (exluding the Ministry of Foreign Affairs). The PSIA, Naicho, MITI, IARPB, and the Not-quite-military Intelligence Agency (Self defense Force stuff) , and most of "intelligence gathering" is aimed at *US* -- hunting for red army activists , highly-organised criminal activities -- including the "Rightist NPOs" (aka. facists), industrial spys, weird religious groups (also NPOs), drunken wenches... and that's about it? Why? (Oh, the answer probably lies somewhere in our constitution, but I haven't gone thru all of the clauses, and addendums to come up with a conclusion -- yet).
And the funny thing is that we don't really have a counter-terrorist organisation when we have whako, kidnappin', Stalinist, gluttonous, crazy neighbours like King Pong Pill -- I mean, Kim Jong Il!
Amazing.
Hell! My government might as well say to O. Bin Laden, and his band of merry men:"Yokoso Japan, Yokoso Al Qaeda! We won't bother you; we just keep a close eye on our own people. You can bring your Saudi wealth to boost our economy, and we'll just look the other way. So long as you are not connected to those red army people (who are probably soooo old that they need bifocals see when they make their motolov coctail, paid for by their state pension! Wow, what a terrorist treat! Zimmerframe-weilding Commies!).
Yokoso Osama! Oh, and don't forget to declare that 150g of French Semtex when you go thru customs....
PM Koizumi & Da King 
Shit, I can't believe that we *elected* this dude... he has an ALBUM -get this- called "Junichiro Koizumi Presents My Favorite Elvis Songs" ... am I the only one who sees this farce???
(Post script: The more I dig up about this whole intelligency story, the more amazed at I am with current affairs of my country. The family of Mr. Koda had their hopes up, and shattered again. Why? I wish I had an answer for them, but I don't... I cannot change the past. I cannot change Japan's militaristic history. Our wartime attrocities, and it's legacy still haunt us today. It manifests in loss of loved ones, it manifests in apathy by today's youth, it manifests in underground activities by fascists that organise themselves as NPOs (another reseach item on my list), it manifests in our absence of an "intelligence" agency that *functions*....
Why?
My research on this subject is not over. I will continue to dig and follow the paper trail, for I think there is an ugly answer at the end of it all.
And my condolensces to the family of Mr.Koda, for they will never be able to celebrate Christmas, New Years, or his birthday with him. May he rest in peace. DWR)
Monday, December 27, 2004
Tsunami In Paradise
As some of you know, there was a huge tidal wave hitting many of the holiday destinations in SouthEast Asia. If you have family there that you cannot get in touch with, please contact your Embassies in the affected areas.
Here's a list of Foreign Embassies/Consulates that cover Sri Lanka/Maldives, Thailand(Phuket), India, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Another avenue is to give details to Aid Agencies such as Medecins sans Frontiers, or the International Red Cross that are already out there. (I found many obstacles yesterday trying to locate Kaoru and Tomomi...) These are the most affected areas, altho' the tidal waves reached the east coast of Africa. Please give the embassy your family's name, passport# (v.important if they are travelling thru multiple destinations -- immigration records will be able to track which country your family is in), DOB, gender, and preferably a fax, or email with photos of loved ones. If you know where they are supposed to be, let the embassy know. Give them all the info you can. If they are not answering their phones, send them an email, and then follow up with a call. They will do their best to locate your family
Also if your family went on a tour, pls contact the tour operators, for they will contact local operators to find your family. Any small piece of information helps.
Unfortunately the countries hardest hit did not have a process in place to share information with other countries about the approaching tidal waves, and the death toll is rising by the minute. Be strong, there are many people who *have* survived, who are alive. Do not give up hope. The highest peak in Sri Lanka is over 2000m above sea level, and you have to only be in a RC building that is higher than 4 floors in Phuket to ensure safety.
If your family is carrying a GSM phone, but cannot get thru to them, you are more likely to get a text message thru them (don't ask me the mechanics behind it, but seems to work).
I wish you all the luck in locating your loved ones. If you get stuck, or your mind just goes blank, and you don't know what to do? (don't worry, it happens) Send me an email at: drunkenwenchrambler@hotmail.com. I will try my best to find a way to locate your family; I know what it's like to be in the dark... Let's help each other to find our loved ones, and bring them home safely.
D.W.R
Here's a list of Foreign Embassies/Consulates that cover Sri Lanka/Maldives, Thailand(Phuket), India, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Another avenue is to give details to Aid Agencies such as Medecins sans Frontiers, or the International Red Cross that are already out there. (I found many obstacles yesterday trying to locate Kaoru and Tomomi...) These are the most affected areas, altho' the tidal waves reached the east coast of Africa. Please give the embassy your family's name, passport# (v.important if they are travelling thru multiple destinations -- immigration records will be able to track which country your family is in), DOB, gender, and preferably a fax, or email with photos of loved ones. If you know where they are supposed to be, let the embassy know. Give them all the info you can. If they are not answering their phones, send them an email, and then follow up with a call. They will do their best to locate your family
Also if your family went on a tour, pls contact the tour operators, for they will contact local operators to find your family. Any small piece of information helps.
Unfortunately the countries hardest hit did not have a process in place to share information with other countries about the approaching tidal waves, and the death toll is rising by the minute. Be strong, there are many people who *have* survived, who are alive. Do not give up hope. The highest peak in Sri Lanka is over 2000m above sea level, and you have to only be in a RC building that is higher than 4 floors in Phuket to ensure safety.
If your family is carrying a GSM phone, but cannot get thru to them, you are more likely to get a text message thru them (don't ask me the mechanics behind it, but seems to work).
I wish you all the luck in locating your loved ones. If you get stuck, or your mind just goes blank, and you don't know what to do? (don't worry, it happens) Send me an email at: drunkenwenchrambler@hotmail.com. I will try my best to find a way to locate your family; I know what it's like to be in the dark... Let's help each other to find our loved ones, and bring them home safely.
D.W.R
Sunday, December 26, 2004
BwanaK and Tomomi
My younger brother, Kaoru (aka. BwanaK), who encouraged me to start writing again after 6 years of absence, went on a three week holiday to Sri Lanka on Dec 16th with his girlfriend, Tomomi. Today I was eating lunch with my mother when I saw on the news the story of a huge earthquake off the coast of Sumartra that caused a huge tidal wave, measured at 10m (33ft), which swept across the Indian Ocean, all the way to the Maldives.
My brother and his girlfriend are divers, and they enjoy other marine sports like jet-skiing. He, like me, likes adventure travel. The only plans made are flights into and out of the country; no hotels are booked, dive shops are selected on site, and plans for tomorrow are made the night before.
Today my brother and his girlfriend are missing. We tried to call him on his mobile many times. I went to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs web page to find out where families of missing persons can call to get the latest information on Japanese nationals on holiday in the affected holiday destinations... They had not updated their site since Dec.24th, last Friday. Their general information number only led me to a woman’s voice on an answering machine telling me that they will be resuming “business” on Monday, Dec. 27th.
I looked up online to find out the telephone number to the Japanese Embassy in Colombo – but all three of the lines are busy now; we have been trying now for nearly 6 hours. In the meantime, I sent them an email with details of both Kaoru and Tomomi, both Japanese nationals, telling them that they are in Sri Lanka, and would they please get any information from hospitals, dive shops, hotels, morgues.... Unfortunately my brother has more African features so he may not be identified as “Japanese” unless he has his passport on him, or he is found with his girlfriend. The best I could do was to send them a photo of both of them with the email.... I will try to call tomorrow morning to make sure they have the details of my family.
In the meantime, all my mother and I can do is sit and wait. Wait for him to call... to tell us that he is fine, to tell us that he was not swept out to sea during one of his dives, to tell us that he was in an internet café sending emails to his friends on the other side of the island, the west side, when he heard news of the tidal wave hitting the resort area that he was staying only two days ago. To tell us he is OK.
I spoke to Kaoru only yesterday. He called to wish me a Merry Christmas. I still have not had the chance to give him his Christmas present... and he was supposed to bring the DVD player together with holiday stories on Jan 2nd when he came round for New Years.
I'm not a religious person, but today I am praying that both Kaoru and Tomomi return safely. I need to give them their Christmas present. And they need to show us their happy faces, for that would be their Christmas present to mum and me. That's all we want....
[Just as I was about to post this, Kaoru called on my mobile!!! The line was not clear, but it was his familiar voice on the other end of the line. He and his girlfriend had decided to take a trip up to one of the mountains on their rented motorbike. He said that he saw the tsunami from where he was...and before I could ask him to call back on the landline, the phone was dead; but we know that he is OK. He is alive!! He's safe!!
My mother and I sat in fear for Kaoru and Tomomi's safety for nearly 10 hours. As of 10pm JST according to AP press nearly 100 divers are missing in Phuket and in Koh Phi Phi, Thailand. Reuters estimated that the death toll from the devastating tidal wave may reach 6,300... by tomorrow the numbers may be higher.... Right now there are families who are still waiting for news of their loved ones. Today my mother and I were one of the fortunate ones. I hope that there are other families who get to receive their Christmas present on “Boxing Day” – a day traditionally devoted to the “opening” of boxes of Christmas presents.]
(Post script: I know that if I was on holiday in Sri Lanka today I would probably be lost at sea, for I am a renowned dive junkie....)
My brother and his girlfriend are divers, and they enjoy other marine sports like jet-skiing. He, like me, likes adventure travel. The only plans made are flights into and out of the country; no hotels are booked, dive shops are selected on site, and plans for tomorrow are made the night before.
Today my brother and his girlfriend are missing. We tried to call him on his mobile many times. I went to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs web page to find out where families of missing persons can call to get the latest information on Japanese nationals on holiday in the affected holiday destinations... They had not updated their site since Dec.24th, last Friday. Their general information number only led me to a woman’s voice on an answering machine telling me that they will be resuming “business” on Monday, Dec. 27th.
I looked up online to find out the telephone number to the Japanese Embassy in Colombo – but all three of the lines are busy now; we have been trying now for nearly 6 hours. In the meantime, I sent them an email with details of both Kaoru and Tomomi, both Japanese nationals, telling them that they are in Sri Lanka, and would they please get any information from hospitals, dive shops, hotels, morgues.... Unfortunately my brother has more African features so he may not be identified as “Japanese” unless he has his passport on him, or he is found with his girlfriend. The best I could do was to send them a photo of both of them with the email.... I will try to call tomorrow morning to make sure they have the details of my family.
BwanaK and Tomomi
In the meantime, all my mother and I can do is sit and wait. Wait for him to call... to tell us that he is fine, to tell us that he was not swept out to sea during one of his dives, to tell us that he was in an internet café sending emails to his friends on the other side of the island, the west side, when he heard news of the tidal wave hitting the resort area that he was staying only two days ago. To tell us he is OK.
I spoke to Kaoru only yesterday. He called to wish me a Merry Christmas. I still have not had the chance to give him his Christmas present... and he was supposed to bring the DVD player together with holiday stories on Jan 2nd when he came round for New Years.
I'm not a religious person, but today I am praying that both Kaoru and Tomomi return safely. I need to give them their Christmas present. And they need to show us their happy faces, for that would be their Christmas present to mum and me. That's all we want....
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
[Just as I was about to post this, Kaoru called on my mobile!!! The line was not clear, but it was his familiar voice on the other end of the line. He and his girlfriend had decided to take a trip up to one of the mountains on their rented motorbike. He said that he saw the tsunami from where he was...and before I could ask him to call back on the landline, the phone was dead; but we know that he is OK. He is alive!! He's safe!!
My mother and I sat in fear for Kaoru and Tomomi's safety for nearly 10 hours. As of 10pm JST according to AP press nearly 100 divers are missing in Phuket and in Koh Phi Phi, Thailand. Reuters estimated that the death toll from the devastating tidal wave may reach 6,300... by tomorrow the numbers may be higher.... Right now there are families who are still waiting for news of their loved ones. Today my mother and I were one of the fortunate ones. I hope that there are other families who get to receive their Christmas present on “Boxing Day” – a day traditionally devoted to the “opening” of boxes of Christmas presents.]
(Post script: I know that if I was on holiday in Sri Lanka today I would probably be lost at sea, for I am a renowned dive junkie....)
Wacko Neighbours, Beware! We Have Our Eyes On U!!
One of my dear readers and commentors, Vicious Summer (who sells excellent and fantasic linergie, if you are looking for some for your special girl/guy for valentines!!) lead me to a wonderful site called: My Crazy Neighbour. Basically this lady keeps a close eye on her fucked up neighbour, Kay, for she is a danger to society (go there, you will see...)
And this reminded of my country's crazy neighbour, The Mad Hatter of North Korea, King Pong Pill -- I mean Kim Jong Il.
You don't want neighbours like him...
Anyway, before I continue to write about my WMD weilding neighbour, who is probably *right now* monitoring everything that I write -- as my inner voice speaks, and has his Russian trained snipers targeting that "spot" between my eyes so that he can wipe me out as soon as I hit the "publish" button, I remembered that I, too, have a crazy neighbour a bit closer to my home that I can mention. (without being assassinated, kidnapped, or something.)
There is an old lady who lives 3 doors down from us. Her estimated chronological age is 71, and is one of the most famous residents in our neighbourhood, for she NEVER enters her home through the front door. She never uses ANY door, you see, she moves from her lair to the outer world thru her kitchen window. Yes. Her KITCHEN WINDOW!! Combine a member of the Cirque du Solaire and a Wino and that is my contortionist, seputagenarian neighbour.
Unlike Kay, the subject of the San Diego blog, my neighbour does not ransack the rubbish bins; she is often seen climbing out of her window carrying water bottles, walking over to the nearest public park to fill the water bottles, and returns quitely back to her nest (wearing slippers). I have also heard rumours of her doing the laundry in the park, but unfortunately I have yet to witness this. She must be active during the day while I am at work.
Perhaps I can catch her on film during the holidays...
Hmm...
Right, back to my research on the Great Leader of North Korea.
(Post script: I am currently researching North Korea and the regime of King Pong Pill. If for some reason you see no more posts after this, you can assume that I have 1) been assassinated 2) kidnapped/forcefully invited over to Pyonyang 3) been asked by our "not so" intelliligent agency to answer some questions just in case I am spying on behalf of The Great Leader 4) my circus-act seputagenerian neighbour came thru my kitchen window, and killed me with her bare hands. Wish me well.)
And this reminded of my country's crazy neighbour, The Mad Hatter of North Korea, King Pong Pill -- I mean Kim Jong Il.
You don't want neighbours like him...
Anyway, before I continue to write about my WMD weilding neighbour, who is probably *right now* monitoring everything that I write -- as my inner voice speaks, and has his Russian trained snipers targeting that "spot" between my eyes so that he can wipe me out as soon as I hit the "publish" button, I remembered that I, too, have a crazy neighbour a bit closer to my home that I can mention. (without being assassinated, kidnapped, or something.)
There is an old lady who lives 3 doors down from us. Her estimated chronological age is 71, and is one of the most famous residents in our neighbourhood, for she NEVER enters her home through the front door. She never uses ANY door, you see, she moves from her lair to the outer world thru her kitchen window. Yes. Her KITCHEN WINDOW!! Combine a member of the Cirque du Solaire and a Wino and that is my contortionist, seputagenarian neighbour.
Unlike Kay, the subject of the San Diego blog, my neighbour does not ransack the rubbish bins; she is often seen climbing out of her window carrying water bottles, walking over to the nearest public park to fill the water bottles, and returns quitely back to her nest (wearing slippers). I have also heard rumours of her doing the laundry in the park, but unfortunately I have yet to witness this. She must be active during the day while I am at work.
Perhaps I can catch her on film during the holidays...
Hmm...
Right, back to my research on the Great Leader of North Korea.
(Post script: I am currently researching North Korea and the regime of King Pong Pill. If for some reason you see no more posts after this, you can assume that I have 1) been assassinated 2) kidnapped/forcefully invited over to Pyonyang 3) been asked by our "not so" intelliligent agency to answer some questions just in case I am spying on behalf of The Great Leader 4) my circus-act seputagenerian neighbour came thru my kitchen window, and killed me with her bare hands. Wish me well.)
The Chunder Train
I live in a country where nearly 40% of the general population do not have any genes to produce an enzyme, Alcohol Dehydrogenase (ADH alpha, ADH beta, and ADH gamma), needed for the body to break down alcohol. In simple-speak: they are lightweights. They get drunk quickly (we are talking a less than 1/2 a pint here), fall all over the place, and, well, puke up.
Yes, dear readers, I live in a city of nearly 4.8million lightweights (I think Tokyo's population right now is around 12million) who just can't handle their drink. And they puke up everywhere when they drink....
The "festive season" starting from Halloween ending sometime around mid April (we have a lot of public holidays, shinto festivals, and the dreaded "Hanami Festival" where basically people sit under cherry blossom trees getting wasted) is a horrible time to take the train; during the dark hours between 9pm and 10:30pm Japan Rail, and all the other private railway companies, run services that I can discribe only as: The Chunder Trains.
Everytime I take the train during those hours, regardless of what carriage I am in, there is at *least* one person purging, or has emitted, the contents of their binge-drinking (350ml of beer) and binge-eating (2 bags of boiled soybeans), oh, and bile. Many a times I have seen suit-clad business men swaying, holding onto the railings, as they turn green... The entire carriage is tense, for we all know that it's a matter of time before he throws up.
Students are even worse, for they play "drinking games" and push their mates to that point where they are hovering between semi-consciousness and coma from acute alcohol poisoning. I once saw a student being propped up by his friends, with a plastic bag -- the handles attached to his ears, almost like "horse feed" bags -- hurling his guts out. And, yup. His mates were drunk, and pissing themselves laughing at this poor man. (literally, which was quite gross)
But I think the best Chunder Train story that I have ever heard was from one of my friends.
My friend was taking the train during Chunder Hour; the train was quite crowded so he stood holding onto the railings as he listened to his music, looking out the window. He noticed that there was a suited business man sitting in front of him: he just didn't look too good. Now my friend is used to the Chunder Trains, so he decided to distance himself from the swaying business man, while keeping an eye on him just in case something nasty happened.
Just moments after my friend took a step back the green-looking business man suddenly opened his briefcase, which was sitting on his lap, and violently vomitted into his briefcase!!! And as any typical, Japanese person would do, in his zen-like manner, closed his briefcase as if nothing had happened, and continued on his journey home... (and apparently no one said anything. I guess he was invisible for a moment there... I know that if I *saw* this farce, I would have laughed my head off!!!)
I hope the drunk business man didn't have any important documents, like contracts, in that briefcase that day -- otherwise he would be fuckt!!
Chunder Trains should be banished to the twilight zone... but, there again, they *do* show an interesting side of life in Japan.
Yes, dear readers, I live in a city of nearly 4.8million lightweights (I think Tokyo's population right now is around 12million) who just can't handle their drink. And they puke up everywhere when they drink....
The "festive season" starting from Halloween ending sometime around mid April (we have a lot of public holidays, shinto festivals, and the dreaded "Hanami Festival" where basically people sit under cherry blossom trees getting wasted) is a horrible time to take the train; during the dark hours between 9pm and 10:30pm Japan Rail, and all the other private railway companies, run services that I can discribe only as: The Chunder Trains.
Everytime I take the train during those hours, regardless of what carriage I am in, there is at *least* one person purging, or has emitted, the contents of their binge-drinking (350ml of beer) and binge-eating (2 bags of boiled soybeans), oh, and bile. Many a times I have seen suit-clad business men swaying, holding onto the railings, as they turn green... The entire carriage is tense, for we all know that it's a matter of time before he throws up.
Students are even worse, for they play "drinking games" and push their mates to that point where they are hovering between semi-consciousness and coma from acute alcohol poisoning. I once saw a student being propped up by his friends, with a plastic bag -- the handles attached to his ears, almost like "horse feed" bags -- hurling his guts out. And, yup. His mates were drunk, and pissing themselves laughing at this poor man. (literally, which was quite gross)
But I think the best Chunder Train story that I have ever heard was from one of my friends.
My friend was taking the train during Chunder Hour; the train was quite crowded so he stood holding onto the railings as he listened to his music, looking out the window. He noticed that there was a suited business man sitting in front of him: he just didn't look too good. Now my friend is used to the Chunder Trains, so he decided to distance himself from the swaying business man, while keeping an eye on him just in case something nasty happened.
Just moments after my friend took a step back the green-looking business man suddenly opened his briefcase, which was sitting on his lap, and violently vomitted into his briefcase!!! And as any typical, Japanese person would do, in his zen-like manner, closed his briefcase as if nothing had happened, and continued on his journey home... (and apparently no one said anything. I guess he was invisible for a moment there... I know that if I *saw* this farce, I would have laughed my head off!!!)
I hope the drunk business man didn't have any important documents, like contracts, in that briefcase that day -- otherwise he would be fuckt!!
Chunder Trains should be banished to the twilight zone... but, there again, they *do* show an interesting side of life in Japan.
Footsteps....
I was having a conversation with one of my ol' FBs (fuck buddies) about how we view the concept of "Love" and "Relationships".
My FB now lives in Boston, I am in Tokyo, and for obvious reasons we no longer have sex together. He mentioned that if I were to be nearer him, we would be dating. Dating? Really? (Sure.) What makes you think that we would be dating? I mean, where's the fine line between fuck-buddies and girlfriends?
Well, with girlfriends you have sex all the time, and fuck-buddies, well, you only do it occasionally.
WOW! I never looked at it like that.
When I look at my (brief and pathetic) sexual history 60% of the men I have had sex with are FBs?! What kind of madness am I living? How can I be so cold, and detached to be able to separate love from sex so readily? Do others do this? WTF? How is it that I go about meticulously choosing FBs? Well most of the time I chose partners knowing that they (or I) will be physically moving onto a separate location so there is never going to be "strings" attached. It will never get messy; we are attracted on a basic sexual level. Yes. But there is always that guarantee that things will never get sour. Why? We will not be in the same city, country for that long...
Don't get me wrong, I care a lot about all my FBs. I still keep in touch with almost all of them! They are my friends first and foremost, that is why I become interested in them -- not only the physical side, but also their personal side. They are nice people, people that I care I about before anything else... and they become my FBs eventually, because I know that there will soon be a time to say goodbye, in a friendly manner. No messy endings. No tears, No flying cutlery. Just a smile, a kiss on the cheek, and a "let's stay in touch".
If I was more brave and promiscuous, my life may resemble that of Catherine Millet, authour of the controversial "The Sexual Live of Catherine M".... or there again, maybe not. I enjoy having sex with people that I like, not strangers. I want to know what makes my lovers smile, I want to know what makes my lovers passionate, I want to know what brings tears to my lover's heart... I want to know my lovers before I let them into me -- physically.
Sex is sold off too easily. But love, well that is a different question.
So, DWR, how would you separate the difference between FBs and Boyfriends? FBs are men that I love, but am afraid to commit to, and Boyfriends are men who I love just as equally, but I made the decision to try and make a commitment. Even if it works out or not. (one night stands? tried it once, and didn't really enjoy it. Never again.)
Does that make sense? You are telling me that you are more commitment-phobic than not, right? Considering that you'd say that you've had 4 "boyfriends" in your life, including Sam...
Yes. I don't want to go thru the pain of a break-up....
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
There is a song that I sent out to my FB that really sums my approach to love, unfortunately for copyright reasons I cannot share it with you, but I can share a bit of the lyrics with you.
Footsteps - Track 9 (Pharmacy Allstar's Mix, from Eitetsu Takamiya's HOUSE THINGs Vol.6 Compilation produced by Flower Records )
.... love without freedom will die,
I don't want footsteps following me,
Unlike prisons, love's got to be free,
I am allergic to jealously,
I don't want footsteps following me.
Indeed, love without trust and freedom is just not for me...
I am constantly seeking a lover, a friend, a teacher, and a student. (maybe it's that venus in Sagittarius that's making me this way....)
My FB now lives in Boston, I am in Tokyo, and for obvious reasons we no longer have sex together. He mentioned that if I were to be nearer him, we would be dating. Dating? Really? (Sure.) What makes you think that we would be dating? I mean, where's the fine line between fuck-buddies and girlfriends?
Well, with girlfriends you have sex all the time, and fuck-buddies, well, you only do it occasionally.
WOW! I never looked at it like that.
When I look at my (brief and pathetic) sexual history 60% of the men I have had sex with are FBs?! What kind of madness am I living? How can I be so cold, and detached to be able to separate love from sex so readily? Do others do this? WTF? How is it that I go about meticulously choosing FBs? Well most of the time I chose partners knowing that they (or I) will be physically moving onto a separate location so there is never going to be "strings" attached. It will never get messy; we are attracted on a basic sexual level. Yes. But there is always that guarantee that things will never get sour. Why? We will not be in the same city, country for that long...
Don't get me wrong, I care a lot about all my FBs. I still keep in touch with almost all of them! They are my friends first and foremost, that is why I become interested in them -- not only the physical side, but also their personal side. They are nice people, people that I care I about before anything else... and they become my FBs eventually, because I know that there will soon be a time to say goodbye, in a friendly manner. No messy endings. No tears, No flying cutlery. Just a smile, a kiss on the cheek, and a "let's stay in touch".
If I was more brave and promiscuous, my life may resemble that of Catherine Millet, authour of the controversial "The Sexual Live of Catherine M".... or there again, maybe not. I enjoy having sex with people that I like, not strangers. I want to know what makes my lovers smile, I want to know what makes my lovers passionate, I want to know what brings tears to my lover's heart... I want to know my lovers before I let them into me -- physically.
Sex is sold off too easily. But love, well that is a different question.
So, DWR, how would you separate the difference between FBs and Boyfriends? FBs are men that I love, but am afraid to commit to, and Boyfriends are men who I love just as equally, but I made the decision to try and make a commitment. Even if it works out or not. (one night stands? tried it once, and didn't really enjoy it. Never again.)
Does that make sense? You are telling me that you are more commitment-phobic than not, right? Considering that you'd say that you've had 4 "boyfriends" in your life, including Sam...
Yes. I don't want to go thru the pain of a break-up....
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
There is a song that I sent out to my FB that really sums my approach to love, unfortunately for copyright reasons I cannot share it with you, but I can share a bit of the lyrics with you.
Footsteps - Track 9 (Pharmacy Allstar's Mix, from Eitetsu Takamiya's HOUSE THINGs Vol.6 Compilation produced by Flower Records )
.... love without freedom will die,
I don't want footsteps following me,
Unlike prisons, love's got to be free,
I am allergic to jealously,
I don't want footsteps following me.
Indeed, love without trust and freedom is just not for me...
I am constantly seeking a lover, a friend, a teacher, and a student. (maybe it's that venus in Sagittarius that's making me this way....)
Saturday, December 25, 2004
Introducing Serenity
Some of you may know, but I also co-blog a site with a friend who I have never met in my life, Missy. It is ironic that my nickname is Mizzie -- for some reason we got to get to know each other earlier in my bloggin' "career" and decided to start a joint project dedicated to the power of still images.
Missy is taking a little break for now, it's holiday season, and she has two beautiful kids that she looks after, so for now I shall be adding to our joint venture (whenever I have the time...): Serenity.
It's Christmas. I wanted to add a personal touch to our site, and today I added a post about a man whose blog I have been following for a while now. His name is "mesouthern" I don't think I need to explain his blog - he does it eloquently on his own. Mesouthern, if you get to see our picture on Serenity, bless you. I have been following you for a while now - even commented on one or two of your posts...
Merry Christmas. And a Happy New year.
DW.Rambler
Missy is taking a little break for now, it's holiday season, and she has two beautiful kids that she looks after, so for now I shall be adding to our joint venture (whenever I have the time...): Serenity.
It's Christmas. I wanted to add a personal touch to our site, and today I added a post about a man whose blog I have been following for a while now. His name is "mesouthern" I don't think I need to explain his blog - he does it eloquently on his own. Mesouthern, if you get to see our picture on Serenity, bless you. I have been following you for a while now - even commented on one or two of your posts...
Merry Christmas. And a Happy New year.
DW.Rambler
Jesus Was a Pisces, Not a Capricorn?!
Disclaimer: I'm sorry if I offend anyone who is a Capricorn, or even a Capricorn born on Dec.25th. This is just a thought, my theory on the actual date of Christ's birthday. Just because I have an opinion, it doesn't change anything. You are a Capricorn, and as soon as we finish Halloween, we will continue to be bombarded by Christmas ads, inflated prices for "Christmasy" items, re-runs of Wizard of Oz, A Christmas Carol, and all those old films shown on TV during this period, and children sending letters to (S)anti-Claus asking for something that they *need* to have.... Bah, humbug, and a Merry Christmas to everyone.
I'm not religious, but I have read the New Testiment during my "Religious Educaction" classes at school. I also have many close family members and compassionate friends who are Pisces. I have worked with many, hard working Capriorns, and I have observed their traits and what makes them motivated.... I have been musing with this idea for some time, and on friday I shared my idea with my good friend, C, who is a professional astrologer, and a painter, and after hearing what I had to say she agreed with me, and even told me that there is a circle of professional astrologers who had also made this observation.
Jesus doesn't exhibit too many Capricornian traits...
I don't think Jesus was born on Dec. 25th, or any time between Dec 22nd and Jan 18th for that matter. I think that Jesus was born sometime between Feb 19th and March 20th making him a Pisces. And that is my theory. Let me explain why I think he's a pisces:
Capricorn Traits:
Capricorn is a feet-on-the-ground, eye-on-the-prize sign. Those with Sun in Capricorn have a realistic, grounded approach to life that can be seen no matter how dreamy the rest of the birth chart suggests. These people know how to do things, and to get things done. (OK, stop right there. Here's a man with a steady job, his father's trade - carpentry. In those days carpentry will get you most places. If you are sensible you can even expand your family business so that your kids can carry on -- perhaps one of the girls can marry a blacksmith, another good trade. but no. At age 30, what does Jesus do? Go on a "journey" of self discovery.... Capricorn my arse!)
Capricorns like to pare things down, and take pleasure in the simple things in life. However, many are attracted to status symbols and these ones will wear the best clothes (tasteful ones!) and drive quietly impressive cars. (Hell! In all the pictures I've seen of Jesus, he is wearing tattered ol' clothes, doesn't even shave, and those fucking sandals! Where were the Fashion Police in those days?? Nah, he's defo not Capricorn)
Comparing Capricorns to their symbol, the goat, brings up some interesting analogies. Solar Capricorns can see into the future, and plan for it. They don't mind taking things slowly, but they absolutely aim to get to the top of the mountain in life! They make their way steadily and sure-footedly; and their strength and singleness of purpose are admirable. (Well, Jesus most certainly didn't plan anything did he? I mean, if he knew that there was going to be a crowd following him around, surely he would have said to one of his disciples, Ok, dude, do we have enough food to feed these guyz, coz I've only got 7Liras on me and I see no vendors around here. Hmm.... maybe this would be a good business opportunity. If I bring in the crowds, you guyz can open up hawker stalls and sell some Kebabs to these people. Oh and some wine too. Right, let's get some action going.... See, now that's a smart Capricorn in operation!! They are one of the most resourceful and hardworking people of the zodiac.)
Now, let's look at Pisces Traits:
As the twelfth and last sign of the zodiac, Pisces contains within itself a little experience of all the signs. This gives Pisces Suns the ability to identify with people from all walks of life--from all backgrounds--in some way. These individuals are not only changeable and adaptable, they have open minds and tremendous understanding. But Pisces itself is often misunderstood. Pisces Suns may spend a good portion of their lives yearning for understanding, and the other part in a state of divine discontent. Suffering is sometimes glamorized in the Piscean world. (Do I need to add any comments to this paragraph? First of all Jesus hung round with prostitutes (without using their services!) and leppers, and discruntled members of the fishing society... How many times did he have to go off on his own to talk to his "father" (inner voice) , because he was always confused about being "misunderstood", and oh why there is so much "suffering" around him. And his dying words:" My God, My God, why has thou foresaken me?" Eihew, Eihew, Oh Me Miserum... FUCK ME! Shit, I've heard more melodrama from a faggot who's just broken up with "his man"! Yes, L, that is soooo YOU!! And you know it!!! I *KNOW* you are a Pisces, don't deny it, my sparkly eyed friend! I hope things work out with C tho'...)
Sun in Pisces people are frequently pegged as wishy-washy, but this is all a matter of opinion. What you will find behind a vaguely directionless, spacey manner is a deep person with real dreams. Their dreams are more than getting that picket fence or making it up the corporate ladder. Pisces are tuned in to a higher purpose and their dreams transcend the individual. A deep love for humanity, and compassion that knows no bounds is found with this placement of the Sun. (See, that's why he quit a perfectly good, steady job like carpentry. He probably became a carpenter to please his parents, but waited till he was 30 to say, no, I want to do humanitarian things. This ain't me. Only a Pisces will just act upon his emotion like that. I bet he never even planned how much money he needs to keep his "humanitarian mission to save us from our sins", I bet he didn't have a business plan to run his NPO -- I know a Capricorn would have!)
Many Pisces seem almost allergic to things like shopping lists, maps, directions, and instructions, and for some brave souls, even watches -- they prefer to feel their way through life than to follow some plan. (I bet you if you mapped out the route of Jesus's journey for those 3 years that he was trying to save our sins, you will see absolutely no pattern whatsoever! I bet it would look like a 2 year-old's drawing of a cat! Yes, Jesus puts a new dimention to the words "wondering like the lost tribe of Israel..."
One other thing that made me think Jesus was a Pisces was when I thought about the Nativity. Ovulation in ewes is stimulated by the amount of sunlight -- they basically come in season in the autumn. When you think of the gestation period of a lamb, the earliest you find lamb being born is in early Feb in warmer places, and the latest Early May. It's nature's way of protecting lambs from exposure, I suppose... Now WTF are there shepherds looking after lambs when Jesus is born? Why is he sharing a cradle with LAMBS??? Are they premature, and the vets/shepherds desparately trying to resusitate them? There is something wrong with the picture there, don't you think? Lambs in midwinter???
If I remember the old testament, it took the Jews an entire "book" of Exodus to get themselves from Egypt to Israel. The last time I looked at the world map, I remember that you only need to walk in a straight line (north east) to get from Egypt to Israel. Not that hard, once you get your coordinates, right? Unless they were permanently on Calamus or chewing Khatt all day long, that you couldn't be bothered to move; but these people took way too long to go in a straight line. They probably had no idea of basic navigation. How did people navigate in the old days before magentism and GPS? By looking at the stars. And how did people calculate the dates? By looking at the stars.... They probably had no clue which date Jesus was born on. The Israelites probably discovered economics before mathematics!!
I'm sorry if I have offended anyone with my musings (including all my good Jewish friends) , but there are many things that make no sense to me about Christ's birth. If someone had loads of time, money, and wanted to study this, perhaps they can discover Christ's real birthday and add another "Christmas" to our calendar -- say May 3rd -- so we can enjoy another round of commercial celebrations just before Easter!
What do you think?
(Post script: The DWR's sun sign is Libra with her moon in Pisces, Mars in Taurus, Venus in Sagittarius, Mercury in Scorpio, and an ascendant in Capricorn. If that means anything.... )
I'm not religious, but I have read the New Testiment during my "Religious Educaction" classes at school. I also have many close family members and compassionate friends who are Pisces. I have worked with many, hard working Capriorns, and I have observed their traits and what makes them motivated.... I have been musing with this idea for some time, and on friday I shared my idea with my good friend, C, who is a professional astrologer, and a painter, and after hearing what I had to say she agreed with me, and even told me that there is a circle of professional astrologers who had also made this observation.
Jesus doesn't exhibit too many Capricornian traits...
I don't think Jesus was born on Dec. 25th, or any time between Dec 22nd and Jan 18th for that matter. I think that Jesus was born sometime between Feb 19th and March 20th making him a Pisces. And that is my theory. Let me explain why I think he's a pisces:
Capricorn Traits:
Capricorn is a feet-on-the-ground, eye-on-the-prize sign. Those with Sun in Capricorn have a realistic, grounded approach to life that can be seen no matter how dreamy the rest of the birth chart suggests. These people know how to do things, and to get things done. (OK, stop right there. Here's a man with a steady job, his father's trade - carpentry. In those days carpentry will get you most places. If you are sensible you can even expand your family business so that your kids can carry on -- perhaps one of the girls can marry a blacksmith, another good trade. but no. At age 30, what does Jesus do? Go on a "journey" of self discovery.... Capricorn my arse!)
Capricorns like to pare things down, and take pleasure in the simple things in life. However, many are attracted to status symbols and these ones will wear the best clothes (tasteful ones!) and drive quietly impressive cars. (Hell! In all the pictures I've seen of Jesus, he is wearing tattered ol' clothes, doesn't even shave, and those fucking sandals! Where were the Fashion Police in those days?? Nah, he's defo not Capricorn)
Comparing Capricorns to their symbol, the goat, brings up some interesting analogies. Solar Capricorns can see into the future, and plan for it. They don't mind taking things slowly, but they absolutely aim to get to the top of the mountain in life! They make their way steadily and sure-footedly; and their strength and singleness of purpose are admirable. (Well, Jesus most certainly didn't plan anything did he? I mean, if he knew that there was going to be a crowd following him around, surely he would have said to one of his disciples, Ok, dude, do we have enough food to feed these guyz, coz I've only got 7Liras on me and I see no vendors around here. Hmm.... maybe this would be a good business opportunity. If I bring in the crowds, you guyz can open up hawker stalls and sell some Kebabs to these people. Oh and some wine too. Right, let's get some action going.... See, now that's a smart Capricorn in operation!! They are one of the most resourceful and hardworking people of the zodiac.)
Now, let's look at Pisces Traits:
As the twelfth and last sign of the zodiac, Pisces contains within itself a little experience of all the signs. This gives Pisces Suns the ability to identify with people from all walks of life--from all backgrounds--in some way. These individuals are not only changeable and adaptable, they have open minds and tremendous understanding. But Pisces itself is often misunderstood. Pisces Suns may spend a good portion of their lives yearning for understanding, and the other part in a state of divine discontent. Suffering is sometimes glamorized in the Piscean world. (Do I need to add any comments to this paragraph? First of all Jesus hung round with prostitutes (without using their services!) and leppers, and discruntled members of the fishing society... How many times did he have to go off on his own to talk to his "father" (inner voice) , because he was always confused about being "misunderstood", and oh why there is so much "suffering" around him. And his dying words:" My God, My God, why has thou foresaken me?" Eihew, Eihew, Oh Me Miserum... FUCK ME! Shit, I've heard more melodrama from a faggot who's just broken up with "his man"! Yes, L, that is soooo YOU!! And you know it!!! I *KNOW* you are a Pisces, don't deny it, my sparkly eyed friend! I hope things work out with C tho'...)
Sun in Pisces people are frequently pegged as wishy-washy, but this is all a matter of opinion. What you will find behind a vaguely directionless, spacey manner is a deep person with real dreams. Their dreams are more than getting that picket fence or making it up the corporate ladder. Pisces are tuned in to a higher purpose and their dreams transcend the individual. A deep love for humanity, and compassion that knows no bounds is found with this placement of the Sun. (See, that's why he quit a perfectly good, steady job like carpentry. He probably became a carpenter to please his parents, but waited till he was 30 to say, no, I want to do humanitarian things. This ain't me. Only a Pisces will just act upon his emotion like that. I bet he never even planned how much money he needs to keep his "humanitarian mission to save us from our sins", I bet he didn't have a business plan to run his NPO -- I know a Capricorn would have!)
Many Pisces seem almost allergic to things like shopping lists, maps, directions, and instructions, and for some brave souls, even watches -- they prefer to feel their way through life than to follow some plan. (I bet you if you mapped out the route of Jesus's journey for those 3 years that he was trying to save our sins, you will see absolutely no pattern whatsoever! I bet it would look like a 2 year-old's drawing of a cat! Yes, Jesus puts a new dimention to the words "wondering like the lost tribe of Israel..."
One other thing that made me think Jesus was a Pisces was when I thought about the Nativity. Ovulation in ewes is stimulated by the amount of sunlight -- they basically come in season in the autumn. When you think of the gestation period of a lamb, the earliest you find lamb being born is in early Feb in warmer places, and the latest Early May. It's nature's way of protecting lambs from exposure, I suppose... Now WTF are there shepherds looking after lambs when Jesus is born? Why is he sharing a cradle with LAMBS??? Are they premature, and the vets/shepherds desparately trying to resusitate them? There is something wrong with the picture there, don't you think? Lambs in midwinter???
If I remember the old testament, it took the Jews an entire "book" of Exodus to get themselves from Egypt to Israel. The last time I looked at the world map, I remember that you only need to walk in a straight line (north east) to get from Egypt to Israel. Not that hard, once you get your coordinates, right? Unless they were permanently on Calamus or chewing Khatt all day long, that you couldn't be bothered to move; but these people took way too long to go in a straight line. They probably had no idea of basic navigation. How did people navigate in the old days before magentism and GPS? By looking at the stars. And how did people calculate the dates? By looking at the stars.... They probably had no clue which date Jesus was born on. The Israelites probably discovered economics before mathematics!!
I'm sorry if I have offended anyone with my musings (including all my good Jewish friends) , but there are many things that make no sense to me about Christ's birth. If someone had loads of time, money, and wanted to study this, perhaps they can discover Christ's real birthday and add another "Christmas" to our calendar -- say May 3rd -- so we can enjoy another round of commercial celebrations just before Easter!
What do you think?
(Post script: The DWR's sun sign is Libra with her moon in Pisces, Mars in Taurus, Venus in Sagittarius, Mercury in Scorpio, and an ascendant in Capricorn. If that means anything.... )
Friday, December 24, 2004
The Best and Worst of Tokyo Restaurants
I read somewhere that there are nearly 300,000+ restaurants/eateries in Tokyo, and I can believe that. Everywhere you go one can find a small cubby-hole that caters to no more than 10 people (standing room only), and there are always people queing outside.
Today, I want to introduce to you one of the nicest, and one of the crappiest of the 300,000+ eateries in Tokyo:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Soba Noodles @ Musashikosugi St. (buckwheat noodles):
There is a small noodle shop that I often go to in Musashikosugi station. I am usually hungry by the time I get home from the office around 9pm, or like today, I leave for the office close to noon so I am hungry -- sort of a quick brunch.
As soon as I walk in the old dear behind the counter (she's probably my mother's age) says:"you want the tempura soba, no onions, right?" Hang on, how do you know my order before I even say anything? Do you have a crystal ball there or something? What's going on??
(Laughter from the kitchen)
You ALWAYS order the same thing! the old dear is laughing at me with a cheeky grin. Hang on, am I that predictable? I don't come here every day, you have many customers come thru your doors, but why remember me?
Simple, the lady replied. You don't blanketly state your order, you say "please" and "thank you", and when you leave you always say "thank you for the meal". Must admit, we don't get too many women customers, but you, well, you are probably the most politest customer that we have. Isn't that right? She turned around to her 4 colleagues, who all nodded. I never really noticed them before, but they all seemed to know me. Yeah, and you actually wipe your table after you eat making our job easier! (umm... isn't that just plain manners?)
Here, have a boiled egg on the house.
(shit, MORE food! what is going on here?)
I ate my tempura noodles in silence as usual, wiped my table after I ate, and smiled at the lady washing the dishes: Thank's for the egg. The noodles were nice. Thanks.
You know what? You are the only customer who speaks to us looking at our eyes. You make eye contact. I hope you come again soon.
(wow, I never knew that people didn't make eye contact. These old men and women are humans, if you ask them to serve you something, how can you *not* look at them??)
I live in a foreign country....
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Bengal Curry House (Nr. Shimbashi St.):
The other day I was feeling a little bit adventurous and decided to go for a wonder in my company's neighbourhood for a new eatery. Sometimes you are lucky and you find good places, but sometimes you find "scum de la scum". Unfortunately that day was one of those days. I wanted to eat something with a kick, some spices, so I was really happy to come across the Bengal Curry House. It looked authentic, with sanskrit and wooden elephant at the the entrance and all! Cool, let's go thru it's doors, I hope that I don't have to queue for long.....
I regretted making the decision as soon as I opened the door. I was greeted by two Japanese chefs and an empty restaurant. You know that you are not in a good restaurant when you see no other customers at 12:15pm -- peak lunch time. "Irashaimase" (Welcome) We have only normal or large.
Huh?
We have only normal or large.
Ummm... I will take the normal thanks.
(What kind of establishment is this? Bengal Curry House? Oh shit, I hope they don't serve the bengal tiger, an endangered species... fuck! what did I let myself into here?)
Within a minute my Bengal "normal" curry arrived. Dear readers, I have eaten many curries in my lifetime, for I lived in England for nearly 15 years, but NEVER have I seen anything *far* from being a curry. I was served yellow goo (thickened by cornstarch) on a bed of -- get this -- sticky rice.
Sticky-Fucking-Rice!!!!!! They type of rice you make rice cakes and patties out of!!!!!
And they had the audacity to charge me 680yen (US$6.67) for yellow goo and sticky fucking rice!! And the portions were small. Even for me!!!
No smiles. No service -- get your own water, darlin'. No thank you for coming to our empty establishment....
Never again, dear readers, never.
If you live in Tokyo, and work near the Shinbashi/Uchisaiwacho area and you come across an establishment called "Bengal Curry House" (incl. fake wooden elephant and sanskrit BS.) -- avoid it like the PLAGUE! Worst curry I consumed (?) in my entire life.
Someone needs to do a serious review of the 300,000+ restaurants/eateries in this city....
And no, I didn't bother saying "Namaste" to the wankers that served me the savoury custard on sticky rice!
Today, I want to introduce to you one of the nicest, and one of the crappiest of the 300,000+ eateries in Tokyo:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Soba Noodles @ Musashikosugi St. (buckwheat noodles):
There is a small noodle shop that I often go to in Musashikosugi station. I am usually hungry by the time I get home from the office around 9pm, or like today, I leave for the office close to noon so I am hungry -- sort of a quick brunch.
As soon as I walk in the old dear behind the counter (she's probably my mother's age) says:"you want the tempura soba, no onions, right?" Hang on, how do you know my order before I even say anything? Do you have a crystal ball there or something? What's going on??
(Laughter from the kitchen)
You ALWAYS order the same thing! the old dear is laughing at me with a cheeky grin. Hang on, am I that predictable? I don't come here every day, you have many customers come thru your doors, but why remember me?
Simple, the lady replied. You don't blanketly state your order, you say "please" and "thank you", and when you leave you always say "thank you for the meal". Must admit, we don't get too many women customers, but you, well, you are probably the most politest customer that we have. Isn't that right? She turned around to her 4 colleagues, who all nodded. I never really noticed them before, but they all seemed to know me. Yeah, and you actually wipe your table after you eat making our job easier! (umm... isn't that just plain manners?)
Here, have a boiled egg on the house.
(shit, MORE food! what is going on here?)
I ate my tempura noodles in silence as usual, wiped my table after I ate, and smiled at the lady washing the dishes: Thank's for the egg. The noodles were nice. Thanks.
You know what? You are the only customer who speaks to us looking at our eyes. You make eye contact. I hope you come again soon.
(wow, I never knew that people didn't make eye contact. These old men and women are humans, if you ask them to serve you something, how can you *not* look at them??)
I live in a foreign country....
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Bengal Curry House (Nr. Shimbashi St.):
The other day I was feeling a little bit adventurous and decided to go for a wonder in my company's neighbourhood for a new eatery. Sometimes you are lucky and you find good places, but sometimes you find "scum de la scum". Unfortunately that day was one of those days. I wanted to eat something with a kick, some spices, so I was really happy to come across the Bengal Curry House. It looked authentic, with sanskrit and wooden elephant at the the entrance and all! Cool, let's go thru it's doors, I hope that I don't have to queue for long.....
I regretted making the decision as soon as I opened the door. I was greeted by two Japanese chefs and an empty restaurant. You know that you are not in a good restaurant when you see no other customers at 12:15pm -- peak lunch time. "Irashaimase" (Welcome) We have only normal or large.
Huh?
We have only normal or large.
Ummm... I will take the normal thanks.
(What kind of establishment is this? Bengal Curry House? Oh shit, I hope they don't serve the bengal tiger, an endangered species... fuck! what did I let myself into here?)
Within a minute my Bengal "normal" curry arrived. Dear readers, I have eaten many curries in my lifetime, for I lived in England for nearly 15 years, but NEVER have I seen anything *far* from being a curry. I was served yellow goo (thickened by cornstarch) on a bed of -- get this -- sticky rice.
Sticky-Fucking-Rice!!!!!! They type of rice you make rice cakes and patties out of!!!!!
And they had the audacity to charge me 680yen (US$6.67) for yellow goo and sticky fucking rice!! And the portions were small. Even for me!!!
No smiles. No service -- get your own water, darlin'. No thank you for coming to our empty establishment....
Never again, dear readers, never.
If you live in Tokyo, and work near the Shinbashi/Uchisaiwacho area and you come across an establishment called "Bengal Curry House" (incl. fake wooden elephant and sanskrit BS.) -- avoid it like the PLAGUE! Worst curry I consumed (?) in my entire life.
Someone needs to do a serious review of the 300,000+ restaurants/eateries in this city....
And no, I didn't bother saying "Namaste" to the wankers that served me the savoury custard on sticky rice!
The Importance of Real People
As many of you know, I have been sick at home with something (bird flu? SARS??) and the only living things that I have had "physical" contact with for the past week is my mother, the pizza delivery dude, and my cats, belle and george.... Imagine a world where you have less stimulus than a Disney film...
That has continued now for the past 5 days....
Bout time I got out of my home, my shell, my pizza deliveries blokes (woof!), and find stuff to write about!
Must be feeling better today....
Just wanted to thank all of you who have left a little note for me during this time. It cheered me up -- today I shall put on my suit, my blank face, and am off to my meeting w/a french car makers!!!
Big smiles, and thanks for the patience while I was going thru some tough times!!!
Respect 2 y'all!! DWR!
That has continued now for the past 5 days....
Bout time I got out of my home, my shell, my pizza deliveries blokes (woof!), and find stuff to write about!
Must be feeling better today....
Just wanted to thank all of you who have left a little note for me during this time. It cheered me up -- today I shall put on my suit, my blank face, and am off to my meeting w/a french car makers!!!
Big smiles, and thanks for the patience while I was going thru some tough times!!!
Respect 2 y'all!! DWR!
Answering Machine
(Note: sorry not much link to the tune I'm talking about, coz I'm ill right now. I think you'd have enough info there to get some free downloads, or something, but defo recomend you to listen to the lyrics. A true classic. And no, I do not have the time nor the knowledge to convert it to MP3 and distribute it. Remember, I am a sick IT consultant that deals with only PLM and SCM and SDP and BW.... yes I need help..)
There is a song called "answering machine" by Green Velvet on one of my "old school" compilation albums, Cosmic Disco Mix Mag, by DJ Derrick Carter. It's dance tune that goes thru a week of messages left on the answering machine of this dude, Melvin. His first message (on monday) starts off with his pregnant girlfriend (who he just proposed to) telling him, "thanks for the engagement ring, but the baby's not yours so you don't need to worry about it... I'll always love you!" And that's only the begining.... After each message you hear Melvin shouting:
This week for me has been one like Melvin's answering machine. The only difference is that I will not be evicted for naked girls running down the hallway, and I won't have psycho ex's(?) calling me up in the middle of the night.... actually. No, let me retract that last statement. I get *drunk* ex's calling me up in the middle of the night (e.g.3am), coz they know I am still awake....
GO TO SLEEP, PASS OUT, DO ANYTHING!!!! Leave me to my peaceful insomnia!!!
There is a song called "answering machine" by Green Velvet on one of my "old school" compilation albums, Cosmic Disco Mix Mag, by DJ Derrick Carter. It's dance tune that goes thru a week of messages left on the answering machine of this dude, Melvin. His first message (on monday) starts off with his pregnant girlfriend (who he just proposed to) telling him, "thanks for the engagement ring, but the baby's not yours so you don't need to worry about it... I'll always love you!" And that's only the begining.... After each message you hear Melvin shouting:
I don't need this SHIT!
This week for me has been one like Melvin's answering machine. The only difference is that I will not be evicted for naked girls running down the hallway, and I won't have psycho ex's(?) calling me up in the middle of the night.... actually. No, let me retract that last statement. I get *drunk* ex's calling me up in the middle of the night (e.g.3am), coz they know I am still awake....
GO TO SLEEP, PASS OUT, DO ANYTHING!!!! Leave me to my peaceful insomnia!!!
(If only I had the courage to say that to them.... I can't refuse, especially because they are nice, even if things didn't work out. Sorry, Dr.K, I know you're probably reading this.... feel free to call me anythime. And have a safe journey home. Say hi to your mum!)
Anyway, where was I? Yes, answering machine, and my shitty week:
Anyway, where was I? Yes, answering machine, and my shitty week:
- I have the flu. I don't know what kind, but the "witch doctor with a license to practise medicine(?)" said something about HongKong Type A, or something (probably Bird flu...) He nearly gave me some "remedy" with potentially devastating side effects.
- Been trying to move my site, with the help of my good friends who have done more research than I have; found out that my crappy web host does not allow me to ftp, nor does it allow me to have people come round for a cup of tea, and leave their comments even if I moved to my new "whine" cellar. (Thank you c, o, bunny, summer, a, and everyone else who has helped this stupid drunken wench realise that --oops, wrong avenue, darles. If you guyz need any recommendations on quality alcohol/vegitation/supply chain management, I'll be more than happy to help y'all)
- I have been prescribed new sleeping pills that make me lose my balance in the morning, thus stepping on George's tail so many times that he runs away when I call his name.
- There is no booze in this house. And I realised that I have not been laid since sometime in AUGUST this year -- what a sad fucker... I can't remember the date, let alone the week... sad bitch. I don't own a sex toy so I *really* have not been getting any -- neither carbon, nor silicone..... sad fucker bitch. GET A LIFE!!
- I have to be at the office 2moro for a 9am meeting, avec flu. I also have to get Christmas pressies for all my friends, and I have no idea what to get them.... Book Tokens??
- Two of my good friends have left Japan for good. I will miss them both. Funny, they both went back to Melbourne, Oz..... Mark and Tony, I will miss you both! Don't 4 get to write once in a while, or read my blog.... (*tears* -- OK, I'm sentimental, as well as mental)
- I need to finish my specially researched post before Christmas. (And to top it all ==>)
- Belle (my cat) pissed on my duvet, and it stinks! !!!!!(stupid bitch!)
- aaaaaaaaaaaaa!
- The Californian Psychics sent me my "horror-scope" for today:
Libra: Thursday, December 23, 2004:
Your energy level should be quite high today. (no, it's not. I feel like shite) Your self-confidence and capacity for hard work should be higher than usual as well, and you should be more than ready to take on whatever challenges you might have to face right now. (Listen, I don't need any more challenges than the 8 listed above. I'm tired, OK, give me some good news like there will be a nice, goodlooking man entering my life, who understands my excentricities and my love for cats, we will fall in love, and everything will be a wonderful fairy tale happy ending) Just try to keep from forcing your thoughts and opinions on other people today. (Ooops. Does blogging count as "forcing my thoughts and opinions on other people"? I guess so, huh. But guess what, Mr. Californian Psychic, you were wrong on 2 out of the 3 statements, so I guess you are statistcally more errornous than what you think. I'm going to ignore your last statement and tell you what I think...)
I Don't Need This Shit!!!
(and merry christmas, to you, Mr Californian Psychic, for I am sure you are already on some beach in Mexico, or somewhere warm, after you set up your automated "horror-scope" emails over the next 5 weeks while you sip pina colada's by the poolside in one of those "men only" resorts. Anyway, why aren't we, the straight girlz, not allowed to go to your "men-only" resorts? We are no threat to you! We want to have a good time too, and we need some eye candy once in a while, I mean, let's face it, the average "hetro boy" is WAY too ungroomed. You guyz rock! You guyz know how to party! You guys are almost the perfect narcissists! (except for the metrosexual... but we don't talk about them.... shhhh)
Oh dear. I need to go on a diving holiday. (no, not a m**f diving holiday! silly! I meant a scuba diving holiday!!)
Right, with that thought in mind. I shall sign off. Do more research, take my sleepy pills, for it is nearly 2am.... (shit, what are the chances of one of my ex's calling me up 2 nite? anyone want to put any odds on this one??)
Anyway, good night.
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Merry Christmas to U 2, You Slapper!!!!
I don't need this....
I'm feeling like shite, and I have over 80 emails (excl. spam/junk) to go thru today... and what do I get? One of my FRIENDS(!!!!!!!!) sending me lovely Christmas cards like this -- in true Ozzy (sydney-boy) style... No wonder I tend to date men from Melbourne or Aldelaide.
Cheerz M, darles, and a Merry Christmas to y'all!
(still grappling with the damned move to my new "whine" cellar.... one step at a time, one step... DWR)
Urgent, Movers Needed....
I am fuckt. I have a domain that has an inbuild FTP thingy.... I want to move my blog to my proper site... I have contacted the aresholes who run my new external site, but all they give me BS. I need help BIG TIME. I am a student of life, not a techy. All I know is that my credit card has been charged for a domain name and web-hosting....
I am at a lost. No, I cannot move my blogspot contents to my new "whine" cellar....
Techies out there, what am I supposed to do? I have no access to my FTP server (or whatever) I am merely a drunken wench. I have a highlevel vision of the world, none of this technical stuff which is v.v.important in life....
My technical support does not speak proper English... (maybe they are indian..)
I set up a domain with with Register.com (mistake or not, does not matter)
And everytime I try to move my blog I get an error: FTP not there, you are really up shit creak.
Thanks, I really needed that, but the point is I send out messages to both bolgger.com and my new register.com and they just don't come up with comprehensive answeres!
"oh, you need to configure the FTP to show the IMP, and also the TTS, and also the GWM and GSOH together with the IMPFT to get it right."
WTF!?!
Can somone please help me to move me to my new site so that I can sleep easily. Explain it in total "dumbspeak" so that I can get if for right?
New site is at www.drunkenwenchramblings.com, current site; http://the-inner-voice@blogspot.com
I need help big time!!!!!
Big kisses and a X^mas card etc. for those who can help me!!! Luv DWR
I am at a lost. No, I cannot move my blogspot contents to my new "whine" cellar....
Techies out there, what am I supposed to do? I have no access to my FTP server (or whatever) I am merely a drunken wench. I have a highlevel vision of the world, none of this technical stuff which is v.v.important in life....
My technical support does not speak proper English... (maybe they are indian..)
I set up a domain with with Register.com (mistake or not, does not matter)
And everytime I try to move my blog I get an error: FTP not there, you are really up shit creak.
Thanks, I really needed that, but the point is I send out messages to both bolgger.com and my new register.com and they just don't come up with comprehensive answeres!
"oh, you need to configure the FTP to show the IMP, and also the TTS, and also the GWM and GSOH together with the IMPFT to get it right."
WTF!?!
Can somone please help me to move me to my new site so that I can sleep easily. Explain it in total "dumbspeak" so that I can get if for right?
New site is at www.drunkenwenchramblings.com, current site; http://the-inner-voice@blogspot.com
I need help big time!!!!!
Big kisses and a X^mas card etc. for those who can help me!!! Luv DWR
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
All I wanted was your love, your acceptance...A Tale of A Bulimic
(Nota Bene: I write this not to encourage those who are thinking about refining their eating disorders. I am telling you the stories of many people who have had it rough, and let's face it, Christmas -- the season of gluttony -- is the hardest for those who want to hide their eating disorders from their families, friends, lovers.... it's just plain hard; I'm not going to change your ways, for change comes only from within. It comes only from your own free will.... Bulimia is a painful, lonely disease, and I do not want to glamourise it. Bulimia only brings sadness to those who suffer, and to those that love the patients.)
I'm fat. I know it. I'm fat. I am 168cm (5ft 7) tall, and weigh 65kgs (143pounds). I don't even want to tell my boyfriend, Sam, what my clothes size is. He has repeatedly told me how much he loves my "round" belly, stroking it with a big grin on his face... "I guess this is what you'd look like when you are pregnant, huh?" (thanks, Sam. why don't you just twist that blade in my heart while you are at it!) I know he is only joking, but I have put on nearly 5 kgs (11 pounds) since we first met. I hate it. I can't stand it, and yet he says that he loves me regardless of my size.
Sam has recently been a bit distant towards me. He spends more time with his "mates" than with me. I used to love making love to him in front of his fire; I used to love the way he used to look at my naked body. Now we make love in the dark. I cannot see his face, and I guess he can't see my "pot belly", maybe he doesn't want to look at it...
The other day I tried to clear out my wardrobe of all the clothes that I could no longer fit into. My favourite Max & Co. dress, my cool DKNY jeans, my expensive suits...., but I couldn't. I can't let my disfigured body get in my way between me and Sam. I need to diet, to get back to the shape that I was when Sam first met me. I need to lose weight, PRONTO!
I was always an active person; I ran, I played tennis, I played lacrosse, but my recent knee injury took me away from excersise, but my food consumption remained the same. In short, I was eating more calories than what I burnt. And this is when the idea came to me: eat less.Unfortunately I LOVE food. I could not stop eating, but my desire to please Sam, to win back his love was much stronger. I want Sam to love me; I want everything to be the way it used to be... like those days in November, when we fell in love. All those wonderful days that I remember, back when we were in love...
Sam, please love me the way you used to...
This was the begining of a vicious circle. I knew what I was going to get into, and if it took that much, then let it be...
After every meal, I would stick my fingers down my throat to puke it all up. I soon realised that certian foods, like bread, didn't come out too well. You need to drink lots of water with bread. Also it's easier to puke the food up within 20 mins after your meal. Otherwise you don't get everything out; the root of my sadness has already moved to my ileum.
Puking eventually became euphoric for me.
I would weigh myself every day, and watch my weight bounce up and down. My puking was not too effective. A 500g gain in weight would depress me to no avail -- shit I need to come up with a better action plan...
Laxatives. (Sam, anything for you...)
I went to the pharmacists to buy laxs. I read about the different laxatives available: ones that make your bowels active, ones that add bulk to your motions, and ones that would make your stools softer, and the combo type with multiple actions, plus many more.
I chose the combo type; I didn't care as long as the weight was being removed from my body. Just before I went to bed, I took nearly 20 pills and waited for the morning.... but morning came with a heavy price. I spent nearly 4 hours in pain, on the toilet, removing everything and anything that resided in my bowels.
That day, I lost 2kgs -- a weight I have been struggling to remove for the past 3 weeks. (See, I knew I could do it, Sam. No more pot bellies. I'm going to be slim again!)
Laxatives and purging were my answers!! I could eat cream cakes, eat whenever I was hungry, AND lose weight! I used to keep a strict rule until then about letting pass no more than 200kcal of food per day, but once I realised that only 4 hours on the toilet could fix it all! Well, purge'n'lax. That was it. Nothing was too painful for the love of Sam.
My obsessive patterns of eating, puking, and laxatives worked for a while, until I realised that I was always hungry. Constantly hungry, but I knew that I can fix all the damage done by eating. Puke'n'Lax. Hunger usually struck late at night. I wanted to eat sugary foods: cakes, cookies, caramel popcorn (well, popcorn is calorie free, right?). I would often consume more than 1800kcals at a time with lot & lots of water. Drink a lot of water, and flush all down the toilet, one way or another. Time and time again, for I was protected by the "purge'n'lax".
(Sam, I'm nearly there, darling. Love me as you used. Make love to me, in front of the fire, where you can see my body, and I can see your face, as we used to...)
When you live a life of secrecy, isolation, and distance from friends, family, and loved ones, they just do not understand you anymore. By the time I had got my weight down to 57kgs, Sam left me (for a rounder, happier girl!). Must admit everyone said I looked "great" and "healthy" , which was flattering -- I had more offers from men than ever in my life! (especially when I switched to contacts) Yes, I looked nice, but at what price? I had a secret identity, a life where I would have to excuse myself after every meal, a life where I would sneak off to the toilets for hours at a time, a secret life of buying large amounts of laxatives from different pharmacists, just in case they suspect that I was abusing them, for I was Bulimic. And I could not reveal to others my condition.
I always had a secret with those who opened their heart to me. It sometimes gets lonely that way...
(Post Script: Unlike Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa is very difficult to diagnose, because the patients are average to slightly built when you look at them. They don't look like walking skeletons, and they are fantastic at hiding their illness. Let's face it, you see them eat, right? You never stay up with them while they abuse laxatives, or puke up, right? I have been suffering from Bulimia Nervosa since I was 17. I still have some strange eating habits: I psycologically cannot eat carbohydrates at night. I eat only proteins and veggies at night. Oh, and no oil after 5pm. But I can eat. I can eat everything. I don't puke up, and I excersise regularly to keep my weight constant. I am 161cm (5ft4), and I weigh 46kg(101pounds), my body fat is at 19%. As you can read from my health check results I am a mirror of health?! But my message to all of you, who for one reason or another entered the dark gates of eating disorders.... well, there is a way out. Even if it's a small one. I know at least 4 ex-anorexics who are doing perfectly well with their own families. The way out is something that you will have to find. It doesn't have to be a perfect way out. Sod that! It doesn't happen that way. I still get pissed off when I put on 500g. But the thing is that even if it took me nearly 14 years to make one step: keep down my food. No Lax, No puking. It can be done. I know I have a long way to go, but so what. Fuck that! There is no quick way about changing things. 14 years is a long time... but I made it, right? Fuck, it could have taken me 40, but the whole point is that I took a step....
"I have a callus on my right hand just under the middle finger that I developed due to my excessive puking. Today it reminds me of the 14 years that I had to go thru. If you are one of me, don't let that callus grow, for it looks like shit on a smooth, beautiful hand... " -- DWR
I have a good friend, Jay, (he knows about my eating habits) who always says to me, DWR, if only you were 50pounds heavier, I'd propose to you immediately!! Thanks Jay, you give hope to so many of us who are insecure about our figures.)
I'm fat. I know it. I'm fat. I am 168cm (5ft 7) tall, and weigh 65kgs (143pounds). I don't even want to tell my boyfriend, Sam, what my clothes size is. He has repeatedly told me how much he loves my "round" belly, stroking it with a big grin on his face... "I guess this is what you'd look like when you are pregnant, huh?" (thanks, Sam. why don't you just twist that blade in my heart while you are at it!) I know he is only joking, but I have put on nearly 5 kgs (11 pounds) since we first met. I hate it. I can't stand it, and yet he says that he loves me regardless of my size.
Sam has recently been a bit distant towards me. He spends more time with his "mates" than with me. I used to love making love to him in front of his fire; I used to love the way he used to look at my naked body. Now we make love in the dark. I cannot see his face, and I guess he can't see my "pot belly", maybe he doesn't want to look at it...
The other day I tried to clear out my wardrobe of all the clothes that I could no longer fit into. My favourite Max & Co. dress, my cool DKNY jeans, my expensive suits...., but I couldn't. I can't let my disfigured body get in my way between me and Sam. I need to diet, to get back to the shape that I was when Sam first met me. I need to lose weight, PRONTO!
I was always an active person; I ran, I played tennis, I played lacrosse, but my recent knee injury took me away from excersise, but my food consumption remained the same. In short, I was eating more calories than what I burnt. And this is when the idea came to me: eat less.Unfortunately I LOVE food. I could not stop eating, but my desire to please Sam, to win back his love was much stronger. I want Sam to love me; I want everything to be the way it used to be... like those days in November, when we fell in love. All those wonderful days that I remember, back when we were in love...
Sam, please love me the way you used to...
This was the begining of a vicious circle. I knew what I was going to get into, and if it took that much, then let it be...
After every meal, I would stick my fingers down my throat to puke it all up. I soon realised that certian foods, like bread, didn't come out too well. You need to drink lots of water with bread. Also it's easier to puke the food up within 20 mins after your meal. Otherwise you don't get everything out; the root of my sadness has already moved to my ileum.
Puking eventually became euphoric for me.
I would weigh myself every day, and watch my weight bounce up and down. My puking was not too effective. A 500g gain in weight would depress me to no avail -- shit I need to come up with a better action plan...
Laxatives. (Sam, anything for you...)
I went to the pharmacists to buy laxs. I read about the different laxatives available: ones that make your bowels active, ones that add bulk to your motions, and ones that would make your stools softer, and the combo type with multiple actions, plus many more.
I chose the combo type; I didn't care as long as the weight was being removed from my body. Just before I went to bed, I took nearly 20 pills and waited for the morning.... but morning came with a heavy price. I spent nearly 4 hours in pain, on the toilet, removing everything and anything that resided in my bowels.
That day, I lost 2kgs -- a weight I have been struggling to remove for the past 3 weeks. (See, I knew I could do it, Sam. No more pot bellies. I'm going to be slim again!)
Laxatives and purging were my answers!! I could eat cream cakes, eat whenever I was hungry, AND lose weight! I used to keep a strict rule until then about letting pass no more than 200kcal of food per day, but once I realised that only 4 hours on the toilet could fix it all! Well, purge'n'lax. That was it. Nothing was too painful for the love of Sam.
My obsessive patterns of eating, puking, and laxatives worked for a while, until I realised that I was always hungry. Constantly hungry, but I knew that I can fix all the damage done by eating. Puke'n'Lax. Hunger usually struck late at night. I wanted to eat sugary foods: cakes, cookies, caramel popcorn (well, popcorn is calorie free, right?). I would often consume more than 1800kcals at a time with lot & lots of water. Drink a lot of water, and flush all down the toilet, one way or another. Time and time again, for I was protected by the "purge'n'lax".
(Sam, I'm nearly there, darling. Love me as you used. Make love to me, in front of the fire, where you can see my body, and I can see your face, as we used to...)
When you live a life of secrecy, isolation, and distance from friends, family, and loved ones, they just do not understand you anymore. By the time I had got my weight down to 57kgs, Sam left me (for a rounder, happier girl!). Must admit everyone said I looked "great" and "healthy" , which was flattering -- I had more offers from men than ever in my life! (especially when I switched to contacts) Yes, I looked nice, but at what price? I had a secret identity, a life where I would have to excuse myself after every meal, a life where I would sneak off to the toilets for hours at a time, a secret life of buying large amounts of laxatives from different pharmacists, just in case they suspect that I was abusing them, for I was Bulimic. And I could not reveal to others my condition.
I always had a secret with those who opened their heart to me. It sometimes gets lonely that way...
(Post Script: Unlike Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa is very difficult to diagnose, because the patients are average to slightly built when you look at them. They don't look like walking skeletons, and they are fantastic at hiding their illness. Let's face it, you see them eat, right? You never stay up with them while they abuse laxatives, or puke up, right? I have been suffering from Bulimia Nervosa since I was 17. I still have some strange eating habits: I psycologically cannot eat carbohydrates at night. I eat only proteins and veggies at night. Oh, and no oil after 5pm. But I can eat. I can eat everything. I don't puke up, and I excersise regularly to keep my weight constant. I am 161cm (5ft4), and I weigh 46kg(101pounds), my body fat is at 19%. As you can read from my health check results I am a mirror of health?! But my message to all of you, who for one reason or another entered the dark gates of eating disorders.... well, there is a way out. Even if it's a small one. I know at least 4 ex-anorexics who are doing perfectly well with their own families. The way out is something that you will have to find. It doesn't have to be a perfect way out. Sod that! It doesn't happen that way. I still get pissed off when I put on 500g. But the thing is that even if it took me nearly 14 years to make one step: keep down my food. No Lax, No puking. It can be done. I know I have a long way to go, but so what. Fuck that! There is no quick way about changing things. 14 years is a long time... but I made it, right? Fuck, it could have taken me 40, but the whole point is that I took a step....
"I have a callus on my right hand just under the middle finger that I developed due to my excessive puking. Today it reminds me of the 14 years that I had to go thru. If you are one of me, don't let that callus grow, for it looks like shit on a smooth, beautiful hand... " -- DWR
I have a good friend, Jay, (he knows about my eating habits) who always says to me, DWR, if only you were 50pounds heavier, I'd propose to you immediately!! Thanks Jay, you give hope to so many of us who are insecure about our figures.)
Tuesday, December 21, 2004
Today is One of Those Shitty Days
Actually, it's been one of those shitty weeks. It's holiday season, pleople are taking long holidays with their loved ones and guess what? My company got bought out by the Hardware Giant, NEC, my friends are leaving the company as if we are in the middle of Falujia, and I am stuck with the flu. Some-kind of flu.
(I hope it's not that birdflu epidemic, or even SARS they had in HK while I was there!!)
In short I feel like shit.
I went to the doctors explaining to him that I cannot be prescribed anti-imflammatory drugs, for it triggers asthma in me: Oh no, I know what I am doing, let me give you some of these. (I also kindly point out that I am lactose intolerate on my records, sure, sure.)
Buy the time I dragged my chicken flu butt to the pharmacist, gave them my presciption, the head pharmacist comes back with a serious face: um, have you been prescribed these beofore?
No. Umm... What did your doctor tell you? Um...That is was OK.... Well these contain lactose as part of the ingredients, so I'm going to call the doctor, OK?
You bet! You are going to call that Charletan on my behalf!!!!!! What was he thinking giving me "mighty laxatives" I'll be on the LOO wheezing all day if I took his crap!!
Sometimes it's good to get a second opinion....
(I hope it's not that birdflu epidemic, or even SARS they had in HK while I was there!!)
In short I feel like shit.
I went to the doctors explaining to him that I cannot be prescribed anti-imflammatory drugs, for it triggers asthma in me: Oh no, I know what I am doing, let me give you some of these. (I also kindly point out that I am lactose intolerate on my records, sure, sure.)
Buy the time I dragged my chicken flu butt to the pharmacist, gave them my presciption, the head pharmacist comes back with a serious face: um, have you been prescribed these beofore?
No. Umm... What did your doctor tell you? Um...That is was OK.... Well these contain lactose as part of the ingredients, so I'm going to call the doctor, OK?
You bet! You are going to call that Charletan on my behalf!!!!!! What was he thinking giving me "mighty laxatives" I'll be on the LOO wheezing all day if I took his crap!!
Sometimes it's good to get a second opinion....
Monday, December 20, 2004
Wheel Chair Warriors
(Please note: this post was written on Dec. 14th. and finalised late on Dec. 19th. My apologies for the delay to those who were protesting for the three days between Dec 13th and Dec 15th. My further apologies for not getting my pictures of the demonstration developed, for I did not carry my digital camera that day, and only got pictures on my disposal camera... I will publish the pictures of the Wheel Chair Warriors of Peace at a later date.)
Today was one of the coldest days of the year. Although the max temperature was supposedly 11degrees Celsius, but if you add the wind-chill factor it felt more like 6 or 7 degrees. There was not a single cloud in the sky to blanket the sun's warmth; even the concrete footpaths were exuding cold air. It was one of those days where you'd regret not having brought your gloves and woolen hats even under the soft rays of the sun.
As I was walking to the station to go for my lunch meeting I saw a bunch of people in wheel chairs handing out leaflets. My office is right in the middle of Tokyo near the government buildings so I encounter protestors quite frequently. I looked over towards the building I heard loud voices from: it was coming from the direction of the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, (aka. the"Ministry of Wealth Through Increased Labour and Cuts in Healthcare"), and also the Ministry of Environment -- both my nemeses. I'm usually skeptical about protestors, but that day I couldn't believe my eyes, for there were nearly 2,000 people -- some standing tall, some in wheel chairs, speaking through loudspeakers in front of the ministry building. Speaking up for their rights.
I asked one of the ladies handing out the leaflet what this protest was all about? Why are these people in wheel chairs protesting in front of the MHLW? Why are they out here on a cold winter's day?
We are protesting for our civil rights.
I asked her how long they were going to be demonstrating, for I really wanted to interview the people, the real people behind this protest. I wanted to listen to their voices and speak up on their behalf.
Sure, I'll introduce you to the secretary general of the Japan National Assembly of Disabled People's International (english version here). We will be here till about 6pm.
Wow! I would be honoured. Thank you, I will be back later. I *want* to hear your stories.
I later went back around 5pm to see if the protestors were still there. It was approaching dusk -- a time when you really suddenly realise that you need more than gloves, but the 2000+ protesters were there. Warming each other in comradeship; they had come together to unite and speak as one voice to stand up for what they believed in. They stood/sat frozen in their wheel chairs for nearly 10 hrs in the cold, speaking up for what they believed in: their own civil rights.
A two thousand person march...
I eventually found the lady who was going to introduce me to the secretary general. She led me through the crowds of protesters who were handing out leaflets and shouting at the ministry building. We eventually got to the centre. The brains, and the mastermind behind this gathering was a man in his mid/late 50s, with a strong posture, wearing slight glasses, and the only difference between him, and me,was that.... well, he was in a wheel chair.
This was my first encounter with Mr. Koji Onoue, the secretary general of the Japan Assembly of the DPI in Japan.
Mr. Onoue was happy to give me a brief interview immediately when I explained to him what my intentions were, and that I have a blog site that took up many causes. He was happy to oblige. We went into the MHLW building lobby area to move away from the loud crowds so that we can have a quiet chat. We exchanged business cards; never have I seen a business card that is set in both "visible" writing and also in Braille. I knew then that I was talking to someone who really was honest, open, and true about this whole protest.
Here's a brief excerpt from my interview:
DWR: So, Mr. Onoue, can you tell me the reason why you are out here protesting in front of the Ministry today? Please excuse my ignorance, for I am an able-bodied person, so I do not understand why you are here today.
Mr.O: Well, in that case, let me start from the beginning, he said as he drew a long, deep breath...
We, the physically and the mentally challenged of Japan, have been forcefully institutionalised up until 1970 (S.45). All persons deemed physically or mentally challenged, were forced to live in institutions, against our wills. Often we would be subjects to clinical, or surgical trials, against our wills for "advancement" in medicine...
(oh my god, sounds like a sci-fi fiction like the "The Chrysalids" or "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" )
DWR: S'cuse me sir. Are you telling me that the older generation of those with disabilities were forced to undergo surgical, or clinical trials against their wills?
Mr.O: Yes.
DWR: And were you yourself were subject to these these surgical procedures?
Mr.O: Yes. I was operated on 9 times without my consent. I was institutionalised. I couldn't protest. But I am one of the luckier ones. The women.... The women had to go through forced sterilisation. The government didn't want them to have children, just in case they had more "handicapped" children to deal with.
DWR:.... I'm sorry, I didn't know. Please, do go on.
Mr.O.: Well, in 1970 (S.45) the government began the "care in the community" program for people with disabilities -- so that we could live with the rest of society, become more independent, and not be locked up in some institution... but it was not until the 1990's that the government decided to come up with a subsidy system for us living in our own homes. As you can see some of us need helpers -- assistants -- to help us with our daily lives, and not all of us are wealthy enough to rely entirely upon our families to provide us with the care that we need.
DWR: Yes, I can understand. I recently wrote an article about trainee helpers. The government waited 20 years to come up with funding for you. Wow!
Mr.O: Yes, but the unfortunate thing is that the MHLW has not increased its annual budget for us because they allocated their budget based on the original projection of the numbers of the users back in the early 1990s, and they have not changed anything since... while in the meantime the number of claimants for the home-help requests have been on the rise. We are no longer shy to apply for what should be our basic rights: our right to live at home with our loved ones. Not go back to those institutions that teat us like guineapigs.
DWR: Yes I agree. The number of people needing help would increase, say due to accidents creating more people who need home help, or people developing illnesses that need home care, or you have a number of children born each year that need the benefits from the government.
Mr. O: Exacly. And since 2003 all the government has been doing is cutting our benenefits because they are strapped for cash. One of the examples is that we have had our "free home care" cut down to only 2 hours per day.
DWR: Two hours a day??? You can barely get a bath, go to the toilet (once) and get help on preparing one meal in those 2 hours -- and you live 24hrs a day like the rest of us! What is going on?
Mr.O: Oh that is just the tip of the iceberg... If you want additional help, under the "new law" that they are about to pass in Feb. next year we will have to foot 10% of our helpers bills which is a lot of money if you are living off benefits. For instance, a person eligible for state pensions, or benefits, receive on average 60,000yen (US$576) per month. If that person goes to a rehabilitation centre to "work", i.e. be economically active, they are charged 15,000yen (US$144) per month for "lunch" and a further 15,000yen (US$144) a month for the "helpers fees" -- so we are talking a total of 30,000yen (US$288) per month expenditure for these people.
DWR: This is madness! What about the people who have severe difficulties?
Mr.O: Well, they get more money from the government, about 80,000yen (US$768) per month, but because of their disabilities they usually have to pay around 40,000yen (US$384) per month.
DWR: Hang on, let me do the maths here. Are you saying that 50% of your "state benefits" goes on home care, or some other type of care?
Mr.O: Yes.
(Oh my god. If half of my monthly income went towards my "care" what am I to do? How can I live? What about rent, utilities, food, transport... how can I live??)
Mr. O sees my thoughts. He smiles and says: "Do you know the ironic thing? Those that are labeled as disabled but go to "work" in these special day-care centres, get paid less than 5000yen, and yet they charge us 15,000yen (US$144) for our care.
DWR: Are you telling me that you pay more than what you earn?
Mr.O: Yes. For they treat us as cheap labour. We are looked down as inferior labourers....
(This is unbelievable. What is going on?)
Mr.O: The government has now been drafting a bill through parliament that they took less than 2 or 3 debates, and they are going to push it through sometime next February. It will pass like the rest of the acts that are related to us.... This is not the first time. And it makes us angry because they don't discuss with us, the stakeholders, about OUR future. They are deciding upon our future without even listening to our voice....
DWR: Yes, I understand. And guess what? It's holiday season, and while everyone is on holiday they forget your cause, and *BOOM* next year, your fate has been decided, right?
Mr.O: (Sad grin) Yes... we have seen it far too many times....
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
"Kono kuni wa Minshyushyugi de wa nai. " (This is not a true democratic country) -- Mr. Koji Onoue, Secretary General, Japan Assembly of DPI
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
(I agree.)
DWR: So, Mr. O., I see that you are in a wheelchair. I noticed that many stations are not exactly "Barrier Free". How did you and your colleagues get to Kasumigaseki station today?
Mr.O: Well, the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare has a direct passage from the underground station linked by a lift, others had to ask for assistance at other train stations. The train station that I started from, Shin-Ochanomizu, has only an escalaor, which is not exactly negotiable by yourself if you are in a 150kg electric wheel chair so I had a bit of assistance there, but otherwise I was OK.
(yes, I have seen many people in wheelchairs going down escalators with an enterage of 5 station employees!!)
To be honest with you, these new proposed laws that the government is trying to pass through gives us only one of two alternatives: we either go back to our parents who are rich enough to go support us in our ailing age, or to go back to the institutions that will perform surgical and clinical trials against our wills. This is why we stand out here yesterday, today, and tomorrow to fight our cause. We are fed up. We are humans. We deserve the right to be treated the same as anybody walking up and down the steps of Kasumigaseki Station... We want to go places on our own, by our own way.
DWR: What about housing? If 50% of your income goes to home help, what happenes to where you live? Obviously you need "barrier free" housing?
Mr.O: Yes. Unfortunately the government does not build housing projects for those like us, or the elderly, who need "barrier free homes", so in effect we have to rely on the private sector to provide us with the housing that we need.
(Oh my god. More money that these people need. They are falling straight through our social security net!!)
DWR: Mr.O, thank you very much for your time and telling me why you are here. I can see that you are busy, so I won't take up anymore of your time. Thank you indeed. My heart is with you, and I hope your voice gets heard by the civil servants leaving right now (it was 5:15pm). And I will send you my article when I finish it.
Mr. O. (smiling) I hope you get to write what you want. What you see. I look forward to your article.
DWR: My final comment to you, MrO.,I recently wrote an article on trainee helpers. I found out through them that by loosing one's "site" can you only appreciate your gift of vision. Perhaps those that are drafting your laws should sit in a wheel chair ALL day, to see what it's like from the other side of the fence.
He smiled as if to say. Oh, so you do know... good for you!!
And with that, Mr. O was back on the picket lines with his fellow warriors, speaking up for his cause.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Mr. Onoue is one of the smartest, and the most clued-up people that I have met in my life. He is no revolutionary in any radical means, but he is more of a cerebral, and a peaceful fighter of his rights and freedom -- just like Martin Luther King Jr. His people have moved from a life of institutionalisation to one that of more humane: care/living in the community.... but even that is about to be threatened, restricted, even taken away from them. Onoue san and the 2,000 men and women marched for their rights. They were not petitioning for all the illegal surgical proceedures, or the forced sterilisations that was performed on them to be abolished, for these items were in their past, albeilt a very painful passage in their movements through their dark history of internment and institutionalisation. They have moved on. Right now all they want is a bright future, after all, these people, these highly intelligent, motivated people were prepared to be out in force for 3 days in one of the coldest days to change this country...
Tomorrow, Onoue san and the 2,000 warriors will be there, probably around 8:30am before the civil servants who will arrive at the Ministry building around 9am. And Onoue san will probably be there, protesting up until 6pm, an hour after the civil servants leave for their comfortable, state provided, cheap housing not worrying about having 50% of their income disappear to "home care". The same civil servants that are drafting the new laws that holds the fate of those like Onoue san, and the 2,000 protesters.... and beyond.
Strange how life looks different from the other side of the fence, huh?
I believe, however, that there will be changes. Onoue san and the other disabled people of Japan have come a long way: they came out of the dark, forced internment up to the late 1960's, to where they are today -- out on the streets, with their families, their loved ones. Together with the people that care...
Unfortunately Japan's laws on treating people with disabilities are far behind other "developed countries". There is no law that mandates the accessibility to all public buildings in Japan, although a recent "TV drama" depicting a young woman who was disabled in an accident has raised some public awareness on the plight of those bound to wheelchairs. But it is not only those that are in wheel chairs, for there are an estimated 5 million "disabled people" of which nearly 2million are those with learning difficulties.
I did volunteer work with people with learning difficulties when I was 17. I loved my role, and I know that everyone there enjoyed being part of society, and being a part of our economic system. Our "Labour laws" have some vague, ambiguous clauses saying something about private companies with more than 300 employees to hire at least 1.6 % to 1.8% who are disabled in their work place... sorry, dear readers, I can do the maths. Where am I going to find 4.8 persons or 5.4 persons? Or does someone in a wheelchair, or someone with an IQ of a 7 year old count as a 0.4 or 0.8 of a person? Sorry, I don't buy that, especially having an intelligent conversation with all those helped me on that march that day....
Disabled people are people. They are not just numbers.
People like Mr. Onoue have been treated like how "disabled" and "mentally affected" people were treated in the 19th Century in Europe; Mr. Onoue himself had been forced to undergo 9 surgical procedures against his will, and countless more tests. There are a group of women who are petitioning the Japanese government asking for an investigation and an apology into forced sterilisation against them between 1949 to 1992 . Our government has neighther investigated it, nor appologiesed for it.
But for the likes of Onoue-san, it's not an apology for what was done to him, is that he seeks. He and his fellow other people seek stability, seek a promise from the government that he voted for to protect him.
For he has no one else...
>>>>>>>>>>
Today was one of the coldest days of the year. Although the max temperature was supposedly 11degrees Celsius, but if you add the wind-chill factor it felt more like 6 or 7 degrees. There was not a single cloud in the sky to blanket the sun's warmth; even the concrete footpaths were exuding cold air. It was one of those days where you'd regret not having brought your gloves and woolen hats even under the soft rays of the sun.
As I was walking to the station to go for my lunch meeting I saw a bunch of people in wheel chairs handing out leaflets. My office is right in the middle of Tokyo near the government buildings so I encounter protestors quite frequently. I looked over towards the building I heard loud voices from: it was coming from the direction of the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, (aka. the"Ministry of Wealth Through Increased Labour and Cuts in Healthcare"), and also the Ministry of Environment -- both my nemeses. I'm usually skeptical about protestors, but that day I couldn't believe my eyes, for there were nearly 2,000 people -- some standing tall, some in wheel chairs, speaking through loudspeakers in front of the ministry building. Speaking up for their rights.
I asked one of the ladies handing out the leaflet what this protest was all about? Why are these people in wheel chairs protesting in front of the MHLW? Why are they out here on a cold winter's day?
We are protesting for our civil rights.
I asked her how long they were going to be demonstrating, for I really wanted to interview the people, the real people behind this protest. I wanted to listen to their voices and speak up on their behalf.
Sure, I'll introduce you to the secretary general of the Japan National Assembly of Disabled People's International (english version here). We will be here till about 6pm.
Wow! I would be honoured. Thank you, I will be back later. I *want* to hear your stories.
I later went back around 5pm to see if the protestors were still there. It was approaching dusk -- a time when you really suddenly realise that you need more than gloves, but the 2000+ protesters were there. Warming each other in comradeship; they had come together to unite and speak as one voice to stand up for what they believed in. They stood/sat frozen in their wheel chairs for nearly 10 hrs in the cold, speaking up for what they believed in: their own civil rights.
A two thousand person march...
I eventually found the lady who was going to introduce me to the secretary general. She led me through the crowds of protesters who were handing out leaflets and shouting at the ministry building. We eventually got to the centre. The brains, and the mastermind behind this gathering was a man in his mid/late 50s, with a strong posture, wearing slight glasses, and the only difference between him, and me,was that.... well, he was in a wheel chair.
This was my first encounter with Mr. Koji Onoue, the secretary general of the Japan Assembly of the DPI in Japan.
Mr. Onoue was happy to give me a brief interview immediately when I explained to him what my intentions were, and that I have a blog site that took up many causes. He was happy to oblige. We went into the MHLW building lobby area to move away from the loud crowds so that we can have a quiet chat. We exchanged business cards; never have I seen a business card that is set in both "visible" writing and also in Braille. I knew then that I was talking to someone who really was honest, open, and true about this whole protest.
Here's a brief excerpt from my interview:
DWR: So, Mr. Onoue, can you tell me the reason why you are out here protesting in front of the Ministry today? Please excuse my ignorance, for I am an able-bodied person, so I do not understand why you are here today.
Mr.O: Well, in that case, let me start from the beginning, he said as he drew a long, deep breath...
We, the physically and the mentally challenged of Japan, have been forcefully institutionalised up until 1970 (S.45). All persons deemed physically or mentally challenged, were forced to live in institutions, against our wills. Often we would be subjects to clinical, or surgical trials, against our wills for "advancement" in medicine...
(oh my god, sounds like a sci-fi fiction like the "The Chrysalids" or "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" )
DWR: S'cuse me sir. Are you telling me that the older generation of those with disabilities were forced to undergo surgical, or clinical trials against their wills?
Mr.O: Yes.
DWR: And were you yourself were subject to these these surgical procedures?
Mr.O: Yes. I was operated on 9 times without my consent. I was institutionalised. I couldn't protest. But I am one of the luckier ones. The women.... The women had to go through forced sterilisation. The government didn't want them to have children, just in case they had more "handicapped" children to deal with.
DWR:.... I'm sorry, I didn't know. Please, do go on.
Mr.O.: Well, in 1970 (S.45) the government began the "care in the community" program for people with disabilities -- so that we could live with the rest of society, become more independent, and not be locked up in some institution... but it was not until the 1990's that the government decided to come up with a subsidy system for us living in our own homes. As you can see some of us need helpers -- assistants -- to help us with our daily lives, and not all of us are wealthy enough to rely entirely upon our families to provide us with the care that we need.
DWR: Yes, I can understand. I recently wrote an article about trainee helpers. The government waited 20 years to come up with funding for you. Wow!
Mr.O: Yes, but the unfortunate thing is that the MHLW has not increased its annual budget for us because they allocated their budget based on the original projection of the numbers of the users back in the early 1990s, and they have not changed anything since... while in the meantime the number of claimants for the home-help requests have been on the rise. We are no longer shy to apply for what should be our basic rights: our right to live at home with our loved ones. Not go back to those institutions that teat us like guineapigs.
DWR: Yes I agree. The number of people needing help would increase, say due to accidents creating more people who need home help, or people developing illnesses that need home care, or you have a number of children born each year that need the benefits from the government.
Mr. O: Exacly. And since 2003 all the government has been doing is cutting our benenefits because they are strapped for cash. One of the examples is that we have had our "free home care" cut down to only 2 hours per day.
DWR: Two hours a day??? You can barely get a bath, go to the toilet (once) and get help on preparing one meal in those 2 hours -- and you live 24hrs a day like the rest of us! What is going on?
Mr.O: Oh that is just the tip of the iceberg... If you want additional help, under the "new law" that they are about to pass in Feb. next year we will have to foot 10% of our helpers bills which is a lot of money if you are living off benefits. For instance, a person eligible for state pensions, or benefits, receive on average 60,000yen (US$576) per month. If that person goes to a rehabilitation centre to "work", i.e. be economically active, they are charged 15,000yen (US$144) per month for "lunch" and a further 15,000yen (US$144) a month for the "helpers fees" -- so we are talking a total of 30,000yen (US$288) per month expenditure for these people.
DWR: This is madness! What about the people who have severe difficulties?
Mr.O: Well, they get more money from the government, about 80,000yen (US$768) per month, but because of their disabilities they usually have to pay around 40,000yen (US$384) per month.
DWR: Hang on, let me do the maths here. Are you saying that 50% of your "state benefits" goes on home care, or some other type of care?
Mr.O: Yes.
(Oh my god. If half of my monthly income went towards my "care" what am I to do? How can I live? What about rent, utilities, food, transport... how can I live??)
Mr. O sees my thoughts. He smiles and says: "Do you know the ironic thing? Those that are labeled as disabled but go to "work" in these special day-care centres, get paid less than 5000yen, and yet they charge us 15,000yen (US$144) for our care.
DWR: Are you telling me that you pay more than what you earn?
Mr.O: Yes. For they treat us as cheap labour. We are looked down as inferior labourers....
(This is unbelievable. What is going on?)
Mr.O: The government has now been drafting a bill through parliament that they took less than 2 or 3 debates, and they are going to push it through sometime next February. It will pass like the rest of the acts that are related to us.... This is not the first time. And it makes us angry because they don't discuss with us, the stakeholders, about OUR future. They are deciding upon our future without even listening to our voice....
DWR: Yes, I understand. And guess what? It's holiday season, and while everyone is on holiday they forget your cause, and *BOOM* next year, your fate has been decided, right?
Mr.O: (Sad grin) Yes... we have seen it far too many times....
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
"Kono kuni wa Minshyushyugi de wa nai. " (This is not a true democratic country) -- Mr. Koji Onoue, Secretary General, Japan Assembly of DPI
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
(I agree.)
DWR: So, Mr. O., I see that you are in a wheelchair. I noticed that many stations are not exactly "Barrier Free". How did you and your colleagues get to Kasumigaseki station today?
Mr.O: Well, the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare has a direct passage from the underground station linked by a lift, others had to ask for assistance at other train stations. The train station that I started from, Shin-Ochanomizu, has only an escalaor, which is not exactly negotiable by yourself if you are in a 150kg electric wheel chair so I had a bit of assistance there, but otherwise I was OK.
(yes, I have seen many people in wheelchairs going down escalators with an enterage of 5 station employees!!)
To be honest with you, these new proposed laws that the government is trying to pass through gives us only one of two alternatives: we either go back to our parents who are rich enough to go support us in our ailing age, or to go back to the institutions that will perform surgical and clinical trials against our wills. This is why we stand out here yesterday, today, and tomorrow to fight our cause. We are fed up. We are humans. We deserve the right to be treated the same as anybody walking up and down the steps of Kasumigaseki Station... We want to go places on our own, by our own way.
DWR: What about housing? If 50% of your income goes to home help, what happenes to where you live? Obviously you need "barrier free" housing?
Mr.O: Yes. Unfortunately the government does not build housing projects for those like us, or the elderly, who need "barrier free homes", so in effect we have to rely on the private sector to provide us with the housing that we need.
(Oh my god. More money that these people need. They are falling straight through our social security net!!)
DWR: Mr.O, thank you very much for your time and telling me why you are here. I can see that you are busy, so I won't take up anymore of your time. Thank you indeed. My heart is with you, and I hope your voice gets heard by the civil servants leaving right now (it was 5:15pm). And I will send you my article when I finish it.
Mr. O. (smiling) I hope you get to write what you want. What you see. I look forward to your article.
DWR: My final comment to you, MrO.,I recently wrote an article on trainee helpers. I found out through them that by loosing one's "site" can you only appreciate your gift of vision. Perhaps those that are drafting your laws should sit in a wheel chair ALL day, to see what it's like from the other side of the fence.
He smiled as if to say. Oh, so you do know... good for you!!
And with that, Mr. O was back on the picket lines with his fellow warriors, speaking up for his cause.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Mr. Onoue is one of the smartest, and the most clued-up people that I have met in my life. He is no revolutionary in any radical means, but he is more of a cerebral, and a peaceful fighter of his rights and freedom -- just like Martin Luther King Jr. His people have moved from a life of institutionalisation to one that of more humane: care/living in the community.... but even that is about to be threatened, restricted, even taken away from them. Onoue san and the 2,000 men and women marched for their rights. They were not petitioning for all the illegal surgical proceedures, or the forced sterilisations that was performed on them to be abolished, for these items were in their past, albeilt a very painful passage in their movements through their dark history of internment and institutionalisation. They have moved on. Right now all they want is a bright future, after all, these people, these highly intelligent, motivated people were prepared to be out in force for 3 days in one of the coldest days to change this country...
Tomorrow, Onoue san and the 2,000 warriors will be there, probably around 8:30am before the civil servants who will arrive at the Ministry building around 9am. And Onoue san will probably be there, protesting up until 6pm, an hour after the civil servants leave for their comfortable, state provided, cheap housing not worrying about having 50% of their income disappear to "home care". The same civil servants that are drafting the new laws that holds the fate of those like Onoue san, and the 2,000 protesters.... and beyond.
Strange how life looks different from the other side of the fence, huh?
I believe, however, that there will be changes. Onoue san and the other disabled people of Japan have come a long way: they came out of the dark, forced internment up to the late 1960's, to where they are today -- out on the streets, with their families, their loved ones. Together with the people that care...
Unfortunately Japan's laws on treating people with disabilities are far behind other "developed countries". There is no law that mandates the accessibility to all public buildings in Japan, although a recent "TV drama" depicting a young woman who was disabled in an accident has raised some public awareness on the plight of those bound to wheelchairs. But it is not only those that are in wheel chairs, for there are an estimated 5 million "disabled people" of which nearly 2million are those with learning difficulties.
I did volunteer work with people with learning difficulties when I was 17. I loved my role, and I know that everyone there enjoyed being part of society, and being a part of our economic system. Our "Labour laws" have some vague, ambiguous clauses saying something about private companies with more than 300 employees to hire at least 1.6 % to 1.8% who are disabled in their work place... sorry, dear readers, I can do the maths. Where am I going to find 4.8 persons or 5.4 persons? Or does someone in a wheelchair, or someone with an IQ of a 7 year old count as a 0.4 or 0.8 of a person? Sorry, I don't buy that, especially having an intelligent conversation with all those helped me on that march that day....
Disabled people are people. They are not just numbers.
People like Mr. Onoue have been treated like how "disabled" and "mentally affected" people were treated in the 19th Century in Europe; Mr. Onoue himself had been forced to undergo 9 surgical procedures against his will, and countless more tests. There are a group of women who are petitioning the Japanese government asking for an investigation and an apology into forced sterilisation against them between 1949 to 1992 . Our government has neighther investigated it, nor appologiesed for it.
But for the likes of Onoue-san, it's not an apology for what was done to him, is that he seeks. He and his fellow other people seek stability, seek a promise from the government that he voted for to protect him.
For he has no one else...
>>>>>>>>>>
Onoue san, and the rest of the his men will protest outside the ministry aroundd 8:30am before the civil servants who decide their fate arrive at the ministry at 9am, and will still be there at past 6pm... one after they leave at 5pm. Onoue san and his comrades will keep fighting on... throughout their lives they have 10001+ more obstacles than me -- and they have cleared it. I think that they can manage one or two more than me, for they are determined, strong Warriors on Wheels
(Post Script: I have had to do some extensive research on this topic. Thank you to all those that helped me on this project, supported me thru my drunken sleepless nights, and thank you most of all to Mr. Onoue for giving me his time. Honto Ni Arigato Gozaimasita. I hope I have done you justice.
source list:
* all currency conversions done though "oanda" or the median bank conversion online. I'm sorry if there is a slight difference when you convert into your currency. )
You can visit Onoue san and the membres of the DPI Japan and DPI international to find out about their activites locally, on line. If you are interested in making a contribution, or making a mark, please contact them directly. I know they will be more than happy to respond... just as they did for me!
DWR
Which Road Do I Take, Dear Cheshire, Cat? Which Road?
Has anyone come across a cross roads in their lives where they wake up saying to themselves: "What am I doing? Why am repeating what I did yesterday, that I will do once again tomorrow?" How important is that "business meeting" tomorrow morning? How much will I get out of that meeting, both in terms of persnal growth, and also my eminient promotition in my firm... but what does that mean?
Where are my dreams. What makes me smile...What is my Personal Legend...
In one of my most recent posts I announced to y'all about how I am going to "sell out!" and intoduce to you commercial sites where you can buy the books/DVDs/music to which I recommend.... while sublidising my time limited postings... This was to result of drinking a bottle of scotch to forget the financial, technical and business burdens of maintaining this site...
But alas, my consiouns does not allow for this to happen. I have a full time job. Maybe someday, somone might say" l like your work, can we place an ad' in there." Sure, if they were for a good cause, but first things first. Wrtie, Move my blog to my new home (once I get that FTP thing going, damn it!), and get off this PC, for the real stories that I want to write about are out there, it's out with the people. Not here... and the stories are often offered to me for free. Just as I spend my free time writing about them.
Where are my dreams. What makes me smile...What is my Personal Legend...
In one of my most recent posts I announced to y'all about how I am going to "sell out!" and intoduce to you commercial sites where you can buy the books/DVDs/music to which I recommend.... while sublidising my time limited postings... This was to result of drinking a bottle of scotch to forget the financial, technical and business burdens of maintaining this site...
But alas, my consiouns does not allow for this to happen. I have a full time job. Maybe someday, somone might say" l like your work, can we place an ad' in there." Sure, if they were for a good cause, but first things first. Wrtie, Move my blog to my new home (once I get that FTP thing going, damn it!), and get off this PC, for the real stories that I want to write about are out there, it's out with the people. Not here... and the stories are often offered to me for free. Just as I spend my free time writing about them.
I want to become this painting, so peaceful... Pablo Picasso
One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree.
Which road do I take? she asked.
Where do you want to go? was his response.
I don't know, Alice answered.
Then, said the cat, it doesn't matter.
(Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland)
Which road do I take? she asked.
Where do you want to go? was his response.
I don't know, Alice answered.
Then, said the cat, it doesn't matter.
(Lewis Carroll, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland)
Chesire Cat, the problem is that I do*know* where the passages lead me to. One path leads me to a difficult (challenging!), demanding, steady job with a fat, steady income, while I write as a hobby (when I have the time), vs. cutting down on my day job to devote more time to writing to post "quality", or at least posts that I am happy to publish... which I have not been doing for ages....
Dear Chesire Cat? Which road shall I take? And if you come with some lame excuse about it not being any different with what I am doing coz it matters, for I would be unhappy whatever the outcome. I may stoop as lows as to send a letter to Cosomo, (or worst still "Dr.Ruth) or something for some "Proper" advice, in addiiton to free advice on how to keep your men interested in sex....(not, much, there I guess)
Dear Cheshire cat. Which road shall I take? Or is there an alternave roue that you are not revealing to me???
Dear readers, crossroads asside -- in particular to those who make a small revenue from your blog... How did you feel when when you made the transition? Going from a free-style expression of your ideas, to actually getting paid for it?? How do you feel when you see the small children from poor neighbourhoods, faces that you interviewed, knowing that you are making money off them?
Perhaps I should keep this as a free site, for my consciounce will not rest too well...
(Procrastinating, Sober, DWR, but a proud Libra Blogger)
What do you think, readers, shall I do with my dilema?
Nutts and I no are closer to a conclution on this one....and I'm sure if we will ever get there...
Sometimes the cross roads can be full of very unhelpful oracles....
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