(no subject)

[blodeuedd]

Masa, you know I love you, but that colour looks better on me than it does on you.

And in the spirit of linking, here is some random stuff for you to click on:

Top 25 Men Who Look Like Old Lesbians: I couldn't help it, this made me snort with laughter more than once. Especially #8, "Inventors of the 1980s". *snerk* Cracked.com's lists of top 5/6/15/22 are a way to very easily waste whole evenings away, but damned if they aren't entertaining!

No Sex in the City: While I imagine it must be very frustrating to be putting yourself out there and not getting any takers, this line seems to encapsulate this woman's problems: "and even construction workers, who could usually be counted on for a leer, regarded me with bored, blank expressions, (...)" Seriously, what country did you think you were in? I don't know much about Japanese dating practices, but she seems to have been going about it all wrong. Oh, and having curly blonde hair doesn't mean that all guys will think you're hot, either.

101 Places Not To Go To: Reading this much negativity really annoyed me, especially the bit about, "OMG, Korean monks don't just sit around all day contemplating the mysteries of the universe, they actually have to work to get food on the table!" Get your head out of your ass, woman. I find myself getting really annoyed reading travel articles such as this one, because it really boils down to, "Hey, foreign people are weird and stuff in other countries is not just like it is back home!" Well, of course it isn't. Isn't that why you travel? What's the point if you're just going to seek to recreate the life you had in your native country? I clicked the link to her blog, though, and I liked the tone there much more; she's going off the beaten track, and has a good sense of humour about it, for the most part.

All right, enough complaining. Here's some fun stuff!

Seal of Approval: Approve-o-rama! *squeal* ^_^

Big Cats on Catnip: They're the same as regular cats, just on a larger scale.

* * *

When Kimberly called me up this morning to ask if I wanted to come over for a pancake breakfast, I realised that never before have I lived so close to a good friend, or to any friend, really, since childhood. The only time would have been back when I was 13, and my friend Melanie moved two streets away, but she changed schools at the end of that year and we grew apart, so we stopped hanging out together. It's nice to be able to just pop over whenever, bring my knitting and chat for a while.

Comments

[fic-faery.livejournal.com]

Just read the 101 places not to visit article. And I want to beat that writer. Okay, I get the gum wall and the tap water museum. Those are the really quirky things like a giant ball of string.

But the DMZ? Not my cup of tea but even if it's not as cool looking as the Berlin Wall it still holds a lot of cultural and historical importance. And the way she dissed that buddhist stay?! I can't believe it. First she complains she's put to work instead of in silent prayer and then she complains about that. What did she think happened at a working/living Buddhist community? And the whole radish thing. If the bowls are precleaned then the radish is just part of the ceremony and just go with it.

And this person is a real germphobe too if her kissing rock thing is anything to go by.

The girl in Japan article was just weird. And did she just praise Jennifer Aniston as being assertive, independent and outspoken? Maybe we know different Jennifer Anistons?

And after 9 months of not dating she felt unattractive and underappreciated? Girl needs better priorities! And a social life/hobby that goes beyond flirting with guys at cafes/bookstores and clubs.

And if she's having a tough time in Tokyo, where there are very foreigner friendly areas to club at and such and they are used to foreigners she should try living out in the inaka. Even if you do spot a handsome man they'll either just want to talk to you for English practice or be very afraid of you.

Thanks for the laugh at these two articles.

[hinoai.livejournal.com]

Well, to be honest, I kind of understand where the lady is coming from regarding monastery stay. I imagine that she paid a lot of money for the stay, so unless they specifically outlined that they would have to cultivate their own food outside in addition to paying, I can understand that she would be upset. Of course, if I'm wrong and it was free somehow, then she is in the wrong.

LOL, I've read that article by the dateless girl before. The thing is, she seems to think that
1) a club is a good place to meet a boyfriend. I've never met anyone who met a long-term boyfriend at a club. The most was short-term "dating" or hookups, at least from my friends.
2) she can find a boyfriend when she's obviously not looking to stop her travels to be with him. I don't know about everyone, but most of the japanese guys that I've asked to have said that they don't want to seriously date a foreign girl because she will eventually move away, so where is the future in that? (granted, this was only to guys that can't speak english and don't have any real interest in moving to a foreign country because they have careers here, which is probably 99% of the population). I imagine that had a factor in things for her. But she doesn't live here anymore, so I don't see why she really cares, except that the publication of the article will get her a bit of extra money.

LOL as a side note, I was approached by four guys yesterday. It was the weirdest things, and although one was hot and one was just shouting out catcalls from his van, they all gave me the creepy vibe. But hey at least I was approached. In the countryside. I don't know which Japan this girl was in, because it happens to me a lot. Maybe it's because I'm not blonde?

[umbrellaofdoom.livejournal.com]

I'm just reading through the No Sex In the City one. And Wow, girl is a bitch. "But I had something that the competition didn’t: long, naturally curly, blond hair. Furthermore, I was bilingual, well-traveled and college-educated." Oh bitch, what? Get a clue, to get a job here, you need a college education. Most ESL teachers are well travelled. And, uh, blond ≠ beautiful. It's taking a lot of self restraint to not comment and tell her "Wow,your life is pathetic if you feel unattractive just because you're like every other foreign girl in Japan. Get over yourself."

I don't think I can even read the other list, seeing what your comments are like.

HOWEVER, I LOVE WHEN I GET EXCUSES TO USE THIS ICON. SO YAY.

[genkischuldich.livejournal.com]

Am I the only one who hated the first article and liked the second two?

Um, I'll get me coat...

[tayles.livejournal.com]

When I was little I had a lot of friends who lived nearby, and Mike and I were always out and calling on them at ungodly hours of the morning so we could go climb trees or whatever. I miss that. Hope you enjoyed your pancakes!

Masa's hair that colour really doesn't suit him :/

I found the No Sex in the City article interesting - I noticed this a little, but I certainly didn't feel invisible while I was there. I had a few guys hit on me, and male servers in Starbucks or wherever were often quite happy and amused to be talking to a foreign woman. Granted this was more in Mito. But on the other hand, guys were certainly more shy in Japan than the Western men. Interesting. But I still have no idea what her curly blonde hair has to do with anything :/

I agree about the negativity in the 101 Places Not to Go - ok, perhaps I'm with her on the Gum Wall, but the Blarney Stone is a huge culturally significant place in Ireland. Don't diss it just because it's not really hygienic. Yes, don't travel to Ireland just for that, but if you're in the area anyway it's a must-see tourist experience.

And finally... big cats on catnip FTW XD

[dilettantka.livejournal.com]

Who's the troll on the other side of Aiba-chan? o...o and yes, Masa's hair looks atrocious.

I can see the perspective of Not Getting Laid girl; it's definitely a common viewpoint among foreign girls in Japan. I don't think it's so much that she thought she was hot shit, I think she just didn't ever figure out how to relate to Japanese guys and send out the "hi I'm available :D" signals, so she felt the whole time she was here that something was misfiring.

Okay, so I was laughing to myself reading the section in the travel article about the Korean monastery. It would have been even funnier if they had made her re-sort the potatoes and search, once again, for the true meaning of "small." Then again, reading some rich wanker complaining about having to do stuff and touching things that might have germs brings out the schadenfreude in me.

[dilettantka.livejournal.com]

Yes. get out. XD

[blodeuedd.livejournal.com]

Reading her blog, I didn't get quite the same vibe; it's more like she hears of a place and thinks, "Wow, that sounds totally weird, I must go!" To be honest, I'm that way too. XD

[blodeuedd.livejournal.com]

No matter how much (or little) money she paid, she signed up to "live the life of a monk" for a weekend. You'd have to be pretty silly to expect it to be like a hotel -- if being a monk were that easy, then everyone would be doing it. The only monastery I'd expect a luxurious stay at would be one of those fancy old converted monasteries in Europe or Latin America that are now five-star hotels.

It depends on what type of relationship you're looking for. I've never gone out looking to meet a Japanese guy, but it seems to me that you don't just go up to random guys and chat with them, here. *shrug* And I've also been approached by men here, but it seemed creepier somehow. Like, if someone tried to chat me up at a bookstore back home, it wouldn't be all that strange. But in Tokyo? (It's happened!) Creepy.

[fic-faery.livejournal.com]

I just read the main article part that was linked. And from that she just sounded rather ridiculous when it came to her expectations of places.

Also, I love going to weird random places (That defines most attractions around here!). Would I recommend them to others as a must visit place? Not especially. But if there was something enjoyable/weird/special about the place and someone had some time to kill somewhere or wanted to get a bit off the beaten path, I'm always happy to point out those type of places.

[blodeuedd.livejournal.com]

Actually, the second one links to her blog, which is much better (the Russian bath house story is amusing). I'm assuming the Korean monastery story was reworked for the book (and not lifted word-for-word from her blog), so it may have been edited to play up the "wow, this is not like how I imagined it would be" angle.

[blodeuedd.livejournal.com]

XD

[blodeuedd.livejournal.com]

They were good! Kimberly makes pancakes, and I bring my maple syrup, and it's yummy. :D~~~

It really doesn't. -__-;

My annoyance with it was more the fact that she seemed to assume that the guys would be more than happy to be approached by a (foreign) woman. I'm turned off by guys approaching me in random places, even more so in Japan, where that isn't really done, so why would they be any different, especially with the cultural differences? If she were so serious about dating, she should have asked to be introduced to people, or gone through a dating service, or something.

As I've replied to other people, her blog is much more enjoyable, so I'm giving her the benefit of the doubt. I guess "101 Places Not To Visit" is a better title than "101 Places That Sound Kind of Interesting But Aren't That Great".

Cats = win.

[umbrellaofdoom.livejournal.com]

And by "wow, this is not like how I imagined it would be" angle you mean the "Wow, self-entitled Americans who see the rest of the world as a Disneyland-esque theme park for their viewing pleasure!" angle, right? XD;;;

[blodeuedd.livejournal.com]

God, he is a troll, isn't he? I have no idea. XDDD

I agree, it's mostly that she didn't get it. Though that's not really the guys' fault, since they're in their own culture, minding their own business, and all. Of course, I've never wanted to go out and get myself a Japanese boyfriend, so I can't really relate all that much. XD;

Haha, that would have been awesome! Again *points up to previous replies*, her blog is a much better read, and her writing is quite funny at times. Less, "OMG, this places is WEIRD!" and more, "OMG, we just saw Rasputin's penis! XDDD"

[hinoai.livejournal.com]

Haha yeah, that's happened to me in the bookstores here before too, and almost always felt creepy! That's another thing that struck me as weird-- she mentioned randomly starting up convos with people at bookstores, but how could she imagine something that feels creepy to actually work? O.O Who goes to a bookstore in Japan to do meet people? That doesn't leave any time for the precious tachiyomi!

[hinoai.livejournal.com]

Am I the only one who agrees that kissing a stone that millions have kissed before is really unhygenic? I would be okay with seeing it, but never EVER kiss that. Eww. Does that make me a germophobe?

[dilettantka.livejournal.com]

You won't touch the handholds on the train and fall over on people instead. You're a total germophobe. XD

[hinoai.livejournal.com]

That's true! But I think that just makes me smart :D How many times have I gotten sick this year? :D

[tayles.livejournal.com]

I just don't get how she could be so oblivious to Japanese culture to expect men to be throwing themselves at her wonderful foreign self. I know what you mean - I find someone expressing interest in me when I don't know them very, very embarassing and awkward, and can't see the somewhat reserved Japanese man faring any better. Foreign women are often seen as brash and somewhat bossy - them making the first move will often scare off a Japanese guy. She'd have been better off striking up conversation with a group of guys while with a group of girls, or asking her Japanese female friends to invite some single guys along next time they were out.

Cats always = win. Oh, I have to show people the art my friend Vicki did of our two mogs for Mum's birthday. Her pic of Benji is priceless XD