hipkondo's journal

Wed, 02 Mar 2005 03:11:49 GMT

Still alive.

Tokyo has good to me thus far. School is pretty intensive, but the Chinese kids talk too much and too damn loudly, so I've drawn their scorn with my shushes and "URUSAI!!!'s. It's sunny most days, and it's slowly heating up. I'd like to be eating more but them's the breaks. Been doing alot of walking and exploring...my Japanese is improving slowly. The other day, I had to go to the ward office to get signed up with the national health insurance plan...that was.....fun. I bought an AV Famicom and a boxed copy of Akumajou Densetsu III (Castlevania III), so things ain't half bad. I've got alotta pics on my camera....will upload some in the next few days.

Obu za rokku n roru

Sat, 08 Jan 2005 13:50:34 GMT

Been in Tokyo for three days now. Before leaving Kansai, we (GF and I) went to Arashiyama Monkey Park near Kyoto. You climb a mountain and there are monkies everywhere. You take cute pictures of them, stare into their eyes (which is strictly achtung forbodden), and they chase after you and take swipes at you. Then you take pictures of the great (really) view of Kyoto. Pretty cool, the village was quaint and had some damn fine korokke.

Bullet train to Tokyo was alright, it is indeed fast. Sad though, won't see my GF for at least six months, as she is in the air on her way back to uni as I type this....yArghh.

First day in Tokyo: Arrive at Tokyo station, get on the Chuo line to Shinjuku. Find real estate company, sigh papers, fork over first months rent. Arms and shoulders are hurting. Go to Kanda, find apartment after awhile...the location on the map was off by a block, so I had to cross the street to find the place via recognition, since I had seen a picture of the front before. Place is alright...small (mochiron!%). I live around the corner from a cool shopping promenade with just about everything; multiple conbini, matsuya (yoshinoya's chinese beef using archnemesis), mcdonalds, pharmacies, liquor store etc.

I head out the door to buy a LAN cable...I walk and walk. Now you may wonder why I just didnt ask someone, or pop into a police box. I wondered this too, but I pushed this back and let my stubborn determination to do things myself persist. I walked as far north as to see the gleaming buildings of Akihabara a few hundred metres ahead of me. Though I dared not venture there that day, as I found an office supply store that hooked me up with interweb for 360 yen. Tommorow, tommorow...

Second day: Wake up early to go to school in Ikebukuro for placement test. Misplace keys, end up late. Test goes fine...I forgot a few kanji, otherwise I think I showed off my abilities to their extent. Look around nearby BIC Camera and find a music shop where I play a really nice v-drums setup for about an hour. It was good to sit down on a kit again. Return home, and go to Akiba....played VF4 Final Tuned in Sega City and bought an SD Gundam Gashopon....I don't even have a TV, so gamexx0rs* will wait. Amazing to see the Famicom still so popular...popular enough that AV Famicoms run for 8800-10,000 yen for mint used/new ones...

Obligatory Akihabara/neon shot

Third day (today): Slept til 2 pm. Bought some school supplies and home stuff, studied. Went back to Akiba to explore a little more....found G-Front, bought a Virtua Fighter 2 poster....couldn't find any cheap used TVs though. I just missed out a 1000 yen 16 incher from someone's "sayonnara sale" the other day too.

PCB goodness is on 2F

Tommorow: Buy groceries, find a store with index cards that aren't the size of my thumb.

*In Kansai I bought Zelda 4 Swords (1400 yen), Winning Eleven 6 Final Evo (600 yen) and Gradius III & IV (1050 yen). No, I don't own a J-PS2 and no, I didnt bring my modded cube with me. For the time being, they look pretty on my bookshelf (totally FUCKING free with apartment rental)

~

Tue, 04 Jan 2005 14:32:40 GMT

Been in Japan about three weeks now. I've been busy, had alot of fun, seen a lotta sights, gotten good 'n stinkin drunk. But it's time to leave "teh" Kansai and head to the sunny shores of "teh" Tokyo. I have a window seat on the bullet train.

Rock.

Regular updates will start again then.

For all you rabid, frothing japanophiles, here's Kiyomizudera (Kyoto) on a sorta snowy New Years Eve day:

In Japan

Wed, 22 Dec 2004 14:25:16 GMT

So the flight wasnt bad. Sat next to an interesting old fellow who looked like MGS3`s The End, complete with bugged out eyes. Watched I Robot in Japanese.

More to come soon.

Game time!

Tue, 14 Dec 2004 10:32:13 GMT

Let's play a game. Leave a comment stating the farthest you've gone in the four cardinal directions (N, S, E, W), from what you consider to be your true home. So if you're away from home at school, use your actual "home" home as the starting point.

Yes I'm aware the whole directional thing is relative to where you are, but the world is round, it's not my fault.

Me:

From Vancouver:

N - Edmonton
S- Oahu, Hawaii (barely beats out LA)
W - Maui, Hawaii
E - Montreal

RIP Dimebag

Thu, 09 Dec 2004 20:11:48 GMT

Dimebag Darrell is dead.

I just found out.

Everything seems very surreal right now. I feel like if I try hard enough, I'll wake from this horrible dream.

Sun, 05 Dec 2004 05:53:21 GMT

So, I found a place to live in Tokyo. It's in Kanda.

Wed, 01 Dec 2004 08:22:36 GMT

Went to the local DVD emporium today to buy the Audrey Hepburn Collection for my GF (she loves her)...spied an obese, sweaty 50-something male perusing the Japanese Idol section. Rather amusing....

Bought that new book by thw Kobun Heat guy (Chris Koehler?)....will read it someday.

Also, buy my cousin's new book:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0321246950/qid=1101889270/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/002-7919376-9898445?v=glance&s=books

Buy his other books while you're at it.

Thu, 18 Nov 2004 23:16:00 GMT

So I'm off to the post-office to mail out my digital camera. I sold my Fuji 3800 and my Roland TD-5 Drumkit (packing that thing is gonna be fun) this week on Ebay. I coulda gotten more for them, but I just wanted to get them out of my hair. I'm nevaa buying Fuji again...I'm going with Canon or Minolta next time.

When I get home I'll clear up HD space for Half-life 2, and then maybe play some Snatcher.

--

2 weeks left of classes, then exams. ROCK

--

Also, check out those bloopers on bangbus.com. Horribly, horribly demeaning. But funny as hizzel.

Tue, 16 Nov 2004 07:57:13 GMT

I got word the other day that the Japanese government has accepted my student visa application. I'm well on my way to being radical, physically and mentally etc.

My hobby as of late is trying to find housing in Tokyo. I'm not having alot of luck, as I don't get a hell of alot of replies to my emails (whether I write in English or Japanese appears to not be of consequence). They're either scared of my perfect native English skills, or disgusted by my broken Japanese. Or they're too busy leveling up their parties on their cell phone RPG's to care.

Sat, 13 Nov 2004 20:14:42 GMT

So, yesterday. I'm sitting in art history class, prepping for the quiz which we are to have in mere moments, when the middle-aged spanish lady who sits in front of me turns around to grace me with this conversation:

I.....I when I havea these quizzes, I get so nervous...I just.... *begins flapping arms wildly* get so nervous! When I take quizzes I need to pee so bad you know? But there is no water there you know? Maybe I need to wear a diaper yes?

This was all said without letting me even have a chance to interject.

Oh yeah...just a nervous reaction of sorts I guess.. I said. I gave a half-assed smile, a fake pity chuckle, and turned back to my notes.

I love community college.

Wed, 03 Nov 2004 08:26:35 GMT

As of this writing, CNN has it at 249 to 242 for Bush. We shall seeeeee....

I hope everyone voted...and voted for the "right" guy.
*wink

So! I want to get an electronic japanese - english dictionary. However they seem pretty expensive. I'm thinking instead of buying a Palm Zire 31...and then downloading the free dictionary that was recommended by RandomLogik on IC long ago. It's got kanji input via the touch screen....pretty snazzy. It's got an MP3 player to boot, colour screen blah blah.

My original plan was to use my five year-old Palm IIIx...but the cradle is dead....rendering the palm itself sorta useless. It's sort of ugly and the battery life is poor anyway. I can get the Zire 31 for about $100 cdn so it's a ridiculously good deal for all the stuff included in addition to the dictionary. I really liked the Sony units....but they pulled out of the North American market in the summer because they're hermorraging money....but of course PSP will help that.

Ugh. I don't like this post.

....

FUXK IT!

Mon, 01 Nov 2004 08:12:09 GMT

I arrive in Japan on Dec. 16. OOOSSAAKKAAA to be precise.

SMT:N is good. And hard. It is indeed pokemon for fucked up goth kids as Legalstep said. This is a good thing. I wish it was more story-driven like Persona 2 however. But the loading times are the bees knees!

I saw Saw last night. Some glaring plot holes and some questionable "acting" but overall it was enjoyable.

I need to get more people reading this damn thing. Although actual INTERESTING content, longer entries and more pictures would help I suppose. Time to start commenting in random journals. It's like home invasion soliciting, blog-style, that.

Fri, 22 Oct 2004 08:18:34 GMT

I caved and bought Shin Megami Tensei the other day...I'm at Ginza now, about two hours in...apparently the first run is a limited edition that comes with a soundtrack CD....I'm not complaining.

Trying to find a place (closet) in Tokyo. I don't think I can afford an apartment...guesthouse (bedroom w/ shared kitchen, bathroom etc) is probably the way to go...the closer to Shibuya station the better, but maybe I shouldn't be so picky?

I should be leaving for Japan in about two months...booking my flight on the 29th.

Megadeth comes to town (Vancouver, not Tokyo) Nov.26 with Exodus. Should be good!

Fri, 15 Oct 2004 19:13:27 GMT

I beat Gradius Gaiden last night...on the second easiest difficulty setting with it set to 5 lives per credit (9 credits given, I used 7). I hadn't played the game in about a year...I was always deadset on beating it on normal mode, but I never could do it, so I gave up.

--

So..--...it WAS on an easier difficulty setting...but I did it. This game is hard....Gradius V is much easier in comparison I think. The music also really kicks ass, more ambient, less bombastic than GV's tunes, but still great....I need to see if I can rip the soundtrack tonight....and then it's off to play poker.

BUT first, art history lecture in 15 minutes!

Sleeping time!

NEWS! FREE MONEY! MITOCHONDRIA!

Thu, 14 Oct 2004 09:00:00 GMT

As longtime readers of this fantastic journal know, I was planning to study abroad starting in January 2005.....there were many choices, and many country representives killed in the Battle Royale-style elimination game that ensued....however, the winner was Japan.

So --

I will be studying Japanese in Shibuya starting in January, for.....six months? Maybe longer if I have the will, money and strength to fight a prolonged battle against the devil (kanjis).

I'm excited, a little scared, and somewhat hungry.

Wed, 06 Oct 2004 06:57:27 GMT

When in scenic East Vancouver, visit...

Ho Bitch Nigga!

As well, The House of Dosas is down the street, and claims to have 30-some odd kinds of dosas. I don't what a dosa is, but apparently it's Sri Lankan/Indian in origin. I'm guessing it's like a gyoza/pot sticker but bigger.

--

I need a new digital camera as well, my Fuji Finepix 3800 is a POS. Its broken several times (under warranty though), the shutter speed is slooow and the flash is weak. It's also bulky as hell, although the 6x optical zoom is nice. I wants me one of those little Minoltas (Xt or Xi I think). My GF has one and it's really quite nice.

Sun, 26 Sep 2004 20:13:27 GMT

It's my 22nd birthday today. It makes this Sunday (my most hated day) a little better.

Katamari Damacy is weird. It's also very good. Get on the bandwagon early folks.

I saw Takashi Miike's Izo last night at the Vancouver International Film Festival. Most people would call it a "weird" and "I want my money back." kinda movie. Film buffs would call it "challenging." This movie was cocky and rebellious, not unlike Miike's own persona. I need to see it again to understand some of the more bizarre imagery (ie: the catepillar).

On Wednesday night, I'll be seeing Tony Takitani, which is based on a short story by Haruki Murakami. It sounds interesting.

Car Crashes and Gradius V

Mon, 20 Sep 2004 19:00:30 GMT

So, last night:

After a meal of all-you-can-eat Japanese food, GF and I are driving back to her place, when we stop at an innocent red-light. Light goes green, I'm just putting the car into 1st gear when...

KA~BLOOEY!!1!

We got rear-ended by a white acura, HARD. Our heads snapped forward, and I smacked my head pretty good on the steering wheel. We are ok, with the exception of some whiplash....asthetically, the car looks ok-ish (from the noise, I thought the back end was going to be completely crumpled), but it's going to need a new bumper, paint and some suspension work...probably about $1500-1800 worth of work. My insurance will cover it all though. I should really milk this for some extra cash....some physio, claim stress, nightmares etc etc.

It wasn't a hit-and-run, so I got all the info needed off the driver.

ALSO

Gradius V really kicks ass. Your hit-box is much smaller than in past Gradius games. Also, the option to choose Salamander-style instant restarts, and pick up your options after death (called 'multiples' this time around) results in a much more balanced, less-frustrating game. The new weapon arrays and option control are really cool too, and add alot of depth.

Tue, 14 Sep 2004 20:18:01 GMT

Today

an average EB Games, at an average suburban mall

me: Hi, do you have Gradius V for the PS2? It's supposed to be out today

clerk: Um, let me check. *starts typing* Uhh, how do you spell it?

me: *involuntary twitch*.............G-R-A-D-I-U-S (you should not be working in a game store, friend)

clerk: Uh we won't get it until the 16th now.

me: *Screams silent scream

Wal-Mart and Futureshop were also busts.

EDIT: Here are some pics of the Yu Suzuki cabs I said I would post. Enduro Racer is pretty gimicky and doesnt hold up too well, but Power Drift and Outrun still kick lots of ass.

Now THAT is history, people!

Gobblty-Goop

Sun, 12 Sep 2004 22:49:01 GMT

Fall Classes:

Psychology - Theories of Behavior
Japanese - Intermediate I
Philosophy - Morals & Ethics
Philosophy - Critical Thinking I
Art History - Intro to Visual Culture

Kanada no ryouri

POUTINE!

Montreal rocked. Hung with good friends and saw the sights. Hockey games were great. Cold Molson EX flowed like water and we (Canada) won both games.

Gradius V in just a few days hopefully....

Mon, 23 Aug 2004 20:07:42 GMT

Been busy lately. Hence, there is so much stuff on the IC forums to catch up on.

*grumble grumble

Random Musings that I can't possibly be bothered to shape into a coherent paragraph:

-Tried natto for the first a few days ago. Not terrible, not great.

It needed some sauce or something.

- Went to the PNE (Pacific National Exhibition) yesterday with the GF. This is Vancouver's yearly summer fair/amusement park. We were playing skeeball, when I notcied the machine has started RANDOMLY OMG spitting out tickets....like 2 feet worth. I look over to my right and see another couples machine is doing the same thing. After about 5 feet of tickets, we tell the attendant, who makes it stop, but lets us keep the tickets what we've already collected. So we traded them for a big plushy Tweety Bird. YAY! GF = Happy

- At the PNE, we hit the arcade, and I was happy to see Yu Suzuki's old catalog in full force. Deluxe, fully hydradlic versions of Outrun, Turbo Outrun, Power Drift, G-LOC and Enduro Racer. I took pics just for the hell of it, (getting weird stares as I did so) and will post them when I get them. We also played Salary Man Champ, which is another Bishi Bashi game from Konami (the BB series are mini-game competions that are the lovechild of QTE and Simon). A cursory googling (using "google" as a verb is the new post-modern) shows that there is a port on the PSone.....must get.

- Had my Comp Sci final exam on Thursday....very easy. I was the first person out.

- Leaving for Montreal on Thursday. Will be there for about 8-9 days. Ignoring IC for that length of time will result in an insurmountable pile of posts to wade through, so I will do my best to stay on teh ball.

-OK! I'm going downtown to deal with some stuff do to with my passport and the fact that my birth certificate is incorrect with regards to my actual place of birth and contradicts other pieces of ID I have (another story for another time).

*dodongo dislikes smoke

Thu, 05 Aug 2004 06:14:49 GMT

I won Smash Brothers DX (import version of SB Melee) off ebay the other day for $6.50 + shipping. Not bad at all. I've gotten some good import deals for mah cube in the past off ebay as well.

Super Monkeyball $7.50
Mario Sunshine 12.50
F-Zero 11.00
Drill Land 32.00

All used except for Drill Land, costs listed before shipping.

Moral of the story: Ebay (usually) good. Sniping bad.

Mon, 02 Aug 2004 03:57:33 GMT

I have time to kill waiting for my Sunday TV extraveganza (Trailer Park Boys followed by Curb Your Enthusiasm), so here's an entry for my rabid fanbase.

Starting in a little over a month, things are gonna get beezay. Full load of courses (five) an school. Going to be taking two philosophy courses, japanese, psych and something else, possibly art history (easy course). Gaming-wise, MGS 3, Gradius V, Shin Megami Tensei III and Paper Mario are coming down the pipeline. Then of course there is also the matter of Tales of Symphonia...

I might be going to Montreal to vist some friends towards the end of August. This coincides with Montreal's World Cup of Hockey games, and my friends have extra tickets so that will be a definite go if I get out there. I'll also check out McGill's campus, as it will be one of the schools I'll be applying to for transfer next year. A roadtrip to New York may also be in the cards.

Five minutes til TV time....um

I'm listening to Celtic Frost right now.

Think about it!!!

Sickness! Books!

Fri, 16 Jul 2004 19:32:10 GMT

It's really hot out, and I'm sick. Worst combination ever. And it's a Friday to boot!

Nooooo000000000!

--

I have a shitload of books that I need to read/finish. I wish I could just instantaneously absorb the books' contents.

I need to finish Looking For The Lost, Burning Chrome and Sound of The Beast.

Neuromancer and Idoru are sitting on my shelf next in line.

After that, there are numerous books on my list of "must reads." First off, Grand Central Winter, and then I'll dig into Haruki Murakami.