Wake up time
December 30, 2001
We got back from a three day trip from Tokyo this morning at 6am and then slept a few hours before getting up now. Tokyo is rather different than Osaka. The people seem more trendy than here. The city itself is so busy. And huge, did I say it’s huge? We took a bus there instead of the shinkanzen because it was about $200 cheaper ~ each. We stayed at the Hilton which was pretty nice, we got a free upgrade to business level for some unknown reason. For another unknown reason, I bought a gameboy advance because I wanted something to do on the 9 hour busride. There are really cool games for it, mostly RPGs, but what I failed to realize is that I needed to understand the language before i could play an rpg. So i ended up buying Wario for it.
I can’t wait for the new year because it gets crazy with activities around this time. New Year’s is a much more important celebration than christmas here - not a surprise since the major religions are buddhism and shintoism. I have tonnes of pictures I will show you when i return - about a week from now. doh.
Hello again my beloved visitors
December 24, 2001
I don’t know how many days it’s been, but the past few days have been so awesome. I went to Kyoto on Saturday and visited so many temples. Kyoto was the capital city of Japan back in the 13 hundreds, or 12 hundreds so many great landmarks have been built in that city.
We were shopping yesterday for my honey’s gift (her birthday is on Christmas, that is, tomorrow) and the vast numbers of people were amazing. Tiffany’s was packed to the roof. It took a lot of pushing and shoving to finally get to the counter. I can’t say enough that working here in retail must be a pain in the ass because you have to speak formally and act like you care. I found that most speak formally but without any passion for it. I don’t understand a word they’re saying, but reading their body language and tone of voice I can loosely translate their words as, ”Welcome to the store. Thank you very much. I can’t get a better job so I’ll put up with you”.
I want to wish everyone a merry christmas and especially my honey, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
We’re going to eat now and I really need a cigarette so I will fill you in on more stuff later. Bye friends. Doh I just noticed that the times and dates are Vancouver based so while I’m here, just add 17 hours onto the update time and then you can understand why I am eating dinner now at 1am. Bye.
Ohayo Gozaimasu
December 21, 2001
Good morning people. Yesterday night we watched Harry Potter. It’s funny, movies that everyone say is good really suck, movies that everyone says is really bad, turn out really good. It’s a matter of expectations I guess. I heard this movie really sucked but I rather enjoyed it. You didn’t need to read the book to enjoy it. BTW, we watched it because Eri got these free tickets that were only good for Potter or Atlantis and Atlantis doesn’t look that good.
We saw the trailer for Lord of the Rings and it sure does look good. Dennis just gave it a pretty raving review too so it’s on my list to see.
We were in the webcam for about an hour yesterday and we got at one time 14 connections. I know 1 was my sister so were any of you guys there? Hehehe. We’ll probably be on later again for explicit adult situations.
Fack I made all my text into headers
December 20, 2001
Sorry about that, I’m using a laptop right now and the keys are all jumbled. Today I installed the webcam i got for eri so i think you’ll be able to see me in japan. what a treat. i went to this big ass department store that only sells electronic gadgets and whatnot. jesus! they have the coolest things. i looked at the pdas and they have so many more kinds. even the american made visors and palms are there (in japanese though). what really shocked me was that the prices were even cheaper than canada. i would have bought a pocket pc on the spot but they only came in japanese and i didn’t want to memorize what each icon was. i am having the time of my life here (mostly because of my honey though). thanks to michelle for emailing me and to people who haven’t, i’m waiting…
Greetings from Japan
December 18, 2001
Howdy folks. After a 10 hour flight, followed by a 3 hour wait, followed by a 1 hour flight, I finally met with my girlfriend and spent the night. Long flights really suck, especially when you’re travelling alone. That’s really all, I haven’t much to say. My condolences to Chuck Schuldiner’s family and fans.
The Arrival of the Beginning Is At Hand
December 16, 2001
There you have it folks. All that I need for Japan has been purchased. I have yet to pack or clean up the place but that will be done soon. This will be the last update for a few days… until I get internet access in Japan. So absorb my luscious writing and soak in it.
Please email me while I’m gone. I’ll check the account regularly:
I’ll have myself a nice, long flight and I’ll wish myself a Merry Xmas and Happy New Year. Same goes to you too.
Fucking Winds. Fuck them to Hell!
December 15, 2001
My exam has been postponed to Sunday night because of power outages today due to the gusty gusty gales today. Oh yeah, I leave Sunday morning… there’s a problem here. Fuck. I wasn’t really prepared for it though so if I get to write at a later date I’ll have time to prepare but I absolutely do not want to study during my trip.
Interesting Times We Live In
USA withdraws from the 1972 ABM treaty which leaves all nuclear capable nations fearing that they’ll have no threat against them after they deploy their missile shield (which can not protect against orbital launches so I have heard, only intercontinental launches - IF the kill vessel is successful and it has a small success window). Russa subtlely threatens USA by calling their withdrawal a ‘mistake’. North Korea openly threatens the USA saying they’ll retaliate with war and we all know N Korea’s idea of war is not sending troops - hell, they can’t even feed their troops. They’ll send nukes. Russia is also ‘interested’ in Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal… China is a growing threat. Israel withdraws ties from Arafat and heavy fighting is happening. Bin Laden supposedly is recorded in a blatantly bad attempt at propaganda. Why would anyone record that sort of conversation? All his previous public appearances were of him making speeches. This video is just him talking to some gimp. And how convenient that is was found in some house in Khandahar. Several top level researchers in micribiology, specializing in deadly viruses (ebola, etc) have ‘dissappeared’. An ebola-stricken victim in Gabon is missing (kidnapped to extract blood? Even if not, that person can spread further outbreaks). There are supposedly over a 100 ebola camps along the Pakistani border. Need I go on? Is it just me or things like these happening with higher frequency?
In the local level, we are experiencing really heavy winds that have raged all night. I would know because again insomnica struck and I couldn’t sleep until about 7 or 8am. I had a really interesting/thought-provoking dream too. Insomnia causes cool dreams. I won’t go into it because you’ll all think I’m crazy.
Hanging By A Sliver of Life
December 12, 2001
No time for weeping
No time to fear
No time to mourn
The end is near
The battle must rage
Our life’s a fight
That we must save
By fists and knives
Can’t bring us down
Can’t kill our spirit
Can’t make us cry
Don’t even get near us
We shall prevail
Lest sooner come death
We shall repay
The pain you gave
Wee!!!
December 11, 2001
Oh I am delirious right now. I tried to sleep when I got home around 4 but couldn’t. I made it till 7:30pm before attempting to sleep again. I think I slept about half an hour. Wee! Then I got up and studied up until now. I know all the concepts of this financial accounting crap now but I don’t think I have the energy to attempt to do the practice questions (which basically count for all). I’m planning to wake up early tomorrow to do those, after what I hope will be a full night of real sleep.
I read the update I did this morning and the grammatical anomalies are off the wall … I spelled ’shit’ with ‘hit’, I put ‘it’ as ‘IT’ so it looks like Information Technology or I was really accentuating the ‘it’, and there’s a really weird grammar problem somewhere else, but I can’t find it. That was interesting.
What I really wanted to update about is that today is the 15th month anniversary of me and Eri. Yay! Clap clap clap clap. It seems like a very short time. Well, compared to Dennis and Shannon who I think are in their 4000th month or something, it is short. Jesse’s surprise party thing was pretty cool - what a nice gesture for his girlfriend to do.
It reminded me of my surprise birthday party like 2 years ago. Only mine was 16 days before my birthday so “what the hell?” and I said the same thing when I saw my sister, cousin, highschool friends, non high school friends, and coworkers at the same place.. “Hmm interesting, they all came here to eat on their own, how weird.” Oh well. My birthdays suck ass anyway. Happy birthday to Jesse and my cousin Jeff and I think his brother too. If I forget anyone else, know that I am going to shatter like a glass doll really soon.
Oh yeah, my theory. Studying Exertion of Energy = 1.5 x Normal Exertion of Energy
IE. Studying for 10 hours will equal the energy exertion of 15 hours of normal activities (that are not too strenuous). I feel extra hungrier, tired, and sleepier when studying. For intense sports, it’s probably 5.0 or more, sex is probably 20 (1 hour of sex = 20 hours of normal activity? Maybe…. I’ll let you decide). I call this factor, the Jerry Constant. I always wanted something to be named after me.
Energy(A) = K(A) x Energy(N)
where N = normal energy exertion of each individual (probably N = f(x) = metabolism + weight + height + hours of sleep, etc etc)
where A = activity being looked at
where Energy = probably something like joules or kilowatts… no wait, that’s power
where K = Jerry Constant
I don’t know what my theory proves but I told you. I’m delirious right now. Soon I’ll make a whole database of Jerry Constants for all sorts of activities.
Really simple answer or a very complex psychosis
Since I was planning to go to Oakridge with my mom this morning to study (I absolutely cannot study at home so even going to the busiest place of all, a mall, let’s me study), I thought I should go to sleep a little bit earlier last night at 1am. I listen to my favorite radio show and before I know it, it’s 2am. Then it’s 3am. I said, “fuck. I’m going to wake up and read something for a little bit.” I surf the net for half an hour and go back to bed. Then it’s 4am. FUCK!!!! I have a full, super study session tomorrow and I can’t sleep.
I look again, oh… it’s 7:30am now. I must have slept for a couple of hours. It’s 8:30am. Fuck. Now I have to wake up. So I think in total, I slept about 2.5 hrs, maybe less.
Actually, I’m quite energetic even running on a 2.5hr charge. My mom washed the bed covers yesterday and I swear she did something to my pillows because they felt less comfortable… almost harder to sleep on. That’s the simple answer to my sleepless in vancouver night. OR it could be on an unconscious level, I am horridly afraid of the final tomorrow and my body is quivering subconsciously so that it can’t fall asleep. That’s a the complex psychotic reason. Which one do you choose? Turn to page 15 for simple, and 52 for complex. I also swear that I feel like I will collapse and shatter at any given moment. Really, I don’t exercise vigorously, I smoke, I don’t eat healthy… there’s a medical term that describes what happens to people like me. Oh yeah, DEATH.
I also had a short short dream during that 2.5hr charge. It was really interesting. IT was about some sick / mad scientist dude who invented some sort of video game or virtual reality where you create a human (this part was very video gamey). Then, you can create bionic body parts for him by mixing certain appendages with DNA of animals. For example, I made a squid head for him because this squid head would be superior to a regular human head. This guinea pig of DNA testing was to be some sort of adventurer/fighter dude in this game world or something. In the game, a flyer came out advertising about an upcoming martial arts tournament. Someone else in the dream asked me to enter and here’s what I said,
“Haha, no. I haven’t been in training for 3 years now and I even when I was in training, I would have needed an extra year before I would be enter”. That is exactly how I feel. During the last year where I went to every week of kung fu, a Tiger Balm tourney was held and 2 of the guys in my class took home awards. 1st in free style sparring and 3rd in forms. Now I know the dude who took the 3rd, he wasn’t that good. In fact, to be smug, I was superior in every aspect compared to him. That 3rd should be mine! (or maybe a first?) But the guy who took the 1st is a killer and I haven’t been able to beat him since we both started. Anyway, my dream did illustrate the subconsious about my feelings towards training for kung fu. Maybe I should get back into it… I mean serious training, none of this half an hour every odd day or so.
BTW if this update is weird, remember that I just got up from 2.5hrs of sleep. I thought it might be interesting to update the first thing in the morning to see how incoherent I am. Damn@ hit@ hell@ ass@ fuck@.
Nostalgia
December 09, 2001
I found Ascendancy for download last night. I’m not sure if it’s abandonware or not, but ah what the hell. No one would buy it anymore anyway. For those of you who don’t know, Ascendancy was a Master of Orion type game that was incredibly detailed for its time. It did rather poorly because of a lot of crappy parts, but the graphics and intricacy is amazing. I remember loving the game. In fact, I played till 3am last night because I just couldn’t get myself to quit. Luckily, I had studied big time before playing so I think I’m ok.
Dennis has an interesting comment about making a mark on this world. I agree with him totally that we are insignificant specks on this planet. I do want to make my mark, but I’ve come to realize that there are only three ways that will make you be remembered:
And also, you need to kill or save a LOT to be truly remembered. No one remembers the chum who clocked his brother because he stole $10 from him. Everyone will remember if that same guy clocks a federal building or something. Number 3 gets you remembered, but nowhere as much as number 2, and number 1 gets remembered the most. Eg. Adolph Hitler > Mother Teresa > Alexander Graham Bell. I wonder if our webring will produce any mass savers or murderers.
I update much don’t I?
December 07, 2001
You guys will just have someone new to read then! Maybe I should put banners all over the place to cash in on this boom.
My first exam this morning was scheduled for 2 hours. I finished in half an hour. It surprised even me even though I have a tendency to be the first person to finish. I stress that finishing first and achieving a good mark is NOT correlated. Well, sometimes it is. Today’s though, I can’t be sure. It was one of those exams where you bullshit everything and even you don’t know what you wrote. So either it’s a kickass mark, or it’s just a good kick in the ass. I studied a lot for this one so I’m not too worried.
Two more. The two worrisome ones though. Then two days after these two, the two (me and Eri), will be able to be with each other again!
If i had money and if I had a lot of time, I’d buy an XBox. Luckily I have neither.
What’s good is good. What’s bad is good for those you don’t care about
December 06, 2001
Hey, have you guys watched The Tick? Not the shitty cartoon that lasted a quarter of a season before the networks burnt the rolls, but the new series. I watched the first episode that I loved it. I forgot about it largely due to school and whatever, but I’m watching another one right now and I just want to tell you guys it’s good. I mean, Batmanuel, that’s so funny! “Oh heavens no, a lot of people work alone… all the lonely people…” I’m taking a break from studying.
Yesterday night, I played quake again with Dennis and this time another person joined in. Oh my god. Dennis’ friend, BLOODRED, kicked both our asses big time. The guy is good. Dennis, as usual, got wasted but I managed to hold my ground fairly well. Still, the other guy whupped both of us. Again, I stress that my memory for these quake matches are a little fuzzy.
This snow day was a pretty nice day
December 05, 2001
Having lived the extent of my life here, I’ve witnessed countless days of snow. To me, it’s just weather that causes numerous car accidents. I was at work today when one of the students (I forgot his name) mentioned about the snow last night. He was so amazed by the snow. He said it was one of the most beautiful things he’s ever seen (he’s from a place that barely gets rain I think).
It struck me that through school, all the trash that’s happened in my life, and some other crap, I’ve lost that ability to find menial things like snow beautiful. I don’t remember the last time I enjoyed a sunset, or just sitting in a park, or just being happy for no reason at all. I was awestruck by the christmas craze in malls, decorations on houses, the glow that kids get around december but now, I feel nothing. It’s almost cynical that I scoff at people buying stupid christmas ornaments for stupid trees. It’s so sad.
I lost faith. I lost faith in whatever it was I had faith in. I grew up too quickly in too short a time and forgot everything. And I’m so sick of things here. I NEED to get out of this crazy city (and into the arms of my loved one). I hope I can find what I’m looking for while I’m gone, or at least lose what I’m carrying on my back. I think it’s time to get back to the basics.
—
That KPMG thing is ridiculous. They are stupid. I’m not saying that because they didn’t even interview me, but I’m saying it because they’re stupid. Stupid. And that flash intro gave me a seizure.
—
Santa 1
Santa 2
Dwarf - first they say it’s bad. Now they say it’s the law is bad. Make up your mind.
Birds - this happened to my car after my Victoria dragonboat trip.
we are covered in snow. 15 Inches of Pure White Snow
Dennis has the funniest update ever. I just woke up, was Messenger’ing Eri, popped up Dennis’ webpage, started reading and chatting, and then burst out laughing at the transformers thing. I tested as an Optimus Prime (I’d be a shitty Optimus Prime, for one thing, I’d never relinquish power to that idiot Hot Rod, and I’d make fun of Bumblebee too much). You have to read that update.
Yes we played Quake yesterday but as I remember it, I won all 4 rounds and there wasn’t much resistance… my memory is a little fuzzy these days. But I think I’m right. Even if I’m not, it’s whoever got the last frag that counts anyway. Haha. Damn that was fun shooting rockets and plasma and railroads again.
I have to be at work in in an hour so it doesn’t leave much time to get ready. (It means stop talking to me, I have to go now).
I love working with a clean new reinstall
December 03, 2001
Everything runs so smoothly and fast. No errors of course. I still have to install a bunch of stuff, namely the Adobe stuff but that can wait.
Yesterday I got to hang out with a couple more decade friends: Andrew and Jeff. Due to Andrew’s purchase of his new palm, and also that Dennis has his visor, and I think some of you guys out east also have palms or whatever, I think I’ll make a palm version of this page so you don’t have to have those pictures all over the place. I’ll do that soon.
Then I went to the casino with Jeff because I just suddenly had this urge to be impulsive. I played Let It Ride and lost $40. I took the $12 left (min to play is $15) and put it all on Sic Bo. Cool, I just doubled my money. I put all $24 on large this time. Cool, I doubled my money again. I was almost even at this point. Now, I could’ve just cashed out and lost $7 or I could’ve played more. Since my original intent was to be impulsive, I put I think $43 on small and $5 on a doubles (payoff is 11:1). I didn’t care if I won or lost because I know that stepping into a casino means I WILL give money to them. Conclusion: 6, 3, 2. Big. No doubles. Over. Oh well.
The key to being in a casino is if you lose, you lose. You can’t make it back. You’ll just lose more. So we left.
Then, we went to a gameroom and I played CS for the first time in my life. I love how nobody covered me and I was stepped on by 4 people at once. It was pretty fun but I don’t think it would be that good at home because firstly the lag kills and also they had a subwoofer for every computer in the room - the sound was just incredible. It was like a real warzone (not that I’ve ever been in a real warzone). Will I play it again? Sure, maybe after finals, and Japan, but then school starts so maybe after school. It was dirt cheap though. Everyone in that room smokes. Even though I smoke, I still feel really gross if I breathe in too much smoke. I felt sick at home.
I love Eri.
If I’m gone, please find me in Redmond
December 02, 2001
I’m going to reinstall windows tonight because I’m way overdue. I’ll be studying alongside so that I won’t be wasting too much time. If you don’t see me online all night, it’s probably because I’m going to skin some windows programmers down south and make them produce a high quality product. Hey, how is XP everyone? Is it worth upgrading?
Good morning crappy Saturday weather!
It sure is.
Most of you know, that in the 70’s, when Bruce Lee’s movies came out, they revolutionized the way Hong Kong cinematics were made (for action flicks anyway). Prior to the craze of the Dragon, most fighting movies were very simple with crappy choreography and visible wires that let actors fly around. Anyway, after Bruce Lee’s initial success of The Chinese Connection (released in America as Fists of Fury), MANY film makers jumped on the Bruce Lee bandwagon craze and created similar looking movies hoping to cash in on Lee’s success (he broke all box office records).
Thus were born the Bruce Li’s, the Bruce Le’s, the Bruce Ly’s, and any sort of play on the real Bruce Lee’s name. The actors were even cast to look like Lee. Being a hardcore Lee fan, I despise all of these copycat movies because they don’t capture what Lee was trying to convey - he wanted to show the world what real kung fu was like. These fake movies wanted to capture money. Needless to say, none of them did very well because why buy Kalvin Clein when the CK store was right beside you and the price was the same?
Anyway, I’m writing this because on Tuesday on the Drive-in Classics channel, they’re airing a tribute to the Bruce look-a-likes. They’re showing a few of these copycat movies from 9pm onward. I think I’ll catch one or two just to enjoy the pathetic attempt to be like Lee.
Oh yeah, they’re revealing what Ginger really is on Monday on Goodmorning America. I bet it’s just some sort of new blender with an anti-grav machine strapped on. Psh. Big deal.
Responding to people
December 01, 2001
Firstly, in response to Justin’s story of the stabbing at the BK, how is it that someone can stab another 8 times and not hit any vital organs? I mean, our chest is filled with them! I’m assuming the stabbings were in the chest because how weird would it be to stab someone’s foot 8 times or hand? Thigh… maybe, but if I were to stab people, it’s chest or nothing. Maybe it was the ear that was stabbed.
Then, thanks goes to Michelle for updating when I was bored.
Then, Dennis, it’s weird. I was gonna message you the other day to tell you that I installed quake and maybe we could frag each other later, but then you update about playing quake so now I’m just gonna say here, let’s quake later (assuming you finished your 10 page essay on automatic shopping conveyor belts for models or something).
As per my daily snooping around on the Art Bell site, they posted this ghost picture. It’s almost definitely fake but think how scary it would be if it were real. Just imagine for a minute that this picture IS real. It’s a good scare.
And that’s all! No more classes this year. Much more studying.
