My Kung Fu Level
November 27, 2009
I have reached the next level of kung fu awareness: sleep kung fu.
On two separate occasions, I have reflexively defended myself from imminent attack while I was asleep, from my own wife!
The first time, she was rolling over in her sleep and her right arm was coming right towards my face. I don’t know how I sensed it but I knew an elbow or a hand was going to hit me in the face. I shot out my right arm in a biu tze and deflected her attack.
The second time was very similar. She was rolling over in her sleep and her right leg was about to come crashing down onto me. I don’t know how I sensed it but I knew that her knee or maybe just her whole leg would hit me in the gut or worse, in the crotch. I extended my leg out and caught her and gently put her leg back down.
Both times I was completely asleep but I somehow felt her movements and automatically moved. Still, as I was doing this, I was consciously aware of doing it. It was like a log entry was made, “Oh by the way, your wife almost attacked you while you were away, we had to use one of the kung fu moves to safely defend you. Just thought you should know.”
I am very proud of my subconscious defense. It is much stronger than my conscious defense.
Passing me over
November 20, 2009
I just saw a job posting that is identical to a job I applied for two years ago at a major company in Osaka. I didn’t get the job and it was quite depressing because I thought I would be excellent at that job. Looking at it now, I’m guessing whoever they hired left them in just two years time and now they’re starting the recruiting process all over again. I can’t help but feel quite happy about this!
Had they chosen me, they would’ve had someone who would’ve stuck it out much longer than two years. I don’t mean to brag but I am smart enough and reliable enough for that job too. I’m confident in my ability to get shit done and I bet I would’ve done a fantastic job. I’m sorry, but you missed out!
Also, compared with two years ago, I speak a lot better Japanese than before and I’ve even worked at a subsidiary of this major company. Working there gave me a lot of insight on how this major company operates and the kind of corporate culture they have. Basically, I’m even better suited for that job now than two years ago.
I truly believe things happen for a reason and looking back now at these two years, it has been very exciting and I’ve grown in many areas. I’m quite glad now that I didn’t get that job. Instead, I went on a different path that is leading me to even more exciting opportunities. Next year is already shaping out to be an interesting year too.
Master and Student
November 15, 2009
What just popped into my head was that Jet Li plays Huo Yuan Jia in Fearless. He then plays Chen Zhen in Fist of Legend. Chen Zhen’s master is none other than Huo Yuan Jia. He plays both the master and student!
Huo Yuan Jia was a real person. Chen Zhen is fictional.
Just thought I’d share that little tidbit.
11/11
November 11, 2009
Just wanted to post a note on this 11/11. I’ve been seeing 11/11 a lot, be it on clocks, signs, birthdays, license plates, everywhere. What does it mean? Sheer coincidence?
Half your food bill
November 09, 2009
Well not exactly your whole food bill but…
Japan is notorious for being expensive and for travelers it certainly is but after living here for so long I’ve found ways to save some money. Many places in Japan that sell prepared dishes are usually fairly reasonably priced to begin with. A serving of tonkatsu might go for a few bucks, some tempura for a few bucks, etc. When you buy several dishes though it can add up and sometimes I feel like it’s probably worth going to restaurant instead.
Most places, however, offer big discounts towards closing time. Around my neighborhood, a places that only sells prepared dishes called O-zen starts putting “hankaku”, or “half price” stickers on dishes at 8:30pm. There’s another place that also starts discounting at 8:30. The supermarket chain Life also discounts and I imagine they start at a similar time. This fabulous idea is appropriately named “Time Sale” in Japanese.
Be prepared to fight off crowds though – people start stalking the store around the magical time and dive in when the store worker starts yelling about the lowered prices.
Tonight I bought teriyaki chicken, a tonkatsu bento, deep-fried lotus root, and a bacon, asparagus, cheese deep fried thing for a grand total of 676 yen. You cannot beat that!
Sick
November 04, 2009
About once a year I come down with something when the weather changes. This year was no different. Monday saw a sudden drop on temperatures and the next day I started feeling a little tingly. I knew already I was coming down with something but tried to mentally will my way to recovery before it hit. When I went to bed with my throat was a little sore.
I didn’t sleep very well and I wake up with my throat parched like a neglected houseplant and swallowing hurt. Doh. No fever though and just a bit of a general feeling of malaise. I got through my first lesson today without any hitches and came home. When I got home I realized now that a fever had started and that for me is my sign to give up. The rest of my lessons were canceled for today nad tomorrow and now I’m bored at home writing about how my sickness is going.
Symptom 1: congestion. My sinuses feel like the national highways during golden week. I can barely breathe sometimes. When I sleep on my side, one nostril clears up but the other clogs even more. I wish I had a humidifier.
Symptom 2: fatigue. This isn’t so bad. I just feel a bit tired all over. My eyelids feel like I’ve watched movies all day and my back is a bit sore. I must confess that I did some kung fu training last night so I can’t contribute all of this to my getting sick.
Symptom 3: fever. At first it was a slight fever and I’ve been keeping tabs on it all afternoon. 37.1, 37.5, 37.4 degrees. Not so bad.
I’m sure I’ll be fine tomorrow. I (knock on wood) only ever suffer any seasonal disease for a day tops. I think based on my symptoms, I have a cold and, thankfully, not the flu, be it the vanilla seasonal flu or the new piglet flu. Just in case I will eat vast quantities of pork when I recover as an act of vengeance.
This has got to be one of the more boring entires I’ve put up in awhile and I know how boring my usual posts are.
