May 2011
17 posts
3 tags
Classroom Pictures 3 - Santa
This was my drawing of Santa.
2 tags
Faces Everywhere 2 - Orange Face
5 tags
Obama in Shizuoka City Japan!
Sushi Obama
April 2011
11 posts
17 tags
My Favorite Radio Programs
There are many podcasts and radio shows out there, and many of them are interesting and/or literary. However, the three I’ve chosen are, in my opinion, have the best content for my taste and are the best produced (which is more important than you realize!) I have explored many literature podcasts from productions like Slate and The New Yorker, but the personalities on those shows (and the...
3 tags
Classroom Pics 2 - Attempt at drawing a face
2 tags
Faces Everywhere!
This is another series of pictures I would like to do. There is an online (and, I think, print) publication called Faces Everywhere. It’s pictures of everyday objects that appear to have a face. Many things in Japan actually do have intentional faces. However, there are plenty of unintentional faces even in Asahata (especially on farm equipment). So, here is the first picture I took. I will...
5 tags
Earth Day 2011!
Holy moly! Earth Day 2011 snuck up on me and and passed before I realized it. But that’s okay. I actually spent Earth Day in my garden planting my itty-bitty cucumber and okra seedlings. I don’t have them at the moment, but I will post pictures soon. Right now, it’s raining like crazy. I also prepared for having a couple of coworkers over for dinner. Since, I only have 2 chairs...
5 tags
Greatest Bus Stop Ever
First-class bus stop has stuffed armchairs. Sadly, I’m stuck in Coach. Taken in Shimizu area of Shizuoka City.
6 tags
Classroom pictures!
Well, I often draw pictures in class to help explain what we’re talking about. I have decided to share start sharing some of the better pictures. Here is an exercise on emotions, where the objective is to draw the face that goes with the emotion. Here is the one I did to demonstrate. I’ll start posting things like this regularly. - Brandon
8 tags
Ducks Bathing
I was taking a morning stroll and saw two ducks bathing, so I thought I’d capture it on video. Not exciting, but nice. I just realized that I have already posted 2 of my videos on here, so I guess this is it! Watch the video after the “Continue Reading” link! :)
9 tags
Youtube Channel
Dear readers (all ten of you), you may not know it, but I have a youtube channel. I intended to post the videos on here, but for some reason, I never got around to it. So, I will have all 4 of my videos posted within the next four days. The first, is the line at Delta in Narita Airport on 18 March 2011. It was insanely long—and the only airline to have a long line at all.
14 tags
My Experience During the Earthquakes Rehash
So, I posted my unedited article because I was worried about copyright issues. However, the edited version is really much better—and less…preachy. It was late, I had a deadline, and we were having earthquakes. What can I say? While looking for band-aids and vitamins, I found a soapbox and stood on it. Thankfully, the wonderful editors at the Mobile Press-Register had the foresight to...
4 tags
A Page From My Thesis
Disclaimer: I don’t have any children, and if I did, I would never abandon them!
March 2011
4 posts
7 tags
My Experience During the Earthquakes
I was asked to write an article for the Mobile Press-Register. Here is the unabridged version: There is a saying in Japan, “jishin, kaminari, kaji, oyaji,” which means “earthquake, thunder, fire, and fathers” respectively. It is this list of the four greatest fears in Japanese culture; earthquake being the most prominent. I have heard several people comment that “tsunami” needs to be added to...
10 tags
It's Lent; Do You Know Where Your Vocations Are?
I heard an amusing poem on my favorite radio program The Writer’s Almanac with Garrison Keillor. I do not have permission to repost the poem, but I can show it using an iframe. So, here it is: Lenten Dissentby Cherie Lashway
5 tags
I went hiking today and made two short, impromptu video blogs to share. I hope you enjoy the videos and the scenery and can appreciate what I find beautiful. Video I Video II My full album of pictures can be found on PicasaWeb HERE!
Tokyo!
Tokyo! Click on Tokyo Tower to see my photographs from Tokyo!
January 2011
1 post
2 tags
Mochizuki and Nishikitamago
Mochizuki, Nishikitamago Some pictures from the album:
December 2010
4 posts
Banana
Well, I’ve been nicknamed “Banana” by an old Japanese man. I finished Murakami Haruki’s “Norwegian Wood” (I’ll probably post a review about it later) and started reading Yushimoto Banana’s “Kitchen”. I was reading it on the bus when said older gentleman introduced himself. He had trouble pronouncing my name, so he decided to call me...
9 tags
Dalai Lama quote and Wikileaks Question
“Today, the values of democracy, open society, respect for human rights, and equality are becoming recognized all over the world as universal values. To my mind there is an intimate connection between democratic values, such as transparency, the rule of law and freedom of information, and the fundamental values of human goodness.” - Dalai Lama I agree with transparency and the freedom...
