Encounters with a Japanese international student

It's fun to meet new people. You get a chance to see what they're like, where they come from, and possibly learn something (which is something people don't really do these days).

So, this quarter, I met Hazuki, a girl from Japan studying here. Being "friends" (more on that later) shed some light on Japanese mentality, for girls at least, or maybe this particular mindset belongs to those from Yokohama. From what I understand, people from Osaka are all sorts of laid back and open to anything, while those from Tokyo aren't so much.

So when I first met her, it was the usual trappings. Meet and greet. Say hi. Wow her with the language speaking skills (or lack thereof). Granted, she was impressed and things went well from there. A few hangouts with my little group of friends, and it was good times all around. However, we actually got know each other and things kind of went down hill from there.

Down hill, not so much in the sense that we would fight or argue. Rather, down hill due to high contrasting personalities. Think about it, if you will, the personality of myself, usually happy and optimistic, but rather blunt and straightforward. I will have a good time, but I will not beat around the bush if the occasion needs it. Compare that to her. I am not sure how to put it, so I believe "Planet B-Boy" puts it best:

Japanese education stresses homogenization which is reflected in the proverb, "The nail that sticks out gets hammered down"

Homogenization. Conformism? Uniformity? The whole idea of homogenization may explain a few things. Hazuki was not really down for talking about personal issues when things were clearly bothering her. A simple thing like a hug or touching in general, I found, was a thing that Japanese people don't do, for whatever reason, and it set her off kilter. Rather than say so, she kept her mouth shut. Very rarely, she would tell me something that's bothering her or just something on her mind. It was just a very "Things are ok mentality" and that's it. Not to say that is a bad thing. Things were lively when she was around. It is just that when it needed to be, she didn't keep it real.

However, this is all biased perspective. It seemed I was the only one that made her uncomfortable, for whatever reason. One interesting time was when we were at the basement of the Student Union, where the arcade machines are. I was playing, doing my thing, being good, apparently (I just consider myself mildly decent, considering I know people that can double-A stuff, but remember, it's all perspective). After doing paranoia survivor, she noted that doing songs like those are impossible, almost non-human. I responded that nothing is impossible. It's just that people don't try and just hold themselves back. She insisted that it was, quipping that I was a little non-human when I asked her if I wasn't human for being able to do all the things that I do.

Hopefully, this uneasiness will cease, cause really, this whole tension thing kinda silly, dontcha think? Here's to wondering what will happen after the summer when I see her for the next two quarters.

Stay safe, stay thinking
-Nick

So much to think about! Capoeira edition

So much to think about, and yet so little time to write about it. Online at least. I've been keeping my thoughts to myself, luckily, in the form of notebooks. Since...I'd say around February, the notebook where I keep my bible study notes became the notebook for just about everything. Observations, thoughts, sketches, bible study things and the like. Really, it's useful to have a notebook on you. You never know when you need to jot something down, cause texting a note in your phone or just trying to remember it won't cut it.

So Capoeira.

The Afro-Brazilian martial art that can be considered or confused as a dance, whoever you're talking to. Some people think it's stupid. Some people think it's wonderful. Whatever they feel, it's rather big, and at the same time, it's not. The interesting about Capoeira is that, to me, it's everywhere, but a lot of my friends really don't know what it is, or even never heard of it. I see giant roda's, small roda's, containing people of different walks of life that practice it. It had its origins in Africa and/or Brazil and then, somehow, into todays world, made its way to Japan, Israel, the US, Canada, and different parts of Europe. You name it, Capoeira is probably there, SOMEWHERE.

Even in a town like Rochester.

It's been a great past 3 weeks for me and capoeira. Coming from 2 quarters of an endless barrage of work, I was so out of practice when I started practicing again a couple of weeks before the ImagineRIT event, and then a week after, the Batizado. I hated it. I hated not being able to play and I hated being so out of practice. Work takes priority, does it not?

Nevertheless, playing week after week in the last couple of weeks have been great. It has reinvigorated my willingness to improve, especially when the Batizado came along. It was my first all day event, and it was the first time in a while since I've played someone from outside of the club. Trying new things was refreshing. Playing new people made me wonder how my game can improve. In small steps? Leaps and bounds? We'll see.

Here's to summer training.

-Nick

Truth and Reconciliation

When is the right time to forgive and forget? Are we even in the right mind when we do so, and is the recipient even taking this gracious act to heart, or just saying nice things to get it over with?
-----------
The other night, my friend and I were talking about holding things to heart, the old scars that haven't really healed, and considering whether reconciliation is even worth it or not. Said friend, a long time ago, came to have a strained relationship with some other individual. Although sparse on details, my friend explained the internal workings of now. There's some acknowledgment on both parties, but other than that, forgiveness has not been achieved. Unfortunate.

One has to wonder how long do we have to hold on before we move on, if we ever can. Everyone's different, for sure. Some forgive easy. Some just hold grudges. Personally, I just get mad for a sec, let it burn out of my system, and just move on with life. Things happen. I hope whoever did me wrong would learn their lesson, but ultimately that's up to them to step back, see what they did, and reflect in return. Easy for some, complicated for others. Wounds could go deep and healing could take years. Everything is just so situational.

Lets not forget, though, that it takes two to tango. We can forgive all we want, but what if the recipient does not even try to take that to heart; that this person is making the effort to try to save something that he or she considers worth it, and yet they don't realize it. What fools we can be! We have this insane capability to love, and yet we can take it away in an instant. What I hate the most, above all, is facades: fake identities that we create just to keep appearances. Obviously, we behave differently among different people, but then there's that line where we just pretend things are okay when they may not be. Receiving forgiveness just to make the other person happy is something I don't agree with. It gives a person a false sense of security, that false sense of accomplishment and some false sense of hope. Why do we do such dumb things? It's not the truth. It isn't sincere. I suppose, it's to make the person happy. A harmless lie? Harmless until it comes and bites you back, is what I'd say.

So really, how do we do it, or why? I guess, to be the better person. Or maybe to rub it in the faces of those watching, saying that "I have moved on. There are bigger things to worry about." One thing I hope though, is that our hearts are into the feelings we put behind this receiving and giving, not just some cheap lie fabricated for conveience's sake. Think about what I'm saying.

Merry Christmas, ya'll. Say safe

me being confused and/or whiny: An introduction

Sometimes I wonder if the extra amount of intensity behind my emotions is a good or bad thing.

When I get happy, I'm over enthusiastic. When I get angry, I just lose my cool, forget about the real situation and just go at it. When I love, it's rather blindsided and sometimes too much to handle. When I'm sad, I just drown myself in that garbage for a few days, taking it deeply to heart. I don't know if it's just the human condition, or me personally. What I do know, however, is that keeping emotions in check is rather important.

Right now, I'm not exactly miserable, but I'm not happy either. Sometimes I wonder if this emptiness if subconsciously self-inflicting or it's something else. Like something's missing and this mind and body of mine has been craving for fulfillment for the longest. Maybe it's a girl. Maybe its a lack of purpose. Companionship? Boredom? It could be a multitude of things. It's something to think about.


What was I talking about again?

My impressions on my first REAL exposure to the literary juggernaut that is "Twilight"

Ok Sharon, so "Twilight" wasn't that bad. Was it as good as everyone made it out to be. Nope. Not in the least. But from a stand-alone point, it was ok.

Juggernaut is not necessarily a good or bad thing. It's fan base is just large. Raving girls are a scary thing.

So I saw the movie the other day. My talks with Miss K made me intrigued about this book. Not so much the book itself, but why it's so "awesome". What's the big deal, is what I say. When I first heard the premise of it, I was more confused than anything. My reaction along the lines went:

"It's a romance novel...with vampires. So...it's sex with vampires...?"

I think Michelle told me back in the summer. She made a big deal out of it. I ran the idea a couple of times after that and the more I thought about it, the weirder it sounded. As I was writing this on the train back to Rochester, it hit me that the Japanese stuff that I read are just as wacky. Just to name a few:

• One Piece: Main character wants to be the pirate king. Devil Fruits give its eaters super powers ranging from manipulating the elements to manipulating one's own body, but in doing so prevents the eater from swimming. The weirdest power I can recall off the top of my head is being able to make any part of the body explode. Including boogers. Oda's retarded sometimes.
  
• Eyeshield 21: Football manga. Main character is Japanese and can run 40 yards in 4.1 seconds. Not possible. Openly says that black people are naturally physically superior than Asians and White people.
  
• BoBoBo: Nose-Hair Kung fu. 'Nuff Said.

I'd like to note that none of the above comics are taken seriously in their context, unlike "Twilight" =D.

Anyway, it wasn't until I spoke about it with Miss K where things got weirder and more interesting. Dwelling deeper into wiki, it became apparent that it was just more than "sex with vampires", and then "sex with emotional vampires". Nope. After watching the movie, I find why people, mostly tweens and teenagers, eat this stuff up. It's just adolecense and noobery in love, over-eggagerated. It's cute. It's lovey dovey and it plays with the emotions of its readers. Very entertaining. Especially when they talk about Edward Cullen, main male character and supposed vampire hottie. From what I'm told, he's supposed to be ultimate boyfriend material.

Why guys read this book I have no idea. Maybe they can tell me. Phil. I, for one, will not read it. It's not appealing enough. I have enough literature to read with school work and my japanese and american comics. I like my "Avengers" thank you very much.

I will say this though. I think kids at that age are just hormonal and just wants some of that high school lovin, hence the swooning over the imaginary super guy. Or maybe they really want genuine love, and have imagined their perfect match for the future. People can imagine, right?

So what about the movie? It's a movie you take someone a date with. Not exactly awesome, but I've seen much worse. It's also supposedly worse than the book. By how much, I'll never know. Sometimes the actors tried too hard to play their characters, and it got kinda cheesy at certain points, but I'm a sucker for love stories, so I was partial to it at times. With an obvious sequal in the loom, I for one, will look forward to it. Since I'm too lazy to read the books =D.

To end this, I'll leave you with some excerpts
Miss k: i know why she didnt describe them having sex now
me: lol
me: why
Miss K: because later on she turns into a vampire & when they have sex as vampires its even better
Miss K: it just helps the reader understand how big the difference is
Miss K: that like the human sex or whatever was so insignificant compared to how amazing vampire sex is
Miss K: it was a moment of literary genius !
Me: uh huh
Me: right =D
Miss K: it was !
Me: oh, i believe you
Me: cause yeah
Me: for real
Me: vampire sex is a whole lot better
Miss K: HAHAHAHAS
Me: Cause the author? She would totally know.

A follow up

Check it.  Just do it.  

The Questions and the Answers

Here's something I wrote on the way back to school. Enjoy

The Questions and the Answers, all for Him
By Nicholas Moy

    Hi, I’m Nick and I’m always interested in what’s going on with, be it with the news, the arts, science or what goes on at school. Occasionally, I would break out the New York Times and just read it, just because I had the need to know what was going on around me. I told this to a (former?) friend of mine and she said I was nerdy for doing this.
    When did it become a nerdy thing to read a newspaper? I’m sure, or I hope, that most of you don’t believe that, but the fact that the idea actually exists in today’s day and age is saddening. As I examine my generation from an outside perspective, I have to ask you a few things. How do you know what goes on in today’s world. By word of mouth? How about print media or visual media? Or how about none at all. Whether you do or don’t, I get this impression that we choose to live under a rock. Today, I was at Sunday service and the speaker mentioned Sarah Palin, John McCain’s VP pick. The person next to me asked me who she is. It led to a face palm moment. How could you not know who she is? She’s been all over the media, taking all forms of crap right after she was announced to be McCain’s running mate. That’s right. How could you not know? Well if one person doesn’t know, then others don’t know either.
    We live in a day and age where the Internet has given us to a wealth of information, literally, at our fingertips. Wikipedia is a godsend. Digg.com lets us see random news, relevant and irrelevant. And yet what do we do with this utility? Waste our time on facebook, myspace and games made from flash (I’m guilty of the facebook bit, but I know when enough is enough).
We have become so apathetic toward what goes on in our lives. We don’t stop and wonder, “Hey, what’s going on these days?” We just live life under a routine. I’m going to cite politics again. While reading my college’s self-published magazine, the editorial contained a question that I found funny. “How any of you feel empowered by democracy?” Do any of you? Politics, for sure, is boring, and even I don’t know what goes on in that mess, but having basic knowledge of some issues is the least you could do. After all, a democracy is only as powerful as the people that take part in it. Do nothing, and your government will just do whatever they want. As far as I can see, I see two possible futures: either our government will continue to run our lives and seep the people’s power, or we’re going to get pissed off and start some riots and take back what we want.
    So where am I going with this? Well, I’ll let you in on something. I’m Christian. Sometimes when I meet people and go on about my likes, dislikes and things that are on my mind with the world these days, I would drop in that something that would hint that I have a faith. The person asks, I reply and they become somewhat surprised. Heck if I know why, but I guess keeping up to speed with things and Christianity do not go hand in hand, apparently.
    I say that I am a Christian, but in truth, I am what they call a seeker. I have accepted Christ into my life, but there are just many questions I have about Him and God. Just so many. Too many, I might say. Some questions may not be answered, but as they say, it doesn’t hurt to ask.
    Like how I am with world events, I just have to know things. Take a moment sometime to just be by yourself. It may not be now, it may not be tomorrow, but take the time to just examine yourself and ask yourself this. Why (or why not) are you a Christian? Really. Have you ever thought of that? For some of you that may live life day by day under a routine and don’t consider things except in the now, have you ever considered asking yourself that question?
I did not accept Christ into my life until recently. It was after I graduated high school. I’m still not baptized, but reasons for that I’ll share another day. My first experience with a fellowship was coffeehouse during my sophomore year of high school. It was something I really wasn’t expecting. I went for a good friend of mine. She just recently accepted Christ into her life, and she asked me to go, to give her some support. At the time, I really paid no mind to organized religion. It was just something that people did. You believe in what you believe, and I believe in what I believe. That is all. But this was for a friend, and friendship, I believe, transcends above personal beliefs and morals. I didn’t start going to youth group until junior year. My curiosity got the best of me, and I really wanted to know why my friend and these other people would believe in God. Why were some of these people happy, while I was somewhat miserable? Group games were good and fun and praise night, although weird at first, grew onto me. Then came small group and bible study. It was different story.
    Bible study and small group gave me the opportunity to ask the questions I wanted to know. Sorry youth group, but I got nowhere. I got a few bits in here and there, but really, I felt I did not get much. Somewhere in the back of my head, I kept asking myself. “Why is this so bland? So dry? So slow? Aren’t you, as Christians, supposed to help me out finding this guy named Jesus?” Hindsight told me that I was just being overly critical of them. We were just kids, after all, and all we really wanted to do was have fun. Over time during my senior year, I thought I got my answer. Jesus died for my sins and through God and through him, he gave me all that I have. Very textbook answer, but that’s what I thought and it convinced me to accept Christ into my life. Still, during that summer, there was some feeling deep down in my heart that just lingered and it bothered me. Didn’t know what it was until I went to college.
    Turned out that I was missing the point. So what if Jesus died for your sins? What good is it if all you thought about was yourself. It just made sense when you find that it was not about you, but it was about the grander scheme of things. It was, and it is, about Him. College and my first retreat the summer after my first year did that, and I am eternally grateful.
    So I ask again. Why are you, or why are you not, a Christian? Consider it, and think. For me, I am because I believe. I give and He gives in return. It is the relationship I forged with God, all for Him. Keep asking, regardless of subject matter. Not only are we to be just individuals, we are to be smart individuals. As Christians, we are not just to be Christians, but smart Christians. Though the answers may not always be given to you, keep seeking them. Keep searching and never stop.

Good day and stay safe.