Japanese Me

I love brain teasers and this one is right up there.  Go to this webpage.  Watch the video, counting how many times the white team passes the ball.  Got the number?  Good. Now watch the video again without counting. Tell me what you think in the comments.

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When I go to the seafood section of my supermarket and see something moving I’m intrigued. 沢ガニ（さわがに, sawagani）, or freshwater crab.  The one on the bottom had seen better days but the rest were alive and kicking.

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Japan has a new political party just in time for the August 30th election, the Happiness Realization Party.  Yes, that is their proper English name.  It’s a direct translation of the Japanese (幸福実現党) which looks just as silly.  A political party with “happiness” in their name is probably full of liberal, hippie pot smokers, right?  [...]

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I am now at day 457 of my 101 in 1001 – nearly halfway done!  Looking at my list I found some things that need to be updated so this morning I armed myself with a favorite pen and went to work. Removed 14. Review 10 pieces on PRX (0/10) Great website but I don’t [...]

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My Snow Queen shawl is coming along nicely. Okay, so it may not look nice right now, but just wait until it’s washed and stretched as tight as a drum on my blocking wires.  It will transform from cat barf into lacy goodness.  At least, it better! I have a feeling that this Avril yarn [...]

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Today the longest total solar eclipse of the century will pass right over Japan.  A few lucky people on some very remote islands will get to see the full shabang but near Tokyo we’ll still get roughly 75% totality.  Not bad.  That is, if we could see it.  The view from my window not five [...]

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Summer has officially arrived – the cicadas came out this weekend.  They sound like this: It’s one of those sounds that reminds me that I really, truly am in Japan.  I kinda like it.

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In some areas (and I have to stress some) Japan is way ahead of the US as far as being earth-friendly goes.  In the States if you recycle you’re golden.  In Japan you can actually reduce your recycling “waste” with handy refills. This is one of my household cleaners.  Buying the spray bottle with cleaner [...]

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Today is exciting – it’s Ken’s first day of work.  He found a job at a smaller game development company.  He likes the size because he’ll be able to do all sorts of things (3D, background, character design and what have you) without being pigeonholed into one category. This marks a big change for us.  [...]

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Avril, a one of a kind yarn store in Tokyo, recently had their annual sale.  Looming JLPT or not, I knew I had to go. Walking around Kichijouji Station is like going back in time 20 years or so.  They don’t build quite like this anymore.  That’s probably good – this may look like a [...]

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