Hello Tokyo

So - I've been kinda-sorta neglecting making any real-live posts that are unrelated to studying or some other triviality, so let me spend my downtime (sick in bed again - my immune system just can't handle the germs of 60+ other people in a cramped dorm without just keeling over and dying with little more than a whimper) making a bona-fide blog post. I made it to Tokyo, and have been enduring orientation week at Temple which is like one part informational, and one part scare-tactics-slash-comedy. I know but two things for sure: Don't touch bicycles in Tokyo, and We're All Doomed to Die in an Earthquake. I THINK that was the general message, anyway. My dorm is pretty nice. My room is, as anticipated, narrow, but I've rather gotten used to living in a linen closet. A short trip or two to the 100 yen shop (dollar store) supplied me with enough plastic containers and random goods to turn this tiny space into a pretty well organized and well appointed pad. The only complaint I have is that if I leave a day's laundry on the floor, I pretty much lose any sight of the carpet, and leaving anything out at all makes the place look like it was shelled. Average sized messes in tiny spaces is kind of an exercise in square-pegging-round-holing. It just doesn't work. The community kitchen is decent and serviceable (aka I can cook there without wanting to kill myself before it comes to life and kills me first like other dorm-kitchen experiences I've had), and I like the living/dining area, and the dorm managers are really really nice. The only genuine complaint I have (gotta have at least one, mirite?) is the shower room. It kind of resembles what I imagine the love child of an airplane hanger and a real shower room would look like. Furthermore, it's gross. The floor is kinda slimy and the main shower's curtain has black mold and sludge all over it. That it was ever considered a place for getting clean almost seems anachronistic, or like a bad joke at best. In other, slightly more scholarly tuned news, I've taken all my placement tests and I placed exactly where I was aiming for in Japanese (Advanced II, yay :D), and managed to test out of having to take any math courses, but somehow ended up having to repeat English composition - the one exam I was so certain I wouldn't have any problems at all with. I don't know. After an Honors Comp/Lit class and two additional literature courses in college, you'd think I could string a few words together. C'est la vie : / Otherwise I'm kinda just sitting on my hands waiting for stuff to happen - I need to wait until Friday to have my application to change my residency status reviewed and signed off on so I can take it to Immigration. And then I can apply for my Alien Registration Card. And THEN I can apply for Health Insurance! And get a bank account! And a cell phone! And a discounted student commuter pass! -- To say that a lot of shit is being held up thanks to this one thing is kind of the understatement of the century. I hate the hurry-up-and-wait game :< And I'm SO TIRED of crap-ass upper respitory infections! RAWR!

WE ARE... WE ARE... WE ARE... X!

Went to see X Japan live tonight, at Nissan Stadium in Yokohama... Something I NEVER thought I'd get to do.

I've been into this band forever, and then right as I start getting into them, they split up. This was back in 97 and I was about to become a freshman in high school. And then a year later, my favourite band member, hide, who also had a solo career and so much amazing music that I was completely devoted to, died. I cried bitterly, and helplessly, all night, listening to his song "ever free" and some X tracks on repeat. This is significant, in a way, because I do NOT fawn over bands. I am not a groupie or a fangirl. I don't follow star gossip or any of that kind of thing. But their music, for whatever reason, has always really moved me. And I never thought that I'd get to see them in person.

And let me happily report that the live was AMAZING. I went to the 8/15 showing, the last one in Yokohama (and Japan for now I think). My seat was awesome, right in the center. I could see both the front and rear stages, and all the screens and pyrotechnics and theatrics really, really well. And what SHOWMANSHIP - it wasn't just music, which, by the way, was really really amazing in and of itself, but there was some actual performance involved, and they had such energy. The crowd was great too. Our nearest neighbour was a girl from Taiwan who had come all the way from India to see the concert, and she was so vibrant, nice, and into it, she was really a delight to sit next to. She convinced me to help lead our seating section into a chant of "We Are--X!" for a few minutes. It was really a lot of fun. I was moved to tears a few times but kept it together - my neighbour on the otherside of me wasn't able to though! The girl was BAWLING as the whole crowd sang along with the refrain of "Endless Rain." All I want to do now is break out all my X Japan and hide concert DVDs and watch them. The plus side, is that I believe this live is getting a DVD printed in Fall, and I can't wait to see it again.

TL;DR: omgomg X Japan was cool and I'm a total nerd for them

Minna no Nihongo Chapter 3A Vocab

インタビューする\インタビューする\interview
担当する\たんとうする\be in charge of, be responsible for
アルバイト先\アルバイトさき\parttime workplace
~先\~さき\place
店長\てんちょう\store manager
研修\けんしゅう\training
話し合う\はなしあう\discuss
通勤する\つうきんする\commute to work
これまで\これまで\until now
減らす\へらす\reduce
引っ越す\ひっこす\move house
~か国\~かこく\(number of) countries
家庭\かてい\household, home, family
事情\じじょう\circumstances, reasons
幼稚園\ようちえん\kindergarten, preschool
昼寝する\ひるねする\have a daytime nap
帰国する\きこくする\return to one's home country
来社\らいしゃ\come to visit (a company or office)
新製品\しんせいひん\new product
新~\しん~\new~
発表会\はっぴょうかい\presentation
いつまでも\いつまでも\indefinitely
景気\けいき\economy; business conditions
これ以上\これいじょう\any longer
受ける\うける\receive
要望\ようぼう\request; wish
本当は\ほんとうは\really
おとなしい\おとなしい\quiet, gentle
声\こえ\voice
市民の声\しみんのこえ\voice of the people
しゃべる\しゃべる\chat
振る\ふる\dump, jilt (a boyfriend/girlfriend)
Tシャツ\Tシャツ\T shirt
数\かず\number
切る\きる\hang up

Vocab Lists

Minna no Nihongo, Chuukyuu 1B Vocab List

印象\いんしょう\impression
チェックする\チェックする\check
お住い\おすまい\residence
たたむ\たたむ\fold
重ねる\かさねる\place one on top of the other (stack)
板張り\いたばり\wooden (floor, ceiling, etc)
素足\すあし\without socks; barefoot
使い分ける\つかいわける\use selectively
良さ\よさ\merit; good quality
読み取る\よみとる\understand by reading or scrutinizing
旅行者\りょこうしゃ\traveller; tourist
~者\~しゃ\~er (person)
最も\もっとも\most
非常に\ひじょうに\very; extremely
それほど\それほど\to that extent
代表する\だいひょうする\represent
全体\ぜんたい\whole
敷く\しく\lay (a tatami mat), lay out (futon, cushions)
ちょうど\ちょうど\just right, exactly, just like (as in X is just like Y)
何枚も\なんまいも\many flat objects
つける (名前をつける)\つける (なまえをつける)\apply; give (give a name to)
やまとことば\やまとことば\word of Japanese origin
動かす\うごかす\move (transitive)
組み合わせる\くみあわせる\combine, join together
客間\きゃくま\drawing room; parlour
居間\いま\living room; sitting room
仕事部屋\しごとべや\workroom; study
ワラ\わら\straw
イグサ\いぐさ\mat rush
呼吸する\こきゅうする\breathe
湿気\しっけ\moisture; dampness
取る (湿気を取る)\とる (しっけをとる)\remove (remove moisture)
快適な\かいてき な\comfortable
清潔な\せいけつ な\clean
本文\ほんぶん\main text
一戸建て\いっこだて\detached house
小学生\しょうがくせい\elementary school
日常生活\にちじょうせいかつ\daily life
南太平洋\みなみたいへいよう\South Pacific

Minna no Nihongo, Chuukyuu 1 Kanji Basic List

潔\ケツ; いさぎよ.い\undefiled; pure; clean; righteous; gallant
清\セイ, ショウ, シン; きよ.い\pure; purify; cleanse; exorcise; Manchu dynasty
適\テキ; かな.う\suitable; occasional; rare; qualified; capable
快\カイ; こころよ.い\cheerful; pleasant; agreeable; comfortable
素\ソ, ス; もと\elementary; principle; naked; uncovered
柔\ジュウ, ニュウ; やわ.らかい\tender; weakness; gentleness; softness
硬\コウ; かた.い\stiff; hard
役\ヤク, エキ\duty; war; campaign; drafted labor; office; service; role
取\シュ; と.る, と.り, と.り-, とり, -ど.り\take; fetch; take up
湿\シツ, シュウ; しめ.る, しめ.す, うるお.う, うるお.す\damp; wet; moist
吸\キュウ; す.う\suck; imbibe; inhale; sip
呼\コ; よ.ぶ\call; call out to; invite
乾\カン, ケン; かわ.く, かわ.かす, ほ.す, ひ.る, いぬい\drought; dry; dessicate; drink up; heaven; emperor
的\テキ; まと\bull's eye; mark; target; object; adjective ending
居\キョ, コ; い.る, -い, お.る\reside; to be; exist; live with
組\ソ; く.む, くみ, -ぐみ\association; braid; plait; construct; assemble; unite; cooperate; grapple
具\グ; そな.える, つぶさ.に\tool; utensil; means; possess; ingredients; counter for armor, suits, sets of furniture
由\ユ, ユウ, ユイ; よし, よ.る\why; a reason
枚\マイ, バイ\sheet of...; counter for flat thin objects or sheets
団\ダン, トン; かたまり, まる.い\group; association
布\フ; ぬの\linen; cloth
座\ザ; すわ.る\squat; seat; cushion; gathering; sit
置\チ; お.く, -お.き\placement; put; set; deposit; leave behind; keep; employ; pawn
客\キャク, カク\guest; visitor; customer; client
張\チョウ; は.る, -は.り, -ば.り\lengthen; counter for bows & stringed instruments; stretch; spread; put up (tent)
板\ハン, バン; いた\plank; board; plate; stage
敷\フ; し.く, -し.き\spread; pave; sit; promulgate
派\ハ\faction; group; party; clique; sect; school
全\ゼン; まった.く, すべ.て\whole; entire; all; complete; fulfill
昔\セキ, シャク; むかし\once upon a time; antiquity; old times
表\ヒョウ; おもて, -おもて, あ\surface; table; chart; diagram
化\カ, ケ; ば.ける, ば.かす, ふ.ける, け.する\change; take the form of; influence; enchant; delude; -ization
床\ショウ; とこ, ゆか\bed; floor; padding; tatami
材\ザイ\lumber; log; timber; wood; talent
興\コウ, キョウ; おこ.る, おこ.す\entertain; revive; retrieve; interest; pleasure
最\サイ, シュ; もっと.も, つま\utmost; most; extreme
部\ブ; -べ\section; bureau; dept; class; copy; part; portion; counter for copies of a newspaper or magazine
畳\ジョウ, チョウ; たた.む, たたみ, かさ.なる\tatami mat; counter for tatami mats; fold; shut up; do away with
非\ヒ; あら.ず\un-; mistake; negative; injustice; non-
常\ジョウ; つね, とこ\usual; ordinary; normal; regular
珍\チン; めずら.しい, たから\rare; curious; strange

Minna no Nihongo Chuukyuu 1 Kanji Vocab List (Hooray for Overlaps)

部屋\へや\(n) room
最も\もっとも\(adv) most; extremely
最近\さいきん\(adj-no,n-adv,n-t) most recent; these days; right now; recently; nowadays
最後\さいご\(n) (1) last; end; conclusion; (2) (after -tara form or -ta form followed by "ga") no sooner than; right after (often having negative consequences)
最高\さいこう\(adj-na,n,adj-no) highest; supreme; the most
最低\さいてい\(adj-na,adv,n,adj-no) (1) least; lowest; worst; (2) nasty; disgusting; horrible; yuck!
興味\きょうみ\(n) interest (in something)
畳\たたみ\(n) tatami mat (Japanese straw floor coverings)
畳む\たたむ\(v5m,vt) (1) to fold (clothes); (2) to close (a shop); (3) to vacate
床\ゆか\(n) floor
材料\ざいりょう\(n) ingredients; material
常識\じょうしき (n) common knowledge; conventional wisdom; general knowledge; common sense
非常に\ひじょうに\(adv) very; extremely; exceedingly
日常生活\にちじょうせいかつ\(n) everyday life; daily life
日常\にちじょう\(adj-no,n-adv,n-t) ordinary; regular; everyday; usual
珍しい\めずらしい\(adj-i) (1) unusual; rare; curious; (2) new; novel; (3) fine (e.g. gift)
文化\ぶんか\(n) (1) culture; civilization; civilisation; (2) Bunka era (1804.2.11-1818.4.22)
お化け\おばけ\(n) goblin; apparition; monster; ghost
多様化\たようか\(n,vs) diversification
代表\だいひょう\(n,vs,adj-no) representative; representation; delegation; type; example; model
発表\はっぴょう\(n,vs) announcement; publication
表れ\あらわれ (n) embodiment; manifestation; materialization; materialisation; expression; indication
昔\むかし\(adj-no,n-adv,n-t) olden days; former
全体\ぜんたい\(n-adv,n-t) whole; entirety; whatever (is the matter)
全く\まったく\(adv) (1) really; truly; entirely; completely; wholly; perfectly; (2) indeed; (int) (3) (abbr) good grief (expression of exasperation)
全員\ぜんいん\(n-adv,n) all members (unanimity); all hands; the whole crew; everyone; everybody
全然\ぜんぜん\(adv) (1) not at all (with neg. verb); (2) wholly; entirely; completely
全部\ぜんぶ\(n-adv,n-t,adj-no) all; entire; whole; altogether
安全\あんぜん\(adj-na,n) (1) safety; (2) security
敷く\しく\(v5k) (1) to spread out; to lay out; (2) to take a position; (3) to impose widely (e.g. over a city)
立派\りっぱ\(adj-na,n) splendid; fine; handsome; elegant; imposing; prominent; legal; legitimate
板張り\いたばり\(n) boarding; wooden floor, ceiling, etc
お客さん\おきゃくさん\(n) guest; visitor; customer
客間Pcきゃくま\(n) parlour; guest room
乗客\じょうきゃく\(n) passenger
置く\おく\(v5k) (1) to put; to place; (2) to leave (behind); (3) (uk) to do something in advance (usu. following te-form verb)
位置\いち\(n,vs) place; situation; position; location
座布団\ざぶとん\(n) zabuton (flat floor cushion used when sitting or kneeling)
座談会\ざだんかい\(n) symposium; round-table discussion
枚\まい\(ctr) counter for flat objects (e.g. sheets of paper)
自由\じゆう\(exp,adj-na,n) freedom; liberty; as it pleases you
理由\りゆう\(n) reason; pretext; motive
家具\かぐ\(n) furniture
具体的\ぐたいてき\(adj-na) concrete; tangible; definite; specific
道具\どうぐ\(n) implement; tool; means
組み合う\くみあう\(v5u,vi) to form a partnership or association; to join together; to grapple with
居間\いま\(n) living room (western style)
目的\もくてき\(n) purpose; goal; aim; objective; intention
悲観的\ひかんてき\(adj-na) pessimistic
乾く\かわく\(v5k,vi) to get dry
呼ぶ\よぶ\(v5b,vt) (1) to call out (to); to call; to invoke; (2) to summon (a doctor, etc.); (3) to invite; (4) to designate; to name; to brand; (5) to garner (support, etc.); to gather; (6) (arch) to take as one's wife
呼吸\こきゅう\(n,vs,adj-no) (1) breath; respiration; (2) knack; trick; secret (of doing something)
湿気\しっけ\(n) moisture; humidity; dampness
取る\とる\(v5r,vt) (1) to take; to pick up; to harvest; to earn; to choose; (2) to steal; (3) to eat; to have (a meal); (4) to remove (one's glasses, etc.)
取れる\とれる\(v1,vi,vt) (1) to come off; to be removed; (2) (of pain, a fever, etc.) to disappear; (3) to be caught; to be harvested; (4) to be interpreted (as); to be taken as; (5) (of balance, etc.) to be attained; (6) to be obtainable
取り付ける\とりつける\(v1,vt) (1) to furnish; to install; (2) to get someone's agreement; (3) to patronize; to buy usually from the same store
聞き取る\ききとる\(v5r,vt) to catch (a person's words); to follow; to understand
役に立つ\やくにたつ\(v5t) to be helpful; to be useful
硬い\かたい\(adj-i) (1) hard; solid; tough; (2) stiff; tight; wooden; unpolished (e.g. writing); (3) strong; firm (not viscous or easily moved); (4) safe; steady; honest; steadfast; (5) obstinate; stubborn; (6) bookish; formal; stuffy
柔らかい\やわらかい\(adj-i) soft; tender; limp
素足\すあし\(n,adj-no) bare feet
素晴らしい\すばらしい\(adj-i) wonderful; splendid; magnificent
快適\かいてき\(adj-na,n) pleasant; agreeable; comfortable
清潔\せいけつ\(adj-na,n) (1) clean; hygenic; sanitary; (2) pure; virtuous; immaculate