Author: Christopher

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Reminders about Feeds

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I just wanted to remind everyone who reads, listens, or watches of the following options for this podcast / blog site. There are five feeds that you can subscribe to:

  • The site feed will give you all of the blog posts. This feed is good for people who just want to read and aren’t really interested in all the fancy media.
  • The regular podcast feed will get you ALL of the media, both audio and video episodes. Put this in your feed reader if you want it all. Additionally, if you have iTunes installed, you can use the iTunes feed instead.
  • The audio only podcast feed is well, audio only.
  • The video only podcast feed is well, video only.
  • Finally, there is a comments feed if you are interested in keeping up with the chatter on this site.

I realize there are some people who enjoy the audio much more so I’m reminding folks of these options before posting new material. I have quite a bit of video that’s ready to go as well as more audio episodes. Stay subscribed!

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Episode 19 – Commute-cast and More

Sumida River

You better believe it …. this episode is action-packed and quite possibly, the longest FJ episode to date! I managed to fit in the commute cast (complete with official PASMO song), dinner boats, slip on shoes, podcasting pre-cursors, supermarkets, transvestite bands, and more. What started as a short stint in the park on a beautiful Saturday afternoon turned into a full blown episode. Though its a bit windy and I often “pop” the microphone, I hope you all still enjoy.

Show Notes:

  • I screw up the episode number so I substituted it with a mac voice
  • Commute Cast
    • Material from last month’s discussion with Alex
    • PASMO song – watch it here
    • JR Rail Pass
    • Student Passes
    • The One Card I Need – PASMO Student Pass
  • Dinner boats in the Sumida River
  • Slip-on-shoes
  • More Talk about Podcasts
    • Pre-cursors to podcasting
    • Listener material from Japan
    • NPR’s Lost and Found Sound – The Vietnam Tapes of Lance Corporal Michael A. Baronowski
    • When this project is finished, I will put it on archive.org
  • Japanese supermarket experiences
  • My latest tachinomi experience
    • A night without English
    • Meeting the manager of a transvestite synth-pop band
  • Only in Japan – Playboy Logo branded items
  • Closing
    • Various thanks
    • 10% of FJ traffic last month came from Tokyo Calling
    • Request to other Japan podcasters

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Episode 18 – 18 Minute Update

Just a quick 18 minute update for episode 18. I really didn’t plan it that way, weird. One main topic and a bunch blabber divided into two parts. Enjoy!

Show Notes:

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どこから来ましたか？

World Map

(title translation: Where are you from?)

Wow! That’s all I can really say.

I’m sitting here this morning drinking my coffee and exploring Google analytics. This wonderful site tells me today that requests from exactly 69 countries have occurred for content on this site in the past year.

I started this project as a diary to keep track of my trip, my experiences, what I’ve seen and heard for my family, future children, or perhaps a curious soul sometime in the future. I certainly did not expect such response, and such a global one at that. Arigatou!

But while it may be fun to think that so many people have visited, it’s even more amazing to me that I don’t know many of the people who come from these countries, let alone much about the countries themselves. My experiences in the world are still so limited and I wish I could travel to many of these places in the future.

So, feel free to put up a quick hello on the comments and let me know where you’re may be from. I’d love to learn more about some of the readers of this FindingJapan a little better. Right now, feeling a little like I’m naked on stage. I can’t decide if its best to put clothes on or imagine the audience naked too. ^_^

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Episode 17 – Walking Through Asakusa

Rainy Day

I took the chance during this rainy day to walk around Asakusa and just spout random thoughts into my cell phone. Listening back, it wasn’t all that bad so I’m posting it as a podcast episode. This one feels a little more intimate and fun I think. Plus, there is all sorts of great things to listen for in the background. Enjoy!

Show Notes:

  • Another haircut at QB House
  • Looking for headphones in Asakusa
  • Eating breakfast at Denny’s (menu photo 1 / menu photo 2)
  • Comments on restaurants in general
  • Children’s book I’m reading
    • Link to Amazon.co.jp page for it
    • book.jpg
  • Coffee episode coming soon
  • Comments on various store fronts I pass by

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Being Sick, Japanese Translation

This evening I sat down to do a writing exercise that is due next Monday. We have to turn in two short writings about our Golden Week weekend. Since I spent most of mine up until Thursday sick, I tried to describe this as best I could in Japanese. I’m really passionate about the subject right now. 😛

Anyway, in reading my short story, I was pretty proud of it so I’m posting it here. The Kanji I know I’ve included as well. I think there are probably many mistakes, but again that’s the goal of having homework corrected. Feel free to butt in if you see something glaringly wrong and can’t possibly stand me handing in something like this. But its probably better I get it corrected so I learn something.

わたしのゴールデンウィーク＃１

ゴールデンウィークのあいだじゅうに、私はかぜでした。先週の日曜日から今週の日曜日まででした。たいへんでした。月曜日に、ぐすりやへ行きました。そのぐすりのねだんは１６５０円でした。くすりや員は、私に「毎日、三回一つをたべて下さい」って言いました。それから、そうしました。でも、私は木曜日まで、もうかぜでした。だから、木曜日にクリニックへ行きました。いしゃは、私にもっといいぐすりをくれました。私は「本当にありがとうございました」って言いました。うちにかえって、ねました。金曜日も、ねました。

Translation

My Golden Week

During golden week I had a cold. It was from Sunday of last week to this Sunday. It was terrible. On Monday, I went to the medicine store. The price of the medicine was 1,650 yen. The medicine store guy told me, “Take one three times every day”. So, I did it. But, on Thursday I still had a cold. So, on Thursday I went to the clinic. The doctor gave me some better medicine. I said, “Really!!, Thank you very much”. I returned to my house and went to sleep. I also slept on Friday.

Right! I’m off to write the second on talking about my experiences in Ueno Park and Asakusa today. I saw 50s greaser dancers and got denied entry to a restaurant because of my gaijin status. What fun!! 🙂

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Episode 16 – Medicine and Parks

66838065_d6eeab4a43_b 1.jpg

Is it true? Is it true? An audio episode?! Yes, I know its been a while but I pulled up my bootstraps and got myself in front of the mic for a good hour today. After editing out all the coughs and false starts, this one comes down to about 41 minutes or so. A full episode follows, complete with a brief sound scene at Mos Burger, only in Japan segment, and two big topics. Listen to my gravel-like voice in true stereo as I whisk you through the Japanese medical experience and my reflections on the park.

Show Notes:

  • Golden Week and what I’ve been doing
  • Being sick in Japan
    • This cold is kicking my ass
    • Pharmacy / medicine store experience
    • Japanese medicine
    • Japanese clinic experience
      • Armpit thermometer
    • Comments on Japanese health-care system
  • Park visit today
    • Had to get out of the house
    • Listening to Jazz while biking through Tokyo
      • Comparing Japan to New York
    • Mos Burger Sound Scene [3 mins]
    • Only in Japan: How many dogs can you take to the park??
    • Japanese park teaches me to relax and enjoy life
  • Another story about my bike
    • Proof that I’m not the only manly-man riding a mama-chari bike
  • Updates
    • Computer work
    • Yurikamome video footage
    • New episodes
  • Hi’s and Hello’s
  • Rock concert podcast ending [it takes for ever]

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Episode 15 – Biking Through Tokyo

Bike bike bike

Yeeeesssssssss. Here it is. The episode you’ve all been waiting for, “Biking Through Tokyo”. I hope I didn’t talk it up too much prior to this. I edited this over the weekend. The footage had been sitting on my drive for about 2 weeks, just dying to be put to good use.

I had to be a little creative with the editing since alot of it was bumping. It’s alot like drinking too much coffee the way it runs now. Please don’t eat anything while watching this. Hopefully you will enjoy some of the sights of Tokyo as I did on that day. Oh, and instead of shownotes, here are delicious time-code notes where I’ve marked points of interest that I don’t mention in audio.

Show Notes

  • 0:00 – Fancy-schmancy intro as always
  • 1:00 – The dreaded Nissan’s Business Japanese makes a guest appearance
  • 1:06 – Note the super-secure bike lock
  • 1:37 – じてんしゃ is Japanese for Bicycle (pronounced “ji-tenn-sha”)
  • 1:47 – That is a highway on/off ramp
  • 2:18-2:25 – If you look closely, you can almost see the kitty-cat sticker on the bell. LOL
  • 2:58 – Ferrari
  • 3:40 – Notice how many different types of sidewalks there are yet??
  • 3:47 – I pedal through people in Asakusa-bashi w/o touching my feet on the ground – You have no idea how hard it was to navigate that with one hand and film at the same time. ^_^
  • 4:22 – The Asahi Beer building

Special thanks to Gustav Young from Oddioblender for letting me use the track “Frantic Footsteps” for this video. Please check out the site for more great glitchy nerdcore music. I listen to this album constantly!

Alternative video link (Google Video)

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My Get Well Kit

Get Well Kit

Click here for the original flickr photo with notes.

I’ve got a bit of energy so I had to do something today. The last two days I’ve been sick in bed. But I have not had a lack of entertainment. Twittering from bed, games, movies, and phone calls are all allowed. Why is being sick as an adult so much more fun than being sick when I was a kid?

Seriously though, I feel like a truck hit me in the head and I’ve got a busy two days ahead so I hope I’m able to head out tomorrow. The strangest things have been coming out of my nose and throat today. But alas, がんばります！　^_^

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Episode 14 – Riding the Tokyo Monorail

Tokyo Monorail

(Photo used with Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 2.0 License – Original)

A few days ago, I had to head down to the Tokyo Regional Immigration bureau. What fun!! However, there was one redeeming result of the trip: I was able to ride the Tokyo Monorail. I’m fairly familiar with most of Tokyo’s transportation systems, but I had never ridden this particular line. It was a great experience. If you visit Tokyo, I recommend you make it a point to ride this line, second to the Shinkansen of course.

What is different about the Tokyo Monorail from other lines is it is completely above ground. Sure, most of the JR lines are as well, but the Monorail soars above neighborhoods and between buildings – a feat that the JR lines do not accomplish. When you ride JR, you see track and rocks as you ride in an area specifically laid out for train travel. When you ride the Tokyo Monorail, you literally fly past buildings and over people as they tend to their daily lives.

I hope you enjoy this short video. I had to use a little different method to put it together since it came primarily off my cell phone.

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