deadfox

May 15th, 2008 by dead fox

Even though ticketmaster is a misery-monger the payment of $70 PER TICKET was worth it as we sat in row three on the left. The El Rey in Los Angeles is a beautiful old-style theater, with chandeliers and red velvet everywhere.
I was surprised that taking photos was apparently OK with security..once again I regret being a good citizen and not bringing my cam. I brought a small bottle of juice though and it was confiscated

The boys started playing and I was so excited! They played either together or took turns playing. At times, a DJ accompanied them with smashing beats, kind of like in the Wii advertisement song they made..and they went off playing their shamisen like MADMEN, it was awesome.
They also were accompanied by some percussion dude, that was great.
I personally wished to see more of that variety but hardliners like T preferred that straight shamisen play.

By the way *gives a strict look to Takboss and 178-3* besides the crowd being half Japanese audience, all announcements and mictalk was made in English.

So all in all, a great night!

(except for the fact that it cost $140 in tix and $70 in babysitter money. I actually was going to see Miyavi this Friday, too but another $200, that would be just too decadent)

I decided L will have to start playing shamisen now hehehe

My only attempt of taking a photo with my phone, just to show how close we were. Again and as usual, praise this Cali life…in Japan, we’d be sitting three miles away in soem Super Arena again.

May 14th, 2008 by dead fox

My parents’ dog, who I liked very much, unfortunately died…she had a stroke a few days after we left from Germany this winter. Y tortured her a lot during our stay so I bet that didn’t really help.
Since then she had been ill. When the vet was called to put her to sleep she got up as if to say NO dudes! So he was sent back home.
Three days later, she fell asleep for good, quietly laying in the sunny breeze on the garden lawn. Nice for her, I am almost relieved that it went this way.
She was a very good dog!

So. Feeling a bit gloomy.

May 12th, 2008 by dead fox

Today we were sitting in a ramen restaurant when a twentyish guy and his friend came in. The guy was obviously not japanese and also not even Asian looking. But he and his (Japanese) friend were speaking Japanese. And the guy was fluent. I mean, fo’ realz fluent.
And as a proper nihongo dork he was letting his non-japanese surronding (i.e. me) know of his mad skills.
I could basically hear it..the mockery…”look at you, old white American lady who is married to a Japanese but can’t speak Japanese…LOSER lady!”
I wanted to scream “No no…it’s not what you think! I’m not even American! And and and…I do speak Japanese…it’s just not as great as yours!”
Oh the hopelessness.
I am battling my way reading through the middle school version of “Botchan” armed with my dictionary while he reads Mishima on the loo (I bet).

May 9th, 2008 by dead fox

Have a good one…let your kids spoil you for one day. Yes yes the evil media is forcing you to buy flowers…but know that they are appreciated anyways!

It’s a slow day at work…
KREVA says have a nice weekend.

May 8th, 2008 by dead fox

Happy to announce that I’m in my second week of adopting the habit of brushing my teeth at work.
I know that habit is surprisingly common in the USA (given how neglectful most are with their overall health), but it just never caught on with me. Well now it did! Partially cause I’m so in love with my new toothpaste. I’ll never go back to chemicals+whitening acids anymore!

May 7th, 2008 by dead fox

I’m not sure if I believe in cellular memory so far but a few things that are interesting have been happening.
As from my previous JuiceFeast rambles, I guess it is clear that JF is about detox and rebuilding on all levels.
Now since about day 20, I have sudden memories coming back to me, especially before sleeping. Like, stuff I did as a teen. My friends, what we talked about, where we hung out…
Stuff I’d never think about normally.
It happens now a lot, almost everyday I have a small flashback and am like “WOW! This was a long time ago!”
Last night I noticed that those memories have gotten further back in time, I started remembering stuff when I was a kid.
So I tried to concentrate and imagine myself in our old house, going from room to room, looking into the closets etc. and again WOW I remembered a lot of things.
The placemats on the dinner table, things in the kitchen pantry, my room, the garden, I remember all small details, even (or especially?) the smell. I didn’t even get to “see” everything cause it would take too much time.
There are a lot more things to see and to remember and then let them be I guess.
So anyways, I have heard of others who have this after/from fasting. Some call it cellular memory release, but I don’t know much about that.

It also made me bummed that I could go from happy kiddie time to being an absolutely no-good teen. I have figured out the whys and hows for myself and hope that neither L nor Y will have reason to be like that.
But anyways….WEIRD stuff

May 5th, 2008 by dead fox

I saw the original “Hidden Fortress”. It was OK but I like the new version better. That said, I don’t like purists and haters who think that remakes or adaptions are not cool.
As a big fan of Mifune, I am not afraid to admit that I found the hot pants he was wearing throughout the entire movie highly distracting, because it took a lot of credibility off his image as a bad-azz.
The new version has a lot more action and excitement. However, I’d also just like the original by itself.

I also saw “Kidan” 奇談 featuring Abe Hiroshi who explores a Christian cult in the uninhabited depths of Hokkaido. *that* was a weird one. But the story was too complicated for me to really get into. Abe-chan’s hair was weird, too.

Meh..no liver flush for me cause I wussed out. We were on the road during the weekend so I didn’t wanna be toilet-ridden - or worse: having to go and no toilet nearby. Maybe next weekend.

May 2nd, 2008 by dead fox

Wow this week went by fast.
I noticed that the Matsujun Flurry made me not comment on the gallery post. Thanks everyone for your comments! I also totally forgot to upload a few pics of the stuff on the wall.

Pretty tired and looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow.
It’s day 45 of the JuiceFeast and I have officially reached half term wahooo!
Going to attempt a liver flush tonight. Wonder how that’s going to be hehe. I hope no stones like this will be found:

I’ve been taking Chanca Piedra for about 2 weeks now and it gets my liver and gallblader riled up to the point where I think I actually feel them ughh…so maybe the flush can speed this up a little.
I may chicken out tho cause it involves epsom salts and drinking oil.

May 1st, 2008 by dead fox

It’s been a long time since I actually worked out on machines. Probably because the YMCA’s gymroom is not really my preferred hangout. It’s small and full of old men. Really!

But - I got a 30 day free access pass for 24 Fitness as a promo to win me back as a customer. So I went yesterday and today my arms HURT. Brushing teeth is pain! I had worked out with weights at home but the back and chest muscles have been shamefully neglected.
Swimming is good, but I realized it doesn’t do all that much for muscle power.
So here goes my 30 day muscle challenge!

Gee I wish people at work would leave me be and let me draw some KREVA fanart hehehe.
BUT in other news, it is the first day of MAY, which is my favourite month of the year. Probably because it contains my birthday…and mother’s day! Too bad my men don’t care much.

April 30th, 2008 by dead fox

I finally saw Fast Food Nation yesterday. The movie has tons of guest stars like Avril Lavigne, Ethan Hawke, Bruce Willis, Patricia Arquette and so on.
There are several stories, I guess the main one is an executive of a major fast food chain who is sent out by his boss to find out why there is manure in the beef patties.

I thought it was kind of slow and too clean. Even the cow meat looked sterile, but T, who has been working in the “beef industry” says this is realistic.
Suddenly, the movie’s final 30 seconds show real slaughtering on a conveyor belt. Panicking cows are forced down a narrow corridor and shot into the brain one by one, the throat slit, gutted and skinned immediately.
According to T, who has seen this in real life, the cows know damn well what is going on.
The people who slaughter the cows are wading in blood which turns into bloody pudding and stinks like hell at the end of the day.

Now. Why would ANYONE have anything to do with this?
I really don’t get it.
Plus the movie made a good point that cows produce 50 pounds of -pardon me- pi*s and sh*t per day that are contaminating our water. They’re eating massive amounts of grains that could feed the hungry, yet they only produce a small amount of meat (compared to the grains they consume)..and this meat is filling the already oversaturated bellies of those who need it least.

So..I’m just sayin’. Let’s eat a little bit less of that. It’s for the better..for all of us. You, me, the cows, the world….

April 29th, 2008 by dead fox

Wooohoo, yesterday it was my 4 year anniversary in the USA.
I feel quite settled in except for a few things.
I still don’t drive the highways because they scare the hell out of me. All this sloppy, unstructured driving…this poses a prob for me as seen last weekend. T was suffering seizures when he found I was driving through South Central LA on my way to the USC. Oh well!

Another thing I do not appreciate is the medical system. It is cheap so I guess it is OK. But once you need it, it’s a hassle.

My appreciation goes towards the climate, the diversity and variety and of course my chances to partake in stuff like those j-rock events. That is effin’ cool. If anything cool is happening in the US, it is usually L.A., hands down At least the stuff I am interested in.

——

I’m in full fledged Abe Hiroshi fever. After the movie I recently recommended and Hidden Fortress, I’m hooked. It didn’t hit me too much when I watched Trick and some other dorama where he played an Ex-Chinpira-now school teacher (Dragon Zakura) but now it did. Abe-chan (my colleague informed me that he is referred to affectionately by this name), I’m sorry that my other flavour of the week beat you up!
Hehe, people here totally roll their eyes about my intense pangs of fandom for different guys that are “the one and only idol!” until the next comes along. I’ve created quite the collection of “one and onlies”
Takahashi Sorimachi, That guy from Salaryman Kintaro, Russell Wong, Jackie Chan, Kreva, Sugizo, Koshi Inaba, Kuwata Keisuke, DJ Ozma, Kimutaku, Shingo Katori, Tomoyasu Hotei, Andy Lau, Leon Lai, Tony Leung, Nick Tse (don’t ask), Ken Watanabe, Yakusho, Eikichi Yazawa..and I bet there are many many more.
Of course, there are gradations but all in all it is a big circus of idols dancing around my head performing tricks.
I have to ask myself again, am I really close to 31? I outfangril any of the girls at the USC event.

April 28th, 2008 by dead fox

Ohhh ho ho ho ho ho hooooo *old lecher’s laughter fading in and out*
It was totally worth it going to see Matsujun at the USC campus yesterday. Wow! Thanks M for letting me tag along. I also learned lessons in how to stalk your star!
I have to say that my nature is to just leave the event after I saw it but thanks to M’s encouragement we got to
- run around searching for Matsujun after the event
- take secret,blurry photos of him through glass doors
- be yelled at by security guards
- wave and scream good bye when he jumped into his very obvious black shiny ride

All of which was not technically necessary since we were so damn close to him all throughout the Q&A after the movie!

But first things first:
The USC was holding a movie screening of Shinji Hisguchi’s remake of The Hidden Fortress.
My man Abe Hiroshi KICKED. BUTT. and even my other man KREVA had a cameo, but playing an ass.

Matsujun and the director and the guy who played C3PO in Star Wars were there.
M and I agreed that that guy was…rather cool!!
But back to Matsujun (oh and the director was cool, too!)

He gave a small speech before the movie, in English <3
I was so glad to sit down and enjoy the sight of a wholesome young man lol. We had been out in the heat for quite some time. But some die hards have been there since 9 am!!
Through M’s connections and some luck we got to the front of the line ^^ It was awesome.
I was even interviewed again haha!! To think they would be interested in me is hilarious, but it was the same as with B’z “pick the most obvious gaijin”.

After the movie, the Q&A dragged on due to translation and misunderstanding. The only memorable moment for me was when Matsujun basically told one of the translators to shut up.
USC students were hogging the mic and I didn’t get to ask my question (”Where’s Hiroshi Abe at yo??” haha
Outside we stalked Matsujun who was hiding in a room talking to USC peeps.
We took photos through the glass door and acted girly. Then we screamed as he jumped into a limo type vehicle and drove off. At least he waved!
Yay Matsujun!!!!

Again, we’re so lucky. Jun was about 30 meters away, 20 meters at times and I dare 10 meters when he got in the limo.
How cool is that?
God, am I really almost 31 years old?
Here are some of my masterpiece photos! Aren’t they great???

We couldn’t take photos in the theater cause we had to give up even our phones.
Thanks to M I also arrived home safely but rather dead. Somehow this kind of excitement really gets to me. My colleague asked me if someone punched me in the face cause my eyes are swollen.
Yeah, I did not sleep good. and when I did, I had feverish dreams of the movie, Rokurota (Abe Hiroshi) to be exact.
That’s it! Matsujun @ USC = cool stuff! Thanks M for taking me along!

April 25th, 2008 by dead fox

I’m excited because tonight is the artists reception in Venice Beach, in the gallery where I’m happy to say that some of my works are being shown, too.
It took 1 year and 4 months from first idea to final outcome.
Still I am bummed I have not found any curator for my first series about the German folktale Das Nibelungenlied but resorted to make something more palatable for the American taste.



I know I have posted those images before !

April 24th, 2008 by dead fox

With the new schedule revolving around ’s preschool, I have no time for swimming right now. So I go for an evening run almost everyday. Short but sweet.
I like it very much. Aaaahhh…alooone time.
The other day, I made it to the pier.
However on the way back I was dodging food smells almost the whole way. There’s fish markets and restaurants, pubs and the likes.

April 21st, 2008 by dead fox

Look at this feast. Well, the photo doesn’t do it justice. I thought it was huge. After swimming (hence the disheveled looks) we went to the Korean BBQ and T ordered THREE portions of raw meat. There are two more trays of food not in this picture. They served all kinds of pickles with that. Ahhhhh…I love all Korean pickles. But I stayed true to my juice. And besides, I am usually busy helping Y to eat.

The waitress thought it was really weird that an obvious vegetarian/non eater even joins a meat feast but T said that in Japan, only men eat, while the women tend to them….. -_______-;;

Today I am home with Y, who has badass fever..poor guy.

April 17th, 2008 by dead fox

I found this in the 99 cents sale section of the japanese video store. Cool!
I was totally short on time so I literally grabbed it while walking cause the red caught my attention. I have to dig around longer next time.
Oooohh I see a shirtless Kimutaku creeping around on tiled floor…and a funny looking Shingo-san ^o^

April 16th, 2008 by dead fox

I was trying to see whether working out at home is a good alternative for certain people who don’t ever do much.
So I got a nice workout vid at Netflix, OK it is Carmen Elektra, but it’s not about stripping. This is a serious workout video that has her and some guy exercising.
Unfortunately, only L was man enough to work out with me, cause he wants to bulk up like the guy in the video.
Hmm..there goes another strategy of getting the men in shape…..

April 15th, 2008 by dead fox

Jigyaku no uta
Oh man, best movie in a while!!!
This scene shot says it all lol. Abe Hiroshi plays a no good chinpira…or does he?? The middle of the movie becomes Kitanoesque and dream-like so we don’t know how he became to be this way.
Conclusion: my stomach hurt from laughing, T’stomach hurt from crying (it is kinda sappy at the same time)

Maiko haaaaan
I made the mistake of thinking this movie would mainly feature my sweetheart Shinichi Tsutsumi. In fact, he is not the main character, tho. Nevertheless, it’s nice to find out about Maiko and Kyoto culture.

April 14th, 2008 by dead fox

Wow it was hella hot this weekend!

Here’s me looking dorky at the zoo. I asked T to take a hoto of me & bamboo. For the first time ever, Y got motivated to be in a photo and joined me!!
Normally, he’s eager to look away or make a face. Anyways, I just wanted to post prrof that I am still in good standing after 27 days of juice.

Here’s me with my mandatory juice bottle.

I use glass bottles during the week, but for the zoo the bottles are just too heavy.

And we had our beach debut. As you can see, we took all kinds of sun precautions for Y incl sunblock, but he ended up haveing had “too much sun” and was a little sluggish for the rest of the day (me, too).
And tons of spring breakers at the beach made me feel old!

April 11th, 2008 by dead fox

My mad cooking skillz!
Actually, I do cook for the kids, but re-heating rice isn’t much of a talent of mine.

This weekend, the family shall officially open this year’s beach season! The forecast is promising, the sunscreen is ready! Just need some water toys and let’s go yeah!!