| The Solution To Poverty? |
[Nov. 9th, 2009|04:41 pm] |
"Poverty" truly is a subjective term. If someone were to admit this out-loud, their words could easily be twisted (politically, of course) to showcase that a family of four struggling to get by would not call their 'poverty' status as simply being subjective but a visible FACT.
If such a person were to twist those words around and even go as far as to find such family to use in their example, it would still prove that poverty is subjective because compared to the poor in other nations, the "American" poor family may actually not be as poor as they thought they could be.
Poverty truly is a subjective term.
( Read more to solve poverty... ) |
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| The Vampire cafe! |
[Nov. 9th, 2009|06:51 pm] |
 This is the last of my posts for the day! =D
So, the final stop for Saturday (it was a full day!) was the Vampire cafe! Yeah... the Vampire Cafe.
Which is... exactly like it sounds! A kitchy cafe decorated to look all dracula and bloooooooood. Something a lot of people I know back home would like XD
Honestly, it was interesting, but.. well, too smoky. I would gladly go back if it was nonsmoking, but since that isn't going to happen and it was utterly miserable from the smoke of the drug-addicted girl behind us (they ARE drugs), and the chain-smoking guy next to us, I won't be going back.
However, whenever Tokyo is made smoke-free, I am so coming back! Here's to the future!!
( But some pictures Dracula himself would (not) be proud of XD ) |
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| And what??? |
[Nov. 9th, 2009|06:29 pm] |
 You know how you hear about all of those random strange vending machines in Japan? Well, this one sells canned soups.
Canned ramen, oden, curry, chicken soup.... all sorts of strange things!!
( Read more... )
It's in Akihabara, by the way... Think you can find it? It's kind of hiding in plain sight ^_~
I wouldn't have even known about it myself if it wasn't for my friend Patrick, from Otaku2.com! He introduced it to us when he guest starred on Pop'n Press! I HIGHLY recommend his book, too!! The Otaku Encyclopedia!! It's full of nearly everything that an Otaku would want to know! I really loved it!! (I'll do a really good review of it eventually!) |
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| City life! |
[Nov. 9th, 2009|06:18 pm] |
 I was volunteering in Akihabara, and we had a reservation for a place in Ginza that evening, so Adele and I decided to walk.... I took a lot of great pictures of the city!!
Sorry in advance, but I have a lot of posts to make and only tonight to make them (studio from tomorrow on), so I'm going to make a lot of posts all at once! ^^ Sometimes I don't like doing that, because it discourages people from commenting, (I love comments!!), but I've gotta post while I can! ^^
( +10 pictures of buildings and pretty sights in the city ^__________^ ) |
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| Conbini life! |
[Nov. 9th, 2009|06:03 pm] |
 I'm starting a new tag, Conbini Life, just to post about weird things or just things that I find in japanese convenience stores (and of course, other ones when I travel!). I'd really like to post more about the "normal" (as much as my life is) parts of living in Japan... at least what I experience living in Japan, since everyone is different!!
So without further ago, a few more pictures of convenience store-ness! Guess I'd better take as many as I can right now, in case I suddenly get my break and am too famous to get away with taking pictures! (lol, well you never know! It would be nice, ne? ^___^)
( +6 conbini pictures, +5 berry cafe... ) |
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| Volunteering again ^_^ |
[Nov. 9th, 2009|01:12 pm] |
 I'm glad that everyone likes the random pictures! ^___^ I've been taking a lot more so that I can post them on my lj soon. =^-^=
But in the meantime, I went volunteering again the other day! This time, Adele came with me, so it was easy to get into things, and as always (lol, this is only the second time), I had a fun time!
We volunteered for 2HJ, which is basically a food bank, and on Saturday they have people come in and help and go feed homeless people in the park. We only helped for the preparations, because there were too many people signed up for the park part (which was my favorite part before, too bad). That's the only bad thing, I suppose... that to sign up to help, you have to be kind of competitive! I'd rather just help out in a more relaxed manner.
But at least we got into a rhythm, and so 'work' went fast. We met a lot of really nice people, too. I always love talking to volunteers!! I'm going to look for more places to volunteer, if there are any (let me know if you know of any!), and see if I can find something that really matches my personality. ^^ I don't want anything that has to do with money, or asking for money. I'd rather work directly with people or animals that need help. We'll see!!
I did take a few pictures, though not many since I can't show the volunteer's faces without permission (aside from mine and Adele's) ( Read more... ) |
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| Conbini-ness! |
[Nov. 7th, 2009|12:33 am] |
 Thanks for all of your suggestions on tv shows, guys!! I haven't even finished reading all of the comments, but I will definitely get through them!! Lots of good suggestions in there! ^-^
But.... BIG NEWS!!!!! I GOT MY NEW VISA TODAY!!!! It was kind of a struggle and I had to go over and over to this government institution or that office over the last two months, and get this form from the city office or that thing from Sensei or wait for this receipt or that proof-of-something. Only to have an immigration officer give me the most dubious look in the world a few days ago and talk to me in a tone of voice that said, "You are crazy, this visa is never going to fly." But it did!!!!!! I got the notice that I was approved today and changed all of my plans immediately and spent the rest of the day picking it up and taking care of other legal things! I'm now all set for the next three years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *throws a party* I really, really am considering digging into my savings to buy an ipod touch (in celebration). Or not. BUT I AM HAPPY!!!! *dances*
So, while I was in the immigration office I went to the convenience store downstairs and saw some cute things.. I was wondering, is anyone interested in random pictures of things like this? Truth be told, convenience stores ('conbini') are huge parts of life in Japan. At least, life in the city. Without them, I think that a lot of people would die for lack of food, bandages, or even shampoo. Funny because I never went to a convenience store in the states unless it was to get gas for my car (they don't have gas at conbinis here) or slurpees or those delicious do-it-yourself nachos (also not here)!
( +3 pictures )
(I should be sleeping because I need to get up early tomorrow, but I am totally watching the Star Trek movie because it just came out on DVD in Japan today... couldn't help myself and had to buy it!!!! And who knew my DVD player was region-free! Not me!! =D) |
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| TV... |
[Nov. 6th, 2009|02:18 am] |
I'm just wondering, but... what current TV shows am I missing that are just too awesome to pass up? Any recommendations? There is a lot of TV that I follow, so I might be watching it alread/have seen it already, but let me know what you all like! ^^ ( Stuff I like right now.. ) |
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| It's non-alcoholic, yo~~♪ |
[Nov. 6th, 2009|01:56 am] |
 I still have to get back in the habit of taking pictures!! I guess that it comes with being tired all of the time, that I just don't have the energy to find my camera. Maybe I should start putting it into the front pocket of my bag!! But I do have a few pictures to share!! ^__^
Yesterday, after I finished the very last of the MUSTDO errands during this time off (and this means that I'm niow officially on vacation for a few days!), I went over to Ikebukuro. There is a new electronics store that just opened, and I heard that they had sales on everything, so I thought that I might go and pick up the new Ipod touch.. Despite that I want apple to just stop making computers, I actually am really interested in this product ^^;;; But while the signs said SALE SALE SALE!, the prices were actually the manufacturers suggested prices. The same prices that everyone has.. (aka 30,000 yen for a 32gb) How is that a sale, exactly? They did say that they would match anyone else's prices, but I checked and can't find it for any cheaper anywhere else. Sad. T-T But I just don't want to pay that much.. it's the principle of the thing. And who doesn't like a good deal? ^^ (not to mention that I don't actually need one) So anyways....!
After that I met up with Aloni and Michele and went to the prison-themed restaurant, The Lockup! (http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g528911/)
Maybe it's because they redid the interior recently (It does resemble a giant prison, but you don't get handcuffed or anything), but I wasn't overly impressed... It was kind of barren (not that it's a bad thing to have less people in a restaurant.. that means we only had to deal with 20% death-by-secondhand-smoke). But it wasn't all that I was expecting, really. I might head to the one in Shibuya sometime to see if it's any better!
( A few pictures.... sorry it was dark so not too many! )
Ahhh, today I mainly slept and ate. I'm not sure what happened! And now it's 2am and I can't sleep. I suppose that I will read a little bit of Fushigi Yuugi and try to go to sleep. I really want to have a few productive last days before work starts again!! So I'd better rest up!!
PS: If anyone knows of any Ipod touch sales in Tokyo, let me know! I'm thinking a 32gb for ￥25,000 or less, or a 64gb for ￥30,000 or less ^^ Also if you know of any place to get a new Nintendo DS for less than ￥ん12,000 let me know too! ^^ Online is okay, but I'd rather in a real store so that I know for sure what I'm getting! |
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| Happy (belated) Canadian (un)Thanksgiving! =D |
[Nov. 5th, 2009|01:48 am] |
 I was getting set to update, when I realized that I hadn't posted Thanksgiving pictures yet!! It's not yet Thanksgiving for me (yay America?), but it is for my Canadian friends (or it was), so we got together last month and had a big homemade dinner at Adele's house!
It was a big ball of fun, and so great being able to kick back and hang out with people (and meet all sorts of new fun people, too!!). Not to mention, food!! =D My favorite!!! ^___________^
Anyways, I'll just share a few pictures and let that tell any story (such as there is).
( Read more... )
It was an interesting night... populated by The Bulge (Adele's pear pie), Bobby Helen (our turkey-stand-in), and cranberry boobs (I might have had a hand in that..), among other things!
Oh, the memories.. I hope that I can make it to the American version next month! It depends on work and other stuffs, of course... ^^ |
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