Japan is very nice. I spent most of my time in Tokyo. Its a lot like NYC but the people are far more respectful, quiet and less rude. I especially loved and felt at home in Harajuku. Of course because it was mainly mixed and loud, filled with young vibrant people. I loved the fashion and the crepes there. Kawaii and Oishii!

I didn't get to speak that much Japanese because a lot of people were trying to speak to us in English when it came to directions and food ordering. The worse was getting around. The maps were so confusing. Almost every time we went out on our own we were lost. The maps on the streets with the "You are here" sign didn't help much. We've read guide books  that stated Japan is notorious with having unlabeled streets and their streets are zigzagged to make this more confusing. Some feudal defense construction to confuse their enemies once a upon a time. Odd sort of street construction. Building aren't  even numbered and if they are they aren't numbered in order. There were a few really sweet people who wished to help us find our way. But there's an off chance they don't know the direction either and they just don't want to tell you no. So they'll stand with you and look in whatever direction they think your location is and then look at you and nod and smile. >__>

I was there for a week, 8 days (1 day of travel time, so 7 days on land). I hated the plane ride over and returning. My back was killing me on the flight over. 13.5 hrs. Crazy! @_@ The air is soo recycled. And the babies! NO! NOT THE BABIES! They cry and run up and down. They had loads of movies. Most of which I've seen already. Only 4 that I haven't seen: Slumdog Millonaire, Four Christmases, Suspect X and the Day the Earth Stood Still. Btw, AA offered the same movie selections on the flight back. (Indeed, I was bored.) Then on the flight back, due to the FedEx plane crashing at Narita airport the same morning in which I was to leave, our plane was re-routed to Chicago then on to JFK. (Of course, the airport/airline, AA screwed up and told us LaGuardia, then changed it once we left Chicago. AA BAKA!) I was lucky that I had an evening flight and not morning. A lot of earlier flights were canceled. I went with three girl friends. Just for vacation. We stayed in a 3 bedroom hotel at the Sakura Tower Prince Hotel - Tokyo.

We signed up for two official tours provided by Expedia.com. The Mount Fuji & Hakone tour and the Symphonic Tour. The Mt. Fuji tour took us up to step 4 out of 5 steps of the mountain (5 being the highest). They had to call every 20 minutes to make sure the weather was good. It was a bus trip, so no hiking. We went to a nearby hotel that had a beautiful view of Mt. Fuji and had a traditional Japanese lunch. Afterward, we went on a cable car ride up more mountains and took pictures of a natural mountain side hot spring. Drove down the windy trail for a boat ride to the Hakone Onsen hotel where some people got off. We did the cable car first because our tour guide, Harry, felt that it may be too windy at some point and the cable car company may shut down. In which they did, right after the last few cable cars arrived. My group and I continued back to Tokyo on bus and got off at Ginza, where the tour ended and we had dinner.

The other tour, the Symphonic Tour, consisted of going around Tokyo, and getting culture and history. We went to Odaiba, which is Japan's man-made island. The Japanese gov’t took their recycled garbage, burned and processed it to produce land connecting to the rest of Tokyo. Much like Staten Island. :3 A lot of the land is connected by bridges. There we went to a Feudal Edo Era Museum. It was pretty nice to see replicas of Japan from long ago. We took loads of pictures. We were able to sit down in an old home, after taking off our shoes from dirtying the tatami mat and take pictures, while touching the replica relics they had decorating the home. Then we drove around Tokyo station, a building built by a Japanese architect who studied in England, so it looks much like an English station. Then we walked around the moat of the Imperial Palace where it is only is opened to the public twice a year for holidays: New Year's and the Emperor's Birthday. Then we drove under the train rails of the fully automated train line, where it is the only non-person operated train. (We took that train later to Tokyo Big Sight (convention center) for the Tokyo International Anime Fair on Saturday, March 21st.) And we arrived at the Symphonic boat tour. There we boarded the Symphonic Moderna cruise boat for a 2 hour trip on the Sumida River that travels around Odaiba. We took pictures of the Rainbow Bridge Tokyo, Palette town (home of the big Ferris wheel and a smaller version of the Statue of Liberty, also Ash Ketchem from Pokemon :3, in Japanese his name is Satoshi). We were given lunch on the cruise ship, a buffet of Japanese Western-style food. And then back on the bus to Asakusa for a visit at the famous Buddist temple: Sensoji. We did a fortune-telling and then back to the bus terminal, Hamamatsucho (end of tour) where we walked to Tokyo Tower and went all the way to the main observatory to view Tokyo from North, South, East, West at night. Very pretty. We ate and shopped in Tokyo Tower and back to the hotel to pass out.

*New Content 04/07/09:
I explained the paid guided tours. Now I have to explain the self-guided tours. We went to Tokyo Station (on the JR Yamanote Line), the first Monday we arrived. There we walked around looking for the Imperial Palace. I was able to find a man using a blackberry, which to me translated that he knew English. And as fortune would have it, he did! Very good speaking English. He told us that most of the Imperial Palace was off limits this time of year. It is only open twice a year on two holidays: the Emperor's Birthday and New Year's. However, he said that we should be able to walk around the moat, see the fountain that was built as the Emperor's engagement present and walk around the outer gardens. He said that we would be able to get a better view of the gardens from the Marunouchi Building on the 15-16 restaurant floors. After thanking him (no, we did not bow), we went the building first to get the broad view of the palace. However, it was too early, the floors weren't open until 11 a.m. So we went to the Imperial grounds first. There, we walked around the moat. Found our first traditional-style bathroom, where we didn't not use. But we didn't get to take pictures of some of the guard houses. The "garden" was just a wide open paved space. A lot of trees, hills to walk up and we saw our first sakura tree starting to bloom. There was a fort that was attacked and was never rebuilt. Mostly the entire palace is built like a maze, just like the streets are. We walked to the fountain. Very pretty. Back to the Marunouchi building, but we found that the view wasn't that great. We believe the best view of the grounds, you would have to eat in the restuarants. Afterwards, we went back to the station and off on our favorite tourist train loop: JR Yamanote, to Shinjuku.
 

Japan '09 Photos

Well, I'm back from Tokyo. Aside from the staring people (who don't see black people often), the early morning hours of tours and then trying to find our way around with confusing maps, it was a good trip. Though my body hasn't exactly adjusted back to NYC EDT time. T_T Still trying to adjust. Sent via BlackBerry

I am sick of all the beggars/people I know telling me to bring back something for them. TELLING ME! First of all, the fact I am even telling them I'm going somewhere is privileged. Before they even say anything about having a safe trip, have fun or get back safely; it's "get me this, get me that, I want this, I want that". All of these requests are not making me think of the fun things that I should be thinking of when I land. Now I'm busy thinking of the disappointed faces when I get them nothing. The last thing on my mind will be them when I go away. At this moment, I'm thinking that on my next vacation, I won't tell anyone what I'm doing. Only the people who I will consider going with. Its unfortunate that I have to think this way but the "begging" is only adding to the stress that I am trying to alleviate by going on vacation. What I'm thinking of doing is making a list of the beggars, and a list of the people that I thought of buying souvenirs for. The beggars will get a separate souvenir, if they even get a souvenir at all. They will be the last thought of. The people I will purchase for will get better quality souvenirs, something well thought of. And all those who didn't get, should get over themselves and look for stuff on eBay or go to a JASmart or Mitsuwa (Japanese market in NJ). Honestly, my trip to Florida when it came to souvenirs was a headache. The souvenirs I bought had no thought at all to them and one that I gave was given to someone else. I was mortified. You thought of someone to get them something and they practically trash it because it wasn't what they wanted. Again, I can't stress the need to just go on vacation and only get something for mother, father, bf and myself. It will leave me time to give a meaningful thought to the souvenir. I'm a worry wart. I know this about myself. I can't help this. It is probably innate for someone like me. Sent via BlackBerry

Well, recently, I've just been restless. No passion to blog. No appetite. Been sick with a cough and chest congestion. Feeling a bit better now that I can move, but then I'm a bit light headed due to the cough syrup I've been chucking down almost everyday. I don't have much patience at the moment for people or comments. I'm in an indifferent, i don't care mood. Most of the time I've just been updating my status on Facebook, ignoring my xanga. I need to rectify that. Otherwise, I should be looking forward to my Japan trip, but I've just been thinking how I want it to just be over. Been going to meetups, but then having to hear about the drama behind the scenes at the meetups. And then missing the people that have left the meetups. Now it's mostly boys that go now and when you have too many boys, of course pervy things start. So again, no mood to do meetups either. Go home and get bothered... stay at work and get bothered... really just no place to go or be to feel you can just be alone and comfortable. I guess sleep is all I can just try for. Get some earplugs and try to ignore the world.

Once upon a time...

there was a girl with a weblog and...
she ignored it. The weblog...
was insulted and decided...
to extract revenge upon the girl. The revenge consisted of...
____________________.

You walk a mystical path, and are a creature of the spiritual and the supernatural. You are introspective and self-reliant, but nobody will ever question your bravery or commitment to justice.

Take the quiz!

Sunday, July 1st, 2007 @ 12:34pm

 

I have a secret.  For three years after I turned 16, or some would say after I hit maturity.  I’ve been able to sort of see the misfortunes of others.  It’s not like I am a psychic.  I wish.  No, it’s more like I can foresee when a person may come to harm.  And I don’t mean by just a finger prick or a car accident.  Most of my predictions come from seeing misfortunes that occur with vampires.  Yeah, I know.  Vampires don’t exist.  Well, of course not.  To everyone else other than me.  But for as long as I can remember I’ve seen them.  They live among us.  Like ordinary, everyday people.  They go to school, mix with humans, work and then have children.  I’m not talking about just some Dracula type vampires.  Though they feed on blood from time to time, they aren’t limited to going out at night or living forever.  Nope. Just like everyone else. Minus the brute strength, speed and excellent night vision and don’t forget the fangs that come out when their feeding.  They are pretty much normal.  However, there are a few cases where a few might feed off a human until they die.  Sucking the life force, soul, spirit, what have you, out of a human being is taboo.  Big no no.  Humans don’t like it and fellow vampires don’t like it.  That’s where the trouble begins and that’s where I come in.  My family has a long history of dealing with wayward vampires, or vamps (yea, we shortened it).  It most be something in our blood.  But we can detect if a person is going to be attacked or not.  Just not knowing when, where or by who.  It could be a few hours to months.  My longest prediction has always been a few days.  Like right now.  Here I am following this lady.  I’ve been silently following her for two days now.  So far it’s just been a few grocery shopping, book reading at a coffee shop and taking the kids back home from school.  An average housewife.  I haven’t seen her coming out at night at all.  Oh, did I forget to mention, though regular vampires can walk out in the day and mingle with humans.  The ones that attack humans and take their life force are the ones normally described in books and movies.  Few vampires do this though.  When you kill someone, you change.  You don’t resemble much of a human anymore, but turn into some sort of monster.  The more you kill, the more you live longer, look younger but also the more you crave to kill.  Now, I’m not some sort of vampire hunger with a stake and hammer.  A normal average 9mm Beretta handgun.  I’ve been practicing with a gun since 13, so I could get my own license when I turned 18.  I’m a sharp shooter, or so my father says.  I use normal ammo.  And when a turned vampire dies, easy clean up. They flash a bright light and then turn to dust.  Yawn, stake outs like this always takes time.  These turned vamps might hid in the sun’s shadow and attack, or send someone to do it.  But the end is always true to the prediction.  That’s if you don’t kill the turned vampire.  I really need to get this over with.  I’m a first year college student.  I have an assignment due by the end of the week and a quiz to study for.

 

“Valerie, what are you doing here?”

“Oh, Caroline. How are you doing?”  Being interrupted from her thoughts, Valerie turned around slightly so she could be able to see her friend Caroline and still keep a look out at the house across the street.

“I’m fine. Hmm.... How long has it been? A year since we graduated from high school.  I go to college at Washington U.  Where’d u end up?”

“The same.”

“Really! But what are you doing all the way out here.  I would think to see you out here. It’s a long commute from school.”

“Hmm... But wait, what are you doing out here?”

Blushing slightly, “I came to see my boyfriend. He wasn’t feeling well and I was worried. But wait, you haven’t answered me?  It’s like almost midnight.”

“The same as you, I was visiting my boyfriend. But we got into a fight, so I stormed out and needed to take a breather and calm myself.”

“Wow! Was it really that bad?  May I ask what the fight was about?”

“Hmm..... If I talk about it now. I might get upset again, so I’d rather think on it another day.”  Valerie lied naturally.

 

Suddenly, Valerie noticed the housewife sneaking out the front door of the house.  Since the porch light was out, unless you were watching the door no one wouldn’t notice her running out so fast.  And she was moving into the shadows of the bushes.  A black car slowly stopped at the curb. The housewife got in.  Time to move.

 

“Caroline, you have a car?”

“Yeah, I was walking to it just now.  It’s hard to find parking in front of his apartment.”

“Caroline.  I’m beginning.  I need a ride.”

“Back to the dorms?  Sure no, problem. Where’s your ride?”

“I have none.  But I need to make a quick detour.  I think I just saw my bf driving off in his car.”  At Caroline’s shocked expression.  “Please, let me go after him.  He might be irrational after our fight.”

“Ok. You don’t think he’ll do anything dangerous?”

 

Valerie followed Caroline to her small sedan, taking the driver’s seat.  They sped past a few red traffic lights before they caught up to the black car with tinted windows.

 

“Whoa. I didn’t know you could drive like that, Val.  Maybe you should call his cell phone.  You don’t think he’d do anything extreme?  That must have been some argument.”

“He might be going for a bite.  I’m pretty uptight about going out for late night snacks and over eating and such.”

“Hahaha! You’re kidding right?”

“Shh.... He’s turned in an alley.” Thinking to herself, the same ally from my premonition.

 

They watched as the black car turned into a dark alley and parked.  The headlights were off and the interior was dark.  Parking across the street from the alley, Valerie searched for any signs of movement.  A high pitched scream pierced the silence and just as suddenly stopped. 

 

“Stay in the car.  Lock the doors.” Valerie closed the car door behind her and dashed across the street.  Pulling out her gun, she ducked down by the side of the car and peered in the windows.  She could distinctly see someone from the driver’s side bent over the passenger side.  Silently, trying the passenger side door, she luckily found the door unlocked.  She jerked the door open and aimed her gun at the head bent to the passenger’s neck.

 

“You’ve crossed-over.  Let the woman go.”

Lifting it’s head, it licked it’s bloodied lips, saying, “Try anything or I’ll snap her neck?”

“Doesn’t matter none to me.  It’s you who I’m after.”

 

Before Valerie could react, it leapt from the driver’s seat and knocked Valerie to the wall.  She was able to block his attacks and attempt to knock the gun from her hand.  She was able to knock him back, when she aimed at it’s heart and she froze.  Her gun arm was steady, her shot clear and yet she hesitated.  It watched her unmoving.  Seconds passed before it lunged to attack again.  A shadow eased down from the roof of the building and landed in front of the turned vamp.  Valerie was able to make out the flash of leather as it tore into the turned vamp’s chest and ripped out it’s heart, instantly turning to dust and the heart and blood following suit.  The shadow turned to Valerie and she raised her gun again.

 

“If you were going to shoot, you’d have done so already.  I just saved you and the boy in the car.”

“Boy?”  Continuing to aim the gun at the shadow, she looked in the still opened car door and saw a guy in the driver’s seat, passed out with fresh bite marks on his neck.

 

Hmmm... that’s right. The premonition only showed me the housewife leaving the house and then a bloody mess of a parked car in a dark alley.

Continuing to examine the victim, she was able to distinguish from the car interior light that he was a young guy about her own age and still breathing.  She failed to notice that the shadow invaded her person space by crowding her between the open car door and the passenger seat. 

 

Face to face, he said:  “That was an incredibly dangerous move you just did.”

Glaring back at the obvious male vamp in her face, she responded, “If you hadn’t interrupted, I would’ve got the deed done.”

“No. You’d be dead. And then it’d have been free to continue killing others, no thanks to you.  Being so inexperienced, you should’ve left this to someone else, Seer.”

 

“Inexperienced!! I’ve been hunting for years now. So get out of my face.”  She pressed the gun in his forehead.

 

Backing away, “You’ve got a problem.  Don’t go chasing monsters without solving it.”  He jumped And he was gone.

 

 

I'm curious: What is your take on Watchmen? Anyone?

I'll update with my opinion in a day or two. But I'm just curious what others think. 

Another mood/currently doing summary:
Mood: Ill... ~_~ passing sickness to others at work...
New Obsession: Still saving for Japan! And trying to do some house work for the holidays.
New Love: :O some monkey out there bothering me!!
Never-ending Love: Gong Yoo, Hitsugaya, Kakashi
Current Game Playing: GH III & trying to finish what I started: OKAMI and trying to finish PSP game: FF VII Crisis Core! >_> I want Star Wars: Unleashed PSP Game next!!
Current Anime: :O still none! waiting for Hellsing OVAs and Wallflower DVDs.
Current Drama: True Blood on HBO (downloading/streaming episodes)
Past Drama: Heroes (streaming on hulu.com)
Currently listening to: 19/2000 - Gorillaz
Last movie: Quantum of Solace
Next movie: Bedtime Stores?
Currently Reading: Confessions of an Ugly Step-Sister
Just finished Reading: Watchmen
Next Reading: Kitty and the Midnight Hour

Hmm.... well, let’s see. Definitely, an enlightenment on the Peter Pan story, with a character spin off for Tinkerbell.  A movie all her own, where she can finally speak... if the other side characters would let her get a word in.  Watching this movie, I bet a lot of people didn’t know that Tink was born in servitude to the other fairies. Though they dressed that term up with calling it a: “Tinkering Talent” that is necessary for the change in seasons.  “We build baskets and bushels and create wagons...”  Right! Just born from the first laughter of a baby and handed a hammer to get to work. Of course, she had a say in her talent, right? She was given a choice from being either a light fairy, fast flying fairy (wind. Why couldn’t they just say wind?!), garden fairy, animal fairy, dust keeper fairy, water fairy, snow fairy and I’m sure loads of other white collar fairy talents. However, because out of all the fairy talents to choose from a hammer (yes, a hammer) glowed brightly than the other talents, she selected it. (I’m thinking set up). Then she was carted off with other Tinker fairies of the same talent. Yes, I’m not kidding. She rode in a cart, though she had wings. Mind you, they all had Irish brogues, which I thought was odd. O_o. And they seemed like the most “un-cool” bunch compared to the other fairies. Again Disney with their lame comedic side characters.

She was given a pretty leaf to wear, average clothing for the “Tinkers”, while the other fairies wore much more designer clothes/flowers and better hair styles. She meets the headmaster...wait, sorry. “Mother” of the Tinkers and is told: “Let me see those hands. Teetering tea pots! So dainty. Don’t worry, dear. We’ll build those “Tinker” muscles up in no time.” Not a night has fallen before she was sent to work.  

 “Always poking people in the petunia.”

 To amuse herself, Tinkerbell collected garbage. Scattered junk from a beach.  These “main land” items (real world junk), were what intrigued Tink to want to go out in the real world. But...

 “Tinkerbell, sweetheart. Has no one explained?” says Queen Fairy, illustrated with bright gold wings and aura, “Tinker Fairies don’t go to the main land, dear. All of those things are done by the nature talent fairies. Your work is here, Pixie Hollow. I’m sorry, Tinkerbell.”

 *scuff* Hopes and dreams dashed out the door by the verbal realization of her servitude. It’s Disney’s formation of the Cinderella story, again. A Cinderella meets Little Mermaid: life of servitude with wishes to go to the “main land”/real world. Predictable story. Predictable dialogue. Predictable around. But I'm sure little princess brainwashed little girls will enjoy it.

So guess where I went yesterday?!  The Jekyll and Hyde Club on the Avenue of the Americas / 6th Avenue and W57th Street.  It was definitely an experience. Good experience? Hmmm... I liked it in the fact that I've never eaten some where that is all decked out in a desolate/Halloween/gruesome theme.  Is it a place I would go again?  Well, it's not a place I would rush to go to.  I did enjoy the company and the food. The experience was fun.  Something like I'd expect for a touristy restaurant.  (the price was touristy too. $_$)  Reminded me a lot of how I felt going to restaurants in Walt Disney World.  Something for the family and kids to enjoy.  We went to the different floors.  Seems like ur best floor might be the 1st floor but away from the spotlight.  And the spotlight I'm referring to is the table by the little "stage" they have.  We were first seated there, and the spotlight was definitely in my face.  I'm not one for attention, so I was determined to get that seat changed.  Even if I'm going to have to tell them that I will get into an epileptic fit if I'm not moved. -.-  But after that, I was good.  Saw some of the "shows". Definitely for kids!  I am looking forward to a trip to Benihana's next!