Somebody done dropped their liquor

A lot of stuff goes done on the streets of New York. Sometimes it gets ugly, violent, or done right wasteful. The other day I was walking home and I heard this big commotion coming from up ahead. I scanned the pedestrian masses and saw a man and woman shouting and gesturing wildly at each other. I was instantly enthralled, but knew I had to keep my staring to a minimum (cause that’s just rude). Below is the conversation exchanged between the pair.

Woman: I told you I done bought enough liquor for tonight!
Man: Well I thought we could use some more.
Woman: We have enough. We don’t need two more bottles.
Man: We do with your sister in town.
Woman: Now why do you have to bring that s*#t up? She’s only been here for a week.
Man: And she’s already finished off half my wine cellar.
Woman: (gruff laugh) Wine cellar? Some cheap a*@ bottles in a box under the kitchen table aint no wine cellar.
Man: Woman that aint the point!

Then there was some escalated shouting and grabbing of the paper bag with the liquor that ended with a rip! and smash, shatter-shatter-clink.

Strong smelling alcohol briefly flooded the sidewalk and drained away to the street. The couple moved on in a silent, but fuming huff with the woman mumbling and reaching for her cell phone.

I waited a minute or so and then took the photo of the broken bottles.

APRIL FOOL'S!

The post entitled, "Return to Japan", is my April Fool's joke! I'm not going back to Japan...I'm staying right here in New York City!

I feel kind of bad for fooling people...but I couldn't resist a little April 1st fun.

I'll be in NYC for a while. I love it here!

Return to Japan

This morning I woke up after a difficult night of tossing and turning knowing what I must do. Most of you out there don’t know it, but living in NYC has been a bit of a struggle and with the economic climate like it is, I just don’t think my dreams of living here are going to work out.

I’ve been actively seeking employment for the past 3 months. I’ve talked to a dozen people trying to network, I’ve crafted a beautiful resume, I’ve searched and searched for positions where I could excel, but STILL, I’m unemployed and drifting. I’m tired of the dead ends and I’m ready for a change.

So, I’m planning on heading back to Japan! I know I can get work as an English teacher there (have lots of old contacts writing me and offering me some work) and I also plan to pursue my voice acting dream. Plus, I really miss those beautiful green mountains and all those polite people.

I’m still young and flexible and I savor the adventure ahead of me! More to come soon!

Pigeon Mating

Has anyone else seen this? Near where I live there are a bunch of pigeons that just hang around all day long and pick at bits of crap on the ground. It’s fun to run through them with a loved one causing dozens of dirty gray streaks to flutter up into the air and say, “It’s just like Venice!” (whether or not you’ve ever been to Venice with a loved one or not).

Recently I’ve started noticing some new behavior in their complex picking and flying away maneuvers…and after some internet research I’ve confirmed my hunch that the fluffy feathers and hopping around is indeed pigeon mating dancing.

I like watching the pair walk aimlessly around the sidewalk with the male all tall and puffing out his neck feathers. He tries really hard to get the female’s attention who usually just walks away with a blank expression of disinterest in her beady eyes. There’s some polite cooing too from the male and he follows the female relentlessly…until a stroller or taxi bears down on him and sends the love dance into escape flying.

I have to say if I were the girl bird I wouldn’t really be interested either. Pigeons are dirty with mixed matched feather colors and half of them lack two full sets of toes. I think the females hold out as long as nature allows hoping for a confused blue jay to come and sweep them from the filthy streets. I saw a blue jay in a tree above the pigeon enclave the other day. All he did was poop and screech and fly away. Too bad.

Union Square

A girl in a lime green scarf wails homemade lyrics with her guitar; a man wearing a sky blue cap dances and performs air drums; a German art student discusses her new camera with a friend. An old Jamaican lady proselytizes with a worn Bible; a parade of Chihuahuas pull a tall blond girl; some preteens scream about a spilled Jamba Juice…these are just a few of the people I saw today in Union Square.

I walk through Union Square every day and it has become one of my favorite spots in the city. Just north of NYU, and between the East and West Villages, Union Square is a meeting point for a wide variety of Gothamites.


This is Nicholas the Cat with his human friend. They appear mostly on the weekends and calmly walk around the area to the amazement of all who see them. When I took the photo I was asked by Nicholas’s friend if I could spare a few dollars. I didn’t realize their Sunday constitutional was primarily a way to earn a buck. Since I took their picture, I of course helped them out a bit.

There’s a lifeguard stand in the middle of the open square facing 14th Street. I think it’s an advertisement for NYC lifeguards (apply today for the summer!) but mainly people use it to perch themselves up above the masses and do some lofting people watching. Evan and I hung out up there for more than an hour and saw some Jewish guys “save” (?) the blanket violinist dude (I don’t know their names, I just observe them and give them straight forward nicknames). The Jewish guys go around asking if you’re Jewish and then inviting you to Jewish events if you are. The blanket violinist plays most days somewhere in the square and is always seen wearing his blanket poncho and head scarf.



There are also hip hop dancers in purple hoodies, hacky sack players in shorts, police officers with crackly walkie talkies, and gothy teenage girls giving out free hugs (they had a sign). The diversity is endless and very inspiring and I love watching who passes by and eavesdropping on their conversations (eavesdropping is a NYC pastime!). Trust me, there’s a whole cast of characters for almost any movie or novel you’d want to write (especially if it’s some sort of drama series). I sometimes take a step back and realize that I’m also just a random person someone else is watching. That’s when I want to dress up like a superhero again and run around yelling, “CRY HAVOC!” Maybe when the weather warms up.

The horrible intercom mistake

New York has lots of things I’m not accustomed to yet. One of these things is the whole ‘apartment building intercom buzz-in’ thing. When you go to visit your friend, you approach the front entrance, push past the people smoking by the door, and find your friend’s apartment number on buzz ‘em list. Once you locate the correct number/name, you hit the button, announce your presence, and then get buzzed in past one or two doors of security. It’s simple, really, but as we all know from out life experiences, simple is often the best catalyst for disaster.

I was going to visit my friend who lives between a dumpling shop and Dunkin Donuts just down the street. There is a single door up to his apartment with a simple metal box containing all the apartment numbers and buzz buttons. One this particular day I went up to the door and hit the appropriate button.

Buzzzzz
Intercom voice: Yeah?
Me: Let me in!!!!
Intercom voice: Who is it?
Me (annoyed at the delay): It’s a murder come to kill you!
Intercom: What?
Me (weary of an exchange I believed to be my friend teasing me): Open the door! I have bloodlust! Roar!
Intercom: Michael? Michael, geeze. Sigh.
Door opening buzzzzzzzz

I entered the building and went up to the third floor where my friend lives. But something wasn’t right…the stairway was different…the doors weren’t in the same place as I remembered. Realization began to dawn on me…I was in a different building…which means that wasn’t my friend on the intercom…which means I had just threatened a total stranger that I was a dangerous killer…oh dear.

I gracefully dashed back down the stairs and out the door. I then saw that I had gone into the doorway just before the dumpling shop, not the one after it. Oops. Lesson learned.

Observations of the City

The apartment buildings are super old…50 years old is considered new. Tall stairways in elevator-less apartments all lean to one side after years of climbing feet.

There’s less blond hair walking around…a lot more dark hair.

The squirrels are huge and just as jittery as anywhere.

There’s a lot of dog poop on the sidewalks.

Homeless people sometimes sing.

Walking around you hear as much Spanish, Chinese, Hindi, French, Russian, etc., etc., as you do English (maybe more).

Most people aren’t rude, they’re just focused on what they’re doing and where they’re going that they don’t take any extra time for pleasantries.

Restaurants are usually small with tables for two. Takeout is as popular as dining in.

Walk North or South in Manhattan for 10-15 minutes and you’ll noticeably change neighborhoods. The people, the shops, the air will all become something new and distinctive.

Lots of people ask for directions. Especially about where 8th Ave. is (this has happened to me 3 times in the past week…I’m going to have to go check out 8th Ave.).

Most buildings have a sublevel accessible by a trap door located just outside on the sidewalk. These are often left open and can be dangerous for a careless pedestrian.

Metal grates line sidewalks and provide ventilation for the subway underneath. I walk on them a lot and wonder if it’s safe.

There are specialist lawyers who work exclusively on cases involving trapdoor and metal grate accidents.

Pizza slices are eaten folded up and while you walk fast down the street.

The Statue of Liberty appears when you least expect it…like from the window of a plane, a view between two skyscrapers, or from the Ikea Brooklyn cafeteria.

NYC: days 1 – 4

It feels like college in some ways. I think that’s mostly because my room reminds me a lot of my college dorm room—a long rectangle with a tall ceiling surrounded by white stone walls and a heating pipe that runs beside the window. The room is also furnished in a similar way with a bed and a simple desk and chair. This leaves a whole lot of white wall…a prospective canvas for elaborate photo projects later on.

The building in which I live is also like my college dorm…tall, brick exterior, built a while ago. There are several of these same buildings all together filled with residents (many of them young people) so it gives the feel of a community—just like living in the dorms.

Then there are the buses that idle and roar outside my window from time to time…just like when I was in college. At least there aren’t any loud hall mates shouting over video games next door.

There’s also this sense of excitement at the newness and open-endedness of my new home. Like my first few days at college, my first few days here have been a time when every new restaurant I pass or person I meet has the possibility of become a new part of my life.

New York is a massive collection of things…people, buildings, ideas…and every time I walk around town I watch and observe all the things I see. I’m in an observing/analyzing mode as I try to understand my new home and how to live here. So far I love it…I love the potential for growth, new friendships, and new discoveries. I’m also a bit intimated by everything. It’s like a big bellowing machine with grinding and steaming parts that I don’t fully understand, but I know can crush a foot or chop off a hand if I’m not careful.

Hmmm, maybe that’s too harsh…but the dirty subway is a bit scary—especially compared to the comparatively clean, high tech system found in Japan.

Anyway, I’m liking the feel of the city…the convenience of my apartment…and the gradually unfolding of life here.

First sight

The plane eased downward through the clouds as the pilot announced our descent into the New York City area. I looked out the window at the gray and white mass of clouds wondering if I would be able to see much of the city from the air. The crowded plane murmured and chirped as the passengers prepared for the landing.

Suddenly the clouds broke away and the sky was clear, the setting sun bright over the land. I saw some buildings and roads…then water…and then a thin green figure far below. Green figure? OMG, the Statue of Liberty?! YES! That’s the Statue of Liberty! And Ellis Island! And that’s Manhattan!

The rigid and crowded cityscape of New York rose sharply from the flat water and I gawked at the chaotic browns and grays of the buildings. I couldn’t believe all the buildings and roads…this was New York City…this was my new home.

The plane turned and my view of the city was blocked by the wing. A moment later we were bouncing on the runway…and soon I was standing outside the airport repeating my address over and over in my head so I could confidently tell it to the taxi driver.

As I rode in the cab towards Manhattan, the tall peaks of the buildings were constantly in view in the distance. I looked at everything trying to absorb it all; a tall man carrying a load of roses, two police officers chatting on the sidewalk, a guy on a skateboard pushing past cars at a stoplight, a woman pulling a dog in a wagon. Everything was New York and I felt like I had so much to learn.

I crossed the street to me new apartment building smiling like a kid. I was excited, but a part of my brain was refusing to believe it all and assured me this was a dream. I was in New York…to live in New York…to start some kind of new life in New York.

Pharaoh’s tomb and cardboard boxes

Recently my dad and I got the chance to go see a special Ancient Egyptian and Tutankhamun exhibit in downtown Atlanta. Both being learned scholars of ancient history, we enjoyed the exhibit that covered a lot of the 3,000 years of Egyptian civilization with a special focus on the tomb and relics of Tutankhamun. The entire exhibit contained hundreds of artifacts and lots of information on ancient Egypt and really gave us a sense and image of that long ago empire.

The description of Tutankhamun’s tomb upon opening in 1922 was a “series of small rooms cluttered with objects from floor to ceiling.” The scene that met archeologist was overwhelming due to its historical uniqueness and value, and also because it meant one heck of a clean-up job for them (a job that took nearly 10 years to complete all the examining, preserving, and cataloguing). But through it all the researchers were rewarded with beautiful and significant artifacts that stirred their hearts and imaginations.

I have had a similar experience here at my parent’s house going through old boxes of stored stuff from my past.

Instead of a stone tomb, I have a garage and bedroom; my relics aren’t in golden vessels covered in hieroglyphs, but rather come in cardboard boxes scrawled on with black Sharpie. The dust and cobwebs are the same…and the stirring of emotion that comes with examining the items found inside.

There are books from university that remind me of my favorite classes, toys and action figures from childhood to my early 20’s, clothes I would never wear now, and pictures of friends and events from the past ten years. A lot of the items carry a peculiar “time lag” effect with them…even though they aren’t that old, they are from a pre-Japan life when I was quiet a bit different in some ways from who I am now. Things that were cool to a “university student Justin” seem a bit immature to the “world traveler Justin”.

One example, these cups with Adult Swim characters on them (black, foreground) and two large plastic cups stolen from my university dining hall (clear, background).



At one time they were trophies and reserved for special drinks (like the sometimes imposing mixed drinks my friends and I attempted at age 21-22). But now their context is lost in myth and would really only make sense to a handful of close friends.

This is just something I was thinking about…and decided to write about it instead of packing and filling out my tax returns. NYC in T-minus 2 days!

Countdown to NYC

In less than 2 weeks I’ll be living in New York City. I have my one-way plane ticket and a place to live upon arrival. My bags are yet to be packed, but I’ve had a lot of practice doing that, so no worries.

I’m leaving the heart of the south on February 14th, Valentine’s Day. I think that’s pretty cool. If nothing else, it gives me permission to avoid the “Omg! I don’t have a sweetheart on Valentine’s Day!” drama that can arise. I’ll be too busy trying to confidently hail a cab and walk hurriedly through crowds of fashion-savvy New Yorkers.

It will be really hard to leave the south…and my family. I’ve enjoyed my time here so much…and it’s been invaluable time to reconnect with family and places that serve as my foundation. I love the south more now than ever before…and I think I had to go to Japan to be able to really appreciate the culture and charm of this part of America.

In the last 3 months I’ve eaten a lot of good food, given and received a lot of warm hugs, and watched a lot of stupid TV. I’ve cried and laugh and yelled and apologized to people who I’ll always love and been reminded of where I came from and how much potential I have to go wherever I want.

In this time of transition and change, I’m reminded of one of my favorite Tolkien poems…a few lines that seem to sum up my life at this time:

"The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And wither then? I cannot say.”

True dat.

Real Haunted House

Video about a recent trip to a real haunted house in rural Georgia.

Floating Aliens

I went to the Georgia Aquarium with my mom the other day and had an enchanting time looking at all the creatures. We stand quietly watching fins flap through the water and unblinking eyes gaze back through the glass. The aquarium is the most scifi-like place you can go to…all those strange animals that are so different from what we see in our dry, land world. When I stand and stare at the fish or crabs swimming and creeping, I can’t help but think about outer space and aliens.

Here are some of my favorite photos of the jellyfish…voted "most alien-like" in a recent survey. Enjoy.

Unflushed blogs

I did something a bit disheartening today. I went down a rather long list of bookmarked blogs and cleared out all the ones that haven’t been updated in the last year. It was disheartening because I read through all this super outdated material on abandoned URLs and ended up feeling a terrible sense of loss. I deleted 10 blogs! That’s 10 people who just decided one day to stop writing and updating the faceless masses of the internet on their daily adventures. No more stories about wacky teaching experiences, no more diatribes on customer service at Sears, no more cherry pie reviews for out-of-the-way diners in the Midwest. Boom, all gone. And left to float in increasingly absurdity in the expanse of cyberspace.

At first it was kind of neat to see what friends were doing in early 2008…and then it was late 2007…and as I went along the ending dates got older…sometime in 2006…and after that I couldn’t see properly due to a welling up of tears in my eyes. What had happened to these people? What became of their virtual voice? And would it perhaps have been better if the blogs had been taken down instead of left to sit with unchanging pages?

In the past several years I’ve moved 5 times and each time I’ve taking fewer things to the next place than I original brought to the last. This is in part because every time I move I say, “I’m never packing up and moving this stuff again!” which translates to me actually not packing some things up and just giving them away to whoever is close by. I’ve also learned the value of traveling light in life. Honestly, most people have too much stuff. And the longer you live, the more stuff you get…until one day you die and then your loved ones have to sift through all your stuff and ask, “Why did he have so much stuff?”

My point being: you really only need a few** things in life (**”few” being defined by lots of factors that deserve their own blog entry).

This philosophy can be carried over to blogs. At this point in my life I’m working hard to move forward…moving to New York, getting a new job, starting a new life that will challenge and inspire me…so when it comes to stale blogs, I just wish they had been flushed away instead of sitting idle saying, This life has stopped and will not move forward anymore. March 2007 was the height of my life and there is no reason to regale you any further with commentary on my dare care for dogs.

Woohooshhhh! Outdated blogs and last week’s Wal-Mart goldfish down into the depths of the departed.

I wonder what I’ll eventually do with the JaBlog…

New Year, New Title…New York!

The JaBlog is taking on a new look and I’m setting a new course for my next big adventure in life: New York City. After readjusting back to life in America and doing some serious thinking about the future, I’m ready to take the next step and head to one of the most amazing cities in the world.

I have some big plans and big dreams for the Big Apple…and I’ll keep you updated on those as the weeks go by.

Photos of a quiet battlefield

Despite my first experience of getting ridiculously lost (the “ridiculous” referring to my navigational skills, not to my level of lostness), I persevered and went back to Nash Farm, the Civil War Historical Battlefield Park (see previous post). This time I found the wooded trail…that was actually mostly a gravel driveway and about 20 meters of dead leaves…and arrived within minutes.

Here are some photos I took of the area:

Close up of a tree overlooking the site of cavalry charge.

Same tree farther back (I really like this tree).

Gravel road for Confederate and Union ghosts to wander.

Big ol’ southern sky.

Me.

Old South and how I got lost in the woods

So my parents live near this totally awesome Civil War battlefield. I’ve never really been that interested in the American Civil War because growing up I always preferred ancient history with the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. BUT, since I did grow up southern, I did get a fair amount of southern history mixed with some Gone with the Wind movie watching. This southern epic gave me a strong impression of the Civil War as a really messy, bloody and horrible time with the starving, destitute Scarlet and hospital-leg-amputation scenes. Who wants to endure all that when you could instead read about Greek heroes with their orations and protector goddesses?

ANYWAY, it hasn’t been until recently when I was away from my southern home that I gained a new appreciation and interest in southern history. The south is a place you experience through its friendly people and delicious food. This can be said of many places perhaps, but the southern hospitality is unique in the world and mixed with the more enduring “red neck” qualities of the area, you get a relaxing and fun place to live.

All this said, the other day I found myself heading down the road to see the historic Civil War battlefield called Nash Farm. It’s a spacious and rolling green area with an old dirt road down the center and a lake at one end. They actually have reenactments there every year and I must say I’m really keen to see one (I love costume parties!).

After walking around a while I decided to head home…but I opted for the “wooded trail” option as opposed to the “dangerously along the side of the road” route that I had taken to get to Nash Farm (American drivers do not respect the pedestrian). This is where my real adventure began.

I called my parents asking for directions to the trail opening and was told things about roads and gravel driveways and small openings in the trees…you know, vague things that could be confusing and lead to wrong turns and doom.

I found a few gravel driveways and maybe an opening the trees…and decided to blaze ahead. The trail become less of a trail and eventually stopped all together. I looked around and didn’t feel like going back to find the right way…instead I used my supreme ranger skills to strike out deeper into the forest (I actually looked back and glimpsed the roof of a house just before it was lost to the shadows of the trees and thinking, “hmmm, perhaps this is not the best idea…”).

Trees become thorns and briars…these led to entanglement and blood! I panicked! Sharks are attracted by blood! Wait, I’m in the woods, not the sea. Stay calm. Oh no, the sun is setting.

I hiked on through the woods and was thankful for winter and dormant snakes since I was smashing through deep underbrush where snakes surly dwell. Eventually I found something that looked like an abandoned road and that lead to a trail (the same one I should have been on the whole time?). Then I found some people’s backyard and jumped their fence as discreetly as possible to escape the wild and return to suburban life. I emerged covered in leaves, scrapes, and a wild expression on my face (I imagined). I walked quickly past some lawn statues that seemed to snicker at my state (cause honestly, what was my problem?) but kept going until I reached the neighborhood road. It was a fun outing…and taught me that I’m not in tame Japan anymore. Here’s southern boy country.

¡Perfecto!

We are now in the post-Christmas, pre-New Year’s holiday lull. Many people are heading back to work today…some others getting to enjoy another week of vacation. Whatever the case, NOW is the perfect time to watch and VOTE on some YouTube videos.

One of my dearest friends, Blake Edwards, has just finished a wonderful little film called ¡Perfecto! and he needs your help. This film is his entry into the Project Direct Contest—a contest associated with the Sundance Film Festival and YouTube. The film has already made it past hundreds of other entries and is now in the TOP TEN.

You can view it at www.youtube.com/projectdirect and vote on it to WIN! Simply go tot he "vote" tab and click on the ¡Perfecto! movie to watch it. If you like it, select the green thumbs up! BAM! You’ve voted! And helped to make a good man’s dream come true.

Guidelines to eating healthy over the holidays

With Christmas only a few days away, I know many people out there are consuming an increasing amount of sweets, treats, and casseroles. Parties and get-togethers abound with holiday themed cookies, cakes, and pies, as well as delicious (but fatty) dips, spreads, and mixes. In short, it’s very easy to consume millions of calories and loads of fat everyday!

I’m currently down in Atlanta with all my family and surrounded by yummy treats. For the next week I will have to opportunity to eat without end. To ensure that I don’t gain too much weight—but still enjoy the holidays—I’ve come up with these simple guidelines:

1. No eating of sweets/desserts before noon (except doughnuts and chocolate sundae Poptarts).

2. No eating of sweets/desserts after 8pm (except anything eggnog flavored).

3. Only small pieces of cakes and pies allowed (but as many of these small sizes as desired).

4. Any lunches composed entirely of cookies and fudge must also be accompanied by an apple or orange.

5. Homemade sweets take precedence over store bought treats, and multiple servings may be eaten to show politeness to the baker.
   

I expect following these little rules will help make this a great, but healthy sugar season. Happy holidays, ya’ll!

Top 10 Exclamations

Since being back I've been amazed and awed by simple things that make America different from Japan. A trip to a store usually invokes these feelings and I've found myself saying aloud all of the phrases below (some more than others).

1. Whoa, that guy is fat!
2. This steak is massive!
3. Haha, that cat is chubby.
4. Wow, look at all the bread!
5. Yikes, is that lady wearing pajamas at the store?
6. Man, this water glass is like a silo.
7. Eek, that dude is rude.
8. Hmm, is this shirt a large in people sizes or wookie?
9. Gasp! Look at all the cheese options!
10. Holy Tower of Babel! There are so many different kinds of people/languages around me!

Overall, I'm finding America to be a comfortable and bountiful place, but way, way too fat. I like the diversity and having all types of cultures mixing, but hate the overly sensitive "politically correct alarms" that go off whenever someone asserts their culture. I like America and love being back home...but I'd like to see my country improve some and become an even better place. I'd also like fewer reality TV shows and more Star Trek.