Georgia Pok Guy

Now, reading this post’s title, you might think something like, “Gah?  Did he just say what I think he said?”  And, yes, I did.  Not out loud, mind you.  There is no one here, in my lonely apartment, to hear my cries of sadness.  That aside, I hate wikipedia for what it has done to me.  Before last weekend I had no clue what a Japanese serow was.  The existence of that species of even-toed ungulate was inconsequential to me.  What did I care that there was a diurnal animal out there that feasted on leaves and acorns?  Or that this animal has a curious habit of stopping and looking at humans that pass it in the dense, virgin forests of north eastern Honshu?  Was my life that less rich not knowing that the Japanese serow has a territory of up to 20,000 square meters when alone, and 200,000 square meters in groups?  And so what if male and female Japanese serows both grow horns approximately 10 centimeters in length?  Will this knowledge help me pass on my genes to a new generation?  No, unless I find a woman equally interested in the obscure fauna of East Asia, and I mean what are the chances of that?  Now, a sphere of my brain is forever preoccupied with details concerning the Japanese serow.  Which is why I hate wikipedia.  You, my collaborative, encyclopedic friend, were suppose to keep the details.  I was just suppose to randomly think of the Japanese serow some day and turn to you for the answer.  Now, ’tis the other way around.  Of course, perchance, by my skewed reasoning I should blame the motion picture Princess Mononoke, which, according to its wikipedia article, based the shishigami after the Japanese serow.  But I could never be mad at that movie.  It helps me forget the toil of work and friends…

恭喜發財!  Today marks the beginning of the year of the Boar.  In particular, this is the year of the Golden Boar, which is seen as being particularly auspicious.  Is it wrong, however, for me to see “Golden Boar” and think 叉燒?  :D  I wish everyone the best in this year of the boar!  Hopefully you are celebrating today by eating something other than a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  Eh, Quailster? 

I wonder what I’ve been thinking about quite a bit recently?

Here is an article from the Japan Times about hiking in eastern Hokkaido during the winter months.  Whilst the idea of exposing myself to sub-zero temperatures does not sound that appealing, it sounds like the scenery more than makes up for any hardship.  So, if anyone wants to head out for an excursion along Japan’s northern most shore to gaze at sea ice and the multifarious wildlife, just let me know…  It’s actually sort of funny, since when most people think of Japan they think of the urban landscapes, like Tokyo.  But Japan has some beautiful wilderness, and hiking up in the mountains can be a wonderful experience.  The only problem is that even the boonies can be pretty crowded by American standards.  But, that’s to be expected in a country with a population over a third that of the United State’s living in an area the size of California.

For some inexplicable reason, the idea of a “Whale-Love Wagon” just strikes me as being completely wrong…  Also I’m not really sure I understand the three options in the middle.  Option A is a whale watching tour in Okinawa, which fits in with the page.  Option B is a 5 megapixel digital camera, useful for the whale watching tour.  Option C are Dead Sea bath salts.  Um…  right…  Still, it doesn’t really surprise me…

The Japan Times has this interview with Momoyo Torimitsu, an artist crafting works that reject the current trend in Japanese art toward cuteness.  I applaud her sentiments, especially given my experience with anime and J-Pop.  This line in particular reminds me of a lot of J-Pop songs:

A professional, middle-aged woman picks up the phone and says “hello” in a high-pitched, kawaii voice, sounding more girlish than her usual tone.

It isn’t to say that using a cute voice is particularly bad.  But it has gotten to the point where when I hear a song sung in the singers natural voice (which you tell because it is deeper) it is a breath of fresh air.  Really, the mainstream anime and J-Pop are such that cuteness is a given, be it the characters or singer themselves, or some random element of cuteness just thrown in for good measure.  This trend I’m sure will continue, since cuteness rarely offends and usually garners positive feedback.  But really, that is pop culture.  Still, it is nice to see someone who doesn’t placate our desire to be drowned in cuteness.  I think her exhibit “Somehow I don’t feel comfortable” is especially poignant, having these uber-cute bunnies towering over you.

Well!  I know what I’m seeing on March 9th!

I’m starting to realize that Apple’s Photo Booth, a program I once considered entirely worthless, really plays to my narcissistic side.  With the built-in iSight, that means I can capture my pulchritude in a digital format on a daily basis!  Thank you, Apple!

Also, I received a phone call from my brother offering to send me a free pair of shoes for when I start working out.  Needless to say, I was caught off guard, but still appreciative.  Who can say no to a free pair of shoes?

Yahoola!  The final book hits shelves on July 21st!  Rejoice, Harry Potter fans!  And thank God, the 21st is a Saturday!  I know what I’m going to be doing that weekend.  I’ll probably have to take that Monday off just to recoup!  Oh, the moment I’ve been waiting for shall soon arrive!  And for all you Harry Potter haters out there, you only don’t like it because you’ve never read it!  So