12.16.2011
Some Japanese music I picked up in the last 2 years
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbpqZa6qDKA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLHXKQ9LS_A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLv92MtrDN4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=870uOpjJf9g (for my wife)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLHXKQ9LS_A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLv92MtrDN4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=870uOpjJf9g (for my wife)
OK I'm coming back
I have nothing other than 4 novels to complete so I'm going to try to return to bloggery.
Orgiastic
Orgiastic
4.20.2011
4.17.2011
Hanshin Tigers
Currently 3-2 and 1 draw. Next up is Yokohama Bay Stars, which should be an easy win.
Wait...you have no idea who the Hanshin Tigers are?
Wait. WHAT?
Yeah, I know. Japanese baseball is relatively unknown in America, and that's sad, because while Japanese have no idea (for the most part) how to speak English, they think our country is filled with a bunch of gun slinging gangster (yet think Mexico is a haven), and can't eat much of our food without longing for a good breakfast of fried fish and rice, THEY LOVE BASEBALL.
So let me explain the lay of the land: Japanese baseball has two leagues, Central and Pacific. Central is like the American League (interesting), Pacific is like the National League (not).
The Central and Pacific Leagues both have 6 teams. Ignore the Pacific teams as they are of no importance. The Central League has the Tokyo Yomiuri (newspaper co.) Giants, the Osaka Hanshin (train co.) Tigers, the Yokohama Bay Stars, the Hiroshima Carps, the Nagoya Chunichi Dragons, and the Tokyo Yakult (drink co.) Swallows. Chunichi has been strong lately, and the Bay Stars usually suck.
The Yomiuri Giants are a lot like the NY Yankees: big free agent payroll, big field, and lots of publicity and fans. The Hanshin Tigers are a lot like the Boston Red Sox: less money, less publicity, RABID fans, and a 90 year old stadium. Exceptionally rabid fans - fans so nuts, that if you publicly insult the Tigers in a Osaka bar, you had better be drinking next to a doctor.
You notice that the fans have flags, a bunch of people singing, and a bunch of horns and drums. They also have an official fight song for each batter.
Wait...you have no idea who the Hanshin Tigers are?
Wait. WHAT?
Yeah, I know. Japanese baseball is relatively unknown in America, and that's sad, because while Japanese have no idea (for the most part) how to speak English, they think our country is filled with a bunch of gun slinging gangster (yet think Mexico is a haven), and can't eat much of our food without longing for a good breakfast of fried fish and rice, THEY LOVE BASEBALL.
So let me explain the lay of the land: Japanese baseball has two leagues, Central and Pacific. Central is like the American League (interesting), Pacific is like the National League (not).
The Central and Pacific Leagues both have 6 teams. Ignore the Pacific teams as they are of no importance. The Central League has the Tokyo Yomiuri (newspaper co.) Giants, the Osaka Hanshin (train co.) Tigers, the Yokohama Bay Stars, the Hiroshima Carps, the Nagoya Chunichi Dragons, and the Tokyo Yakult (drink co.) Swallows. Chunichi has been strong lately, and the Bay Stars usually suck.
The Yomiuri Giants are a lot like the NY Yankees: big free agent payroll, big field, and lots of publicity and fans. The Hanshin Tigers are a lot like the Boston Red Sox: less money, less publicity, RABID fans, and a 90 year old stadium. Exceptionally rabid fans - fans so nuts, that if you publicly insult the Tigers in a Osaka bar, you had better be drinking next to a doctor.
You notice that the fans have flags, a bunch of people singing, and a bunch of horns and drums. They also have an official fight song for each batter.
3.27.2011
Earthquake and the American Media
Ok. Here's what pissed me off.
The Fukushima reactors get hit with a 9.0 earthquake and THEN a 15 meter (50 foot) tsunami. The American news networks run around saying that we're all going to die and what happens?
It turns out it's all ok. F*** the American Media and all the hippies that want us powering windmills with farts powered by their vegetarian tofu.
The Fukushima reactors get hit with a 9.0 earthquake and THEN a 15 meter (50 foot) tsunami. The American news networks run around saying that we're all going to die and what happens?
It turns out it's all ok. F*** the American Media and all the hippies that want us powering windmills with farts powered by their vegetarian tofu.
2.20.2011
Gintama
My wife is a big fan of Gintama (which literally means silver balls), and if you don't get the joke kintama is the Japanese word for testicles (literally, golden balls). I don't really like the series, because it's basically a decently done rehash of the gags in "Sexy Commando Gaiden: Sugoi yo, Masaru san!" I noticed that one of the voice actors is Casharin from Sugoi yo, Masarusan, as well.
Anyway, Gintama does play a lot on Japanese cultural icons and ideals, and it provides a quick and easy way to fill you with all the Japanese info you never learned anywhere. The Gintama episode I'm watching right now has a simultaneous reference to Gamara (a crappy 60's Japanese monster) and Momotaro (a Japanese fairy tale).
2.15.2011
Chahan - fried rice
Lets back this up to a conversation about rice in general. If you're reading this, you may know a little about making rice, and you may have a rice maker. If you're not Japanese, you may not know how to wash rice:
1. First, put the rice in and put some water in.
2. Slosh the rice around (not hard enough to break the rice) until the water gets white.
3. Dump the water.
4. Go to #2 until the water is pretty clear and match the cup amount with the water amount.
How to make chahan:
1. Put in any raw meat (pork, chicken, beef) and any uncooked vegetables (carrot, onion, etc) and fry it for 2-3 minutes.
2. Take the rice (around two cups or so) and put it in an oiled pan. Sprinkle a half second of mirin (or sake) and soy into the pan. I'm getting a half second of dumping is like 1-2 tablespoons of each. Sprinkle a little katsuobushi or hondashi in it to make it taste even better. * Every cook who tries Japanese should have a pack of Hondashi.
3. Take a whipped egg and dump it on the rice and quickly mix it. Cook while mixinh for about 3-5 minutes until the rice is a light brown.
DONE
The thing about chahan is that VERY GOOD chahan in Japan is a sign of a good cook. Very good chahan usually also means VERY GOOD soy sauce. It's hard to explain the theory, but Japanese believe that the masters of the most basic cooking are also masters of the most difficult.
1. First, put the rice in and put some water in.
2. Slosh the rice around (not hard enough to break the rice) until the water gets white.
3. Dump the water.
4. Go to #2 until the water is pretty clear and match the cup amount with the water amount.
How to make chahan:
1. Put in any raw meat (pork, chicken, beef) and any uncooked vegetables (carrot, onion, etc) and fry it for 2-3 minutes.
2. Take the rice (around two cups or so) and put it in an oiled pan. Sprinkle a half second of mirin (or sake) and soy into the pan. I'm getting a half second of dumping is like 1-2 tablespoons of each. Sprinkle a little katsuobushi or hondashi in it to make it taste even better. * Every cook who tries Japanese should have a pack of Hondashi.
3. Take a whipped egg and dump it on the rice and quickly mix it. Cook while mixinh for about 3-5 minutes until the rice is a light brown.
DONE
The thing about chahan is that VERY GOOD chahan in Japan is a sign of a good cook. Very good chahan usually also means VERY GOOD soy sauce. It's hard to explain the theory, but Japanese believe that the masters of the most basic cooking are also masters of the most difficult.
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