Jason - ProfilesArchive

About Me

Great, now I've gone and deleted an excellent blurb about myself in an attempt to spiff up the ol' page. Anyhow I guess first and foremost, I've just conclusively proven that I can't customize myspace worth beans, but I'm good with computers I really am. Okay now that THAT's out of the way. I live in Tokyo, Japan; a place that is at once incredibly naive and shockingly adult. How can one culture produce Hello Kitty AND horribly explicit sexual comics is beyond me. But you know I like the contrast, keeps me in check. I'm a jack of all trades really, I've majored in journalism, acting, art and that's before I started liking the learning process. Presently I'm an English teacher at an all girls private college/high school/junior high school, but my real ambition is art and film which I study like mad between the whole work thing, learning Japanese and going to the gym. Sound like I'm juggling a lot? I am and I wouldn't have it any other way. Life is about challenge, lose your edge and someone will step over you. Play for keeps...okay that sounded way too much like a Nike ad, but those ads are telling the truth.

My Interests

Definitely NOT Hello Kitty. Art, technology, life abroad, are all good starting places but definitely NOT Hello Kitty.

I'd like to meet:

Hmmmm tough one. I guess I like meeting people who DON'T have deep seeded issues they feel a need to reveal to me in a way that leaves me feeling awkward and somehow responsible for solving it. Yup, been there, done that more times that I care to admit. Ideally I like meeting people who've been around the block, seen a few countries, done many different things and been just as many people...and not in the multiple personalities department thank you very much. Its a pretty open ended question, but just not neurotics...oh and pretencious people, right.

Music:

I used to just like hard rock and electronic, but I've slowly started liking, against my will mind you, JPOP. People like Anna Tsuchiya, Mika Nakajima and Ayumi Hamazaki are listened to behind close doors when no one's looking.

Movies:

Japanese Horror is truly a great thing. Usually there well written and use good camera work and minimal gore to convey a solidly written story. That aside I saw Forty Year Old Virgin last weekend and I thought THAT was tip top.

Television:

Hana Tobi. Anyone no in Japan won't get it, but its sort of a Theatre Sports come Comedy show all in one.

Books:

I'm in dire need of buying new books. I LOVE to read, but I've read my limited library WAY too many times. At the moment I'm reading Cryptonomicon by Neal Stepheson for the 100th time.

Heroes:

Godzilla: Taller than all Japanese people, prone to bouts of homicidal rage, both loved and feared by Japanese people, ability to breath radioactive death on unsuspecting people...sounds like my life in Japan in a nutshell.

My Blog

Call me Beckham

I'm at the school of lost hope, now my Thursday school, not a bad school mind you, levels are wildly varying, but there is warmth from the teachers so I can't complain.I sit with the other part time t...
Posted by Jason on Fri, 20 Apr 2007 05:28:00 PST

The New Schools Line Up 2

I was told 7:20AM. At first I thought that I'd heard incorrectly, but no, my handler said I had to be at School #2 for 7:20 in the bloody morning. So here I am nursing a double espresso at a Starbucks...
Posted by Jason on Tue, 17 Apr 2007 12:11:00 PST

The New Schools Line Up 1

Beginnings are very tenuous things. Unlike the West where we're given time to impress our new peers, Japan believes in 'Ichigo Ichie', to treat each meeting like it were the first and last time you ma...
Posted by Jason on Fri, 13 Apr 2007 07:18:00 PST

Haemerroids and Sweepsweek

More Japanese TV MadnessYou know I've been around the world, maybe not as much as a hardcore backpacker, I'm not part of what my favorite author Douglas Coupland would call the Poverty Jet Set, but I'...
Posted by Jason on Thu, 05 Apr 2007 06:03:00 PST

Last Days of Donburi Part 3

Second HalfSo when last we left our protagonist he was stuck listening to a good bye speech the length and breath to make the War & Peace seem like a nice light story. But rather than bore you the det...
Posted by Jason on Sat, 31 Mar 2007 06:50:00 PST

The Last Days of Donburi Part 3: To all good things...

First HalfAnother Day, another Starbucks, my tenures always seem to start with and end with Starbucks. I don't know what makes me gravitate towards them when I'm about to start a new school or commise...
Posted by Jason on Fri, 30 Mar 2007 07:04:00 PST

Guam: Adventures with Homeland Security

Hey all, sorry for the delay, Last Days of Donburi: Fairwell Chainsaw is still being put together and warning it IS long. In the mean time enjoy my misadventures with American Border Guards!Guam. Guam...
Posted by Jason on Tue, 27 Mar 2007 01:36:00 PST

The Name of the Game

Another day, another interview, another shot to my dignity, but unlike the other circus sideshow attractions where I monkey about to prove my worth as a teacher, this time I'm doing a demo lesson even...
Posted by Jason on Tue, 20 Mar 2007 08:02:00 PST

Water into Wine: Foreign Teachers equal Miracle Workers?

Being on the Interview Road again has reminded me of just how ridiculous this process is and how skewed the people hiring are in there expectations. Basically they all want a miracle worker who'll wor...
Posted by Jason on Thu, 15 Mar 2007 06:27:00 PST

Face Time

"Half an hour and I can leave." Time drips like congealed fat, not quite liquid, not quite solid, slow as drying cement as I clock watch. I had been sitting at my desk watching the generic brand offic...
Posted by Jason on Tue, 13 Mar 2007 05:41:00 PST