January 04. 2004 00:23

A variety of things

Ohmigod ohmigod ohmigod! Some of the anime fans in Finland, people I know, are starting an actual published anime magazine! You know, something that is paid for and everything! They're doing so much for making anime and manga known in Finland! They've been getting great results in many different areas, TV and press and everything like that. There are some really outgoing people there who're giving their all and getting great results. I'd love to be part of that, but alas, I'm unable to get myself so deep into something... I wonder what's wrong with me, I really want to, but I never do. I want to draw more and get better at it, I want to start a career as a web designer, I want to give my all to my local anime club, to Finnmanga and to making anime and manga known and accepted in Finland. And I know I have what it takes, if I just gather it up, but no. What's with that?! But this got my heart racing so much that I got up and sent one of those people I know an e-mail and said that if they want more drawings there, I'm available. Even if it takes up more of m time, I want to do it! I want to!! I'd love to offer to write something, too, but drawing takes less time and/or is the thing that I do anyway, so if I can be of use with it, it's great. I'd love to be part of this new magazine! ^___^

And back to Japan. As exciting as the developement of manga and anime fandom in Finland is, there are more suitable places to discuss it ^_^ (Or in other words, I have too much other stuff to say to waste so much time on that.) I went to the Kurama hot springs today (not on Monday like I said, but I really doesn't matter which day I go, as long as I go) and on Monday I went to Yasaka shrine to see the first card game of the year. Or that was my intention for going to Yasaka shrine, anyway, but the trip morphed into something a bit different.

I knew perfectly well the Japanese go to shrines on the first days of the new year, but again I managed to be oblivious of what a growd a thing like that produces and of what else goes on at the biggest shrines during that time. I came in from north, so I first walked into Maruyama park. Even the park was full of people and stalls selling food and souvenirs. It was nothing short of a fair there! I was not disappointed at all, though, just surprised ^_^ I pushed through (or with) the people to get to the main yard of the shrine, where the girls dressed up in Heian period clothes were playing the card game, but there were so many people I couldn't see very much. Well, there were plenty of other things to see, so I turned around and wandered off.

There were, of course, shrine stuff for sale, different charms and "divinations" and wish plates and these wooden arrows from which hang a plate with a picture of a rooster (this year is the year of the rooster). There were also piles of what I think were the same kind of arrows from last year and some other stuff, which will probably be burned at the shrine at some point. I bought a monkey charm for my cousin's new baby (last year was the monkey's) and, feeling silly for not getting anything for myself when visiting the shrine for the first time this year, bought a rooster charm for myself. I also prayed for a good year at the main altar. Then I got some food from the stalls, okonomiyaki and takoyaki and amazake and creps ^_^

I went back to the park and sat there for a while, watching some street performers have a show there. There was a juggler guy who was really good and funny, but the girl who came after him was just a bit annoying. After a while I decided to go see Chion-in temple which is right next to Yasaka shrine, because a lot of people seemed to go in there and not pay anything. The last time I checked it had an entrance fee of something between 500 and 1000 yen, but I guess the temples are open (more than usually) during new year, too. They probably get most of it back from the souvenir shoppers, though, I bought a bracelet, too ^_~

Strolling in the temple grounds and in the cemetery, where there were no other people, made me remember how beautiful this country is and how I love it. I don't want to go back in less than three weeks... I want to stay in this beautiful place forever, walk in the temple grounds until the end of time. I want to live in an old house in some quiet place like Kurama, where I can enjoy the nature and the history around me... Sigh. But another part of me, one that is completely apart from this one, can't wait to see my friends and hang out and have parties and do the social thing again. Be a city person, close to everything. Damn, why do I have to be two-sided in everything? (I'm a real Gemini :P)

Anyway, the temple was great, but it closed pretty soon and I was thrown out with everyone else. I walked back through Yasaka shrine, where the crowd had diminished only by a fraction, and continued to Gion. There I did some souvenir shopping (I finally started to do it seriously, as I'm running out of time) and then walked to Book-Off. I got some more Hikaru no go for my friends and another volume of Inu-Yasha for myself, and then a CD by day after tomorrow and a Tokimeki Memorial Girl's Side art book. I have to admit, I had no idea what that TokiMemo book would have in it, as it was packed in plastic, but I was kinda curious to find out what they wanted to keep protected so well, and there was a very nice pretty boy on the cover ^_^ As I thought, it included many drawings of bishounen (pretty boys). I suppose there's a game called TokiMemo for girls, too, and this was art from that, or something... Anyway, lot's of bishies = me happy ^_^ (It's not just the men, I love good art ^_^)

By the way, I was supposed to buy most of what my friends had asked for that day, but I realized I'm running out of money again. (Well, money that is here, anyway.) Today I made my last bank transfer, it should arrive in a few days and what's left of that I'll take home. I can probably change the remaining yen to euros with Heidi, since she is coming back here anyway.

So, today I finally went to Kurama. It was a beautiful day to go, too. There's no snow left on the ground anymore, and there was not much in the mountains either, but that didn't matter in the end, because you can't see much outside from the bath (naturally). Had there been heaps of snow on the trees on the mountainside it would've made a difference, but it was very nice to look at a green forest as well. Besides, it would've been icy to wash and walk to the bath outside, now it was just very cold.

I had never been to a public bath in Japan before and nobody had told me what I needed to take with, so I just took everything I could need, besides water. In fact the only thing I did need was a towel, and whatever after-bath things I wanted (deodorant and stuff like that). There was shampoo and soap at the bath and there's no need for a swimming suit or anything like that (in fact it's forbidden). The towel I had was too big, though, everyone else was using a small, hand-size towel. I'm not sure if anyone really used it for drying themselves, it seemed like they had it with them just because one should have a thing like that at a bath, and to cover themselves a bit if they were feeling modest. It's probably meant for drying, but everyone kept their towels on the side of the bath where they got soaked, and then they were of no use ^_^;;

Well, I took my big, impractical towel with me and went to wash myself. I washed my hair and all, I came there to get washed as much as to get to soak in the hot spring, but some of the others just splashed a little water on them before they stepped in the bath. I had the impression that being clean before you step in is very important, but I guess some people don't mind ^_^;; (Maybe it's just been over-emphasized, a lot of the things they tell foreigners are. But it's good manners anyway, I think.) After washing I got into the bath. Yeah, it was great... *^_^* I stayed in too long, so it started to feel a bit uncomfortable and my face got all red, but it was great anyway. I want to have a bath like this at my summer cabin, wouldn't that be great? :D It was very relaxing.

On the way back... I walked there and back from the train station, of course, didn't take the shuttle bus. I loved it. Beautiful old houses and a beautiful view. But yeah, on the way back I did some more souvenir shopping, got myself a flute and a small something for my older nephew. I also went to the gate of the big temple there and noticed it paid to get in there. I'm glad we went there during the Fire Festival, otherwise I probably wouldn't have and it was a magnificent place. Then I got on the train back (it took surprisingly little time, by the way, I thought it was longer when we went to the festival... but I guess it was just the effect of the growd) and returned home.

I finally posted my last cards today, by the way. They were supposed to be in Finland during new year, latest, but I didn't remember to search out a post office in Tokyo... And then I had to wait until the new year holidays were over and the Iwakura office opened again ^_^;; But now they're on their way. I still have to write a couple of letters, then the rest will have to wait until I get home to hear from me in non-digital form ^_^

The rest of today (and quite a bit of the other days after new year) I've been sitting at the computer. I've been making lists of what I still want to or have to do, what schoolwork is left, and I've been doing websites. The smaller of those two web projects I've been talking about is almost done (well, it was small, I did most of it during the few days between christmas and Tokyo, now it's just tweaking the details) and the other one, the one that's been dragging since summer, looks actually quite good, too. I've mostly been afraid of what the client will say to me since I've been absolutely horrible to them, taking all this time, but today I decided to take the bull by its horns, as they say. In fact they sent me an email today, too, asking about it, and not sounding at all as angry as I feared, so I'm happy ^__^ Then I made a small design of a site where I can dump all my comics so that they're can be browsed easily, but I'll wait until I get back the rest of the comics until I continue that. (Or until I feel like playing with something new again... ^_^) And I updated the NaNoManga to my main site! Wee ^__^

Then, well, just the usual. I drew a little again, I did that last time before christmas. I really should draw more often... ^_^;;; I feel bad for not doing it, not because I'm obligated, but because I want to get better at it and I know the only thing holding me back is that I don't draw enough. (Drawing something for that new anime magazine would be great also because it forces me to do something regularly ^_^) The first image I drew this year was a maid :D One of the doujinshi I bought at Comiket is a collection of maids, basically, and the drawing style is so great and they look so cute that I wanted to try, too. Oh yeah, then I started translating that doujinshi about James and Lily Potter, partially because I want to know what it says and partially because then I can show it to my other Harry Potter loving friends ^_^

I stopped dieting, too, for the last couple of weeks I have left. Well, serious dieting, anyway. I still keep track of what I eat and if I feel like having a "low" day, I have one. But also, if I want to eat more Japanese food, I allow myself to, because I only have less than 3 weeks left to enjoy it ^_^ Tomorrow I'm gonna go to school to eat lunch, because food there is really good and cheap and because I'm a bit tired of home-cooked things. A meal there has so much more "variety" than a cup of rice or noodles and some sauce and tuna to it. (I'm still not a great cook. Mainly because I'm lazy, and besides I still can't figure out which are the right ingredients to buy, even if I had a recipe to cook from.)

What? When did it get that late?! Argh, I knew it was getting too late to work today, but I didn't mean for it to slip past midnight before I get to bed!