10.07.2006 or "Taiko no Tatsujin Revisited"

Thats right! I found out the name of the name of the Namco Drum Game, just in time for my inpromptue return earlier today. This time it was on my terms. We had originally intended to just eat a meal a couple floors down and leave but something inside me drew me back up there. Our meal was some freakin awesome ramen, the likes of which are rarely found. The place we ate was apparently started up by two guys who won the final of Japan's answer to Masterchef and created a succesful ramen chain out of it. There was a lovely ball of Kimchi placed in the centre of the creamy golden pork laden noodle bowl which I mixed into the soup to make an orange glowing ooze of wonder which gave me the power I needed to rock out two of my best rounds on Taiko no Tatsujin 8. First round I started off modest, medium setting, first round, ichirin no hana by High and Mighty colour followed up by Glamourous Sky by Mika Nakashima, no problems, 100 percent on the first, almost perfect on the second, I was in the zone. And the best thing about it is that this time there was no kids around to make me feel self consious, just an adoring girlfriend who was genuinely impressed by my drumming skills, even though it is a kids game.

Another round was in order, this time all new choices. Again, medium settings because I didnt want to be burned again, not on this kind of drumming high. Now the first one was about the most poppy and infectious slice of cute J-Pop you have ever heard but when I was playing it, it was a rock anthem, and I was the king of Taiko. Returning home I dug out the actual song from the depths of Youtube and suddenly I found myself feeling a little less manly. Ladies and Gents, I give you the phenomenon that is Sakuranbo by Ai Otsuka.



See what I mean. Anyway, the next song was also awesome but I cant for the life of me remember what It was called, although I will not let it go, Ill find it eventually when I go back for more practice. So, the rest of the day, hum, what did I do. Oh, I now have wheels, two of them, in the form of an old bike. I say old, it looks nice now we hosed it down and got the tires inflated and put some lights on it, this means I can hopefully be able to stop asking the guys downstairs to order Taxi's for me and I can take one of the first few steps towards independant living. I am pretty reliant on the kindness and charity of other people at the moment but as soon as I get a visa and a job I will start paying everyone back for their generosity. Speaking of jobs, looks like Im gonna be cutting it pretty fine with the visa application as I am throwing myself at the whim of the University and to as and when they can get my offical diploma out here to me. Tomorrow is a big day for all that kind of stuff, lots of forms to fill out, money to pay and ooh fun, a medical examination so they can rest asured Im not going to drop dead whilst teaching.

Of course I know there is nothing actually wrong with me, you know aside from morbid inactivity for the past 15 years, but its still a little daunting when you are in a foreign country such as this, god I hope they can speak English. If they dont they may have to bring in an interpreter whilst my pants are around my ankles and that would just be awkward. I guess Ill have an amusing experience to share with you guys though which is something at least. Still not got around to seeing Pirates 2 or Superman yet, which Im a little sad about because I want to see them both. Hopefully I can convince someone to take me, if not Ill just have to watch one piece with the sound down and do a Keith Richards voiceover for Monkey D. Luffy instead.

Thats all for today folks, as always I hope everyone is doing well, Im going to try and get some of my own video footage up here soon, I had toyed with the idea of some kind of podcast but ultimately my voice is far too anoying and I wouldnt be able to talk for more than five minutes at a time, Ill see what I can come up with. Seeya,