Woo Hoo! I'm published!

Yeah, that's right. I've been published! In an actual magazine. Pictures and everything! I absolutely hate the layout, but who the hell cares? I've been frickin' published!

It's for Kansai Scene magazine, a regional magazine for the Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto areas. I'm working on another, which is actually due pretty soon. I guess I should get crackin'

Check it out here:
Kansai Scene, Issue 90, November 2007

Or simply click on the portfolio sticker on the the sidebar sticker sheet!

Halloween at ECC (2007)

My Baby's a Jumper! (3 months)

Up...

...and down

Some Sad News For Vegans in Japan!

My favorite Vegan restaurant in all the world, VegiSmile, is closing it's doors at the end of this year. The owner/operator, Yamamoto-san, is opting out in favor of a steady job and increased salary. Damn his survival instincts!

Anyway, check out my REVIEW to get all the information! If you're near Kobe, don't miss checking this place out before it closes, whether you're vegan or not.

Goings On

It's been a number of weeks since I last wrote and here are some things that are on the going of on:

TAKING IN SOME RELAXMENT
For the past week, My wife's been hanging out with the folks, back in her hometown up in the north of Hyogo Prefecture. Enjoying her mom's cooking was first on the agenda, followed by a simple request, which was never really fulfilled in full: not feeling terrible.

Meanwhile, I'm back in Crapville with a big empty bed all to myself, and I can't sleep at all. I have a lot of early morning shifts and I haven't been getting sleepy until about three am. My internal clock is crapping out on me. I need some new batteries.

MASSUH CHIEF
I got a copy of Halo 3 for my Xbox 360 and have been playing the hell out of it. It's a superb game in the genre, almost as good as Half-Life 2. It captures the intensity of Halo 1 without pissing me off like Halo 2, and the graphics are to dye for. Even the Japanese love this game, and they hate the Xbox.

I'm also hitting the Online Multi-player a lot with my uspstairs neighbor, Norm. Playing it on his huge Hi-Def TV is gorgeous and when I'm not dying myself, I enjoy killing other people. I'm a mass murderer on with a sword (against other people armed only with a sword).

AIKIALICIOUS
I'm bummed lately because I haven't been going to Aikido as much as I'd like. I want to go at least three times a week, but I've been knocked down to one, which makes the money I pay for a monthly free pass a simple waste.

I went to my first Saturday night class, which was interesting. There was an actual 'hot chick' there, which I would not have thought was possible. She and her partner were attended to by the black belt who's best friends are a tanning booth and a plastic surgeon solely. He was supposed to help us all. I wonder why he didn't... Meanwhile, in my Ki class, I paired up with a guy who was overly impressed by everything I did. In the Aikido class, I was paired up with Mr. I had a few this morning, afternoon and evening. Don't get me wrong. He knows his stuff, but instead of continually practicing the skill. He'd show me once, have me do it, then take a nice long drunken rest. (-_-)#

VEGAN FOOD IN FISH LAND
Last on the menu is my recent visit to VegiSmile, the Vegan restaurant in Kobe. I went with a coworker, Natalie and her daughter, Rayna, who's a former student of mine. My coworker's husband is also a Vegan, but he didn't come. Ah well. Natalie and Rayna LOVED the food and the deserts! Rayna drew me a picture which I'll post a little later.

Mr. Yamamoto, the owner/chef/waiter/only employee of the place was very busy that day. Besides the three of us, he had two other customers and a party of eight. WOW! So I did my part and cleaned the dishes and even served the party a little. It's so hard not to want to help this guy out when he's busy.

Until next time,

Mike, the RocketRat of the Procrastination

APPENDAGES! (2 Months)

You can see my baby's gaining some arms and legs, and even a head! The lines on the right represent his/her heart beat.

The baby might be born during Japan's golden week holiday, giving us our own little Golden Child.

I did the impossible, I joined Facebook

Oh yes, it's very true. I've been Facebooked! I've got 11 friends so far - who are people I can actually call friends (with a touch of family). Now I can make contact with people without the usual hassle of being EXTREMELY lazy with e-mail. It's not SO much better, but it is by just a touch.

A LACK OF KI
I started practicing Aikido again last month, and I couldn't be happier. I go for two or three times a week, practicing two hours a day. One hour is devoted to Ki Training, which is pretty sweet. We learn how to move people by using the least amount of our own energy as possible.

After that is an hour of Aikido, in which somethings I already know, and much I don't. Everyone there is pretty cool. In an Aikido class, the atmosphere is pretty relaxed and jovial. The teachers are especially funny.

Once a week, I also take a Ken and Jo class, that is a sword and stave fighting class. We've been mostly working with the stave so far and it's pretty complicated, but extremely fun.

I've missed this week's Aikido classes because of working over time and helping out the wife. My body misses it terribly. I need to stop being a lazy baby, and start practicing on my own regularly.

THE BATTLE'S NEARLY OVER...
Well, Meg's been officially fired. HOORAY!!! Now all we have to do is wait for them to give her back her pension book and other items. I need her government pension book in order to sign up with the insurance at work, which will be very necessary for when the baby comes. Just waiting...

Until laterz...
Mike, the RocketRat who can move mountains with the lightest touch.

Companies You Hate to Hate

EVERYTHING IS HAPPINESS IN JAPAN. LET'S ENJOY HAPPY!

If you're Japanese, and when you work for a major Japanese company, just keep this simple idea in your head:

You are a slave.

No, no. No, no, no...let's rephrase that:

You are a happy and loyal employee who would never leave the company until the company was ready to let you go, which is, suffice it to say, never anytime in your future.

Such is the experience of too many Japanese people.
Such is the recent experience of my wife.

FROM BAD...
She liked her job, working for Ayura make-up company. It was extremely tough work, but she came back happy that she was working there. That was until a few weeks before she became pregnant. She works for a company comprised of mostly women - which causes quite a number of problems (understood from first-hand experience). She works for a company comprised mostly of women customers - which adds the that number; and things just simply started to become too much.

...TO WORSE
After getting pregnant, though, things really went down the toilet. Her energy completely vanished - which is no good for a busy company with tons of customers each day; customers who demand attention no better than babies. On top of that, her nose became super sensitive, where she feels like puking because of any small, yet distinctive smell - which is no good when your surrounded by very strong smells at a make-up counter in a department store full of make-up counters.

When you are Japanese and want to leave a Japanese company, you ask, they say 'no' and then you stay. It's that simple.

My wife initially said that she would work until she was eight months, but found it all unbearable, and changed her mind - opting for the twenty-days notice. This decision through the sacrifice into the volcano too late. It became a battle with her supervisor, her area-manager, and indeed her company. Insultingly guilt-ridden statements tried to shame her into staying. There were some misunderstandings which somehow became personal insults. Declarations of how my wife's being selfish for getting pregnant mixed with threats of lawsuits where thrown at her like pea soup from a demonic possession.

Eventually, they gave up and fired her. Meaning that this is still not yet over. Their shame-tactics have a little bit of a hold on her right now, but that's fading, thankfully. She has to get her pension stuff back from them and her area manager wants to talk to her, probably to try to convince her to come back.

I'm very proud of my wife. She overcame a lot of personal obstacles to get, keep and continue to work for this company. She put a lot of blood and sweat into become a great employee, one better than many who have worked there for years. I'm equally proud of her for getting out, no matter how (even though she's not completely out yet). This undue stress was killing her and could have potentially harmed our baby, and family always, ALWAYS comes first!

Oh lookey at the baby-wabey!

Where's baby?

There you are!

JESUS CHRIST! (Or, 'Holy Zombie Jesus'!)

In the past couple of years, there have been a flurry of Broadway hits flurrying to the stage; Cats, Hairspray, and Crazy For You to name a few. And now, Jesus Christ Superstar is entering the scene.

I never liked this particular musical. In fact, I've loathed it ever since I first got a glimpse of the movie. Plus, the creepier, and often crazier of the Jesus sect has been slipping in, under the radar. Mormons (who, technically, I can't even call Christians by any sense of it), and Jehovahs are flooding the streets as much as they can. Images that adorn homeless shelters and feeding places give that old-timey feeling of accept Jesus into your heart or burn. So, in the back of my head, the introduction of this musical seems a bit seedy to me.

However, the visuals of the Japonesque version look pretty cool. Everyone's done up in Kabuki-style makeup. Pretty bad ass.

And besides, I've always said that if Jesus was born in Asia, he'd have been a Buddhist.

Coolest Used Car Lot EVER!

Yee HAW!

A Cute 'Trailer'

Though the robots are a bit, well, robotic, I enjoy the designs.

Citroen Transformer Spoofs

Tee Hee Hee

Yet Another Citroen Transformer

Another Citroen Transformer

The Original Citroen Car Commercial

The director of this video was, I've heard, originally slated to do the Halo movie

Megger's Preggers!

For the past couple of weeks, my wife Meg has been feeling weak, well, pretty much all day. She felt sick when she smoked cigarettes that she could never finish. Everyone thought it was a cold, even a doctor she went to see. No medicine she took seemed to fix this issue.

Then came the random pregnancy test, and she got the two lines. After a year of "Let's have a baby", she had only recently decided it wouldn't be in her best interest to get pregnant right now. It would cause problems at work and she didn't want to be sick. A second pregnancy test - and even a third a little later on, for factors of disbelief - confirmed that the indication of two lines indicating pregnancy from the first test was indeed accurate.

That night was right then full of panic.

"I don't want to be sick!"

"I'm not supposed to get pregnant during the time I work for Ayura! They don't 'allow' it."

"What about money and insurance? (Of which we have neither, right now.)"

After exhausting herself, the new day came as well as a new attitude. Things were once again shining bright in the world of Meg. We've told quite a bit of people and things are full of the happy!

Well, that's all for now...
Laterz...

Mike, the soon to be the father of a litter of little RocketRats!

Directors are show-offs.

I heard this guy, Michel Gondry, directed Eternal Sunshine for the Spotless Mind and all his Bjork videos using those two hands.

Baby vs Rubik's Cube

This nothing-year-old finishes the rubik's ultra fast. When I was that young, I was still thinking my cereal spelled "OOOO". I loved Cheerios...and I enjoyed them without the annoying Chinese hosts on microphones.

Jurassic Fart

いくぞ！ ぎゃああああああああ！

A spirited bout between two soulful and dedicated competitors. A match for the ages!

The Perfection that Japanese Synchronized Dancers Long For

Hey, these guys are pretty good. Must've practiced A LOT!

This Just In: Japanese Creepy Love for Creepy Robots

The Japanese need to create life-like robots took a new turn with this "chick". Living in Japan, some basement-dweller - infinitely horny and social incapable of meeting/dealing with real women - dreamed this little lady up. The annoying 12 year old-like voice simply portrays the Japanese pedofiliac-like need for women of any age to be cute.

"Self"-replicating and repairing Robot Worm Thingy

This looks kinda disgusting, but it's most definitely interesting. Though, I'm not sure if it is actually going through the motions by itself, or is being controlled remotely.

Hot as, well, Hell

Well, it's really humid here. Even at night, it's absolutely horrid to go out. Sometimes, taking two showers a day isn't enough. You sweat so much just from existing, even with deodorant. My summer break is nearly over and I really don't want to teach kids in these sweltering conditions.

The work is finally finished (sort of)! Let the Vacation BEGIN!
Well, my commissioned work is finally done. All I'm doing with it is making various variations to it for the commissioner to choose her fancy. It looks great and I'll post them soon onto newly, near-finished portfolio of mine. It's looking great, but the navigation isn't up yet. It will be soon, though. Someone even was perusing my stuff today and left me a comment while I was busy re-doing and re-entering all my old posts. He was from India and he liked some of my fashion pieces (the only stuff up at the time).

I'm also working on the online Sketchbook which will hopefully be finished tomorrow or the day after.

The Glico Portfolio
The Glico company basically rejected my portfolio. They had asked for whatever I could give them (a lie that is now obvious in hindsight), and I put together a collection of works I had done, mostly revolving around cartoon characters - a good choice for a candy company.

After looking at it and being impressed they said my illustrations had too much story. Unfortunately they don't understand that all illustration HAS a story, no matter how simple. They completely over-looked the characters, which is what they were looking for in the first place. They liked them, but there was too much depth...? They said I should go for magazine work. I didn't even go for them. It was my wife who pursued this.

I think they were just trying to be polite to say 'no', but the ability for Japanese people to tell you anything directly simply doesn't exist. Tiresome...

Updates
Aside from the PORTFOLIO looking good and the SKETCHBOOK on it's way, I have added two new reviews of movies: Transformers and Ratatouille which have only recently come out in Japan.

And to take a note that Transformers has come out, I searched for some ROBOTS.

Until laterz...
Mike, the RocketRat who wants to slap every Japanese person he sees right now.

Transformers (2007)

This line best sums it up:

"It's Transformers, but not Transformers."

This is the same string of words that many people have said about the movie, and I'm glad they did. If I had gone to see this without hearing this five-word phrase, I MIGHT have gone in expecting something, then being completely, and utterly crushed. I went to see this with my friend Norm who had already seen it in China when he was hanging out with his family. The fact that he was willing to see it again meant that there was, possibly, some good to come from seeing this flick.

After watching a bazillion ads (some of which being, yes, Transformers toy ads) and trailers, the lights finally dimmed and the magic started.

The Story
Long ago, there was a planet named Cybertron. It was a peaceful world of a mechanical people until a war broke out leaving it decimated. The remaining soldiers on both sides spread out across the galaxy in search of an ancient cube that contains the "all spark" - a great energy that makes machines live. The Autobots, led by Optimus Prime hope that they can rebuild their world with it. The Decipticons, led by Megatron, hope to rebuild their ranks in order the crush the opposition.

Their search has brought them to Earth, where horny and socially-maladjusted Sam Witwicky holds the key to finding the All Spark.

Helped by his Camaro, a soldier by the name of Bumblebee, he hooks up with ultra-hottie Mikaela and they get swept up in not only the war between the giant metal-men, but also the government's attempts to keep it's secrets and suppress the alien menace. For the government has hidden much (surprise).

Then and Now
Despite being one of the longest-running toy commercials, The Transformers storyline, coupled with nostalgia, was pretty engaging. The characters were likable, even the bad guys - I mean, who didn't love Starscream? When the animated movie came out, our hearts were wrenched from side-to-side. Many of our beloved characters were killed off within the first ten minutes of the flick. There were tears (we didn't understand the marketing significance of this move).

In this movie, just like any other Michael Bay movie, the characters were there only to serve the explosions and the noise. It's not a bad thing for a stupid action movie, but I still missed the human side of this gigantic people.

There's only one rule to movies: the black guy dies first!
Now, in the case of the human players, this just wasn't the case. Tyrese, Anthony Anderson, and the always hilarious Bernie Mac made it to the end, safely. However, things don't go so well for the Autobots.

My favorite character in the original cartoon was always Jazz. He was the sass-talking, street-wise car with the hook-ups for all the ghetto kids to look up to, both literally and figuratively. It was no secret, then or now in the new movie that Jazz is the black Transformer, and I'm sorry to say that he was the only Autobot casualty in the entire movie. And if he had been wearing a red shirt, he might have died even faster than he did. Here's to you Jazz! Drink it up!

Subplot and Potholes
Now Michael Bay is know for putting a lot of crap subtext into his movies. Poorly written, drawn-out idealisms that he has no business messing with. The only counter to this mile-a-minute puke-a-thon is the explosions and the noise. Thankfully, in Transformers, the attempt at humanity had been completely left out. The only subplot we have to sit through is the vast amounts of product placement.

However, at the end of the movie, even the most dimwitted of creatures will walk out of the theater asking more questions than should be asked about a movie. Many things, especially towards then end, happen (or don't happen) that are never explained. They go missing. They fall into the void of devious plot holes.

In The End
For a summer action movie, I don't think they are going to get any explodier than Transformers. Despite it being "It's Transformers, but not Transformers", it was still (oh God...) a fun ride. (-_-)7 (sorry) It's completely mindless, which gives your brain a rest for the upcoming summer action movies like The Bourne Ultimatum.

Rest In Peace, Jazz.

Ratatouille (Pixar, 2007)

It was me and my wife's little date-day. After doing a little shopping and getting replacement phones at our local electronics super-store, we headed over to get some New York-style-style bagels (like a copy of a copy) for dinner. Then, we headed on over to the cinema.

Meg and I have wanted to see this for a while. Pixar has done quality 3D animated movies for a long, long time, and we weren't going to miss this one. Though, as always, I was a bit skeptical. I never like the trailers for Pixar's movies, and I skipped their last movie, Cars, entirely.

But, being a rat-lover, I could simply not pass this one up.

The Story
A rat, Remy, living with his family in France discovers that he has a super-sensitive nose which leads him to discovering an extreme passion for rich foods and cooking. However, his stubborn father can't see past the possibility of his son's poison-detector could be much more.

Remy and his family and friends are separated and he finds his way to Paris, egged on by the ghostly figment of his favorite chef. Making his way to the nearest restaurant, Remy is soon caught in the kitchen by the new "garbage boy", Linguini.

Linguini, who is completely useless in the kitchen and Remy strike a deal where Linguini will be the face to Remy's talent. Throw in a strong-willed and beautiful french love-interest, a short and nasty chef, a "deadly"-serious food critic and some interesting characters in the kitchen, and you have quite an adventure of a movie.

Not Always Funny-HA HA
Much like The Incredibles - who had the same director, Brad Bird - there was a lot of focus on drama. Some of the characters and even a few incidentals come very close to death in this flick. It reminds me of the old adventure cartoons, like The Secret of NYMH, where the directors seem to understand that this subject is easily handled by children. It was instantly refreshing in that regard. In fact, even knowing that this was a children's cartoon, I half-expected for not all of the characters to not get out of their dire situations.

With that in mind, don't think that this is a straight out "Oh my God!" fest. When the comedy hits, it hits well. Occasionally the funny would sneak in, all subtle-like, and then are times where I could barely contain myself, let alone my wife.

Tugs, here and there
One of the things that I think Mr. Bird did well was make you believe with the smallest effort. We know that Remy's a rat. It's a cartoon, of course he can cook. However, with the various ways the various characters handle this truth, I was totally convinced that "anyone can cook", even a pint-sized rat.

With minimal, momentary imagery, Mr. Bird also pulls at emotions. When the "evil" critic samples the "chef's specialty", he is briefly shot back to his childhood, and immediately shot right back. However, in that very short span of time, it managed to pull a tear out of my duct.

In The End
I couldn't put it better myself. Like my wife, I think I'm convinced that this was the best movie put out by Pixar by far, and if Mr. Bird keeps up this level of work, I think I'll safely be able to call him one of this century's greatest directors.

My youngest...

Here's my babies class over at ECC Hirakata! It was Yukata day, and they were all wearing their adorable jinbeis! カワイイ！

Soundwave's back, doubters!

With the local crap coming out for the opening of Transformers comes something actually worth looking at. A transforming Soundwave! Old news? Not really! He's a working MP3 player! And to add to the coolness (sort of) for an extra $40, you can get his little buddies, Rumble and Frenzy. They aren't cassettes anymore. They're your working headphones! This is the coolest thing I could wish I could afford this year!

Human Player

It's a Tamagochi for hermits...
...and idiots.

A rarity...

He's not a rarity because he's black. He's a rarity because he is the only black man (or indeed, the only foreigner) that is on TV and in print NOT wearing a tutu or a wacky expression on his face, chasing some little animal with plastic antennas around a beach to sell something that this image doesn't represent, like adult diapers or something. Kudos to any foreigner in this country who can become recognizable and not look like an idiot.

PS. Monkey Majik and Def Tech get no kudos...

Karaoke only sounds good inside the booth...

Chillin' with the Homies

The Onion Has Had It

The last of it's kind, it sets off on it's Great Onion Journey!

チュッ！

A Sock Escape...

I was tossing my sock into the laundry basket - or so I had thought at the time - when it had landed perfectly on the velcro strip on the front.

Trains are the best way to get around...

...even the moths know it.

Gripped by a freak of space-time

Has there been a rip in the fourth dimension? Has someone invented truly the Improbability Drive? It would seem as though I was mysteriously transported back home to Jersey City, for but a mere instant. For when I looked up, I was back where I was, in Den-Den Town, Osaka, Japan. If I see a bowl of petunias or a sperm whale anywhere around, I will FREAK!

The Semi-Annual Peace March

Periodically, a pick-up parade of pedestrians petitions the people about pacifism. This preaching party's product's a piddling as the number of these peaceful participants is paltry. Although, it's pleasant to perceive the police plainly performing a service.

The latest, and cutest of Buddhist Gods!

As I got interested in Buddhism, I found that the idea of Gods does not truly exist in the original teachings. However, the multitudes of Buddhist religious groups have quite a large number of gods, especially here in Japan. At first, I thought it was just one of the many means the religious leaders used to gather large amounts of money and power. I mean, most organized Buddhist religious sects are LOADED and have no problems showing it off - thanks in part to these gods and their 'power'.

However, when I saw this little guy, I was instantly enlightened. How can something so CUTE ever be used to warp the intentions of an otherwise wonderful way of life? I left it a tenner. So precious.

The Ultimate in Commy-Pinko Transportation!

They defected only to have the bodies sold on the streets...quite a shame...

Viva Pinata (Rare)

Several months ago, I broke down like quite the little consumer-lady-of-the-night and bought an X-Box. With it, I've gotten hold of several mind-blowing and bloody games that fill me with a terrible satisfaction. Hooray for killing!

However, recently, my wife was asking about games that she could play. X-Box isn't know for it's girl-friendly, cute, or even intellectual games (though some companies are making an effort). However, I took up the challenge of finding something for her, and I found this:

Viva! Piñata! by the UK's RARE Studios. I found it at a somewhat large video games store in Osaka's Den-Den Town, where everything electronic can be found - at least, if you look hard enough.

I brought it home where it lifted an eyebrow or two upon my wife's beautiful face. She thought it was cute! Success! And luckily for me, I can also play it - as it has multiple languages that are used based on your user settings.

The whole idea is to shape-up a tired plot of land and lure in wild Piñatas that you can raise, with the eventual use of selling them for parties. Every little Piñata is quite cute and have distinctive personalities that you have to take into consideration.

Playing

You start with a shovel and a plot of land. With that shovel - and other items that come your way - you slowly turn your dirt-farm into a working garden. You have neighborhood friends and specialists at your disposal that range from gossips to plant raisers, doctors and shop keepers.

The Piñatas!

Some Piñatas will wonder onto your land and stay of their own volition. For bigger Piñatas, you will have to lure them in by giving them their own space and feeding them vegetables or even other Piñatas.

Once they're on your land make them comfortable by feeding them, giving them candy, and leading them to a mate where they get it on, giving you a new baby Piñata. You can break a Piñata in order to gain some candy to give to others. However, I did it once, and nearly cried myself to sleep. I KILL'DED HIM! (ToT)

Be careful, as some Piñatas don't like each other and can get into fights. I haven't figured out a way to stop them yet.

Where I Am

Not very far. I've progressed quickly, however, ever since I've stopped playing, I haven't picked it up again. Only one day. I'm not sure if this is actually saying something about the game, of whether I like this type of game or not, or that I've been too busy/lazy to play - as it does take time and effort to work the magic.

The same can be said for my wife. Any time she gets "stuck", she drops the controller and never looks back. I bought her a Super Nintendo recently, with a copy of Dragon Quest 1&2 (which she was fiending for for several weeks). She played it for sixteen hours, had no idea where to go, and stopped.

I cried.

In The End...

It's a fun game that's worth a good, hard look, especially if you like games that require patience. If you have none, best not to start looking for it here. Might as well no dish out cash for something you're going to play only once and never again.

Beautiful and Sweet Summer!

Well, it's truly Summer here in disgusting, old Osaka. It's hot everyday, and even during some of the nights. More often-than-not, it's also as humid as a 10-day-old quiche, wrapped in plastic and microwaved. Yuck! In order to escape from having my armpits smelling like pencil factories, I occasionally take two showers a day. Mm...Wasteful! We're also blasting the AC like crazy, which means a huge spike in our energy bills. Spectacular!

ESCAPE FROM AND RUN TOWARDS
Starting tomorrow, my weekend is in full effect. After that, three days of work followed by two weeks vacation! Sweet!

My student often as, "So where are you going to go for your vacation?"
And I simply answer, "To my desk."

I've been commissioned (for actual money) to do some illustration work for someones forthcoming website. Sweet Beans! So that means, while my beautiful and patient wife continues to slave through her day selling make-up, I'll be inking and coloring all the tiny little sketches I've made for her.

And the fun doesn't stop there! By next week, I have to send in a mini-portfolio to a famous candy company called Glico. My wife surprised me one day and told me that she had called ahead and they said they'd like to see my work. Lucky Me! However, a lack of ANY COMPLETED work began to irk me, so now, I'm in a bit of a rush to put together some works for these people. Thanks, Meg! (@.@)

UPDATES
As you can see the website is basically finished (again) and in working order. I've even added a special sidebar where I'll post some recommendations and tidbits of my life.

I've added A FREAKIN' LOT of photos. Click on the photos sticker on the sidebar to see!

The Strips page is still yet to be completed. Internet Explorer is not cooperating and I do not know why. I've tried everything I could, but still no good!

My next project, besides the illustration work, is to update the portfolio. I've some good ideas, now it's just a matter of implementing them.

Well, that's all for now, I guess.
Mike, rocketing into a mild mental brake-down, the RocketRat!

THE CHILDREN OF MEN by PD James

Scenes and Leaves
At the beginning of this year, my wife and I gathered ourselves up and took a visit to the movies. There we purchased our tickets for a movie that both, honestly, knew nothing about. What had hit us was much more than I ever thought it would have been; a beautiful film of such power that our brains were as if touched by divinity. As we exited the theater, and began our feet for the long walk home (and in all honesty, the better parts of the next couple of days), we found ourselves conversing unceasingly about the world we were driven into.

As soon as I had heard that this movies was in fact an adaptation of a film, a resolved myself to find it. And so, the very next day I headed to Osaka's highly, and distastefully romanticized fantasy of SoHo, NYC, Amemura, I entered Random Walk. With this book store comprised of nothing but foreign (mostly English) language books, I found it in a snap. Unfortunately, the "Now a major motion picture" label had been slapped on and Clive Owens sullied face stares blankly ahead, piercing into the heart of me.

Despite the ridiculousness of the price (nearly three-times the original UK price), I hit the counter with fury and made my purchase.

What We Find
In 2021, the world is a much more desolate place. It hasn't been ravaged by war. No real animosity lingers for anyone. The world is a desert of complacency, hollowed out by one single, completely unexplainable fact. There hasn't been a child conceived and delivered in twenty-five years.

Surrounded by the apathetic; by women who take dolls and cats as their own flesh and blood; by cities that become just a little bit quieter after each death, Theo is a teacher with barely any one person to teach. The old watch TV while those who are still young - the Omegas - are too spoiled, too self-important to do anything.

After his complete acceptance of the end, Theo is ready for anything, by having nothing. He accidentally killed his only child, and his wife has left him. All he has left is his museums. However, this desperate peace is broken by a beautiful woman and her four companions. Desperate to rid England of Theo's cruel cousin, The Warden of England, The Five feebly fumble into a farce of a revolution. Theo, wanting no part in this, finds that it he can't separate himself from it.

Theo is thrust into The Five's terrible world and is compelled to stay. To protect a secret that would profoundly change him and the world in both divinely and monstrous ways.

Action-packing
Those who have seen the movie and are expected fast-paced, adrenaline-pumping action right off the bat might be surprised at the pacing of the book. Ms. James splits the book into two parts and the first half of the book is quite slow. It's Theo's slow creep to his eventual and expected demise at the hands of time. Many of the problems that appear in the movie never rear their ugly heads in the book, though the hints that they may have happened in the past are there.

The second-half of the book speeds like wild cart downhill with no breaks and only an old man to try his best at steering it while screaming out for those below. Though there are some familiar aspects of the movie in the book, the road is much different. Characters that were more or less prominent in the book are quite the opposite in the film. Some characters from the movie don't even appear in the book at all.

What a Difference a Director Makes
I, once a week, reminded my wife on how different the book is from the movie - and she, each time, reminded my to 'shut up'.

More often than not, movie adaptations of books don't go so swimmingly. The only book-turned-film, other than Children of Men, that I actually liked was Fight Club. The directions taken in both movies were often radically different than those in the book. However I think that the spirit of each book was captured in a way that made it timeless.

And the fact that the movies were so different led me to not at all hate either the film or the printed versions of the story. Both the film and book of Children of Men were completely enjoyable for totally different reasons.

And In the End
To not read this book would be a shame. It shows us the ridiculousness of every argument, every war, every atrocity. It preaches the precious life poetically, with passion and prose. It stands on our chests and makes us feel how every moment in our lives is precious. It dances inside a world with no children, and explains that this is not where we will ever want to be.

Survival

For the past week and a half, the death of me has been caused by a nasty cold that forces sticky, milky-green substances to fly at high velocity at my students of all ages. And for the past couple of days, a nasty migraine has pierced my left eye, cheek and even teeth with the fury of a thousand furies, armed with knives and bigger knives and those little forks you use for eating shrimp. Ouch.

However, I do believe that it's at the end of it's rope as I can breathe again, and the pain seems to be subsiding.

INTERNET EXPLORER GOODNESS
If you haven't noticed, intrepid and lonely reader, the website seems a little more composed since last time I wrote. The hacks I entered into my CSS seem to have fixed many of the major problems that have surfaced for Internet Explorer. The box model is put all together, and Mikey be happy.

However, the bottom sidebar's background continues to flicker as you place your cursor over a displayed link. I haven't found anything to fix this yet, though I'm working on it.

Also, the Strips page is almost complete. I made the site (almost) completely from scratch and am quite proud of that fact. However there is one element, just like the sidebar issue, that's driving me mad because I'm not sure how to fix it. Check it out by clicking The Strips Sticker on the top sidebar. I've placed the first fully completed RocketRat Blues Strip on there - although it's a bit out of sequence from the rest of the story. After I start putting everything up, I'll take it down and put it up again in the appropriate place.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Lucky us! Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix has recently come out in Japan, a week before the rest of the world. Huzzah! So naturally, I'll rub it in just a bit more...

Suckers! Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

STORY
This installment introduces a bevy of new characters, for better or worse, and some interesting plot progression to the series. Tempers and agitation flare as the forces of the downright mean start being a bit abrasive. Well, a bit MORE abrasive.


The movie gets right down to business with Harry wallowing in his fledgling Emo-state, wondering why such rotten luck has befallen such a beloved character as himself.

And then things start to slide into it's downward spiral of slippery, yet pointy-rock-covered slide-of-pain.

More light is then shed upon those who fought 'He-who-shall-not-Squeak-in-a-bathtub" before, which during the course or the filum opens up the pasts of the children who are taking up the call.

The world of Ye Ol' Hogwarts - a school where it seems only one spell is taught a year - is once again turned topsy-turvy. Loyalties are questioned as the new Biyotch-In-Town seeks to make everyone into muppets of a bygone era. The punishment of non-compliance? Imagine a thousand PMS attacks focused into a single woman, crossed with potions, wands and meowing china. Not for the faint of heart.

With this Queen-of-Menstruation hot on their heels, Harry and friends raise an army of students to learn defensive magic. Who's to teach them? Well, Harry of course, the one student in Hogwarts who has experienced the most danger, and he actually teaches them something. And teaches them well, which makes me think what have all the other instructors in this so-called school have been doing. Friends from England have told me that the English education system is messed up, and I wouldn't have believed him, but Hogwarts...

All this leads to, but of course, the end, where the spectacle I've been waiting for four previous movies takes place. Lots of magic and boom - none done by Harry, but some by friends. It was satisfying and as I watched, I thought I could feel the cries of an entire generation of Evangelists, Born-agains and Jews-for-Jesus. Just for a moment.

AAAHHH......

CHARACTERS
I was never a big fan of Harry - as he would be dead 100 times over if it weren't for his friends, but I think his struggle through Emoness was pretty convincing. He seemed generally confused and defenseless (at least, for awhile).

I wish however, that the other characters, which seem to have so much going for them, seem to be there only to aid Harry, one time, in one movie, then become useless background fodder. Even Ron and Hermione seemed to have some important and useful skills in the first movie, that have either slowly faded or utterly disappeared by the second flick. I love these two characters much more than Harry and they seem to be getting the shaft.

WHAT I'D LIKE
It just seems to be that books that are five-hundred or more pages should never be turned into a single movie. It's nearly impossible to get a good sense of anything that the world and the characters have to offer. So much is lost and will never be seen.

Welcome to the world of television. If they had turned the Potter books into a short, high-quality HBO series, I think everything would play out better. I haven't read the books, but from what many tell me (and how geekish they get about it) there is so much more that is worth - and even necessary - getting into a series.

Ah well...

AND THE VERDICT
If you're a fan, then you have to see it. There are a lot of plot developments that you shouldn't miss, especially if you aren't hooked on the books but like the movies. If you don't care about characters so much and want to see some magification, then DEFINITELY see this one.

If you feel like these movies have been running thin lately, then this one's no better. I'd rent it and have fun with it at home. Cuddled up with your blankey, some hot cocoa and the image of the ideal mate floating in your head. Oh, and with your actual mate, too, I guess.

I think I'll give this movie a deteriorating 4 out of 5 ✯STARS✯, and bid you a good evening.

Making something work... but what?

ROCKETRAT DESIGN
Well, the RocketRat sites are looking great, I think. Two items on the agenda are left. The first being I need to fix up this confounded box model CSS crap that's wreaking havoc with that shitey, piece-o-crap Internet Explorer. I entered in some hacks that I hope work. I'll get to check tomorrow.

The other is that I'm going to add another sidebar where I can list specific recommendations and my favorite links.

The RocketRat Strips page is currently on hold. The design will be a bit different from the other pages, and I want to complete some of the cartoons before I even begin.

I'm also working on a new design for my portfolio page. This will, hopefully, give me the space to clean it up and make it look as professional as I hope my work someday is. (^o^)v

WACKY DAYS ON THE OL' RANCH WE CALL JAPAN
The other day, Meg and I went to the local aquarium for a little date-day. It was nice, although the penguins seemed more than depressed. The aquarium is loads better than the zoos in this country where it seems that I can sometimes see suicide gleaming in the eyes of the animals who can't leave.

Osaka just recently was supposed to have been hit by a typhoon that drowned everyone south of us. We were lucky as it veered away. Sorry that the others weren't so lucky.

Niigata, to the north of Tokyo, was AGAIN ravaged by a devastating earthquake. The damage seems really bad, and as soon as my brief summer vacation comes to be, I'm gonna go up for a couple of days and see if I can help with something. There are volunteer groups that I hope I can link up with.

And to top it all off, today, my wife just found out that her father has a herniated spine and has been in the hospital for a week. She wasn't too happy to not hear about it until now. She took her mini-break and went back home. よかたな！ Luckily, he's fine. He'll probably need some physical therapy though.

Anyway, there'll be more later...

Mike, the RocketRat surrounded by disaster on all sides!

Big Train, Little Train

I sometimes feel like Simon Pegg's character in this sketch. Woe is the life of an English Instructor...

Utada - Boulevard of Broken Dreams

There is almost nothing that I wouldn't watch or listen to of hers...
Yay for Hikaru Utada!

A Big Train Inspiration

This sketch from the British TV show Big Train was my inspiration for naming my favorite Panda!

Like to learn English?

Another great commercial!

Steven The Vegan

Steven answers some of your basic questions about being a vegan..."

It's Megumi! (2006)

Here's Megumi during the day...

...and during the night. I hide really well!

Halloween - Pumpkin style! (2006)

For one of my kids classes, we had to carve out pumpkins for halloween! This is Pumpy!