As George Michael Said, "FREEDOM!"

DONE! FREE! OWATTA!

SUMMER IS FINALLY HERE!

And to top it all off, it was a PERFECT day. Well the day is still going - its only 3:51pm here as I type this, but the last test is DONE! The sky is clear, blue with puffy white clouds, the Kamo River isn't overflowing, so people are in the river, it's not humid...but it is hot.

That's why I am back inside my shady apartment - the windows to the balcony face East, so from about 7am to 5pm, I have the sun blaring inside my apartment, which makes it hot. Today, I kept all my curtains closed, so as a result, it wasn't bloody stuffy in here.

After my test, I went down to Book-Off, the used bookstore (where the books are restored to newness) to see if they had Harry Potter. Unfortunately, the didn't have it in th 105yen section; they did have 1-4 in hardcover, but those were 1000yen, andI didn't want hardcover, I wanted paperback. At the 100yen shops, they have these nifty little box-bag things that you are supposed to put your manga series in, but I will get that before I go home to neatly transport all my Japanese novels. When I go back home, however, I will check out the Book-Off by the NYPL on 41st and Madison (yep they do have a branch in NYC! I got my first three Sailor Moon manga there, speaking of which, I need to complete my set) and see if they have the rest of the Harry Potters. The paperback price was originally 950yen, but I got it for 550. And it was the first one too so a nice way to start.

I was browsing again through the 105yen section when something caught my eye: Diana Gabadrudon. Huh? I pull it out - in the foreign section I pull or quickly look at the cover of the books as opposed to looking at the bindings since the titles and the authors are in katakana and just getting the cover is faster for me to understand the book - and on the cover underneath the Japanese title, it says: "Outlander by Diana Gabaldon."

OH MY GOD! THEY HAVE THE "OUTLANDER" SERIES IN JAPANESE!!! YOKATTA!!!

In case anyone doesn't know, the Outlander series is sorta in the romance genre, but not exactly the bodice-ripping sort of romance novel. I read one of those after I read Outlander back in 2002 when I was in Greece (my mom's cousin had the first three book) and I put it down in disugst; Outlander is much better. It's got your stereotypical Scottish hot guy in a kilt but the series is much smarter in the sense that it's not all about bodice ripping. That, and it gets better a it goes along; personally, I would choose Roger, Brianna's husband (olive skin, black hair, green eyes and 6'3") over Jamie (the red-head Scot who is Claire's husband and Brianna's dad) any day.

Seriously, if you do not have enough to read this summer, pick up the series. It gets better: each book is at least over 700 pages so for me as a fast and avid reader, that makes me happy. Thing is in Japan, longer books are cut up into smaller pieces; my copy of Memoirs of a Geisha is in two parts, and as Harry Potter goes along in the series, the book is cut up as well. Don't ask me why, but it's more for compactness (and maybe to make more money). I was able to find all parts of Outlander, but alas, not all were 105yen. The other two were 400yen each, so the whole thing was 950yen. In reality, it would have been 2,220 yen even in paperback. Yikes. No wonder places like Book-Off are so popular. However, they didn't have the other books - yet another reason to go to Book-Off in Manhattan. I took a look at the publication date: Outlander in Japanese came out in 2003 so maybe they don't even have all the books translated yet. Yikes.

Just did a check on Amazon Japan and they have up to Drums of Autumn...not bad. And they have a lot used, so I think I will get them from Amazon when I get back, just to have them and read at leisure. I did say I was going to get rid of all my English language books (o DRAT, I need to check if Book-Off had Pride & Prejudice!) and read Japanese novels for reading practice...

...Speaking of reading practice, after my test, my teacher (who was my old "homeroom teacher" back when I was in mandatory Japanese) said if I was going to come back next semester. I told her I didn't know if I was able to, but she said I was always welcome to take classes. WOO-HOO!!! I got her email address so that I can contact her at the beginning of the semester; if I can take Japanese at Kyodai for sure then I'm definitely going to do that as opposed to Rits, because the Kyodai classes are better.

So, after my heart attack and paying for the books, I went to the Kamo River in a bit of a dilemma: which to read first, Harry Potter or Outlander? I was in quite a pickle. In honor of Potter-palooza back home, I started with Harry Potter, and got maybe through one page. Now I am going to try out Outlander, but both will come home with me along with Girls Guide - now I am in the middle of god knows how many books! And in Japanese to boot. I should just start getting them from Amazon; especially Harry Potter because I want to keep all the covers in the series the same.

Now, I need to complete the Harry Potter and Outlander series and get Pride & Prejudice, and get more pretty book covers from the temple fair to cover and protect my books. I already have a cute one that I originally got for Memoirs of a Geisha, but now that I have more Japanese books, I am justified in getting pretty book covers.

Harii Pottaa, Sayuri and Densha Otoko

Tomorrow after my test, I am going to go to Book-Off at Sanjo and see if they have the Harry Potter Series in the 100yen book section. Yep that's right, I can get books for 100yen. I got "The Joy Luck Club" - or was it "Memoirs of a Geisha"? - for just 100yen, which is less than a dollar. I love Book-Off; if only I can actually get through the novels. Memoirs of a Geisha is pretty tricky, especially since it uses geisha speak - hence, Harry Potter is more or less a children's book (my guess is by the time I get to 7 my Japanese will be pretty decent) so I hope the Japanese will be a bit better. My plan is to bring back home all of my English novels/fun reading books (not much, there are only three that I brought with me) and just read novels in Japanese. This is what I've got so far:

Breakfast at Tiffany's
The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing
The Joy Luck Club
Memoirs of a Geisha (in 2 parts, actually called "Sayuri" in Japan)

They ARE translated novels, simply because I don't know who are good writers in Japanese, save Soseki and Murakami. And, if I get stuck, I have read most of these books (save Breakfast at Tiffany's) in English so I can remember the part in English then puzzle out the meaning in Japanese. I really need to get my reading and listening up and get more out of the academic Japanese thing, so I am watching Japanese movies (some with, some without subtitles) and reading Japanese novels. Oh wait I DO have some actual Japanese novels back home that Maki gave me before she left for Chicago...now I have to add "Densha Otoko" to the list! Lotsa reading and studying for me this summer.

Maybe I'll surf around Amazon.jp and get some bestsellers if they have them at Book-Off before I leave Japan for good (there is a 100yen book section, and other books are like 700yen, they are used but practically brand new). Besides, it's really reading practice regardless. And I will have like 14+ Harry Potter books - they break longer books down into pieces because they like their books to be small and portable. I plan to read either Girls Guide or Joy Luck Club on the plane; Girls Guide is bigger in size so I might do that, easier to write in the readings of the kanji. I think I am going to start reading Girls Guide in earnest after my test, with Harii Pottaa if I can get it cheaply. If Book-Off has most of them in the 100yen section I am going to get as many as I can.

And in case you're wondering, "Harii Pottaa" is the romanized version of ハリーポッター
which is "Harry Potter" in Japanese. Oh man, all the spells and the names in Katakana are gonna KILL me.

Reading: It's What's Good For You

Got this off Ferule&Fescue, one of the many new blogs with an "Academy/Grad School" angle. I love those blogs.

The Book Meme

1. One book that changed your life?
Oh, this is easy - "Memoirs of a Geisha." I was at Costco with my dad at 15 and I saw it on the books table and since it said "Memoirs" and was written by a guy I was sorta interested and piqued - that or I had a weird mind. I convinced him to get it for me, in spite of the fact that he knew I already had too many books at home. I didn't notice that it said "A Novel" in teeny letters. When I read it, I was totally mesmerized and enraptured - never had an experience like that with a book before. Afterwards, I got very interested in Japanese culture, and wanted to know if the stuff Golden described was actually real since this WAS a novel. Plus, I was tired of the American/European history being crammed down my throat (AP Euro and American History, ya gotta love it, although I really want to read about Modern Greek history, more for myself), so I thought Asian history was interesting. This began my own form of teenage rebellion, where I told people in my family that I didn't want to be a pediatrician anymore and I will not go pre-med when I go to college. So because of that book, I decided to go with History, and here I am now in Japan for 18 months (12 and counting left, oh dear...)

2. One book you have read more than once?
Most of the books in my bookcase. I buy books that I want to read again and again. More specifically: Memoirs of a Geisha (still have the same copy from Costco, in 5 pieces now), books by Diana Gabaldon (Outlander series) and the chick-lit from Anna Maxted - it actually does not instill the fear of lowering my IQ as other chick lit might (but I still read anyway especially when I need a break from heavy reading).

3. One book you would want on a desert island?
A really good historical novel (not Japanese historical novels, I deal with the real stuff already) that is over 1000pages. Preferably American Colonial/English Tudor/Italian Renaissance or some Medieval French historical novel. Nagai no hou ga ii!

4. One book that made you laugh?
Anna Maxted books. Before I lived in London, I couldn't get the humour, but after London I reread them and enjoyed them even more.

5. One book that made you cry?
Hmm...hard to say, but Pride and Prejudice garnered some emotion. I am more apt to cry at movies or Grey's Anatomy.

6. One book you wish had been written?
A basic, introductory, but extensive history of Kyoto AFTER 1868. Cut a girl some slack, please! (Hmm...maybe I will write it in the future, maybe?)

7. One book you wish had never been written?
Anything by Ann Coulter.

8. One book you are currently reading?
One? Come on!

Mao: The Unknown Story
Memory and the Mediterranean
The Culture of Civil War in Kyoto
The Dante Club
Sayuri ("Memoirs of a Geisha" in Japanese)
A Breath of Snow and Ashes (Abridged Audiobook - I listen to them to help me fall asleep, but if I can, I always prefer unabridged, just that some of the books I really like are so long they don't exist in that form, and yes, I have both print and audiobook versions of all the Outlander books by Diana Gabaldon, obviously 6 600+ page novels would take up ALOT of space in my suitcase, so I compensate)

9. One book you have been meaning to read?
Vanity Fair.

10. Now tag 5 people.
Ok, I don't know how to do this, can someone tell me how?

Twinkle, Twinkle, Diamond Ring...

As you can tell from "The Reading List" to the left on the page, there are a bunch of websites and other blogs that I am reading. I am also currently reading about 4 books as well:

1) Sayuri (Memoirs of a Geisha in Japanese)
2) The Dante Club
3) Memory and the Mediterranean
4) Mao: The Unknown Story

So that is alot of reading. One of the blogs that I read posted this book that the blogger got as a wedding gift, which I think is rather cute and cheeky:
and aptly quoted one of the "nursery rhymes" from the book:

"Twinkle, Twinkle, Diamond Ring,
In a blue box tied with String.
Tiffany's new princess cut,
Twice the size of baby's butt."

The full title is "This Little Piggy Went to Prada: Nursery Rhymes for the Blahnik Brigade." If Carrie Bradshaw on "Sex and the City" were to ever become a mom or a bride this is something she would definitely recieve as a gift. Though I think the rhyme got the "string" part wrong - Tiffany boxes are always tied with ribbon. Oh well, one has to rhyme in order to make the poem work.

One Fine Day

Saturday was such I nice day and for once, I did not have anything planned. No "To Do Lists" no laundry, no cleaning of apartment (postponed to the day before I leave for Korea) no grocery shopping.

Nothing, nothing.

I was faced with the prospect of a somewhat quiet day in my apartment playing Final Fantasy on my DS or piddling away on the internet, when I remembered that there was a special exhibition of the Imperial Palace screens at the Kyoto National Musuem. It ends on the 18th and since I will be in Korea then, Saturday was a very good day to go, indeed. I woke up in the morning and it was sunny and clear.

I rode my bike down to Shichi-jo and was very proud of myself, as I wasn't huffing, puffing or sweating like a pig when I finally arrived. Even though it was the 2nd Saturday of the month where the museum was free (2nd and 4th Saturdays), I paid 800yen (student discount) so that I could attend the special exhibition.


The special exhibition hall was extremely crowded and quiet at the same time. There wasn't much in English - just the title of the screen and who made it - so after a quick glance at the placard and then a look at the screens I moved on. There were audio guides but they were in Japanese as well.

I went to the main collections hall and was politely reminded that there was no photography, even when I was just outside the galleries. Pfft. Oh well. The museum overall was no Met but it was enjoyable. I thought it was going to be alot bigger, but I covered it all in about 2 hours.

After the museum, I began to make my trek back uptown but made an impromptu stop at Yasaka Jinja. The day was really nice so I figured it was a good time to check the shrine out. I stopped at a stall and got some takoyaki and was treated to a pleasant scene: a traditional Japanese wedding complete with the bride in head-to-toe white kimono with a demure and yet melancholic look at the same time.

I then headed up to San-jo where I went to Ogawa Coffee and had a cappucino and a green tea roll cake. I worked on reading "Breakfast at Tiffany's" in Japanese while at the cafe. I stayed there for about an hour and then had a realization: Book-Off, the discount bookstore that also has a branch in NYC was right across the river from Ogawa and on my way home. I had been meaning to get "Memoirs of a Geisha" in Japanese so I went to check out and see if they had it. After a little difficulty, I got both parts of the book (in Japan, books are small so they break larger books into little pieces) and even picked up "The Joy Luck Club" for 105yen.

Too Many Titles, Too Much Harry Potter

Ok, so Daniel Radcliffe of Harry Potter is doing the "full monty" in the West End. And "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows" (cue the eery Halloween "OoOoO" music) is coming out July 21. Just like I did last time, I am going to stand on line at midnight and attend a Harry Potter party provided I am back home. I went to one for the 6th book and got the illustrator of the covers to autograph my sister's nice versions of 4,5 and 6. She has two sets: one that is literally in pieces (at least 4 and 5) to read and another set off first editions, hardcover (three of which are now autographed) for no one else to touch and is in separate plastic bags.

However, I am more concerned with what the heck the name of the 5th book in the series was - I totally forgot. Since Deena was on Skype, I began the following conversation after about 10 minutes of silence, since we (at least me, dunno about her) prefer to have Skype on since it's one less person that we have to type im's to. They can get messy, especially when you are talking to 6 people at the same time. Here is a reiteration of our Skype conversation (since it wasn't iChat it's not verbatim but you get the gist):

M: Oh, drat what's the name of the 5th book?
D: Umm..."Order of the Phoenix"
M: No, that's not it - that's the 6th book! Do you realize how pathetic we are, knowing that we are both talking about Harry Potter without having to say "Harry Potter?"
D: It is the "Order of the Phoenix."
M: Wait so what was the 4th book then?
D: The Goblet of Fire.
M: Oh drat...I'm confused, which movie is coming out next summer then - I thought it was the 6th book?
D: No...it's Order of the Phoenix that is coming out. Half-Blood Prince is number 6.
M: (head in hands) Ugh, I feel so stupid...