I wrote this on a train in Japan, coming back late at night.
It was dark outside as the train flowed over the tracks, clacking as it went. A man sat in the third car from the front; he was the only passenger. The cityscape flashed through his reflection in the window as he gazed with eyes glazed by tiredness at the pinpoints of light streaking by. The scrolling cityscape slowed and stopped as the train drew to a halt. The doors opened and a single passenger got on. She wasn't particularly beautiful, nor was she ugly. She was the kind of a woman who got prettier the longer you looked at her. Her clothes were nondescript, but there was still something about her. He could not look away and she eventually felt his eyes on her.
Their eyes locked and the train rolled onward into the night, the brightly-lit train car an island in the dark.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Winter
Ahh. The blog. Anyway, I figured I'd bestow upon you another piece of genius. This one was written on the plane returning from Japan.
Snow was falling, like it normally did. It was a good snow, with big puffy flakes that spun lazily down, each a work of art, before being assimilated into the growing mass that began to coat the ground. It was the kind of snow that would make magnificent snowballs or snowmen, depending on your fancy.
The trees around the field had long since been stripped bare of their leaves by the changing of the seasons and the wind. Now, however, there was no wind, giving the whole scene the muteness that only occurs in midwinter. The haybales seemed as sentinels in the field. These had not been sold or used, so now they sat, forlornly, being covered by the snow.
The boy, bundled against the cold, dragged a cord of wood on the sled that was attached to his mittened hand with a vice-like grip on the rope.
It was so quiet the boy swore he could almost hear the snow falling. His face, ruddy from the cold had the expression of a man on a mission. His blue eyes were fixed on a point far off in the distance that only he could see. The bit of downy fuzz on his cheeks and chin was not as warm as he had hoped or claimed it was.
The snow slowly filled in his tracks across the field as it continued to fall.
Snow was falling, like it normally did. It was a good snow, with big puffy flakes that spun lazily down, each a work of art, before being assimilated into the growing mass that began to coat the ground. It was the kind of snow that would make magnificent snowballs or snowmen, depending on your fancy.
The trees around the field had long since been stripped bare of their leaves by the changing of the seasons and the wind. Now, however, there was no wind, giving the whole scene the muteness that only occurs in midwinter. The haybales seemed as sentinels in the field. These had not been sold or used, so now they sat, forlornly, being covered by the snow.
The boy, bundled against the cold, dragged a cord of wood on the sled that was attached to his mittened hand with a vice-like grip on the rope.
It was so quiet the boy swore he could almost hear the snow falling. His face, ruddy from the cold had the expression of a man on a mission. His blue eyes were fixed on a point far off in the distance that only he could see. The bit of downy fuzz on his cheeks and chin was not as warm as he had hoped or claimed it was.
The snow slowly filled in his tracks across the field as it continued to fall.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Summer
It was hot. Looking down the road, the waves of heat rippled up off the pavement, causing the air to shimmer. The sounds of a cicada occasionally cut the heavy air, bringing some movement to the stifling day. Even the normally active boy was almost motionless, siting on the porch with an icy lemonade close at hand.
He surveyed the lawn that he had just mown, grass clippings sticking to his arms and legs. Reaching down, he picked up the lemonade and pressed the cool glass to his forehead, the almost too-cold sensation sending chills through his body.
The storm door opened behind him and the smells of home wafted out. His mother's baking, his grandmother's cooking, the smell of dust and age and books that belonged to his grandfather, the scent of fresh and youth that was his sister, and suddenly a large presence behind him that smelled of leather and tobacco and aftershave and all the scents that the boy associated with maleness and his initiation into manhood. His father sat down next to him, setting his own lemonade within arm's reach and pulling out his pipe and tobacco pouch, and with it, the sweet scent of good tobacco. He carefully packed the bowl, worm smooth by the passage of years and the gentle handling it had received and struck a match, waving it over the bowl. As he gently inhaled, the ember slowly grew and and produced the smoke that conjured images of strength and protection in the boy's mind. Nothing was said; nothing needed to be said.
The sky gradually clouded up, a storm of summer forming on the horizon and moving swiftly in, bringing rain and scrubbing the air clean. It passed quickly as those types of storms often do. In its wake it left a verdant sparkling world which smelled of fresh-cut grass and clean summer rain.
The boy drew in a deep breath, heavy with all the smells surrounding him and smiled.
He surveyed the lawn that he had just mown, grass clippings sticking to his arms and legs. Reaching down, he picked up the lemonade and pressed the cool glass to his forehead, the almost too-cold sensation sending chills through his body.
The storm door opened behind him and the smells of home wafted out. His mother's baking, his grandmother's cooking, the smell of dust and age and books that belonged to his grandfather, the scent of fresh and youth that was his sister, and suddenly a large presence behind him that smelled of leather and tobacco and aftershave and all the scents that the boy associated with maleness and his initiation into manhood. His father sat down next to him, setting his own lemonade within arm's reach and pulling out his pipe and tobacco pouch, and with it, the sweet scent of good tobacco. He carefully packed the bowl, worm smooth by the passage of years and the gentle handling it had received and struck a match, waving it over the bowl. As he gently inhaled, the ember slowly grew and and produced the smoke that conjured images of strength and protection in the boy's mind. Nothing was said; nothing needed to be said.
The sky gradually clouded up, a storm of summer forming on the horizon and moving swiftly in, bringing rain and scrubbing the air clean. It passed quickly as those types of storms often do. In its wake it left a verdant sparkling world which smelled of fresh-cut grass and clean summer rain.
The boy drew in a deep breath, heavy with all the smells surrounding him and smiled.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
*blows off dust*
Ah yes, the good ol' blog.
I've not used this for quite some time. January 20th, by its reckoning. It's most likely correct.
Welp, I've got it, I might as well use it. However, most of my life seems trivial now compared to the adventure I was having just a few short months ago. I guess this is the way of things. They come, they go.
I'll most likely be using this to post random thoughts that flit through my head. This means that some posts will be many paragraphs, and some (most likely more) will be a few lines. Quips, quotations, short vignettes, etc.
I had a date on Saturday. A real date. For the first time in over a year. My last real date was December of 2007. This most recent date was a double date. One of my friends set it up. It was him and me, and our dates were two Japanese girls. Quite a good time was had by all, indeed. I just wanted to share that news.
Now, something that I wrote on the plane over to Japan.
It was one of those too-warm days in autumn that bespoke of the summer that has so recently slipped by. The breeze gently stirred the leaves that had mostly changed but clung tenaciously to the trees. The surface of the lake mottled gently under the insistent breeze that slowly pushed the lone canoe across the water. At first glance, the canoe seemed empty, but an arm appeared over the edge, moving in the lazy arc of an exaggerated stretch as the boy in the canoe awoke from his doze and gazed at the fluffy white clouds that scuttled across the almost too blue sky. He yawned, stretched again, and carefully sat up before grabbing the paddle that had lain next to him. He dipped the paddle into the water and with practiced ease, urged the craft into motion.
As you can probably guess, I like to make images with my words. I'm a terrible painter and artist, so instead, I make you see what I can see in my head.
So, please, leave thoughts. Love you all,
I've not used this for quite some time. January 20th, by its reckoning. It's most likely correct.
Welp, I've got it, I might as well use it. However, most of my life seems trivial now compared to the adventure I was having just a few short months ago. I guess this is the way of things. They come, they go.
I'll most likely be using this to post random thoughts that flit through my head. This means that some posts will be many paragraphs, and some (most likely more) will be a few lines. Quips, quotations, short vignettes, etc.
I had a date on Saturday. A real date. For the first time in over a year. My last real date was December of 2007. This most recent date was a double date. One of my friends set it up. It was him and me, and our dates were two Japanese girls. Quite a good time was had by all, indeed. I just wanted to share that news.
Now, something that I wrote on the plane over to Japan.
It was one of those too-warm days in autumn that bespoke of the summer that has so recently slipped by. The breeze gently stirred the leaves that had mostly changed but clung tenaciously to the trees. The surface of the lake mottled gently under the insistent breeze that slowly pushed the lone canoe across the water. At first glance, the canoe seemed empty, but an arm appeared over the edge, moving in the lazy arc of an exaggerated stretch as the boy in the canoe awoke from his doze and gazed at the fluffy white clouds that scuttled across the almost too blue sky. He yawned, stretched again, and carefully sat up before grabbing the paddle that had lain next to him. He dipped the paddle into the water and with practiced ease, urged the craft into motion.
As you can probably guess, I like to make images with my words. I'm a terrible painter and artist, so instead, I make you see what I can see in my head.
So, please, leave thoughts. Love you all,
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Return to Normalcy?
So it's been a little over a month now since my return. Japan has now started to seem surreal, much like home seemed surreal when I was there. I find that I ask myself, "Was I really there?"
Yes, yes I was. It was an incredible experience. It will shape the rest of my life, I'm sure. Even now, I find myself launching into a story that starts with, "When I was in Japan..." with some sort of obscure and rambling anecdote following. I had an interview about Japan actually. She wrote everything down. I think it filled three or four notebook pages.
So things have settled back into my normal life. I go to class, do homework, call friends, go out, you know, all that good college kid stuff. But then I realize that this is my last year. No, not even a year, 6 months. I graduate in June. Weird.
I finally have my big computer back. This thing is huge compared to the computer that I've been using for the past 4 months. However, my car broke. Transmission. Balls. You win some, you lose some. So it goes, as I've become fond of saying. My father called me on that saying. He asked where it was from. I told him. He was suitably impressed. This, of course, launched us into a discussion of literature. Both he and I think Cat's Cradle and Slaughterhouse 5 are necessary reading. I added Sirens of Titan, but that one is optional. He mused about passing the made up title of something about Literature Expert or something silly to me. I'm slowly becoming my father. This isn't a bad thing, I suppose. He's healthy, happy, and about to get married actually. Weird. I'm his best man. I should start to think about a speech.
When I was talking to Dad, I told him of my job prospects. He said that it was truly unfortunate that I happen to be entering the job market at roughly the same time as he had 30+ years ago in the mid-seventies. He started to ask questions about the jobs; I didn't know how to answer. I told him what I could, but I'm just starting this real world person stuff. He agreed that this was the time for me to have an adventure. I'm single, with no real prospects, I'm used to living in small spaces, I don't have that much stuff. He figured that as long as I have enough money to pay the bills, buy food, and have some left over for a little bit of entertainment, I should be golden.
It's a little romantic to be able to tell people, "I have no idea where I'll be in 9 months." It's also incredibly nerve-wracking. Oh well,
So it goes.
Yes, yes I was. It was an incredible experience. It will shape the rest of my life, I'm sure. Even now, I find myself launching into a story that starts with, "When I was in Japan..." with some sort of obscure and rambling anecdote following. I had an interview about Japan actually. She wrote everything down. I think it filled three or four notebook pages.
So things have settled back into my normal life. I go to class, do homework, call friends, go out, you know, all that good college kid stuff. But then I realize that this is my last year. No, not even a year, 6 months. I graduate in June. Weird.
I finally have my big computer back. This thing is huge compared to the computer that I've been using for the past 4 months. However, my car broke. Transmission. Balls. You win some, you lose some. So it goes, as I've become fond of saying. My father called me on that saying. He asked where it was from. I told him. He was suitably impressed. This, of course, launched us into a discussion of literature. Both he and I think Cat's Cradle and Slaughterhouse 5 are necessary reading. I added Sirens of Titan, but that one is optional. He mused about passing the made up title of something about Literature Expert or something silly to me. I'm slowly becoming my father. This isn't a bad thing, I suppose. He's healthy, happy, and about to get married actually. Weird. I'm his best man. I should start to think about a speech.
When I was talking to Dad, I told him of my job prospects. He said that it was truly unfortunate that I happen to be entering the job market at roughly the same time as he had 30+ years ago in the mid-seventies. He started to ask questions about the jobs; I didn't know how to answer. I told him what I could, but I'm just starting this real world person stuff. He agreed that this was the time for me to have an adventure. I'm single, with no real prospects, I'm used to living in small spaces, I don't have that much stuff. He figured that as long as I have enough money to pay the bills, buy food, and have some left over for a little bit of entertainment, I should be golden.
It's a little romantic to be able to tell people, "I have no idea where I'll be in 9 months." It's also incredibly nerve-wracking. Oh well,
So it goes.
Monday, December 15, 2008
The Return
I'm back in America now. I need a few days to recover. It feels good to be home.
Po-tee-weet
Po-tee-weet
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Yesterday I took the JLPT. It went decently, though I don't know if I will pass. In all honesty, I don't particularly care, I guess. That's a crappy attitude to have, but I'm just worn down by this point. Worn down by all the work, trying to communicate my thoughts in a different language, and having to listen to all the drama and whining from our group. It is the same conversation, day in, and day out. It's normally about 5 specific Japanese guys who live in our dorm. It's quite frustrating, and I'm glad to leave that part of my daily life behind.
Well, it's now Monday for me. There are no classes today, it's a random holiday for the University. The rest of the world continues as normal, but the University doesn't have classes. Japan seems to have a lot of strange, random holidays for being the hardest working country in the world. Sure, you can say, "It must just seem that they're random to you, but I bet they make perfect sense to the Japanese." I'll give you some of that. I'm gonna pull out the academic calendar and go through and highlight some of the holidays we have.
University Foundation Establishment Day : 12/8
Coming of Age Day: 1/12
Respect for the Aged Day: 9/15
As mentioned in a previous post, we get the Equinoxes off. So 9/23 is no classes.
Sports Day: 10/13
Culture Day: 11/3
University Founding Day: 11/19
There are plenty more, but those were just what was on m calendar.
I got a twitter. www.twitter.com/jfriesinger Now I can annoy the internet on a whole new level. For those of you not in the know, a twitter is an internet tool that operates on the simple premise, "What are you doing?" So you update it when you feel like it. Things like "I'm going to study in the library" and other helpful things to let people know where you are and what you're doing. It's very helpful if you're into that kind of thing, and I am. However, a majority of my updates have been along the lines of "Still in Japan" or "Update: My life is trivial" Click the link for the full list.
I've been reading through the archive of Questionable Content, one of my favorite webcomics. (found at http://www.questionablecontent.net) Jeph Jacques is a very funny man. On his site, there is a link to Vagabond Jewelry (www.vagabondjewelry.net) which specializes in the forging of copper. I found it interesting and was soon purveying the wares displayed. I would like to buy a cuff to hide my MedAlert Bracelet. I don't want to stop wearing it because that seems foolish. I do however, get tired of people asking what it is, or what's on it. So If I could just have something to cover it up the majority of the time when I'm out, that would be ideal. My favorites are "Navel" and "Unchained."
I probably should get started on my stack of homework that the senseis decided to grace us with in spite of our gigantic test yesterday. I'm looking forward to seeing you all again,
Well, it's now Monday for me. There are no classes today, it's a random holiday for the University. The rest of the world continues as normal, but the University doesn't have classes. Japan seems to have a lot of strange, random holidays for being the hardest working country in the world. Sure, you can say, "It must just seem that they're random to you, but I bet they make perfect sense to the Japanese." I'll give you some of that. I'm gonna pull out the academic calendar and go through and highlight some of the holidays we have.
University Foundation Establishment Day : 12/8
Coming of Age Day: 1/12
Respect for the Aged Day: 9/15
As mentioned in a previous post, we get the Equinoxes off. So 9/23 is no classes.
Sports Day: 10/13
Culture Day: 11/3
University Founding Day: 11/19
There are plenty more, but those were just what was on m calendar.
I got a twitter. www.twitter.com/jfriesinger Now I can annoy the internet on a whole new level. For those of you not in the know, a twitter is an internet tool that operates on the simple premise, "What are you doing?" So you update it when you feel like it. Things like "I'm going to study in the library" and other helpful things to let people know where you are and what you're doing. It's very helpful if you're into that kind of thing, and I am. However, a majority of my updates have been along the lines of "Still in Japan" or "Update: My life is trivial" Click the link for the full list.
I've been reading through the archive of Questionable Content, one of my favorite webcomics. (found at http://www.questionablecontent.net) Jeph Jacques is a very funny man. On his site, there is a link to Vagabond Jewelry (www.vagabondjewelry.net) which specializes in the forging of copper. I found it interesting and was soon purveying the wares displayed. I would like to buy a cuff to hide my MedAlert Bracelet. I don't want to stop wearing it because that seems foolish. I do however, get tired of people asking what it is, or what's on it. So If I could just have something to cover it up the majority of the time when I'm out, that would be ideal. My favorites are "Navel" and "Unchained."
I probably should get started on my stack of homework that the senseis decided to grace us with in spite of our gigantic test yesterday. I'm looking forward to seeing you all again,
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