YouTube Videos- How Do You Add Them?

If you can answer that question, please comment on this post. I've tried the method suggested on youtube but it didn't work...

Anyway until then, here's a few recommended videos for your perusal, starting with the aforementioned Mr. T commercial!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NySN_plfiNI

Next is a Hanshin Tigers Montage to the backing of the club song, Rokko Oroshi!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3z11k7SPhM

And finally theres a couple of Japanese pop videos, Kobukuro's Sakura and Tomodachi by Ketsumeishi (neither video is very good, but the songs are)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVERFzT8aHo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpAeAqUYYFk

Quit Your Jibber Jabber, You Ain't Hurt!

Only two weeks to go, and the countdown to the 2007 Shonan-sai (School Festival) is in full swing. Students randomly dance through the hallways, and lessons are almost entirely conducted as though we are all living life in a musical. I even found out today that not only does the festival have its official "English Slogan", but also an official song! Fantastic. Tomorrow Natto have their first stage rehearsal, although our drummer Murakami will be sadly absent.

Until the festival I'll be occupying myself with karaoke and eating out. The second year in Japan is certainly taking on a different pattern to the first- stripped of my initial enthusiasm to "do Japan", I've now settled into the rhythm of life in a home country. While this results in a dearth of blog photos, it does involve a more settled feel that makes me definately consider staying in Japan longer.

Last weekend I had a fantastic yakiniku feast in an excellant Okayama eatery, before singing my heart out till 3am to such classics as (you guessed it), "Rokko Oroshi (Hanshin Fight Song)", "Sakura" and "Under the Sea" from the Little Mermaid. I even taught Kawa-T the useful English phrase "On The Jazz"- internationalistion at its very best. On sunday I saw Hairspray- an ok film made so much better by the excellent performaces of Christopher Walken and John Travolta as a fat middle-aged woman. While Travolta is certainly a good actor, its a performance that is undeniably creepy... I'm also looking forward to seeing Eastern Promises, a new David Cronenburg film starring Viggo Mortensen. His last film with Mortensen, "History of Violence", is a great film although I wasn't so keen on Crash, one of his others.

Keep your eyes on the prize and- if nothing else- check out the YouTube video of the Snickers advert starring Mr.T! If only that happened when Cristiano Ronaldo went tumbling...

A New Post

Hello. Thought I should post something, as its been a while since my last posts on Hanshin's failure and my wedding success. Nothing much has been happening in the world of Steven Martin however- lessons go on, the seasons are changing as Japan once more descends into its cold phase, and I'm considering buying a new suit.

In the upcoming weeks I have a series of drinking engagements with various teachers, Shonan's festival (in which, of course, I am playing), hopefully a visit to Kyoto to see the beautiful koyou (red leaves of autumn), and the dreaded Japanese Language Proficiency Test Level 3, which I am busy studying hard for. Then its off on winter holidays.

Of far more pressing concern at the moment is the organisation of some sort of future plan- the internet poll idea probably wasn't the best way to decide my future (well pointed out Tim), however something isn't going to just land in my lap and I need to actively partake in finding gainful employment (or bumming around if I decide to do a Masters). Anyway this isn't happening so far- I have lots of time though, and if any of you blog readers happen to be millionaires with cash to spare (as one probably would have if one was a millionaire), then please send it to me.

Anyway, for now adios and please look into my new feature on the sidebar- Steve's Betting Corner!

Rice Paddy Art As Summer Ends

Hanshin Blues

Hanshin have collapsed in dramatic fashion over the last two days, and are on the verge of annihilation in the playoff semi-final. Having been thoroughly beaten 7-0 yesterday, we are currently losing 5-0, having only played one inning! All does not look good...

...on a brighter note, my kanpai speech was highly successful last night, getting all the laughs in the right places. We ended up in karaoke after the party (as usual), where I sang...oh yes, Rokko Oroshi! I'll never get tired of that wonderful song...

What Good Is Travelling The World If You Can't Make Bad Puns About The Places You've Visited?

First came Korea...ice cold nights with only spicy cabbage (and a few dozen beers) to warm the Seoul...













Next came the Philippines...it certainly wasn't "vanilla in Manilla", although our drinking antics did destroy us for an entire week










Third was the "Republic of China", known to the rest of the world as Taiwan. Tai-may have enjoyed the chaotic hostel at the time but I definately-pei'd for the lack of sleep on THAT trip!











And finally came Thailand- two weeks of beaches, pad Thai and cheap cheap beer! (Note the avoidance of puns involving Bangkok, Krabi or Ko Pi Pi)












"But what next!?" I hear you ask! Good question reader! Next I will be venturing once more into the dear embrace of South-East Asia, visiting...





Malaysia! (not much pun potential there, unless I don't have a good time in which case I can talk about slipping into a "malayse")








Singapore! (a controversial country, but it has good pun potential, particularly if I end up in karaoke...)









And a return to Hong Kong!! I can feel the nostalgia coming on already...









And thus I will end the post with a couple of pictures taken in Hong Kong the last time I was there...

Steve Says Kanpai, For Real!

Yes, that's right- my blog name will be realised in grand fashion on saturday as I have been chosen (against my will) to give the official kanpai toast at Kawasaki sensei's wedding party. Quite why he chose me is anyone's guess, although I suspect it was in consultation with Seishi joker Hiramatsu-sensei, who greatly enjoyed watching the fear fill my eyes when he told me.

Apparently I can get away with a 30 second speech in Japanese, as long as its funny. Given that I have trouble being humourous in my native tongue, Japanese comic genius is a distant goal. Seishi's kyoto sensei has already offered me his Hanshin Tigers baseball shirt if I want to do some sort of skit- but leaping around in front of 50-60 people and not getting a single laugh would mortify me even if I get tanked up on booze beforehand. The other option is the route of sincerity, although why ask a gaijin to do the speech if you just want some kind words in Japanese? No, I either have to think of something hilariously funny or somehow manage to get Tim to appear dressed in a gorilla costume...

Timmy-chan! Come back!

Marugame Art

This weekend was the last in a series of long weekends. I spent it drinking and shopping, as per usual, yet found time on monday to visit the Marugame Modern Art Museum, just across the Inland Sea on the island of Shikoku.

The highlight of the musem was undoubtedly the temporary installation by Ernesto Neto, a Brazilian artist. The conceptual "rooms" of soft things were designed to appear like two people kissing from above, with the whole structure supported by giant "weights", bags of dried spices.

Here are a few photos...