G.K. Chesterton and the Maniac

First, I believe it is appropriate to say that I have finally returned to writing in this blog. Secondly, since I am no longer an exchange student living in Japan, my topics will dwell less on my life.

Of late, both in dwelling on ways to deepen my philosophy and seeking further literary enrichment, I have turned to one of my favorite books, "Orthodoxy" by G.K. Chesterton. First, having read it once during my high school years, I am reading or rather digesting a chapter each day before I go to bed. I remember the combination of his style and deep metaphysical topics to land much like lead in the stomach of one's mind when I had first passed through it's pages. I was pleased to discover that this time around the reading is more like a the proverbial "piece of cake" provided the cake be of similar consistency to the Lithuanian Torte. Which is to say, rather than being nearly incomprehensible it is quite palatable but best taken in small portions. The chapter I hold in greatest interest is "Maniac" detailing the basis for his philosophy that draws from the simple postulate that madmen exist.

The madman is not the man who has lost his reason. The madman is the man who has
lost everything except his reason. ~ G.K. Chesterton

Before I go on further on my commentary which is rapidly becoming a much like a "book report" of my school days, I have some other small things to pass on. I feel that I must pass on my condolences to all in Omaha who have been affected by the shooting that occurred at Von Maur this last week. It is a very shocking and saddening event, however I do not get the impression that it can be compared to Columbine or other tragedies that have occurred. Differentiating from plotting and planning to commit murder, I am under the impression that the killer this time had reached his "wit's end" and snapped. I bring this up because I heard some friends of mine gleefully comparing the killer's current location as being the same as Hitler's; that is Hell. This perspective coming from some fellow Christians saddened me. I am far from defending the killer, but I feel I must point out that at the end of the day one's final destination ought to be of the most significance. In the word's of G.K Chesterton "Christianity came in... startlingly with a sword, and clove one thing from another. It divided the crime from the criminal. The criminal we must forgive unto seventy times seven. The crime we must not forgive at all." What the killer did was an atrocity, one that I would prefer to never hear about again in my life, but the reality exists and I choose to approach it with my eyes to the heavens.

"Christianity has not been tried and found wanting; it has been found difficult and not tried." G.K. Chesterton

What really brought the point home to me as to the gravity of what happened at Von Maur occurred last night. I am a student of Karate and as such was practicing at the dojo last night when a certain member, Matt, had a seizure and collapsed backwards into and through one of our plate glass windows. Landing outside, he thankfully didn't immediately try and move, mostly, we think, due to the seizure. Alan and I retrieved him from the pile of glass not unscathed; Alan cut his toe. However, Matt sustained minor cuts from the glass on his hands and one small cut on his back but thankfully nothing on his head nor anything major. However, he was bleeding enough to leave bloodstains on my uniform and a little blood on my hand. Wrapped up in the situation I stayed around and helped clean up the glass and remove the rest of the window. When I left it was as though a spell was lifted and I went into a kind of shock. I never was the kind of person who could handle seeing a lot of blood (never could even dream of why someone would want to be a doctor) and the realization of what had happened hit me. Upon arriving home my mom noticed this about me and made me take a bath to calm my nerves. When I came out of the tub I no longer felt like the mess I was when I first arrived home. It affected me a lot but was only a little
event.

In related news, I have not heard anything recently but last I saw Matt, he had come out of the seizure and his mom was taking him to the hospital to see if any of his cuts were major enough to need stitches. He's a black belt though so he'll be fine.

Coming up later:
- The Golden Compass - Why Catholic's should be warned about this movie.
- The Lightning Thief - Why I like this book despite it clashing with G.K. Chesterton's philosophy concerning good literature.
- Kira-Kira - Why the book is not appropriate for children.
- Father Brown Short Stories - Why they rock.
- Small is still beautiful - Economics where families matter, my thoughts.

Return n final days

Two keys necessary for the normal... err.. geek... or well... anyone who uses a computer: the "any" key for those times when you must "press any key"
and the indispensible "panic" button for general frustration.
umm... on that note I should point out that I do indeed have a panic button.
とにかくパニックボタン持っていない？　僕なら持っているけどね。。。　偽者だから押そうとしても出来ない。

Well, anyway. I am back in America. Been back for a few weeks now. I spent the first week mostly asleep because I had so much fun the last 4 days in Japan that I got sick on arrival in America. Spent at least the first week almost exclusively in bed or at home lounging around、but that is depressing so I think I should mention at least in brief my last four days in Japan(for now, of course).

Friday Ouji and I hung out with some of the members of the Shizuoka Summer Tour from 2006. We started out doin karaoke and the last thing we did was billiards with Ramu, Kumiko, Takuma, and Yuudai.

Friday night was the last night I got any real sleep, and when I woke up I did a lot of packing. Later one, I went to Saturday Mass in the evening before hanging out with Maki and Ouji at an izakaya in the evening.

Sunday I got up early and went with the Karate club to a shiai(tournament), not to participate but I went so that I could watch. It was my first time going to a shiai with them and it was a blast. Sunday night was a farewell party with them. Of course after going to an Izakaya we went out to all-night karaoke... that is of course until about 6 in the morning. Following that I slept for a little while.

I had lunch with Ayami at a sushi restaurant at the Shizuoka Train Station. It was awesome because the fish were really really fresh. After that she helped me find a Japanese style shirt for my sister, along the way we did some other souvenir shopping.

That evening and night (monday night) I didn't get any sleep at all, between tying up loose ends and finishing packing. The next day Makaka's boyfriend was nice enough to give us a ride to the train station. There we met with our farewell party (Ramu, Yuudai, Kumiko, Tomoyo, Tomoko, Daisuke, Asami, Chinatsu(those last three were karate friends) before making our long trek home from Shizuoka to Tokyo to Chicago then all the way home. (18 hours+, most of which I slept through...)

bye- ya! バイヤー！

I AM LEAVING!!! YOU CANT STOP ME!!! err... actually probably could.. I would go willingly. he he.

Actually, I leave from Shizuoka sometime in the next 10 hours. From there I will be working my way back to America!!!!


These last few days have been a blast.. I will have to let you know more in detail because I am tired.. haven't completly packed and .. leave all too soon .. so laters.

そろそろ日本から出るから　皆さん　さよなら！　　とりあえずね。

It arrives.. なんか来るよ。。

また書こうとしている。　　
I am once again trying to write something.
２５日アメリカに帰っていく。　いやだ。。けどちょっと期待している
I will return to America on the 25th. I kind of want to go back but.. not.

Since I am still in Japan, I will throw in a little bit of an update.
Yesterday, with a ticket given to me by one of my students, I went and I saw the movie "All the kings men" wait...is that right? I think I forgot the name. Anyway, it was an okay movie.. kind of weird, and a little too politic-y for me.

Speaking of students though. Yesterday was the last day I got to teach for Koji. Kind of sad and all but really it was fun while it lasted.
又短くした。。。

御無沙汰 Long time no anything..

Wow, I think this would have to be considered the Revival of my account.
復活！

In saying that before I report on my lifestyle I have a short story to recount.
それを言っているのに僕の最近の生活について書く前に　小話がある。

I attended the graduation for the exchange students at Shizuoka University yesterday. Guess what? Despite being a exchange student, it ended up being a graduation that I wasn't supposed to attend. Only if you have a scholarship apparently. Oh well, I went under the assumption that since Ouji was told about it that I should go and attend too. You know, the whole grouping thing? My problem was while Ouji Nick and I are classified as the American group. The people living in the kaikan are not only categorized by nation apparently... I forgot that we are also sorted by age, gender and scholarship assignment (besides, of course, going off into our own chosen groups).. . view this however you want, this is the way the culture over here works. By your classification (which can be almost anything) rank is assigned.

えっと、　日本語のほうのはもっと短くするつもり。　　金曜日留学生卒業式を参加しに行ったけど　僕の卒業式じゃなかった。。。学費がなくしただけの人だから。　　奨学金があったら卒業する事が出来るらしい。。。ま。。子の場合で。。　仕方ないね　っと言いべきところだよね？　

GAMES:
Games? Games and Ed go hand and hand just in case you didn't know. I have acquired a single item that will make most gamers in America drool.
FINAL FANTASY 7 CRISIS CORE for the PSP. Yes, I bought it the day it came out. Well, actually had reserved it. :) It came with these cute earphones, but despite wanting to play it. I am reserving it for the plane flight home... when I have 13 hours where I can simply exist with a game system glued to my hands.

テレビゲーム？　日本でもかっこいいと思うけどね　ファイナルファンタジー七クライシスコアというゲームを買ったばかり。　アメリカにいるゲーム屋達は待つしかない。　まだ発売してないからね。　今プレーしていないけど。　それは飛行機にいる十三時間でプレーするつもりだからよ。　楽しみにしています。　それと　寂しくならないようにしてる。。。　。。。
それとアメリカに帰っていってから　日本語のゲームは買い難いから買っておいている。

The short update on last month really doesn't do it justice so I will try and say somethings here.

Went to the General Hiroshima area. Hung out.. came back... crashed. zzzZZZ In Hiroshima mostly crashed in Manga Cafes.. so well umm maybe needed to sleep.. so I slept a lot after coming back to Shizuoka.

一週間ぐらい　広島と福山におって　友達達と遊んだばかり　それ以外　一つのアドバイス。。漫画喫茶店に泊まるのはいいんだけど　連発しないほうがいいよ。　四泊した。。　かなり疲れってきちゃった。

This week has been the beginning of goodbyes.
I hung out with people like Marta, Makaka, Ouji, Wareyu(sp?) (karaoke!!), Ramu, Kumiko, Takuma, Yuudai,(Karaoke!! Billiards 9ball-taught Ramu how to play - after that she won.. twice!!) Rika, Misato (Hello?goodbye?), karate club (karate practice) Sanae, Aki, Chiho, .... etc.

さよならの連発が始まります。。。

Midst of Traveling 旅行中

Whoa!!
Hold the Horses.... I have been flying about like a lunatic for the last few weeks. My parents are here in Japan and I am showing them around. Update later.


待って　待って。。　世界ははや過ぎて！！！　　両親が来たから案内しているから後でもっと書くつもり！

Traveling 旅行している

Well, Just another day isnt happening anymore. I am off in Hiroshima now after having a lot of fun in Fukuyama since last Wednesday, but more on that later.
Ouji and I spent our first night in Hiroshima in a comfort inn hotel. Waking up we had the free breakfast that was at the hotel. A japanese/western mix food style. There was onigiri(salmon and conbu), inarizushi, bread, toast, cereal(real cornflakes!), salad, fruit salad, etc. I mostly stuck to onigiri with salmon in it because I thought the protein would allow it to stick in my stomach a little longer.
Polishing off breakfast and following our check out we went and sat in Starbucks for almost three hours. We sat their for an unusual amount of time because we were awaiting responses from the people we could hang out with today. After a bit we were able to confirm a meeting with Eri and Aki from 2 years ago. With that Ouji and I dropped our luggage off and perused Hiroshimas parco(A 8 story mall, that is mainly clothes) after acquiring a map.
After a while we met up with them and went to a place called Marina Hop, which is kind of like an outdoor mall. There we did some shopping and ended up going to Sega World and playing games together. Note: I found SNAPPLE!
From there we went with them to Diamond City which is more like a mall than a city. There we had Hiroshima style Okonomiyaki and a custard like ice cream. Maybe, I shouldnt have eaten it but the guy who was selling it was really entertaining. He takes the ice cream and puts it on a stick like thing that and uses that to put your ice cream on the cone he has you hold. The custard sticks so well that he flips the cone out of your hand and flips it around as you try and retrieve it. TORUKO/Turk ice cream supposedly.
Oh, I forget to point out that Hidemi also joined us when we ate. However while we were eating the ice cream Yuri and Ayako joined us about when we said farewell to the others. Yuri and Ayako took us to do karaoke but along the way we stopped at a gas station and convenience store. The interesting thing was that the Gas Station had a convenience store attached. Okay, for those of you that dont know this is actually impossibly rare in Japan. It is the first I have seen since coming.
Now, I find myself watching Brave Story while I post this blog. I am in a Manga kissaten for the night. Laters