welcome to my brain

8th march 2011

2011-03-09T03:00:00.000+03:00

the highlight of my day was... the Gelato from Harrods. It was difficult to choose which two flavors to take... i chose White Chocolate and Rose + Hazelnut... mmmmmmmm... mmmmmmm...

i felt guilty afterward of course, so i went for a jog, only 5 k but it was better than nothing.

7th March 2011

2011-03-08T01:42:00.004+03:00

I walked all around london today...

Last night's dinner... bread and cheese.

It has become a tradition that every time i come to London, i make this mix, Blueberries, Raspberries, and Blackberries.

I met my uncle and aunt today so i got them some japanese sweets, i also got me this little daifuku :D

Trafalgar Square

Can you see the rainbow?i liked this

Big Ben... Remember remember the 5th of november

London eye

I wish buildings in Kuwait are this colorful

if this guy plays cards with me, i'll always think he's cheating!

6th March 2011 - London

2011-03-07T15:59:00.002+03:00

nothing exciting today. Shopping, walking around, eating bread and cheese again from the same store Whole Foods, which an amazing supermarket. I was jogging and decided to pass by it and buy me more bread and cheese and then continued running back home.

What else? hmmm nothing, other than i hate O2's internet e-go!

Apparently where i'm staying at has no hotspot so i have to go to the nearest starbucks or any other cafe to use the internet WITH the O2 USB e-go i bought! Doesn't make sense, why did i buy the e-go usb machine if i cannot use it without connecting to a wi-fi hotspot? Its retarted!

I wonder how i haven't seen these two monuments before. But i loved them.

What a beautiful statue, and very interesting message it gives out. "when you find a horse drinking water, or for whatever reason has its head down, get an axe, quick, and chop its head off" ?

"in the future, jelly-beans will rule the earth"

loool am i in london or in "souk al mubarakiya"

Foggy-groggy-smoggy-pretty london :D

So the other car asked this car "why haven't you shaved today?" lol

and last but definately not least. Kuwait Embassy, tomorrow i'll ask them to give me 1,000 KD :D

5th March 2011

2011-03-06T15:30:00.003+03:00

London is cold as well! But for some reason its more manageable than Germany.

I miss Kuwait's weather.

Did a lot of shopping :( hehehe spent a few moneys here and there. I bought an internet connected from O2 but for some reason i couldn't get it to work. I'll check tomorrow.

Ran 5k. I could have done more but i figured i was walking all day so i'll only run half my usual.

Oh and for dinner, i was heading towards McDonalds, but i entered a supermarket and decided to eat healthy. Bread, Cheese, and fruits :)

Its coooooooold!

mmmmm!

hahah i dont know why but i loved this campaign

Honestly, its strange, this duck was looking upwards for no reason, it was seriously lost in contemplation. I was looking at that direction to see what the duck was focusing its attention on. But nothing.. just sky.

45 pounds! :( lol i dont know how much that would cost in Japan.

4th March 2011

2011-03-06T15:27:00.002+03:00

30 minutes before my train departed from Hannover to Frankfurt, a strike happened! I could hear the announcement in the station. "Train S77 to Frankfurt will be delayed 30 minutes due to strike" then 5 minutes after it became 100 min!

i don't know how, but one more train arrived, it wasn't my train but it passed Frankfurt and i hopped on it else i'll lose my chance to reach Frankfurt and miss my flight to London.

Thank God it went well.

anyway, on the way, i was surprised at how many houses in Germany as adopting Solar Panels.

3rd March 2011 - Cebit

2011-03-04T00:31:00.007+03:00

Again, woke up, breakfast, cebit... etc etc.

COLD! etc etc.

Enjoy the pictures.

I tried 3 out of the 5 jams today, tomorrow i'll try the rest.

Frost from last night

This is BIG! WIRELESS POWER!!! Fujistu displayed a wireless monitor that isn't even connected to a power plug. How is it working? wireless power... the future is closer than we might think.

Panasonic's 3D technology showcased

Decorative aluminum/steel bars that have LED lights come out from behind.

Another color, another mood.

The Ford Focus replaced the TV/Monitor thingie and replaced it with an ipad machine. I think this will be more popular with other car makers as well. imagine, the customization possibilities!!!

Geeks playing World Of Warcraft

More MSi Windpads

a transparent TV from Samsung. Beautiful, the tv looks like a normal tv but is actually transparent once the tv is off.

Simply Amazing! that will be the future, transparent windows that can be tv screens... i hate to admit it, but day after day, the "future" that we saw in movies in the 80's and 90's is actually coming true.

ASUS's "Audio" centric laptop

Asus's ipad like product, it can be detached from the keyboard

I didnt notice before but apparently ASUS Lambo laptop has a back side that DOES look like a lambo!

Nintendo's 3DS was there as well... I saw it but didn't have a chance to test it due to these teenagers

The Sony Ericsson Play, i was amazed, actually, blown away at the graphics capabilities of the phone, and i found it to be lots of fun

i played with the Sony Ericsson's Arc. I believe it has Android 2.2. It was light, beautiful, responsive.

a company from Turkey used ipads to make a video wall. Beautiful

at Fujitsu's booth, as a sign of insanity, staff and partners cut their ties in half

lol i wonder if he knew that would happen today and wore a cheap tie for that reason

2nd March 2011 - Cebit

2011-03-03T02:05:00.010+03:00

i don't know how i woke up after only 4 hours of sleep, but i did.

so i'll skip the boring stuff and directly go to Cebit.

But i repeat what i said yesterday, it was FREEZING.

lots of cool products (see pics below)

We entered the Intel hall first, and there were a couple of interesting things, the most interesting of course, and the high point of my day, was the scoring a goal game. People line up and shoot at the goal, but the goal keeper senses their movement and automatically tries to block the ball. We saw maybe 8 guys before me play and none of them scored... and of course, yours trully, was the exception.

Cebit was huge, we didn't finish half of it and we stayed till 6 pm almost.

after that, back to hotel, then to Old Town and dinner.

enjoy the pictures and the products

Intel's hall.

One of the people in front of me. Trying to score a goal, but it was impossible... well nearly impossible ;)

;)

Yes! Its GOOOOOAAAAL!!!

This Razor product is cool. Depending on your game, the bottom part (the keyboard) changes keys to accommodate the "game-specific" shortcut keys

Interesting Gaming Tournament. The crowds packed the place, o' the excitement :/

No IT expo is complete without some kind of racing cars right?

The HOT THING in this year's Cebit is CLOUD.

Afa! now i know where Zain took logo from

the famous Watson that was on jeopardy last month. the first respectable attempt at artificial intelligence.

This machine is cool, it scans by photography any book you place on it, and it automatically flips the pages, without ruining the book!

the infamous SAP apple

I've been looking for this product for a long time. keyboard sleeve for the ipad

whats with the apples ? and doesn't this robot look like Wall-e?

Yes, the ultimate lazy blogger chair

bloggers' lounge, some of them hated the fact i'm photographing them, what irony!

Yep, next time i shop at the TSC i'll use this for apples.

A new model from MSi FX series... very stylish and has a leather pattern finish

MSi are really pulling all the stops in terms of style. The start button is like a ignition button in a car.

The silver finish is nicer i think

a concept from MSi. A Pad with a built in projector that can also project a keyboard on the surface below

The duel windpad from MSi, together they can replace the need for the Razor product above.

A concept MSi Pad cradle docking

The MSi Wind Windows 7 addition. Not bad at all... but i am especially drooling over the next picture

The MSi Wind. i loved this device! This tablet is the bomb! Android Honeycomb 3.0 and Nvidia Tegra 2, HDMI and USB outputs and much much more!

If you don't like the iRobot, then you have a choice from MSi soon.

That robot was sooo realistic it was scary! the eyes are actually a screen visual.

Yeppp! I had a gillatte (sp) almost froze to death as a result :/

Hannover Old Town

Veggie pizza... not bad... but...

the pizza slice wasn't enough, so mcDonalds it was :D, thats a fish fillet and a veggie burger.

March 1st 2011 - Hannover Germany

2011-03-02T03:57:00.004+03:00

Ok, actually its the 2nd of March, but i'm posting last night's post.

finally arrived in hannover. What can i say... its COOOOOOOLD!

The route was, Kuwait-Dubai-Frankfurt-Hannover. Too tired to write a long post, and i've got to wake up in about 4 hours to go to CEBIT! Yes! I'm excited about it.

anyway, some pictures from the trip.

lol the high light of the trip. those two guys next to us from Dubai to Frankfurt were just a handful of laughter. They were stone drunk, they were singing, stretching in funny ways, and not to forget, sleeping weirdly.

one of the many trains we took... it was PACKED

During the train to Hannover from Frankfurt (3 hours). We were only allowed to communicate using the word "psst"

finally... my room. not bad. but definitely not worth its cost.

Terrible Service = Lifefitness treadmill Kuwait

2011-01-10T13:00:00.005+03:00

I am very surprised at the difference between the customer service levels in America and Kuwait.

Since the economy took a slow turn, companies are trying their best to keep their existing customers and other companies just don't give a damn.

---

I have bought a Lifefitness T5i treadmill (1,100 KD) from Al-Khaldiya Co. and i am continually shocked at their low level of customer service.

- Delay in appointments.

- Its been almost 2 months now since my machine needed a new belt, and they don't have stock.

- Apparently, the whole company has only 1 staff (Mr. H) who handles residential customers.

- No enthusiasm in dealing with customers (when Mr. H was late to his appointment over an hour, and i said, that i have to go to work and cannot wait any longer, all he said is "Okay")

- No strong support from American company. (i have emailed the mother company in America, and they quickly replied apologetically and promised to solve the issue. That was 2 weeks ago.

You would think that customers who buy anything above 1,000 KD are important customers and companies should try hard to keep them.

Seriously, as a person who is involved in Retail, i am very surprised at this behavior.

----

What are the other alternatives to Lifefitness?

1. TechnoGym (Dhia Behbehani Co.)
2. Precor (Dhia Behbehani Co.)
3. Landice (apparently, no agent office in Kuwait, but when i emailed them, they were very quick to reply and commit to delivering the treadmill)
4. Go to cheaper options available in many sporting outlets like Sears. (replace treadmill every 2 years)

---

When you go to al-khaldiya's website and email the company address there, it bounces back! lol

---

I seriously hope some other company (a retailer is better) takes the agency. They will serve the brand better.

Benefits of an electronics retailer taking the brand would be

1. more outlets
2. more committed installation and maintenance team
3. more traffic of residential customers
4. tie-up promotions with other "health" related products like Massage Chairs, Blood Pressures, Plasma and LCD TV's, et cetera, et cetera.

---

As for my current situation. I emailed the American company again requesting a definitive answer as to when will the machine be fixed.

I will go visit Precor showroom and look for other treadmills.

All this... while regretting my choice of Al-Khaldiya and Lifefitness :(

I am a bit happier knowing that since i started voicing out my complaints, i have convinced one friend not to buy lifefitness (he was actually going the week after) and made 4-5 friends concerned about the brand for future purchase. I couldn't convince one person to switch, but i still have time. (if i buy precor and show him my satisfaction, he might be convinced)

---

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What can you do?

Share this post with as many friends as you can.

House In Sao Paulo / GrupoSP

2010-11-27T02:09:00.002+03:00

I love this house... there is something about its high rise ceiling.

Architects: GrupoSP /Alvaro Puntoni, João Sodré, Jonathan Davies
Structure Design: Eduardo Duprat
Installationa Engineer: Ramoska + Castellani
Construction: Roberto Growald
Location: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Project area: 360 sqm
Project year: 2005 – 2008
Photographs: Nelson Kon

Google's SMS verification or Bloody 'ell!

2010-11-15T03:02:00.003+03:00

Yes.. i am the conspicuous type. I have seen the google monster video on youtube, and i'm never that giving away personal information to any of the web based companies...

that is the main reason why i haven't played farmville by the way! everytime i want to do something in facebook, it requests access to my email account and i stop... no further...

so... i was browsing around google, i just recently discovered google reader (i know i'm outdated) and i just recently made a gmail account (i know... i know.. i'm outdated)

so, then just before finishing... google gave me one of those pages

"you've almost finished creating your account... blah blah blah.... verification needed... blah blah blah... select option of verification... blah blah blah..."

and the only option was by SMS !!

bloody 'ell!!! so now google has linked my mobile number with my online persona! great!!!

sure enough, i reluctantly went through with it, and in 2 seconds i got the verification sms...

seriously! bloody 'ell !!

*side note* i keep saying bloody ell because i just finished watching the english comedy series AN IDIOT ABROAD and the main character just keeps saying that phrase...

looool i think, very very soon, once a child is born, they will get a birth certificate, an ID of some sort, and a gmail account on the spot... bloody 'ell!

anyway... HEY GOOGLE!!! YOU LISTENIN'? You have my number! but I have YOURS as well!!! and i know you're in England somewhere! so don't you go do any funny stuff you hear? I can just as easily locate you by using google earth (nope... that won't do)

29th October 2010

2010-10-29T15:19:00.004+03:00

So i forcefully woke my self up at 10 :/ i guess i was very tired.

I was craving for Mister Donuts. So i went to a mr.donuts but a different concept, its called andonand. weird name. Anyway, i thought it would have the same items as the normal one but it turned out not to be so. I went back to the hotel, met my friends for the last time (i'll miss them) and then checked out.

I ate mister donuts, and sure enough, felt guilty, so i walked like 5 km around the city. I decided to go early to the airport and visit the closest station Rinku-Town which has a premium outlets mall and used that chance to have my last Bagel and Bagel :D and my last starbucks Matcha Tea Latte.

lol its really an irritating name... and it doesn't have a Japanese meaning either... so who's running the marketing department? Mr. An Donand ? :P

Thats more like it

oooooo... tasty... i can feel the carbohydrates sugars converting into fat as i write

if i stayed one or two more days i'll probably witness more of the greenery change to orange... it would have been a beautiful site to witness

Rinku town

Shrimp... mmmmmm....

lol well, when i said my last chance for bagel and bagel... i didn't include these :D lol

this IS my last chance matcha tea latte... lol i didn't buy a 2 liter bottle for the road

28th October 2010 or Non Disclosure Agreement

2010-10-28T17:38:00.002+03:00

Because i had to sign a non disclosure agreement for today's meeting. Today's post has to be very vague. :s

so, lets start from the beginning, or the end, who knows? ;)

I woke up... or did i? i cannot disclose this information.

Then, maybe, i went to the train station and met Mr. T. And we had something that might be called o-bento on the train.... but i cannot disclose that information :P

In the factory, that produces "?", we had to change clothes to keep hygiene at 100%. We all had to change together but i got a bit hesitant because we had to take all our clothes off except underwear... and the one day i was wearing a very funky and embarrassing color underwear this happens :( so i ended up changing alone in a different room...

I finished late and we went to Mr. T's house and had dinner with his family.

Then i came back to Osaka at 9 pm :)

or maybe i never left the hotel at all???

And that's NDA :P

it was delicious

October 27th 2010

2010-10-27T18:09:00.005+03:00

Breakfast was at (take a guess) bagel & bagel, there was once close to our hotel in Tokyo. :)

We tried one that is only available in Tokyo. It was too sweet for my taste though.

Then we went to an Art Gallery. One word = WEIRD. But creative.

Lunch with Mr. I. which was delicious pizza. Aaaahhh i ate too much and out of guilt i haven't eaten since. But now i'm hungry :s

Oh, i bought the nike running chip, so i'm glad my running will once again be recorded.

When i arrive in Osaka, and in the subway train towards my station, i saw a girl and her smaller brother who has autism. It was barely noticeable but i could spot it from their interactions. She couldn't have been older than 20. The way she was taking care of him... Really, there is no limits to humanly love, kindness and generousness. It was more moving than the art gallery from this morning.

would i accept a rhino's face for a body like that? hmmmm touch choice :s lol well actually the rhino's face might be a step to the better compared with my current face :/ so, YES

one shawarma and one falafel with extra hammus

Strange, that not so long ago, a children's tv show shows a boy and his rabbit pal smoking lol

The art has a very nostalgic feeling to it

i'm hungry :s

26th October 2010

2010-10-26T17:06:00.003+03:00

I think it is happening! :) Yes! I shouldn't jinx it but today's meeting was very positive. The people we met were nice and kind and knowledgeable and honest. All that you need for a good partnership to last and be successful.

We went to their flagship store, beautiful. It was really a nice store.

After that i met a formal colleague and had dinner with him.

aaaaahhhhhh... Its such a nice feeling for a 2 year old project that wasn't going anywhere to finally see the light.

We didn't but if we dined on the terrace, that would have been amazing.

Lunch at Lupicia restaurant

What strangely mesmerizing art!

look at the feet

25th October 2010

2010-10-25T18:18:00.003+03:00

After breakfast, we went to Ikebukuro for site visits. The biggest electronic stores where there.

I drank some green drink... terrible :S it tastes like the worst tasting vegetables all rolled into one.

Then we basically walked around Tokyo... From Ikebukuro to Shinjuko to Akihabara back to Rippongi then to Shibuya.

I bought some Japanese children's books, i think it would be good practice for me to read. (when i say children, i mean Grade 1 and Grade 2)

Tomorrow is my meeting, wish me luck :/

:s
Gundam Cafe, the robot in Best store. Has a cafe. Neat.

a nice statue at rippongi hills and behind is Tokyo Tower

Dinner at rippongi hills
Shibuya... there, the starbucks is supposedly is busiest starbucks in the world with the fastest service.

24th October 2010

2010-10-24T16:37:00.004+03:00

Woke up early, and we went to the Lupicia Expo.

We stopped before that at a starbucks and had our fill of morning waker-upper.

The expo was veeeeeery nice. We were met by the our contact and her boss, the Vice President of the company! I didn't expect that at all. We got the tour around the expo. I got lots of ideas as well...

also, what was especially interesting about the expo, my favorite nugget, is that Lupicia has over 50 stores nation wide and USA (SF and Hawaii), each store or area has a unique type of tea that they sell ONLY at that place. You wouldn't be able to buy it at any other place even if it was lupicia store. So... at the expo they had all of those flavors available for sale. :)

After that we went back to the hotel. I bought another football jersey. I have already many Japan football team jerseys. This time i got GAMBA OSAKA :) which also is sponsored by Panasonic... so its a double wammie for me... Osaka and Panasonic.

Oh by the way, i forgot to mention that i bought a wallet yesterday. i am very happy about it... i was sad in Ramadan when i lost my wallet, i really liked that one but i'm also happy with this new one :)

Since we're talking purchases... the shoes... Berluti... unbelievable! They are sooooo beautiful and comfortable and expenses!!! hehehe so i am very hesitant to buy them. Also, the main reason i wanted to buy a new formal shoes is to wear with Dishdasha and Suits (even though i have a black suit now, i want to wear brown shoes with it). The one i liked most was a bit on the funky side with its coloring, its reddish brownish greenish kinda :/ It looked great with the jeans and i'm sure with the dishdasha but maybe not a formal black suit. Hmmm i always thought my next suit purchase would be light gray, but maybe with a brown shoes, i'd better think dark blue... anyway, i postponed this decision, since its a decision that would remove lots of money's from my new wallet :/

* * *

anyway... to TOKYO!

first, we were welcomed by COLD RAIN...

In Tokyo, K. San introduced me to her friend, he is very nice and a very light hearted man. I really enjoyed my time with them.

Now i need to sleep, tomorrow we have to do market survey.

neat huh?

Of course, what's a trip on the shinkansen without umeboshi onigiri

I have found my next car, the Nissan LEAF. 0% Emission. Of course, i hope the day i'll give out 0% emission doesn't come soon :P

Nothing beats a sweet soft Chestnut filled Daifuku.

This was dinner... lol i put the blackberry just for size comparison... And i ordered the kids portion (there was no kids portion, this isn't mcdonalds) But even the wooden spoon was humongous!

You know that story? Jack and the beanstalk? When jack goes up into the skies and into the giant's home, and he sees all the giants furniture and utensils? Well i felt like that... i felt any minute now a giant will walk in screaming "FE FI FO FUM!"

* * *

I felt that the subway trains were crowded here in Tokyo, but after seeing this video clip, i thanked God a gazillion times I wasn't in that place :/

23rd October 2010

2010-10-23T20:24:00.005+03:00

Remember the park that i went to last time but was closed? the one with the sun statue? well i finally managed to go there :)

but before going there... i had to stop at mister donuts :D

the chocolate one was better

this is not a fish eye photo, the road is actually bent like that

i like this photo.. nice huh?

and of course, how can i end the day without bagel & bagel? :D

we went and saw AVATAR special edition 3D... the graphics are still breathtaking. I cannot wait for Avatar sequels.

22nd October 2010

2010-10-22T17:06:00.002+03:00

I slept at 1... but then i woke up at 4.

i had a weird dream.. well dreams... but this particular one...

I was with Obama and the Queen of England... i wasn't anyone fancy or anything, i was the driver loool

anyway... i sat next to the queen and asked her if i can take a picture with her... she said yes... so then i told her... "one day i'll do something great for the world" and she replied "yeah? like what? what are you able to do that is so special?" and i froze, i crunched my brain but seriously nothing came out, i was thinking... what can a single man do for the world to deem it special? then i rambled on something about banning guns or some other thing... but its true... what makes someone GREAT in this day and age?

i went and saw my friends at school... which was nice...

until tomorrow then...

oh by the way... 1 am till 4 pm loooool

21st October 2010

2010-10-21T16:15:00.004+03:00

All the shops now are carrying the winter season clothes. Which is strange, because its not yet cold here! Its around 24'c in the daytime. But you see many people wearing coats and sweaters :/

The world's flagship UNIQLO store. Its new, i think it opened last week.

This is also new, it wasn't there when i was here... like in Tokyo, they put these to prevent people from committing suicide in subways :/

Its amazing, how one plant can produce both Purple and Yellow flowers... its a wonderful world

Anyway, i went to do some errands for work. Walked around shops and department store but nothing interested me.

Remember the shoes i liked from before? Berlutti, i think. I think i might buy a pair this trip.

I went again to Bagel & Bagel lol and ate nothing but bagel till night time.

Chocolate

Caramel and pumpkin

and this one was in the hotel. Also, i ate one in the shop, though was a salmon with cream cheese bagel... still delicious :)

Old habits die hard, i went to the supermarket as well and enjoyed my old routine.

October 20th 2010

2010-10-20T18:16:00.003+03:00

So, back in Japan... it only makes sense to start writing again.

But before that... let me share with you what happened with Emirates Airlines 2 days ago.

After arriving at terminal 3 in Dubai. I went to collect my bag. My bag was very heavy due to the amount of gifts i brought with me to share with my friends in Japan.

As i carried my bag from the bags belt, i noticed it was damp and it dampened my pants. I quickly set it down and began to inspect it. It was HALF SOAKED in some STINKING MOISTURE! It wasn't water, perhaps it was sewage water or something!

i was furious. Anyway it took my a good part of an hour to navigate from one place to the next in the stupid emirates terminal 3 until i reached the business class baggage claims office. It was 1 am by the way. So here is what they told me.

"Normally we will take the bag and clean it for you. But since you're only staying in Dubai for 2 days and then continuing to Japan, we ask you to clean it and we'll pay the amount"

Now for those people who know me, it is not a secret that i hate Dubai and everything Dubai! And this is why. The emirates people think by building the latest and biggest terminals people will love them. 2 words for you people! CUSTOMER SERVICE.

I replied to the lady, "So i have nothing else but to visit dry cleaners here? I am here on business, and i am a guest in Dubai, i dont know where laundries are!"

To cut the story short, they came the next morning quickly and took the bag, cleaned it and returned it the following day.

Ok, so they fixed their problem, but i'm still not happy. I mean, they should compensate me for my troubles, right or wrong?

In this day an age of competitive business, and flying Emirates on Business class! someone should expect at least the minimum not the best in customer service. And correct me if i'm wrong but fixing the problem is not enough, since they brought this problem on me, then should have at least went an extra step to satisfy me.

i'm deeply disappointed in Emirates. :s

and i was kind of pleased that Dubai was empty! the malls are empty, gitex wasn't as good as i remembered. Streets are empty!

so maybe now they will start investing in customer service rather than just big, fake buildings

-----------

Japan! Osaka! YES! :)

I am not kidding when i say, after arriving in Namba and walking in the street with my bag, going to the hotel. I actually noticed a few familiar faces. I mean, Ok, to some of you, Japanese people all look a like, but i think i can tell them apart. I think :P So, Walking on Midosuji street, i DID recognize some faces. I think, or i guess, most of the people are going by there daily routines, walking by the same places everyday, going from point A to B, repeatedly without thinking about it. And it dawned on me. For a few months in my life, i too was part of those people! I too was calling this area MY area. I too was a familiar face on those streets. And that filled my with nostalgia like you wouldn't believe.

So after settling in the hotel, i met some of my school friends and went directly to my favorite place for food in Osaka :D BAGEL & BAGEL!

I'm going tomorrow for breakfast, and probably lunch, and dinner :D

B & B!!! BAGEL AND BAGEL!!! or as the Japanese would pronounce it, BAGERU AN BAGERU :D

Oh, on a down note, as gifts i brought from Kuwait Rahash and Darabeel. I wrapped the Rahash in plastic bags and taped them shut. But i think the plastic box of the rahash broke and some of the oil spilled out of the box. It is still contained inside the plastic bag. But i was planning to take it out and put it in a nicer paper bag when presenting it to friends. But i guess i will have to give them as is and warn them that it might be oily and they should bring tissue with them.

anyway... i'm in OSAKA :)

July 18th 2010 or when Dogs sniff

2010-07-18T22:50:00.005+03:00

i've been having back aches on and off for years now... some days i barely feel it while others i'm in constant reminder of it.

for years now i sleep on a mattress, no bed, just a mattress. Today i decided i'll try without the mattress, just a lonely blanket to serve a sheet between me and the carpet...

Of course, all the while, i dream of futon and tatami. I am not sure if i reminisce the futon and tatami because of their comfort, or is it the engulfing feeling i had during the times i experienced them. The cold nights, the warm covers, the lingering sound of the sliding Japanese doors, the radiating smoothness of my skin from the onsen bath minerals...

* * *

Last week, i saw a guy who is younger than me, i recently knew he got divorced, so i asked him why he separated and then, matter of factly, proceeded to give him shallow advice, on marriage (of all things)

I don't know why i said what i said... i mean, was there a need for that brief dialogue? None that i can think of.

The same day an older man gave me a call, and the first thing he asked me, "when will we see your wedding? Yallah"

I spent much time recalling those two dialogues and wondering why do people say what they say, especially at the beginning of their encounters.

So i was thinking... were our opening dialogues subconscious statements of authority? to set the proper order of status? Setting the pecking order? Who's who on the hierarchy?

By the same manner of "concerned big brother", i have asked the younger man, and the older man has asked me... perhaps the former has someone where he shows his "concerned big brother" behavior to?

Honest to goodness... i didn't mean anything negative by my question... It was coming from the purist of my intentions... but i'm not talking about my intentions, rather, my un-intentions... what made ME say what I said? How much of it was free will? And how much was it genetic predisposition?

Maybe its not about hierarchy or status positioning... perhaps its just a form of connecting with each other, a by-product of Society and Social Networking... which without it Humans arguably wouldn't have survived up to this day.

Possibly, its the verbal equivalent of a nod in the street to a stranger, implying, "i see you".

"Free Will" is what i choose to do or say by my own volition? Right? But perhaps "What i choose to do or say" is the by-product of a "brain" that is genetically (by evolution) made to "choose to do or say" in that certain way?

Too many "perhap's" and "maybe's" but for now... i see no difference in what we say as "open liners" and when dog's sniff each others' behinds when they first meet.

9th of July 2010

2010-07-09T23:09:00.002+03:00

haven't been writing much lately... i was busy with work... of course there is always 'time' to wrote a post, but my mental state wouldn't allow me to... you need to be in the right state of mind for the mental juices to be flowing...

yesterday's football game, in chalet, was amazing... nothing beats the feeling of a well deserved win... i mean, i played very well, scored alot, and the whole team was just giving 110% all the way... seriously their was a contagious thing in the air... i saw other team members who usually don't play that well, give their 110%... it was amazing... i just hope that as the team's captain, i had something to do with the inspiration...

lol i was dreaming of that game even today... i dream about football alot, and its always me running with the ball... and i can feel it, i can feel my physical body wanting to run while i'm running in the dream, but isn't able to.

-----

Today we had a Japanese visitor so we went to Villa Fairuz... we laughed a lot, its really a blessing to be able to 'seriously' laugh... people who cannot get into that mood often are missing something

----

i was thinking... why is it, YES and NO are always very simple in all languages... right? i guess language evolution was to serve the quickest and most efficient use of words... and YES and NO are the most important when species need to communicate... arabic NA'AM and LA, EE and LA, Japanese, HAI and IIE..

so i guess, complicated, artistic words not not serve a survival purpose, rather, they might satisfied the highest of Maslow's triangle levels...

interesting... think about it..

----

my family left Kuwait this morning... and i'm home alone... its really sad... big house, that was populated by sound all day long, is now very still and quiet and dark...

----

July 6th 2010

2010-07-06T22:19:00.004+03:00

Long day... and it seems that i'm destined to have problems with sewage pipes no matter where i go... something was wrong with the flusher on my toilet so it kept making noise and leaks water...

anyway finally today it was fixed... what next? the shower?

it was a long day... came back from work just before 8 pm... and i settled for my only meal for the day, my dinner :D

i saw this with the pickles

I've seen red peppers and green peppers... but this one? PICK A SIDE WILL YA?! lol

and then i had another type of the Japanese cereal i brought back...

the good thing about this cereal, is that it made the vegetable cereal from before (with dried pumpkin and tomato among other things) taste better! :P

after this post, i'll go eat watermelon :)~ hehehe i figure, if i ate all the fruits that i've eaten since i came back to Kuwait when i was in Japan... probably i'll be 100 KD short by now

July 5th 2010

2010-07-06T08:00:00.002+03:00

everyone who knows me knows that i eat an apple every morning. I left the apple in the car for around 3 hours... i had a meeting outside my office. lol i never thought that one day i'll eat a baked apple, but... here it is... i guess 3 hours in a 50'C oven (the car) would bake anything lol

i've worked all day then at 8 went out with friends to a Lebanese restaurant... since i exercised in the morning before leaving the house, and only had a baked apple for the whole day lol i wolfed down the mezza :( i still feel stuffed...

July 4th 2010

2010-07-05T00:06:00.002+03:00

i went to work early today, and by early i mean 15 minutes after work's official starting time. :P

i formatted my laptop right? so before doing that, i copied all the files from the laptop to an external hard disk. Today i wanted to return the files back to my newly formatted, windows 7, laptop, and the hard disk died on me! 0 files! which means that all my pictures from the trip were gone! :( but... i reinserted the hard disk again, and slowly, copied some files, then it crashed, redid the same, copied some more files... and so on... loooool one of my staff was with me in my office when i noticed that the hard disk said "no files available" for the first time... seriously, my heart stopped... sorry if i scared you Mrs. B. :/

after work, i went straight to starbucks for a short time to practice Japanese, but then i was too in need for a toilet to concentrate. So, i passed by my grandmother's house, prayed, stayed with her a while then went to Dowaniya (family gathering) i think i ate a lot, :( because i then went to the Panasonic 3D tv launch, and also ate some more :((((

anyway, to be honest... today was great!

July 3rd 2010

2010-07-03T21:13:00.004+03:00

Today is my brother's birthday... Happy Birthday Yousif :)

so i woke up today and went to run in the basement... totally different than the running i'm used to.

then i had MORE fruits and ate a little cereal from Japan... lol its weird, first time i eat cereal with dried vegetables rather than fruits... ok, its not bad, but... but... its not nice :/ ehhehe i wouldn't buy it again thats for sure.

me and my friends met up at dowaniya and watched the game... Germany!!! Man... lol take it easy on our friends the argentinians.. i feel sorry for maradona... loooool back to being broke i guess.

ok let me tell you a little story... my mother likes those pink ginger/pickle dish that usually comes with sushi... i got a bit mixed up and thought she actually liked wasabi... so i brought with me lots.. and i mean LOTS of wasabi looooooool... wasabi salad dressing, wasabi paste in a tube, wasabi etc... so :/ imagine my face when she said "i don't like wasabi"

anyway, i'm going to have to mix a little of wasabi in everything, to make the best of it.

i mixed it with hammus which isn't bad actually, but i put a bit too much and my nose was in agony with each bite... so next time i'll ease on the wasabi... hmmm maybe next time i'll try wasabi with my apples :P (a LOT of wasabi i tell you)

クワイトの走ると日本の走るがちょっと違う。ここで家のしか一かいにけしきおいつもおなじです。だから、５０カロリとき「今、わたしはstarbucksのとなりにいます」とおもいました。そしから、「てんめんばしえきのみぎにいます」、「いま、かわのひだりにはしっています」。。。さいごの「いえへかえっています」。。。

ほんとうにぼくは大阪がいなくて寂しいです

(i hope i didn't butcher the Japanese language)

July 2nd 2010

2010-07-02T20:29:00.002+03:00

Today i fulfilled a dream i had for the last three months... i ate kentucky friend chicken!

i have been jet lagged and have allergy and been sneezing all day so i didn't do anything...

just ate KFC and lots of fruits! :D

its weird to dream in Japanese.. i've been dreaming all night in Japanese... lol

ok i'll call it an early night and go to bed... i've am planning to do something from now on... i will TRY... and please note the "TRY" to write everyday on this blog something in Japanese... since i'm planning to revise and practice everyday, i'll put into practice what i have reviewed that day on the blog...

and right now, my laptop is at the workshop being formatted, i have mentioned this before, that my laptop is dying.. so i'll install windows 7 and hopefully i'll have japanese language on it as well.

July 1st 2010

2010-07-02T15:22:00.002+03:00

I decided to continue writing... i don't know how it would go, being in Kuwait... it might be more repetitive and less exciting... maybe...

Also, since most of the people who used to read my posts are IN Kuwait, i do not know why would they continue reading if its not about Japan life.

But maybe this time, it would be for ME... I will write, for me.

I was very satisfied that i did complete my goal, i wrote everyday without fail in Japan... a task completed.

Anyway... well.. actually today, now, its friday and i'm writing last night's post. Since just now i decided to continue writing, naturally i have no photos from wednesday nor thursday.

But i'll start on it tomorrow, today, i would probably just sit in the house...

i returned wendesday and went straight to work after my shower at home, and then i played football at night, and yesterday i also played football in the windy dusty weather... add that to my, now apparent, jet lag and i believe it would be better to stay at home today... even though someone also called me today and said there is a football game at 7 pm... it pains me to have to cancel going... but as i sneeze (and i'm sneezing RIGHT RIGHT NOW...YES i can write while sneezing, since i can type with my eyes closed) my belief that i SHOULD stay at home is reaffirmed.

i have lost a lot of weight... around 5-6 kg and i dont think i want to gain all of them back... but maybe a few would be ok. So today, i'm going to eat KFC :D

the first world cup game today is at 5 pm... lol what a relief, much better than 11 pm in Japan.

oh also... i'm eating LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of fruits :D aaaaahhh how i love Kuwait's food prices and abundance.

i have lots to say, but i'll keep some for tonight or tomorrow.... since, again, this is supposed to be yesterday's post :/

30th June 2010

2010-06-30T21:39:00.002+03:00

this marks the end of a chapter... The Japan Chapter (April 3rd till June 29th)...

whether i'll continue writing or not, i'm not sure...

but i have returned safely to my home country... Kuwait... i left 60 Kgs... and now 54 kgs... so anyone who wants to lose weight, stay in Japan for three months...

29th June 2010

2010-06-29T16:40:00.001+03:00

Let me just say... there are coincidences... and then there are COINCIDENCES... I cannot get into details but something very strange happened today...

Let me just say... a coincidence is something that happens and the chances of that happening would have been very scarce. Too minute... too minuscule for the human brain to fathom and would be treated as virtually impossible but possible... thats what we label as coincidence i think...

Of course... if something happened to you, the person, then that means there is also another side of the story, the domino affect of the actions that lead up to you being where you were when that coincidence occurred. Most people do not consciously think of these actions...

On rare occasions, i can catch myself consciously computing and thinking of these actions, the forks in the roads... the decisions to go RIGHT or LEFT for example... i would not know why in this situation, this routine brain process is brought to my consciousness but i know that NOW i am ACTIVELY CHOOSING THIS rather than THAT... for what reason? i do not know...

Today it happened more than once... and i was almost feeling myself being steered like a canoe down a river on a certain path... again, why i don't know...

Until it happened... then the curtains were removed, i knew why i was there on that spot at that certain moment... I do not know when the universe was created... and if the concept of TIME stands true... that moment back then, must be measured on a certain ruler or such... so... i knew why on that certain point of the ruler, i had to be where i was...

---------

Tomorrow is my last day (on the contract) in the dorm, so i better write this list, maybe the hotel doesn't have internet...

i was thinking... for over 2 weeks now... about making two lists... 1-what i'm looking forward to doing in Kuwait and 2- what i'll miss in Osaka

so here it is...

Kuwait - looking forward to:
1. hugging mom
2. hearing my dad's voice
3. hearing my small sister's laugh (or cry lol)
4. visiting grandma
5. seeing my friends
6. visiting my workmates
7. eating lots and lots of fruits :D
8. indian food, lebanese food, steaks! kuwaiti food, naif chicken, FALAFIL... you got the picture :P
9. playing football with my friends
10. swimming
11. sushi
12. working... i miss work and getting back in the game
13. fruits :P and more fruits
14. playing cards
15. my rooooooooooom... my beeeeeed... my toileeeeet

ok.. 11 was a joke, if you haven't guessed it by now

Osaka - What i'll miss:
(jesus... seriously... i'm getting misty eyes just thinking about this)
1. my friends... their faces.. their smiles...
2. my teacher's faces and voices
3. being closer to my friends from work (even though they are in different cities mostly)
4. walking... a lot of walking
5. Japanese apples
6. Japanese language... everywhere...
7. running
8. matcha tea latte from starbucks
9. my friends from football and football itself
10. the feeling that i'm living in Japan!
11. speaking in Japanese and the feeling of improvement everyday
12. the funny tv shows
13. the electronic stores

o'man... i'm going to miss my friends... especially since just recently after school finished, we've been going out a lot... (thank God for Facebook) :p

i can't believe that this chapter of my life is coming to a close... aaaaahhhh...

This is from a shop that is not in the main shopping area.. but closer to my dorm... it has many nice things like ancient dolls, etc..

I like the color.. this is REAL color.. unlike in Kuwait where they put paint in the water so that the flowers change color

maybe this is my last matcha tea frappacino

PS. check yesterday's post photos also

28th June 2010

2010-06-28T18:53:00.003+03:00

again, i woke up without alarm today at 11:20 am... i guess its my internal clock... which is ok in Japan... but back in Kuwait that would translate to 5:20 am... lol i dont want to go to work on time :/ hehehe

Today must be "Take your pet for a walk day" lol and people ask me in what way Japan is weird!!!! loooooool see the photos (aaaaah man.. uploads not working.. i'll try again tomorrow) too bad....

I went and met my friends from school in Namba Parks... and we have lunch.. i also shared some sweets with them from Daimaru... very delicious...

Since now most stores have SALE. I visited two stores that i JUST RECENTLY bought from... 1 of them had a sale, and if i didn't buy it back then and waited for the sale, i would have saved around hmmm 25 KD :/ but i'm glad the other shop which i also spent a lot in, had no sale :D

after that, i met another group of classmates and we went to an indian restaurant...

:)

Lunch and dessert

I don't think the monkey's limbs are naturally yellow... i think he was painted :P which i wouldn't surprise me, this being in Japan.

I like this dog... he looks like a german shepard but his ears are way longer.

LOOOOOOOOL
because Midosuji the main street is Smoke Free, they put these smoking areas... i like the naming though.. Manners Station :)

ahhh.. today... lots of funny videos as well.

June 27 2010

2010-06-27T15:56:00.005+03:00

Today i slept well... woke up refreshed... unaware that outside its is ridiculously humid and hot!

I went to meet Mr. S and had lunch together.

Came back home, and even though it was seriously humid and terrible outside, i had to go run, i've been feeling guilty for yesterday's big dinner.

Came back home... and decided to stay the day at home.

Today after lunch i passed through Hankyu department store, near the food section, and i saw a kiosk that sells donuts but upscale donuts (department store style) and ever since... the craving... aaaaaargh i want to try one... soooo badly... tomorrow maybe? Also i want to have Mister Donuts one more time before i leave...

Someone (who shall remain anonymous... the bodyguard) has been congratulating me for Japan's win... so to him i say

"thank you very much... we tried our best.. and Allah has blessed us... i am really happy WE'RE winning and doing well"

lol what the heck am i being congratulated for? :P am i Japanese? :P you know what...

MABROOK to you too Bodyguard, for Ghana's win... you guys played well :P lol

watch the videos... the last one is just... ruthlessly funny...

26th June 2010

2010-06-26T11:40:00.005+03:00

12 weeks ago this day i arrived... with no money, no where to sleep, left out in the streets to wonder the nights... rummage for food from trash... and now look at me.. i came a long way... i have a room in a respectable dorm, i have a Japanese wife from a good family, who's father is a doctor... i have 3 children (which is 2 too many for Japanese)... i made it!!! (play the rocky song now please)
....

Woke up around 11 and quickly showered prayed and left to go to Ashiya, and meet Mr. T and his family. It was fun, i was treated to a Japanese traditional meal but in a modern atmosphere shop. Came back home and decided to stay in. I ate a lot at night :( mostly bread, but lots of it lol

i need to run, but tomorrow is rainy just like today... i'm contemplating running in the rain, which i dont mind, but i'm afraid for the ipod, even though its in a casing. If i don't take the ipod with me, how can i track the run on nikeplus.com ? :( heheh see my dilemma?

my laptop is dying on me... :( i can't wait to return to Kuwait and install windows 7

my bags are quite full.. i'm glad i sent one bag already to Kuwait... otherwise i would've been in big trouble come my departure day.

25th June 2010

2010-06-25T17:47:00.003+03:00

Woke up early today as well... today was the graduation speech at school... so 9:30 i was there... whats nice is that i could understand almost 70% of what the president was saying...

yesterday they found a lost key and chain in one of the buses, i think #3, and they were asking everyone yesterday if anyone lost a key... they mentioned it today as well... also... lol they were mentioning that someone they found in bus #5 a pair of shoes LOOOOOOOL they were asking if anyone knows anything about it lol like it would be hard to spot someone walking back from the bus barefoot loool

after school i went with 4 classmates for coffee, then i finished my last... last... last... gifts shopping :)

i then got a call from another group of classmates... they are buying a discounted ticket for the trains but they need someone who has a 3 month visa on passport.. so i went back home and came back with my passport... also i changed into my football uniform so i can go right afterward to football...

i got lots of stares in the streets... an old man shook my hand lol, three ladies were saying Sugoi which means hmmm... difficult to translate.. maybe.. "cool" or "awesome" lol i knew i was going to get some looks.. but i didnt think it would be this much, i guess because of Japan's win last night... which was great! well played Nihon! really great.

ah.. yeah before i met them again with my passport i went and had a hair cut... cleaned up my image a bit

at football.... seriously... what a way to end the last day of football in Japan... the team i was in was great! we all played well... ok let me explain the system... basically we are 15 players... 3 teams of 5... and every 6 minutes one team takes a break for 6 minutes.. which ends up every team plays two games of 6 minutes, then rests for 6 minutes and then comes back on...
we played 11-12 games... we lost only once and drew once, and won the rest... i am probably top scorer through-out the day... scored a great hat trick in one game... really great feeling :)

what else? what else? hmmm thats it... came back home, did laundry... ate dinner... etc etc..

i will not do any studying till i come back to Kuwait... i think i want to relax a bit :)

oh and i got my certificate today as well... no score on it though... just that i completed 3 months.

24th of June

2010-06-24T16:10:00.010+03:00

with lots of effort, i woke up at 7 am. quickly set my clothes ready and prayed... then my classmate and dorm mate knocked my door to make sure i'm up... I met him down and had my first breakfast since i came to Japan 3 months ago lol

i hurriedly came back to my room, showered and we both walked to school, reaching it around 8:20...

the field trip started shortly afterward and the details are in the captions of the pictures below.

i need to mention something.. that today God really, really loves us. (well, especially today anyway hehhee) up until yesterday, the weather forecast was supposed to be rainy+cloudy all day... and as you can see in the pictures, beautiful sun, and cool breeze... unbelievable, seriously, not a single cloud... a miracle, hallelujah! :P

Also, i sat next to the three Korean girls from my class, and i was with them throughout the trip, they are cool and i'm glad i got to know them more, since we never talked during class... they also say, i have the best laugh... lol... they say it's contagious and very cute :D

after coming back at around 7 pm... i went and did some shopping.. i'm very happy about what i bought... :D sometimes you buy something halfheartedly, and not too sure about it and you get "buyer's remorse" but today what i bought i really like :)

and got back home.. here i am :) and the upload is working... which is icing on the cake :D

by the way, yesterday's game, Germany in black uniforms... is it just me, or are the uniform's cool lookin'?

after this blog, i'm will start packing... i'll keep only the clothes that i'll use outside.. but atleast i'll know how much my bags weigh, etc. anyway i don't have anything else to buy...

also, i've added some pictures that were not taken today... as well... i've added links to some pictures taken a few days ago, but i put them in their proper dated Post.

PS. i am very happy... seriously... i am blessed and i hope everyone can feel the same feeling i'm feeling right now, do you feel me? (how many 'feel' did i use?) ;)

even one of the ladies that cook for the dorm told me, you look very happy... why? I said its because of school finishing... but thats not the whole truth... the truth is that it isn't a SINGLE reason... rather... its the accumulation of everything that happened to me in life that brought me to this moment... where i can genuinely smile... and thank God... for everything... what a blessing :) (i'm getting teary just writing this)

how do you repay God, the universe, the world, karma, whatever... for this feeling? how do you pass it forward? aaaaahhhh :)

I am very, very, grateful :)

This is on the ferry. We boarded the ferry in the buses, then we walked around on the ferry.

Amazing weather, isn't it?

That was an attempt at a funky picture

we took a lunch break here...

there were plenty of fish, jellyfish, and i believe the big fish is a puffer fish

we then went to Iwaji Earthquake Memorial, this is a size 7 earthquake on the rector scale

a sample of a house during the quake

here, we're going to a bridge over a whirlpool, though we didn't see any whirlpool, i guess the timing wasn't right, but it was beautiful nevertheless

the view from the bridge

did i ever tell you i'm afraid of heights?

this is on our final stop, souvenirs shopping, ok this is a beautiful picture... could be a wallpaper picture no?

lol no comment!

this is in Namba Parks.. i was walking through this shop and without consciously realizing it, i felt a good feeling when i past this t-shirt... something was familiar and making me feel good... i looked again... and i saw my beautiful country :) lol never mind the description.

***
ok now pictures from before

me reaching the GREEN LEVEL on my Nike-Plus running thing

lol don't stare at the woman... i was taking a picture of the dog... seriously!!! look at the way he's sitting loooooooool what the heck? and when the walking light turned green, she was pulling him up, he didn't want to move.. he stayed like that for a few seconds lol

this is strange, this black car... there is a huge fleet, every sunday, they put very patriotic music and notice speeches on those big microphones... very very very noisy... their message is to return Japan to how it was before WWII...

I dont know.. i just liked this picture, the meaning of it is... for the people waiting to enter the train (or is it for the people waiting inside the train? either way) its for the people on one side, to be careful from the barbarians on the other side! lol

A street in Shinsaibashi

This is funny.. it wasn't clear because he was walking fast on the opposite direction... but this guy lol had a Persian cat, shaved in a funny way, on his shoulders. LOL

see the tail LOL

***

Links (make sure to see them, they are cool as well)

1 - The card given to me from R (from Taiwan)
2- The card given to me from R (from Spain)
3- Supermarket shopping from 23rd June
4- Smoked Salmon sandwich from 20th post
5- The Milk dessert thing from my friend K. from 20th post
6- The train i took to the airport to meet my friends on 19th
7- My italian lunch on the 19th
8- Supermarket shopping from the 17th
9- Rainy picture from 15th

23rd of June

2010-06-23T17:55:00.004+03:00

honest to goodness, today was an amazing day...

the atmosphere in class was great like yesterday but 10 times fold.

we got the exams' results back.

1. the kanji exam, i didn't do well but much better than last week and than what i expected.

2. the 4 hour exam, i got 89%

i then went to the teacher after class and i asked her what is my overall score for the entire course... i am basically an A student.. apart from the one B in Listening. She didn't hand me the paper but i saw it and there were like 5 A's and 1 B. I am very happy about that.

then the entire class went out to a Korean restaurant, i left early but it was fun and the more i get to know my classmates the more i feel i'm blessed being with them in the same class... i am sure these friendships will last a long time.

after that i went to the supermarket... the only unusual item i bought was Figs... but they are twice if not three times the size of Kuwaiti figs... i'll try them out tomorrow.

tomorrow i have to wake up at 7 am... and be at school at 8:25... we're going on the school trip so that should be exciting :)

this is from R. (from Taiwan), he's good no?

this is from R. (from Spain) he's an interior designer

22nd June 2010

2010-06-22T16:25:00.003+03:00

regarding yesterday's video... why was it funny? i have no clue! lol... its not even japanese...

since it didn't rain today as well, i decided to go for a jog after school... i then went to starbucks to use the internet and upload the pictures but it turns out that the internet service is only available till 5 pm... crazy...

tomorrow is the last day for classes... weird feeling...

don't ask me how i was able to upload this picture... it just worked this one time.

21st June 2010

2010-06-21T17:19:00.004+03:00

when everyone knows that there is only 2 classes left, the mood is different... more relaxed... more at ease... it was a good day at school...

came back home and went for a jog... not a long once, 7 k only.

did you watch the Portugal vs N.Korea game? woooow!!! lol these guys are on steroids i tell you...

i didn't go to the coffee shop today because i chose running instead, i knew tomorrow would be a rainy day, so i'll go to the cafe then.

you've got to watch this video!!!! its the funniest video you'll ever see! i'm still rolling on the floor laughing

20th June 2010

2010-06-20T18:38:00.004+03:00

its funny how my body is now programmed to wake up at 11:30 am, give or take 1-2 minutes.
without fail, yesterday and today i woke up at 11:32 am, without alarm.

today just after waking up and praying, my uncle sms'ed me and we decided to meet someone in 40 minutes. I hurriedly showered and left to meet him and my aunt (his wife). It was a delight! absolutely a delightful time.

meeting members of your family makes you aware of where your genes came from.

I then went to find some things friends in Kuwait have asked me to buy for them. But i am sorry to say they don't have their sizes :P thats one downfall of being either too tall or too big for Japan :D

i went then and bought some clothes for petite me :P and headed to the supermarket and bought some smoked salmen, Philadelphia cream cheese, and bread.

At home, i made a sandwich and then a friend of mine in the dorm stopped by and gave me some sweet milk, he said his mother sent him a package and told him to share with his friends, i was very thankful, i'll try the milk now after this post.

i have pictures but i can't seem to be able to upload them. Worse case scenario, tomorrow after jogging i'll go to another starbucks and see if they have internet there.

I went today to both Yamada Denki and Yodobashi Camera to buy this new game for Nintendo DSi, but it was sold out at both places, even though it only came out yesterday. I guess people lined up for it. It teaches you have to paint... cool software, i wanted to buy it with Kanji learning software but i'll wait to get them together.

here's the link to the drawing program

looks cool doesn't it? there is even a video CM (commercial) with the character i like, the girl with the big eyebrows.

its available in amazon.com but i couldn't order it, i'll wait till the last day and then check with yamada denki again.

i'll go study now

the smoked salmon sandwich

it tastes exactly like 'mahalbiya'

19th June 2010

2010-06-19T16:43:00.005+03:00

today was a very refreshing day for me.

i went to meet my work colleagues/friends from work at the airport. I also passed along one of my bags... the problem with the bag was that it was a bit large and doesn't have wheels. So i had to walk a lot between subway stations and had to carry that so-so heavy bag awkwardly, i was sweating like hell... and my t-shirt was completely soaked. lol

i finally reached the airport, met them, then we all put our bags in lockers and we went to a nearby Outlet Mall with lots of shops and restaurants... it was seriously a lot of fun to meet one of my friends from Kuwait.

it was good to go meet them there and not in the city, because it serves a dry run for when i have to come back... now i know exactly how long it takes.

according to them, i lost a lot a lot of weight, so i'm going to start adding ice cream back on my menu :D hehehe

came back home, watched the Japan vs Holland game, sorry Japan :( and studied.

This is the train i took to the airport to meet my friends... the same one i'll take when its time for me to leave :/

lunch :) oishii yo!

18th June 2010

2010-06-18T19:03:00.003+03:00

Since the last exam was last Wednesday, i feel that school is over, even though we've got 3 days left... 3 days... gosh... it really went buy quickly... i actually still get moments while i'm walking in the street or sitting in class, where i remind myself, I'M LIVING IN JAPAN! It is really surreal... i wouldn't have thought in a million years this would happen... if you would have asked me 10 years ago, or 5 years ago, would i be in Japan living for 3 months, i would have said i don't think so... who knows where life will take me in the next 5 years...

today was raining cats and dogs as well.

i'm excited about the weekend... tomorrow, a dear friend of mine from Kuwait will be in Osaka and i'll get to see him again. Very excited about it. Sunday, my uncle and aunt in law are in Osaka as well and i'll see them either sunday or monday... very exciting weekend inshallah.

Today's football was ok, i played well, but i seriously hate so many people there... there are those people who don't know what the hell football is, they are good athletes and they can run, but they can't think if their lives depended on it... and there are those who are very talented but very lazy, i think they don't care if they win or lose, they just want to practice with the ball... which i hate :(

Have you been watching the world cup? Spain lost, France Lost, Germany lost... its surprising, that is what this world cup is.

in the spirit of football

whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy? laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaish? doushiteeeeeeeee??? lol

17th June 2010

2010-06-17T16:13:00.005+03:00

i went to school early today to ask about the certificate and how they calculate grades... the good news is that for short term students like myself, they only give me the final 4 hours exam's results as a grade... which i did quiet well in... so lets wait and see :)

i then bought next class's text book so i can study it in Kuwait.

went for a jog... i ran 7 k's till i reached the supermarket then i walked back... total 11 k.

poor South Korea... but they played well...

Whats new this time is the three little packs on the bottom right... they are energy drinks, after i tried one it turns out that they are more like jelly than drinks...

poor cat lol

16th June 2010

2010-06-17T06:10:00.001+03:00

I really bombed the last kanji test.. terrible terrible :(

and whats worse... is that yesterday my allergies came back full-on. So i was sneezing and had a runny nose throughout the class, which was only tests. by the way it reached 5 pm and the kanji test was handed to us... i was beat... my brain was on off-mode. i think i screwed up this last kanji test as well.

:(

15th June 2010

2010-06-15T17:51:00.004+03:00

rain, more rain, a bit more rain...

today i couldn't sleep well because the A/C was off. The guy came and fixed it at around 11... so thats cool (literally) ;)

nothing much other than studying today...

14th of June 2010

2010-06-14T19:11:00.003+03:00

Omedetou Gozaimashita for our Japanese friends for winning against the African Lions, the Cameroons.

regarding yesterday's colors... i actually had made my choice and bought one of them yesterday before posting about it on the blog. But i will not tell you which color i bought... you just have to wait and see. ;)

wednesday we have a big exam, its a 4 hour exam and it basically tests the overall level of our Japanese from the beginning of the course and even has more than what we studied.

i have been studying a lot... seriously, studying is very strange.. or let me rephrase.. the way the brain computes the information is strange... at times the information i study complicates things and i get even more confused and anxious and worried... and other times actually the information clicks into place and i feel better and more enlightened.

and lastly...

as if i need more PROBLEMS in my room... first it was the sink, and now this...

on another note, i was walking in Shinsaibashi... and the last thing i was expecting to hear was this...

13th June 2010

2010-06-13T17:06:00.005+03:00

first, i've added a bit more to yesterday's post and also some pictures.

Today was very rainy, but i was, again, beautiful, fresh, rain...

i came to buy the blue one... but then i got hesitant... help me out

if you think the Black is the best, please raise your RIGHT HAND now... ok.. and if you think the Blue one is the best, raise your LEFT HAND now... if you think the Green one is the best, then raise BOTH HANDS. thank you for your support.

after shopping i went to the cinemas and saw Prince of Persia... it wasn't half bad.. but they ruined the original story and the spirit of the game to be frank.

and i finally had my favorite pasta, GOEMON Pasta :D oishikattandesu yo!

i started opening my bags and arranging my stuff... i'm officially in "going back" mode.

yesterday i was so worried about the next kanji exam and the 2 chapters that i had to learn. (30 more characters) and all day i was worried and gloomy... but after last night and all day today, i was so relieved because last night i studied a lot and i got those two chapters covered. :D

in Japan, father's day is June 20th... so every shop i enter they remind me to "THANK YOU DAD" and "LOVE YOU PAPA"

and i do :) but i still don't know what to get my parents...

june 12 2010

2010-06-12T21:17:00.003+03:00

today at the supermarket.. as i was buying yogurt and checking the expiry dates, i thought "i wont be here in Japan when this expires" and it was a sad moment... i'll miss this place... seriously...

have you ever wondered what the meaning of friendship is?

here...

i went to Hankyu department store to check something out.. also, last week i went there and bought something as a gift.. i didn't do the TAX refund thing that time i thought i'll do it all together at one time.

anyway, when i went, the guest services desk said you have to do it ON THE DAY. and i was like seriously pissed off, i told them but i did it last time and it was also for different dates.. they replied "yes this is new rule" anyway, i was sooo pissed off.. but i just went to the shop i got the item from, and told them, i want to return the product and repurchase it lol... so they just gave me a new receipt for the same day, and i got my tax refund... if you ask me, this is a stupid rule!

I thought let me try the Matcha Latte from Veloce.. it wasn't bad actually.. and its neat, because they sweeten the bitter matcha with jelly suger cubes.. so i could actually control the intake of sweetener with my sips.

the weather was lovely and a bit warm.

nice view for a coffee shop

they didn't have my size... but that would have been one cool pair of shoes

11th June 2010

2010-06-11T15:45:00.010+03:00

Today was a hot day... but i guess its good, i need to start getting used to hot weather to get ready for Kuwait.

i went and played football... it was great!

and now i'm studying and watching tv, waiting for the world cup to start...

the all you can eat pizza "tabe hodai"

This is the big one... i think its the QUEEN lol

this is strange for Japan... the train was 6 minutes late... i think the driver committed suicide by samurai sword after this.

today's football
i'm so fast, the camera can't take a clear shot of me :P

yup... too fast for the camera

this is me... the only way i can be seen clearly, is if i stood still :P

* * *

Shoes Challenge continues...

i like the green one.

i like all of these... lol funny looking

10th of June 2010

2010-06-10T16:45:00.002+03:00

today we went to an all you can eat pizza place a bunch of us from class... of course my selection was limited to two pizza's, the vegetarian and the shrimp pizza.

i came home and went for a jog... again i crossed the 10 K threshold.

i just saw my picture from today before loading it onto facebook... my hair is seriously turning white... :/

my dorm's internet is bugzy so i can't upload pictures... meanwhile enjoy this clip lol

9th June 2010

2010-06-09T18:02:00.004+03:00

Today after school i was supposed to meet someone who worked in panasonic gulf. But he canceled on me :( all is well, i wanted to go to Umeda Hankyu anyway so i walked around the store...

i decided not to gorge my self in clothes, so thats why i didn't buy anything today/

i got last week's kanji test. 25/30... not excellent but so far my highest kanji score...

today's tests i didn't do well in... they were 'mega difficult'... they were 'godzilla tough'... some of the questions where 'sushi-raw' :P

i came home and dorm's dinner was pork.. so i went out for mcdonald's fish fillet... i'm still hungry :( but tomorrow some of the classmates are going to 'all you can eat pizza' so i'm also going...

***
switching to a different subject
***

i had a beautiful dream last night... well, i think its not the dream that made my sleep peaceful, its the other way around... i think because i had a good night's sleep, my brain's flashes were very peaceful and relaxing...

i have been engulfed by the peacefulness all day... and i thought about it a lot... i thought about how the brain works... what a marvel... what a miraculous piece of wonder...

if i had died at that instant... forever freezing that feeling... forever holding on to that thought... endlessly being in that state of emotion... not needing anything... eternally at peace... i do not think that is much different than Heaven...

i picture human beings asleep... peacefully... and the brain, forever working in the background, conjuring up images from God knows where... the darkest areas of our subconscious, all in the efforts to allow us to make sense of the world around us... all the information that we've gathered, reshuffled, recompiled, organized, memorized... during our peaceful sleep...

to some lucky ones, this happens every night, but to others, the occasional nightmare comes up...

i wonder if animals go to that same place when they sleep. i wonder if during our peaceful sleeps, we are smiling from the inside...

but this insight about our brains has a dark side as well... its a double edge sword... the brain does not know 'right' from 'wrong'. The brain doesn't care... the brain's one and only reason for existence is to keep us at peace... if a wire is crossed and i need to 'kill' for example, then the brain would make that feel 'right' so that i'm at peace with what i'm doing...
Of course this is an extreme example, but, all of us, have subtle imperfectness in thoughts, personalities, attitudes etc... and our brains God bless them, are forever trying to hide though from our consciousness...

who are we, really? are we our consciousness? or our subconsciousness that keeps things hidden from consciousness, like a mother sheltering its child from harm... bending the truth... twisting reality, all in effort to keep the child's vitals at peace's bay...

June 8th 2010

2010-06-08T19:40:00.005+03:00

opss... sorry i forgot to post earlier.

in any case, there is nothing special today... well let me rephrase... "everyday" is special... but today there is nothing blog-worthy to post i mean.

i was studying hard for tomorrow's exams, textbook and kanji... out of the 180 kanji's i've studied so far, i've tested myself today and i got 17 wrong... (not completely wrong, just small mistakes per kanji) so thats around 90.5% acceptable i think.

i am already starting to think about Kuwait.. and mentally i'm compiling two lists..

1. things i'm going to miss in Osaka
2. things i can't wait to go back to Kuwait and do/have etc

another funny clip

7th of June 2010

2010-06-07T15:31:00.004+03:00

today because of the terrible weather (cloudy, a bit humid, with pollen all over) i think my allergies are back... but i wanted to go jogging... i haven't jogged all weekend due to my Tokyo trip.

so i ran 10 k in 1 hour exactly... and then i walked the other 1.5 k

i have reached a place in learning kanji that i cannot learn anymore, i feel... i'm like a cup already full.. and i feel that my learning abilities are decreasing... for example... before, it takes me maybe 1 day or 3-4 times to go over 15 kanjis to learn them... now i feel what i study goes straight out of my mind :(

i hate this feeling... it might just be over exhaustion...

anyway... i'll sleep early today and study in the morning... possibly it might be better...

watch this funny clip

and check out the latest Coca Cola TVCM (TV Commercial) for Fifa World Cup - Funny

6th June 2010

2010-06-06T17:34:00.002+03:00

Yesterday's pictures are added, please refer back to that post.

Today i went and visited Mr. T's house and i had a lovely time. I went then to Umeda with his daugher Ms. T, and we parted ways, she went to the ladies department store and i went to Hankyu Mens... i looked a round but didn't buy anything...

back home... i found this funny tv show again... lol but the character that i love, the lady with big eyebrows had already finished her segment, so next week i'll get it.

after studying hard... i had a bath... and used the chocolate powder LOL really it was very difficult not to taste the damn water lol it smelled like chocolate.

my bathtub with the chocolate powder

another show on another tv channel...

the show with the eyebrows lady has other characters... these 3 ladies are always together on their adventures and they are funny looool

5th June 2010

2010-06-05T17:54:00.007+03:00

After waking up, i went to breakfast in the hotel. I tried Nattou... which tasted awful lol.

i then walked around Tokyo's shopping districts. Omotesando and Shibiya... but i really dont like tokyo... i feel that i cannot breath there.. really...

the air that i breath stays right between my neck and lungs... not heavy enough to go down... and not light enough to escape... i decided to go back HOME... back to Osaka...

at 1:30 i boarded the shinkansen and at 4:10 i'm back in Osaka... back to the city i love... and were people stand on the right on escalators.. where the air is 'just right'

I went to the supermarket and bought a lot! lol i swear i should stop going there... i don't know what will break first, my bag or my back lol

but i bought a lot because i bought the stuff i want to take to Kuwait... like Ponzo sauce, the wassabi pasta sauce i tried before and loved...

also, because i knew i was going to tokyo, i didnt back a lot last week and i cleaned my fridge from food before i left... so i had a lot to buy...

not everything fit inside the bag so i was also carrying plastic bags... hmm what was showing in the bags.. water, beer, cereal, and yogurt...

really people were giving me confused stares, especially in the subway (i couldn't walk back home due to heaviness of stuff) lol i think once they see a foreigner, beer, cereal... "what the hell is this guy planning to do?"

ok pictures not working today... so i'll try to upload tomorrow

in the meantime... check these videos out...

Crater Face from Skyler Page on Vimeo.

oh my God!!! is that possible? can someone really go to a place and just be under that kind of sky at night? :( i want to go there... sooooooo badly...

I started my day with Nattou... i don't know how people eat this :(

Omotesando

I love the back area of Omotesando, it is filled with boutiques that look like houses.

the high end McDonald restaurants... the layout is a bit more high end, and yes.. the prices are higher than normal mcdonalds even though they are serving EXACTLY THE SAME THING!

Shibuya... in Tsutaya is the world's busiest Starbucks

Ginza
a famous sweets shop in Ginza

ok... what i bought

1. 6 bottles of different drinks

2. 4 single apples and 1 bag of 5 apples

3. bread

4. large bottle of water

5. 3 bags of Milk Sweets for my uncle

6. 4 cereal bags

7. 4 wassabi pasta sauce

8. 2 bottles of Ponzu dressing

9. 1 mouthwash and 1 toothepaste

10. 6 cans of beer (for once i want to get alcoholic beer by accident) :P

11. 2 cheese

12. 3 yogurt packs of 4

total 25 KD loooooooool

June 4th 2010

2010-06-04T16:59:00.004+03:00

Today from morning i went out with Mr. E and we were in meetings all day long. The meeting was great both from a personal level and a business point of view.

Dinner

Shrimp heads with eyes were not bad :P

this fish i didn't like really.. but i ate it all :(

walking fish... evolution at hand...

ice-cream tempura

June 3rd 2010

2010-06-03T19:39:00.007+03:00

Today at school, i had a verbal exam. I believe i messed up a little bit but thats alright, because i am happy that even though some words i messed up, the attitude of speaking was of someone who CAN speak Japanese... i mean there is confidence in the way i spoke... which is cool... i think i broke a barrier.

I am in Tokyo now... the trip was fairly easy. I did have to ask a little in Tokyo for directions but i was "communicating" and that was also a reason for me to feel good.

in Shin-Osaka station, the shops that sell the "box sets food" BENTO, are sooooo delicious...

Tokyo station... finding my way around... they told me Tokyo people are cold, but as soon as i looked lost and was looking at the map, someone came to me, Japanese man, and asked me if i needed help, i talked casually that i'm looking for this place... then he got on the phone, he was actually asking someone for me... I thanked him and told him its not necessary.

Do you think they sell Duck? hmmm... i wonder...

When i was inside the subway station, i mean, after putting the ticket in the machine (and cant come out) i saw this on the outside... what the heck? a whole village of them LOL so i tried my best to take as many pictures from the side

ba3ad??? lol neck tie!

Look at this dude... all comfy and relaxin' and chillin'... chilaxin'

I feel so proud to be able to read this without it having any english letters... even though there is Hiragana (the words under the big bold letters) i was reading the Kanji's...
yuu (same as yuume and as in arimasu) + raku (like in oto and ongaku) + chou (like tanimachi)

tokyo is different... their convenient stores are healthier "Natural Lawson"

as appose to this one

Their taxis are Mercedes LOL

This is the shop front of Hermes Ginza... inspired by Little Red Riding Hood

Sony FIFA WORLD CUP inspired window front... its really cool... this is to promote the 3D tv's

Other shop fronts

weird pepsi... it tastes like ginger ale

2nd of June

2010-06-02T21:31:00.001+03:00

oopps sorry i forgot to write today.

its 3:30 am, i just finished a presentation for work that i need to use on Friday.

I'm going to Tokyo tomorrow inshallah after school by Shinkansen again.

last Kanji test i did terrible, i think i got around 70%... i had a Kanji test today which i think i did much better... if not, i'm just going to kill myself, because seriously i studied very hard all this time...

anyway i won't know the results till next week...

1st of June 2010

2010-06-01T18:11:00.010+03:00

since the pictures are working this moment, i went back and redid all the ones that weren't ok before... its a pain in the neck, but the posts are better now...

ok, out of the 160 kanji's i've memorized now (meaning and writing them) i got 8 wrong... i don't think thats bad at all...

i heard part of a song on tv, Daiwo commercial and then i went to their website, i know about this band but this is the first time i hear this song, its amazing... www.playingforchange.com
and the song is this Oneness Choir

these are the pictures from before, sorry i know its a bit late... but better late than never i guess

Osaka Castle at night

at Osaka Park, Kendo classes and Karate

my pizza lunch

cool building

this is where we played last Sunday

now Saturday's pictures

not one, but 3... i seriously dont want to slip and fall on that

whale shark

weird fish, but then again, i'm sure the fish is looking at us and saying, weird monkeys lol

for some reason Izreal (the angle of death) was also there that day, looooooooool i guess he was taking a day off and enjoying Osaka :P

Osaka Eye?

Next time i see one of those, i'm going to just steal it lol

delicious ice cream (oishii soft cream)

holly cow!! lol thats one f@!#ing fat dog... or is it a small cow? i'm not too sure lol

i'm playing around with my nike running avatar

thats one delicious crepe... one day.... one day...

31st May 2010

2010-05-31T17:46:00.002+03:00

After class a group of us students went out and had a walk in Osaka Park. It wasn't bad at all.

i can't believe 2 months have passed and only 1 more is left.

today the guy who works in the dorm, told me i can stay the extra day, no need to go to hotel. He's very kind. I will get him some sweets before i leave, him and the ladies that work in the kitchen.

30th May 2010

2010-05-30T17:17:00.002+03:00

my dorm's internet sucks! i think we should all write to them, i'll try to fire up the guys here to complain also.

today's weather was very nice... i did manage to wake up early and go to starbucks to use the net... but there you only have 30 minutes once you log in, so i sat and did some work before logging in, only to find out afterwards that there was no internet at that location... sucks right?

we went to play football, the tournament was long and tiring, the Japanese teams were jerks! seriously, they play very rough! at the end, the teams playing for 3rd and 4th had a fight and people were stacking up on each other pulling punches etc. very silly!

we got 2nd place... but only because we tied and played stoppage time and no score... we then had penalties but only 1 shot... (sudden death penalties) so we missed that one...

anyway, next time i'll go to the starbucks i usually go to.

29th May 2010

2010-05-29T20:03:00.003+03:00

this is my 8th week now?

i don't know why but my sleep is off a bit these days.

we went out today me and two of my Taiwanese class mates to the Osaka Aquarium, but first we stopped for some curry rice, indian style...

the aquarium was fun, honestly. I did feel sorry, very sorry for the fish and other animals there, image, you're supposed to have the whole OCEAN as your world, and now you're cramped up in a tiny space swimming in circles... then again, in the ocean there are predators, so i dont know... Freedom vs Safety, which is more important?

then we went and have an ice-cream... Hokkaido ice cream is still the best though.

then we went and saw a 3D movie in Imax. Wonderfully created.
http://www.imax.com/vancouver/films/seamonsters.htm

After that, we headed to Namba parks and had dinner in a nice Hawaiian place.

pictures still not working, so i'll try tomorrow

28th of May 2010

2010-05-29T07:16:00.003+03:00

Please click on the images to see them in their correct resolution.

sorry i was late in writing this post, i was so tired from football.

i had a good night's sleep... there is nothing better than to sleep on freshly cleaned bed sheets... hot out of the drier aaaaahhh... i dreamt (for some reason this word 'dreamt' comes up as wrong spelling, but i checked the dictionary, its correct, past tense of dream) about work mainly but the rest of the dreams were calm and peaceful.

ok this picture i took because the double height of the cafe looks very relaxing, i think it gives the place a totally different atmosphere, a better one of course.

this is an old picture, i think that was Wednesday's market visit, the coconut milk is amazing, its the round plastic up in the center, again around 15 KD :P don't eat apples in Japan i guess

Pink is the new blue :P

i know, the two shirts look awful here, but they are nicer in real life. The guy gave me a free polo shirt (the turquoise one)

Ah! Nike! This is me... exactly the same color clothes as well.

It shows you all your runs

I was playing with my looks as well here.

You can track your run and save your route... cool!

again, your recent run, etc etc.

27th of May 2010

2010-05-27T16:37:00.003+03:00

2 days ago i went on the Nike+ipod website. Ever since last november i have been running with the Nike chip in my shoes and it syncs with the ipod i have. Going to the website is so much fun. You can track all your runs, calories, you can map it, you can set challenges etc etc. I recommend all runners to get a nike shoes and the chip as well.

i went and did some shopping today, i am happy with what i bought :D

and regarding 'Mapping the Mind', here is another fact (i kind of knew this, but to confirm it is nice). Brain areas are like muscles, the more you exercise them, especially in youth, the better they will be and they will be bigger actually. Like Remembering, or Face Recognition, Music Ears etc etc.

tomorrow i'll try to go to starbucks and upload the pictures :( sorry

PS. the coconut milk was amazing... aaaahhhhhh i want moooore....

26th May 2010

2010-05-26T16:21:00.003+03:00

What i'm learning to the book "Mapping the Mind" is truly a revelation to me. I think once i read how the brain works, i started reevaluating how i see things in life... Our brain is a magnificent tool, but its not perfect. A small fault can have huge consequences. And apparently, lets take 'eye-sight' as an example,

'seeing' is not a simple procedure , A to B = C
actually onces an image enters the eyes, then it goes a place where the image is corrected, then it goes to a place to put meaning to the image, also, it goes to a place where the brain does 'facial recognition' so if you're seeing someone you know, then the brain tells you its Mr. X or Ms. Y, at the same time, in the beginning, information from that scene you saw goes directly to somewhere in your subconscious, this is to evaluate if what you're 'seeing' is causing a 'threat', this is a shortcut path, so for example if you're seeing a SNAKE, then the brain doesn't want to wait for the normal path of the view to go to those places, so it also sends this 'warning check' to another place.

its even more complicated than what i wrote, so any place with a fault will cause big problems.

for example, lets say, yours eyesight works fine, and all the process is fine also, except, this subconscious place, the chemicals there are over productive, that means 'you' will interpret everything is dangerous, and even though your brain knows you're watching a cat, but your body will react and feel like you're watching a snake...

etc, etc...

its makes you wonder, if personality is just a by-product of your brain and it's faults.

----

the khaki pants i got, were XS, waist 28. Both guys at the shop were saying no no go for 30. i was telling them i am size 28, but i don't know why they insisted i go for the 30. I almost felt like they DIDN'T want me to be a 28??? Anyway i tried it on in the store and it was a ok. Today i realized it is actually a bit loose, and i need a belt with the pants to fit perfectly. so probably i'm a waist 27 now.

---

i went to the supermarket today, another 15 KD lol i bought something that i'll try after this post, Coconut Milk :D

i dont want to post the picture through facebook, i'll wait till tomorrow and go to a coffee shop and use the internet there... this dorm's stupid internet really sucks...

-----
i found these amazing website... they are purely magical... you must see them! Must!

Record Tripping
Record Tripping is a nifty experimental game by Bell Brothers. You are invited to solve a series of puzzles by scratching a record with your mouse’s scroll wheel. Clever game play and a lovely interface make this online Flash game as fun as it is weird.

Sound of Hamburg
Here is one of the most creative and unconventional Flash websites we’ve seen lately. Sound of Hamburg lets you compose music on and with the city of Hamburg. The combination of brilliant idea and unique interaction makes for an absorbing Web experience.

Verbatim Championship
Verbatim Championship is a hilarious Flash-based website where you can build your own “Media Monster” using Verbatim recording devices and use it to fight other monsters.

Incredibox
This fun and well-developed Flash application lets you conduct a beatbox or a capella band. The website is available in both English and French.

Optus Whale Song
An amazingly creative experience is offered by the Australian telecommunication company Optus on its official website. You can compose a song for a whale and make an orchestra perform it. This is a must-see Flash website.

De Montagetafel
This website was definitely among the best for Flash Web design for 2009. You are invited to try your montage skills and create your own documentary on an edgy topic.

Bubols
Bubole will definitely make you smile. It is an amusing monster builder and game. You create a weirdo and make it fight with monsters created by other players. The funny sound effects and typography are nice touches.

Flame
Flame is a brilliant JavaScript painting tool that proves that anyone can be an artist. The program was created by Peter Blaskovic as part of his experimental project “I am Artist.” Using a number of nifty drawing tools and, of course, your imagination, you can create some cool psychedelic drawings and then export them in a resolution of 1680 x 1050 pixels. All you need to use this tool is Java (probably already installed on your computer).

Beans
This is the pearl in our collection of bizarre JavaScript and Flash websites. Who would have thought that crushing little screaming beans could be so much fun?

Labuat
Labuat is the most beautiful and enjoyable time-killer in our selection. It’s a song illustrated by an interactive brush that reacts to music, and the lyrics won’t leave you cold.

Infinite OZ
The Infinite Oz is an interactive Flash animation that features a collaboration between nine acclaimed international artists. Exploring fantastic sci-fi worlds that replace each other infinitely is a quite relaxing pastime.

Drum Machine
Drum Machine has several pre-loaders that play before the actual animation starts. In most cases, you would not wait so long for a Flash website to load, but Drum Machine is an exception. a mesmerizing combination of animation and sounds won’t let you leave.

Papervision 3D
Before entering the official website of open-source Flash framework Papervision3D, you have a chance to explore an interactive 3-D underwater environment.

Bio-Bak
Bio-Bak is indubitably a trendsetter when it comes to bizarre Web design. Enter this kingdom of the absurd and fun to load up on positive emotions.

Neave
You will never get bored on this website. This online home of interactive designer Paul Neave is a fount of engaging Flash applications and games.

And Then There Was Salsa
Although this is a video, its amazing!

May 25th 2010

2010-05-25T19:26:00.003+03:00

i was counting the Kanji's i've learned so far, 140+, this is more than arabic and english alphabets combined!

Today i went to do some shopping, but i only bought socks. that sucks! lol :P

i still don't know what to get my parents from here... :( and also the shoes hunt, is still on.

aya7mar! ish hel serwal!

what kind of shop promotes smoking! i'm never buying from here

i swear.. one day i'm just going to bite into you....

the latest in bottle designs

My favorite drink in my favorite cup

Is alshaya'a running this promotion? i doubt it.

I thought only Kuwaitis and American's eat extra-stupidly-large-burgers?

and my dinner.. i think its Nagroor? from the brown meat.

May 24th 2010

2010-05-24T20:07:00.001+03:00

i bought another conditioner by mistake! God Damn it!!!!

lol i'm kidding :P

today was an uneventful day, school, jogging, studying at home...

the best part of the day was watching Lost Finale... part 1, dont ruin it for me, i'll see part 2 tomorrow.

Japanese is getting a bit difficult with all the new kanji's and new ways of saying things...

23rd May 2010

2010-05-23T15:25:00.005+03:00

before you read on, play this and continue reading while it plays

ave maria

today was too rainy so the game was canceled :(

i went out and shopped a little, i was feeling tired and sleepy all day.

i went to tokyu hands and got these powders etc for a bath.

seriously, i'm loving Bagel & Bagel, they've got the most amazing bagel i've ever tasted.

sorry the pic is not clear, but it says "i'm going out it" looool what does that mean exactly? what are you "outing" exactly ? gas? :P

nice shorts? it looks like a traditional arabic sofa texture doesn't it ?

The rain was cold and lovely... i'll miss the rain when i go back home :(

i know the shirt is not clearly traced out, but its light beige

lets see here, this is not a wine bottle, its bubble bath apple flavor.. and then chocolate cream flavor and then skim milk cream goodnight (dont know why goodnight) flavor... this is a cappuccino not a bubble bath

round two at pasta... this time it was much better... and seriously this time i tried Wassabi sauce... amaaaazzzzinG :D

and the two bagels there, blueberry and the other is green tea and vanilla.

Meet the sloths from Amphibian Avenger on Vimeo.

May 22nd 2010

2010-05-22T20:48:00.000+03:00

7 weeks down, and 5 to go :(

Today i woke up late and i didnt leave for the park until 3.00... i got lost so i didnt reach there till 4:45 and they close at 5 so i couldn't enter... but it looked much bigger than i thought and it looked very beautiful... i will go there next week for sure.

then i chose a different way back to Namba are (shopping area) and i stopped at a station that looked very familiar. I remembered it at once. A few years back we came here, Mr. A, Mr. W and me. We left Panasonic factory and we walked to this area to get a subway train back to our hotel. Mr. A was in a dishdasha! lol that was funny, i still remember that day.

i saw Mister Donuts and i couldn't resist :( aaaaaaah i ate two donuts... even as i am writing now i can recall the taste.

i then went to starbucks and did some work on my laptop and got home afterward.

Tomorrow we have a football tournament, but it will be raining :/ yikes!

Sun tower

yep... thats the place... 2 guys in a suit guarding a guy in a dishdasha walked by here lol

aaaaah oishiiiiiiii tabetaiiiiii... ippai tabetaiiii

i should have gotten coffee with those

some musicians in the street

and some in a hotel lobby

and now

the tv shows

that one was about the guy making those dominos thing with the animals

21 May 2010

2010-05-21T17:16:00.003+03:00

It was a good day, again... :)

after school i went to play football, and we didn't lose... i think we were the best team.. it was tiring yet rewarding in a way.

i was supposed to go out with a friend to a bar or something like that... (i'll drink diet pepsi)

but last minute i changed my mind... i prefer a quiet night at home, relaxing, studying, reading... i'm not in the mood for noise, tobacco smell, and too many drunk people.

tomorrow i might go to this park

http://www.expo70.or.jp/

yesterday i watched american idol, and i am hooked on a song that was played in the background... lol all day i was replaying it in my mind....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HNY0rx2fw4

20th May 2010

2010-05-20T18:00:00.003+03:00

Today at the dorm, the person in charge was asking me if i'm leaving the dorm on the 30th of June... and as i signed in agreement, i couldnt help but feel a pinch in my soul... i'll miss this place :)

tomorrow football! exciting... and sunday there is another tournament but it seems to be a difficult one... 4 hours, so we'll see...

i think time alone in Japan helped me a bit... i guess esperiencing solitary will help anyone... it will make a person self analyze (or maybe thats my OCD) i don't know now...

but i do feel i'm calmer now... i think a little bit more before taking rash actions... i had many emails that i wrote (they weren't nice ones, actually they were not bad but they were a bit strict and hard) but after writing them, i changed my mind and thought... i'd should try a new approach, a more supportive approach...

I think this comes from trying to put myself in the other person's shoes. In the end... life is short... really short... why waste a single breath on negative energy. (of course i'm trying to be like this, but i'm not 100% there yet)

anyway... normal day... school, jogging, supermarket..

13.720 KD... kaaaa ching! lol

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i saw these funny clips on a friend's facebook page...

19th May 2010

2010-05-19T18:36:00.003+03:00

I didn't do well on last week's kanji test 24/30 :( its good and bad.. its bad because i made silly mistakes that i shouldn't have made, and its good because i knew the harder parts of the test.

today's tests :( lol i think i did badly... it was a bit hard...

but that will not discourage me from keeping on studying hard...

when i was working for NBK in 2002, my boss told me... "ya Zizo (thats what he nicknamed me) you know the story of the rabbit and the turtle? You are the rabbit.. you're very smart but you get lazy and try to enjoy your time... while the turtle is winning the race"

so this time, i'll be the turtle... and if i didn't do well on this test, its ok... there is always tomorrow... and if not tomorrow... then the day after that... with Will and Determination, everything is achievable right?

today they finally fixed the kitchen sink... apparently the filter thingie is loose and they replaced it.

:)

18th May 2010

2010-05-18T18:04:00.003+03:00

my allergies are back... i think i went off the medicine a bit too early...

i took the medicine again just now... so i'm looking forward to a good night's sleep... i studied a lot today because i have two tests tomorrow...

each day i fall in love more with Japan... it will be hard when the time comes to go back home... but i miss my family and friends as well...

today i also so part of another funny show... its like sumo wrestling but with girls.. and they can only use their butts to push each other out of the circle looooool and this coach is teaching this girl moves and tactics loool

17th May 2010

2010-05-17T17:41:00.003+03:00

let me just say this... i LOVE my parents...

to grow up in a house with so many books is just a blessing.

I took one of the books i thought might be interesting with me. Its called "mapping the mind" even though its a bit old and might (certainly) be outdated by now, i still find it very interesting.

it has a part about OCD which made me learn about myself, or let me rephrase, it made me understand why i act the way i do in so many instances.

there was a part about OCD that i liked reading, let me quote

"People with OCD tend to be exceptionally good, in that they go to extreme lengths to avoid doing anything wrong. They are often obsessed with morality and are scrupulously honest. The need to be truthful may be taken to absurd lengths, as with this patient:

'if I was talking to you and I mentioned that I had seen some one in a red dress, as soon as I said it I would start to think: "was it really red? Or could it have been another colour?" Once the idea had got into my head that I might have misled you - even if it didn't matter one bit what colour the dress was - I would start thinking: "should I confess that I said the wrong colour or should I make myself live with the guilt?" So I try to avoid saying anything that could be wrong. I put "I think" or "I'm pretty sure" or "it could have been" in front of everything. It is a sort of ritual- a way of making sure I can never tell a lie." [Rita Carter, Mapping the Mind, p.90]

very interesting book throughout.

anyway... other than that it was a normal day, school, 6.5 K jog, laundry, and studying...

16th May 2010

2010-05-16T18:42:00.005+03:00

today was a very fun day indeed.

i woke up around 10 and headed to the station where we're supposed to group up and then go together to the football tournament.

we won the tournament, but to be fair, the level of the other teams was a bit lower than our level. we even played a team with some children playing... i felt bad winning against that team.

then i got home and showered quickly and then went to Umeda and got me a polo shirt and another nice shirt.

I got home and met E. from the dorm and we talked a bit. He's really a kind guy.

the area we played in was really nice

thats me running

15th May 2010

2010-05-15T18:02:00.003+03:00

6 down and 6 weeks to go... i'll miss this place...

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let me start by saying... I'm such an idiot! idiot! lol how many times do i have to screw up and buy conditioner not shampoo!

today i went to get a cellphone but they told me i cannot since my visa is less than 90 days... i went shopping and was just looking around... on my to-get list are; jeans, shoes; and polo shirts

i then past by a bookstore and got me 2 Haruki Murakami books... (if you love reading, and you like Paulo Coelho, you must read for Haruki Murakami)

then went and had a nice 50 min massage... i still feel sour though... went to the super market to get a SHAMPOO! and came back home.

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make sure to read the Shoes Challenge part after the pictures.

quick... whats wrong with this picture?

Well atleast now, when someone asks you, "do you know where the kichen is?" you can say "yeah its were the day is 26 hours not 24!"

i liked this elevator stickers, we should do it at work

i dont know why but i liked this statue
I then passed by this shrine, and saw the two statues 7amood wo faisal

7amood

faisal
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Shoes Challenge

you know i want to buy a pair of shoes right?

Well... i want the shoes to be formal to be worn with suits + Dishdashas and i can wear it with jeans and a shirt... so today i saw these... i love them...

what do you think?

I love the texture.. it looks like its worn out and kind of old medieval europe no?

I like the one on the left... the reddish one... I have seen people here were brownish shoes with black suits which looks cool as well...

the one in the middle?

the one on the left, the bluish one... funky and cool lookin' ain't? and the one on the right is also nice

once i saw the footprint of this shoes... i fell in love... seriously cool... seriously...

so what do you think? if i buy any of these shoes.. would i be able to wear them with dishdashas ? suits? and jeans ?

14th May 2010

2010-05-14T19:04:00.002+03:00

today was a good day in all...

i went to school... had fun there and wasn't very stressful... i'm bonding more with my fellow class mates.

Left directly to go play football and met Mr. L on the way (the guy who allowed me to play in the first place) we chatted a bit and he seems like a nice guy.

came back home and the dorm's dinner was pork so i went out and got me some toast and i have the Philadelphia cheese from last night that needed to be finished off.

Did my laundry...

as i was eating... the piece of toast with the cheese on it slipped from my hand and , OF COURSE, landing on the laptop keyboard, and, OF COURSE, landed with the CHEESE side down :(

so i did what every man would do... i licked the keyboard clean (eeeewwwww disgusting) but that was the only way i'd insure the right balance of cleaning liquid and stickiness to remove the cheese... without drowning my keyboard in water. lol and then i wiped the keyboard with sanitary disinfecting tissue... this is a company laptop so one day someone else will use it loooooooool

i am sooo sleepy... i just finished studying...

you know... i'm at that place where the more i watch tv and understand what they say, and the more i feel like being able to express myself freely, the more i feel satisfied yet, in a single instant, if i get confused, my feelings turn to frustrations right away...

its a roller coaster... but i'm weathering the storm as they say... and licking keyboards on the way...

13th May 2010

2010-05-13T18:48:00.002+03:00

school is really getting more difficult... aaaah...

i didn't do anything interesting today other than studying...

looking forward to the weekend..

i had the mango i bought yesterday, i actually bought the one with the highest price, thinking it will be the best... it was around 1.2 kd lol but it wasn't that tasty. I think its because it was still partially green... :/

i saw a very funny tv show today... they put a guy in a room... and he has to build this domino's game you know? the one where you stack domino pieces one behind the other and make a nice roll-over effect image / thingy...

BUT... BUT... LOOOOOL they throw in there a dog, a chicken and a monkey LOOOOOOOOOOL and even though the dog and the monkey behave and do not step on the domino's... sometimes the dog chases the monkey and the chicken... and accidentally step on the pieces... looool and the guy has to correct that part again...

12th of May 2010

2010-05-12T17:17:00.003+03:00

Again, a good night sleep... but i was also a bit drowsy the whole day... i think its the medicine...

anyway... i got the results of last week's kanji test :( 23/30 terrible! but i think today's test i did better...

i went for a 10 K jog today... took me an hour... (actually it was 9.78 K)

then i went to a smaller super market that i've seen before which is closer to my home than the one i go to Max Value. This one turned out better.. they have more variety... Its called Hankyu Stores Market... Hankyu is a department store so i guess that explains the better variety.

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too see the full image, please click on it

spring.. butterfly season

sun tanning turtles

this was yesterday i was walking near the river and i saw a twig... then the twig moved LOL and holly cow!!! that was a good 30 cm long worm

this was actually sunday's dinner... these things on the left are sundried tomatos

i saw today a today of 8 cats

and another

to see cats here is very strange for me... almost like its out of place.

i love this area... seems peaceful

Nice view

i also found some ducks

13 KD :/

11th May 2010

2010-05-11T17:59:00.003+03:00

Today i slept very well.. i think since its the second day of taking the allergy medicine... i could finally have a decent night's sleep. But strangely enough, i was sleepy and tired all day long.

While i was showering before going to school, i remembered something! I remembered that my clothes are still in the dryer down stairs from sunday night!!! So i hurriedly finished showering and dried off and went down stairs... sure enough my clothes were in the dryer :/

At night i met Mr. R from Singapore and i had a very pleasant time (as always).

Seriously, one of the nicest things from the deal with Best Denki is meeting and knowing all these wonderful and kind people from Best. It is truly an honor and a pleasure for me.

i'm thinking of leaving this stupid blogger and going to wordpress maybe?

tomorrow i have a Kanji test, so i need to go back to study...

10th of May 2010

2010-05-10T18:14:00.001+03:00

nothing interesting today sorry... no accidental toilet entries. nothing...

typical relaxing day... school.. back home... studying... some work... etc...

oh by the way... today morning the guys from the dorm company came to check the sink lol they're confused as well... lol

9th of May 2010

2010-05-09T15:44:00.003+03:00

Its May right? lol

Today i was woken up by K. san, the Japanese friend in my dorm at 10 am. Actually i was up, i have terrible allergies and wasn't able to sleep. So i woke up and ate the 5 kiwi's from yesterday's. And i was about to sleep when he knocked on the door, he said he wants to go to Umeda and if i'm interested in joining. I was hesitant at first but i went and it turned out to be a nice walk.

Then i came back and went to play football... it was GREAT! the people were nice and the game was good... i enjoyed my time tremendously.

After that... came home, showered... made me spaghetti pasta but with ume sauce not tomato sauce.

I studied as well... I truly love Japan... i wish i can stay here more...

PS. stupid blog people! pictures not working, but anyway no important pictures today

8th of April 2010

2010-05-08T14:10:00.003+03:00

After waking up, i went for a jog... I went to (A) on the map but i jogged along the river... what was interesting is that i first saw one cat sitting near some patch of grass... she was sitting or sleeping like a leopard actually... and people were photographing it. I then saw another cat a head... then another 3... i saw more than 10 cats lying there... I think its a sanctuary for cats and they are sitting next to people as if they are demosticated...

on my way back, a guy with his mom in a wheel chair past by me, then from inside the bushes a cat came out and followed them... i turned around to see that the cat knows them and they stopped and petted the cat and played with it... very touching moment...

i then just walked around, went to takashimaya to buy a sports jacket but didn't find anything interesting... i wanted to go see alice in wonderland 3D but didn't want to wait 45 minutes for the next movie, i was very very hungry so i stopped and got 2 bagels from Bagel and Bagel, i think its the best bagel i every had. i'm starting to love this restaurant.

last night i dreamt i was eating a mango, so i bought a mango today at the supermarket :D

hahahhah the line today for krispy kreme was 2 hours! i wouldn't wait 2 hours for anything! not for a liver and if my life depended on it... twoooo hours for a donut... am i crazy or is that just stupid?

many people were taking pictures of this... i saw a tv commercial yesterday for it. i think its a new chewing gum.

i love the alcohol free beer from KIRIN

PS. today marks 5 weeks of being in Japan

7th of May 2010

2010-05-07T19:26:00.002+03:00

ok let me start by saying... today was a very satisfactory day.

I first met I. san from Best (to respect privacy of people, i'll refer to their first letter always). It is always a great pleasure meeting I.san and today was no different.

We have great hawaiian lunch. I still have the good taste on my mind.

then i went to school.

I left school feeling confident and happy... i DO feel that i'm learning more and more every day, today's class was listening, and the i am feeling that my level has improved a lot. now around 30-40% of a conversation i can understand (given that no hard or difficult words are used)

After school i met K. san. She was coming to Osaka to return to Kuwait and i met her for a few hours and we had dinner. After meeting K. san i feel like wanting to return to Kuwait to see family and to return to work.

After that, when i got home i saw an email that said there is a space for me to play football sunday. great!

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Daimaru

ok... after my first meeting in the morning, and after lunch. I was walking to the school. I felt that i needed to ummm relieve myself (#2) lol. So what i usually do is go to Daimaru Department store, its only 3 minutes walk from my school.

what i do is i go the building that houses only Women Products... why? less competition on the bathrooms and usually they are empty and clean!

I also have a system, if i go to Daimaru 2 days in a room, i alternate between floors, one time i go to B floor and the next time i'll go to 2nd Floor so they wont familiarize themselves with my face... "oh that bathroom guy" lol

anyway... today i went to Daimaru 2nd floor and the bathroom was empty and clean.

I put my bag and took off my jacket and belt and umbrella... in other words, got comfortable.

i found a very interesting thing in the bathroom... in one corner they have a small pull down chair for babies... though i found it very interesting and thoughtful for Daimaru to put this so people can put their babies in it while in the bathroom... i couldn't help but wonder why is this in the men's bathroom...

I guess men here also take their babies out...

So, then i looked to my right and i saw a disposal machines that said "for sanitary tissues or tampons only, no garbage"... it was odd that this is there, but i guess this is standard machine and men use sanitary tissues as well.

i left my stuff in the bathroom and went outside to wash hands then come back and to wear my jacket and get bag and umbrella... as i went back to the bathroom i saw a tampon disposal machine... for a second it didnt 'register' but my mind flagged it as weird.

i put my jacket on and got my bag and umbrella and as i was leaving i saw an old lady washing her hands... i was like "what?!! and i froze actually for a second in my place and i uttered an unintelligent sound like 'uuhhh???'" looooooool and she then looked at me and she said the same thing "oouuhhh???" lol then another younger woman got out of another bathroom stool!! lol needless to say, i hurriedly walked out of there... red faced yet giggling to myself lol

no more daimaru for 1 whole week... i'll go to Nikko hotel across the street...

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i saw a link on CNN about Kuwait... i was excited but excitement soon died out when i read the tag line lol

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/05/06/kuwait.fast.food.obesity/index.html?hpt=C2

6th of May 2010

2010-05-06T15:42:00.004+03:00

PICTURES ARE HERE!

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Today was another good day...

after school i went and bought a shirt from Brooks Brothers and a Tie as well. I have a meeting tomorrow with Best Denki in Osaka... and even though i can be excused if i wore jeans and polo shirt, i believe it is more respectful to wear a suit to the meeting.

As i was writing this post, i got an email from the Sunday Football group, saying that i didnt confirm in time and the vacancies are full, but if someone cancels i'm next on the list. :( too bad huh?

also someone else emailed me from the list saying tomorrow they have a game, but tomorrow i can't i'm busy with Best Denki... so i asked if i can confirm the next friday... still waiting for a reply.

If it works out.. i'll play every friday and sunday... that would really be cool....

anyway... blogger still didn't fix the pictures issue.. but i found another way, i'll upload to facebook then bring them here...

so here they are...

Monday's Breakfast

Lesser Panda Bear

Polar Bear

look at that kid and his camera! brilliant! lol

The most confusing garbage system in the world
(for plastic bottles, you have to throw the CAP in one place, and then remove the wrapper from the bottle and throw it in another place and the plastic bottle in another place)

A beautiful lake that i dont know the name of

The scenery was bliss

lucky man

Godzilla?

Onsen (hot springs) are believed to come from hell, so with it spirits and demons come out such as this little guy

Even the tv is operated by inserting a coin!

Ok this poor little dog was in the car from the day before when we first parked! what cruelty! really monstrous! We went to the hotel lobby to complain but the idiots there didnt want to do anything and just gave excuses!

The Bear Farm :D

Its funny to see those bears try to do anything to get attention and try to look cute

LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME HOLDING MY LEFT FOOT!

OK NOW LOOK AT ME! HOLDING MY RIGHT FOOT!

Still not impressed? OK NOW?

Lake Toya
The perfect ending to the trip, we stopped at a fruits market and got fresh apples!

5th of May 2010

2010-05-05T16:02:00.002+03:00

Today was a very hot day. I went jogging at 12 pm and i think thats the reason for my gigantic headache.

I went and met my father's friend and we have a very delicious dinner at a steam-cooked restaurant. No oils only steam and its cooked infront of you on the table.

pictures still not working... idiots at blogger.com

4th of May

2010-05-05T05:53:00.003+03:00

We went to a Bear Farm... very interesting and fun. Well it was much better than that zoo LOL.

Then we went to Lake Toya and also enjoyed the view.

Then to the airport and back to Osaka... my current home... it felt good to be back to something familiar... at the same time i missed the snow and the cold weather and the beautiful scenery.

I'm keeping these posts brief so the pictures can speak for themselves but pictures are not working now... soon inshallah.

3rd of May 2010

2010-05-05T05:44:00.005+03:00

We left the Onsen place in Sonkyou and headed to Asahikawa Zoo... a very famous zoo in Japan...

The zoo was a bit over crowded and due to the warm temperatures, most animals were inside sleeping.

We left early and headed to our next destination but taking a scenic route.

anyway... pictures speak for themselves :)

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picture uploads not working stupid Blog!

2nd of May 2010 (my Birthday) :)

2010-05-03T16:16:00.007+03:00

I know i'm running a bit behind on the posting... sorry...

30 years ago today... i came to this world... i was cold, crying, hungry, horrified and not knowing what was going on in this world... and it was all downhill after that... LOL

kidding :)

before i write about my day... a few words first... it being my birthday and all...

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I am... truly... without a doubt in my mind... blessed.... i was asked on my birthday what i wished for...

i wish for nothing... i have everything... and i do not mean materially...

I love my family... i love them for who they were and who they are... and i'm KNOW they love me back...

I love my friends... and i love my colleagues who are my friends as well...

I hate no one... (sincere hate... even if i say i hate this or that, i do not genuinely hate anyone)

and i need no more material things...

yes... i admit... i am not where i want to be... i am not yet 100% without materialistic needs and selfish needs... but i'm happy that i FEEL i'm getting closer to that goal...

I hope that i didn't foolishly hurt you but be sure it was unintended...

And please forgive me if i do anything that is not driven by 100% love and peace...

Love you all... and I DO seriously appreciate you in my life... you make me who i am

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now...

May 2nd...

we left Sapporo to Sonkyou... we took the scenic ocean drive and we arrived late... honestly

the best hotel i ever stayed in... and the food was the best i ever had... it was amazing... just amazing... see the pictures...

What is this? RED or GREEN?

Old people playing golf...

Lovely logo... BEST

I had coffee here for a while

Hotel (Onsen Hotel) welcome treat in the room

Dear was outside my room

Dinner

Mountain Wassabi.. amazing!

and desert

the in-room Onsen

I actually paid a lot extra for the in-room onsen... because my friends don't mind going to the public onsen, everyone is naked ;/

even though, i wished i was with them, because... the public onsen is on the roof and its open air... i think that would have been nice to experience... but to each his limits...

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I'm in the lobby now and running out of batteries... i'll post 3rd of May tomorrow inshallah