The end is, again, nigh
Another year gone, and I have:
* Gotten a permanent job
* Gotten to visit 4 new places (HK, Macau, Peru, NZ)
* Played host to my sisters, and then parents visting.
* Gotten permanent residency in A Foreign Land (indiaaaaaaah)
* Taken an attitude of life first, work & cash second.
* Noticed that there are some - notable, but few - individuals who believe my life has some sort of future. I am quietly confident that I can successfully prove them wrong in 10 years, when I'm kicking it back on the coast....

Although the list is short, and right now I feel as if I have achieved close to nothing, my usual smugness will make me say that this year was better than the last. It's probably even true.

This year, I anticipate greater things. Got a number of things on the boil, and the fire is actually on, so perhaps all the wrestling with The God Of Laziness who has haunted my life thus far is beginning to pay.
- posted by Daniel @ Sunday, December 31, 2006 0 comments

 
Culture
Just got back from 3 days snowboarding. Remembered it all, and now dying to get out again. Maybe tomorrow, for a couple of days.

I had a discussion with a guy about culture. He reckoned that it can be defined in terms of your economic stature. I couldn't work it out at the time, but now I disagree. I think it is less subtle than that. It can be defined as the differences between peoples. Ordinarily, this can be promulgated by socio-economic factors, but there can be more. If you walk the Earth, starting at Tokyo and ending in Tokyo, you notice some elements remaining (kanji) and some elements chaning (mandarin, law, clothing). These differences are attributed to culture. If you defined culture as economic, one can only surmise that being white is a baseline for other cultures. Which is another question altogether. What does it mean to 'be white'? This one, I cannot answer.
- posted by Daniel @ Sunday, December 31, 2006 1 comments

 
The rain outside
outside reminds me of the UK. serious rain. enough to make sure you dont want to leave the house - whoever should call. So i dont go out, I sit in front of the computer, and do something i have been meaning to do for oh so long. Type.

Christmas was over three days here, party at Craigs on Friday, i celebrated with ricky & friends over sunday, and then I cooked for the girls on Monday. Twas a good one. Called the family in Goa, and heard stories of dismay towards the weather, and the mosquitoes. It will be interesting if they decide to move...

Going snowboarding - first trip of the season - on thursday, and looking forward to it, and hanging out with Jezza. Then another when Damo arrives next year.

I wish I could understand my payslips a little better. But kanji wakare nai. This month, over 1/2 a million yen ended up in my bank account extra, and god only knows why. Best not to ask, methinks. God bless the land of low taxes.

My Japanese is still appallingly non existent, and I have been spending the last few weeks apartment hunting. Which is painful, even if you can speak. I've been told Japanese only far too many times to make me feel happy about the whole ordeal. But as soon as I think i've found a place (now) i'm doubting the location. Perhaps perhaps perhaps i should get a smaller place within the Yamanote line. Or do i like the tranquility of Gaku? Not sure. There is time to decide...a couple of days.

Been abitraging the PS3. Bought one here, ebay'd it. Ebay cancelled my auction. The wrath. Sent it to London. Eventually sold it for double what i paid, and got a demand for several more to boot. But not without being inches away from giving up, and going through a couple of weeks of aggravation trying to flog the thing.

Reading: Make no progress in with books of late. Going to order a bunch from amazon shortly.
Listening to: Not sure what to claim here. Going to load some
Most ludicrous purchase: A Litespeed. From ebay USA. New cost is 3x higher Japan. What a kerfuffle to get it over here - ended up throwing ~$300 at UPS. But it's beautiful. Now to get it some wheels & the rest!
Most wanted now: Apartment. Then stuff to go with the Litespeed. Maybe to use it as a bike rather than hang it on my wall.

Feeling: Good on the whole. Not right now - the rain sucks the life out of anyone - but life is good in general. I feel no desire to move job or country. Apartment discounted, it's time to live alone, i know that much.
- posted by Daniel @ Tuesday, December 26, 2006 1 comments