Tuesday, 19 June 2012

Rain that lasts for 24 hours

A typhoon is heading our way. With luck, it should pass just south of Okayama and we’ll avoid the worst of it. I’ve enjoyed the rainy season so far-you get some uncomfortable humidity, but it gets relieved by the rainfall in the evenings. However, I don’t enjoy my commute to school as I get soaked cycling through the rain and then have to immediately change my clothes on arrival since I don’t own any waterproof trousers. I could buy some I suppose-it might just add to the rash of unfashionable but practical clothing that I’ve happily adopted in Japan, along with tights, silly hats and a variety of Uniqlo undergarments.

I shaved my head for the first time last week and I quite like the way it looks and feels. However, having to shave your head every 2-3 days is incredibly dull and it takes me about 20 minutes to do it. It’s almost as if you have to plan your evening round it. I hope that it becomes something you can do quickly once you are better practiced. I’m relieved that I don’t have a weird shaped head with my spinal column sticking out the top like a stegosaurus or anything like that. Although I’m happy with how it looks, it is a little strange since I feel like the appearance doesn’t quite match my personality. I don’t feel like a skinhead, but I do look like one.

Last night I stayed in and watched Rise of the Planet of the Apes. I was really impressed by it. The effects are excellent, particularly the way they’ve drawn the monkey, Caesar. It’s not really an action movie as there’s no real jeopardy or fighting until the final third of the film. Meanwhile, much of it feels like an SF drama in the style of Contact or Outbreak. James Franco is great as usual and it’s helped by a strong plot that sets things up nicely for the sequel.  No love of science-fiction or knowledge of the previous films is required.

I’ve also rented My Neighbour Totoro from Tsutaya. I sometimes feel that I’m the only person in Japan who hasn’t seen it. I’m doing my research Ghibli-wise as we will soon be visiting the Studio Ghibli museum near Tokyo and I want to know a bit more about the films before I go.

I’m not gonna be running tonight…

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