I promised I'd do one of these every now and then when the situation calls for it.
Hey! Where are the wedding pictures you promised?
I simply don't have them yet. Its only been a month and a week since the wedding took place. They don't just hand us a packet of photos - they make a storybook thingy out of it as well. I'm sure the production of that takes time. I plan on asking the chapel about it soon, but at any rate, I can give you no wedding pictures because I have none myself.
I didn't have a chance to pass my camera to anyone to have them take pictures for me, and while one of my wife's friends did send us the pictures she took, as it was a night ceremony most of them came out pretty dark. So I'm waiting for the professionally-took pics to come back.
I know I've read this before, are you just recycling content now?
I may have touched upon the gentei concept in a different editorial as an aside, but I'd never dedicated an editorial to it before. But I didn't copy/paste, I sat down and wrote the piece from scratch. I'd hoped/figured that even if I'd mentioned it before, at least some content would be new. If it really is that similar to an old entry, my apologies; it was not intentional.
No work story after all? Lame!
The work story wasn't something I'd planned to write up at all - ever. Its something that's finished and I'd hoped to put behind me. I don't think its a particularly enlightening or entertaining tale. Since a few people mentioned it in the comments, I thought I'd offer it as extra content if interest levels through donations were high enough. Not a whole lot of donations came in, so I figured that perhaps not too many people were interested in it, so I was going to go with my original intention of not posting it.
...However, that is rude to those who did post donations (again, thank you). So, I will post the work story, probably in installments (its long...) starting from tomorrow. I still don't particularly want to write it, but I do owe you guys, and as life really completely sucks at the moment I don't have much else to write about.
Why don't you put a price tag on the Octopus?
The thought has crossed my mind, but I've avoided that route for two reasons.
1. I swore to myself I'd never tell.
2. I'm afraid that after all this time and the incredible build-up, the actual truth will be a huge letdown. Even worse if there's money involved. As much as the money would help, I really don't want to disappoint everyone, so perhaps its best that the Octopus remains a vague urban myth, like the contents of the Pulp Fiction suitcase.
If there's anything major I missed, please feel free to add it here.
It's ok, I still love you.
And while that last editorial is familiar, it was really good timing, and a great story none the less.
And I personally would rather hear the ongoing tale of Az, rather then the one that's past and done and he doesn't particularly want to write about anyways. How's after wedding life going? Anything awesome and new gone down? Surely things in Japan haven't taken a turn for the less interesting. I hope not, I'm studying abroad in a year and a half.
>>I know I've read this before, are you just recycling content now?
Yeah, I felt this way, too. Like, some parts felt familiar, and other parts felt new. Whatever. It was still funny.
Oh yeah, here it is: http://www.gaijinsmash.net/archives/post_1.phtml
You kind of used the same jokes both times :V
Actually, I never expected either the work story or the Octopus to ever be told. And I know what was in the case in Pulp Fiction....
Weights to make it heavy. It's just a prop, after all.
The donation links never seem to work for me.
maybe i missed it somewhere, but how exactly did you meet your wife and how did you guys actually hit it off?
PS
i'm reeeeaallly not interested in the "octopus"...
"I know I've read this before, are you just recycling content now?" - Someone actually asked this!? Wow.
" I'm afraid that after all this time and the incredible build-up, the actual truth will be a huge letdown."
She threw an octopus at your penis.
First! (I think)
It's cool that you decided to write the work story (at least in installments). I've been a reader since OP9, and have been entertained since I have started reading. I was uncertain how I felt about you putting prices on stories and was unhappy about you not writing the work story simply because donations weren't enough. I still don't know how I feel about the donation thing, but I know you are in need, and I am glad you're able to survive on what we readers are able to give. I know that if I was rich, I would donate like crazy. Not because I need to see wedding pictures, but because I've been entertained by you for many years, and I appreciate every laugh.
Nice to know your still alive and well, hope to see those photos!
Way to go Az!
"...However, that is rude to those who did post donations (again, thank you). So, I will post the work story, probably in installments (its long...) starting from tomorrow. I still don't particularly want to write it, but I do owe you guys, and as life really completely sucks at the moment I don't have much else to write about."
I'd rather you enjoy writing here and keep it up semi-regularly than put out stuff you hate to write in exchange for money and let it harm your enthusiasm for blogging. Just in case it might. But it's your blog, so eh.
I left a negative comment in the Gentei section and I really was quite annoyed. I can see now though that all is well and the balance has been restored. Good luck to you.
Things such as the suitcase in Pulp Fiction are called "MacGuffins". It essentially means anything which motivates the plot but the details of which aren't actually important in their own right. Apparently, Alfred Hitchcock started using the term, which was based on a not-all-that-funny joke:
Guy 1: "I've got this new invention here that catches lions in the Scottish Highlands. It's called a MacGuffin."
Guy 2: "But there are no lions in the Scottish Highlands!"
Guy 1: "Well, then, I guess it's not a MacGuffin!"
Wow, that was short.
I'm starting to sense that you're more than just a little depressed lately. That worries me. I hope all the whining and complaining that was thrown your way didn't make things worse.
Regardless how you post articles (post for pay, post 'n pray for pay, or post for ego boost), we all care about you. If you're finding yourself that unmotivated & if they have the services available in Japan, you may want to find a counselor who can help you work through this low period one-on-one & in person. Trust me, it can help a lot (says one who once contemplated dark things long ago, and overcame with counseling).
I admit I'm quite curious about what happened at your old job, but if that's too painful to write about, don't.
We love you, Az. Don't take all the criticisms about your posting practices too seriously; it's your blog & you can post however you feel like.
If you're hurting for story ideas, have you considered a flashback to how you found out about and began your time in the ALT program? It might be interesting to get a peek at the naïve pre-kancho Az. :-D
Silly Az. Everyone knows that the diamonds from Reservoir Dogs were in the briefcase in Pulp Fiction.
GENTLEMEN, I've got the octopus on video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH1ruMGpTVY
I still think you should set up a Cafepress (or wherever) account and make a t-shirt that says "I'm gentei" or something like that in Japanese and sell it.
I bet you could come up with more than a few wacky slogans your readers would appreciate, and it can't be THAT hard to past Japanese text into an image :-)
I still want that "Jesus was a Zombie" t-shirt that was proposed back in '06
See O9 forum here:
http://www.outpostnine.com/forum/showpost.php?p=136786&postcount=37
Or pic of the design here:
http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/9364/wip3gc.jpg
I'd buy it in a heartbeat.
Just clarifying something that might not have been clear in the comment I made earlier: Don't mind if you don't write about things you don't want to write about (the Octopus particularly is funnier undefined), that's obviously not my business. It was just teasing us with false hope that I had a problem with ;).
If you still really don't want to write about it, I expect most people could live with that... just that next time you don't want to write something, maybe either don't mention it or use that 'donation meter' suggestion someone made, so people know the 'rules'?
The Cafepress suggestions are worth considering, by the way -- I bet some people would buy Gentai shirts. Might become the next fad and make you millions :D. I assume you can already use some paint program, but if not, some reader could probably help you out.
Glad to get those things cleared up. I also wondered about the wedding photos (given that it'd been a bit since the last update and this one had no mention of them). And it did seem a bit familiar, but hey, some topics do come up a lot. As for the donations... Yeah, if you're doing a donation drive for bonus material, best to have a fixed goal, and to disclose that goal. Another site I read does that for the author's bonus stories--those that don't further the plotline of the fiction she tells but do fill in more about the world being written in. She discloses what amount in donations she's looking for, and how much she's received. Gives people a sense of when it's close enough, and shows that their money has been received--in a sense. I know you just started this "donate for bonus materials" bit, but just suggestions for the future.
Idea:
Spice up the writing about your job by interspersing each installment of it with a story about you kicking the hell out of some ninjas.
You know it'll make you feel better.
Re my earlier comment: "ALT" should have been "JET".
I thought I'd mention I found an article in businessweek on the gentei phenomenon: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/07_32/b4045055.htm
It's really hard to find any info on this other than in your blog, Az :-)
Interestingly, there are already people selling T-shirts saying Gentei (search Google using gentei and Japan).
Hey Az since ur married and all, I would like to give you a friendly advice.
When you have a kid, DO NOT I REPEAT DO NOT RAISE HIM IN JAPAN! kids don't like being different from all the other kids, an I suspect since Japan already has all the ijjime tradition, being a black guy in Japan isn't really good. Atleast when his young. If you intend to teach him some Japanese traditions, do it when his a lil bit older, when all the guys become mature not to make fun of the different guys. I know this cuz I came to America at the age of 9 and it was really hard for me... well its ur kid so do what you want with him or her, but just giving you my opinion on it.
Something tells me the Octopus is simply another practical application of excessive foreskin. You're bound to get tearing now and again.