More Snow

Sorry for the bit of an extended absence. I guess there was another write-worthy event a few weeks back, when it snowed again - even heavier this time, but I didn't want to write about it here because otherwise it will sound like I'm only ever talking about the weather. I don't do small talk. It's too depressing.

After the first bout of snow, and before the 2nd one, I wrote a Canta piece about the overreaction of NZers. Obviously my column fell on blind eyes.

Seriously, when the forecasters were talking about the oncoming snowstorm, they were sounding like doomsday conservative Christian preachers. I just wanted to tell that it's snow - not gay marriage. News reports were telling people to "prepare for the worst". I mean, "the worst" is having to stay in your own house for a couple of days. You must really hate your life if staying home is such a terrifying prospect.

I happened to go to the supermarket a few days before the 2nd snowstorm, and I had never seen so much chaos. There was a giant clog of shopping trolleys all through the shop, and the shelves were nearly empty.

I just stayed home for a few days missing out on some more classes (including a 1-hour presentation). It was fine, but nothing to write home about. But I wanted to share this at least:

http://canta.co.nz/columns/emergency-procedures/

By now though, the Winter seems to have pas... Oh shit, I'm talking about the weather again. it won't happen again.

Snow Balls
Due to snowfall, Christchurch basically closed for a day and a half last week. This included 80% of my weekly classes, which I wasn't too happy about. But at least there was a snowman to be made. My flatmates woke me up with their excitement, and we went outside and got to work.




I wasn't aware, however, that my (female) flatmates had slightly different ideas. We were still making a snowman, but only a small part of him.



Unwittingly, I had made a giant snowman's left testicle. I took the obligatory photo, which now that I look at it, reminds me of the "Big Ball Dance"

However, all good things must come to an end, and luckily all bad things too. An epic amount of shrinkage on our front lawn signified the return of a normal routine.


Bonus:

Another Canta Piece. Very short. Very silly. I blame the cold.
http://canta.co.nz/columns/keeping-warm-a-students-guide/

An Idle Mind is a Dangerous Mind

I could keep telling you how lame and domesticated I am, but you'd probably think I'm exaggerating for poetic effect. However, I have proof - documented , verifiable proof of how incredibly lame I am at this point in time.

See, since getting back to Christchurch, I decided to seriously study Japanese again. I had missed the 400-level course last semester due to the earthquake-induced move to Wellington, but I tought if I studied hard enough, I would be able to rejoin the class in the new semester.

My self-study programme included three parts:

Traditional Study - Reading, translating and making flashcards.

Japanese Television - Because only studying boring things isn't sustainable, I started watching a lot of movies and dramas in Japanese. Probably an average of 3 hours per day - which isn't so bad considering I haven't touched the regular TV in nearly two months.

The Nintendo DS - This is the new-ish version of the Gameboy, and there are a lot of brain-type games. I have many different games, including an electronic dictionary and games that test you on Japanese characters. According to the DS, have the Japanese ability of an 11-year old. So, it is quite appropriate that I also play some children's games. However, this is also extremely sad.


One game I have been playing is called Chibi Maruko (pictured above), and is about an eight-year old girl who has small adventures with her school friends. It's so inappropriate for a 26-year old guy, and it kind of makes me feel like a kiddy fiddler. In fact, parent have been warned that the D.S. may be used by sexual predators, as some games use a built-in wifi to connect with other players.

Yet, starved for Japanese entertainment, I keep playing it. Below is the opening screen where your teacher takes a roll-call. Below, each circle means that I played this game on that day.


Eek. yes, that is over 5 weeks without missing a day. What have I become?

However, it seems to be working, as I have started dreaming in Japanese. Luckily they aren't about Chibi Maruko, so maybe there is nothing to worry about.



Speaking of going crazy, Uni is back in, and so in the Uninformant.
http://canta.co.nz/columns/reasoning-with-disaster/

Not that I think anybody was ever going to hold me to it, but I did promise to post a photo of my origami kiwis. While on my internship, I decided to turn my daily to-do lists into kiwis, as a visual representation of how much work I did. Okay, it's not really that impressive. I don't blame you for not holding me to that promise.


However, there is this photo I took from my final flat in Wellington. It shows me looking down on the city below, watching the silly fools, small as ants, unaware of their meaningless existence.



In other non news, there is no news. I've basically been a monk since leaving Wellington. So here's two awesome pictures slightly relevant to that statement.
More updates when things happen, but no promises. It's likely, however, that the most exciting months of 2011 have already passed. I sure hope so.