Easter at Harbor Island

Easter at Harbor Island
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

My sister, Lynda, and her daughter, Britt, at Easter Brunch on Harbor Island in San Diego.

Trivia - Wednesday, April 20th

Coal Miner's Daughter was the biopic of what legendary country singer?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
"Respect Yourself"

Trivia - Tuesday, April 19th

What was the name of Bruce Willis' 1987 Top 5 hit song?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Lil' Kim

Trivia - Monday, April 18th

Which rap star was originally known primarily as the Notorious B.I.G.'s girlfriend?

Weekend's Answer (highlight line below):
D. Clavin Klein

Trivia all updated

OK - all the trivia is now up to date

So now I've got to work on getting a bunch of these pictures I've been taking uploaded and posted.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

-Jason

Trivia - Sat & Sun, April 16th & 17th

What brand of designer underwear did Michael J. Fox's character wear in Back to the Future?

A. Joe Boxer
B. Perry Ellis
C. Brooks Brothers
D. Calvin Klein

Friday's Answer (highlight line below):
The Winter Garden

Trivia - Friday, April 15th

What was the name of the Broadway theater where Cats played for eighteen years?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Jackee

Trivia - Thursday, April 14th

Who was Marla Gibbs' one-monikered costar in the series 227?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
The Jazz Singer

Trivia - Wednesday, April 13th

What was the first film with spoken dialogue?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
A. Iman

I'm Back

So I made it back in one piece and relatively no worse for wear. The trip back to Japan from San Diego is one long day of traveling - about 24 hours straight in various forms of transport.

Tuesday started at 10am local time with a 100 minute car journey from my San Diego suburb of Carlsbad to LAX, where my sister and niece saw me off. Boarded the Thai Airways airplane and was pleasantly surprised to find that the plane was only about 1/2 full, so I got to spread out a bit and take up two seats, which makes it a much more tolerable 12 hour flight.

Flight was uneventful and went smoothly and we landed on time in Osaka at Kansai Airport at about 5:45pm local Japan time on WEDNESDAY. So I’ve already lost most of a day simply due to the time difference. I was too late to take the series of trains that got me to Osaka for my departure, so I was stuck taking the “night bus” from Kobe to my local eki (station) in Izumo. The night bus leaves the Sannomiya Eki in Kobe at 11:30pm for Izumo, so I had about 5 1/2 hours to kill. I hung out in the airport for a while, which was pretty empty since it was a Wed. night. I had to take a 60 minute bus from the airport to Kobe, which cost 1800 yen, about $18. I boarded the bus at 8:10 and was in Kobe by 9:15. I was able to buy my overnight bus ticket to Izumo at the helpful tourist info booth at Kansai Airport, and that cost an even 5000 yen ($50). So it cost me just shy of $70 to get back home, but actually more like $90, cuz you have to add in the 2200 yen i spent on a taxi from the Izumo eki to my apartment. (Had to take the taxi cuz I had two really heavy suitcases with me) This is compared to the almost $140 it cost me to get from the Izumo eki to Kansai Airport in March when I took the three trains, including the shinkansen, the bullet train. So even though the night bus isn’t much fun, it’s way cheaper - which is a good thing.

The night bus was also only about half full, so we all spread out and settled in for the 6 hour journey. Even though it doesn’t actually take 6 hours to drive from Kobe to Izumo, the bus still arrives at Izumo eki at 6am, because the driver stops a few times just so the bus can keep to the time table. Pretty weird, but most of the passengers just go to sleep, so it really doesn’t matter much. Besides, what was I gonna do differently if I arrived at 5am instead of 6am - I would have gone home and crashed either way.

So after about 24 hours of semi-constant travel, I arrived back at my apartment at about 6:30am on Thursday, April 7th. I left the U.S. on Tuesday, the 5th. Time warp! But jet lag hasn’t been so bad, and I’m back in my regular rhythm already.

Friday, the 8th, was the first day back at work and the first day of the new Japanese school year. We had a small ceremony welcoming back the 8th and 9th graders at my junior high. Monday was the official opening ceremony and the arrival of the new 7th graders, most of whom know me already since I’ve been coming to their 6th grade classes at the various elementary schools I visit. So back to work and teaching. Feels good in a way. I’ll post more about the changes at my Jr. High soon and I hope to post pics of the opening ceremony as well as a few shots of San Diego I took during my vacation. And i should be able to update the trivia this week as well.

I’m glad to be back in Japan. While it certainly doesn’t yet feel like “home” - it’s where I hang my hat for now , so I was happy to get back to my apartment. I look forward to the coming spring and the warmer weather and everything is still new to me since it’s still my first April, May, June and July in Japan. In case I haven’t mentioned it before, I am staying here until at least July of 2006 as I recontracted for a second year with the JET program.

-Jason

Trivia - Tuesday, April 12th

Which supermodel started a cosmetics line geared toward women from all ethnic backgrounds?

A. Iman
B. Maggie Rizer
C. Naomi Campbell
D. Stephanie Seymour

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Working Girl

Trivia - Monday, April 11th

One of Sandra Bullock's first roles was as the star of a TV show based on what hit film?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Jonathan Richman

Trivia - Sat & Sun, April 9th & 10th

Which indie rocker served as the musical Greek chorus in There's Something About Mary?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Hungarian

Trivia - Friday, April 8th

What was the actual nationality of The English Patient?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
San Francisco

Trivia - Thursday, April 7th

In what city was the popular mid-'90s TV show Party of Five set?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Christa Miller, who plays Dr. Cox's wife Jordan

Trivia - Wednesday, April 6th

Scrubs creator/executive producer Bill Lawrence is married to which of the show's regulars?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Chotchkie's

Trivia - Tuesday, April 5th

What is the name of the restaurant Jennifer Aniston works at in Office Space?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
He filmed a Jaguar commercial using the song.

Trivia - Monday, April 4th

Sting took an unusual measure to promote his song "Desert Rose" in 1999. What was it?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Chevy Chase

Trivia - Sat & Sun, April 2nd & 3rd

Which comedian goofed off with Paul Simon in his "You Can Call Me Al" video?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
They killed off his character. On his way home to America, Col Blake was killed in a helicopter crash.

Trivia - Friday, April 1st

How did M*A*S*H creators deal with McLean Stevenson's (Col. Blake) departure from the show?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
B. The Karate Kid

Trivia - Thursday, March 31st

The fourth installment in this film series starred a young Hilary Swank:

A. Alien
B. The Karate Kid
C. Star Wars
D. Terminator


Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Roxy Music

Trivia - Wednesday, March 30th

Before dating Mick Jagger, Jerry Hall was involved with Bryan Ferry and even appeared on one of his band's album covers. What band was Ferry in?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Kim Cattrall in Mannequin.

Trivia - Tuesday, March 29th

Which Sex and the City actress starred in the 1987 movie about a department-store dummy that comes to life?

Goin' back to Cali...

So after 8 months here in Japan I'm finally taking a long vacation.

I'll be heading home to San Diego to see my sister and niece.

It'll be nice to relax and hang out with them
AND

GET TO EAT SOME MEXICAN FOOD!!!!

AND

SEE SOME MOVIES ON THE BIG SCREEN

I can't wait actually. Getting to Osaka will be a chore, but I should manage.

Getting home is worse. My plane lands in Osaka on Wednesday, April 6th at 6pm, even though I take off from LAX on Tuesday the 5th at 2pm. The time difference can be a killer at times. And then I'll have to take a "night" bus back to Izumo which means getting on at 10pm on the 6th and arriving home at 7am the next morning. The journey doesn't take that long - they actually pull the bus over and just stop for about two hours so they can arrive at 7am instead of at 5am. The Japanese keep to their time schedules - convenience be damned! :)

Everyone thinks the bullet trains are cool here - and they are - but they're also bloody expensive. It would've cost me about $200 ONE-WAY to get to Osaka... ummm, errr... no. I'll take the bus for $50. Still, one day, it would be cool to ride on one.

So all this means I might not update this blog for about two weeks. I know my two dedicated readers are deeply wounded, but I'm sure the rest of you will manage. I might have time in SD to post some pics so check in occasionally.

This also means that when I get back it'll be a Trivia Explosion!!
I don't make up the questions - I get them off a page-a-day calendar I got for Xmas. So they'll be waiting for me when I get back. Although when I get back I have to go right back to work on Friday the 8th. Yes, the first day of the new school year is a Friday. Weird, huh.

If you just gotta have some of that sweet, sweet Jason prose, you can check out my Hitchhiker's guide column at The Black Taxi blog site, which is the Shimane JET monthly publication. I just turned in a big column all about summer movies for the March edition, so we'll see if the editors in charge of that month get it posted. My Feb. column is up there now.

So any of my San Diego peeps reading this - email me so we can hang out.

I hope my Shimane peeps have a good spring break. I hope this country warms up while I'm away and I can put away my kotatsu blanket and my heat fan when I get back.

Hugs and Fishes,
Jason

In N Out, Chilis, good pizza, Robertos, movies that cost less than $18 - I'm gonna be a happy man very soon...

Trivia - Thursday, March 22nd

Hugh Jackman starred on Broadway in 2003 as Peter Allen in "The Boy From Oz." Allen was once married to which actress-singer?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Shannen Doherty

Trivia - Monday, March 21st

Rick Solomon, costar of the infamous Paris Hilton tapes, was which TV star's estranged husband?

Weekend's Answer (highlight line below):
her bellybutton ( My! - How times have changed! LOL)

Trivia - Sat & Sun, March 19th & 20th

Which body part was Barbara Eden forbidden to show on I Dream of Jeannie?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
B. Steve Martin

trivia - Friday, March 18th

Who played the pain-obsessed dentist in the 1986 film version of Little Shop of Horrors?

A. John Goodman
B. Steve Martin
C. Nathan Lane
D. Jeff Daniels

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Three daughters

Viking Style & strange pizza

So two interesting things happened today.

One was I learned a new Japanese idiom - Viking Style.

I'll give you a minute to think what this might refer to.

Hint - It has something to do with eating...

I'll use it in a sentence: My 8th graders were treated today to a school lunch that was served "Viking Stlye."

So basically it means "buffet" stlye or even "a la carte" if you will.

Instead of each student being given identical trays of school lunch, which is the normal way, some of the parents set up large tables with a variety of foods and the kids could go down the line and pick whatever they wanted to eat.

The Japanese call this eating "Viing Style." My JTE asked me if I wanted to go see what the 8th graders were having for Viking lunch today - I paused, asked him to repeat, and then after I confirmed that he said the word Viking ("You know, like pirates." "Yes, I know what a Viking is.") he explained to me what the hell he was talking about. Apparnetly the Vikings would just grab whatever they wanted to eat and start chowing down, so the Japanese have labeled eating with no set plan "Viking Style." Makes perfect sense now. But you know I'm gonna be using that idiom every chance I get.

Another thing happened at dinner. Emily (Happy Bday Em!) drove into town for dinner and she stated a prefernce to eat something Non-Asian, perhaps something that you could eat without chopsticks. I empathize with her on this one - there's just so much rice you can eat before you need something that reminds you on home. So off we went to Izumo, where we met up with English Mark (The Don) and Lifer Dustin (Lifer cuz he's on his 5th year as a JET). We all strolled down the street from their apartment building to a local Italian restaurant. The menu offered up some interesting variants on pasta, including squid ink spaghetti and teriyaki chicken pizza. Dustin decided to go for the teriyaki chicken pizza, but when it came out the chef had drizzled mayonnaise all over the pizza as a decrative garnish. MAYO - on pizza??!! Come on folks! So Dustin didn't want to eat his, so he had some of mine, which wasn't bad. I had ordered the "Spicy Sausage" pizza, and it was OK - but not really pizza either as it didn't have any tomato sauce on it. And we had salad with really tasty dressing - the first time I've had a regualr salad since coming here - so that was cool. Emily was game enough to try some of Dustin's rejected pizza and said it wasn't horrible. Mark had some seafood pasta and he ordered some fried octopus as a starter. But when the octopus came, they were little miniature octopi - deep fried. You just had to see them. Mark proclaimed them "oishii" which means "tasty," but I'll have to take his word on that. Dustin took a picture with his camera phone, so hopefully I'll be able to post the pic of the Octopi Appetizer.

I learn something new everyday I live here, and today was a double treat. I'm either easily amused or I like my life or both.

-Jason
who craves good Mexican food something terrible

Trivia - Thursday, March 17th

How many children does President Jed Bartlet have on The West Wing?

Aside: There are only 3 American TV shows that are shown regularly on normal, non-cable Japanese TV. They are: ER, Alias, and The West Wing. All are shows I enjoy, so that's cool, but The West Wing is just so good, I don't even care that they're repeats that I've seen before. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday nights from 10pm til about 10:45, since they're shown without commercials. A little oasis of English among the desert of Nihon-go programming. Japanese TV is strange, bizarre, and by-and-large pretty damn awful, but I still find my self watching it even though I don't understand 90% of what's being said. Just last night I watched a documentary program for at least an hour, all in Japanese, about this young woman who gets pregnant at age 16. She's the oldest child in her family and she has SIX younger brothers and sisters down to the youngest who was 5. So that's 7 kids from 5 to 16, and their Dad (no Mom, so I assume she had died) all living in an apartment that looked to be about the same size as the one I currently live in. She decided to keep the baby and after she had it she brought it home to the same tiny apartment. Utterly compelling stuff despite the language barrier.

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Bananarama, from the show The Banana Splits and the song "Pyjamarama."

Kitty Chan and Ampanman say Congrats!

Kitty Chan and Ampanman say Congrats!
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

Across the bottom the board reads "omedetoo gozaimasu," which means Congratulations in Japanese. You can also make out the katakana-ized version of "love" - RABU. The characters on the board are Sanrio's mascot, Hello Kitty, and a Japanese cartoon character made of bread named Ampanman.

I'll post soon about the whole day of Junior High graduation, but for now I'll post a few pics. This is the decorations in one of the 9th grade classrooms. The 9th graders are done with school from today until they start High School on April 8th, so they get a good long rest. Most of them deserve it. My first class of 9th graders was by-and-large a great group and I'll miss many of them. I hope a few come back and visit and let me know how they're doing in High School.

Me and Nonoka

Me and Nonoka
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

One of my coolest and brightest 9th graders, Nonoka, and me at Taisha graduation. Nonoka had cleaning duty in the teacher's room every day this last semester, so we'd chat most days while sweeping or pretending to clean this or that. She wants to learn French, and after I told her I took it for two years in High School, which I tried to explain was a million years ago, she'd write little French phrases for me to read and write English sentences about things in France.
You might remember that Nonoka was one of my speech contest students, so we got to be friends over the course of my first 7 months at Taisha JH, and she gave me a really nice hand-written note in English after the graduation ceremony. Students like her are one of the reasons I wanted to do this job, and they make me think I might just be making an impression on some of my kids regardless of all the evidence to the contrary. I'll miss hanging out with her during cleaning time.
I know she'll do well in High School, but Ganbatte Ne!

Me and Asami

Me and Asami
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

Another great and very smart 9th grader, Asami, and I at graduation. It was cold Tuesday, and you can see that I'm wearing a long sleeve undershirt under my button down dress shirt and suit coat. That was mainly cuz I knew we'd be in the gym for a while during the ceremony, and it's FREEZING in there. We'd just had snow the day before, so we were very lucky it was sunny for a short time while the 9th graders paraded out of the school.

Asami tried so hard during English class that she is the type of student I'll really miss - and she in particular was great - always trying to speak to me in English and always very genki. Good Luck in high school Asami!

Trivia - Wednesday, March 16th

What 1980s all-girl band got their name by combining the name of a children's television show with a Roxy Music song?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Malcolm in the Middle

How I got my digital camera

So here it is March already and I realized I never posted the story about how I got the nifty digital camera I’ve been using to take and post pictures to my blog.

Back in December I was invited to go to my Board of Education’s year-end party, called a bonenkai. The BoE is basically my employer - while I’m here under the auspices of the JET programme, my salary and my daily supervision is taken care of by the city employees at the Taisha Kyooinkuinkai (BoE). I had to spend most of August in their office, so I got to know a few of them, and my supervisor, Utani-san, works there - but I really don’t see them that much anymore as I now spend all my free time at the Jr. High and really only go to the BoE when I have a problem with my living conditions or I have to sign job-related paperwork. But they still invite me to the office parties, which is damn skippy of them, even though only a handful of them speak English.

Getting off track for a minute, I just went to a BoE party last week, celebrating the end of the school/financial year. Very soon, Taisha town is going to be absorbed by Izumo, a larger town to the south west. It’s a process called “gappe” and it’s happening to small towns all over Japan - they get some sort of tax incentive if they combine with a larger city. So it was also a party to celebrate the end of the old group and the welcoming of the new situation.
Anyway, they went to the trouble of having the place where the party was held (a hotel I think) prepare me a special dinner consisting of steak, yaki soba and spaghetti since I don’t eat fish, which is what everybody else ate. So that was cool. Since I’ll probably end up having to pay 5000¥ (about $50) for the party, it’s nice to actually be able to eat the food. They didn’t have cola, but I was able to drink cold tea, which I like better than beer or sake.
I had to sit in seiza, which means sitting with your legs folded up underneath you, so you’re sitting with your butt on the soles of your feet. It’s really hard for me to sit this way for too long, as I start to lose all feeling in my legs. You gotta remember that I weigh about 120 kilos, so after about 10 minutes my legs go numb. I only had to sit in seiza for the opening speeches before the “kanpai” (the toast, kinda like “cheers,” that symbolizes the start of the party and allows all the guests to start eating and drinking), so it wasn’t so bad. I can endure it much longer now than when I first got here.
After the main party, about 15 of us went to the nijikai, or second party, which was at a karaoke bar. I was encouraged to sing somthing, so I chose YMCA by the Village People, as most Japanese know it and will sing along during the requisite parts. Luckily the parties were in Taisha, so I could just scooter home afterwards, unlike when they take place in Izumo and I have to pay $25 or so for a taxi home. (They have zero tolerance here for drinking and driving, so no one drives to these parties - they all take taxis or have their spouse pick them up)

OK - back to December.

I arrived at the party, which would eventually have 50 people in attendance, before anyone else since I hitched a ride with Utani-san, who had to help set up. As people came in the door, they drew random numbers to see where they would be sitting, except for me - I was told where to sit. And when I say sit, I mean cross-legged on the floor on a small, flat cushion with a small table/tray on legs in front of you. I ended up sitting next to two people I didn’t know and who couldn’t speak much English. So the first part of the evening was a bit boring, and added to that my special meal of baked chicken came out way after everybody else had started eating. I’ll admit I wasn’t having the best time, when Togano-san, a great guy at the BoE who helped me set up my in-home internet access, stood up and started speaking to the whole group. He then started to pull a few envelopes from a container, and after their name was read, the people would come forward and receive a gift. That person in turn would pull the next name from the container. The very first woman called got a good gift - a nice and expensive bottle of alcohol - but the next 35 or so people got what I call “gag gifts” - things like dishwashing detergent, tea towels, shampoo, bug spray, etc. It seemed like a Japanese twist on the “white elephant” style of gift exchange I used to take part in with friends in the Bay Area.
With only about 10 names left, my name still hadn’t been called. It occurred to me that my name might not be included, since I’m not really part of the BoE in a strict sense. But the prizes stopped being silly and started to be pretty good. Large bottles of expensive sake, shopping gift certificates, etc. So I was hoping that maybe my name was among the names left to be called. With only 5 people left, Togano-san asked all the people still without a gift to stand up. My supervisor, clearly excited by my chances, had edged over to my seat by this point and when Tagano-san asked the giftless to stand, Utani-san motioned that I should stand up. So I was in the running! The #5 person got a gift basket of nice stuff, and the #4 person got an nice electronic dictionary. Only 3 to go and I still hadn’t been called. The remaining prizes were a digital camera, a “boobie” prize for the 2nd place person (a basket full of all the silly gag gifts) and a portable DVD player. Well, it’s no surprise to you reading this that I was called #3 and got the digital camera, a Nikon Coolpix 4100. But it sure was a surprise to me that night! I got up, with people cheering and clapping and claimed my prize, astonished at my good fortune. Ever since coming to Japan in July, I’ve wanted to get a digital camera to document my experiences here. I even had one picked out online, and was saving to get it. So the fact that I basically “won” one in a random drawing was the coolest Christmas present I could’ve hoped for. The timing was perfect and even with the language barrier my coworkers at the BoE could see how happy I was with my gift. Lots of exclamations of sugoi (great!) and subarashii (wonderful) were exchanged. Everyone wanted to check out the camera and some even jokingly offered to exchange their body soap or insect repellent for my camera. No doing! :)
So what started out as a boring and somewhat tedious evening ended with a completely unexpected bang. And in addition to the excellent camera, which has been great and I take everywhere with me now - my getting it acted as a conversation starter that evening that allowed many of my Japanese coworkers to come over and initiate a conversation with me - something they rarely do - so getting the camera had a delightful side effect.
I should point out that the party cost me 5000¥, the second party at a karaoke place cost me 3000¥ and the taxi ride home cost about 2500¥, so in all the night cost about ichi-man (10,000¥) or about $100. But you’ll hear no complaints from me.

-Jason
Shimane Shutterbug

Trivia - Tuesday, March 15th

The song "Boss of Me" by They Might Be Giants is the theme song for which TV show?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
"Daddy"

Anniversaries

Sunday was March 13th. For many, many years, that was a special day. It was our anniversary. We started going out in March of 1988, when I was a freshman in college and she was still a senior in high school. We broke it off in October of 2003. I got to spend time with a wonderful woman for 15 years. For that, I will always be grateful.

We don't talk so much anymore, and that saddens me, but it's the way of things I guess. Japan can be a very lonely place, and it would be nice to be able to chat with her from time to time. I don't think she reads this blog, but she does know about it, as we still email occasionally.

There are days when I don't think about her at all, but the oddest little thing can trigger a memory - music especially is a powerful reminder of the time we had together.

So here are two songs that will forever be linked to a very special person - these are for you H

She was, and remains, a huge Elvis Costello fan...

Alison
by Elvis Costello

Oh it’s so funny to be seeing you after so long, girl.
And with the way you look I understand
That you are not impressed.
But I heard you let that little friend of mine
Take off your party dress.
I’m not going to get too sentimental
Like those other sticky valentines,
’cause I don’t know if you’ve been loving somebody.
I only know it isn’t mine.

Alison, I know this world is killing you.
Oh, Alison, my aim is true.

Well I see you’ve got a husband now.
Did he leave your pretty fingers lying
In the wedding cake?
You used to hold him right in your hand.
I’ll bet he took all he could take.
Sometimes I wish that I could stop you from talking
When I hear the silly things that you say.
I think somebody better put out the big light,
Cause I can’t stand to see you this way.

Alison, I know this world is killing you.
Oh, Alison, my aim is true.
My aim is true.

The other song is by a new Irish singer/songwriter named Damien Rice who I came across during the time of our breakup. I can't recommend his debut album, "O" more highly - it's fantastic stuff and it was a tremendous source of solace during that tough time. You might have heard a snipet of this song in the trailer for the recent film, Closer.

The Blower's Daughter
by Damien Rice

And so it is
Just like you said it would be
Life goes easy on me
Most of the time
And so it is
The shorter story
No love, no glory
No hero in her sky

I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes...

And so it is
Just like you said it should be
We'll both forget the breeze
Most of the time
And so it is
The colder water
The blower's daughter
The pupil in denial

I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off of you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes off you
I can't take my eyes...

Did I say that I loathe you?
Did I say that I want to
Leave it all behind?

I can't take my mind off of you
I can't take my mind off you
I can't take my mind off of you
I can't take my mind off you
I can't take my mind off you
I can't take my mind...
My mind...my mind...
'Til I find somebody new

Hopefully I will "find somebody new" but dating in Japan is going to be tough. I haven't given up hope, but I'm not holding my breath either. Perhaps appropriate given my current locale, but I'm very Zen about my romantic future - I hope to have one, but I'm not worrying about it much.

-Jason
The Eeyore of Shimane

Trivia - Monday, March 14th

What single word did Elizabeth Taylor utter (as the voice of Maggie's first word) on The Simpsons?

Weekend's Answer (highlight line below):
Elvis Presley's stillborn twin brother

Taisha Sho - Mobbed by the adoring public

Taisha Sho - Mobbed by the adoring public
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

This photo captures what it's like for many JETs when we go to elementary schools. The kids just love having us there, and I often have to wade thru them to get to the door when I leave, etc. I feel like Gulliver in the land of Lilliput at times, but it's so much fun most of the time.

This is a very genki group of 3rd graders at Taisha Elementary.

I ate lunch with the 2nd graders at Taisha Sho the other day and when I was getting ready to leave, the teacher suggested I sign one student's notebook as she had been following me around all day. So I drew her a little Batman sketch and signed my name, and in an instant I had a line of 15 second graders all wanting me to sign various things. It can give you that rock star vibe at times, but it's all in good fun.
The kids that day taught me a Japanese game with a ball on a string attached to a hadle that has 3 cups and a peg (or "ken") on it. Much harder than it looks, but they were all masters. I'll have to get a picture of them playing with one.

Taisha Sho - "Too Cute!"

Taisha Sho - "Too Cute!"
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

One of the uber cute little 3rd graders at Taisha Elementary.
This cutie giggles everytime I get near her, and she loves to jump into any photo I'm taking.
I can get a little burnt out on the cynical nonchalance of my Jr High kids at times, or their apathy regarding English, but seeing my Shoogakkoo kids always recharges my batteries.

Taisha Sho - 3 yon nen sei girls

Taisha Sho - 3 yon nen sei girls
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

Here are 3 of my 4th grade girls at Taisha Elementary.
Giving the "peace" sign is ubiquitous in Japanese pics. I have to think up some other poses the kids can do, but whip out a camera for a candid or action shot and the kids invariably break out the peace sign.

Taisha - 3 san nen sei boys

Taisha - 3 san nen sei boys
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

Here's 3 buddies from one of my 3rd grade classes at Taisha Elementary.
This was a fun day playing "island hopping" and learning fruits and vegetables.

The Japanese word for apple is "ringo" which always makes me smile for some reason. The other funny thing this day was the teacher had cards with pictures of the various fruits, but the card with the orange on it was colored yellow - go figure.

Hinomisaki Sho - 1st & 2nd graders

Hinomisaki Sho - 1st & 2nd graders
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

Some of the 1st and 2nd graders at Hinomisaki Shoogakkoo. This group walked with me down to the bus stop after school. Hinomisaki is about a 25 minute bus trip from Taisha, and it's famous for its lighthouse.

Trivia - Sat & Sun, March 12th & 13th

Who was Jesse Presley?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
C. The Arsenio Hall Show

Trivia - Friday, March 11th

On whose talk show did Bill Clinton play the sax in 1992?

A. Late Night with David Letterman
B. The Tonight Show
C. The Arsenio Hall Show
D. Politically Incorrect


Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Tina Fey

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my niece, Brittany. Have a good one Britt!

Trivia - Thursday, March 10th

Who became Saturday Night Live's first female lead writer in 1999?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Guitar

Trivia - Wednesday, March 9th

The band Ben Folds Five created its unique sound by leaving out one instrument entirely. Which one?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Hattie McDaniel in Gone with the Wind(1939).

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my good friend MICHELE O. HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY

Trivia - Tuesday, March 8th

Which actress was the first African American to be nominated for (and to win) an Academy Award?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Sir Bob Geldof starred in The Wall.

Trivia - Monday, March 7th

Which British knight starred in a cult film based on a Pink Floyd album?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Peter Gabriel

Trivia - Sat & Sun, March 5th & 6th

Who was the original lead singer for Genesis before Phil Collins took over?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Ludwig van Beethoven

Trivia - Friday, March 4th

Who does "Peanuts" character Schroeder idolize?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
David Bowie

Trivia - Thursday, March 3rd

Which rock star makes a brief appearance as Pontius Pilate in Martin Scorsese's The Last Temptation of Christ?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
C. Nuclear war

Trivia - Wednesday, March 2nd

What is the Nena song "99 Red Ballons" about?

A. The ozone layer
B. World peace
C. Nuclear war
D. The famine in Ethiopia

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
D. Maurice Chevalier

Trivia - Tuesday, March 1st

Which legendary French performer appears in the multiple Oscar-winning 1958 film Gigi?

A. Jacques Brel
B. Johnny Halliday
C. Edith Piaf
D. Maurice Chevalier

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
C. Robert Smith (lead singer for The Cure)

Trivia - Monday, Feb. 28th

In South Park, who saves the town from a giant marauding Barbra Streisand robot?

A. Issac Hayes
B. Robert Palmer
C. Robert Smith
D. Sally Struthers

Saturday and Sunday's Answer (highlight line below):
Blondie's "Rapture" in 1980

Yokan Sho Go-nen-sei

Yokan Sho Go-nen-sei
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

Kamehameha!
The great group of 5th graders at Yokan Elementary.
Instead of always giving the peace sign when we take photos, I try to get the kids to do different stuff. This gesture is a favorite - something I stole from a very popular animated series called "DragonBall Z."

I had a fun day this day teaching the kids how to play "Duck, Duck, Goose" and the kids all got to ask me questions in what the sensei called "Jason's Question Corner." They had to figure out what I said and write my answers down in Japanese on their worksheet. I also got to eat lunch with the 4th graders and play dodgeball with them at recess after lunch. Fun day, but I'm recovering from a cold so it was very tiring and tough on my throat to do all that talking (I had 3 elementary classes and 1 JH class and a teacher meeting after school - issogashii desu nee!)

Yokan Sho English Club

Yokan Sho English Club
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

My small English club at Yokan Shoogakkoo. Four 5th graders and two 6th graders. We'd meet about once a month and just have fun using English. Yokan is the only elementary school of my 5 that has an English club, which is a shame - I wish more of them would try it.
A new club with new kids should be starting up again in April. And the two girls on the left (sensei is behind them) will be at my Junior High, as they are graduating and moving on to 7th grade in late March.
We took this picture and I told them to be "crazy." Guess I was the only one who knew what "crazy" means.

Trivia - Sat & Sun, Feb. 26th & 27th

What was the first song to hit the Top 40 to feature rapping?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
A. Berlin

Trivia - Friday, Feb. 25th

Iggy Pop and David Bowie once shared an apartment in what European City?

A. Berlin
B. London
C. Frankfurt
D. Paris


Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Dolly Parton

Trivia - Thursday, Feb. 24th

Whitney Houston had a big hit with the song "I Will Always Love You" in 1992. Who wrote and originally recorded the song?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Laurence Fishburne

Trivia - Wednesday, Feb. 23rd

Which film star appeared on Pee-Wee's Playhouse as Cowboy Curtis?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
B. Bradley Whitford of The West Wing

Trivia - Tuesday, Feb. 22nd

Malcolm in the Middle star Jane Kaczmarek is married to which other TV star?

A. Jeffrey Tambor of Arrested Development
B. Bradley Whitford of The West Wng
C. James Gandolfini of The Sopranos
D. Peter MacNicol of Ally McBeal


Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Maya Angelou

Hinomisaki Sho - 5

Hinomisaki Sho - 5
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

This class of 5th graders at Hinomisaki was special in some ways - they were the last class where I had to do my "jikoshokai" (self-introduction). So after teaching for 6 months I have now at least been to every class at least once. They were a fun group - one kid even asked me if they have regional dialects in America like they do in Japan. I told him about the South vs New York vs Southern California, doing my best accent for each region. I think he understood.

Hinomisaki Sho - 3rd & 4th graders

Hinomisaki Sho - 1
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

So these next 4 pics are of various Elementary school classes that I help teach. This class is a combined class of 3rd and 4th graders at Hinomisaki Shoogakkoo, a small school with only about 50 kids spread out over all 6 grades.

This day I was teaching this class about Months of the year, and then we played a pictionary type game that they all enjoyed. I let them in on the secret of my first name - how if you take the first letter of the months July thru November it spells Jason. I have to spell my name all the time, cuz the katakana for Jason makes many Japanese think it's spelt Jeison instead of Jason.

6th graders - Taisha Sho

6th graders - Taisha Sho
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

My other class of roku-nen-sei at Taisha Sho. In typical fashion, all the boys are in the front and the girls are all together in the back. Big changes in store for these kids in the coming months as they make the transition to Jr High. I'm really glad I'll get to witness it and possibly help, as I'll be one of the few familiar adult faces for many of them in the halls of the Jr High.

6th grade group

6th grade group
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

This is one of the two classes of 6th graders I help teach at my closest elementary school, Taisha Shoogakkoo. This roku-nen-sei class will soon graduate and be at my Jr High as ichi-nen-sei in April.

Trivia - Monday, Feb. 21st

Which author read her poem "On the Pulse of Morning" at Bill Clinton's 1993 Inauguration?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
True. It was filmed entirely in Denmark.

Trivia - Sat & Sun, Feb. 19th & 20th

True or False: Danish director Lars von Trier did not set foot inside America to film Dogville, starring Nicole Kidman, which is set in Colorado.

Thursday's Answer (highlight line below):
Pudding

Trivia - Thursday, Feb. 17th

What product does Adam Sandler purchase in great quantities in the film Punch-Drunk Love?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
1929

Chocolate & Swords

Valentine’s Day here in Japan, like many other aspects of life here, is a gender segregated activity. Instead of girls and boys freely exchanging gifts and cards and candy hearts, Valentine's Day in Japan is a holiday for the girls to spoil the boys. All the gift giving is a one-way street, from the girls to the boys. And it’s mostly chocolate - they don’t exchange cards here. So I arrived at my Jr. High on Monday morning armed with three boxes of American-made valentines cards - the kind you give to your classmates in elementary school - and a bunch of Hershey miniatures my sister sent me from America. I planned on teaching a lesson of sorts about the holiday in America and then handing out the chocolate and cards to my elective English class 3rd period. But the female Jr. High students were raring to go Monday morning and shortly after the morning staff meeting at 8:10am, a pack of 9th grade girls invaded the staff room and started handing out little gift bags of chocolates to their favorite male teachers. I was the lucky recipient of a few bags myself, and I was surprised to find that many of the bags contained homemade cookies and brownies - some real effort had gone into the preparation and packaging.

I was curious why only the girls had to go to so much trouble, but I was quickly informed that the boys have to reciprocate in about a month on March 15th - known as “White Day.” On White Day, it’s the boys’ turn to give the girls little gifts, mostly white chocolate, hence the holiday’s name. This is totally what we’d call a “Hallmark Holiday” back home - a holiday invented by the card companies purely to sell more cards, or in this case chocolate. So I guess I’ll be expected to ante up some white chocolate treats in a month, even though I gave my chocolate miniatures to both girls and boys on Monday.

I’ve included a pic of my haul of goodies, altho the pic is missing a few treats I ate as the day went along. Everything was oishi desu nee (very delicious). It seemed that mostly the 9th grade girls participated, but I was accosted by a swarm of ichi-nen-sei (7th grade) girls on the way to Kendo practice. They wanted to give me a chocolate goodie, and I accepted graciously, bowing and saying Arigatoo Gozaimasu. They all giggled and ran off, happy that they had forged the muddy waters of international relations and bridged the culture gap. Or maybe they just had some leftover chocolate they wanted to unload.

Speaking of kendo renshuu (practice), I am nearing my debut in full regalia. I decided to pay for my own kendo clothes - my own special shirt top, called a doge and my own special pants, called hakama. I think it’s gonna run me somewhere around $150-$200 for both, mostly because they have to special order my doge to get a big enough size and they’re gonna embroider my hakama with my name in katakana (the Japanese alphabet used for words of foreign origin) and the kanji for Taisha Chuugakkoo. Pretty cool. I’ve been working out with Hitoshi, the really great ni-nen-sei student who speaks really good English, due to the fact that he lived in Pennsylvania for three years when he was in elementary school. He helps me out all the time, and having him on the kendo team has been essential. I’ll be sure to take a few pics when I have the whole outfit on - all the clothes and my helmet (“man”), chest armor (“doo”), gloves (“kotei”), and sword (“shinai”). I’ll be a fearsome sight, let me tell ya.

But I’m a wimp when I play, mostly because I can’t get used to hitting another human being with a big stick, especially kids who are 20 years younger than me and who I outweigh by at least 60 kgs. Maybe that will change as I start to take part in regular practice and the other team members get to whack me around, but for now I’m still very tentative. The footwork is the hardest part for me right now, with very specific moves required to score points and be in good form. I’m trying, but it’s slow going. I’ve included some pics of my kendo team at practice, but they turned out rather dark - I think I’ll have to wait to a warmer and sunnier day when we have the dojo doors open so I’ll have more light when I take the pictures. Anyway, you can get some idea of what a kendo student looks like all suited up and in action. I’m enjoying my time with the team and practice is physically demanding, so it helps keep me in shape.

-Jason

Valentines candy

Valentines candy
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

Most of my haul on Valentines Day 2005. Many baked goods and chocolate from my female students. And intricate, individualized packaging, which is de rigueur in Japan.

Taisha JH - Kendo - 4

Taisha JH - Kendo - 4
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

So here are two students getting ready to spar. The kanji (white lettering) situated at their waist is their last name, so you can identify each player since we're all wearing helmets.

Taisha JH - Kendo - 2

Taisha JH - Kendo - 2
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

You'll notice that you compete barefoot, which can be rather cold in the winter months, but it's necessary for the stomping sound you must make when you strike your opponent. You also have to yell, so that combined with the sound of the bamboo swords makes for very loud practice sessions.

Taisha JH - Kendo - 1

Taisha JH - Kendo - 1
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

Two of my 7th and 8th graders on the Kendo team facing off.

Trivia - Wednesday, Feb. 16th

In what year did the Academy Awards ceremony first take place?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Martie Siedel and Emily Robinson are sisters.

Trivia - Tuesday, Feb. 15th

Which two Dixie Chicks are related?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
C. Mick Jagger

Trivia - Monday, Feb. 14th

Who sings backup on Carly Simon's "You're So Vain"?

A. James Taylor
B. Kenny Rogers
C. Mick Jagger
D. Johnny Cash

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg and The Young Girls of Rochefort

Trivia - Sat & Sun, Feb. 12th & 13th

Catherine Deneuve sang and danced in the 2000 film Dancer in the Dark, her first appearance in a musical in some time. Which two classic Jacques Demy musicals did she also star in during the 1960s?


Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Breaking the Waves

9th Grade Opt class - girls

9th Grade Opt class - girls 2
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

Here are 4 pics from my san nen sei (9th grade) class at Taisha Junior High. This is the optional class where the kids chose to study English. This class and my other optional class of 8th graders are exchanging emails with a class of students in San Diego at San Dieguito Academy who are studying Japanese.
These students graduate from middle school in late March and are off to various local High Schools in April. They've been a good group and patient with me as I learned the ropes of being an ALT, so I'll miss them when they go.

First name and last initial - L to R: Satoko W, Yui I, Seina M, Ayaka K, Ayaka G, Megumi K, Asami Y.

9th Grade Opt class - 7 boys

9th Grade Opt class - 7 boys 1
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

Taisha JH; Now on to the san nen sei boys.
L to R: Ryosuke I, Jun F, Katsutoshi K, Naoyuki H, Akinori I, Shogo M, Katsutomo K.

9th Grade Opt class - 5 boys

9th Grade Opt class - 5 boys 2
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

Taisha JH;
L to R: Takafumi O, Hisato O, Hiroaki E, Sei I, Kazuma O.

9th Grade Opt class - 6 boys

9th Grade Opt class - 6 boys
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

Taisha JH;
L to R: Yasuaki S, Koki K, Akihito K, Yusaku K, Tomohiro T, Tatsuya Y.

Trivia - Friday, Feb. 11th

Actress Emily Watson made her feature film debut in what Cannes Film Festival prizewinner (which is one of my favorite films)?


Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
D. Frogs

Trivia - Thursday, Feb. 10th

In the climatic scene of P.T. Anderson's film Magnolia, what rains from the sky?

A. Bugs
B. Hail
C. Meteorites
D. Frogs

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
His grandfather, Al Hansen

Trivia - Wednesday, Feb. 9th

Beck isn't the only artist in his family. Name the family member who was influential in the Fluxus art movement.

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
She was his aunt.

Trivia - Tuesday, Feb. 8th

How are Rosemary and George Clooney related?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
The NYC subway line (#6) she would take to get to her home in the Bronx.

ONI skit 1 - Usagi Sho

ONI skit 1 - Usagi Sho
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

The two teachers at Usagi Sho particpating in a skit about a Oni (demon) that must be banished by throwing beans at it. That's the school principal in the background dressed up as the demon.

I got to be a demon too later on and the kids threw beans at me as I ran around the gym. Later I followed them around the school and we threw beans out various windows and door and shouted "Oni wa soto" (Oni go outside) and something about asking Happiness to come inside. Then later we were each supposed to eat one bean for each year we've been alive. I couldn't manage 35 beans, but I ate a few.

Awesome kids - Usagi Sho

Awesome kids - Usagi Sho
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

The entire student body at Usagi Elementary (except for one girl who was absent that day). Great kids - I love visiting Usagi Sho.

On Thursday, my Jr High had a holiday, but I agreed to visit Usagi Elementary. It's a great school and the kids love hanging out with me and I enjoy seeing them as well. Only 6 students plus two girls in yochien (kindergarten) in the whole school, so I get lots of one-on-one time and know all the kids' names. There is one 6th grader, who will soon be at Taisha Jr High, and one 5th grader, and they both speak very good English for their age. Good endorsement for keeping class size small (but just two kids in class is a little extreme). Spent most of the day there - ate lunch with them and played soccer at recess. Fun day.

Usagi Sho poster

Usagi Sho poster
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

Awesome poster teaching the kids about traffic safety. Hard to see, but on the upper left you see a dummy being plowed into by a car. Talk about "scared straight."

Usagi Sho school seal

Usagi Sho school seal
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

The school crest at Usagi Sho. Looks exactly like the symbol for the Rebel Alliance in the Star Wars films. Yes, I'm a geek.

Trivia - Monday, Feb. 7th

What does J. Lo's album title On The 6 refer to?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Ben Kingsley

Trivia - Sat & Sun, Feb. 5th & 6th

Which British actor went from his Oscar-winning performance as Gandhi in 1983 to playing a ruthless gangster in the 2000 film Sexy Beast?

Friday's Answer (highlight line below):
It's short for Bono Vox, which means "good voice" in Latin, but was adapted from a brand of hearing aid called "Bonavox." On a related note, my friend, Rusty, recently told me that Axl Rose (lead singer for Guns n Roses) is an anagram for "oral sex." Oh the things we learn...

Trivia - Friday, Feb. 4th

How did Bono get his nickname?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Whiskey

Trivia - Thursday, Feb. 3rd

What product was Bill Murray's character hawking in Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
A. Colin Firth

Some interesting facts about Shimane

So these are some stats I received in a weekly email I get from my JET advisors.

You should know that Shimane (my home) is one of the least populated prefectures in Japan - of the 47 kens (prefectures) in Japan, Shimane is ranked 45th or 46th in total population. Japan as a whole has about 127 million people, but Shimane has only about 800,000. That makes it one of the least densely populated kens with only about 112 people per square kilometer. The following stats spell out how many of that 800,000 are foreigners:

As of the 31st December 2004 there were 5797 foreigners registered as residents of Shimane. The greatest proportion of these were from China (2145), The Philippines (1146), Korea (988) and Brazil (723). Some other countries' totals include: US: 105, UK: 54, Canada: 38, Thailand: 31, Russia: 22, Australia: 16, New Zealand: 14, Ireland:7, Finland: 3,  Singapore: 2, and South Africa: 1.  Statistics submitted by Tim Mansfield.

The Brazil stat always takes me by surprise a bit - but I met a Brazilian woman trying to get her driver's license at the same time I got mine.
The overwhelming majority of American, British, Irish, Australian, Kiwi and Canadian people above are ALTs like myself. I know one of the Finnish people and one of the Singapore natives mentioned above as well as the solitary South African.

The other revelaing thing about these stats is you can see just how much our students trying to learn English get to practice speaking the language outside the classroom. They get almost zero opportunity to speak with any native speakers outside of school. No different than an American living in say, Minnesota, who's learning Japanese, but the homogeneity of Japan is still astonishing at times. It also explains why we as JETs often get stared at by people at the grocery store, etc.

Shimane has 122 JETs and Japan as a whole has about 6,000.

More info about Shimane can be found Here.

-JCH

Feb 1st thermometer

Feb 1st thermometer
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

If you click on the photo, you can maybe see that it reads 3°C!!!! (about 39°F) That's how cold it is in the hallways and other parts of my school that they don't bother to heat. We use big kerosene heaters (like the one shown Here in my friend Emily's blog) to heat the staff room and selected classrooms.
I read an interesting article recently on the quality of Japanese education and ways to improve it. One person pointed out that students' basic comfort should be more of a concern, since shivering from the cold isn't necessarily conducive to learning.

Speaking of shivering, one reason I haven't been posting more is my house isn't much warmer than the school hallways. I got home yesterday and it was 2°C in my house! My fingers will literally go numb with cold from exposure after typing on my laptop for more than 30 minutes.

So just be thankful for whatever nuggets I throw at ya... :)

-JCH
Not "too cool for school" but "too cold in school"

Ni nen sei - huddling around heater

Ni nen sei - huddling around heater
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

It's been damn cold, so when the optional (elective) 8th grade English class congregates in the underused Language Lab, all the kids huddle around the heater for warmth until I make them take their seats.
"Ahhh, the smell of Kerosene in the afternoon; smells like Victory." (Apocalypse Ima)

TJH quadrangle

TJH quadrangle
Originally uploaded by Jason In Japan.

It snowed pretty heavy on the 1st and it lasted until the next day, which made riding my scooter to and from school an adventure. This is the quad in the middle of the main building at my chuugakkoo (Jr. High). Not tons of snow, I know, but seems like a lot to this California boy. I had to walk over to my BoE to drop off my rent money and a literal blizzard came to life as I walked back to school. Only a five minute walk, but I was a popsicle by the time I made it back to the relatively warm environs of the staff room.

Trivia - Wednesday, Feb. 2nd

This actor, who was alluded to as the object of Bridget Jones's affection in Helen Fielding's book, actually took a role in the screen adaptation of Bridget Jones's Diary:

A. Colin Firth
B. Jeremy Northam
C. Hugh Grant
D. Alan Rickman

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
A Polaroid picture

Trivia - Tuesday, Feb. 1st

In OutKast's hit single "Hey Ya!" we are instructed to "shake it" like what?

Yesterday's Answer (highlight line below):
Chris Martin, lead singer of Coldplay. They named their first child, a daughter, Apple.