Ohaiyo! Japan dash!

Woo hoo! Going to the World Expo! Always wanted to go to Japan, and now's the chance to do it!

Japan is a country which we always fetishize, even in Singapore. Think about Dance Dance Revolution, Para Para, Japanese schoolgirl outfits, kawaii anime and manga. Not to mention all the Japanese-oriented youth sections that have opened up in places like Far East and Bugis, which are supposedly but pale imitations of Harajuku district in Tokyo.

The West is far worse in its depictions of Japan. Lost in Translation, The Last Samurai, Karate Kid, are but a few examples of how the supposed alien-ess of Japan is used to make a point.

That philosophical aside aside, i am interested in finding out how true these depictions are. I want to hear midi music in the underpass, singing bathtubs, strange Glay-inspired teens in Harajuku, the works.

Speaking of strange things, one of the faster growing sports in the US is synchronized ice skating for guys! And it started in Ann Arbor (the university town where I studied) half a century ago... To top it off, one of the guys who takes part in the New York Team is a 67 year old man, who retired at 55, tried painting in an ashram for 4 years, then took up synchronised ice skating after he realised that he sucked at it. Talk about bizarre sports. This is something that the director of Water boys and Swing Girls should make a movie about...

On a completely different topic, Gimble had its 8th anniversary concert last night! Gimble was my first acapella group, and it will always have a very special place in my heart. The friendships made were truly valuable ones, and I will always be thankful for the experiences and relationships forged in the 3 wonderful years there. I grew up tremendously, both musically and personally. Even the occasionally unpleasant episodes that are natural to any group of friends were great learning experiences for me. I learned to loosen up, to not have such a high and mighty view of my own importance (yeah i was a stuck up prig...), and these are lessons/truths that I have taken away with me.

It was tough to leave acapella behind upon coming back to Singapore, but after a while I realised it was time to move on. And lindy hop came along :) And I found yet another group of wonderful friends to hang out with. Bee, Oats, Footloose, HM, Mingers, Tra, DaSwingMan, Selena, L, WITSSH, Goldfish, Arie, C.... ha ha the list goes on.

I am grateful for these good friends in my life. Maybe that's a good note to end this post on.

Cheers!