It was either this or doing laundry

Time for some random rapid-fire posting. I can always upload pictures from the same month-old set a few at a time later to make it look like a legit update..

Had a good conversation the other night with many of the interns. Yea, I don't mention them too often, but normally we talk about trivial matters like international politics. This time, though it was about food! Instead of elaborating on the details, it will be much more fun to just leave simple bullet-points and plant seeds of stereotyping. Plus Blogger has the cool "list-button" icon I haven't clicked yet.

In China, they are willing to eat a surprising variety of animals. The south much more so than the north. Examples include snakes, turtles, rabbits, and monkey brains. Dining on turtles "of course" increases your longevity. However, the French are less prone to eat the turtles because they are much more useful as garden additions - think "living rocks." The French can also go for snake (apparently with garlic and around Christmas-time) and rabbit, but are a bit shy on the monkey-brains.

Anyhow, you have to be a high-roller to enjoy the ape. Apparently the gimmick is that the monkey is served alive. Indeed, the animal is kept concealed under the table save the cranium which will be prepped for you. (Honestly, would a guest be expected to break through its skull? How barbaric.) So you've got a live animal with half of its head missing exiled beneath the tablecloth, but the brains on display and awaiting you to put it out of its misery. The method? Hot oil. Yes, you pour hot oil directly onto the monkey's brain and snack away.

Hopefully, this should probably be the most absurd thing you've ever read in regards to upscale dining. I have a vivid imagination, so the sights and sounds of this scene brought me to a tearful fit of laughter (naturally, we were all eating at the time). Also, you'd have to hang around the French to know their contempt and disgust at such a description.

Completely unrelated but a bit of rare culture shock: I was going into the convenience store near the apartment and was served by a guy I swear was from India! Never in my wildest would I have expected to see a foreign face behind a counter in Japan... even if his Japanese was proper. Also a new first for me - communicating with people from other countries using Japanese as a common language. Usually wherever you go on this planet, English is going to be the second language that two foreign parties can use. But Shinjuku has a nice all-you-can-eat Indian curry restaurant and the folks there addressed me in Japanese as well.

Another tidbit: while Halloween isn't popular in Japan (at least I don't know of any trick-or-treating plans) there is a semi-planned, public party next weekend. It will take place on the Yamanote train line that circles the major districts of Tokyo. It's similar to a flash mob (look it up - very entertaining) but with more drinking and less police intervention. The basic idea is to get a costume, get some booze, and get to the train platform. The clips I've seen on YouTube from parties past have shown a shocking 70-30 gaijin-to-nihonjin ratio. It is hard to gauge however, as the Japanese are typically shorter and their numbers harder to properly count.

Naturally I had to find a costume. After some soul-searching (and wandering around various variety stores in Machida), I settled with something that was agreeably both American-funny and not Japan-creepy. I won't spoil the surprise now, but if there is photographic evidence from the event that is presentable, I'll be sure to... present it.

Since I'm about to go to bed, I must lastly add that I am happy to have received my new mattress. Ideally this will nullify the back pains I occasionally wake up with. If not, it makes a good temporary couch for guests. My pillow is still a bag of beans, but that's how I like it.

Take care of yourselves, and each other.