Saturday, July 01, 2006

Yes, we have no bananas

※Don't read if you have any sort of fondness for bananas.

This has always bugged (rotten ((hey, I did it twice!)) pun) me. Bananas. You buy them. Eat one or two. And by day three there are all these little gnats flying around. This doesn't seem to bother anyone I know. Not the gnats per se. You just squish them, move on. But where did they come from?!

I don't think it is very likely that the buggers enter the house from outside because they posses a supernatural power that allows them to somehow know a piece of fruit is starting to go "over" ripe in there. It just makes sense that the eggs are already on the bananas when you buy them. They hatch, voila'! This bears repeating. The eggs are already ON the bananas when you buy them. And not just sometimes, but ALL THE TIME. I've never not had a banana and not had gnats for a week afterwards; meaning everytime I buy bananas I get the little bugs. That really disturbs me. I mean think of the odds...I've been alive a long time (cough cough), bought and eaten a lot of bananas but never can I remember gnat-free episode.

I did some googling and found a few people who suggest washing the fruit when you first get it home, thus washing away the eggs (thus proving my theory). Most,however, go into great detail about making elaborate traps (involving beer, juice, homemade cones, boiling water...) to get rid of the pests.

I think I'd much rather sit down and eat a half dozen gnats than think about a colony of eggs hatching, and larvae-ing on the fruit I just bought and handled and have sitting on my kitchen counter.

(shudder)

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

Wee Little Books

You have to understand, books here are weeee-tiny. I mean it makes sense and all. There is just no place to store them. It's an island, not a continent and it's mostly crowded with mountains not plain. But I still am not 'used to it'. I love big hunkin', heavy, books. I adore them. I want a house with a gigantic library with bay windows and lotsa wood and enormous cushy chairs, maybe even a few of those mellow green hooded banker's lamps set on tables about the room. That's what I want and I'll measure my success by that. But until then...

That's ol J. showing you where my near forty bucks went. Yep. Japanese books are adorable. To me they don't feel like books but it is so much fun to see how many you can fit into the palm of your hand. And damn you can store alot. Just loose one! You'll spend half the day trying to find it. I can't tell you how many toes have been stubbed over various anothologies and memoirs I have collected in English. Stubbing toes is no fun.

Today when I went to the store I bought some Qoo. I usually buy the stuff that has little extras attached. I had no idea what this extra was, a handkerchief? It looked like this...(actually if I had turned it right side up I could have read it, and known what I was buying but what fun in there is that?)

Upon opening it and spreading it on the floor I discovered it was a book cover! With one of those tail thingys too! And it was cloth as well, no cheapo paper. Fireworks design and all.

So I proceeded to put it on one of my weee-bity books and this is what it looks like! It is so awesome. I have the plastic it came in...there are six different designs! Aside from the fireworks, there are fans, goldfish, leaves, umbrellas, and snails! Snails! I am going to collect one of each. I am determined.

And then one day when I get that big house with the study and walls of bookshelves I'll have whole rows full of these little books all covered in fireworks, and goldfish and snails. And then I'll be a success.

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Asian Kung Fu Generation


This is my son's favorite band these days. Asian Kung Fu Generation, or Ajikan for short. I loved the song they had for the anime Naruto. What? Years ago, I guess.

The singer and bassist are actually from very near here, which is always cool.

Trying to post their video for "Kimi no machi made" on here. J will be playing this song for his drum concert next month. I am now addicted to it. The video is pretty odd too.

Two things:
①The coach at the beginning is giving them a speech about how no matter what happens they can't stop the performance (this is very vaguely important to the, um, plot of the video)
②The coolest part in the whole video is the little lobster on top of the big lobster's house...
Asian Kung-Fu Generation Kimi no Machi Made