Saturday, December 23, 2006

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR!

RAUHALLISTA JOULUA JA RATKIRIEMUKASTA UUTTA VUOTTA!

KELLEMES KARÁCSONYT ÉS BOLDOG ÚJ ÉVET!

メリークリスマスあけましておめでとうございます

To my dear friends, family, and all blog readers all around our tiny globe!



I guess this has come out of Noora's (my brother's girlfriend) pencil?! So nice, that had to share it with everybody here. :)


Thank you for many many cards!


The door of my room (one Santa turned to Jewish during last night and prefers to live on Israeli's door;).



--[Seems that the next post will be published here in the next year. But on the Christmass eve I'll be going to my lab and keep my skype open for whole evening (and I mean evening here;). If not in the skype, then you'll be hearing from me (and hopefully me from you also) in next year!]--

The worst and best day of week...

Phuuuuuuh...this week is finally over. Have no idea how I got so tired by end of it. Today everything seemed to downhill until last hour when I was about to go to sleep. First of all this morning was the hardest wake up since my army mornings after long evening vacations... I think half of my spirit is still laying on bed, waiting me to arrive back. Ok, so the day started with half spirit. Still I was ready to work hard and my spirit (half of it) was up. One of the first things I heard after (extra-)weekly morning meeting was that XRD (X-ray diffraction) machine was broken night before. I couldn't do anything with my samples without XRD-measurement first.

Ok, second thing was to finally repaire my mac. Yesterday...I mean on Thursday Axel, German mac user from our dorm, looked my silver apple and found out that memory is broken. Which meant that my nightmares didn't come true and hard drive should be OK...yeppee! Ok, then I started to call Apple-care 'cause didn't have anything better to do. I was way too tired to do any analysis for old results. Anyway, got number to closest place where they could repaire my precious toy. Pleasent japanese women suggested also service where they would collect the machine from me and would brought it back after service but it sounded quite expensive. Somehow I wrote the number down wrong and I had to call back...after lunch. It took me 15 times to call before I finally got trough there with our lab's landline phone. And that was only 'cause my lab mate expleined them finally that there is "kaijin" calling now so please be mercyful put him trough to the english service. Naturally cellphone had run out of battery. Oh, this going to be long post if I continue like this.

Finally around 3 pm. me and my tutor Souichiro-san (the wizard with computers) were thinking what to do. He made some calls to service place and found out that if I go there today I couldn't get my laptop back for more than week 'cause holidays are comming. So, we decided to take a risk that the only problem with my apple is the memory. I jumped to train to Yokohama. Before that went to post office to send a letter to Neatherlands. I think this was the first thing (and almost the only one) which went like planned. On the way to Yokohama I was taking trains trains to wrong directions but finally managed to get there and found the station and new memory (2x512MB). Back to lab after 6 pm. Dinner. Surfing. Surfing. Surfing while half sleeping.

When Souichi was released from the other lab's (he's co-operating with other lab) meeting it was almost 9 pm. We changed the memory. Made the hardware check. It went trough. So, computer should be fixed now. But no. When I tried to start it, no response. Damn.

Time to go home. On the way chains were displaced from my bicycle middle of the darkest path surrounded by rice fields. Had to walk half kilometer to reach the nearest street light. Repaired the bicycle and continued my joyrney with loud noise rising from chains...too tired to pay any more attention to it. Here I took shower went to bed but decided to read the book "Kristianin Nuoruus Vuodet" before falling a sleep. "Why not to put installing in progress at the same time"...and I did. So, here I'm writing this post. Only problem is that all my old data (including all my pictures taken here in Japan) are somewhere deep inside the silver box. Have no idea how to get them out...and frankly, at the moment I care a rat shit of those files. Tomorrow is a new day and after that even next one. Time to get some sleep. Akihabara's electric future world is waiting tomorrow. Time to buy christmas present for myself. (^_^)



Have to mention about this week that there has been again many new experiences but right now I can recall only one thing (maybe 'cause I have been reading too much this "Myrkky" comic). One morning there was huge dog taking a poop and his owner, japanese lady half taller than the dog, was keeping a plastic bag open under dog's you know what...hilarious. Still smiling when thinking them. That dog has been taught well!

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Rock PARTY!

Heeeeeeeeeeee, unbelievable party on Friday night! Have to admit that the best party so far in Tokyo! We went to this rock club after midnight and the atmosphere there was full of pure energy. Punk rock bands were playing and made people crazy. Last band started at around 3 am. When we left at 6 am the party was still rocking with full power…wonder when did they really stop the party..? Can imagine cute small Japanese girls with full of tattoos (and by full I mean really from chin to palm). Or guys with 30 cm high, two colored mohawks! Now we really explored and found different kind of Tokyo seen so far. Rock people in every country seem to know how to have fun. Sugoi-nice!


Sorry no pics, ‘cause camera was left home and my laptop is still busted. Hope that I can save my pics from its hard drive…ok, here is one from dormitory before hitting the night.




Oh, here few pictures taken from year end party of MIA-organization (the organization which is giving me Japanese lessons) from last week Saturday. They are really nice people. I was doing “kampai” with 70 year old Japanese man (with sake).



Traditional Japanese drummers. They have to be in really good shape.


All japanese are so good singers...why is that?

Hee.


And now time to go to relax in Sento. Their 42 degree Celsius outdoor pool is magnificent and Sauna…that's really something! Oh, and fixed my bicycle, again.

Monday, December 11, 2006

Phuuuuuh...

Dead-line is strange thing. Closer it comes the more energetic you'll come...

I begin to prepare presentation from my research during the last three months at 8 pm. last night. Two hours and I was ready to move my bigger assaingment. Today is the dead-line for my report to my Finnish professor, like I mentioned earlier (on that Saturday, day before I didn't do no nothing...like italiandutchspanishisraeli friends of mine use to say always!). Funny how I was so energetic that forgot totally go to sleep last night. I wrote till it was time to go weekly meeting give my presentation and here I'm now, almost ready with the report. Just few senteces more... Luckilly the time difference is 7 hours, so I could spent at least 2 more hours to this. But don't have time, have to go here. Maybe next time is our time to participate this event. Hee, first price is 100 000 yen. ;P

Saturday, December 09, 2006

Silver cat having a cold

What a week, what a week...and it's not over yet. I still have to write a report to my professor in Finland. And it has to be done by Monday and in English. Also on Monday is my turn to give a presentation in weekly meeting (show my research results from last three weeks). So, I’ll try to keep this post short. Hands are still shaking from yesterday’s party and next party is already waiting tonight. Luckily tonight’s party is organized by the organization who offers the free Japanese lessons, so it’ll be full of old ladies which means that tonight I’ll get to sleep early.


Where would I start… Ok, last weekend after the K-1 tournament I borrowed my key to Israel. Who happened to lose it. So, my door couldn’t be locked for few days and before it could be open first time, I had to sleep one night on the sofa of common room. Chinese mafia in our dormitory didn’t hit my room during this time. And actually this reminded me that I’ve getting back the plates which were stolen during the first weeks. Wonder if my Shampoo and soap will return someday..?


On Tuesday I was going to be late from my class (damn cell phone with the silence mode which makes the alarm clock also silent). I was cycling like mad man to get there on time. I was half way there when tyre got flat. So, fast walking to school and I didn’t miss the whole class. My bicycle is still here at the university, no time to repair it yet.


Wednesday I gave an intermediate presentation for the Material Science faculty. There were all the first year students from different labs and their supervising professors. All the other students (except me and one Chinese guy) had started their studies on last April so they had a bit more results from their experiments to present. I presented mostly my topic and what I’m going to do with it. Luckily my turn was right after lunch, so most of the professors were still missing and I got easier “interrogation” time. After every presentation professors were putting some heat on the student with 7 minutes questioning about the topic. Evening there was party for all students who participated to this. Meet some nice people from different labs in our department. I had to leave after one hour to another party.


Just on time we arrived to Finnish embassy to shake hands with the ambassador and his wife. I invited my Finnish friend who is living here in Tokyo, but didn’t receive the invitation, to the party (met her in the very first weekend here in Tokyo). The evening was nice. There were lots of good food and we were enjoying drinking and chatting with other young Finnish people living in Japan. Just like last year in Budapest. Only the program was missing. Last year got to hear some piano playing and Hungarian opera singer singing national anthem of Finland. And unlike normally in Finnish parties or pub/bar nights, the closing was done with style. Just quietly stop serving alcohol to drunken Finnish people and you don’t have to say that it’s time to leave. When the glass is empty everybody lose their interest to party and goes out to look next one. Sounds familiar doesn’t it? :) I was able to catch the last train and five hours sleeping before heading to university.



Finnish youngsters in the embassy. Hansku, MILLION THANKS FOR BEST TIE EVER!!!! Hee, everybody really loved it...me among them. :D


Thursday is the day for studying. There are classes from 9 am. till 16:30 pm. First lesson (organic transition metal chemistry) the professor shot me down, like they use say in our lab. I couldn’t (of course) to solve the problem on the blackboard and the professor was yelling me that I haven’t learnt anything and I don’t know anything. He is damn right. I’m not an organic chemist; I’m there just to get the credits from lecture taught in English. Afternoon was woken up by my own professor when sleeping in middle of the class.


“Right Samuli, you must have question on this matter…”

“Uuumn, sorry…eettoo…??” , I replied.

“He has drunk to much Koskenkorva (Finnish vodka) last night”. He said smiling to whole class.

“maybe, maybe”, I replied and continued with couple of questions concerning about the topic in hand.


This Thursday I had also an exam. In the evening I went to my Japanese lessons and was so tired that sensei had to repeat everything twice before I could understand anything. Worst thing in whole day was that my silver cat stopped running. There is something wrong with my mac! Hopefully it’s only small flu and not anything big like broken hard drive…


Yesterday was farewell party to Inga-san. She will return to Lithuania on Tuesday for few months. From there she'll continuing to Finland and my home university as a researcher. So, we'll be still in connection for the next two years. There is still so many things unlearned from her. But from now on she'll have to teach me remotely via Skype. :) We ate sushi and had some good time. Evening ended, like usually to eating and drinking in an after party…some karaoke was included.


And now it’s finally time to do what for I came to lab today. Write the report.

K-1

Finally the day came. I’ve been waiting this since I got here or should I say that from the day I saw it first time on TV almost 10 years ago! It was time to see the king of all fighting tournaments, K-1 finals in the Tokyo Dome. Atmosphere in the huge arena was unbelievable! Tokyo Dome sold out, full of people exited to see big men fighting in a kickboxing ring. Guys weighting from 100 to 130 kg were competing from the first price of 400 000 USD. Which is nothing compared to the title of the most known fighting tournament in all over the world. Me and Israel entered the smoky arena with full of excitement.


My favorite fighter from 90’s was in a very first match in whole tournament, Peter Aerts versus Musashi in a first reserved match. Dutch guy sent the Japanese to sleep in under 3 minutes. Fight was over before it could even really start…pity. But it seemed that it was my lucky night indeed. I bought accidentally bag of few K1 fighter collection cards. I was buying a postcard...but for those girls behind the counter CARD is CARD no matter if it is a “post” or not…so no postcards sent from the tournament. But anyway, I got the card of Peter “the lumber jack” Aerts signed by own hand of old master himself. This would have been enough for making the night but then we got to hear the theme song of Pulp Fiction again…twice! This is the entrance song for my very favorite fighter. Unbelievable, all the Japanese in the arena were cheering with me from all their hearts when Aerts entered the ring again. Remy Bojasky, who won the first fight, was injured and couldn enter to semifinals. Aerts did it instead and won the fight against Brazilian Glaube Feitosa who was another favorite for the title. In the title match Aerts couldn’t beat the head taller young Dutch fighter Semmy Schilt. Semmy won the title second time in a row.


Wow, the night was amazing! Pics will come if they can be saved from laptop.

10.1.07, And here they are finally:


Israel and a small queue...luckilly not ours gate. 6 minutes left, we were on time as always. ;P


First fight is on...


...3 minutes later it's over. But got a change see my all time favourite fighter on live. :)


What a show!


Unbelievable! Aerts is back in the ring!

And again! Third time in this evening.


Pulp Fiction's theme song and most of the people in the Tokyo Dome cheering to their favourite fighter! Can you imagine the feeling?

Last year's champion on his way to the final match.


Heehee!

Mt. Takao

One beautiful Saturday morning we headed to Takao-san to enjoy the pure and quiet nature of this small mountain. As did also few hundred other people. :) Trees were autum colored and the place was really nice even though the place was A BIT crowded. Took lots of pictures and they'll be shown here if I can get them from silver tiger.


Saw Mt. Fuji from the top. The top of it will be the goal for next summer.

10.01.2007 Hee, pictures were saved. Here you some of them.



As you can see hiking around here is not lonely sport!

Wonder who is living in that small house?

Guardian of the temple in the valley.

Cool hat.

That's a one mean looking guy.

Not all the way to up was covered with asphalt (altough large part of it was).


Fujita and Janny.






Autum is here. Makes me feel like back in Finland...2 months ago.



Half a way to the top.

Apparently it wasn't so original idea to go hiking on a beautiful autum Saturday...

Everybody on the top was enjoying their lunch in beautiful enviroment.

The mount Fuji. 3 776 m high, a bit higher than the mountain where we were standing on that day (mt. Takao 599 m high).

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Busy week

More than week has passed since last post. Sorry about that. I can only defend my self by saying the obviuos: "I've been hell busy". Doing what? Can't even remember anymore. But last week I didn't leave lab before midnight in any of the days. Luckilly Thursday was a public holiday. Ok, and here you have some pictures from my phone.


One morning, some time ago, I witnessed morning work out of construction workers. Nice, this way they keep fit and I bet less injuries in this building site that the one with out morning streching. :)


Problems with ATM?...no worries, just take a picture and ask translation from your tutors and next time you master it well. ;P


High pressure machine from our lab. My sample in the midle will feel 5000 times atmospheric pressure when those anvils starts to press it. Not too many machines like this in whole earth.


Noodle cup serving me good as a sample holder when heating my samples... ;)


Yesterday morning it was raining heavily and this kitten was talking me while taking my bicycle to go university. I was in a hurry but always some time to chat with "kawaii" kittens. She said that it's too cold and wet. I agreed. Told her to go home next to the radiator wait the sunny day. When I jumped to my bike I was even more in a hurry. The day of Weekly Meeting, better not to be late.


Today at lunch I took this small things to my salad. Hot as HELL. No wonder they were served from so small plate...

And let's see...what has happened last week except hard working in lab. BTW, "hard" doesn't mean anything negative. Now I'm working in a place doing things I've been dreaming since the very first chemistry lesson of mine.

Welcomming party for international students was held in our campus (Yeye! didn't need to go far far away, Ookayama;). Lots of food, beer and wine. Only enjoyed the first one. Oh, so party must have been before half marathon... On Thursday my legs were somehow recovered from running (now I know what is waiting me in old age...damn that walking can be hard). So, I headed for a whole day Krav-Maga seminar. Good trainings (a bit soft for what I have got used to in Finland and Hungary) and especially nice to meet new people.

Saturday I would describe quite effectively used day. Woke up 6 am. bicycled to lab. Started some long measurements (over 15 h) and write few lines for my this week's presentation. Took train to Shibuya where I met Fujita and Janny. We headed to Mt. Takao. Walked till the top (like few hundred other people also on that day) to eat lunch and enjoy colorful autum view. Saw Mt. Fuji first time in my life! Next summer the top of Fuji-san in my goal. After comming down more trecking styled route we took train to Shinjuku. Visited 100 yen shop (guess who owns now sake bowl for atsukan! ;). Shop where you can find almost anything between heaven and earth and only with 100 yen! We were dying hungry, so time for dinner. Went to eat "chapu-chapu". Once again new experience. Cook your own food with boiling water and eat as much as you can with in 90 minutes (1890 yen). One of my favourite places from now on. :) When returning home made one last stop in Aobadai (next station to the home station Fujigaoka) and had a drink of sake with my new australian friend who I met week ago. Maybe two a clock I finally dropped to my bed and fell a sleep in micro second.

Next morning woke up with out alarm clock and headed to krav-maga gym before noon. After 1 hour sweating (they really have physical trainings here) headed again to my lab. More measurements and making of the presentation till midnight (dead-line for sending it to professor Monday 6 pm.). On Monday I gave the last touch for pp-slides and sent it at 5:53 pm.

And yes, camera was with me in Mt. Takao trip, so some pictures will appear in near future. Now it's time to eat and study a bit before hugging my lovely pillow for next 7 hours.

Oh, almost forgot, I was today so energetic that went to BIG shopping mall one station behind our campus and bought two pair of shoes. Did I tell you that my shoes went broken something like 3 weeks ago? Ok, I had my hiking boots and running shoes, so haven’t been really in a hurry with this matter. But finally it was time. Got my suit from Finland (Million thanks mom!) and it needed shoes to accompany it. And next week suit will be worn first time here in Japan when it’s Finland’s Independence Day 6th of December. Once again got change to participate party in embassy (last year the same thing in Budapest).

Didn’t writing of this post’s took so long that our incredible internet connection was lost from our dormitory...nice. Wednesday shall it then be when you get this one.

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Half marathon

Early wake up this morning, sun wasn't even risen when I woke up 05:30. Felt a bit like in Finlad at winter time, wake up when it's still dark. But even though I slept only 5 and half hours I didn't feel tired at all. The day was finally here. It was time to test my body with half marathon. It took place in Kawasaki. The goal was to survive trough all the 21 kilometers and smile at the finish.


I had to register in the morning 'cause the pre-registration time had already gone when Fujita asked me to join to the event.


Fujita preparing for the run with our personal assistant Janny. :)


Friends ready for the run.


And last minutes middle of the other runners...(damn, I should piss)...just when we were about to start had urgent need to urinate, but too late now.


"GO"


2.00.59, we finished the run exactly with same time. It was nice to run together. Time was passing much faster when we were chatting. Race was over before you even noticed. :)


And the smile at the finish.

Nice experience! Can't wait to get to participate next one. Maybe few of these before the real one...just to study this thing how to survive. Right now I have two major problems:

1) I had to stop to piss after 3 km (and it was a long one...it felt like it's not going to end ever) and second stop wasn't far away, luckilly I could hold it. And you must drink during the run.

2) I was REALLY hungry when we finished. Never would be able to run another 21 km with empty stomach. How to fill my stomach without throwing up during the first half? Maybe have to take those gel energy things (saw someone eating it today).

Next time (maybe on February) the goal is to go under 2 hours. Feel quite good now. Only my right knee is hurting a bit. Had the same problem few years ago when tried to start jogging in Helsinki. Hope that it won't stop me running more. This is FUN! Like sports where you can really push your body to the edge... ;)

Ok, time to relax by going to sento (artificial onsen) which I learnt to be located quite near to our dormitory. But first need to get my bicycle from the Fujigaoka station...who told me to forget it there.

Disneyland

Ok, and who told me to put this many pictures in this post?! Anyway here you have them organised and with some explanations, perhaps.

The Saturday in Tokyo Disneyland was amazing! After long long waiting the inner child was released in farytale world with Mickey and Donald (yep, some of you are right, the child in me not only "inner"...if I'm said to be 20 years old, does it mean that child in me is then 5?). The place was most crowded place in whole Tokyo so far, but it didn't bother me at all. I was going a round with big gleaming eyes from morning till evening. Some attractions had 170 minutes long waiting queues. We didn't do that long waitings. We used this magnificent "fast pass" system (you could get max. for three attractions these tickets which let you walk straight in at certain time). We were 5 people from our lab together exploring the wonders of wonder land. Ok, but let the huge amount of picture tell the story from childrens world.


Poster in my home station, Fujigaoka. It gave the first starange feeling in my stomach...now it's happening (I gotta see Disneyland!).


And here we are. Christmas Mickey smiling right after main gate. Entrance fee 5800 yens.


Immediately the first parade, yeppee!


Mickey and Minnie!


Familiar flag middle of palm trees. :)


The area was huge. Every now and then we had to stop reading map how to get to th enext attraction (from left: Izumi-san, Kadota-san, Abe-san and Inga-san).


Crowded?


Familiar boat from comics!


Indian village next to railroads.


Most of the attractions were boat rides trough the magnificent puppet shows.


Here they had all the countries from the earth. Hello's to Ireland! Zoom the picture if possible...


Russia.


Wouldn't it be nice to have a summer cottage next to that mountain.


BIG parade. Toy story, one of my favourites.


Santa-san!


And the Santa's little helppers...why I always thought that they are small ugly dwarfs...?


Roller-coaster.


This is like casttles should look like! I was so disapointed in Transylvania last winter when count Dracula's casttle wasn't even close to this.


Pirates of Caribean.


Me and Donald Duck himself.


Disney and George Lucas took us to the stars.


On the way to the 3D-movie.

Collection of funny trees:






I wan't to have that kind of round trees in my yard someday (if I have a own yard).


Japanese are masters of mixing tastes together. Never so shorter than 85 meters long queues to popcorn carriages.


Electric parade at the night time.


Perfect ending for the day, FIREWORKS!!! Like a lot!