Team Random - Are we still flying??

POSTED BY: SerenityPunk
UPDATED: Friday, August 11, 2006 23:42
VIEWED: 22458
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CALLMESERENITY

Monday, July 31, 2006 4:03 PM

lol.

Goat, you are exceptional.

Do you have a tatoo?

Why are tatoos not allowed? It's just a gym right? It's not a big deal to have a tatoo in America, is it a bigger deal in Japan?

And, how can they prove you're not a ganster? (I assume they meant gangster)

This amuses me.

Serenity,
First Officer of Destiny
President of The Juggled Gosling Chatroom
Bride8

http://callmeserenity.livejournal.com/

GOAT

Monday, July 31, 2006 4:18 PM

Tattoos are VERY taboo here. Historically, only outlaws and "gangsters" had tattoos. If my memory serves me, they are also somewhat a status symbol for Yakuza (Japanese Mafia) along with the cutting off part of your finger (at a knuckle) each time you are promoted within the organization. While it isn't illegal to get tattoos anymore, the cultural stigma against them is still very strong.

You can't enter public baths if you have a tattoo, I guess that you can't go to the gym if you have one. For a while it was believed that tattoos were involved with the spread of AIDS.

Piercings are also taboo, but not to the same extent. Not so much for women, but for men it is. Here is a quote from an email I recieved from my supervisor before coming here:

Quote:
Just, do not come to the office with short pants, beach teeshirt or any visible piercing, they would not let you in. However, any hair color even the most surprising will be fine

I haven't seen anyone at work with brightly colored hair, yet but there is a guy with a mohawk.

I don't have a tattoo. Mostly becuase I can't really think of anything that I would want inked on me for the rest of my life. If I ever think of something I like enough to do it, I will (assuming I'm not still in Japan, that is) but haven't yet. One of my ears is pierced, though. I took it out when I moved here (I didn't think that the hassle was worth keeping it in) but I'm going to put it back in when I get back to the US.

Hmm, I read over that before posting to check for typos, too. Oh well. I really have no idea how they would figure out if you were a gangster. I have a hard time believing that a gangster would want to join a fitness club like that, though so I imagine that they are pretty safe.

CALLMESERENITY

Monday, July 31, 2006 4:27 PM

ooh, that's very interesting. Thank you!

I feel the same way as you do about tatoos. I just couldn't think of anything I'd want to still carry around when I'm 80. Plus, I hate needles! Why inflict unnecessary pain!

Don't worry about the typos!

If I may pry further, how long are you in Japan? Do you like it there? I've never been, but I lived in Guam for 6 years. There is a heavy Japanese influence on Guamian culture, and so I grew up eating with chopsticks and snacking on rice crackers and japanese candies (pocky!!!) and that sort of thing. I was so very happy when a local health food store started selling rice crackers in bulk. I buy it by the tonne (nearly!)

Serenity,
First Officer of Destiny
President of The Juggled Gosling Chatroom
Bride8

http://callmeserenity.livejournal.com/

RELFEXIVE

Monday, July 31, 2006 4:44 PM

The car went into the garage on Thursday. No news on Friday. They don't work at the weekend. Not heard anything today, and won't now.

They'll be waiting for the engineer/assessor to take a look at it and basically say "yup, it's damaged - go ahead and fix that, and that, and that there". That way, if something else is found wrong, the engineer can waste my time and money (on car hire) and come in for another look for each and every thing that's found to be wrong. That's the way they seemed to do it last time. I can only assume the engineers get paid by the visit.

Or they'll just tell me it's a write-off. I really hope that doesn't happen.

"My God - you're like a trained ape. Without the training."
"Come a day there won't be room for naughty men like us to slip about at all..."
"SUMMER!!"
http://www.theshadowdepository.co.uk/index.htm

GOAT

Monday, July 31, 2006 4:58 PM

I'm doing an internship in Japan for a year while I put off graduation just a little more. When I return to the US next May (I hope, the ending date hasn't been set yet) I will have a year of classes before I graduate.

I've only been here for 2 months, so I'm not sure that I can really say whether or not I really like it yet. So far, there have been things that I like and things that I don't like so much. People act, for the most part, polite and retail workers (convenience store workers, waitstaff etc.) act like they think they will be tipped well even though tipping is considered very rude here, Osaka is a very safe city for its size, public transportation works, is on time and people actually use it, the food is good, the people at work aren't in perpetual fear of being laid off and the company doesn't always treat you like you are disposable crap.

On the other hand, I'm not a huge fan of the "men are better than women" or the "you're a foreigner, so we'll lower the bar for you since you couldn't do it otherwise" (although I hate to admit it, that does make things easier at times even though it is a bit humiliating) thought proceces, the massive amount of waste that is produced (wooden chopsticks, everything wrapped in 2 layers of plastic and in a plastic bag), the lack of options for someone who doesn't eat meat (gave up on that before I came), the working hours or the guys on the train reading hentai manga (think porno comics). But for the most part, those are minor complaints.

All in all, I like it so far but I think it will be interesting to see how I feel after I get back to the US.

CALLMESERENITY

Monday, July 31, 2006 6:20 PM

I do hope your experience turns out to be a good one. Even if it doesn't, you'll have some good life experience under your belt. And maybe another language!

As a vegetarian, I always wonder how I'd fare in other countries!

I know what you mean about the "men are better than women" crap. I dated a Korean guy who said he wasn't like that, but then acted like it. It really got to me after awhile. Meh.

Anyway, I am excited for you and this wonderful experience. I hope you make the most of it!

Serenity,
First Officer of Destiny
President of The Juggled Gosling Chatroom
Bride8

http://callmeserenity.livejournal.com/

CALLMESERENITY

Monday, July 31, 2006 6:25 PM

Ugh! Remind me if I ever live in England to just not own a car. All of your tales of car woes (you and Citizen) have made me afraid of British mechanics.

Rel, I do hope it gets fixed soon, and at low cost to you!

Serenity,
First Officer of Destiny
President of The Juggled Gosling Chatroom
Bride8

http://callmeserenity.livejournal.com/

SIMONWHO

Monday, July 31, 2006 7:46 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by goat:
If my memory serves me, they are also somewhat a status symbol for Yakuza (Japanese Mafia) along with the cutting off part of your finger (at a knuckle) each time you are promoted within the organization.

Boy, I hope they have less layers of management than most modern organisations.

"Congratulations, you are now deputy executive in charge of customer facing relations!"
slice
"Congratulations, you are now executive in charge of customer facing relations!"
slice
"Congratulations, you are now senior executive in charge of customer facing relations!"
slice
"Congratulations, you are now chief executive in charge of customer facing relations!"
slice

4 fingers down and they're still just the doorman.

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N0SKILLZ

Monday, July 31, 2006 9:12 PM

Rel: i didn't go far at all, i personally havn't been very active here since my last post, and i just clicked it in the My Firefly place.

-------------------------------
RAF Lakenheath
Security Deputy of the Sereni-Tree
"I can't feel my Danger Zone" Jayne Muppet!
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RELFEXIVE

Tuesday, August 1, 2006 10:53 AM

Ah, cunning!!

"My God - you're like a trained ape. Without the training."
"Come a day there won't be room for naughty men like us to slip about at all..."
"SUMMER!!"
http://www.theshadowdepository.co.uk/index.htm

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