Hangover Updates

Greetings everyone!

It's been months since my last post, and life's been... colorful, to say the least. Living and adjusting to life in Japan has been taking up a lot of my time. A few times I wanted to write something but for whatever reason I didn't (or couldn't), and now here we are, a little over 5 months since my last post, with too much to tell and just barely enough time to tell it. Let's see how much I can get through in this one post.

As I write this, I'm listening to Scotty McCreery's (spell check please?) cover of Lonestar's "Amazed" on the internet while looking up the chords as well, since I've never really had a musically accurate ear.

Playing music on the guitar I borrowed from my friend really helps with this mild hangover-induced headache I have right now. I've never been a drinker, since my family isn't into drinking, and last night's bounenkai (忘年会; Year-End Party or something, it's a thing here in Japan) with my school friends was the first time I got drunk, and this morning's Samba number in my head (which has since receded to a slow waltz) is the result of my first aforementioned hangover. If you read that last sentence without doing a double-take, you're awesome.

I missed work last night because I couldn't catch the last train, and consequently had to walk home. Thankfully I had two of my friends with me, otherwise I dunno if I could've made it home (refer to "first time drunk" above). Oh yeah, I have work now. I work the graveyard shift at a bento factory half an hour by train, along with 3 of my friends. The hours are hell, but the pay's good. It keeps me busy as well, God knows I need that.

Speaking of God, I started going to Church again recently, after years and years. It's really nice, compared to what experiences I had back home. The people (from everywhere!) are all really nice and open, and have really let me be part of the group/team/family. I feel quite fortunate that there are some of my fellow countrymen as well.

On a less happy note, my girlfriend and I decided to end our relationship two months ago. It's been hard, but the main thing is that we still remain good friends (sounds like something you'd hear in celebrity gossip/news).

I think I should get some more sleep, my head's starting to hurt again. Hangovers really are a bitch, huh? The silver lining is that I still remember what happened last night, and that it was real, which is more than I can say about how I (sometimes) feel about the rest of this post.

Until we meet again,

-- Zet Valentine

At Long Last (#6, 2012)

Whoops, haven't blogged in a while. Been kinda busy with lots of stuff.

Anyway, let's just cut to it.

I'm going to Japan. Finally. Only for a year, but still, you never know, right?
Even now I still find it hard to believe that in twelve hours I'll be in another country, the one I've been dreaming of going to for so long.

Finished packing last night, but I still keep on worrying I forgot something. I woke up suddenly a couple of hours ago, thinking I forgot a housewarming gift. Still feeling a bit antsy, and still haven't managed to get back to sleep.

I'll be posting again when I get to Japan.
Until then,

- Zet

The Bare Truth

I am nothing but a worthless, lowly human being.

Effort means nothing, because that's all I'll ever be.

Just a burden to those around me.

Before Mid-Term Exams (Just random thoughts)

Hello there,

It's been a while since I last did a short-ish post, so I thought I'd give it another go.

Pretty eventful day today, actually. My girlfriend's mother picked us up at campus, then I drove the car back. We went to my place first, saying nobody could pick me up today and I had no money for a cab if I went to J's place. In reality, though, I just needed an excuse to get her to my house so I could give her her birthday gift and surprise cake. As far as I can tell, she was really happy about it, so I'm definitely happy it worked.

Her birthday was a few days ago, and I left her gift at home, so I had no choice but give it when we got back, i.e. today. As for the gift, I got her another book, so as far as I'm concerned, I still owe her another one to make up for the lack of variety. Will figure out what to make/buy later.

After she went back I watched a couple of DVDs: A Scanner Darkly (2006 I think) and Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (2003). The original Pirates trilogy was much more fun and enjoyable for me than the fourth film. The first movie felt a lot like a throwback to the old romanticised swashbuckling movies and a little throwback to pirate myth and legends. The second and third really delved deeper with the mythology and mysticism, on a much bigger scale. The fourth one kinda did the same thing, but it felt a lot like I was just watching Jack fooling around.

Well, that brings and abrupt end to this letter. Begging your pardon, but I'm feeling a bit sleepy. I have mid-term tests starting next Tuesday, and truth be told I'm not entirely confident about them. But then again nobody normally is..

Until next time,

Zet Valentine

How Time Flies (a.k.a 日本語の手紙）

皆さん、こんばんは。


大学で勉強している専門は日本語なので、今日のポストは日本語で書いてみます。


Facebookで言ったとおり、日本人の千々岩先生は、先週の土曜に帰国なさいました。今までも、そんな感じがしないです。「また、あした会おう」、「先生が少しの時間だけ行ってきます」などの気がします。


さっき、Windows Live Messengerにロギンしました。そのメッセンジャーのプローフィール写真が、この一年ぐらい変えていないことは気づいたばかりでした。その写真は僕とJ.yoさんのしゃしんです。去年、千々岩先生と一緒に、初めての観光した時に、先生がその写真を撮ってくれました。
「ウワッ、もう一年か…ホントだ」と思いました。一年は、スッゴク早かった。千々岩先生と観光したばかりだと感じます。


考えると、この一年に、その写真を撮ったから、たくさんのことが起こりました。撮った時に、J.yoさんと付き合い始めたんです。あと10日だけ、一周年です。日本へ行けるのは全然思えませんでした。今年の7月に、大阪へ行くつもりです。
千々岩先生と一緒に観光したばかりと感じてますが、土曜日に代わりの甲田先生と観光する予定です。


ただ一年だけでも、こんなたくさんの事が起こった。


この一年前に撮った写真を見て、ちょっとなんか寂しくなります。なぜですか？ただ一年だけでも、千々岩先生はトッテモ良い教師だけでなく、みんなにとっても、大切な友人になれたからです。そんなに大切な友達が遠いところへ行ったら、確か寂しくなります。ですから、また大阪で会えるように、僕もみんなもガンバリマス！




ではまた。
ゼット・ヴァレンタイン


P.S
甲田先生も、友人になれること、お楽しみに！笑

Movie Review (Letter #2, 2012)

Hello there,


Once again, I've been at a loss for a nice-sounding title, so I went to the obvious alternative of... the obvious. (inner voice: Haha, bet you think you're pretty funny with that wordplay now.)


Today's been one hell of a long day, from missing first period of class, to talking more about Japan with our lecturer, to an impromptu visit to the mall with my friends. Which brings us to today's topic of the ever-tricky movie review. Although to be honest, it isn't as much an actual review as it is a highly-opinionated essay by an amateur regarding the movie. By the way, if you just read that sentence without looking twice, that means you're much more awake and aware than I am.


So, the film ran around a good 2 hours, and to me, the first act was too damn long. Right off the bat you have this text describing what the Hunger Games are, which lets anyone who has the slightest capacity for imagination know exactly what to expect from the movie, which kind of defeats the whole purpose of watching it in the first place.
The film goes to great lengths to show you these characters, who they are etc., but for me, it's not really enough time to really invest and care for them. There are points in the storyline that just has me thinking right now, "So what? What was that for?"


Another thing that bothered me early in the movie was the shaky camera work. Or as I say quite cleverly (note the sarcasm), the Un-Steadycam shots. That said, I suppose it's quite a minor thing to dislike anyway and isn't that much of a big deal.


To me, every scene in a movie should serve a function, primarily to evoke certain emotions in the audience. This could mean anything from very strong emotions of anger, excitement, or despair, to such transitory emotions that accompany a sigh of relief. (No, that last sentence didn't make much sense to me either, but I'm really sleepy, so I'm excusing myself for now) And a really good movie would let those emotions flow seamlessly from one scene to the next.
That said, at numerous points in the film, I found myself wondering what the hell was going on. I kept waiting to see what purpose that particular scene served and didn't find much at all. I was constantly feeling detached from the film, feeling very aware that I was watching a film, whereas in my most favorite movies I can just become lost within that world.
At times, it felt like Twilight (yes, I have unfortunately read and watched the first one), where I was aware that most scenes wouldn't really work as well for people who haven't read the novels. Right now, I can't help but feel the same thing may be going on. Maybe the film adaptation of The Hunger Games is better suited for people who have actually read the novel.


Aside from all that, there were some silver linings. The performances by the actors were quite remarkable (in my eyes as a casual viewer, definitely NOT an expert on the matter though). The costumes were everything from inspired to absolutely ridiculous (it's a fictional universe after all, and again I'm no expert). And I'm not sure how many conventional songs are in the film, but the score was subtle enough and definitely helped the viewing experience.


Overall, I think the movie had a great potential in terms of premise/concept, but failed to fulfill that potential to its maximum capacity. It definitely had much to offer, but in the end failed to deliver.
Some movies, either intricately complex or beautifully simplistic, can leave you with a sense of enrichment when the credits roll. A sense that you've just been touched by magic. The Hunger Games, sadly, is not one of those movies for me.


Everything I just said is of course my own personal opinion, with no intention to change anyone else's. Like or hate it, everyone is entitled to their opinions, and if you could enjoy the movie more than I did, then good for you. Creative ventures work best on the personal level anyway.


Until next time,


- Zet Valentine

Recap (aka Letter #1, 2012)

Greetings, and salutations,

whatever that means.

As always, it's been a long time since my last post, and obviously much has happened since then. That being the case, there are a few things which I would like to mention, or at least attempt to, in somewhat reverse-chronological order.

Back when I was still active here I used to have this thing where I numbered each post (or letter) in the title, as above. Obviously it's been ages since I did that, and frankly I'm too lazy to open my previous posts and do a headcount of which letter this is. Therefore I've decided to restart the numbering based on what year it is. As you can see this is my first letter of 2012, hence the above title. As before, not all posts will be explicitly given a number designation, but I will try and keep track of these things.

I may or may not have mentioned this, but I'm currently attending college (university, whatever you wish to call it. There isn't much distinction in my mind), majoring in Japanese language and culture. Last December, I took the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) along with my girlfriend and one of my best friends.

For those of you who are wondering, The JLPT is basically Japan's TOEFL test. Under the current system, it is divided into 5 different levels, N1-N5, with N5 being the lowest, and N1 the highest. We took the N3 test this time, which, aside from being a formal way of saying you might survive day-to-day life in Japan, is a requisite (am I using that word correctly?) for graduation. Fortunately I passed. Not with flying colors, but I passed. What that means to me as a job-seeker is that if I apply for work in Japan or at a Japanese-owned company, chances are I could get somewhere between entry- and lower mid-level positions, IF I'm deemed good enough. Something like that. I'm just drawing my own conclusions here, so people with more experience on the matter may wish to bash my skull in.

On the subject of Japan, our university has this exchange program (though as far as I know, it's not an 'exchange' per se as we don't really receive students) with a language institute in Japan. The headmaster (I think he was) was kind enough to come here to Indonesia and explain the program for those of us who were interested, which definitely included yours truly. The problem of course being financial in nature. As of this writing I'm still in negotiations with my mother and am keeping my fingers crossed.

I have the preview for this blog open in the next tab, and frankly I wish to do something about the design. However I've never been particularly good in either technology or aesthetics, so I'm not sure how to make that happen. Suggestions, anyone?

I suppose that's it for now; if I go any further I might as well start writing an autobiography. Don't forget to check my friend's blog (for those of you who missed the link it's http://jellyjyun04.blogspot.com/ ). It's in (somewhat broken) Japanese, which really has me thinking about doing a Japanese post as well, for practice.

Hope to see you again soon!

Sincerely,

- Zet Valentine

P.S

Experimenting with font sizes, tell me how it is in the Blahbox or comments section please.

The Letters' Return (aka I'm Back)

Well. I know that in the last post I said I wouldn't be posting anything anymore, but life has a way of changing your priorities and views in such a way that your past decisions and mistakes seem irrelevant. In simpler terms: I grew up.
Go ahead, call me fickle or inconsistent or whatever. I'm not even gonna delete/remove my previous posts and pretend they never existed.


  I've actually been contemplating to revive the Letters sporadically for quite some time now, and after a short conversation with my girlfriend last night, I decided to give it another go. Before I start talking about anything else, let's talk about that a bit more.


I was walking my girlfriend back to her boarding home (or whatever it's called, from here on we shall use the Indonesian term kost), where we had our usual front-gate conversation ritual. Can't really remember why (I was rather sleepy), but she asked me if I keep a journal or diary. The conversation that followed went something like this:


"Why would I?"
"I suppose to keep a record of your own life. How you were, how you used to feel and think, that kinda stuff"
"I don't really see why I'd want to keep a record of my own life. I mean, I hate taking photographs of myself, let alone write about me."


Looking back now, I suppose I was being hypocritical, having kept a blog for some time. In my defense, the Letters had totally slipped from my mind. Anyway:


"I dunno," she said, "I always keep a journal or blog active." At which point this blog floated through my thoughts.
"I had a blog. Once."
She cocked her head in one direction. "Well, then try it. Call it writing practice or something."


During the walk home afterwards I pondered over reviving this blog. By the time I got back I guess my mind was pretty made up on it; I even considered writing that very night. But I was way too sleepy to write anything coherent. In any case, before my mind was carried off into that land we all visit, I had the basic idea for this post already formed.


I'd like to talk about more, but I think it would be better to restrict each post to a single idea, wouldn't it? Besides, my back hurts from yesterday's capoeira training, and I've got a book to finish reading. I'll try to come up with something at least half-decent to post the next time.


Until then, stay out of trouble, people.


-- Zet Valentine


P.S.
Is it me, or is the font size a bit larger than it used to be?

Last One (aka Finally Never)

Well. This is the last one.

Taking my life in an entirely new direction now, the exact details of which are still unknown to me. Thanks for reading and keeping up with this short-lived blog, and good luck to all of you.

If you've linked to this blog, I suggest you remove the link. Not sure how I can delete this blog, so I suppose it'll still be around until I figure out how to delete it. Until then, expect the next post... uh, NEVER.

Farewell to you,

-Zet Valentine

Damn (I Haven't Posted in a While)

Heya. It's been a while since I last posted something. You'd think that I'd have posted something on Valentine's/Chinese New Year (this being The Valentine Letters and such), huh? Well, I'd love to say that college got in the way, but truth be told, I've quite run out of things to talk about. Seems I've been experiencing a creativity block the past few weeks. Anyway, I've got time to kill, so I figured I'd give it a shot.

Something that's been going around in my mind for the past few days is the movie-favorite, oft-repeated phrase, "I will/would fight for you". Now, in old times, you might actually take this literally - someone would actually fight someone else for another certain someone, win the fight, then live happily ever after. Close book, cue "awww" and happy tears, roll credits.

Let's face it, each and every one of us would like to think that, should the occasion arise, we would heroically rise and do battle for the sake of our loved ones. For the most part, we really would. Protecting what matters is perhaps part of our basic human instinct. What most of us aren't prepared for, however, is when the threat we have to face is sometimes ourselves.

What happens then?
What happens when we become the very thing we swore to protect them from? How do you protect someone you love.. from yourself?

When you first held her in your arms, you knew that you'd never let any hurt, pain, suffering come to them if you could help it. But then you see her going through such pain and hardship, more than anything you could ever think of, and you're the one who caused it, what would you do? Could you live with yourself after that? Even though she says it's okay, that everything's fine, would you ever forgive yourself for doing something like that?

My answer: you just have to. The phrase "love hurts" doesn't mean you should be some pessimistic lowlife and just live with the pain. It means that the person you love isn't the one who can simply make you happier than you've ever felt, but they can also make you feel more pain then you've ever imagined.
It may sound odd at first, I know. But put it this way: God is capable of doing both great and terrible things. If God were only able to do great things, if God were limited to only doing good, then that means there is something higher, more powerful than God, and I'd rather bow to that higher being.

It's extremely complicated, even for me, but If you've fell in love before, you'd know what I'm talking about.

Think about it.

-Zet

P.S.
I've got a new "bachelor's pad": Apt. Mediterania, A/23 C/J. Renting it for the year. Have a looksee if you're in the neighborhood. (Special shoutout to dS members and friends)