Anyone have any ideas about what I can bring to Japan for gifts? I'm from Canada and will be couchsurfing for a month. I want to have cool gifts to exchange. Thanks!

rlayman

Whatever you bring don't bring four of it.

rlayman

Best of luck, PantsAreOptional. Keep in touch with us and let us know your progress!

rlayman

Also, you can search for 体操教室 to find some good places wherever you need, apparently. I just tried it on Google.

rlayman

. . . I wish. I own two pairs of still rings, but I'd be impressed and willing to fork over a ton of cash for a gymnastics gym. I usually just go to my regular gym and hang my rings off the squat rack.

rlayman

Depends, Catholic yes. Protestant no.

rlayman

No love for Trick, people? Hands down one of the funniest shows I've ever seen.

rlayman

There's quite a lot of literature reporting on how the nature of privacy is quite different in Japan. I fail to see how putting one's family name on gates so the mailman doesn't misdeliver the mail is related to privacy rules. It might mean the rules are different, but that's also because the rules are different.

rlayman

In general, I've noticed that Japanese culture places a heavy priority on taking responsibility for how other people might react to your actions. Thus, things Americans (only because I am one, don't want to overgeneralize) would find minor inconveniences or personality quirks Japanese find morally wrong to a higher degree because it's their fault for inconveniencing other people.

Personal privacy works the same way, if your stuff is out in the open, then it's your fault if some perve does what he will with it. I don't personally agree with the argument, but that's the way it is.

rlayman

Yes, that's exactly why both parties must agree for it to be an axiom. Otherwise, it's not an axiom. Among two Christians debating, it's clearly an axiom, and you have circular logic, where good is anything that God does.

Being an axiom doesn't necessarily mean it's helpful logic. It's just an axiom. It can be a tautology as well.

rlayman

Alright, lady up and hit the gym. Somewhere in there you should delete Facebook, too.

rlayman

I'm sure your doc will have priority, and should, but I'll put it this way.

Do kettlebells right = better, stronger back. Do kettlebells wrong = Some risk of injury.

Once you have the motion down, it's good to do back strengthening exercises. I used to go to a chiropractor all the time as a kid. Now I've never been in ages.

rlayman

Isn't this the same guy I've seen multiple times doing the one-arm lever to one-hand handstand? So that's what he was trying to work up to for so long.

rlayman

Interesting you mention the Zen center. I've been thinking about what Brad Warner's reaction to this thread would be, and he's also not a huge fan of the deification of teachers in Zen.

rlayman

I don't do IT myself, but I know a lot of people who do. IT is definitely growing in Japan, primarily financial IT but a lot of other stuff is going on as well.

From what I hear, there is little innovation and quite a lot of importation from other countries like the US and India. I recommend scouting http://www.daijob.com to get a feel of what's being looked for at the moment. Let me know if you need more.

rlayman

I don't think I can agree with you here for so many reasons. I've got the JLPT N1 level certification, which is the highest level of proficiency, and I'm finishing a job as a language teacher and moving into business in Tokyo from here. Anime and manga were a huge part of my success in acquiring the language.

If you're limiting yourself to one genre or one series, then yes, it might be harmful, but if you approach it with breadth and depth, and use your skills as often as possible while you live in Japan, then quick and rapid progress in one's language skills and career is possible.

If you're more interested in at least reading up on the approach, then I highly recommend All Japanese All the Time

EDIT: Link didn't work the first time.

rlayman

Wait, cardio?

Well, I guess I won't be doing Krav Maga, then. I don't like cardio getting in the way of the beatings.

rlayman

I speak Japanese, have some great Japanese friends, and have no problem with 99% of the people. I love it here.

But job hunting, especially in the recession, if you are not a native, is beyond painful. Especially if you want to avoid English teaching, translation, or recruiting. If you can nail a position in some other field, then the sky's the limit. But those three fields are mostly the same job to some degree forever and ever.

rlayman

I think he was commenting more on the self-imposed limitations you're placing on yourself. I'd be using the anime that's already here to improve my Japanese as fast as I can for career purposes, but that's just me.

rlayman

. . . And now I can't get the Softbank ads out of my head. Damn.

EDIT: Thanks for reminding me it's Softbank, everyone.

rlayman

I find the people here are really active, and many of them know exactly what they're talking about. You found the right place to be when you're not at the gym if taking care of yourself is your priority.

rlayman

Why yes, it does look like Mark Zuckerberg is spotting for that man, doesn't it?

rlayman

Actually as in the Catholic Church uses the Divine Comedy as inspiration, not as in I personally believe in Hell.

rlayman

Wow, I don't know too many people who actually point out that the bottom of hell is actually frozen and not on fire all the time. Enjoyed your idea, too. Maybe they could append that to the Divine Comedy somewhere.

rlayman

Nice, I do all the stuff you do, plus some still rings stuff. Almost every thing I'm doing at the moment is bodyweight, but I'll probably go back to the bar soon. Very BA, dude.

rlayman

I think the real key word was "me."

rlayman

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