fjords nasty in Tokyo

これはあまりおいしくないよな。。。

A in 2007 Square Enix launched a soft drink in collaboration with Suntory (remember “Suntory Whiskey” from Lost in Translation? it’s a real company) to celebrate the release of their Final Fantasy VII 10th; a canned soft drink called “Anniversary Potion“.

　

Well, they’re at it again with another soft drink in connection to the release of Final Fantasy XIII (out since mid-December here in Japan); the Final Fantasy XIII Potion Elixer.

Final Fantasy XIII is coming out next week, be prepared for the sleepless nights. Square Enix is releasing a series of lemon flavored elixirs for the gamers. They contain caffeine, vitamin B1 and B6, take a break and take a swig and you’ll be fully charged for the next stage or the next battle.

Well, let me just be brutally honest and admit – it tastes horrible. But if you’re a fan of the series I’m sure that won’t stop you from ordering and telling yourself it’s absolutely delicious and replenishes your HP when you drink it.

Japan loves foreigners. Foreigners that fit their impression of what a foreigner should be. A lot of times it’s the lean, blond model look with piercing blue eyes that sets the bar for expectations.

I’m registered with a few companies that contact me from time to time about work offers, especially small part-time jobs aimed towards the foreign population in Japan. I was e-mailed about one today, and while reading through the conditions here’s what I stumbled across:

【内容】
自動車のオークション会場での、チラシ、ティッシュ配り
(Translation: Handing out tissue packets [with small flyers in them] and leaflets at a Car Auction even)

…

なお、条件としては、日本語が判り、金髪の方となります。
(Translation: As far as conditions are concerned, the person needs to understand Japanese and be blond.)

And there you go. Want to hand out some tissues and leaflets and get paid for it? You better blond up then!

お久しぶり！Are you having a fantastic 2010? Here’s something to make it even more fantastic!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW.
No wonder Japan is a little different!
(Fun Fact: You might recognize this as the original concept leading to POWER RANGERS!)

This photo sums up what I’m doing on my Christmas vacation here in Norway.
この一枚の写真で僕のクリスマスバケーションの要約できると思う…

CHILLAXING.

There are 124 United States military bases in Japan.

Most washing machines in Japan use cold water.

(Referee says: Minus one point.)

I’m so excited about this year’s feast of steamed mutton rib consumption for Christmas that I actually added a countdown timer in the sidebar of my blog here.

“I~ love technology~, but no~t as much as you you see...”

I should be studying and preparing my linguistics presentation for tomorrow. But I’m procrastinating, of course. This is what always happens.

But more importantly, I just realized that it has taken more than three years of separation from Norway to open my eyes, to discover the treasures I do not understand how I have missed. Musically, more than anything, I am starting to see that I might not be bad off at all returning to Norway at some point, after beginning to realize the power in music by artists such as Nils Petter Molvær and Geir Jenssen.

It’s arctic, sad, beautiful and awesome. And it makes a lot of sense, even in the city of Tokyo.

Music! What would I do without it!