January Extravaganza!
I have not been keeping up with my post as I should be considering all of the stuff that I have already managed to get my self involved with.
Last Friday was TUJ's semesterly Sake tasting. Where we learn the history of sake, and also saw several tradition Japanese artists (shamisen player, shinto calligraphy artist, traditional dancers) where I meet a lot of new kids and I got to hang out with Sei and Shinsuke who are the modern day calligraphy artists that paint and write off of emotion, they are friends I meet at last years sake tasting.
As it has been known, I celebrated my 21st birthday. In addition to my birthday, there have been a handful of close friends birthdays, including my "Dokyo-nin" (roommate) Bree! For a celebration we went to a funk concert, put on by the fantastic Osaka Monaurail. We had the pleasure of meeting the lead singer last November at another concert of theirs. It was at that point we told him we would celebrate our 21st birthdays at their January concert. And guess who remembered? Saw us and gave us a Happy Birthday greeting on stage? Yep, your right, the lead singer.
The day after that concert I found myself at another show. It was a Japanese jam band with american rock and roll influence and psychedelic passion, Majestic Circus. It was an amazing show which I will remember always because the music and venue and crowd were perfect that night!
Also this past weekend, I was requested to film and take pictures of a Pride Fighting World Tournament. I got a press pass and had a seat right against the ring at a venue in Shinjuku. I have never been to anything like it before and I enjoy every minute of this stylized intense and passionate fighting genre.
As I have been told before, I need more pictures and less words, so here are the pictures... Enjoy!
Internationally Celebrating My 21st
**Just a little warning before there are any pictures, just keep in mind that it was my 21st birthday, that is my only excuse**
So I couldn't have asked for a better birthday weekend. 1 st the uStar bash, and then Bryan and I celebrated our birthdays!! We told as many new, old, Japanese, American, school, out school friends as we possibly could about our birthday, and to our surprise: they all showed up! We met everyone at Nakano Station and cracked open a bottle of bourbon (a gift from Sei!) and waited for everyone else. We then walked to a karaoke room (which conveniently enough was an all you could drink bar!! ), where we thought we would have to get separate rooms, but we manage to squeeze everyone in to one room (but in a few hours we will have taken over another room, and invite random strangers in to our party room from other rooms). The night was filled with people meeting people, drinks all around, dance parties, standing on booths, on tables, and singing like there would be no tomorrow! Songs ranged from: Japanese duets, 80's pop, 90s trash, 70s rock, songs to set the mood, songs we didn't hear b/c we were too busy dancing, it was mayhem and still beautiful! In the end I remeber everything, and I didn't end up near the toilet or in jail!
However, in PA.....
In PA my family took "me" out as a surprise and things didn't go to smoothly! I puked, got into fights and the eagles lost on my birthday!
I think the family birthday celebration is one of the funniest things I have seen and I am glad my family drank at midnight and had just has much fun as I did!!
Enjoy the pic (I think you will be able to tell which ones are where in the world....)
Bryan and I are both Jan. 14th Birthdays!~
Japan Part Ni!
Here we are, the exploring has started again and this place is still just as fascinating and wonderful as ever.
Classes have started, more work than last year, but I am fine with that because I want to keep balanced.
The apartment is Ab. Fab. and living with Bree has turned into living in a constant Girls Camp sleepover, complete with interactive activities and sleeping on the floor! And our town is amazing, and so close to downtown Nakano which is beautiful! (we have a 99 yen store open 24 hours that is a complete grocery store! oh! it is heaven!)
My internship has started, and I have already been in the middle of a lot of happenings and a ton of meet and greets. It is fun to be a part of and it is fun to watch a company start off the ground, especially in the social scene and in a giant city like Tokyo and dealing with PR clubs music fashion, I am so excited. uStar.com hosted a club event at Eggman in Shibuya, and I filmed the 4 bands that played and then I got invited to an after party with everyone that has a hand or two in the launch of this. As the site launches and there is more news I will fill you in. Check it out in the mean time at : www.ustar.jp
*it is a beta version, working on a ton of things right now, but feel free to sign up and give me comments about things you want to see, to change, to get rid of etc.
Here are pics from the show and the after party dinner.
From the future,
Stephanie
Goodbye 2006 and USA
I just returned back to Nihon, Japan, after spending three weeks and some odd days in the States, between West Chester and Philadelphia. I spent most of the time letting my body and mind rehabilitate and just tried to surround myself family, and trying to be in Philly with Thom as much as our schedules allowed. It was wonderful to have a break from Japan and see just how much I have discovered about the world and myself and then I get to go back and put my new found information to use. Being home, and seeing how much I need those relationships in my life made it even harder to leave. I felt like I needed to apologize for leaving yet again. However, I did get to see a handful of my friends from Japan in America, and it is fantastic to know that I can have fun with these kids any where in the world. This break I went to a concert that couldn't have been more suited for me and my new relationships, went to a DJ party, met new people, got to see old friends, met new wives, saw family members and celebrated holidays, rode my bike, ate pizza and brought in the new year with some crazy kids! Here is a collage of my winter break:
Flanagan Family Christmas
I am so glad that I was home for the holidays, it really made a difference mentally and emotionally. Seeing my family, I am reminded of how I need a constant supply of their personalities to remain myself. Here is a unique collage I photoshoped up from the Christmas dinner my parents wonderfully hosted.
