Owner: neil duckett dot com URL:http://www.neilduckett.com Join Date: Wed, 24 Oct 2007 18:02:19 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: A lot about nothing and nothing about a lot. I write about my time in Japan, travel, language, cuisine, cultural differences, Japanese girls, Nampa and lots lots more Site statistics:Click here
Miss Nippon Contest 2008 2007-10-23 22:48:21 Over the years i’ve had a knack of climbing the greasy pole and ending up at events and functions many would envy, i guess i’ve just been in the right place at the right time. Some of the best examples would have to be the Nike Speed Olympic Party, CLEO Batchelor of the Year after party, Sportsgirl @ Melbourne Fashion Week & the Emirates Marquee in the Bird Cage on Melbourne Cup Day …. and the list goes on.
Last night i was invited to a gathering in the Keio Plaza hotel, hosted by the guy who’s farm i spent a weekend on earlier in the year. I had no idea what to expect and had been given little detail. It was like a cocktail party, he hosts the same event every Tuesday night to which i’ve been given a flag to each week should i choose to accept. There were about 30 or so people there, only 5 of who i knew.
In typical Japanese tradition it’s advisable to have a healthy stack of business cards on offer and lucky for me i did. I was able to meet Read more:Contest
Free WordPress Theme - Make Money Online 2007-10-22 20:15:25 I’m often searching around the internet for WordPress Theme
s and WordPress Plugins and finding exactly what you’re after can be a time consuming excercise. In the space many people fit “using a free theme for a blog” it’s often a matter of finding something that has a close resemblance to what you’re after and then spending a countless hours fine tuning it to suit your requirements, if you have the patience and technical ability that is. Finding something as close to what your after is the key in most cases.
I moved from a Blogger platform to WordPress several months ago and although there has been many a challenge the benefits have far outweighed the frustrations. The learning curve has been high and i’m now confident i know my way around WordPress. I’ve been able to successfully manipulate my theme just the way i like it although some more minor tweaks are yet to come. I haven’t been shy in asking for help either, if i come ac Read more:Money
Teppachi Steak House - Yakiniku 2007-10-19 23:43:35 Last nights Nomikai with the guys from work was great. We went to `Teppachi` next to Hon-Atsugi station, a steak restaurant that`s been open for about 2 weeks. One of the guys from work grabbed the flyer from a girl near the station during the week, needless to say she was pretty cute and a major factor affecting out choice of venue. that and it was roughly 30 bucks for all you can eat plus and extra 20 or so for all you can drink.
All up 10 of us ate and drank like kings for a few hours, fratenising with the cute staff was also at a frenetic pace after a few of the guys loosened up. The purpose of the night was to celebrate my first 12 months in Japan and that we did as we pushed through most of the menu, both food and drink wise.
The food was sensational, Aussie Beef being one of the more popular dishes, that along with the usual tounge, pork and 30 or so other variations of food that once walked through greener pastures. The king sized Ebi (Prawn) were the highlight for me Read more:Steak
, House
Japan - 12 Months Down … Who Knows How Long To Go 2007-10-18 06:47:16 Today marked 12 months since i landed in Japan
ready to embark on a new life. I`d been here twice before, once in 2002 and once in 2003, so i knew what to expect. This time was different though, it wasn`t a work junket for a week, to drink and eat all you can then head home, this time it was for good.
My meager possessions in Melbourne were sold or given away and after at least a dozen `last drinks` with friends i was finally on board QF XXX and bound for Tokyo. This being the 3rd big move i`d made the feelings weren`t new to me, the difference this time was it isn`t so easy getting back home for the weekend. One thing that was the same, was when i got out at the other end there was no-one waiting for me, it was down to the baggage carousel and on the train to Tokyo.
Lucky for me i began my life in Japan on what could loosely be called an expat package, so lots of the bills were accounted for meaning more Money in my pocket and hence reducing the stress to a manageable lev Read more:Months
Yoyogi Office - View from the Chaise Lounge 2007-10-16 06:35:02 A few weeks ago i wrote about my Sony Living Room PC and extras which doubles as the home office after hours during the week and generally for extended periods on the weekend. I think if i had to sit bolt up right at a desk i`d be spending a lot less hours in front of the computer but things are pretty comfortable so it`s easy to let the hours slip away. The only downside of the PC, if you could call it that, is the Japanese OS with Vista installed which as painful as it is at times it at least makes for some good Japanese reading practice, don`t quote me on that when i`m having a fit trying to navigate the directory structure mind you.
I have a Sony 40` HD TV as my `monitor` … the left hand side of the screen i`m doing a little work on my personal blog, the top right hand side i`m catching up on the latest from John Chow and the bottom right hand corner i`m watching Survivor 15 China through Windows Media Centre. I don`t think i`ll ever tire of watching Survivor.
Ther
Nampa - Japanese for Picking Up 2007-10-13 06:52:59 Nampa, nanpa, or girl hunting, is Japan’s most visible courtship ritual. The most famous form of Nampa is “suto-nan” (street Nampa). Every weekend, across urban Japan, young men (”nanpashi”) and on the odd occasion early 30`s Gaijin (me) hang around busy streets or shopping arcades, trying to pick up passing girls … just kidding about me doing it, my Japanese
isn`t good enough yet! Sometimes the girl does the hard work - this is known as “gyaku Nampa” (reverse Nampa) - but it’s much less common.
A lazy stroll down Kabukicho anytime from lunch time onwards will see many a rooster parading himself, complete with a full blow wave hair-do and usually couppled with a Louis Vuitton Man Bag, it truly is a sight to behold.
I had a few friends from Australia here a few weeks back and one was lucky enough to get a photo with a few of the boys in question.
Approaches vary from the clichéd “Ocha demo shinai?” (”Won’t you have tea with me?”) which really is th Read more:Picking
Plenty Happening and the Moment 2007-10-11 19:28:58 What a week it’s been. Lots going on at work and busily planning my trip back home for Xmas. Probably could have looked into flights a little earlier than yesterday but haven’t had too much spare time of late so a few things slipped. Anyway, return flight to Japan is sorted and only a few small details to iron out re accomodation to go.
Other things coming up in the next few weeks
Next week will see the end of my first year in Japan. What a ride it’s been so far, the first 9 months in the Century Hyatt followed by mountains of paperwork and a short trip to Korea to get my 3yr Working Visa. 12 months have gone very quick and i’ve loved every minute of it. All the ffort to get here, the 6 months prior to leaving Australia and the culture shock of living in Tokyo has all been worth it. I’m settled in my apartment and now i’m here for at least the next 3 years, so it should be happy days from here on out. The road ahead consists of many a party like the Read more:Plenty
, Happening
, Moment
The Comedic Genious - David Brent 2007-10-10 05:55:34 One of the memories i cherish from home was back to back episodes of `The Office` … U.K version naturally. As much as the US version did grow on me in the end, nothing could come close to the one and only DavidBrent
. Not long before i left Melbourne we had many an afternoon on the couch watching epsiode upon episode of The Office. Watching clips like this bring back many a fond memory.
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Stevie Wonderful Live in Tokyo 2007-10-07 18:23:12 Yesterday afternoon, on the back of a big night Saturday night, i went to see a few bands at an outdoor music festival. A possie of 6 of us headed out about 30 minutes on the train from our local haunt. One of the most difficult things about days like these is not kowing the `plan`. The Japanese do things very differently to what i`m used to and i guess if my Japanese was better i`d be able t ask the necessary questions or at least pick up on their comversation better. No need for examples, it should be clear shortly. A buddy bought 12 beers and off we went to watch the band. We get to the stage and find a spot, then he gets up with the 12 beers and drops them down to the band in which his buddy plays guitar, StevieWonderful
. I expect it was clear to the rest of them who the beers were for but not me. I will point out the friends i was with are the owner of the bar, 2 staff and 2 other patrons, so they all love a drink, although it would seem, not so much into drinking during the Read more:Tokyo
Free Text Link Ads Giveaway 2007-10-05 22:32:24 I`m offering the first 8 people to sign up to Text Link Ads a free month of advertising under `Featured Sites` in the side bar, sound good? Then read on.
To be eligible you must do all of the following;
Create a new account at Text Link Ads using my referral button to the right. Of course if you already have an account you can always create a new one right?! New users get a $100 starter kit bonus!
Now complete the transaction and purchase 1 month of advertising on this site currently valued at $15
Have a paypal account so i can reimburse you
Send me your details via the contact page when you`re done, when i confirm it i will make payment.
If you don`t believe me about the power of Text Link Ads then read what John Chow had to say about them here.
What are you waiting for?? There`s only 4 spots available, the other 4 have been donated to John Chow as part of the Chow v Shoemoney Subscription contest this month but i will happily take the first 8 and the winners of the links will
Movember 2007 - Get Ready, Get Set, MO 2007-10-31 06:01:33 Well it’s that time again. Movember (the month formally known as November) is a moustache growing charity event held during November each year. At the start of Movember guys register with a clean shaven face. The Movember participants known as Mo Bros then have the remainder of the month to grow and groom their moustache and along the way raise as much Money and awareness as possible about male health issues, in particular prostate cancer.
Movember culminates at the end of the month at the gala partés. These glamorous and groomed events will see Tom Selleck and Borat look-a-likes battle it out for their chance to take home the prestigious Man of Movember title.
I`ve been a massive supporter in past years and have taken out the covetted title Man of Movember, hence that`s me appearing in the promotional material.
I won`t necessarily be `growin a mo` this year, i`m still undecided, either way i will be behind the Movember 2007 cause, stay tuned for more fundraising details.
Tha
Transport for Two In Taiwan 2007-10-30 05:57:35 You have to love the creativity some people have and i guess the total lawlessness in some countries allowing them to get away with it. Now, I`m very used to living within a sea of mopeds here in Japan but generally the road rules are predomninantly observed here, 1 or 2 to a bike maximum, but I mean heavens above the seat this kids sitting on was strapped on with a few rounds of electrical tape.
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Read more:Taiwan
A Big 5 Days In Taipei 2007-10-29 07:39:07 I`ve just arrived home from a great trip to Taipei
. I`ve got the next few days ahead of me to pull all the photos off my camera and phone and post a few stories from the trip.
One of the highlights i wanted to quickly throw a picture up from was a bar and restaurant i went to for Sunday lunch. I`ll write about it in much more detail in the days to come.
In the mean time, anyone up for a sausage?
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The 40th Tokyo Motor Show Pictures 2007-11-05 17:46:43 The 40th TokyoMotor
Show 2007 is be held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba City for 17 days from October 26th (Friday) through November 11th (Sunday) this year. This , the first time since 2001, the show is back to a combined show featuring cars, bikes and commercial vehicles so it was bound to be a manic affair.
It`s a good 1.5 hrs to get out there by train from my place so i kept it tidy Saturday night and set off early Sunday. I usually rely on my phone to take pictures as i get out and around Tokyo but for this one i needed to take my Canon with a bit more ooomph.
Now i won`t pretend to be a massive car buff, quite the opposite i can take them or leave them, truth be known i went out there too see the futuristic concept cars this show is known for and the beautiful J-Babes modelling with them. I was lucky enough to see plenty of both, on what was a great autumn day, and naturally i took a heap of photos.
Of all the photos i took these rated the best for me. I’ve never been Read more:Pictures
Did You Just Grope Me? Shall We Tell the Police? 2007-11-02 07:53:54 That’s the message women are flashing on their cell phones with a popular program designed to ward off wandering hands in Japan’s congested commuter trains.
Living in a city as large as Tokyo there’s bound to be a few scruffy individuals after a cheap feel. Just for the record, Greater Tokyo has about 35 million people, more than the entire population of Canada.
When i first came to Japan in 2002 i noticed signs on the subways depicting 3 things … all illustrated by cartoon; no fighting, no setting the seats on fire and no putting your hand up a school girls dress. Needless to say each picture was as funny as the next, well the picture, not necessarily the issue at hand … pardon the pun.
Fast forward 5 years and the signs are gone but the problems still remain. There`s women only carriages on certain lines between certain hours and there`s well known lines that have the most issues, especially in the area of wandering hands.
I was amused earlier this Read more:Police
A Bath Full Of Beer - Japanese Style 2007-11-08 19:30:53 There’s not much where i get off but there’s more than just one good thing about the end of the train line that gets me to work each day and that’s Hakone.
Hakone is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, less than 100 kilometers from Tokyo. Famous for hot springs, outdoor activities, natural beauty and the view of nearby Mt. Fuji, Hakone is one of the most popular destinations among Japanese
and international tourists looking for a break from Tokyo.
I can’t say i’ve ventured down that far yet but i can safely say i will over this coming winter, especially when i read more about places like the Hakone Kowakien Yunessun.
Weekends away like this involve very few things, a train ride from home to the Onsen, Beer, Sake, Lots of hot baths, some karaoke and maybe a little sleep if you’re lucky, my kind of weekend.
This particular Onsen has a uniqueness about it i’m sure will see many people make the 70 minute trip from Shinjuku this winter and Read more:Style
New Canon IXY Digital 2000is - I Want One 2007-11-14 18:16:06 One of the best things about living in Japan is the access to the latest and greatest technology. Whether it’s phones, iPods, computers or digital cameras that float your boat we get them early and we get them cheap, dirt cheap. When i first got here i picked up the Canon
IXY 1000 for a cool $450 including spare battery, case and 2gig memory card.
Now less than a year later the new model is out, the Canon IXY Digital
2000is and it’s going for around $350 .. seeing as i don’t need a case or the memory that seems like a pretty good deal to me. So now i’m left to ponder, do i treat myself to an early Xmas present? …. if so what do i do with the “old” camera …. my brother has a new one from when he was here a few months back, my parents got his old one … that leaves me with a less than 12 month old 10meg camera. Maybe i should have a competition to find the lucky recipient of the new camera ….. i’ll look into that ov
Triumph Chopstick Bra - Combining Cleavage With Conservation 2007-11-11 19:24:23 In an effort to tackle the enviromental issue of Japan plowing through and estimated 25 billion pairs of disposable chopsticks each year, Triumph unveils the “MY Chopsticks Bra”. As Japanese consumers are becoming more aware of the negative impact that disposable chopsticks have on the environment, 25 billion pairs equates to roughly 90,000 tons, innovative ways to improve the ever increasing problem are being developed. Those numbers equates to approximately 200 pairs of chopsticks per person every year.
Triumph lingerie model Yuko Ishida, who ordinarily carries around a pair of her own chopsticks, says she hopes people think of the environment when they see this bra, adding that “the chopsticks on the sides help add a little extra volume to your bust.”
The “My Chopsticks Bra,” which features a pair of cups that resemble bowls of rice and miso soup, and a set of collapsible chopsticks that tuck into either side is the latest addition to Triumph’s line of concept ling Read more:Conservation
Lest We Forget 2007-11-11 03:49:41 Living away from Australia, and especially living in a country where Australia rarely features in the media, it can become easy to forget significant days from home.
Today, November 11 is a significant day in Australian and in Commonwealth history, a day we remember those that sacrificed so much so long ago. The older i get the more passionate i become, in paying my respect, for those that didn`t get the chance to live a life as full as I am now.
Ode of Remembrance
They went with songs to the battle, they were young.
Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
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A Bath Full Of Beer - Japanese Style 2007-11-08 19:30:53 There’s not much where i get off but there’s more than just one good thing about the end of the train line that gets me to work each day and that’s Hakone.
Hakone is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, less than 100 kilometers from Tokyo. Famous for hot springs, outdoor activities, natural beauty and the view of nearby Mt. Fuji, Hakone is one of the most popular destinations among Japanese
and international tourists looking for a break from Tokyo.
I can’t say i’ve ventured down that far yet but i can safely say i will over this coming winter, especially when i read more about places like the Hakone Kowakien Yunessun.
Weekends away like this involve very few things, a train ride from home to the Onsen, Beer, Sake, Lots of hot baths, some karaoke and maybe a little sleep if you’re lucky, my kind of weekend.
This particular Onsen has a uniqueness about it i’m sure will see many people make the 70 minute trip from Shinjuku this winter and Read more:Style
The 40th Tokyo Motor Show Pictures 2007-11-05 17:46:43 The 40th TokyoMotor
Show 2007 is be held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba City for 17 days from October 26th (Friday) through November 11th (Sunday) this year. This , the first time since 2001, the show is back to a combined show featuring cars, bikes and commercial vehicles so it was bound to be a manic affair.
It`s a good 1.5 hrs to get out there by train from my place so i kept it tidy Saturday night and set off early Sunday. I usually rely on my phone to take pictures as i get out and around Tokyo but for this one i needed to take my Canon with a bit more ooomph.
Now i won`t pretend to be a massive car buff, quite the opposite i can take them or leave them, truth be known i went out there too see the futuristic concept cars this show is known for and the beautiful J-Babes modelling with them. I was lucky enough to see plenty of both, on what was a great autumn day, and naturally i took a heap of photos.
Of all the photos i took these rated the best for me. I’ve never been Read more:Pictures
Did You Just Grope Me? Shall We Tell the Police? 2007-11-02 07:53:54 That’s the message women are flashing on their cell phones with a popular program designed to ward off wandering hands in Japan’s congested commuter trains.
Living in a city as large as Tokyo there’s bound to be a few scruffy individuals after a cheap feel. Just for the record, Greater Tokyo has about 35 million people, more than the entire population of Canada.
When i first came to Japan in 2002 i noticed signs on the subways depicting 3 things … all illustrated by cartoon; no fighting, no setting the seats on fire and no putting your hand up a school girls dress. Needless to say each picture was as funny as the next, well the picture, not necessarily the issue at hand … pardon the pun.
Fast forward 5 years and the signs are gone but the problems still remain. There`s women only carriages on certain lines between certain hours and there`s well known lines that have the most issues, especially in the area of wandering hands.
I was amused earlier this Read more:Police
Movember 2007 - Get Ready, Get Set, MO 2007-10-31 06:01:33 Well it’s that time again. Movember (the month formally known as November) is a moustache growing charity event held during November each year. At the start of Movember guys register with a clean shaven face. The Movember participants known as Mo Bros then have the remainder of the month to grow and groom their moustache and along the way raise as much Money and awareness as possible about male health issues, in particular prostate cancer.
Movember culminates at the end of the month at the gala partés. These glamorous and groomed events will see Tom Selleck and Borat look-a-likes battle it out for their chance to take home the prestigious Man of Movember title.
I`ve been a massive supporter in past years and have taken out the covetted title Man of Movember, hence that`s me appearing in the promotional material.
I won`t necessarily be `growin a mo` this year, i`m still undecided, either way i will be behind the Movember 2007 cause, stay tuned for more fundraising details.
Tha
Transport for Two In Taiwan 2007-10-30 05:57:35 You have to love the creativity some people have and i guess the total lawlessness in some countries allowing them to get away with it. Now, I`m very used to living within a sea of mopeds here in Japan but generally the road rules are predomninantly observed here, 1 or 2 to a bike maximum, but I mean heavens above the seat this kids sitting on was strapped on with a few rounds of electrical tape.
Share This
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A Big 5 Days In Taipei 2007-10-29 07:39:07 I`ve just arrived home from a great trip to Taipei
. I`ve got the next few days ahead of me to pull all the photos off my camera and phone and post a few stories from the trip.
One of the highlights i wanted to quickly throw a picture up from was a bar and restaurant i went to for Sunday lunch. I`ll write about it in much more detail in the days to come.
In the mean time, anyone up for a sausage?
Share This
Miss Nippon Contest 2008 2007-10-23 22:48:21 Over the years i’ve had a knack of climbing the greasy pole and ending up at events and functions many would envy, i guess i’ve just been in the right place at the right time. Some of the best examples would have to be the Nike Speed Olympic Party, CLEO Batchelor of the Year after party, Sportsgirl @ Melbourne Fashion Week & the Emirates Marquee in the Bird Cage on Melbourne Cup Day …. and the list goes on.
Last night i was invited to a gathering in the Keio Plaza hotel, hosted by the guy who’s farm i spent a weekend on earlier in the year. I had no idea what to expect and had been given little detail. It was like a cocktail party, he hosts the same event every Tuesday night to which i’ve been given a flag to each week should i choose to accept. There were about 30 or so people there, only 5 of who i knew.
In typical Japanese tradition it’s advisable to have a healthy stack of business cards on offer and lucky for me i did. I was able to meet Read more:Contest
Canon IXY Digital 1000 Up For Grabs 2007-11-18 17:49:45 On the weekend i upgraded my camera to the new Canon
IXY Digital
2000is replacing the existing Canon IXY Digital 1000 i had. There`s nothing wrong with my existing camera but living in Japan and having toys like these so cheap and close to hand it`s hard not to upgrade to the latest model when they hit the stores. One of the major reasons i bit the bullet was the new `Image Stabilisation` feature … this will come in handy as it`s probably my biggest issue taking photos to date.
I`ve taken some great photos over the last 12 months, through my travels in Japan, Seoul and more recently Taipei, however my favourite photo would have to be when i was back in Australia at the beginning of the year.
Out on a friends boat with a heap of mates we cruised out from Docklands into Port Phillip Bay, the music was cranked up as were the beers …. so was Mousee, dancing up a storm at the front of the boat. I`ll be looking forward to some of these good times when i`m back there in
Hinoki Ramen Shinjuku East Exit 2007-11-16 23:28:05
I live by a few simple mantra`s and one of those is `Cold Day Hot Food` and today was no exception. As we come to the end of Autumn in Japan were lucky to get days much over 15 degrees, the nights are getting pretty cold, winter is just around the corner.
So after a morning up the shops it`s hard to go past one of my favourite Ramen shops, 5 minutes walk from home, Hinoki Ramen. As a creature of habit i`ve only ever tried the one bowl off the menu, if you`re on a good thing then stick with it i guess. Anyone who loves a good bowl of Ramen will appreciate how good it really can be and believe me the Kare Ramen sure is good.
For a little over $10 for the bowl of Ramen and a tallie of beer it`s hard to go past Ramen as a cheap and healthy meal whether it`s for breakfast lunch or dinner. As we trapidly slide into winter in Japan i expect i`ll be back on the prowl around Tokyo looking for new Ramen shops to try.
Shinjuku is the next suburb over from mine, Yoyogi and is home to the busines
Ultra High Speed Photography With A Message 2007-11-16 16:26:08 Later this morning i`ll head up to Yodobashi Camera, 8 floors of the latest and greatest electronic gear, to buy the new Canon IXY Digital 2000is …. it`s not quite capable of this but i`m sure it will take some pretty nice shots.
Thanks to Motts for sending it to me.
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, Speed
, Message
Sasebo Burger - Best Hamburger in Japan 2007-11-23 20:10:35 Breakfast on the weekend is the only meal that often troubles me living in Japan
. Being used to `Bacon and Eggs` or various other typical western breakfasts in Australia i often struggle to satisfy my hunger on my days off.
What are my options considering there`s not a great deal open, in and around my area, before 11am? The locals will eat everything from Ramen to Sushi and I`ve tried both, Ramen can be a little heavy and send you back home for another hours kip and Sushi just isn`t right for me anything before lunchtime and without beer in hand … the Wasabi is too aggresive on the palet first up.
So when i`ve come around the corner at Yoyogi station and seen `Zats Cafe` advertising they do a `Sasebo Burger
` all my troubles were over. They open at 11am, i can hold off for breakfast until then no problems, and believe me when i say it`s well worth waiting for.
We`ve all seen the beautiful marketing from the likes of McDonalds and other fast food chains and then Read more:Hamburger
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