21 August 2007

Red!


Red!
Originally uploaded by Shanti, shanti.
Here it is! The theme for the next postcard project is "red". Interpret away!
If you'd like to join in, please send me a Flickrmail or email with your full name and address. You are welcome to ask me anything about it and please check out my photos on Flickr (link on the right hand side of this page) from the last project and also the rules as previously stated in the July project http://shantiwallah.blogspot.com/2007/05/invitation.html. It was cool!

Here are the dates:
Deadline for joining the project - Friday 7 September 2007
Deadline for sending out your postcards- Friday 21 September 2007

The day after the joining deadline I will collate all names and send out to mailing list to each participant so you should get a good two weeks to work on the postcards.

16 August 2007

Down in Fraggle Rock

The Fraggles!



Y en Espanol!!

15 August 2007

All I could do was to have some more sake...

It is seriously hot as hell in Niigata right now. Japan really sucks in the summertime as it is so hot and humid that all you can do is sit on the tatami and sweat...and drink ice cold sake. This is one of my favourites which is from a local brewery called Kikusui (Just like it says on the label, right?). This is a personal size bottle but I actually sent a regular giant sized one to my brother last year for either Christmas or his birthday. I haven't heard his verdict, but if you ever see this in your local shop, I'd recommend it.

Other than that, nothing much is going on here. It's Obon this week. It's something like Christmas for us in that there is holiday from work and families get together. In our town that means they hang out at the mall which is exactly what we've been doing in order to give our little aircon unit a break. But at night people go to the temples to pay respects to the deceased. http://www.flickr.com/photos/89183164@N00/472335406/in/set-72157600217483730/

I'm also gearing up for the next postcard project. I've almost decided the theme and will post soon.

08 August 2007

Earthquakes, final exam marking, and Chinese food scares

In my own personal style I let my final marking hang over my head for a good two weeks before handing the grades in at the last minute. To my credit, they were still waiting on at least one other terribly unconscientious person to hand in her grades that I know of. Woohoo, I wasn't the last one! Also to my credit, I had to wait for one of my classes marks to come back as it was marked by a machine (NOT my choice I might add!). So, the point is...I'm finally a free woman and can now get down to doing all that shit I complain about not being able to do because I'm too busy with school.

Another reason I put off doing my marking is that I was scared shitless (Wow, two of that word in one post!) because my flat kept shaking. Yes, that earthquake that you all heard of off in distant lands was actually quite close to here and this place was a bit like a ride at a funfair, only not fun, for a couple of days. Happily, it seems to have settled down for now (touch wood). I just hope they get that nuclear power plant leak stuff sorted out. I hate eating glowing veggies and seafood as much as the next guy.

Speaking of food, I'm feeling distantly amused by the whole "Chinese food scare". Most of us in Australasia are already well aware of the dangers of Chinese food and it's lack of regulation regarding pesticides, etc. The thing is that all of our food is so Frankensteinised (ie. GE/ GM crops) and pesticised and hormoneisised, yes that IS a word, these days that it's hard to know exactly where you want to gamble. But I've been eating Chinese foodstuffs as well as Japanese and New Zealand, and anywhere else's it's imported from for a long time. I feel OK so far even though I'm not that happy about the lack of control of it. But without a superbudget that allows me to buy organic, local food as well as get a variety, what's a "foodie" like me to do? Of course I dream of the day when I can plant a garden again and be content in the fact that a lot of my food growing has been overseen by yours truly, but until then, I have to eat what I can afford. It sucks but that's life! I can only try to eat the best I can and no get too paranoid, right?

And then, speaking of imported items, I'm now enjoying a bottle of icy cold Babich Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand. It was 36C today, so that's one import I'm not going to complain about!