メタルギア

I finished the game Metal Gear Solid 4 this week, and it was very good on many levels. The levels of visual clarity we are now able to get from real-time graphics rendering is stunning. I fear that in 10 years the movie industry will be fighting to survive against piracy and the interactive experience of games.

Metal Gear Solid 4 is half a game, and half a movie-like experience. The end of the game is literally an hour of watching with no gameplay. This chosen style by the director is great for creating a cinematic, dramatic, and epic feel for the content. On the other hand it is a game, and when a gamer can not play is it a fun experience?

I give it an A- overall. A milestone in gaming history, but it feels limiting at times when compared to other video game released around the same time. Most notable is Assassin's Creed, which felt less limited and more fun at times, but was not nearly as emotionally developed.

つづく

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KATAKANA

ツ　シ　ソ　ン　ノ
tsu shi so n no

These are some of the most difficult katakana to memorize. One of my co-workers is currently trying to learn them. From the outside looking in, they are no more difficult than:

O U J I V N

つづく

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Applying for a New Job

The title is more shocking than the reality of the situation. There is an opening at the Tokyo HQ office for an assistant manager of training and teaching materials, and I figured I should apply. The result of applying:
1) I get the job
2) I dont't get the job, but my supervisors now know I am serious about gaining new experiences.
3) I dont't get the job, and my boss laughs at my efforts.

I am 99% sure the outcome will be #2... but perhaps I will be wrong. Even if I am wrong, my best bet is to apply.

つづく

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More about Japanese Culture and Society

When I lived in Nerima-ku, during my exchange student stay, I got more looks from strangers than I do now. This is one of the benifits of living in an urban area of Japan, where the people are used to seeing non-asian peoples. Nerima-ku is more of a subburb area, so it was mostly Japanese commuters
and their families. Tsurumi-ku has many more business and businessmen, and I see non-Japanese people about once a day.

Or perhaps when I wear a suit I blend into the crowd just a little bit more. Or perhaps the people where I live are too busy to care, or I just don't care anymore. There are many factors it is hard defining the exact reason(s).

-----------------
sent from W-ZERO3

つづく

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誕生日パーティー

Fran's birthday from last month.

つづく

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Performance Review

I am writing this message as I stand, waiting for the train to arrive. In about 30 minutes I will be listening to my supervisor and a mentor-in-training evaluating my teaching performance from 2 weeks ago. Since I haven't been fired yet, I doubt I will be now, but this is still a little stressful.

In other news, last week I went to Kamakura with Sanami and Sanami's friend, Sa-chan.

---Update---

Pictures from Kamakura have been uploaded.

つづく

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