Showing posts with label i can't wait. Show all posts
Showing posts with label i can't wait. Show all posts

Monday, October 31, 2011

Book off

Murakami's 1Q84 is the next book on my reading list and I'm feeling pretty excited about it. His biggest yet, at over 900 pages and I've heard this one is pretty weird. And no one does weird quite like he does! 


As an author I find Murakami to be a most interesting man. He wrote his first novel at age 29 after having an epiphany while sitting on the outfield at a baseball game, seeing a baseball fly through the air. He loves jazz, runs every day, sleeps from 9pm to 4am, speaks English, and ran a cafe for 10 years in Tokyo called 'Peter Cat' before beginning his writing career. He takes little credit for his brillance describing himself as a 'boring old vessel for his imagination'. There is something about him that is so strange, lovely and unpretentious, almost not of this world. 


If you'd like to read a wonderful article about him you can find one here.




Another kooky piece of amazingness is Miranda July and she has a new book 'It Chooses You'. YAY. It details her adventures with strangers she met through classified ads in the Pennysaver. There is a pretty wonderful piece on her at nextness with tips for young creatives. It reminded me that although sometimes things are hard you have to believe in your abilities and forge your own path.  I forget this sometimes.






I'm going to put my Japanese reading skills to the test with this Yuzuko's さんぽの時間 which roughly means 'time for taking a walk'. It explores various areas of Tokyo, taking readers on a lovely wee walk. It's so cute and has been divided into different seasons which is understandable as they are super distinct in Japan. I am pretty elementary so most of the time when I am attempting to read this my face has a furrowed brow! There are sooo many cute books in Japan which has really inspired me to try harder with my studies. 

Friday, May 6, 2011

Sakura sakura!



 Holy smokes! The cherry blossoms are out. It's lovely to be back in Japan.


Friday, February 18, 2011

There's no place like Tokyo



The next month is filled with a few weekend trips to Tokyo. I am rather excited as it is such a magical city and this time I'll be seeing Belle and Sebastian live as well as meeting a wonderful friend from Sapporo who is always so much fun to be around. 

The thing I love the most about Tokyo is the diversity of the suburbs and how you can feel worlds away from the intensity of Shibuya and Harajuku after just a few minutes on the train.

The video above is Shugo Tokumaru performing along the streets of Shimokitazawa, one of my favourite suburbs in Tokyo. The bottom six images are from the Lo-Fi Tokyo guide from This is Naive. Both a great guide and a great website! 

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

King of squirm








The first Todd Solondz movie I saw was Happiness. I thanked the heavens I hadn't chosen to see it with my parents. There would have been some awkward coughing, adverted eyes and panicky fast forwarding at the very least. The characters are so fucked up and it makes you think about how what constitutes as happiness for one person can be entirely different for another. That and how nuts people can be.

Welcome to the Dollhouse came next. Dawn Wiener, your fashion is like none other, I love you. Before the days of Napolean Dynamite and faux geek chic, Wiener was queen of the dweebs. I watched it with an ex boyfriend and he hated it. I never looked at the same.

Now comes Life during war time. The film poster is done once again buy boy genius Daniel Clowes (of Ghost World fame). The film itself looks totally and utterly amazing with one liners such as "Mommy, I ran out of my Klonopin". Characters search for love, happiness and forgiveness wading through a sea of awkwardness, humour and one liners. Awesome!



Wednesday, July 21, 2010

私は日本に住んでいるのを待つことができない



I'm on the final countdown. Ten days till I move to the land of karaoke, salarymen, mamacharis and bento boxes. My prefecture has the highest percentage of home owned karaoke machines. Eeeh!

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Last month in New Zealand





I sure am going to miss those friends of mine!

Thursday, June 17, 2010

New Coppola





Years ago, when I am Sam came out, I made the mistake of telling my friends that Dakota Fanning was my favourite actress. I'm not sure why I said it, I just really liked the film. They gave me endless amounts of shit about citing a child as my favourite actress of all time and predictably, I was stubborn and stood by my statement.

Somewhere by Sophia Coppola will be gracing cinemas later this year. It's staring Elle Fanning and Stephen Dorf so I'll be sure not to make the same mistake twice. The trailer, which hit the internet a few days ago has been generating much discussion. Coppola lovers and haters are all quick to provide comment and it seems speculation is rife. Personally, I really love her movies. It's all in the way they're so distinct. The intimate moments, the offbeat humour, the peculiar attention to details and the bizaare choices in soundtrack (Aphex Twin and Todd Rundgren!) It all comes together to create something that is distinct and somehow filled with nostalgia. Although some movies (Marie Antoinette) have been less great than others Coppola takes risks and works to her own agenda. I can't wait to see this movie.