December 2020

     December 2020

            Surprised to see me again, eh, folks? Well, I’m on holiday and figured, what the heck? Let’s do an update and a year in review. So, let’s answer some of the lingering questions from January that people might not know about.

            Yes, I am still in Japan. I was hired to work at a school in Obihiro, Hokkaido. Not too many details there, but I’ll give a few. I was received warmly and my staff are very wonderful and cool. The children can be a bit young and feisty, but they warm my heart with their nature. Some can be stubborn, some can be sweet, but they are all special and learn in their own way. I’m proud of many of them for overcoming their fears or shortcomings and improving during my lessons. I felt great sadness leaving behind my children in Natori and hope I can go back and visit them when covid clears up. I did get involved in some online lessons with my school too and it’s been very fun. I’ve enjoyed all my time here, but it has been quite exhausting. Perhaps more on that later.

            To start, after I received the job offer was JUST when covid was starting to get serious in Japan. I was fortunate. Though it was stressful, I managed to get my new visa and cross the prefectural borders before everything got shut down. I cannot overstate that, despite 2020 being a dumpster fire of a year, I have been extremely fortunate…and for the most part happy. I got to reconnect with an old friend from China and despite losing my best friend, I did manage to forgive and reconnect with her, though the jury is still out on how close we still are. I am rambling a bit…let me just go down the line.

            It was very exhausting moving. I carried five bags with me…somehow, and I was blessed to receive many sweet gifts from my students, including books, drinking cups, and decorations which I still use in my house. When I arrived in Obihiro, I was greeted warmly, as I said, and my boss and staff were incredibly supportive. My apartment was a bit more expensive than in Natori, but the cleanliness, newness, the space, and the feel of it…it is a wondrous place with a small second floor, vaulted ceilings and enough storage space even for me. My staff helped me to get new machines and appliances for my house and I was even gifted a bicycle. It’s pink! Haha. I also bought a bed. It is a wonderful bed and the fact that everything fits so well together here fills me with joy. Even when I feel down or when I was worried about politics, I could look around my home and say…it’s not so bad, eh? You’re doing pretty good.

            We had a nationwide lockdown during my training, but our school has been super keen on safety and we haven’t had any cases in our care. Everyone is super serious about the safety of the children, so even after the lockdown was lifted, we’ve been doing well. I ended up falling off the horse with my exercise, but I’m starting up again. During that time, I got involved in a few series, like watching the Witcher and Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, and even recently the Mandalorian. It’s all been very nice. I even enjoy games again, THOUGH, my Playstation 4 is finally broken and I ain’t replacing it until the PS5 goes down in price. Still, my switch and PC have been good for me for gaming.

            Now, for some stories. When I first arrived, I walked all over town looking for an affordable table of all things because I didn’t want to inconvenience my staff and I wanted to be independent. I managed to get a cab after two hours of searching and headed to the book off and even asked the cab driver to wait for me, which he did, and help me get my table home. I was pleased with how I managed my Japanese and with the kindness of my driver.

            I started dating again in the midst of October and though it ended poorly, it was a good experience for me growing as a person. I was able to see that I could be madly in love, but still recognize toxicity in a partner and break ties, even if it is inconvenient and hurts, for my own health. I will try dating again after 2020 ends, just because I need rest after an exhausting Christmas.

            Most of the year was spent indoors, as we don’t want to be out and about during these pandemic times. But I enjoyed a few of my excursions and special events with the school. We had a fun Summer school event where I got to bust out my Mario impression and dress up as Porco Rosso again, during Halloween we were Hogwarts characters, and Christmas saw me, and others, being Santa Claus. For one of the online videos, I even got to see a proper Hokkaido farm and it was beautiful. Gloriously so.

            I decided before covid flared up again, during a brief down period, to head to Noboribetsu, famed for its sulfur hot springs. It was a fun trip, with lots of demon iconography, a wonderful bear park, a nostalgic old world Japanese ninja theme park, I had delicious red bean soup, and other wonderful food. But the precautions Japan has taken to prevent the spread of covid kinda shows why it is one of the best places to be. The contrast between Japan and western countries is stark indeed when it comes to safety.

            One of my friends put me in contact with new adult students and while I don’t charge them and only talk infrequently, it has led to some fun adventures, like heading to an izakaya before covid got bad and talking with my student while ordering some traditional Japanese food. It’s been a wild time.

            For the holidays here, in Christmas time, I intend to just stay in and do my exercises, maybe check out nearby malls in my downtime, but that’s about it. I want to set up some new routines to help with the new year, mainly around writing and exercise, but also rest. I love my job, but it kicks my butt every week, making me super tired. Still, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

            Alright. Games roundup. I’ve had an on off relationship with Gwent and the card game Legends of Runeterra. Gwent is perpetually beautiful, but the balance is always frustrating and the gameplay is a bit bleh. Runeterra is exquisitely designed, but can be tilting or unhealthy. I’m trying a lighter touch with them this year because I love card games, but they can turn on you hard.

            Speaking of cards, I tried the commercial version of Faeria and it’s a wonderful card game that has lots of hours and lots of bang for your buck, but the devs have basically abandoned it and there will be no more content so that’s a major  bummer.

            I finally got to play Bloodstained Ritual of the Night and it’s…fine. It’s an okay metroidvania. I prefer the 8-bit versions, as the 3d graphics look a bit blah, even if the gameplay is fine.

            Spiritfarer is one of the most moving, beautiful, and engrossing game of the year, not my game of the year only because it can be a bit grindy, but also very heavy. It deals with death through metaphors and while it is fun and quirky, I wish it had been clearer, because the metaphors are sometimes more horrifying than the reality.

            Return of the Obra Dinn is one of, if not the best, game I’ve played in the last…5 years at least. It is a glorious detective story that will always surprise people. I love it to pieces and recommend it anyone.

            Hades is probably my game of the year, as it is the best rogue-like/rogue-lite I’ve ever played. Great writing and a fun new twist on Greek mythology, engrossing gameplay, and you CAN finish it. It’s a great game.

            Now, if Hades didn’t exist, I’d say my game of the year would be Merchant in the Sky. A fun trading game set entirely in an archipelago in the clouds, with no combat, only exploration, trading, and fun. I have played through it three times already and will probably again later. It makes me feel a sense of peace and adventure that has been lost to me, only reclaimed through games like Actraiser or the like.

            I can’t forget Sakuna of Rice and Ruin either, which is the most realistic rice growing simulator ever. Hehe, despite some meh presentation at times, it’s an enthralling game, mixing fighting demons with rice farming and save for one very mean spirited moment near the end, it is a great ride.

            I am excited for the Final Fantasy Legend collection and will play it very soon.

            Now, books. I did do a lot of reading this year. I ALSO did some audio reviews of the stories. If there’s interest, I might look to putting it online, but for now, they’re just for me. I read through all my Conan stories, I got a Solomon Kane collection and read all of those, and I FINALLY read through the entire bibliography of H.P. Lovecraft, which is incredibly up and down, some being really bleh, some being classics worthy of recommendation and reading even today.

            I’m excited for 2021. My birthday will actually be a hopeful new start for America, but also for me, as I hope to start dating again, and put all the stresses of politics behind me. You know what I’m talking about. 2020 was a bad year for most, but I was exceptionally lucky. 2021’s tarot reading is…interesting. Not bad, but I will need to watch out for a few things going forward. I am confident things will be fine though.

            Anyway, signing out for another year.