Lost In Translation

NetTokyo: July 19th

Just thought I'd mention an event put on by a friend of mine that's coming up in Tokyo, NetTokyo:

What is NetTokyo?

  
The biggest summer, Saturday afternoon, network-of-networks networking event for the Japanese and international community in Tokyo. All proceeds donated to charity. With close to 3 million yen raised to date we aim to raise at least 1 million more this year!

We have a great venue and will be working hard to get some amazing raffle prize sponsors over the next month. Mark your calendars and tell your friends.

If you are unable to attend but would like to buy raffle tickets, please make a donation (minimum 5,000 yen) using the bank information on theSponsor Details page and send an email to donations@nettokyo.jp with your contact information and amount of your donation. 

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Date: Saturday, July 19, 2008

Time: 14:00 (2:00pm) - 18:00 (6:00pm)

Price: 4,000 Yen in advance, 5,000 Yen at the door.
      Includes light meal, one drink ticket and 
      one raffle ticket for great prizes
      100% of profits go to charity
   *Children 12 and under are free

Chuo University

I've picked up a couple of extra classes on Saturdays at Chuo University, which is located less than a half hour from me on the Tama monorail at the Mesei Daigaku/Chuo Daigaku stop. Why black and white? Maybe it's the utilitarian concrete that the buildings are constructed out of that influenced me. It's a well-run program with good students, and best of all, nearby.

Meiji University: School of Global Japanese Studies

This year I am working at a new full-time job at Meiji University at the Izumi Campus near Meidaimae station (Inokashira line and Keio Line). I am a contract teacher in the English department of the brand new Global School of Japanese Studies. This is the first year and it's an exciting opportunity to put an imprint on a new program. I have taken many pictures due to rainy weather and a busy schedule (the one above was taken a while ago when there were still cherry blossoms around). So far I've been really impressed with the high ability and enthusiasm of my students.

Snow Day

I missed the first snow this year when I was in Thailand, but it is more than making up for it today.

My First Book

This is my first published book, Score High on the TOEIC Test. About a year ago I was approached by a Toyo Unviersity colleague, Keiichhi Nakabachi, about contributing to a book he was supervising and writing on TOEIC Test Preperation. The book is finally out. I didn't realize that there would be so many contributers, there are six writers and an editior credited for the book. And it just shows what a complicated process publishing a book can be.

Kichijoji Nights

While my Aussie friends Edward and Jeleesan were in Japan, they were staying with our Japanese friends Ritsu and Tomo in their lovely house nearby Inokashira Park in Kichijoji. As a result we spent a couple of evenings in and around their home. Saturday we ate a local sushi restaurant that had extremely fresh and expertly prepared sushi. After that we checked out a funky A Clockwork Orange-inspired bar, The Milk Bar, that I had read about on the internet. The picture above is at Kichijoji station.

It was located in the heart of the entertainment district and, as you can see in the picture below, had a very original interior-complete with A Clockwork Orange being played on the TV screen above the bar.

The following night we had a dinner party at Tomo and Ritsu's house, and they prepared some lovely food (see below) and provided some tasty wines.

Here are the dinner attendees from left to right: Ritsu, Tomo, Edward, Sayuri, Tony, and Jeleesan.

Intyatyambo Community Project Benefit

The Intyatyambo Community Project (ICP) benefit Tuesday the 13th was a great success. Thanks to all the folks who made it down to see Dr. Ruth, Superfunction, and Ernest play at What the Dickens. The picture above is of Superfunction featuring my mate Marcus Pittman on sax. There were well over 100 people in attendance, not sure of the amount of money raised, but it looks like a significant amount.

2007 Sphere's Halloween Party

This year's party was at AMRAX, a club in Shibuya and a former site of a previous Halloween Party (then called Simoon). This year's crew (from left to right) included yours truly, Lorenzo, Tony, Jay, and Miles. A couple of ladies, Yumiko and Mami joined later. Check out the photos on the sidebar on the right.

Intyatyambo Fund Raiser

Some of my friends are organizing a fundraiser for Intyatyambo Community Project (ICP), a registered NPO in Cape Town, South Africa. please stop by and support this worthy cause.

Intyatyambo Community Project (ICP), a registered NPO
in Cape Town, South Africa, is an orphanage for
children whose parents are dying or have died of AIDS.
Tokyo’s own Udo Bartsch, who is currently living in
Cape Town, is volunteering his time and money at the
moment to create a better living environment for these
unfortunate children. Check out their website:
www.capekids.org

Door opens a 19:00, November 13.

Entrance fee is 2,000 yen, all of which will go to
ICP.

There will be a band over from England, Ernest, which
will be donating its time and talent to help raise
money and awareness. Check out their website:

http://www.myspace.com/ernestband

There will also be other bands and live acts, as well
as a raffle where you could win an i-pod or other cool
prizes.

Tell your friends. Tell your family. The more people
who come, the more money raised, the better the
children’s life can be.

As Winston Churchill once said: There is no finer
investment for any community than putting milk into
babies.

Please email this invitation to as many people as you
know. And then ask them to do the same!

Any questions, comments or concerns, please contact
Mario Leto, Paul Church, Daniel Moran or Eiko Nonaka
at the email addresses at the bottom of this email.

皆さん

1３日に恵比寿のWhat
The
Dickensで南アフリカのAIDS孤児のためにお金を集めるチャリテーを行うのでみなさんに参加してほしいと思います。

インチャチャンボコミューニティプロジェクト(NPC)は南アフリカに登録｛とうろく｝されるNPOです。NPCはAIDSでご両親を亡くした孤児のための孤児院です。東京のUdo
Bartsch
は今南アフリカに住んでいてその子供たちのためにお金と時間をボランティアしてもっと良い居住環境を作ろうとしています。

イベントは７ｐｍからです。

にゅうじょうりょうは2000円です。

このイベントではイギリスからライブをするため来日するErnestというバンドがお金を募ったり認識を高めたりするため彼らの時間と才能をボランティアしてライブをします。

ほかのバンドとパフォーマーもあるし素敵な賞品が当たるくじもあります。

友達に知らせてください。家族にも知らせてください。いっぱい人が来ればいっぱいお金が出来て子供たちはもっといい生活出来るようになります。

このコンサートのことを周りの人にメールしてください。その人に同じことを頼んで下さい。

もし質問やコメントがあれば是非下のメールアドレスでマリオやポールやダニエルやえいこに気軽にメール送ってください：

marioalfonso@yahoo.com
pmchurch@hotmail.com
danielmoran@hotmail.com
eikononaka@hotmail.com

August: The Crulest Month?

Here in Tokyo I often think that August and Feburary contend for the the cruelest months-August because of the unrelenting heat and Feburary for the bone chilling cold and dreariness of winter. In this "recycled" article from Slate's David Plotz, circa 2001, makes a case for the cruelty of August:

August is the Mississippi of the calendar. It's beastly hot and muggy. It has a dismal history. Nothing good ever happens in it. And the United States would be better off without it.

August is when the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, when Anne Frank was arrested, when the first income tax was collected, when Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe died. Wings and Jefferson Airplane were formed in August. The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour debuted in August. (No August, no Sonny and Cher!)

August is the time when thugs and dictators think they can get away with it. World War I started in August 1914. The Nazis and Soviets signed their nonaggression pact in August 1939. Iraq invaded Kuwait Aug. 2, 1990. August is a popular month for coups and violent crime. Why August? Perhaps the villains assume we'll be too distracted by vacations or humidity to notice.