Yeah just another day of making those life ambitions come true.
So this past Saturday was the filming for the next Starfire DVD, which will be a Starfire Vs B-1 DVD and have a shit ton of tracks that have been taught at B-1 over the past year or so, as well as a brand new euro track. Ouuuuu exciting! I`d tell you all the tracklist but then Banchou would cut my balls off and I`d be deported. But I think if editing goes well it should be out on Saturday. So of course expect a rip here.
So on Friday we finally got to know our song, one I hardly knew at all, and with 9loveJ on Friday night that didn`t leave much time to learn it. But learn it I did, and me and Sofia had a quick practice before 9J and all was good.
I better say a few words on the last 9loveJ in Shinjuku, and those words are `bullshit`. Worst para night around, but great for getting hospital drunk.
Saturday morning hit and I had a top 3 hangover, and if you know how many bad hangovers I`ve had, top 3 means I contemplated suicide. But it all worked out! Saturday was a community festival on my school grounds and around the school shrine, so a few friends came over to enjoy that with me. It was tough times because if you know Japanese matsuri`s you know half of it is about getting drunk and just having a blast. But with the filming starting at 11pm I really had to try and stay sober. Good news is I did just that. The matsuri itself was great, so traditional Japan. Stalls of food and booze, and kids games, as well as traditional dance on the stage. Of course loads of the Mums and kids were there, I love love local matsuri`s just for the fact the Mums get drunk and I get to see them not give a shit. It wasn`t long before I got distracted and started playing with some of the kids, how can I not.
Love it!!
I would have loved to have cracked on with people but time was short and I had to hit the studio in Edogawabashi for the filming.
I got there at 11:30pm and already Harumi and Satomi had done one song. All the gaijin crew were there getting ready, Kevin, Heather, Sofia, and Amber. So it was like 11:30pm and Ryohei calls me over to ask if me and Jasmine would dance a different song. Yeah sure... we don`t know that one... any other song on the list but that one... So we asked Kee-tan to show us the routine and filmed her quickly, and then hit the changing room to learn it. It didn`t take us long before we thoughtwe had it perfect, and then it was just a matter of chilling and watching everyone else before us. We were on at 3:30am.
Out of everyone I think me and Jasmine were the least nervous, but then when it came time to get up and strike that starting pose.... the nerves well and truly kicked in, it was like I forgot how to dance. We went from having it down perfect to looking like a pair of dickheads. After like 10 mess ups we finally got it, but when we saw the replay it was rubbish, just no good at all. Me and Jazz just sat there sulking and being angry at ourselfs for the next couple of hours and then decided fuck it, we can`t have that as our finished dance. So we asked Banchou if we could have another go when everyone was done and they were more than happy.
So some intense practicing later we got up infront of the camera a hell of a lot less nervous and after one mess up nailed it. So I`m still not 100% happy, but at least we don`t look like total dipshits. You can see on our faces in the final take how serious and focused we were, not a hint of a smile, it was all business.
Heather, Amber and Sofia did pretty well I thought. Amber especially seeing she learned her routine on the night and isn`t a para veteran like the rest of us. Kevin you tell was really nervous but he really pulled it off, and I know he will only get better.
So second DVD done, I hope the third will be easier!
Thursday 28 July 2011
Thursday 21 July 2011
Hong Konged like a bastard!
Yo yo!
Well I`ve been a busy boy, going off on all sorts of gonzo adventures, and as you probably know, I went to Hong Kong for a long weekend just over a week ago. I`d like to say it was for a holiday, but alas, my visa is still being processed so I just ran out of time and had to exit the country. You know what I`m talking about....
HONG KONG!!
So I flew into Hong Kong on the Saturday, and as I`ve seen from the air before, it`s a beautiful city when you land. The mountains, the bay, the famous architecture. Hong Kong airport was like any UK airport, little did I know that was a hint of things to come. So similar to Gatwick and Heathrow in London. I hopped on the train and took in the mountains and beautiful bay, and the tower blocks, and the cranes, and the.... must be a developing part of the island. Cracked a taxi to hotel and was amazed at how everything is like England. The buses, road works, double yellow lines, the shops. I could list a million things.
Ahhhh the hotel.... ohhhhh shit!! What did I book myself into!!??
i did a shit ton of research on the best hostel in HK, and found Paris Guesthouse which is run by a British ex-army guy. Good reviews, very central. So I booked the super deluxe room and hoped for the best. What a fucking shithole!!!!!!!
It was in what I now know is the world famous Chungking Mansions tower block. Famous for all the wrong reasons. It`s basically a tower block with the dirtiest market on the ground floor, ran by a mix of the Indian, African and just generally nasty people that will rape your Mum just to fuck with you. I had to walk through half of the market to get to the elevator to go up to my luxury suite... After fearing for my life in that deathtrap, the doors open and I`m greeted with murder alley and about four doors, none of which have any signs on... I go in the first door and I`m greeted with a grunt by an Indian guy who`s on the verge of suicide.
Yes this is the reception to Paris Guesthouse. Errr ok, so whats my name? No I`m not giving you my passport or any details until you give me some goddamn motherfucking ID!! It turned out ok, but I already knew this was going to be bad times. And where was the British guy??? Tied up in a closet no doubt. I was taken to the 10th floor where the smell was unbearable... was it death? More like poverty. My room was actually ok. Imagine half the size of a student room, but with no window, the smell of death, and cockroaches crawling up your leg. After showering and defunking the room the best I could it was time to get the fuck out of there!!
Lets just forget about Chungking Mansions shall we.... but please one last word. Don`t ever stay there, whatever you do!!!! You will not be as lucky as me and you will die in a bath of sand.
Ok so onto the nice parts of Hong Kong.... Let me just say I took a million photos all on my ipod, but the cable is gone, so they stay on the pod for now.
My first call of business on this Saturday evening was to meet with Ken and some of the HK parapara people. They took me to dinner and were just the nicest people ever. Oh the food? Let`s just say I`ve had better.... out of a bin.... sorry I wasn`t a fan of the food, it was just all so bland for my taste. Oh how I longed for the breads of Japan!!
Speaking of breads, the 7eleven there was just an English newsagents. You could buy UK chocolate and drinks, great, but not a patch on Japans version. Chinese beer you ask? I have pissed tastier beer into my shoe. Seriously bad. I had to resort to Stella....
Ah yes but I digress... After dinner we walked up Nathan Road, which is just Oxford Street, and into the lovely park where the guys and gals wre holding a parapara meeting in a dance studio. It was great meeting everyone there and I had tons of fun, awesome bunch of people who made me feel right at home! Afterwards we hit a restaurant (why does nowhere serve booze??) but after a couple of hours I was fading and so tired from the travel.
Ahhhh shit I forgot to mention I transfered in Beijing, they take the crown for rudest airport. Paris is now down to second! YOU MAKE ME SICK!!!
Sunday I awoke from my cockroach invested slumber to head out and meet up with Ken. Man alive is it hot there. About the same temperature as Tokyo, 35c, but 2000000% humidity compared to Tokyo`s 1000000%.
I`d planned some history walks around the islands, you know because I have a massive love of history and architecture, you didn`t, well now you do. I often go on history walks around Tokyo by myself, it`s a beautiful thing. Seeing as British history is my favorite subject I had to check out a whole bunch of shit in HK. As luck had it, Ken used to be a tour guide, so we headed over to HK Island to check out some architecture. Some lovely collonial buildings as well as the gorgeous new sky scrapers, yes that`s the HK I had been expecting! I have an amazing story about three buildings which face each other but it`s hard to explain without photos. So another time! Knifes, cannons and don`t reflect me you bastard!!!
After the culture we headed out of the city to a monster arcade to meet some people and get some para gaming done XD Great arcade! Food food and then they totally indulged me by taking me to the touristy bar area. Hong Kong really doesn`t seem to be big on drinking so this one big u-bend of a street with a thousand bars on was just Brits on tour.
OI OI!!!!
It might as well have been Ibiza. Well I can see how it`d be fun to have a weekend with mates getting fucked up, but even saying that there`s better cheaper places in Asia.
As it happened it was Beerfest 2011 on the street.... but we only caught the last hour, which just meant retreating indoors for drinks. Well I had to taste the touristy nightlife of HK and there it was. Leveled down on Ju-beat, as is the way when drunk, and then hit a taxi home. Taxi`s are cheap as shit, as is most of HK. Infact I found it hard to spend my money.
Monday was my last full day and a day I planned to spend at the history museum and just wandering the city. The museum was awesome, I was really looking forward to seeing all the British items there and I wasn`t disappointed! I ended up spending most of the day there and didn`t even see the end before it started to close. I had a good wander around London.... I mean Kowloon. It is just central London tbh, just not as exciting.
Late at night on my last day, only one thing left to do, para filming!!
I met up with Ken and Yuki (great girl and you should check out her para videos!!) and headed to the bay to film a million and ten videos. It was great because just about all of them were one take and me and Yuki fit really well as a para team. Anyway, I had a blast and it was a great way to end the adventure.
So Hong Kong was not what I was expecting, I wouldn`t recommend it as a holiday, but the people were fantastic! Thanks to everyone for making me feel so welcome. I`ll totally come over for the HK parapara 11th anniversary!
I`ll upload a million videos and photos next time.
For the record I had no problems getting through immigration in Tokyo, and boy do I know that Japan is my home!
Well I`ve been a busy boy, going off on all sorts of gonzo adventures, and as you probably know, I went to Hong Kong for a long weekend just over a week ago. I`d like to say it was for a holiday, but alas, my visa is still being processed so I just ran out of time and had to exit the country. You know what I`m talking about....
HONG KONG!!
So I flew into Hong Kong on the Saturday, and as I`ve seen from the air before, it`s a beautiful city when you land. The mountains, the bay, the famous architecture. Hong Kong airport was like any UK airport, little did I know that was a hint of things to come. So similar to Gatwick and Heathrow in London. I hopped on the train and took in the mountains and beautiful bay, and the tower blocks, and the cranes, and the.... must be a developing part of the island. Cracked a taxi to hotel and was amazed at how everything is like England. The buses, road works, double yellow lines, the shops. I could list a million things.
Ahhhh the hotel.... ohhhhh shit!! What did I book myself into!!??
i did a shit ton of research on the best hostel in HK, and found Paris Guesthouse which is run by a British ex-army guy. Good reviews, very central. So I booked the super deluxe room and hoped for the best. What a fucking shithole!!!!!!!
It was in what I now know is the world famous Chungking Mansions tower block. Famous for all the wrong reasons. It`s basically a tower block with the dirtiest market on the ground floor, ran by a mix of the Indian, African and just generally nasty people that will rape your Mum just to fuck with you. I had to walk through half of the market to get to the elevator to go up to my luxury suite... After fearing for my life in that deathtrap, the doors open and I`m greeted with murder alley and about four doors, none of which have any signs on... I go in the first door and I`m greeted with a grunt by an Indian guy who`s on the verge of suicide.
Yes this is the reception to Paris Guesthouse. Errr ok, so whats my name? No I`m not giving you my passport or any details until you give me some goddamn motherfucking ID!! It turned out ok, but I already knew this was going to be bad times. And where was the British guy??? Tied up in a closet no doubt. I was taken to the 10th floor where the smell was unbearable... was it death? More like poverty. My room was actually ok. Imagine half the size of a student room, but with no window, the smell of death, and cockroaches crawling up your leg. After showering and defunking the room the best I could it was time to get the fuck out of there!!
Lets just forget about Chungking Mansions shall we.... but please one last word. Don`t ever stay there, whatever you do!!!! You will not be as lucky as me and you will die in a bath of sand.
Ok so onto the nice parts of Hong Kong.... Let me just say I took a million photos all on my ipod, but the cable is gone, so they stay on the pod for now.
My first call of business on this Saturday evening was to meet with Ken and some of the HK parapara people. They took me to dinner and were just the nicest people ever. Oh the food? Let`s just say I`ve had better.... out of a bin.... sorry I wasn`t a fan of the food, it was just all so bland for my taste. Oh how I longed for the breads of Japan!!
Speaking of breads, the 7eleven there was just an English newsagents. You could buy UK chocolate and drinks, great, but not a patch on Japans version. Chinese beer you ask? I have pissed tastier beer into my shoe. Seriously bad. I had to resort to Stella....
Ah yes but I digress... After dinner we walked up Nathan Road, which is just Oxford Street, and into the lovely park where the guys and gals wre holding a parapara meeting in a dance studio. It was great meeting everyone there and I had tons of fun, awesome bunch of people who made me feel right at home! Afterwards we hit a restaurant (why does nowhere serve booze??) but after a couple of hours I was fading and so tired from the travel.
Ahhhh shit I forgot to mention I transfered in Beijing, they take the crown for rudest airport. Paris is now down to second! YOU MAKE ME SICK!!!
Sunday I awoke from my cockroach invested slumber to head out and meet up with Ken. Man alive is it hot there. About the same temperature as Tokyo, 35c, but 2000000% humidity compared to Tokyo`s 1000000%.
I`d planned some history walks around the islands, you know because I have a massive love of history and architecture, you didn`t, well now you do. I often go on history walks around Tokyo by myself, it`s a beautiful thing. Seeing as British history is my favorite subject I had to check out a whole bunch of shit in HK. As luck had it, Ken used to be a tour guide, so we headed over to HK Island to check out some architecture. Some lovely collonial buildings as well as the gorgeous new sky scrapers, yes that`s the HK I had been expecting! I have an amazing story about three buildings which face each other but it`s hard to explain without photos. So another time! Knifes, cannons and don`t reflect me you bastard!!!
After the culture we headed out of the city to a monster arcade to meet some people and get some para gaming done XD Great arcade! Food food and then they totally indulged me by taking me to the touristy bar area. Hong Kong really doesn`t seem to be big on drinking so this one big u-bend of a street with a thousand bars on was just Brits on tour.
OI OI!!!!
It might as well have been Ibiza. Well I can see how it`d be fun to have a weekend with mates getting fucked up, but even saying that there`s better cheaper places in Asia.
As it happened it was Beerfest 2011 on the street.... but we only caught the last hour, which just meant retreating indoors for drinks. Well I had to taste the touristy nightlife of HK and there it was. Leveled down on Ju-beat, as is the way when drunk, and then hit a taxi home. Taxi`s are cheap as shit, as is most of HK. Infact I found it hard to spend my money.
Monday was my last full day and a day I planned to spend at the history museum and just wandering the city. The museum was awesome, I was really looking forward to seeing all the British items there and I wasn`t disappointed! I ended up spending most of the day there and didn`t even see the end before it started to close. I had a good wander around London.... I mean Kowloon. It is just central London tbh, just not as exciting.
Late at night on my last day, only one thing left to do, para filming!!
I met up with Ken and Yuki (great girl and you should check out her para videos!!) and headed to the bay to film a million and ten videos. It was great because just about all of them were one take and me and Yuki fit really well as a para team. Anyway, I had a blast and it was a great way to end the adventure.
So Hong Kong was not what I was expecting, I wouldn`t recommend it as a holiday, but the people were fantastic! Thanks to everyone for making me feel so welcome. I`ll totally come over for the HK parapara 11th anniversary!
I`ll upload a million videos and photos next time.
For the record I had no problems getting through immigration in Tokyo, and boy do I know that Japan is my home!
Saturday 2 July 2011
Cunt weekend
Yo yo longtime no post!
I`ve been busy busy busy with Birthday weeks, work, and just plain old having fun. Haven`t had much internet time, which is always good. I really hate sitting on my arse like a giant silly cunt. Sorry that`s my word of the weekend `cunt`. Everything this weekend is just one massive cunt.
Well my Birthday week started off on the right.... foot with SEF Deluxe as you may have read. This was followed by a nice easy B-1 Dynamite where I got my wish just to dance. The big Birthday weekend came and beat me up as I fully expected. It started with a house party at my mansion, and I mean mansion. Loads of people pulled out last minute like the massive cunts they are, but it left a great group of friends that made for an awesome night. Well, with two bottles of Spiritus it was always gonna be a good night. I was serenaded with a beautiful rendition of `If Living is Without You` by Mariah, fantastic! I`m sure it was a great night but alas the next thing I remember was waking up on my living room floor with a bucket next to my head, the house empty but for a few silhouettes of people in another room.
Good night indeed!
I woke up at midday feeling still very much drunk, the days mission was to sober up for the nights big event that was Starfire. I can`t say I did that very weel. Before I could blink I was at an izakaya having a beer before Starfire, and then BAM!
STARFIRE SHOW ME YOUR DESIRE!!
I danced, I tried to stay away from the booze that was being thrown in my face, but then of course it was Birthday time. At Starfire on your Birthday, if you`re awesome, you get to sit in the Birthday sofa and have a cake and a bottle of champagne. Or rather everyone shouts down it and you have to down the bottle as fast as you can and the cake ends up on everyone's face.
Here`s the video, it`s on Kevin Dary`s facebook so I don`t think I can embed it here. But here`s the link:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=10150220647572142&comments
AWESOME!!!
I ended up in toilet chundering with Uga lol. Banchou payed for my Birthday, what an awesome guy!! I felt like I beat Starfire by being able to walk at the end, other people weren`t so lucky...
All in all a fantastic Birthday week, and thanks to everyone, love to you all!!
If you haven`t noticed I`ve stopped filming the parapara club lessons, just because Kevin `Mr Techpara` films them all and uploads them faster than I can. But let me know if you want me to continue filming them. I`ll crack some DVD uploads in the mean time next week. Magical Rave DVD s that is.... Tsu XD
In other life news, I`m still waiting to hear from the visa people. I should receive my working visa any day now, but man is time getting short. My current visa runs out on July 12th, so if I don`t get my visa next week I`ll have to think about leaving the country, even if it`s only for a few days or a week. Can`t leave for any longer, I have work and BBQ`s to go to!
Speaking of work, they flipped the script on me the past week with a bunch of teachers getting on my back about having a 30 minute break and there seems to be a total lack of trust at the minute. It`s like the last year and a half have counted for nothing. I really hope my dream job suddenly doesn`t turn sour. All they have to do is let me do the job I`m payed for, am brilliant at, and have been doing with no complaints for the last year and a half. It`s going to be interesting to see how things pan out. Just let me play with Lemon-chan and the gang!!
There`s a small chance I could have a date with an actual girl sometime soon. I`ve been being way more forward and just saying `I`d love to take you out for dinner and drinks sometime.` This one girl I met ages ago got in touch again out of the blue and we`ve been texting. Who knows, maybe it`ll lead to actual face to face contact....
You know if you are reading this and live in Tokyo... wanna get a drink sometime... If you have a pulse you meet my requirements!
But all is good good good, lets just hope for the love of God the whole visa thing gets done soon soon soon.
I`m meant to be going to a gal circle event which starts... now, but alas a mix of people being busy, lazy, or just not getting back to me means I think I`ll have to give that a miss. Really don`t fancy that on my own. But Magical Rave is later, nothing will stop me going to that!
Laters!
I`ve been busy busy busy with Birthday weeks, work, and just plain old having fun. Haven`t had much internet time, which is always good. I really hate sitting on my arse like a giant silly cunt. Sorry that`s my word of the weekend `cunt`. Everything this weekend is just one massive cunt.
Well my Birthday week started off on the right.... foot with SEF Deluxe as you may have read. This was followed by a nice easy B-1 Dynamite where I got my wish just to dance. The big Birthday weekend came and beat me up as I fully expected. It started with a house party at my mansion, and I mean mansion. Loads of people pulled out last minute like the massive cunts they are, but it left a great group of friends that made for an awesome night. Well, with two bottles of Spiritus it was always gonna be a good night. I was serenaded with a beautiful rendition of `If Living is Without You` by Mariah, fantastic! I`m sure it was a great night but alas the next thing I remember was waking up on my living room floor with a bucket next to my head, the house empty but for a few silhouettes of people in another room.
Good night indeed!
I woke up at midday feeling still very much drunk, the days mission was to sober up for the nights big event that was Starfire. I can`t say I did that very weel. Before I could blink I was at an izakaya having a beer before Starfire, and then BAM!
STARFIRE SHOW ME YOUR DESIRE!!
I danced, I tried to stay away from the booze that was being thrown in my face, but then of course it was Birthday time. At Starfire on your Birthday, if you`re awesome, you get to sit in the Birthday sofa and have a cake and a bottle of champagne. Or rather everyone shouts down it and you have to down the bottle as fast as you can and the cake ends up on everyone's face.
Here`s the video, it`s on Kevin Dary`s facebook so I don`t think I can embed it here. But here`s the link:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=10150220647572142&comments
AWESOME!!!
I ended up in toilet chundering with Uga lol. Banchou payed for my Birthday, what an awesome guy!! I felt like I beat Starfire by being able to walk at the end, other people weren`t so lucky...
All in all a fantastic Birthday week, and thanks to everyone, love to you all!!
If you haven`t noticed I`ve stopped filming the parapara club lessons, just because Kevin `Mr Techpara` films them all and uploads them faster than I can. But let me know if you want me to continue filming them. I`ll crack some DVD uploads in the mean time next week. Magical Rave DVD s that is.... Tsu XD
In other life news, I`m still waiting to hear from the visa people. I should receive my working visa any day now, but man is time getting short. My current visa runs out on July 12th, so if I don`t get my visa next week I`ll have to think about leaving the country, even if it`s only for a few days or a week. Can`t leave for any longer, I have work and BBQ`s to go to!
Speaking of work, they flipped the script on me the past week with a bunch of teachers getting on my back about having a 30 minute break and there seems to be a total lack of trust at the minute. It`s like the last year and a half have counted for nothing. I really hope my dream job suddenly doesn`t turn sour. All they have to do is let me do the job I`m payed for, am brilliant at, and have been doing with no complaints for the last year and a half. It`s going to be interesting to see how things pan out. Just let me play with Lemon-chan and the gang!!
There`s a small chance I could have a date with an actual girl sometime soon. I`ve been being way more forward and just saying `I`d love to take you out for dinner and drinks sometime.` This one girl I met ages ago got in touch again out of the blue and we`ve been texting. Who knows, maybe it`ll lead to actual face to face contact....
You know if you are reading this and live in Tokyo... wanna get a drink sometime... If you have a pulse you meet my requirements!
But all is good good good, lets just hope for the love of God the whole visa thing gets done soon soon soon.
I`m meant to be going to a gal circle event which starts... now, but alas a mix of people being busy, lazy, or just not getting back to me means I think I`ll have to give that a miss. Really don`t fancy that on my own. But Magical Rave is later, nothing will stop me going to that!
Laters!
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