Go-Karts and WBC (March 2-3 2013)

Go-Karts and WBC (March 2-3 2013), a set on Flickr.

These are all pretty straightforward photography-wise...I've loved cars and racing since I was young, so the chance to hang out with my friends and hit the track is always great. I tend to bring the camera for things like this, and I was right. I got there a little late, saw a few people leaving pit lane and thought "I wonder...". And, well, my suspicions were confirmed when I saw my friend Rob (in the white helmet with the GoPro) and he gave me a wave after his first lap. So a dash back to the car, and there we are.

The shots from the baseball game are the next day, a World Baseball Classic first-round game in Fukuoka. Note the plethora of good seats available for Cuba vs Brazil.

Feb 16 2013 - VOOCS Concert (four sets)

Feb 16 2013 - VOOCS Concert (four sets), a set on Flickr.

I have wonderful, musically talented friends -- their skills range from guitar, drums, bass, and singing, all the way up to proper song-writing. In one case, it even includes creating a whole new kind of rhythmic sound out of the guitar.

This night was fun. This was actually the first time I ever shot in a proper club, too -- the last time I took concert photos was either outside or in the bright, interior hall where I saw my friend Keith perform last year. But this had everything, from lightning to a smoke machine to a raucous crowd of ALTs and others from the community. The other good thing about small shows and knowing the performers is feeling comfortable about being right up front with a camera in their grill...

Shooting was something of a challenge too. Slow down the shutter and lower the ISO, or freeze things a bit but with much more grain? Thank god for the 60D, I think even my ISO 6400 pictures would look better than my (old and shelved) XT's shots at just 1600. And I also tried out some new techniques, messing around with much lower shutter speeds -- even bulb mode -- than I usually do. In some cases, it's made some crazy, psychedelic images that match the tone of the music.

These are just straight-from-IJFR pics, so massaging the keepers in RAW should prove fruitful.

The most difficult time of the year

Think back to when you were in high school. Imagine if this was your senior year: By March, your “classes” had ended. You still went to class and had "class" but all you were doing was preparing for tests – which happen to be the rest of your life. The tests for private colleges (which could be either super high end schools or your “we’ll take anybody” safety school; there’s a market for the latter, as you’ll see) start in April; and in June, just before graduation, you go take the tests for the big public university you want to go to.

You sweat and study and cram in as much as you can for these standardized tests. It’s everything – everything rests on this. You can take a couple different tests, and finally, relief. They’re over! What’s done is done. And then a week later, it’s graduation. Finally! Time to walk across stage and get your diploma and celebrate.

Oh, remember those tests? The ones that are (almost literally) life and death? The results come in the day after graduation. And you start college a few weeks later at the beginning of July.

Thus is school life in Japan at this time of the year. Change the months around a little and you have the schedule I’ve seen the past few months here. And those tests aren’t just for graduating high school students, they’re also for graduating junior high school students for their high schools; in that case it’s almost more important, as what high school you attend will often help determine what college you could potentially attend in the future.

It’s been fascinating to see how it all plays out. To me and my American sensibilities, it seems like so little time to prepare — not just from the tests to high school but also for college, too. The long summer break between school years is an institution in the U.S., and for better or worse, it lets you prepare for the next school year with more than ample time. I had almost three months to work and plan for my freshman year of college, I couldn’t imagine having just two or three weeks for that preparation. Never mind having to find a new place to live...

This has become a very bittersweet time. I’m not sure if that’s the perfect description, but it’s what comes to my mind the easiest. It’s sad to see the awesome kids I’ve taught move on – but having experienced all that myself before, I know it’s onward and upward.

The other bittersweet facet of this time is regarding the teachers. I’m not 100 percent sure about other prefectures, but I know in Nagasaki, teachers rotate every few years. The idea is to ensure teachers are out on the semi-isolated islands, but regardless, those changes also happen right at this time of the year. Teachers usually stay at a school at most 6 years, and a couple of my favorite teachers are moving schools next year.

It's proving to be bittersweet - today we had the closing ceremony for the school year, then a ceremony thanking the teachers who were transferring to other schools. There was no shortage of tears. Plus that time-frame issue is amplified — if you have a life in one of the towns here, husband or wife working full time, and kids in schools, what are you supposed to do if you’re assigned to an island? Dread the thought.

I wished all my graduating students well and I've spent this week since Monday (the day when all the teachers get the news) finding out what teachers, principals and school staff are switching to a new school from April. It has definitely been bittersweet. I'll miss many people for sure, but it also provides the chance for new faces.

11-30 Snapshots from my new camera

Made a nice little upgrade last weekend. As part of my Christmas present from my wonderful parents, I received money to put toward a new camera. Some may remember me complaining about the shortcomings with my prior warhorse of a camera body, but the biggest problem is it was starting to quickly die. I'll spare the technical details, but a new body was needed.

These may be boring or not the most fantastic photos of all time, but they're some of the first shots I've taken with my new 60D. Looking forward to posting more sooner than later.

For my photographer friends - peep the Exif data on that last photo. ISO 2000!!!!!!!!!!!!

Me and my running - a year in

I’ve dropped reference to it a few times on Facebook and Twitter, but I’ve got to expound on my running routine and what it means to me. It’s become pretty important and has definitely yielded results, which has proven both good for my health and good for my attitude.

From an early age through most of high school, I hated running. Hated it. I liked playing sports but I hated the effort needed to run; I barely did more than was necessary because pushing my fat-kid physique past where it hurts was…well, painful. It took a real “ah-ha!” moment in high school to get past that first mental hurdle. Playing rugby senior year I got in the best shape of my life — not just from running but all-around physical conditioning. I felt fantastic.

That shape came and went during college, but my senior year I was again doing well since I was playing soccer pretty often. I still hated running for the sake of running, but I could go out and play soccer for at least two hours and not keel over dead. I weighed about 250 pounds, felt great…and within a few months had let that slip.

Over the following years I tried to go running and stay in shape at various points but with little success. I hit my nadir in the spring term of 2010 during MIM. After losing weight walking around Asia in March, I shot back up – and got as heavy as I’ve ever known. I would be kind and say 290 pounds, but that was through one eye on the scale. I can safely say it got higher than that and I probably cracked 300 pounds. I’m a big guy, but that’s far from healthy.

Big me soaring for a catch in the 2010 Portland Footy season. Image from Portlandfooty.com

It was around that time I got involved with the Australian Football club in Portland, now known as the Portland Steelheads. Aussie rules is a very different sport from any I’d played before but I took to it quickly, enjoyed playing the game, and made friends with others on the team. I have to thank Will and James for getting me into the club, and also all the others on the team for inspiring me to keep with it and get better. I even helped put together an off-season exercise and running game to encourage club members to go running (or to go play other sports), and to do it with others on the club. Despite not being in incredible shape there was never anything but encouragement from the club, and I really miss getting the chance to play having left for Japan.

It was from that running game I started to get the bug to go running in general. I started with really short intervals around the track at the Portland State gym, but after graduating, continued on the trails in the park near my parent’s house. To say I’ve changed my opinion on running is an understatement. I’m now running on a fairly regular schedule, and I’m also running farther and faster than ever. This time last year I never thought I could run 5K without stopping; now, that’s a short run.

This past weekend was my first ever road race. I have to thank my friend, Kim, who’s a veteran JET teacher and works in the next town over. She has been a great help in many regards since I moved to Japan, but she also pushed me to set a goal with my running. As soon as she found out I ran to stay in shape, her next words were, “you should do a race with us.” Kim and other teachers in the area have done running races in Kyushu before, and I was getting drafted into the group with (what was to me) a daunting challenge looming.

But reaching for the challenge proved to be well worth the effort. In August I would never have said I could do a 10K; now, I’m crazy enough to consider doing a half marathon in April. I’ll probably just do a 10K again but the thought exists and doesn’t seem unreasonable. I have the confidence to try and reach that goal, too.

I’m now under 250 pounds and continuing to lose weight and gain fitness as a runner. I’ve found something I really enjoy, an activity that's really easy to do all around the world and that is great for my health. I finished the 10K this past weekend under my goal time, and averaged 10-minute miles. Not exactly Olympic level of running, but for me, it’s an achievement. Sometimes you just need to get the ball rolling.

Quick Snapshot: I do this so you don't have to

Japan has plenty of crazy things to drink. Not as crazy as China (snake wine!) but plenty of different flavors and tastes when compared to America. Some are just a little twist on something we know and love back in the States – beyond having the best name ever, Pocari Sweat isn’t really that different from Gatorade.

Avoid.

However, this nonsense is something else entirely. One of my friends in a nearby town spotted it at the grocery store, posted a picture on Facebook, and I knew I had to take the fall. So when I spotted it at my nearby convenience store this weekend, it was fated.

So it’s Pepsi Pink, “Strawberry Milk” flavored, and disgusting. It’s like a diet version of a strawberry Italian soda, but awful. And the milk aftertaste ranges between undetectable and undesirable. As if you couldn’t tell just from looking at it, it should be avoided at all costs. Do not pass go, do not collect $200, whatever. Just know that if you decide to take the plunge and buy one yourself, I warned you.

Quick snapshot: What are YOU doing here?

Just something quick I spotted on the way home from school Monday. Why yes, that is a very nice and clean late-'50s Chevy Bel Air - and it's been tuned a little bit too, from the "resto-mod" style wheels to the rumbling V8 that you cannot hear (place your trust in me for that factor!).

This would turn my head back in Portland...but at the Shell station near my base middle school? In my small town in Nagasaki prefecture? I stopped in my tracks and instinctively grabbed my phone to take a picture. I had to.

I've seen many cool cars so far in my time here, and even a couple American cars (there's an old Suburban being worked on in my town, too) but NOTHING like this. Unreal!