Saturday, 2 June 2007

Three Ways NOT to Watch TV in Japan

After the novelty of crazy Japanese game shows, 10 year old girls being portrayed as sex symbols and mindless shows about tv personalities telling you how "oishi" or "sugoi" everything is, most people come to the realisation that there really is nothing interesting on Japanese tv and that they want to get back into watching the shows they miss from back home.

Luckily, being stuck in a country which seems to be in "Hey Hey it's Saturday" mode 24/7 the internet offers several ways to save your sanity.

The first place to check out would be TV Links. There you can watch shows from all around the world. Some old, some online to view 24 hours after they air. Want to get the latest LOST or 24 episode? TV Links is the place to go.

Sick of the Japanese gyms that sound more like a fish market at 7am? Do what I did. Quit your membership, save yourself about 100 bucks and try a free daily exercise video podcast! I found Yoga Today in December 2006 and it's changed my life. Adi, Neesha and Sarah are three professional Yoga instructors based in Wyoming, each with a unique style who offer daily 1 hour Yoga lessons which you can download of the site directly or subscribe via iTunes (which is what I do). The quality is amazing and is great for beginners and experienced Yogis. Give it a try!

The third favourite option of mine is via a new service from the makers of Skype (if you're living overseas and aren't using Skype I can't recommend it enough!) called Joost which claims, and I think it is, the very first online television service which broadcasts shows in TV quality almost instantly! It's like have Pay TV (Cable) on your computer and it's absolutely FREE! Currently it has a handful of channels, my faves being MTV, Lime, IMF Asia and IMF Australia. Warner Bros just signed a deal with them the other day and the thing's still in Beta! Unfortunately because it's in Beta it's open via invite only. Lucky for you I have plenty of invites to give away, so if you're a friend of mine feel free to reply to this post with a comment and I'll email you your Joost invite asap.

Hope people find this post useful. Just because you don't watch tv, doesn't mean you have to be bored!

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Labels: fitness, japan, Joost, tv, Yoga Today

Sunday, 28 January 2007

Saturday Morning Flashback

It's funny how even after so many years I still find myself going back to those classic cartoons from the 80's. Turns out I'm not the only one who still has a place for these classics with several series getting deluxe DVD series box sets such as Dungeons and Dragons, Ninja Turtles, My Little Pony, Rainbow Bright and the Smurfs.

I just stumbled across this hillarious video by GalactiCast featuring brilliant parodies of The Transformers, G.I.JOE, He-Man and She-Ra and a true classic, JEM (Jem is excitement!) with a gay twist. Enjoy!

I love the touch at the beginning with the guy wearing the Thundercats T-shirt. Where can I get one of those?

Labels: Cartoons, Nostalgia, Transformers, tv

Wednesday, 24 January 2007

Kramer Loses It

I remember this being mentioned in the news a few weeks ago but I never actually saw the clip. Was surfing around tonight and came across it and was completely shocked and offended but what I saw.

If you get easily offended by the "N Word", prepare yourself. What you'll see is Michael Richards (Kramer from Seinfeld) doing a stand-up comedy act and losing it at some hecklers. You can see his apology here.

And now something to cheer you up. A clip of Santa losing it and yelling racial slurs at some hecklers. :D

Labels: internet, Racism, tv

Friday, 12 January 2007

Look at Moiy!

Well work's started again (did on Wed) so I have a lot less free time and a little less energy. Have requested the same hours but with a a four day work week instead of a five day for my next contract year starting in March. Hope it gets approved. I know one guy with a three day work week but he gets 12 hour days... not sure if it'd be worth it or not.

DarkHorizons.com has posted (as well as other sites) about the news that Kath and Kim will be getting a wonderful American version made for US audiences. Of course the characters and lingo will change but Gina Reily and .... crap forgot her name are still on as producers so I'm curious as to what it'll be like. Have to make sure to tell Kat and John about this.

In site news, have been toying around with a new layout which will give this blog a brand new look. I can't tell you how much this current brown layout is shitting me to tears.

Be patient!

Labels: design, tv, work

Thursday, 21 December 2006

It's ALIVE!

My door's been flying today.

First I got a birthday (maybe Christmas) pressie from Dad which was pretty cool. Am looking forward to trying that coffee.

Secondly I got the net connected! (which you probably figured out by the fact there's actually a post on this site.) As usual with things in Japan, it wasn't as easy as just getting the net connected and then having instant access. I had to read through several pages of Kanji and then ring the number the guy told me to ring for English support but was shocked when it was an automated fax service (fax machines are huge in Japan. Them being eco friendly and all) which tried to send me a fax to my mobile (which incidently has zero reception in my new apartment).

I then called another random number among the Kanji and was told by the operator to ring another number....

... Long story short, and hour and a half later I got connected and I didn't even have to use that retarded Japanese software CD they gave me and told me I had to use.

Ah, and thirdly.... I got my TV delivered!!! It's sitting in it's box as I type this.

After having ordered a lounge the other day (getting delivered on Christmas morning no less!) and getting the TV today my apartment is really starting to feel homey. I can't wait for my Christmas lunch I'm having here on Christmas day with several friends. Have been Christmas shopping like crazy the last few weeks.

This will be my first Christmas away from my family let alone in Japan and I'm loving it! (no offense family) It's also my first winter Christmas (If anyone says how strange it is to have a hot Christmas I... will... lose it. 50% of the world isn't like American Christmas specials. Get over it already.) so am really getting into the spirit of things.

Was kind of screwed at first because I had no idea what to eat for a cold Christmas Day lunch but am on top of things now.

Labels: apartment, birthday, christmas, internet, japan, lounge, tv