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6 . 2 8 . 0 1 A.I. Opens this week, tomorrow in fact. I'll be going up to Packer land so I'll have to save seeing it until next week sometime. Its also at the University square, so the student rate helps out too. Rented "The ones who step on the tiger's Tale" by Kurosawa, and "Terminal USA" by Jon Moritsugu, a film that was featured for the AASP Film festival this past April. I missed it because I was in Ann Arbor. Plugging away at the UW-Extension job, having to figure out Access in a short amount of time, better to invest the time now then later after I've catalogued all 1200+ sites. This job really is independent, but not overbearing at all. so far, so good. Started up training again, in case I'm home for a year, should be in some decent shape to help out with the team, at least for a wrestling dummy anyway. So now I'm pretty sore, and I have Kendo this afternoon. It's a good sore though. My schedule this Summer is much more flexible than during the year, hopefully this'll be the start of a good thing. Talked to an intern with a place I'm apllying for for the fall, looks promising, I have to get my CV and cover letter in gear. 6 . 2 5 . 0 1 Monroe was pretty fun, and actually proved to be worth the trek in more ways than one. We danced at a country club which was ahving some kind of golf gathering. Can't say much for the "Hawaiian Luau" food they served though, it was pretty bad to say the least. Got to see New Glarus on the way back to Madison, a little town that is actually a Swiss settlement, one that still retains quite a bit of culture as well. I hear that they have a Yodeling festival sometime in July, maybe I'll take a trip down there in a bit. Week 2 of session starting, which means 8 more days to a Psych degree - this seminar course if proving to be very tiring afterall, just got to remember to stick it out a bit more. Actually quite impressed on what little I do recall from 210 and 225. Saw "Keep the River on your Right" last night at the Orpheum, its a tale of a modern day cannibal, namely an anthropologist who lived with both Amerikaire tribes in Peru and Asmat in Papua New Guinea. While in Peru he actually ate some Human flesh as part of their tribe. Overall the film was a look at cross-cultural interactions, namely attitudes that the western world has of "primitive" "savage" cultures. Interesting on the whole of identity and self-awareness. Another movie, another story.....Wondering what Kurosawa Flim I'll be watching next. This weekend I'm going to Green Bay, WI with Patty for her friend's wedding. Should be an experience. I think I'm realizing that I'll be leaving this place perhaps for good in a couple months, so any opportunity to see a new corner of Wisconsin is extra appealing. 6 . 2 3 . 0 1 First week of session, and a very productive week. Got some research done, attended my Psych 311 seminar, survived Kendo, and got about 17 hours of work at the extension. Oh, and managed to see "Evolution", and "O Brother Where Art Thou". the latter was really good, a Southern-version of Homer's Odyssey. Makes me remember Bishop English classes. I really liked this film, I'm surprised why more people haven't been talking about it? The music was also very neat, bluegrass/blues/country? I guess Clooney can sing. Going to Monroe, WI tonight to dance Hula with Aunty Aleina's group, should be fun, and free food. Hula has become a big part of the Hawaii Club, as far as becoming a more active and visible group on campus. Dancing 4 songs, Anapau, Holoholoka'a, Grass Shack, Hawaiian Rhumba, and Helema'uma'u. Just rented "High and Low" by Kurosawa, and "Boiling Point" from Kitano "Beat" Takeshi. Probably see at least one of them today before we head out to Monroe. Still waiting to see the Final Fantasy movie, and A.I. I think they're both coming out sometime in July. Work at the UW-Extension is really interesting, been reading about accessability laws, 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation act of 1980? (not sure the date), as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act. Will be starting my actual assessment battery on extension sites on Monday. According to David, these sites number anywhere from 500-1200, quite a bit of work cut out ahead of me for the Summer. I'm pretty pumped none the less, it'll be a challenge. 6 . 2 0 . 0 1 Kendo was pretty fun. Interesting too, lots of commitment to ritual and ceremonies, a little religious at times. I don't think Kiyota Sensei remembered me, not surprising since I met him with Jenny and Hanako, and never really spent time interviewing him, nevertheless Its looking like a good experience for the summer. Have to buy a "Shinai" today, basically a Kendo stick, will remember to wear shorts this time. Just got back from a training seminar but on by the UW Extension, on Web accessability for disabled people. My job for the summer is working on assessing all the sites on the UW-Extension server, and perhaps when the time comes, actually go and make recommendations and maybe even manually correct. big feat indeed. Especially since almost every website out there isn't compliant. I'll be working with evaluation tools that assess conditions such as color blindness, physical, visual, and audio disabilities, and even some cognitive conditions such as ADHD and dyslexia. The one site I've been looking at is one called Bobby We'll be performing Hula this Saturday in Monroe, WI, something with Aunty Aleina and her hula group, she got Gene and I to volunteer to dance some songs. Still a little rusty, but it should be good fun. Elder is back in towne, which means I can start working on my thesis again. I think I'll try dropping by his office tomorrow, or Friday, the email kind of lags I'm noticing. Looking forward to the research in progress, need to send Barry an update shortly. the Psych 311 class isn't anything special, actually its quite boring, but will prove to be useful. wondering if a statistical battery of my research data will be worth the effort? would be interesting. Meeting with a Dean tomorrow to hopefully straighten out some of my administrative problems with my Legal Studies major. hopefully it'll work out OK. crossing my fingers. 6 . 1 7 . 0 1 Thought maybe I'll devote a bit of this entry to explain my new interest the movie works of Akira Kurosawa, this past semester I have grown an interest in his films and one of the side projects for this summer is to watch all of his films (I'll probably be posting a listing later) so far these first two weeks I've been averaging about 2-3 per week. "Scandal" by Kurosawa was one of his earlier films, 1950 I think, it featured a young Toshiyo Mifune in a modern day tale of deception and spirit, the guy from "Ikuru" played a large role. It seemed oddly ringing of "Its a wonderful life", although I think the American version came first. Also saw "Throne of Blood", Kurosawa's interpretation of MacBeth. The Samurai is a good simile for the European knight. Hanako says that Kurosawa is one who does justice to Shakespear, something that is very hard to do. Other than the movies, Jeanice is in town to attend the SEASSI and study Hmong. She's crashing at my apartment until she gets settled with an apartment and what not, there seems to be a lot of places open for the summer. I think she's liking Madison a lot so far. Took her to Amy's Cafe and down State, the Capitol, and around the campus, last night we had a pretty deep discussion about API issues, interesting hearing a fresh perspective. Also getting ready for session myself, researching for LASER, cleaning up the house and getting settled, trying to sell the collection of books that have massed over these 4 interesting years. Decided to take the 311 refresher Psych course on methods to ease off the load, in a sense I think I'll need a little bit of stat review for my thesis anyhow. Looks like a busy busy summer for me, pretty sure it'll be well worth the effort though, everything in life has been such so far. Looking forward to Kendo. Walk softly and carry a big stick. 6 . 1 3 . 0 1 Well. Surprises abound, I got a call from the UW-Extension, and it looks like I'll be working with them part time for the summer afterall. I start next week, so I think I'll hold off before evaluating what the job is like, but the pay is good, and work sounds interesting and valuable experience for the future. Most of the work will be web-design and assesment it seems like so far, integrating legal aspects of the ADA. Saw Kurosawa's "The Hidden Fortress", "Shrek", and "Amores Perrones" (sp?) this past week, catching up with the movies. Planning on seeing "O Brother where art thou" tonight if theres time. Something about the summertime and movie theatres, the heat is an excuse to sit in an air conditioned room in front of a wide screen. Courses for this summer are still in the air, surprise surprise. definitely got the 692 soc with Elder, to compliment the LASER research, which is a course in itself. Taking East Asian Studies 277, Kendo at the Nat with Kiyota Sensei, and still debating on whether to take a 411 seminar on Cognitive-Behavioral Psychotherapy, or a 311 1-credit refresher course on experimental and statistical methods. Both honestly could be useful. Oh, and still waiting for Thornton to get back into town to discuss this directed study proposal with the veterans. Hope I can get 1-3 credits from it. No word from Jeanice, she is supposed to be coming in to study Hmong at the SEASSI this summer, wonder if she found a place to crash for the week? 6 . 8 . 0 1 One Day to the Mad City, and to be honest I'm kind of dreading it. Not quite sure why either, can't quite put my finger on it, but I'm just not ready to head back up just yet. Could possibly be due to the fact that I'm rushing to finish up some of this data collection and research while I'm in town, but I can do most of it remotely and with a lil help from some damsels. bad joke. heh i think its part of that anxiety that hits a soon-to-be-out-in-the-real-world-gotta-get-one-job college senior who knows that he's almost pau. Part of it is knowing that this next trip to Madison may very well be my last. Learned a lot in 4 years. Then again maybe its because I don't feel as confident about that job interview I had this morning for that job I applied for. I was approaching it more as an opportunity to learn more about legal issues and to hone some technical skills at the same time. oh, and get paid for it too of course. Then again maybe its because of some personal confusions - playing Percival again. Something I seem to be pretty good at. sort of. Still waiting on this stupid final grade, a bit worried I'll have to find some alternative alternates to this situation, hopefully it'll work out ok in the end. Had dinner last night at Hanaki with two 100th vets, interesting perspectives coming from a different side, the Hawaii story, but also one from the front, and a little darker so to speak. more later. 6 . 4 . 0 1 About 4 days back to the Mad towne for a final dance with the ivory tower, actually 3 to be more precise. Looking forward to summer school actually, chance to boost the GPA one little bit while I finish up my thesis. Still waiting for one more BS & L class. Hamilton library at UH is shut down for the summer pending asbestos removal. kind of sucks being that the majority of the collection is in limbo until mid July, and by then I hope to be pau with my thesis. looks like I'll be paying a visit to the State library sometime this week to get some of the documents I need. things are winding down after this little work-vacation of mine, surprise suprise, I haven't been able to hit the waves at all yet. Wonder when the next chance will be? Working with Barry on my CV and cover letters, you can literally see the cogs in his head churning with every idea and thought. sharp guy. have no idea where I'll be come August. Honolulu? Japan? Okinawa? Madison? DC? your guess is as good as mine at this point. heh. Applied for a job with the UW-Extension, made it to the interview stage, hoping that I get it, could use the experience and of course da kala. got an email from Jin, he seems to be doing pretty good, have to give him a ring when i get a chance to. otherwise maybe from Madison, free long distance. 4 days to the Mad City. |