1. 11 Feb


    This is the excitement of Miyakonojo at night. Shot with the Olympus Pen E-P3. I never make the mistake of telling myself that I’d be living a lot more exciting life if I was in Tokyo or Osaka. I lived in Seoul for a long time and my life wasn’t particularly exciting there either. Excitement is for people who can tolerate beer, cigarettes, and other people.  It’s funny though, I associate certain types of music with the places I’ve lived in Asia. Seoul brings The Good The Bad and The Queen album to mind. Not sure why on that one. Dare by Gorillaz as well. Must have been a Damon Albarn phase for me. Cheonan brings What’s Going On? by Marvin Gaye just because Cheonan looks like somewhere the album would take place. Taichung brings the Pussycat Doll’s When I Grow Up (Watch on mute) to my head. I can explain that one since the local English language radio station was obsessed with it and played it non-stop. Switching to the Taiwanese stations didn’t make the music situation any better. What about Japan?  I’ve only lived in a single spot here since I’ve arrived. That’s the thing about job security and a good employer: Not so much moving about. I don’t have a Fukuoka nor Tokyo song or record since I’ve never been in those places long enough to make associations with them. What about Miyakonojo, then? I think I may need to leave the place for good before I can let the devil of nostalgia make those associations for me. I’ve been consuming a wide variety of music here. But I did discover that I can do this song pretty well at karaoke and this song even better.  That has to count for something, doesn’t  it?

    This is the excitement of Miyakonojo at night. Shot with the Olympus Pen E-P3.

    I never make the mistake of telling myself that I’d be living a lot more exciting life if I was in Tokyo or Osaka. I lived in Seoul for a long time and my life wasn’t particularly exciting there either. Excitement is for people who can tolerate beer, cigarettes, and other people. 

    It’s funny though, I associate certain types of music with the places I’ve lived in Asia. Seoul brings The Good The Bad and The Queen album to mind. Not sure why on that one. Dare by Gorillaz as well. Must have been a Damon Albarn phase for me. Cheonan brings What’s Going On? by Marvin Gaye just because Cheonan looks like somewhere the album would take place. Taichung brings the Pussycat Doll’s When I Grow Up (Watch on mute) to my head. I can explain that one since the local English language radio station was obsessed with it and played it non-stop. Switching to the Taiwanese stations didn’t make the music situation any better.

    What about Japan? 

    I’ve only lived in a single spot here since I’ve arrived. That’s the thing about job security and a good employer: Not so much moving about. I don’t have a Fukuoka nor Tokyo song or record since I’ve never been in those places long enough to make associations with them.

    What about Miyakonojo, then?

    I think I may need to leave the place for good before I can let the devil of nostalgia make those associations for me. I’ve been consuming a wide variety of music here. But I did discover that I can do this song pretty well at karaoke and this song even better. 

    That has to count for something, doesn’t  it?