Gay porn manga

My summer research position, funded by Augsburg's Office of Undergraduate Research and Graduate Opportunity, officially began last Monday.  Since then, I've read what feels like countless journal articles and books out on the Foss lawn (for some reason, only my left leg, left arm, and neck sun-burned), ordered gay/lesbian manga off Amazon (and now all Amazon's "suggestions" for me have become explicit manga titles), and had a minor freak-out because Stuart Hall's cultural studies is (is, not are, trust me) more complicated than I previously thought.

 Journal articles + grass + sunshine = good times.

But seriously, it's been a great week.  Even though I never meant for it to be, my comment on Game Informer's article, "The Gender Gap" was published in GI's latest issue.  I've also restarted Kingdom Hearts I.

 Pretty sure I dreamed about getting my feedback into Anime Insider, back when Anime Insider was a magazine and I was a teenager in love with Inuyasha.  Now, I feel only a sense of "Huh.  That's cool, I guess," at getting my feedback in a much higher-quality publication.  Is it because I'm old and lame?  

I didn't have the guide to KH I the first time I played through it, but, being the type of gamer I am (the type who obsessively explores), I put over 120 hours into my first play-through (and then accidentally deleted the file the same day I beat the game).  This time, though, I'm using the guide to catch anything I missed the first time around.

I'm spending a full eight hours a day doing research at school, so when I get home in the afternoon/evening, I don't feel guilty about doing things I like all night.  To say this is quite a bit different from my typical school-year schedule is understating things.

In other news, since I'm researching yaoi and yuri (gay and lesbian-themed manga), I get to read some of the higher quality/popular works, like Our Kingdom.  I started the first volume of Our Kingdom last night, and finished it early this morning, not because of a deadline, but because I wanted to.  If nothing else, this first week of research has taught me two things: That the history and continued production of manga in Japan is very political, and that yaoi is actually pretty cool.  As several researchers have theorized in previously published articles on yaoi, the reason yaoi (and yuri) might be so popular is because, unlike in most (heterosexual) manga, the relationships in yaoi (and yuri) are, for the most part, healthy and egalitarian.  Not to mention, as a flaming LGBT-advocate, consuming non-heteronormative media is like taking a huge breath of fresh air.

So that's my life now.  And in case you're wondering, I sometimes refer to yaoi as "gay porn manga" A) to freak people out, and B) because I don't give a rat's ass if it is porn (even though most published yaoi really isn't pornographic), because I'm cool with sexuality.  We're livin' in the 21st century, yo.  Get with the times.  And keep your eyes peeled for my future paper on Japanese LGBT literature, 'cause it's gonna be bomb.

12-year-old prodigy performs Paparazzi

This kid has more talent than most of the people on popular radio right now.  He's set to appear on the Ellen DeGeneres Show Thursday. 



He's also got some original work.  As he says, they need work, but that doesn't keep them from being amazing accomplishments for a twelve-year-old.

Today, I met Japanese Ambassador Fujisaki

At a luncheon in downtown Minneapolis today, I met Japanese Ambassador Ichiro Fujisaki.  It was so baller.

The Japan America Society of Minnesota (JASM) (of which I am a member), and the Minnesota International Center co-sponsored a luncheon where the ambassador spoke to a crowd of, oh, maybe a hundred or so at the Radisson hotel downtown.  I sat next to Minami, a Japanese student studying at St. Thomas (and my Japanese tutor), a Japanese student studying at the U of M, two U.S.-American St. Thomas students, a JASM intern, and four older people (two of which were JASM members).  We had a super classy lunch (some sort of mystery tofu/egg crossing, under delicious fish, with a corn/spinach/oil topping, and a crazy air-like cake for dessert), and then listened to the ambassador speak about U.S. - Japan relations.

The Ambassador touched on:
x How important a U.S. - Japan (and specifically, a Minnesota - Japan) relationship is.  Did you know that out of Minnesota's two-hundred trading partners, Japan is number four?
x Issues the U.S. and Japan are facing together: Economic recovery, the challenges of emerging countries, and terrorism/nuclear non-proliferation.

The ambassador was a fun speaker.  He was personable, and utilized silence well. He also had a slight British accent, which is probably because he's also served in London (as well as in Paris and Jakarta).
I understand the basics of U.S. - Japan relations (I read Japanese news almost daily), so what I took most from the luncheon was just how cool it felt to be a part of that room.  I met Walter Mondale (former U.S. Vice President, U.S. Senator from Minnesota, and U.S. Ambassador to Japan), took not one, but two pictures with Ambassador Fujisaki (he was super friendly), and managed to scribble down some good quotes from the ambassador's speech:

"If you're told a tsunami [is coming], who would invest?  Who would consume?"
-speaking about the recession and how scaring people only worsens the problem

"It's inevitable that everyone's coming up."
-with regard to emerging economies/developing countries like China, India, and Brazil

"[North Korea] is not abiding by the rules of IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency)...We can't let them go nuclear."

"This is my favorite chart.  The reason is, I made it myself.  Please like it."
-explaining the charts his aides passed out to us

"China will take over us soon."
-with regard to Japan's GDP

"We are not only exporting goods, we are exporting jobs."
-talking about how Japanese invest heavily in the U.S. in different ways

"English is the world language now."
-in response to the question, "Keeping in mind emergent nations, what do you suggest we do about language?  What language skills should people acquire?" (paraphrased)

 The picture's fuzzy, but here's us with Walter Mondale

And me with Ambassador Fujisaki! 

This was seriously one of the best, and coolest, opportunities I've had as an Augsburg student.  Well-respected political figures are my kind of celebrities, so needless to say, I had to frequently stifle schoolgirl giggles at the luncheon today.  Thanks to Bryan Barnes, Carrie Carroll, and Undergraduate Admissions for helping me go!

And if you're interested in learning more about U.S. - Japan relations, read the Japan Times, or Asahi Shimbun, both of which are high-quality English language Japanese newspapers.

This weekend is bananas.

My weekend's been awesome.  And it's only Saturday!

Yesterday, I went to another orthodontist.  This one was in downtown Minneapolis (about a half block from the Nicollet Mall light rail station), though their main office is in St. Anthony Village.  Anyway, the appointment went really well.  I'm going in for "records" Monday, which means I'm getting a ton of x-rays done.  After the x-rays, my ortho will know for sure which treatment route to take.  If things go according to plan, I could have braces within a month, and I'd have them for 2 1/2-3 years.  Crazy, huh?  Nothing's for sure yet, though, so don't get your hopes up.  I know you all want to see me as a metal-mouth.

 Tom Cruise with ceramic braces.  That's what I'd have on my top teeth.  I'd have regular ol' metal braces on the bottom.

Last night, Mitch and I came up to Milaca.  Mom and I ate at the Drive In (BLT and chive fries, baby!).  When we got home, we changed into our jammies (mine, feetie pajamas), watched The Fly and most of The Wolfman, and traded massages.

Today, Mom bought me paint for the new apartment (which we move into in less than a month!).  For Mother's Day, I made the 'rents chili and angel food cake.  Now we're watching The Lion in Winter.  Epic classic movie weekend!

So that's my life.  Sounds pretty nice, right?  Even though I have a lot of big things left to do this summer (the Zelda paper, URGO, Japanese, the GRE), I feel relaxed, and I really haven't felt that way in months.  Aaaaaahhhhhhhh...