Eric Wilson's closing statements in his book Against Happiness:
"Given these virtues of melancholia, why are thousands of psychiatrists and psychologists attempting to "cure" depression as if it were a terrible disease? Obviously, those suffering severe depression, suicidal and bordering on psychosis, require serious medications. But what of those millions of people who possess mild to moderate depression? Should these potential visionaries also be asked to eradicate their melancholia with the help of a pill? Should these possible innovators relinquish what might well be their greatest muse, their demons giving birth to angels?...To be against happiness, to avert contentment, is to be close to joy, to embrace ecstasy. Incompleteness is the call to life. Fragmentation is freedom."

"There is an invincible taste for prostitution in the heart of man, from which comes his horror of solitude. He wants to be 'two'. The man of genius wants to be 'one'... It is this horror of solitude, the need to lose oneself in the external flesh, that man nobly calls 'the need to love'."


Can you guess the author? Most likely not. One of my favorite french writers, and probably 1 of 3 famous ones , ever.

Poetry is, in short, the universal art of the mind, which has become essentially free, and which is not fettered in its realization to an externally sensuous material, but which is creatively active in the space and time belonging to the inner worlds of ideas and emotion. - Hegel

sometimes i feel a great swell rise up in me, and something beautiful wants expression, but it just wont come out. like something so ancient, so precious , tells me

I visited all quarters with my mind
Nor found I any dearer than myself;
Self is likewise to every other dear;
Who loves himself may never harm another..

I should post the many , many gajiin blogs I have scoured over the net- of foreigners in Japan. I only can think of one other person who may have the same fascination, albeit different reasons. It really would be great actually, to submerge... ill digress later. Right now I have more important matters to attend to, like- where are all the clears !? Have to re-visit Pop-Killa.

I have been reading a lot of blogs. I believe, I read a prolific amount in one day. Maybe about six to seven hours I spend reading. Blogs, Economics, Hedging Instruments (not musical- for the financial markets), philosophy, some short stories, poetry ( which is inundated, as it is) , newspapers, stories, arts, crafts, cooking, organic living, programs to make a future of myself in, and onwards. Lately, I have been reading a lot of blogs about peoples experiences in Nippon. I would like myself to travel there, but I will wait sometime. The financial responsibility of any endeavor bearing such magnitude requires a fortitude of thought and well, a long time to plan it out because it's my ass on the line. Apparently, teaching english is the best way to get your foot it the door. Only thing is that they pay around 25k$ a year. For someone like me, with a mathematics background, I'd be taking one hell of a potential pay cut. But I've heard stories of people with computers and engineering degrees switching to their appropriate fields after living for sometime there, and being on the job hunt ...But it will be sometime, I plan to enjoy the Californian sun for days to come. Business opportunity is here, and the pursuit of higher education. It's nice to go live in a foreign land, but the perception i get is- you wont make it big. I mean, if your some musician like Jero, well yeah. Wait and see.

what doesn't make you want to travel to Nippon

Jero:: A black biracial Japanese Enka Singer. ...

After returning from LA, I have to say Ebisu's mackerel was less fresh than last time and more disappointing. We also tried Botega Louie, an italian slice off LA, which in all opinion make mediocre pizza. I'll have to add my critique on Yelp. I never tried their ganache Cookies which other blogger's raved about or review-ers , can't recall. It's the economy. uh-huh. Got a sleeve outline done this time. Have to save up for January. This is a costly business. Was looking over the tattoo Yuji gave me sometime last year and the picture on facebook- which I detagged. I've decided against any photos of my body showing art-work on there. For now, I'm not sure if that's a good channel. But, back to the tattoo- the colors have faded from the few days after- . The experience at the shop this time was very memorable. I have to say the trip there always lightens spirits. The kirin is done, it will need a touch up of white and stuff, but at least its looking okay. I have a severe reaction to Red, though not uncommon- I feel like I will want to opt out this color if I can in future work to save my skin breathing space.

Recently Microsoft in an advertising and marketing ploy in cohorts with Burger King, released a Windows 7 Whopper with 7 patties. Beef is expensive in Japan, and these are being sold at 777 yen or 9$ a burger; needless to say a good deal . But its only for the first 30 customers. I wanted to post a comment left on CNN - for the spokeswoman who ate one of these burgers ( and helped boost CNN spotlight as well & the burger ! ). Her sentiments echo the very concerns myself and surely others must have felt.
--- left by Nina Medeiros
I find it alarming that this broadcast casually encourages the consumption of more than 2000 calories in a single meal when close to one out of every three people in The United States is overweight or obese. As a nation we continue to glamorize both excess and consumption with little acknowledgment of the cost. With upwards of $147 billion dollars spent on obesity-related health care just last year, we are starting to hear more truth about food, but until the media changes its attitude we will be a long way from truly beginning the fight against obesity. Obesity is a deadly disease. It is robbing people all over the country of living healthy and productive lives. Shame on Microsoft for collaborating with Burger King to dream up this excess. It seems they will stop at nothing to compete for dollar bills. What a shame that one of the most powerful media organizations in the world has chosen to reward them for it.