Anton (Hasselt, BE) is a photographer and fond of long term projects. At least, he thinks he is. His very first project: a look inside a Japanese Yakuza crime family changed his life. Or maybe it did not change it. Or maybe a just little. Or maybe a lot. In his talk he will focus on hanging in there, common sense, publishing independently, press attention, feeling lucky, and working hard. It will be About finding out what’s important. And being scared. And growing up. And making a few images along the way. Oh, and about serendipity. You know, those little moments when you suddenly realize that things are falling into place. In fact he will talk about a lot of things and show us some remarkable pictures as well.
Tag Archives: japan
Pushers
It’s like packing luggage! High five to Amy.
Green Shirts
Hangin’ out at J-Town after volunteering at the food bank. This one has the feel of an advertisement. So I’ve given up on being lazy and my pictures look sharper to me already. Check out the new updated versions of My Territory and Skimboarders.
Japanese Spiderman
Four things
You know when you played tag and you wanted to be it….oh oh, tag me, tag me! You end up just reaching out asking for the tag? I’m it!
Four jobs I’ve had in my life
- Ice Cream Scooper
- Teacher
- Restaurant Manager
- Therapist
Four movies I can watch over and over (hmm, I own the last 3 movies on the list)
- The Shawshank Redemption
- Princess Bride
- Spaceballs
- Chocolat
Four places I have lived
- San Leandro, CA
- Danville, CA
- Santa Barbara, CA
- Hong Kong
Four TV shows I love to watch
- Jeopardy
- CSI
- Apprentice
- Lost
Four places I have been on vacation (not many places, sadly)
- British Columbia, Canada
- HK/China
- Florida
- East Coast
Four websites I visit daily (er, almost daily)
- Bloglines
- Google News
- Yahoo -to check mail and fantasy golf stats (when I remember)
- The high school fellowship site
Four of my favorite foods
- Breakfast – sausage, eggs, hashbrowns, toast, bacon, etc.
- Japanese -but not the raw stuff, hate the texture
- Noodles -any kind
- My mom’s cooking
Four places I would rather be right now
- Sleeping in my bed
- Snowboarding on a snow-covered mountain somewhere
- On a golf course playing 9 holes (not in any shape for 18 right now)
- Eating with my parents or my grandma
Four people I am tagging to do this (no one specific, like how I was tagged)
- anybody who reads this and wears glasses
- anybody who reads this and is bored
- anybody who reads this and has a blog
- anybody who reads this and is procrastinating like me
Ambush From Ten Sides
This must be the 2nd or 3rd time renting House of Flying Daggers and I finally got to watch it. The first time I rented it, the disc kept skipping. I still think it’s funny how the English and Chinese (Ambush From Ten Sides) titles have nothing to do with each other in these types of movies. And why didn’t someone tell me it was a cheesy love story? Well, who wouldn’t fall for an Asian Orlando Bloom?
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I also started reading Memoirs of a Geisha. I remember when OJ was reading it way back when it was published. I was supposed to borrow it from her but the book never made it’s way back to SF. I’m excited about the movie, but why do they have Chinese actors playing Japanese roles? Couldn’t they find someone from one of those Karate Kid movies? Don’t get me wrong, I like Zhang Ziyi, but come on. I guess it’s kinda like Catherine Zeta-Jones playing an American. They just look like they fit the part.
Entertainment escape from reality
I watched The Exorcism of Emily Rose last weekend. Nothing special. The courtroom acting was entertaining. The theater was packed, we sat near the front, and the movie was a bit shaky, especially during the “actual exorcism” scenes, so I didn’t really have that great of a time. Yeah, I’m weak sauce when it comes to motion sickness. At least I didn’t have to leave after the first 5 minutes and ask for a refund like I did at The Bourne Identity. That first boat scene was not beej-friendly.
I’m hooked on that show called So you think you can dance. I love how they can do different dances with just a few days’ practice.
Here are 2 movies I need to see:
But first, the books. I totally remember OJ reading the first one way back in the olden days.
Hey, there’s a Disneyland in HK now. It’s on Lantau Island where the big buddha is. I miss that side of the planet…:(
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I had to take my car in to get the turn signals fixed. No, they weren’t working and I almost got my arm ripped off by a motorcyclist when I was using those arm signals. I really need to get a more reliable Japanese car.
Sonic is home!
I missed him so much. He’s running, for now, but there’s still some other things I need to get fixed by my regular mechanic. These car maintenance costs really drain your wallet. I’m sad now. Oh well.
I read this article in the paper today. Some Chinese groups here in the Bay Area want Japan to make a formal apology for war crimes committed in the 1930′s. Pretty interesting since I’m still trying to get through The Rape of Nanking. It’s depressing to read. I’ve refused to look at the pictures until after I finish the book. I saw one of the photographs and almost dropped the book because it was too graphic.
Quotes from my free calendar
I got this calendar full of quotations in different languages from my aunt. Here were some quotes for March and April that I thought were cool (well, actually, I can’t read the others):
- Win with humility, lose with grace (Japanese proverb)
- Speak when you are angry, and you will make the best speech you will ever regret.
- Change only favors the prepared mind (Louis Pasteur)
Crazy Japanese Matrix ping-pong?
Ok, scratch that last post.
Ok, scratch that last post. I have internet connection. Haha. Anyways, Stephen got us down in 5 hours today. Wowee. I met up with some friends for dinner. There were 3 of us Asians, 2 who spoke Japanese, and a white guy who also speaks Japanese. We ate at some restaurant that served mostly Japanese tapas type things. I asked that guy if he ever talks to the waitresses in Japanese. He said why? Whenever he talks to them, saying more than just the casual “hello,” they always respond in English or direct their speech to someone else at the table that looks Japanese. Although he makes it clear that he has a good command of the Japanese language, people do not respond to him in Japanese. Why is that? That just made me think.
For some reason, this date
For some reason, this date has been burned into my memory. This is about the only thing I’ve learned in all my history classes. I’m not a real political person. But I do remember this date. If you’ve never visited the memorial, I suggest you go.
Smoke and flame are seen as the magazine explodes on the destroyer USS Shaw during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in this Dec. 7, 1941, file photo. (AP Photo/File)