I dissected a giant squid tonight

I am back. Back as in I now have a working computer (though with a semi-functional return key) and can thus stare at glowing things all day, and also back as in I am in the U.S. for at least a couple of years. I plan to spend the next few years chomping on bagels with cream cheese & lox, stacking books higher and higher (I am going to be a student again), trying to be very disciplined at not talking about Japan all the time, and living in Washington, D.C. Hopefully, I can quell my travel lust by practicing the ukulele and kazoo more often. I might buy myself an accordion to weigh myself down in America.

From Tokyo it was Seoul and then Paris to visit a very good friend I hadn’t seen in two years.

I wielded with me a very large backpacking backpack on my back, a computer bag slung across my chest, and a suitcase the size of a giant squid. The Giant Squid Suitcase had in it two musical instruments wrapped in yards and yards (meters and meters) of bubble wrap and winter clothing.

I undressed the ukulele today, and it is in good condition.

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There’s an interview with me about zines on Tokyo Art Beat that you can read here. Jean Snow even linked to it, so it’s as if I briefly shook hands with an internet celebrity.

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I must apologize for neglecting this blog. Soon, my friends, I will have regular internet access and a working computer. But until now, it’s こち亀がいいじゃん

Satou Rei and Her Zines

I went to the Tokyo Book Fair about a month and a half ago. My favorite zines were from Satou Rei. Of course, I immediately liked her because she seemed quiet and shy (My favorite people are quiet and shy people), and I bought two zines – 「ショートショート０４－０５」(Short*Short 04-05) and「カラフルもんじゃやき」(Colorful Monjayaki). Rei kindly lowered the (already low) price after I traded her my zine that I made with Hozay. Rei seemed a bit embarrassed about Colorful Monjayaki, saying it was her first zine, but I really like it. It’s chock full of childlike, crude drawings that are both disturbing, sometimes a bit obscene, and fanciful, as well. Daniel Johnston-like but more whimsical, with cute animals popping up here and there.

Short*Short is equally interesting and quite hilarious. I really like the brown paper of the zine. I suppose I’ve always enjoyed the feel of brown paper packaging and brown paper bags – the smooth roughness on my hands and the earthy color. Anyway, Short*Short, while it does have a few illustrations here and there, is mainly full of text. I’ve only read the first story so far, 「トゥーラルーのおはなし」(“The Story of Too Ra Loo”) since I have to sit with a Japanese-English dictionary to read any long piece of Japanese text, but it’s hilarious and very strange. It involves Elmo, of all things, and a strange group of creatures’ trek through the sky.

Go here if you want to buy these zines or other assorted goods by Satou Rei.