Japan Vacation Photos Part 1

Various photos from Fukuoka, Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo.

Also see:

Japan Vacation 2024

Japan Vacation Photos Part 2

Eki Stamps from Japan Vacation 2024

Movies I watched in 2024 (not that many)

In 2023, I had A-List membership at AMC Theaters. I did see a lot of movies at the theaters in 2023.  However, I found myself attending showings of movies that I likely wouldn't have seen at the theater, if it were not for AMC A-List status. But, without seeing these extra movies, it was a struggle to get my money's worth for the cost of the A-List membership.  As such, I dropped A-List for 2024. 

This means I saw significantly fewer movies in 2024 at the theater.  In 2023, it is 32 movies at the theater.  In 2024, the number is 11.  That's less than 2022's number of 16 (after A-List was reïnstated post-Covid).

Please see the list below for the movies I watched at the theater in 2024. If you click on my Amazon affiliate links and you have Honey installed on your browser, please remember to NOT click on the Honey messages, even to dismiss them. Just ignore their messages until your purchase is complete.  

One thing I should note about Furiosa. I don't know if I'm in a minority, but I enjoyed that film more than Mad Max: Fury Road.  Back when media was heaping praise onto Fury Road, I was left wondering. It's a good movie, for sure. But it's not the great movie that people proclaimed it to be.

Watching movies where an accomplished writer is typing their book by pecking at their keyboard with their index fingers

Ever noticed the typing scenes in movies? Almost every film has this issue: when a character is shown typing—be it on a keyboard or a typewriter—they're pecking away like a chicken with their index fingers. This is especially absurd when the character is supposed to be an accomplished writer. Instead of touch-typing, they're either mashing keys aimlessly or stabbing at the keyboard as if playing a piano concerto.

It’s as though no actor on the planet has ever learned to type properly. And by extension, neither have directors, since they're the ones orchestrating these typing disasters. It's got to be rare for someone to attempt to write an entire book, or even a college essay, by hunting and pecking.

Sure, some people might actually write like that, blissfully unaware of the agony they’re inflicting on themselves. But wow, what a punishing way to work!

(Originally posted on reddit.)

Japan Vacation 2024

Allie and I travelled around Japan from Sept 15 to Oct 1.  We visited Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (including Mauka Market) on a layover in Honolulu while heading to Japan.

Fukuoka

Fukuoka Airport, Fukuoka, Hilton Fukuoka Sea Hawk, Nanzoin, Solaria Plaza, Yoshinoya, Gyushin, Hakata Seafood Restaurant Uokichi, Mitsukoshi, Fukuoka Tower, Shin Shin, Hakata Kawabata Dosanko, Grand Hyatt Fukuoka, Canal City, Kits, SoftBank Hawks game at Mizuho PayPay Dome, Hakata Station, Kokura Station, Amu Plaza, Bookstore at Amu Plaza and Hankyu Ferry from Kitakyushu to Osaka.

Osaka and Kyoto

Aloft Osaka Dojima, McDonalds, Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan, Craft Burger Co, Osaka Castle, Pablo, Sanrio Gift Gate, tutu anna, Canon Plaza Osaka, Kame Sushi, Naruto Taiyaki Honpo, The Warehouse, JP Tower Osaka, Kitte Osaka, Sugi Bee Garden, Osaka Station City, Hanshin Dept Store, Ichiroku Saryo, Kiddy Land, Snoopy Town Stop, Hankyu Dept Store, Shin-Osaka Station, Kyoto, Kyoto Station, Shichimiya, Niomon Gate, Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Asahido, 株式会社 山本商店 龍栄堂, snoopy chocolat, Soba Shiki and Osaka Station, Kintetsu Railway ~ Hinotori ~ Osaka-Namba to Kintetsu-Nagoya.

Nagoya

Courtyard by Marriott Nagoya, Nagoya, Oasis21, Donguri Kyowakoku, Beep! Aichi, Harry Potter Magical Spot, Nigiri No Tokube, Baskin Robbins, Naka Ward, Buruburu Aiai Bookstore, Nishinomaru Okura Museum, Nagoya Castle, Hommaru Palace, miffy style, Delica Kitchen, Rope Picnic, Cascade at Esca, Meitetsu Dept Store, Nagoya Station and Mermaid Cafe.

Tokyo

Shinagawa Station, Tokyo, Ginza, AC Hotel Ginza, Ginza Six, Tsutaya Bookstore, Uniqlo Flagship, Imperial Viking Sal, Tokyo Skytree, Koconoha, Chums, Neue, Donguri Republic, Plaza, SoraTora-ya, Ginza Itoya, Ueno Station, Ueno Park, Ueno Zoo, 3coins Ooops!, Kyukyodo, Shibuya Stream, Kaldi Coffee Farm, Kobe Teppanyaki Hakushu, Tsutaya Bookstore Shibuya Sakura Stage, AC Bar, Ginza Karen, Denny's, Bic Camera, Akihabara Radio Kaikan, K-Books, Hub, Shinjuku Station, Kizuna Sushi, NewoMan, Lumine Est, Giant 3D Cat, Godzilla Street, Krispy Creme, Ginza Food Garden, Kabukiza Theater, Tokyo International Airport (Haneda), Hyakuzen, Saryo Itoen, Observation Deck and Sky Lounge.

Yokohama

Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse, NeNe Chicken, Lamplit, B-Side Label, Yokohama World Porters and Yokohama Air Cabin. 

Select Photos

Japan Vacation Photos Part 1

Japan Vacation Photos Part 2

Eki Stamps from Japan Vacation 2024

(Facebook, backup)

Welp, two more states I've visited

I've been able to visit two more states. I've added no countries or Canadian provinces, however.  I hoped to get one other state before this update, but that wasn't meant to be, yet. There's just 7 states remaining.

Trail 7 - "Easy" Elk Meadow Park

Hiking in the Rockies on a sunny spring morning?  It's typically enjoyable.  Elk Meadow Park trails are no exception.  The park is a hilly area within the Rockies, just past the town of Evergreen, CO.

There's actually a lot of interconnecting trails in a somewhat complex layout. This requires you to know where you are going before you get going.  I walked on the course identified as Hike #7 in the book 60 Hikes within 60 Miles from Denver and Boulder.  Fortunately, there are trail signs that tell you clearly on to which trail you are about to walk. Some portions of the trails involve modest climbs that would make me rate the hike closer to "moderate" than "easy".

Various courses along the trail system allow you several options to walk in circuits rather than in-and-out. I like the idea of hiking in a circuit.  Although there is plenty of shade during the hike, there are also significant areas under direct sunlight. 

Even though this is mid-Spring, I didn't see all that many varieties of flowers along the trails, but there were a few.  However, while exploring the trails, I ran across a few birds, and a coyote off in the distance.  No name sake elks, though.

Ground Squirrel keeping an eye out for threats or treats

 
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Picnic Point and local dessert

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Tiktok has enabled...ignorance

 

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Vancouver, BC with Joie

Alice, Joie & I visited Civic Hotel, Surrey, BC, Vancouver, BC Ancora Waterfront Dining and Patio, Dominion Bar + Kitchen, Vancouver Chinatown, Crystal Mall in Burnaby, Tae Tea at Crystal Mall, Granville Island, Granville Island Public Market, Circle Craft Gallery, Nooroongji Books, Paper Ya on Granville Island, Parade Shop, Make at Granville Island, Ukama Gallery, Granville Island Pet Treatery, Ten Granville Island, West Vancouver Lighthouse Park. This trip was a bit difference since we did have our little dog with us. This means some places couldn't be visited while other places that we'd typically overlook came to the top of our list. (Facebook, backup)

Extraordinary isn't extra ordinary!

The word "extraordinary" is a fascinating example of how language can evolve, leading to curious terms that might seem illogical at first glance. When we break down "extraordinary" into its components, "extra" and "ordinary," it appears to suggest something that is extremely ordinary. However, the intended meaning of "extraordinary" is actually quite the opposite. It describes something exceptional or remarkable.^[1]  

As its own word, “extra” is an intensifier meaning “to a greater extent” or “especially”. But, as a prefix, “extra-“ means “beyond” or “outside”.  

This linguistic oddity raises an interesting question: Why do we say "extra" and "ordinary" together to convey the idea of something exceptional, instead of simply using the word "exceptional" itself?

One possible explanation lies in the evolution of language. English, like many languages, has absorbed and adapted words and phrases from various sources over time. The term "extraordinary" dates back to the 15th century, derived from Latin roots meaning "beyond" (extra) and "ordinary" (ordinarius). In this context, "ordinary" refers to the usual or expected state of affairs.^[2]

At the time of its origin, the term "extraordinary" likely served to emphasize the exceptional nature of something, emphasizing its deviation from the norm. Over time, as language evolved, the compound word "extraordinary" became firmly established in the English lexicon, retaining its original meaning despite its seemingly contradictory structure.

The continued use of "extraordinary" to mean exceptional may also be attributed to the richness and nuance of language. Words often carry connotations and shades of meaning that extend beyond their literal definitions. In this case, the juxtaposition of "extra" and "ordinary" in "extraordinary" may evoke a sense of something both beyond and outside the ordinary, emphasizing its exceptional nature in a way that "exceptional" alone might not.

Beyond Extraordinary

While "extraordinary" and "exceptional" are strong choices, our vocabulary offers a wealth of alternatives to describe the extraordinary:

Remarkable: This word emphasizes how something is worthy of notice and comment.

Stupendous: This choice conveys a sense of astonishment and wonder.

Phenomenal: This term implies something extraordinary and almost unbelievable.

Prodigious: This word suggests exceptional skill, talent, or achievement.

Astounding: This emphasizes how something leaves you speechless and amazed.

The best choice depends on the specific context and the nuance you want to convey. So, next time you encounter something that transcends the ordinary, reach for the word that best captures its remarkable nature!

Pronunciation

Although "extraordinary" is a common word, it is still often mispronounced. It is not pronounced as "extra" and "ordinary", as that implies something that is very ordinary, as noted previously.  Instead, the "a" is silent.  Weirdly, you also need to break up the "k" and "s" sounds from "x" between two syllables, as in ik·stror·duh·neh·ree, or /ɪkˈstrɔːr.dən.er.i/ in international terms, with some minor localized variations.^[3] In particular, the "stror" or "strɔ" syllable might be difficult for nonnative English speakers, with its two separate "r" sounds.

Usage

According to Google Ngram, it appears that usage of "extraordinary" has been in a steady decline in written works over the past 200 hundred years.^[4]  I cannot find any information as to why.  My guess is that we are living in a world that requires increasing precision. "Extraordinary" maybe used in a manner that is not conducive to express such precision. There are plenty of other words which can be used interchangeably.  In a gradient system (such as couple-several-few), could one really say that "remarkable" or "exceptional" are on high or lower tiers from "extraordinary" or each other?  (There have been attempts at order, for example.)

However, I was able to dig up one op-ed that actually claims the word "extraordinary" is in a state of overuse. I find that opinion to be extraordinary.

FREE STARS: Children of Infinity ~ or Child of Star Control II

 

FREE STARS: Children of Infinity by Pistol Shrimp ~ An epic space Action-RPG, and the long-awaited sequel to The Ur-Quan Masters.

Music release: Morning Stroll

Also available on Spotify, iTunes