Shawn (00:00): Hey everybody. And welcome back to English all over the place. I'm Shawn De Haven.
Barney (00:05): and I am Barney.
Shawn (00:07): Again, he does have a last name, but he won't tell me.
Barney (00:11): I wonder if I said it in a previous episode.
Shawn (00:14): I got it. I got to go back. I gotta go back and check that out.
Barney (00:17): You guys should too.
Shawn (00:17): I think it was Jay. Was that your last name?
Barney (00:22): Middle name.
Shawn (00:22): Okay. It's so hard to get these names.
Barney (00:26): Would you look into this device for me?
Shawn (00:28): Oh, okay. Thank you for the Men in Black reference for those of you who know that movie franchise. Uh, so anyway, uh, today I thought we would answer some questions that the students have been sending us, uh, through email, um, uh, various questions about different things. And I thought that could be a lot of fun. Yeah. Uh, are you ready for the first question?
Barney (00:52): I'm ready. I really like how you did this and really pleased with the response.
Shawn (00:56): Yes. Uh, some people were very creative. A few were weird, but it's okay. We'll go with it. Um, first question here is, uh, this person says you are already married, so I'm interested in your past history about your wife and you, uh, uh, so I guess they want to know, um, how did you meet each other? Where did you meet each other?
Barney (01:17): Right.
Shawn (01:18): How did you date? Uh, et cetera.
Barney (01:20): Yeah.
Shawn (01:21): So where did you meet your wife?
Barney (01:23): Okay. How long do you have?
Shawn (01:24): Uh, the battery on this computers is going to run out in about six hours.
Barney (01:31): We should be okay. We should be okay. Um, all right. So after university, I, um, I was a volunteer in Thailand and, um, I still remember very well.
Shawn (01:40): What did you volunteer in Thailand for? By the way?
Barney (01:43): Yeah. Um, well, I wanted to be a volunteer. I wanted to volunteer. Um, uh, everyone in my family actually has done at least a year. Um, volunteering somewhere. My, like, um, my dad, my dad actually was drafted in Vietnam...
Shawn (01:57): In the army?
Barney (01:58): Yeah. But I'm on his, on his draft card. He wrote, "I'm a conscientious, objector, I'm a CO." So they said you have to do something. So he was in Brazil for three years and then he extended his time down there. Yeah.
Shawn (02:09): And a conscientious, conscientious, conscientious, objector. That's a hard word. Sorry.
Barney (02:15): That's the way they write C O.
Shawn (02:18): Is somebody who, uh, as a, as a philosophical choice refuses to fight.
Barney (02:25): Right, right. That's right. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. So, so I too wanted to carry on the tradition and, um, it was through a Mennonite organization and I ended up working with, um, uh, an, a, an NGO that helps people with HIV AIDS and HIV and AIDS. And we even, you know, we had to have, um, uh, kind of a not secret, but, um, in unadvertised clinic where people could go. So, you know, cause the stigma is still very, very strong.
Shawn (02:56): Hmm, back then.
Barney (02:56): And, um, yeah, so I remember very well. It was still my first week in Thailand with my host family. And the night before the dad said, um, you know, two Japanese girls are coming and they're going to be staying in, um, the, the host daughter's room. And I just remember thinking to myself, Oh, you know what, she's, she's 14 years old. It's just going to be some, um, you know, uh, junior high school girls coming and so I thought, "Yeah, whatever." Um, so we're sitting in the, the main room and I'm reading, reading a book and I was actually reading, um, um, what Haruki Murakami's uh, the Elephant Vanishes.
Shawn (03:37): You are trying to look intellectual for the girls huh?
Barney (03:40): Well, but from the, um, from This American Life, I really liked that book. Yeah. Um, and then in walk, these two college girls and, um, I thought, wow, one of them it's pretty cute.
Shawn (03:57): Oh my gosh.
Barney (03:58): Yeah.
Shawn (03:58): What happened to the other one?
Barney (04:01): No, she's average. And that's when I'm married
Shawn (04:04): The average one! All right!
Barney (04:06): No, just joking.
Shawn (04:06): Oh, by the way, are you listening, uh, Mrs. Martin to this?
Barney (04:12): We went to, um, you know, as, as a family, we went to the night market and then the next day, um, uh, met again at kind of the, the large gathering. I found out it was part of, um, one of the students at my, um, wife's university was from that village that I lived in. And she arranged for all these people to go there as kind of like a study tour. And then we had a big, um, big gathering for, uh, for everyone. And then we exchanged email addresses and, um, she didn't write me for, for quite a while, but, um, yeah, when we did, when she did write, we communicated for a while, and then I finished up my time in Thailand and then, uh, a year or so after I got back from Thailand. I had to save up money. And then I went to Japan and we met and nine short years later, she... We got married. She was...
Shawn (05:07): Why so quick?
Barney (05:07): Like, yeah. Right. Well, because she's, um, uh, it's just her and her sister in her family and she's the oldest. So she wasn't sure how her parents would, would feel about, you know, having a non Japanese guy.
Shawn (05:21): and a red head, too!
Barney (05:22): Yeah. I know, of all things.
Shawn (05:24): They were okay with the foreigner part, but the red hair took him a while.
Barney (05:29): Could you dye it at least? Right. Yeah. Yeah. And it worked. Um, I remember that, um, her dad did say, you know, um, you have to ask me, you know, in, in Japanese.
Shawn (05:38): Really?
Barney (05:39): Yeah. He's like, well ask, you know, it's like, yeah.
Shawn (05:41): Ask what? Did you play coy?
Barney (05:45): Yeah. Yeah. And, um, we, uh, um, we got, uh, you know, I mean, we had our ceremony, we had, you know, we went city hall to get married and whatnot, but then we had a very nice wedding, uh, in the Shakespeare, uh, the Shakespeare park in, um, Portland,
Shawn (06:05): Portland, Oregon,
Barney (06:06): Portland, Oregon. Yeah. Not Maine.
Shawn (06:09): And I'm sure all the kids were thinking Portland, Maine.
Barney (06:11): Maine for sure. Yeah. It was, it was a really a wonderful time and I could not be happier.
Barney (06:17): Six kids later?
Barney (06:19): Yeah, right.
Shawn (06:20): Actually just two, okay.
Barney (06:21): Yeah. Um, how about for you?
Shawn (06:24): My wife? Um, I think I've talked about this a little bit in class jokingly. Um, I met her through the internet. Um, I don't remember exactly how it started. We just started exchanging emails and then, uh, chatting. And, um, eventually we, we met up, uh, for a date, a short date one time, and then I had to head back to the United States, uh, for short trip. And, uh, I went to the airport really early.
Barney (06:56): Yeah.
Shawn (06:56): And I said, Hey, I'm here at Haneda airport, like six hours early. Um, and she was like, "Oh, can I come over and we'll have dinner together or something like that." And she jumped across the Aqua Line and, and we had a date and, uh, and we hit it off very well. And, um, it was a pretty, Oh, you took nine years to marry. Yep. I took about maybe nine months.
Barney (07:30): Okay. Yeah. When you know you
Shawn (07:32): Yeah. And, and I'm older than you are. So I've been through this a few times. Right. I think we both had, and, and we knew, uh, that we were pretty compatible.
Barney (07:43): Yeah.
Shawn (07:44): And we had similar goals and we both wanted a family. And, uh, so, um, we got married. Um, it's been, I guess it's been five, six years now. Um, and, uh, um, we never had a ceremony. We didn't have the money, um, or, well, we had some money, but she didn't want to spend on a ceremony. So we had a gorgeous ceremony at Kokubunji Shiyakusho on a Sunday with just two of us and another person. Um, but, uh, and, and we've been hitting it off, uh, very well for the last few years.
Barney (08:27): Oh, yeah.
Shawn (08:27): Uh, three kids.
Barney (08:28): So your, your wife is also very tall.
Shawn (08:31): Yes. Yes. She's about 172.
Barney (08:34): What was that like something in your profile or, or did it?
Shawn (08:38): I think I put it in my profile, but I never looked for a tall girl. Um, I just, I was a little bit wary if the girl is over under 150, because then it just looks like, it looks like Luke Skywalker and Yoda or something, you know? I mean, if they're too short, I mean, it can be cute when they're short too, but it's just, sometimes the difference is just too much. Um, but, um, and, and, and truth be told she's not the tallest girlfriend I ever had.
Barney (09:09): Wow.
Shawn (09:10): I had one girlfriend who was about 180,
Barney (09:14): Oh boy.
Shawn (09:14): And she was Japanese too. And.
Barney (09:16): Oh, wow.
Shawn (09:16): And, um, my wife's not going to listen to this is she?
Barney (09:20): No, nor mine.
Shawn (09:21): And don't -- none of your students tell our wives about this podcast. Okay.
Barney (09:26): Also, maybe you shouldn't be talking to them anyway.
Shawn (09:29): We'll be grading you down.
Barney (09:31): We are allowed to do that.
Shawn (09:33): And, and it was funny because I was never used to such a tall girlfriend. And every time I met her, I was like, "Damn, she's tall!" because I just got used to everybody being like a foot shorter than me, you know, or 20 centimeters, 30 centimeters, shorter than me. It was just, you could use to it. That's the world. Yeah. Um, I wasn't this tall suddenly. I gradually got this tall. Okay. Now that we've taken 10 minutes up of the podcast talking about the ladies, what is our next question here?
Barney (10:04): I'm looking forward to it.
Shawn (10:04): Um, that was fun though. That was a good question. Uh, next question here. Um, okay. Um, how did you become interested in Japan? Let's make this a short answer if we can.
Barney (10:16): Okay. Yeah. All right. Um, yeah. Um, it's okay if I go first.
Shawn (10:20): Sure. Of course.
Barney (10:20): Okay. Um, yeah. Uh, in, in college, um, uh, you know, anime right? Anime.
Shawn (10:28): I have never heard of it, yes.
Barney (10:29): It's, it's kind of in America. It's, it's cool, right? Yeah. It's the cool thing. So, um, my, some of my friends were into it and, um, you knew we watched Fushigi Yuugi and, um, uh, but it was Ruronin Kenshin that got me because I really like history and it was so cool that they had actual historical people in, tied into the story. Then when I was in Thailand, um, I spent, I had the chance to meet another volunteer in Hong Kong. I loved Hong Kong. Oh man. I really liked Hong Kong a lot. And I thought if Hong Kong is this good, Japan must just be off the charts
Shawn (11:08): And you were wrong. No, I'm just kidding. Just kidding guys.
Barney (11:11): Yeah. And then, and then, um, so then I thought I've, I've got to find a way, I found a way, I found a nice job that, that could get me here and I found a better job later. Um, and, um, yeah, boy, I didn't realize it would be so hot. I remember my very first year here, I was in, I thought I thought May was unbearable. Little did I know what was in store.
Shawn (11:37): Yes. Yes. My mother visited me once in April or May and complaining about how humid. I was like, "Just wait. Just wait."
Barney (11:43): Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, yeah, that was me.
Shawn (11:47): Um, for me, uh, if you listen to our last podcast about, uh, hometowns, you would have heard that, uh, the majority of my hometown is Asian and, uh, the biggest group is Chinese, but there were a few Japanese as well. And this was before the bubble, right at the end of the bubble. So there was Japanese companies and stuff like that in United States and their families. And, um, I had some friends who were Japanese. Um, I was also into anime. Um, the anime I liked was called Robotech in English and Japanese, it was Macross. Uh, it was great. So, um, and, uh, my girlfriend in high school was Japanese as well. And, um, that got me interested in, uh, the Japanese language. I thought maybe if I spoke Japanese communication would go better. Yeah. Or more more smoothly. Yeah. Plus I also love the way Japanese looks as a design aspect. And I thought if I could, if I could speak this bizarre, like code like language, that'd be pretty damn cool and eventually it became my, my major in college. And of course, if it's your major in college, you want to go and live there and study there. And then that's how I got eventually to Japan.
Barney (13:04): That's cool.
Shawn (13:05): Yes.
Barney (13:07): Um, the, the girlfriend was from the area or an exchange student?
Shawn (13:10): The girlfriend was from Japan, living in the United States as a high school student.
Barney (13:15): Gotcha.
Shawn (13:15): Uh, she was in the same marching band as I was.
Barney (13:18): Oh, what instrument did she play?
Shawn (13:19): She played flute. I played bass clarinet. There was a lot of flutes. There's like 30 flutes. It was a very large marching band. About 200 people.
Barney (13:28): Wow. Really?
Shawn (13:29): Yeah. But, um, a great girlfriend, very quiet though. Um, and, uh, and she had some nice Japanese friends too. And of course in Los Angeles, we also have little Tokyo, so I could go down to little Tokyo and go to the bookstore and look at manga and magazines and stuff.
Barney (13:47): Oh yeah. Oh, wow.
Shawn (13:48): Uh, the majority of the people in my area that are Asian are Chinese, but still, you can find Japanese stuff too. Uh, our next question here, what is your favorite city in Japan and why? This is a hard one.
Barney (14:02): Okay. You kind of, I wasn't aware of this one. My favorite city in Japan.
Shawn (14:08): It's gotta be Narita. Right.
Barney (14:09): And why? Well, my wife's family is from there. Oh yeah. Yeah.
Shawn (14:15): You can say several. I mean, I can't think of just one
Barney (14:17): When I first moved to Japan I was in Noborito, yeah, in Kawasaki. Oh man. My favorite city: Shimokizawa.
Shawn (14:27): Ah, that's a fun place.
Barney (14:28): Yeah. So this was, um, 15 years ago, Shimokitzawa, I don't know how it is now.
Shawn (14:33): It's still pretty much probably,
Barney (14:34): but um, strange story, the best haircut I've ever gotten in my life was from a place in Shimokitazawa.
Shawn (14:42): You know, it might be strange for you to say that, but actually my best haircut-- No, I'm just kidding -
Barney (14:47): That would have been awesome!
Shawn (14:47): I don't have the best haircut story ever. Um.
Barney (14:50): I get so many bad haircuts.
Shawn (14:53): Really? Okay. It's because of the afro?
Barney (14:55): Yeah, boy. They don't know what to do with my hair. Yeah. It's cause my hair is curly, but not real tight curls
Shawn (15:01): As you can see on the radio. Yes. Um, Shimokitazawa, I do like that area. Yeah. Um, I, it's hard for me to name just one because there's several different kinds of areas. Um, I love Machida, which might be strange for you guys to hear, because it's just, you know, for, everybody's probably just a suburban, uh, in, in Tokyo, I was in Los Angeles. Um, but it was the first place I lived. So I have a lot of strong memories there for the first year. Um, some other cities I love, um, Shin Yokohama. Well, Yokohama is great. Um, uh Kurashiki. in Okayama, uh, like I like, uh, Sawara, also a very similar place. Um, and of course, of course Kyoto. Yeah. Kyoto is very nice. Um, but funny, funny thing about Kyoto, I mean my favorite places are not the temples, but like the, the marketplaces, the market streets and stuff like that. And around the river.
Barney (16:01): Yeah. Yeah. So I, one of my hobbies is goshuincho. Yes. So I, for that reason I do like the temples. Um, but I, uh, in that area, actually my, my pastor is from, uh, um, Oh boy. Um, it slipped my mind, um, the castle in Hyogo, um,
Shawn (16:23): Himeji-jo?
Barney (16:24): Himeji, yeah. He's from Himeji. So I've been there a few times. I really liked that place too. That's really a nice place.
Shawn (16:30): There's a lot of great places here and it just depends on, on what I want at the time. I mean, I love places like, Asakusa, because there's always something new and it's so entertaining, but I also like parts of Narita just like walking around in the rice fields and the forest and stuff. So it depends on my mood.
Barney (16:50): Yeah. And again, kind of getting back to the hometown reference hometown show that we did. I like Tokyo. Okay. But I don't really like going to Tokyo just because of the small, small hometown that I'm from.
Shawn (17:03): Oh, okay.
Barney (17:04): Yeah. Um, yeah.
Shawn (17:07): People scare you, huh?
Barney (17:07): I'm not a big city fan. Um, yeah, so for me, Tokyo is fine, but I, I never feel like I really want to go there.
Shawn (17:17): It's funny because if I had the chance, I wish that I would have tried to live in some place. I like Asakusa before when I was single or Yanaka some someplace very shitamachi. Yeah. Just to see what it was like, because I always lived in the suburbs of Tokyo and, and Saitama and other places. All right. Um, let's I don't know if we can make this a short one here. Uh, if you had a time machine, would you like to go to the past or the future?
Barney (17:48): Oh, right.
Shawn (17:49): This is a hard one.
Barney (17:50): Yeah. Um, for me, uh, this is an easy one.
Shawn (17:53): Oh, okay.
Barney (17:54): Yeah. I would go to the past. Um, I have always been in love with colonial America. I, um, and this, this is actually what I'm going to say is actually serious. I, um, actually am debating about, uh, my retirement years if I went to be Amish.
Shawn (18:16): Really?
Barney (18:17): Yeah. Yeah. I love that lifestyle and I could do it in a snap. Um, and then so
Shawn (18:24): Good luck listening to baseball games when you're Amish.
Barney (18:27): Yeah. I can get a wind up solar power, solar power in many Amish communities. Solar power is okay. Um, and battery save generators, um, except for the swords and troopers. Um, yeah, colonial America. I just think, first of all, I think, wow. What did it look like with all those forests? You know, the pure beauty and then, um, you know, I would hope I'd be able to, um, get along with the native Americans, but yeah, just making it by your own, um, hard work, building your own home farming, whatever hunting. Oh, wow. When I think about that,
Shawn (19:10): It seems like a good segue into our family tree episodes, but that's coming soon. Yeah.
Barney (19:14): Yeah. I, that I would, I would choose that. That's why one of my, one of my favorite movies is Last of the Mohicans. Okay. Yeah.
Shawn (19:22): I WILL FIND YOU!
Barney (19:22): Yeah, I know. You stay alive, you stay alive. Yeah. I would choose. I would set the DeLorean.
Shawn (19:31): The Irish indian.
Barney (19:31): Yeah. To that time.
Shawn (19:34): That's a Back to the Future reference there. Um, I'm not sure if I would go to the past or the future, maybe I would, uh, you know, jokingly, I, I maybe I would go to the past and I'd visit like president Trump's father when he was a kid and saying, please hug your son. Please give him some attention. I think your son needs some love. And it's just a hunch, you know, but maybe he needs some attention before he gets the wrong kind of attention. Um, but I have to think about that. Let me see here. Um, Oh, here's a good question. Easy one. Uh, what is the strongest beetle in the world? Well, I've thought about this and I think you have, I would have to say Paul McCartney.
Barney (20:18): I was actually thinking it was Ringo Starr.
Shawn (20:21): Oh, come on. It's gotta be Paul.
Barney (20:24): Did he ever do Thomas episodes? I don't think so.
Shawn (20:26): I don't know, but uh, I mean he married three women. I don't know
Barney (20:30): It wasn't, he wasn't allowed in Japan.
Shawn (20:33): Yeah. Yeah. Well, I don't know if marijuana makes people strong, but, uh, um, but, uh, yeah. Uh, I think Paul McCartney is the strongest one. You think Ringo, Starr. I think we will have to agree to disagree on this one. Um, "What were your mutual first impressions?" All right. I'm not sure if I want to know this, my first impression of you...short.
Barney (21:00): Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm not surprised. Um, I'm just kidding. Yeah. We, we were, um, prepped that the person coming to visit today's very tall.
Shawn (21:12): So they prepared you. Don't be surprised when he can't fit in the doorway.
Barney (21:18): Yeah. But I remember that--
Shawn (21:20): No screaming!
Barney (21:21): You, you, you made a joke about my son's middle name and, and I, and I, I thought, I thought I need to be polite. I don't want to be polite, but I'll be polite.
Shawn (21:33): Oh man. I think you're listening to the last episode of this podcast.
Barney (21:40): The creative differences is what we'll say.
Shawn (21:43): I can't take this anymore. This tension is just too much, but hopefully you had some good impressions from me.
Barney (21:48): Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Um,
Shawn (21:51): I think we got along almost immediately.
Barney (21:53): Yeah. I mean, this is the very, very first impression when you just, we're just here to look at the campus and then once you started working here. Awesome.
Shawn (22:02): Oh yeah. Hey, he's not such a jerk all the time. Just sometimes
Barney (22:07): You were, you were relegated to like the island desks.
Shawn (22:10): Yeah. But you know, I didn't care because I don't really like people and I'm just kidding somewhat. Okay. Um, let's see here. Uh, who is your favorite teacher at IUHW?
Barney (22:27): Uh, of just the English teachers of all?
Shawn (22:29): Sure, sure, sure, sure.
Barney (22:30): Oh yeah, for sure. Right, right here next to me.
Shawn (22:33): Oh, thank you. What a coincidence. I'm my favorite teacher too. I'm just kidding. Um, let me see. I don't, I don't really have a favorite teacher. Um, I think all the teachers in the English department kind of bring different skills to the table.
Barney (22:48): Yes.
Shawn (22:49): And that's why I think we're a pretty good group together, except for Cosmin. I don't like Cosmin at all. I'm just kidding people. Just kidding. Yeah. This is for laughs. Uh, but uh, I think you probably agree with me, right?
Barney (23:03): Oh yeah. Yeah. On the one. Yeah. I actually, just by coincidence, I was thinking about that earlier today. I was like, wow, we all have these different strengths. None of they don't really overlap. Um, you know, so it's, we have been able to form this team that is so solid because we all bring something unique and different to, um.
Shawn (23:23): Inokawa sensei brings the, uh, uh, surprise all the time. Hey, Hey, Hey. But, uh, we kid, we kid because we love. Um, what were you doing? This one says, what are you doing while you're quarantining? Actually, we're not quarantining right now, but, uh, we could talk about what were you doing while we were quarantining. What were you doing?
Barney (23:44): Yeah. Um, I think, I think you remember that, um, the school, um, stated things, a little vaguely saying that it's okay to come to campus that they said,
Shawn (23:55): Oh, what?
Barney (23:57): Yeah, they did. Yeah. Um, and I knew that since I, I live Narita, I can ride my bicycle. Right. So I'm not going to see anybody, um, on the way to campus. And then, so actually I, I came here. It was easiest. Um,
Shawn (24:11): I am so jealous of you.
Barney (24:14): Well, I think, I think some of our listeners may be remember an ECP lesson I was doing. I was like, Oh, it's Friday. I'll just do want, just work at home today. And my son comes in the last two minutes, "Daddy! Daddy! I have to pee. I have to go peepee!" And my wife says, "Yuma, Yuma, come here, come here." "Nooooo, I want daddy!"
Shawn (24:36): Well, you are the best person to go to the bathroom with. I know that firsthand. Um, I was working from home and, um, of course I have, I have, uh, two young boys and then a baby. So it was very hard to keep them out of the office. They did a generally, uh, they generally did a pretty good job of not, um, and maybe, maybe at the end of the day they would come in, but that wasn't a big deal. Um, but it was very difficult to get any work done because in between classes, I was kind of expected to come downstairs and occupy the kids a little bit and do some work here and there, dishwashing, um, uh, stuff like that. And then maybe take the kids out for a walk in the afternoon. So it was very hard to find a long time to concentrate on work.
Barney (25:29): But I like, I really liked that kind of daily routine chart that you meet up for your boys.
Shawn (25:35): Yeah. It lasted about one day, but they love to look at it. I made this chart out that day, I scheduled everything for a certain time and they looked at it for one day and said, that's a neat chart, uh, next. Um, but you know, it, you know, I think they did a lot of different things. They didn't watch TV, just TV. They also did crafts and other things. And I took them for walks in the field, um, nearby and the river. But, uh, that was how we handled the quarantine, but we were very happy -- I'm very happy to be back on campus. And I was very jealous when Barney was on campus in a quiet atmosphere, doing work.
Barney (26:17): Oh boy. It wasn't quiet because I was blasting the music, but it was nice. And it was also funny cause I was, um, the, um, the other teachers on the other side of the hall were going there every day as well. But if I wanted to, I could run up and down the halls and uh, you know, and feel like, um, Breakfast Club a little bit.
Shawn (26:37): It's, it's a movie from the eighties. Look it up the Breakfast Club. Good movie about teenagers.
Barney (26:42): Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah
Shawn (26:42): Um, just a quick question here before we end up here, "I'd like to ask De Haven sensei whether you can speak Japanese fluently. During English classes I've never heard your Japanese so I'm curious.” 実は私は日本語を全く話せませんよ。一言も全く喋れない。本当に恥ずかしいところです。
Barney (27:04): Yeah. Right after living this long, you really should be ashamed a little bit embarrassed about not being able to speak any Japanese
Shawn (27:10): ほんまにあかんで Nor dialects!
Shawn (27:17): ほんま や。 Yes. I do speak Japanese, but uh, for you guys, I speak English in class because, uh, I want to make sure you guys get the whole treatment.
Barney (27:27): Yeah. You have even done a comedy routine in Japanese.
Shawn (27:30): Oh sure, sure, sure. I used to perform in (sic) Manzai and Rakugo in Japanese too. Um, I wouldn't say I got a lot of laughs, but sometimes I did, sometimes on purpose. Um, and I think, okay, last one here. "I want to find a new hobby. What is your hobby? How do you find new hobbies?" So what is your hobby? Do you have a hobby?
Barney (27:51): Yeah, let's see. Um, boy, um, yeah, kind of like in the one episode earlier talking, introducing things to do, you know, new things to try. I really like reading. Um, and um, otherwise, yeah, boy, I, I have gotten back into Lego because of my son. Yeah. It's really a lot of fun. I like it when he challenges me, you know, just, just with a whim of his, you know, build me this and I'm like, wow, how can we do that? You know, just from the pieces that we have. And that challenge is really a lot of fun and really rewarding.
Shawn (28:35): It's a great toy. yes, definitely. Expensive but great.
Barney (28:37): Yeah, I really, yeah.
Shawn (28:39): Um, I'm, I'm delaying my kids from getting into Lego until, as long as I can.
Barney (28:44): We got a really nice set. It's just nine. It was a 900, just real general pieces.
Shawn (28:51): 900?
Barney (28:52): 900.
Shawn (28:53): Oh, okay. I thought you meant the price.
Barney (28:54): Ah, no.
Barney (28:56): At Costco for a very reasonable price.
Shawn (28:57): Yes, I saw that too. Yeah. Um, uh, I'm not sure. Well, my hobby is, um, I guess photography and I think that's a good hobby to get into if you like artistic things. Um, I always liked drawing and designing. I used to do it as a job to, uh, photography too, uh, because once you buy a good camera, you don't need to buy anything else. Um, you know, once you, once you invest in a good camera and it should last you a few years and you can maybe one or two lenses, you don't have to go overboard.
Barney (29:31): Right.
Shawn (29:32): And, uh, you can, and when I go on vacation or someplace, um, probably the clothes don't really fit me, but I'm just happy to get some interesting photos. Yeah.
Barney (29:44): Oh yeah. Yeah.
Shawn (29:46): So, I mean like you earlier, you talked about liking Hong Kong. I'd love to visit Hong Kong someday because I'm sure I could get a lot of interesting photos.
Barney (29:54): Yeah. And, um, yeah, I agree about with, with photos, they are the best souvenirs and um, I don't know about you. I never want to be in my photos. I know what I look like. I don't need to have a picture of me standing in front of something. Right.
Shawn (30:07): Occasionally I'd like to be in a family photo. I'm always one taking pictures, but uh, scenery, stuff like that. Yeah, sure.
Barney (30:14): Yeah. Yeah.
Shawn (30:15): Um, we're not sure how you get into new, how you find new hobbies. I mean, it's generally just, what do you like and just try it out.
Barney (30:24): I think, yeah, the best way well, maybe the, the way that came to mind for me is, um, what do your friends like to do? Cause it's always fun to do have a hobby with someone else. Uh,
Shawn (30:35): Yeah. I don't really care about that. I like, um, for a long time I did a lot of things alone and I'm okay with, well, I like being around friends too, but I like being alone too, especially when it comes to photography because, uh, it takes a long time. Sometimes you're looking around, you have to search and sometimes you don't want to, um, you know, delay somebody and leave, you know,
Barney (30:59): that makes sense.
Shawn (31:00): You know, I might spend a couple hours in Ueno just walking around, looking at things. And I don't think a lot of people would be willing to do that.
Barney (31:09): And you see, you see things, you see a good photo that someone else wouldn't see.
Shawn (31:16): I usually see things at a higher, higher angle than other people, but sometimes I miss those things in the ground.
Barney (31:25): Down below, yeah. Yeah, yeah.
Shawn (31:25): Yes, yes. I'm sure. You know, Inokawa sensei probably notices more things on the ground than I do.
Barney (31:30): Wow, look at this strong beetle down here.
Shawn (31:33): Hahaha, that's Paul McCartney. Um, it all comes full circle. Well, I think that's a good place to end it for today. I hope you enjoyed us answering your questions.
Barney (31:44): Keep them coming please.
Shawn (31:44): Keep sending them in. And uh, um, we have, um, material for you to go through about this podcast
Barney (31:53): As always. We hope it's helpful. We hope you like what we have prepared for you. Please do it as you wish. It's not a requirement, requirement by any means, but.
Shawn (32:04): DO IT!
Barney (32:04): ha ha, I know
Shawn (32:06): If you want to be cool, man, just do it.
Barney (32:08): Oh yeah.
Shawn (32:09): All the cool kids do it. Okay. Well, I hope you enjoyed this episode as much as we did and we'll see you later.
Barney (32:16): Yeah. Thank you.