VIDEO GAME LAYOFFS, FOREVER FAITHFUL CANUCKS, AND KAMAKURA JAPAN
I feel so much better today. As many people have been blogging about lately, there’s something about November that makes us feel down and maybe on edge. I’ve been thinking about a lot lately, and have had to come to terms (again) with who I am and the people I want to surround myself with. I know that good friends are invaluable and hard to come by, and my plan is to surround myself with people who I love, and people who love me. A couple interesting things that have come across my my path…
First off, for you Vancouver Canucks fans, there’s a film showing this Monday, November 10th at some Cineplex and Landmark theatres (not all, so make sure you check before going) called “Forever Faithful“. It profiles Canucks fans and their passion for the team. The trailer looks really good. Unfortunately I won’t be able to make it since I’ll be out of town in Tofino this weekend, but I’m definitely planning on picking up the DVD. You can read the Canucks press release here. Let me know what you think if you go see it!
Also in video game news, THQ is yet the next video game company to have significant layoffs. Their new “strategic” plan is to close down 5 studios, including Paradigm Entertainment (Stuntman, Pilotwings, Spy Hunter), Mass Media (Full Spectrum Warrior), Helixe (De Blob), Locomotive Games (Destroy All Humans!), and Sandblast Games. Wow. Not looking so rosy in both the publishing and development side of games right now. Basically, these cuts are going to eliminate about 250 jobs, which is 17 percent of all studio employees.
I finally managed to go through a few more of my photographs from my work trip to Japan. These ones are from a day trip that my boss and I did out to Kamakura. It’s really beautiful. We saw a number of different Buddhist and Shinto shrines, and climbed many hills and stairs, and walked across a long bridge to an island to climb up even more stairs… but it resulted in an incredible view.
Those aren’t Swastikas, they are religious symbols in Japan. Street signs on the way to Kamakura.
Beautiful pond
There were thousands of these statues everywhere. And the interesting/horrific part… each of these statues means there was an abortion or miscarriage. Japanese women would come here and place one of these statues as an offering or a prayer. The sheer number of statues in the temple made my stomach flip.
Bamboo at Kamakura Temple.
Flowers at the temple.
Praying Statues… very cute. I wonder how old these are. I wonder if “cuteness” is something that existed in Japan long before Hello Kitty and the like 
Deep red Japanese umbrella…
Scariest spider ever! These guys were just hanging out everywhere. Made my skin crawl just trying to be close enough to it to take a good photo!
The largest Buddhish statue in Japan.
Flowers on bamboo. It was so neat to see so much bamboo everywhere.
The Bay at Shonan (view from the top). A long hike to get here, but it was worth it. We were also able to see a number of surfers in the bay. I already put up a photo of this in my previous post.
So there are surfers in Japan! My first hint that I wasn’t delusional to go surfing in Japan. These guys were surfing at Shonan, and I was planning on going out to the coast at Ichinomiya, but it was still rad to see all these older guys getting on their motorbikes and heading out to the surf.
And another Japanese surfer! It seems like the motorbikes/motorcycles/scooters are the preferred method of transportation for surfers in this area. I certainly wouldn’t feel comfortable hitching my precious board to a bike!
Japanese surfing ad… neato!
Fancy eating octopus? These were being sold on sticks everywhere. The vendors would grill them for you
It’s a different way of life out here, than it is in Tokyo or Vancouver even…
Shinto shrine… so serene.
Each of these are prayers.. they are tied to the fence.
I felt like I was at the end of the world..
That’s it for now folks. I’m off to Tofino for the entire (extra long) weekend for some late season cold surfing, so I’ll be back on Tuesday. See you then.
Tags: Buddhism, Canucks, Enoshima, fans, film, Forever Faithful, Japan, Kamakura, layoffs, Shinto, Shonan, studio closure, Surfers, Surfing, THQ, video game industry
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November 7th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Hi Allie, I love your pictures very much, but I have to direct a minor critique.
If you could colorbalance them in Photoshop it would help on their general darkness. Or program your camera to make pictures brighter. (if such thing is possible)
November 7th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
I think the difference should be noticeable, here are some colorbalanced samples.
November 7th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
I love looking at your photos. The octopus look delicious did you have any?
November 7th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Thanks HexHammer. I am wondering if anyone else seems them as dark? On my colour calibrated monitors here at work they look fine? Do you have your brightness/contrast turned down?
And thanks Tyler! Actually I was too scaredy cat to try the octopus but my boss did and he said they were really good, but chewy
Now I kinda regret not trying!
November 7th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Awesome pictures as always, Allie! You never did report back on how was the surfing (if it was a successful attempt, that is), though!
You think that spider is bad, then you should never go to Australia. They’re bigger, and that awful dark brown. You can even hear them running across the wall or floor. “So large they have HP bars.”
Have fun in Tofino!
November 7th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
That Canucks film doesn’t really appeal to me. Why they’d focus on the fans and not the team is beyond me. The last thing I want to do is watch 2 hours of Canuck fans, rather than behind the scenes team/season stuff.
I guess it’s all part of this 7th Man campaign they’ve got going this year.
November 7th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
@ Vancity Allie
TBH, no I don’t have my personal monitor colorbalanced, however I’v worked as a professional in a quality newspaper departmen, it doesn’t take much for me, to see there’s a tad too much dark blue in most of the pictures.
Just try to have “I felt like I was at the end of the world..” picture Phothoshopped -> Auto Leveles.
November 8th, 2008 at 11:01 am
Just disregard my former posts, I didn’t mean to be intrusive.
Considering most people have 350$ flatscreen monitors with backlight, pictures gets brighter.
I have a 1k+$ ViewSonic Professional Series P90f, CRT monitor with far better contrast ratio, brightness etc, so that’s probaly why I see what everybody doesn’t :/
November 9th, 2008 at 5:21 pm
Nice photos Allie! And yes the layoffs in EA and other game makers was inevitable. I’m curious to see how the holiday season will play out for the gamers. Apparently Wii’s are still in short supply. Go figure.
November 9th, 2008 at 7:12 pm
Nice pics as usual. I end up eating octopus a few times a month here, I don’t understand the appeal :\ Flavor? What flavor? It’s all texture haha.
PS I was wondering what lens you use?
November 10th, 2008 at 5:58 pm
They look amazing on the monitor I’m seeing them on right now – remarkable pics. I need lessons!
November 12th, 2008 at 11:10 am
Hey Allie,
I saw this and for some reason thought of you..
http://www.costco.ca/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=10318213&whse=BCCA&topnav=&browse=&lang=en-CA&s=1
ridiculous, but amusing!
November 12th, 2008 at 11:11 am
hmm, tried to leave a comment, didnt work, trying again..
I saw this and thought of you.. ridiculous, but amusing!
http://www.costco.ca/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=10318213&whse=BCCA&topnav=&browse=&lang=en-CA&s=1
November 12th, 2008 at 11:43 pm
HexHammer, I see what you’re saying. Your corrected pics actually look really good. I think I prefer darker contrasty pictures. Maybe it is just personal preference??? I bet it’s your expensive monitors… wow sweet, I wish I could try those out!
Thanks UrbanDweller, yeah it always seems like the Wii’s are out of stock. Economics I guess, being the most inexpensive console out there
I’m curious to see how the big November/Dec blockbuster games will get gaming and console sales going again.
Aaron, I’m using the 18-135 DX kit lens that came with my D80.
Vicky, haha the rink! You’re hilarious. Man I wish I had one of those growing up…
Mike, yeah those are nasty spiders out there in Australia. I actually grew up just outside of Sydney from when I was 2-5 years old and I remember a couple of the monsters hanging out in my room or under the visors over my dad’s truck windows.
Adrian, yeah they seem to be doing a lot more fan focused stuff this year. The ads on the buses, the fan campaigns, the movie (even though it’s not by the Canucks), but yeah! I’ll have to disagree, I think it’s a nice step in the right direction
November 13th, 2008 at 1:37 am
@ Allie ..thanks
1) it is your site, and your pictures, do whatever you wanna do
2) make pictures for the masses, the masses doesn’t have a expensive monitor like me.
2½) I’m extremely fastidious, and in my long life I havn’t met many with my own high demands for quality.
3) next generation of monitors may come in a few years, fusing all the best qualities of CRT and flatscreen monitors.
Keep an eye out for SED, Carbon, and Laser TV.
November 13th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
Happy Birthday kiddo!
December 20th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Hello. I think you are eactly thinking like Sukrat. I really loved the post.
December 9th, 2009 at 12:42 am
Great photos! I just went to Kamakura and saw the surfers on their scooters. Too funny. Really narrow roads though. I`d rather have my board in my car!