"DOGS AND CATS SHARING THEIR SCHOLARLY EDITIONS OF UKIYOBURO -- THE DEAD RISING FROM THE GRAVE!"

2005-10-22

"DOGS AND CATS SHARING THEIR SCHOLARLY EDITIONS OF UKIYOBURO -- THE DEAD RISING FROM THE GRAVE!"

(EDITED BECAUSE OF THIS.)

DOES ANYBODY KNOW OF A UNIVERSITY IN TOKYO, PREFERABLY THE NORTHWEST, WITH A REASONABLY GOOD LIBRARY THAT ANYONE CAN BROWSE IN? (I DON'T WANT TO BORROW, JUST READ IN THE BUILDING.)

SOMEWHERE LIKE WASEDA WOULD BE PERFECT IF THEY WEREN'T SO SHOCKINGLY INTENT ON KEEPING THEIR COLLECTION OUT OF COMMONERS' HANDS. BUT HEY, I UNDERSTAND THEIR POSITION. YOU CAN'T HAVE JUST ANYONE LEARNING THINGS. THAT WOULD EXACERBATE THEIR INCULCULO-ADAMIC PROPENSITY TO SIN, WHICH IS CLEARLY VISIBLE IN ALL COMMON BLUE-COLLAR PHYSIOGNOMES. NOW FETCH ME A BRANDY, BOY, OR I'LL CANCEL YOUR DAY OFF THIS MONTH.

Popularity factor: 16

Justin:

Harvard University, with I believe the largest academic library collection in the world, was like that. Pissed me off to no end, the elitist pigs.

kuri:

Bad university, bad!

Will:

Wow. Capslock Day.Worst.Holiday.Ever.

Matt:

YOU GUYS AREN'T GETTING INTO THE SPIRIT OF THIS SPECIAL DAY!!!!!!!!1

yuki:

i can let you borrow my waseda univ student card!

Anonymous:

Matt, considering this whinge and also your earlier accomodation blues, have you thought of moving to Kyoto? The rent is ever so cheap and the universities are (mostly) indescriminatory.

Matt:

THANKS, YUKI, BUT I'M REALLY LOOKING FOR SOMEWHERE I CAN GO ON THE SPUR OF THE MOMENT. ALSO, DOESN'T IT HAVE A PHOTO ON IT?

TRANG: I HAVE CONSIDERED IT IN THE PAST, BUT I STILL LOVE TOKYO FOR TOO MANY REASONS. ALSO, I JUST GOT A NEW JOB WHICH I REALLY LIKE, AND THEY AIN'T IN KYOTO, SO THAT MEANS I'M LIVING HERE FOR THE FORSEEABLE FUTURE...

Mark:

and what's wrong with the tokyo public library? in any case, at one point you have to recognize that you're not a student anymore, and the sooner that happens, the better. from now on, you buy all your books.

Ali:

YOU COULD TAKE THIS DAY FURTHER AND MODIFY YOUR CSS SHEET TO PUT EVERYTHING IN ALL CAPS.

I DARE YOU.

max:

WHEN CONVERTING TO ALLCAPS, BE SURE NOT TO BREAK URLS, IS MY ADVICE.

Anonymous:

We don't follow your heathen holidays. Bah.

Incidentally, I understand that parts of Todai's libraries are open to anyone. And there's the National Diet Library too.

Matt:

Anon: Thanks, I'll check those out.

Max: breaking URLs is all part of the fun!

Ali: fortunately for everyone, I didn't know how to do that.

Mark: re your first point, the Tokyo Public Library's collection isn't extensive enough! I have searched their catalogue for certain items and confirmed this. But I probably will end up going that route and using what they have. Re your second point, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. (I just spent 20,000 yen in Kanda yesterday and I can see myself going broke within a month if I don't figure out an alternative.)

IbaDaiRon:

...fortunately for everyone, I didn't know how to do that.

"body { text-transform: uppercase; }" is fairly dramatic.

Isn't there a lot of paperwork involved at the Diet Library, and their open hours kind of restrictive? (Not based on firsthand experience!)

Anonymous:

The NDL is closed-stack, so you have to look up your books on a computer, save them on your personal card, and use them that way. (It's neat and techy!) Downside, and this is major: I was never allowed to check books out.

But they make damn good toast in the cafe there. Damn good toast.

Matt:

I'll keep that in mind for next year, IDR. Thanks! Muahahaha!

IbaDaiRon:

Ye gourds, what have I done?!

2005-10-22