Griddable’s Best of 2010
Tuesday, January 11th, 2011 in: News
January marks the 1-year anniversary of Griddable. I’m looking forward to the coming year and everything in store for me, but I must also look back to the previous year, to the good and bad experiences, to the lessons learned, lest they be forgotton. This site has given me a great outlet for my thoughts and stories, and rereading them brings those memories flooding back. Here are a few of my favorite posts from the past year, and why:
Revisiting my Host Family
My first time back in Tokyo in two years, how could I not visit my old host family? Aside from the occasional letter and photo, we hadn’t had much correspondence, so it came as a bit of a shock when the toddler and infant I’d left behind tackled me as a 2 and 5 year old. They were like my first nephew and niece, so to see them growing up so fast really hit me how quickly we move through life. They don’t have any of my genetic material, but I was still so proud of how adorable they’re turning out.
Hadaka Matsuri – Naked Man Festival 
It was worth going all the way out to Okayama just to witness this bizarre festival on its 500th anniversary. I was impressed just by the fact that Japan has silly traditions that are older than my own country. This isn’t the only precious memory from that weekend, but it’s what brought me out there in the first place.
Kanamara Matsuri – Penis Festival
Another one of Japan’s bizarre festivals, the Penis Festival just kind of fell into my lap, if you’ll pardon the imagery. Its popularity choked the streets with onlookers, which made it difficult to navigate but was also part of what made it so memorable.
Gibbon Slackline Review
Probably not my best writing, and I didn’t expect much to come of it, but along with the Hadaka and Kanamara Matsuri posts, this one was one of the most popular posts according to Google Analytics. If you search for “Gibbon Slackline Review,” my post is on the first page of results…
How has study-abroad changed my life?
This was a fun video to make, my friend asked me to make a video for students interested in study abroad, and write about how it has changed my life.
Fixing a Computer in Beijing
Not all experiences are good, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth mentioning.
Miao Village
This was one of those travel experiences when you know that a show is being put on for you, but it’s still a fun experience. I’d never before felt like such a tourist, and cared so little.
Tongren City and the Leisure Center
This tiny city on the border of and Guizhou provinces was pretty forgettable, but we managed to have a pretty unforgettable experience there.
Words to Consider
Traveling with my grandpa was one of the best parts of my time in China, and this conversation with him changed the course of the rest of the year.
The Stars, How I’ve Missed Them
This was the first time I got nostalgiac since leaving home, and it was fun to write.
And a Star is Born – 智者无敌
A different kind of star. This was one of those bizarre experiences you can only get in China.
Review of University of International Relations Beijing UIR-CIE
Like my “Studying Abroad” video, this post was made for the sake of prospective students looking for a good language school in Beijing. I don’t know how much traffic it’s received, but I tried to make it as helpful and informative as possible.
The Wrong Baiyanggou
Sometimes when a wrench gets thrown in your gears, it sometimes leads to spectacular results.
Huashan – a Rocky Start
Sometimes when things go according to plan, they don’t always work out for the best. See the follow-up, Huashan Day 2: Descent back to Madness and the following posts to see just how badly things can go when you do what you planned months in advance.
Oh, Roppongi
Sometimes, the worst experiences make the best stories
How I Reclaimed my Sense of Charity
I learned a lot about the nature of charity, from a competition that warped the concept of it.
沢登り – River Climbing with the Waseda Expedition Club
Perhaps one of the most exciting outings I’ve had, with photos and video. See the second part: River Climbing part 2 – The Adventure Continues
1st Nippon Open Slackline Competition
Realizing that any hobby has its top serious competitors was just as important as realizing that I would need to get off my butt to go meet them myself. And that’s just what I did.
Daidougei World Cup Field Report Part 2
I haven’t quite finished with my reports from the Daidougei World Cup in Shizuoka, but I really enjoyed the Kendamashi set, and BlackRay put on a decent set using only yo-yos.
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