Quinn

• Rimo (English)

It's a new service just launched by a Japanese company, hatena. What it does is to let you watch video contents from YouTube continuously by just visiting the website. It is said to be compatible with Wii browser so it is going to be just like watching TV, except the contents are all in YouTube.

This is the first time for the company to release English interface available at the same time as the Japanese one. The interface is very simple and documented nicely in its help page (English). I think they have done a decent job on this.

The whole concept of this is kind of like going back to the time where there was no internet. As of today, we mostly have to chose what we want to see on the web, and we make the decision on every click. However, with this service, you can just lay back and let it show you whatever might be entertaining you.

Even though it has English interface, it looks like the contents they are showing are the same as of Japanese one. If you like Anime and such, you might have a chance to enjoy this service. Oh, I just got an idea. This might be a good start for you if you are interested in learning Japanese!

• YouTubeをテレビで“ダラ見”　はてな、Wii対応の動画サービス

This is the photo of the star. Do you see it? It's a photo of plum trees in neighborhood. I think it has been warmer than usual this winter. If you are in the northern hemisphere, how was your place? Is spring just around the corner for you?

Anyways, I've been working on building new blog platform to replace the current one which is running this blog. I think it is going to take a while though. I am finishing some of my current projects but another one is coming soon. As a freelance web developer, I should't complain of getting busy!

I just realized that Web derections North, a conference for web developers and designers held in Vancouver, just already finished its day one. All the celebrities, my heroes and heroines who are raising the qualities of the web, are there to share their passions with the attendees. I knew this would have been a good excuse for me to visit the city, but I simply can't afford the ticket. The price is just too much for me.

NorthernVoice 2007, another conference held in Vancouver (for bloggers), is going to be on the 23rd and 24th of this month. I am sorry to tell some of you (whom I met last year) that I won't be there this year. The main reason is that I am raising the bar to achieve the goal (projects, skills and income) as a freelance web developer this year. I really need to focus on this.

After all, I don't think it's going to be too far from the next visit to Vancouver. Until then, I hope you guys still keep up with me and check on this blog once in a while!

Today, we attended an local event called "Dondo Yaki" at a small community of about 30 households, which we belong. It is basicallly a new year's gathering (to eat and talk) with a bonfire of bamboo.

Dondo Yaki is practiced all over Japan, but I didn't know this before I came to Kumamoto. I suppose this kind of events often stays in rural areas. It's probably impossible to do this bonfire in urban cities anyway.

This event is usually held around 14th or 15th of January, which is also called "a small new year's day." People burn the calligraphy drawn at the new year's day and decorations used for celebrating the new year's day at the bonfire to wish the good year to come.

I ate so much today. I also had some sake (rice wine) with a bamboo cup. It actually tasted good! Check out more of photos at my Flickr.

Quinn's Photo [Zooomr]