Almost meeting the almost Miss Universe

A while back, a woman I know sent me a message stating: "There is a Christmas party on the 25th. It is in a series of parties for a circle of girls aged 20 to 30. Do you want to come?"

I replied that actually I am not a girl, and I am not 20 to 30 years old. Was she sure she sent it to the right address? She replied back that indeed she knows that I am not a girl, and that I am not young. She said that this particular party was going to be open to older people and to men too.

Also, she said, a former Miss Universe candidate from Hokkaido was going to participate. This could be interesting, I guess, since I have never met anyone that was a Miss Universe candidate (as far as I know). It would be even more impressive to meet someone who became Miss Universe, I guess, but the Hokkaido representative would also be impressive, maybe. My colleagues at work said that more information might be necessary, "maybe she was a candidate 40 years ago?"...

I ended up going to this event, and I saw the Miss Universe Hokkaido representative. She looked to be something like 26 years old (though Japanese people look young to me, so I guess she could be over 30).

Me in "really weird clothes"

The friend who invited me also said that you could come straight from work so there was no strict dress code, but that you should at least make some small effort, like putting a flower in your hair. Presumably mostly for girls, but I answered that I have some flip on fake flower that I won in a crane game somewhere, so that would not be a problem. In the end, I could not find that flower (I have too many small things at home waiting around for me to come up with some clever magic trick to use them in so I could not find it even after searching for quite some time). Everyone thought I looked really weird anyway, since I showed up in white trousers, white shirt, and a beige coat.

I thought the placement card was a sheep, since 2015 is the year of the ram. I was told that it was not a sheep, it was an alpaca. 

The woman who invited me also kept introducing me to people she thought I should meet as: "This is Jonas, he always wears weird clothes. Like today. Also, he is unbelievably unpopular with women." Most people said that they also thought the clothes were weird, but that they were "sure that you are popular with women". To which my friend said: "No, I am not kidding. He is really really unpopular. It is incredible!". She is not wrong, perhaps, but maybe she did not have to press it that hard? haha

I did not have time to talk to the Miss Universe girl, since everyone had their seats assigned and then I was asked to go and talk to specific people all the time until the party was over. There was a second party (there usually is in Japan), but the Miss Universe girl did not go there. I did, though, and it turned out to be in a place where I have been many many times. My friend who invited me is apparently good friends with the owner there since way back. So am I. But neither of us knew that the other one was.

Italian at Garbanzo again

I went to the Italian restaurant Garbanzo for the first time in ages. There I had some nice food, and also ran into my boss from our magic bar who was there giving out tickets to a magic show. He was very surprised to see me.

A few more zombie Jonas pictures from other people

A very nice picture taken by my artistically gifted friend who recently came back to Sapporo from a few years of living abroad. A sad zombie Jonas, contemplating the sad fact that no one wants to hang out with me (unless I go to a place where they work and cannot run away, or go to a party open to any weirdo in the world). Also, a zombie drinking vegetable use, which is very good for your body :-) October 27.

My boss took a picture of me when I stopped by to pick up some cards I had forgotten to take home after my last shift in the magic bar. October 31.

Tuesday's Halloween party at Bottom Cafe. October 28.

Halloween party again, this time with mount Fuji in the background. October 28.

Being served some Italian food at Garbanzo. October 28.

Still in Garbanzo. October 28.

Eating some mochi in Ropossa. October 28.

Halloween party as a zombie

Zombie Jonas eating mochi.

Yesterday I finally found a Halloween party that I had time to go to. It was a lot of fun. I added a zipper to my wrist, and bought a pair of white trousers for 63 yen (~63 cent) but other than that the look was pretty much the same as on Saturday.

Dressing up as a zombie

One of the new details I tried, a zipper glued to my skin.

First I had to dress up as a zombie before going out. I am getting used to that by now but it still takes almost two hours.

This way of making a bandaged bloody wound also looked pretty realistic.

Last new detail was a pair of white trousers, so blood that ran off the shirt would still be visible.

The state of the zombie face before leaving home.

The state of the zombie face when coming back home. A lot of paint and blood have dried up or fallen off.

The Halloween party

Other people at the Halloween party.

Once at the Halloween party, there was free food and lots of other funny people. I liked the girl dressed as the Onepiece (a manga) character Boa Hancock. Very high level. There was also a girl dressed in a high school uniform, who said she used her own original uniform from when she was still in high school. There was also a group of girls all dressed up as a team, which was nice. 

I also liked the guy in the skeleton dress, who when he took off his Scream style mask had another mask underneath! Finally, there was also a guy dressed up like an accident victim, covered in blood, that I liked.

Dressing up in teams would be cool (if only I had friends!)

This guy has something stuck in his forehead, and a lot of blood everywhere. Nice!

Dinner at an Italian restaurant

Zombie having gnocchi for dinner.

After awhile, I got hungry so I left the party and had dinner at an Italian restaurant I sometimes go to. The staff thought it was very funny that I showed up like a zombie and kept following me around in the corridors when I went to the bathroom etc. in the hopes of running into random strangers and seeing their reactions. We ran into the mama of the bar next door, and she was surprised. She called out all the guests and waitresses of her place to take a look at me.

 Ropossa

Me taking a zombie self shot at magic snack Ropossa.

Last year when I dressed up for the Sapporo Zombie Walk and then went to visit a magic shop, the mama of the magic "snack" Ropossa was upset. She wanted me to come to her place too, not only that of our common friend. So I figured I had to visit her place this year. It was a lot of fun. They took lots of pictures of me that I will hopefully get my hands on later.

When they turned down the light and lit me from below, things looked even creepier, haha.

Pasta in Toyohira and in Susukino

Recently I end up having a lot of pasta. I went to my friends place "Garbanzo" and had pasta carbonara there a few days ago. Garbanzo is always nice, with a great view in the new location they moved to this year.

I also went to a pasta place in the Toyohira ward where I lived the first six months I stayed in Sapporo. After I learned about that place, I went there once or twice per week while I still lived close, and the master there was always willing to speak to me in Japanese so it was great practice for me at the time. I even brought my parents to this very small place when they were in Japan, and my mom and the wife of the master had a long discussion about patch work and embroidery (with me as interpreter). Anyway, you get pasta served in big bowls, and it is cheap and good. The place is called "Yude age spaghetti".

Italian at Garbanzo again

Today I had a late (23:30) dinner at the Italian restaurant Garbanzo in Sapporo again. Today I had salad with cheese, and garlic toast. I then ended up doing magic for some customers (gold buddies of the owner) who were so impressed that I ended up drinking and eating with them for a bit too. There was some nice soup with spaghetti.

I also got to see the owner of Garbanzo do magic. Though we have known each other for something like 3 years, this was the first time I ever saw him do magic. He made a tissue turn into Chinese food, and made water disappear from two cups.