Jake's 340 Blog

Monster Hunter: Wilds just came out today! If you aren't someone that is familiar with Monster Hunter, it's a game franchise with a huge following in Japan that later spread to the rest of the world! Now if you're asking yourself: "What do you do in Monster Hunter?", then I need you to read the title of the game one more time. Still don't know? Keep reading the title of the game until you figure it out, you got this I believe in you. Now for a game with such a simple premise, it might be surprising to hear of its once cult following that has now become an international phenomenon in the gaming community. I, as someone who has been a part of this cult following for a long time, am surprised about its popularity today too. The game had a much stronger following in Japan due to the original games being on the PSP (play station portable) and how gaming among friends in person was heavily encouraged in the early 2000's of Japan. There's a reason why Gameboy...

"Putting the Rabbit in the Hat" was a book that surprised me in ways unique to me as someone that works in film and entertainment. The book is essentially a biography of famous actor, Brian Cox's life. The book goes in depth on his early life leading up to his life as an actor and father. To say it was a rollercoaster is an understatement as Cox goes deep into a plethora of moments in his past that vary in tone, comical yet melancholic. The reason I choose this book was due to my love of the tv show, Succession. I found his performance to be stellar, later finding out that Cox has a catalogue of films he has been in where he did not stand out nearly as much as he did in his recent role as Logan Roy.  I always find the life of an actor fascinating as it is complicated, emotional, and inspiring. Actors as artists have a unique way of going about life that I think is always interesting looking into and Brian Cox's life was no exception. Cox having a family on the poor si...

You'll Never be Japanese, but you can be Respectful How to enjoy a vacation to Japan to the fullest while respecting the culture and people So you’re thinking about traveling to Japan. It’s a popular destination for anyone looking for a vacation. Chances are you ask someone places on their bucket list to travel to one day and Japan is likely going to be one of them. Specifically Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka. That being said, there are many struggles people will have when planning a trip to Japan, let alone how to go about things while they are already there. How much Japanese do I need to know? Where should I go? What are the rules unique to Japanese society? That last question is an especially hot topic given recent news of influencers like Logan Paul being utterly disrespectful for internet content. No one wants to be disrespectful to the people living there and (I would hope) you might feel the same way. In this article, I will be giving you some ways to enjoy your trip to Japan as muc...

 I decided to read Putting the Rabbit in the Hat by Brian Cox for this reading assignment. It's a book I found interesting when deciding on what book to read because of my fondness for the actor. I've been familiar with his work for a long time and his role in Succession was what really sold to me his acting prowess. Having now read/listened to the first few chapters (including the prologue) I feel I made the right choice. His comments at the start of the book about fulfilling his role as an actor rather than put importance on himself felt true to his career. His beginnings were surprisingly humble and the way he recounts them is quite fun to listen to. I get to hear him in his Scottish accent and all, feeling as though he is telling me his life story himself. The humor is also something unexpected but feels very much in character to who Brian Cox is. There are little moments that make me chuckle as he recounts moments of his childhood and keeps me interested in a story that, i...