Eternal Swan

"To those who knew him, he was the beacon of laughter and genuine thought; he was the measure of a man. Through videos and personal relationships, he illuminated the lives of many, at home and abroad, never failing to pass on his charisma and courage to anyone who crossed his path. It has now been nearly one year since the world has lost one of its most charming, inspirational, and brilliant people. A year that has had many of us longing and confused. But in his departure, we find new perspectives, new confidence, and new life. His name was Rodger Swan, and he was truly an idol.

As a tribute to Rodger and all of the happiness he brought to us, I have decided to release a few of the songs his fans may remember from the video series. The first and second are versions of the original Tokyo Swan and Iwate Swan themes, respectively, while the third is a track that had remained unfinished for a year, tentatively planned for what is now known as Iwate Swan 23, renamed "Eternal Swan." You may download the songs free of charge, either individually or as an album called "Eternal Swan," based on the new track. All that I ask is this: if Rodger has inspired you in any way, please consider donating to the Rodger Swan Memorial Fund for Japanese Studies. All of the money donated to this fund will go toward helping students study abroad in Japan, just as Rodger had. It is one way you can become an active part in securing his legacy as a teacher, a student, and an amazing friend.

Remember to cherish those you love, and never take a friendship for granted. Life can be stripped away as easily as it was given, so for those of us who have nothing left to fear, we must make them sure that it was worth it. Love to you all, and Rodger: we will meet again soon.

I'm blessed, I know / Heaven sent, and Heaven stole"

-K

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Eternal Swan Album Contents:

-Tokyo Swan (Remastered)
-Iwate Swan
-Eternal Swan

To download the Eternal Swan album, click here.
To download the album artwork, click the picture above.

Click here to donate to the Rodger Swan Memorial Fund.

Iwate Swan 19: Christmas 2009

(Iwate Swan 19: Christmas 2009)

Enjoy the last episode of Iwate Swan this year! I will return in January after a lovely visit home to continue the series. It has been a fun ride thus far, and I am looking forward to more adventures in the new year. I hope everyone has a happy and safe holiday season, and I wish all my viewers nothing but the best.

The long distance count down is now a mere 6 days. This time next week I will be with my girlfriend and I could not be happier. We've really made it darling :)

rodg

Iwate Swan 18: Autumn Reflections

(Iwate Swan 18: Autumn Reflections)

Super sized episode that features everything from christmas card shopping to bathroom construction. A lot of these were nice moments, but not enough for a whole video. Plus, though I like my shorter videos better, I think it is good to release a longer one every once in a while too.

Got one more episode coming out next week and then I will be going on break as I return to the US for a few weeks.

Only 13 days to go until I am home and with my girlfriend! That is only 1 week and 6 days!!! I am so excited!!!

Iwate Swan 17: Marukan Department Store

(Iwate Swan 17: Marukan Department Store)

So I am back to finish off November with another Christmas Shopping episode. This time I went to the famous Marukan Department Store and I had some incredible ice cream there. Apologies for this video being half a day late haha, we had a staff party last night so I was quite busy.

Only 19 days to go until I'm back home for break and I can be with my girlfriend! Less than 3 weeks to go! I'm getting really antsy now, but I don't have too much longer to wait....

see you next time!
rodger

Iwate Swan 16: Book Market

(Iwate Swan 16: Book Market)

Wow, so it is already Friday night here again in Iwate so that means it is time to release a new Iwate Swan video. This is my first of two Christmas shopping videos, with next week showcasing a larger store in town. Still, I think this is a neat look into a very common, everyday sort of shop found all throughout Japan. Currently working on the first episode to come out in December (it is being shot like the Halloween one, so the footage comes from several different days), and then I have one more video to shoot before heading home for a few weeks.

My long distance relationship countdown is now down to just 27 days! That is less than 4 weeks to go! I have my night bus ticket to get into Tokyo, and so I am all set for my flight home. It will be amazing to see my girlfriend again, and I am sure winter break will be nothing short of spectacular.

Ok, well hope everyone is doing well! See you next week for another shopping episode....

rodg

Iwate Swan 15: Agricultural School Festival

(Iwate Swan 15: Agricultural School Festival)
I was sad to see another one of my schools cancel their school festival, but the agricultural school decided to soldier on despite everyone getting sick with the flu. It was a really fun time and I hope you guys enjoy the inside look at this school festival!

The long distance count down until I can see my girlfriend again is now down to only 34 days! Monday I have a seminar in the capital and I will be purchasing my night bus ticket to get to Narita Airport next month. I think when I return in January I will be in Tokyo for a few days to meet up with some Japanese friends which should be nice. Everything is coming together!
rodger

Iwate Swan 14: Sports Park

Iwate Swan 14: Sports Park

So I found a giant park behind my house and it is great for taking a walk haha. The seasons are changing and I am gearing up for a cold winter here in Iwate. I've actually been a bit sick lately, but my trip to the local doctor's office got me some medicine to take and I am hoping that I will be 100% recovered soon, as right now all the icky cold symptoms seem to be coming and going by the hour.

Well, life is never boring here that's for sure. In long distance news, the countdown is now at 41 short days before I see my lady friend again. Getting closer...

rodger

Iwate Swan 13: Halloween 2009

Iwate Swan 13: Halloween 2009

So here is the special Halloween video I have been shooting all throughout the month of October. An inside look at Halloween displays, as well as a nice shout out for the goosebumps books I have received in the mail from my subscribers. As an extra bonus, there's even some footage of me at one of my schools showing off my English language bulletin board. All in all, a fairly nice episode.

Only 48 days to go until I am back home and see my girlfriend again! Wow, lower double digits now! Less than 7 weeks to go!

see you next time!
rodger

Iwate Swan 12: Grocery Shopping

Iwate Swan 12: Grocery Shopping

So here's this week's episode. It focuses on what grocery shopping is like for me in Japan, so enjoy all of the shots of the local grocery store in my town haha. It is also kind of interesting to hear about my budget and how much all of this food costs.

Also, there is a big thank you to the initial response to my plea for goosebumps books haha. Since then, I've received NINE books in the mail already, so I am quite happy that my subscribers are so awesome! Thank you so much!

The Halloween episode will be next week. I was planning on doing another J-Shelf for then, but I'm not sure if I'll have the time to do so now. Hmm. Making two videos a week is proving to be more difficult than I thought it would be, but we shall see.

Also, only 55 days till I am home and with my girlfriend! Oh that will be lovely haha.

see you next time!
rodger

Iwate Swan 11: Castle Cow Tongue

Iwate Swan 11: Castle Cow Tongue

So here is this week's Iwate Swan video, it is the second video of my adventures in Sendai with my friend Luke. It was a lot of fun to shoot this video and the previous one, and I am looking forward to seeing Luke again next month to hopefully create another fun video together. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy it.

Down to 62 days to go until I'm back home! That is less than 9 weeks now! Single Digit Weeks! Hurray!!!

Also, J-Shelf is probably going into a biweekly schedule now, so the next one will be out before Halloween I think.
rodger

J-Shelf 4: Comica

J-Shelf 4: Comica

so here's this week's j-shelf, it is all about one of my favorite sakamoto albums out of his very impressive discography.

might start doing j-shelf every other week now, if the views continue to decrease on these. i have one planned for the week of halloween, so perhaps i will go into a biweekly schedule with these. Iwate Swan videos will continue to come out once a week.

64 days to go until I see my girlfriend! hurray :)
rodger

Iwate Swan 10: Oktoberfest

Iwate Swan 10: Oktoberfest

This week's episode sees me meeting up with my good friend Tokyo Luke! It's been over 14 months since the last time I saw him, and it was great to meet up and chat about how life has been and how we are settling into our new jobs in japan. Next week's episode also takes place in Sendai, as I shot so much footage over the time I was there, that I had to make 2 videos hah. Yes, the request for goosebumps books at the end of the video is real. Generous souls can send me a private message or shoot me an email.

In long distance relationship news, I am now out of the seventies and down to 69 days to go! Over half way done!!! Next week, I enter into single digit weeks remaining, as right now there is just under 10 weeks to go. Nice!

rodger

J-Shelf 3: The Housekeeper and the Professor

J-Shelf: The housekeeper and the Professor

Hey gang, so I just put up this week's J-Shelf video, which is a review of Ogawa Yoko's "The Housekeeper and the Professor" book. Very nice story, and I recommend you give it a read. Curious to see how this video will do, I've noticed a decline in views of my videos since the debut of this series, so I wonder if it is stretching out my audience a bit thin? Hmm.

Today I am right in the middle of my distance from seeing my girlfriend! Tomorrow I will be more than 50% done with this stretch of distance! From July 29-Dec 17th..... tomorrow I begin my descent down the proverbial mountain as I fly into her open arms. Ahh, such a nice feeling. 71 days to go!

rodger

October Update

Hey gang, so October has now been underway for a few days and I am getting into the excitement of Halloween (which is my favorite holiday!). I have been decorating my house with little Halloween goodies and I hope to get many more before the spooktacular 31st of the month.


(My current Halloween display next to my TV!)

Today, I spent my Sunday making and editing videos. I filmed and edited this week’s J-Shelf together, and it is a review of a book by a Japanese author. Pretty good stuff, and to make the video a bit more interesting I set it to a bunch of pictures that I have taken while in this country. It’s a relaxing video, so I like it. I also edited together episode 10 of Iwate Swan! I really can’t believe that episode 10 is already going up this week! This series is moving along so quickly! Anyways, the new one going up features Tokyo Luke (or now, as he is better know, “Sendai Luke”) and it is a pretty fun episode.

Going to go grocery shopping in a bit (which will probably be the subject of a new video in a few weeks actually), and I shall start filming the Halloween episode soon.

74 days to go until I see my girlfriend! I have been really upbeat and happy about things lately. Later this week we will be more than halfway done with this longest stretch of time and distance! Just need to keep up this optimism and keep having a good time!

Hope everyone is doing well!
rodger

Iwate Swan 9: Hanamaki Festival

Iwate Swan 9: Hanamaki Festival

Hey gang, so here is this week's Iwate Swan episode. I got to help out and carry one of the portable shrines in Hanamaki's City Festival. This is a pretty big festival where people from all over Iwate come to scope it out. Carrying the shrine was a lot of hard work (man was it heavy!) but it was such a great experience to be involved in this very traditional Japanese experience. Hope you guys enjoy the video!

In other news, 75 days to go until I am back home to see my girlfriend! More time has passed, and that number just keeps getting smaller and smaller and smaller and....

rodger

J-Shelf 2: Phantasy Star Online

Phantasy Star Online

So the J-Shelf is out this week taking a look at Phantasy Star Online for the sega dreamcast, as wel as looking back at the entire phantasy star franchise.

In other news... it is October tomorrow! Going to start work on a special Halloween episode of Iwate Swan soon, and I think I have all the October videos planned out. Quite amazing how ahead of schedule I am this time around haha.

In Long Distance Relatinship news, things are going great! 78 days to go! Wow, I don't know about you, but that number is sounding much smaller these days. I will reach (and pass) the half way point of this longest stretch away from my girlfriend next week! Of course, that makes me all smiles. Roll on Dec. 17th!

Ok, new Iwate Swan up hopefully on Friday. Until then, take it easy and we'll see you next time.
rodger

Iwate Swan 8: High School Culture Festival

Hey gang, so this week's Iwate Swan video is now up. It provides the first look at one of the schools I work at during a school festival. It was quite a lot of fun and I loved getting to see the students having such a good time.


(Iwate Swan 8: High School Culture Festival)

Strange how episode 8 of Tokyo Swan was a school festival video as well. Here's that old video from nearly 2 years ago:


(Tokyo Swan 8: Yagami Festival)

Fun to see how things have changed. I still can't get over how young I like in those old Tokyo Swan episodes hah.

Ok, well time to make dinner and then chat with my lady friend on skype which should be very nice. 83 days to go! The number is getting smaller and smaller yet again heh. Have a good one everyone, new iwate swan and j-shelf videos next week! Who knows, maybe I'll make a regular blog post in here too besides just alerting readers of my new videos haha.
rodger

J-Shelf 1: Densha Otoko

(J-Shelf 1: Densha Otoko)

Hey gang, so I started a new video series in the vein of the j-horror reviews but open to movies, music, toys, games, food and basically anything from japan. This first episode is about the Densha Otoko (train man) film. I love the movie, and I really recommend everyone check it out if they haven't already. There's a load of good train man stuff out there, so give it a look!

Truth be told, the inspiration for this video can be related back to my last post. I needed to find ways to keep busy and keep myself happy here while away from my girlfriend, so I figured I love video editing, so adding an extra video a week sounded like a great idea. It really is relaxing for me to edit the videos. Truth be told I enjoy that far more than filming videos haha.

Today has been a great day, work was awesome and I put up an English language bulletin board at work. I got a letter in the mail from Rebecca, and I also received a big box of winter clothes and other goodies from my parents. Nice!

Ok, well hope everyone is doing well! New Iwate Swan should hopefully be out tomorrow. Just waiting on the music now haha. Until then, take it easy and see you next time!
rodger

Long Distance: 8 weeks down.

Hey gang, so today i've gone 8 weeks now since the last time I saw my girlfriend. as many of you know, i've moved out to japan to teach english for a year, and the job has been going great. These first 2 months or so have been good for the most part, but I am worried that I am starting to see potential issues rise up now so I need some massive help and advice before these get too intense.

I video chat with my girlfriend on skype 2 times a day usually, when i wake up at 6:30 am (so it's 5:30 pm the previous day in boston), and at 7:00 pm here (6:00 am in the morning there). I find that when I go a day without talking it gets really difficult and I miss her like crazy. In japan, we have been on a 5 day national holiday, and i went away to visit a friend i had not seen in 14 months. He was a 3 hour train ride away, and we had a blast...but while I was planning to stay 2 nights i got so sad about missing my SO that i cut the visit a little short and left in the afternoon of the second day there so I wouldn't go another night without hearing her voice.

so, i can feel that I am being needy...and that scares me. she is also getting much busier in grad school, and i can see her being more tired and stressed out, as now she is in her 5th week of classes. so i'm trying to take her schedule into account, but i am getting the feeling that she will become too busy for me. While I don't want to detract from her studies or her sleep, I know I get sad when I can not talk with her. This time difference is so difficult, and this distance is so vast, that it really is quite the hurdle.

Trying to stay positive, as I believe being positive is the best course of action I can take, I know that we've already gotten through 8 weeks, and I know that in 85 days now I will see her again (in which we already have our tickets and everything purchased and ready).

However, she brought up last night that for her M.A. program she wants to take an intensive language lab from june 25- august 13th in which she would not have access to the internet for that entire time. when she told me about the idea, it honestly scared me because i know right now going just a day is hard for me. I told her, and i sincerely ment it, that i support her 100% in what she does and that this would be a great opportunity and really help her when she applies for her ph.d. In many ways, it is similar to the short term/ long term question we had when i came out here to japan. crap in the short term, but will help our future together in the long term.

but, when she brought it up, she could tell something was wrong. i tried explaining to her that i 110% understand and support her, but being honest it scares me and it will be tough. hopefully by then, i will be stronger and the distance will nearly be done. i talked with her a bit just now, and i made sure to bring up all of these issues...as i think we need to be honest with one another. i asked if she thought i was becoming clingy, and she paused and said that she feels there are times when i can be, but it hasn't gotten to a point where it has bothered her. i wish i could have shown her more support for her idea, she said she was upset that when she told me about it i wasn't enthusiastic, but i guess right now it just feels so hard.

when i have work, i feel fulfilled and busy, but when i have free time i don't know what to do. i have met other foreigners here, but they all seem to want to spend money on going out and drinking, and i am trying to save up for life next year with my girlfriend. i just feel so alone right now, and being seperated from my girlfriend, my family, and my friends back home is taking its toll on me. Any advice on what to do? is this a normal phase? will i get stronger? how can i show her that i support her in everything she does, just as she has always shown her support for me? any advice would be great, i really don't want this relationship to be hurt by the distance. the thought of messing this up just tears me up inside, so i really need some help. thanks!

rodger

Iwate Swan 7: Saturday Shopping

Hey gang, so this week's Iwate Swan video is out. It is a shopping video, and I hope you enjoy. This is a longer episode, I don't normally like my videos to get this long, but I thought the content was pretty good and justified the longer length.

Going to Sendai over the break here to visit Tokyo Luke! That should be really fun, I haven't seen him in over a year now. So, that will of course be filmed and I am thinking that video will come out in early October (as the next 2 videos are already filmed).

So now I'm down to 91 days until I go back home for winter break and see my girlfriend. From 141 days to 91... wow that number is just getting smaller and smaller! Actually it was going to be 148 days at first, then it was 143 days for a while, but we got the plane tickets and arranged for me to return earlier than we originally planned... nice haha.

Well, I am just listening to Pet Shop Boys here and enjoying a nice evening in (as usual). Another work week done, and now silver week is upon us. Hope everyone is doing well. More updates to come soon. Probably more musings on how time is passing and how I am doing in my long distance relationship haha. It helps to just release the feelings out into the open. But things are great and we are stronger than ever. Amazing how this experience has colored my life in Japan this time around. More on that in a later blog (and video).
rodger