tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121405662024-03-07T15:53:35.610+09:00PeggsNot much about not muchpopitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04172568188392638570noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12140566.post-85391614884094667872007-07-31T10:52:00.000+09:002007-07-31T13:42:28.469+09:00done and dustedsurprise surprise - i am back. lying in bed, cooled by the air-con, cicadas drowning out the usual din of traffic outside our little space. first day of a long holiday.<br /><br />as a vague connection to my last post, lots has happened, though not much time has passed and i continue the surprises....<br /><br />my last day at work has come and gone - along with a fairly enjoyable leaving do and a little too much beer. more good pressies and requests to keep in touch. ready to move on now (right now!)<br /><br />sunday saw shako "fishing". this involved wading through the mud of a large river-bed at low tide to a spot on the waters edge to meet the "master" - a weathered beaten Kurashiki local and an expert on these ugly little crustaceans.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQZzN_Cvcx4GbATzIHmCR5srjm7fU-ThkOqzswt2lkD5ylpvfktOdv738P_ERrpArnKJfR9TJp36-njErskM3VKHa-DtIO-MOtBuowwZsGDNARZrDWaGfbCJDNvw9wOJTTXwS8eg/s1600-h/shako1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQZzN_Cvcx4GbATzIHmCR5srjm7fU-ThkOqzswt2lkD5ylpvfktOdv738P_ERrpArnKJfR9TJp36-njErskM3VKHa-DtIO-MOtBuowwZsGDNARZrDWaGfbCJDNvw9wOJTTXwS8eg/s320/shako1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5093185180807389890" border="0" /></a><br />we proceeded to tempt the poor little things from their cozy holes with traditional Japanese calligraphy brushes attached to sticks. grabbing the two front pincers when they appeared at the entrance and gently pulling them out and into a waiting basket.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU1hoopy-JN09g8g1WBL9ekUzI2Wnudt2j8uPGlZgDYB4S94pq-8kSNfHRENWDEKrc7AD-une4PVt2YDFCODEty3mw9IxJMpImFDm4tGaeL7rKptgScTTy4eLZh1HD__BolBP6NA/s1600-h/shako2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU1hoopy-JN09g8g1WBL9ekUzI2Wnudt2j8uPGlZgDYB4S94pq-8kSNfHRENWDEKrc7AD-une4PVt2YDFCODEty3mw9IxJMpImFDm4tGaeL7rKptgScTTy4eLZh1HD__BolBP6NA/s200/shako2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5093191382740165442" border="0" /></a><br />our fun was interrupted by the mother of all rain storms and after hiding under the inadequate shelter of a road bridge we called it a day and headed back to the master's house for a BBQ. after a trip with the red-light-running host for the day, we were glad to get settled round a bubbling pot of oil for shako-tenpura and the warmth of a mini-bonfire.<br />this was followed by a snack/chat/firework session with some locals, cute kids and friends. a thoroughly enjoyable day that surprised us all.<br /><br />monday saw a "family musical" reproduction of Les Miserables. it was our first trip into the main Okayama Symphony Hall - filled mostly with little girls, their handbags and mothers.<br />we lasted until the interval - what appeared to be Fantine frantically masturbating under the bedsheets in what should have been her death scene was the "climax" for us....<br />in a sage reviewers words "it wasn't bad. it just..... wasn't good."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-piA8x_mNfNG3VT1dUNeTj-8h85ddEPLywWcuLEPmXmwoZnE5XxksBtwIGjm3ZmP8x2I0-gjfBc808ZTyAGdanxuZwut3ss7rTWfgNt_bQ6C0rCduuXIolin13kYAYzqiPAnIxg/s1600-h/lesmiserables113sm5.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 0px 0px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-piA8x_mNfNG3VT1dUNeTj-8h85ddEPLywWcuLEPmXmwoZnE5XxksBtwIGjm3ZmP8x2I0-gjfBc808ZTyAGdanxuZwut3ss7rTWfgNt_bQ6C0rCduuXIolin13kYAYzqiPAnIxg/s200/lesmiserables113sm5.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5093187044823196434" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSThmE6OJSG0nHcmBOAMvor7a7AeKtHM43NC6Kwfr7O9RcZJrrhGCjekyUNj1xmY5a-Q8jBI0DFkZI8m7cw5Mz_obcW7Y7StN-5Dl1GtpYGF0_6xFl1mVyqwlP3OADX-NoPLH9Qw/s1600-h/lesmiserables114yv5.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0px 0px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSThmE6OJSG0nHcmBOAMvor7a7AeKtHM43NC6Kwfr7O9RcZJrrhGCjekyUNj1xmY5a-Q8jBI0DFkZI8m7cw5Mz_obcW7Y7StN-5Dl1GtpYGF0_6xFl1mVyqwlP3OADX-NoPLH9Qw/s200/lesmiserables114yv5.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5093195497318835026" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPeWL1YbIqr2aofef3yxFGIaZekQPkD6TlI8HXP1ryMWk4XGTeH4uRGrTSN_hq8nkoeWp21xpSvlqmLGSlYlQZlkkKo-huXPCxo-Seck8pEXo5OtrIZnarRzl6EMaz7hO6YhRs6A/s1600-h/lesmiserables112fe0.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 0px 0px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPeWL1YbIqr2aofef3yxFGIaZekQPkD6TlI8HXP1ryMWk4XGTeH4uRGrTSN_hq8nkoeWp21xpSvlqmLGSlYlQZlkkKo-huXPCxo-Seck8pEXo5OtrIZnarRzl6EMaz7hO6YhRs6A/s200/lesmiserables112fe0.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5093188118565020466" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ykAu_dtFWQxZJI1i0luDyd6_eA2C2zMYChAA4asF8Ae8vDeoT0OtQo0PBKEI6yCHRZE6B0q6NFdg1U6iGEkHDEFpnlaHosUjSGCxG9exPwfLclZ7B08l65-9qcAR8kTiTzt3rA/s1600-h/lesmiserables111bp6.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0px 0px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ykAu_dtFWQxZJI1i0luDyd6_eA2C2zMYChAA4asF8Ae8vDeoT0OtQo0PBKEI6yCHRZE6B0q6NFdg1U6iGEkHDEFpnlaHosUjSGCxG9exPwfLclZ7B08l65-9qcAR8kTiTzt3rA/s200/lesmiserables111bp6.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5093195763606807394" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />having done a little search on the webbage i now realise that this performance was far more commercially driven than we first thought.<br />the event was sponsored by a supermarket and a home store.<br />the edited story comes from an anime series that has been running for some time and no doubt has many a product tie-in. oh, the wonderful artistic world of japan.<br /><br />still, we got our tickets for free.popitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04172568188392638570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12140566.post-81453200862276020932007-07-25T18:00:00.000+09:002007-07-25T18:40:24.830+09:00faster than the speed of cheese12 little days left after today. and only 3 of those days are at work!! zipping by it is.<br /><br />feeling a touch sad - i'm a seasoned "goodbye" sayer having done it on numerous occasion during my time here. but hearing about my little students getting home and crying because they won't see me again makes me feel a little funny. still - a quick letter to said student with my address enclosed should do the trick.<br /><br />however, i'm also well aware that give it 3 or 4 weeks and it will be "greg who??"<br /><br />have been getting some goodbye pressies too - only had two days of my last week and have already got two t-shirts (one i won't be wearing/one i might) and a jimbe:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHGkQrOAAqedJy4bUsRkNUfNRqtmM7dm_OtwRuvcQ9F_9NIRnC-MPqJWvG_aplScj0qdUdDngV5PaLp3iobiYrhZO_Unad_9vJeMUZHLgBLqcqGIVydCwtEK1-W70BgUC1EnKIYw/s1600-h/jimbe.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHGkQrOAAqedJy4bUsRkNUfNRqtmM7dm_OtwRuvcQ9F_9NIRnC-MPqJWvG_aplScj0qdUdDngV5PaLp3iobiYrhZO_Unad_9vJeMUZHLgBLqcqGIVydCwtEK1-W70BgUC1EnKIYw/s320/jimbe.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5091061753271214770" border="0" /></a><br />something i would never really buy myself but am very happy to have as a gift/souvenir. mine is a little brighter with a less than tasteful design but nevermind....<br /><br />hair is all chopped off - done by an expert hand at "Rough" hair salon.<br />money is transferred.<br />boxes are sent.<br />bags are in the process of being packed.<br /><br />not sure i'll have much more to blog about before i leave but with a free week to do as i please, maybe the urge will take me again....<br /><br />otherwise it'll be stateside bloggage!popitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04172568188392638570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12140566.post-40087384373078621762007-07-18T18:44:00.000+09:002007-07-19T11:59:56.944+09:00ooh err!Even after three years here in Japan it is still a country that continues to confound and surprise me. A plethora of odd stories in the news, from grisly murders to blatant political corruption via a few crazy new technologies always keeps me reading avidly.<br /><br />However, on a more personal note, this weekend we discovered what appeared to be a shop with a large selection of full-on Gay Manga Porn!!<br /><br />Now, for a - dare i say it - extremely homophobic country, this came as somewhat of a surprise.... we flicked through quite a few of the books and although mostly text, there were certainly a fair few drawings of the man-on-man variety. The fully illustrated ones were wrapped up tight in cellophane but from what we saw the standard Japanese pixellation of the naughty bits still applies here.<br /><br />Here are a few examples of the front covers:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytXSnYW4MV0qnYFZuoxPNsPv1xN-I1c0blOdlQPsxHGyGwrIV14ITUnbn2TyRTpGkD54I9Tb45sNX13xcxalkUHzLlqOqLQ6ZA9jyewnB8jzcGlCK8T4Cki7V-mi1wz2A6VlGZQ/s1600-h/man1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgytXSnYW4MV0qnYFZuoxPNsPv1xN-I1c0blOdlQPsxHGyGwrIV14ITUnbn2TyRTpGkD54I9Tb45sNX13xcxalkUHzLlqOqLQ6ZA9jyewnB8jzcGlCK8T4Cki7V-mi1wz2A6VlGZQ/s320/man1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5088736154327250418" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjycYaAj76xMLh-ZYAY2X7F3Ypes1AjgEiZvYOe-oaTnGyRv3JZFyIBfADCSk5255BX8rDg3IGabv2q7Z4TMsnl3AXgxt8fXlwof0FC9FCV9LTE_ORYJG7r961tutZFU5SinBcJNg/s1600-h/man3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjycYaAj76xMLh-ZYAY2X7F3Ypes1AjgEiZvYOe-oaTnGyRv3JZFyIBfADCSk5255BX8rDg3IGabv2q7Z4TMsnl3AXgxt8fXlwof0FC9FCV9LTE_ORYJG7r961tutZFU5SinBcJNg/s320/man3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5088736566644110866" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWlAnFqJGnsNeRUpcMQcOdgXF-Acif6hRDpVawC-dwdtBU99NV8h4z9PtdCjUGVQSzKWoaUSfoxeCvRXtDCTDbzdACQxfoSVUvmcl2vU-epr3x_7UlYc2c5Ib7RhC1Hi8zWUqD9Q/s1600-h/man2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWlAnFqJGnsNeRUpcMQcOdgXF-Acif6hRDpVawC-dwdtBU99NV8h4z9PtdCjUGVQSzKWoaUSfoxeCvRXtDCTDbzdACQxfoSVUvmcl2vU-epr3x_7UlYc2c5Ib7RhC1Hi8zWUqD9Q/s320/man2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5088736373370582530" border="0" /></a><br />Down boy!popitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04172568188392638570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12140566.post-72287042674144717632007-06-27T18:30:00.000+09:002007-06-27T21:49:16.730+09:00it's the end of the world....<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkb_dXoK1rbqcSep17gfiU9FFHxcJvvXz7en1Hqo_UDAW2hsxX7dmUhK_dd_sFE_-jH_BtuIfa3lnMkvrNBhH7z5TQC4tv8aHVmyQwSESV_1BGd2OxxllFFckrfv160CEWhk77VQ/s1600-h/sunni-set.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkb_dXoK1rbqcSep17gfiU9FFHxcJvvXz7en1Hqo_UDAW2hsxX7dmUhK_dd_sFE_-jH_BtuIfa3lnMkvrNBhH7z5TQC4tv8aHVmyQwSESV_1BGd2OxxllFFckrfv160CEWhk77VQ/s320/sunni-set.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080724137452135522" border="0" /></a><br />well, not really - just the end of my time in Japan.<br /><br />I have just 4 1/2 weeks of work left and 5 1/2 until the big day:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">home time</span> (via an extended holiday with my baby in San Francisco).<br /><br />We are waiting on the visa as the final part of the plan, so every digit is crossed and all wood is being touched....<br /><br />I am definitely feeling "over" Japan but not in any particularly emotional way - after all the ups and downs over the past three years it will just be a relief to leave.<br />One last trip to the old hometown of Hiroshima is planned for the 海の日 weekend - a Cafe Spice treat and some farewells are on the cards.<br /><br />Got some great things planned for SF and will be so excited to get on that plane! Here's counting.....<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4kBGc53KTX1pK8M92gB5ZNuaSd_rJXHx37WZf9ARwh_r-80UfoOMXV_HAiprmLK76EOoYSzXZGjNDd9nQfiIPO9wHfmimof_VVQSNHxA3X1WDBmI2I2w_nKYytu8r5RX2inHg2Q/s1600-h/flight.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4kBGc53KTX1pK8M92gB5ZNuaSd_rJXHx37WZf9ARwh_r-80UfoOMXV_HAiprmLK76EOoYSzXZGjNDd9nQfiIPO9wHfmimof_VVQSNHxA3X1WDBmI2I2w_nKYytu8r5RX2inHg2Q/s320/flight.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5080677962258736210" border="0" /></a>popitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04172568188392638570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12140566.post-2802915438858488582007-05-18T18:07:00.000+09:002007-05-19T10:11:39.862+09:00millions of peaches, peaches for me...millions of peaches, peaches for free .... not in Japan.<br />Check out the price of these little babies:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK1pXZCWLf1kHkAOjt-ulcMsrewrDlc2NlHvTDDkhxzCaeixj9UcJiE5dSY6xxgCiohOqufSr8uAEYiDcu-Q3tOUkosn7olR3ypZ_Y2SWucwaiXRZj_J2dWEQfckYgLTJNuUTz6w/s1600-h/peach.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK1pXZCWLf1kHkAOjt-ulcMsrewrDlc2NlHvTDDkhxzCaeixj9UcJiE5dSY6xxgCiohOqufSr8uAEYiDcu-Q3tOUkosn7olR3ypZ_Y2SWucwaiXRZj_J2dWEQfckYgLTJNuUTz6w/s320/peach.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5066071406983577250" border="0" /></a>or for those of you without a magnifying glass:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDWO2F7Ke3eXxiPCzi_FB6sXlOg4U0n6XjfWqgiHyzD3xs_JygGq1pRhL85yvofgoj_sOVywTE7AQuVdqD-oGE2Z8nUG7KvVZ91DdSO7uUSbCwcII0Jd8nxIO0lfJThmSNNTMdQg/s1600-h/peach2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDWO2F7Ke3eXxiPCzi_FB6sXlOg4U0n6XjfWqgiHyzD3xs_JygGq1pRhL85yvofgoj_sOVywTE7AQuVdqD-oGE2Z8nUG7KvVZ91DdSO7uUSbCwcII0Jd8nxIO0lfJThmSNNTMdQg/s320/peach2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5066071656091680434" border="0" /></a><br />In real money that price should read 40.97 pounds! for 9 peaches!popitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04172568188392638570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12140566.post-68502619121869684632007-04-13T18:02:00.000+09:002007-04-13T18:32:37.419+09:00Oh! hanamiSo another week has flown by....<br /><br />We 'did' a little <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanami">hanami</a> last weekend. <a href="http://www.city.okayama.okayama.jp/museum/korakuen-shiki/main/top.htm">Korakuen</a> was the main venue and despite a little rain we had a pleasant picnic on the grass with some yaki-soba and chu-hais.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdyeUZ5ECY5cTCsKZZzFKZ6RLSPV4MDuxl6Osomz3w_pDbIXmiNPOq3N1o5o7Tw1a9VuA7m38PbGcMM_ch087kbCwK4YEG6_xvtgsYY0oB2YIdPH_chzaOaZbeD-16qpEa2KgoDw/s1600-h/blossom_gnr.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdyeUZ5ECY5cTCsKZZzFKZ6RLSPV4MDuxl6Osomz3w_pDbIXmiNPOq3N1o5o7Tw1a9VuA7m38PbGcMM_ch087kbCwK4YEG6_xvtgsYY0oB2YIdPH_chzaOaZbeD-16qpEa2KgoDw/s320/blossom_gnr.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5052837929724876786" border="0" /></a><br />There were a number of wedding photo sessions taking place - I felt a little voyeuristic hovering behind the real photographer but I fired off a few shots as I wasn't the only one spying.<br />For once it made me wish my beloved camera was digital so that I didn't risk taking too many crap shots.<br />I do like the not-knowing and the wait before flicking through the prints to see how everything came out.... but maybe my last big purchase in Japan will be a brand spanking new digi camera. I've got my eye on a couple of little beauties so who knows....<br /><br />With the absence of any quality broadcasting on JTV we usually resort to renting a big load of DVDs for our viewing pleasure. But just recently, we have discovered this little gem - <a href="http://www.tv-links.co.uk/">TVLinks</a> - it is packed with goodies and we have gourged ourselves on a diet of disposable USTV.<br />America's Next Top Model, American Idol, My Name is Earl, South Park, and CSI to name but a few....<br />The last week has seen me hooked on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heroes_%28TV_series%29">Heroes</a> - now I'm not usually a comic/sci-fi geek but I've really enjoyed the 18 episodes so far....<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU-6BRApqDM_iLIJiA4GDD8BtYSp_iL-SjSVAN_N00Zp0_zdy7btI41itzwlGDJCx54rudGPAQX-OXFLcRlCIcBaGF871B1TNTKnU8Ey0tBs1yl7indQhfmulBnQz4rR1nOhbppg/s1600-h/Heroes_Claire.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU-6BRApqDM_iLIJiA4GDD8BtYSp_iL-SjSVAN_N00Zp0_zdy7btI41itzwlGDJCx54rudGPAQX-OXFLcRlCIcBaGF871B1TNTKnU8Ey0tBs1yl7indQhfmulBnQz4rR1nOhbppg/s200/Heroes_Claire.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5052841009216428034" border="0" /></a>.... and hope my new favourite website gets the links to the upcoming episodes some time soon.<br /><br />In other news:<br />saving - going OK.<br />hair length - getting longer.<br />tokyo - done.<br />fitness - getting better.<br /><br />Two years to this very day that I started this lowly blog!!popitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04172568188392638570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12140566.post-27508816563796140802007-04-06T17:29:00.003+09:002007-04-07T00:06:52.034+09:00Ahoy there! Anniversary #2In what is becoming something of a tradition on my somewhat pointless blog - it is now time for another pirate picture.<br /><br />Yes, I have been scouring my photos from the past year and, as is tradition, I will post a picture of myself looking stupid once more....<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwMdi9AAdvcFKngs658yGS9FlbGsbeNAXZgcD1sGgUiwi3vgDX6_VUK_zA8UeElTnC6tO8EE48vPHN0BrfCmPxymow12O6z7M_hcBRplsL4ExvsmbgLBLBtF0SS73c8bC571-big/s1600-h/PA280072.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwMdi9AAdvcFKngs658yGS9FlbGsbeNAXZgcD1sGgUiwi3vgDX6_VUK_zA8UeElTnC6tO8EE48vPHN0BrfCmPxymow12O6z7M_hcBRplsL4ExvsmbgLBLBtF0SS73c8bC571-big/s320/PA280072.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5050331558863801906" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Please let this be the last year that I have this kind of picture available to post....</span>popitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04172568188392638570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12140566.post-25302393285776814642007-04-06T17:29:00.001+09:002007-04-07T00:01:21.547+09:00almost famoose - the sequelThis time it's just my favourite lady who has been enjoying another fifteen minutes of local fame.<br /><br />A promotion slot for the unmentionable corp saw her encouraging the little kids to shout "he is daddy!" and having a fun time.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4n9z5o-b6KRmk_5eEhE4Xv_v_XD90Zj6Zh9_2xd9wMTAIxMP37kkrs8nb5hL9PstKTXeS3AOm7l8DtBDWmJZqzKRaQS8ZhHxlvkavaoQQoRHnnydxAGkMaO2-1yrpVp5st_hMfg/s1600-h/ami.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4n9z5o-b6KRmk_5eEhE4Xv_v_XD90Zj6Zh9_2xd9wMTAIxMP37kkrs8nb5hL9PstKTXeS3AOm7l8DtBDWmJZqzKRaQS8ZhHxlvkavaoQQoRHnnydxAGkMaO2-1yrpVp5st_hMfg/s400/ami.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5050277334901689890" border="0" /></a><br />Followed by an unrehearsed slot where the presenter decided to catch her out with a bit of fast-firing nihongo.<br /><br />Sneaky.popitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04172568188392638570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12140566.post-57473735314650848792007-04-06T17:28:00.000+09:002007-04-06T23:55:35.031+09:00oh so tokyoSo Saturday night saw us heading to the big smoke, into the unknown realm of sprout's long lost childhood friend.<br />Would she be a coco-lulu girl; a goth; a yakuza?.... the possibilities were endless. But in the end she was nothing short of very ordinary (no offence intended!)<br />The meeting at Shinagawa was a little awkward and very brief as they headed to the tiny aparto in Harajuku and me to Shibuya for a little wander in the rain and a poor night's sleep in a capsule hotel.<br />Sunday saw "tour guide" mode but it was a packed day that we might not have completed otherwise. The highlight - watching a 22yr old orchestra '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otaku">otaku</a>' conducting an (super) orchestra, looking like he was trying to fly as he jumped and flapped his arms.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDzXQe2YG6IcNyFdw_9VHCnb8D9PntIzP9cAlsI0OyGF01OLaPMZZDYXFsAUla2wjCpU0AowK2Zas6W1_yEDxYJrcO7qPYS0BW2FNypOWxaOYRw8OIy5Lumw4f8JrrE6257BUCSw/s1600-h/music_conductor.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDzXQe2YG6IcNyFdw_9VHCnb8D9PntIzP9cAlsI0OyGF01OLaPMZZDYXFsAUla2wjCpU0AowK2Zas6W1_yEDxYJrcO7qPYS0BW2FNypOWxaOYRw8OIy5Lumw4f8JrrE6257BUCSw/s200/music_conductor.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5050233633609453042" border="0" /></a>Also included in our whistle stop tour was the new <a href="http://www.nact.jp/english/index.html">National Art Center</a>, Roppongi Hills shopping district (yuck), the cherry blossom around the Imperial Palace and a superb oden lunch in an old restaurant in Azabujuban - what looked like a really cool little area to live.<br /><br />Whilst viewing the blossom, the fact that there were probably more people than flowers was a little off-putting. To add to this, we inadvertently strayed into a festival at <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasukuni_shrine">Yasukuni shrine</a> - the cause of a whole heap of trouble between Japan and its Asian neighbours.<br /><br />The evening was spent very uncomfortably having dinner at the family's aparto, with me seemingly on trial, having to prove my credentials. The night wasn't much better, as Monday morning isn't the best time to be at a capsule - alarms going off from 5.30am never make for a good sleep.<br /><br />The morning saw another highlight though - Tsukiji fish market. In what seemed like another world, men zipped around on motorised carts, cut up huge tuna and sold all manner of strange sea food while women sat in little wooden huts counting up the bills.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRwL5iy0DiOJxKRMHVFP-Y93EwIe15IUSgxAvmPHowP4zsIRIsExXOhKZUqUS18d2t4pC5LWFcPXm2HbprytAtQE_Ez6RabbadSSgG6zDUyv0p1VeGN2iotNhSiL3vXen0EmqTbw/s1600-h/tuna.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRwL5iy0DiOJxKRMHVFP-Y93EwIe15IUSgxAvmPHowP4zsIRIsExXOhKZUqUS18d2t4pC5LWFcPXm2HbprytAtQE_Ez6RabbadSSgG6zDUyv0p1VeGN2iotNhSiL3vXen0EmqTbw/s200/tuna.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5050240299398696450" border="0" /></a>After nearly being run-over countless times we made a break back into the real (and underwhelming) world for a sushi breakfast. Yet to have the photos developed but I'm hoping for some good ones....<br /><br />Akihabara didn't throw up any strange folks to gawp at - maybe we didn't look hard enough.... Harajuku was fun with a Mexican meal nearly hitting the spot.<br /><br />All in, it was a great weekend - still feel the need to catch up on the sleep lost but hey, I've got plenty of time for that! Roll on Golden Week....popitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04172568188392638570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12140566.post-28710133308572846702007-03-30T18:07:00.000+09:002007-03-30T18:31:43.778+09:00keeping up<span style="font-style: italic;">"Through Midtown, we aim to turn Tokyo into the center of intellectual creativity for business and culture in Japan, Asia and the world."</span><br />Hiromitsu Iwasa, head of Mitsui Real Estate, <a href="http://www.tokyo-midtown.com/en/">Tokyo Midtown</a> developers.<br /><br />Providing spin on a new development that appears to be little more than offices, shops, and a hotel on top of a big tower with some random pieces of art scattered around the place.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj363J1VCkgq8HZpgzrEchNoDiZofxECXCxMAzQrrOWhxqmwHCJY9hqhaZLNqbGiIe1Gz0SYFMEFtSgn0QZr9H-OU_KwuB6KYTxhw95Qg6tmueCsEuVPQjwxU_L3eS0ooOnDNpCLw/s1600-h/mid.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj363J1VCkgq8HZpgzrEchNoDiZofxECXCxMAzQrrOWhxqmwHCJY9hqhaZLNqbGiIe1Gz0SYFMEFtSgn0QZr9H-OU_KwuB6KYTxhw95Qg6tmueCsEuVPQjwxU_L3eS0ooOnDNpCLw/s320/mid.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5047644670939533074" border="0" /></a><br />Maybe I should attempt to develop my intellectual creativity by visiting the shops this weekend.....<br /><br />or maybe not.popitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04172568188392638570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12140566.post-71300829539169982652007-03-30T11:40:00.000+09:002007-03-30T12:16:22.592+09:00....road to nowhereIn accordance with my to-do-list, I have made a flying start and been for a couple of runs. By coincidence I got a mail from my good friend Mr. Smyth who has also had his running shoes on, accompanied by his fiancee (Keri), they completed a half-marathon.... he also informed me of a few more friends (Ants/Kev) who had participated.<br /><br />It got me thinking that maybe we have reached that age where that nagging feeling of getting old gets a little stronger and the excess "muscle" around the midriff becomes that little bit harder to shift .... the obvious course of action - go jogging.<br />I will try to keep up and hopefully when I return later this year I can join them....<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0q29OG1bzMVXRiD4Z0KPnzQfQiNZqZ5ptXIMtSJGgjdDmAB38GeWfAbwbjdA-31foBZxdcImrMJ8fsMu-t0PkvhzEiD5oX6upIXJUaFSAEnrx2PUnzM-T4E_HHBvV45fpAq0zQ/s1600-h/pre-race250.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0q29OG1bzMVXRiD4Z0KPnzQfQiNZqZ5ptXIMtSJGgjdDmAB38GeWfAbwbjdA-31foBZxdcImrMJ8fsMu-t0PkvhzEiD5oX6upIXJUaFSAEnrx2PUnzM-T4E_HHBvV45fpAq0zQ/s320/pre-race250.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5047547372750409458" border="0" /></a><br />Tokyo is still on for tomorrow.... not sure what I'm going to do there but anyways....<br /><br />In my music news, I have belatedly discovered The Shins who are jolly good. Also, if you like mono-browed men with guitars 'Tigress' and 'Captain Badass' by <a href="http://www.secretlycanadian.com/artist.php?name=songsohia">Songs: Ohia</a> are great!popitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04172568188392638570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12140566.post-60387852764408273982007-03-23T18:09:00.000+09:002007-03-23T18:51:54.398+09:00to do. to do.To do in the near future (or at my rate - before I leave Japan) ....<br /><br />fun tings:<br />1. learn to skate better (yes i am aware of my age)<br />2. grow my hair as long as i can (before i get too annoyed and chop it)<br />3. trip to Tokyo (may be my last)<br />4. trip to Shikoku (first and likely only)<br /><br />less fun tings:<br />1. save. save. save.<br />2. keep/get fit<br />3. get my Japanese vocab level back up to what it was over a year ago<br />4. throw out old things and ship home new things<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtb2XpYV40NLHrZ8NvZLMxwZzOTh4zO7slJLZLHhkwagXWjoMDTcrZYzgyVYyGblqzKMRgeX6YBDxMogRv-mQAuFDM35nch52XxEh6Z2X7MHzuzp16-hq5eg2vs_wyyW-7LxbzCg/s1600-h/Skaterboy.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtb2XpYV40NLHrZ8NvZLMxwZzOTh4zO7slJLZLHhkwagXWjoMDTcrZYzgyVYyGblqzKMRgeX6YBDxMogRv-mQAuFDM35nch52XxEh6Z2X7MHzuzp16-hq5eg2vs_wyyW-7LxbzCg/s200/Skaterboy.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045051346818663650" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRXFuoqjnKM-FNQtRhvzftzjMWTKgN5i3Yx-cbKJK8pPynJhS9zZw9i_KVggCdKAoVnn0T11gSbtkFVPmfBKMJjrs6rTB74SsUTsUifd8ntr7k_do5ANNHQaCcPXoXPIXRgO75w/s1600-h/070323-181640.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkRXFuoqjnKM-FNQtRhvzftzjMWTKgN5i3Yx-cbKJK8pPynJhS9zZw9i_KVggCdKAoVnn0T11gSbtkFVPmfBKMJjrs6rTB74SsUTsUifd8ntr7k_do5ANNHQaCcPXoXPIXRgO75w/s200/070323-181640.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5045053631741265138" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />hmmm.... fairly straightforward, lets see if I can do them all.popitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04172568188392638570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12140566.post-47617166066981169332007-03-21T16:13:00.000+09:002007-03-21T16:53:28.562+09:00がんばる!Had my preconceived notion of a hard day's work Japan-style somewhat blown out of the water after helping out with some local theatre peeps.<br /><br />The plan (conceived via email) was for a full day from 10am until 8pm helping to construct the set for the upcoming coming play "Voices". Sprout has been involved from the start, designing costume concepts and regularly attending rehearsals. But this was my first forray into the theatre world....<br /><br />Having dragged ourselves out of bed at the ungodly hour of 9am and hot-footed it over to the otherside of Okayama City, we met up with Yama-chan (standard issue cheeky-chappy in charge of building) and the other workers (total 6).<br /><br />After a 30min trip out into the inaka we pulled into a cool old-style Japanese country house and had a little explore. Once doors were opened, sheets unfurled and wood placed, it was nigh-on 11am. After the obligatory (teeth-grindingly awkward) personal intros we checked the plans and set to work around 11.30am....<br /><br />After a whole 30mins work, Yama-chan informed us it was lunchtime.... we were stopping before we had even begun! We all piled into his station wagon and zipped off to a nearby town for a hanbaagu ranchi - very nice too.<br /><br />Post-lunch shopping for some supplies meant we returned and restarted around 2pm. We then put in approximately 1hr30mins "hard graft" and were then informed it was time for ice-cream at a nearby farm.... A choco-chip gelato cone (made from fresh milk) later, we cleared away the little work we had completed and prepared to head home....<br />As 5pm approached, we departed - those who were interested could go on to a dress rehearsal, those who weren't could leave!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5BQmMykeU-SPsAhTYdu464CMTP2xWQvRVU8Egbo4yK6MPrUWpJoafgota3d6c4aFbZHe9wqNRvLNi1lXgWBkJVw-kMwh4euqdfgw9XjJ-GAbVrquxwqXojm8ExT0Oi6zEgoOLHA/s1600-h/snailpace.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5BQmMykeU-SPsAhTYdu464CMTP2xWQvRVU8Egbo4yK6MPrUWpJoafgota3d6c4aFbZHe9wqNRvLNi1lXgWBkJVw-kMwh4euqdfgw9XjJ-GAbVrquxwqXojm8ExT0Oi6zEgoOLHA/s320/snailpace.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5044280112426222738" border="0" /></a><br />So, for the day:<br />hours spent working: 2<br />hours spent otherwise: 7 <br /><br />I like that ratio!<br /><br />It was all great fun, but I really hope that they are putting in extra hours this week to complete everything as it was so far from that when we left....<br /><br />Am looking forward to seeing the play this weekend and trying to spot the bits of the stage I might have had a hand in making!!popitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04172568188392638570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12140566.post-90246631674602527702007-03-09T14:17:00.000+09:002007-03-09T14:34:13.591+09:00Almost FamooseAs another month has flown by (with more ups and downs) I have been spending too much time playing around with my blog and not actually posting anything.... I just don't think I'm cut out to be a computer programmer/designer - all this html is too confusing.... I think I'll just let it be.<br /><br />We have been in a few more "the only foreigners" situations with a trip to the theatre to see an interesting but over-long play about hell - all in Japanese. This required a huge amount of concentration but was worth it for some of the funnier moments....<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimUOXT7dWO-Pk2NwvG_A-VICvPamhxSvI0sxZDkUqLRvcfEoQ5u2GeL6paA9XxOqCQbJb09RQhqiuhhxiA_ABHTDEX1h8znMZMdSkUnVdGuF5mEQUnqu9zVS0sFJFqvYFLnF6uwg/s1600-h/higashijima-top3.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimUOXT7dWO-Pk2NwvG_A-VICvPamhxSvI0sxZDkUqLRvcfEoQ5u2GeL6paA9XxOqCQbJb09RQhqiuhhxiA_ABHTDEX1h8znMZMdSkUnVdGuF5mEQUnqu9zVS0sFJFqvYFLnF6uwg/s320/higashijima-top3.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5039791560031171442" border="0" /></a><br />We also visited the above exhibition (Tsuyoshi Higashijima) and had fun running in front of the paintings to make them come alive. We were spotted by a museum curator and quickly had our photo snapped - our historic visit was to be logged on the museum's website diary.... Follow this <a href="http://www.pref.okayama.jp/seikatsu/kenbi/higashijima_curator-diary2-4.html">link</a> to view evidence of our local fame.... my back and sprout's profile whilst chatting.popitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04172568188392638570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12140566.post-82426027436353746492007-02-22T12:12:00.000+09:002007-02-22T17:32:51.691+09:00え-? vs. eh?My current slightly jaded view of Japan led me down the slippery slope to viewing the <a href="http://www.gaijinpot.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">gaijinpot</span></a> forums. A group of more cynical individuals you are unlikely to find. Most - the few giving useful information aside - are frothing at the mouth at the imminent demise of either NOVA, unfortunate foreigners with police problems or visa <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">overstayers</span>, to name but a few.<br />The website did help me find my current job, so I'm not knocking the site itself. I have learned a lot and the bubble I must have been living in - namely Hiroshima - has well and truly burst.<br />Its posters/readers - in what seems to be an all too common trend in the foreign community here (from first and second-hand experience) - are people so keen that others fail (or at least face real difficulties) in order that they may gloat over the juicy details.<br />This attitude also morphs itself into railing against Japan and all its problems. This bitterness comes from I know not where... being here too long? a run of unfortunate events? real/perceived discrimination?<br />In some cases it is justified though - namely the reaction to the recently published <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">manga</span>-style comic "Secret Files of Foreigners' Crimes":<br /><br /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULiQSEg5uasUq3dbhsuCDR5Rj2zhTANcx-nLJb4xX-QQY1susRFgdbo-GQoo0it2CjUM1xj2tEmmoN-gORwO8rqyE_kKGZtzanot6CF_zoyEVril_OulE5Y4C3KhVjIVMYrMDMA/s320/Japanesemagazine372.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5034202775728960082" border="0" />"外人どもに日本お蹂躙させていいのか!!”<br />Translate as "Should we let those damn <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">gaijin</span> trample all over Japan?!"<br />It is an insulting, racist/xenophobic rant that people are quite rightly disgusted by.<br /><br />Is it a change in me or in Japan at present? A good question.<br /><br />Making a small comparison, here are some sample headlines from crime reports - BBC News UK Edition vs. Japan Today:<br /><br />"Girl watches pet mauled to death"<br />"Father of seven in breach of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Asbo</span>"<br />"Police identify 169 London gangs"<br />"Life for samurai sword murderer"<br />"Uncle in court over toddler death"<br /><br />"Elderly couple found murdered in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Saitama</span> home"<br />"Woman indicted for murdering husband, dumping body parts"<br />"Woman gets suspended term for stealing, killing French bulldog"<br />"Police raid offices of mobster group over fatal shooting"<br />"<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">JAL</span> passenger threatens crew with knife, then flees terminal in Kagoshima"<br /><br />No in-depth analysis required and journalistic bias aside, I'm not sure it's the foreigners that Japan should be worrying about. Just thought it was an interesting snapshot of my two countries.<br /><br />No more <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">gaijinpot</span> forums and a more positive outlook for me!!!popitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04172568188392638570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12140566.post-24103621671045035222007-02-04T14:38:00.000+09:002007-02-04T15:17:33.866+09:00...come home.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNlP5qAeOj6YsgUqQhTIraLVoclvWf8qBT3vIKX00S2x3TeCBBcDBHlv7lz4khX18tBoa_18bDT1nk02K0u0_TddD5P6-GCqLVLBjutL35cUqY3aqamWFZq5du4_y1PqWBJa6cqg/s1600-h/home.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNlP5qAeOj6YsgUqQhTIraLVoclvWf8qBT3vIKX00S2x3TeCBBcDBHlv7lz4khX18tBoa_18bDT1nk02K0u0_TddD5P6-GCqLVLBjutL35cUqY3aqamWFZq5du4_y1PqWBJa6cqg/s320/home.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5027555536858296786" /></a><br />Been on a downer this week.<br />It kicked off with a discriminatory police stop with no basis and left me itching to do something about it. But to borrow a description from the card "we" all carry - "aliens" (registered or not) really have no standing. <br /><br />Live with it/ignore it/get on with it/if you don't like it, go home/it's the culture/it comes with the job - are a few of the maxims offered up. <br />Still got to me though and I've been here two and a half years....a bit of temporary Japan sickness me thinks. <br /><br />Derrida got one over on me too. Finished two out of eight chapters - not bad for a first timer! The library due date and a feeling that I'm out of my depth are sending me to replace the book with something more manageable. <br /><br />However, all is well now. Last night was a fun-filled occasion with steaks, bear sauce, and mini-champagne. Today - breakfast in bed and blogs with my baby.<br /><br />With the return of sprout, all negative thoughts are fading fast, being replaced by plans for the future, and studies online (if possible).popitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04172568188392638570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12140566.post-72316188604546788922007-01-23T22:15:00.000+09:002007-01-24T00:25:25.736+09:00This is hardcoreHello blog. It's been a month or so.<br />Christmas was cool, as much as it could be, being cut short by a brief return to work for my loved one. We had a great day and I got some amazing presents based around the central theme of my advancing years.... <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15Fu76_184_UHrmEHorrtHIJggVZhqBoDbAiYfd9sIFpI8k4CMKA5oaUs9ldC5wLzdaUyWBs-DIqSNGsnNqfkQl10VX5747ANcr654a6-7HEFvUM-dr9Fw7aPSvhSV15pIhZRUg/s1600-h/images.jpeg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi15Fu76_184_UHrmEHorrtHIJggVZhqBoDbAiYfd9sIFpI8k4CMKA5oaUs9ldC5wLzdaUyWBs-DIqSNGsnNqfkQl10VX5747ANcr654a6-7HEFvUM-dr9Fw7aPSvhSV15pIhZRUg/s320/images.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5023236502385173458" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />an awesome Orient watch being one of the highlights.<br /><br />As hinted at before, spontaneous travel is not the easiest thing to do during one of the main holiday periods in Japan. Our, all be it slight, plans to go to Hokkaido were scuppered by weather, time, money and other tourists. However, after a flurry of phone calls and last minute checking, we aimed for a relatively untravelled part - namely Wakayama-ken.<br /><br />Seishun 18 kippus being purchased we stopped off in the old favourite, Osaka, and had nearly enough Mexican food to prevent us squeezing into our capsules! Onwards, to <a href="http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirahama_(Wakayama)">Shirahama</a> (a useful description to practice your Dutch) and after a drunken night of stripping and poker, we had a lovely sunny day to hit the deserted beach and take snaps-a-plenty.<br /><br />Numerous local stations later we made the Shingu/Hongu connection and after garbled phone calls, were whisked away to our minshuku - "Kumanose" - for a New Year's Eve feast. We were staying in an old g'ma & g'pa's house near the town of Watarase, with a perfect little onsen by the river. The New Year's sunrise was seen in, chatting over the fence in the fast disappearing darkness and hugging-up in our standard issue robes. It was the best New Year's ever.<br /><br />After more and more food, we headed out on our heels to visit an open-air hot spring - dug out of a riverbed!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMTbHs9VMyP2CoqVHUkwzcQGoqbk07Siw8CeZkTcvSnPWELvlddLTB6SxTLNy_EMDgmx7P9PxCheIc8aLneJVuv6eZ_naOOZwi73jMBiKEkaSuv8nUJfGjA9FSfm7AhAPgkqmfsw/s1600-h/03-4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMTbHs9VMyP2CoqVHUkwzcQGoqbk07Siw8CeZkTcvSnPWELvlddLTB6SxTLNy_EMDgmx7P9PxCheIc8aLneJVuv6eZ_naOOZwi73jMBiKEkaSuv8nUJfGjA9FSfm7AhAPgkqmfsw/s320/03-4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5023236210327397314" /></a><br />There were a few more locals than in the above picture but it was "pants optional" and just great. We spent hours floating, relaxing and chatting.<br /><br />The weather turned nasty to see us off but the memories are all good. <br />We returned via Osaka, more great places to go out and hit home a little train-sick but exhilarated.<br /><br />Having to go our separate ways again is pure poop. Though Okayama is revealing more treasures the longer we are here - my latest discovery was this little gem, tucked away in a corner of the city center:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0fqV8I1Pzx3skkdI-6PoS_bmmwzIJFIW5ccQWz766dxtZscV5j0coWbKd_-SsQxz5xCse7wrYvrFH8AQ2haDiexyPKdm7vlgkzjV9kvIB0R4b1nInKt0gL7Tmi3dMAGUubNUNVg/s1600-h/070123-221108.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0fqV8I1Pzx3skkdI-6PoS_bmmwzIJFIW5ccQWz766dxtZscV5j0coWbKd_-SsQxz5xCse7wrYvrFH8AQ2haDiexyPKdm7vlgkzjV9kvIB0R4b1nInKt0gL7Tmi3dMAGUubNUNVg/s320/070123-221108.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5023237327018894306" /></a><br />for those of you not yet reading your katakana - the name: HAADO PORUNO CINEMA. Complete with nude posters and sketchy curtains it's so tempting.... or not. <br /><br />For now, I have decided to try and expand my mind until my sprout returns. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Derrida">Jacques Derrida</a>'s musings are the first to tackle. I am on top of the first page but it might be downhill from there....<br /><br />Oh well, back to being a lonely man for the near future. Goodnight all.popitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04172568188392638570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12140566.post-28288847443149034352006-12-22T18:06:00.000+09:002006-12-22T18:54:30.508+09:00The big 3 O(h) dear...Yesterday was my birthday. It was spent in less than ideal circumstances but nevermind. I share this wonderful day with a host of unlikely characters that appear to include the following:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiok4DBl_ue4bJSdyURVWMU8LxgxQpLny9CORjFzUVsa5o1f5nmileEtEOlkDjuH77mbikNX88M7ysKiWrMq128Zv7-JpDQq1hpEzTahCwEJsHfPVVMjF1edNhXnCtFNc_d_LxU-A/s1600-h/1221_bday.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiok4DBl_ue4bJSdyURVWMU8LxgxQpLny9CORjFzUVsa5o1f5nmileEtEOlkDjuH77mbikNX88M7ysKiWrMq128Zv7-JpDQq1hpEzTahCwEJsHfPVVMjF1edNhXnCtFNc_d_LxU-A/s200/1221_bday.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5011277048719271938" /></a> Josef Stalin and Vampira (Maila Nurmi)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_1WItqPqrQVq1Q3VmCOvWGhH3fsmT_GC0fF_gbFBw73Fv_tB3TiroTlgLm2sVFys_CIg_d-65Hp0vRVd8NuqbFPRb75A1uL0U-qh22moScoepUe5rRdsoEVhLTPgrGd3V7lvkiw/s1600-h/Vampiranurmi.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_1WItqPqrQVq1Q3VmCOvWGhH3fsmT_GC0fF_gbFBw73Fv_tB3TiroTlgLm2sVFys_CIg_d-65Hp0vRVd8NuqbFPRb75A1uL0U-qh22moScoepUe5rRdsoEVhLTPgrGd3V7lvkiw/s200/Vampiranurmi.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5011277491100903442" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5mleMky6QQhpWtr_Flk_9lpHpoBJc3vDT1-gxVZbV2D_C1_DKb7Wbb2Fdo7_xMQIxTJXGPJJwblhrpgXTqW495B8ZYOnW0xtcl_t2sJVen7OSdqlLuLMPw6cB0hba15LdI9K7ng/s1600-h/jf.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5mleMky6QQhpWtr_Flk_9lpHpoBJc3vDT1-gxVZbV2D_C1_DKb7Wbb2Fdo7_xMQIxTJXGPJJwblhrpgXTqW495B8ZYOnW0xtcl_t2sJVen7OSdqlLuLMPw6cB0hba15LdI9K7ng/s200/jf.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5011278182590638114" /></a>Jane Fonda and Frank Zappa<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHkyfxvy4fYAESBBxzZRwfDL11pLqEOQLxNCVn5GyJVGCJsqrIiKrP-3VTnKKWdzRZG0sQRjRQSJqIMil7r9VyR3W5SPUikZoNIzHL2TcbP_1hX9CbY70ICWERF6QIldagutATtQ/s1600-h/Frank+Zappa.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHkyfxvy4fYAESBBxzZRwfDL11pLqEOQLxNCVn5GyJVGCJsqrIiKrP-3VTnKKWdzRZG0sQRjRQSJqIMil7r9VyR3W5SPUikZoNIzHL2TcbP_1hX9CbY70ICWERF6QIldagutATtQ/s200/Frank+Zappa.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5011278397339002930" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-bGZSxuqvpDPBH7yRZCwTmgxdBzpqF1Vs1rbpXsqNjHCP3na1vYqIEjTIW5wDR79ak_MfUSrFButMHi4FMblnKUOhrB-7pWUyXWHTd-LA8Kmd9J2Mg2tOaJrTBzUhu6IUqiGYg/s1600-h/SJackson.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-bGZSxuqvpDPBH7yRZCwTmgxdBzpqF1Vs1rbpXsqNjHCP3na1vYqIEjTIW5wDR79ak_MfUSrFButMHi4FMblnKUOhrB-7pWUyXWHTd-LA8Kmd9J2Mg2tOaJrTBzUhu6IUqiGYg/s200/SJackson.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5011278783886059586" /></a>Samuel L. Jackson and Chris Evert<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOBT8aeynbROxV477PdHitP3aHyBn0RtUxARz_PjWigYcL5XOTGXBkKqAbpzCOB8MMRcfXf8GTY9c0mPrUNw-uSipJ6NWaw7oyxeH0fEdT-g5T_mmtB1if2fTH55T_kdjTCwK5Q/s1600-h/ce.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOBT8aeynbROxV477PdHitP3aHyBn0RtUxARz_PjWigYcL5XOTGXBkKqAbpzCOB8MMRcfXf8GTY9c0mPrUNw-uSipJ6NWaw7oyxeH0fEdT-g5T_mmtB1if2fTH55T_kdjTCwK5Q/s200/ce.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5011279007224358994" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vtmdShd2tGbDyXd9IB7TR4MmWmJpUKSQ4dwhyYubxHDufQe9ydiWUMDG5wH1zKiBDQqJWcgATHVNV6HZmBQx6qHBf8Xs6G23jCf_JAAvZ9ScPcoPy27J2D_FfwrCO5G5mht9HA/s1600-h/lost_boys_150.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vtmdShd2tGbDyXd9IB7TR4MmWmJpUKSQ4dwhyYubxHDufQe9ydiWUMDG5wH1zKiBDQqJWcgATHVNV6HZmBQx6qHBf8Xs6G23jCf_JAAvZ9ScPcoPy27J2D_FfwrCO5G5mht9HA/s200/lost_boys_150.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5011279273512331362" /></a> Kiefer Sutherland and Julie Delpy<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAdu1zjsK1X2x948q0FEIGBE6H7Nr6aELbMUld5KPS_Nr6b_FoNxIFKKFhs1mdXtvb-sHoITobL1pROfoiG4eyW0lHb5HrWnCvAgQ0ywk2G43z8HPuemF6730DbVijP1mT3-bSMg/s1600-h/julie_delpy_gallery_8.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAdu1zjsK1X2x948q0FEIGBE6H7Nr6aELbMUld5KPS_Nr6b_FoNxIFKKFhs1mdXtvb-sHoITobL1pROfoiG4eyW0lHb5HrWnCvAgQ0ywk2G43z8HPuemF6730DbVijP1mT3-bSMg/s200/julie_delpy_gallery_8.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5011279514030499954" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />As for any newly visible signs of aging from 29 to 30 - I had a check this morning:<br /><br />1. Same wrinkles around the eyes. Check.<br />2. Same amount of grey hairs. Check.<br />3. Same flabby stomach/love handles. Check.<br />4. Same skinny legs. Check.<br />5. Same tired bags under my eyes. Check.<br /><br />Therefore, I can conclude that there is no noticeable change after the transition from my 20s to my 30s. Yay.<br />In other news, I now have only one more day until the long awaited Christmas break and seeing my loved one! <br />Hokkaido here we come. (hopefully).<br /><br />Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.popitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04172568188392638570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12140566.post-14194082011186849772006-12-13T17:47:00.000+09:002006-12-13T18:06:15.106+09:00Back to the LoA return to the lo feeling of late August/September this year<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkX6GwXsI5cjTuAVLGF5Z1DA1B5RwmJMERN5LhY93QawRFEI6h8xhRNAj4jPqwIVL_-Oau7jv79vpiD5zH4_m0Bv-LpomYYxUDB0NLXbVAp4hyphenhyphencXIja4S2Jqax_5JIDuIVVEQmA/s1600-h/lonesome-man-05.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPkX6GwXsI5cjTuAVLGF5Z1DA1B5RwmJMERN5LhY93QawRFEI6h8xhRNAj4jPqwIVL_-Oau7jv79vpiD5zH4_m0Bv-LpomYYxUDB0NLXbVAp4hyphenhyphencXIja4S2Jqax_5JIDuIVVEQmA/s320/lonesome-man-05.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5007930580034099650" /></a><br /><br />alone again in the OC. missing my sprout. nearly 30. this sucks.popitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04172568188392638570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12140566.post-1165481104925342292006-12-07T17:34:00.000+09:002006-12-07T17:48:53.500+09:00Golden Balls<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/5372/1013/1600/347060/11519118768nYI79.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/5372/1013/320/916028/11519118768nYI79.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Been having a excellent time with the Sprout/OC connection. The weekend included a long overdue trip for some Pachinko action. Needless to say, after 20 minutes playing with the little golden balls I was none the wiser and slightly poorer - oh what fun!!<br /><br />With the vague possibility of a trip abroad this winter break I have taken note of the following story and will be careful in the future:<br /><br />"<span style="font-weight:bold;">Flatulence leads US jet to divert</span>"<br /><br />"An American Airlines plane made an emergency landing in Nashville after passengers reported the smell of sulphur from burning matches.<br /><br />The matches were found on the seat of a woman who had attempted to conceal the odour of flatulence with the matches, Nashville airport authorities said."<br /><br />(Thanks to the BBC for this top news story)popitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04172568188392638570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12140566.post-1164117314382862752006-11-21T22:23:00.000+09:002006-11-21T22:55:14.420+09:00Puttanesca!Although you would think I'd be over any amusement caused by "Engrish" and taking into account that the translation isn't too bad, the menu at our little tapas restaurant caused no end of amusement with a dish titled:<br /><br />"Spaghetti Prostitute Style" 1200yen<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/5372/1013/1600/842965/TNS-0984_husband_of_prostitute.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/5372/1013/320/735987/TNS-0984_husband_of_prostitute.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />I decided against sampling her sauce.popitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04172568188392638570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12140566.post-1163159694749253912006-11-10T20:52:00.000+09:002006-11-21T14:34:53.823+09:00Holy MolyCheck this out:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.vimeo.com/clip:114601">http://www.vimeo.com/clip:114601</a><br /><br />I don't know what to say....<br /><br />Edit: Yes I do - "Oh poo, the link's gone down. Oh well, it was funny while it lasted"popitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04172568188392638570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12140566.post-1162547527334956472006-11-03T18:49:00.000+09:002006-11-03T18:52:07.356+09:00FlexWith a quiet weekend ahead, I shall be reading my favourite magazine and mulling over any possible future purchases.......<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5372/1013/1600/magazine_030606.article.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5372/1013/400/magazine_030606.article.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Natch.popitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04172568188392638570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12140566.post-1160136186003568652006-10-06T20:40:00.000+09:002006-10-06T21:05:52.513+09:00The way you moveWell, I've been in the "OC" for just over a month now and I must say it has gone by fairly quickly - the weekdays drag but the weekends more than make up for it.<br /><br />In just one day my favourite little Sproutling will be coming along to join the fun in this part of Japan and I can't wait.<br /><br />Not much going on to be honest - my work highlight being a fat little boy who showed me the hip-hop dance moves he'd learnt with "Tony" from New York (whilst studying English too!!) <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5372/1013/1600/outkastph.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5372/1013/320/outkastph.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a> <br /><br />He could have looked like these two if he hadn't been 8 years old, overweight, Japanese, really bad at dancing, wearing a bum-bag/fanny-pack or counted out his running-step really obviously. (Guess it's more of a "you had to be there" story).<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />My new aparto is now fully furnished with all my old Hiroshima stuff and is really growing on me. Did the Kyoto/Kobe connection a couple of weeks ago and had a top time with top food. Been using my cool new "fisheye" camera and got some nice photos for a first attempt.<br /><br />Roll on October and the main reason why I moved here!popitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04172568188392638570noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12140566.post-1155922948027274992006-08-19T02:04:00.000+09:002006-08-19T02:44:36.763+09:00Hi / Lo<span style="font-weight:bold;">Hi:</span><br />A relax packed Obon week with my favourite person ever, can be summed up by the following images....<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5372/1013/1600/sprout.1.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5372/1013/200/sprout.1.png" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">+</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5372/1013/1600/arctic.0.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5372/1013/200/arctic.0.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">+</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5372/1013/1600/daft_punk_main.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5372/1013/200/daft_punk_main.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">+</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5372/1013/1600/bath.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5372/1013/200/bath.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />In addition we danced like crazy, ate fine food, scared ourselves high over Osaka, and chilled away the days. We fell in deeper.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Lo:</span><br />Quiet times alone / rain / back to work.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5372/1013/1600/miss.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/5372/1013/200/miss.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>popitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04172568188392638570noreply@blogger.com1