The Beautiful People

And jus like that

SOLD: Bed, desk, stove, fridge, microwave

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Approximate days left in Tokyo: 40

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Not sold on eating out every day for every meal from now on

Exit Strategy

Scrap the initial plan. I'm coming home in the fall.

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Right. So to elaborate. After spending a year in Tokyo, I feel that there is nothing else for me here. I did all that I wanted to do. I've proven to myself that I can live on my own in the most foreign of countries. I've met all my personal goals. I haven't mastered the language but I've learned a decent amount. And I didn't need two years for it all.

For the last month, I've been feeling a little uninspired. I thought a new camera would help me 'open my eyes' again. Though I love my new camera, it didn't solve the problem. Also, my job is unfulfilling. It's safe to say that would not want to do this any longer. Finally, the Japanese lifestyle is not the lifestyle for me. After this experience, I would never choose to live here. I don't have negative feelings towards all this nor do I regret any of it. I just realize now what really fits and what needs to go.

Staying here for two years was only an approximation-a number that allowed me to conveniently avoid the Olympics in Vancouver. But looking at the big picture, if I didn't want to be around for the Games, I can still leave town when the time comes. It's not that difficult. At the same time though, I hope to see Vancouver in a new light. I can talk shit about it all day, but there's got to be some positive qualities that I could embrace and use as inspiration.

So back to the real deal. I would still like to go to Hong Kong and Australia for 4 weeks if it makes sense (weather, available friends, flight costs, etc.). I would like to leave Tokyo by the end of July. However, my band has a show in late August and they want me to stay for it...

"For my own part, regret nothing. Have lived life, free from compromise ... and step into the shadow now without complaint." -Rorschach, Watchmen

Gross domestic products

By the way, I am With Camera again :)

After weeks of concocting unsuccessful homemade fruit fly traps, from pinapple juice to vinegar to old-azzed banana (all tried, tested, and true on the internet), I accidentally leave out a 1/4 glass of watered down orange juice in the morning and return home to find its thirsty victim. This, after developing my fly-clapping skills to a point where even Mr. Miyagi would be humbled in my presence. Just today I snatched a fly out of the air with one hand-IN THE DARK!

I think my co-worker's a dork and I have proof to back up my claim. He doesn't share my view about the annoying hot weather because he loves hot weather, he says.
He's happy-go-lucky.
Upon entering the room after a class, he sighs and proclaims, "It's been a long day." Sympathizing sarcastically, I say "Lucky you," to which he replies, "Why is that?"
The poor guy's conversation starters are limited to a) "All done for today?"; b) "Got any fun plans for the weekend?"; and c) "Get to anything fun on the weekend?" When I do get riled up enough to rant about a topic, he has nothing to share. Or it's something that a happy-go-lucky guy would say.
And obviously not his fault, but this guy is blind. Like, legitimately visually-impaired. Anything he reads is held up to his nose. His eyes aren't quite aligned. And whenever I pass him on the street, he doesn't even know it's me.

Now let's talk swine flu. Firstly, I seem to spend half my time in classes trying to get my students to admit to their Japanese logic holes. I know it's a selfish foreigner thing to do and fortunately for them, their English is never at a level high enough where I can declare myself "victorious" for being such an asshole. Most of the time we just go in circles. However, many students have told me this past week that Japanese people have been totally overreacting to the current swine flu outbreak. Masks are sold out in every store, though I see only a small increase in people wearing them in Tokyo. I asked a student, who recently bought a supply of masks, when she would "start" wearing one and she told me, "maybe next week." I was trying to get her to admit to the fact that by the time that she thinks she should start wearing the mask, it would probably already be too late. There will never be a time when the government will say "Okay. Start wearing your masks.....NOW!" It's either now or never. And if you really cared, you'd be wearing it all day. But of course, she didn't get it.

I see people wearing or putting on their mask whenever they please. I saw a woman put on a mask on the train, when she had already been maskless for 10 minutes. Sometimes I see people with their mask under their chin or with their nose exposed. Why are they wearing them at all if this is what they do?

Always hungry...for food

Recently, I've been thinking about home a lot. There was a period last summer and fall when I wasn't thinking about Vancouver at all. Even in January 2009 I got over homesickness in about two weeks. But I think something has triggered it this time. It could be the recent spell of hot weather that has conditioned me to "hate" Japan. It could have been hitting the one year mark 40 days ago. Regardless, it's not homesickness I feel now but the actual missing of people, places, and things I've been away from for a long time. With under a year left in my "Two Year Plan," I've put some thought as to what I want to do and where I want to go after Japan. I haven't thought about anything "career"-wise yet, but the first 3 months are pretty certain. If you think that planning my 2010 year now is a little early, then you don't know me.

Jan 1 - 31, 2010 - Plan, pack, quit, shut der down in Japan.
Feb 1 - 15, 2010 - Visit Hong Kong (almost 25 years in the making) and celebrate Chinese New Year
Feb 16 - 28, 2010 - Visit Brandon in Sydney, Australia; see a real beach. "Where the bloody hell are you?"
March 1, 2010 onward - Back in Vancouver to celebrate Mayah's 2nd birthday; play with Mayah; enjoy a moderately warm summer

But until then, I still have 8 months to "burn" and boy will I ever, considering it'll be summer soon. I still haven't bought that camera I promised myself, which I should since I'm attending a Japanese wedding in two weeks and FINALLY a live WWE Smackdown event in July (Y2J = more Big Daddy Kane-style goosebumps).

Mi oh Mi the Heat

So hot, Alonzo Mourning, afternoon, and evening.

It all comes full circle

You know when you're playing ToeJam & Earl and the level map starts out all black and as you begin exploring the world you start uncovering portions of the map at the same time, until the entire map is visible?

I basically go for walks and start in random locations (thinking I'm really far from anywhere I've been before), only to find myself at a landmark I've already visited, but this time uncovering it from the other side. More often than not do I find myself approaching a building or walking up a street from the opposite direction that I had initially walked before. I pride myself on my EXCELLENT navigational skills so when I find out I've been to a certain location before, my whole internal compass jars back into place. Then it's all "Holy shit! So THIS is where I am!"

And then everything in Tokyo is closer than once thought. I think it's a safe assumption that most stations are only within 15 minute walks from each other. Therefore, riding the train has duped me into thinking that the stations are far from each other.