Busy day and its not over.....

ASAKUSA
We had originally planned to to Kamakura or China town in Yokohama, but changed directions completely and settled on doing to Tokyo sights instead. Hideki was early as usual, but we got a late start due to a sleepy head, Kotone. First, we headed for Asakusa, which is the typical tourist spot with about 30 minutes of things to see before you are overwhelmed but fake merchandise and aggressive rickshaw runners.

Mabry does Monjayaki
After the quick temple visit at Asakusa we headed indoors to escape the rain, hail, and wind for a nice meal of monjayaki.

The Imperial Grounds and Nishijubashi
We then took a train to Ginza and walked to Imerial Palace through Yurakusho and Tokyo stations. It was a nice walk because the weather had changed back into perfection after the rain and hail an hour earlier. We hiked through the sparsely populated sprawling grounds that will be a mad house tomorrow night for New Year's to Nishijubashi and finally to Sakuradamon station.

Tokyo Tower
Finally we ended up at Tokyo Tower and took in the lights of Tokyo after sunset. We left exhausted and are at home now. But.... we have to leave again in 45 minutes for Mabry to be dressed in a kimono by Kotone's mother-in-law that has been presented by Hideki.

For those who thought Tokyo was safe....

Miss Siss

After being delayed in Houston, Texas for a whole day because of some asshole clouds, Mabry's flight finally came in to Narita International. She is the first of my nuclear family to visit me in Tokyo and it had been about 7 months since I had seen her. We came home and changed then headed back to Shibuya to meet Dave, Eri, Sho, Cam, Sophi, and Hana for okonomiyaki and finished off the night, and into the morning, with the cool club experience of Unit in Daikanyama. Mabry ended up putting on a booty dancing clinic and trying to rush the stage while the shitty DJ kept playing away.

Musical friends & KAEDE

Rie, a new friend of mine, who speaks German took me out for dinner on Christmas. We meet up with a Jay, Akira, then Dave. Jay left, then Akira left. Rie, Dave and I went for dinner. Dave left. Rie and I ate. Dave came back with Cam and Sophi. Rie left and then the remainder went for drinks. It was a confusing evening. Then Hideki called me to come to Potluck for an impromptu KAEDE concert. She is one of his good friends from the neighborhood. It wasn't such a traditional Christmas, but it was fun.

Family (Mart) Christmas

My favorite Family Mart employee

Suganuma Party & Kristmas Karaoke

Once again, Kotone came through with a critical invite to her family's Christmas Eve dinner. It was really cool chilling with her and Taka's family. They are all really easy going musician types, so they know how to get down in cool and relaxing ways. Kotone's father, Kozo, is an amazing drummer and also an accomplished didgeridoo player, which he wooed us with until we headed for a session of Kristmas Karaoke.

Fuzzy Control & Kotone's Birthday Surprise

Sunday Kotone invited me to go out to another one of Fuzzy Control, her sister's band, concerts at Shibuya O-East/West. We got in VIP and chilled in the upper balcony with one of Kotone's family friends, the president of the club. After the concert we headed back to Kotone's place where Taka, her husband, organized a very surprising surprise party and we drank on into the night.

Fried Chicken Beer and One Good Ass Whoopin'

Fried Chicken Draft One beer

This was some youngish dude getting his ass kicked by an extremely angry older fellow in front of Tokyo Hands Department store in Shibuya. It seemed like old dude was just being a dick, but there was no way I was going to step in, me being a 'dangerous foreigner man' and all. So I just kicked back and watched for about 30 minutes. Japanese police are worthless, towards the end I was really feeling bad for young guy, but he wasn't putting up a fight at all. There goes the neighborhood.

Merry Fucking Christmas

Just when it seemed like things were back on track, it seems I have been duped again and this time only 3 days before Christmas. NOVA Corp./G-Communications is becoming incredibly efficient at striking down their formerly loyal employees with dismissal notices at the worst times. Not that I should be surprised, they harbor and breed a culture of dishonesty in the management, but I really liked teaching for the company. So, this is my big Christmas present of 2007: a notice of dismissal two weeks before I was supposed to resume working and less than 2 months before my visa expires. All this after I was encouraged to take a vacation by G-Comm and ensured I could start working on January 10th.

Who the fuck goes to Providence, RI???

Akira returned to Japan from Rhode Island after a 3 year hiatus. Apparently it is difficult these days to do internet research on how lame some places are before you make a commitment to stay there for an extended period....... Anyway, he is back and I showed him around Shibuya, which made for an interesting situation: a really, really Japanese dude that was really, really nervous to be around so many Japanese folks in central Tokyo with a really, really white tour guide.

Tokyo Metro. I only love New York's skyline more.

Rain in Africa/TamaPlaza

My boys took a hike. I take pride in giving big props to two big friends who meant a whole fucking lot to in the jungle of Tokyo and on Kilimanjaro. We'll see you again. It'll happen.

Standing-0 and Atom

After Tucanos we hit up Shibuya Standing-0 and Atom for what turned out to be a thoroughly enjoyable evening. It fuckin' rocked!!!

Band of Brothers

The Brazilian

Paul organized his monthly churrasco at Tucanos which I normally don't attend, but this one was Paul and Matt's official going away party, so I made the effort. And it was worth it..... Great food, great drink, great friends, and hot-bodied ladies!

WILL POWER!!!

I despise Will Smiff with a passion, but his new movie, I Am Legend, looks like it kicks ass. Following in the footsteps of Vincent Price and Charlton Heston may not be so bad after all.....

Retern to Tran-sylvania

Transylvania

Old Boy David Tran is back in Tokyo. It is really good to see him again after his year of travelling, which can be checked out on his blog at Pimpin' Worldwide $$$. Good to have you back, Dirty Dave, even its only for a few weeks.

The hills of west Tokyo from Futako Tamagawa Station

Shibuya and Central Tokyo on a beautiful day

Almost Ghost

Last Tuesday night I took Matt and for one of his last "Shibuya Nights." Manu, Cam, and some of David's friends tagged along and we made a night of it. It was pretty fun, but I got too drunk and then it sucked after that. One the plus side, I discovered the Mega-Tamago & Mega-Tomato.

Randoms

Over Yoyogi Park from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building

Cat Man with Cheetah in the 109 Shibuya

Deluxe Jesus toy with 3 loaves and 2 fish

Back to Narnia

After a long day working in an all women's university with 100% NO good looking femininas, Matt came over for a beer then we met Paul on the train for another one of the normals: "Shibuya Nights." It was Kiho's farewell that night so after we had a few run-ins with homeless weirdos, Don Quixote staff, and university cheerleaders, we partied with Kiho and one of her friends. It was all good, except this drunken asshole (in the last picture) tried to pick a fight with me because I didn't want him to stand at our already crowded table even though his table was free. All the dudes want to love Paul and smash me up. I'll take the later and receive my love from the ladies.

"SHIBUYA NIGHTS"

From Perth with love....

When in Perth, do as the 'roos do: Box. This is one of the bizarre photos that Yuko sent me from Australia......

Big Friday & Another Horse

Thanksgiving is actually semi-observed in Japan, a fact that I guess slipped me last year, but it is held on a Friday so people are skimped of a 4-day weekend. I decided to take the day off from sitting on my ass in front of my computer searching for a job and head to Yoyogi Park for an all day rave by NHK Hall. I met up with the ladies who invited me, Mami and Noriko, then later Paul and some other showed up. After the rave winded down, Paul, Kiyoko, Noriko and I went to dinner then Noriko and I went to Minami Aoyama for Helene's photo exhibition, "Rountine Way" /party in which I was a model. I got home at 6am, so it was a long day, but well worth it.

Happy F**king Thanksgiving!!

Who needs a turkey for Thanksgiving when you can have a corndog without the bread on it! My Thanksgiving dinner kicks everybody else's dinners ass.

And then these are the deviled-eggs I made for the real Thanksgiving dinner at Carl Louis' house.

Fuji-phile

Industry meets Nature

Fuji/Sunset over north Kawasaki, November 2007

Miho's Fall Visit

Miho made the trip up from Osaka this past weekend for an old times get-together in Tokyo. It's always fun having her around for a few days; it feels like I am "living the dream" again back in Orlando. Anyway, we went out with Paul and Matt the first night to the old 200yen bar where we ran into Sam and then met a group of Italian chicks with whom I rapped. Saturday we hooked up with an old face from Orlando, Sumiyo. She was a really cool chick that was a student with Miho at the school where I worked, ASPECT. We had a "Shibuya" day with her and her boyfriend and then got wasted on that night for Rohan's 'farewell' party. Sunday was a relaxing day; we had a picnic on the banks of the Tamagawa river with Hideki, a Futako friend, and Rie, one of my old students. It was a busy but extremely fun weekend. Thanks for coming, Miho!!

Welcome back, Gen San!

Sunday I organized (with the help of the lovely Mayu Miyata) a party for an old Shibuya comrade, Gen. He is going on round-the-world trip not unlike the ever so popular Dave Quest, and dropped in Japan for a few days. It was fun time with old friends. Good Luck, Gen!

King Karl's Koncert

Saturday night I worked the door at Louis's seasonal jazz concert. It's always fun at his shows and I got to drink and eat for free on account of my security detail. Big ups!!

Farewell Swiss Dave

Friday night Kumiko threw a going away party for her boyfriend, Swiss Dave. He is a cool bloke that is one of Dirty Dave and Oz James' friends from Sydney. Another cat that was spun in the web of friends. Good Luck, Dave!

Chaos & Confusion

A Full Moon & Fuji

Since the last time I posted anything, a lot has happened: my company went down, there was a scramble for jobs, friends were evicted and the utilities cut off, etc..... I have been living off savings and borrowed money, hoping one of the jobs that I have applied & interviewed for comes through. Things are coming down to the wire now and don't look too promising. Who knows what the future will bring for Jim of the World.

Skating with Scooby Doo in Mitaka

Thursday was another eventful day as I went to a skate park in Mitaka on the Chuo Line for the first time with an office friend, Derek. He is a new face in the office after his school shut down across the way, Shibuya M, and has some really interesting stories. For example, he was a sponsored skater in Australia and he was the stunt skater during the intro in the first Scooby Doo film. Crazy.

A day at the park: Asakusa

Wednesday I had organized a final touristy outing for my UCF friend, Shari, whom I had never even actually met in Florida. Kotone met me at Futako Shinchi and then we met Shari in Asakusa. We decided to eat before we went to see the Sensō-ji, so Kotone called one of her friends who said he would meet us there later. We went ahead and visited the temples and then met her friend (who is actually he father's friend) and his patient (he is a dentist) for a well earned lunch of monja. He treated us to that and then suggested that we go to Hanayashiki, the oldest amusement park in Japan (since 1853), to which he also treated us. It was awesome to spend some quality time with Shari before she leaves. Her farewell party is going to be this Sunday evening and I am looking forward to that.

After I returned home that evening I had to turn back around to meet Kumiko and Dave in Shibuya for dinner & drinks with a few of Dave's Australian Navy friends. Those guys were loaded with cash and trying to pay for everything for us, but I had to refuse and pay my own way because I had hooked up so graciously earlier that day. Karma will catch up with you.

I caught up with them next morning on the way to Shinjuku to meet Derek. They were still visibly and olfactoribly (it's my new word for 'capability of being smelled') wrecked. Good luck on the boat, boys!

I am Bob

This is some of Miho's recent work. It' s a project she is working on, with her drawings and some of her friend's photos. This is mine. I am Bob.

Omedetou Kotone & Taka! Wedding Night

Saturday night, after Keiko's final farewell party at Kumicho's house in Mizonokuchi I headed to Shibuya with Paul for Kotone and Taka's wedding after party. There were about 50 people in attendance and they all were just as friendly and the bride & groom, we were instantly welcomed. We drank or a few minutes before the hamburger eating contest began, which Paul and I had reluctantly agreed to. There were 7 guys with 7 hamburgers each and the first person to finish was the winner. I got down 5 and 3/4. It went downhill after that.

The Hamburglar

Another Farewell: Keiko for New York

The last few weeks have seen the seasons change and it seems like instead of summer transforming into autumn it got all confused and turned into a new season, 'farewell.' The latest casualty is an old Futako friend, Keiko. She left for New York with her daughter after her husband got transferred there. Just one more friend to add to the list....