Tropical Paradise?

This is for all you who watch the movies and believe Florida is some kind of year-round sun romp. Right now it is much warmer in Tokyo than in my hometown.....

Mini-snowmen. Ocala, Florida

Frozen fountain.... at noon. FSU, Tallahassee, Florida

New Year Eve 2009/New Year 2010

For New Year's this year I decided to forgo the quasi-traditional party at MUSE in Nishi-Azabu and do something more orthodox. The original plan was to go Meiji Shrine in Yoyogi Park, but at the last minute we decided to go to Zojo Temple under the Tokyo Tower and it was the right choice. We met up with 3 friends, Trenton, Jason, and Akira, at 9pm at Hamamatsucho Station and walked to the temple to check out a quick rehearsal before heading back to Ale House 82 to grab a few drinks before the actual countdown. The drinks were good, and we managed to get seats.... next to a group of touristy looking types (they will be mentioned again). At 11:15 we headed back to the temple, which had become quite crowded for the countdown. All were in high spirits at midnight, the balloons were released, people cheered, and then rushed into the temple to pray. It was a relaxed stampede that got hairy a few times, but we made it through and after, enjoyed a few a beers and amazake at the temple. Around 2am we headed back to the station and parted ways with the guys. As we climbed the stairs so we get up the platform to the Yamanote line we hear some yelling, go to check it out, and find some crazed "touristy looking" type of chick sitting on the platform screaming "Do I look like an alien!?!?!?" while sitting with her legs spread out to about 135 degrees and waving her arms like an octopus (she did look like an alien). Then we realized that she was one of the girls who was sitting directly next to us at Ale House 82. She was with her boyfriend acting an ass on the platform and he was getting really embarrassed. He was saying, "Babe... Babe... Are you OK?" Then she started yelling, "Take me to the police!" Things were getting out of hand and there was a large crowd forming. At that point the boyfriend started with, "What the f*ck are you talking about?" and the girl tried to run away but she was drunk and was falling down so he grabbed her arm which caused her to fall on her back against a big pipe. More crazy screaming ensued, after which the train came and she tried to get on it, but the dude grabbed her arm because she was falling again.... and again she fell on her back halfway on the train. All the people on the train thought he was beating her. She went limp in protest as he was literally dragging her off the train back onto the platform. I usually like watching meltdowns, but this one was probably the most unnerving I have seen in awhile. Other than that experience it was a very fulfilling New Year's celebration. Welcome Year of the Tiger!

Christmas 2009

We left out cookies, milk, and carrots for Santa and the reindeer.