Christmas is here....

Well the month is gone. Christmas is here. I can`t believe it. I am heading up to Hokkaido to be at my home away from home for the holidays. So I am excited to take some time off and just eat some good food and do some skiing and relaxing in onsens. .... ahhh this is going to be good!!

This past month I have had a hard time getting going at work. I am burned out for the year and have a hard time keeping my motivation. So being able to refresh is going to be just what I need!!!
I am happy to have 2009 over and look forward to 2010!!

Yesterday morning it actually snowed in Nagoya. Only about 2 inches and it was all melted at around 10am. But it was kind of nice to see some snow. Well my shopping is finished and I am now ready to start my holidays!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

I took today off work. I decided enough is enough. I need a break. It felt so good today. It was Thanksgiving in the United States. I stayed home all morning and watched American football on TV. Then went out at noon and got some ramen. I came back and finished watching football and went for a walk. I have decided I need more Fridays like this for sure!! Beaufitul peacefull day for me. I think I got a little younger today without all the stress at the office...hehe.

The other day a friend sent me a picture of all my old neighborhood friends. When I was growing up I lived in a neighborhood that was very close. All the kids were best friends. We took this picture is just just behind my house at a park when I was a sophmore in high school. You can see me in the back in the upper right. These guys were all my best friends and we still keep in touch today. We had some good times and I can`t believe the time is gone. But thankful to still have all of them in my life.


I was so surprised when I got this picture. It brought back a lot of memories. Its funny how peoples lives ended up. Two of us live in Japan now. Two of us live in Las Vegas. A couple live back East and others are in Utah. Kind of crazy... Those were some good days...

Well its November. The weather is getting a little colder now but I still love it. The air is crisp and clear. Much better than summer air in Nagoya thats for sure. But its going to get a little colder now I know. My house is very very cold in the winter months.

Now I am watching Smap Smap. Tonight Brad Pitt is on. Pretty interesting but I hate the beard. What happened?? Maybe he is filing a movie or something. But seems happy to be in Japan.

Speaking of TV I finally got my slingbox hooked up. This allows me to watch my local TV from the United States. Oh its nice to have my TV back. With TV from the US and Costco in Japan now there is no reason to return to America....hehe.

Well Christmas is around the corner. I am heading to Hokkaido to spend 2 weeks of doing nothing but sleeping and playing. Maybe I will have a chance to see some friends too.

Cheers...

Ahhhh Sunday....

Well I survived the typhoon like almost everyone else. My house here in Nagoya was shaking like an earthquake. I woke up around 4:30am to the strong winds and couldn`t sleep after that. It was a crazy morning with the wind and rain. I could not believe how much rain was falling. I have never seen so much rain. I ended up getting in the office a little late. So that was my excitement for last week. The weather after the typhoon was beautiful!!! Its been really nice here now.

For me now as many know its my favorite month of the year. I love October. I love the weather, food, and the sports. Baseball playoffs are underway.. GO YANKEES!!! Football is here and basketball starts in a couple of weeks. There is no better month for me. I wish October lasted 3 months....hehe.

I`M BACK !!!!

Its been over a month. Maybe almost 2 months since I last updated this. I can`t remember!! Wow where did summer go. Its over. I went back to Utah to my home for a couple weeks in the summer. It was an excellent trip. Its been a year since I was in my house. It was kind of strange to just go home and open my door and nothing had changed. Its nice because I really don`t need to take anything with me. I still have most of the clothes and things home so I need nothing. I just get on the plane and go home. My cars were still there and everything was good.

While home in Utah I was busy. Shopping, eating, playing and seeing old friends. The time flew. I even sold one of my cars while home. So that was good. I have too many cars!!

I went to the Utah Salt Flats. This is an area where natural salt grows on the floor of where the Great Salt Lake used to be. Its pure salt and looks like snow. Its pure what and if you tast the ground its all salt. There they have speed week. Its a week where everyone from around the world comes to try and break the land speed record with a car. Meaning they are trying to go faster than anyone. The salt flats are flat and very smooth and stretch for miles. Its a perfect place for this and very famous. Here are some pictures.


Both cars and motorcycles race for the world speed records. Cars go as fast as about 500kmh.


Then I saw this crazy old guy and had to take a picture..



When I got home there was a surprise waiting for me. It was my birthday and my family and friends had worked at my house while I was gone. I wanted a new Japanese maple in front of my house. I have a large one one one side of my front door. I wanted another one in a little area on the other side. So they came and did some surprise landscaping for me. Its a very small area but a really nice thought and I was really happy. They put a happy birthday card in the tree. So I got a tree for my birthday!! Perfect!!


It was a nice surprise. But I didn`t have time to enjoy. Just a few days and I was back in Japan. But look forward to next time. My life is now back and forth between Japan and the US. Its a little crazy and hard at times. But its how I like it. I am now to a point in my life where I can`t imagine living in just one place. I will always be back and forth. When my time in Nagoya is up I will be back and forth between the US and Hokkaido. Thats where my heart is.

My parents also had their 50th wedding anniversary while I was there. There was a huge family party. There is aroudn 60 people just in my family. I was the MC over the party. I also had made a slide show for them putting together a bunch of pictures of memories from their 50 years. It was really fun and kind of a good experience for me to do this for them. Check out their wedding picture 50 years ago!!!


Well I am now back and back to work. Its crazy as ever and look forward to getting next year over with as my life should slow down a bit after my work transfers. Its good to be back and look forward to hearing from every one!!

Oh my gosh its been forever!! Yea I am still alive. But its been crazy.

This damn weather in Nagoya is making life terrible. I am sick of the hot humid weather. Next month I am going back to Utah for a couple weeks. I am so looking forward to some nice dry heat. The weather there is around 37 degrees but its dry. You just need to keep drinking fluids but otherwise it feels much better than the humid weather in Nagoya. This rainy weather just doesn`t seem to end.

My parents are having the 50th wedding anniversary on 8/14. My 3 sisters and I are planning a big party which has been taking a lot of my time. I am putting together a 50 year memory slide show with a lot of pictures from the last 50 years of their married life. Its been fun to see all the pictures and I have been able to relive a lot of good memories. Its been very special. So I am excited to get there and be with them during this time. We have having a family picture taken also. Our family is now 32 people large. Crazy!!

Another crazy thing is a new album that has been released here in the states from a girl that well let`s just say I was good friends with in high school. She is one of my best memories of the 80s...hehe. I listened to it and it sound really good. I may post some more information later. I am not trying to sell CDs for her but was impressed.

Well thats it for now... its raining.... of coarse!!

Well its now new news now but its been a tough time for GenX according to the news. My generation lost 2 idols the last couple of days.

Farrah Fawcett was the idol of idols for boys my age many years ago in the United States. I do not know any boy growing up who didn`t have a major crush on her. She was indeed the girl that started all the dreaming for me and my friends. Growing older we didn`t see her as much on TV. But she was still in the minds of all the guys the way she appeared in this famous poster.
I have had many girls since growing up ask me what type of girl I liked. Well the answer was simple... someone like her! She died of cancer the day before Michael Jackson.


Then MJ. What can I say. I was never a huge fan but he did have the moves and the talent thats for sure. He had a few songs that I really liked and I always respected him for his talent. Truely incredible. I saw him and the Jackson 5 many years ago at Disneyland in California. Well as you know he has changed a lot since then. I almost feel sorry for him as he really didn`t have family close by and never was really able to enjoy just being out. Everywhere he went he was mobbed. Maybe he liked it I don`t know. But I do know the past 10 years was a disaster for him. Furthermore, he seemed to lose his identity behind the man in the mirror.... or all the plastic surgery. At any rate... its a different world without him and sorry to see him go.


So yea I guess my generation lost a couple of stars. But they were both way too young thats for sure. But I know they will not be forgotton anytime soon either.

The French Open is over and wow it was interesting. I wasn`t able to watch as much as I wanted this year. But interesting that Nadal lost and I think he had a bad day. Lucky for Federer because I think its the only way he would have won it with Nadal in the tournament. So it was good he won and we didn`t have to watch him cry like he did after the Austrailan Open. People are now saying he is the best player ever. Maybe so. But I am not a huge fan. I went to the US Open and he came out in a gold sport jacket. I thought then that the success has gone to his head. He thinks of himself as the god of tennis. Oh well... now we can get ready for Wimbledon.

Well the rainy season has started in Japan. This means we have a month now of bad weather. Then when thats over we have 2 months of hellish hot and sticky weather which I hate. So now I just look forward to October. I had Nagoya summers. But I did see something new this summer. Diet Coke plus Green Tea.


Well I had to try it and guess what it tasts like??? ................ Diet Coke and Green Tea. Thats exactly what it tasts like. Not too sure if I like it. But interesting. Coke will try anything. There is coke coffe in the U.S. But my favorite is Coke Lime. I love it.

Well June is here and its warm. Guess I need another coke.

Its been a crazy month. Golden week has come and gone. I had a good but crazy busy golden week.

I first drove from Nagoya down to Kyushu. I spent the day at Huis Ten Bosch. Its kind of a Dutch park which I must say was really nice. I decided to go the right day as there were not many people there. So I spent the day just relaxing and looking around it was good.

After, I took a drive around and went to Nakasaki and looked around. I went to the Atomic Bomb museum and spent the night. I stayed near China town there and had dinner at an excellent resturant.

The next day we drove and put our car on a ferry and went to another island. There I had to see "oppai rock".



The drive around was beautiful. I saw this church and took a picture. I was surprised to see so many Christian Churches around Nagasaki and Kyushu. I guess it must be the culture and influence from the early Christian missionaries there.




After that, I got on a ferry and went over to Busan Korea for a couple of days!! It was some good relaxation. Food, shopping, massages... I had a good time. .. too much drinking !!!

After Korea, I got back in my car and drove all the way back to Nagoya. it took me 12 hours with the traffic. But not too bad. I was dead tired from the week but ready to go back to work.

Now its been a couple weeks and I am ready to go on another trip...

Happy Easter!!!

March is gone and April is here. Where did the time go?? Of coarse at work and facebook. But I am so happy spring is finally here and I guess now spring is about gone. The Cherry blossoms in Nagoya were really beautiful this year. Here is a picture just out front of my office.





Nagoya is warm now and this weekend was fantastic!! So the cherry blossoms are now all just about gone and green leafs are replacing them. The good weather is here. But I guess this means the rainy and humid weather is just around the corner. Such are the seasons.

I drove to Osaka today to visit Costco and pick up some food. Its a long drive but nothing else to do today and I missed my food...hehe. So it was a good drive. I hate Sunday nights but I guess I can be positive and say at least another weekend is just 5 days away.

Last Friday riding my bike home from work I was hit but a small Nippon Express delivery van. I got a little hurt and my bike was in bad condition. The van was in much worse condition. But I was lucky. Just sore muscles and 2 cut up hands and a scratched face. But I will live. I didn`t even have my helmet on and my head and shoulder flew right into the windshield of the van and broke it. So a little crazy and I was more scared about the van than anything. But the guy was nice. We both were at fault. So after I realized I wasn`t dead and we looked over my bike and his van we decided to not call the police and I called for some help. So it was a bad night. I spend Saturday fixing my bike and I think we are good to go. This time... with a helmet. The last time I was hit by a car on a bike was in Otaru 10 years ago. I have now been hit 4 times on a bike all in Japan...WOW!!!

wow.... its March!!

I can`t believe its March. Its been a crazy February. Actually maybe the worst month I can remember. Its been busy and the economy has got me down. I can`t think of harder times. People I know left and right a getting cut from their companies. In a sense I am glad I am in Japan right now but to be honest I am completely burned out. The salaryman lifestyle in Japan has got to be the worst life style there is. I mean no time to pursue your own interests or hobbies. Its just company and customer time. Its amazing that I am in the same company. The US and European offices are so much different. Japan is unique thats for sure. There are some good things and generally I think the Japanese business culture is very good. But not if work is only part of your life. In the states we often say we work to life. Meaning we work to get the money to life the kind of life we want to live. In Japan its completely different in a lot of industries and just the general working culture. Its really you live to work I feel. Meaning your place of employment becomes the center part of your life. Its hard to explain in words. But I feel it and as an American Salaryman in Japan I can tell you its a lot of pressue. Doing things that are completely against your own beliefs or values. But doing them because its expected. I don`t think anyone could really understand unless you are in that position. I talk to a lot of guys from the states who are in similar positions. We all feel the same. This is different than just teaching English in Japan or being here to play or party. This is a culture that you really need to work in to understand. I do now and I know I could never do it for my life. In fact being here has got me thinking of maybe some other things I would like to do. I love Japan. I could life here the rest of my life. But I could never do what I am doing for the rest of my life. If I wanted to stay in Japan I would change. I would go into education. Not English conversation!! Real eduction. Thats my interest and thats what I have been thinking lately. So who knows. This economy makes you think of other careers and maybe time for a change. So I am thinking. I do know I don`t want to be an American Salaryman anymore. Its just not for me. When I get back to the states every day is going to feel like a vacation. I know this.... But I really respect the guys I work with here. Wow such hard workers and while their approach is different that that of America or Europe, they do well and you can only respect them. But I don`t want to be them....

So thats my month... as you can tell its been crazy and my rant on this subject is over. I should write a book...

Valentines!! Wow February is almost half over. Where have I been?? Its been a crazy couple of weeks for me online. I started a facebook account and got really involved. I could not believe how many old friends quickly found me and it is sooooo good to see so many people and chat with them. I talked with old high school friends and even girlfriends. Its really interesting to see how everyone has grown up and how their lives have developed and changed. I look at my own life and I would never have though in high school I would be doing what I am. Back then we all had such different goals and things we wanted to do. Now looking back its interesting and fun to see how people have changed. Some people are married, some divorced, some not married and some unemployed. Its life for everyone. So I have completely been away from my blog and hooked on facebook. Crazy!!

Well Valentines day is almost here in Japan. I was so surprised to see all the chocolate at Jusco the other day. I could not believe all the different kids of chocolate that were being sold special for Valentines. It looked so good I had to buy some for myself. So happy valentines day to me!!

Back to Reality....

The Holidays are over... wow time flies. I spent about 2 weeks all over Hokkaido and had an excellent time. Did some skiing and met some old friends. Went to a couple of onsens and ate some great food. It was a really good 2 weeks which I hated to see end. I stayed in Sapporo, Otaru, and Furano. It was awsome just awsome. I really thought as usual how much I really love Hokkaido. Its buy far my favorite place to be in Japan. Not to say other areas in Japan are great too. I just really like the openness of Hokkaido.

I did miss going back to America though. Maybe next year I don`t know. It was kind of nice not to be in the US this year due to the economic situation. Also, the holidays in the US are sooo busy. It was good to just be away and relax in a nice onsen and eat some good food.

Here is a picture of me taken at an onsen... Its nice to be outside relaxing in the hot spring water... especially when its snowing...



Well I was happy and relaxed as you can see. But now back to reality.... the economy stinks and my industry is really having a bad time... so this new year is going to be a challange.... I guess I will have to go relax there again next year.