Today was Christmas!! Merry Christmas to me. I got my car back from the hospital!! Good timing because it has been raining here and the weather forecast for Saturday is rain, rain, and more rain!! So anyway I am happy and it looks new again. So I have got to keep it that way!! I was told it would take at least a month to fix. But they did it in 3 weeks so my hat is off to them. But I wish the rainy season was over. I want to play some tennis and unable to because of the rain. I am getting really bored on Saturday mornings now. Speaking of tennis the Wimbledon championships were awesome. Especially the mens finals. I was up all night watching it last Sunday night. I am still paying for not getting any sleep. I have been tired all week. But Federer is amazing and even though I am a Nadal and Gonzalez fan I really enjoyed watching him win this match. Nadals time is coming soon. But for now its just amazing to watch Federer play. His backhand is completely flawless and smooth. I just watch in awe when I watch this guy play. So up next is the US Open. I can`t believe thats coming up next month and its been year. I really enjoyed going last yea rand look forward to next year. I think I will be going to Wimbledon. At least that is my plan. I need to get there.Tomorrow is Friday. Tomorrow night can`t come soon enough!! I am ready for another weekend....

Well the 4th of July holiday is going on in the United States. I wish I was there to relax and party a little. Our office there shut down for the whole week which makes me jealous!! But I guess next month we will get to shut down here so thats ok. I spent the 4th in Tsukuba working like a crazy man. I got home late last night. I am getting tired of the train ride up there. But it is a break out of the office which is good. So one more day back in the office and its finally the weekend!! I can`t wait because I have been running on about 4 hours night of sleep this whole week. Taking customers out drinking and to dinner. Its really not fun. But has to be done. But its one thing I really hate about the business culture here. I guess when I was younger I didn`t mind it that much. But now I just want the nights to myself. Next week I don`t think I need to do anything so I can come home at a good time and relax a little. I guess with any job anywhere there are things we don`t like. Basically I am enjoying living here. But the working hours are terrible. I had a girl at our office who came up to me at lunch and asked if it was ok if she left at 6:00pm. I said "of coarse", " if your job is done go". She told me she feels guilty leaving because so many people stay. I told her I am American so I don`t think anything when someone leaves at that time. But its not right for employees to feel guilty if they leave at 6:00pm. I think thats the management and culture aspect of the office thats the hardest. I had that same feeling when I worked at Sumitomo. There is a pressure to stay until most people start leaving. I can be in my office until 10:00pm before people start leaving. But I usually just go. After 8:30pm there really is not meaning in my life to be there. Its a job not my life. A lot of theses guys have no hobbies or other passions. Its like they just throw their whole life at the job morning and night. Thats good but in my opinion its not healthy for a balanced life. Anyway, I always hit on this. But I thought it was interesting a girl from my office would ask that question.
Well... just one more day and its relax time!

Hot hot hot!!!

Wow its getting hot and wet!!! I am not liking this weather at all!!! I hate humid weather. I guess I am too used to the West Coast. I hear its only going to get worse also. Everyone is telling me Nagoya summers are really hot and wet. Hot?? ok ... but wet?? Thats no good !!

So tonight I am home eating ice cream with my air conditioners going. I am watching Wimbledon live on my computer and watching K-1 on the tv at the same time. So my eyes are really busy... Anyway... Its a great 2 weeks for tennis and I am happy Winbledon is finally here. I am kind of sad because I was planning to go there this year and watch it but ended up getting transferred here to Japan. Its impossible to take time off away from Obon and Shougatsu so I am stuck here!! That sucks but in a couple years when I am finished here I guess I will go. Anyway... its Thursday night and tomorrow is Friday my favorite day!!! So I think I can hang in there for one more day this week!! As long as I don`t melt I will be ok.

rain rain go away.... nothing buy rain lately... It seems that every other day its raining. I can`t wait for the rainy season to end even though it just started. Its especially a pain since I don`t have a car. So this Sunday afternoon I guess I don`t need to worry about going anywhere. So I am just sitting home watching K-1 and get ready for Monday. I took last Friday off so the 3 day weekend felt good. But I still had to do a lot of work from home. I guess you can never run away from work.
There was some terrible news from Utah I heard this week. An 11 year old boy who was camping with his family was attacked by a bear and killed. He was sleeping in his tent with his family when a bear came in the middle of the night and attacked him. The bear pulled him out of the tent as his family watched and killed the boy. I horrible horrible story. I have a son around the same age. It really made me think and I can`t imagine what the family must be feeling. Just completely horrible. The bear was later tracked down and killed. The tent was a gift to the father from that son for Fathers day. So the family went camping to try out the tent. Such a sad story. I can only hope the family can find some kind of comfort during this time. My son is in Utah but not camping. School is out for him now so he is just going to play tennis everyday and practice. I will see him in August and we will be playing tennis together almost everyday. He said he wants to beat me and I am sure he is working hard to do just that. Even though he is only 10. I can`t play gentle on him. He is very good and ranked. So he takes it very serious. I know he does because I am having to pay a lot of money to keep him going. The kid needs new shoes and rackets about every 3 months. But thats ok. Tennis makes him happy so I will support it and let him try to take it as far as he can go. I wish I was his age again.... But I am at the age where I am just trying to live my dreams through him. So if he needs another new racket its almost like buying me another new racket....hehe

Man its already June 19th?? Where does the time go?? Its only Tuesday but feels like Friday. I had to go drinking last night with some people from my office. Notice I said "had to". I didn`t want to but had to. A Monday night is absolutely the worst night to go drinking. But there was nothing I could do. I had to go with theses guys from work to some beer garden. A lot of beer was drunk and I swear when Japanese guys get drunk they turn gay. I don`t know how to word it. I mean they get all touchy feely and hang all over you. In the states that doesn`t really happen. Guys get drunk and then fight...hehe not hug each other. Anyway it was fun but I am paying the price now. Tomorrow is hump day so the week is half over. My car finally goes in the shop to get fixed on Friday. Its going to take a Month!!! I am here in the heart of Toyota and its still going to take them a month!! Hard to believe.... I guess a lot of people must be needed their cars fixed.
Well off to bed. Its been a long day and last night was a short night. I got to catch up on my sleep.

My internet and phone connection was knocked out during the rain storm last Saturday. I have never seen it rain so hard in my life. It never rains like that in Utah. I haven`t seen it rain that hard in San Francisco either. It was crazy for me. I was on the internet Saturday morning when all of a sudden I lost my connection. My neighbors also lost their connection. We called NTT and they came in the middle of the storm on Saturday and tried to fix it. I could not believe they were outside up on a power pole trying to fix our connections for 3 hours on Saturday. They worked really hard but couldn`t get it fixed due to the weather. In the end they had to quit and today came and replaced everyone`s fiber optic lines. So I am back up and it feels good.

Since coming to Japan I have really needed the internet to know whats going on back in the US. Also to keep up on the sports and things during the weekend. So it was strange not to have that connection. But also in a way kind of nice to get away.... Sometimes its good to get away from the cell phone, emails, telephone, and tv and just do something completely different! So in a way it was refreshing.

I heard a loud crash outside our office today. It sounded like a car wreck. Everyone in the office ran to the window to see. (I guess that shows how bored everyone is or how bad people need a diversion for a few minutes). I am guilt of going to look also though. I admit it... I need an escape for a few minutes....

So we look outside to see a small car that hit a power pole. The pole fell over on the ground. The car was trying to get away but was caught in some wires. It kept trying and finally was able to get free and got away. I guess the guy in the car thought no one saw him and thought he could get away. BUT.... the problem was he left his bumper with license plate on the street. While he was trying to get away the wires caught on his bumper tore it off. So he got away but his bumper with the license plate was there.
After a few minutes the police and power company came to quickly take care of the damage. The police had the bumper and made some calls. About 30 minutes later we hear some yelling outside the window. Everyone in my office runs over to the window again to see whats going on this time. Well the police had the guy and his car there. They were basically yelling at him asking why he hit the pole and why he was so stupid to run off and leave his bumper. I am glad no one was hurt but it was kind of funny. That was my entertainment for the day. Pretty sad to say. I don`t think I have ever worked in such a quiet office in my life. However, I do remember my Sumitomo days and that office was kind of quiet also. But this one tops the cake. I mean its pretty quiet and basically dull in my opinion. But thats life. Looking back at my office in Utah it was much more different. I guess now that I think sometimes too loud with too much playing going on. I think people should be maybe just a little more serious sometimes. But its good to just get some energy out of the body when your sitting all day. So sometimes small play may be good I don’t know. But I think people generally were happy there. Here is hard to get a smile out of people sometimes. I guess its a matter of people being so mentally involved in their work they can’t smile,,,, or just the culture. I have been drinking with these people here so I know its not their personalities. They generally shine and show their true face the minute they leave the door. But while in the office it’s almost like we never met.... interesting. However, I have learned a lot since being here these few months and glad I am here. I hope to learn a lot more but I just don’t want to kill myself doing it. I need a balance. But all in all good... and as I always say... THE FOOD IS AWSOME!!!!