Christmas is here...

Well my bonenkai is over. Its always fun to go watch guys who are so stressed out in the office and never smile become drunk and act like complete idiots. I love it. We had a bonenkai last Friday night and yes as usual for any bonenkai everyone got a little too drunk. We had 4 parties until early morning. I think it was a little more extreme than most bonenkai in Japan. But I guess there was a lot of stress this year to shake off. Still its funny to watch these guys. I swear a lot of Japanese guys turn gay when they are drunk I don`t know. But they love to hug and touch. Its crazy!! American`s just love to fight when they are drunk... who knows I guess Japanese do too.

So I survived that and tomorrow is my last day at work. Finally I can take a couple weeks off. I will spend the whole time in Hokkaido. I plan to just eat and ski. Thats it. Yaki niku, sushi, Sapporo Ramen, and ski ski ski... however it looks like I will play a little tennis also. I decided not to go back to the US this year and stay here. My parents were here earlier this year so its ok I don`t go. Plus they are headed down to Mexico now for winter. So I no one to go home to anyway. My shopping is done and everything shipped. So I am good to go. I will wake up Christmas morning and go to the airport and fly out. So an early morning for me thats for sure. But excited to see friends waiting for me.

December has just flown by. I can`t believe it. Next year is going to be hell I think. But I will get into that later.

Merry Christmas,

Well well well... December is here. November was a crazy but fun Month. I was busy with work but at the same time took a couple days off and went to Disneyland / Tokyo to play. I also went to Osaka and Kyoto to see the autumn leafs. Kyoto was beautiful I could not believe it!! I took some pictures.

Now the Christmas rush is on. I am doing a lot of shopping online and almost finished. Just a few more gifts and I am finally done. The big problem is the shipping costs I have to pay while living in Japan.... but nothing I can do about that. I am going to spend Christmas and New Years up in Hokkaido. So of coarse I am excited to go and eat some good food and see friends. I really need to just get a place up there. Someday.... Well I can`t wait to get my shopping done and relax the rest of the year. I also am really in the need of a break from work...

OBAMA BABY!!!

Finally.... the election is over!! I was getting so tired of the election news! I voted 3 weeks ago. I voted from Japan. Everyone asks me who I voted for. Well OBAMA! I was supporting him the whole time. So I am so happy he won. I am more happy Bush is almost out. I am tired of the current administration. Bush has had a lot to deal with 9/11 and the war. But I don`t agree with everything he has done. So change is good and Obama will be better..... (I hope).

I was at a meeting last Wednesday morning as the elections were going on in the US. I had my computer on and was watching the events live during the meeting. It was fun to watch. Maybe I should have concentrated on the meeting more....hehe.

Well the economy sucks and the auto industry sucks worse. My company and every other company in this industry is hating life. I can`t wait for this to be over and the economy to start to improve. Its been a tough year. I know many people who have lost jobs this year and been moved around. So its a terrible year. Today at work my boss told me I would be staying another year at least. So I am here another year. I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand I want to get home and play a little. On the other..... I have some things I wanted to do here but have not been successful so far. I have not been able to meet people I wanted to and have a personal issue which I must take care of here. So anyway..... its good to have more time to complete things. But I am sick of the Japan work ethic....hehe. I am not Japanese so its really tough on me sometimes... but its a good experience and I have learned a lot.

Well we have a new president and I am happy. OBAMA BABY!!!

Back from Europe,

I have been in Europe this past week and now finally back to the real world. I was in Sweden and Paris for work and some additional training. I had a good time but it was busy. We had a lot of workshops and training on different subjects from culture, leadership, management, and company policy and standards. It was a really good session.

One night we went to a resturant to cook a 7 coarse meal with a professional chef. It was a lot of fun. We drank so much beer and wine while making the meal we are all full by the time it was to eat. But here is a video of us preparing some of the meal. I of coarse can not be seen since I am holding the camera..... But you can see the chef who taught us everything. He had great English and a great personality!!

After we prepared it we ate it.... but first some Swedish drinking songs.... notice all the wine glasses on the table. We tried several different kinds of wine.... it became a very crazy night!!

Anyway lots of study and lots of drinking last week. By the way Paris was nice too.... I love the cheese!!

Incredible!! Its October 13th... its been a while since I updated this. The past 3 weeks have been a circus for me. Work has been crazy and my personal life just as crazy. But now things are calmed down a little. I voted for the US president today. The election has been going for so long. I will be really happy to have it over with. So many ask who I voted for??? Well its personal. Let`s just say I supported the Guy who has a big "O"at the beginning of his last name. Yes thats right I did vote for Obama. The United States is so messed up right now I am not really sure any one person who acts as president can hope to fix everything. It took Bush 8 years to mess everything up so I guess it will take at least 8 years to get back to feeling good again. Who knows??? But I think Obama is a little more fresh and has a little more energy combined with some decent plans to get things going in the right path. Basically anyone but Bush. McCain would not be as bad. I just think Obama is better. So this is who I voted for. I have to vote early because I am on absentee ballot.
On other news..... I heard from my office in the United States they were thinking of pulling me back there next year. They need me to come back and work on some issues. As the whole Automotive industry is doing terrible. So it looks like my stay in Nagoya may be coming to an end in a few months. I am a little torn. On one hand... I am tired of the hours and work environment here. On the other... I really love living in Japan. But my life has always been back and forth. So its not a good-bye and I expect I will be back possible in Nagoya in a few years. But still will be taking my summer vacations up in Hokkaido. So it looks like I need to quickly buy a condo in Sapporo so I have a place to take my summers and some winters....hehe.
Football season started and its the baseball playoffs. Basketball starts in a couple of week.s I always say October has the best weather, best food, and best sports!!

Dead Broke....

I heard president Bush give his speech tonight about how the US is on the verge of a major economic disaster. Bush is the same guy who said just about 6 months ago that the US was not in a recession and it was just a little slowdown in the economy. I can`t believe it!! I think everyone in the US understood how bad things are. I am glad he finally figured it out just before everyone becomes dead broke. As you can tell I think the current administration is so wrong on so many things. Its been a terrible 8 years. I wish the election was tomorrow. It will feel good to vote and fire some of these people.

I checked my stocks yesterday and about died. I decided a few months ago not to watch them so much. So I just let them sit without watching them. I knew it would be bad but I had no idea how bad they had dropped. I can`t believe. I spent my lunchtime yesterday selling some of my investments which are almost shot. Its a good time to invest possibly thats true. But I found I lost so much on a few that I didn`t have the faith to leave them in. Others though I did leave. My retirement is also getting killed. I am tired of it. I am glad I am not in the US right now. I hope to be in Japan for at least another year or 2 years. I don`t want to go back to such a mess......

Well I never was able to go to Mt. Fuji. The weather wasn`t good. I am afraid the only time I will see the mountain is from the airplane I rode a couple weeks ago.

It wasn`t even a good picture. Cloudy and I could hardly see it. So I guess I will be waiting until next spring. I think next year I will go early in the year in June. But I have a few weeks to go to some other places and hike around now. The fall is the best time. I am planning to go to Kyoto in November and see the fall leaves. I was at Osaka yesterday but the only hiking around I have found there is in the streets....hehe. So anyway next year. Even if the weather was good this year the night I was planning to go I had some sudden meetings and issues at work. I wasn`t able to leave my office until around 10 pm and I was dead tired. No way I could have drove to Fuji and climb that night. So any way, the best time of year is almost here so I am happy.

The US open was awsome this year. Andy Murray finally was able to reach a finals. Although he lost I usually cheer for the underdog in any sports. Even when they are playing my team sometimes. I like the story of a team or player that is expected to lose and come out and triumph. Its always good in sports... Nagoya is still hot and humid. This year was by far worse than last year. I am looking forward to some crisp cool mornings to play tennis. I am also looking forward to turning off my air conditioner and opening the windows. Maybe in a couple weeks. I see the convenient stores have oden and niku man back so the season must be getting here soon...hehe.