Finally May is over!! Its been a tough couple of weeks to end May. I have had to travel everywhere and work the weekends... I am so glad the damn month is over. I don`t think I have ever been so tired. Mentally and physically I am drained. I am not sure how the Japanese do it... I have no interest to live out my life just working until I am dead. There has to be more to life than just work I guess..... so hey there is Tennis!!

Now on to June....

The French Open is here and the NBA finals are set... So I am cheering for Nadal and the Celtics!! Then its the world cup .... The next few months should keep me interested in sports.... Before I know it August will be here. I am planning to return back to the USA for a couple of weeks. The day I arrive in Utah I am going to a Rush concert. They are my favorite band and I got tickets. But I am going to bed dead with jet lag I think. Still the music and friends will keep me awake. I am excited for that. Then its a few days of relaxing, shopping, and tennis at Stanford in CA. I guess my life is a little more interesting than it has been the past month..

GW is over.....

It was a crazy golden week this year. My parents flew in from the United States to spend a couple of weeks with me. It was really good to be with them. We had a good time and went everywhere in the last couple of weeks. Some pictures of the places went are below.

First we went to Nara. I have been there several times but my parents have never been. The green on the Japanese maples was beautiful!! Then of coarse the deer in Nara are always around.After Nara, We headed over to Inuyama Castle. I have never been there before but decided I should go since I live in Nagoya. I was impressed.



After Inuyama, we started our actual GW vacation. We first went to Shirakawa. The scene in this village is incredible. We really enjoyed spending the afternoon there.


After Shirakawa we went to Kanazawa.


From Kanazawa I went to Notohanto and drove down the coast to Totori. We saw some beautiful coastline and beaches. Even got to see the town of Ohbama..."yes we can"!!



On the wat to Tottori we stopped at a bed and breakfast. It was dark when we got there but when we woke up the view from my room was so beautiful!! It was a nice sunrise!!




We then arrived to Tottori to see the sand dune beach and take a cruise around the area to see the rocks and water. I decided I wanted to live there. Too bad there is no job for me though..



Then for the last part of this trip we went back up to Tokyo to Disney Sea and Disneyland for a couple of days. Golden week was over so the parks were not too busy. We had plenty of time to relax and see both parks.

So it was a crazy few weeks and I did a lot of driving. But I love driving so no problem. Now its back to reality... Sometimes I hate reality!!

Easter Sunday:

Well usually today I am at a place called Moab in Utah. I go there every year 4 wheeling with friends. Boys and their toys! But I have not been there for a few years because I am here in Japan. So I am a little homesick. But decided to take a drive to Kyoto and see the Kiyomizu temple. Actually I had never been there. So it was a great day for me. I just loved it. I can`t believe of all the places I have been in Japan now that I have never been there. But finally got there and loved it!!


It looks like I wasn`t the only one in Japan that decided to go. It seems like the whole country was there!!

YEA SPRING BABY!!!

I am so ready for spring this year. The cold days are coming to an end. Its about time!!! Its been an interesting last couple of months.

The news in Japan has been interesting lately. Anyone who has been watching the news has heard about the movie "The Cove" and also the anti-whaling activist on the "Sea Sheaperd". I have been very interested in this.

I saw The Cove a couple of months ago. I was surprised to see this. As documentaries go this was a good one. I added the trailer on my page. As you all know I live in Japan. While I do respect and try to respect all the culture here that is different than my own, I believe there are some things that possibly in today`s world are looked at differently than in a previous time. I agree and support the efforts of those who made this documentary. I believe dolphins being the intelligent animals they are should not be hunted down, ate, or held in small tanks. I enjoy a good dolphin show. But after watching and this documentary and doing some reading on my own I now am not sure I support the whole idea of dolphins in captivity. But if they are born in captivity I am ok with that. Just not catching from open waters and selling them. Then killing the ones that don`t sell for food.

Many Japanese say catching whale or dolphins are no different than killing cows and eating beef. But it is. Very different. Cows are now farmed as food. They are not caught out of the wild and their numbers are not declining. If whales could be farmed I believe its a little different. But they can`t be. We should protect them. I am against whaling. I also favor the tuna ban. Sorry Japan!! Its not in my culture. I have had many debates about this with people but its my feelings vs theirs. Basically whaling is an ancient custom that no longer has a place in todays world. American`s stopped killing buffalo and now farms them if we want to eat them. Its not the same. I believe Japan who go around the whole world hunting and buying fish should do more to preserve and give back to the oceans. But I don`t see where they do. Its just take and take. The balance of the ecosystems in the ocean is becoming very dangerous I feel. But the country doesn`t seem to care. They want their tuna and want to hold on to some ideals that really as I said have no place in todays world with the technology and information we have. Don`t get me wrong. I love sushi and love maguro. But I believe we should protect and scale back the fishing. Again Sorry Japan... I am with the activist on this one.

Well the Olympics are over... I have been watching pretty heavy the last 2 weeks. I like the winter Olympics better than the summer Olympics. So I am kind of sad to seem them go for another 4 years. But there was a lot of excitement this time. The US did really good.... GO USA!!

My favorite was the snowboard half pipe. I am a big Shaun White fan. When I grow up I want to be just like him....hehe. The downhill freestyle moguls were also awesome!! Also speed skating as well. So I guess its Russia next. I remember the Salt Lake Olympics and it seemed just like yesterday.

Well at least spring is in the air. Another few weeks and I think we will have some cherry blossoms!!

Well its been a while. Where do I start??

Toyota Recall: Everyone knows now about the recall and possibly other one. Its been huge and kept me busy. A lot of people have asked my opinion. Here is my opinion to be very frank.

Toyota is a good company. Maybe one of the best. But like all good companies who put too much focus on growth, they forget the things that made them great. Toyota has cut corners. Their quality has gone down and they are NOT the safest car on the road. I don`t think Toyota is any better than the top 3 or 4 automakers out there now. Out of the top 4 I would think they are 4 on safety. I am not bashing the company. I am just giving my opinion. I drive a Toyota here in Japan. But if I was in America, I would not. There are many other companies that offer more car for less money with the same quality and better safety ratings. Toyota is now over rated. I don`t see them as the golden company they used to be. The companies culture needs to change along with the boring cars they make. Thats my opinion.

Now to tennis..... wow.. I was dissapointed in the Aussie open. I didn`t want Serina or Federer to win. But they did. I was really hoping Andy Roddick would win. I felt so bad for him last year at Wimbledon. I really wanted him. As for the women... I really wanted Henin to win. I like her and she is so strong. But she had a terrible game. Still she is just coming back so I hope she continues to get stronger. I want some new champions.

Last is football. Today in America was the Superbowl. The biggest sporting event in the United States. The game is good and the TV commercials are too. Because its such a big event, companies spend a lot of money on commercials. The TV commercials become part of the whole game. Many people watch the game just for the commercials. There were a lot of good commercials this year but one of my favorites was a simple one from Google.

I attached it at the right. Check it out.

Well thats it for now. My job is so busy right now I can`t believe it. But I guess its better than having no job. I have had no time for tennis. Last week I was traveling everyday. This week I still have a hangover from last week. So maybe by this weekend I will be back to normal. Whats normal anyway?????

Another chance for my first love??

When I was 15 I bought my first car. It was a classic 4wd Ford Bronco. I couldn`t even drive until I was 16 but I bought it and worked on it for a year. I worked and all my money I used to update my Bronco. I put in a new engine by myself, put in new seats, new flooring, new paint and new tires. Over the years I changed my Bronco over and over again. But 5 years ago I decided to sell it. I didn`t drive it much. It was just my first love, my first girlfriend. I keep it in a garage locked up. But still, I decided I was getting tired of the old girl and sold it to a young 16 year old from California. The value of the Bronco now was fairly high. It was a classic and has a very good reputation. When I sold it, I had completed updated it again. I took the top off, the doors off, new tires, and lot of other extras. Here is a picture of it just before I sold it.


This Bronco has a lot of value with me. This is the car I drove all in high school and college. This is the car I had dates in and explored lots of areas. When I sold it people were surprised. I always said I would never sell it. But I did.

Now 5 years later, I received an email from the father who bought this for his son. He is thinking of selling it. I always wondered what happened to my girl. He sent these pictures. I was shocked!!

My girl is now red with the top and doors back on. I am not sure if I like her that way but she was still my girl. My question should I take her back?? I sometimes thought after I sold it I wish I never did. I did have some regrets. Now I have a 2nd chance to get my first love back. Its a hard decision.

After I sold that Bronco I bought a new Jeep which I now love. But its still not the same. Still, I decided this car has too much value to me. I guess I will get her back and keep my Jeep too. I can`t drive her much anyway but she is a classic and a collectible. Its going to cost me more to get her back than what I sold her for. Nothing I can do though.

So thats my story. I have only lost a couple of loves in my life. Each one I regret and the chance to get them back is just too great I guess. My garage in Utah already has 3 cars parked in it that I can`t drive. One more will be ok.... It will be nice to get her back. Now if I can get another one back I will be really satisfied!!