Christmas is here!!

Now I am settled back at home here in the US. I went last night to a place downtown to see the Christmas lights. It was a perfect night with no clouds. But cold cold and cold... still perfect!!

Today is Christmas eve.... I am in Utah and going to a family party to see some relatives I have not seen in many many years. It should be good. For Christmas I bought myself a new Volkswagen... I like it so far and the heater in the cold weather works great!!

Well here are some pics I took... I also took one of my new dog Bee-Bee ready for Christmas!!

Salt Lake City Temple:

Downtown Salt Lake Reflection Pool

Bee-Bee!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!!

Welcome Home!!!

Its been a long time... a long long time... As usual I have been busy.

I spent November preparing to move back to the US. I moved back on 11/22 just before Thanksgiving holiday. It was a crazy move and I have too much stuff!! But I was able to pack all my things and move back without any problems.

After moving back to the US I got a new girl friend. Below is her picture. She is cute!!

I was only home for a week and decided to get a dog. She is a Dalmatian and I named her Bee-Bee. So she is my new girl friend. (Not "girlfriend".) I guess because she is just a puppy at 7 weeks old she is more like my new daughter. But anyway she is a good dog and will be a great friend. But I am busy now with my job here and trying to take care of a dog. But its a good thing.

After moving back and getting Bee-Bee we had a huge wind storm here in Utah 4 days ago. My house received a lot of damage and I was not able to go to work because I needed to stay home and watch my home during the wind to make sure it was ok. Our city had a lot of damage and it was like a tornado came here. Some pics are below.

This is the side of my house.... My siding was blown off.

 Behind my house you can see my fence.. it was completely blown down and needs to be replaced..

 Many large trucks on the freeway were blown over.. it was a very strong wind..

So I have been busy now arranging to have my house repaired. I had damage to my roof, siding, fence and lost my barbeque... So I guess I get to have fun getting new things for my home. But everyone in this neighborhood had the same type of damage... not fun...

Well I think I have caught up for now. Its been crazy since I came back. I will only be here for 3 years and then will move back to Japan. So I will enjoy these 3 years and Bee-Bee and I will return back to Japan...(I will travel much back and forth for business though... I will return just after New Years...).

Ahhh life is fun!!

R.I.P Steve Jobs......

 
 Well the news that Steve Jobs died was sad. We all knew it was getting close but to lose such an icon like that.... I live just about 2 miles from Apple Headquarters and I can say it seemed and even felt like every time I drive by the place its electric. Something in the air. Steve Jobs may have been be the most valuable asset the United States had. He was probably the smartest guy around and meant so much to the country and industry he lead. Hate to see him go... Thanks to Steve I enjoy watching movies like "Toy Story" or playing Atari video games and now listening to music, watching movies, and talking to my friends all over the world on my iphone and ipad. I hope apply can keep its mojo.... I think they can since he surrounded himself with the best. Rest in Peace Steve.

In other news I am getting ready to move back to the States in a few weeks. Time is flying and I am ready to go. I will be back in Japan a lot but will live in the States for the next few years. Well I agreed to stay for 3 years and then I have to come back. So I will enjoy the next 3 years but like my life of going back and forth. For me its the best situation. But right now its just crazy getting things ready to go. Having a house in Japan and another one in the States is a big benefit though. i never really have to completely move. Just move some clothes...hehe.

September 11th. I can`t believe its been 10 years. I remember 10 years ago when this all happened. Time really flies. America is completely different than what it was 10 years ago. Its too bad things have to change. But no choice I guess.

Its Sunday night I am sitting here in my home in Nagoya watching the anniversary of the 9/11 attack on CNN. Its also the 6 month anniversary of the Earthquake here in Japan. What a day.

I got back from China again and it feels so good to be back. But things in Japan are crazy busy right now. So I find myself coming home every night just dead. I have no energy and basically end up being a couch potato. No energy to even get anything good to eat...hehe. I seriously need a maid or something...hehe. I am kind of getting sick of living alone now. I guess maybe its time I change my life from one of work work work to one of more play and spending time with someone special. I will go back to the US next week for a week. I can at least get something to eat there.... then back here. So more business travel and no time to even spend anytime with anyone.... That is going to change...!! I was never the type of person who put work in front of anything. Work was always last on my list. Now when you are alone somehow work has a way of becoming number 1. I guess when you have nothing but work thats natural. But its going to change. I am going to change it...

Oh my gosh....!! Its August... well now September... where does the time go??

I spent some more time in China then was back in the US for a couple of weeks. Now back in Japan... so I am a little tired. I returned last week but I have been so tired everynight I haven`t even had the energy to turn on the computer. I guess I was just too busy going places. Finally tonight I am feeling like the old Todd...

Well I will transfer back to America in November... pretty crazy. It will not be permanent. I will return back here to Japan in a couple of years. I will keep coming back many times during the years too on business. But will just live in the US now and not Japan for maybe 3 years. Long enough to get Andy out of high school. Its his important time now and he was able to go back to America. So he was so excited to start American High school.

I took him to the first day of school. I picked him up when it was over. I asked him how it was and he told me, "Just like a movie..." I don`t know if thats good or bad but kind of funny. Now he is in the US doing tennis 50% of the time and School the other 50%. A busy kid. I guess we are all busy.

The weather in the states was really nice. Back in Nagoya it sucks... more heat, wet air... I hate Nagoya summers... Well I will post later...

Fuji Rock Festival!!

I am ready to rock with about 40 thousand Japanese hippies. Its the Fuji Rock Festival !! 3 days of music, hippies, and drinks. Well its not that bad. But a great time to get out of Nagoya.

Tomorrow is Coldplay, Jimmy Eat World and Big Audio Dynamite!! I am stoked!!

Coldplay has a new album coming out. The new single was released and its awesome!! I have linked it below. This band just makes great music... makes you want to get up and jump around..




On other news... Andy is back in America. School is out in Japan. He is old enough now to start high school back in the states and that is where he has decided he wants to go. So he left last week. We spent out last weekend in Tokyo. He wanted to stay at a capsule hotel. He has never stayed in one and wanted to try it out. So I took him to Tokyo and we stayed near Ueno. Then we hit all his places for his final shopping Shibuya, Harajuku, Ueno, Okachimachi, Akihabara, and finally Shinjuku. It was a busy couple of days. But he got all the stuff he wanted and I put him on a plane back to America. This Dad is sad to see him go. But the good news!!! I am going back. I have worked it out I can go back and live in America for a couple years at least until Andy is out of high school. So I will be heading back to be with him possibly in October. I am going back next week but only for a couple of weeks. Then its back here. Actually the next 3 years I am going to be between Japan, China, Brazil, and the US. So my life will be a little crazy. But I will basically live in the US and here in Japan. So its kind of an exciting time and I am happy Andy can go back to the US. Thanks to his mom who agreed to let him!! Anyway, as we were getting ready to leave Tokyo we met Bob Sapp at the Tokyo Station. Here are some pics...

It`s been a long time. I have been gone. I spent some time in China. It was a good trip. Now I am finally back in Japan and it feels nice. China was great but after a while the food started to get to me. I found myself at pizza hut a couple of times eating pizza. But the food there was good and people great. Shanghai was a great city with tons of good shopping. The problem is some things you never know if you got a fake or the real thing. But I think I did good.

So this morning I woke up at 3:30am to watch the womens world cut final.... One word... DAMN!!! I am happy for Japan but of coarse cheering for the US. Japan did well. I can`t say the better team won but congratulations to Japan. Still I am upset the US blew it. They should have won. But it was a great game regardless. Both teams deserved to win and Japan really deserved to win. They never gave up!!

I am on a train now headed to Nagoya. The weather there is hell!! Hot and wet and terrible. If you are a bad person and die I think you go to hell. That place must be like Nagoya in the summer. I don`t like Nagoya summers... But in just 2 weeks I am back on another plane to the US for a couple of weeks of rest. I am really looking forward to it.

Well since I woke up early this morning I guess I will have no problem sleeing tonight. I just want to quickly get home under my A/C, open a coke and rest.