Moooooving on!

Ground control to Major Tom......
Our circuit's dead (or soon will be) ....

So we are moving into the new place tomorrow and will have NO INTERNET until Yahoo BB gets their ass in gear and sets us up. Apparently it takes a whole month for these mofos to stop at your house and say 'yep, ok you can have internet now'. What do they do at your house that is sooooo important you ask that it takes a whole month for them to come and do it? Look at your jack and say the above. *sigh* Japanese companies I tell ya. Don't worry we will be checking our mail and trying to post as much as possible from work etc. And whoever wins the contest will still get their dandy Japanese prezzie. Just don't take it personal if we can't get back to ya right away, mmmkay?

On the plus side, our new place rocks. Pictures will be posted as soon as we have everything all moved in and organised. Wish us luck in the move! We've collected enough crap here to make the move all fun and interesting :P

The year in review (part 1)

Well folks, I've been in Japan for nearly 1 year now and the prospect of many more are on the horizon. It occured to me that I've taken over seven thousand pictures and hardly anyone has seen them. So, here is part one of my year in review. Please enjoy and let me know what you think (all comments and emails are welcome).

Warning: there's a ton of pictures in this post, people on dial-up (do they still exist?) will be waiting a long time for them to load.

God decides to give me one last white Christmas back home.

My last day in Scotland

Dali and Louise

My neighbour at my old apartment


Our first ever night in Dunk (where we meet Karaoke Queen and Osaka Otaku). And where I learnt I had the superpower to sing Coldplay rather badly!

After the initial shock-and-awe of arriving, I decided to go exploring the first few months. 私は京都と姫路に行きました。I also started to learn some japanese. でも日本語はとても難しいです。

Here are some pics of Kyoto (京都).

Nijo-jo castle .

Those 3 specks in the middle are Ben, Danard and my good self. Credit should go to Dali for taking this picture.

And now for a selection of Nara (奈良) pictures.
*Sidenote for visitors to Nara: DON'T feed those little bast*** deer in the park as there are the mafia of the animal kingdom.*


I did all the things that a typical tourist would do, but soon found I was attracted more to Kyoto. There's just something I love about this place, other than the obvious sightseeing attractions. I had some of those rare "Japanese" moments where the unexpected makes you love this country even more; my walk along the Kamo river where I stumbled on a jazz band just relaxing with a free miniconcert; the Maiko who was gracious enough to allow her picture to be taken with me one night; Cherry blossom and Autumn in Arashiyama...

If I ever get fed up with Osaka, Kyoto is the place I'd relocate to.

Part 2: spring and summer (otherwise know as "Oh god, the heat!") to follow as soon as I've grabbed some snacks at Lawsons.

AAAAAND FIGHT!

So guess who is doing something unusual this year for New Years? Me, me, me. I am going to be some eyecandy at a K-1 fight this year at Osaka Dome on New Years Eve. Cool, is all I have to say.

Some Christmas cheer

In the form of videos! Enjoy!

Christmas pictures!

Well, here they are. Our house has recovered from the 30 peeps that were here on Christmas day. Here are some pictures of the fun!


Here is where it all starts: my extremely small Japanese style oven. I cooked 4 of these birds on Christmas Day. You can really only fit a chicken in this baby.


Our 2 very small Christmas trees. The one on the left only cost us a dollar! Yah 100 yen stores!


Mmmmmm. Look at all that food!


Some of the first guests enjoying their dinner :) Note the bed is all tipped up on its side to accommodate and make room for guests!


More guests enjoying their dinner. They're so absorbed in the meal that not a single person is looking up and talking. Hehe.


More guests arrive - with alot of Christmas spirit in tow. Shigeki is in the big red kidney hat and Naoyuki is Rudolph.


Ooooh, what is everyone doing over here? Playing MarioKart of course! What else would you be doing on Christmas?


Oooh, what's in the package? A secret santa present!


Ooooh Chisato got a cell phone dangly!


Rich sure seems excited by whats in this bag!

And one last photo for you...


Thats all folks! Merry Christmas!

Christmas came and went.

Well, Christmas came and went with all the usual antics one could expect here in Japan. First, I had a full working day to contend with; followed by the wonderful dinner at Karaokequeen and Osaka Otaku's house (cheers for that one); and rounded off by my last ever visit to Club Dunk. Still, any evening where you get to see a stunningly beaustiful hostess dressed as Rudolph is a good one (she spoke about 4 languages too)!

Have a happy new new everyone. See you on the right side of 2007...where the adventures shall continue.

Merry Xmas Everyone!!!!

Its Christmas day, my chickens are stuffed and in the oven, the potatoes are waiting to be cooked and there is a table of booze just waiting for people to drink it!

AAAAAND I have finally been added to 25 peeps.

Check me out!!! Please? C'mon, its Christmas :)

AAAAAND for those of you who want to see us chowing down, check out our live feed - here

We will be eating from 6PM onwards, that is Osaka time on Christmas day. So come take a peek at us there too and have a chat with us too ;) We will try to make sure to say hello to everyone.

Getting together on Christmas Day

We're going to have a Christmas Feast with a few friends. Come by and check us out having an Osakan Orphan's Christmas. Look here. Remember for those in other countries, there is a time difference! Luckily we've provided a link to help you calculate.

Christmas

This is a time of year for giving, sharing and the bloody strange shop displays. If it has someone dressed as Santa, japanese punters will love it!

I guess times are hard for Hello Kitty. Standing all day like that.


For the other 364 days of the year, Santa works in a supermarket and has to settle for a disgusting yellow and green uniform.
(He was standing in the same place when I noticed him nearly a year ago.)

Stop and look around

You can find that even in a dirty city like Osaka, there are many beautiful sights. I didn't notice until I decided to document my way home from the subway station.

Even the mundane, when cast in the right light, can seem exotic and intriguing.

For a city of 2.6 million (2005) it sure seems deserted.

Often things seen day in day out lose their charm. It takes stopping and looking at it from another angle to realize what you missed all those days that you walked by without a glance.

In the day, you don't really notice the interesting facade.
The absence of light sure makes it stand out.

In Japan sensory overload is so common. Advertisements are everywhere and noise pollution is rampant, but every once in a while simplicity makes you stop and take notice.

Is anyone thirsty about now?

A different kinda crazy

On a lighter note (last post was a bit heavy), I tagged Osaka Otaku with the 6 weird things. I recommend reading them. Everyone will know the weirdness I must put up with everyday :)

Gloomy weather, gloomy news

Sometimes life is full of happiness and joy. Other times... well we all know what that's like. We hope for brighter days.

In the local front, our long time friend Kouji had to make the decision to close his club. Most of the fun pics you've seen on this blog have been from that bar(when it was a bar) and club. We'll be sad to see it leave and we'll do our best to help Kouji through the rough bits.

In the "home", as Canada is always the first place a Canadian considers home, front our long time friends T&T (of the Bob Dole fame) had a rash of bad news. First they had their apartment broken into and had some stuff taken, then Tara's mom died in the hospital. So please go over and send some condolences to T&T.

And so the adventures continue.

Just to let people know, I'm still alive and I've continued to take more pictures of the randomness you find here in Japan. Please enjoy this meager selection while I'm partying my ass off through this holiday season. Merry Christmas.

"Mess with me and I will fuck you up. I'm a cop and get away with it in this country."

"Our staff are kindly working for your benefit. Please don't disturb them while they build even more confusing, poorly signed subway tunnels to confuse the stupid gaijin men taking pictures here."

The always charming and wonderful Kat. She speaks 6 languages don't you know!

Japan is such a consumer society, people will even throw away their old safes in place of newer, cooler ones.

What we all like to see on the subway: a woman holding a banana like that and not getting why it's hilarious.Friends who are missed...


Even Spider-Man needs a hand laying the smackdown on Dr Doom. In Japan, he gets a transforming robot to beat the shit out of supervillians! Nice one.

The always lovely Natsuyo.

We're moving!

Just into a new apartment about 5 blocks from our old one. However, we're doing it right after Christmas. Our place is a disaster right now. Nothing (hardly anything) is packed, I have a million guests coming over in under a week. Yep. All I can say is........gambarimasu. Hopefully our place will be non-disasterish enough to hold 25 people and Christmas dinner. And I will have packed enough so when the moving guy shows up he can actually move stuff - hehe. Speaking of which, we may not have internet for a couple of weeks at the new place. And due to vacationing in Canada in January, blogging maybe a bit sparse in the New Year. Don't worry. I'll be back. Hehe.

I guess I should go pack or something. Yep. Should do. Aww, heck, I'll do it tomorrow :D

Contest!

So it looks like only a few peeps are in the running for the contest! It doesn't end until the 31st so people still have time to catch up on their comments if they want some happy happy joyful prezzies from Japan!!!

Check out my friends Blog

Our best friends in Vancouver have succumbed and finally started a blog. Go read about Timmie and Tara here.

Tim is a programmer at EA and Tara works for Celestial in advertising. They have a cat (which its our fault that they have - a long story involving my sister, kittens, a car ride back to the Okanagan and a gosh darn cutie that slept on a certain someone during the trip) named Bucky. Think 'Get Fuzzy' and you will have a general idea about his personality. They just moved into a new townhouse and sent us the lovely pictures of Vancouver under ice :D Miss ya guys! See you in January!

I have been tagged!!

I have been tagged by Charles at Deuces Stay Wild. So here are 6 odd things about myself.

1. I am a bit of a closet geek. People don't look at me and think - wow she is obsessesed with Totoro, loves Star Trek etc. Yep. That's right. Here is one of my secret addictions :) And here, and here.

2. 99% of the time when I go out 'drinking', I don't actually drink alcohol. Not that I don't like it or anything, but I'm a bit of an expensive drunk and I just don't think its worth the cost most of the time. I'd rather spend my money on other things - or buy a bottle at home first.

3. I love cats. Alot. I miss my kitties in Canada like crazy. I could tell you what kind of mood my babies were in anytime. The waited at the door for me to come home everyday and would meow until I picked them up. I sometimes find it difficult living here in Osaka with so many strays. I want to take them all home.

4. I like to pluck, rather than wax. Wax is messy. If I miss some bits shaving etc, I pull out the tweezers to get the rest. Ouchy, but much tidier!

5. I loved vegetables as a kid. Broccoli? No problem. Spinich? Yum. I still love my green leafies. I prefer them to candy. I still can't finish a whole chocolate bar, my sweet tooth is so lacking. I'd rather eat a carrot than a chocolate bar - except for that one time a month when I would kill for a caramilk.

6. I really am a shy person. My actions apparently dictate otherwise, but that was through years of training. I really have to make myself be outgoing etc and do worry about what people think about me. Whats has changed since I was younger is that although I worry, I don't let it affect what I do anymore.

Thats it!

I tag Osaka Otaku and Nantonaku!

Merry Christmas!!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM ME AND PREDATOR!!! GRAAAAAAH!

Sushi and such

I love me some sushi. And there's so much of it here in Japan. And Osaka is known as Japans kitchen. Boy did I pick the right city to live in!! SO dinner plans were made and Rich, Rachel, Ikuyo and I decided to head out and get us some raw fish!! On our way to dinner, we ran across some interesting Osaka sights.


Rachel and Ikuyo on the escalator.


Ikuyo is really tiny. In this pic you can see Rachel on the left - who has stated that she herself is not the tallest person, me in the white coat and Ikuyo on the right. Tiny!


A Takoyaki stand. These ones are actually made with a kind of "taco" shell which is NOT usual. Tako in Japanese means octopus. So coming with a shell is....uh....unusual. They are delicious regardless and an Osaka specialty. I love the towel headgear.


This is the big crab on Dottonbori street. It moves. Its pretty cool. A real landmark downtown.

Well that was our Sushi dinner adventure. No pictures of the sushi. We were concentrating on the wolfing down of the food. Maybe next time :D Who am I kidding? When do we ever wait to eat?!!