A little chunk of the web dedicated to keeping our friends, family, fans of Mike's noise and anyone else who for whatever reason cares updated on our year abroad in Ichinomiya, Hyogo, Japan.
Blogger seems to be completely under Google's control now, so Colleen and I will finally have seperate user names on the blog from here out. They are over there on the right. Shouldn't be too hard to figure out who's who. I'm not sure if it will change the name for all the old posts and credit them to me, but if it does anything sweet and sincere was by her, anything sarcastic, pretentious or obnoxious by me. We signed most of them anyway.
changes is a good song, tupac with a beat laced from that bruce hornsby song from the eighties "the way it is" with the early nineties drumbeat machine sound... sick
It was bound to happen. Last night I stepped on a slug in the kitchen. Thing just exploded, all slime. I am so thankful I had on really thick winter socks. It could have been worse. Clean-up still wasn't much fun. They look even worse deflated.
What, no pictures? bummer.
a little gross...
a little gross...
Today I went back and Ms. Colleen made her first trip to the mountain-top Engyoji Temple in Hyogo. This time the lady insisted on hiking so we got in quite a bit of exercise and some nice photos:
On a walk yesterday morning Colleen saw a massive bear pile of bear dung just minutes from our doorstep. We've heard the rumblings of the bear sightings - actually just other turd sightings for the most part - and have been intrigued from the get go despite the "KOWAI" (scary! scary!) warnings of the locals. Perhaps I saw "The Great Outdoors" a few too many times growing up. I went back in the afternoon to try and see this excrement for myself - and get a photo for you fine readers of course - but I couldn't find it. Managed to see some deer droppings but they were a pretty sad substitute.
I would like totally ask you to send me some bonafide japanese bearshit for me to hang on my wall, save for the fact that it's probably grounds for some bio-terrorism charge... se la vie
Just scored some American football on DVD from my man Tim in Osaka. The only games I caught when I was in the States were a sad effort by the Browns and an easy victory by the Buckeyes. Word is a couple of these are nice match-ups. And I've kept myself in the dark just enough to be able to enjoy them, unlike the single game I saw last year already knowing the outcome. Tomorrow should be fun.
After missing the last two bimonthly sumo meets - July I had temp work and September I was in America - it feels so good to be back in front of the tube watching these giants slap each other around. It's like an old friend you've fallen out of touch with showing up out of the blue.
I want to know if kyusho basho is really Japanese for sumo wrestling! Hope you guys didn't get hit by any after affects of the "tsunamis" yesterday - I spent 30 minutes staring at maps trying to figure out where you lived in reference & I concluded that you weren't nearby, but given that I thought Japan was closer to Australia than Russia - I don't know that my geography is the best bet! Talk to you later! :)
Kyushu = Southern Island, where Nagasaki is.
Basho = the word for the tournament/meet.
This basho is being held in Kyushu. Sorry for not being more clear. And don't turn into mom with weather paranoia...
considering the weather, the bird gang obviously wouldve warned you of any upcoming problems... is this amanda chick on crack or something?
also, speaking of falling out of touch with old friends... colleen- I just want you to know that I will be lobbying the rest of the family this thanksgiving that you be disowned. youve been turning japanese long enough, we need to move on. also, I need christmas gift ideas.
Amanda is just doing her part to show the love, ya know? I know I can only expect the hand-off, tough love kind from you all. So what exactly are you lobbying and what makes you think I'm turning Japanese? Okay, this is getting a bit personal for the whole world to read. Hit me up by email for more. -C
Pumpkin milk? Like liquid milk? Or is it a pressed hard candy?
It's a hard candy. Expect some this weekend.
