dave spector

dave spector
Originally uploaded by renfield

Dave Spector is an uninteresting white guy who has been on TV in Japan for longer than I have lived here. I remember him because 15 years ago, when I was working for Tokyo Journal, there was a big expose on him. In an article called "The Incredible Inflating Man" they took apart his dyed blond hair, blue-eyed contact lenses, claim to membership in the Academy and a host of other things he professed to but turned out to be true. And generally nobody cared. He plays the role of clown perfectly; harmless white guy who speaks the language, cracks bad jokes, and reaffirms every foreigner stereotype that makes this xenophobic country feel safe and secure. And hell, more power to him if can manage to make a living doing it.

Supposedly he was once asked what he thought about all the other foreigners bad-mouthing his Uncle Tom antics on Japanese TV and his response was: "Not my audience."

Anyway he was filming for a TV show or something on the edge of the park so I took Tonchan to see him and she absolutely freaked out. Wouldn't get near him and started crying and screaming. I actually felt bad for the guy and managed to take this picture whilst walking backwards away from him, holding Tonchan as she was trying to grab the cellphone out of my hands to keep me from taking the photo!

death-defying skillz

death-defying skillz
Originally uploaded by renfield

She still hasn't figured out how to kick to keep herself swinging, but she is getting more and more fearless. She climbs up on the swing, stands up and goes "Papa, BIIIIG push please!" So I get her swinging and figure the worst thing that'll happen is she falls off, lands on her face, and the swing smacks her in the back of the head. I've done worse. ALOT worse.

walk with panda

walk with panda
Originally uploaded by renfield

Such awesomely excellent weather so off we are to the dry cleaners, then the park.

kuni steak!

kuni steak!
Originally uploaded by renfield

Went to lunch with Tai-mama. 150 grams of dead cow goodness, on a sizzling plate! The restaurant was no smoking, but still there was a cloud of smoke at the ceiling from all the flesh grilling. Ah, sweet meat coma on a warm afternoon, finished off with icecream.

getting ready for school

getting ready for school
Originally uploaded by renfield

ramen!

ramen!
Originally uploaded by renfield

Didn't eat lunch (again) so was damn fine hungry by 8pm. Took pity on of the new graddies Suzuki-chan and fed her some quality ramen at Suzuran in Shibuya. The infamous rangiri (random cut) noodles with melts-in-yo-mouth pork.
And gyoza.
OMMFGSG.*

* Oh My Marsupial Family Gerbil So Good

beware of you

The true voice of reason. I have always said that worrying about terrorism is stupid when you smoke a pack a day, don't wear your seat belt, and only eat green if it's a celebratory St. Patrick's Day doughnut.

chocolate sauce sandwich and sausages for breakfast

chocolate sauce sandwich and sausages for breakfast
Originally uploaded by renfield

Breakfast started simple enough: sausages with chocolate sauce for dipping. White bread, with chocolate sauce. She showed moderate interest in the sandwich and ate almost a whole sausage...

...then she just gave up on the food and went straight for the chocolate sauce:

chocolate sauce
Originally uploaded by renfield

And finally she demanded, and received, udon...of which she ate about two bites, but drank most of the udon broth.

12 plates

12 plates
Originally uploaded by renfield

9pm conference call and I was in no mood to sit in the office any longer. Hit the dojo at lunch and hadn't eaten since breakfast, so headed to Pintokina and dropped 12 plates in 20 minutes. Damn fine eats. Then I headed to Starbucks for my conference call. I must say the earpiece-with-built-in-mic is a superDork accesory, but it works well; left the Blackberry on the table and kept my hands free to take notes (doodle, wave at co-worker returning DVDs, scratch my head...)

swingin

swingin
Originally uploaded by renfield

She damanded we go to the park and since the weather seemed to hold, I rolled her up and the place was pretty packed with kids. She swinged and slided and sandboxed; always manages to borrow some older kid's sandbox toys -- it's good to be small sometimes. After a while some older boys dug a huge hole and filled it with water, making a giant mud pit. I couldn't tear her away and she was getting really into playing with the mud, so I finally dragged her away and stuffed her into the stroller. She was crying and screaming but mainly because she was tired and had not napped yet. Took her to the corner French place where she ate a couple fries before getting into the stroller herself. I finished off the fries and after a leisurely five minutes she was out. Headed down to the Takanawa Bucks like yesterday and surfed the web on my phone for an hour. She kinda woke up so I took her home but she passed out again. After sleeping in the entrance for a while, she woke up and P help her on the couch for nearly another hour. Finally up now and getting to be time for dinner!

onigiri and calpis @ sunkus

onigiri and calpis @ sunkus
Originally uploaded by renfield

Took the bus back from Shibuya station and had a quick lunch before heading home. In proper ghetto style we kicked it on the curb in front of the Sunkus, eatin' and drinkin'.

apple juice break @ tokyu dept store

apple juice break @ tokyu dept store
Originally uploaded by renfield

Post pee break and diaper change. She managed to pee in the toilet, which is exciting these days. Then I changed her diaper and she had a little apple juice before running out and playing with the Miki House toys. And then five minutes later she pooped. Why does she always poop AFTER I change her diaper? Well at least she didn't do it WHILE I was changing her diaper.

chocomint icecream

chocomint icecream
Originally uploaded by renfield

We did some shopping in Shibuya; bought some cool hair bands and hair clips, then got some iced tea and a chocolate chunk scone at Bucks. On the way back to the station she spied Baskin Robbins. She can't read but she know the important logos! So we had some pre-lunch mintchip icecream on the curb. And yeah, her jacket is still backwards.

funny face, jacket backwards, backpack on

funny face, jacket backwards, backpack on
Originally uploaded by renfield

I don't even know what to say. She's got a towel in one hand, Nintendo DS lite in the other (in a Penelope case). Also note that her camo and jacket and socks match. She picked the socks herself.