kaily

Erikacchi brought her 2 year-old bundle of energy Kaily over to play. We bought a bubble-blowing duck at the toy store in Azabu-jyuban, then went up to the kid's playground in Roppongi Hills. She wasn't crazy about the woodchips on the ground, but she loved all the slides, so I had to carry her from the bottom of the slide to the platform. She had no problem walking up the long stairs from the bottom of the hill, as long as I walked behind her and she held onto my fingers.
We came home and made pizzas (note to self: if reborn as a chef, open a pizza restaurant; I'm that good) and drew pictures and ate blueberries and played hide-and-seek and watched tv and at crackers and drew pictures and jumped on the couch and ate strawberries and ran around and drank juice and drew pictures and ate a banana and played hide-and-seek and ate pizza and watched tv...

It was late so they stayed over (Kaily borrowed Hiroko's Crocodile Hunter t-shirt), and the next morning they were already up by the time Hiroko and I got up. Hiroko made scones and I fed Kaily a kiwi fruit and she wasn't too crazy about the tomatoes and eggs or the scones so she ate another kiwi fruit and then after playing with the mirror in the bedroom one last time they went home.
I went the iai in the afternoon and I was already damn tired. We had a seminar for kumitachi (paired forms) and Kiyokawa and I pummeled each other, but he had a black oak sword and my measely pine was no match for it, so Otsuka-san lent me an extra-thick (and heavy) wooden sword and Kiyokawa and I pummeled each other some more.

wil wheaton

He got chops:
wilwheaton.net

three hours

Long practice again. Two hours of iai; Oki-san was there because he got of work early. Everyone else in the class were beginners so Oki-san and I ran ourselves through as many kata as we could. New handle on the sword feels pretty good. Not used to the thickness yet, but I like the silk better than the old leather wrap I had. But I should have gotten he tsuba (swordguard) fixed. I swing pretty hard, and it loosens up just hair, enough to let the tsuba rattle about. The whole in the center of the tsuba, through which the sword passes, had been widened sometime in the past (probably for some other sword) and it's too big for this blade. I guess I'll get it fixed some day, and also replace the seppa (washers) -- replace the brass and silver with dull copper or something that matches the rust color better. Might as well get a new silver habaki (sword collar) too.
So anyway after two hours of hot and sweaty practice (it was REALLY humid) Niina-gosoke runs us through another hour just like last week. Needless to say my back is sore, but I love it.

welcome home

Finally got my sword back, with a new handle and fittings:

kyoto photos

Put up the photos from Kyoto.

4dan

Niina-gosoke called me this morning to tell me that since I didn't totally screw up in Kyoto, as of today he's promoting me to 4dan...I didn't deserve the promotion to 2dan last year, so how long will it take me to get to the point where I am worthy of 4dan?
This also screws ANY chance of placing will in the upcoming tournaments -- I'll be up against my own instructors!

x-men 2

Saw X-Men 2 at the shiny new Virgin Theater in Roppongi Hills, with Hiroko, Kevin, Z., Ericka (3 months pregnant) and Jeff.
The movie was a treat -- plenty of explosions and action, and the theater is what going to the movies should be: all seats in the theater are reserved, so no battling or waiting in line. Bought the tickets in advance (the day before), with a credit card. The armrests have cup holders, and also fold up for couple-friendly cuddling. The seats are big and comfy, with plenty of room to the seat in front of you, and the whole theater is properly sloped so that even the shortest person can see over the head of the guy in front of you. Add to that a good screen and Dolby THX, plus a giant bucket of caramel popcorn and every high school kid from the American School in Japan, and it's just like America!
If you could pick your seats and buy more than four tickets at once online I'd use the web all the time, but since the theater's up the street from my house, I'll just pop over to the box office when necessary.

oops

You'll notice some broken links on the right, specifically anything that was hosted at twics. I've had my twics account since I first came to Japan 10 years ago, and they've been through several buyouts, until finally being subsumed into the monolith that is inter.net. I assumed all my web stuff would be moved over automatically, but obviously that's not the case...where o' where have my web files gone...?

minor problems

Some blogger problems recently, sorry about that folks.
And yes, it is a fine and sunny day, and here sit I in the office. Joy.

pop goes the shoulder

For some reason everyone showed up to practice: Naganuma-sensei, Yasuda-san, Sano-sensei, Orita-san, even Niina-gosoke!
Gosoke changed clothes, pulled out his sword, and practiced by himself for a while as Naganuma-sensei drilled us through some kata and got my brain all twisted trying to figure out how to make my cuts faster and yet not try too hard.
When the 2 hour practice was over and everyone was packing up to leave, Gosoke bellowed "Ren, NOW practice starts!" and with a smile sat down in a chair in the middle of the room. For another hour he had me and Orita-san and Hoshina-san do shin, the first form. "Stop cutting what's in front of you; cut bigger, cut farther, reach, extend! Ren, you've been cutting what's right before your eyes too much ! Cut through the wall on the other side of the room!"
Now my shoulder is killing me, but at least I'm more confused!

Butokusai

We drove a few minutes to the Kyubutokuden (Traditional Martial Arts Hall)

on the west side of Heian Jingu and got set up. After various opening speeches and some other demos, we were up. The whole thing was over pretty quickly; I cut jinrai, Tanaka-sensei did jinrai and yu, and Naganuma-sensei did a couple of double roll cuts and ended with shofu.
In the afternoon the driving group left, I and Ohtsuka-san and Kiyokawa-kun had lunch with Kiyokawa's parents, and then the three of us got back on the bullet train and were in Tokyo by 5:30.

kyoto

The Nozomi 700 series Super Express Bullet Train: Tokyo to Kyoto in 2.5 hours. Smooth, quite ride. Reclining seats. Cup holder.
Got to Kyoto about 3 in the afternoon, checked into the hotel, and immediately got lost in Kyoto. Finally found my way back to the hotel and hooked up with everyone who had driven in. We had dinner at some place along the river, then back to the hotel and to bed early.

the miracle of modern japanese banks

Or: Why Not To Use Checks In Japan

So I got sent a 15,000 yen check from the Bank of Bali, written against the Japanes Bank UFJ.
First, I take it to the Citibank in Hiroo. Where, besides being condescended to, I am told it will cost 1500 yen, TEN PERCENT of the face value of the check, to deposit it. Their attitude sucks and they pissed me off, so I walk across the hall to Shinsei Bank, and am treated with respect and courtesy, but unfortunately they are unable to process a yen check. Dollar check, no problem, but not a yen check.
I wander aimlessly looking for a UFJ, and for the fun of it pop into the various banks I pass, seeing what the reaction is to a Japanese yen check from Indonesia. I am quite certain that one teller had absolutely no idea why I assumed she should give me actual yen money for the piece of paper I brandished. I might as well have shown her crayon doodles.
Finally found myself by Ebisu station in front of a big UFJ branch office. After taking a number (51, the board showed 40) and waiting twenty minutes, I was told I'd have to go upstairs to the foreign currency counter. It's a YEN check, I said. Much bowing and apologizing and sucking-of-air-through-the-teeth and checking with The Boss, and once again I was told to take it upstairs to the foreign currency desk.
So I went upstairs and handed the check to a woman who reacted as if I just handed her a piece of rotten meat. She immediately took it to The Other Boss, who made some phone calls, mumbled alot, and finally came towards me with much bowing and apologizing and sucking-of-air-through-the-teeth.
He said straight up, and I appreciate his candor, that I had three options:
1 -- go back to Citibank and pay the 1500 yen
2 -- send the check back and tell whomever sent it to do a direct international wire transfer instead (his personal recommendation)
3 -- open a UFJ account, deposit the check, wait 3 days for it to clear, and pay for the privilege 3000 yen (his begrudingly second recommendation)
By now I was simply fascinated by the education I was getting. Ten years in Japan and yet so much I didn't yet know.
Since I was in already in Ebisu I just hopped on the Yamanote line and went to Shibuya up to Citibank, gave them the check, and deposited 13,500yen into my account. So simple! So convenient!

Hammer

I love my job. There are many reasons why I love my job, and one of those reasons is the man who runs my department: Hammer.


The fun folks at work decided to give Suven a rousing send-off, so after much drinking at Excelsior Cafe, there was much drinking at Zest , and then there was much drinking at 911 in Roppongi.

I left early. Others weren't so lucky.

Evening highlights:

• Hammer about to give his send-off speech -- realizing that all the beer pitchers are empty -- bellowing, as only Hammer can, "Beer!" and having four waiters arrive immediately, each with a full pitcher of beer, as coordinated via wireless headset by the manager watching from the balcony above.


• Hammer calling the name of some guy he recognized, causing said guy to stop crossing the street and swivel-head frantically trying to find who called his name, as Hammer mumbles "Green light...green light..gimme a green light...come on..." and finally laughing triumphantly as we cross the street in the other direction, leaving a swivel-heading thoroughly confused helpless pedestrian in the middle of the street as the light changes against him.


• Hammer (who is not a short man) running full speed down the street in Roppongi, pedestrians parting before him like the Red Sea.

rain

"When it rains...the roads get wet."
One of those quotes from high school. Can't remember who said it, where, when, or why. But it sticks in my head.

ropponjin

Roppongi Hills, the massive Mori Building construction project opens to the public today. Office buildings, sculptured landscapes...whatever. What I'm most thrilled about is the Virgin Cinema. THX sound, wide screen, and online ordering for all-reserve tickets. Matrix: Reloaded is playing there in June. So there. So completely there.

studying japanese

Is not for the weak.

r.i.p.

Came out of practice last night and The Mighty Steed was fell'd. OK not fell'd, exactly, just not. As in gone. As in stolen. As in I left the damn key in the ignition.
Oh well, I'm figuring some high school kid thought it was too good to pass up and is enjoying his newfound motorized freedom. I did enough bad stuff when I was in high school that I'm sure karma-wise it all balances out in the end. But still, I miss my ride...


The Last Great Ride of the Mighty Steed. May The Mighty Steed's new owner appreciate it's buck and brawl.

free software

Just attended a lecture and Q&A with Richard Stallman of the Free Software Foundation.
Interesting points of view on the importance of freedom.

some where...

Over Shimokitazawa, Kev and I saw this when we were coming out of his front door.