Got my final paycheck from Morgan Stanley today. Adding in final pension, substracting housing, etc. and the grand total comes to...just over 60 bucks.
But enough about the past. Worked a good, solid 12 hour day: started with an 8am conference call and put the finishing touches on a final video e-mail just after 8pm. Lotsa work, but it's nice to be getting relevant stuff done.
eighty
Hot is one thing. And then there's humid. Hot & humid? That's a killer.
But tonight it was 80% humidity in the dojo. EIGHTY PERCENT.
That's basically underwater. It's not an issue of sweating -- sweating in the shower doesn't make you more wet. It was just...moist. Damp, wet, humid. Totally, thoroughly unpleasant. Humans are land-faring creatures with a tendency to build roofed shelters for a very good reason: wet sucks.
But tonight it was 80% humidity in the dojo. EIGHTY PERCENT.
That's basically underwater. It's not an issue of sweating -- sweating in the shower doesn't make you more wet. It was just...moist. Damp, wet, humid. Totally, thoroughly unpleasant. Humans are land-faring creatures with a tendency to build roofed shelters for a very good reason: wet sucks.
tully's in da house!
I'll admit it: I'm a Starbucks kinda guy. Given the choice, I'll take Starbucks over Tully's or Seattle's Best any day...then again, Tully's is INSIDE Deutsche, one floor below me. Starbucks is all the way down in the basement.
So, my traditional 10am caffeine infusion is now a Tully's soy latte with a flavor shot. Yesterday it was hazlenuts (sweet but not precocious). Today I tried strawberry. Big mistake. Too syrupy-fake-fruity, and goes not well with the tang of soy. Will have to try vanilla tomorrow...
So, my traditional 10am caffeine infusion is now a Tully's soy latte with a flavor shot. Yesterday it was hazlenuts (sweet but not precocious). Today I tried strawberry. Big mistake. Too syrupy-fake-fruity, and goes not well with the tang of soy. Will have to try vanilla tomorrow...
drug-induced dreams
Slept all day. A Nyquil-induced dream-state of high school friends, neighborhood pets, and random conversations. And colors. Lots and lots of colors. Modern medicine at its best! And I'm feeling considerably better, thanks, despite the fact that my feet fail to touch to earth.
need sleep
Felt a bit hazy all day at work. Went to practice, trained for five minutes and Niina-gosoke took one look at me and said "You look terrible. Go home and sleep."
So I changed and came home. I think he gave me and Kiyokawa his cold!
Need to sleep and get rested; cutting practice tomorrow afternoon, plus off to the states in less than two weeks.
So I changed and came home. I think he gave me and Kiyokawa his cold!
Need to sleep and get rested; cutting practice tomorrow afternoon, plus off to the states in less than two weeks.
i'm sick (of kimmy)
This whole "working" thing is starting to catch up with me. Had kind of a sore throat all day and feeling like I'm about to catch a cold, so I came home 'early' (before 8) and crashed on the couch. Hiroko made dinner and then we watched another episode of 24 Season 2. Ah, Kimmy...your idiocy knows no bounds! Let's recap, shall we? In this season alone (never mind last season) you've been charged with murder and kidnapping, caused an accident with a police vehicle in which both your boyfriend and the cop were seriously injured, got caught in a cougar trap while being hunted by a cougar, got stuck in a bomb shelter with a recluse in the woods, fired a gun at a guy who stopped to pick you up when you were hitch-hiking, didn't fire your gun at the wacko who almost choked the liquor store owner to death, and are now held hostage in said liquor store, trying to stop the bleeding of the gunshot wound caused by the lunatic who took your gun because you didn't shoot him. And the cops are outside. Kimmy, my dear, will you PLEASE just hurry up and get shot? It's too painful to watch you cry/get kidnapped/held hostage again.
crowded
Had seven people show up for class tonight. That's far too many for such a small dojo, but I hate turning people away when they want to train. So everyone got a mirror and we took our time working on the fundamentals, sharing ideas, and trying things. Was a good practice, but just too crowded. Next time I'll have to crack down and stick to the six people max rule. Even with six it's pretty tight.
fried
Haven't actually used my brain this much in a while. Worked all day on an initial technology strategy business plan, and then went to practice at Honbu. Did some kenjutsu with Kiyokawa but just couldn't focus and was getting clobbered. Taught Sekido-san a bit, and then we rolled cutting targets for the cutting practice on Saturday.
This working all day, training at night thing is gonna fry me.
This working all day, training at night thing is gonna fry me.
first day
My first day in the Deutsche Securities Limited, Tokyo Branch office.
Did some administrative stuff with HR, discovered a mild spelling mistake with my first name that prevented my email from working correctly, but other than that things went well.
I have a lovely office on the 20th floor, facing south-west. Beautiful view of Roppongi Hills, Mori Building, and several other nice high rises. I really do love the sprawling expanse of concrete and steel, especially when the hazy fingers of smog and humidity curl about the buildings like so many humid snakes.
My title (according to my business cards) is "Head of Video - Asia/Japan" for Equity Research. Basically I'm in charge of business strategy, planning, and implementation for video distribution and new technologies in Japan and Asia Pacific. That means using technology to push the business forward by lowering costs, increasing efficiency, and maybe even make some money.
Middle of earnings season so all the analysts are running about madly trying to get reports done this week. The research team here was nothing five years ago, and is now one of the top-ranked teams in the region. Lots of young bulls, several established #1's, and in a general a pretty cool attitude. Things are considerably more...chaotic, shall we say, than at Morgan Stanley. That can be bad, but can also be good, as my mandate is to shake things up.
After work I managed to get to Shibuya in time for practice and helped Kiyokawa teach, went home and had dinner with Hiroko, and watched another episode of 24 Season 2. So the nuclear bomb went off in the middle of the desert. As stupid as Kimmy is, George is (was) cool. Though I was really hoping he would put a bullet in Niina, right in front of Jack, just before dying. Sort of a last gift to Jack. But alas, he went out in a cool enough blaze of glory.
Did some administrative stuff with HR, discovered a mild spelling mistake with my first name that prevented my email from working correctly, but other than that things went well.
I have a lovely office on the 20th floor, facing south-west. Beautiful view of Roppongi Hills, Mori Building, and several other nice high rises. I really do love the sprawling expanse of concrete and steel, especially when the hazy fingers of smog and humidity curl about the buildings like so many humid snakes.
My title (according to my business cards) is "Head of Video - Asia/Japan" for Equity Research. Basically I'm in charge of business strategy, planning, and implementation for video distribution and new technologies in Japan and Asia Pacific. That means using technology to push the business forward by lowering costs, increasing efficiency, and maybe even make some money.
Middle of earnings season so all the analysts are running about madly trying to get reports done this week. The research team here was nothing five years ago, and is now one of the top-ranked teams in the region. Lots of young bulls, several established #1's, and in a general a pretty cool attitude. Things are considerably more...chaotic, shall we say, than at Morgan Stanley. That can be bad, but can also be good, as my mandate is to shake things up.
After work I managed to get to Shibuya in time for practice and helped Kiyokawa teach, went home and had dinner with Hiroko, and watched another episode of 24 Season 2. So the nuclear bomb went off in the middle of the desert. As stupid as Kimmy is, George is (was) cool. Though I was really hoping he would put a bullet in Niina, right in front of Jack, just before dying. Sort of a last gift to Jack. But alas, he went out in a cool enough blaze of glory.
last honbu
My last full day of practice before heading back into the slog that is an office drone salaryman.
Got up early and started practice at 10am. Trained with the college students until about 1pm, then we got some Italian for lunch and in the afternoon did tanjo and kenjutsu before calling it a day at 4pm.
Hiroko whipped up a hearty meal of meat and rice, which we ate while watching DVD #7 of 24 Season 2. I simply will not bring up how stupid Kimmy is. What is confusing is, they have no found the nuclear bomb...and there's five DVDs left to go! That's 10 hours, so I guess they REALLY take their time defusing the bomb? Or wait lemme guess: Kimmy gets kidnapped? Like, three times?
Got up early and started practice at 10am. Trained with the college students until about 1pm, then we got some Italian for lunch and in the afternoon did tanjo and kenjutsu before calling it a day at 4pm.
Hiroko whipped up a hearty meal of meat and rice, which we ate while watching DVD #7 of 24 Season 2. I simply will not bring up how stupid Kimmy is. What is confusing is, they have no found the nuclear bomb...and there's five DVDs left to go! That's 10 hours, so I guess they REALLY take their time defusing the bomb? Or wait lemme guess: Kimmy gets kidnapped? Like, three times?
shirogane festival
More Tokyu Hands shopping with Hiroko in Shibuya. Is there anything they DON'T sell? Then walked to Aoyama for some toy shopping, and headed home. It rained a bit in the evening, and once it stopped we darted across the street to Shirogane to stock up of festival foods before heading home to eat. Curry, grilled squid, meat-on-a-stick, chicken, scallops and shrimp...all the traditional goodies. Stuffed ourselves silly whilst watching a couple more episodes of Kimmy-Is-An-Idiot, er, I mean 24 Season 2.
cutting videos
Amazing how both Niina-gosoke and my dad are on the same wavelength. Both insist on seeing cutting videos. So this morning I met Kiyokawa and Ohtsuka at Tokiwamatsu Elementary School in Shibuya (we were hoping to be able to use their gym for Monday classes, but looks like only Tuesday is available), then we went to Azabujyuban, met Iwata-chan, had lunch and shaved ice with anko, and came home to cut.
I didn't soak the targets well enough, so we had a tough time cutting, but in the end we got some decent clips. So let's see them! I hear you ask...well Ohtsuka-san provided the camera but brought the wrong cable, so I couldn't download the clips onto my machine for web-posting. Gimme a couple more days.
In the evening Hiroko and I cruised to master's Kushimasu in Ichikawa (our old hangout) as Packy was in town. Been a long time since we've gotten out there. Meat-on-a-stick is still tasty as ever, and Hugh's son Toshiki is a monstrously big and vigorous 4! We played "Big Jump! Little Jump! BIG JUMP!" and "Up! Down! UP!!!" for a couple of hours, until he petted a passing poodle and was quickly perplexed by a precocious itching all over his person. Mom went "Oops. He's allergic to dogs...if only HE knew that!" and bundled him off to home for a shower and some skin cream. We chatted up Packs and the gang for a bit before hitting the route home. Nailed the schedule just right and made it back in almost exactly one hour.
I didn't soak the targets well enough, so we had a tough time cutting, but in the end we got some decent clips. So let's see them! I hear you ask...well Ohtsuka-san provided the camera but brought the wrong cable, so I couldn't download the clips onto my machine for web-posting. Gimme a couple more days.
In the evening Hiroko and I cruised to master's Kushimasu in Ichikawa (our old hangout) as Packy was in town. Been a long time since we've gotten out there. Meat-on-a-stick is still tasty as ever, and Hugh's son Toshiki is a monstrously big and vigorous 4! We played "Big Jump! Little Jump! BIG JUMP!" and "Up! Down! UP!!!" for a couple of hours, until he petted a passing poodle and was quickly perplexed by a precocious itching all over his person. Mom went "Oops. He's allergic to dogs...if only HE knew that!" and bundled him off to home for a shower and some skin cream. We chatted up Packs and the gang for a bit before hitting the route home. Nailed the schedule just right and made it back in almost exactly one hour.
tessen & jutte
Gosoke is teaching me all 23 kata for tessen and jutte. Gone through about half of them, plus the 12 uchidaryu tanjo and 24 isshinryu kusarigama. In the evening we had a meeting about the national tournament; getting busy but should be lotsa fun. Decided that the Saturday before the tournament we (me and all the folks coming from the U.S.) will go to Yoshida (Toyota's awesome restaurant) for a traditional million course Japanese meal.
basics
Otherwise known as kihon. No matter how much I practice, it's never enough. Cracking skulls in kenjutsu, and trying to jam 24 kata of tessen and jutte into my head in three days!
ouch
Monday morning. First practice of the day. Still sleepy. Minor slip in concentration. How not to do kenjutsu:
happy birthday to me
I am 32 today. Which is good because I still act like I'm 15, so at this rate when I'm 50 I'll act like I'm 25 or so. Works for me.
Got my haircut and then Hiroko and I went to Chai for the 90 minute Thai massage special. After having our bones turned into butter, we had too much Chinese food and walked home in the cool breeze to watch a couple more episodes of 24 Season 2. Kimi is still a complete moron. Her boyfriend Bruce "Miguel" Lee comes in a close second.
Got my haircut and then Hiroko and I went to Chai for the 90 minute Thai massage special. After having our bones turned into butter, we had too much Chinese food and walked home in the cool breeze to watch a couple more episodes of 24 Season 2. Kimi is still a complete moron. Her boyfriend Bruce "Miguel" Lee comes in a close second.
shibuya
Hiroko and I battled the heat to do some shopping in Shibuya. Hit the standard places: Loft, Muji, Tokyu Hands, Uniqlo. Bought a 1000 yen t-shirt made out of the same stuff that protects the space shuttle from cosmic radiation...or at least it feels like a soccer shirt and stays fairly dry even in sweaty summer.
Masa came over for watermelon and dinner, and we zoned out watching tv with the ceiling fan cranked.
Masa came over for watermelon and dinner, and we zoned out watching tv with the ceiling fan cranked.
anko power
Met Kiyokawa and Iwata-chan in Azabu-jyuban, had some shaved ice, and we all came back to my house to cut.
Unlike last week, Kiyokawa and I were in fine form; nailed just about every cut smooth as silk. Verdict: it's all about the anko. In the summer, anko and green tea flavoring on shaved ice, in the winter, anko-stuffed tai-yaki. Whatever the form, anko is the power that makes the sword cut!
In the evening we had class in Nihonbashi, and Tanaka-sensei showed up to basically grovel. Seems that without the Akabane students, there's no way they can even make enough money from monthly dues to run their own dojo. Niina-gosoke, out of the goodness of his own heart, decided to 'loan' Akabane to them for as long as necessary. Now ordinarily, if one of your top students goes to open his own dojo without your consultation or consent, you ask for him to kill himself and, if that's not possible, you send someone to see to it. However Niina-gosoke is considerably more forgiving, and knowing that Tanaka-sensei is not the brightest of bulbs, is doing everything he can to help out.
Unlike last week, Kiyokawa and I were in fine form; nailed just about every cut smooth as silk. Verdict: it's all about the anko. In the summer, anko and green tea flavoring on shaved ice, in the winter, anko-stuffed tai-yaki. Whatever the form, anko is the power that makes the sword cut!
In the evening we had class in Nihonbashi, and Tanaka-sensei showed up to basically grovel. Seems that without the Akabane students, there's no way they can even make enough money from monthly dues to run their own dojo. Niina-gosoke, out of the goodness of his own heart, decided to 'loan' Akabane to them for as long as necessary. Now ordinarily, if one of your top students goes to open his own dojo without your consultation or consent, you ask for him to kill himself and, if that's not possible, you send someone to see to it. However Niina-gosoke is considerably more forgiving, and knowing that Tanaka-sensei is not the brightest of bulbs, is doing everything he can to help out.
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