turkey
Went over to Nancy's new place tonight for a Losers-who-had-no-place-to-go-this-holiday-season turkey dinner. Damn that turkey was juicy! I was in charge of the mash'd potatoes, but the SpudsInABox soon ran out. So Tony and I popped off the the mom--n-pop grocer around the corner and grabbed two bags of potatoes. A quick skinnin', hearty boilin', tireless mashin', and lots of cream, butter, spices, and sour cream, and we had us a heaping bowl of mash'd potatoes. Nancy and the gang were busily cranking through bottle after bottle of wine as Hiroko and Haruka put away plates of feeding. I had a heaping plate before I headed back to the office for the always exciting Friday-night-at-work-because-everyone-else-was-smart-enough-to-turn-in-their-vacation-requests-early night.
n504iS
I got a new cell phone: NEC's N504is.
It has a high-res CMOS camera on it that takes wonderful pictures:
It has a high-res CMOS camera on it that takes wonderful pictures:
snowboarding
.
Had a lovely weekend at Appi Kogen. Matt at Tabibito Travel sets up these killer ski/snowboard tours. We crashed at Rocky Inn -- a really nice "pension" with a sweet fireplace in the middle -- and hit the slopes for 2.5 days.
The conditions were pretty bad; not much base and many runs closed. Kind of icy and grass showing through...but then Matt and some of the more wacky folks jumped some ropes into the closed trails and we found tons of fresh powder. Amazingly, ski patrol never even came by, so we kept ducking ropes and hitting untouched powder on closed-off trails for 2 days. Once, when walking out of the bottom of a sweet face of powder, some official-looking dudes on a snowmobile came up behind us with the siren blaring. But all they wanted was for us to get out of the way, and off they went!
After boarding we hit the onsen in the hotel across the road, hung out around the fireplace at Rocky's, and basically talked smack and goofed off all night. And damn the icecream was good, too.
Had a lovely weekend at Appi Kogen. Matt at Tabibito Travel sets up these killer ski/snowboard tours. We crashed at Rocky Inn -- a really nice "pension" with a sweet fireplace in the middle -- and hit the slopes for 2.5 days.
The conditions were pretty bad; not much base and many runs closed. Kind of icy and grass showing through...but then Matt and some of the more wacky folks jumped some ropes into the closed trails and we found tons of fresh powder. Amazingly, ski patrol never even came by, so we kept ducking ropes and hitting untouched powder on closed-off trails for 2 days. Once, when walking out of the bottom of a sweet face of powder, some official-looking dudes on a snowmobile came up behind us with the siren blaring. But all they wanted was for us to get out of the way, and off they went!
After boarding we hit the onsen in the hotel across the road, hung out around the fireplace at Rocky's, and basically talked smack and goofed off all night. And damn the icecream was good, too.
freaky dreams
OK, what the hell does this one mean?
Hiroko and I are in high school, it's the day of the yearly school festival. Most of the students are fairly rowdy, no-good types with little interest in the formal proceedings in the gym. Hiroko and I are outside the gym. There are two very high, white slides. I'm on the steps outside the gym, looking down at all the shoes. Hiroko can't find one of her shoes (the red pumas) but I spy it and point it out to her. She gets her shoes on and goes up the one slide's ladder. I go up the other slide's ladder. It's high. I mean REALLY high. I get almost to the cut and I see Hiroko climbing back down the ladder. She's smiling and having fun [reality check: Hiroko is deathly afraid of heights], so I decide to climb down, too. Did I mention it's high? And my hands are sweating and the metal is slick, painted white. And I'm sort of hanging from a light trellis or something, but I finally climb down.
Scene change (as only can happen in a dream)
I'm in a boat going down the street (all the roads are waterways, like Venice, only it looks like a midwest town that's been flooded) to the wedding reception.
I get there and am hanging out with some less-than-respectable mafia youth ruffians. One dude is going around the table checking the pockets of the jackets hanging on chairs, pulling out the wallets, and grabbing the money. He gets to the bag of the dude who was with me and takes out the wallet and cash. I'm kidding around with him but remind him that's not a very nice thing to do. He puts it back and asks why everyone tells him that when you study calculus in college, first the review all the algebra. I remind him that I've been out of university for a while, but as far as I know the reason they do that is because everyone always forgets the algebra basics since they don't use them so much. You're still in highschool, right? I ask him. You just taken algebra recently, do you remember it? And he goes no, not really, and looks satisfied with my answer.
[alarm clock, cue reality]
Hiroko and I are in high school, it's the day of the yearly school festival. Most of the students are fairly rowdy, no-good types with little interest in the formal proceedings in the gym. Hiroko and I are outside the gym. There are two very high, white slides. I'm on the steps outside the gym, looking down at all the shoes. Hiroko can't find one of her shoes (the red pumas) but I spy it and point it out to her. She gets her shoes on and goes up the one slide's ladder. I go up the other slide's ladder. It's high. I mean REALLY high. I get almost to the cut and I see Hiroko climbing back down the ladder. She's smiling and having fun [reality check: Hiroko is deathly afraid of heights], so I decide to climb down, too. Did I mention it's high? And my hands are sweating and the metal is slick, painted white. And I'm sort of hanging from a light trellis or something, but I finally climb down.
Scene change (as only can happen in a dream)
I'm in a boat going down the street (all the roads are waterways, like Venice, only it looks like a midwest town that's been flooded) to the wedding reception.
I get there and am hanging out with some less-than-respectable mafia youth ruffians. One dude is going around the table checking the pockets of the jackets hanging on chairs, pulling out the wallets, and grabbing the money. He gets to the bag of the dude who was with me and takes out the wallet and cash. I'm kidding around with him but remind him that's not a very nice thing to do. He puts it back and asks why everyone tells him that when you study calculus in college, first the review all the algebra. I remind him that I've been out of university for a while, but as far as I know the reason they do that is because everyone always forgets the algebra basics since they don't use them so much. You're still in highschool, right? I ask him. You just taken algebra recently, do you remember it? And he goes no, not really, and looks satisfied with my answer.
[alarm clock, cue reality]
last practice
Had the last iai practice for Shibuya last night, after which we went out for an End-of-Year group dinner at a cool place in Shibuya. On my way home there was a lane closed off with cops all over the place, randomly diverting cars into the other lane. I was flagged and pulled in, not knowing what was going on. My first thought was "I have a sword strapped to my back" but then this cop sticks what I thought was a microphone in my face and goes "Blow hard, testing for alcohol." Ah! I breathed on this thing and then I was on my way. Later down the road I was stopped at a red light, and as soon as the light changed the car behind me squealed his tires and revved hard, almost clipping me off my scooter as he shot around me. I caught up with him at the next red light. He was playing with his cell phone. I pulled up on his left side and knocked on the passenger window. He looked confused and I started yelling at him in English. He got an even more confused look on his face so I switched to yelling at him in Japanese. I was pulling out every bad phrase I had ever learned from hanging out with 15 year-old street punks and watching yakuza movies. Then he got a really scared look on his face as he realized how pissed I was. I don't think he even realized what a dickhead maneuver he pulled at the last light, but he sure looked like he was afraid I was going to bust his window open and drag him into the street for a beating. Which I considered. Then again I still had my sword strapped to my back, and there were cops all over the place, so I decided against it.
weekend warriors
A bunch of folks from iai joined in the festival at Sengakuji Temple on friday:
Kanai-san and Terao, the famous sumo wrestler.
Tanaka-sensei, warrior.
On Saturday we had lunch with Jeremy and then watched some Jackass on his laptop in Starbucks. Oh my dear lord, them some crazy fools.
Saturday night we went to a wedding reception for some of Hiroko's former co-workers.
Spent all day Sunday doing iai; cutting practice in the morning so I got up at 7am and went up into the freezing boonies that is Saitama. Then came all the way back down for a special seminar in the afternoon with Niina-gosoke. By 4:30pm I couldn't move my arms any more. So I came home and Todd and Narumi and little Amy were there already so we stuffed ourselves on crab with a big kani-nabe. There was some left over so guess what I had for breakfast?
Kanai-san and Terao, the famous sumo wrestler.
Tanaka-sensei, warrior.
On Saturday we had lunch with Jeremy and then watched some Jackass on his laptop in Starbucks. Oh my dear lord, them some crazy fools.
Saturday night we went to a wedding reception for some of Hiroko's former co-workers.
Spent all day Sunday doing iai; cutting practice in the morning so I got up at 7am and went up into the freezing boonies that is Saitama. Then came all the way back down for a special seminar in the afternoon with Niina-gosoke. By 4:30pm I couldn't move my arms any more. So I came home and Todd and Narumi and little Amy were there already so we stuffed ourselves on crab with a big kani-nabe. There was some left over so guess what I had for breakfast?
communication day
Yesterday was The Day.
Bad news: didn't get promoted.
Good news: got a bonus and still have a job.
Better news: Todd and Hani got promoted, so there is justice in the world.
Did my once-a-year drinking last night, but I reaffirmed that I really, really don't like the taste of alcohol. And I verified that fish & chips are good. Didn't get slammed, and since we started at 5pm, by 10 everyone was tanked and I was hungry. Got home by 12:30 with all my morals and brains in tact.
Bad news: didn't get promoted.
Good news: got a bonus and still have a job.
Better news: Todd and Hani got promoted, so there is justice in the world.
Did my once-a-year drinking last night, but I reaffirmed that I really, really don't like the taste of alcohol. And I verified that fish & chips are good. Didn't get slammed, and since we started at 5pm, by 10 everyone was tanked and I was hungry. Got home by 12:30 with all my morals and brains in tact.
snow!
Woke up this morning to see Tokyo blanketed in white. Causing havoc with the trains, but the cold is easier to deal with when it's snowing.
Jeff and Ericka arranged a fancy year-end dinner, so on Saturday we all went to Tableaux for some eatin' and drinkin'.
Then on Sunday I spent all day at iai; popped a blister on my right index finger and damn that hurt.
Masa came over for dinner so she and Hiroko made up a big pot of tonjiru and we feasted. Watched some tv, but got bored so we cranked a few levels of Torneko's Big Adventure 3.
Jeff and Ericka arranged a fancy year-end dinner, so on Saturday we all went to Tableaux for some eatin' and drinkin'.
Then on Sunday I spent all day at iai; popped a blister on my right index finger and damn that hurt.
Masa came over for dinner so she and Hiroko made up a big pot of tonjiru and we feasted. Watched some tv, but got bored so we cranked a few levels of Torneko's Big Adventure 3.
company x-mas party
Me and Shino being festive:
In standard end-of-year fashion, the annual Morgan Stanley Year End Party was a drunken debauchery, held in the glorious Ebisu Westin Hotel Galaxy Room.
And was of course followed up by many a drink and salty chip at Inishmore.
In standard end-of-year fashion, the annual Morgan Stanley Year End Party was a drunken debauchery, held in the glorious Ebisu Westin Hotel Galaxy Room.
And was of course followed up by many a drink and salty chip at Inishmore.
myoclonic jerk
Thanks to Kevin for the clarification:
http://www.psywww.com/asc/dreamfaq/node20.html
http://www.psywww.com/asc/dreamfaq/node20.html
scary dreams?
What's up with that thing where you're sleeping just fine, and then all of a sudden your whole body jerks and you wake up all of a sudden? What the hell is that? I mean, I know it sometimes happens when you dream you're falling off a cliff and it happens just as you're about to hit...but what about when you're just sleeping and dreaming that you're, I dunno, baking apple pies or rowing a boat or something, and then *WHAM* you have the bodySpasm and you're awake and you wife is going "What? WHAT?!" and then you go "Nothing." and then she's all grumpy that you woke her up for nothing (like I guess it'd be better if your appendix was about to explode or something.)
even more photos
Finally put up the photos from Hiroko's camera:
Lee & Charity's wedding
Smith & Wollensky's
Had a kumitachi seminar this weekend: smacking each other with wooden swords. Damn that's fun! And I even motivated enough to wake up early on Sunday and go to Tamitsuji-sensei's practice. Came home to find a box of apple's from Hiroko's mom's apple tree, so I made some apple pies after we fed Masa.
Lee & Charity's wedding
Smith & Wollensky's
Had a kumitachi seminar this weekend: smacking each other with wooden swords. Damn that's fun! And I even motivated enough to wake up early on Sunday and go to Tamitsuji-sensei's practice. Came home to find a box of apple's from Hiroko's mom's apple tree, so I made some apple pies after we fed Masa.
wedding photos
Haven't put up the photos we took yet, but here's some from other folks.
Also my dad took some photos of me and Hiroko with his Big Camera.
Also my dad took some photos of me and Hiroko with his Big Camera.
murphy's law
"Why haven't there been any bloggageness about Lee & Charity's wedding and this wonderful NY vacation?" you wonder. Blame Murphy. By some miracle Hiroko and I got upgrades for the flight out to NY, so after getting some grief from the Lounge Lady, we found Beck and were kicking it with free drinks and snacks. And my laptop died. Kevin called an IBM buddy who was on the original ThinkPad team, and we found out that a Bios 8611 error is a "pointing device" problem. Basically, the nipply pointer is broken, rendering my whole machine useless. So glad I dragged it all the way across the planet.
Anyway, when I get back I'll put up photos from Hiroko's digital camera, but the wedding was a raging success.
We also did some time in the city and hanging with the parentals. Shopping. Eating. Shopping. Eating. Watching tv. Shopping. Eating.
Anyway, when I get back I'll put up photos from Hiroko's digital camera, but the wedding was a raging success.
We also did some time in the city and hanging with the parentals. Shopping. Eating. Shopping. Eating. Watching tv. Shopping. Eating.
buy! buy! buy!
Oh lord what has the world come to. You can now buy your very own GIVE YOUR MEAT goods!
Shop early for the holidays! Get that special someone that special something with that special message: GIVE YOUR MEAT!
Shop early for the holidays! Get that special someone that special something with that special message: GIVE YOUR MEAT!
new york, new york!
Off to the city tomorrow and praise the lord we got upgrades to bid'ness. Gonna hit Lee & Charity's wedding in New Jersey and then hang out for a week shopping and watching videos.
Tanaka-sensei came to student's practice last night and we did the first 5 seated forms 10 times each. Damn he's fast, and so effortless. And there is no doubt that his cuts cut.
Tanaka-sensei came to student's practice last night and we did the first 5 seated forms 10 times each. Damn he's fast, and so effortless. And there is no doubt that his cuts cut.
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