I have no idea what happened and I am just sitting here with tears streaming down my face. One of my friends I met while teaching English in Osaka passed away. I didn't even know! She passed away a month ago tomorrow and I didn't even know! I still don't know what happened but something happened and she is no longer with us.

psyienna, you were a friend to ( Read more... )

Walking around D.C. I am starting to see the sakura blooms starting to unfold in a creamy white profusion. It makes me feel almost nostalgic for hanami with friends drinking chu-hi and beer with little snack crackers and takoyaki. And then I remember how stupidly crowded Osako-jo koen gets - much more crowded than the Tidal Basin here in D.C. - ( Read more... )

I want to talk about my experience at the 雅-MIYAVI- concert last night, not because I am a die-hard fan of Miyavi but because of how small the world really is and how other fans can really make a show absolutely magical ( Read more... )

...to do anything of importance today. It is hot and humid and I am sleeeeepy. Night bus rides are no fun. I got a shower in which felt absolutely awesome after walking around in the heat full of heavy baggage and now have laundry hanging over Chad`s balcony and can`t be asked to do anything else right now.
Maybe a trip to Starbucks is in order for ( Read more... )

I'm so tired and jet-lagged right now. It couldn't help that I was out drinking at Little Long Beach after my plane trip until almost 2am and then stayed up talking to Paul and his girlfriend until almost sun up. Ugh. Death warmed over right now.
But I have errands today including dropping by Territory D to give DJ Taiki one of the new VNV Nation ( Read more... )

...definitely not what I expected especially since I'm staying in the international area of Itaewon.
I've done a bit of sightseeing, gone shopping, visited cultural sites, ate spicy binbinbap and Korean BBQ with soju, met lots of crazy and interesting people, and drank far more alcohol and coffee than I am wont to do in my days in Japan. Seoul is so ( Read more... )

~ at a fashion show in Osakako.
It was a bit of a strange experience - there were around 20 Japanese models (some actual models-in-training and some just regular girls and boys), 2 foreign boy models, and 2 foreign girl models except the other foreign girl got last minute cold feet and couldn't do it so there was only one foreign girl model - me. ( Read more... )

More randomness stemming from Japan:
I saw my first sleeping homeless person today as I came home from training. Ok, so maybe now I can sort of understand Japanese logic on why this isn't the "nicest" area besides other obvious signs (sometimes smelly outside and vaguely dirty, sort of like New York, actually). Also the Japanese mindset on homeless ( Read more... )

I laugh at my own pathetic tendencies to deal with the cold.
It is 11pm here and I have spent most of the day wearing: a long sleeved shirt, a t-shirt over that, a hoody over that, a fuzzy scarf, velvet sweats, and two pairs of socks. I would have worn gloves if I could have still typed with them on. Now that the sun has been down for a couple of ( Read more... )

Apparently riding your bicycle to work is a very common and acceptable mode of transportation. It's so funny to see Japanese businessmen in suits and ties on a dingy old bike fly by as they narrowly miss careening into you. Or seeing a young, hip Japanese woman in a short skirt, knee-high socks/shoes and heels that are thin stilettos at least 3 ( Read more... )