another! and so soon!

J147 Sunday September 16th

One thing I love about my work schedule is that it has finally broken my annoying habit of waking up early...mostly. See, used to, I could never sleep past 9AM. No matter what. I could have stayed up 'till 2AM, 3, 4, even 5, and I'd be up, exhausted and cranky, at 9. But enough super-late nights finally began to crack whatever mystical soporific barrier that exists within me, and now I can actually sleep in. Most of the time.

I woke up around 11:45AM. I checked movie times using the Internets, and found one that suited both of our needs. I woke up with the 'net, seeing that Alan Greenspan had dropped the bomb about Iraq, how it truly was a conflict fueled (heh) by want of oil. I'm sure it'll be spun away from the more damning implications, if you can call directly assaulting years of lies with glaring truth an implication, but for the few days it takes to mobilize the PR machine, it will be a sweet victory. I'm not conservative, sorry. Welcome to the blog.

I cleaned up and headed out to Mito. I almost missed the train, but a quick sprint down the platform and a majestic leap through the doors found me safely aboard the train, breakfast in hand. The day was quite sunny and clear, and I enjoyed my rice balls and tea whilst watching the Japanese countryside go by. I love watching the world out the windows of a moving vehicle, and it's something I rarely got to do once I started driving. Japan has given me the chance to rekindle my love of travel. Observing travel, I guess.

I got to Mito with plenty of time to spare. I had been messaging Brandon back and forth during my train trip; he wasn't quite clear on the movie times, but he got to the train no problem. I needed to find an ATM, being cash-less at the time (my train ticket was paid with my Suica card), so I decided to walk around. Mito station is flanked on either side by massive pedestrian platforms, huge elevated slabs of concrete that allow one to walk from the station to nearby points of interests, hotels, department stores, the movie theater, and more, without having to worry about traffic. It's really an impressive bit of engineering, and it gives a great view of the city. The first department store I found didn't have an ATM that I could find, so I turned around and tried to find someone I could get directions from.

On the way back toward the station I recognized one of the statues decorating the walk. It was a life-sized bronze of three men, an old man flanked by two younger men. The man on the older man's right is holding his hand up, as if to halt or rebuke someone. It was a statue of Tokugawa Mitsukuni. He was a daimyo, a local lord in service to the shogun, who was in charge of the Mito domain. During his life, he was a prolific traveler. A TV show, beginning in 1969 and continuing to today (that's 37 seasons for you playing our home game) called Mito Komon has dramatized the tales and legends of his travels.

He's sort of a state-empowered Robin Hood...maybe like Walker: Texas Ranger. He goes around with two samurai bodyguards in plainclothes, looking for corruption, evil, and general nastiness wherever he goes. When he finds it, he and his associates work to correct the wrongs wrought by the baddies. The end of every episode usually involves the samurai putting on their best "I'm a freaking samurai, buddy" faces and loudly exclaiming: "Don't you know who this is?! Here before you is Lord Mitsukuni of Mito, uncle of the Shogun!"

Well, anyway, this statue is of the three main characters, Mitsukuni and his two companions. I started recognizing all the other Mito Komon imagery around Mito. Little chibi versions of the old guy smiling at me from glossy fliers or displays. It was cool.

I walked to the other side of the station and spied a hotel. I entered and was delighted to find the hotel staff spoke English. They produced a map which directed me back the way I came, claiming an ATM existed in the department store I first entered. On my way back I met up with Brandon and we walked together. We couldn't find the ATM on our first pass through, so Brandon said he knew where an ATM was. Trouble was, that was a good 5 minute walk away, and the movie was starting in about 10. I'm not one for close calls, so I suggested we look one more time. This time we descended into the lowest level of the department store, and we finally found the ATM, encased in a small glass chamber near a McDonalds. I withdrew funds while Brandon acquired lunch at the Golden Arches, and we speed-walked back to the movie theater, on the hotel side of the platform.

We made it just in time. Up the stairs to the platform, back through the station, across the soccer field-sized pedestrian walk, into the theater. We bought tickets and hurried up the escalator to our theater. We got there while there were still trailers playing. We rule.

Once again, the movie was delicious. I caught a few more elements this time, which I will be happy to share in private. I dislike spoilers, so I will not subject my friends to them, lest they request it specifically.

After the movie we exited the theater. The sun was well into its decline. The length of the day was shifting ever shorter, and its effects were beginning to be noticeable. Brandon was quite content after watching the movie, made so by its sheer awesomeness. We went into another department store to do some window shopping. I was looking for a new bag; my backpack was quite functional, but far from fashionable, and I missed my satchels.

We saw many products. Jewelry, and tons of it. Watches. Racks upon racks of clothes. I felt a little plain in my shorts and t-shirt; Japan has made me somewhat fashion conscious. Though I wouldn't know where to begin if I wanted to actually become stylish. Brandon had to leave for a dinner engagement after a while, and I stayed on to shop a little more. I hopped back on the train just as the sun was truly setting. I enjoyed the twilight as my train sped me home, the theme of the Evangelion movie, "Beautiful World" still echoing in my head.

Once I got back to Hitachi I put some of the last few minutes of daylight to use. I stopped by Sakura City to check out the crafts store. I browsed the aisles, looking for something to inspire me. I found some wooden beads, and some stone ones too. I purchased a handful of both and set out for home. Sifting through my crafting supplies, shipped as birthday gifts from my Dad and EJ, I set about stringing my newly-acquired beads through a thin length of chain. Alas, what I'd purchased wasn't enough to complete a full necklace, but the 70% that I did have looked awesome. I slept well, despite the relative shortness of the day.

J148 Monday September 17th

Most of the day was spent preparing for my special lessons for the coming week. Researching, reading, writing, and editing. I remember, now, why college was a challenge; I get horrible headaches when I work at the computer on one task for a long time.

My topics were Art History, created with the help of EJ and his prodigious knowledge of the subject. I also did a Cultural Exchange class, focusing on the media that America and Japan have swapped. Mostly anime and manga, but movies were there, too.

To ease the pounding in my head I read some of my books. I finished Kafka on the Shore, a novel by Haruki Murakami, a postmodern Japanese author I've enjoyed before. His novel Hardboiled Wonderland and the End of the World was the inspiration for Haibane Renmei, an anime series I really liked. I read the book a few years ago and was impressed. On my return home from Fuji I had purchased Kafka, and a variety of other books, and had been reading them in series ever since. Expect a review forthcoming to the Lovely Lisa and J.D.'s blog, 7FootShelves.

By the end of the day I'd gotten maybe 80% of both works done by the time I needed to sleep. A little FF VII rounded out the day.

J149 Tuesday September 18th

I was up early and managed to finish everything with a little time to spare. I have a business meeting tomorrow, the 19th, in Tokyo, and I still have some homework to do for that, but that can be done today and tonight. Maybe even tomorrow on the train. My first class was a bit rough; I don't think my students were expecting so much stuff. It's hard to make up classes on one's own. Most of my classes are taught with pre-made materials, out of books written by my company, so I don't have to do much prep time. It still takes effort to teach a coherent lesson. In that respect it's very much like improv theater. My meeting in Shinjuku is tomorrow.

J150 Wednesday September 19th

Last time I did this, I was late for my train. Not this time! I was up early, early. Showered, shaved, and dressed to the nines. I aimed to get to Shinjuku as early as I could. My tickets had been provided by the company, thankfully, and I caught the Tokyo-bound Super Hitachi early in the morning.

The Super Hitachi is really nice. It's a super-express train, meaning it stops only about 7 times between Hitachi and Ueno, the end point for the Joban line on which Hitachi sits. The end result is a breathtaking 1.5 hour trip, compared to the 3~4 hour local train time, not counting delays.

I had grabbed a quick breakfast on my way down, but it didn't hold for long. I remembered that there would be no meal break during the meeting, as we had a lot to do and little time to do it. When I pulled in to Ueno station I hopped the Yamanote line to Shinjuku. I did an awesome running leap into the train, as its "I'm leaving right now" alarm started going off while I was on the steps down to the platform. Luckily, my continuing exercise has restored some of the speed and grace of my youth, and I boarded the train without trouble. My local Yamanote-line train pulled in to Shinjuku station at around 11AM, at which point I realized I'd made a mistake. I didn't know how to get to my company's headquarters. I knew they were located in a building nearby, a short walk to be honest, but without knowing the direction to go or the name of the building, I was trapped. The meeting started at noon.

I tried to call everyone I could. I literally called everyone in my cell phone's onboard phone book. No one answered. I cursed my patchy contact information reserves and resolved to get everyone's everything when this was all finished. I resolved to call my office, knowing that it opened at 11:30AM. I watched as the seconds ticked by, feeling the occasional bead of cold sweat work its way down my back. Finally, after what felt like hundreds of calls, my manager picked up at the office. She and I conversed quickly, and I managed to write down a bevy of information on the HQ building. Thanking her profusely, I hung up on my manager and sought a cab.

Now, this building is relatively new. It's terribly expensive and very fancy. I find a cab without problems, but I have found the only cab driver in all of Shinjuku that doesn't know where the building is. Giant freaking building. Where they house the local government in addition to my company's offices. I'm not an expert in the road layout of Washington D.C. (well, I do know a few things, but that's because I'm a conspiracy nut) but I know what the freaking White House looks like. And where it is. And its name.

Anyway, another quick call to my manager netted the phone number, which I then gave to the driver. He made a surprisingly long call to the office, but finally managed to get his bearings and figure out how to get us there. Once at the building I thanked and paid him for his services, and was in. I had, maybe 5 minutes to spare.

The meeting was pleasant enough, though its exact details I can't go into right now. I met some old friends and made some new ones. Koji, an ex-sushi chef who lived in America for a dozen years, sat next to me, and we became fast friends. Tiffany, a teacher I'd met during my follow-up training, was there too, much to our mutual delight. I met many other teachers and managers during the exercises we performed. One woman, Alison her name, struck me as particularly visually impressive; she had golden eyes. Not green eyes. Not yellow eyes. Her eyes were the color of burnished, well-lit gold. No contacts, either, I checked. Awesome.

After the meeting was finished, Koji and a few other employees were going to grab dinner at an Indian place nearby. I'd gone to the place before and fell in love with it immediately. They served delicious, hot curry and all-you-could-eat nan. Nan is a style of Indian bread, and would bring about world peace, were more people to share it. Needless to say, I heartily accepted Koji's invitation to dinner.

Before I left I met Sharon and Shannon, two of the staff that taught me when I first came to Japan. Thinking back now on those times...it feels like much more than 7 months. I feel so different than I did then. The weather has gotten cool again, though it's nowhere near Japan in the winter time. I was different then, in many respects. Both Sharon and Shannon commented that they didn't recognize me at first glance, which I was somewhat surprised at. It's strange to think the way I look has changed so much, but even looking back at my old pictures I see that I have.

Anyway. Koji and I enjoyed two large pieces of nan apiece, along with dishes of hot curry and cool yogurt. He and I were heading toward the same station, Ueno, so we became travel buddies for the evening. We walked back to the station after dinner and hopped the Yamanote back to Ueno, and there we parted ways. My trip back home was enjoyable, happening in the ever-earlier Japanese twilight that I love so dearly. I wanted to get something to drink, but the train's only vending machine was out of order. Boo.

I got back with about 30 minutes to spare. I had one class to teach that day, you see, at 8PM. It was short but sweet, and in the end all was well. I headed home after work and relaxed after the day's trials. I really like taking business trips; the novelty hasn't rubbed off yet. The rush of trains, the joy of watching the world slide by. The break from normal routine.

J151 Thursday September 20th

I was up at my usual time in the morning. The night before I'd happened upon the writings of one Cory Doctorow. I'd been clued in to BoingBoing by my coworker, which is one of Mr. Doctorow's many online repositories of his writings. What I'd found the night before, though, was a collection of his books. Doctorow is a big believer in...well, many things, but one of them is the Creative Commons Licensing system, wherein a person may give numerous and varied rights of reproduction, and in some case recreation, to their intellectual property provided credit is correctly and noticeably due. In this case, Doctorow has decided to release most, if not all, of his books for free on the Internet, as well as in dead tree copies one can buy at their local book store.

This morning I read a short story he had written about a world maybe a year or two into the future. A world in which Google had become evil. Using technology available today, in no way extrapolating what Google does to harvest data or how it is utilized, Doctorow painted a vivid and striking future of totalitarian power, thanks in part to a fictional joint effort between the Department of Homeland Security and Google. The short story is called Scroogled, and I highly recommend reading it.

Today was a relatively light load, only 4 classes. During my break I rode my bike to Sakura City and purchased more stone beads, so as to complete the necklace I'd begun making two nights prior. After work I headed home and cooked up a delicious veggie-packed meal.

I ate my hot meal (a simple pleasure, that) over my laptop, reading by its LCD glow Cory Doctorow's first novel, Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom. I'll be reviewing it soon, so stay tuned for the full text. In a nutshell, it's a look into a future society, maybe a hundred years into the future. The new society Doctorow describes is fascinating, having done away with "money" in the classic aspect, and instead relying on "Wuffie", a form of currency based on respect. A lengthy novella, but easily finished in an evening's dedicated reading time.

J152 Friday September 21st

Not much to report. One of my special lessons involved watching a movie, which one of the school's staff attended, in addition to my regular student. It was fun teaching her. It was interesting to watch how she learned and what she still had trouble with, despite her amazing English skills. They both did fine in the end.

In other exciting news, they're remodeling the section of the building next to the school. We are situated in a small suite of offices built atop Hitachi's train station, but we don't operate out of the entire top floor. Odd sounds and thumps come at all times from the walls and floor, but they've soon become a sort of white noise. It'll be a busy day tomorrow...oy.

J153 Saturday September 22nd

A full load today, save one private lesson. An extra hour's break, a respite from the ravages of an all-day teaching session. Despite my exercise, my back still kills me if I don't sit down every few hours. Teaching for 3 and 4 hour blocks of time does not make me feel good.

After work I had a wonderful surprise; new episodes of Avatar: The Last Airbender were available online! As a long-time fan of this series, the third season's premiere was a delight to behold. I managed to get a low-quality torrent of it downloaded quickly, enjoying my dinner while I watched.

I headed out to G-Bros late, around 11PM, but was surprised to find only K there. Apparently, everyone else had either other plans, was still working, or was asleep. I had my customary beer, but neither K nor I were going to stick around. I had to finalize my plans for the D&D game to be held on Monday, and K had to put in his nightly call to Sylvia.

On our way back home we bumped into the Amity girls, Erin, Jo Ann, and Candice. Jo Ann's high school friend Will was visiting, and the girls were taking him out to G-Bros. We chatted for a while. Will works for the USAF, on an air base somewhere south of Tokyo. I can't remember the name. Seems like a cool guy, though. He had a good sense of humor. I didn't stay long, though, and both K and I peddled off into the night for our respective homes.

The next day was Sunday, which was to be a day of much slack, and of much preparation.