Another Stormy & Successful Internet Axe-Murderer's Convention

 

Shiv & Cam with Tokyu Hands all over each other!

 

This past weekend I headed out to Tokyo to attend two events, both of which I was looking forward to. The first was the second gathering of the Canadian Wardens, a group of emergency-time Canadian volunteers who were officially put in place to act in case of emergency or disaster around the country, and respond to finding the health and safety of Canadians living in the district.

 

This is important for a few reasons. The first and foremost is that all governments, under the Geneva Conventions have the responsibility of looking out for the wellbeing of their overseas citizens. This means it is the government's responsibility to do all it can here, and in other countries, to help Canadians abroad if emergency assistance is required.

 

Secondly, whenever something occurs over here (earthquakes, floods, typhoons, etc.) the parents and family members of people living here (short or long term), living back in Canada worry about us! In many cases they do not know exactly where we live in relation to where an event occurs. It is common for these members to try to get hold of us through either direct contact, or if that is not possible, through the Canadian Government. When this happens, the embassies and consulates around the world (like during the tsunami in Indonesia just recently) are requested to determine the health of those citizens.

 

If they can find them by themselves, they do so, but if they cannot, they will ask the Wardens to do a search in the area via phone, email, checking local emergency gathering points, etc. to see if any information can be gained. This is what we do IF we are called to act.

 

The meeting of the wardens on Saturday was excellent. We had much discussion, interaction, role-played emergency scenarios, and networked. It was a full day event, which began by a "meet and greet" dinner the previous Friday night, and concluded with a dinner on the Saturday evening (and drinking after). Some of us met again during breakfast at the hotel on Sunday, exchanged emails, cordial handshakes, and parted ways.

 

The Saturday late evening all through Sunday was a very windy and bitter day with my eyeballs being sandblasted down from the dust and grit that flew through the air! In fact, the wind was so strong that the Shinkansen (bullet train) was stopped for many hours. On top of that, at various parts around the country, people were killed by high waves due to the winds, houses collapsed, others were injured. It was a very VERY windy day. You can read an entire article on the wind here: "Stormy weather leaves at least three dead."

 

At that point, my second adventure began.

 

I left my hotel at 10.30am (in the cold wind) and headed through the stellar Japanese train system down to the Southern Terrace Starbucks in Shinjuku where I enjoyed a tall cappuccino with an extra shot and whip cream and waited to meet another Internet Axe Murderer! In spite of the cold ferocious winds there were many shoppers ootnaboot, enjoying the day, enjoying the sun, enjoying life in this megalopolis. I enjoyed watching the throngs, being pushed back and forth in the trains, and in the crowds amassing through the various tunnels and hallway labyrinth in the stations through which I traversed.

 

Cute ad.... interesting bandaid on nose...

 

The Internet Axe Murderer I was waiting for this time had come several days earlier all the way from India for his very first visit to Japan!

 

At 11.30, Shivdeep (known as Odzer to the 360 crowd) and his friend Takaaki showed up, right on time. We exchanged hugs, greetings, and a LOT of conversation. We spent a good hour hogging the SBX chairs, sipping coffee, receiving gifts, and getting to physically know one another. Shiv presented me with deliciously spiced cashews nuts, and a bag of almonds. He also gave me a wonderful scarf, and replica (miniature) crossed spears that are adorned in the shape and feathering of the spears used by tribes in Northern India who (to this day) are not considered to enter manhood until they behead some enemies (this still goes on apparently!)

 

After running out of coffee, we walked a short distance to an American Grill restaurant, and enjoyed lunch together. When that was done an hour later (good conversation was had by all), we walked through the crowds to the luxury department store Takashimaya and the interconnected Tokyu Hands where Shiv bought a cooking scale, and some other kitchen goods that he was excited to find.

 

We walked all the floors, looking at the variety of goods and services for sale. I enjoyed listening to Shivdeep compare Tokyo to India with the differences and the similarities. It was one of the highlights of my time with him and his friend.

 

This proves that you really CAN find all kinds of weirdness in Tokyo...

 

After finishing with the basement luxury supermarket and confectionary section (which, if you ever come, I will take you there just to blow your mind at the amazing confectionaries the Japanese really do create) we hopped on the train again and headed down to Harajuku with the intention of visiting the Meiji Shrine where Matt, Mayu and I took Jaime, Jason, and Small Thing on their Axe Murderer Convention visit to the area late last year.

 

The Shrine had closed the gates 10 minutes before we arrived (16.50) so we could not enter. Not to be dismayed, I took Shiv and his friend down Takeshita Doori where the throngs of Cosplay kids, and just about everyone else you could imagine (young) visits, hangs out and shops. They really enjoyed the time walking down the street.

 

We headed to our 360 Wired Cafe Internet Axe Murderer Official Coffee Break Hack Shop, but alas, there were too many people lined up to enter so we had to pass it by and instead, spend an hour in the Lavazza instead, chatting, and sipping and enjoying warming up our digits.

 

When we had tired of Lavazza, we went across the street and into the Condommania store, to show them all of the exciting condom paraphernalia and novelty goods that really do exist in this corner store! (Paula, do you recall our visit there? Jaime? It was a very interesting place, don't you think?).

 

The hungriest hit me (not because of the shop, of course - whew! - what a great save!!) and we walked back to Harajuku Station, hopped the train to Shinjuku, and walked through the night throngs to a delicious tonkatsu restaurant (pork cutlets that I always take everyone to and they always enjoy it immensely).

 

Several interesting incidents happened during our delicious dinner: Shiv commented that he had never eaten so much cabbage in his entire life, and that in India cabbage is thought of as a vegetable that can give you worms, just like pork. So he had eaten two foods that "give you worms".

 

The other interesting event (aside from learning how to pour beer properly, hold the bowls properly and bring the bowls up to the mouth correctly) was that his brain was going into sensory overload because...

 

He had to use his LEFT HAND to serve the beer and in India that is one of the biggest insults you can do! Everyone in India (as we all know) NEVER use their left hand for eating! Well, in this case, he was kind of forced to do so (hold bowl in left hand, hold beer with both hands, etc.) and he was finding it extremely challenging to overcome that cultural taboo that his country had ingrained into his DNA. It was very interesting to watch the inner struggle and see him overcome his desire to go running from the establishment screaming like a crazy man!

 

I loved it!

 

We had a great dinner together, and then headed back to Shinjuku station. Before I climbed the stairs to platform 14 and they climbed different stairs to platform 15, we hugged each other, and headed home. I got back to my room at 11.30, had a shower, and headed to bed. The next morning I had an early breakfast, and caught the trains to the airport. My 10.40am flight was right on time, and I returned to my home to do the unpacking, laundry, food, some shoveling, work, and basic catch-up, as usual!

 

And now that my fingers are numb, Mayu should be home very soon and we will likely head out to the sento before coming back to cook dinner, have another coffee in the evening and maybe settle in to reading my National Geographic, or this wonderful book that Sheila sent me, "Anger and the Indigo Child".

 

I hope you have an absolutely wonderful week full of love, gratitude, appreciation for all things good (and maybe not so good - look for the bright side) and just ... a really strong desire to live a healthy, and happy life! Tell somebody how loving you feel inside when you think of them, or see them today! I bet you'll make them smile. Which, in turn will make YOU smile!

 

I love you!

 

Cam