Japan in New York

Here is a good article for all you New Yorkers interested in "real" Japanese food at apparently affordable prices. I figure that if the restaurant is frequented by students, then it doesn't set its prices for bankers.

"Japanese snacks now part of local favorites at New York's East Village"

http://www.japantoday.com/category/lifestyle/view/japanese-snacks-now-part-of-local-favorites-at-new-yorks-east-village

If anyone visits (like Jen), please let me know what you think!

I love you!
Cam

How We Kill Each Other In Japan

On my friend Jen's blog, there was a discussion regarding the recent shooting of a civil servant and several others who died a very recent gun-related shooting incident in Arizona.

There are those who are in favour of restricting gun ownership (me), and there are those who feel that they should have the right to own a handgun "for protection" because it is in the constitution. I guess America still is the Wild Wild West where gunslingers abound, and you need a projectile weapon to protect your loved ones and property.

Anyway, be that as it may, Jen was asking how we do it here in Japan if we don't have guns to shoot each other in the head, and blow innocent children away at the pull of a trigger.

I have no idea if this blog will show up because everything in my Multiply has been wiped out, but if it is visible, well...

Maybe this will give you an idea how we kill each other in Japan:

Man dies, wife injured in knife and sickle attack in Tokyo home
Tuesday 11th January, 06:46 AM JST
http://www.japantoday.com/category/crime/view/man-dies-wife-injured-in-knife-and-sickle-attack-in-tokyo-home

 

Osaka restaurant employee arrested over murder of Hyogo couple
Tuesday 11th January, 09:00 AM JST
http://www.japantoday.com/category/crime/view/osaka-restaurant-employee-arrested-over-murder-of-hyogo-couple

 

Two homeless men wanted after man stabbed outside Ikebukuro Station
Monday 10th January, 09:28 AM JST
http://www.japantoday.com/category/crime/view/two-homeless-men-wanted-after-man-stabbed-outside-ikebukuro-station

 

And on a happier note, just so you know that good things come out of Japan, too:

 

Japanese-style customer service winning hearts in Europe
http://www.japantoday.com/category/lifestyle/view/japanese-style-customer-service-winning-hearts-in-europe

I'm glad I bashed my head tonight

Tonight I challenged the gym. It has been exactly one month since something went "squeak" - "scream!" in my abdominal region, which subsequently led to a month of continual back pain.

I need to go back, for my back as strange as that may seem. I originally began weight training to build core strength in my abs and my back because the pain I had from residual herniated disc injury was really getting to me, and I wanted to eliminate it. Ten years later, I found that the gym works perfectly for that, but I must keep it up or the back starts to ache as the muscles get weaker.

So staying away from the gym because my back aches and my abs have sharp pain when I use them only exacerbates the back pain.

Tonight I cut back the weights on everything to 50% of my last workout because I wanted to test every exercise to see what I could and couldn't do. I found some exercises I absolutely cannot do, even when there is a measly 1kg of tension (anything that engages the abs). I found some exercises that if I am very careful, stick to very light, and go very slow, although I can feel a bit of pain down there, it is manageable (tricep work - who would have thought that working your triceps engages your abs, but believe me, it does! And in a very powerful way). And I found some exercises that I can do with no problem (leg work). Situps and planks are impossible right now, so the mat work is not possible, nor is the rolling wheel that gave me rippling 6 pack abs and built the strength in my back and stomach so I could avoid back pain.

We will see how my body reacts tomorrow, but the back is extremely tired tonight. It hurts to sit down. I'm off to bed very soon.

I decided to eat out, so went to my tonkatsu restaurant next door... and they have gone out of business! *SHOCK!!!* So that means now I have to come home and cook and eat dinner at 11pm after working out. Cleaning up at midnight is not so pleasant, and there is not enough time to do it in the morning.

Then on my way into the train I bashed my head on the door jam.
Right in front of an attractive woman.
She looked back to see if I was OK, and while I was rubbing my head to get rid of the pain, I smiled and shook my head. She laughed. I knew she wanted to laugh, because for my entire life, whenever I smash my head, even though people know how much it hurts as I usually am rolling around on the floor cursing and holding my head, they try to keep themselves from laughing. But they laugh.

Ask yourself this: when you see some tall person you know bash their head, in spite of the fact that you know it hurts, and you shouldn't laugh, and you know that laughing only makes the bashed head feel worse... don't you have big difficulty NOT laughing? Now you may say "I don't laugh", but I have seen EVERYONE and I mean every single person (even my Mom) laugh when I hit my head! There has never been a single person who has not had serious trouble keeping a straight face when I bash my head.

On the way out of the train I caught up to her up the stairs and we chatted for a bit about me hitting my head, "my japanese being so good...." etc. etc. etc. and then we said good night and left the station in opposite directions. I even mentioned to her that she probably wanted to laugh even though she knew she shouldn't, and she agreed. *SIGH*

I am very glad I bashed my head because it gave me the chance to meet someone new, and chat with them for a few minutes while leaving the station. It also gave her the chance to laugh and feel good. It was worth it. I love making people feel good. And the conversation that ensued was light, friendly, and full of good cheer.

Good night everyone.

I love you!
Cam

Fits Like A Second Skin!

Fits perfectly!

I am so glad that the company suggested we wait for these suits and make any alterations after they sent the first one because I grew "one thumb length" in various places over the two months.

This fits like a glove (as mentioned in my video) and the material is light and airy. We shall see what I say after wearing it in my office, but I'll tell you this much: this suit makes me want to go out for dinner in the evening with a gorgeous woman by my side.

Sweet!

I love you!
Cam

DTV (Dervil TV)

Dervil sold Mayu and I this monster TV when she left Fukui back in 1994. It's a CRT-style behemoth that can't be carried by one person due to the weight and size.

Since I don't watch TV, Mayu took it with her when she moved to Tokyo. This year, the Year of the Rabbit, it is time for Mayu to say farewell to The Beast as 2011 is the year of digital TV in Japan.

Last night I visited Mayu's mom for New Year dinner with the entire family. I noticed that Mayu's brother had bought Mom a ginormous digital flat screen TV. Verra Nice! So last night we brought home their older teeny digital flat screen TV.

Mayu had planned to buy a tuner/adaptor for The Behemoth and continue to use it until a tube burst, went up in flames, burned the entire apartment down and took all of the tenants with it (I'm embellishing the story just a wee bit here). But since she got the wee willy digi telly she has decided to lay Sir Trinitron to rest. Finally.

The next time I visit Mayu this ancient piece of Holy Technology will most likely not grace the huge space that has been required of it for nigh on 20 years.

And I just wanted to send a very warm thank you to the lovely young lady who provided us with the means to "enjoy" television for the past 20 years.

Thank you, Dervil! We love you!!

Here is Sir Sony's Epitaph:

"Here lies Sony Trinitron, beloved offspring of Dervil, loyal servant to Mayu & Cam. Lest in Peas."

Farewell DTV.

Cam

My Custom Suits http://t.co/xTFC3gH via www.studiosuits.com Excellent! A Perfect fit. (I thought to do photos, but changed my mind and did video... because I'm such an attention whore!) I love you!

"Outlander", by Diana Gabaldon ***** <-- Five Stars

Here is my review of this excellent book:

I have been spending the New Year Holiday time reading books. I'm using my kindle, and enjoy it of course, though wish it had more functionality like an iPad, but not the bulk. It would be nice to have more than just books. I'm reading "Outlander". Well, I finished #1, and just the other day bought #2, otherwise known as "Dragonfly in Amber". And I must say these are the best books I have read in a long time (historical fiction, books, that is). Very very good!

They have everything: sex, death, love, religion, family, pregnancy, FOOD!, intrigue, swordplay, witchburnings, history, fompiness, buggery, torture, sex, horseback riding, skullduggery, seasickness, time travel, chauvanism, chivalry, deceipt, adultery, intrigue, mystery, assassination, filth, medicine, emprisonment, homosexuality, romance, humour, Scotland, traditions, male-female conflict, and on and on ad infinitum.

You laugh, cry, feel anger, stress, relief, and go through the entire gamut of emotions, and back again. Just like Bilbo, "There and back again", or Alice, "through the looking glass" (and back?) I highly recommend getting it. It is not "fantasy" as it takes place in real historic scotland (France in #2) which makes you kind of forget where you are when you close the book for the night. It leaves you blinking and looking at a calendar to remind yourself you are in 2011, not 1744.

It's good! If you haven't yet read it, or if you have a new kindle and wonder what might be a good book to read (hint hint), then I recommend this book. But be careful! It is pretty much impossible to stop at the first book, because those damn sneaky publishers put in a chapter to the second book and it hooks you! Damn them! Even though the story finishes in the first, I really loved the way everything was described, and how the main character, Claire, expresses everything with her modern 1946 English expressions and perspective when viewing the Scottish Highlands of 1744.

Hatsumode - First Prayers: http://youtu.be/3TQgnGdoOio