A Burg Worth Its Weight in ...

Megumi and I came to Ginza to put a downpayment on our September getaway to Langkawi, Malaysia. Charles recommended it over Bali so we changed our plans. And I think it will be well worth it. We were lucky, though because everything was booked and it was hard to get anything. The only flights we could book were leaving Tokyo on a Sunday Morning and then Leaving Langkawi on the following Friday evening, arriving Saturday at 6am to Tokyo. Extending would have been great but we couldn't. Such is life!

Also in Ginza we came to buy tickets for HP7B The End! In 3D. This will be my first 3D movie so I'm really stoked (no, not stRoked!)

But then we got hungry after getting our trip arrangements set up so we walked across the intersection to Baagu Ginza. This is a 300g burger (@1500yen) with three toppings of cheddar cheese, bacon, tomato (@500 yen). That makes it a 2000yen burg and if an American tourist came here she would be forking out the equivalent of about $25 for this baby! But you know what? With the good sized salad set (@300yen) we are stuffed.

And that's dinner. Now it's time to find a coffee shop and sit back with the crib board to have a game of crib before heading back to the movie theatre for the HP7BX-3D movie (@2000yen per).

I love you!
Cam

Would anybody like to be invited to Google+ to see what it is like, and how it differs from Facebook? They are starting off like they did with gmail; invitation only during the beta stage. I like it. There aren't 700 million people there yet, but there may be in the near future. Let me know. If so, I need an email address. You can send that to me privately.

Radiation Checks

Since the contaminated cattle (with cesium) have been shipped all over the country here, and the news got out, people are starting to take measures into their own hands because it seems that the government is inundated with requests for radiation checks, but people want more.

Here is an article that may not make it to page 1 of your news, but it's important to know just what is going on here.

Japan Nuclear Scare Triggers Run for Radiation Checks
Reuters Health Information
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/22/us-japan-nuclear-inspection-idUSTRE76L1D120110722

Japanese private research labs with radiation testing gear have been flooded with orders for checks on food and soil samples after shipments of contaminated beef deepened public anxiety over radiation leaks from the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant.

…

"It's ordinary households placing orders. It's your regular grandpas and grandmas who want to check if potatoes grown in home gardens are free from radiation before they feed them to their grandchildren," said Mihoko Kikuchi, president of the Environmental Analysis Research Institute.

*Steak & Bar* Huckleberry

This is a really cool cowboy bar and restaurant on the way home from the gym (bath and long soak after previously discussed 15km fastwalk-induced sore calves). They have a great bar, a big variety of meals and extremely noisy and drunk women laughing their heads off behind us.

Every Saturday (not tonight) they have a live band that plays... jazz. And bossanova *shock* I just asked and they said that they can't seem to find any country music groups to play here!!! Damn! When they first opened they had one gaijin come once or twice a month and play/sing and dress in the country style and get everyone really rocking. But these days they can't find any country rockers! That's a real darn shame.

But the place is great and this 300g cowboy steak, though typically Japanese-thin is really good! I needed some protein!

If you know any country music people in my hood let me know! I'd love to make this a Saturday night hangout.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

I went for a great 15km fast walk today.
Split @ 7.45km 1:00:34 HR 140. Total time: 2:03:00. It felt really good. I guess I prefer walking to running. Soooo I'm going to get the ChiRunning book next and see if I can learn even more that I can apply to long walks instead of runs.

Had an interesting conversation with Megumi today at McDonalds (needed food). There is a service here called GILT which is a lot like Groupon but it seems easier to use. She saw a great deal for a Brazilian Waxing and has decided to go. When she went back to get the coupon they were all sold out! (V-line, I-line, O-line @ 3500 yen regularly 15,000 yen). She checked their website and for a first time visit can still get V/I/O but has to wait until it grows out. That's not the interesting part...

This is:

Megumi did some reading up on Brazilian Waxing on the web and at the shop's website. Apparently it is not at all popular here in Japan and for a very... silly reason. It seems that Japanese guys don't like their woman waxing their pubic hair because it has an image (among Japanese guys - and this is pretty strange because Japanese porn is pretty sick) of the woman playing around and having lots of sex with different people. It seems that having a big busy --> *bushy* (ed: thank you for pointing that teeny error out, Darrell)  pubic zone kind of proves (to these men) that their women are not players.

So it is not that popular here to get your puddytat waxed.

Me? I'll take a well-groomed feline to a mangy stray any day.

I love you!
Cam

P.S. I think I'm going to have sore calves on Monday.

Just letting everyone know that I have cancelled my intrmarketsolutions.com and japanippon.com domains. This means that emails to those addresses will no longer reach me. (I don't want you to think that I've been swept away by a tsunami or succumbed to swamp crotch or anything like that so I'm letting you know in advance that emails to those domains WILL BOUNCE!) And I love you!

Lessons from the Train

There is a typhoon coming our way. And there was a train breakdown on the Asakusa line I have to transfer to. The result was such that there were so many people waiting to get on the train we all had to pile up outside the turnstiles.

Then when we finally were able to get to the platform we were piled up and had to wait.

THEN when we rammed ourselves into the train, it took longer than usual for the doors to close as people had to be shoved in.

The train kept getting more and more delayed.

Upon arriving finally at our destination (Gotanda), it was fuller than usual, but not uncomfortable. Getting OUT of the station was another matter; one step at a time was the watchword for the morning as a steady stream of heads slowly worked their way (our way) to the turnstiles. I actually went out on the other side of the street this time because the line to go up to the streets on my company side was very long, and moving along at the pace of a millipede who has lost 900 legs in a tragic meeting with a youngster.

I had two thoughts while in the very VERY crowded train this morning. Actually, I had more, but two that are particularly worth mentioning:

1) I no longer wear my business shirt to work; instead I wear just a t-shirt or a sports shirt and sweat up a storm that way. Then I get to work, wipe off and put one fresh shirt. Arriving at work in shorts one day freaked everyone out, so I gave that up, but the shirt… I'm sticking with it! As I am more than a head above everyone else, and hold on to the bars up above us (that Japanese cannot reach), often my armpit sits right about forehead level to the men crowded next to me. Thankfully I use antiperspirant (I wish Japanese men would, but they don't, and they stink!) so I know I don't stink. But I still sweat in the humidity. I had a little conversation in my mind with the businessman standing next to me and it went something like this: "I don't want to stick my armpit in your face and I know you don't want to stick your face in my armpit, so let's both work on avoiding that unpleasant situation, shall we?"

2) The other thought I had was a lot simpler, and definitely resulted from me being more than a head above everyone else. It is actually a combination of that and the fact that Japanese have very short legs. My thought went something like this: Being very tall in a train full of Japanese people can often rub a guy the wrong way." Yeah, THAT kind of "wrong way". Having THAT kind of thought running through your mind and being totally helpless to do anything about it (i.e. AVOID it happening), is rather disconcerting.

My guess is that the wind will pick up along with the rain this evening when work is over and people want to go home. I'm expecting very crowded trains home. I'll let you know about the typhoon and the situation if anything happens to unexpectedly pop up on the way home.

Have a great day!
I love you!!
Cam

Well-Being

Apparently there is a typhoon coming through Japan that is garnering international media coverage. The Canadian Embassy in Tokyo suggests that Canadians might consider contacting our family and friends back home to let them know of our well-being.

This morning before 7am I got an email from Rene in Germany asking me about the Typhoon. As I don't have a TV, nor did I look at the weather I didn't know there was one coming. But when I looked outside it was pouring in sheets.

Then it stopped.

But as with typhoons, so usually come winds. So I rolled up my sunscreen outside and clamped it closed so it would not blow away. At that time it wasn't raining. I went to work. No rain. I got to work after walking outside for 5' with no rain. The humidity was unbelievably high, but we can live with that.

Tonight I walked back to the station in the humid evening air, but with no rain. Then I arrived at my station and walked home. No rain. I undressed, and lay on my bed in front of the fan for a moment after opening the windows when suddenly I heard the tell-tale sound of sheet rain coming down. So I came here to the living room to close the window in case the wind was blowing in.

It's not.

Tonight we are expecting heavy rains I think but not THAT bad. However, the heavy rain will come also during commuting time which could slow down the trains and cause a LOT of crowding. That always happens during typhoon season.

Thanks for your concern if you have been engrossed in the international media machine, and thanks even if you haven't.

In case you were wondering, my well-being is:

hungry.

For anyone who has an iOS device: download the FREE "Tiny Tower" app game. It is really fun, and highly addictive. Instead of destroying (as in "Angry Birds"), you build the lives of tenants in a building complex. Choose what kind of floor you want, let out suites to people, hire them, fire them, move them around, and bring in the customers. Apparently you can build up to 100 floors of stuff. It continues to run in the background, but you need to keep an eye on it because if you run out of stock, the customers don't come!

So Close & Yet So Far...

Dangit! We were close on this geocache in Shibuya but couldn't find it. Yesterday somebody logged it. We know where it should be (green train @ Hachiko) and we ran our fingers and hands over the entire outside of the train. We also dug around inside but couldn't find it! It's a microcache and looking at the photo of someone who found it it looks like a flat MD disc about 5cm diameter. All we got were filthy hands and knees (!! must remember to wash my knees when I get home !!).

Megumi was using her iPod Touch which does NOT have GPS so uses the WiFi. This is apparently not very accurate as the locator was telling us 45m from where it is supposed to be. That's a continent away!!

Then her power ran out. She went and got a charger to cart around from now on.

I could save a LOT of money by just changing phones to a smartphone in September or October but I have a sneaky feeling that the garmin devices will be more accurate. I could be wrong, though. Anyone out there geocaching regularly with iOS or Android and experiencing raging successes?

Keep on trying...

Cam

Getting in some time

I just finished a 10K skate. It is pretty hot out here but all the kids are playing baseball in it ALL DAY so I figure I can come out here for an hour and get a little sun. It's a national holiday today so that's why I'm out here at this time.

The fields are not totally filled up with people yet but I imagine they will be. And the baseball and soccer moms of course, devotedly supporting their kids. I don't see nearly as many dads out here and the number of coaches are far outweighed by the moms.

There are a lot of cyclists, walkers, runners of all shapes and sizes out here on the Edogawa pedestrian road. But Tokyoites feel at ease surrounded by people and are uncomfortable when nobody else is around. One of the things Mayu's mom didn't like about where we lived in Fukui was that there were no people out walking at night. Another thing was that for her it is too dark. She felt unsafe.I guess it is all how you live that affects what you like. Me? I prefer it dark and lonely; I get to use more than just my eyesight. I like that.

I guess I should pack up and head home for a shower and breakfast.Megumi is getting her hair cut in Shibuya today and asked if I wanted to meet her for lunch or coffee...

I love you!

Cam

P.S. I haven't figured out how to post to Google+ yet via email so that will have to come later perhaps.

Two new videos up on my YouTube Channel: 1) My (failed) two attempts today to do two local geocaches which may actually no longer be there, without a GPS system @ http://youtu.be/MQf0345Ve78 and 2) A golf game in Kananaskis with friends Lorne and Sam @ http://youtu.be/IYh5Qlwuj4s

It looks like Kobuchizawa English (for me) is coming to a close in the near future. The (new) company wants me to be at the office every day of the week, so they are looking for a local person (found one) to teach the English classes out there. From a cost-analysis perspective it makes more sense, actually, and I have even suggested it in the past. Damn, I'm good at foreshadowing!

Since the sun got me up early I headed out to the riverside and did 12km of inline skating this morning between 7-7:30. It is MUCH hotter there than in my apartment (30C) with absolutely no cover to break the early morning sun. It is a nice way to use the morning.

I found the humidex on the net (that thing that gives you a "feels like" temp when you figure in the heat and humidity). On the mercury today will be 33C/91F. Big deal. Toss in 76% humidity, & suddenly we're talking "feels like" 48C/118F! No wonder people die here! And THAT is why wearing business attire in a 30C/86F office with 75% humidity we're all drenched in sweat: 42C/108F!

Only Milk or Soy

This morning I got up at the planned 5:15am. It's not so hard to do when the sun comes up at 4am and the apartment is a balmy 29C all night. So I got a lot of stuff done by the time I left for Shinjuku to catch my train to Kobuchizawa.

I work in a different company now, one of the subsidiaries of the company that bought us out. I also continue to work one day in the old company which has a new name but the same familiar faces. And then I go out to Kobuchizawa for one day. They too were acquired by CMIC Co. So all in all I have three companies at which I work, in three very different locations with completely different cultures, fashions and businesses around.

CMR, the old place (formerly known as SMR)b is in a wholesale district so it isn't too busy. Neither does it offer much in the way of anything, really, because the area starts early and closes down early (wholesalers are like that.) CBR, out in Kobuchizawa (formerly known as SIBS), is... well, in the mountains. And my new place, CMIC MPSS, is in Gotanda and is an extremely lively place for just about anything you can envision (even sexy massages from hot Asian women, apparently). There are a ton of restaurants, drinking places, and and well, everything. All an hour commute from my home. My new gym is there too. I go there Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Going to those three companies makes it a bit difficult to figure out who is paying me, to which company I should submit my travel expenses, and where I punch the clock. I imagine it will get figured out, though.

So, on my way to CBR today I left a bit early from home (and you were wondering why I started off with the 5:15 line, I imagine). I wandered into UniQlo to ask about some cooldry work shirts because I threw out another one this morning. The armpits were yellow after just one year. Damn my sweat chemicals. And actually the third slim fit I am wearing now is, like the other two I tossed between today and Friday, too tight on me now, and it too seems a bit yellow. I can't tell if it's my eyes playing tricks on me or not but this one too may hit the circular bin tonight.In the end I got a new cooldry shirt, and cool dry workout shorts and T-shirt for something else to wear instead of my usual tanktops, undershirts or cycling shirts.

Then I headed to Tokyu Hands and picked up a 3-piece set of window locks that Mayu recommends. You can keep your windows and balcony sliding doors locked partially open all the time without fear of burglars or rapists coming in while you are away or asleep. For me I don't need as I always leave my windows open all year round but for women it provides a sense of security. When you close eveything up and leave for work (or go to sleep) the homes climb to 38C inside and it becomes extremely uncomfortable. It is very hard to cool down when you get home after work. And, for women it provides added security. All good and well. Two for Megumi's windows so I don't find her dead and rotting away this summer as we try to use less energy, thanks to TEPCO.

I skipped eating lunch out today (apparently I have great 9.4% bodyfat BUT high visceral fat content!!! so need to do something about it!!) and will have my obento about 2pm if I can last that long. Then on the way home I will eat some cheese and nuts to keep me alive until I get home about 11pm to cook dinner.

I went to Starbucks because I still had about 30minutes to relax before catching my train. I wanted to order a cafe misto wit half-and-alf cream because I don't drink milk anymore and it bloats me now. In Canada I got it with half-and-half instead of the standard milk and it was good. But surprisingly, you know what I was told when I asked?

"I'm sorry, we don't have cream; only milk or soy."

I love you!
Cam

My First Geocaching Adventure with Lorne @ http://youtu.be/SIvHU4eGr94