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Move or quit?
If presented with a dilemma–follow your job to Singapore or become unemployed in Japan–what would you choose? We’ve decided on unemployment. In about 30 days, the door closes on the current chapter of Tod’s wage earning. It’s a little bit scary, but it presents a million possibilities for new directions and challenges so it’s exciting,…
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With Africa Against povery
A couple of weeks ago, I accepted a pro bono job to make a virtual banner to accompany the “With Africa Against Poverty” campaign that the United Nations Development Programme is running. All of the footballers in Africa (along with some FIFA executives and the heads of several African nations) signed a huge, 7 meter…
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Late Night Delinquency
Middle of the Night Delinquency “I am seriously wigged out,” Tod wrote to a friend on IRC at 3:20 this morning.”Kristen and her friend MJ went out to the convenience store about an hour and 20 minutes ago (it is a 5 minute walk) and they are not back yet. There is no sign of…
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World Cup view
This was my view of last night’s exciting US-Germany game. Although the US lost, they played well. One shot on goal really might have been a goal, but it was ruled not. Even in the instant replays, it was hard to tell if it went in or not. Half the US team got yellow-carded for…
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Marunouchi beauty
The Marunouchi line is a subway, but it peeks above ground several times along its route. Here is a view of the track between Ochanomizu and Awajicho where the train crosses a bridge over the Kanda River. I love this tiny section of track. It takes about five seconds to traverse it, but the view…
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WC ticket, 1
My lucky husband got a ticket to tomorrow’s US-Germany World Cup game in Ulsan, Korea. What a great chance! He’s got a full day ahead of him with two flights, a reservation for a seat at a pub to watch the afternoon’s game (England-Brazil) being played in Japan, then a taxi to the stadium for…
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World Cup quarterfinals
Well, the World Cup is quickly drawing to a conclusion. After a flurry of qualification games, the “round of sixteen is over and we’re down to eight games remaining. I’m surprised at how much I’ve been paying attention. It’s sort of fun, even if I don’t understand the esoteric rules of big-league soccer. The quarterfinals…
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Incidental music
Japan is full of incidental music. Train stations on the Yamanote line have signature tunes, busy crosswalks play music, and all around the city at 5 o’clock, songs play on the public address system. I phoned the ward office to find out the name of the tune that’s played in our neighborhood. Mariko Harada was…
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50 man parade
50 men parading a mikoshi through Ginza.
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Soba gluttony
Gluttony isn’t so bad when it’s all based on soba. We tried a restaurant in Asagaya last night on the recommendaiton of a friend. We splurged on the 4,000 yen “all soba” course and were presented with eight courses, all involving buckwheat. Everything was astonishingly good and as each course arrived we declared it better…
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