Tuesday, August 31, 2010

I`M BACK!!

Wow the month flew by. Where do I start???

I took a quick trip to Hokkaido for a drive. This was really needed as I
was starting to feel pretty stressed and tired from my work. I needed to
get away. So I took a weekend and went up there and listened to music and
just drove and enjoyed the fresh air. It was beautiful and the air was
good!!

The next weekend I flew to America. It was interesting. I was stopped at
the Airport in Nagoya. My passport didn`t have a Japanese return permit. I
got a new visa but forgot the return permit. So immigration at the airport
wouldn`t let me fly. I was shocked. I talked to immigration and they said
if someone in my family was dying or some kind of emergency then I would
qualify to fly home without it this time. But this was not the case. I was
a little stressed because I was going to a concert that night I get to
Utah. So I was thinking I will miss the concert. Immigration asked me if
there was any other reason why I needed to fly home today. I told them I
had a concert to go to. It was funny. They thought I was giving a concert
when I told them. They asked what kind of music. I said Rock. So they
started thinking I was in a rock band or something and was going to miss a
concert in Utah. Well I didn`t tell them that was not the case. I could see
they were now thinking to let me go. So I just let them think I was some
rock star. They said ok and I paid my \3000 to get the emergency return
permit and was able to go. It was so funny...

So I flew to Utah and had enough time to shower and go to the concert. I
spent 1 week in Utah. It was so nice to be at my home and in my bed. It was
fun to play with my toys too....I missed driving my toys... I had to do a
lot of yard work though. But I cleaned my place up pretty good. I went to 2
concerts in Utah and I think I saw maybe 3 or 4 movies. So it was a busy
week. I saw my favorite band Rush and also went to "Dave Mathews Band"
which is another of my favortie groups. It was good to get outside and
party with friends and good music.



I had really good seats at the Rush concert....


I took a drive above my house in the mountains...


This is the view just above my house.... down there is my house...


After a week I flew down to California to be with my son. He was at
Stanford training in the US Junior Nationals. I watched him play his final
tournement of the season. He did really well. He took 4th place at the
tournament. This was a very big one and he looked good. But I was very
stressed out watching him. I can`t watch him play because I get too
involved in the game and too worried about his play. So I am more stressed
and nervious than he is. But it was fun and he did good and learned a lot.
But he was worn out. He has been playing so hard and training so hard. His
body was just worn down. So he needs a break too.

After California I was on a business trip then back to Japan. I arrived in
Japan and just a couple days later went and climbed Mt. Fuji... I was
dead!! But the bad thing is I was with some friends who all got tired and
sore at the 8th stage. They all gave up. I was feeling ok and ready to go
to the top. But at the 8th stage everyone voted to retire. I couldn`t
believe it....hehe. So I spent the day climbing and never got to the top...
SOOOOOO... I decided I am going again this weekend. I will take my son who
came home with me. We are going to climb Friday night in order to see the
sunrise on Saturday morning... I hope the weather is good and we make it...
this story is to be
continued ............................................................................................

Wednesday, August 04, 2010

August is here...

The month of my birth... Last weekend I took a quick trip up to Hokkaido for a drive. It was a very quiet weekend. It was just me driving and enjoying the fresh air. I went down around Toyako lake and over to Muroran. This was the first city I came to when I first visited Japan. It always has a special place in my heart. I lived there for about 6 months and loved it. I have been back often but its been a few years so I decided to go and see some of my favorite places. I bumped into some old friends as well. Then headed up to Noboribetsu onsen. There I relaxed in the hot springs and just walked around and enjoyed the atmosphere. It was really needed. The weekend was fast but really good. I have decided I need that more often.

Well tomorrow now I am back on a plane to Utah. I will go back to the United States and have a very busy schedule. I will go to my house in Utah. I look forward to seeing my place and toys. Also to sleep in my bed in a much cooler house. After about a week there I will head down to California to see Andy. Then my trip is over and its back to work. But the next 2 weeks at least I hope to be able to relax. At least next week I can because Japan is basically shut down. But the week after that Japan is back in business so I am sure there is going to be some fire I have to deal with. At least for the next couple days I am not going to think about work... it should feel good....