Back and melting.... (this one's for you, Anne)


Summer has descended, and the rainy season is coming to an end. Temp's in the 30s and thunderstorms pull he humidity out of the clouds and cool things off for about 10 mins a pop. Things have been running their usual pace (crazy) here. This past weekend imparticular was a blur and memory was a bit fuzzy in the wee hours on Saturday into Sunday morning. Saucypants was in town for the night, so we went to Jonna's art show under Takaoka eki, which was awesome! Check out her online gallery Then went to hang out with Ayumi an Yacchin (oh yeah, and eat dinner).

On Saturday, we had the Kid's Sports Day meeting in Toyama, then J and I drove up to Toga to see everyone off for the Leaver's Weekend we throw every year.




Honestly, after all the talking and galavanting, I just needed a sando. The two Js and I went to our tent and we made delicious cheese sandwiches, after we were finished slapping each other with the slices of cheese.


J and I woke up around 8am, since I wussed out early on the night before. I managed to pull a muscle in my neck, and couldn't move it around to the left until today. We went down to the river, next to where we set up camp, for an hour or more. J threw rocks in the water next to me, splashing me continuously, and channeling his inner 5 year old. Then we ate watermelon and played "green or pink". It turns out, the green side of the melon is more buoyant, so all money on green.

Many of us were devoured by evil mountain vampire bugs, despite having a thick layer of DEET on our legs. I had to buy a itch remedy called mu-hi to stop from scratching through my ankle. To quote my amazing supervisor, "Mountain bug are very strong!"

Aside from all that. The Charity Show recently ended, and here are a few pictures of my performance as the most over-utilized pokemon of all...


The show was Snow White and the Seven (err... 6) Otaku. My #1 highlight has to be the most stirring bear performance of the century. It was good fun, and I have the added benefit of working one day a week with children who will benefit from one of the charities we donated to. My kindergarten enrolled 4-5 kids from the local orphanage and provided tuition for them! A few of them are developmentally delayed, and one has Down syndrome, they are incredible kids, and it's giving me a unique insight to the Japanese orphanage system.

And I am rambling on. J and I leave for Yakushima in (let me check my nerdy counter...) 15 days 1 hour and someodd minutes! Can't wait to be alone in the mountains with my boy for a while. It seems insane that we live together now, yet still get to see one another so little. No time for complaining, though. It's time to go camping soon!!! Wooo (see below picture to understand the fullness of my joy!)

It's OVER!


The 17th annual Toyama Charity Show has finally wrapped up. It was a ton of work for everyone involved, but as usual the last day makes you realize it was worth it. Or is it just the elation of being able to start working on the "after charity show" list that you have compiled? (photos yoinked from Tim L.)

Here be PIRATES~!



Here is Hook having a chat with Wendy. Bunny is scary. I am hiding in a "cage" behind them.



Thanks to everyone who was involved this year, it was a lot of fun.

It's finally over!


I say that with a tear in my eye. The past 4 months have been great, and stressful, and fun, and a pain in the keester, all rolled up into one.

A big thank you to darling Chamise for lending me her wings, and Casey for the excessively loud "SUGOI!" after my cartwheeling in the second performance. It nearly made me fall offstage.

One of my favorite aspects of the day was Rachel (and Jacqui helped too!) doing my hair up ala Big Time Sensuality Bjork.


witness the striking resemblance!


I took them out with the assistance of Timmy's teeth and Jacqui in Saturday night, and still have some gnarly dreads because of them. I am a little scared to wash them out, and am kinda happy with them as they are. I don't want to be a false Rastafarian, though. So... I am torn as to what I should do.

This was them after the show... they are a bit mankier now.