New Rex

RACCOON TO XANGA:

"SHOVE IT!"

Actually, I used a different string of expletives altogether. Seriously though, screw Xanga. Bastids actually have the nerve to not only charge me to use their service, but then have the inane audacity to stunt my already challenged blogging by imposing a 10 meg limit on photo uploads!

For the second month in a row, halfway into the post Xanga put the kabbosh on my update. It's my fault really. I feel ashamed for my failure to realize that I was being taken for the proverbial ride. I assumed that it was normal for one to pay for a service.

The problem is, (and I will make this rant quick so as to not detract from the scrumtrulescent post that really sparked this whole thing), I made the same mistake with Xanga that a good amount of people are still making with America Online. It cracks me up that my father, though slowly becoming more and more tech savvy, continues to pay the monthly America Online bills. Current "selling out" aside (and I am of course speaking about Google's decision to put out a version for use in China that censors words like "democracy" and "human rights") Google has taken a great leap forward in the world of big business while most companies are stuck in the mud of Reganomics. Google offers unsurpassed, premium service and it doesn't cost you a cent. They figured out a way to allow for the most superior email platform (with 2 gigs of server space and growing) a superb search engine, and various other services that make AOL's signature "channels" seem like the network television to Google's fiber optic cable.

Anyway, that's the reason for the change. Now without further interruption we return to part two of today's post...

So, in my living room, Jen learned about the glory of the kotatsu while Sean said a muffled "thank you" to Micha for providing comfortable (and heated) futons. They were most good.

Of course in the spirit of New Years tradition, we made dinner. As I have become somewhat tired of food made entirely of fish, fish flakes, fish scales, fish bones or fish eyes, I FINALLY managed to convince Sean to allow me to make something different for a change. So we made Tacos.

Dinner was good. They don't have cilantro in this cursed land so we had to go without the guacamole (which is a crime). We also learned that if you use Enchalada seasoning for taco meat, you get AMAZING tacos...While if you use taco seasoning on undercooked rice, yo get SHITTY rice.

Drew (who proved this trip to be nothing short of a champ) aided in my sanity by fixing the clothing bar in my closet (which falls on me every day). He also provided much entertainment with his Family Guy Season 4 dvds.

Of course, between the full stomachs, they day of snowboarding and onsen, the warm futons, and the soothing sounds of the Five Peters we were passed out long before midnight on New Years eve. We set an alarm, woke up at the stroke of midnight, wished each other a happy new year (Jen did something with coins) and we went right back to sleep.

The next day, our journey began as we set out for Kyoto.

If you thought the tori gates at Fushimi Inari were the coolest things in the world, try seein them at night. The 2 hour hike around the gates was excellent. It would have been incident free if Jen (aka Lil Miss Adventure) hadn't insisted on leading Sean, Dru, and I off the path and into the unlit and unpaved path through the woods. I don't know why we listen to her.

The upside is, this time I didn't do anything to offend the gods, so we passed through unscathed.

The next stop was Kiyu Mizu Dera. The thing about Kyoto is it is hard to go into how beautiful everything is because everything is truly great. It is definitely my favorite city in Japan. At Kiyu Mizu, Sean and Jen walked the "love stones." If you successfully walk between the two, you apparently have luck in love. While they did this, I showed Dru my own brand of love.

So after a few days in Kyoto, we set out to Osaka. At Kyoto eki, we hit a snag. I lost my cell phone. As my cell phone is also a 3 megapixal camera, this means I also lost a memory card full of photos, my direct connection to Micha (who would pick us up when we returned to Nagano) as well as my ability to call hotels and hostels to inquire about vacancy.

Fortunately, after an hour of growing gray hairs looking for the phone, I listened to the sagacity of one Mr. Holohan and called it. Sure enough, in the most honest country in the world, somebody picked up and met me with my phone. I love this place!

Osaka fulfilled the most basic of our needs: food and video games (and shopping for Jen.)

On the left, Dru and I let out a heartfelt "HARRAM!" at what was one of the most delicious seafood meals ever.

On the right, Sean and I DOMINATE the taiko game while Dru watches out for pirates who would scorn at our ninja mirthmaking.

Jen spent most of her time trying to win a Stitch. She ended up just buying one.

After Osaka, we made our way to Tokyo. Of course, I have to mention that Sean was sick because he didn't heed my warning and he ate with a fork that fell on the floor. SO for the first day in Tokyo while Sean was germed out in the hotel room, Jen Dru and I went into Harajuku. Jen, to gawk at the stores, Dru and I to clean up her drool.

We ended up at the Park Hyatt (of Lost in Translation fame) for classy drinks and fine fine Jazz music (by a woman from Brooklyn who was a regular at the Blue Note... Small world ne?)

The following day, we went to watch some Sumo wrestling at the tournament opener. Below is the title bout where E. Honda faced off against Man Titties for a battle royale.