Dancin in the Street

One of the weirder things I've seen since coming here.

There was no hat or tip cup. It mustve been 100 degrees out that day, too.

Motto's First Sloppy Joe

It took a lot of explaining. First, I had to describe what a Sloppy Joe actually was. Then, why it is so important. He couldn't believe it was vegetarian. He kept picking up little bits with his chopsticks and screaming, "THIS IS MEAT!" He loved them, and his awe for all things American grew along with his belly.

If any of you would like to help me feed this skinny Japanese boy, please send a box of Fantastic brand vegetarian Sloppy Joe mix my way. Every box helps.

To blog or not to blog...

The trend with blogs seems to be, you start a blog, pick a name, write a first post, email all your friends and relatives with the news, "I have a new blog! I am amazing!" Then, you continue writing, people somehow find it, they read yours, you read theirs. You start counting comments. You being thinking about life in terms of how what you're experiencing can be turned into a blog post. Then, all of a sudden, a slump hits. There's no time for blogging. You didn't blog about a vacation or two and feel like you've totally ruined this online narrative of your life. Or, as the angry mob starts commenting, "what happened to your once-interesting-insightful-funny-blog?," you begin to ask yourself, "why do I even write on this thing at all?"

My life is just as interesting without it. Just, no one else knows.

I started this blog to write about my crazy "Year In Japan." As that year is turning into two, and I'm growing more and more accustomed to this backward culture, I am left wondering why am I blogging at all?

My sketchblog, on the other hand, could use some attention.

Rainy Day

I love podcasts. I never have time to listen to them, but they can save your life when you miss a train and the next one isnt for another hour.

I'm Like, Busy

...and yet at the same time, not at all. My new job is sweet. The hours are short, but for the first few weeks it will be chaos. I moved into an excellent new apartment. The view of the smokestacks is breathtaking. I spend my free time taking bus trips to 100 Yen shops to furnish the place.

And there's the freelance project, and answering emails when someone lets me use their internet (we're back to that again).

And then there are the hours of reading comics, followed by even more hours of stomach-churning depression over the realization that I might be physically and mentally unable to ever finish anything.

And then it's donut time.

(Oh, and then there's my stalker/b.i.f.f.l.'s art show, Darryl Berger.)

I Have a WiP Card

I'm so exhausted.

Someone just left a comment on my other blog, saying they found my self portrait on Google. So if you type in "self portrait" you'll find mine on page 4. I freakin love Google Images. Ive actually gotten paid real money from people finding me on that site and me agreeing to do their projects.

Of course, it's only like 1 out of 20 that I end up doing because most people dont offer money and/or are asking me to draw some religious shit or tattoo designs. Yeah, I should write those as stipulations somewhere on my site.

1. Nothing's free.
2. No religion.
3. No tattoos.

I dont know why my stuff shows up there. I guess it's because Google owns blogger and my other blog is through blogger put published somewhere else or some technical crap that ive already bored you with my gloating and youre no longer reading but thats ok because this post isnt taking much effort on my part either.

I'm tired from training and teaching kids. Kids are so evil.

I'm drinking Calpis soda. Pronounced 'cow piss.' It's white and creamy.

What's with the internet?

In six days I'll be at a year in Japan. Right now I'm in Takatsuki, a city in between Kyoto and Osaka. I'm at a two week training for my third job in Japan. In a week I'll head back to Tokuyama and move into my third apartment.

I've spent the past week in nine hour training sessions, enduring long commutes, and eating コンビニ "convenience store" food because there's nowhere to cook and nowhere I can eat. I am a little depressed today. I didn't leave my hotel until 2pm. I stayed in bed watching a Japanese show about these four year old kids whose parents had them walk to the local supermarket and buy a bunch of stuff and try to walk back, alone. It was so sad, I was crying. One of the kids had down syndrome.

I also spent about 40 minutes this morning trying to think of the word "autism." I just couldnt remember what it was called. I kept picturing those little colorful puzzle-piece bumper stickers, that say, "Fight ----!" I thought it started with an "I." Then, I thought it probably started with an "A."

So I went to Kyoto after all this. I forgot my sunglasses and iPod, so I was pretty miserable. It was really sunny, so my eyes were tearing up, and I had loads of eye makeup on.

As soon as I got to Kyoto station I was exhausted. The thought of looking at one shrine or temple was totally unappealing. I really just wanted Mister Donut. I walked around a bit, not having a map or destination in mind. Finally, I returned to the station and found a Mister Donut. I ate two donuts and bought a $4 peach iced tea. I now have zero yen.

That was Kyoto.

Last Sunday I was in Nagoya, that day-trip was a lot better. I visited two art museums, went to an organic vegetarian restaurant, went to Starbucks, watched street performers. It was a nice day. I have some drawings from that that I'll probably scan in a few weeks.

Other than all that, I've been working on an illustration project for a woman in New York, eating a lot of sugar, and thinking about the future.

Poll

Is sitting at home alone, drinking beer, watching illegally downloaded episodes of Dawson's Creek cooler... because I'm in Japan?

Circle One.

Yes

No

The trip home was even worse than the journey to Amerika. But, this blog isn't about entertaining you with the outrageous stories of my doomed life. This blog is not here to retell antidotes about drunken shenanigans that happen when my estranged family gets together for a wedding. I did not start this blog to have a forum for life-updates, like the fact that all my possessions are sitting in boxes in my neighbor's house and in 1 week I won't have an actual residence. This blog is here for one reason! To give you a place to complain about my lack of sketchblog updates.

(Photo: my brother, sister, and I share our first/last night out at a bar together.)

What I Do

As my Facebook status reads, I am at an internet cafe in Fukuoka right now. This is part one of a very long journey back to Amerika. Land of veggie burritos and size 8 Women's shoes.

It's almost 4am. Ive been in this booth since 12:30. I drank 3 free beverages: peach soda, green tea, and water. I watched one DVD: Little Miss Sunshine. I surfed about 600 websites and realized the internet is boring and maybe I dont need an iPhone.

I'll go to Starbucks in about 30 minutes. Then, catch a taxi to Fukuoka airport. I have to say, "福岡くうどまでおねがいします" to the driver.

After that I'll be sitting around in the Tokyo airport for 7 hours waiting for my flight to L.A. There, I'll collect my shit, go through customs, and hop on another plane to Portland.

Total travel time: 35 hours.

Seriously, Alex, you better only get married once.

UPDATE (4:11am): I already smell bad.