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.