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.