When we crested the hill and looked over our shoulders to see this storm behind us in all its glory, I remember Eric shouting, “This is the most incredible storm I’ve ever seen!” He could barely contain his excitement.

Of all the photos I have of Eric, this is the one I can’t stop looking at. A moment like this is what he lived for. And boy, did he live.

Rest in peace, friend.

Sorry for not posting anything in ages, but I’ve been in Los Angeles the past two months on business and haven’t had time for blogging or photography. This photo was shot at the L.A. Arboretum - a place I’d pass every day on the way to work, yet only got around to visiting this weekend. It may be February, but the flowers are always blooming in Southern California, it seems.

Oh, and I should mention that I’m now uploading photos to my Flickr account. Getting that up and running was one of my goals for the new year.

I wish I could say, “I’ve been busy,” but the reality is, I just haven’t felt much like blogging this past month. Or, rather, I haven’t felt much like blogging here. I’ve been blogging up a storm at Hop Step Jump! - a reminder that it’s always easy to write about something you have a passion for.

I just returned from Texas - my first trip back since I left for good two years ago. There, I saw two of my best friends (finally) marry. They actually live in Southern California now, but with their respective families still in Texas, it made more sense to return “home” for the festivities. Not much has changed down there, although I’d wager to say the traffic has gotten worse. That’s like death and taxes, though.

It was great to reconnect with friends and visit family, though. Lots of reminiscing going on.

Zero weeks to go.

The sky out here is an amazing shade of blue most days. I suppose it’s the elevation. Whatever the cause, it’s going to be good for photography.

Two weeks to go.

The weather has been horrible (relatively speaking) this past week. We saw the sun today for the first time in… well, I really can’t remember. It’s been snowing a bit each day, some more than others, but the accumulation rarely sticks around for long. The mountains have been faring well, however, and should the clouds ever clear enough such that they’re visible again, it’ll make for a nice scene.

A moment of silence for my dearly departed second molar.

Had myself a root canal today. It’s not an experience I care to repeat, but all things considered, it wasn’t too big a deal. I wonder why the procedure gets such a bum rap?

I had been ignoring the offending tooth for awhile. It happily played along for a year or so, but the night before I left for California, it finally gave up the ghost. Thankfully, that brief, initial toothache was the worst it had to offer - the pain was dull and intermittent thereafter - but, not wanting to push my luck, I decided to go ahead and get it over with.

So, no big deal. It took a little bit of extra lidocaine to numb things up nice and good, but after that, it was just sit back, relax, and let the dentist go to town. I should point out that my dentist is an all-around great guy (all the more reason to get it over with, given the impending move to Colorado and all), and took pity on my not having insurance by knocking a few hundred bucks off the final bill.

I’m still waiting for the anesthetic to wear off, so whether there’ll any post-op pain, I can’t say. I’ll have the crown placed on Friday.

I’m a bit jealous of Brent’s recent redesign. It’s a classy sort of simplicity. Make sure to refresh for different sidebar images - some better than others.

Don’t expect any redesigns around here, though. Every time I dare to tinker with the current look, I end up trashing the changes. I’ve been playing this game for years now, and I’d have to say this particular design is a personal favorite. Why mess with it?

Famous last words, I know.

That said, I think I’ve finally started to tire of blogging. I still dig the concept, no doubt, but I’m not sure if care much for the practice. The Anime Blog was a real success thanks to its sharp focus and (fairly) regular update cycle. Unfortunately, sharp focus and regular update cycle suck up a lot of time - which is why I eventually gave it up. I consider jumping back in the fray almost daily, but I always return to the issue of time. It’s not that I don’t have the time. It’s just that I’d rather use my time for something else… even if that something else entails sitting on the sofa, staring at the wall.

Betsu ni, however, is kind of a funky child. I’ve been blogging since before blogging was even worth blogging about, so I’ve just about run out of things to write about. Actually, I have run out of things to write about. The only thing that keeps this blog going, I’m afraid, is the pretty pictures. I’m cool with that, of course, and I suspect most of my readers are as well. Let’s keep it our little secret.

I’m just glad I chose (long ago) to roll my web presence and real life presence into one… because trying to maintain two separate identities would have been a total pain in the ass.

As Amos points out, Texas and Oklahoma are scheduled to burn down this weekend.

Meanwhile, heavy rain now inundating parts of Northern California should begin impacting Southern California late tomorrow… just about the time I arrive at LAX.

Great. Now my headphones have a loose connection in the right driver. The person who assembled them must have been anxious to go to lunch or something. Oh well. Back to Grado they go. Again

There’s a lovely blanket of snowing covering everything at the moment. I’d share some photos, but the temperature hasn’t risen above freezing since… well, I honestly can’t remember. Frankly, I’d rather stay inside. The next week should bring more snow and even colder temperatures.

A close friend won a Nintendo DS in a contest ran by Advanced Media Networks. Since I’m the last member of our social circle without a DS, he’s giving it to me. No longer will I be left out of the Mario Kart fun. Next time I see you, Randy, I’ll be sure to buy you a drink.

It seems I’ve returned to my pre-Japan blogging routine. That is, not blogging very often. My apologies.

So, what’s up?

My Grado SR-60s arrived…again. I first received them around the end of October, only to discover a loose connection in the left driver after about ten hours of burn-in. So, it was back to Grado for repair. Just bad luck, I guess… I had two (!) cooling fans die in my desktop the very same week. I was afraid to get in the car for a little while there.

I’ve been watching a lot of anime, catching up on shows neglected for too long. I finally finished Patlabor and Marmalade Boy, and should wrap up Kaleido Star soon. I had heard the second season of Kaleido Star was a real downer, and how! At least if has more Rosetta…

Oh, and a message to the Anime Blog readers who have recenty found their way over: Mai-Otome > Mai-HiME. I just hope it doesn’t go all stupid once the greater plot kicks in.

And while I’m thinking about it… Happy Birthday Matthew!

It’s been unusually warm the past few days. Now, it’s unusually windy (well, not all that unusual for Nebraska). Next week, it’ll be cold. Hopefully, that’ll finish off the last of the ragweed for good. My poor nose needs a break.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to make a cheese sandwich.

November already? My, how time flies. Before long, it’ll be snowing once again.

In fact, I’ll probably be seeing a lot of snow this Winter. No, Nebraska’s not due for a miniature localized ice age. Rather, I’m moving up in the world. And by “up”, I mean “up in elevation.”

I’m moving to Colorado.

So, no more pictures of corn fields or amber waves of grain. You’ll have to settle for purple mountains’ majesty. It’s a real shame, I know.

Anyway, for the nitty gritty details (that I’m willing to provide, at least): I hope to be out there before the end of the year. I’ll be settling somewhere within commuting distance of Boulder. No, I don’t ski.

The lovely alfalfa field behind my house (previously seen here) was transformed into a big pile o’ dirt while I was in Japan. Eventually, a new school will rise in its place.

Unfortunately, when the wind blows from the north - as it has these past few, chilly Autumn days - the soft, powdery topsoil engulfs the house and yard. It’s even worse when the excavation crews are at work, choking the air with clouds of dust as they race their earthmovers about like children playing in a giant sandbox.

I apologize for the downtime today. The power outage in Los Angeles knocked out the data center at which the site is hosted.

I’ve been busy packing, mailing stuff home, and cleaning the apartment. The company is throwing a farawell party for us tomorrow night (they’re always looking for an excuse to get drunk), so we’ll have a full plate to the very end. Thursday, it’s off to Narita for the long flight home.

Since I’ve been here for two months, I don’t feel particuarly obliged to go out and experience as much of Japan as possible these last few days. Rather, I’m more focused on making preparations for the trip and wrapping things up at the office. I’m sure I’ll miss Japan once I’m back in the States… but, for now, I’m happy to be heading home.

I had intended to fly to Kagoshima today in order to intercept Typhoon #14, which is expected to make landfall tomorrow morning. However, I woke up this morning to find all flights canceled. So, I’m now left to choose between a number of (none too appealing) backup plans. Oh, and I’m still sick.

So, if I don’t post anything for a couple of days, it’s safe to assume I’ve gone somewhere.

UPDATE: The airport in Kumamoto remains open (not sure for how long, though), so I think we’re going to try flying there. Barring any early road closures, we might be able to continue on to Kagoshima by car.

I thought I could make it two months without a haircut, but my hair had different plans. So, I paid a visit to the barber today.

Actually, I paid a visit to a salon. That’s what it billed itself as, at least. Best I could tell, it was just a barber shop with a silly French name. As I would soon learn, however, the service was more than the spinning red, white, and blue pole outside would have you expect.

Peering in the window, the stylists appeared young and aloof, so I figured they’d be delighted to cut my crazy foreign hair. I waltzed in the door, confident and prepared, ready to amaze them with my pidgin Japanese… and promptly found myself completely and utterly lost before the “Irrashimase!” had finished reverberating throughout the room.

“Hajimemashte?” the receptionist asked. Why, yes, this is my first visit. OK, then… time for the dreaded information card. As is typical in Japan, they needed to know everything about me but my shoe size before they could continue. I coughed up my name, address, and telephone number, and proceeded to stare dumbfounded at the remaining mess of numbers and kanji, hoping the receptionist would swoop in and rescue me. And that she did. With a quick, “Daijoubu desu ka?” the card was gone, and I was told to have a seat. In retrospect, seeing as I wouldn’t be a repeat customer, I should have had some fun with the card. Name: Captain Starshine. Address: 3-2-1 Ramalamadingdong-2-chome, Uchikuchi-ku, Ichinisan-shi, Hokutono-ken, Japan. Unfortunately, my brain don’t no work that fast.

Before long, a stylist appeared and ushered me toward the chair of fate. Before my ass hit the leather, he asked what I wanted done. Or, I assume that’s what he asked, as my brain wasn’t quite in “Japanese” gear. It was English loan words to the rescue, as I pointed to the top of my head with a “shorto,” and then the side of my head with a “motto shorto.” This seemed to satisfy him, and he immediately removed my glasses and got to work.

First came the shampoo massage. Yes, massage. Never in my life have I had my head lathered in such an expert and thorough fashion. The massage continued through the rinse. Hell, it continued through the toweling, only pausing briefly as he carefully dried the inside of my ears and my eyes. Then, out came the scissors.

Typically, I keep my hair so short that scissors are unnecessary. A razor with the proper guide attachments gets the job done in a matter of minutes, but the stylist was intent on shaping my hair with nothing but a pair of scissors. Obviously, this took some time, but it was worth it. Without my glasses, I had a difficult time charting his progress as he worked his way about my head. Still, I could feel the attention to detail as he snipped away.

After fifteen minutes of concentrated cutting, he returned my glasses to my head, whipped out a giant mirror, and asked, “Daijoubu desu ka?” I answered in the affirmative, and off came the glasses once again for shampoo massage part deux. Can’t have any loose hair floating around, after all.

After that came the straight razor and electric razor for cleaning up the edges. Then came some sort of oil, carefully massaged into my scalp. The next thing I knew, he was massaging my shoulders. Then my back. Then my temples. Then my head again. Back to my shoulders. Back to my head. The whole thing seemed so silly for some reason - so much that I had to bite my lip to keep from cracking up. Still, with him banging on my head like a taiko drum, I couldn’t help but smile like a dork.

Following the performance, he asked if I wanted a shave. Having already shaved that morning, I waved him off. Did I want it styled? Nope. I’m a wash and wear kind of guy. “Zenzen daijoubu,” I said with a thumbs up.

And that was it.

Of course, such service comes at a price: 3,800 yen ($34 USD). Whatever. It’s a one time experience… even if they did give me a point card on the way out.

Oh, and how does my hair look, you might ask? Not bad, really. It’s a bit longer than usual, but better too long than too short. It’s perhaps a little “high and tight” - such is the Japanese style - so I look a bit like a military guy. Of course, this means that, when walking the street, people will no longer just think I’m out to rob them, but that I’m looking to rape their daughters as well. Oh well. Such is life.

At least I don’t look like Ringo Starr anymore.

I had planned on leaving tomorrow for an assignment climbing and photographing Mount Fuji, but I seem to have fallen ill, so the trip has been pushed back to late next week. I’m not all that bad off, but climbing a 12,000 foot mountain was simply out of the question.

Of course, as luck would have it (ha!), another typhoon is on the way. Typhoon #14 is forecast to approach Okinawa and perhaps Kyushu early next week. I think there’s a distinct possibility the storm may remain south of mainland Japan, but for now, I need to prepare for what may be my final typhoon intercept before returning to the States. Hopefully, I’ll feel better by then.

I rode out Typhoon 11 in Atami, a small resort town on the eastern side of the Izu Peninsula. Throughout the day, the storm was forecast to make landfall to my west, but I expected a dramatic, last minute turn to the east, bringing the intense northeastern eyewall directly overhead. Fortunately, intuition and patience paid off, as the storm behaved almost exactly as I expected. The center crossed the Izu Peninsula just south of Atami, placing the city in eyewall conditions for a solid two to three hours. Maximum sustained winds were probably around 100 mph, with gusts in the 120-130 mph range. Basically, the wind reached a threshold at which walking was nearly impossible.

Here is some horrible shaky-cam video from about an hour before the strongest winds arrived. When things got really out of hand, I was stuck outside doing a report. My producer and I had to take shelter behind a building for about a half hour, lest we get our heads ripped off by flying debris.

Since everything is built out of reinforced concrete here, damage was light to moderate. In Atami, damage was primarily limited to downed trees, mutilated fences, and flooded roadways. Unfortunately, the storm claimed one life.

Typhoon 11 is expected to make landfall in Japan some time Thursday, so I’ll be leaving tomorrow for… somewhere. This afternoon, I was thinking Nagoya, but it now looks as if the storm may recurve more dramatically than previously forecast and make landfall closer to Tokyo. I’ve had a sneaking suspicion the past couple of days that such a scenario would occur, but kept quiet as it wasn’t supported very well by model data and flew in the face of the official track forecasts coming out of Weathernews, JMA, and the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Of course, now that official forecasts are gradually coming around to my original thinking, I wish I had gone out on a limb and said something.

Oh well. Such is the politics of meteorology.

I finally found a place more dangerous (for my wallet, that is) than Akihabara: Yodobashi Camera’s flagship store near Shinjuku Station. Scattered amongst several buildings, Yodobashi sells every electronic appliance, widget, and doo-dad you can think of. The camera store alone stands eight stories tall - with a separate two story building across the street selling nothing but film… stocked in coolers. Thankfully, photo gear is expensive, so I escaped without buying anything more than the circular polarizer I had originally set out for.

Visibility was good for a change, so I took in the view from atop the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building and the massive Takashimaya Times Square shopping mall.

After having my feet trampled one too many times by the throngs of weekend shoppers, I boogied underground to the subway in search of quieter surroundings. And that’s exactly what I found in Jinbocho, a small neighborhood north of the Imperial Palace known for having a high concentration of used bookstores. As Akihabara is to anime fans, Jinbocho is to bookworms.

Sadly, Yomiko Readman was nowhere to be found.

After getting my fill of books, I strolled north in search of Suidobashi Station. Right outside the station sits the Tokyo Dome stadium and amusement park, where hordes of fans were arriving for the evening’s game between the Yomiuri Giants and Cincinnati Reds - er, I mean, Hiroshima Carp. I squeezed my way through the crowd and hopped a train bound for nearby Akihabara. No day in Tokyo is complete without a stop in Akihabara, it seems.

There, I grabbed dinner, avoided opening my wallet, and continued on to Asakusa, a neighborhood I had been meaning to visit for weeks. The sun had dipped behind buildings by the time I arrived, leaving little time for photography. I strolled around Sensoji Temple and finished the day with a boat ride down the Sumida River to Tokyo Port.

And on the seventh day… I rested.

Sunsets don’t last very long here. One minute, you’re staring at blue sky, and the next, flashing neon is the only light to guide your way.

Speaking of flashing neon, I was thinking of hitting Akihabara tonight in search of a 52mm circular polarizer, but Robin and I have been invited to dinner by the Chairman and CEO of the company - at his home, of all places. Obviously, Akihabara can wait.

Today marks the midpoint of my trip. Unfortunately, work’s been keeping me busy, so I haven’t had much chance to explore the past week or so. By the time I get home, I have just enough energy to grab a bite to eat and that’s it.

I might be making a trip to Hokkaido in the next week or two. After a month in the city, I could use the fresh air.

I arrived at Tokyo Big Sight around noon - a bit earlier than planned. There was a crowd, of course, but I was relieved to find no line to enter the convention space. Unfortunately, the lack of a line outside meant one thing and one thing only: those who had lined up previously were already inside. Passing through the entrance, I found myself in the midst of an otaku mosh pit.

Initially, I just moved forward with the crowd, eventually finding myself in the East Hall. Conveniently, this is where most of the tables selling print doujinshi were located. I wasn’t looking for anything in particular, so I merely perused the aisles, occasionally stopping to thumb through a book here and there if the crowd allowed. After 15 minutes of being lost amongst the most pornographic of doujinshi (and, thus, being pushed and shoved by the most perverted of otaku), I fought my way back out to the concourse and joined the throngs headed for the West Hall.

There, I found mostly doujin games and music. While crowded, the West Hall offered more room to breathe compared to the East Hall, so I spent a bit more time exploring and soaking up the experience. Still, nothing caught me eye, so I continued upstairs to the industry booths. The atmosphere was much more lively there, with professionals hawking their wares. Of course, free swag was easy to come by - before long, I had a bag in each hand and enough tissue packs to soak up Tokyo Bay. I swung by the Aquaplus booth and made my first purchase of the day: a bag of mystery goodies. Clearly, there was much worth buying from the industry booths, but I was looking to conserve money, so I made my exit to the rooftop cosplay exhibition area for some photo taking.

It was hot. It was packed. Still, I wasn’t in costume, so I figured I had no room to complain. I worked my way through the crowd, occasionally pausing to snap photos of interesting cosplayers. Photographers outnumbered cosplayers by a significant margin, and with the hot sun beating down on me, I didn’t stick around for more than a half hour or so. As I returned to the air conditioned confines of the Big Sight, I received a text message from Yagami, a friend from the Megatokyo discussion forums, informing me he was due shortly at the convention site. I fought my way back to the main entrance and patiently waited for his arrival.

After a bit of phone tag, we managed to find each other. With the end of the convention a couple hours away at that point, we decided to make a quick attack to meet some people and make our desired purchases. Yagami has industry connections, so when I say “meet people,” I mean meet people. Our first stop was the booth belonging to Yoshitoshi ABe, creator of Haibane Renmei and character designer for Serial Experiments Lain. ABe-san was quiet, but friendly, and was kind enough to give us free copies of his newest book. He also entrusted Yagami with a copy to deliver to the booth of a friend - that friend being Range Murata, character designer for Last Exile and Blue Submarine No. 6.

After meeting with Murata-san, we split up to make our purchases, agreeing to meet once again in an hour and head to Shinjuku for dinner. I returned to the East Hall and bought a few books, and before long, it was time to depart.

Of course, with the end of the event approaching, there was a mass exodus to the single train station serving Tokyo Big Sight. Thus, I finally got to spend some time standing in line. Everything moved along efficiently, however, and after a short time, we boarded a packed train and set off for Shinjuku. There, we chatted between slurps of ramen, and called it a day.

I’ve always wanted to experience Comic Market at least once, and I can’t say I’m disappointed. Oddly enough, having seen the event played out numerous times in anime and manga series devoted to otaku life (such as Comic Party or Genshiken), everything had an uncanny familiarity. My expectations were fulfilled in every way.

After what seemed like an endless string of hot and sunny days, unsettled weather has returned to the Kanto Plain. The clouds do a lot to keep the temperature down during the day, although the associated increase in humidity is a bit of a drag. This morning, I woke up to the sound of light rain tapping on my window. I always enjoy rain, but I pray it clears out this evening. I need to hang my laundry out to dry.

I have a busy weekend ahead of me - well, a busy Sunday, at least. I’m not sure what I’ll be doing Saturday, but come Sunday, I’ll be paying a visit to Comic Market 68. Unlike anime and manga fan conventions in the United States, Comic Market (or Comiket, for short) is little more than a giant flea market where doujinshi artists gather to share and sell their work. Even though I don’t intend to buy much (if anything at all), I’ve always wanted to attend. You can learn more about Comiket here.

Like many of my coworkers, Sayuri-san speaks English well enough to carry on a conversation with either myself or Robin. But, like most everyone, she’s unnecessarily apologetic for her “lack” of ability. To be honest, I’m the one who feels like a dork; I know much more Japanese than the average American, yet I’ve never studied the language seriously enough to feel comfortable conversing in it while I’m here. Sayuri-san shouldn’t apologize for her poor English. Rather, I should be apologizing for my poor Japanese!

Of course, even when I do speak in Japanese, I’m often met with blank stares (or startled looks). And I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve started speaking to someone in Japanese, only to receive an English response. The role reversal is really bizarre at times.

Saturday was a very productive photography day in Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, and Odaiba. I’ll have plenty to share over the next week.

Today, however, I left the camera at home and went shopping. Akihabara is dangerous, I tell you.

Radio stations sure do look like fun places to work.

We left Makuhari for the studio in downtown Chiba a little after lunch, arriving roughly an hour later thanks to heavy traffic. The station occupies the upper floors of a highrise hotel, offering a panoramic view of the surrounding city. A director met us at the door, and we immediately sat down and got to work reviewing and vetting the script for the show. Even though the show was to be presented in “interview” format, all of the questions and answers had been written beforehand. This would prove an interesting experience come recording time, as we had to make the written script flow like an impromptu conversation.

Once the dust settled, we made our way down the hall to the studio. We were to record two shows today: one dealing with Weathernews’ business relationship with the Chiba Marines baseball club, and another dealing with the typhoon chasing project. The baseball program was up first, so we took our seats in the mixing room along with the director and watched our colleagues work their magic in the recording booth. After a few takes (and some hilarious outtakes), it was our turn to sit in front of the microphones.

Originally, the plan for the interview was as follows: First, an introduction in Japanese. Then, a conversation between the host and my Japanese chase partner - in Japanese, of course. Then, I would be questioned in Japanese, subsequently translated into English by my chase partner. I was to answer in English, at which point the host would translate my answer into Japanese. Finally, a conclusion in Japanese.

Honestly, it’s not as confusing as it sounds.

The director, however, felt the constant translating would take up too much time and break the flow of the interview, so it was decided I’d simply answer the Japanese questions directly. No big deal, really, seeing as we were working from a script. That, and I know enough Japanese to keep up with what’s being said.

The funny thing is, I needed to inject myself into the conversation at times such that things would feel more natural. In other words, I had to toss in the occasional “um” and “that’s right” - in English - in the midst of all the Japanese flying back and forth between the host and my partner. During one take, my mind went on autopilot such that, instead of saying “yes, that’s right,” I blurted out a “hai, sou desu,” in Japanese. It took a few minutes before the laughing died down enough for us to continue.

After about an hour, we wrapped up the recording, leaving the director and a producer from Weathernews to assemble the final product. Another hour later, we were done. Bows and pleasantries all around, and it was back to Makuhari. Of course, the traffic was still horrible.

The show is scheduled to air August 14 at 8:30 PM on BayFM. I should be able to get ahold of a digital copy afterwards, so I’ll try to remember to share it then.

Even thought Typhoon #9 is headed for China, we’ve been plenty busy. Weathernews has tasked us with producing daily mobile content which requires some travel in and around Tokyo. That’s great, of course, as it gives me a reason to get out of the office and see the city during the week.

Unfortunately, while bumming around Tokyo this morning, I received a text message from Robin insisting that I rush back to office for a short video shoot. I was in Aoyama, so I hoofed it to Shibuya Station, caught a Yamanote train to Tokyo Station, switched to the Keiyo Line, and made the long trip back to Makuhari. I was hot, sweaty, hungry, and annoyed, but that’s the way things work in this country. Tokyo’s an incredible city, but it’s too high-strung for my tastes. I don’t know if I could live here for very long.

Upon arriving at the office, I was surprised to find they didn’t need me there after all. Not having had time to swing by my apartment to pick up my laptop, I simply took care of a couple of things and took off for the day.

Tomorrow will be a long day, with a video conference very early in the morning and a radio interview recording in the evening. Apparently, they’ve set aside a four hour block to record a 10 minute interview. Why? Beats me. I’m just glad Typhoon #9 is staying away and the weekend is almost here. I need a break.

I’ve been here just a little over a week, and I’ve already been visited by the NHK man.

I had a sinking feeling that’s who it was as I stood up to answer the door. And, sure enough, there he stood. Once the initial shock of being faced with a foreigner wore off, he launched into his spiel. I understood what he was saying and knew exactly what he wanted, but I played dumb, hoping he’d just give up and leave me alone. Once he whipped out the English language pamphlet, however, there was no turning back. I grabbed my wallet, counted out 2,790 yen, signed my name on the dotted line, and sent him on his way. He’ll be back in two months, but I’ll be gone by then.

I suppose I could have raised a stink and slammed the door in his face, but he was far too polite to deserve such shoddy treatment. In the end, he’s just a guy trying to do his job.

And, of course, I’ve watched a lot of anime over the years that aired on NHK - for free - so, I figure I owe them something.

Trash pickup is Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. The days were posted on a sign above the collection site - I just never looked closely enough to notice. Since I can only read a limited amount of kanji, my brain doesn’t immediately interpret the scratchings as useful information. It’s like some vandal savant came along and painted the streets with abstract art.

Apparently, I’m supposed to write my address on my trash bags before releasing them to the wild. That way, the garbage police can track me down and deport me for mistakenly placing a banana peel in the “unburnable” bag or a plastic bottle in the “small, sort of shiny but not quite, light colored plastic tray” bag. Unfortunately, I still haven’t nailed down my exact address (I’ve figured out bits and pieces), so I guess I’ll just sneak down to the collection site in the middle of the night, drop my bags, and run like hell.

I’ve also figured out the mechanics of my little washing machine (that is, I pushed a bunch of buttons and observed what happened in response - very scientific, I know). I’m on my third load now and have yet to destroy any clothes, so I suppose I’m in the clear.

On second thought, I’ll share my (not quite) typhoon experience tomorrow. I’m too tired tonight to bother with something so dull.

When I woke up bright and early this morning in Choshi, a small port in very rural Chiba-ken, I flipped on the television to the Fuji TV morning show. Apparently, I did so just in time for the entertainment segment, and was treated to a piece on a young female singer who just released a new single. I wasn’t paying close enough attention to catch her name, and even though I know most of the popular Japanese music artists, she didn’t look particularly familiar. My initial thought, however, was, “Wow, she has a nice voice!” (well… actually, my first thought was “Holy shit, she’s incredibly cute!”), so I made a mental note to investigate further once I was back in town.

Of course, I forgot about it completely.

When I arrived home this evening, tired, beat, and sweaty (the temperature was hovering near 100 degrees F when I left the office), I wanted nothing more than to eat something substantial for dinner. My neighborhood is actually a pretty quiet place, with only small shops and a limited number of restaurants in the area around the station. A quick glance at a map revealed what looked to be plenty of shopping around Tsudanuma Station, a short 4 minute train ride to my west. So I struck out in search of dinner.

Upon arriving in Tsudanuma, I was surprised to find much, much, much more than I expected. To say there’s shopping there is an understatement. Rather, there’s a giant six story mall, surrounded by roughly five blocks worth of shops and restaurants in every direction. By that time, I was feeling more hungry than adventurous, so I ducked into McDonald’s (I made a point to order entirely in Japanese, at least), swallowed a fish sandwich, and hit the street to explore. As I stepped outside, however, I was accosted by a familiar sound… my unknown singer from this morning.

With my memory jogged, I set out in search of a CD shop. Unfortunately, every time I thought I found one, it turned out to be a bookstore (a gaijin walking into a Japanese book store draws some funny looks). Bookstores everywhere, as far as the eye can see. It’s like I had wandered into some suburban counterpart to Tokyo’s Kanda-Jinbocho. Eventually, I tried the large shopping mall directly across the street from the station, searching through its two towers of six floors each, up and down escalators, finding everything under the sun but a CD shop.

Of course, I eventually found one as I reached the final floor (what, you thought I’d finish the story empty-handed?), and was welcomed by my mystery singer once again as I first walked in. Clearly, this girl is a sensation at the moment. I followed my ears to her display, grabbed a copy of the new single and her recently released “greatest hits” album (for good measure), and made my way to the cashier. I parted with my 3,799 yen (about $34 USD), made my way back to the station, and returned home. Craving something sweet, I ducked into the conbini at the end of my street, grabbed some sort of tiramisu/pudding concoction, a sandwich and banana for breakfast in the morning, and a bottle of green tea. Total trip time: an hour and a half.

Anyway, I suppose I should share the identity of my mystery singer: Oku Hanako. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I just finished importing both CDs to my iPod, so I’m going to pop my headphones in and chill for the first time in what seems like ages.

Back in Chiba. Back at the office. Very tired and hungry.

I’ll post a full write-up for yesterday’s “chase” this evening. At the moment, I’m waiting for Robin to arrive, after which we’ll get some lunch and decompress. Unless someone objects, I’ll try to sneak out early this afternoon. The tropics look quiet for for at least the next week, so I might cut down on the amount of time I spend at the office. There’s no point in being here if I don’t have any work to do.

The sky is crystal clear now that the storm has passed; it’s the first time I’ve seen the sun since arriving last week. Unfortunately, with the sun comes the heat, and even though subsidence behind the departing storm has dried the lower levels a bit, it’s always humid here near Tokyo Bay.

I’m leaving tonight for the Izu Peninsula, a couple hours south of Tokyo. Tropical Storm Banyan will likely make landfall in that area tomorrow afternoon. The storm is actually in pretty bad shape, and will probably be weakening further by the time it reaches me, so I figure I’ll just be getting very, very wet.

Honestly, I’m not entirely sure what I’m supposed to do once I arrive. I’m producing content for mobile subscribers, but what that content will be, I can’t say. Robin will be traveling to another location in the morning, so it looks like I’m on my own.

Robin and I set out for Ichikawa a few hours before sunset in search of the elusive matsuri. Upon arriving at Ichikawa Station, however, we found everything to be business as usual. Thankfully, we had observed what looked to be festival preparation just outside Motoyawata Station (one stop before Ichikawa), so we hopped back on the train and went back the way whence we came.

The locals were still in the process of setting things up when we arrived, but a rock band of sorts had taken advantage of the gathering crowd to strut their stuff. We explored the neighborhood for a bit, grabbed a bite to eat, and waited for the festivities to begin.

At 6 o’clock sharp, a bell rang and the pounding of the taiko drums commenced. A throng of yukata-clad little old ladies streamed into the courtyard in front of the station, circled the drum platform, and began to dance in near perfect unison. With time, other locals - young and old - joined the circle. The children were constantly one dance move behind the rest of the crowd, eliciting many smiles and much laughter.

It’s small, but it works.

There’s a six mat living space, a narrow galley kitchen, and a small bathroom. It’s probably about 200 square feet total. I can’t complain, really; if I’m going to be in Japan, I might as well live as the Japanese do.

I’m a few blocks away from Makuhari-Hongo station, in what appears to be a standard working class neighborhood. There’s an assortment of shops near the station, and a conbini on practically every corner. An expressway actually runs right by my building, but thanks to a fairly elaborate sound wall, there’s little noise.

The office is actually a few miles away in Makuhari New City, which is serviced by the JR Keiyo line. Makuhari-Hongo, however, is on the JR Sobu line, so I have to travel to and from the office via bus. I haven’t had much trouble navigating the transportation network thus far; as goofy as it may sound, I learned a lot from watching anime. When I took the train into Tokyo for the first time yesterday, I breezed through the station without trouble.

Anyway, I’ve spent the morning sorting my trash (unfortunately, I haven’t figured out the pick-up schedule yet), cleaning and organizing the apartment, and resting my aching feet. According to my taxi mate from last night, there’s a matsuri (summer festival) in Ichikawa this weekend, so I might check that out tonight if I feel bored. I’m not entirely sure where it’s located, but I suppose I could just ride to Ichikawa station, look for young girls dressed in yukata, and follow them from there.

I made the long train ride into Tokyo today, my ultimate destination being Akihabara. Electric Town. Mecca.

I didn’t do much more than walk, shop, walk, take photos, shop, walk, and walk some more (until my feet screamed). At some point, a significant earthquake occurred in Chiba, shaking the very ground on which I strolled. Somehow, I didn’t feel a thing.

Unfortunately, the earthquake shut down all of the train lines in and around Tokyo, leaving me - and thousands of others - stuck in Akihabara. As I loitered in front of the station, contemplating my dilemma, I made the acquaintance of an Australian fellow who happened to live in Ichikawa, a few stops before me in Makuhari-Hongo. With no idea how long train service would be out, we opted to split a taxi in order to get home. The total fare was 13,000 yen ($117 USD), so it’s fortunate that we bumped into each other.

I’ll share some more stories and photos tomorrow, but for now, I need a hot shower and a good night’s rest.

Not much to share thus far, as I’ve been at the office all day. I’ve gotten about 4 hours of sleep in the past three days, I haven’t eaten a substantial meal since I stepped off the airplane, and I’m suffering from a painful infection of sorts (I won’t go into details) that makes sleeping and eating an ordeal even when I have the time or desire to do so.

That said, I haven’t been hit by a car while crossing the street… yet. I suppose Japan has been kind to me.

Thankfully, I have the weekend off to recuperate. If I feel up to it, I might hop a train into Tokyo. No particular reason, really - Makuhari is pleasant enough, but it doesn’t really lend itself to exploring.

Our first typhoon of interest should be approaching southern Japan by the middle of next week. It doesn’t look to become a major storm, but we’re here to chase typhoons and a typhoon it is. So, we’ll probably be on the road again soon.

I’m here. The flight was remarkably pleasant, at least until the ninth hour or so. Considering I only got three hours of sleep the night before, I’m amazed I’m still functioning as well as I am. Darkness has fallen here in Chiba, however, so I’m sure I’ll be out cold soon enough. My thanks to “Tomoko” for the “free” wifi. It’s a weak signal, but it seems to be working fine for now.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to figure out how to get the air conditioner working (it’s very, very humid here), take a much needed shower, and then lay down on a flat surface for the first time in… hell, I don’t know how long. I’ll post photos of the apartment and the neighborhood once I get a chance to explore. For now, you’ll have to settle for the lovely view from the veranda.

I suppose everything is in order. Only the packing remains. Ugh.

I’ll be leaving Omaha midday tomorrow, with a very short layover in Minneapolis before my afternoon flight to Tokyo. I was lucky enough to snag the last aisle seat on the plane, and, last I checked, the seat directly beside me was unoccupied. In fact, of the few unsold seats on the flight, most are near me. Hopefully, I’ll have some room to stretch out.

I should arrive at Narita around 5:00 PM local time (some god-awful hour Omaha time), and will continue on to wherever I’m staying directly from the airport. As far as internet access is concerned, I don’t have any specific contingency plan. I should have access at the office, but outside of that, I’ll be dependent on coffee shops and unprotected wireless access points.

So, as we say in storm chasing, I’m out the door!

A few weeks ago, Google Maps quietly added satellite image support for Japan. Mapping support was lacking, however - until now.

The Weathernews Global Center is located here, at the Makuhari Techno Garden in Makuhari New City in Chiba City. Kaihin Makuhari Station is right next door, 40 minutes away from Tokyo Station on the JR Keiyo Line. I assume our lodging will be near the office, but can’t be certain.

Packing for this trip will no doubt be an adventure. Obviously, I’ll need to carry a wide range of clothing, from formal business attire to tramping gear. If there’s anything I feel I might need over the course of the next two months, it’s important that I bring it with me. Japanese clothing stores don’t exist to accommodate 6′3″ foreigners with size 12 feet.

But, I also have to consider what type of equipment I’ll need during typhoon intercepts. Rain gear is a must; cheap works, as a $300 Gore-Tex get-up isn’t worth much more than a disposable poncho in horizontal rain. And, of course, I wouldn’t want said horizontal raindrops punching holes in my eyeballs, so safety goggles are a necessity. Rain boots? Overkill, most likely, as I don’t expect to be standing in storm surge (since the Japanese coastline is often marked by steep rises, standing in storm surge essentially means standing in the ocean itself). Tennis shoes will dry… eventually. Besides, I don’t want to figure out how to pack yet another pair of footwear.

Protecting camera equipment from water is a bit of a dilemma. I don’t do underwater photography, so I don’t own any sort of waterproof camera housing. An Aquapac would come in handy, but with a $200 price tag, I think I’ll settle for my homemade “double Ziploc bag/rubber band/lens hood/UV filter” protection scheme.

I suppose I should start thinking of an explanation to give the baggage screener.

The final details for my trip to Japan have been coming together the past few days. It looks like I’m leaving next Wednesday, July 20, with a return date of September 15.

I won’t be traveling alone. Rather, I’ll be joined by Robin Tanamachi, a doctoral student in meteorology at the University of Oklahoma. Robin is studying under the venerable Howie Bluestein and has participated in a number of field research projects over the years, so she’s clearly an experienced chaser and forecaster. Of course, when it comes to typhoon chasing, I’m sure we’re both in for a learning experience.

There’s still much packing and preparation to be done, but I’m anxious to get over there and get to work.

Unfortunately, my prescription changed just enough that I’ll be running into walls and falling down stairs for a day or two.

I find myself looking over my glasses to read nowadays, so the narrow lenses make for less effort in that regard. I wasn’t quite sure how the rectangular design would look on my face, as I’ve always worn more ovoid frames; thankfully, everything worked out fine.

And, no, I generally don’t shave on the weekend… or, for that matter, during the week if I can get away it. Good thing I’m not married.

I’m a little behind the curve with regard to Hurricane Dennis. For now, landfall along the United States Gulf Coast looks certain, with special focus from Mobile Bay eastward. Unfortunately, this is the same area ravaged last year by Hurricane Ivan.

My interest in chasing hurricanes is academic at best. Living in Nebraska, a trip to the Gulf or Atlantic seaboard is no easy task, and having never participated in a hurricane intercept before, I’d no doubt be woefully unprepared. Furthermore, getting in and out of evacuation zones has grown more and more difficult over the years. Should local law enforcement find you driving around without proper credentials, you’ll likely end up riding out the storm in a holding cell rather than on the beach.

Major hurricanes are serious business, especially when poised to strike population centers. Placing yourself in harm’s way and expecting everything to magically work out is reckless and irresponsible.

So, why the hell am I going to Japan in a couple of weeks to chase typhoons?

Thankfully, the average typhoon in the northwest Pacific doesn’t amount to much by the time it makes landfall in Japan (Okinawa excluded). Even last year’s Typhoon Tokage - the worst storm to strike Japan in over a decade - only had sustained winds of around 90 mph (144 kph) when it made final landfall in Kochi Prefecture, on the island of Shikoku. Yet, despite being the equivalent of a mere Category 1 hurricane in the Atlantic Basin, Tokage somehow managed to kill 67 people. How the majority of these deaths occurred, I don’t know. My assumption is that storm surge, flooding, and mudslides were the primary culprit.

From a chasing point of view, however, storm surge, flooding, and mudslides are pretty easy to avoid. Furthermore, sustained winds in the neighborhood of 90 mph aren’t too big a deal provided you’ve taken the proper precautions. I’ve experienced stronger and more unpredictable wind speeds at times chasing supercell thunderstorms here in the United States. So, I’m not particularly concerned for my safety.

And should a typhoon like no other strike Japan this year… well, I guess I’ll just be reckless and irresponsible and hope everything magically works out.

Fire levels Bellevue construction site

From the article: “It concerns us that there would be a fire in an empty structure with no electricity in it,” [Fire Department spokesman] Ted Szymanski said.

Perhaps they should consider the fireworks stand sitting out front. Just a thought.

The neighbors have gone fireworks crazy. I’d like to think they’re celebrating my birthday, but I suppose the birth of the nation takes precedence. I’ve grown bitter and resentful in my 27 years.

That said, I got an iPod. Take that, America!

Now that it’s been confirmed, I guess it’s time to share the news…

In just under three weeks, I’ll be traveling to Japan to begin a three month assignment chasing typhoons for Weathernews Inc.

Seriously.

What exactly I’ll be doing while over there has yet to be figured out (well, except for the “chasing typhoons” part), but it should primarily be content production: photography, videography, writing, and so on.

I’ll share more details as they become available.

I’m not particularly satisfied with this photo, but when it comes to shooting lightning, I’ll take what I can get.

Nasty weather paid a visit to the Northern Plains yesterday as I made my way home following an overnight visit to Oklahoma City. While friends were bagging tornadoes in Minnesota, I was rotting on the tarmac at Chicago O’Hare, wishing the storms would just go away. Of course, once in the air, we were rewarded with a magnificent sight as the pilot zigged and zagged between storms, atomic bomb updrafts all around. It was a religious experience, so to speak.

As for the landing… well, that was a religious experience of a completely different sort.

I’m an Uncle. How about that? Welcome to the family, Madison Christine.

People go ga-ga for Spring up here. If the day is warm and the sky is clear, they’ll be outside. Gardening, playing with the kids, chatting with neighbors, walking the dog - I’m not used to it, to be honest. People don’t go outside in Texas.

Of course, I joined in the fun by digging in the dirt all day. We’ll plant tomorrow. I’m curious to see how fertile the soil is here. There’s a giant field of alfalfa beyond the back fence that appeared practically overnight, so I have a feeling the garden will do great. Have to keep the rabbits out, though.

Unfortunately, my back doth protest from all the digging and lifting.

Last week, AEON called and invited me to interview in Chicago in early May. Perhaps the Los Angeles office saw my Nebraska address, figured I made a mistake, and forwarded my application and resume to Chicago. I can’t win for losing.

I gave the recruiter a tentative “yes” over the phone, but I suspect I’ll cancel. Why? I think I’ve come to realize that, as much as I’d like to spend some time in Japan, I have little desire to teach English. I fear falling in love with the place, yet growing to hate my job - a nasty predicament, as teaching English is about the only thing a foreigner such as myself can do for work in Japan.

I’m a little relieved, to be honest.

I suspect I may have broken myself from the routine of blogging. While I often find myself wanting to write, I no longer feel obligated to do so. When I launched Betsu ni, I did so with the intention of taking blogging “more seriously” than I have in the past. Unfortunately, in an effort to be “serious”, I think I’ve castrated myself. The sort of topics that make a “serious” blog aren’t the sort of topics I care to write about.

I should just relax and write.