Country

Even though it has gotten rather convenient where I live, if you just walk aboout 5 or 10 minutes you can really feel like you are in the country side. I was surprised even to find what looked like a private shrine on someone's property. And with the start of Golden Week this is common sight that you don't often see in the city any more. Glad to see some people still have the space to do something like this.By the way this is my first picture on my new cell phone. Probably would have turned out better had I taken the plastic film off that is covering the lens and making this picture a little blurred.

Falling

So tonight on my way from work the train was a little crowded but not half as bad as in the morning. Anyway at the stop before a bunch of Jr. High boys got on, and proceeded to drop their bags and continued on the ride. I knew that I was going to have to push my way out but didn't think much of it, so I start to get off and some how these boys were a little slow to move and then realized their bags were in the way and started to move with me. Some how my feet got tangled up the their bags and with my right hand still in my pocket I tumbled out the door of the train, half in and half out. One hand reached out to help me up, I got up on my feet feeling a little bit awkward, and the boy that got out ahead of me bowed an apology. Little sore but nothing major to complain about. At least they didn't have to hold up the train to rescue me, then I really would have felt stupid.

Elevator

I think this must be the worlds shortest elevator. You can see the elevator through the door and it is at the exit side. I think it goes up maybe 3 feet. You can see that there are maybe six steps and the guy in the back is where you get off the elevator. Couldn't the have come up with a better solution?

Expelled

I want to see this movie, I hope it makes it to Japan.

Spring

Spring is here, but if you want to see snow you can still do it. This road through the Japan alps is a famous tourist spot just for what you are seeing here. Someday I'd like to make the trip. I just wonder how long it takes all of it to melt.

1950's ???

So I stopped by Harajuku to check out a sporting goods store, and for a moment as I passed by the entrance I thought I was in the 1950's. In fact the white skirt was a poodle skirt none the less.

There are always unusual dressers in Harajuku, but these ladies well in their 20's were quite different than the other crazies that run around the are.

Narita, and sushi.

Narita has actually become a very interesting little stop. They still have a lot of little mom and pop stores towards the main shrine, and they also are doing a good job of catering to the tourists that make their way through Tokyo. Even in the few years that I have been away from Chiba there have been a lot of changes and for the better. Tonight I wanted to catch the drum festival going on. I did catch some of it but we hurried of before it was finished to beat the crowds to our favorite sushi bar. Edokko sushi. If you ever have a lay over in Tokyo and are looking for a great lunch this is just the place to head to. And you would still have time to pick up a nice souvenir from one of the shops like this one below that sell really cool bamboo crafts.

American Idol

American Idol goes contemporary Christian. Wasn't able to see the show but how interesting they would choose to put this on nat'l telivision.

Crushed

Since the new subway line opened near my house it has actually been rather enjoyable to commute to work by train instead of my motorcycle. The last 2 days I have caught the commuter express which is always crowded, today to add to it is was raining which means more people are on the trains. So I'm used to being pressed up against all these random people, or so I thought. This morning there was another foreigner on the train and after the first stop we were pushed up against each other, and it was awkward. I felt like I needed to try and keep from being pushed into him, and if I did I should probably apologize or somethingl. How weird to never have this feeling when it is a Japanese person. Just really made me wonder. Luckily he closed his eyes, a good way to hide your uncomfortableness, and I got off at the next station so it wasn't so bad.

Two Faces of Mike

Now the picture really doesn't have anything to do with my musings, except for the fact that it was one of the last things I saw before leaving the states, and it is a nice shot is I don't say so myself. Anyway I just wanted to say it is good to be back in Japan but at the same time a little strange. One thing I realized just the other day was that when I first went back to the states I was actually pretty quiet and not very talkative, almost like I was sitting back and observing everything that was going around me. Which in some ways is so not me, but I think that in some ways Japan has made me this way. Now since I have been back I have discovered that I am acting and saying things that are very much more American than Japanese. I realized that I do in fact have two very different faces and they don't necessarily show themselves at the same time.

And if they did would I look like this?

Well I hope that I might scare more people than I do already. I guess that what made me come to this realization was that I have been randomly and openly giving very frank and sometimes pretty humorous remarks to people at school. This is so not the Japanese Mike but the American Mike, and actually the face that I do prefer. I'm glad I have both of them though they do come in handy and through both of them I tend to see the world in different ways. And I think that I'm realizing that to help me survive the Japanese culture, I really need to let let the American Mike show more here in Japan. Over the years the Japanese Mike has come to the forefront more often then not, and even though it is useful in helping me just deal with everyday life, the joy and the laughter that the other face bring are the things that I think I value more.

My time back in the states was great but was way too short. Or maybe I should say that it just went by too fast. There are still many people that I would like to connect with, and some that I would like to be able to spend more time with, just being with them. It was also a time to experience church. Attending Church at the Crossing was a real blessing for me, and I would have liked to have been more involved but I did have limited time. I was good to sing and worship and not feel like I didn't know any of the songs. I was grateful for the good mix of music, and the worship wasn't just a spectator event, everyone could easily be an active participant.

Of course the best part of my time off was the opportunity to go to Africa. Even though the original plan was scrapped , plan be turned out to be probably better than the original one would have been. Visiting Aldersgate school in Tanzania was great. I wish I could sit through their wonderful worship services every week. The music awe inspiring and straight from the heart. The people of Tanzania although poor they are rich in spirit, and didn't seem desperate, but rather content. I think we could all learn a lesson from them. Rwanda is a beautiful country, I guess the images that pop into the mind first are those of genocide, so I was suprised how green and abundant everything seemed. I didn't look like a poor country that had been through such an awful past. And it was encouraging to hear that the country is on an economic rebound, and the president is doing a great job of eliminating the the racial barriers that have scarred the nations past.

And I can't forget how great it was to go on Safari! I went on Safari. I just like to say that, how cool. We kept saying that to ourselves the whole time. It was a great ending to our trip and even though it was a little pricey because it was only two of us, it was well worth it and I would do it again in a minute. And if anyone out there is interested in a trip like this, I have the greatest guide, Charlie. One in a million and we had a great time with him.

The time back in the States and in Africa was great but it has been good to be back home.

Bumper Stickers

Have been reading "Lord Save us From Your Followers" and this little story I found on Our Daily Bread caught my attention.

I love the story of the stressed-out woman who was tailgating a man as they drove on a busy boulevard. When he slowed to a stop at a yellow light, the woman hit the horn, cussing and screaming in frustration and gesturing angrily. As she was still in mid-rant, she heard a tap on her window and looked up into the face of a police officer who ordered her to exit the car with her hands up. He took her to the police station and placed her in a holding cell.
An hour later, the officer returned and said, "I'm sorry, Ma'am. This has been a big mistake. When I pulled up behind you, I noticed your 'What Would Jesus Do?' license plate holder and your 'Follow Me to Sunday School' bumper sticker. I assumed the car was stolen!"

Makes you wonder what people assume about you and me.