Food poisoning

No more Yoshinoya. EVER.

Sitting between the past and the future...

Isn't that what everyone is always doing? Looking at how we got here and where we want to go? Pulling desires into being and trying to visualise the bridge between the how and the now. I've got a lot of pots on the stove, and I'm cooking up something wonderful... but at the moment it all looks like gruel.

As we continue to hurtle voidwards, and looking at Australia with increasing distain, I wonder if there is any way we can get off that island and live elsewhere... and I don't mean Japan. Japan is a project that has met it's half way point almost, and as each day passes I begin to realise that I'll never be here for this time again, and this is my last time doing this, I get a sense of reverse nostalgia before I've even finished what I'm feeling nostalgic about. I'm feeling myself imagining looking back, and wondering how to make the sweetest moments to think back upon.

I don't know if either of us would be content with living in an Australian suburb, in a mouldy rental house, working a dead end contract job (wondering if my aunt was right and I don't have a full-time job because I'm an unpleasant person to be around), wondering when we're gonna end up on welfare, never secure enough to have kids or buy a house because everything is so transitory. I just don't know if I can face that life anymore. I think I want something more. And I don't know if Australia can deliver it. I don't know, I've got that feeling like my home can not give me what I want, and no where else is my home...

...thoughts come and go...

Boring, Bomb, Bambi...

A beer and some okonomiyaki (Osakan style savoury Japanese pancake) by the Dotomobori River. Life is kind.

Welcome to another relatively dull blog. Apologies in advance. What is there to tell you? I'm struggling for ideas. When you're not angsty, it just doesn't flow the same way as when you're raging.

In the last month we have been saving like mad, working our arses off, moving house, trying to make back the losses we sustained on the dead computer/moving house/Hakuba trip in December/January. It doesn't make for pretty pictures, or enlivening banter to publish. It makes for quiet moments of contentment though, satisfied that you're slowly reaching the places you want to get to. I've had a few of them recently (between the annoyance at having a lot of stuff to do and no time to arrange the house properly.) I am very, very, VERY happy to be OUT of Apollo Properties clutches. I really disliked being misled about the condition of the apartment before we arrived, and I have not been impressed with the cut of their jib ever since. They are disorganised, tardy, and unhelpful. The new agent is cheerful, efficient and kind. She helped us get a futon for free. And every time she comes to collect the rent, she brings me omiyage (a compolsary gift, Japanese style - usually dry biscuits from holiday destinations). Kawaii? Honto ne.

What there is to report:

- I have made friends with a couple of my students, and I've given a them a link to this page (hello Eishi, hello Yai, hello Kayoko).

- I have saved enough money to secure my computer on 12 February, and boy, am I happy about it. Wikipedia project Hobart Music 1995-2002 will be back in the swing soon. Looking forward to writing all your bios...

- Tom and I have purchased curtains, a shelf, a kitchen cabinet, a table, some chairs, a couch, a rug, a vacuum cleaner, a futon, a washing machine, a fridge, and a stove. The total sum of 30 000 yen ($390 AU) was paid for the lot. How good is that?

- I will be picking up a (huge) van (!) and driving for the first time in 7 months on 27 February to pick up the furniture from a "Sayonara Sale" in Osaka. For all of ye in Osaka "STAY OFF THE SIDEWALKS!" because that's where I intend on driving.

- We had a nice time at an Australia Day barbecue, drank too much, and revelled a bit hard. True blue, Aussie over indulging. I love it. First time to get three sails to the wind this year. I'm such a mild mannered reformed type these days...

- Our friend Richard stayed with us for a couple of days before he went back to Australia. We ate ramen with him to see him off. When the new computer arrives, I will start posting in the ramen diary again.

- Tom and I have been jamming with the intention of bringing Thrall to a live version again soon, but with me playing drums this time. I am rusty and shit at drumming at the moment, and will need to put in some serious training time before I will be up to the task of playing to anyone else. Loving making music again. It's the best thing about the new house. It's on the same street as the rehearsal studios we've been using. It's awesome.

- I went for a job as a trainer/assistant trainer. I'm hoping I get the assistant trainer job, because the trainer job might be a bit much for me - Tom has told me that he is seriously unhappy with the idea of me putting in more hours at the office. But hey, we'll see how the cookie crumbles before we start making any plans based on that one. I think I went well in the interview, I'm beginning to feel a lot more confident in interviews these days, and I don`t go to pieces like I used to when I was younger.

There you go. That`s about all I can think of at the moment. I'd love to hear from you if you're reading this. I have been doing my best to send the odd card, but if you don't send cards back, I will give up on you. After all, two way streets are only useful if more than one person is traveling on them.