Sunday 3rd December
Been a while and been busy, here's what's goin' on...
お久しぶりですけどこれは最近に事です。。。
A trip with work to visit our customers in the states, New York, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco all in a week....
Last time I was in NY was just a couple weeks after 9/11 so I wanted to make a point of heading down there to see what the site looks like now. The thing that struck me most is the enormity of the area. The have an area with lots of pictures from the day and the time that followed with a plaque naming everyone who died.
The onto LA, caught up with my cousin and Jeff from Japan. In San Diego hooked up with Ivy before moving on to San Fran.
Finally got to the Duke of Edinburgh's award ceremony at St James Palace. Stayed with Sarah and hung out with James too.
Also caught up with Fi in Convent Garden, Emma in Putney and Shima and Liu at the Japan Center!
And let's not forget the weekend in Sligo, my first time judging a karate competition. Absolutely in the backend of nowhere but great craic.
Monday 16th October
Update overdue? Well here it is! Finally got over my technical issues caused by varying power supplies and conversions and all sorts with the variations in UK/Japan technology!
New Country.
New Home.
New Job.
Does that mean I've settled for the quiet life? No more global travelling?
No sir, it doesn't. If anything it means more of the above.
I'll be based in the UK but traveling with work, my first project will be in the states for the bulk of November and another project early next year will take me back to Japan!
Do I miss Japan? Of course I do but I knew I would and I sure don't subscribe to this reverse culture shock nonsense. I miss my friends, the food and lifestyle but there's no surprises in there.
So here's a quick round up of things since I've been back...
In Belfast, pestering women at bus stops.
In Glasgow with Martin, Carl San and Kenny.
New dojo, new Sensei.
Supporting Lawrie's Green and White Army against Latvia and picking up a souvenir from a friendly Latvian. Pix are here. Videos are here and here and here!
Robbie concert in Glasgow with Basement Jaxx and Orsen.
If I can manage to get the pix from my fone I'll get them up too.
M x
Tuesday 1st August
So, after 3 years of a fantastic life living and working in Toba, Japan, wrapped up my job, sold my car, handed over the keys to my apartment, said goodbye to all my friends and then said goodbye to Toba.
On the day I left quite a few folk at gathered at the Chamber of Commerce to say a final goodbye. Etsuko drove me to the airport and Imoto san came too. Kubo Sensei met me at the ferry port and Yoshi and Modori met me at the airport. I thought there might have been tears but there wasn't. It just wasn't as sad as I thought it might because I'll definitely see all these guys again and I'll definitely be back in Toba.
Goodbye... for now.
Saturday 22nd July
What a send off the karate guys gave me. 3 years of training . 3 years of sweating. 3 years of bruising. Times I've loved it. Times I've hated it. Times I've trained to the point of being sick. Wouldn't have had it any other way. JKA 'til I die.
Started off at Sensei's house. He gave me a JKA shirt and some other JKA stuff. Then the two of us went for some warm up beers. Then on to meet everyone at the restaurant. I got loads of presents, drank and ate like a king. After that onto the snack bar. It was great to see these guys aren't always as strict as they are in the dojo. This was as emotional as I got about leaving Japan.
Friday 21st July
One last big night out with the crew. Best told in pictures...
Goodbye folks!!!! x
Thursday 20th July
Tonight was my teijisei leaving party, the Toba High School principal came along and I got lots of cool presents..
今夜は定時制のサヨナラパーテイで、鳥羽高校校長先生も来て、いっぱいすてきなプレゼントをもらった。うれしいでした。
Thursday 22nd July
it was my last official day at work today. I wrote my speech the night
before, it was a decent length with a bit of emotion in there but of course not
too much. i distinctly remember that I was a ton more nervous on my first day
reading a speech of just a few sentences that someone had given me which i had
no idea what it meant and actually meant very little.
i started off with "この三年間は本当に早かった" (the past three years have flown by) and
isn't it the truth. this is maybe the first time i've properly looked back on my
three years in Japan. if you'd told me when i first came to Japan that I'd stand
up to confidently make a full self-penned speech in Japanese, having just got my
karate shodan, having seen all the places I have, having had all the experiences
I've had and most importantly having made all the friends I have, I would have
taken it in an instant. I would have taken a 10th of it.
Toba, thanks for three amazing years, it wont be the last i see of Japan.
Sunday 16th July
The big day finally came. My shodan examination. If I wasn't nervous enough before, seeing exactly how many examiners had come from all over Mie didn't help. There was over 40 in total, around 14/15 for each of kata, kihon and kumite. The worst part was waiting my turn, I really just wanted it over with.
I was called up for kumite first. I had to fight two in a row, it wrecked me but I was happy I'd done enough, and my sensei's told me so when I left the koi. In the two fights I really only took one big hit to the face and another kick in the chest, scoring most of my points to the body.
Next was kihon. It's so different than practicing in the dojo and I'm sure I didn't do anywhere near as well as if I would have in the dojo but I got through it alright. I was just told that my centre of gravity should be lower.
Then was the kata, bassai dai of course. I can now do bassai dai in my sleep I've done it so often. It went smoothly but the boss had a little say about one of my maneuvers, personally I just don't think he could have let a foreigner away with getting it perfect!
So, I passed!!! Excellent way to leave my karate career in Japan, black belt in 2 1/2 years!!!
とうとう今日は空手の初段試験でした。40人先生くらい三重のどこもから来たから本当に緊張した！一番ひどいとこは待つことだ、ちゃんとは早くしたかった！
最初は組手。二回やって、すごく釣られったけど良かったと思った。その後で先生もそれと言った。組手ではんたいの人は一回だけつよいじょだんやって、いっかいだけｔしょいまいがりをやった。わたしはだいたい全部のポイントは体でできた！
次は基本。どうじょうとぜんぜん違うけど良かった！せんせいは一とこだけなおしてと言った。
最後はもちろん形の抜塞大でした。抜塞大はいっぱいやったことがあるからすごくよく知ってる。形もだいたい良かった。
じゃあ、詰る所でよかった！すごいうれしい！！く〜ろ〜び〜だよ！2年半だけは早くない？？やった！！！！
test
centre (left), sempai, Mark, sensei (right)
That night I went to Ueno and celebrated with Yuka. I went to her ballet school and watched her teach a class. She's an amazing dancer, I was blown away. Ballet was also totally different to what I expected. This group was a modern ballet class, it was fast and fun. I could give it a go you know!!
その夜に伊賀上野にゆかと遊びに行った。ゆかのバレーの学に行って、ゆかの教えたクラスを見た。ゆかのダンスはめっちゃかっこいいだ！はかもバレーとマークの思ったことはぜんぜん違う！ゆかのモダンバレークラスはすごく早くて、面白かった！マークはバレーをできるかな？
Of course not all days are perfect and this one ended with me dropping my digital camera into a beer. Needless to say it's a goner!!!
やっぱりいつも日はパーフェクトじゃない。私は間違えてビールにデジタルカメラを入れた。いやや！もちろんもう使えない！
Thursday 13th July
More sailing, the weather was beautiful, too beautiful... there was no wind!! We couldn't go very far!!
もう一回セーリングに行った。天気はすごい晴れけど晴れつぎ。。。かぜはぜんぜんなかった！どこもいけなかった！
After sailing it was time for my work leaving party.
セーリングの後は鳥羽高校のさよなら宴会に行った。
Tuesday 11th July
On Sunday night I had a goodbye dinner with my Japanese tutor and her husband, who is also my doctor. Very sad. Miwako san has been so kind to me these past 3 years word can't describe it.
日曜日夜に日本語の先生とだなさんもご飯も食べに行った。本当に悲しいです。みわこさんはこの三年間で私にすごく親切でしたけと言葉で言うできないです。
Just uploaded Geos and Matsusaka Farewell Parties pix from last month, take a peek.
先にGeos and Matsusaka Farewell Partiesの写真アップロードした、見てね。
Sunday 9th July
The typhoon never came and it was a weekend barely on dry land... kayaking, sailing and BBQ's!
台風は来なかったからすっと海のことしました！カヤックしたし、ヨットレースしたし、BBQしました！
Friday 7th July
Folk have been good to me this week, on top of the chocs I got a cake from teachers at work and a student handmade me a card!!
今週みんあはすごいやさひかった。鳥羽高校先生からケーキをもらって、学生から自分作ったカードをもらった！！
Don't know why it took me so long but finally uploaded my Singapore pix!!
すごい時間からりたけどとうとうシンガポールの写真をアップロードした
This weekend should be one of water sports one of sea kayaking, yachting and barbequing but there's a typhoon on the way so we'll see!!
今週末はカヤックし、ヨットし、BBQする予定あるけど台風が来るからどうしょうかな！！
Monday July 3rd
I got a surprise box of chocolates all the way from the UK today...
今日はイギリスからチョコレートもらった。。。
Weekend was one of BBQ's and parties, the way a summer should be...
週末はいっぱいパーパーテイとbbqした。それはいい夏のことですね。。。
Also I've been outted on youtube....
youtubeのホームページでマークのへんあことがある。。。
Friday June ３0th
Last weekend I was up in Nagoya hanging out with Gouki and his girlfriends...
来週は名古屋でゴウキとゴウキのいっぱい彼女と遊んだ。。。
This weekend I'll be in Osaka getting into trouble with Dave!!!
今週末は大阪でデーブと遊ぶ。
Saturday June 24th
Japan are out of the World Cup, doesn't really leave me anyone to support. Some might say that I should stick with the home nations and get behind England but I feel alienated by the English media. They're too much, if they were to actually win it then we'd never hear the end of it. Anyway, got to give Japan credit for a decent effort, end to end football and a glimmer of hope against Brazil.
日本のワールドカップはも終わりからすこく座念！今からだれか応援するかな？？イングランドはイギリスの国だからみんなはイングランドを応援しなければなりませんけどそれは無理と思います。もしイングランドはワールドカップを勝ったら、イングランドのマスメデイアはすごくうらさいになります！いやや！ところで日本のチームはすごく頑張ったし、面白いなサッカーしたからありがとうございました！お疲れ様でした！
The goodbye parties have already begun. Last night I had my Geos party, with the class I teach at the electronics company. I'm totally getting sad about leaving here but felt a lot better when a friend correctly pointed out that it was a good thing that I had something to be sad about, it just shows what a great time I've had. That's a much better way to look at it!
さようならの宴会はも始めた。昨日夜は私のしんこ電気ジオスクラスのさようなら宴会をしました。最近は帰るのことだから悲しいになったけどともだちは悲しいのことはいいとこと言った。この三年間はすごく楽しかったから悲しいになった。本当にですね！
Friday June 9th
I just did it. Got my shotokan level one! Was pretty nervous but it all went well! Mｙ sensei discussed with the top dogs if I could do my shodan (black belt) test early since I'll be bustin' loose soon and they agreed! Bring it on!!!!
先にやった！空手の一級できた！ちょっと緊張したけど良かった！私の先生は空手の社長と討議して、７月で初段のしけんできる！頑張ろう！！
Sunday June 4th
Played my last awaji this weekend. I tamer affair than usual meant less pressure and more fun. Our lack of goal keepers eventually resulting in the inevitable markyg between the sticks. Enjoyed it more than I thought I would, actually after a heavy party on Saturday night there was no way I could have played outfield on Sunday!! Pix are here..
今週末はマークの最後の淡路島サッカートーナメント。このトーナメントはふつよりリラックスして、楽しかった！いつもキーパがいないだから今回マークはキーパでしました！ちゃんとは面白かった！土曜日は大きいパテイでいっぱい飲んだから日曜日はすごく二日酔いあった！それでキーパのことだから良かった！走るは無理だね！すぐで写真を見せる! 写真はこちらへ。
In other news I caught some kind of virus during the week, I felt like crap and blame it entirely for my run in with a lamppost on Monday...
ほかのニューズは先週にちょっと病気あった、それで元気じゃなかった！多分病気があったから月曜日にちょっと車でクラシューした。。。
Wednesday May 23rd
As of today my guestbook is running again, lost all the old data (lycos suck big time) so get the messages flowing again!
今日からゲストブックもいちどあります。 前の資料はなくしたから喪一回書いてください！！
Tuesday May 17th
It's getting hot and humid here, that means one thing is for sure, as I found out tonight, big ass spider season!!!! I guarantee that there is not one of you out there that wouldn't be be scared toothless if you'd found what I found in my apartment tonight and I wont pretend for one second that I wasn't screaming like a kitten thrown in the river!! Its leg span was bigger than my head, no lie, I thought I was dead man. Just as last year, my vacuum cleaner came to my rescue. This time with a difference, when I went to empty the cleaner bag the huge **** jumped out!!! I'd left the Hoover running for about 20mins but still it wasn't dead. Fortunately I postponed my heart attack and put it in a bag, still alive. This gave me the opportunity to identify it as a Pisauridae. Its body alone is 28mm and they eat frogs and fish!!!!! What if I were sleeping and it thought my head was a (handsome) frog!!!??? Close call guys but I'm hanging in there!!
Wednesday May 3rd
Golden Week is here which means a full week off for me. In my first year here I would have been on a mission to use every minute of it to go places and do mad stuff but this week is all hangin' around here in Toba, I guess I've finally matured enough to be able to appreciate what's been right under my nose all along. Dave came down the weekend and more, we had a party at my place and the next day went to Osatsu to test out a walking map that Orie and I made at the Toba Chamber of Commerce.
ゴールデンウイークはずっと休みです。日本の始め年間ゴールデンウイークにはたぶん私はすごいいそくで、いろいろところに行って、いっぱいすることをしていましたけど今年はずっと鳥羽に泊まる！ 今週の週末にデーブは大阪から来て、私のアパトにパティして、次に日おおさつ二行って、マークとオリエの作った地図をテストしまったん！！
What else happened last month? Well, a new school term, so pretty busy at work. Karate 1kyu test coming up next month so been training for that. Went through to Osaka to hang with Dave one weekend. Osaka's definitely a cool place, a big city with lots of people and crazy things everywhere. Dave's place is super small though, everything is real expensive and it's not Toba! Could I live there?
じゃあ、先月は何をやったんですか？？ 新学校年から仕事は忙しかった。 五月は一級の空手テストがあるからいっぱい練習しました。 一回は大阪に行って、デーブと遊んだ。 もちろん大阪は本当におもしろいな所、人多いし、いっぱい面白いなする物有ります。 それでもデーブのアパトはすごく狭いし、買い物は高いし、鳥羽じゃないだよ！ マークは大阪に住めるかな？？？
Here's some pix from last month...
これは先月の写真。。。
My car went on for it's Shakken (MOT equivilent), apparently there wasn't much left in the break department, not sure what happened there, I guess they don't make brakes as strong as they used to!!
車の車検できた。 ブレーキがあまりなかったらし、 なんでかな？？？
Pre-party fridge stock, Mark and Oliver, party underway. パテイの前冷蔵庫いっぱい、マークとひでき、パテイ中
DJ Dave and big desserts in Osaka. 大阪でＤＪデーブと大きくデザートです。
Cherry Blossom Parties at Miya River. 宮川へ花見パテイしている。
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Universal Studios with Maasa! 真麻とＵＳＪにいった！
Friday March 31st
I just uploaded my pix from this month. Firstly we kicked off with Burn's Night in Ueno, very similar to last year and the haggis was even better! Next was the Annual St Patrick's Day Parade in Ise where we paraded around the town before the Party sponsored by Yuusyube.. This year the Irish Embassy in Tokyo sent down a representative so we were able to go into Geku Shrine, meet the priests and watch the ceremony, made me feel important!! And lastly Noel's Trip to Toba from the Crescent Church in Belfast but now living in Tokyo, came to stay for a couple of days so I showed him around. He's had a very nice Sony Cybershot SLR which I had a go with, takes some great pix, I want one!!
Monday March 20th
Played footie yesterday, good fun, three teams, ours was makeshift. I'll refer you to Neil's blog for the details!
昨日サッカーした！ 私たちのチームはちょっとぐちゃぐちゃで、いっぱいふつプレヤーは来なかったから。 それでも本当に楽しかった！！ ネールのブログを見てください！
Monday March 13th - 0030hrs
Man U 2-0 Newcastle... Rooney scored first... betting a mug's game?
Man U 2-0 Newcastle... 最小のゴールはRooney... 賭けることはばか人のすろゲームかな？？？
Sunday March 12th - 2200hrs
Betting's a mug's game but I do have a flutter once in a while, you can't say I don't put any thought into it though...
賭けることはばか人がするゲームだけど時々する！！ それで今日のベットはいっぱい考えた。。。
Tuesday March 8th
So the mighty Rangers go out of the Champions League! Not a lot to be said but 'thanks for a great show'!! Theｙ haven't quite mirrored it in the league but I've really enjoyed (kinda) getting up at 4.30am in the morning to watch Rangers play live in Europe, so close!!!
Also, I've realised that last month my email seemed to be working intermittently only, so you may have sent emails I didn't receive and I certainly sent emails folk didn't receive! Should be working fine now tho!! My alternative email address is markyg (at) excite (dot) co (dot) jp.
Friday March 3rd
Today for the first time this year I could drive with the windows down. Along with March comes warmer weather!
Wednesday was the last ever graduation ceremony I will attend at Toba High School (as a staff member anyway). The Toba High School ceremony lacked the drama of past years, more clinical and less emotional than before. The night school graduation ceremony however was a different affair. Those classes are really small, so the teachers know all the students very well. Many come from difficult backgrounds and it's a real challenge for them to come to school never mind graduate. So to see them finish the four years of Night School and receive their High School certificate touched everyone. For me it was special because I had taught and known those students for three years and I was, like the other teachers I'm sure, bursting with pride to see the teijisei class of 2006 graduate!!!
Sunday February 26th
Been a while since the last posting due to technical difficulties, switched my server to another host and done so successfully, albeit a few of the webpage functions have ceased to exist (namely the guestbook) but I'll get on that soon enough!!
What has been happening, took a business trip to Yokohama for a few days. A pleasant surprise, not at all the dull industrious port city i thought it would be but instead a really lively, clean new waterfront city. Good time.
Sharon Phelan and her wild Italian friend came over to stay for a week, I think they enjoyed themselves, they certainly have a few stories to tell, I defo wont be lending them my car again in a hurry. Those pix are here.
And this weekend was a another ski weekend, this time to Washigatake in Gifu, once again we were there from 5am to 5pm and I'm still super wrecked. The mountain wasn't a challenge but we had a great time nevertheless, cracking weather! Check out the pix here!
Tuesday January 31st
Went skiing on Sunday. I thought it was a bit strange when Neil told me we had to leave at 1am, in fact I was quite opposed to the idea. As it turned out this was because the slopes opened at 5am under floodlight. We arrived at 5am, in the dark and headed straight to the slopes for a potential of 12hrs solid skiing!!!! It was a perfect day, the mountain wasn't as big as the Olympic ones in Nagano but it certainly wasn't small either. With not a cloud in the sky, we we soon stripping off layers and had a great days ski, followed of course by the onsen! Pix are here!
Monday January 30th
So, it would seem that Goa requires a bit more elaboration, I'll pick out a few things....
Goa was great. What did I do everyday? Pretty simple really, very little. It was just so great to be at the beach, swimming in the sea, eating great food and I was staying in such a nice place I really didn't want to go too far. I did so some touristy stuff, went to a market, hired a scooter and saw around. I didn't shy from the beers however, the night usually started in every resorts token Irish bar and went on from there!
Some of the folk I came across also deserve a mention...
Paul... was a Geordie who became my drinking buddy. He goes out every year at the same time for 6 weeks, using up all his vacation time at once. I could do that!!
Scots Guys... in the room next to mine at the beach guest house. I heard their thick wedgie accent and when I saw them I thought they would be well rough boozers, as it turned out they were 3 brothers who were polite, stellar guys who wouldn't dream of touching the stuff. As it happened they had had a great time for the past 5 months traveling round India, Goa of which was supposed to be the swansong of their trip. It turned out however to be the pit of what otherwise had been a fantastic trip. Two of them were on a motorbike that was hit by a car on their first day in Goa. The driver sped off, perhaps because he was drunk leaving one brother by the side of the road while the other was thrown unconscious into a lake. The one who was in the lake was trapped under the bike, would surely have drowned had a super size Indian not appeared from nowhere to pull him out. After he was brought round local folk rallied together to help the guys get to hospital. That's where the Indian hospitality stopped. In hospital while one was being treated for a spinal injury and the other for head injuries, the police went through their bags and took their passport and keys, meaning the guys had to go to the police station the next day. At the police station the guys were taken aside by the sergeant where they had their bags searched and money taken off them before they were released. While in the police station they guys witnessed brutality of an extreme nature towards the local Indian folk. I guess sadly this is just the tip of the iceberg regarding the corruption in India.
Anthony... worked in the restaurant on the beach at the guesthouse. Genuine, humble and pleasant guy. He had just been serving in the Iraqi war as support staff for the allied troops as maintenance staff. He had worked in both the British and American camps. When I asked him about how the camps were different he told me that the US troops had treated him well, as an equal, he ate with them at the same table, they gave him gifts and he has made many friends and had many invitations to visit America. The British camp however was much different, and I got very embarrassed when he told me how the British troops treated him almost as a slave, condescended him and gave him orders. Not often the yanks win the racism issue but this time round the British, or in particular as I believe, the backward thinking British military need to choke on some pride and succumb the reality that they are no longer protecting a British Empire.
Saturday January 28th
Yes, it's defo been a while....
I'll start with India and Singapore. Hard to go through everything but had a wicked time. I had a nightmare start when I arrived at Nagoya airport just as the white fluffy clouds decided to fall in the runway, the snow closing the airport for a full 24 hrs!!! It was terrible, Singapore airlines were great tho, they game me a hotel while all the folks flying with another airline, especially the yank ones had to spend the night on the airport floor. It didn't end there tho, after I finally took off the next day, delays meant I had missed by connecting flt to Bombay, once again they gave me a hotel but it was little consolation since when i got to Bombay eventually I had missed my flight down to Goa, and let's just say the India airline staff are not quite as friendly as their Singaporean counterparts. My flight was just gone, totally gone, and being Christmas Eve, all other flight on other airlines were fully booked with a ridiculous amount of people on the waiting list.
So.... I venture into the madness that is Bombay in an atttempt to get to Goa. First stop was the huge CST train station, all trains were fully booked to Goa. Eventually I managed to find a bus, it would take all night to get there rather than the one hour flight it was supposed to be, so a 13 hour bus ride later I arrive in Goa on Christmas morning and head straight to the beach.... the rest is best told in pictures (Goa, Bombay Pierre's Wedding)!!!
2006
Wednesday December 21st
Not surprisingly I've procrastinated again, I'm up at 5am tomorrow morn to catch the ferry to the airport on my way to India for Pierre's wedding. Just about getting things wrapped up, just finished packing and and finalising my arrangements for Singapore, bring it on!
明日はインドに行きます！ 本当に楽しみですが準備はまだしたなかった、たいへん！明日五時におきて、フェリーで空港に行きます！ 早いですね！みんなは冬休みで楽しみ下さい！
Sunday December 11th
先週の週末は中国の北京に行った〜！ 本当によかった！ いっぱいかんこうに行ったり、新しい食べ物を食べたり、面白いけいけんがあった！ 日本のりょうこうパッケージだから本当に忙しかった。 八人は鳥羽の人、ほかの人は大阪へから来ました。 中国食べ物がおいしですけど日本の食べ物はほがおいしです。 ビールが同じです！ 中国女の子はあまりかわいくない、日本女の子が一番ですね! もう一つはジェレミに会った！
写真がこちらへ！
Pictures are here! Went to China at the weekend, everyone told me it would be cold but I had no idea my skin would be ripped off. Had a great time though, caught up with J, sampled the local food/drink and saw the sights, Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Underground Palace!
Tuesday November 29th
Through all his faults our boy was a legend in many ways, the following quotes from him are a fitting tribute...
"Perhaps he saw something I didn't." - Regarding being asked 'where did it all go wrong?' by a man delivering champagne to his hotel suite - where there was £20,000 in cash scattered on a bed which also contained the current Miss Universe.
"There's no point in asking me - I can't remember what happened last night!" - When asked 'What Happened Next?' on A Question Of Sport.
"He cannot kick with his left foot, he cannot head a ball, he cannot tackle and he doesn't score many goals. Apart from that he's all right" - On David Beckham.
"In 1969 I gave up women and alcohol. It was the worst 20 minutes of my life."
"I've stopped drinking, but only while I'm asleep."
"I saw an advert on the side of a London bus inviting me to 'Drink Canada Dry'." - Best on why he joined Vancouver Whitecaps.
"I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered."
"I used to go missing a lot...Miss Canada, Miss United Kingdom, Miss World..."
"Pele called me the greatest footballer in the
world. That is the ultimate salute to my life."
Friday November 25th
Awaji Pix are here! The Dario pix will bring back memories for some but mean nothing to others!!
これは全集の淡路島サッカーの写真です。 darioの写真はスペシルいみがあってだから、高校のときにdarioはぼくのニックネームでした！
Thursday November 24th
Busy recently! Worked through two public holiday's this month but it was good fun. I got a flat today in Ise, oddly I was in Futami before I noticed it! I'd gone at least 1km baffled by the drag and wondering what the odd noise was, only when I sensed the burning rubber did I gather it was time to pull over and have a look. I got all my kit out and then realised I had no idea what to do, I'd never changed a tyre before, I thought flat tryes went out with the 80's, really had no one thought to invent impermeable tyres yet? Worked out what to do soon enough....
Yesterday was my High School's bunkasai at the city hall. My English club did a presentation on Stand By Me, showing clips of the movie and talking about them, finishing off with Yoshinobu and Atsushi performing a rocked up version of Ben E King's 'Stand By Me'. Yoshinobu can't speak English for love nor money but he was born to be on stage, we had to drag him off in the end. Here's some backstage pix....
As if that wasn't enough to contend with the real bunkasai was the week before, here's the some shots....
And as for the footie at the weekend, it's probably best left unmentioned! Pictures coming soon though.
It doesn't stop there, got that english day this weekend, will be alot of work, Dave is coming down this weekend, got enkais next week and then off to China next Friday! Bring it on!!
Sunday November 6th
A weekend similar to last, a bemused Dave made a second trip to Toba... more karaoke, some sightseeing at Pear Road in Toba and an Onsen!!
この週末は同じごらいです。デーブはも一度鳥羽に来てきました。 カラオケに行って、パールロードにかんこうして、温泉に行った！ 気持ちな！
quote of the weekend: "mate, we're wasted where people can't see us", Dave, after a 2hr karaoke session.
Friday Nov 4th
デーブはぼくの高校性の友達です。先週かれは日本に来てきました、当たらし仕事はジオスの先生からです。週末にデーブは大阪から鳥羽に来てきました、本当にすごい！！ 私たちはハロウィーンパテイにいて、日本の食べ物を食べて、カラオケに行った、本当に楽しい方！
Surreal. One of the first words Dave used to describe our meeting at Toba Station. Firstly I was well impressed after only a few days in Japan he's managed to negotiate the complex Japanese railways system to get from Osaka to Toba. And there he was, looking as smug as ever. Who would have suggested when we were playing footie every lunchtime at school that we would one day be standing with the sun on our shoulders overlooking the Pacific Ocean on the coast of Japan. As wayward as we may have been back then even that would have been a stretch. So, after the dramatic moment was over, we headed off to enjoy ourselves. Dave was quick to point out something that I forgot about long ago, that is that there's no point in telling folk what things are like over here 'cus they'll just never understand.
Dave was down for the weekend, we partied, ate and of course karaoke-ed into the small hours. Stories there are, not all stories however are appropriate for an online dairy.....
Thursday Oct 27th
The infamous 'Dave' arrived in Japan on Monday. He was supposed to show up in my neck of the woods tonight, almost midnight, no sign, however a missed call from a payphone does confirm his presence in the country, he could be (and probably is) up to anything... will keep you posted!
Today I left my keitai in a conference room at work. I went back to get it and the next meeting had already begun. They gave me my phone back and had a little chuckle. I checked my phone and someone had dialed an unknown number and a minute later that number had dialed my phone. I don't know went on in that room in my absence but I'd hate to think it was the following....
Person 1: Look, I've found a phone!
Person 2: We better call the owner and let them know we have it!
Person 1: Good idea, but we don't know his number.....
Person 2: No problem, call my phone from it and we'll get it
Person 1: OK, here goes....
Person 2: OK, got it..... now I'll call him and tell him we've got his phone!!! Here goes....
Person 1: Hey, his phone is ringing!!!
Person 2: Ooooops!
Saturday Oct 15th
After a short trip home last home I realised that some folk did actually tune into my website from time to time. So here it is.. the long awaited new site. My apologies for my slackness in what has been a hiatus of over a year due somewhat to being busy, losing a HD (no one told me you can't set them next to speakers!) and consistent disorganisation and laziness! First on the agenda is to upload recent pictures, followed by all the old ones too.
Things have settled again and I'm well into the new term after a hectic summer period which included (in reverse order) Pammie and Stuart's wedding in Ireland (oddly my first wedding ever!!) which was soooo fun!! Before that was a summer of BBQ's, beaches and Jet-skiing here in Toba, prior to which was almost a month in the States, 3 weeks in the beautiful North Carolina mountains and a quick trip back to Boston.
Hopefully I can keep putting regular posts here in place of my blog which really didn't last too long, dying after only a few posts. Also, I'll see about a guestbook of which I will have complete editorial control!
Mark x