ME IN MISHUKU

So last October I was doodling in my sketchbook at a restaurant that caught my eye. Two large fiberglass horses were placed in front of this restaurant and some ambient music wafting about. A large open entrance and interior space brightness seemed attractive on a cool clear day. So I came in, seated myself and ordered a sandwich set. My doodling caught the attention of the waiter, who called over the manager. I gave them my business card and web site address. The went off to their in store computer and immediately had a look. The manager came back and asked me if I'd like to have a show. Within twenty minutes I had my largest solo art show in nine years.

My show was scheduled for middle of May and I got to work in January. In an attempt to fill a large space in the back I began work on a complex drawing that I thought of during new year holiday. I wanted something that represented the accumulation of experience. I have this interest about how to communicate my experience with the environment. I had an image of drinking from a volcano. I decided on using thousands of small line drawings of various ink colors (primarily green and red) that vary from darker to lighter depending of the modeling of the overall shape. For necessity I had to use myself as a model. Then enlarge the image exponentially to a size of nearly 6.5 feet high. Again by necessity without a studio and a car for transport the drawing had to be made in sections to be linked together at the time of hanging.

Another part of the exhibition is the live update section. For each week of the show I update the hanging files with new work that I hopefully had created during that week. The previous hanging files go below and are a document of what I am/was working on in my drawing book during the month. The first week was more difficult than I expected as my drawing hand is tired and my mind not as focused as I wished. But week one was completed and I'm now working on week two.

Yoshiko organized an opening party with our friends and the cafe hit us up with some great food and open bar. It was a night I felt deeply appreciative and tired. The show will be hanging until June 15th, come and see it. Here's a short and incomplete tour:
Some favorites from my web site are hanging as well as some old classics in my personal collection.
From the black and white animal drawings a Whale.
Ah monkey... all these years together and your finally get to be exhibited. A pencil and chalk drawing in orange red and black.
This is the very large involved piece I call Volcano Juice. I had to create holes in the top sections to facilitate hanging. The piece is holding up well by just using tape despite it's size of two meters by one and half meters. Made with fountain pens and colored inks.
Another one that was never shown in public before. You can see in the background a large public park that borders the cafe. Also a reflection of the fiberglass horse. Like Volcano Juice, this drawing was assembled in sections and is nearly two meters tall, though much thinner. Done in fountain pen.
From the live update section a couple of recent drawings from week one. Week two is already up. I'll post some of these drawings to my web site soon. Thank you Joe and cafe Cherir staff who are amazing people and thanks Yoshiko San always.

Back to Okinawa

We wanted to go to Australia for Winter holiday. However the 620 dollar gasoline surcharge cost almost as much as the flight its self. Ironically the tickets were sold out any ways as frenzied Japanese shoppers looked to exorcise the power of the Yen over the Australian dollar and overrun Sidney's shopping malls. We opted for another trip to Okinawa.
We took the flight out of Tokyo on New Years Eve. Planes to Sapporo were canceled due to snow, other flights to a far away island were canceled due to volcanic gas, but our flight was on schedule unlike last year and I was able to hunker down with my book for a few hours and sure enough, we arrived at the warm climes of Ishigaki island.
We dropped off our luggage at the hotel and then went to another hotel, The ANA resort hotel where Yoshiko's Sister's family were on there annual New Years holiday. We feasted at an excessive buffet sponsored by husband Taku. Next we sat around and waited for fireworks. My nephew and niece introduced me to their insane Pokeman collection. Next we ate Toshi Koshi Soba, a New Years Noodle treat, and watched fireworks close up.




The next day we woke up early, watched the sunrise, and went back to sleep. We took a stroll around town, did gift shopping and were basically lazy. We saw a cute shrine and took some photos.


The next day we re-visited Takitomi Island. It's a very short boat ride from Ishigaki and a cute town as well as nature preserve. We rented bicycles and quickly found out it's the best way to go as we were able to get outside the center and around the island, explore hidden areas and quiet beaches returning to town for snacks and lunch. Of note were Banyan trees, lonely cows, coral beaches, gentle rain wetting the dirt roads. The rental was so indicative of the island culture. No papers to sign, no down payment, no safety lectures. Just pay when you return.



The next day afternoon we were to meet my fellow teacher Mr. Yusa who was staying with his family at Club Med Ishigaki. However the morning was free so we decided to go north to the nature preserve near Kabila bay, which in fact was close to the same Club Med resort. However it rained hard so we had to improvise. Our first move was to take a glass bottom boat ride. We figured that fish don't really care about the rain above since they already live in the shit and the boats were covered so we were free to view the undersea world. We had the ride to ourselves and the guide took us to his favorite areas. It was a sensual candy shop for my artist eyes. After the ride we went back south to Yae Ama village, a prefectural park that features old buildings, and animal park, a mangrove forest and traditional cultural entertainment. For some reason we kept missing the brunt of the rain; either we were eating lunch, watching some traditional dance or just under some trees, we somehow managed to stay dry.
Just when we had finished up sightseeing Yusa called and picked us up in his car. Next indoor destination was a cave with some finely articulated stalagmites soaked like some ancient skin. We further retreated to a cafe and then parted ways just as the rain let up. After an evening walk to an adjacent island we had a fine meal and chalked it up to another good day on the island.





The next day we went to the nature preserve island of Iriomote to take a mini eco tour. We took a long speed commuter boat ride from the harbor. I started to feel a tad sick. I took out my I-pod and played some surf music (Mermen). Now I know why surf music is so popular with surfers. It worked and I instantly felt quite happy. We came to the dock on the far side of the island and our guide picked us up. Again we had the guide all to ourselves and he set us up with a kayak. After a quick lesson we packed our stuff and paddled away toward a lagoon from where we spotted a waterfall. The lagoon turned to a river that went very slowly along a Mangrove forest. Besides other boat tourists it was very peaceful. We pulled up to an area were we could see a sort of trail. The guide parked us and we continued in our water booties along a muddy path in a jungle. The guide was carrying a huge day pack while wearing beach sandals. We walked along muddy flats until we got to some roots. We began to climb the roots upward. This was in fact our mountain path. This guide led us up rocks and roots at astonishing angles. I was reminded of the crazy hiking my brother and I used to do with our friends back in Thousand Oaks about twenty years ago. But this was as adults with a qualified guide. At one point it was necessary to use a rope to pull up a series of steep rocks but we finally made it. We walked a small trail and then went down using strong roots as hand holds to the top of the waterfall we had seen from the lagoon. This was where our guide opened his day pack, took out a cooking stove and made noodle soup for us. After taking a zillion photos and eating we went back. Miraculously despite using water booties we made it back in one piece. The guide then showed us the bottom of the waterfall that was almost as difficult a trek. We returned to our kayaks and paddled out of the Mangroves to the ocean and to shore. Back to the commuter ship and to Ishigaki. A great mini-adventure.







So the following day it was very nice and warm but we had to go. We took an easy flight to change over at Naha airport and looked around for a place to eat. We took our first bites into Okinawa Soba and beer when Yoshiko realized she had made a time error and we were to fly in five minutes. We left our soup and charged for the gate. I grabbed Yoshiko's ticket, Yoshiko grabbed her beer. I got through the gate first and Yoshiko didn't have her ticket. I was accidentally holding it and we quickly settled things and boarded in time. We returned with no further mistakes.

Spring summer sampling

Great example of ENGRISH

The outdoor Sumo tournament under the cherry blossoms at Yasukuni shrine

Taro Okamoto's home was turned into a museum after the great artists death



At Yasukuni again. This time workers are preparing a huge lantern display for the Summer festival

Decorating the side of a shrine in Okatama, the mountainous area west of Tokyo

Too tired to care on the commuter train

Some unique incongruent archetecture tucked into a small neighborhood in Ichigaya Tokyo

Wave crashing up the stairs in Pacifica California

Friend Geo meets San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsome to unvail Geo's eco globe that he won a commision to create for the cool globe nation wide exhibition

And there it is

Potrero Hill in SF view

Dave at Ventura beach

Kevin and Dale at Bottle Village Simi Valley

There has been a long running effort to preserve whats left of Grandma Prisby's creation Bottle village. This is the best preserved room.

Janice Wilson was the principal care taker of Bottle Village for many years. She went so far as to stay in Grandma Prisby's tiny trailer in order to protect the property. She was an instigator in the lives of many young Suburban artists in the area. She got us out and envolved in living our ideas.

Rest in peace, Janice

Checking out Sea Lions with the Lovejoy family sailboating in Santa Barbara
Congrats on the new baby girl

Brother Adam and Nefiew Conrad going ballistic at a childrens play center in Agoura CA. for Conrads birthday party

Nezu shrine Tokyo. The evening of the Summer festival (actually it's fall festival if you use the Chinese calendar). Traditional dance is provided on an ancient open air stage. Intoxicated blurry cell phone photo provided by me.

View of Ochanomizu Station from the Kanda river. The boat ride was provided ecology group that worked with the Chiyoda District of Tokyo. The river was constructed about four hundred years ago to provide water to central tokyo from outlying areas. Some of the original work remains as the river is a patchwork of development up to the present day.

Window washer at about two hundred feet up looking out our Condominium

Sculpture telling time, moving and speaking... thinking... Shibuya Tokyo

SendaiSpring

Another Golden Week came to Japan
On the strength of a online travel article we decided to vacation in Sendai
The article
We left by Shinkansen going north toward the Miyagi Prefecture. As we preceeded north we caught glimpses of spectacular mountain ranges and lush green farming plains.
We arrived the in afternoon and it was a nice mild day. We dropped our bags off at the hotel and started to walk around.
We went to the train station to check out the Loople Bus that takes tourists around the nice places in the city. Not only was there a huge Golden Week line for the bus it was also near the end of the day and there was no way to take advantage of the 600yen cost for the all day pass. So we took a pass and decided to do our own exploring on foot.
About ten minutes later we were leaving the main part of the city! Then we saw hills a forests and nature! It was rather shocking that a city that proudly asserts "we are a city of over a million people", on its travel guide would be so easy to escape from... ah, memories of San Francisco.
We continued through a park and found a nice treelined street. We found a modern looking city events center and popped in for some coffee. There was some kind of giant cardboard sumo wrestler event going on which was very entertaining. We went back to the hotel afterward and dipped into the baths before heading out for dinner.

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The next day we took a train out to Matsushima. These islands were all over a bay that is inhabited by great number of shell fish creature things and the folk spend long hours along the sea shore with rakes digging up clams. Oysters are harvested on wooden poles. There were huge (manmade?) islands of oyster shells that actually were sticking prominently out of the water during low tide. There were Golden week toursits everywhere.



The other noteworthy aspect of Matsushima are the old shrines, mausoleums, and cremation sites dug in to the rocks from caves already carved by the ocean.





Steamed oysters could be purchased on the street.



We escaped further north to a few more station stops in order to soak in the local farming villages. It was very tranquil as these farmers led lives that are a 180 degree difference from Tokyo. The strategy to go further north paid off as we were able to easily get seats for the return trip. When the train returned to Matsushima southbound the Golden Week tourists packed in. Sleepy tourists leaned like dominos against each other. I ususually sleep tilted forward so my weight is centered and I don't lean. But the weight of several drowsy folks were weighing into me. I leaned further forward and the lady next to me almost fell completely to the left before realizing her predicament. She apologized and then promply returned to using me as her pillow.
When we returned to Sendai the San Francisco theme continued as there was a sheen of drizzle and fog over the city. We had an excellent dinner that included my introduction to sauteed wasabi leaves.



The final day in Sendai we decided to take the loople bus. The theme of too many tourists continued as the bus was packed. We were lucky to get early and get seats. The bus slowly went towards the same nature area we had seen the first day. It went up a long hill and arrived at the ruins of Sendai castle. Date Masamune, the Samurai who founded Sendai around the same time Tokyo was founded, built this castle on a hill overlooking the city. It was rebuilt several times until American bombers "B San" took it out during WW2. Though the view was nice the castle grounds were swarming with tourists and in fact wasn't so interesting so we got on the next loople bus and continued to Tohoku University botanical garden.



The ancient forest was protected in the old days due to it's proximity to the castle. As it was a barrier between the castle and the outer areas the trees were allowed to grow freely. The property remained undisturbed and was then donated the Tohoku university after the war. It's called a botanical garden but in fact is a lush dense forest with beautifully made trails. We marched up and down the course.



We returned to downtown Sendai. In an outdoor mall we had descovered a small movie house that is owned by a local pharmacy. They were showing the Henry Darger movie that I hadn't seen yet so we checked it out. For once we were away from the Golden Week tourists. In this mall there is also a shrine. Suppose the store doesn't have an item you want. Just step into the local shrine and pray for the item! What a good forturne.



After the movie we took in some local flavor and had a solid meal. We collected our bags from the hotel and got the Shinkansen. The ride was fast and wonderfully convenient. We were back in Tokyo before we knew it.
Thanks for reading.

Holiday in Okinawa

Yoshiko and I made plans for our winter vacation in Okinawa. Okinawa are the string of southern islands of Japan, close to Taiwaan. Okinawa was an independant kingdom up to about 150 years ago. Then after world war two they were the property of the United States until 1973. Despite these facts Okinawa has a strong cultural identity. It is an extremely popular destination in the winter due to its warm climate, about 70 degrees, and beautiful outdoor environment.

Day one:
We left for Haneada airport via the Monorail; a very fun ride with lots of up and down track going through the neighborhoods of Shinigawa until eventually arriving at the landfill island of Haneada airport. Everything was running smoothly for our noon flight. However at check-in we were told that our flight would be forty five minutes late. We were not so unhappy and continued to check in and go through the security check. Strangely I was never checked for ID of any kind. Though the new standards for international flight security for residents has reached absurd levels with fingerprinting and photographs there seems to be no need to even see a ID photo for domestic flights.
When we got to the waiting room we were informed that the flight would be another ten minutes late. Then after fifteen minutes we were told it would be another ten minutes for them to decide if we can fly the plane at all. At this point many folks went ballistic. Yoshiko noted one man in particular yelling at the counter lady in western (Kansai) dailect something like, AHOKA OMAIRA (you idiot) Remeber to say AHOKA OMAIRA the next time you get mad at someone.
Eventually we were switched to another plane that departed over two hours late. Then we finally arrived at the main Okinawa airport, Naha. We missed our connecting flight, so again we had to wait two and a half hours. We got to our final destination, Ishigaki airport, about five hours late. We got in line for the Taxi cab to take us to our hotel. And wouldn't you know it, the last cab was taken right before our turn. We were starting to loose it but at that moment one last cab showed up. We jumped in while the folks behind us reached for their katai to call for more cabs. We got to our hotel and day one was finished.

Day two:
The weather report was saying cool and cloudy. Not exactly what we were hoping for but at least not rain. We took a boat Iriomote island.

Iriomote island is the most fertile and mountainous of all Okinawa's islands. It has sustained it own unique ecosystem for millions of years since it became separated from the Chinese mainland. The most famous resident of the island is the Iriomote Mountain Cat. The reason I didn't provide any photos of it is because it looks like a cat. You can look out your window or go to a pet shop and see something that looks exactly the same. I am suspicous that this Iriomote Mountain cat is not the product of isolated evolution a la Galapagos, but in fact is the decendents of feral cats left by fisherman.
We took a bus from the Iriomote boat dock towards a river boat. The bus driver was a sweet funny man who could play Okinawan folk music on a Shamisen, a sort of banjo. The river boat trip was beautiful. It went through mangroves and arrived at a trail head.


Sadly, this being a group tour, we were kind of rushed up the trial with the other tourists. However, eventually we turned back on our own and got to enjoy the jungle walk in this unique island. After we returned to the bus we were rushed off to lunch and more sight seeing. Our final destination was Yubu island, a little side island of Iriomote. In the old days Iromote was used by other islanders for agriculture. However, because of the fear of jungle borne deseases the farmers would camp out at the non-jungle Yubu island during their harvesting. Yubu and Iriomote are seperated by a very shallow band of water. It is so shallow in fact, you could walk accross it. But why walk accross it when you can get a ride from a BRAMA BULL.


Yubu island was inhabited until a hurricane came and whiped out the houses. Now its used as a BRAMA BULL park for tourists. The bull ride was very pleasant even though they stop to crap sometimes. The bull drivers were sweet funny men and one of them played Okinawan folk music on a Shamisen, a sort of banjo. We got back on the bus and returned to Ishigaki island via boat.

Day three:
We woke up to cool breezy weather, quite overcast and threatening rain. Most of the rest of Japan was getting snow storms so I suppose we couldn't complain. We took a boat to Takitome island. This island is quite different than Iriomote. It's flat and not really a Jungle.

The town in the center of the island is impressive. We felt it was a fully functioning community with it's own unique look and organization. The white roads made of coral lined by walls of volcanic boulders was the signature look of the whole area. There were more BRAMA BULL carts driven by kind elderly men playing Okinawan Folk music on a Shamisen, a sort of banjo.

We went for a long walk and got lost. We saw the quiet beach and reflected on how far an escape we had made from Tokyo. We sent a New Years post card to my folks wich will most likely not have arrived yet. We took some nice photos and felt really relaxed.

Our fun day was not over. After returning to Ishigaki island we were to visit Tomoko, Yoshiko's Sister, and her family at the All Nippon Airways (ANA) resort hotel. First they treated us to a fine Chinese dinner.

Yoshiko's Brother in law, Taku, is a respected medical doctor in Osaka, and works hard all year long. However his yearly winter trip to Okinawa is a fine escape and he splurges and spoils the kids like crazy. After the dinner they gave us free drink tickets to the cocktail bar while they treated the kids to Cake. Yoshiko sampled the AWAMORI liquor. AWAMORI is popular vodka related liquor that many Japanese drink, like SHO CHU. Actually, AWAMORI is Okinawa's version of SHO CHU. It is made from rice like Sake but has a different fermenting process that makes it a stronger drink. I had a rediculously sweet cocktail with a name I can't recall now.
Next we had Toshi Koshi soba with Tomoko's family. It is traditional for Japanese to have soba on the night of New Years Eve. Next we went out on the Hotel grounds and saw a music group. They played Shamisen, a sort of banjo, and Taiko drums and electric bass. Good sounding music brought us to the countdown for 2008.

Then we had a most excellent fireworks display. It was short but beautiful. The explosions were practically right over our heads. It was fantastic and a great way to end the evening.
We caught a cab back to the hotel and the driver was even happy. He didn't even charge the extra change as a "service".

Day four:
We rented bicycles for the day. It was another cool and dissapointing overcast day. However it was new years day so the roads were quite empty. We cruised out towards the west side of ishigaki island. After a few sightseeing stops we turned inland towards farming area. It was quite hilly and we had to walk our bikes up many of the grades.

Once we were inland. Yoshiko suggeted visiting some caves. These caves are located right behind a automobile wrecking yard. We entered a strange park and paid our addmission. First we saw some small grotto like caves and then we saw a little petting zoo. I was starting to feel like this was some tourist trap rip-off. However, the caves became more spectacular as we went along.

Eventually we got to a huge cave that was what I would picture Carsbad Cavern to be. We walked quite a distance underground and then a sign posted that the cave went on for another five kilometers, but was not lighted, so turn back.
We rode back into town, ate some lunch and did our gift shopping. The shopping arcade was old and had some cute relics lying around.

Around the town were signs that once this island belonged to America.

We returned our bicycles and went to dinner then took an early sleep.

Day five:
We had the day before we had to fly back to Tokyo at six pm. Yoshiko suggested going to Kuro island. We got on a boat around ten am. Again the day was overcast and quite windy as well as cool. We were to miss the fine Okinawan weather famous for it's sunny skys and 70 degree tempuratures by one day.

Kuro is mostly cow ranchland inside. Along the edge of the island there is much forest and greenery. The ocean there is famous for scuba diving. The beaches desolate and covered with millons of corals.

We saw a scuba diving camp and next to this camp was a Sea Turtle preservation center and museum called Kuroshima Institution. We saw many cute rare sea turtles and other strange sea life in a small sort of run down center. We then went for a very long walk in the wind and explored the nearly empty island.

After a long tiring windy walk we returned to our boat that quickly brought us back to Ishigaki. Now we were quite hungry and had promised eachother the day before to eat at Eifuku Shokudo; a funky looking Soba restaurant that had a cool hand drawn poster of TONY on the outside. Yoshiko did some research on-line and found out that the owner is a complete character that is obsessed with a well known television actor named Akagi. This Akagi guy was famous from the 60's and 70's for playing a cool dude named TONY. Also this restaurant owner puts goat meat in his soba. I had never tasted goat I just had to find out what it tastes like.

We were warmly greeted by the proprietor who was curious to know where everyone was from that came to his place. So exited that he had several note books available and asked everyone who came in to sign in and mention where they came from. To one customer he asked, "Where are you from?", "Kawasaki", "Where in Kawasaki?", "Um, excuse me, but do you know about the areas in Kawasaki? Would you know my area?", "No!" He wanted to know where I was from. He had a blow up globe hanging from his ceiling. "Where in America is you husband from?" He was pointing at Africa on the globe. Yoshiko replied, "Your pointing at Africa." We eventually helped him locate California. Frankly the meal was a bit bland. Yohsiko got the TONY SOBA that was his basic soba plus two little peices of Tofu. Does that really do TONY justice?
We returned to the hotel to pack up. There were cabs available to return to the airport nearby our place. One cab driver was strumming away on his Shamisen, a sort of banjo. We caught a cab from a friendly sweet cab driver. We got our flight on time and returned safely in one peice.
Thanks for reading

letter to derrek

Hey Derrek
Great to hear from you
November 19th I was riding to work
I had been riding to work for the last few months. I was gaining confidence because I was not getting frustrated. However on November 19th, I CRACKED. I think you'll understand my feeling
I just got out from the toilet at the Imperial Palace and mounting my bike on the sidewalk to continue to work. Another cyclist came around and cut me off. Before I could think about my safety I decided to seek revenge. In a fit of bike rage no longer contained I became more stupid to punish the other persons stupidity. It was maybe the 100th time it had happened to me and it I wasn't the first time I had done this but I paid the price this time. I came up and tried to cut him off. He must have panicked and swerved into me. Because the next thing I knew I was standing besides my crashed MTN bike wondering where I was. I went from loosing control of my feelings to loosing consciousness. I couldn’t believe what I had just done and I felt like I was in dream. I knew I had to get to work so I apologized and told him I would send an apology email. That satisfied him and the policeman at the scene. I rode to work. I was in pain in my right shoulder. My helmet was smashed. I did my classes then I went to a nearby hospital. It was a military hospital and I didn't have my insurance card with me any way so I rode home. I took a hot bath, drank a beer and popped some ibuprofen, slapped on an ice pack and I began to feel better. I went to work the following days but not with bicycle as I realized I lacked the temperment to bike commute at least for the time being. I had time off during the week to see a doctor, however I saw no need since I just saw some contusions and I just kept up the painkillers and ice packs for a week. I did write an apology email to the guy but I didn't take responsibility for the accident, instead I simply put that I "regretted the incident" and left it at that. The following weekend Yoshiko and I went hiking in beautiful Yamanashi prefecture for red leaf watching and an overnight stay.


My arm was in a makeshift sling but I was feeling better, strangely the bump on my right shoulder was still not fading. The Sunday morning after our return I went cycling and felt okay. We went shopping on our bikes later that day and my backpack felt strange on my back. Finally we noticed that my right scapula was drooping. We decided to see a doctor the following evening to figure out what was going on. The doctor saw my shoulder and said I had a contusion. I pointed out my scapula and he said let's do an x-ray. That’s when we learned the truth of my injury. I had a completely separated clavicle. It was just hanging out there. The doc said it was too late to reset it and I'd have to go to the hospital and see what they could do for me.
I went to the hospital and they took new x-rays and completely reviewed my injuries. They came to the conclusion I had two choices. Either do nothing and have the separation for the rest of my life or do surgery. I figured that this was the time to do the surgery, as I believed that it would be a hellish problem in my life especially when I get older. I opted for the surgery, which would be placing a metal piece in my shoulder to hold the clavicle down while the ligaments will be stitched back together and healed. So I went to the hospital for surgery on December 5th.
Keep in mind that because of the location and involvement of the procedure I would have to be put under completely, totally knocked out for a couple hours. I had to come a day before. They didn't let me leave and I just had to hang out and eat skimpy meals. I couldn't sleep and the snoring of the other patients was intolerable. In the morning I couldn't take a crap and I couldn't have my morning coffee or in fact any food. They asked me to try a self-induced enema. I put the tube in and squeezed the liquid up my ass. I pulled the tube out and the applicator tip stuck in my rectum. I had to push it out and it came out with a bunch of stinky water. No stools... They finally gave up on me taking a crap and prepared my surgery. They injected me and brought me to the operating room. The doctor looked like he was in his element, the anesthesiologist put a mask over my face and told me in English, “take deep breaths”… I woke up and was being returned to my bed. The doctor said it was a success. My shoulder was fucking killing me. They put me on the bed and I think they believed I would just lie there with the painkillers coursing through my veins in a deep sleep. In order to facilitate this sleep they put some weird circulation leg warmers on my shins and a heavy heat blanket over me. There was a tube in my penis. I was having nothing of it. My shoulder was fucking killing me. I was whimpering and crying in pain, kicking off the blanket and leg warmers and demanding to be re-positioned on the bed for I was sure that was the primary reason the pain was so outstanding. However it was very hard to convey these concerns because my throat was totally dried out from having a tube thrust in it during the surgery not to mention the oxygen mask on my face. So the nurse put some super strong painkiller with a liquid anti neurotic and it kept me asleep for a little while. But again I woke up and still felt really bad. I finally reached over with my trusty left hand and drew my right elbow in toward my body. For some reason the surgery team had rested my elbow pointing out which twisted the shoulder and the moment I brought my elbow in toward my body 80% of the pain vanished. I could finally rest. But again in a few hours I woke up because of the snoring from the other patients in the room and my hunger. I called the night nurse and asked if she would remove the penis tube. She brought out a syringe, which attached to the tube and pulled water right out of my dick, which hurt, then she removed the tube which HURT MORE THAN ANYTHING. She was a very nice nurse and I felt kind of sorry but I was just in hell. Next I tried to pee and it felt like burning pain from hell and only a trickle came out. The nurse told me it would go away soon. Finally the morning came and the nurse said I could drink water. I drank a half-liter and peed again. The pee felt better and I was relieved. Next they brought breakfast. I ate and it burned my mouth. I had not eaten in 36 hours. I ate more slowly and it was all right. Then I began to feel the painkillers working. I was really relaxed. I went down to the hospital shop and bought a pack of donuts. I ate all of them and felt great. I went back up to my bed and ordered and ice pack. The patients in the room were much more quiet awake then asleep. I relaxed well and napped all day while switching ice packs. My cycling buddy Kishi san visited me and then Yoshiko came and we were able to check out of the hospital. My bill was around 1400 dollars for the three days and two nights. We had a real meal for dinner at a Bar/ Restaurant. I came home and had my first evening sleep in three days. In the morning I took a real crap. I'm at home now and recovering well enough to write this email to you. I got to go to work tomorrow. I have my stationary trainer set up to ride with one hand. The metal shoulder piece has to stay in for about two or three months then I have to do surgery AGAIN.
I have to decide if I really have the temperament to bike to work any more in Tokyo. It's something I've been doing for the last fifteen years, but it's no longer a need. I do get to pocket my commutation fee when I cycle to work, but 1400 bucks is a lot more than any commutation fee for years to come. I like my job here and we have a nice condominium, life is good here but what are my limitations? Can still ride in the mornings, Sundays, or on my stationary trainer if I choose never to commute again?
Lyle

Pics from summer

Here's some pics that bookend my Summer Break in the USA. The first few pics are from Yasukuni shrines festival on a a suprisingly cool drizzly July Evening. The next group of pics were from early September, a hot day drove us inside to explore an underground farm in Central Tokyo.