Entries this day: Today becki_email

Today

11:45pm JST Saturday 30 September 2006 (day 13338)

Haven't really hit my journal in a long time. Have been going out most nights after work until last train, chillin' in various places around Shibuya or Sakurashinmachi or Harajuku, talking and stuff. This has been quite a strain on my journal writing time. Plus busy with studying Japanese, which I've decided I don't like, though I do like practicing Japanese.

In the past week (or was it last week), I've been pretty crappy on my schedule: I missed two students (Kaoru and Reika), and ended up everything all cool, but still I felt bad and gave a free lesson this week as a result.

Plan to meet up with Shinpei after work to practice Japanese with him.

Missed Jesse's wedding today. I was stupid and didn't ask for the day off from work until too late; I basically didn't want to "push it" after I had just gone to Korea, I didn't want to ask for another day off, even though I actually had to take the first trip (visa run). Called Jesse and chatted with him and Anna during their after-reception party for about 50 seconds. Look forward to seeing them again.

Have had a bit less than super-genki lessons recently; partially because I've been tired, and partially because I'm not super-thrilled to be working... but in general it's still cool to have work, and most of my students are cool. I try to give quality teachin' to each, but can't always do it.

Hopefully going to play ultimate tomorrow, though I'm not sure if people will be there. Nightmare.

becki email

12:42am JST Sunday 1 October 2006 (day 13339)

From my aunt Becki

chit chat

hello rob
 
just thinking about you lately.  talked to your dad and he is doing good.  mom shane and i are still
in florida.  we will be going home soon hopefully.  moms cancer is in remission.  she had four hours
of iron iv yesterday.  barbi and sarah are doing good still in barboursville.  doug is still at the
power company same job and doing well.  he is at flat top now.  charlie lives near in beckley.
write me when you get a chance.  i send much love and prayers to you.
 
love,
becki

and my reply:

Hey Becki!!

Holy shit I've been in Japan too long...  I imagine Sarah must be in high school if not married with
kids by now compared to the wild squirt who ran headlong into the golf driving range and convinced
me touching an electric fence would be a good idea...

I'm still in Tokyo, though I have been *blessed* with an amazing trip around the world *TWICE* with
an organization called PB which basically helps bring peace to the world by helping people make
friends around the world.

Jordan, right in the middle of the middle east is a really beautiful place.  I could live there,
though I never would have guessed that 5 years ago.

I've lived and grown and changed so much..  I can't begin to summarize it all properly in a few
days.

The first year in Japan I worked for a terrible company (that only cared about money, not its
customers).  i thought I hated Japan, but realized I just needed a new job.  So I made the decision
to stay another year once I found a new (and much better) company.



Also during the voyage there were two guest speakers on the ship: two young women who live in the
middle of the chaos between Israel and Palestine, an Israeli and a Palestinian...  They told us lots
about the conflict, and basically I couldn't believe it was that horrible.  So Niveen (the
Palestinian, who I chatted with a lot) invited me to come visit and see for myself.  I came.  I saw.
I still can't really believe it... they live in such horrible conditions that we would never
accept...  I can point you to things I've already written if you're interested.

After being in Jerusalem for 6 weeks, back to Japan and back on PB!!  For another voyage,
this time without a stalker, so it was much more comfortable for me to just take it all in.  Easter
Island was quite a highlight of that trip.

Then I fulfilled a long term dream of riding my bicycle with basically no agenda 1200km around Japan
(which is big compared to a bicycle, but 1200km does a pretty good sized loop on this island) That
trip lasted two months, with about 20 days actual riding.  AND a ten day silent meditation, which
was one of the most difficult (and rewarding) things I've ever done in my life.
http://www.dhamma.org

Ironically, given that I rode my bicycle in order to save money, on the way back, I crashed and
broke my shoulder (and had no insurance) so I was suddenly $4000 in debt for the surgery (100%
success) and $3000 in debt for getting re-settled in Tokyo and getting a new computer (I needed one,
so breaking my old one was a good enough reason for me)

So right now I am missing the shit out of my friends and family in the US, but just working for "one
more year" to pay off this shoulder and stuff...

BUT, I know even if I come back to US, it's still a million miles between Florida and WV and VA and
Houston and other friends and family and California where I am considering going to school.
Especially given that I have no car ( and no real desire to get one after being pampered with this
*fantastic* train system in Tokyo, and $3-$4 gas prices in US)

And I'm not really happy with GWB up in the white house now..  (not really happy = utterly disgusted
and often pissed) He's a nightmare of lies and terror, killing people overseas and taking civil
rights domestically.  The current US government has too damn much power and too little moral fiber
to use that power correctly.  I'm a bit scared to go back.

Back in the US, I was part of Mankind Project (http://www.mkp.org), which has a group here in Tokyo
that meets every other week.  We are working to grow our group, helping "one man at a time" become a
better version of himself.  http://www.womanwithin.org is the women's version.


---

Thank you for your update; I hope you didn't fall asleep during this one.  Are Barbi and Sarah still
in the house with a golf course for a back yard?  I look forward to visiting there again.

I'm glad Cordie is doing well; I expect to see her again while she contines to be well.

   Love Love Love Love
    - Rob!