Entries this day: Dream ISIS_101_app Shibuya_Softbank after_many_delays... electric_trolleys

Dream

9:02am JST Monday 2 February 2009 (day 14194)

Went back to the same rock in Australia where I los my glasses with janette in Hawaii. The tide was a bit lower, so from the shore, I was able to see the top of the rock that I had wanted to surmount in the surf that day. The water was crystal clear as I stepped into it, but quite cold, so I wasted no time getting on top of the rock. Discovered it was actually a preformed tank made of fiberglass, and ocean waves would pour into it, but it didn't get filled up all the way. Deep sediment on the bottom had a hole dug into it by the inflow of water. I wondered where my glasses had fallen, and if I'd be able to find them. how deeply would they be buried? Might have somebody found them already and hung them from a fence on the beach? Perhaps I should have left a note, "if anyone finds my glasses, put them here, and I'll be back in a few years to pick them up!"

I jumped into the water (outside the fiberglass tank), and lo, slightly buried, but with a temple sticking out from the sand were my glasses! I was super excited, but a bit concerned that this was actually a dream and that I wouldn't be able to bring them back with me. So, I figured I'll call janette to *me* and show her! So in my house from high school, I called janette and my aunt Madeleine showed up instead. "Oh did you find your glasses in Hawaii?" "Australia," I mis-corrected her. But I really wanted to talk to janette instead of Madeleine, so I kept walking and when I got to the table where my friends were hanging out like in a restaurant/campground, I realized why my legs were so cold. My pants, shorts, underwears and socks had all fallen into reverse sorted order so all my body parts were covered, but I was super jailin' like hip hop fashion. I was like, "hey a new trend!" but with the underwear at my ankles, I couldn't really walk whatsoever, so I doubted it would catch on.

ISIS 101 app

Shibuya Softbank

5:04pm JST Monday 2 February 2009 (day 14194)

Chillin' at Softbank after grillin' the Softbank rep on a million (*) questions and writing down lotsa numbers. When I started with her, there were 13 people in line to be helped upstairs. Now there are 4. Well, I'm number 5. Hey I was number 5 at my initial men's group weekend.

I started this Shibuya adventure by registering by phone to register with a modeling agency tomorrow at 12:45 near 表参道. Then I was like, "yikes stripes I've got nothing to wear!" and came to 渋谷 to buy some dress shirts. Success.

Went to the Apple Store to go right to the source of iPhone purchasing goodness, and it turns out they are *not* the source. At least not on the sales end. They were like, "sorry jack; you gotta have 24 months left on your visa." I have 23. Ah come on.. Gah.

They were like, "yeah, but we gotta send all the info to Softbank..." Ah. "So should I go to Softbank?" "Yes." and they started to discuss where the nearest one was.. "thanks guys; I've got it."

These doods are being slow as Christmas; I think I know with which plan I'm gonna roll, so I'm gonna roll out of here and come back when they're less busy. (When is that???)

But then I won't have an iPhone right *now*. ah well.

(*) not actually a million, but it nearly rhymes.

after many delays...

after many delays...

Hello World!

I've started to write a Rob Update about 3 or 4 times in the last 3 or 4 months,
but this time I really mean to write it right now!

Instead of properly summarizing everything that's happened in Japan since the last
time I wrote, which I don't even know when that was.. I'll just say Happy New
Year!!  and improperly summarize a few things that have happened recently enough to
be remembered.

But FIRST, and this is the reason I have to write right now:

I'm going to attend a week long meditation retreat thing outside of Sydney,
Australia from 27 March to 5 April!  Anyone going to be in Sydney just before or
after those dates?  Amanda G, I'm lookin' at you!  8-D

The retreat will be a deep emotional cleansing extravaganza called ISIS 101,
organized by Clairvision (http://clairvision.org/).  My friend Kevin did the same
course, and came back with lucid eyes beaming joy!

Speaking of beaming joyfully, that's how I felt when I picked up my brother Fred in
Shibuya!  Fred was here for 3 weeks, spanning the New Year transition. 
Fortunately, I was out of work (*) while he was here, so we got three glorious
weeks of chillin' together, wandering around the internets, wandering around
Shibuya, wondering why Fuji-Q was shut again when we went, and having a generally
great time together.  We didn't even fight once!

(*) I've started saying, "I finished my contract," instead of "I was laid off."

The day Fred left Japan, I flew to the southern tip of Japan for a clinical drug
trial.  Received 803,000 yen (roughly 8000 USD) for two weeks of relaxation as we
surfed the web and played cards, punctuated by nurses puncturing our skin for
little blood samples.  It was a proverbial piece of cake!  Though we didn't get any
cake during the trial: the food was healthy and delicious, but with no snacking
between meals!

Across the room from me in bed number 9 was a man named Simon, who I befriended
more effectively than any of the other 8 guys in the trial.  He's an artist, in
both writing and drawing.  He spent most of his free time working on two children's
books, one extolling the virtues of human-powered transportation, and the other a
parody of U.S. foreign and domestic policy. He encouraged me to come visit him
after the trial; I may just have to do it!

But first, let's have a moment of silence for those who are (no longer) living in
war.  The crumbling US finances and crumbling of schools and hospitals in Gaza kept
me from writing for a while.  I found it difficult to write cheerfully with all
that going on.

And on.

Watch Zeitgeist Addendum, start a protest, light a candle, sit meditatively.  Let's
bring peace back to the world, starting with our own hearts.

   Love and Light
    - Rob! 

Hahah best reply comes from Philip Gayle:

Keep me signed up for 100 years, and when that runs out, send me an UbMnetyy 
and we'll meet on the BZoobZlam for a Pintcer Tentacle!
Peas!
Arf! Arf!

electric trolleys

8:45pm JST Monday 2 February 2009 (day 14194)

Who killed the US street car system?