penny was here...dot.com

In Japan

I thought it would be nice to keep a photolog of people I've seen while being in Japan...so, as a new visitor/person arrives, I'll keep updating this thing :)

So who will be next??

March 2009-  Ko-Chan and Mai-ko (with Takka on far left)

Finally moving back to Japan!

February 2009-  Macy Gray (with Debbie to her right)

An amazing performer and really down to earth- We took them to Feria :P

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February 2009-  Jimmy (with Gen)

Being a good son...it was so great to see you, Jimmy!

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February 2009-  Yeng Che, Regina and her bf Frank (with Gen)

Yeng Che's first trip to Tokyo!--

April 2008- Darrick, Eric, Jay, Jimmy, Tim and Tommy (with me and Junsay) -

A visit we've been waiting for. Guys- Come back and visit again soon!

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March 2008- Keiyu (right) and his brother Kosei
(sorry I've taken so long to send you the photos- gomen!)
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January 2008- Kanye "The Louis Vuitton Don" West in Gonpachi

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October 2007- Keiyu (front right) and his "out of the blue" visit

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October 2007- Janice on her family trip :)
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October 2007 Elaine, Joanne and Wendy visit (along with Nel and Tone's visit) ----

September 2007- Ahhh...sh#!@...Tone and Nelson's (where are the Twins?!) trip (with Steve)

--October 2006- Pete and Candace's 1st Trip to Japan and Honeymoon--___---October 2006- Devon's "My best friend brought me along on his honeymoon" trip to Japan----October 2006- Jimmy, Paul, Darrick and Brian (with Steve)- Japan Trip No.2------August 2006- Tata Young (a well-known Thai singer) in Don Quixote----

August 2006- A Reunion 2 Years Due: David's first visit to Japan (with Steve, Tommy, Terrence, Calvin and Chris)---July 2006- Junsay Back Again - May even for good...haha...---April 2006- Garret's somewhat "Fate-filled visit" and Luichi working in Japan--- April 2006- A mini UCI reunion with Jackie (with Hen and some guy I don't know too)---- April 2006- Paul's "Bape, Bape and more Bape" visit---- April 2006- Hen and Stan's "I went to Japan and all I got was this lousy hangover!" visit--- December 2005- Peter, Oscar, Eucen, Jito, Brady and Dean's "shocker"-filled visit---November 2005- Rodney's long awaited visit------ November 2005- Junsay's 2nd business trip------ July 2005- Paul Lee's spontaneous visit---June 2005- Mom, Pa Jao and Lena's visit---- - June 2005- Junsay's business trip (with Lena too)----  June 2005- Jess' USC Freeman Fellowship (with Brian too)--- December 2004- Christmas with Mike---  October 2004- Brian on the JET Program--- September 2004- Mom, Dad and Pam's 1st visit--- July 2004- Mike's 2nd visit---- June 2004- Jana on the JET Program--- May 2004- Jimmy, Ernest and Darrick's visit--May 2004- Steven's visit (with Nana too)---------- March 2004- Mike's 1st visit------   July 2003- Vic's USC Freeman Fellowship (my visit to Japan)------June 2001- Eric the OG visitor! (During My USC Freeman Fellowship) (with Lisa too)---

Quote of the Month?

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While eating at a new yakitori  place...

"UGHH! This tastes like ass!!!"
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"Ohhh no no...ass is much chewier..."
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WTF.
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-R.I

March 16th - Five Years Later

I want to start this story by telling you what happened to me five years ago. Granted, I can barely recall what happened five hours ago, but I can never forget this day.  On March 16, 2004, I moved to Japan. (Can you believe it's been five years?!?!) I came alone with two overweight pieces of luggage, my 10 lb. cpu and a "carry-on". On the way to the Westin Hotel in Ebisu on the Airport Limousine bus, it was dark but I managed to see the streets and stores lined with cherry blossoms..it was actually the very first time I'd ever seen cherry blossoms.

When I got to the hotel, I checked in for the night and called my parents-- I remember speaking to my mother and holding back my tears...I don't know how I made it through that conversation, I was holding in my breath and choking on every other word, trying to convince her that I was fine. When I hung up, I cried and cried...scared and surprised of what I had gone and done to myself.

A day or so later, I got off at Shibuya station and saw the "Srcam-buru kosaten" or big crossing, and was somehow reminded of why I came, and so it began...

Five years later, the picture above is a view of what I see everyday and tells me today is another day. This is the view from my balcony. It may not look like a fantastic view, but in a way, it's summarizes my life in Japan thus far.

I am still in Ebisu and now live with my bf of almost four years. From here, I can see the place where I first arrived and the two places I've held jobs. One of those places, is Ebisu Garden Place, which Lisa Moriwaki took Eric and me to almost 8 years ago -- I can still remember taking pictures of that place like a crazy tourist. Who knew I would eventually spend nearly 2 years working there and quit because of stress overload. I rarely go there anymore :P

People ask me all the time how long I'll stay in Japan, whether I love it, etc...and I usually answer and say it has its good and its bad and that there's a difference between visiting and living in Japan...blah, blah blah. But the day before my 5th year anniversary of being here, I came up with a new realization.

The fact is:

It's hard living here.

It was impossible when I arrived and it still continues to be difficult. On top of trying to survive here, I'm always homesick and I miss my family and my close friends. I miss driving.  I find myself so emotional here, crying at the slightest things. And it made me realize that maybe because life is so tough, it makes you appreciate the smallest things.

Let me ask you a question...When was the last time you were so happy you could barely breath?

We can all be happy people 24/7, but can you recall a time when you were so consumed with happiness that you barely breath and you had to take a breath just to try and take it  all in? I experience those moments since I moved to Japan. And I think it's because life is so hard that when something good comes, you appreciate it so much more.

I appreciate my family and my friends, even though I may not speak to them as much as I would like, I value what they've done for me and what they are to me in my life. My family's voice over the phone,looking at pictures/videos of my niece (& nephew) or reading my best friends' e-mails can literally make my day...something that I might have taken for granted had I stayed in LA.

Aside from my connection to home, I look around at the people I've gotten to know here and feel thankful. Without them, my Japan life for the past 5 years would have not been complete. Look, I'm not trying to make this some sob story, but so much has happened here since I've arrived...

...I've learned a new language...
...I've met some life long friends...
...I've met someone I can't imagine living without...
...I've been working with accounting...
...I've worked for an investment bank...
...I've been through a historical bankruptcy and acquisition...
...I've turned 30 (and been feeling its affects)...
...oh, and I have long hair...

These are my take-aways from Japan so far.

Don't get me wrong, like I said earlier, I'm borderline miserable, but still I thank that girl five years ago who was so determined to be independent and find herself. I realize now that this is Life ...my life...and I yearn everyday for that same girl to come out and continue to lead me and show me the way...whether she knows shes doing so or not.

Happy five year to me.

(btw..I celebrated by eating pizza with my co-workers...like they say, you can take a girl out of US, but you can't take the American out of her :P )

Sayonara

As I have made a photolog of friends from home who I've gotten to see in Japan, here's another similar posting...but this time...of friends I've made here in Japan that I've had to say sayonara to...

Joel (2nd from right with Chion and Tim)
Back to Los Angeles (January 2009)
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Chion - Off to Los Angeles (for a litlte bit)
(January 2009)
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Kevin (in the middle w/ Eric)- I can't believe you left us...
Back to Taiwan (October 2007)--- KellyBack to Los Angeles (April 2007)-----Chris (a.k.a "My Twin Brother")To San Francisco (April 2007)
----- Arnaud (a.k.a "Frenchy")Back to Lyon (September 2005)----- Lee-chan (2nd from left, w/ Kaori, Chiaki and Emi-chan)Back to London (August 2005)----- Angela (with Akemi)Back to Washington D.C. (August 2005)-----Akemi (with Nate)Back to Seattle (July 2005)-----=Eleonore (with Eric)Back to Paris (March 2005)-----George Back to Shanghai (February 2005)------ Erika (with Kevin)Back to Vermont (January 2005)

I wish you guys the best of luck for the future and I will miss you...ki wo tsukete ne?