Autumn Leaves

It's become a bit of a tradition for me to keep my folks abreast of the changing of the seasons here in Japan - they're big gardeners and are interested in things green and leafy. And in the process, I have become as petal-obsessed as any Setagaya madam. I'll put one or two photos up here and the rest you can see on facebook at this link:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=344703&id=858385093&l=da19bb1f7a

This is an emotional album for me as it was the last set to be taken on my beloved old camera before it finally gave out. Fear not - I am the proud owner (as of this afternoon) of a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7 and will hopefully be astounding you all with beautiful images very soon.

Am I really so abnormally cold?

Okay, to give you some background: it is about 17 degrees today.
Admittedly, that's not cold - especially for November. But nor is it
midsummer.

So, I've spent the day in Hiroo and Ebisu - two areas of Tokyo well
known for their high concentrations of non-Japanese residents - and I
have been stunned by the numbers of these foreigners going around in
t- shirts. I've even seen a few pairs of shorts.

Now, I mean, I'm not exactly huddled by some fireplace with a hot
water bottle - I'm typing this on the terrace of a cafe with no Globe-
destroying gas heaters - but still, I have on a down jacket, a scarf
and a hat.

Which leads me to ask... A) What is it with these crazy gaijin? And B)
How will I survive the chills of Dublin's polar northside this chrimbo.

P.S. Less than one month till I get home. Woohoo!

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The Muppets kick ass

This made me so nostalgic for Saturday nights in front of the box. I fully approve the lyric change to "Nothing really matters but moi". Miss Piggy is my new life coach. Still loving the Fozzie. Wakka Wakka! So tragicomic with his fake nose, rubber chicken and pleading eyes.

The dooryway from (not to) he'll, I hope...

I am currently at war with the automatic door at the front of my
apartment building. It refuses to open for me when I am trying to
leave. Luckily, there are no security cameras down there (I think) or
there would be ample footage of me prizing the stubborn thing open
with my matchstick arms.

Could it be that I have become so manorexic that the sensor is just
missing me? Or is it that I have died and just haven't realized it
yet, a la sixth sense?

Anyway, if it happens again today, I guess it will be time to contact
either the landlord, a nutritionist or Hayley Joel Whatshisface.

Labouring for Labour Day

I am just finishing up a fairly tough business trip and, in the midst
of my morning blues, I had the best experince ever:

So I'm on the shinkansen; I'm pretty exhausted from only 4 hours of
disturbed sleep following the obligatory karaoke party till 1am to
wrap the training course; I've had no time to have brekkie in the
hotel; I know I have meetings all morning once I get back to head
office...

But, and here's the good part, I'm sitting here looking at the date
and I realize, "holy f&@kb&$ls, I have a three-day weekend thanks to
the national holiday on Monday!"

Is there any sweeter joy??? Thank you Labour Day for falling when you
do and for granting me the chance to catch up on life. Christmas cards
are getting sent out this weekend if it kills me!

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Fur Immer Banner

I made this for my little bro. His band has recently undergone a name change: Brian Cullen's Love Bullets is dead. Long live Fur Immer! (kind of literally, right?)

Anyway, I went around photographing signs from various locations that we met at, shopped at or ate at when he visited me.

Li'l bro, can you get them all? Some hints: Ducky Duck is in there, but not where you might think; so too is a certain burger chain you liked; there are a clothes shop, a mass transit system and an impressive super-modern location featured as well.

Think on it...

Peace out - P-bro

A fit of the blues

As you can see, Tokyo Tower was lit up blue for World Diabetes Day. I know I'm biased, but I think the green illumination on St Patrick's Day a few years ago was more impressive.

Working for a medical company, I felt I should come out and support this effort to raise diabetes awareness: lifestyle-related diseases and their diagnosis are my bread and butter, after all. So go get yourself tested every year and help put my non-existent kids through college.

Remember, prevention is better than cure, so please heed this often-repeated dictum that I live by:

Eat food. Not a lot. Mostly plants.

(Michael Pollan in In Defense of Food)