Grey and Rainy

That's what the weather has been over here for the last few days, so nothing too exciting has happened. I am starting to get ready to go to South Korea for my winter break, and we will soon get ready to move to our new school over the break also. Yippee, no more deteriorating walls, cockroaches, or worn-through carpets. Everything will be fresh, new, and clean!

This morning, I went for a run for the first time in almost three months. I decided that I needed to start running again for a multitude of reasons. I forgot how different you see things when you run. I ventured away from my apartment-to-train station route and instead, headed down the street that runs alongside the creek. It turns out that this street continues for quite a ways and is lined with trees and nice people (rather than the cars and strange looks of the more main streets here). I also came across a cemetery (the first one I've seen in Japan); it was tucked back behind some houses. By running, I am also trying to smooth out my leg cancer (as I have come to call it). Since I have moved here, I have lost some weight. I have also developed a horizontal ridge the runs across my mid thigh on both legs (you can sort of see it at the top of the picture above). The only logical cause I can offer for this odd muscle definition is the fact that I go up and down a million steps in a day. So, I am hoping that I can smooth it out with a little running.

If not, I could always try a little voodoo magic with this monster from Omotesando...

... and some giant koi that are everywhere.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you are enjoying your holiday and stuffing yourself with all kinds of tasty treats (I'm really jealous that I can't cruise the dessert table at the Bosch house right now). I had a holiday today too ("Labor Thanksgiving Day"??) but just made a stir-fry at home. I don't think they have turkey over here, even if I wanted to eat it.

Last weekend, my friend, Greg, from Madison was in Tokyo to visit. He turned his layover during his flight home from China into a long weekend here and a trip to the Tokyo Cycle Show. It was great to see a familiar face, but I feel a little bad for him, as it rained all of Sunday (our sightseeing day), and he got lost taking the train back to the airport. The Tokyo Cycle Show was also interesting. They had a lot of the same stuff that I saw at Cycle Mode International, but there was also a booth that was giving away socks if you could beat 50 km/hr on a stationary bike (I could only get 49.6; my legs must be getting soft on me).


Here is a picture of Greg and I standing in front of the torii for the Meiji Jingu shrine in Harajuku. As you can tell by the umbrellas, it was still raining. :(

This is art/a statue that we found tucked away in the Harajuku neighborhood. I think it is the mascot for something, as it was next to a large, street-level billboard with the same character on it (Japanese print advertisements are not the best; they don't always make sense, and there are often just seemingly unrelated pictures with a logo).

And for those of you looking for a new salon/barber in the Harajuku area, why don't you try Bald? I hear they do a fantastic job! Another example of translations in need of checking.

Private Hopscotch Lessons

I asked one of my students what she did last night, and I couldn't really understand what she said she taught. Trying to link her heavily-accented words with English words that I knew, I concluded that she taught private hopscotch lessons to 40 to 60 year-old students. As I struggled to confirm this (including drawing a hopscotch board and modeling the game), I learned that she didn't teach "hopscotch" but rather harpsichord lessons. Thank goodness, because I was having trouble keeping a straight face with the hopscotch imagine in my head.

As for the weekly update, not much has changed in Tokyo. The weather is still warm and sunny during the day (in the 60s), but it is starting to cool off at night. Some of the leaves are starting to change colors finally, but my students tell me the mountains won't be at their peak for another two weeks or so. :( I am getting antsy....

This past Monday, I saw the Salvador Dali retrospective at the Ueno Royal Museum. There were about 60 pieces on display, including most of his famous ones (The Persistence of Memory-which is really tiny in real life-, etc.). Some of his sketches were bizarre beyond belief, but most of the paintings were interesting, with lots of hidden details and puzzling disconnects. I guess I have never really looked at that many Dalis before.

After three long months, I have finally added a bicycle element to my Tokyo life. Ivan Basso was in Tokyo a week ago. Although I was not able to see him speak, a kind student brought me an autographed poster. Things are starting to feel a little more homey now! :)

Here's a fun final picture for you all. This is me in a bathroom at a bar in Shibuya. No, I'm not standing on my tip toes or anything, just standing up normal.

Cycle Mode International

Like a junkie in search of a long-needed fix, I ventured out to the Cycle Mode International show yesterday. It took me an hour and a half to get there on four different trains, but it was satisfying. The show wasn't huge, but there were a few big names there showcasing their 2007 offerings (Trek, Giant, Specialized, etc.). Here are a few pictures of a bike that was on display at the Colnago booth. I forgot how eccentric these manufacturers can get when they make display bikes for the trade-show circuit (from the Swarovski crystal encrusted Fetish Cycle bike to the pink fur cover Schwinn Panther... these bikes are definitely just for show).
This is a custom, hand-painted bike at the Colnago booth. It was displayed front and center, and it was apparently available to any customer with US$15,120 burning a hole in their pocket. Although the bike sure was pretty, I can think of tons of better ways to spend that money!

Here is a close-up of the painting near/on the head tube. Ohh... butterflies, this is definitely a chick bike.

Wonder what the rims will look like after going out for a spin? Maybe they should have considered putting a disc brake on, so as not to destroy the rim paint job?

On a side note, while taking the train to the show, I was reminded that I am living on an island nation. Living on the western side of Tokyo (and having lived in the land-locked Midwest), I tend to forget that the ocean is nearby. From the train, I could see some of the cargo ships in the Tokyo Bay. I should try to visit the coast soon.