In Kanazawa. Forgot What Day It Is.

This photo was taken in Shirakawa; high (like, WAY high) in the Japanese alps...

I've been in the Japanese alps for the past few days; this is the first time I've had internet access since we left Tokyo. Just uploaded a few more videos to my YouTube account. Check 'em out :)))











This is just a taste. See my YouTube account for more...

Later,

M :)))

Day 2 Tokyo: Meiji Shrine, Imperial Forest, Tea Ceremony, Asakusa Kannon Temple

Just another morning video :)



I'm doing this on borrowed time. I finally realized that I'm not a travel blogger so my videos will do most of the speaking. This video is upon entry to Meiji Shrine:





Calligraphy class (this is the instructor writing a haiku):



The city:



Tatsumiya Resutoran:




The staff here was very nice and the beer was very good. I ate solo because I wanted to see what the city had to offer besides KFC and Starbucks. The menu was entirely in Japanese (I brought a Kanji book with me to help with the unfamiliar symbols. I did fine) As I was paying, I said "Gochisosama Deshita" ("Thank you for the treat")  and for it I got a very polite bow and a compliment on my knowledge of the language. It's always nice to hear that from a native :)

Anyway, I'm about to head out to the streets of Tokyo and cause a ruckus :))))

Peace!

M.

Day 1: Tokyo (Arrival)

I'm so spoiled by free Wi-Fi. The hotel ran out of packages so I have to purchase time by the hour (and it's not cheap. Not at a 4 cum 5 star hotel) Hopefully I'll find a spot where I can access free Wi-Fi otherwise all entries will be in short spurts.

Anyway, here's a YouTube vid of my first day.

I made it :) YAY!!!

Love, M.



**Edit: 5:20 p.m. (Japan Time) - I think I found a loophole in the system.... hee hee :)))

Take On Me.

So LA was fun.

Driving in after almost 4 hours of sitting. Stopped in Barstow for a minute to stretch my legs.

I went with my mom as a sort of Pre-Mother's Day gift (not to mention my good friends have kids now so we can't really just "up & go" anymore). Spent too much money, but got some cool navy blue leg warmers (which I'm wearing right now thank you) despite that fact that it's 83 degrees in my home and my feet are sweating. 

I went to Little India and Little Korea. Little Mexico and Little Jamaica. Each of them bled me dry.

I did however manage to talk down a light blue Devo sweater (in their classic red hats) from 35$ to 8$. Yeah. I got it like that.

Random rooftop shot. Saw crackheads fighting in the street while I was shopping.

I was in such a rush to get out of the car that I skipped breakfast. We shopped for about 2 hours before I committed the most felonious of felonies: I ate a bacon-wrapped hot dog. It was served with roasted bell peppers and onions though (and mustard, of course), so I sated myself with the fact that I was getting a vegetable intake too.

I'm not sure I've gone into why it's so difficult for me to eat meat. Maybe one day when I feel like typing up what will feel like a 3-page diatribe you guys will all know.

A belt buckle I considered. It's a shame these things are best left to men. Should've got it anyway and rocked it in my own way. Maybe when I come back from Japan...

Around the time I wanted to head back to my car, I decided I wanted some ice cream. I passed no less than 20 ice cream vendors throughout the day, but when I actually wanted some they were all MIA. Go fig. 

Mom said she'd buy me some ice cream at Ralph's, but I wanted a Spongebob pop with blue bubble gum eyes and a chocolate bum. I actually felt my chin quivering with disappointment. It was like I was 6 all over again.

I settled for a strawberry daiquiri instead. This was after I got home of course BECAUSE DRIVING DRUNK IS F*CKING IRRESPONSIBLE.

We drove down Venice & Normandie and I was surprised by how vast the cemetery was yet how the dead seem to be piled on top of each other. Once you're dead I suppose it really doesn't matter anymore, but still.

I wanted to stop by High Voltage Tattoo but my little feet were baking like bread in my Mizunos, so I high tailed it. LA is like a second home anyway. It's not like I won't be back.

Got lunch @ Roscoe's (Very few things are capable of making me drool, but their waffles are one of them) and split. All in all, the trip was well worth it. I picked up some cool things to wear overseas because you know I'm going to be rockin' it hard core in Shinjuku (no one will ever show me up. NO ONE!) 

I'm typing this standing up. I'm giving my ass a rest for what lie ahead of me...

M.

  

Suite Madame Blue

That's it. I'm going to LA tomorrow. I'm sick of this shit.

.

A little bit o'beach and retail therapy always feels good.

I think I'm being sent a message. My work situation has become intolerable; staffing has been reduced to five. Got two that don't talk (onE of them is cool on the rare occasion she does though), one that talks too much (you know wHo you are) and one I had to file a harAssment claim against as of Wednesday.

Doesn't my week sound awesome?

At least I'm still fortunate enough to be weathering this horrible recession.

Thank God.

Normally I would never take a road trip a week before an 18-hour international flight (CABIN FEVER :((( !!!), but I need to blow this pop stand. Work aside, had something hit close to home that I won't share here.

Escapism is not the answer, but it feels damn good while you're gone.

I'll have to be sated with LA for this week, but next week it's Tokyo :)

やった!!

Got my camcorder and I plan to document the whole trip right here. Seriously contemplating taking up an offer to go to London later this year ... and possibly losing my return ticket.

Just because they want to be miserable heifers doesn't mean I have to be.

M.