Lotusblog

A very small bicycle

I just got back from Tokyo.

It’s Wednesday morning, 2:30am. Actually, this is what happened. I went to Tokyo on Sunday. Checked into my apartment, did some work, saw satellite TV for the first time in years and became entranced by BBC World. For about an hour. Met Sally and Taka for dinner. Went back to my apartment (Taka had parked his car in the underground garage) and before he left, produced an incredibly small bicycle. We rode it around the car park. Had a laugh, and he went home.
Monday morning I went to the office of one of my clients in Roppongi and exchanged New Year’s greetings. Then I headed to our (graf’s) new office. Had lunch with our new partners. Had a meeting with a client. Got ready for the party. Mingled with 400 people. Exchanged dozens of business cards. Got the night bus back to Osaka. Arrived at 8:00am on Tuesday morning. Had breakfast. Went to work. Finished work at 10:00pm. Met some friends for drinks. And I just got home. Checked my email, and found that Taka had sent me the picture posted above (taken with his FOMA ‘phone).
And now I need a bath.

So on that note.

Good-bye.

Another night, another 2am sitting in front of my mac.

But it is made all the more sweeter by Nick Cave. I suddenly remembered the song “Foi Na Cruz” from the “Good Son” album and I just had to hear it. Since then, I have been on a bit of a Cave-a-thon. This chap rocks.

So yesterday I got home at 4am. The night before I was working (right here) until 4am. The night before I was working until 5am. The night before I got home at 5:30am. Since I met N my life has become a bizarre collage of colour, faces, cocktails, music and people mixed with cold winter air- I am in the midst of a whirlwind and I don’t know where it’s taking me. Well, on Sunday it’s going to take me to Tokyo, that as much, I know. I met another 9 people today. 9 more names to remember. I am going to have to get my Buzan book back from Simon so that I can re-read the chapter on how to remember people.

This is getting too much.

It’s Wednesday afternoon. I am at home, working. Actually, I am about to make lunch. And then I’ll start working. But looking out the window, I see something I don’t think I have seen before. The sky is a light, bright grey. I can’t see Mt Rokko, the ferris wheel has stopped. An impending snowstorm? We’ll have to wait and see.

Well, not quite nearly the middle, but nonetheless time continues it relentless breakneck forward dash. I did something with my hands for the first time in ages today- changed my tires. It was great to sit out in the cold, getting oil and grease and city-dirt all over my hands as I transformed my Mongoose from a svelte city cruiser to a monster urban-buggy. The tires are only little bit wider but they totally change the bike’s dynamics. Can’t wait to get on and go for a ride. As soon as this ridiculous cough (that I am currently burdened with) clears up I will be back in the saddle before you can say “re-pressurize my shock absorbers”.

Crikey, I completely forgot to wish you all a Happy New Year! It’s been about 10 days since I last posted to this blog. Osaka had a bit of snow on New Year’s Day but otherwise has just been bitterly cold.

I spent New Year’s Eve at the cabaret-lounge “Universe” in Osaka’s Sennichimae area. It was fantastic- we saw a live band to count in 2005 and then the rest of the night was spent bar-hopping in the adjacent Misono Building. Kariente, Black Panther, Macau, Hong Kong- they were just a handful of the places in which we found ourselves.

So 2005 is a year of exciting possibilities- judging at least by the last week. I have met so many new people I am having trouble keeping up. I thought I already knew everyone worth knowing in Osaka- it seems not.

Somehow The Pixies’ song seemed to be the right title for this post. I got up a couple of hours ago, made a coffee and logged onto BBC’s News page and was completely stunned by the headlines I saw. As I clicked and read more and more about the massive earthquake and accompanying tsunami I was completely shocked. No doubt over the next day or two the real horror of this tragedy will unfold. My cousin, planning on being in Phuket for the Christmas/New Year period was fortunately still in the Philippines. It appears that thousands of other tourists weren’t quite so lucky, not to mention the locals living in the affected areas.

I don’t have a TV but this is one of those times when I wish I could actually see more than photos on a web page. I just cannot comprehend the destruction, the size of the wall of water. My imagination is working overtime.

I am on a Shinkansen speeding back to Osaka from Kamakura, where I spent an excellent weekend with Sally and friends. We had a great Christmas party with a full English style Christmas dinner that just never seemed to end. It was fantastic.
We are approaching Shizuoka, it’s just after 17:00 and the sunset is quite a amazing. If only I had my own good digital camera…

I am listening to the amazing Thai album (about which I have raved on numerous occasions) and as always it isn’t failing to deliver.

So what else is new? Not much, really. As the year draws to a close, there’s the usual increase in work intensity as we rush to get everything done this year. It’s going to be a hard week, but in a few days it will all be over.

As for the new year- no specific plans but there are a couple of places I do intend visit on the 31st. I will have about a week off after that; during which it will be great to get out, hopefully see some snow, catch up with The Flounder for the 2005 Editor’s Conference and generally cause some mischief.

I will post this when I get home. Pictures are soon to follow.

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas.

Ahh. The Thai life.

Can’t remember whether I told you or not just how fantastic Thailand is.

If I didn’t, then, well it is.

Just got an email from a desperate man. Peter sounds like he is in trouble. I really wish I could help him, he sounds like a nice person.
Maybe someone out there in the wide web world can help him. But only genuine, kind folks need apply…

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MR PETER NGO,
LONDON , UK
Direct private Phone:+447 040115431
Dear Greeting,

In appreciation of your esteemed contact received through a reliable source and the choice of your country wish to introduce myself my name is MR. PETER NGO, the stepson of Mr. Terry ford of Zimbabwe. During the current crisis against the farmers of Zimbabwe by the supporters of our President Robert Mugabe to claim all the white owned farms in our country, he ordered all the white farmers to surrender their farms to his party members and their followers.
you can view website:http://www.thefarmer.co.zw/main.htm or
/www.dogsinthenews.com/issues/0203/articles/020319a.htm

Terry was one of the best farmers in the country and knowing that he did not support the President political ideology, the president supporters invaded my father’s farm and burnt down everything, killed him and confiscated all his investments. Before this unpleasant incident, my mother and Terry had already visited MADRID (SPAIN) to deposit the sum of forty five million United States Dollars (US$45.m) in the safe dilpomatic vault here in MADRID (SPAIN).

This action was taken because Terry felt the growing tension on the farm issue but I guess he never anticipated the tragedy that brought his brutal death. At the time of deposition, the content was not disclosed to the officials; instead, it was deposited as? Family Valuables? Valued for the real content in the consignment. After the bloody incident, we all had to escape to LONDON , UK for the safety of our lives.

On getting to LONDON , UK where I have been living since then as a political refugee I am seeking for a reliable foreigner who can assist me in moving this funds out for safe banking and profitable investment. Honestly I contacted you because I don’t want to invest this funds in LONDON , UK due to my status here as a political refugee and moreover I don’t want to take risk because this funds is all that I and my mother is depending on

My mother and I are seriously looking forward to trusted partner that will assist us with the convenient and legal transfer of the funds out of MADRID (SPAIN). If my proposition is considered for assisting us to transfer this money to your country, we will offer you 20% of the total fund, and 5% of the total will be set aside to cover any expenses incurred during this transaction. 75% will be for my family to buy Shares in your company or investing in your country under your supervision. I would appreciate confidentiality and honesty in our correspondence. Your immediate response will be highly welcomed. I wait to hear from you.
Reply me with this my private mail box (peterngo76@netscape.net)
Best Wishes,

MR. PETER NGO
For the family

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You can stop laughing now.

Tuesday the twenty-first. Already.

It’s been mad since I got back to Osaka last Thursday. But in the midst of the madness, it’s nice to know I can enjoy some holiday cheer courtesy of Somafm’s “X-mas in Frisco” station. Eclectic doesn’t quite capture it. You really have to listen to it for 20 or 30 minutes to see what I mean.

Better get cracking on my Christmas cards.

I’m home.

Surrounded by washing. It’s cold, too.

I want to go back to Thailand.