They really do.
I confirmed it today when they forgot to tell me about the “lithium leak” drill scheduled in the office next door. What happens is, well, they simulate a spill of hazardous substances. So when a man in a white space suit stormed into our office, I naturally thought he was coming for me.
“You’ll never catch me alive, copper!,” I screamed, and brandished a stapler most menacingly. Well, no. Actually, I just sat there in amazement and stared. Nobody else around me seemed to react much at all, even when he shouted, “ALL CLEAR!,” and stomped on down the hall.
Since no explanations were forthcoming from my coworkers, I have decided that it probably didn’t really happen. Somebody must have spiked my bottled water with psilocybin or something. I guess they’ve learned how much I hate the first mind-numbing day back at work after an extended weekend. How sweet.
Yoka Yoka Tei
This is the best restaurant in Kyushu, Yokayokatei. Everything from bibinba noodles to tonkatsu, teppan yaki, and raw horse sashimi – all divine. Plus, we were stared by the people at the next table for speaking in English, so I conspicuously picked my nose and flicked boogers in their general direction.
Misty Pool
All the photos I took at Kikuchi gorge came out foggy because of the blanket of mist that lingered over it all day. This was the pool we started out at, jumping off the end of the fallen log.
Bumpy Ride
Natural waterslides at Kikuchi gorge.
Sit still, Yoda!
I have found over the past month that a black cat is one of the most difficult subjects to photograph, especially if it somehow always gravitates toward black backgrounds, for instance, my black rucksack resting on the asphalt. At night.
They’re STARING at me!
Possibly the most disturbing strawberries on a cake that I have ever seen. The fluorescent lights and the polarized glass caused the weird bars to appear in the photo. Too cool.
Virtual Swashbuckling
New arcade game employing toy wakizashi as controller.
Red Ceiling Thing
Adam said this ceiling adornment was cool; I said it looked vaginal. We are both right, I think.
Flappy, the Blue Globe with Wings
The Kix mascot at the mall across from the terminal building. I dubbed him “Flappy.”
Land of Packaging
So I checked the kitten in and I’m sitting next to some smelly foreigners at the gate. They are big and hairy – the gorillaest one actually has hairs sticking out through the back of his knit polo shirt. Gross.
Anyway, I brought the kitten in a red picnic basket thingy we bought somewhere for like 500 yen. Nam found this free coupon on the web for a rental cat carrier so I figured we’d transfer him over to it at check-in. The staff, however, had another idea. They took the top off the rental carrier, placed the entire picnic basket (with sleeping Yoda inside) into it, padded all four sides of the basket with cardboard and bubble wrap, then taped the whole contraption together and screwed the carrier back together. I am beyond asking why at this point, but it was reminiscent of a high-end department store where they use bags on boxes on wrappings on inner boxes wth partitions, ribbon, and a cherry on top.