Hello (again)

Just a quick note to let the world know that I'm not dead! Hooray!

Life over the last few months has been simultaneously completely different yet also completely familiar. New and scary problems that I have no experience of coping with, and the occasional new personal contact, contrasted with the same-old-same-old workaday world (I still live and work in Japan by the way, just in case you've lost the plot by now). Life's rich tapestry, yadayada.

Well, gotta Keep on Truckin' (© 1968). Went to a Halloween party at Yamasa (that's the Japanese school I used to go to) last Friday, had lots of fun, drank too much (the Yamasa bar sells Guinness! And at a fairly reasonable price (for Japan anyway)), saw people I hadn't seen in donkey's years, etc. Many interesting costumes on display, and how many chances do you get to see the lovely Yamaguchi-sensei in a bright red clown wig? (no pictures, sorry, try some other Yamasa student blog). I keep meaning to go there often since I have an almost familial connection with the place. But it's sooo far and I'm sooo lazy :(

It's been work visa renewal time and for the umpteenth time I'm amazed at the efficiency of Japanese administration and public service in general. It came through in a coupla weeks which I'm sure puts most dirty foreigners to shame. Plus Nagoya Immigration has moved to a brand new building (which, sadly, is twice as far away from where I live as the last location) which is all shiny and nice and has a Lawson (convenience store) on the 2nd floor! Yes, inside the building itself! Thrice huzzah for beauraucracy!

Unfortunately the process necessiated a trip to the Tenpaku-ward (the part of Nagoya I live in) town hall thingy one morning before work to get a form stating how much tax I've paid, which was slightly more dingy. And no convenience store. Can't win em all huh.