Sorry. I`ve pretty much been completely neglecting this blog. I`m without a personal and constant internet connection, and it`s really overwheling to sit in an internet cafe and type all my thoughts and experiences. First, to add some structure to this post, I will address the comments from the previous post.

1. Jason; that`s why you are a poet and I`m not. Also, Moby Dick rocks my socks. It`s fun reading it on the train, too, for aesthetic reasons. Tanizaki rules, too. One more quick aside; someone let me borrow that book you have with the dreams and In The Grove and Rashoumon with both the english and japanese. How have the Japanese films been, and the Russian Sci-Fi, as well?

2. Jeremy; Every night, each cell in my body writhess in torment, agonizing over what could have been. Also, there`s a guy here with Josh`s name and your face that talks like no one I`ve ever met, except sometimes I have to do a double take because he does or says something so like you it makes me shiver.

3. Chris: Yeah, no, it was that day. Not sure how your mom got that impression. I`ve laid out the true account of the events leading to my departure, only names were changed to protect the innocent. Also, Sonic in Brawl. Also, I really want to be able to turn to you and say, Having fun, Guy One?, and then have you, without mising a beat, say, Most fun in the world, with a half extremely serious and half wonderously goofy grin on your charming and unforgetable face. I thought about that today in the shower(?).

One big thing here in Japan is how much of a racial minority I am and what that actually feels like. Not good, is an accurate way of describing it. People are too polite to really do anything besides ignore, or conversly, stare at, me, but I can still tell that people regard me with disdain. Most people are less than willing to talk, much less engage me or my white friends, but that`s becoming less and less true, I suppose. The other day, we even managed to charm the heck out of some old japanese people with a combination of candy and loudly studying japanese vocabulary. Also, when they are drunk, they want to talk to you more than anything, which is actually kind of cool.

To be honest, I`m still figuring this thing out. I`m perpetually surprised at how Japanese people react to and view me, and I haven`t been here long enough, perhaps, to have completely figured it out. So, maybe I`ll have more on that later.

I miss all of you. I can`t use skype because there is no internet in my room. I got a cell phone, and it`s orange. I`m going to do a homestay next semester because all I hear from those guys is, Oh man, my host family cooked this amazing ten course meal, and here I am, eating convience store food all the time. Needless to say, things are going to have to change.

And now for a piece of buisness. Do you guys, like, want stuff? You know, like specific stuff? Or should I find things that remind me of each and every one of you, the precious and unique stars that you are, and return with it under my arm to give to you? I found an M.C. Escher capsule toy vending machine, and it made me think, hey, one or two (or more?) people I know back home would get a kick out of this.

My shadow`s figure
cast across the dark river
chasing the half moon