Home

I have made it home and am very glad to be here. The trip was pretty easy and the jetlag is almost gone. The weather here has been awesome--cool, dry and sunny. Lola has definitely grown in size and in personality while I was gone.

I fell off the back posting in the second half and will work on some more updating. Until then, I have a weekend to enjoy...

Math joke

I can't seem to find the energy for an actual post, so here a joke that I find really funny. Must mean I'm a dork, but that's not news after all...

Busy bee

Working to start posting, but had some stomach issues over the weekend. Not sure what is going on and hope to feel better soon.

Whirlwind

So we have been all over Japan since Anna arrived about 2 weeks ago. I promise an update with pictures very soon. In fact, after she leaves on Tuesday I will post daily until I am caught up.

In the meantime, tonight is the final night of the Nagaoka Fireworks Festival. It was unreal last night. Over a couple of minutes, each set would build to a spectacular finish. Then a small rest of a minute or two. This went on for 2 hours!

I cannot believe the time to return home is approaching so fast!

Traveling light

Off to pick up Anna shortly.

Last evening I was out and about and I realized that it was much clearer than it had yet been since I was here. I did not have my camera, but I was able to see mountains in the distance that I had not noticed before. So I got a cold beverage from a nearby vending machine and watched the sun go down. Later in the evening, there was two thunderstorms: one directly over us and the other over the mountains. I was able to see them both very well from my window. It definitely seems that the weather has changed and Yama-san announced to me that the the rainy season has officially ended. Now much like MT, we are due for afternoon thunderstorms.

As I mentioned, I am off to pick up Anna in a couple hours. Then a couple days in Tokyo, Sumo in Nagoya and a couple days in Kyoto. We will then either come to Nagaoka or directly to Shinjo before 4-5 days here in Nagaoka before she returns home. From then I have only 2 more weeks before this adventure is over. I am not ready for it to be over yet!

Lost count....Umi no hi today

So today is a holiday to honor the ocean. Schools have just let out for the summer and town seems quiet today. Had a good weekend and looking very much to AJD arriving tomorrow.

Here are some pictures of my apt. Outside:


















Strange locking mechanism:


















The entry way/kitchen:
























Half of the living area:


















The other half of the living area:


















It might be almost a week before I update again. In the meantime, here are some other pictures:

Days 27-29: Warming up

It's hot today. I mean hot. And humid. Have I mentioned that it is humid here before? That is one of the things I do not miss living in the Intermountain West. But it is here and I will gladly endure it for a few more weeks.

Over the next days I will try to post pictures of the mundane portion of this adventure; my apt, neighborhood, etc. Getting started:

I am living in this building you can see at the end of the street. Just in front of it is the old guy who is out stretching every morning, at least the mornings I happen to go out for coffee at 630.


















This is the main street nearby. I still cannot get used to looking the "right" way when crossing. Good thing I am now paranoid about getting hit and I check like 5 times anyway:























Lots of nice gardens nearby:


















Here is where I do most of my marketing:


















The streets are narrow and the power lines just look like a mess:

Day 26: Crazy rides

So I went exploring on the bicycle yesterday afternoon. I regret that I did not bring my bicycle as there is tons of good riding around here. Too late now. Anna arrives in a week and we will tour around and then only two weeks of nose-to-grindstone to get "something" to consider an accomplishment while I am here. Anyway, back to the bike. I rode up the road past the institute which then goes into a slot canyon. They are building a tunnel or have a tunnel planned in the future to get through. However for now it is a nice cruise up and a pretty ripping downhill. Then I ventured to the north a bit before turning up another road. I suspected that this road would do much the same thing and end. However, this road climbed up and up, much like Little Cottonwood Canyon. I kept telling myself I would go just a little further. Between the fact I was on a cruiser bike and wearing flip-flops, it was difficult. And I left the battery at home...

Unfortunately, I also left the camera at home...

So this morning, I hopped on the bike to ride to the institute and this passed me:


















How crazy is that?

Day 24 & 25: Developments

Since my last post, I went out for a few drinks with the guys. It was really fun and they fed me some different foods than I have ever had, some of which I am not in a hurry to try again namely sakura and natto. We also had a fair amount of shochu which was all good until I awoke not feeling so hot on Friday. Luckily, Yama-san was also not feeling so hot.

So now with experiments running, we take pictures daily and analyze them to determine size, area and circularity. Here are some crystals initially:























And here we are after several days:
















As you can see there is a significant difference. Now that we are up and running, I am going to have to process several hundred images like this that are generated every day. Good times at the computer...

Day 23: I found Dennis

As in Hopper, Dennis Hopper. Get it? I am positive that there is a gene for bad humor and I have it. Tho, I do not consider it bad humor!

Anyway, I found him. These guys are everywhere!


















OK back to the cold room. BTW, I am sure that the swings from +27C to -20C are not healthy.