HAPPY NEW YEAR

We're up in Indiana visiting family. It's a good feeling to be home. I wish everyone a happy new year!

An Update

I think Alison is feeling better today. Hopefully, she'll improve soon. She's been limited in activity by a pain in her back that rendered her barely able to walk. She's hurting. Here's a pic from our reunion though:

Alison's Creation

I've come home and I'm enjoying my beautiful kitchen. Alison did a great job!



Thanks for trusting me with the orange, baby.

I'm Home

I'm home... and it's great. The six months seems like a short memory, and I would do it again tomorrow to get that feeling of first seeing my wife in the airport again. That first kiss.

Speaking of Alison, she was a busy bee when I was away. The kitchen looks great, and she did the bedroom too! I'm WAY ahead of 'schedule' now with the remodeling, and look forward to enjoying the new rooms instead of laboring away in them like I had the others. She did a marvelous job, and thanks are due to all that helped her.

See you soon...

Coming Home Soon...

I'm at that stage where it's probably too early to pack, but it's not too early to plan to pack. I'm almost packed, in otherwords. I head for Hiroshima on Wednesday morning, then on to Tokyo. Then Atlanta, and finally Charleston. I'm realizing that the christmas vacation will be too short. I don't want to hit the ground running, but judging from all the events and wickets I have to hit, nothing short of a sprint will get everything done.

Last night was Mess Night for the squadron. We ate dinner together, and made fun of eachother, etc. The Guest of Honor spoke about our return home, and how the Marine Corps is not the priority when we get back. How we need to decompress. How things are different state-side. That's true. I need to give my full attention to my marriage. However, I am coming home with a Marine Corps mission to accomplish, and I think that's why I feel the time-crunch.

Thanks in advance for the family and friends that will be fine with seeing me only for a short time. Thanks, Alison, for being with me always. I'll see you soon.

Of Course

I just got back from the hospital. Once again, I am never sick, but freakish things happen to me. Tonight I was playing basketball when I tried to steal the ball from another guy. Our heads collided, and my skin was lacerated by his forehead and my eye-socket bone ridge. 5 stitches, swelling, and a glob of Bacitracin slighty skew my vision as I am writing this. I should have seen it coming really. I always have something weird happen right before I go anywhere.

To US: 5 stitches over my eye
To Japan: A huge rash over 90% of my body
To Athens, GA: Falling out of a tree
To Beaufort from Yuma in 04: Boil/rash in my armpit that hasseled me through XMAS

Breathing out a little

I am back in my youth, sitting at the bottom of the pool and waiting. Waiting as long as I can, holding my breath in, letting it out little by little, to squash the panicking feeling that builds in your heart before you suffocate. The little breaths make you think you're breathing. So I sit here indian-style, at the bottom of the pool, waiting to breathe.

Things I never knew I'd miss about being away from Alison:

1) Magazines I have no interest in looking at filling baskets around the house. These include: Southern Living, Real Simple, People, the occasional Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Style, and Lucky.

2) Walking into the bathroom and pulling the plugs from the sockets to the curling iron and blow dryer. I always try to remind her that it may burn the house down, but she does leaves them heaved into the wall anyways. It's not that I miss that she does this, but it's more I'm scared that the one time I don't unplug them, the house will burn down. I miss being able to ensure safety.

3) Her honking at me whenever I walk in front of the car. She reaches over and presses the horn, effectively scaring the bejeezes out of me. The horn is a lot louder when you're a foot away from it. I even sort of miss the fact that she gets pissy with me when I honk at her (so I'm not allowed to retaliate anymore).

4) Losing fights. I'm always the first one to give in. Especially when I'm right. It makes me feel like I am making a tiny sacrifice for our love. Martyrdom is a word.

5) Water glasses by the bed. I don't do the water glass thing when she's not around. Alison requires a tall glass of cold water by her bedside in order to go to sleep. She rarely drinks it. So by the end of the week, we have six glasses of water lying around, half-full and room temperature. Not really sure why I miss this. I think it's because i miss having things around that I don't like.

Commemorating a Deployment

We've begun to cast our lot at immortality here in Japan. Each unit leaves paintings on the wall. The photo above is the beginning of our mural. Drawing by yours truly, painting an all-hands effort.

Happenings

So it's time I fess up to my plans and what's going on with me. For about two weeks now, I've been investigating Law Schools. I have an opportunity to have the Marine Corps assign me to a school as a duty station. They'd pay me like they do now, and cover the tuition as well. The deal sweetens when you consider that for 3 years of school, I won't deploy. The icing on the cake is the 10K per year bonus that I'll receive once I've passed the bar; it's the Marine Corps' way of enticing me to stay in.

So it's crunch time with me. I have to decide tomorrow whether I'll take the LSAT in February or June. Registration deadline for Feb 15 is 9 December. I am leaning towards taking a prep class and then the course in June, applying in the fall to schools in Indiana or Columbia SC, and then applying to have the Marine Corps assign me to the FLEP (Funded Law Education Program) in the spring of 2007. Either way, the spring of 2007 is the first time I'll be eligible to apply. One of the criteria is being accepted to a law school upon application. Application deadline is each year, March 1st, and by March 1 2006, I wouldn't even have my score back.

If this is all news to you, and you're like "WOAH. Tom a lawyer?", you can join the club! I am that way too. But it makes sense when you think about my life's course. I have a BA in fine-art, though I am no artist. I've always strived for 'big things', i.e. basketball, Marines, art, house remodeling, marrying the beautiful and hard-to-catch Alison. And I've been saying for a while now that since I've left school, I have a genuine desire to learn.

In reflecting on my academic past, and in light of the Hurricane Katrina, I've begun my story of four years in New Orleans, as I remember it. So far, it's been no indistinct memory.

Liberation!

Today I was listening to DeathCab for Cutie's 'Transatlanticism.' One of the lyrics Ben Gibbard wrote says, "Yeah, she was beautiful, but she didn't mean a thing to me." And I thought about that. Yep. Marriage is liberation. And only dudes will know what I mean. But I'll try to explain anyways, in a manner that won't get my ribs poked by every female I know. Here goes:

At the onset of adolescence, each male is trained (nature and nurture) to evaluate/notice pretty girls. It happens. And each time we notice someone beautiful, we silently plot on ways to be with them. But that is no more for guys like me. And it's wonderful when you realize it. Beautiful girls (we notice less) that we DO see, become mere images. No mental clicks and snaps happen in our brains. That part of wanting to be near is filled by someone we're glad is near. My wife fills that part of me in the way I wanted (she's beautiful and sexy), but she does so much more. She's like the best friend, the caring-mom AND the sexy girlfriend. And that's what being a wife is. Atleast a good one.

Hopefully the reverse is true also. Girls keep their wants on the downlow. But I've been privvy to some drooling in my day. I've seen it. Hopefully, being a good husband makes other men look like what they are: something one sees. An image.

It's liberation! The dogmatic way things were are no more. It's pathetic really, the way guys drool after women. And from my high-horse, I can trot right on by.

Christmas Present For Me

The Biggest Kidder

Penny's written that she doesn't feel grown up. Doesn't feel qualified to talk to a bunch of yahoo's about art and making it a carreer. Who's she kidding!

If Penny is a kid now, then she was a grownup back in the day. [Atleast she never had a problem putting on a display as a kid.] Think back to the time she chased Jerry the street. He was on a bike and he couldn't even get away! Her baseball bat hit his seat about 10 times before she stopped running. Think to another time when I was cornered on a playground after school by these two bullies, Nate and Ted (if that was the second's name). She came running into the pete-rock so fast, you could see sprays behind her. She laid waste to them. Then think about snipe-hunting in a graveyard in a small Wisconsin town. She wasn't scared when she popped out from behind the grave and screamed at my friends and me.

In fact, the only time she's been kid-like was when she made her first cookies. She put 3 or 4 tablespoons vice 3/4 teaspoons of salt in these wretched cookies. I can still taste it to this day. I'd never want to be a cow. I'd hate licking salt blocks. I shutter at salt.

Anyways, seems like (1) she's being overdramatic as usual or (2) she's forgotten that being a monster has nothing to do with appearances. Being a monster has everything to do with believing you're one (and scaring kids in graveyards never hurts). Being an adult, a professional, or an artist has to ride on the same theory. It helps to hold a paintbrush, but all being an artist is boils down to one thing: believing it yourself.

Kitchen Done?

My wife's a champ because she's completed the kitchen

I left it looking like this!

Sorry honey. Never again. But let me see what it looks like!

Something Like Growing Up

Thanksgiving has brought about a swell of making plans for Christmas. And the way the plans look this year tells me we've all grown up. Mason probably gets short-changed the most of all of us. We're grown and happy. We're where our parents were when we were kids. Seeing how complicated the strain between which family to see, and when, in relation to the same strain of our siblings and their new families. When I was a kid, it was easy. Christmas eve was spent upstairs at Grnadpa Kline's house. The rest of the holiday was spent at my other Grandparents. That was simple and I could rely on it. Comfort came in the rhythm of years. Mason, though, has had everything change each year for the last few. He knows that he'll see Grandpa and Grandma Davids on christmas day, but seeing me, Penny, and Lauren will from now on be random. Well... you can bet I'll be at Grandpa Davids' house. I don't believe I've EVER missed christmas there. I've just missed every other holiday for the last seven.

Happy Thanksgiving

Now Playing: Death Cab - Passenger Seat

Thursday is Thanksgiving day, and it will be the last holiday I'll have to spend away from family. For that, I AM thankful. I'm well versed at missing holidays, but not well versed at being in a foreign place while I'm missing them. There's no steakhouse to raid. There's no new movies at the theater. The new ones are in Japanese. And right now, seeing the growing-up Harry Potter tell Hermoine, "Konichiwa", really doesn't suit me. So I am extra-missing home. I miss spending holidays atleast in New Orleans if I don't have family. I miss my wife.

I'll be home soon!

Adam and Eve Joke

When Adam stayed out very late for a few nights, Eve became upset.

"You're running around with other women," she charged.

"Don't be ridiculous," Adam responded. "You're the only
woman on earth."

The quarrel continued until Adam fell asleep, only to be awakened by
someone poking him in the chest. It was Eve.

"What are you doing?" Adam demanded.

"Counting your ribs."

--I found this joke at mitch fincher's homepage.

Refuge from a Long Week

Now Playing: Ben Folds - I've Landed

The weather has changed, and we don't get as much from each breath as we did just a few weeks back. I think we're all feeling it. Maybe some sort of pre-holiday silence is taking place. In browsing the blogs I follow, I've noticed that noone has submitted a new post all week. We're all bundled up somewhere, trying to pass the time. We're no longer cooking, just consuming enough to keep the brain running.

The lyrics "this place is a prison; these people aren't your friends" keep playing in my head. It was officially the longest week on record, and I'd be willing to bet that noone really got much out of it. So find a way to enjoy this weekend, ya'll. Next week is sure to be better.

Days of Music

The last few days have been strange. They've been like a melody; the sounds were like waves passing me by. I've just been standing still, listening. The sun went down and came up again, and it felt like I never moved. And I'm standing here now. The sun is pouring through the windows, and I know it's going. It'll be dark and I'll still be right here. Right here breathing. Right here listening.

Happy Birthday, Marine Corps

On November 10, 1775, the Second Continental Congress ordered two Battalions of Marines be raised. 230 years later, the Corps is as strong as it has ever been.

Semper Fidelis, and Happy Birthday!

Now Playing: Lifehouse - You and Me

I have no idea what I want to say in this post.

I need a change, or maybe just some rest, do you feel like that? It's not that I am not getting plenty of rest, but it's bored-rest, and it's more annoying than rejuvenating. That's why I think it's more of a change than a rest thing. Maybe I need to relax and rest. Maybe I need to stop thinking about what I need. I know we've all been THERE before.

I just want to say thanks. Thanks for being my friends and family. You all are great, and I know at times I am not the best friend or family in return. Thanks for the support and the friendship.

I just finished the final Harry Potter book that I'd not read. Now I am complete. Any good books lately? I need a good story. Suggest something that's really interesting. Please no: Westerns, action, military (atleast no other wars than the Civil war), or girly girl stuff. Does that leave me ANY choices? I retract those two sentences. Those that know me may suggest anything. I'm all ears.

Peace out, Tom.

Movie Time

I am back in Japan now, safe and sound. I've been watching movies to pass the time.

Last night I saw Wallace and Grommit, Curse of the Were Rabbit, with my buddy Sercy and his 6yr old daughter. It was really funny. What's particularly funny is observing who laughs at what part. The youngsters in the crowd laugh at things like flying into a huge watermellon. The old people laugh at the lady who's holding up two mellons (you know where) and saying how her boyfriend doesn't fancy her produce.

Coming Soon...

Special Jersey

I went out in town yesterday, and had them make me a jersey. It's kind of special, a baseball jersey from my alma-mater. I think it turned out absolutely perfect.

Check it out:

She Needs Me/My Cute Wife

I'm drawn back into the world of the living by a repeating bell. It's really quite annoying to be in a deep slumber, about 1/4 through the night's sleep, and realize that someone's dialing your phone, over and over.

I creep my way across the room, arms raised to front for object detection. If anyone were four stories tall and looking through my window, they'd have sworn I was a real Zombie wading through darkness towards a blinking red light.

"Hello?"

"Hey, so I'm at Lowe's and I need help. How do you know which bulbs can sense when it's dark and when it's light?"

"Huh?" (Thinking who is this Lowe guy and why does he have bulbs?)

"I can't tell which one's to get for our floodlight"

It all comes back to me; I'm standing in a dark hotel room 7000 miles away, and my wife's called me to help her with home improvement. I say, "Babe, the light bulbs are all the same, it's the fixture that has a sensor."

"Oh, well..., what kind should I get?"

::Thinking for a moment:: "Get a small floodlight, like 2 inches in diameter, anywhere from 45 to 75 watts."

"Oh okay. But didn't you have big ones?"

"Nah, small ones, 2 inches in diameter." And I'm standing there, half-dazed and impressed that I know the word diameter in a deep slumber. "Babe, I'm going back to bed. It's been only 2 hours since I went to sleep."

"Alllright. I'll just try and pick some bulbs out"

"Okay, goodnight." And I hang up the phone, with a smirk on my face. My wife called all the way to the other side of the world to see if I knew where they keep the 'magic lights' that I use for security and energy conservation at our house. Damn, she's cute.

And then I zombie it over to bed again, my four story giant at the window still confused, and I'm 'out like a light.'

Almost Halloween

The first 'real' holiday (save 4th of July) I'll miss is coming up. Remarkably, it doesn't really matter to me. I've got my eyes on the prize. December 21st!

New Jacket

new jacket
Originally uploaded by This Cat Tom.

Illustration Friday: Remote

Cartoon Alison
Originally uploaded by This Cat Tom.

This is my wife, in my mind's eye. I'm 7000 miles away. Remote enough?? I say way.

GB's And Decison-making

Now Playing: Bury Me - The Smashing Pumpkins

I've got another week and a half here. It's been a nice stay, but I am ready to return to the mainland. There's too many rules here due to raised terror-threat levels and the country to the north.

One thing I'll take away from this place is a three-week vacation of finding music. I've enjoyed long hours of listening, borrowing, and listening more. I've got a suit out of the deal too. And two fitted-hats.

I've been thinking about buying an external hard-drive to store my music, pictures, etc. The question I'm facing is how many GB's are enough? Wow, you can buy a 500 GB hard-drive and store the world on it. That's too much. My thumb-drive is enough for files, but not pics and music. Tonight I've decided my iPod holds enough, and that it's a waste of money. Tomorrow, I'll face the decision again.

Don't you hate that about decisions? You have to make them everyday. do I go to the gym? Do I buy that? Do I wear this? Do I have a 6in or 12? White, wheat, parmesian oregano, italian herb and cheese? Pepperjack, provolone, american, swiss? And then the meat. Tomorrow I'll go back to Subway and face all the decisions again.

I'm rambling. Goodnight!

Typ-o

So I've always wondered if I suck at typing. I admit that I look at the keys for reference a few times per paragraph, but who doesn't right? So to prove to myself that I am not all that bad, I went to learn2type and took a little test. I ended up with 52 words per minute and 3 errors. How do you fair?

Other pictures of my suit are here.
Oh, and fall is here. It's quite nice. It creeps into corners you don't expect to see it in.

Witch Submission

New Focus

I guess I am putting much more of myself into 'Indistinct Memories'. For now, I will no longer post on this site, except with pictures from my adventure away from home.

Suit time

Now Playing: Polyphonic Spree - It's the sun

Tomorrow I'll roam into town and get my suit. I hope it's nice. I had second thoughts about the color. (Chocolate grey) I think it'll be cool. I'll be sure to put a picture on here when I get it.

Reviving the Feeling of home

Now Playing:

Today I miss home. I miss tides and tall grass. I miss angry skies. I miss my wife and our couches. I miss Lily and Paisley. Today I miss my driveway. I miss our life.

So I submit these photo's. I know you've seen them. They're of Brickyard Pt, Lady's Island, SC. The water is of the Beaufort River.

Likey?

I hope you like the new look. I'm bored.

Images from Osan

Paul and Matt (and a bear)

Me and a Guerilla

The Tailor Shop

Suit Fitting

Korea is different than Japan.

The most obvious difference is pine trees replacing palm trees. I haven't seen bamboo either. But there's something else. They like colorful signs just the same, and they might as well say the same thing. I can't read any of them. The streets are smaller, but that's not it. There's still something else. A slight bow is replaced by a firm handshake. The mindset of the people has got to be the difference, but I couldn't tell you why.

I went shopping today, and treated myself to a suit. It's getting hand-made as we speak. I never had a suit before. I get fitted again tomorrow morning. A hand-made suit in America, tailored and all, would cost about 500 bones. Here, I slide into a cashmere wool suit for 150. No more hand-me-down jackets and mismatched pants. I'm doing big things with a matching hankerchief and no pleats! Big things! Treating myself to this one indulgence.

It's a charcoal grey color. Black in most lights. The lady was most enthusiastic. She basically suckered me in with her kind persistence. They're eager beavers here.

I'm taking orders if you'd like to give me one. Leather jackets, purses, cashmere trench coats (like my tweed one), whatever you fancy. I could even get your name on a football jersey. You could play for the Colts.

Landed

Now Playing: Landed - Ben Folds

This is a beautiful song. Best in headphones. For me, it means I am safe in a new place. I've landed.

Tattoo Poll

Now Playing: My Guru - Kalyanji Anandji



OK, I've been in the Marines too long. I've finally found a tattoo I want. It's not the normal 'hooyah' all Marines are supposed to get. Ben Franklin drew this cartoon for a rallying of American colonies in the face of the French and Indian war, just prior to the Revolutionary War.

Imagine American colonists waking up and reading this in the news, "Join, Or Die." Different than what you think of our founding-fathers, no? Anyways, in old superstition, we believed that a snake would come back to life if you rejoined the pieces before sundown.

I kind of have to believe that superstition. I won't eat off of white-handled forks, for fear that some gut-traces will enter my system and condemn me to hell for killing that attacking-snake when we were nine....

So vote in the comments. Ye or Ney. Vote knowing that I will practice the tattoo test; waiting 6 months or a year to see if it's still worth it in my mind...

Now Playing: Simon & Garfunkel - The Only Living Boy in New York

Boy, my posts have sucked lately. I guess I don't feel the spark of anything in particular. I am hunkered down to pass the time away from friends, family, and my wife. My only real inspiration is music.

But, in current news, I am on the move again. This next place will differ than what I've become accustomed to. I remember seeing Japan from the window of the airliner, thinking, wow. That's really Japan. An Island in the Pacific. The mythical place I've read about in books. Now it's like AMerica. It's real. The differecne is, of course, I can't read any of the advertisements as I drive down the road. Even driving on the left side feels 'right.' I wonder if I'll be able to go back to the right side.

Where I am going, they drive on the right side. I was shocked to hear that. The terrorist level raises slightly from here, but we should be fine. It'll be cold too.

Enough about that. I hope everyone's well. See ya'll in a few short months.

Bullets

Now Playing: Moonshine - Jack Johnson

1 - I recently came across the Soundtrack to "Thicker than Water". I think you'd like it Penny.

2 - Boo hoo, to my wife putting embarassing pictures of me on her blog.

3 - Hooray!, to my wife decorating the house for the season... making it feel like a hobbit's, warm and cozy.

4 - I can't come home Penny. Not Till December. Remember the Wyclef song "Gone till November?"

La Familia

Pen & I
Originally uploaded by AlisonCat.

Now Playing: Lynyrd skynyrd - Curtis Loew

Great Weekend

Now Playing: Toadies - Possum Kingdom

Lauren's getting married this weekend, and the entire family is there to see it. I wish I could be. I know it will be beautiful.

Cheers to family, cheers to life! We three kids are now all grown. Congratulations, Lauren. The best of days lie ahead.

Education?

Now Playing: ACDC - For Those About to Rock (we salute you)

I have a new addiction. You're thinking, "yeah, not blogging anymore.." or "smoking?" or "we already knew you drank."

But it's none of those. It's spending free-time learning online. The federal government has a website with business, leadership, and computer classes. So do the Marines and the Air Force. My list already includes: Foundations of Grammar, Beginning UNIX, Microsoft Excel 2003, Excel for advanced users, Microsoft Access 2003, Advanced Access, Advanced Queries in Access, Manipulating Data using Forms and Reports in Access, Unit Voting Assistance Officer, Business Writing, and a few others.

I guess I like knowing stuff now. I've got my eyes on the rest of UNIX operating systems, Oracle Databases, and Gas-Turbine Engines. I'll let you know how they are. I am still looking for a class specifically dealing with Expressions using Microsoft Access. So all the sudden I go from handy-man to Mr.Geek. Whatever. Give me back my saw and I'll forget about software. Hell, I may walk away with another Bachelors. It might even be in something respectable.

Oh, and on a side note, I miss everyone. Congrats, Laur. I hope it goes well!

QUICK NOTE

Now Playing: Good Charlotte - Hold On

Hey ya'll. Just to let you know, everything here is fine. There's been two typhoons in the last week. No effect on 'my island'.

Hope all's well whereever you are. If you haven't yet, contribute to putting New Orleans back together!

Tulane News

News from my Alma mater:

TULANE UNIVERSITY

Tulane President, Scott Cowen, is now in Houston. (The rest of the campus was evac'd before the hurricane to Jackson State University, Jackson MS) He has now seen 'the real deal' and has cancelled the fall semester. Other schools are being great though, and are accepting Tulane students for the fall semester.

Hurricane and Tropical Cyclone

Now Playing: Brad Paisley - Little Moments

Most everyone I know that was in New Orleans is OK. That's the good news. The whole thing's sad, isn't it? Devastating. I've stopped watching the news. I can't stand to see another looter, and for me, watching makes it a story, not what's really happening. I can tell you that the majority of the citizens there didn't take hurricanes too seriously. I went through 3 with them. Two of which I came home from, worried. The last, I went to the bar. I guarantee I would have been at Madigan's this time too, had I been there.

In other news, there's a Hurricane coming my way too. Well, a tropical cylone (typhoon even!!). It's a category 5 right now. It's due to hit tomorrow. I feel much safer than those on the gulf coast because every building here is concrete ... out of experience. And I live just slightly lower than the top of a huge ridge overlooking the rest of the island. Just out of the wind, just above any water.

So here's to surviving :: lifts the glass ::

Now I am going to get a book to read during the chaos. Already bought candles, water, and tuna fish. See ya'll probably Tuesday. (Post Typhoon NABI)

-T

The Difference between theory and reality.

Now Playing: Brad Paisley - The Cigar Song

One day little Johnny got an assignment from Mrs. Pandolfini. The assignment was to have the difference between theory and reality understood by class tomorrow. Now Johnny, being a bright kid, understood his father knew everything. He would go and ask him...

"Dad, what's the difference between theory and reality?"

Dad said, "Well, it's hard to explain, so let me illustrate. Go ask your sister if she would sleep with Brad Pitt for 2 million dollars."

Johnny said, "OK, but that's a little weird"

To sister, Johnny said, "Hey sissy, would you sleep with Brad Pitt for 2 million dollars?"

She giggles and said. "Oh yeah."

Johnny returns to his father, a little more confused. His father tells him it may become more clear if he asks the same thing to his mom.

To mom, Johnny asked, "Would you sleep with Brad Pitt for 2 million dollars?"

Mom looked around, and after deciding it was clear, she said, "Absolutely."

Johnny was befuttled. He returned to his Dad, and said, "Dad, they both said yes, but I still don't get it."

His father said, "Well Johnny, in theory we are sitting on a goldmine, but in reality, we're living with a bunch of whores."

Beating Drums

Tonight we went for sushi at a local sushi restaurant. It was great; tables were about a foot high, and they make you take off your shoes before you enter the dining area. I had Yakitori and Gyoza.

When we were leaving the restaurant, we could hear what seemed like a drumline that you would hear at a festival. It wasn't a complex beat, but the beat was such that it made you think of primitive dancing. I decided to investigate. I entered the alley alongside some Okinawan's, giving me the impression that I was going the right way.

What I saw was about 50 Okinawans with basedrums, executing a dancing drumbeat. They would raise the drum hit it, take a step lower and raise, hit it, all synchronized.... It was obviously a practice-session for an upcoming parade. My buddy told me that they wear eleaborate costumes when the ceremony actually goes.

They reminded me of dwarfs or hobbits dancing gleefully, like drunk drummers. It was pretty interesting...

Thinking about school

Now Playing: The Wallflowers - Sixth Ave Heartache

Now that pre-school is over, I have the desire to learn.
Now that elementary ed is complete, I want to cram some knowledge.
Now that middleschool is gone, I could use a Social Studies lesson.
Now that High School is in the past, I need some Algebra refreshing.
Now that I've graduated college, I genuinely want to learn.

The shameful thing is, I cant say "after preschool was over, I wanted to learn".

It's only after I am 'done.' Now I want to have 'skills' (Numbchuck skills, bowhunting skills, ...). Now I want to know stuff that would relieve my need to use google for definitions/background information to everything.

Oh, and I wish I would have double-majored.

More from Japan

This is the more 'Americanized' portion of Japan. In fact, they call it 'the american village' or 'Mihama' (sorry if I bastardized that). There's good sushi, good pool tables, and some other things to see. Here's my photo-impression:


I shot this photo while watching an impending storm and rising tide steadily creep in on my afternoon of reading on the beach. I am reading Ernest Hemingway's 'Islands in the Stream'.


That's all that I'll provide. I will disclose that there is more to come. I am working on a photo-album of my journey. I can't give them all away...

Typhoon Bands

Now Playing: A Perfect Circle - Judith

Here's a tardy post; I meant to post this, but needed time to find a terminal.

Before entering the plane, the load-master asked if anyone was prone to car sickness. He explained that there was a typhoon 200 miles from our destination, and the destination itself was in the bands. (Expect turbulance). The doc came around and handed out dramamine. Knowing that I needed to work upon landing, I bit one in half, and handed the second half to the guy next to me.

Now imagine this: You're in the Pacific Ocean feeling like Jonah. You feel like him because the plane your in looks and rides like a whale. It's fat, slow, and cumbersome. It makes the squeeling sounds. There are air pockets that drop the plan about 20 ft instantaneously, giving you that 'Demon-Drop' feel. You're 400 feet off the coast of an island, hoping the pilot can see the landing strip. You certainly can't see anything.

You know for a fact that the whale is tipping the left wing down, then the right, then the left, trying to stay on target. Then you feel the back of the whale slide out to the side. (Your plane is coming into it's landing sideways. Now, the other Jonah's in the plane look to you for strength, stability, and even for guidance. You gasp, but force out a laugh and raise your fists in the air, all the while saying to yourself, "We are going to die." What came out of your mouth to everyone else is, "hoorah, aint this fun?"

The whale's wheels touch down and you're pleased you may just crash on deck and get third-degree burns. You know for a fact the FAA would have a fit if they knew a whale, nick-named 'Sumo', had landed on an island, during a typhoon, at roughly the equivalent of Rusty Wallace's speed any Sunday afternoon.

Yes, A Pirate

Now Playing: Jimmy Buffet - Son of A Sailor

Funny how 24hrs can change everything. A maragrita has almost the same affect. Winter mornings are not something for general pleasure, but there's something about the way you have to live. Here's the flipside:

You shove the boat off at eight AM, with the sun already starting to burn. The water is at low-tide, and egret on the farthest bank seems so concerned with the tiny whiting that he doesn't recognize your presence. Nor do you give him much time, though in the back of your mind you realize the beauty of the banks, the grass, the egret, and the air. All you need to do is silently let out the anchor and tune the radio. To offset the immediate sweat you've relented to the humidity, your wife hands you a Corona, complete with lime, and she giggles. She calls you 'baby' and you know the day will be just fine. The cast-net goes out with a splash, and you pull in a few shrimp.

Yeah, South Carolina's alright too. :)

Indiana

Now Playing: Devils and Dust - Bruse Springsteen

It's a shame that Mr. Springsteen extracts such a peculiar emotion when you declare that his music suits you. People think of a scratchy voice singing "born, in the usa, I was...", jeans with holes in the knees, and an overall - fake badboy - thing.
But old Bruce and I see eye to eye on the slower paced songs, songs such as "the ghost of tom joad," "Nebraska," and "Devils and Dust." They're settling. They evoke the feeling that life is what it is. Even if it hurts. But you don't feel the pain, you just know it can hurt.

So I've been thinking about Indiana. Never liked living there as an adolescent. Haven't lived there for quite some time. But today, in thinking, I've discovered something besides family that I like about the place. I like seeing "INDIANA" in all-caps on my license-plate. Even when the license plates were mainly a peach color with sunset on farm-land motif. Indiana is a 'rough around the edges' word and I fancy it to be a symbol of just that kind of place. Do not think 'Indiana Jones.' Its more of a feeling you get when you see that word on a license-plate at 4 in the morning at a gas station in December. It shows through the grey-filth that covers everything. It represents more than the 4 degree wind-chill you just fought to return to your car. It means getting home to loved ones, and enjoying warm nights indoors. It also means there will be fishing in the spring.

I am trying to figure South Carolina out in the same way. If I don't, I may not stay.

Idiosyncratic?

Now Playing: Weezer - Say it Aint So

I've been tagged by Colin to identify and explain 5 idiosyncrasies of mine. In no particular order, here goes nothing:

1. I like to work on boats more than I like to sail or ride in them. As much as my mind likes to escape on a sailboat, I have more fun rigging one, or fixing one up, than I do in cruising around on it. I have a hard time relaxing that much. I'll work on it.

2. I don't play games I can't win. Never have. I will work hard enough at anything I deem as necessary in order to win. I am a poor-sport. I even told my wife that she loses in Checkers everytime because 'I am out to annihilate you.' I am getting better though (so I guess I am winning over the tendancy)

3. Like Colin, I silently repeat lines that I say. I have a habit to analyze how it came out, the inflection, and if I could improve in order to have a better affect. How weird...

4. Like Penny, I swallow my gum before I know what happens. I have a habit of kneeding it a little, and swallowing just a bit at a time. I am so bad, my wife won't give me anymore gum. Hope those stories about it sticking in your stomach aren't true!

5. Like Penny, infidelity on TV or movies pisses me off. I won't watch it. I always think that TV should please me, not make me wonder why the world sucks as much as the people that infest it. Let's go back and watch "Fraggle-Rock."

It was a feeble attempt at identifying some weird characteristics. I bet my friends could help me out.

Updating For Tom

As I'm sure you've noticed, Tom has been unable to update lately so I'm taking over for him. He is now in Okinawa at an Air Force Base (Kadena)and will be for the next month. The Air Force is more strict on what sites you can access.....and blogger is one they don't like. He is working 16 hours days and not liking it. I guess the Marine Corps computers aren't up to par with the Air Force system so he's doing a lot of updating and hot patching- things I have no clue about. He's learning a lot though. And is exhausted.

A Marine he worked with here in Beaufort is now stationed in Japan and let him borrow one of his cars. He has a van for him, a van for his wife and another car so he's letting Tom use it.

Tom should beable to update this weekend. He can do it at the library I think. It closes every night at 6:00 pm and he never gets out of work before then.

And that's the latest......

The Wife~ Alison

IPOD

Now Playing: Ghost of a Good Thing - Dashboard Confessional

I received an IPod in the mail today. Thanks babe! I never thought I would have one. They're way too expensive. But I guess I am loved, and for that I am happy. What a boost in morale. Just what I needed. I feel loved. Never spend that much on me again though. I would settle for cookies!

The Distance Between Us

Lauren is getting married Sept. 17th. I won't be there. In talking to my family, I've realized that I haven't really been around in almost 8 years. I've already missed Easters, Independence Days, Thanksgivings, Halloweens, etc. Somehow missing Lauren's wedding is having more of an effect on me than all that. I guess it's because it's a life's milestone, not merely another routine event. I'm happy for you Lauren; I wish you the best. I guess I know how EVERYONE felt when they missed mine.

The Future Embrace

The Smashing Pumpkins have been my favorite band since Siamese Dream in 1993. But for those familiar with the band, you know it's been a down-hill slide driven by a man with an ever-dwindling sense of the music his fans want to hear. A man that's slowly losing touch.



Noone seems to be able to work with him, and he's been hell-bent on being a self-promoted leader of rock that takes the genre in a completely new direction. He went in a new direction, but noone followed. And yeah, rock probably needed a new direction, but I don't think you can go down the road that Corgan went -- to unenjoyable sound with no artistry.

But with every fall, something's due to rise. Ebb and flow.

Pumpkin-heads everywhere were given a sigh of relief when Zwan released it's only album. But the band's short life sent most of us back underwater.

The newest rise in Pumpkin-land comes with 'The Future Embrace.' Albeit, normal 'Pumpkin-heads' will miss the dreamy guitar rifs, the melodramatic verses of teenage-angst, those of us that grew up a little since 1998 realize that 'The Future Embrace' is a solid first step for Billy.

In this album, Corgan forgets trying to push rock in a new direction and returns to producing good sound and good music. Though this album won't find a big audience, the album will be on 'repeat' for those who never lost faith. Bravo-zulu, Billy Corgan.

Sure, the other reviews you hear will say that the album is crap, that Billy is middle-aged, and that's what he's got left. But do yourself a favor, listen for yourself. NO MATTER WHAT BILLY CAME OUT WITH, THE MEDIA GANG WAS STANDING AT THE DOOR WITH BATS IN HAND.

Oh, but one last thing, Billy. Your album-art sucks this time. You need to re-think it. Anyone that hates where rock has gone, and can't stand these copy-cat new version of the teen-bands, here's your message: This album isn't going to save rock and roll. Not even close. Who can? I'll be waiting, as must you.

Basketball Jones

I had the great fortune to play against a Japanese team in Tokuyama today. Their tallest player was around 5'10. Needless to say, the game was lop-sided from the start. We won by 112 points. I can, however, check off one of my life's to-do's: play on an international court with trapezoidal free-throw lanes.

Click here to see pictures from the day. Here's one to get you started...

Illustration Friday: Tranquility

Now Playing: U2 - Beautiful Day

Not sure this really captured the topic, but it's my first submission.

Now Playing...

Now Playing: Blue Eyes by the Cary Brothers

Danny Amster started each post with what he was listening to at the moment he began writing. It's an innovative writing technique, I think. It's like placing washes on your canvas before you paint it. It gives a little background to the audience, so they're more in-tune to what you're trying to get across. If they care. If they don't, it could still get there subconsciously. It could give you a little help conveying your thought.

My thought is music. Without music, nothing seems to work easily for me. It's the grease in my bearings. It smoothes the ride.

Thanks Dan. I'm officially stealing your idea.

The Good Wife

I was walking down the street yesterday, my belling rumbling, when I thought about home cooking. It sounds SO good. I am living off of Microwavable Chicken Patties. I thought about the nightly ritual in Beaufort, and how dinner is the main event.

Then it dawned on me that my wife cooks all the time, and enjoys her nightly duty. We both have roles, and maybe I've always focused on mine (cleaning up after dinner). But yesterday it dawned on me that it's not natural to be a good cook. It's not natural to seek out recipes, cook them, and then seek my feedback. My wife is into this wife-thing. She's into it, trying really hard, and succeeding. I respect her as the best chef I've ever had. Yay, me, the beneficiary of a loving wife.

So kudo's to my wife. Her heart is in it.

Barbeque Sauce on Corndogs?

So I forgot to write about this before, but it's running accross the screen in my mind now, so here goes:

At the Baseball game, I was so excited to see cordogs and beer for sale. They sell whole entrees of soups and rice, and other japanese delicacies, but I wanted some good american junk at the good american game of baseball. So after figuring out that they wouldn't take the coins in yen, I bought the token required from the machine and approached the counter. I, of course, had to point at what I wanted, my corndog.

I was at the brink of mission accomplishment. The gentlemen barked, 'hai', and smiled.

::Enter slow-motion portion::

He offered me the corndog. I was about to take possession, when his other hand approached the dog, carrying a dark bottle. I screamed 'Noooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!', and tried to withdraw the dog, but it was too late. His hand had begun to squeeze and barbeque sauce splattered over the dog.

::Re-enter regular motion::

I walked away knowing that Japanese try to have american type items, but they always come out askewed in the end.

Then I learned of another Japanese-ism. They don't like napkins.

Dan in Combat

My boy made the front cover! Go Dan! In this picture, you'd imagine him scanning the horizon for the enemy; but in actuality, he's probably trying to keep from eating sand, or scanning to figure out where the heck he is.

Wanna drive one of those? Call 1-800-MARINES.

Losing Visual Interest

Propaganda Card
Originally uploaded by This Cat Tom.

Since I haven't placed a picture on here in awhile, I submit this one.

This is a propaganda flyer for the War Effort in Japan. Japanese were forced to buy warbonds to try to raise money for the war. School children were 'mobilized' into admin jobs in the army.

The Real Deal

I am missing my wife. Especially since she's missing me. I know she needs me; and I give her as much of my time as I have, but I am afraid it's not enough. What's worse is knowing that these are the times we knew would come, but that thought doesn't do any good. Stay strong, love. I'm with you.

Family and Friends

It's been about three weeks since I left. Friends and Family have started to email and keep in touch. That's good, too, because without them, it feels like I am treading water, with nowhere to stand. It's good to get in shallower water.

For those keeping score, I am about to be on the move again. I have found my niche on the 'tip of the spear'. I guess I am like a stage crew for a band. I go early, set up the stage, and then the band comes and rocks out. When the music starts to play; I am already thinking about packing up, and moving to the next town. Be back in six-month's ya'll. I can't wait to see everyone.

I Forgot to tell you about Racquetball

The ball was moving alarmingly fast at first; I never see basketballs moving at that speed. But soon I had the concepts down, and my mind adjusted to the ball's velocity.

I dove more than I think is usual for common racquetballers, judging by the chuckles I could hear from the peanut-gallery. I think the floor is what threw me off. It resembles a basketball court. The resemblance spurred basketball habits into action. I dove at every ball, always continuing the play until the 'ref' blows the whistle (there was no referee). However, my old habits were on one specific play.

With the ball speeding down the wall, I dove. I was so concentrated on the little blue ball that I didn't notice the huge white wall. I splattered across it like a bug on a windshield, moving too fast to control the impact. I missed the ball, and felt sheepish. ::chuckle chuckle again from the crowd::

I walked away from losing the game with the 'old-mule' satisfaction that I had played hard. Next time I'll be that much better.

Driving!

Hey ya'll, I am finally on the left side of the road and running. I have my license for Japanese driving. It's not as weird as you think it'll be. The gas is still on the right, the clutch on the left. You just sit on the left side of the car, and keep yourself near the centerline. Watchout, here I come!

Oh, and the vehicle I am driving is so small, I have to wiggle my left knee under the steering wheel, slide in, and then sit down. If I ever wreck, I'll have to get cut out of the car.

Check out the road signs.

Zero Poster

Zero Poster
Originally uploaded by This Cat Tom.

This is a poster I liked at the Peace Park Museum.

PICS

Well, as requested, here are some pictures...


Carp Fans

Anti-bomb poster from post-war Japan

Streets of Hiroshima

Mitsubishi automatic parking garage. It turns your car in the circle, then moves it onto an escalator.

Baseball in Japan

The Carp won the game in the bottom of the Ninth. It was like going to a college football game, except all the cheerleaders were Men with Karate-kid looking headbands on. The fans just cheered their little brains out. It was quite a riot. It took me half the game to figure out what they were saying; 'home run home run Aye Aye Eee!'

The funniest part of the evening was the walk through the city. I'd lost my friends temporarily, but found them easily, as they were all a head taller than the steady flow of Japanese walkers. It was a vast sea of black hair, with three heads standing still above the surface, wondering where we could find some good food.

JAPANESE SAFETY FEATURES

One peculiarity about Japan is it's innovative safety features, especially geared toward the blind.

All the sidewalks have a 'brail path' in them. Right down the middle of the sidewalk, and the pattern tee's at intersections. When it's safe to walk, the crosswalks beep with what sounds like a small bird's call.

Another safety feature is the three green lights above every truck's windshield. Lights are lit depending on speed. One for slow, two for medium, and when all three lights are lit up, and you're staring at them from your rearview at a stop, it means 'move now or die.'

Sailing and Baseball in Japan

Kinitchiwa! I am going sailing tomorrow morning in the harbor here. It's a 14 ft laser like the one's at Tulane. I can't wait. It'll feel good to know that all the same principles apply in the States AND Japan. The same luff, the same trim, the same feeling that holding on to the rope and leaning back gives you. I can't wait to get a little wet too. I hear it's a pretty busy shipping route, so I'll be on the lookout for freighters. I feel like Pi already.

Tomorrow night my Marines and I are catching a train to Hiroshima to see the Carps play. Their logo looks like the Cincinatti Reds. To read their website, or attempt to, click here. I'll take pictures...

Ich means one
Ni means two
San means three

Arregato means thank you
Don't touch the mustache means you're welcome
Ohio Gaseimas means good morning
Kinitchiwa means good afternoon or 'hi'

and I'll keep you posted!

The conversion to Yen got me yesterday. I thought I took out around 15 bucks from the ATM. Turns out I took out 150. And I finally made it out into town. It's a whole different world out there, not just the one that Grandma claims as different either. Needless to say there was a HUGE language barrier. I am at the counter of a fast-food joint showing 5 fingers, "number five???". She just points at the menu. OK. I give up. I point and laugh. Japanese girls are laughing at me from the right side of the building. I feel like an infant. I cannot function as an adult. I just throw some money down, take my food and run away.

I will post some pictures this week. It's unreal out here. Good photo-opportunities, though it's not paradise. It actually feels like the ghetto in New Orleans, only everything is miniature. The carwash outside base was shorter than I was. Oh, and the little shops, they sell hip-hop knock-off clothes. Don't they know I'm searching for something 'unamerican'? If I wanted a Yankees hat, I'd beat up 50 Cent and take it. I want a lime-green t-shirt that has Kanji letters that for all I can tell, spell "1/2 off Fuji-film at the ready-mart." That's hot!

Driven or done-been-drove

I went to the gym today with the best intentions. Doesn't that say it all?

Yesterday was my first day back in months. I am sore. So I did a few exercises to make other muscles sore too. (you know, the whole balance thing) I couldn't get into it. Normally on days like that I give in and go play basketball. Well I check out a ball, head to the court, push open the doors, and nothing.

Noone's there but me.

This, in the past, is my paradise. Time to think. Time to improve on my drop-step, or any aspect of my game without kids playing loudly, or without trash-talking bigger versions of kids trying to prove something. Peace and quiet.

But today I could not get into it.

Today I shot a few, and finally decided line-drills is what I needed to get the 'old motor' running. Line drills are running drills where one begins at the baseline, rus to each proceeding line and back all the way down the court. Sounds fun, right?

They've never been fun, but I used to be able to complete a few. After one drill, I wanted to do five (even though I couldn't breathe). After two? I knew three would be tough. So it's another one of those "work back up to it" things. I am sick of those. Shouldn't I be in my prime? Do ya'll feel like that?

Hang on now, I feel a little motivation surging through me...

The very interesting exit sign, as promised.



and it's still raining. I am going to buy an umbrella today.

Iwakuni

Hey ya'll. The weirdest thing so far is waking up and still being in Japan. The differences are relentless. You walk across the street, you almost get ran over because you are looking the wrong way. You have to look to the left first here. Oh, and then you're walking down the street and it seems like the cars are pulling over to talk to you... until you realize they're just ON that side.

The exit signs are really cool. I'll take a picture and post it.

I had oyaki donburi for lunch yesterday. It's rice in a bowl with checken and egg on top. I also had Inari, sort of like cornbread balls with rice inside. I noticed that while my American friends got two cans of juice/soda, an entree and an appetizer, the japanese got what seemed like an appetizer and drink, and left. We're all huge fat pigs. It's kind of humorous. It made me want to wear slippers and a karate-kid headband, eat rice, and practice my disciplined kicks and punches until I get cut out of wood.

Then I went to sleep. Maybe I'll find a headband after the food digests... zzz. zzz.

Japan

Hello everyone, I've arived in Japan. Twice.

1st Flight 1 hr.
2nd Flight 4.5 hrs.
3rd Flight 9.4 hrs after just barely finding in time and boarding. They keep military airliners hidden at civilian airports.
Flew in to Yokota. Not my destination. Saw Mt. Fuji and had the song "there goes tokyo" stuck in my head.
4th Flight 1.5 hrs.

I'm here. Japan is pretty. The base is right in the sound. Oh, the first time the driver turned sharp and short left really threw me.

New Orleans was fun. This picture kind of catches what the trip was all about.

I am leaving for Japan this week. I got a lot done in the kitchen... ceiling painted, GFCI outlets, new lights, dimmer switches, etc. I'll put a picture or two up before I leave.

Lake Moultrie Sunset, Friday June 17, 2005.

We snuck out with the boat, went to a place upriver that was delta-like, with reeds, swampgrass, scallop bars, mud, egrets, herons, dolphins, and the like. I pulled the boat into the shallowest water I felt comfortable with, about 10 ft away from where I thought there would be a jetty. I pulled the cast net out and bobbled my way through a few throws. I soon caught the concept, and had a bucket full of whiting, a few shrimp, a crab (I had to pull its snippers off so it wouldn't destroy the fish), and some other bait fish.



Then we went fishing. I need to find deeper water, or convert to fishing flats with
different bait.

I came back at 2:00, dead-low tide. I decided to catch a few more bait fish for freezing, in order to avoid buying more the next time I want to fish and not cast. You should have seen it. In the midst of a low-tide, the water came silent. No waves, no sounds. The clouds began to darken, just as the water came alive. I couldn't keep them out of my net. Something was obviously in chase. In the middle of the stream, dophin were trying to catch their own. I decided to bait one on and let it swim. I cast one cast, and looked down river. You could see the water pouring in the air, like a thick fog woven into curtains on a long window. It was coming towards the boat, my glass water, and the day.

I'd barely driven away, boat retrieved, when the down-pour caught us.
'Perfect timing' is what I thought as I rolled homeward. Perfect day.