It's New Years, Let's Clean . . .

Good Evening and a Happy New Year to All

A couple of days ago I had the pleasure of showing around a few good old friends from Seattle, the Pulkrabek brothers, Colin and Werdna. We started off by having a bite at the kaitenzushi spot and then walked through the covered shopping centre at Sanjo and Kawaramachi Dori (the centre of Kyoto). The clothing stores in Japan are ridiculous. Shinier boots, tighter shirts, phonier furs and even more unnecessary accessories than any other place in the world. The funniest article of clothing I saw resembled a pair of jeans, if you can even call it that. You know how sometimes when it gets a bit warm out and you'll tie the extra layer that your wearing around your waist, well waste no more time and by the all new, flannel-already-sown-on-the-back-of-your-pants jeans. It was priceless, besides the 5000 yen price tag that is. After the shopping spree we strolled on over to the ever popular A-Bar, which is constantly filled to brim with foreigners and Japanese alike. Being around sibilings, especially out partying was really nice, considering my sister and I always get down when we are out and about. The Pulkrabek brothers and I found ourselves singing and rapping in the middle of the bar over a few delicious Yebisu beers across from a few Koreans who seemed really interested in our session. Yeah that was a good night.

I feel good today. I finally started a term paper about the affects of right-wing Japanese history textbooks on current Japanese U.S. realtions, I received a lovely package from my folks (thanks guys), I got a message from my sister who is in the midst of what sounds like another amazing trip in the land of Israel, and I cleaned my room. I even scrubbed my desks, which were pretty much holding the record of what I had been eating for the past three and a half months. I am a brand new man.

The sun was setting behind the mountains of Arashiyama as I went for a last minute trip to the super market before tonights festivities. Gyoumu Supa (Gyoumu Super Market) was packed with old and young filling there baskets with mostly noodles, mochi (a glutonous rice paste in small cake form), natto (fermented beans), and mikan (also known and satsuma's to the wild west). I was picking up noodles and fermented beans as well-just imagine how well I blend in here. On this imortant night a few good friends from the dorm and Junko, from the latke making episode, are going to gather for a nabe (hot pot) party.

2007, washed down with some piping hot broth, tofu, cabbage, mushrooms, daikon raddish, and beer-just the way I pictured it.

So Happy New Year to All and I hope those who haven't taken a second to reflect on this past year-who you met, who you said goodbye to, where you went, where you returned to-do so and do so slowly with thought and purpose.

Shout out to Colin and Andrew Pulkrabek, a couple of close brothers, musicians, good friends, and the source of all that is PulkraPower.

Until 2008.