A brief update...

Well, it's been a slow day at the desk. I have managed to get quite a bit of my research organized. I am out of the office for the next two days, so hopefully I can finish most of my organization on Friday.

I am going to the Taiwanese Cultural and Economic Office in Yokohama tomorrow to start the visa application process, but apparently I have to come back the next day to actually get my visa. I am also moving tomorrow morning, so I will be wiped out tomorrow night. The annual Perry and the Black Ships festival is this weekend, and I have to work at the reception desk and MC for a small gathering (only about 200 people). I will be with Noro-san, a lady in the International Affairs Division with a great sense of humor on stage leading a toast. Again, it is weird to be asked to do this because I don't drink, but I don't think anyone will complain when I insist on having tea since I am (sort of) a city employee and it is in the middle of the afternoon. There will be representatives from the city and the U.S. Navy, which is why they want a native Japanese and native English speaker on stage. I love their idea of translation here: they write out and translate what we are to say beforehand so all I have to do is read a short script. Brilliant!

There will be a fireworks show at night, then I have to wake up really early to go to the beach with Maiko and her family. Monday is Sea Day, a national holiday here, so I don't have to come into work. It will be a busy 3 day weekend, but it should be fun.

It's almost 5:00, so it's almost time to go. It's nice and cool outside today compared to yesterday, so I am looking forward to a nice, long walk home. I will have to grab a bite to eat at the convenience store, so watch out Onigiriman! I had some really good cheap sushi for lunch today. It's hard to believe how expensive the crappy sushi back in Missouri was. I had some great nigiri sushi made while I wait for like $8, which would have cost 3 or 4 times as much in the midwest. It was great, but I guess it wasn't enough, because I am starving!