Well, well. It's the last day of the year and what a year it's been. I don't wish to get sappy here but I think I need to say a few words to some of you.
Thanks to those of you helped me get to where I am today. I might forget someone here but I'll try not to. To Gaylyn for allowing me a fairly easy opportunity to get back in school and as always for putting up with me. To Rigel for giving me a way to get out of a situation I didn't like three years ago and getting this whole ball rolling. To Carla for pushing me to sign up for school that one day three years ago. To Nancy for being a great boss and giving me hours of enjoyable conversation. To Dr. Adjaye, Dr. Troup, Dr. Case, and Dr. Hemphill for being not only my teachers but my friends too. I actually learned a few things in your classes and had a good time doing so. To Ray, Judy, and Matt for being the coolest family a guy could have, for giving me some of the most enjoyable moments in my life and for showing me that baseball really is a great sport (go Giants!). To my mother and father for generally just being good parents and friends but also for helping me in the financial department when needed and for braving the LA traffic to get us to the airport in July. And to Amy for deciding to do this whole thing with me, putting up with me, showing me that relationships aren't all that bad, and for accepting my restlessness.
There are others to thank, I am sure, but I am drawing a blank right now. I know many people have helped me along my way and I do appreciate that.
Anyway, enough about all that. Starting to sound like one of those annoying awards show speeches.
But thanks to all.

I don't think I've mentioned my neighbor, Mashi, yet. So let me do so now.
Mashi is a Japanese guy, maybe in his mid-fifties or so, who lives in one of the houses just below my apartment complex. There are two ways to get to my building (by bike or on foot, there's only one by car) and I usually take the way that basically cuts right by his house. I'm not sure how many people live in his house but at some point I started recognizing faces and we took to greeting each other as I passed.
Then, back in October, Robin invited Amy and me to that neighborhood sports festival I wrote about in here a while back. It was there that I really "met" Mashi and he seemed like a really nice guy. His English is only a little better than my Japanese but we were able to communicate using a few words and gestures. So ever since the festival Mashi and I sometimes stop and try to talk. Our conversations are tough but it's really nothing more than how are you?, nice day today, and stuff like that.
More than once, though, Mashi has given me small presents. Once, Amy and I were biking home from somewhere and were within about two minutes of home when a scooter pulls up along side of us and the guy in the helmet starts speaking to us. It was Mashi, he had a bag of oranges and persimmons by his feet, and was asking us if we'd like some. So after stopping and figuring out what it was he was getting at, I said that I did like the fruit and he told me to pick some out for myself and Amy. So I took about three oranges and two persimmons.
Then another time I was coming up the driveway and he was pulling out in his car when we both stopped to "talk". We had said a few words to each other when he suddenly started fumbling around with a bag in his passenger's seat and pulls out five pieces of bamboo. Turns out that Mashi made these five small vases by cutting and burning (possibly more) them. So he offered me one. I looked at him and remember thinking, "You were obviously taking these somewhere. Wasn't that important?" But I figured that if I didn't take one he might think I didn't like them or some such thing, so I took one and then he offered me another for Amy. So out of five bamboo vases he left with three. (Ok, I just took a picture of it...see if it comes out below...I don't have anything in it)




Another time Mashi and I were talking when out of nowhere he asked me if I like apples and then disappeared for a minute into his house and came out with three large apples for me.
So after all this, I am having Amy bring him something from the States upon her return. I hope whatever she gets he likes it. But really I think that to the Japanese the act of giving the gift is a much more important aspect of the whole transaction.
So, my point in introducing you to Mashi is this. The other day, after my bike ride, I went to the grocery store and was returning when I ran into him in his driveway. We did the usual verbal struggle when he asked me where Amy was. So I told him and he asked me what I was doing for New Year's eve. I said I didn't know about that, but told him of my plan for New Year's Day, which involves getting on my bike and going up to the Takeda shrine (if I can find it) and seeing what the good people of Kofu are up to. I hear the Takeda shrine is the busiest one in Yamanashi on New Year's Day.
So upon learning that I had no plans for the eve, he asked me if I knew about the events at the Tokoji (my area of Kofu) shrine. I said I didn't and he mentioned that they will ring the bell 108 times (why 108? I don't know) at midnight and asked if I would go with him and his family. So I said, "Hell, Yes!" without the "hell" part and he took my number so that he can call at 11:45pm and I'll go down and meet him.
You see, this is why I stayed in Japan. All my friends left to go home or on vacation which, I guess, is one way to do it. But my attitude is that I moved to Japan to see the culture, meet some of the people, and explore the country. Why would I leave on the biggest holiday of the year? That would be like living in America (or the West in general) and leaving during Xmas week. I think that this is a great opportunity to see how another culture celebrates it's most important holiday of the year. Seems to me that missing this would be tragic. But, to each their own and all that.
Anyway, tonight I am going to the Tokoji shrine with Mashi and his family to see and hear the sights and sounds. Should be fun.

So that is all for today. Happy New Year to all.