Friend from Seattle is visiting

In between his 9-month long contracts at Microsoft, he gets 3 months of down time so that Microsoft can keep him around without having to hire him on as a permanent employee. So he decided to come out here to Japan for a 2-week visit.

We went out last Thursday to Tsukishima for some tasty, tasty monja. If someone ever gives you the choice of monja or okonomiyaki, always pick monja. It's not much to look at, but it is just about the best food in Japan.

Yesterday, we went over to Makuhari to check out the Nissan super-dealership Carest to see about test-driving a Z or Skyline. Without a valid Japanese license, he was out of luck. No big loss, they are both available in the U.S., the Skyline called the Infiniti G35.

Afterwards, we stopped in at Super Autobacs to check out some car accessories. He's a big rice-fan, so it was like reaching his own personal Mecca.

We headed back home for dinner, where my wife had ordered some Japanese pizza. And I took him back to Tokyo Disneyland to catch his train back to Shibuya.

Lots of fun, but too much time spent in traffic. Next time someone comes out, I'll have to think of something more interesting to do in Chiba than sit on 357 all afternoon.

Caught a cold

For about 3 weeks now, everyone in Tokyo has had a cold. Everyone on the train is sniffling or coughing. I had avoided that fate until Monday.

It seems this "high-filtration" facemask doesn't filter all viruses.

Well, like any good Japanese office drone, I am at work today and spreading it to the remaning healthy members of the workforce. Just doing my job.