hey folks. greetings from the future. it's already tuesday over here and i realize now that the holiday weekend will keep my journals from getting on the site until tomorrow most likely, so here's an update to keep your eyeballs glazed over for one more night.
------------------------------------------------
09.05.05
Little. Purple. Different.
I knew the little purple pill would put me to sleep, but since there were no other instructions handed to me by the pill passer I hadnt a clue as to what to expect when I landed in Osaka. I slept the entire 10 hours and 45 minutes with no trouble at all. I missed 4 films, two meals, and a chance to use my new I-Go system that allows me to plug my computer into seat 13A. Yes I took the upgrade option upon check-in. Id rather sleep at a 45-degree angle than no angle at all, plus I was relying on the pill to take me that extra 45 degrees and have me flat on my back. It worked. And despite my fear of sitting in the 13th row, I had no problems with superstition being I was in such a super-unconscious state.
We landed in Osaka, Japan at 4:20 to Tocas delight. Hes never short on missing a 4:20 reference. Its Sunday afternoon already, even though we took off early Saturday morning. Ive always loved this international dateline crossing. Its as close as Im gonna get to time travel. I always expect to look and feel older when I land and maybe have gained some insight to the universe, like that movie Millennium, which I never saw, but the previews implied an airline crossing some kind of transcendental threshold and gave all of the onboard passengers and crew the ride of their lives. I think aliens and angels were involved. None of that happened for me. Though I did feel like aliens were all around me when I got off the plane. Everyone was shorter and speaking some strange language I couldnt understand. Everything sounded Japanese.
We dropped off our bags and went straight to dinner. We on this trip means Myself along with Toca Rivera, Matt our tour manager whos basically here to make sure we have a wake up call and can get bailed out of jail should we find ourselves in the wrong, and Dennis, the pickiest eater in the universe whos here for comic relief at restaurants as well as serving as engineer during our first ever Japanese recording sessions. Its been a dream of mine since first visiting Japan many years ago to record new music and capture new ideas in melody while surrounded by such bizarre behavior and foreign confusion and of course missing my lady. Its easier to write songs when there is a longing to do so or longing for something. This seemed like a long-enough way away for the task.
So dinner was fun. Ill put anything in my body and I did. I never knew eyeballs and toenails were so good for you. Our guide said that the Japanese people eat every part as a sign of respect for the animal dish. It makes sense. When we eat chicken, Im sure there are things that get tossed into the wayside. Thats why I like hot-dogs so much. To enjoy a hot dog is to respect the pig by eating its leftovers compressed into a tasty rubber cylinder. So I ate the eyeballs and watched Dennis chew ever so quickly as he tried scallops for the first time, as well as a variety of seaweed and cold meats doused in beer. The beer was the chaser. I personally enjoy the taste of foods and chew them thoroughly. The word of the day from Dictionary.com defines me well I would say.
Sybarite A person devoted to luxury and pleasure.
I drank the beer too. This is where my concern for the purple pill comes to play. After two drinks my exhaustion re-introduced itself those at the table. Were it not for the spices on the giant shrimp eyeballs I wouldve keeled over on the cooking surface tabletop, similar to those seen at Japanese Steak houses in the states. I guess youre not supposed to mix alcohol and purple for quite some time. The result made me sluggish, zombified and retarded. I thought a walk after the meal would offer some sobriety but all the lights and strange noises made this simple task near impossible. I oozed back the hotel and at a reasonable 9pm I hit the sack.
Our guide was worried about us going to bed so early in fear that Id wake up at some god-awful hour. She was right. Ive been up since 5am Monday on the Japanese clock, which is the same as 1pm Sunday Pacific time. Its no bother to me. I enjoy watching the darkness fade to grey in monsoon season. I enjoy having 5 hours to myself before I go to work. This allows me to type a word or two and wake Dennis up with the tapping sound Im making and before long well begin our international recording sessions that will someday lend itself to the next album.
Its been a year since I wrote and recorded Mr. A-Z so its only natural that Im already thinking of the next one. I require a great amount of meditation to have to hit the road performing those songs since to me its so last year. To make up for this living in the past I have to be creating for the present to satisfy my soul, thus making the future a place I look forward to going.
Here are some fun facts about Mr. A-Z and the upcoming tour:
Other titles for the album included:
Planes. Cranes, and Autonomous Feels
The Night Julia Forgot About Her Long-Term Relationship
Dr. A-Z (but since I never finished college, this would have been a lie)
Hit Songs for Hot Tubs
and 500 more to be released someday for giggles.
We have new guitar picks on this tour for those who position themselves to catch them. Collect all four. Picks read Mr. A-Z on one side. The other side offers:
Be Rad! (An uplifting suggestion)
Stay Fresh! (Like a pat on the back)
Geek (simple yet sophisticated)
2-hip (celebrating my friends Bike company 2-hip bikes, and my love for Kelly Clarkson who abbreviates her song titles the way prince used 2, U know?)
The rain outside my window makes me wonder if the monsoon coming will be as devastating as what just happened in Louisiana. I wonder how I would react to something like that. I mean, being so close to the action. I mentioned before in past journals that Im rarely affected by natural disasters and terrorist related events. This is still true. Though I am trying to put myself into a frame of mind of actually being there and considering what must be done to help those who are suddenly homeless and ailing in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Zoom out to view planet earth from afar. Do you see any people walking around? Were not even the size of ants when youre looking at this place from space. Have we ever cared for the extinction of certain animals if theyre not cute and cuddly? Do we expect to rule this planet until the end of time? The Nature of the Beast is that The Beast is Nature. Yes, we should do what we can do in our power to make the healing possible for those affected. Recovery is a must and is only possible if we have hugs to give to show our faith in humanity.
Last week I was the most bummed out Ive been in recent years. I couldnt figure it out. I was taking my vitamins, getting plenty of sleep, drinking lots of water, surfing everyday and so on. I was eating right and holding the hand of the girl I adore. In rehearsals our songs were shaping up nicely. I had every reason to be happy and fulfilled. Yet I was miserable and couldnt shake a feeling of doubt about life and all it has to offer. I wasnt reading the paper nor am I able to watch the news since I dont own a TV. I had missed the report about the devastation in the south. Then it hit me while I was meditating with focus only on nature and peace, What I had most likely been absorbing all week was the horrific energy coming from the rising waters in New Orleans and reacting to the many deaths and cries for help. My belief for life on earth is closest to that of the Hindus, though I have never studied religion past a few new age books and growing up in a Baptist church. I like to believe God is everything entertaining itself in some way. This explains attraction and unity and so on. This is also why and how I get off on performance, placing myself in front of many Gods and feeling so empowered. So when shit goes down close to home its easy to be affected even if you turn a blind eye to whats really going on. My heart and nerves well up with worry and suffering. To cure this condition, as Im sure Im not the only one whos down and out from time to time. do something for others as it will come back to you like a breath of fresh air. Contact the Red-Cross or local food-bank or something. You dont need to hear it from me to know how to help. There are hundreds of helpful organizations out there already. Do what works for you. Its your world for a limited time. Your choice will be the best choice.
Those are my cents for today and Im a day ahead of you guys so I can safely say the future looks bright, despite a little rain. The purple is out of my system. I know this because my pee reeked of asparagus, a terrific anti-oxidant. My head is level and my heart is beating a steady rhythm. Thanks for reading all this as usual. I like to think Im just typing to myself anyway, but I know Im heard since were one in the same.
More to come from Japan throughout the week
-------------------------------------------------
09.06.05
It might be giants.
So theres a correction I need to make about the last entry and my reference to the Hindus. I asked around here in Japan and its actually the Shinto religion that believes God is in everything. I never got a direct answer on the Hindus faith but the few folks I asked kept referring to an elephant with Brobdingnagian hand gestures. Brobdingnag of course being the land in Gullivers Travels where giants lived I think. Im not sure what they believed either, but I would think if you were a Giant youd have a better idea of where you went when you died being closer to heaven and all.
I had fun at Japanese class this morning. I learned the alphabet, the numbers, and solfege. You know Solfege. Its the international language of music. Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do In USA we have song to remember syllables. Its a silly song, but never did I realize how silly until I translated the Japanese version, which is sung to the same melody but has different meaning so Japanese student can relate to sound. My broken engrish is necessary for this exercise as well. For those who dont know our version of the song, its simple.
Do, a deer, a female deer
Re, a drop of golden sun.
Mi, a name I call myself
Fa, a long long way to run
So, a needle pulling thread
La, a note to follow so
Ti, a drink with Jam and Bread
That will bring us back to Doe and so on
As you can see its nothing more than defining what we think those syllables sound like so they become easy to remember. Now heres the Japanese version translated.
Do, Like Doughnut from the Doughnut Store
Re, it comes from a lemon
Mi, A name thats comes from everybody
Fa, Because we love to fight
So, it comes from the Solar (meaning sky)
La, it sounds from a trumpet
Ti, its about happiness
And that takes us back to the doughnut store
I just thought these were fun observations. The typhoon down south is going to miss us. Thats always a positive observation too. I have plans to visit a Mt. Fuji theme park on Thursday to ride world biggest, scariest, fastest roller coaster. Our guide say she will not ride because she will die. I find that hard to believe but the Japanese are pretty hardcore. I wouldnt be surprised if the coaster actually did kill you. God is in everything over here remember? Its a Shinto coaster and you must be a giant to ride.
Todays post was brought to you in contemptuous mirth by our friends at Dictionary.com.
Word of the day: Deride a verb. To Mock.
------------------------------------------------
09.05.05
Little. Purple. Different.
I knew the little purple pill would put me to sleep, but since there were no other instructions handed to me by the pill passer I hadnt a clue as to what to expect when I landed in Osaka. I slept the entire 10 hours and 45 minutes with no trouble at all. I missed 4 films, two meals, and a chance to use my new I-Go system that allows me to plug my computer into seat 13A. Yes I took the upgrade option upon check-in. Id rather sleep at a 45-degree angle than no angle at all, plus I was relying on the pill to take me that extra 45 degrees and have me flat on my back. It worked. And despite my fear of sitting in the 13th row, I had no problems with superstition being I was in such a super-unconscious state.
We landed in Osaka, Japan at 4:20 to Tocas delight. Hes never short on missing a 4:20 reference. Its Sunday afternoon already, even though we took off early Saturday morning. Ive always loved this international dateline crossing. Its as close as Im gonna get to time travel. I always expect to look and feel older when I land and maybe have gained some insight to the universe, like that movie Millennium, which I never saw, but the previews implied an airline crossing some kind of transcendental threshold and gave all of the onboard passengers and crew the ride of their lives. I think aliens and angels were involved. None of that happened for me. Though I did feel like aliens were all around me when I got off the plane. Everyone was shorter and speaking some strange language I couldnt understand. Everything sounded Japanese.
We dropped off our bags and went straight to dinner. We on this trip means Myself along with Toca Rivera, Matt our tour manager whos basically here to make sure we have a wake up call and can get bailed out of jail should we find ourselves in the wrong, and Dennis, the pickiest eater in the universe whos here for comic relief at restaurants as well as serving as engineer during our first ever Japanese recording sessions. Its been a dream of mine since first visiting Japan many years ago to record new music and capture new ideas in melody while surrounded by such bizarre behavior and foreign confusion and of course missing my lady. Its easier to write songs when there is a longing to do so or longing for something. This seemed like a long-enough way away for the task.
So dinner was fun. Ill put anything in my body and I did. I never knew eyeballs and toenails were so good for you. Our guide said that the Japanese people eat every part as a sign of respect for the animal dish. It makes sense. When we eat chicken, Im sure there are things that get tossed into the wayside. Thats why I like hot-dogs so much. To enjoy a hot dog is to respect the pig by eating its leftovers compressed into a tasty rubber cylinder. So I ate the eyeballs and watched Dennis chew ever so quickly as he tried scallops for the first time, as well as a variety of seaweed and cold meats doused in beer. The beer was the chaser. I personally enjoy the taste of foods and chew them thoroughly. The word of the day from Dictionary.com defines me well I would say.
Sybarite A person devoted to luxury and pleasure.
I drank the beer too. This is where my concern for the purple pill comes to play. After two drinks my exhaustion re-introduced itself those at the table. Were it not for the spices on the giant shrimp eyeballs I wouldve keeled over on the cooking surface tabletop, similar to those seen at Japanese Steak houses in the states. I guess youre not supposed to mix alcohol and purple for quite some time. The result made me sluggish, zombified and retarded. I thought a walk after the meal would offer some sobriety but all the lights and strange noises made this simple task near impossible. I oozed back the hotel and at a reasonable 9pm I hit the sack.
Our guide was worried about us going to bed so early in fear that Id wake up at some god-awful hour. She was right. Ive been up since 5am Monday on the Japanese clock, which is the same as 1pm Sunday Pacific time. Its no bother to me. I enjoy watching the darkness fade to grey in monsoon season. I enjoy having 5 hours to myself before I go to work. This allows me to type a word or two and wake Dennis up with the tapping sound Im making and before long well begin our international recording sessions that will someday lend itself to the next album.
Its been a year since I wrote and recorded Mr. A-Z so its only natural that Im already thinking of the next one. I require a great amount of meditation to have to hit the road performing those songs since to me its so last year. To make up for this living in the past I have to be creating for the present to satisfy my soul, thus making the future a place I look forward to going.
Here are some fun facts about Mr. A-Z and the upcoming tour:
Other titles for the album included:
Planes. Cranes, and Autonomous Feels
The Night Julia Forgot About Her Long-Term Relationship
Dr. A-Z (but since I never finished college, this would have been a lie)
Hit Songs for Hot Tubs
and 500 more to be released someday for giggles.
We have new guitar picks on this tour for those who position themselves to catch them. Collect all four. Picks read Mr. A-Z on one side. The other side offers:
Be Rad! (An uplifting suggestion)
Stay Fresh! (Like a pat on the back)
Geek (simple yet sophisticated)
2-hip (celebrating my friends Bike company 2-hip bikes, and my love for Kelly Clarkson who abbreviates her song titles the way prince used 2, U know?)
The rain outside my window makes me wonder if the monsoon coming will be as devastating as what just happened in Louisiana. I wonder how I would react to something like that. I mean, being so close to the action. I mentioned before in past journals that Im rarely affected by natural disasters and terrorist related events. This is still true. Though I am trying to put myself into a frame of mind of actually being there and considering what must be done to help those who are suddenly homeless and ailing in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.
Zoom out to view planet earth from afar. Do you see any people walking around? Were not even the size of ants when youre looking at this place from space. Have we ever cared for the extinction of certain animals if theyre not cute and cuddly? Do we expect to rule this planet until the end of time? The Nature of the Beast is that The Beast is Nature. Yes, we should do what we can do in our power to make the healing possible for those affected. Recovery is a must and is only possible if we have hugs to give to show our faith in humanity.
Last week I was the most bummed out Ive been in recent years. I couldnt figure it out. I was taking my vitamins, getting plenty of sleep, drinking lots of water, surfing everyday and so on. I was eating right and holding the hand of the girl I adore. In rehearsals our songs were shaping up nicely. I had every reason to be happy and fulfilled. Yet I was miserable and couldnt shake a feeling of doubt about life and all it has to offer. I wasnt reading the paper nor am I able to watch the news since I dont own a TV. I had missed the report about the devastation in the south. Then it hit me while I was meditating with focus only on nature and peace, What I had most likely been absorbing all week was the horrific energy coming from the rising waters in New Orleans and reacting to the many deaths and cries for help. My belief for life on earth is closest to that of the Hindus, though I have never studied religion past a few new age books and growing up in a Baptist church. I like to believe God is everything entertaining itself in some way. This explains attraction and unity and so on. This is also why and how I get off on performance, placing myself in front of many Gods and feeling so empowered. So when shit goes down close to home its easy to be affected even if you turn a blind eye to whats really going on. My heart and nerves well up with worry and suffering. To cure this condition, as Im sure Im not the only one whos down and out from time to time. do something for others as it will come back to you like a breath of fresh air. Contact the Red-Cross or local food-bank or something. You dont need to hear it from me to know how to help. There are hundreds of helpful organizations out there already. Do what works for you. Its your world for a limited time. Your choice will be the best choice.
Those are my cents for today and Im a day ahead of you guys so I can safely say the future looks bright, despite a little rain. The purple is out of my system. I know this because my pee reeked of asparagus, a terrific anti-oxidant. My head is level and my heart is beating a steady rhythm. Thanks for reading all this as usual. I like to think Im just typing to myself anyway, but I know Im heard since were one in the same.
More to come from Japan throughout the week
-------------------------------------------------
09.06.05
It might be giants.
So theres a correction I need to make about the last entry and my reference to the Hindus. I asked around here in Japan and its actually the Shinto religion that believes God is in everything. I never got a direct answer on the Hindus faith but the few folks I asked kept referring to an elephant with Brobdingnagian hand gestures. Brobdingnag of course being the land in Gullivers Travels where giants lived I think. Im not sure what they believed either, but I would think if you were a Giant youd have a better idea of where you went when you died being closer to heaven and all.
I had fun at Japanese class this morning. I learned the alphabet, the numbers, and solfege. You know Solfege. Its the international language of music. Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do In USA we have song to remember syllables. Its a silly song, but never did I realize how silly until I translated the Japanese version, which is sung to the same melody but has different meaning so Japanese student can relate to sound. My broken engrish is necessary for this exercise as well. For those who dont know our version of the song, its simple.
Do, a deer, a female deer
Re, a drop of golden sun.
Mi, a name I call myself
Fa, a long long way to run
So, a needle pulling thread
La, a note to follow so
Ti, a drink with Jam and Bread
That will bring us back to Doe and so on
As you can see its nothing more than defining what we think those syllables sound like so they become easy to remember. Now heres the Japanese version translated.
Do, Like Doughnut from the Doughnut Store
Re, it comes from a lemon
Mi, A name thats comes from everybody
Fa, Because we love to fight
So, it comes from the Solar (meaning sky)
La, it sounds from a trumpet
Ti, its about happiness
And that takes us back to the doughnut store
I just thought these were fun observations. The typhoon down south is going to miss us. Thats always a positive observation too. I have plans to visit a Mt. Fuji theme park on Thursday to ride world biggest, scariest, fastest roller coaster. Our guide say she will not ride because she will die. I find that hard to believe but the Japanese are pretty hardcore. I wouldnt be surprised if the coaster actually did kill you. God is in everything over here remember? Its a Shinto coaster and you must be a giant to ride.
Todays post was brought to you in contemptuous mirth by our friends at Dictionary.com.
Word of the day: Deride a verb. To Mock.
