~Lost In Translation~

Look into their eyes.  I’m talking about everyone’s eyes.  No really, next time you are speaking to someone, or just simply sitting with someone, look into their eyes and see them.  Really see them.  Often times I’m so familiar with a person, a face, that I forget to really look further, you know, past the first layer.  It’s almost chilling what you can find in someone’s eyes.

In retrospect, when someone looks at me in the same way, it’s one of the most surreal experiences.  One person, taking the time to actually look, you know, deeper, can really be moving.  I imagine the only true “window” as it’s been put, into the soul, is through the eyes.

When you want to know someone further, when you think you’ve learned all you can, there is so much more in a place much deeper.  I have nothing more to say really, nothing further to add…just look.

Today I woke up at 1300 (1pm for you fellow westerners) to the sound of what seemed like water hitting my window.  Most call this rain, I call this a miracle.  We haven’t had rain here in over a month so it is completely welcomed.  Three hours later, I realized this “rain” was actually from Typhoon Kompasu.  Needing food for lunch, I ventured out toward to local grocery.  I had no idea what was about to happen…

You can’t really get the full effect of how deep the flooding was, but this is as far as we ventured out with the camera as the rain was a bit ridiculous.

Notice Ben in the streets, water above the knees.  The shrubbery is almost completely covered as well…

After playing around in the flood water with friends for a bit, my dear friend Tamerra (who just bought a brilliant camera) decided to indulge in a semi amazing photo shoot.  Ok, so maybe only a few pictures were taken, but they are definitely ones that will be sent home to mom…

A little street swimming action.

And of course I couldn’t resist take a picture with the emergency crew (who were busy giving piggy back rides to the old japanese women completely stuck in the deep sections of the water.)

There will be more documentation to come as footage comes in, but in the mean time, I hope you enjoyed my little adventure with Typhoon Kompasu!

So as posted earlier, I met up in Shibuya with a new friend Michael.  Check him out at www.tokyoho.tumblr.com.  Seems social networking can indeed bring some pretty cool people into your life.  New friend mixed with new cities intertwined with new food = a pretty brilliant evening.

Anyway, after a 7 hour photo shoot, I headed to Shibuya to meet Michael not long before he took me to an authentic Japanese fish market stand up restaurant.  I’m sure there is a more accurate name for such an establishment, but for now, “Authentic Japanese Fish Market Stand Up Restaurant…Place” works for me. :)

Me at the AJFMSURP.

Enter new character…Michael!

After chatting it up for awhile and having a few beers, the beautiful Emi joined us :)  Emi and Michael are new transplants here in Tokyo having come all the way from Vancouver/Toronto :)

(this picture is taken later on in the evening, but is muy importante that I show this beautiful lady)

Emi-Chan

So, Michael invited me to this restaurant as it’s one of his and Emi’s favorite spots.  That being said, I have NEVER in my life eaten anything that I was served on this particular evening.  Michael established the beginning of the meal by ordering oysters.  I’ve never eaten oysters.  I’ve stayed away from the smell of oysters.  I’ve had no desire to try oysters.

Turns out I like oysters…

Ok so I don’t have a picture of myself eating the next item on the menu, but I do indeed have a picture of Michael enjoying, how do you say, a raw fish?  No really, this is a fish, that is whole, with bones, and brains, and possibly little babies floating around in her belly?  Not sure, but I was indeed confronted with such food, consumed stated food, and very much so enjoyed the beautiful little bony creature.

Michael eating what i’ll call, “fish”.

Showing the more delicate side of “fish” consumption :)

Ok, so the rest of our evening together has been beautifully documented, but you will have to either check out Michael’s tumblr at www.tokyoho.tumblr.com or look at the reblog on my page called, “lost in translation…with a new friend?”.  In short, there was more beer, more food, much shibuya, many sticky pics, adorable animals, and a cho genki train ride home.

After Michael departed and Emi and I headed on our train toward our respective houses, I decided to take advantage of using my camera to document some of my favorite characters on the train ride.  Only two really conveyed stories to me…stories by which I have made up in my head :)

Enter…”Lady With Rose”

I don’t know much about “Lady With Rose”, but I imagine her to be called Rieko.  Why?  No reason other than I like the name Rieko.  Ok.  So check out how happy she is.  She is on the last train home, clearly just left an amazing first date.  Whomever she is dating totally establishes a good first impression as she is STILL smiling and didn’t dump the rose in the subway trash can.  It’s also fair to assume that they just left one another and are texting to express how wonderful their time was and how they would “love to do it again sometime soon.”  I mean, this is all assumption.  She could be on her way to see her grandma in the nursing home.  I like to think Rieko is involved with a new and blooming love affair :).  Get it.  Blooming…Rose?  

Moving on.

“Man With Grey Hair”

“Man With Grey Hair” is a wonderful piece.  You see…one thing about Japanese culture is that everyone works hard.  Everyone works long hours typically six days a week.  It’s intense and most typically exhausting for the working man/woman.  MWGH though holds his head with vigor and energy.  As he heads home, I imagine he is smiling at the thought of his beautiful wife waiting for him with open arms.  He works hard to provide for his family as he has his entire life.  The difference between him and most men he works with is that he hasn’t become cold, bitter, hardened if you will.  He goes to work every day and then goes home to his family at night looking forward to the next day off he has to spend with his grandchildren.  I like “Man With Grey Hair.”  

Well that’s all for now.  Keep your eye open for a post coming in the next hour or so sharing my first “fish” eating experience (with special guests Michael and Emi to boot).

Love and well wishes to all.

me.x