(Just because I was told about emailing keitai photos directly to flickr by Jordon, so random gems like this are already online, and also because honestly, how often do you see a beached Shark in the middle of Shibuya?)

Trekked to Hiroo this morning to the International School of the Sacred Heart, which is just like a big North American High school picked up and chucked across the ocean to meet coach Lance of I Can Gymnastics. He's been running his program for like thirty years, and actually coached Lisle, which is how I got in touch with him. I arrived after their class finished, so I didn't get to see any of how they work, but I'll be going back next week to watch a morning of classes, and I think later in the spring I might start coaching for him which would be cool. They do all their classes in the various international schools, so they're all in English, which obviously is a bit key!

After that I headed to Shibuya to pick up a copy of Metropolis and also teach, at the New Yorkers Cafe at one. As usual, it was fine, nothing exactly earth shattering happened, we talked about the concept of being 'otaku', maid cafes, Japanese schools, getting a visa for the states, and his upcoming visit to New York, in general the average list of topics we tend to get through. Tomorrow I teach taxi guy, but not the girl - her mom called to cancel because of a volleyball game or something, so I'll have enough time to come home before soccer (new cleats, yea!) Which is exciting!

Got home at about 3, and found out that Peter's surprise for tonight that he wouldn't tell me about last night fell through (we were maybe going to go see Cirque du Soleil), but we can do that another time, since they're here till May, and the tent is steps from our door. Hitomi had to go home, so Peter and I spent a few hours trying to come up with an acceptable plan b. We finally decided we wanted Mexican, and then it was about another hour of trying to make some kind of plan before we finally ended up heading out to pick up Kong and go to Zest in Moto something or other I think. (They all kinda blend together in embassy land down there!) Zest is pretty good for tasty Mexicanish food! I had the make your own fajitas which is always tasty, plus we split delicious nachos, and shrimp and kalamari, which I tried, and it was OK, but the squid was kinda chewy... I fully voluntarily ate fish though, which becoming a much more regular occurance over here! It's OK as long as it doesn't taste 'fishy' :).

As usual when Kong is around it was good fun - got to hear a bit about his recent trip to Hawaii, and he and Peter spent quite a bit of time chatting about the exciting new Orbitune stuff coming down the pipeline, I like these projects since for once I actually understand what's going on, and it's going to be something pretty cool to be able to tell people about when I get the invariable 'so what is it, exactly, that your uncle does here?' question. Just as we were finishing dinner, a very loud group of very dressed up people came in, rather a bit sloshed already, and started up some kind of after party, it was rather rambunctious!

Anyway, we left around 10:30, dropped Kong off at his place and then came back here, where I proceeded to almost give myself heat stroke in a much too hot bath, for much too long...oops! Anyway, cooled off, watched Ugly Betty (poor girl, its all such a mess with Henry, isn't it?) and now I'm headed to bed, since it's 1:15, and I need to leave the house in 8 hours.

D.