Movember is here!

Some of you may not know this, but the 11th month of the year is now known as Movember. The month of Movember is a time to reflect on men's health. We men are encouraged to grow our mustaches clean from November 1, for the entire month, and raise awareness of diseases/health issues that affect men. In fact, many men in North America, Europe, South Africa and Australia and New Zealand also raise funds which are donated to research.

My brother is one of those men, and so in support of him (and men in general), I am growing my MO this month, too! It's a work in progress but... what do you think?

皆さん、ご無沙汰でございます。とればーです。今月は前までノベンバーとして知られたけど、これからモベンバーになっています。それはなぜかというと、MはMAN、またはMOUSTACHE（口ひげ）からとられて、１１月のNOVEMBERをパクってMOVEMBERとなっています。男の健康を皆さんに考えていただきたい月間です。１１月１日から、欧米、そしてオーストラリア、ニュージーランド、南アフリカの男性たちは口ひげをゼロから生やし始め、周りに男性に冒される病気について意識させる運動をしています。その男性の中の何人かが寄付金を集めて病気の研究に施しています。

僕の兄貴はその男性の一人ですので、僕は彼を支えるために口ひげを１ヶ月間生やします！まだ一週間しか経ってないけど、どうですか？

Rough week, eh?

This is more of a venting of the hard stuff that happened this week. It is in no way indicative of how I really feel. To be frank, I actually enjoyed my week to some extent. There were a lot of positives to take from it... but here's some of the adversity I came across.

Sunday: Fly from Korea to Fukuoka - wake up way earlier than we non-farmers were ever intended to. Find out the flight will leave Fukuoka, but may return to Fukuoka because of a typhoon approaching Okinawa. The flight lands at its destination, but it was somewhat turbulent.
Monday: Back to work. Ugh. Not ready for this, after such a lovely time in Korea! But whatever... get through it, drive home feeling burnt out. Go for a run (energy begets energy, as they say!). Feel worse. Miss out on BOB and all-you-can-eat ice cream at On Dish. No energy to start Week 3 of 580 (the grad school class).
Tuesday: Feeling worse, miss work. No brain cells functioning very well. No 580 work accomplished, no fun. Movies somewhat entertaining, but the headache prevents full enjoyment.
Wednesday: Feel better, give work a try. Voice starts to deteriorate. But after work, feeling great! Gotta catch up on laundry, studies, and eat a "real" meal for the first time in days! Accomplish a lot! Still no 580, though. Go to church. Come home feeling worse than in the morning.
Thursday: Wake up shivering at around 3am. Never truly fall back asleep. Go to the hospital, treated like a leper (had to wait in the car, b/c they thought I might have flu). Waited long time. Was told that they are 90% sure I don't have swine flu or any other form of it. BUT they can't say for sure, and oh, "would you like us to prescribe you some medicine?" (They're the experts, aren't they? If they think I need it, gimme! If not, don't!) I leave without meds, go home, sleep/rest. No time/brain cells for 580.
Friday: Feeling a little better, but follow the doctor's orders and stay home. Need rest. Must rest. Don't want to rest. The ceiling is only so interesting. Finally read the chapter for 580. Uh-oh. No computer. Can't post anything. Can't read any DF. 1 day til class. I'm DONE. Go out for lunch, come home, go out to Starbucks, come home. Panic. Go to a cafe, finally with time/energy/resources to work on 580. Get some stuff done (was it enough, though?). Oh, and... I missed the kanji test that I have been studying 6 months for. Too sick for work = too sick to take a proficiency test. Oh, and I found out Acer Japan is incompetent, put the wrong motherboard in my computer - which they've had for almost 3 weeks now - and they have to order one from the States. "It'll be 2-3 more weeks." Are you KIDDING? Great way to cap off the week, eh?

But there's a good chance that a new computer's on the way... God's mercies are new every morning! (Oddly enough, my devos these days are in the book of Job - so compared to him, the things plaguing me are nothing! Just gotta keep holding on, trusting that He knows best - and He does!)

Introducing...

OK it's quite late - having a busted computer has prevented me from updating this much recently, but here's someone I want you all to meet (if you haven't already): my nephew, Damon Raichura. He was born on Tuesday, August 11 in the wee hours of the morning (more like the middle of the night). Anyways, he's now over 2 months old, and looking cuter with every new picture I get from the family!


Last month when I had a bit of time off work, I went over to visit my friend Barbie, who's a quilting instructor. She had helped me already make 3 quilts (imagine that - me, a quilter!) so I figured, I made one for Myles, let's make one for Damon! I can't be there to cuddle and make him feel all warm and fuzzy, so I guess the quilt will have to do that for me! So here's a picture of my dear nephew, and the quilt his uncle made for him with tender loving care.

By the way, Facebook users, this came to you only because my blog and facebook are linked - don't be thinking I've already caved in and updated my FB!!!

Weird Happening

Today I headed down to the office at school on my way out the door. On my way in, everything was normal. On my way out, I look over and see my colleague, Nick, being bugged by some Japanese guys with a video camera. Then one of them, with a fake afro and painted on mustache, calls out, "Hey, Mark!" He's looking at me.

I know he wants to talk with me. I figure, what the heck? Let's have a little fun... after all, it's Friday afternoon before a long weekend... let the fun begin NOW! Here's a rough transcript of what happened. J1 = Japanese guy 1 (fro & mustache); J2 = Japanese guy 2 (long blonde wig); T = me

J1: Hey, Mark! My friend!
T:Hey what's up, man?
J1: Mark, my high school friend!
T: Long time no see!
(We hug.)
J1: What's your name?
T: I'm... Mark.
J1: Oh, I'm Mark!
T: We have the same name?
J1: I'm Eddie Murphy.
T: Yeah, I know! Nutty Professor...
J1: What?
T: (slowly) The... Nutty... Professor...
J1: Oh yeah! (makes motion like he's got a really wide butt)
J2: この人のヒゲはちょっとゲイっぽい。。。(This guy's beard makes him look gay.)
(Trevor looks from one guy to the other, apparently confused - little do they know I speak Japanese!)
J1: Are you gay?
J2: You... gay?
(Trevor looks at J2 and then slaps him across the face.)
T: NO!
(J1 also slaps J2 across the face.)
J1: I'm sorry man, good job!
(J1 & Trevor give each other a high five.)
J2: I'm sorry.
(J2 goes to shake Trevor's hand, gooses him in the process.)
T: HEY! Don't touch! That's the no-touch zone! (to J1) Maybe HE is gay! He touched my no-touch zone!
J1: Yeah. OK, do you know good job?
T: Good job?
J1: Yeah, ecology, recycle...
T: Oh yeah, of course!
J1: OK, last question. What do you think, Japan student woman?
T: You mean high school girls?
J1: Yeah. You like?
T: NO!
J1: Why?
J2: You gay!
T: No, too young!
J1: Japan school girl... (crude comment, omitted)
T: NO! That's a BIG 犯罪 (crime).
J1: No, no 犯罪.
T: 犯罪 man, 犯罪！
J1: Last, please look (points to camera), say "Good!"
J1, T, J2: GOOD!
J1: You from America?
T: No, Canada!
J1: Oh, Canada. Wayne Gretzky! Steve Nash! Celine Dion!
J2: You English teacher?
T: No, Chinese.
(J1 laughs, J2 glares.)
T: I'm comedian, like Eddie Murphy.

*END TRANSCRIPT*

Weird, random Friday happening!
Oh, and afterwards I got looks from the office ladies. I kinda bowed in apology for making noise... but it wasn't my fault! These guys came up to me all noisy and hyper!

Anyways, if you're in Okinawa and watch TV from time to time, try to catch me on Okinawa TV... and if you're WAY cool you'll even record it for me! I don't have an antenna on my TV so I can't even see how stupid I looked!

No PC + Grad School = No Blogging

Hey all. It's been awhile, that's for sure! I was really excited about my trip to Hokkaido (Sept.18-23) and how I would be able to blow everyone away with breathtaking pictures of one of the most beautiful parts of Japan. Then something happened.

Remember September 2007? Yeah, my HP failed me and I was computer-less for nearly 3 months. Well, it's not the same problem but it's the same result. While I was in Hokkaido, my computer stopped working. It's in mainland right now being diagnosed, though I'm quite sure it's the motherboard. (This means it's going to be real expensive to repair!)

And so my wonderful roommate Rob was kind enough to loan me his newly bought laptop so that I could at least finish my huge grad school assignment. I sent it off this morning - hopefully the results will be good! (But I'm not so confident.)

Anyways, if/when I get a computer, I will post pics of Hokkaido and other stuff that's been going on. Mind you, with grad school being as demanding as it is, not much really has gone down in the past few weeks!

The Big 3-OH

Malaybraham, my dear Malaysian friend named Abraham (see how he got the nickname?) celebrated a big birthday on Friday - it's a day that the world remembers as Nine Eleven. But from now on it will be the day of the Malay - Abraham turned 30 on that day! (Well, not in 2001... this year!)

Since Keisho so kindly took him out for lunch yesterday after church (no cake!), I decided I would capitalize on my day off from work by inviting him over for some delicious chicken cutlet curry. We decided to commemorate the occasion with this picture. Kinda cooky, but I think it's a cool shot. Don't we look younger than we actually are?

Still BOBbin'

It's been awhile since I've posted anything about BOB (Brothers of Boaz). But we're still goin' strong, still studying the Word and praying with one another. Lately we've been going through Chuck Smith's book "The Man God Uses." It's a great book that devotes short chapters to the qualities that a man of God should have.

And of course, afterwards we always power up on snacks and so on. The guys are always good about bringing something for everyone to snack on (Keisho loves bringing us cake!). Last week, Kevin even blessed us with Anthony's pizza!

Well, a couple of weeks ago we had to say farewell to a good brother. Nate felt the Lord calling him back to Colorado to help with his dad's ministry there. Keisho, ever the cake provider, brought a cake and we celebrated / sent him off in style. Nate, may the Lord bless you! Keep in touch, and don't forget to pray for your brothers at BOB!

Who's this stranger?

ただいま！（どこにも行ってないのに）

この前、海外からの特別なスペシャルなゲストが来沖しました。この人物はいったい誰でしょうか？

Well, here I am, after leaving the blog alone for so long... I just haven't felt the urge to update. But a few weeks ago, I had a very special visitor come from abroad and visit me. (His purpose for coming was not to see me, but he did take time to visit! Wonderful times... but first, can you tell who it is from this pic?


So he came over and we had BBQ chicken and vegetables. Then we caught up on old times. Then my roommate Rob came back from work (baseball practice). My guest really wanted to play catch with a professional baseball player, so I (the agent) allowed him the privilege.

宜野湾市伊佐で彼を向かいに行って、八百屋に行った後、バーベキューをしました。食べながら色んな懐かしい話や最近神様に語られていることを分かち合えた。その間、ルームメートであるロバートは仕事から帰宅して、僕のゲストはプロ野球選手とどうしてもキャッチボールしたかった。ので、エージェントである私の許可をもらって、二人はキャッチボールしました。



最後に一緒にＯＣＳＩに行って、彼の母親にあいさつして、昔からいた先生方と話をして一人で宜野湾に帰りました。圭佑、短い間だったけど、本当に楽しかった！また沖縄に戻ったら是非一緒にご飯食べようね！中国でまた大学、頑張ってください！

Finally, we drove together to OCSI and said 'hi' to his mother, and chatted with all the teachers of old. Then I drove back to Ginowan. Time went by so quickly, Keisuke, but I had an awesome time! Next time you're in Okinawa, we'll have to hang out again! All the best to you in China, my friend!

Update Withdrawal

I haven't posted anything to the ol' blog lately. It's a combination of being busy and wanting to avoid being on the computer for too many hours. With grad school being online, I sit in front of a screen and type so much these days, that blogging just isn't fun like it used to be.

Forgive me! I will do my best to post some fun stuff soon!

Still on sale?

Distracted while working on grad school stuff, I came across this online.


I had no idea I could still buy a Kishu Rangers Wunderlich jersey! (Oops, pardon me - Wunderich! They forgot the L on this one!) I just might have to get me one! Click here to get to the page.