On the plane to Tokyo, closing in now on Narita. Flew out of BWI to Detroit, going from there far far north scraping the ice cap on the arc to Japan. The view out the window...I always try for a window seat
My plane reading - Windblown World, Kerouac's journals. God how it blows on the embers of my writing fire! Blaze forth! I shall be writing on trains and in bars this trip.
The house project should get started while I am gone, long delayed finally drawing to a close, improving the finances but more important tonifying the yin, squaring away the home, the secret world headquarters.
Before I left, Saturday, Moon circle out at Joe's. Cathy was there. Difficult, it is difficult. Easier if I was angry at her, but no, what I want to take her in my arms, take her into my bed. And then Kathleen-Kathy was there too, sitting next to each other for a while and me just wanting to go over and put an arm around each and Be in the Presence of Women I Have Loved. And if I could just leave it at that I suppose all would be fine, but I'm a greedy summbitch and want more.
Verily. So much for all that, eh? Now I'm on the other side of the world, getting ready to compete and see great things and spend money I don't have.Tonight I'll stay in Akibahara, the electronics mecca of Tokyo; tomorrow a bit of Tokyo touring then down to Nagoya. Thursday the tour of Eiheiji Zen temple; Friday, another tour and a special class with Kaicho Nakamura in the evening. Saturday and Sunday - tournament. Monday there's another tour set up but I missed the deadline, so I'll find some touristy stuff to do on my own, then head down to Osaka, my base of operations for the rest of the trip.
Got in to Akihabara ok, found the capsule hotel, got a shower (nothing better after hours and hours in a plane, sleeping in you clothes), went out and window shopped here in geek central for a while. Dinner at a Subway (! yes, they have them here) and a beer at a British-style pub. More precisely, the Japanese interpretation of a British pub...or rather, the Japanese corporate chain interpretation of a British pub. Still, their house ale is not too shabby.