Not a lot...

not a bad ol' weekend really. Went out on friday night after work and got quite drunk but got the last train home as I INTENDED to go biridng on Saturday morning but I woke too late the next morning so went to the gym instead... headed out to Costco afterwards with Nina, Steph, Lisa and Theresa to get some food for the Shirahama trip next weekend and to get some stuff for myself also. It's a big warehouse, a bit like Musgraves back home, so it's in bulk and it's cheap...

Intended to watch the Lions game but the Irish bar I went to was SHUT!!!! Obviously run by Japanese as who in their right mind would have an Irish bar shut when there is a sporting event on involving Irish folk!!! Pissed off about that but thankfully I didn't have to witness the blatantly horrendous treatment to BO'D and watch as NZ ripped us apart! To be honest, with that Langer in charge of team selection, it's no surprise we lost. Why in all honesty would one pick a team predominantly made up of players who haven't performed in 2 years?? The Grand Slam champions had hardly a look in!! Ashamedly biased...may as well call it The English Lions and Those We Conquered....gobshite...let's just hope he gets it right for Saturday!! I'm still annoyed by team selection so I'll leave it there...

Went to see Batman Begins on Sunday after visiting Japan's Biggest Outdoor Free Market...what a disappointment that was (listening to Vincent Browne's last show this summer, he's losing the plot and it's great...fantastic journalist in my opinion), it consisted mainly of kids selling crap clothes. I did buy a cool cap which I wore with pride all day mainly to keep the sun off my head and neck, it was very hot..

Anyway, went to see Batman Begins and thought it was quite cool. Certainly the best one in the series so far..Christopher Nolan did a great job. One of the reasons why I liked it so much was because it tied in his training, how he became what he became, the finding of the Batcave, his association with the League of Shadows and his meeting who will become Commisionar Gordon and the start of his Batsign...excellent stuff...would go to it again. Bale was excellent as both Bruce Wayne and Batman.

there's my two cents worth...could go on about other stuff that has got on my *$@# but it's late and Robert Fisk can wait...

Later


ps: am going to try to set up the blog to link into other sites I like and also my photo homepage (homepage.mac.com/markcarmody - check it out)

BIRDING NOTE: Little terns flying around the harbour area today, flying in quite close so got a couple of photos but haven't downloaded them yet...

My first TREMOR!!!!!

What can I say? It took a couple of months but....

after a quiet and somewhat uneventful past week, I experienced my first TREMOR today while sitting at my desk at work!!! I thought it was someone who walked behind me but I looked at Keni and he had a look of shock on his face....a tremor! I was delighted, being the sort of person I am, but the others were not too impressed. The Japanese staff didn't even budge but all the Gaijins just looked up from their desks, looking around at one another with a look of trepidation. To be honest I thought it was pretty cool but it could be worse so I shouldn't be so flippant about it. I guess it would not be pleasant it a real one hit. There was a big one off Calfornia last week with a tsunami warning for the west coast of the US (how real that threat was who knows, you know the way Americans are, always wanting to be the first, to be prepared for everything, inevitably causing more mayhem than was there in the first place....sorry Sara!!!) so....who can tell....

There are regular tremors further north and there was a decent strenght 'quake near Tokyo a month ago. We were warned to keep an earthquake emergency kit at home and to have a procedure practised should such an occasion arise. I must do that this week....just in case

I'll keep you updated if more arise...cool...

Later

The week past....

Well how is everyone?

Didn't do much last week but got quite pissed on Friday night after work....oh how SOME things never change :) Not the same though, no Debs to keep me safe and get me home in one piece. A quiet weekend entailing sleep, gym and eating good food with the lads. Went to a fab Vietnamese restaurant in Umeda, near the High 5 building (photo on the way) and a haircut which was a disasater!!! I can tell you this much folks, it will be impossible to find a Ken Harte in Osaka, I might have to fly him over to cut my hair; after all, he is the stylist to the stars...

Had a fab lunch in a Turkish restaurant on Sunday with Steph, Christina, Theresa and Tim and went to a photographic exhibition of one of the Japanese girls from work. It was pretty good. I must ask her questions about my camera and what I can do to get arty type of shots...could be good to socialise with her and her gang, get a different angle on Japan and meet some more people.

Apart from that, not much else. Andre called me tonight and it was good to talk to ya bud!!! Sorry it was such a short phonecall but we'll have to arrange a longer chat during the week.

Ok then, off to bed...the joys

rugby match in Nagai Stadium

Hi all,

I went to the Japan vs Ireland game yesterday at Nagai stadium in Osaka. It's a class stadium and was one of the venues for the World Cup a few years ago. It holds 55000 and I was well impressed. I took a lot of photos so they will be up and running when i get a chance to download them off the camera.

A group of us from work went and it was a good laugh. We managed to get tickets for 350yen (about 3yoyos) from one of the guys who's involved in the rugby set up over here. They were trying to fill the stadium as much as they could as the two games against Ireland are supposed to be a promotional event to stage the 2011 Rugby World Cup here. Well, judging by the pathetic lack of atmosphere I would say they will be hard pushed to get it!! I know the game was poor but it was great to see the boys play and meet lots of ex-pats out here.

Despite the lack of atmosphere, we certainly made our won and had a great laugh. Meehan and I wore multicoloured wigs and we had an Irish flag which Kevin brought. We tied it to a huge bamboo pole and waved it around throughout the game with the intention of getting on tv but alas, i don't think it happened. I was resplendid in my Munster jersey and pissed as a proverbial fart by the end of the game. Met loads of Paddy's at the game and managed to meet the owners of some of the Irish bars that are around Osaka...handy to know :) i am going to one called, surprisingly enough, The Blarney Stone for the first Lions test on the 25th..should be a good laugh.

After the game we played some "street" basketball with of the locals. Loads of gaijins playing and met some lads from Belfast and Dublin who have been here for a couple of years now. Most of the ex-pats I met are teaching english or own bars.

I was delighted with the camera and am looking forward to taking more shots with and setting up a website for them. I'll also post some here when I know how to do that.

Well not much else going on on this side of the divide, boring boring Osaka...well, it's the work that makes it boring, insane hours. Met a Japanese girls who used to work where I am now and she said that it's famous for terrible working hours and conditions. Most people leave because of ill health....brilliant!!!

ok then, I've probably bored you all to death so i am going to bed. Hope everyone is good and enjoying the summer. it's hot and sticky here, that's as close as i'll come to that scenario too I'd say for quite a while...if you know what I mean, hahahaahaaa ;)

A quiet weekend and Visa meltdown....

Hi again,

well I think that the host has finally fixed the bugs that were affecting the blog. I couldn't access the blog last Friday or Saturday so I couldn't post anything up. Well, didn't do much this weekend. Went to the gym after work on Friday, which was nice. Went home, crashed out and had to pick up a package for Keni on Sat morning so my lie in went out the window. Anyway, I didn't mind too much.

Spent some quality time with myself before meeting up with Tim and TM when they got back from Hemiji so we could go camera shopping. There was a big festival in Hemiji, about 90 minutes away by train, but I opted out to just chill out. So, we searched the length and breadth of Yodobashi and DenDen town for a digital SLR and a valve amplifier. To cut a long story short, Tim got his amplifer and I got my digital SLR...my Dad is going to be very proud of my purchase, it's a Nikon D70s with an F-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED lens (haven't a clue what that means but hey, it sounds damn impressive)!!!! Oh it's a beauty. I got a 1GB memory card for it and saved a fortune had I bought it anywhere else. So, my next project is to learn the manual and get cracking on the portfolio!! I will be posting my photos up on a website and some of them here but I will let you know where you can have a look at them. It'll take time but I am sure a bit of tutoring from the ol' fella will set me straight.

Apart from that I don't think there is much else. It's bloody hot here, 28 degrees by day and 22 degrees by night...unpleasant whilst wearing a suit and thank god for air con...I know it's a horrendous waste of electricity but damn it it's the only way I can get some sleep at night....beaucoup humidity = lotta sweat!

Oh yes, the boys in green are playing Japan next weekend in Osaka!!! A group of us are going to the game and it is being televised by RTE2 so keep an eye out for the ol' Carmo wearing his new Munster jersey. The plan was to go streaking across the pitch but the lads reminded me that it wasn't Landsdowne Road, it was Osaka where they throw you in prison for not having an alien reg card on ya so maybe the streakin' bit might not happen :) I might run out onto the pitch anyway and with my top off the tatt's will let it be known that 'tis me!! Deb, who do you want me to give your phone number to while I'm on the pitch, hahaha!!!?? So Tayto keep the eyes pealed!! There's talk of a banner but sure that'll probably not happen.

Alright then boys and girls, it's time I be off to bed. Cronin, I'll mail you this week eventhough you're probably still at sea and I'll also catch up with the rest of you lot aswell. Koty, where's my letter?? Keep it real and keep it safe.

Carmo

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