Did Christmas happen this year??

This is a question I have asked myself after the last three days of mind-numbing work. I guess I'll tell you about my Japanese Christmas...there you go. Not much. Nothing in fact. Now don't get me wrong, I didn't miss Christmas solely due to the fact that there is absolutely no atmosphere. The only time I felt anyways festive was when I went for a pint in Murphy's Bar in Shinsaibashi on Christmas eve. I had a fabulous couple of pints of Guinness before I had to go to a house warming party. I must say it was good to hear an Irish accent behind the bar, even if it was a Dub accent...I guess it's better than nothing!! The craic was had and I could have stayed there, it was good fun. It's not a typical Irish bar (of which I dislike and avoid at all costs) but a dingy, dirty, dark place which smells like a bar should, smoky (although i still find that disconcerting, much better back home now) and full of character. The manager, Mike, is a gas man, full of shite (as most Dubs are, hehehe) and well capable of pulling the piss so we had great banter. What is great about his bar is that Mike's ol' fella is one of the original RTE men and is in charge of production of sport programmes so all the Irish games (be it rugby, soccer, hurling, football) are sent out to him the next day and are shown in the bar!! If I had known that during the autumn I could have watched Cork win the All-Ireland and the 'pool with the European Cup!! Damn it all to hell!!

The house party was a good laugh also though on Christmas Eve, with a gathering of folk from work, both gaijin and Japanese and the drink was drunk. The last train home was taken and all was good in the hood. Previously that afternoon, about 12 of us went for dinner in a French restaurant in Shinsaibashi to try and conjure up a bit of festive cheer but there just wasn't a festive atmosphere anywhere. Not even the trotters could muster up a feeling of home, walking through the English Market, with the smell of raw meat, sawdust and posh olives and cheese in the Olive Stall. Ahhh, now that would be nice....

Christmas day was spent washing my shirts, jocks and socks, getting my head shaved in a good old fashioned barbers (got a fancy haircut in a fancy salon (I know) and it was crap...they can't cut hair here...WEHRE ARE YOU KEN HARTE!!), buying my groceries for the week and generally resting. Watched some more 24, TM called over and we watched Chasing the Lions with Hector which was hilarious. That was my Christmas Day. I also spoke to my folks and a few of the lads back home so that was good. I guess the fact my day was over and everyone's back home was only just begining didn't make me feel like I was missing anything. Of course, I would have loved to have been home but at least here Christmas didn't happen for me to miss it.

To be honest, Christmas came and went like a fart in a hurricaine. An example of this was on Monday morning when I returned to work (yes, Japan just keeps going and going, 24-7). Upon entering the building foyer, the Christmas tree was being taken down and when I went down to the basement floor to get my morning constitution of fruit juice (if the editors of Mens Health could see this they'd kill me...processed juice is full of bad sugar folks), the little Christmas-themed display was GONE!! Amazing.

The big festivities, if one wants to call it that, happen over the new year. So, we are "allowed to finish work tomorrow at 3pm"...one can decipher that little gem as one wishes. Anyway, we are off on Friday, Monday-Wednesday next week!!! Yaahhhooooooo!!!!! I can not wait to be able to rest, relax and take it easy, give my brain a rest and recuperate. I am totally burnt out, both physically and mentally. I can't even lift my baby finger in the gym these days (on the rare occasions I can get there) and I can't add 1+1 ( I think the answer is 100). Apparently everything shuts down on the 1st-3rd as everyone goes to their home towns, villages and cities. The entire popluation visit shrines and temples over that period so planned visits to the like of Nara, Kyoto and the major shrines will be madness. However, I may visit Fushimi-inari which is supposed to be thronged then, with estimates of over a million people congregating there over the couple of days. Would make for some interesting photos, especially in the snow.

I just heard on Morning Ireland that Chomsky says that Bertie is George Dubba's puppet and is "polishing his shoes" for letting the American military machine stopping over in Shannon...personally, I think Chomsky is a legend, up there with Fisk as being a loud honest voice in today's plight in the Middle East.

Another little piece of useless observations that I have made recently. Everytime I descend the 16 floors to the basement at work, I go through a metal door (it's a shortcut) and get an electric shock everytime. Now, I am starting to become afraid to touch the damn door for fear of getting another shock...isn't it amazing how quickly the mind learns and adapts to situations. Just like the buzzer at school to signal the end of class, everyone just packs the bags and leaves...conditioning, ain't it marvellous.

Oh yeah, I bloody well slept through an earthquake on Christmas Eve morning!! I was disgusted! I entered the restaraunt and the lads started talking about the earthquake. I was clueless (I know, sometimes I can be, but it's a rare thing) and was informed that it happened at about 10.30 that morning but I was dead to the world. Anyone who knows me will know that sometimes it's impossible to wake me...even punches in the face, groin or an oncoming car won't budge me. Damn it all to hell!!! Next time....

Carmo's Diet: this week I have mostly been eating Tayto's Salt and Vinegar...ah, what heaven (thank you Mr. and Mrs. Barton!!).

Carmo's Birds: they don't exist as far as I'm concerned...no birding either