Heat, humidity, and more humidity...oh, and Happy B'day Pee Wee!!!

As much as western Europe has been lamblasted with rain, rain, and more rain, Osaka is just being hit with typhoons, earthquakes, and now the unbearable summer heat and humidity. With temperatures averaging 32C with 86% humidity (not much better at night), wearing the suit and tie to work is an uncomfortable experience, and anyone who has worked with me in a bar with just t-shirt/jeans, one can only imagine what I look like....

Birding has been a non-participating sport of late, getting out one morning for dawn to find myself in the company of a dozen egrets, 4 Grey-tailed tattlers, a couple of Mongolian Plovers and common sandpipers, was not worth losing about 2 liters of body fluids in the form of sweat. Roll on the middle of August when it SHOULD get a bit more bearable.

Next weekend is Summer Sonic!!! I am really looking forward to going to this day of music and revelry. Highlights for me will be Arctic Monkies, DJ Shadow, UNKLE, Manic Street Preachers, Kasabian, Bloc Party, Jose Gonzalez, the Offspring, Brett Anderson, Bright Eyes and Cut Chemist. I was going to go on Sunday but I really need to get out there and find Oriental Pratincole and Far Eastern Curlew. Not to mention, I'd probably have to take the day off work on Monday to recover. Roll on the 11th!!!

Last weekend was a good laugh, going to see the fireworks in Osaka while dressed in traditional gimbe costume. A bit like a pyjamas and damn comfortable. Onto to Noon nightclub afterwards where Mick, PJ's buddy from Oz, was woken up by the cleaners at 6am somewhere in the club. Legend. Sunday was bbq day with friends and family of SY. A good laugh but far too hungover to appreciate the good food there. Sexy Da Vihnchi turned up who was a laugh for a bit. It was PJ's b'day but he was a bit in shock at SDV's approaches to have too much fun. Hahaha, that was hilarious.

Now, with a little over 6 weeks to go before I am home, I am relishing the thought of going to Cape Clear for a night of two if the damn Brits don't let the foot and mouth break out cause mayhem like it did the last time and all of Europe was in fear of it spreading to rest of the Eurozone. If that is the case, then my birding when I go home could be seriously curtailed and I will not be a happy man if that is the case. I guess if they couldn't contain it the last time then there's no hope in them containing it this time either....

I am currently reading "The God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins which is excellent. It certainly cements my belief in atheism and if any christians out there read it, maybe they will be slow to push their incredible beliefs down people's throats and their "good and just god". Anyway, I would urge everyone from devout believers in a supernatural force to those who know it's all trite to read this book. It will certainly spur discussion and amongs the christians out there, disbelief at the heathenist words. Imagine no religion...

Carmo's Diet: this week, I have mostly been eating pistachio nuts

Carmo's Birds: cicada's mostly...they wake me up every morning at dawn

Carmo's birds for Byrdy: Madeline Stowe