A Tropical Getaway? That's Complete Bull!

Tonight I decided to skip my 693katsu dinner (tonkatsu=pork cutlets) after my workout and bat, come back to my station, Shinozaki, and eat at the Cheap Chinese Chain Choint above McDonalds.

Well it is fairly obvious I didn't make it to Bamiyan, by the photo you now see on your monitor. After all, what kind of host would I be if I ignored the latest guestburger, arriving today all the way from... you guessed it: Hawaii!

This burger has an interesting flavour that I cannot quite place. Egg-on-face (of burger) is nothing new to this seasoned burger/deli afficionado. But the sauce... it leaves one pondering life with the eyeballs up and to the left in the eyesockets.

Slightly but not at all coyingly sweet it left me thinking deeply about the foods and wondering exactly what the connection is. Just because the flavour is subtle and unknown to me does not mean there is a connection. I mean one might expect slices of pineapple or poi or even dolphin perhaps, in between the patties, but one would be mistaken.

I look forward to getting Matt's take on this mysterious proteinaceous neo-bovine guestburger and hope that he might perchance be able to shed some light on this burger's unplaceable gustatory sensation.

I McLove You!
(OK Sis, give it to me...)

Cam Gib Eht

Posted via email from Thoughts From The Big Rice Bowl

Quit Yer Wining

Ah.... you gotta love those snobby French who will go to no ends to destroy their good name!

Do you like Pinot Noir? Have you ever enjoyed the brand, Red Bicyclette? If so, what do you think?

Here is what the law in France thinks about Red Bicyclette sold in the USA by E. & J. Gallo...

***************

Feb 17 2010 5:14pm EDT
A Note of Fraud, With a Sour Aftertaste
The outrage.

French authorities have cracked down on 12 wine producers and traders who pulled the old switcheroo on American wine company E. & J. Gallo, labeling the local swill as 18 million bottles of pinot noir, a more expensive varietal. The BBC said a judge said the group had repeatedly and deliberately misidentified the wine, which was sold in the U.S. under the Red Bicyclette label.

Authorities became suspicious because the volume of the groups sold as pinot noir exceeded the pinot noir output of the Langedoc region. Some producers who participated in the scam weren't even pinot producers. Their defense: They substituted wine with pinot-like properties.

The judge in Carcassonne, in the southwest of France, handed down suspended prison sentences and issued fines ranging from $1,500 to $247,050. He said the scam had severely damaged the reputation of the Langedoc region.

That may be true, but no one in the U.S. seemed to notice. There were no complaints from consumers of Red Bicyclette, a popular U.S. brand.

Posted via web from Thoughts From The Big Rice Bowl

The Best "Cuppa" in the Multiverse

Im on the train to Shinjuku early today to meet Mayu for coffee before heading to Kobuchizawa.

Yesterday was a great day. Why? Because it WAS. A continuous string of NOW moments that were enjoyable, Fun, challenging, chilly, hot, tasty, delightful, thought provoking, educational, and full of love, appreciation and gratitude for my friends, my family, my loves, my surroundings, the weather, and especially The Universe!

Valentine's Day doesnt have to be one of "those days" where we look upon it as a marketer's dream/ploy but a person's nightmare (overexaggeration but we all know what I mean). It can be a day like any other day in which we greet life with our arms spread wide in love and appreciation of everything around us. It can be what we make it to be. It can be fun whether single, or involved with someone, whether childless or blessed with progeny, whether with or without our pets, whether busy or bored, whether harried or relaxed, whether "in love" or not.

As I always try to do, the day can be as wonderful or as miseable or as ordinary as we choose to make it.

.... as WE CHOOSE to make it.

Just like every other day.

Yesterday I spent a great day wit Masami, but not because it was VDay. It was great because I was loving and enjoying every NOW moment (even when I bit my tongue and made it bleed then laughed at my lack of dexterity).

We choose.

WE.

Choose.

But still... even if we forget the marketing day as I did (I didnt evev think about VDay until I got home and Masami kmailed me to thank me for a great Valentine's Day!!!) we can still use this day as a MARKER, a physical reminder in our busy, hectic life, a day that is written on calendars, in our journals, blogged about, talked about, cherished and reviled... we can mrk this day as a day to offer immense amounts of love, appreciation, thanks and Gratitude to The Universe. For the Universe, unlike a cup of coffee, will never let us down, will never be watered down, will always be hot&spicy, forever a surprise and most of all a delicious learning experience. The Coffee depends upon the "barista", an outside, uncontrollable, external source of pleasure or disappointment, but The Universe depends ONLY upon us.

The Universe depends upon us.

Us...

So... if we want to hav that perfect "cuppa Universe" it is within our power to make it so.

Every single time.

Want to have a lousy cuppa U? Wish it so.

Want to have the most delicious cuppa U you've ever had? Make it so!

You control the taste.

You control it all.

All.

You.

You.

Now get out there and give the best Barista in the Multiverse the most love, appreciation and gratitude you possibly can for giving you EXACTLY what you ask for.

Every,

Single,

Time.

It'that easy.

You choose.

YOU.

Nobody else.

YOU!

I love you!
Cam

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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A Valentine Greeting from The Universe & Cam

Yesterday I received the following memo from The Universe. It makes perfect sense to me, especially when I see the trials & tribulations, pains and hardships, suffering and sorrow of yesterday's NOW as lessons that have helped me to grow into an even better person today's NOW. They provide me with the ability to step into my fears and overcome future hardships so that I may strive to become an even better person tomorrow.

Tonight once I get my cleaning done here, I'll be heading out for the evening. I love the fact that for nearly 20 years I had basically only Max (Saturdays) and Mayu (evenings and Sundays), but now I have Mayu, Masami, Maya, Miyuki, Kayo, and Kyoko to learn about all these new NOW moments that will take me into my future. It sure keeps me busy, let me tell you!

But do I regret that I don't have much time on the internet anymore? Do I regret that I don't sit around my apartment with tons of free time to ponder? Do I regret that I rarely write long blogs (I write many from my keitai so still do write a lot as the ootnaboot thoughts come to me). No, I don't regret. I cherish. I am grateful. I am thankful.

Everything changes. Everything.

The internet and those bazillions of words I wrote over the past five to six years served me very well. They helped me to meet so many wonderful people out there far from me, people I love and cherish deeply. Through them I grew, I expanded, I felt joy and sorrow, I changed. 

Now, as my life has turned to a more "physical" fast-paced (frenetic?) phase, moving (running?) forward with the people around me, smiling, laughing, discussing, seeing and more... "I'm lovin' it!" Finally I can communicate with people right across the table from me, or behind me at the desk, or in a meeting, or at a bar, a coffee shop, a restaurant... I am experiencing a part of life that I have not yet had the blessing to enjoy.

So.

I.

Enjoy.

And I love it.

Everything changes. Everything.

I love the changes.

I love the growth.

And I. Love. You.

Tomorrow I'm away all day with Masami going to Yokohama. One of the managers at the company invited me to his daughter's art exhibit. She is really quite good. If I can get some images to share with you, I shall.

Then on Monday morning, rather than hang around here, I'm going to meet Mayu at Starbucks for late morning coffee before heading out to Kobuchizawa. It is supposed to snow so I may not get back at 9pm Monday night.

I work overtime on Wednesday, and likely will get to the gym at least once on either Tuesday or Thursday. Probably I'll be out for dinner with someone at least one night during the week and maybe again on the weekend. On Sunday I have a hair appointment so that will be an adventure. On the next Monday I'll be meeting Kayo in Shinjuku for coffee and then a walk to a ginormous bike shop because she is interested in looking at a bike for herself (she thought to get a mountain bike, but after she told me what she plans to do, I recommended a crossbike instead that should better suit her needs, so she wants to go with me to see crossbikes.) On Saturday Feb 27 we have an all-company all-day training seminar so that day's a full work day. And on it goes. It's a nice, fast-paced life keeping me very busy, and training me to learn to sleep with my Chuck Taylors on, and build up the skills for big-city-living, so that in the future if I have an option to move again to another big city for work, I can say, "Yes, I can!"

Because I'm ootnaboot on February 14th, I want to wish you all in advance,

Happy Valentine's Day!

********************************************************************

Think that it's fun, that you're guided, and that all is well;
that there's time, that life is easy, and that the best has yet to come.

Think that the reasons that elude you will one day catch up, that the
lessons that have stumped you will one day bring joy, and that the sorrows
that have crippled you will soon give you wings.

Think that you're important, that you cannot fail, and that happiness
always returns.

And think that you're beautiful.

I do.
    The Universe

And so do I.

    The Cam

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