(10/04) Prescott, AZ. Beer festival 

(10/04) Prescott, AZ. Beer festival. Don't be fooled by the cute little beer glasses...we got quite "happy" that afternoon!

(10/04)Tyler and his daddy, Jacksonville, FL Zoo. Well, for the very twisted, this picture pretty much speaks for itself...considered telling Thor to reposition himself but didn't want to spoil the gorilla's good time.

(10/09/04) Jacksonville, FL. Tyler's birthday party. 

(10/04) Thor's son, Tyler, at the Jacksonville Zoo

New York (10/03/04) Birthday pic... 

New York (10/03/04) Sheila and Candice 

New York (10/10/03) Barrie with Moumie and Martha's baby, Miette Malaika

(11/08/03) Wedding Photo... Not too many have seen this picture (or any pics of our wedding), since it took place without the knowledge of most who might have cared!!! Oh well... have never paid too much attention to ceremony...a tendency I'll definitely have to quash if I am to survive socially in Japan!

Pre-Japan. Thor and Mommy (Kim) at park in Prescott, AZ (10/04). 

Pre-Japan. Thor's mum, after climbing down from a big rock (she doesn't like heights!) in Prescott, Arizona. (10/04) 

Inside the Tokyo Tower (12/20/04). Sent at least a dozen people hurtling to their deaths in order to clear room to have this pic taken...

With Xavier in Phoenix, AZ (10/23/04) 

Pre-Japan. Visiting with Nicole, Jackie and Xavier in Phoenix, AZ (10/23/04) 

Our home in Maborikaigan. It's a great house -- three bedrooms, tiny living room, big kitchen, 2 bathrooms...

The toilets have heated seats, which is kinda weird -- makes you feel like a really fat person spent a really long time on the pot just before you...but given how cold it gets in the winter (insulation is apparently untranslatable and/or unheard of here) you grow to just love it! Toilets also have bidet and other functions. There's a little nozzle that protrudes out from the bowl (kind of like the frother nozzle on a cappucinno machine...and, more ominously, kind of like an anal probe. Let's just say that so far, have not been adventurous enough to try any of the many functions of our toilet.

House has a history behind it...is owned by the father of lead guitar player of a band called X-Japan (they broke up in the late 90s, but I think still exist in some altered form; in their heyday they were a kind of hard core glam rock band--big hair, big makeup, but also apparently strains of The Smiths...) Anyway, the lead guitar player (Hide--pronounced hiday) committed suicide in the late 90s (not in this house, though according to our neighbours, he did spend time here!). In life and even moreso in death he had/has a huge cult following...sort of an Elvis thing...rumours that he's not dead, etc. There's even a museum named after--and completely devoted to--him. (We went -- it was cool).

Thor, standing in front of miniature of Tokyo Tower 

View from Tokyo Tower (12/20/04) 

In front of the Tokyo Tower (12/20/04) Well, I just couldn't resist the opportunity to take a picture with this guy...apart from the slightly deformed head, you can probably guess why....
One of the things I've noticed since my arrival here is how everyone--old and young alike--responds positively to things that are considered "cute," although in this case the line between cute and totally phallic is a little blurred!

Tokyo Tower at night (12/20/04) Though lighter (made out of giant paperclips?) than the Eiffel, it's actually taller (334 meters). Terrific views of the city, though as with most tourist attractions, absolutely teeming with people...

Zozoji Temple, Tokyo (December 20, 04) It's a cliche to say that Japan combines the traditional and the modern, but the reality is, well...it does! Walk less than half a kilometer down the road and you'll be back to the future, with all the glass, steel and concrete that that entails...Actually, temple is located in what is know as the "garden district," just a few minutes walk from the Tokyo Tower.

Messing around at home, wearing teeny, tiny "Brazil" tank top (courtesy of Doug & Barrie), trying to figure out how to take pictures without having an actual person behind the lens. Necessary because resumes in Japan require a photograph...eventually figured out that I probably shouldn't wear teeny, tiny tank top!

I'm in!

Well,

I've just muddled my way through to the beginning of something wonderful...one hopes!

Having almost no techie "no how," feel a sense of disconnect...am I really doing this...me, Candice, the black Gidget, creating a blog? Hmmm....

Hopefully, will learn to navigate this new world, post a profile, add pics, etc. Bear with me!