Corona

 The last four years have been filled with one footstep from one turd to another. The next more sloppy than the last .

Corona fits the pattern but again Trump and the coming election gives the opportunity to dream of every possible horror we can look forward to.

Holed up in the house since March, I’ve been going deep into YouTube. 

Numbing myself with videos from everywhere I finally figured out how to save videos to save to watch later.

So now with this queue I could let go of Netflix and go into this list.

The first video I save? Julia Child msking beouf bougiognon. I don’t have the patience organization or will to cook anything with more than two ingredients or three steps but with corona I’ve got the time.

Beouf bourguignon. Too much. 

So I filled my queue with assorted news art and history but also cooking projects.

Typically I’ve been putting these things on my list since March but the first item I made was the end of July .

I picked something simple. Build on success .

I found this link. Milk ramen. What the fuck is that? There were three videos claiming the recipe was amazing. 

I followed the directions And holy fuck! It’s great!

https://youtu.be/4cqUQNyzvP4

Suceess. I love coffee and dessert. A good coffee cake. 

Added 

Shopped for ingredients. 

Honestly, I was nervous during the whole process. Measuring mixing stiring cooking. I felt like I was on a tight rope but that was part of what doing this was for.

Seeing these things through . Done.

Looked good. Smelled ok. Tasted. Decent . Not amazing but I didn’t poison myself. VICTORY!

https://youtu.be/ds0jskRIeRI

Clear ice! Done !

https://youtu.be/n5H2Opjql9g

Next up, meatloaf garlic rosemary mashed potatoes and scones .

The world is not great right now 

Controlling what you can and pick up a win where you can 

Trying to keep things right 

Ohio

The trip started out rough.

I picked up a rental car in town. Genius move. 

At the airport, $500 for a week. In town, $199! Sweet!

I pick up the car and as I'm driving off the lot it smells like a stripper. In the bad way. 

Then under the bad putfume it's smoke. 

Fuck

I'm tired and I just want to get to the hotel .

It's not tooooo bad 

So I tell the agent. Then assure me they will knock some off my bill and it won't be a problem 

The first two days it wasn't 

But I've been. Driving this tin can with all the Windows down and it still smells in the bad way when I open the doors

Ohio . You're not making a good impression.

Cleveland tomorrow 

Columbus. You do good things here .

Waffle House

The Waffle House never disappoints.

My rental isn't ready so two eggs, hash browns and coffee waiting for my car.

Sitting, eating, drinking , I'm hearing the stories of the city.

High school drama, friends coming out of the closet, friends that moved out of the city .

It happens every time. Pretty much at every Waffle House. The staff and the patrons. Comfortable. Authentic. 

There is no pretense here and I love it. 

Every time I shed a skin and let myself slouch.

The show

On my birthday I bought a ticket to see Steely Dan at Caesars. Vegas is really one thing for me, craps but as I'm getting on I'm trying to mix in a few new things so a concert seemed like a good idea 

I didn't realize this was Father's Day weekend . I have no real attachment to Father's Day. One would expect I would, but I don't 

Got to town Friday night and slept until Saturday afternoon. I expectedly did some extra hours at work and they caught up to me. 

No matter . Soft bed and slot machines within walking distance makes everything good 

I planned on riding this weekend . I forgot my helmet and jacket on my birthday but brought it this weekend however 118 this today means I will wait until another day 

I read Steven Wright the comedian was doing shows this weekend so I went yesterday. Standing in line a short man with glasses pulled on my shirt. Normally this would annoy me but Vegas rules allow for some leeway 

"Hey you need tickets?" He asked

Scalped tickets for this show would be fine with me. Orleans or this guy the difference would be minimal .

"I have two in the center. Enjoy"

As I was trying to think of a good offer fur the tickets he put them in my hand and he was gone 

Sweet! The show was great but after the show I went to the table. Three chimes guys and a Chinese pit boss were running it. They yelled and laughter at each other in Chinese and a girl that never rolled before got hot and I made $500. Put me back in the black 

Got up late saw steely Dan and made it to Ellis island for steak.

It's a good Father's Day 

cleaning up and looking back..

From the ages of 10 to about 22, read, wrote, drew, dreamt and vibrated to comic books. The stories gave me a sense of imagination, a method of articulation, a sense of morality and a love of art.

There came a point when I had to walk away. I didn't make enough to support my habit. I didn't have enough time to read the books I was buying and the quality of books coming out was watered down to the point where the search for that amazing art and story was so difficult I was exhausted when I did find them and broke when I did. So I quit.

Occasionally I look back. I will go to a comic book shop and I'm out of place. The culture has evolved.

I still have my collection and now is the time for me to put them away properly. I've put this off for a long time because it meant  looking back and reliving not only the stories but my life at that time. I'm ready for it now.

I put in an order for 500 boards and 500 bags for a stupid amount of money and they came today. I tracked them from UPS the whole way and now like I did when I was 12 everything is out, on the floor.

I'm feeling the paper on my fingers. Carefully slipping the covers into the new bags and sorting titles and artists and heroes. I'm feeling a bit like the 12 year old in a 50 year old carcass.

Its going to take some time. I'm not getting done tonight and as a result I'm pulling some titles out to reread.

I'm reading "The Watchmen" and "The Dark Knight Returns" again so I can see the movies and cartoons.

50 looking back at 12 feels good, but if 12 could have seen through a looking glass to 50, I hope he would have been happy and how things sorted themselves out.

Leaving osaka

Osaka was an unexpected surprise. Every stop has been nice but osaka was familiar and welcoming in a way when I needed it. 

I always say three weeks is too long for me, the difference between twenty one days and eighteen days is negligible.

It's too bad my last memories of this play will be stumbling around the streets hacking phlegm and looking for ramen. 

My train is here. I'll be at the airport in an hour. Kansai was built on a man made island and it's sinking. Gotta see it while it's there.

See you on the other side.

The game

I've been going to dodger games for more than thirty years. Love it. A passion and everyone needs passions.

I saw a baseball game in Korea but it was more like a high school setup. 

My curiousty about the Japanese league had been there but now having the means I wanted to knock it off the list. 

I picked up a general admission, top deck ticket when I got to osaka. I got yo the stadium two hours before game time to see the season opener. 

Doors opened at 4pm and boom, we were in. Crazy. I don't recall so many people going though security and promo handouts with such efficiency. 

Found a good seat on the third base side. Got a chili dog and coke and waited. 

The oregano was a lit different than the LA season opener. In a dome, no fly over obviously. The announcers came on and instructed the ground on how to follow the cheers.

Game started and the music started. A band played in a single section of the outfield for the drsgons. Everyone singing Za song for each player. 

Three outs and the home team Tigers were up and four sections of the outfittild sang waved banners and I shut you not a brass band. Every player, every out. 

I'm not a big fan of all the extraneous shot at dodgrr stadium right now but here I have to admit I starred to get into it. I didn't wave my flsg but I did cheer for a couple of base hits and when the riggers tied the game in the eighth and won it in the tenth on a walk off base hit.

http://youtu.be/gkTJ3r4oh5c

The game was good but the vibe was a little prefab but electric. People were nice and no one left until the end of the post game, it was a show snd so gladI did it. 

During the seventh inning stretch balloons appeared and after the hanshin Tigers home team song they all flew into the air.

http://youtu.be/k-C878_Bzh0

I did catch a cold and I feel like shit now but fuck it, live till you die ...

A full day

It's too long. 

Three weeks is too long for me, for this. I feel a little disoriented. I don't know what the date is or what day it is. I'm moving on because the phone tells me to. 

It will be nice to get home but when I get back to work I'll be back in the grinder so I want to make these days count. 

 Yesterday was one of those days when it all happened. 

I started at Starbucks where a younger guy watched me put together a couple of pages in my journal. We chatted for a bit. I finished my coffee and went on with my day.

First stop was the National Buntaku Museum. Traditional puppetry, but the show today was trsdionsl dance. I sat in on five or six individual performances. Fantastic. The show lasted all day but I wanted to keep moving.

 Started wandering and down a small street I found a shop where a guy was working a noodle machine. Fresh noodles. I'm in!

http://youtu.be/1wWyu4VC7XI

I had a somewhat disappointing ramen experience the other day but I this was too much too pass up.

Lunch.

I stimbled into the toy district where there were tons of people milling in and out of stores selling video games, cards and some toys. Nothing I thought was interesting but they seemed to like it.  So good for them. 

followed

I headed back to the hotel and I find a Jazz club. I took note and kept walking.

Out of nowhere a Buddhist monk and I startled each other walking in the space between two buildings. We smiled and bedded to each other and he disappear behind a door. 

It seemed a bit strange so I  him. It turns out the storefront was actually a small temple. This temple was dedicated to fire. It was about five o'clock and he invitede to stay for the evening fire ritual.

How can you say no when a monk invites you for a fire ritual. 

All told it took about 45 minutes with lots of chanting and waving and banking of things against other things. It was me and a lady sat down to watch the ceremony to the end. It was nice, getting a bit tedious near minute 31 but unique .

Hotel for a nap then dinner. 

I decided to find the jazz club after my nap. Have dinner and listen to some music.

I retraced my steps and found the club so next, dinner. 

As is my habit I find a small alley or street and find a store with little or no English. Hopefully a picture or a menu with numbered options. 

I found a small restaurant with plastic sushi on display and my belly pointed me to the door. 

There was an old man and younger apprentice behind the counter and an older lady and her younger counterpart working the crowd, if there was one. 

When I walked it everyone jumped like they just got caught sleeping. I'm the only one there. It might not be a good sign that the place is empty but wrf. 

I pointed to the plastic food I wanted and the apprentice went to work with thee older man bird dogging the entire process. If anything the quality control on my plate would be excellent and I have to say it was very very good. 

I went slow and mixed the flavors to enjoy the ride and I loved it.

I left full but not sloshing in my shoes.

Down the road was the B-Roxy night club in the basement of an old building. It looked like a forgotten storage area these guys decided they would play music in.

I did a lot today but this,this was the best. Drums, guitar, standup bass and a trumpet. C'mon ...

http://youtu.be/Xqc0Kkfx4JI

Later in the set one of the audience guys opened his case and joined with a sax.

It's those days when I'm ass deep in a speadsheet or under a heater looking for gas leaks or in some fucked up meeting I'll remember that Jazz club or that mink or those old ladies dancing and it will take the edge off.

A full day

It's too long. 

Three weeks is too long for me, for this. I feel a little disoriented. I don't know what the date is or what day it is. I'm moving on because the phone tells me to. 

It will be nice to get home but when I get back to work I'll be back in the grinder so I want to make these days count. 

 Yesterday was one of those days when it all happened. 

I started at Starbucks where a younger guy watched me put together a couple of pages in my journal. We chatted for a bit. I finished my coffee and went on with my day.

First stop was the National Buntaku Museum. Traditional puppetry, but the show today was trsdionsl dance. I sat in on five or six individual performances. Fantastic. The show lasted all day but I wanted to keep moving.

 Started wandering and down a small street I found a shop where a guy was working a noodle machine. Fresh noodles. I'm in!

http://youtu.be/1wWyu4VC7XI

I had a somewhat disappointing ramen experience the other day but I this was too much too pass up.

Lunch.

I stimbled into the toy district where there were tons of people milling in and out of stores selling video games, cards and some toys. Nothing I thought was interesting but they seemed to like it.  So good for them. 

followed

I headed back to the hotel and I find a Jazz club. I took note and kept walking.

Out of nowhere a Buddhist monk and I startled each other walking in the space between two buildings. We smiled and bedded to each other and he disappear behind a door. 

It seemed a bit strange so I  him. It turns out the storefront was actually a small temple. This temple was dedicated to fire. It was about five o'clock and he invitede to stay for the evening fire ritual.

How can you say no when a monk invites you for a fire ritual. 

All told it took about 45 minutes with lots of chanting and waving and banking of things against other things. It was me and a lady sat down to watch the ceremony to the end. It was nice, getting a bit tedious near minute 31 but unique .

Hotel for a nap then dinner. 

I decided to find the jazz club after my nap. Have dinner and listen to some music.

I retraced my steps and found the club so next, dinner. 

As is my habit I find a small alley or street and find a store with little or no English. Hopefully a picture or a menu with numbered options. 

I found a small restaurant with plastic sushi on display and my belly pointed me to the door. 

There was an old man and younger apprentice behind the counter and an older lady and her younger counterpart working the crowd, if there was one. 

When I walked it everyone jumped like they just got caught sleeping. I'm the only one there. It might not be a good sign that the place is empty but wrf. 

I pointed to the plastic food I wanted and the apprentice went to work with thee older man bird dogging the entire process. If anything the quality control on my plate would be excellent and I have to say it was very very good. 

I went slow and mixed the flavors to enjoy the ride and I loved it.

I left full but not sloshing in my shoes.

Down the road was the B-Roxy night club in the basement of an old building. It looked like a forgotten storage area these guys decided they would play music in.

I did a lot today but this,this was the best. Drums, guitar, standup bass and a trumpet. C'mon ...

http://youtu.be/Xqc0Kkfx4JI

Later in the set one of the audience guys opened his case and joined with a sax.

It's those days when I'm ass deep in a speadsheet or under a heater looking for gas leaks or in some fucked up meeting I'll remember that Jazz club or that mink or those old ladies dancing and it will take the edge off.

Moving

The last hotel was great but I'm getting a little soft so two nights in another capsule. I thought I was done with the capsule but something's going on in town and rooms were hard to find so I found a capsule in a different part of town. 

Checked out this morning, dropped my bag at the new place and off to see a temple but the apple I had for breakfast is about exhausted so looking for a little joint. Ramen? Udon? Sushi?

WhoA, coco ichiban! My old supervisor took me to this place near our office. All they do is knock you on your ass curry. I'm in.

And it's as I remember. The spicy scale goes from 1-10. I got a three and I'm going to feel it tonight but I don't care. Almost done

I pick  up my laundry later and check into the capsule.

Cleaning

It's about that time. I'm out of clean clothes and I have to have a good set for the plane ride home. You don't want to stink on a plane trapped for twelve hours so I picked about eight pieces and yelped a cleaners down the street . 

I found a very sweet old lady. She nodded and said " cleaning , cleaning..." When I asked. 

She held up one of the shirts and I imagined she said " do you want this dry cleaned ?" Im guessing, you had to be there but that was my guess. 

In fact it was an old shirt so the machine would be ok. Do you say this with no japanese? I pointed to the shirt and moved my hands like a washing machine and made a whoosh whoosh whoosh sound. She laughed and laughed and so did I. It was great.

I pick up my clothes tomorrow. 

Got lunch. A guy had Takoyaki grill outside his house so boom! Lunch .

Slow today . Getting ready to move tomorrow . Going to try something new for dinner. Have not decided what.

Walk

Nothing to do. No plans so I walk .

The symbol of the city is the castle so I put that in the agenda. A mile and a half and I'm there. 

The castles I've seen on this trip have been different than I expected. The main tower in osaka, while not being really a castle was very impressive and beautiful.

Walking to the top was a killer but worth it. Fantastic view and artful metalwork and architecture.

Very crowded and loaded with kids I bail.

The strap on my backpack has been broken for months so walking around I've been swinging it around to keep it steady. Last time I fixed it was in Copenhagen. The lady was nice but here I am again

Walking back to the hotel I found a shoe repair shop that I knew could do the job but after about five minutes the kid behind the counter pointed me to a bag repair shop. 

Done the street at the bag repair shop the lady tells me it will take a week and cost $20. I tell her I can't wait that long so she gets flustered and we get to a simple repair in 40 minutes for about $9. 

It's probably going to bust in another year but for the next few days I'll be good. 

So for fourty minutes I'm waiting. There is a food stall with a line of people. I don't know what it is but I'm getting in line.

Ended up being fried tempura mashed potatoe. Not bad.

Bag is fixed. Back at the hotel but I'm beat. Waiting for s bit before going back for ramen.

Don't eat late

I'm in for the night but I didn't have dinner. I've been good. Eating light, walking, no sodas. But I'm hungry.

I have to eat japanese. What sense does it make if I'm here and I don't. Anyway. It's cold , windy.....soup...ramen! Fuck yea!

Normally I would just wander aimlessly like a hobo until I found somewhere but technology has made me lazy, Google says there is a ramen joint around the corner. Off I go into the night. 

Right where they said it was, was a wooden facade with a name I can't pronounce. About twelve seats and they're packed but I go in. 

The guys behind the bar scream welcome and one sees I'm not a local comes over to help me out. I say ramen and he shows me which button to pushing the order machine and he points me to a n open stool on the bar in the back.

http://youtu.be/WrQT2G95jsU

I watch these guys work and the smells are starting to make me hungry and angry that I waited to eat but the bowl hits the table and I'm in.

Wow!

Flavor. Deep and rich. Tender pork and noodles with just enought give

I have to slow down so I go up top to the ginger bowls but it's not just ginger. One has ginger, one has a pickled root and one has kimchi onions that are spicy, I want to punch the chef in the back of the head they are so good.

I pace myself and finish.

I slosh back to the hotel and wait for this to work through me.

I'm going back tomorrow 

Imari

Last full day in Kyoto so I'm trying to make it count. 

Sat downstairs in the hotel and picked up the comp breakfast. I've been eating portions a more reasonable person should eat so breakfast was fairly light finishing with a huge orange. 

Thumbing through the lonely planet the nijo palace and the Inari temple seemed to be good bets. Both on the subway and both pretty historical and culturally important.

The palace. Nice enough but didn't blow me away. Maybe I'm jaded. 

Looking at the map I plot a course for the temple. 

I get a fair shake from the subway attendant who points me on the right direction and I walk for about a mile. 

About half way I start to run out of gas so I walk into a little beef bowl joint. It's like yoshinoya but it's another name. I get Addison bowl of beef and kimchi. It's good but it's about twice what I've been eathong so I feel big. This might have been a bad idea.

Good thing I still have half a mile to walk so that will settle it a bit.

It does and I get to the temple. In a forest of brown bark and green leaves dozens and dozens of oats colors bright orange, they say vermillion, but the contrast is fantastic. 

The is a small shrine up a path and part that shrine is another walkway lined with the Orange gates as far as you can see. So I follow it. The path snakes through the woods and I'm surrounded by people following the path.

The site is fantastic.

The path turns and forks. One way main temple the other mount Inari. Well fuck I'm here, it's mt Inari. I feel good. Last few days I've walked miles my feet are under me and I'm okay most of the day. However half and hour in the term mount starts to cycle in my brain and I think they have not used the term carelessly.

It was beautiful. There was a stop at a small lake and small graveyards and memorials but the climb wouldn't stop. 

I got to an overlook which was nice but the sign said I was a little more than half way.fuuucccckkkkkk.

I'm glad I had that fucking beef bowl before I got there or I would be passed out at the foot of one of these fucking gates.

I decided to push on to one more stop. So at sammonine rubbed the foot of one of the fixes rubbed the head of the dragon. Tipped the shrine and rang the bell and made my way down.

At the hotel I'm beat but I made the most of the day

Have my ticket for tomorrow. I'm moving on.

Kyoto

It rained all night. My hotel has one English Channel, cnn. Horrible 

With the rain coming down I took the time to rest. Repack, read a little and get after it the next day .

Today, it's still raining. Not hard but after a fifteen minute walk I was wet halfway deep. 

This side of Kyoto, near the train station is fairly quiet. I hit two big temples today. I'm not religious but a Buddhist temple is a thing of beauty. I was there for a prayer by the monks. The chant filled the room with sound. Dark up to the rafters and four monks singing near an alter. 

Amazing

A tour came in so I bailed.

Hungry I found a little hole in the wall where two grandmothers made me a bowl of udon with a citrus flavor. I haven't gotten sick so I'm assuming it was intentional. It was decent and the ladies were very sweet so I called it a win.

On the way to third temple I went to the shoren en garden. In the rain, in those surroundings an unbeatable experience.

Dinner is a touristy "Kyoto" style restaurant. I'm getting a lot of little dishes with some really intersting flavors and presentation. I think I would be missing something if I didn't go this way at least once.

Settling down

Bought my ticket for tomorrow.

Back from Yokohama uneventfully.

Relaxing with some coffee waiting for my stomach to start demanding dinner. 

http://youtu.be/aocW2YV5kIw

All I had today was cold soba noodles and some coffee .

Tempura is the local specialty and I hear it's light so it could be s nice lead in to a restful night.

Music

Here's the music. from the restaurant. He had cd's but he was sold out. I was disappointed 

http://youtu.be/Yc451ESMYu8

The best

After the train from Yokohama I wandered around the temple and I found this restaurant. 

The sign described authentic food and cultural show . My expectations were muted.

However this has been the best part of my trip so far.

The man and woman running the restaurant serve delicately crafted dishes but the best part was the husband playing his Japanese string lute I guess it was.

I didn't think video of his performance would have been cool so I just made s voice tape,

This has been the best part of my trip so far. 

Working

Finally getting some drawing in...

Coffee

The other day when I was wandering I came across a McDonald's . 

McDonald's has the best and used to be cheapest coffee and has been a safe bet when I travel to stop and recalibrate .

The window is on the street and I get coffee, small and apple pie.

The coffee is the size of my fist. The large is the size of a small back home. Hmmm.

Anyway there is no park. There are no benches. Nothing. So being resourceful I pulled out a plastic beer crate from between two buildings and set it next to a power box on the sidewalk so I wasn't in anyone's way. 

I settled down. Are my snack and was on my way. I replaced the crate from whence it came and continued on.

I was reading some tourist brochure later on that said Tokyo has wonderful restaurants because it is impolite to eat on the street or in public. 

Meanwhile, I stop in Yokohama for the day and people are lounging in the sun. Siting and picnicking. 

I felt like a badass for about 29 hours.