The Late Show Dance + Potty Practice =

Too stinkin' cute. 

Kickin' it on the potty.

Shake that utility belt, boy!

He's got the rhythm, now he just needs the shoes!

Yume's Debut

After not more than two months training with Mom, Yume steps out for her first ever tap performance. (Filmed by Dad, edited by me.)

Impressive. Most impressive.

Puttin' on her dancin' shoes.

A couple fun numbers I filmed & edited for my mom last month:

Last Hurrah In Japan

And so we gathered—my mom, fiancé, and coworkers, both at separate times and together—to join in fellowship and express our gratitude for things given us by each other and the opportunities shared. It was a joyous time, not entirely without a healthy amount of stress and doubt over the future to come, but a time marking the end of a major chapter in my life.

In mid-July, I was welcomed into the Hashimoto home, the first of several visits to the place where my lady was raised.

The Hashimoto Family (Zen-Buddhist) Shrine

I spent considerable time conversing with Yume's mother and grandmother while seated around the kitchen table—the more exclusive domain of the Japanese women. Here, Yumeko poses with a bowel of dried, salted veggies as we munch on other healthy snacks.

Then we bounce outside to visit with the family dog—Mabou!

A dog and his owner.

Much as I love dogs, my camera can't help but veer more toward the adorable girl kneeling beside him.

That weekend, Yume and I made for Shimoda Park to go jogging and take in the sights from atop the high observation tower at its heart.

Some of my last views of the gorgeous "blue forests" for which Aomori takes its name.

The two of us at the end of our jog. (I wonder if you can tell what question she had just answered for me by the look on her face.)

A couple weeks later, my mom arrived in Aomori to help me pack and return to the US. Our first walk out around town and she stopped to snap this shot: something about it screamed "missing 'L'" to her~ ;)

Later, we ran across the Colonel who decided to follow suit and ask my mother's hand in marriage. (Don't know what you're getting into there, Colonel~!)

My mom got a kick out of this example of wasei eigo ("Japanese English") found in the food court at the local mall.

The following day, we drove to Kabushima Beach, and took a stroll up to see the adjoining shrine.

Climbing to the top…

At the pinnacle, we encounter no shortage of fearless "sea cats" (umineko, or sea gulls) guarding Kabushima, having dodged white splats from their backends all the way up.

That's right—shirtless and braving the bird scat!

A beach angel on patrol

Fortunately, the beach angel takes kindly to my presence after a brief swim.

At my farewell dinner, Mom was asked to get up and show off her tap dancing skills, minus the taps.

She clearly still manages to enjoy herself.

And I will never forget you. (Clockwise starting from the left: Ruairi McLaughlin [friend and fellow ALT], Mr. Yoshida [office aide], Mr. Tsukuda [schools coordinator], Mr. Tsutsumi [office head], Mr. Fujimori [schools coordinator], Mr. Kawaguchi [ALT coordinator], Mr. Isezuki [office aide], Ms. Komukai [office aide], Mr. Hakamada [superintendent], Mom [wonderful parent], and this guy [lucky dude]). Thanks Japan!

Sayonara!

There's no theatre like Noh theatre

While it wasn't exactly in the great tradition, it was play time again in the icy northern reaches of the Land of the Rising Sun. Have a look at the festivities from March 11th!

Towada Association for International Relations Spring Party

Souvenir, drink, and food booths on the right…

…and on the left! Coupons received at the door were used to purchase goods at booths directly rather than the potluck setup of years previous. Good business for all!

Marking the one-year anniversary since the Great East Japan Earthquake that ravaged the Tohoku region, everyone pauses for a moment of silence and prayer.

"Kanpai!" (Cheers!) And the fun begins as everyone toasts each other; juice, cola, or tea in hand.

Mel(issa Tee) kicks off the performances with Japanese traditional dance.

Andrew (aka Kami-sama, or God; ALT from Towada) intros the play, a retelling of how certain animals and one mythical creature important in the Asian calendar came to be selected for the roles they currently hold (i.e. the Chinese Zodiac). 

Here, all the animals come out onstage to view God's message to them, an invitation to a New Year's Day celebration, with early arrivers being given first positions on the calendar lineup. Each of us portrays two animal roles (not all speaking parts), myself taking on that of the snake and reprising again this year as the mouse also! (In truth, I'm the rooster: meticulous and responsible yes, but sometimes overly critical and abrasive, I'll admit.)

Peter (Towada ALT) struts his stuff as the sturdy-backed ox, seen here bracing a scant few seconds before giving the mouse (me) an onstage piggyback ride (drats, no picture!) to the finish line. Thanks pal!

The cast, from left to right: Mel (script and narrator), Anthony (dragon and monkey), this guy (mouse and snake), Andrew (God and cat), Julia (rooster and rabbit), Valerie (sheep and boar), Peter (ox and dog), David (tiger and horse), Vanessa (props).

A group of Japanese moms (and maybe a grandmother or two) puts on a series of lovely Hawaiian line dances.  

The ALTs relax after the performance while everyone hobnobs.

James and Val

Yume and her nezumi-chan ("rat dearest").

I even caught a few moments to try my hand at a shortened version of the fine art of tea ceremony.

From us to you, may Spring be full of color and laughter!

Sayonara, everyone! Thanks for the fellowship!

What if Alice had remained in Wonderland?

I present you with Exhibit A:

Bali: The Adventure Continues

More Bali pix comin' at ya!

Kuta Beach:

When in a place called "paradise," one would be eternally remiss not to dine by candlelight on the beach at sunset.

Front and center for oncoming dusk.

Our drinks arrive…

Happy grin!

Ditto.

…and then din-din; freshly selected from ice chests and seawater baths at the front counter!

Foolin'.

Pretty.

And the sun dips ever lower…

…until it's gone…

Hey babe! Guess what? Next stop: water slide park!

Waterbom Park

Fuuuuuuun!

Oh, yes.

It's amazing—the shots one takes of oneself when on vacation. :p

And how could I leave you without the most signature aspect of Balinese culture:

Selamat detang!