Cold Heat and Trees

Amsterdam, Holland

West LA, California

Downtown LA, California

Mataró, Catalunya

Barcelona, Catalunya

The cold air enters the old wooden blinds in my old room in this beautiful old city. At some time between 10 and 11 am, when the large building across the street allows it, the sun shines straight into my space, where I sit and soak it up. It's January, and the time it takes to warm up jogging up the mountain near my home, to warm up the low-water-pressure shower, to warm up my hands when I'm typing, drawing, writing, or rolling a cigarette, all takes longer. The sun thaws me out, as does my old oil heater in times when this sun isn't out.

Been into trees lately; shifting from Autumn to Winter, from place to place, metro to metro. Had a great time back home, and seeing these masts of life in the new year, well, it's a good thing.

Where the Wild Things Are: Barcelona

Night of the Spike Jonze movie in an outdoor theater at the Castell de Montjuic, then some good old foosball (babifoot). Te amo, Barcelona, abarazame, Barcelona.

Having Left Beloved Okinawa

The trip continues. Amidst crazy tragedy and wild tumult in Japan, Ileft Okinawa on April 5, where I lived for three years. I'll never forget all the wonderful people who I met there, and will keep this in my heart as I move on, in a similar way to when I left Australia back in 2008. I'm now at the home of the first friend I ever had (when I came back newborn from the hospital, she was there as a one-year-old) in Yokosuka, Japan.

My home, again, is wherever--but not just wherever randomly, but wherever I am. Wherever I am feeling myself, wherever I am able to skate, wherever I can make money, wherever I can encounter the good people and good ideas, eat the good food, breathe the good air, and be.

So here are a couple of photos from my last days in Okinawa. Big thanks to everyone I met, worked with, and spent time with in Okinawa. I'll miss you. What's next for Aki? Stay tuned for my next post...

It Pays to Explore

Went skating with a good homie Jon... we were skating this bus terminal with curbs, then found a nice grass hole gap. You never know what you're going to find, huh.

British Bullseye

Oceanic Photos from a Recent Dive

The Islands of Kerama

Daaaamn I'm like that dude who used to be all into blogging and stuff, then got over it for a couple months and then was like, I should do this again... I admit it's a nice outlet. But if anyone actually does even read this shiat, I apologize for being em-eye-ay (mia).

Seems I have been em-eye-ay much of the time sometimes, since I've gone and become an expatriate. But I'm always thinking about my friends back home, those who I've met on my travels, my family, and also I don't ever forget friends who have left us early on earth. We live for you, SHL.

I got through my first semester as an elementary school teacher in one piece, and it is quite energy-consuming, but a daang awesome job. Especially since there is an overwhelming strict code for Japanese teachers to follow in school policies and reports and those weird Japanese hierarchy concepts, but I'm the "foreign language teacher," which kinda automatically makes me exempt from all that. Sweet. So I do my thing and have fun with the kids. I teach third through sixth grade, so its a messload of kids. I'm like, "I'll beatbox so you sing the ABC's. Loud." Seems to work well enough.

I wish I had photos of all the kids and the two schools I share my weekdays at, but I keep forgetting to take my camera to work. I did, however, take my camera to Zamami-Jima in the Kerama archepelago southwest of the main Ryukyu island Okinawa. I went with my girlfriend and another couple, and we watched (or tried to watch) the solar eclipse from the hour and a half ferry ride, along with this other couple from Colorado who happened to be on the boat. I had an underwater camera too.. Ah, I just remembered, I got to go pick up the film developed at the camera shop! Here's Zamami:

Kenyu Soh, one of the best-hearted people on Earth.

Forest road to the on the unpopulated side.

The view was siiick. Perching it with Takashi Z.

Climbing around Chishi before some scuba.

The whole population of Zamami.

So the forest was amazing, the beaches and coral reef all around were amazing too. Ahh, it's a good thing to be a teacher: summer vacation! Yuup, and JLo is coming to town in a couple days! Yeah LCC represeeent! Miss yall coyotes.

Arright, since I have a bit more time on my hands now, I think I'll do this whereverhome thing again, for anyone who would want to know what Aki's been up to these days. And let me know how you are too.

Bwahaha, last night I went out drinking with some American friends, and we went to this craze spot where a buunch of Japanese women were out mingling with a buuunch of Marines and Army people who think they're hot shit looking to get laid. Ah jeez, it reminded me of some Miss Saigon themed shit. What is the world coming to?

Peeace

Best Burgers in Ginowan

What's the goings on with all the goodburgers in the world? I mean like, special sauce Sunday barbeque fat patty fluffy bread-type goodburgers? I wonder how good they are in Germany, has anyone been to Hamburg? If you're from Hamburg are you a Hamburger? How are the hamburgers out there, Hamburger? daahahaa

Anyway, today was a good day as any to pick up a Jumbo Burger from My House with my girlfriend. Yup, My House. That's the name of the damn burger joint. And there's a rotating staff of smiling Okinawan women average age 55 up in there, so you know that the food is like how momma makes.

Scrumptuous I would say.
How do they do that with the sauce?

E I E I uh oohh, like Nelly.

They have the original Raiden arcade console in the shop, right
under some old school Orion beer ads (hot shit).

Highway 58, my commute, where I stay.