« May 2009 | Main | July 2009 »
June 30, 2009
Guess what I am doing tomorrow
Well, I finally got to California. It always seems like a long trip. Anyway, looks like I will be able to surf a little while I am here. This is the beach in front of my sister's place. Surf shop is downstairs...brilliant.
June 26, 2009
One year in Zushi...nine years in Japan
It's a week of anniversaries for me! Yesterday marked one year that I left Tokyo for a life on the beach. And nine years ago Sunday, I moved from New York to Japan. It's gone fast.
I almost didn't remember, but last night I decided to check out the beach bars for the first time this summer. I did the same thing last year on my first night in the Zushi apartment, so the context helped me to figure it out. So, I had another beer to celebrate. It was nice.
Posted by Kirk at 08:41 AM | Comments (0)June 25, 2009
Crazy weather
Here is a picture of Mt. Fuji, since we haven't seen it for awhile.
It is rare to see Mt. Fuji in the summer, but there has been strong off shore winds to blow all the pollution away. As you can see, the snowpack is mostly melted, so it is time to be thinking about hiking up the mountain.
I took yesterday off from surfing and puttered around the house. Even thought I have been getting a lot of sleep, I have been waking up sluggish the last few days, which I blame on the weather. Not that I have to blame anything. In any case, I am feeling more normal today.
Posted by Kirk at 07:58 AM | Comments (0)June 17, 2009
Rainy Season
Last week was the official start of rainy season in Japan. That is the translation commonly used, but it is a bit confusing because it does not rain all day, every day...in fact, the average monthly rainfall is higher in the Fall than it is now. But, it does rain (or look like it is going to rain) a lot more than April or May, so there you go.
Last night, there was an absolutely fantastic thunder storm. I turned out all the lights in my apartment and for an hour or so watched the lightning flash. It was so close that you could not only hear, but feel, the thunder. That was cool.
The end of rainy season is the beginning of summer, and that is not confusing. Around July 20th, it gets super hot and humid and stays that way for two months. That sucks if you live and work in Tokyo, but the hot weather also means onshore winds by the beach, so in Zushi it is much more bearable.
And if you get too hot, there are always the beach bars, which I have mentioned a million times on this blog. They open in two days, in case you were wondering. By some amazing bit of luck, Zushi beach bars open two weeks before the rest of the beaches in the area. So, come on down if you have time. I am heading off to San Diego in two weeks, so you better hurry.
Posted by Kirk at 10:31 PM | Comments (0)June 12, 2009
Summer seems to have arrived
Well, it is hot today. Good thing I was at the beach, surfing! Actually, the waves have been really great the last two days. Yesterday was a bit rainy on the morning though, so that makes the 100% sunny day we had today even better.
Here is someone surfing in Shichirigahama...
I think today was my best day surfing ever. Of course, I fell a lot, but I also had a lot of good rides. Yesterday's waves were better, I think, but we went to Kugenuma and it was so crowded that you could not really do anything but go straight ahead. That place is going to suck once the beach bars open.
Anyway, another week is done. Woo hoo...
Posted by Kirk at 05:23 PM | Comments (0)June 09, 2009
Motivation
Here is a picture of the Pier in Imperial Beach. I am not there now, but I could be going soon (see post below), so I thought I would put it up to remind myself to sort that out.
This and that...
Damn...I spent a good forty minutes writing an entry and somehow managed to erase it all before publishing it. Really, it is that kind of day.
Yesterday, I bought a ticket back to the US to see my sister and niece (she just graduated from high school! woo hoo), but apparently I have messed up the dates, so who knows what I will do now. I have today to think about it. Timing is not my strong point.
I should have plenty of time to do that, because there are no waves today...so no surfing, and unfortunately, no back up plan. In the past, I would go work out, but I quit my gym in Tokyo. I was going up there less and less and it became harder for me to justify the monthly cost and train fare. Having said that, I will be in Tokyo for three of the next four days, so maybe I should have waited. Again, that whole timing thing is beyond me.
The beach bars open in ten days! Woo hoo! I had an early taste on Sunday. I was at the coffee shop next to the station when a friend called to say she was invited to a BBQ in Zushi and asked if I wanted to go. Since she called from the station, I met her right away and we went down to the beach. I got to drink beer and throw a football around, so I was happy.