Long Time No Taco

Wearing the shirt I gave him no less! Lots of grown-man love this guy.  As usual, I'm late. I just returned from Japan, but this is not about that. I wasn't able to visit Hiroshima, but in July, I took an all too brief trip back to New York, where this beautiful human being whom I first met in Hiroshima, Tim and partner Lia, gave me a their time, their ears, hearts, coach, and dog, for the duration of my time in Astoria. Sadly that fickle mistress, timing, did not permit me to attend the play Tim wrote and directed , but Tim did allow me to meet the cast and get a sneak peek at a rehearsal. While incomplete, I could clearly see his unique, collaborative spirit with which he directed, as well as the hard work and emotional energy he poured into this, his first of hopefully many plays he will put on! The centerpiece and original purpose for my trip however, was a JET alumni camping trip. The turnout was excellent! Although it had only been 6 months since moving to L.A., I...

A friend pointed out an aspect of my personality I always knew about, but never realized others could notice, until he said something. I wish I could recall the exact quote, because the friend, Dan, has a beautiful way with words. The gist, however ineloquent, was "Wow, Greg. Another new hobby? You sure go through 'em!" It's true. Despite areas I have (hopefully) matured, my unfocused interest in everything has remained constant since childhood. When it comes to athletics, I am terrible at remaining dedicated. MMA, Jujitsu, skateboarding, snowboarding, softball, golf, even simple jogging and yoga - I pick them up for a few months, take twice as many months off, and may-or-may-not return to every so often. I do better with artistic hobbies, though. I have always been a writer, and in recent years, I started home brewing, and I have stayed dedicated to honing my craft (beer). Jokes aside, there are many artistic interests my humble (read: poor) upbringing prevented ...

By the way: I have a sweet sleeping bag. I spent every day the last week working at a new job, at  En Japanese Brasserie . Today marks both my seventh, straight day working, as well as the first official day, having finishing job training! While the job is just part time, to allow me more time to focus on writing, the timing perfectly caps off my August of unemployment, which ended stylishly, culminating in an epic farewell to lazy days. I had the great fortune, this Labor Day weekend, to camp with my fellow JET Programme Alumni and other friends. This was the first time in five years that I camped. By "camping" I mean, pitching tents and sleeping in bags. I am not counting staying in cabins, because although I still prefer the privacy and comfort of a cabin, there is a greater appreciation of comfort that comes from the end of an actual camping trip. Despite what I just said about roughing it, we ate like kings! My alumni group excels at planning and teamwork, and t...