This is the bridge that separates my island from the mainland. It's the longest suspension bridge in the world, nearly 4 kilometers long. It costs over 2500 yen to cross it in a "futsu-joyosha" (rougly means regular car in the sense of size, power, and purpose) one way. Yes, I pay this both ways whenever I go off the island.

This is one of the footbridges that are built over the highway on my island. I've never seen anyone on them, and I think they demand closer investigation.

Actually, I have no idea what these towers are for, but they looked really neat against the sunset when I was driving home...

Bad News first:
Forgot to call home for my mom's birthday. The doghouse in which I currently reside is quite dark, to better accomodate hiding.

Much Better News:
1.
Weather was absolutely brilliant. Drove to Nara in approximately 12 parsecs. Sylvia was at the top of her game and we ate a Skyline GT-R for lunch. Shame, shame.
This guy had serious "GT-R: King of Road" machismatic issues or something, because he suddenly floored it when I moved to pass. It had not been my intention to challenge him at all, I just wanted to get off the island quickly in order to reach Kobe before traffic started, but this bitch move got under my skin real quick... Really not much I could do about that as he was simply driving the faster car, but I cursed him - and it worked: GT-R boy found out just how front-heavy those type-32 Skylines really are when he stepped on the gas and pushed hard through a long downhill curve... When he hit a bump coming out of it, the car's rear jounced down hard, and let me tell you son, those tires were smokin'. He started to fishtail so I dropped back and watched as he almost oversteered (jerk the wheel Left, then Right, then Left, then...) into the guardrail at warp speed. What a show!
We passed him as he was shitting brick, mortar, and trowel in the slow lane. Homeboy had a white-knuckled kung-fu DEATH GRIP on the steering wheel and was watching the road VERY INTENTLY so perhaps did not see me waving to him.
Then my radar detector saved us from doom further down the road. This was the third time in as many weeks. (Props to god for mostly limiting the Dark Ones around me to detectable speed guns and fixed cameras that are often out of film.) I would just like to make a quick note here that as far as type-32 Skylines go, I find that skilled drifters tend to choose the GTS-T version over the vaunted GT-R, probably because it leaves more to the driver. My cousin who recently stopped racing (and now drives a big-ass Hi-Ace van - LOL!) confirmed this; he also drove a GTS-T.

2.
I called together some cousins (literal) and friends for a night out. It was fun. Good conversation. Good tunes. Good people. Partway through the night I went seriously Otaku with my keitai camera and went so far as to make drunk people pose for multiple takes. Then I got into the "mini Photoshop" app on my phone and created some seriously scary photos with various effects/filters. At the time of this post, some can be seen on the right column of this page (they will automatically be replaced as I post new pics) . You can see them all, anytime, on my moblog.

3.
Nam and I drove home yesterday evening, directly into a red sun framed by blue sky and the last remaining wisps of silver clouds. When the sky reddened and turned the horizon into a pinkish band of fire, for some strange reason it reminded me of Tatooine. Except that the Jawas were driving Corollas instead of Sand Crawlers, and my destination (the port at Sumoto) does not accomodate space vessels (yet). Go figure.
It seemed a bit too cool to keep the windows open all the way, but the sun's rays made it too warm to close them. I compromised by closing Nam's and leaving mine open, which usually suits us both just fine (How can girls sacrifice the sensation of wind blowing through their hair just for the sake of appearance? Use a good gel or something for chrissakes!). This was a nearly ideal drive home to the island:
Left ear: Soundgarden, loud.
Right ear: Soundgarden, in a storm.
Purring engine, green hills streaking by, fiery sun reluctantly passing reign to sister moon... Damn that was a sweet drive!
I took some pictures with my phone while driving (how many laws is that breaking?) and a few turned out OK, I'll post them after renaming them later.

Created with the "pencil sketch" filter on my keitai's graphics app. The original photo was too dark to see, really. I upped the contrast and applied the filter.... Voila! Nana's hands, BTW.

My cousin Nana. Resident of Asuka Mura. No, I will not "hook you up."

This was a good photo to try my keitai photoshopping skillz on. This is my cousin Tate shortly after a Cuervo shooter. Tate's dad, my uncle Takatoshi, is the head minister of a church in Nara, and it seems Tate is under a lot of pressure to get his act together... He has a younger sister and brother, and I take them out as often as I can. Hell, we met some relatives in Kyoto for the first time last month... Aw crap I just realized that whatever I write here will be overshadowed by the photo.

The original, untouched version of this photo was not a keeper. Several thumb taps later, it became what you see here. Spooky with a Gothic kinda tip, a keeper in my book - if you can stand to look at it long enough to recognize the subject, that is. Got it? Hint: It's a girl praying to god for me to stop running around taking pictures like a wired monkey, or for Armageddon, whichever can be arranged sooner, justpleasepleasehurrymakehimstopmakehimstop...

Kohei did not believe me when I said that a genki drink called "Tough Man" has a pair of balls on the bottle. Drink it and weep, I say. I am just guessing that this company took a pretty hard hit when they legalized Viagra in Japan.

Wow! This photo really came together well considering that the only illumination was the flame from my lighter (set to medium) and indirect reflections of the 8-ball clock off the wall they were facing. The original color photo came out well, but I like the monotone better. I admit that I staged this shot and had them pose for it - but it looks like a natural bar scene to me. I'm simply amazed this was possible with my keitai cam.

The 8-ball clock at Bill's Bar shines a soothing light over all who enter. Chris found it at a second hand store when he was redoing the bar a couple years ago and knew it would be perfect for the new look he had in mind. In retrospect - props, man.

Taro officially ranked out at around 4 in the morning even after promising to make it out all night. In anticipation, I created ballpoint-on-napkin art in honor of his whippedness. Then I set fire to it on an ashtray which is what I captured here. Reminds me of the Pearl Jam song "Jeremy" for some reason.

A psychedelic tin of candy drops as seen through my eyes after downing a Spirytus shotgun. 192 proof, baby.

At Bill's Bar. I kinda went aggro with this keitai camera and took pictures semi-continuously for a few hours, recharging the phone in short bursts when necessary (BTW this is a good way to wear out a rechargeable battery).

Ahmed,

As we say here in the land of Nyorai, the price of urgent financial dealings is 50% and non-negotiable.

Time, Love, and Tenderness,
C. Buddha

P.S. Please call me CB. Justin Yoshida is the name I use for this mortal shell.

My new partner wrote back!

You are asking for too much but call me so that we can talk 234-80-33220446. Ahmed

And again!

Dear Justin Yoshida,

How are you doing? PLease I am still waiting to hear from you on my reply to your mail. I am waiting.

Regards,

Ahmed Saleh

This is artwork on the top of a plastic jar lid for an old brand of mango chutney. My aunt in Kyoto gave it to me filled with curry from their shop, which is located next to Nijo Castle.

Quentin Tarantino & Tomohiro Machiyama in Movie Otakuland. Absolutely a must read for the kung-fu grip set. Warning: Spoilers Galore! (thx, Bill!) Also, the site does major resize-fu on your browser windows.

FROM:MR AHMED SALEH THE MANAGER, UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA, ALABA INT'L BRANCH, 3 AGUDOSI ST LAGOS-NIGERIA.

Sir,

I am pleased to get across to you for a very urgent and profitable business proposal, though I don't know you neither have I seen you before but my confidence was reposed on you when the Chief Executive of Lagos State chamber of Commerce and Industry handed me your contact for a confidential business.

I am the manager of United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA), Alaba Int'l branch,Lagos Nigeria. The intended business is thus; we had a customer, a Foreigner resident in Nigeria, he was a Contractor with one of the Government Parastatals. He has in his Account in my branch the sum of US$12.5 Million (Twelve million,five hundred thousand U.S Dollars).Unfortunately, the man died four years ago until today non-of his next of kin has come forward to claim the money.

Having noticed this, I in collaboration with one other top Official of the bank covered up the account all this while. Now we want you (being a foreigner) to be fronted as one of his next of kin of the deceased and forward all the necessary information to be advised to you by us to attest to the Claim.

We will use our positions to get all internal documentation to back up the claims. The whole procedures will last only ten working days to get the fund retrieved successfully without trace even in future. Your response is only what we are waiting for as we have put all machineries that will be instrumental to the success of the transaction in motion.

As soon as this message comes to you kindly get back to me indicating your interest, with your telephone and fax number then I will furnish you with the whole procedures to ensure that the deal is successfully Concluded. For your assistance, we have agreed in principle to offer you 30% of the total sum at the end of the transaction.

It is risk free and a big mega fortune. All correspondences towards this transaction will be through telephone and e-mail. I await your earliest response.

Thanks,

Yours Sincerely,
MR. AHMED SALEH
Email: ah_saleh84@yahoo.com

Re: urgent

Mr. Ahmed Saleh,

I am very interested in your proposal, but considering the risks I must insist on 50% of the total big mega fortune. If you can agree to this counter-proposal, please respond to this message with your phone and fax number.

Is this offer for real? I could really use the cash since I spend most of my days converting ignorance and bewilderment into the wisdom of primordial awareness/universal lawfulness...

Best Regards,
C. Buddha

UPDATE: Damn, they already got him.

A warning label on one of the automated machines at the factory I visited the other day.

For whatever reason you are here (for instance, if I have spammed you), welcome! The entire Cosmic Buddha site is under heavy construction, and work is being done incrementally on the static pages as well as on all weblogs hosted here. I'm working as fast as my schedule allows (read: very slowly), but my isn't that boring to read about!

The static pages are quite old but still get a lot of hits from people looking for free kimono pics (the joke is on you, I took them all down!). I am working on installing image galleries again, and will let you know when they are up.

In addition to this main blog (weblog) I also update a moblog (mobile weblog) from my cellphone fairly regularly. You can visit it here:
http://www.cosmicbuddha.com/moblog/

Until I installed Movable Type on this hosted site, I did a lot of writing using outside web tools (namely Blogger and Yapeus) here:
http://cosmicbuddha.com/tempblog/
http://yapeus.com/users/cosmicbuddha/

That about covers the scope of my online ego at this point. I used to manage some corporate sites but blahblahblah blahblah blahblahblahblahblah...

Please visit often.

Ah, also - you can email me at:
j(AT)cosmicbuddha.com

I just sat around eating asse! It's made by Morinaga (turn up the volume before clicking this link), so you can be sure it's quality asse that melts in your mouth! I think this my new favorite food...

Note: There are 18 pieces of asse in one box. Enough for a home party!

I think I finally got all the bugs worked out of Taro Machino's blog. I hope he updates frequently cuz he has such a unique perspective on things sometimes.

The URL:
http://cosmicbuddha.com/jomon/

Indeed.

I liked it.

There was one cheesy edit in the "Big Fight" sequence (when Smith first replicates). It was when Neo defies the law of everything and slides on his back to escape the 87th time. Even though it only lasted a second, it remained an indelible stain on the rest of the movie like the "Legolas Railslide" in The Two Towers or the Chow Yun "sliding between legs w/M-16" move from the car wash scene in Replacement Killers.

Funny that his being able to fly didn't bother me at all.

This baby monkey is being held in a stanky, stanky metal cage with some fully-grown family members who steal food from it and make it cry. Life really sucks sometimes. Then again, it is entirely possible that these conditions bother me more than the monkey...

Some type of fertility doll, I think. Nazo, nazo.

Me like raccoon-dogs.

GREAT EMOTIONAL DISTRESS

The entire purpose of this post is to strike fear in my sibling. We have memories of the devil mask in our house, you see.

They could have done so much more in this valley than imprison innocent monkeys and give stuffed raccoons boners... Then again, it is a free country I guess.

Ray at Achewood digs boners, too.

Dude, I got a Boner.

At Nazo no Paradaisu (Paradise of Mysteries) attraction on my island, Awajishima. My main blog will feature a photo essay on the strange exhibits we found there.

I think the sky came out quite nicely in this photo. It's funny to me how small pictures can show so much detail.

On stairs leading up to the plateau from which I took the pic above, at Nijo-Jo in Kyoto.

One of the more interesting stories concerning the Hanshin Tigers victory this year (so far they have won the Central League chamionships and will play for the Japan Series title later this month) is one I overheard at work. Apparently, this story was seen on TV, reported by TV star Sonomama Higashi, and regards the victory jumps into the Dotombori river by rabid Hanshin fans in Osaka when they won the Central League title.

As you may already know, there was one fatality among the jumpers, a guy who was pushed into the river and died of shock/drowning. There were several injuries as well, not the least common of which can be attributed to the fact that the Dotombori River is notoriously polluted and the water is very probably harmful if swallowed. The river has been polluted by upstream manufacturing for centuries, and is a sluggish, murky cesspool even during the brightest hours of the day.

For some reason, it has always attracted idiots who jump into it to celebrate something, or more commonly, to reaffirm manhood. In a very typical digression I must mention here that I had a classmate at university named Asada (as in Carne) whose hobby it was to strip down butt-nekkid, wrestle with bystanders and the police who oversee the bridge in question (Ebisu-bashi AKA Nampa-bashi due to the pick-up artists who hang out there), then jump into the river to "escape". He was arrested multiple times for this stunt, and had friends videotape these escapades. I remember seeing one of these tapes; maybe Dave still has a copy...

Unless you read Japanese, you may not be aware that there was plan launched by the fan of a rival team to harm Hanshin fans, in anticipation of the Hanshin win and the celebratory river-jumping. Apparently, he released some piranhas and a small alligator into the the river, near the bridge the night before. The punchline is that the piranhas quickly perished and floated up to the surface, and the alligator immediately swam to the other bank and escaped. And the next day, hundreds of Hanshin fans willingly dunked themselves in the same water.

When people say Hanshin fans are crazy, this may be the kind of thing they are talking about.

P.S. My first year in Japan I also wanted to jump into the river because I never saw anybody doing it and it was a hot summer day. My friend said if I touched that water, he wouldn't let me ride in the car, so I refrained. Heh.

Well, my Yapeus account is toast it seems. The admin hosed everybody's moblog data, although they have a backup from September. I'm very glad I decided to consolidate all my bloggage with MT.

Regarding this site, I'm still having trouble with the design, mainly because I can't spare a full day or two to tweak the way I like to - straight through in a single session, that is.

On another note, today my manager pissed me off so bad I fantasized about... with a... but instead of giving into my anger like a baaad padawan I thought about my happy place and sang the Happy Tree Friends song in my head and then silently dissented by going home early.

But I'm much better now.

18-inch 5-stars on a jet black, pimp-ass AMG. Shit, this company must be owned by Suge Knight.

An actual raincoat for dogs, seen at Jusco in Tenri. I guess this would come in handy if you've shaved your pooch in preparation for eating or whatever.

This is an evil flavor of tea provided for us for free at work. On the syrup box shown here it says that it is a combination of two common types of Japanese tea, which leads me to believe that instead of washing out the pipes at the production facility in between runs of different products, they simply flush them out and sell the resulting slurry as a new product. Kind of like making a suicide Big Gulp, I guess.

This is one of the more interesting views of the factory where I work. Depressing, that.

These are decent as Japanese chocolate bars go, but my absolute favorite was a product called Woody, "Made with Corn".

Taken at Chibo Okonomiyaki at Itoya Kado in Nara after gigantic lunch with the Sheahans.

Copping a feel at the new Itoya Kado department store in Nara. The NuBra is constantly hyped on SkyPerfect TV in between shows. Ah, the joys of television shopping!

The most meaningless lemon art I have ever seen (yes, there is meaningful lemon art). The 400 yen I paid for this coke somehow seems even less justified with this half-ass attempt at cocktail design. Of course, this was taken at the overpriced steakhouse we visited in Matsuzaka, Mie Prefecture.

Display window of Sony Store in Hep 5, Umeda.

Cruisin' on the Dai-ni Hanna... Look out my window and what do I see?