Finally, Eric has come back to ...

Here I am, it's Saturday, September 19, and I'm about four days out from traveling back to Japan.

It's funny, but you would think a trip as big as this would be something I would have kept track of. Yet, I only realized about a week ago that this was really happening! That I was going back to see Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto! Luckily, I planned ahead a little bit and had some $$$ changed into ¥ at my bank so I would already have cash upon landing (it helps to actually have the correct currency if I want to get some snacks at the airport). But this week I've been a whirlwind of activity; getting supplies and medicine, taking care of bills early, preparing my cameras, charging my netbook and psp, and zoning out at work occasionally because I'd rather think about Japan.

So, what am I looking for on this trip? Wherever I go, I always want to experience the culture, people and food. Mmmmmmmmm ... food and drink! Okinomiyaki, yakisoba, ramen, curry, Mos Burger, yakiniku, Asahi Super Dry, sake, tea! I am a huge gamer, so the fact that Intermixi is going to the Tokyo Game Show is Pure Win! Shopping, and this time not just for myself. There's so much I can buy: electronics, games, souvenirs, figures, anime goods/merchandise, clothes, etc. I plan on taking a lot of pictures wherever we go. I've kind of taken up photography as a minor hobby, and I am hoping that I can really capture some memories. Going through the cities, walking in the big intersection in Shibuya, seeing Hachiko, walking through Harajuku, maybe even see some street performers. I also can't wait to meet the other people going on this tour. I've met great people on my previous tours, and I expect that trend to continue.

Ugh, I still have a lot to do. It doesn't help that I will be visiting a friend in Los Angeles, so I need to have everything ready and packed before I fly out tomorrow. But it doesn't matter, this is what a trip is all about!

This is how you sell a video game!

Day of Introspection: Redux

I cannot believe that it has almost been a year, one whole calendar year, since I came back to Florida from California. Going through my posts over time, I noticed that after a year in California I made a kind of progress report. Talked about what I had done and what I was planning to do. I think I'd like to make that a yearly tradition here (the evaluation of life; not the moving cross-country). As a refresher, I'll link to the old posts from July/August of last year.

Day of Introspection: Part 1
Day of Introspection: Part 2
Day of Introspection: Part 3

I started going in to this a little bit in a post about a month ago. I don't know if I'll go into it too deep just now either. But I can give a brief progress report as things stand right now.

Professional Goals: I feel like my time working in California was very productive and helped me to further focus on where I would like to take my career. I was lucky to be able to find a job almost immediately upon returning to Florida, and I have a renewed interest in developing my skills and even mentoring my coworkers. My immediate goal is to renew my CCNA certification, and then work on getting one of the CCNA specializations (most likely CCNA Voice).

Fitness Goals: One problem I've had since coming back to Florida has been letting my overall fitness decline a bit. I didn't work out too much in California, but I walked a lot more both at home and at work. The communities I lived and worked in allowed for walking to stores and restaurants more readily than where I live in Tampa. And I will admit, I let my diet get a little out of control. So, I've begun an exercise program again and I am working on getting my meals down to smaller portions spread out over the course of the day. I may even take up martial arts again, either Kung Fu or Muay Thai.

Relationships: This one has always been a tough one for me. And not one I feel like talking about too much. So, we'll just say this one is a work in progress and leave it at that.