What a BLAST into the weekends!

- Never Stop Dreaming -

The weekend starting from last Friday was a BLAST! Started out as an ordinary Friday, went to work as usual and then went home to have a well deserved break recovering from the aftermath of the Fuji Hike. Woke up on Sat only to find it raining heavily and I chose to skip the Japanese class which I had been absent for at least 6 weeks. Yes I feel bad but I just couldn't resist such weather. Woke up near noon and made my way out to get a few things on my to-do list done.

1. Install the Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) machine on my car.

2. Visit the Asama Jomon Museum.

The ETC machine was much like the ERP of Singapore but only for highways in Japan. It was a hell lot cheaper to have the ETC than to travel regularly on the highways without one. Take for example driving to Niigata from Nagano would cost at least a whooping ￥7,000 one way as compared to ￥1,000 with the ETC. Much to my dismay and horror, I did not have the necessary documents in the car to get the machine done. In the end I found out that the documents were with a friend who had bought this car in my name (too lazy to get the name transfered after I got my licence).

Nothing much I could do about the ETC so I went ahead with No. 2 and popped by the museum in the pouring rain. Upon entering the museum, I was greeted by a huge plush dog displayed prominently in rememberence of the original Quill. Then in the tiny hallway, giantic posters featuring monochrome frames of Quill were displayed on the walls. I took a nice moment to relieve the memories when I watched Quill in SG some 4 to 5 years back. It was a bitter sweet experience...bitter because it was such a sad story and sweet because the REAL pictures of Quill were in front of me now. Though there were just pictures, I could really feel the strong connection to the fame canine. To enter the small room filled with actual frames of Quill, a small admission fee of ￥500 was applicable. I browsed the pictures from the entrance of the room for a while and opted to check out some Quill merchandise instead. In the end, I bought a book containing almost all the original monochrome moments of Quill and hand signed by the photographer for ￥1,200 and some post cards. I chose to have a physical possession of a photobook than just memories so I did not enter the exhibition hall. There were plushies of Quill in various sizes slapped with the "bird" like patch but they just didn't appeal to me. You see I love toys, plushies, etc but unless the face of the product was beautifull done, I would not buy it.

Then I took a good 20 minutes to watch part of the actual documentary of Quill before setting off to Venerable Kazu's Bday Bash at OH! La! Ho brewery in Tomi City. Beautiful place I would say and I would love to visit it again. Met new faces there and had a fantastic dinner less the booze since I was driving. Picked up the necessary documents from my friend later in the night before heading out to Kazu's fame castle for the second half of the party. Met more people and chatted with a really nice Japanese Sensei. Drifting, touge, Keiichi, cars, etc...man you name it. Initial D brought to life was the context of the entire conversation with this Japanese mother of 2 lovely daughters. Went home without the slightest hint of alcohol in my blood around 3 in the morning.

Sunday, went to Mitsu's private BBQ party located at some forest cum BBQ park high up in the hills. The park was cooling in the shade of the trees but the blue ocean above the clouds completed the attitude, mood, soul and everything required for the perfect frame. Arrived early and was treated to some premium thick juicy pieces of beef that were so good they tasted disgusting in a good way. Deep rich red and painted with an intricate pattern of fine marble texture resembling the famous Kobe beef in thick boneless slabs. I was thinking sirlion or ribeye but none the less the taste was simply heavenly. Met some familiar faces and a couple of new faces. Feeded my lens with precious food before slowly appreciating "Autumn". Autumn was not your usual season with the assortment of colors and chilly breeze but rather, a warm poised aura than charms inner hearts with long exposures. I liked the feel but not sure how I would appreciate "Autumn" in the future.

Definitely memorable with the special prescence of "Autumn" before I tucked my baby 5D and chewed away on more sinful meat fest! After that there was a deer enclosure where we teased the baby deers with blades of grasses and clovers. Bambi(s) never looked this good from what I could recall but...venison was the EVIL thought in my head as I patted the baby Bambi(s).

Monday, went to work as usual but attended yet another dinner party in Komoro City to meet the new English Teachers as well as the still fighting strong ones. It was more of a Foreigner party but I happily pulled 2 sweet Japanese felines in so that they could try their luck with the foreigners excluding me of course. They brought their friends whom I had no idea who they were and I sent the horde of them on their "Phishing" trip. Somehow I did liked the idea of playing some ecentric matchmaker but I was so over seeing the bliss of others. "Where and when is my damn f***ing Bliss?" I demanded in my head but in the end still sent harsh flames in Japanese to the rest.

And with that I conclude my wonderful weekend and look forward to the super uber long silver weekend beginning this Friday.

Autumn is a season that is forgetten before winter.
Until now Autumn is just redundant colors and chilly winds.
There might be a different meaning to "Autumn" now.
Unless seasons stop changing, "Autumn" is here to stay.
May I appreciate this maiden "Autumn" warmth.
Never fading into cold winter nights.