catching up

OK, so my sister had a rad little girl named Rain (Raine? Rayne?), 7 lbs, 8 oz. Everyone is healthy and happy!

a couple things from the last 2 weeks since I got back from Thailand...

I had a traditional Japanese New Years with Yuko and her family, eating strange Japanese foods, playing Japanese card games, and praying under the snowbound Suwa shrine. It was very peaceful and I think it will be a good year.

We tried to build a kamakura (Japanese traditional igloo house) and we were successful in the fact that we dug for 5 hours and made a beautiful snow house complete with snow stairs and benches, but unsuccessful in the fact that it poured rain and caused problems...

Lopaka: "Erik, you should get out, it's pouring rain and I don't think it will stay that stable"
Me: "No way dude, we worked all day on this thing and just finished. Let's put up some candles and sit in here for a while."
Lopaka " "I really don't think it's a good idea. The old Japanese gramma said so."
Me: "But we dug forever. I wanna sit in the snow house. Whaaa!"
Lopaka "You're gonna die."
Me: "Fine then, have it your way. I'll evacuate. Wuss."

Sometime during the night, the roof of the kamakura collapsed from the rain.

Thanks Paka!


Last night I saw my favorite event of the year, the Nozawa Onsen Dosojin fire festival. It was one of my favorite parts of winter last year, and this year didn't disappoint. I'll post some pics on that crazy melee of drunken flaming violence soon.

And, we're trying to plan another big birthday bash for my birthday (Friday the 20th) and Martin's birthday (Saturday the 21st) so if you wanna come celebrate with me on Friday, come come come!

Oh, Happy Birthday Ely!