~:[CH15 - Day 201]:~ Easier Than Expected

 
~:[CH15 - Day 201]:~ Easier Than Expected

Isn't it great when you envision the worst, but it ends up not being too bad? Thinking my schedule would be rushed, I kept wondering if I would have enough time. I had more than enough. I arrived back home at a reasonable time, had time to shower, and then relaxed and grabbed lunch with my friend. I didn't think I would have time to rest, let alone chill and have lunch, but in the end, I got to chill. Afterwards, I even had time to venture out and start the Pokemon stamp rally. Sadly, the event began when I left and thus, everyone got a head start on me. I've been quite busy and so I didn't have time to get to all the stations, however, tonight, I ended up capturing a few stamps. I almost hit my goal, but realized I would be late to my meeting and thus I ventured off back to my meeting. I delayed a bit heading home, however, in the end, I think the timing worked out well and the day was much easier than expected. I always prepare for the worst, as I know that when I do, things will feel much more amazing when they work out just fine. Luckily today, things ended up as planned. Hopefully, tomorrow will be the same! Hope everyone is doing well and life is as or easier than expected.

~:[CH15 - Day 200]:~ Cleansing the Soul

 
~:[CH15 - Day 200]:~ Cleansing the Soul

My stomach often has some issues when I go to Bangkok. Is it the chilis or the cream? I'm not quite sure, but regardless, I'll accept it if it means enjoying the delicious food. My last day always seems to be a day to relax, take care of this and that, and then head back. I spent some of the day making new connections, while the remainder was taking time to clear my mind and my soul. I always relax in the room, kick back a bit and order room service. I tried something a little different and while it didn't taste what I thought it would taste like, I still enjoyed it. I made sure I was all good to go for the plane and then headed to the airport. The one stressor on this trip is that I took a budget airline both ways. Their weight limit for bags was 7kg and with a laptop and camera, I was already over. I slid by on the way out, as the lady let me slide, but on the way back, I thought there was no way I'd get through. I had my pockets stuffed ready for a check, yet luckily avoided it all. It was a relief for my mind as well, as I flew home in peace, knowing that I had a great trip and had a few fun moments ahead. 

~:[CH15 - Day 199]:~ Fun & Games

 
~:[CH15 - Day 199]:~ Fun & Games 

It was a nice and relaxing day. The event at night was canceled and so I wasn't stressed about the time at all! I had my annual meet up in Bangkok as we ventured around and hit up a few spots before parting ways. Every time we meet, I always wonder what her family has been up to. It's been years since I saw the whole family and realizing that the youngest that I knew has grown so much is incredible. The weather was much better today and thus, it ended up being a pretty fun day except for the fact that it was quite hot. Of course, strangely, the weather in Bangkok didn''t feel as bad as it did in Tokyo the past few days. It was nice to have a day to explore and have fun, especially knowing that I almost wrapped up my monter album that has been looming in the background. Soon enough, the stress level will drop and it truly will be time to enjoy the fun and games. 

~:[CH15 - Day 198]:~ Party of ...

 
~:[CH15 - Day 198]:~ Party of ...

Did you ever watch that show Party of Five? I used to watch it a long time ago and every time I go out and here, "party of ..." I think of it. Normally when we do our annual hang out, there are three or four of us, but today, we ended up with seven. It was great to get together in a larger group and meet more people. It's always fun no matter what we do. It's great when you find people who you can enjoy simple things with and our annual get together was a nice dinner and hang out, cool, but not too over complicated. I always feel bad as they have to jet off straight from work to hang out with me, but they do so with a smile and I truly appreciate having met them awhile back. So much has changed from the atmosphere around the restaurant to the family and more, but the one thing that stays the same is enjoying spending time with them. It was great to do homework with their youngest before heading off to play and we ended up coming home with a few prizes and a load of tickets, but most importantly, another set of memories. It's great that I've made it a point of emphasis to make this a yearly thing as it truly is a date I love to mark on my calendar. Until next year, we'll see how big our party becomes ...

~:[CH15 - Day 197]:~ Welcome to ...

 
~:[CH15 - Day 197]:~ Welcome to ...

I was welcomed to Bangkok with traffic and a torrential downpour that flooded the streets, but that was fine. A cheap, yet delicious meal, some good pickups for friends, and just being able to wander aimlessly without a schedule today was a nice break from the past few weeks. I did get some work done today, but for the most part, I went out and explored. Even when I was running away from the huge raindrops from the sky, it still was an adventure. I wandered around Terminal 21 and while I try not to depend on that spot too much since it's convenient, it always is a cool spot to stop at. With themed floors and always a pop up or two, there is always something new to look at. For the rest of the evening, I enjoyed the sounds of raindrops as I look at it from above, seeing the lights from the cars stuck in traffic that I was sitting in just a few hours before, but now that I am in the comfort of my room, I definitely feel even more welcomed than before. Enjoy the world around you even when it feels chaotic as later on you'll have a chance to look back and say, I experienced that. Don't miss out as often times, opportunities only come once in a lifetime.

~:[CH15 - Day 196]:~ Where Our Eyes Are Set

 
~:[CH15 - Day 196]:~ Where Our Eyes Are Set

"Did you see it?" Have you been every asked this questions and have no clue what the person is talking about. It's often the case that this thing you missed was something incredible. Sometimes, it remains so you can catch a glimpse as well while at other times, you miss it completely. Where you look often determines what you're able to see. When you have tunnel vision, you limit what great things are out there even though you may be laser focused on your goal. There's nothing wrong with it, but what more are we missing when we focus in on something. I always want to find a way to stay focused, while also keeping my eyes open to what else is out there. On a day where I was recovering and focusing on catching up on things, I was focused in on what I needed to accomplish on the day, missing out on other things I could have seen wandering about. At times, you don't have the time to spend wandering about, but if you can make the time, go out and explore and see what is beyond that view you've been limiting yourself to all this time.

~:[CH15 - Day 195]:~ Sweet Like Maple

~:[CH15 - Day 195]:~ Sweet Like Maple

It was about this time last year that I took photos with Yurimaru for the first time in Shibuya. I can often tell from a first encounter if I'll be able to work with someone again and she definitely gave off those vibes. She always shows her appreciation and is truly a genuine individual who works so hard to give a good performance every time. Since Shibuya, we've been able to work together a number of times and I've truly enjoyed each and every performance. As grueling as my schedule has been, I am appreciative of all the opportunities I've had to work with various artists. At times, I feel like it's bothersome working with a foreigner, but in the end, I think things end up working out. The performances at the Maple House were amazing and truly left the crowd with great memories. Although it was a small live house event, it still was another great performance that will be a sweet memory for all those who attended. This month alone, we sitll have two more performances we are working on together and there's no doubt that they both with be exceptional. She just released a cover of Mickey, so go check it out!

 

~:[CH15 - Day 194]:~ As Vast as an Ocean

 
~:[CH15 - Day 194]:~ As Vast as an Ocean

It's amazing to think how big this world is. Just being in Japan, I've explored places I've never been time after time and barely have time to see much. It makes me think of what I am missing. As I headed back to Tokyo, it was nice to see these places from overhead as while I cannot visit each spot, just seeing them and imagining what is there is good enough. I enjoyed some seafood before leaving Hokkaido and had some when I returned. I guess it paralleled the idea of how vast this world is. From the land to the air to the sea, there is way more out there to explore than we could ever imagine and I just wonder what it would be like to discover something never seen before. In my adventures, I always get to see many places and I look forward to the new adventures that await me. Today will be a recover day, which means laundry, cleaning and editing, and while it may seem sad, it is a much needed break from the chaos of these past couple of days before it all starts again. 

~:[CH15 - Day 193]:~ Golden

 
~:[CH15 - Day 193]:~ Golden

From watching them on TV to seeing them on stage, I've been so lucky to have met and worked with this group. As time has passed, I learned about the inner workings of the group and it makes it more obvious why they are so successful. Their attention to detail, their work ethic, and their joy in perfect their craft make them successful, but they also run a program. This weekend was a joy to see so many great performances, but it also opened my eyes as I saw how important it is to establish a program to find success. In cross country, I've always thought that you can't focus solely on the top athletes, as you must develop all your athletes so that you can continuously find success, as you set the stage for the future. Watching the performances this weekend, it solidified that thought. Seeing their juniors at VIBE, I already knew how incredible their performers were, but I got to see all of their dances from the youngest to their pros on stage. It was spectacular. Their transitions, their precision, and more importantly, their storytelling in their performances made it special. They are always thinking outside the box and it truly showed in their performances. Each of them is so gracious, as they all came up and thanked me for capturing these moments. I have collected a number of great and lasting memories form these two days, as I served as a guest judge on both days for their battle and also had so many wonderful interactions that I will cherish. I look back and still am so impressed by the jaw-dropping performances for all groups and am glad that I was able to experience it all. Who knows if I will ever be able to come back to this festival and enjoy these incredible moments, but if not, I am truly glad that I survived all the challenges to arrive here and got to enjoy the thrill of this wondrous event. Their performance may have earned them the golden buzzer on America's Got Talent three years ago, but in working with them over the years, it wasn't just their performance that was golden. They truly are a group of individuals who demonstrate the dedication, effort, and also the appreciation needed to find success. There's nothing I can really write to demonstrate how appreciative I am of them, but truly this matsuri fit it's name, The Matsuri of Love & Thanks! Thank you again for all those who welcomed me and showed me the most amazing hospitality ever. It truly showed me how golden you all truly are.

~:[CH15 - Day 192]:~ The Labryinth of Life

 
~:[CH15 - Day 192]:~ The Labryinth of Life

There were too many close calls today, but somehow, I survived the labyrinth of life. Life is a maze. There sometimes is a clear path, other times, even when you think you found your way, you hit a dead end. Today, I hit many dead ends. The storms were raging over Hokkaido at just the time that I was headed there. As I was close to the airport, I was able to sleep in just a little longer, but was awoken to a text that gave me a little anxiety, "a weather update will be provided to see if your flight will proceed as planned." Supposedly, the visibility around Sapporo was bad and thus my flight was questionable. I trusted it would work out and it did. Even better, as I boarded the plane, it had a vulpix theme (a character from Pokemon). We landed safely in Sapporo and I quickly boarded the airport train. The first dead end came as I arrived at the station finding out that that trains to Sunagawa were delayed our canceled. With the first performance at 2pm, I couldn't afford much of a delay. Looking at the cab fares, I took a train to the closest station I could get to and decided to wait there. It would be an hour wait. I waited the hour and found out that the train would stop about 25 minutes from where I needed to be. I figured I could catch a cab or bus from there, not realizing, I was in a more rural area of Japan. Not a single taxi and the buses wouldn't take me where I needed to go. After exhausting all options, in my mind I thought, I may have to give up on today. Asking the station manager, I took a shot and just went back to the train, searching for an Uber to appear. Just as I did, the announcement came that the train could move as far north as Sunagawa, the station I needed to be at. I survived. I got picked up at the station and transported to the site. The weather overhead didn't look good, but the performances went on. Although it was tough on all performers, they all performed with their all and it ended up creating such a beautiful visual, especially when the head of Chibi Unity performed and wowed everyone in the audience. It was pouring, but they took their final bows and called it a night. The storms kept coming, but the performers never backed down. They took on the challenge of the labryinth of life and instead of folding, they created something better than the original. In life, it's easy to wave the white flag, but when we keep going and over come the many dead ends of life, we'll find ourselves solving some of these mysteries that life throws at us. I was happy to arrive in the warmth of a home as I dried everything off an sorted everything for tomorrow. It was a little difficult to be in a shared house, but I was glad that I selected this spot, as it was in close proximity to the site. Despite all the challenges faced today, I am glad that in the end, I made it out to the other side. May we all solve the puzzles that life throws at us!