~:[CH15 - Day 211]:~ In a Flash

 

~:[CH15 - Day 211]:~ In a Flash

I decided to get some work done in the morning as my time here in Japan winds down. I am wrapping up my projects and ready to get back into the swing of things. It is a little bittersweet as it will be nice to work from the comforts of home, still yet, I will miss being here as well. I will not miss the thirty minute minimum daily walks to and from the station, although my body probably benefited, and the humidity will be nice to escape from, however, there is a lot I'll be missing. A lot of lessons were learned on this trip, but overall, there were also a lot of great memories. As I headed out to the Tsukiji Matsuri, I could tell that a storm was going to arrive. The festival was weather watching and had a plan to break while the storm came through. We took cover inside the building, but I decided to continue to film from there as I captured a number of amazing lightning strikes. As predicted, the storm moved on and the festival went on, much like my life will continue on. While long, this time period felt like it went by in a flash, and I only wonder what life ahead will be like. I am not one to ponder on those things too much, but I do keep in mind, that much like today, storms will come and go and also that we should cherish each moment as they may be gone in a flash.

~:[CH15 - Day 210]:~ Mission Complete

 

~:[CH15 - Day 210]:~ Mission Complete

If you ever come to Tokyo during the Pokémon stamp rally, it's a fun way to go around to all parts of Tokyo. Of course, if you're playing  for efficiency, you may not to get to see much, but still yet, new discoveries can be made. There were multiple detours and side quests and honestly, it made me get up and go out a few more times than planned. Regardless, mission completed as I visited all of the station in Tokyo and collected the reward today. It would have been easy to settle for the six or nine station goals, but I went full out and hit all 36. I am always a little sad that this doesn't start earlier as the shinkansen station prizes has eluded me, even though I've visited those stations on this trip (earlier), however, it feels good to have put the last stamp down and complete this task, especially on the 30th anniversary!

~:[CH15 - Day 209]:~ Max or Chill

 
~:[CH15 - Day 209]:~ Max or Chill

My schedule today was already packed, however, I thought of trying to squeeze just one more thing in. I didn't. Do you take things to the max and cut it close or do you back off and Chill. With a schedule around bouncing around, I took a step back and did a little less and comfortably went to my next event. I would say it was the right decision as I had time to get a snack and relax, but looking at the time, I easily would have made it in time had I stayed a bit longer at my first event. Regardless, I was happy how things turned out except for the fact that a friend was DJing at a club not too far away and I was going to try and jet over, but with a second encore, I realized it wouldn't be possible. Since it wasn't plotted into the schedule, I wasn't too mad, but it would have been cool if I fit it in. In the end, the timing worked out and I felt like I chilled to the max, well at least however much was possible. What a wonderful feeling! Do you max or chill?

~:[CH15 - Day 208]:~ Quit Dragon Your Feet

 

~:[CH15 - Day 208]:~ Quit Dragon Your Feet

It's been lingering in my mind. One of the furthest stops on the Pokémon stamp rallyb eluded me. Everytime I tried to go there, I risked missing the last train so I avoided it, but it kept bothering me. Finally, after today's event, I ventured out and got the stamp. It was a day where I was dragging out decisions. I had been torn between two events for quite some time, but decided to cover a new event. It was a little sad as the setup at the other event was the best it's been for that group, however, I didn't regret my choice as the experience I had was quite memorable. If I made the decision earlier for both, the anxiety connected to both may have been a lot lower, however, I delayed. I think it's easy for us to be torn between things and in the end, we worry about FOMO, but if you make the most of what you decided and don't look back, there's nothing to worry about. Similarly, if you take care of business when you can, you'll save yourself a lot of stress. So quit dragging those feet and make a decision and take care of business today so you can take flight stress-free into tomorrow.

~:[CH15 - Day 207]:~ What Dreams Are Made Of

 

~:[CH15 - Day 207]:~ What Dreams Are Made Of

I've seen this scene in various dramas when they go visit the aquarium. Albeit, there aren't crowds of people blocking the view, but the people made thia shot even more amazing. It would be hard to describe how spectacular gigantic this aquarium tank is, but as you can see, it's massive and quite impressive. I was distracted with work so I almost didn't head out on time, but I made the few hour trek out and got to experience this. It's what dreams are made of. Yesterday, I talked about how this "trip" is not a grand adventure where I'm touring around, still yet, there are moments in between where I get a chance to go out and say, "wow!" I hope that the many things you've imagined become realized as when they do, you'll be left speechless and realize how incredible it is to experience something that is like a dream.

~:[CH15 - Day 206]:~ Work = Fun?

 

~:[CH15 - Day 206]:~ Work = Fun?

I always think of the meme, what people thing I do, what my parents thing I do, etc. I always get a, "have a nice trip" when I leave, but little do they know, it's often more work than anything else. Of course, work can be fun as you meet new people and see new things, but it doesn't mean I'm roaming around doing nothing. Tosay was especially difficult as without an elevated area or photo pit, I had to be in the crowd. Live house shooting is much more difficult than arenas and festivals in my opinion as you must do a better job of planning. I did my best to plan, but the same two people made my job challenging as they stood right in front of me and did some of the things that make it difficult. They stood right in front of me, one had a high hair do, they both raised their phones up recording nothing and had the other hand in the air with a drink. Regardless, they were energetic and enthusiastic fans and it's my job to work around them, so I found a way. After two wonderful sessions, we headed over to the after party and relaxed just a bit. It was a long day, but also a fun and memorable one and I wouldn't want it any other way. Whatever the meme may say, I stand by the fact that this is enjoyable and worth every ounce of energy spent. 

~:[CH15 - Day 205]:~ Home Turf

 

~:[CH15 - Day 205]:~ Home Turf

Home turf is often seen as comfortable and familiar, however, it was foreign to me. Okinawa is the homeland of my mother's side pd the family, but my familiarity with the area was anything but. I tried to figure out everything on the fly and it ended up being a fairly good experience as I got out and ventured out. I found some cool spots, but staying in Naha tonight, I knew I was in the Waikikk equivalent of Okinawa. It did have a Hawaiian feel as the leis and tropical print shirts were a plenty, however aside from that, it was all new to me. It was fun and a great memory, but I know that in the future, I'll need to venture around a bit more to truly experience Okinawa and maybe then it will feel a bit like home. 

~:[CH15 - Day 204]:~ Puzzling

 
~:[CH15 - Day 204]:~ Puzzling

Trying to fit everything into a day works, sometimes. As I tried to arrange a meeting with my friend from Japan (who currently resides in Austria), his timeframe overlapped with another meeting. We found a way, although, we had to cut it short a bit to make it work. It will be great to be able to be there for his perfomance again, this time in Tokyo. I got some insight into the schedule of a professional ballet dancer as he came from class and then headed to a body treatment after. I headed to my next meeting amd then found a way to trek to Ofuna (past Yokohama) then up to Tachikawa before routing home. All three of us tried to figure out the puzzle of timing and found a way to make it work. The right place at the right time truly matters. I wrapped up my day and went home to clean and pack, leaving just enough time to add that last piece to the day's puzzle.

~:[CH15 - Day 203]:~ Another 24 Hours

 

~:[CH15 - Day 203]:~ Another 24 Hours

We have 24 hours in a day, but we often don't use all 24 hours. I somehow found a way to do it again. I left just past midnight to Nagoya on a bus to save a bit of money. It worked out for my schedule and for my wallet. I arrived early in the morning as the temperatures soared over 40C. Ghibli Park was ready with shade, misters, and AC misting units. It's not a great place to be on a hot day, but I survived. I enjoyed the park and then ventured back on the train, cooling off as I did. With time remaining, I made a trek all the way from Shinagawa to Omiya and up to the Ibaraki, then back home. I even stopped off to pick up a few things, which meant I arrived back home 24 hours after I left. Amazing. Strangely, I wasn't tired, but I put myself to sleep so I could be ready for the next 24 hours. Let's make the most of our 24 hours we're given daily.

~:[CH15 - Day 202]:~ Guiding the Way

 

~:[CH15 - Day 202]:~ Guiding the Way

Today I had a meeting. The weather got so hot, after we finished, we decided to go somewhere cool. Often, shopping malls or cafes are the choices, but we decided to check out the aquarium since it was close by. It was a little underwhelming compared to Nagoya, however, it was a nice break from the heat. Other than the jellyfish, the penguins had a cool exhibit. I saw these two penguins and it reminded me of the Pokémon stamp rally, which I proceeded to continue after meeting my friend. In life, we often see aa caring for children and guiding them along. When watching all the children playing this stamp rally, I noticed how it taught them so much. I could hear them strategizing routes, looking at the train schedule, and feeling the accomplishment of reaching another goal. At such a young age, they are often guiding their parents around, rather than the other way around. It's cool and a reminder that often times, lightening control and oversight can often lead to greater independence and learning.