Random update

Well, Im actually posting an update within a month, so this is a good start. Things are well, i'v been going to work, Azu quit her job, and is free as a bird these days. She is actually in India right now, she left yesterday. She'll be there for 2 weeks. She decided to go on this voyage alone, without a plan OR a hotel reservation, so we're all hoping she's ok. She was also accepted to a nursing school this month, so she is planning to study at her translator school and nursing school at the same time, hoping to combine the two into a career in the future i think. Eric is actually responsible for this update. We were going to a club to see some girl in a band we met a few weeks ago play again, but Eric apparently caught the plague, and now we cant go anywhere. So, thanks to that the rest of us are all bored.

Azu and I recently went snowboarding in Karuizawa, Nagano. Nagano is where the winter olympic games were held a few years back here in Japan. The mountain was pretty nice, and it was really close to the Shinkansen stop, so we didnt have to travel much. We snowboarded for a day starting in the morning, and spent a night in a hotel there. The Hotel was huge, much to my surprise, and had a buffet dinner and breakfast and a hot spring, so i was happy. The whole trip was a package deal, and it was all pretty affordable. For the first time ever here, i feel like i might have actually ripped someone off instead of the other way around. Last monday we went to Disneyland as well, hah. Azu didnt go actually, her grandfather died (been in the hospital for months) so she went to the funeral in Hokkaido. It wasnt really a surprise to anyone, kind of just a matter of time everyone knew. Anyway, me, eric, kanae, tomomi, sayaka, and her friend who's name i'v forgotten went to Disneyland and had a good time. I had that monday off because i had to put the paperwork in to renew my visa, and everyone else just so happened to have monday off as well.

Oh, and in other news, Nova's bankrupcy finally went through, and i received the backpay for the 2 months i worked for free prior to the closure. It was kind of like when you leave a $20 bill in your pants, and find it 2 weeks later on laundry day. Only this was 2 months of pay, heh.

If you are interested in nature, go read about the winged bringer of death i recently learned exists in Japan. Go to wikipedia.org and look up "Asian giant hornet". Now, i know what you're t hinking "oh, look at Dan and his bug paranoia, hah hah hah" Well, this is not just any ordinary hornet, folks. This hornet, as it turns out, has the most toxic insect venom on the planet (spiders and scorpions arent technically insects i guess). This hornet, can kill a man, no shit, sometimes, in one sting if you have an allergic reaction, which if you are stung more than once in your life, becomes very likely. Not to mention the fact that one of these bastards could sting you multiple times. I found it funny to think of all the fuss people make about killer bees in the states. What I read said killer bees have killed fewer than 20 people ever in the states. these things kill over 50 a YEAR in Japan. They eat bees for breakfast, literally. One of these suckers (when raiding a bee hive) can kill like 40 bees in a minute, a squad of badasses takes down an entire hive in hours. As you read on wikipedia, the horror story just goes on... well, atleast i know to avoid romping around the forest in japan, stepping on hornet hives now.

Well, with that i shall leave you. I may disappear for awhile, i will be going to Kyoto here in a bit when i am on spring vacation, and i will be playing alot of Super Smash Brothers Brawl when it finially hits the import store in a week or so here.

Peace!