Actually this whole outfit is pretty sweet, who wouldn't want to have a ruler track suit. Any takers?!
Only in Japan can someone pull these off. Our friend pointing to the sweet gorilla Adidas shoes.
Actually this whole outfit is pretty sweet, who wouldn't want to have a ruler track suit. Any takers?!
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Enjoying some refreshing Stongbows at Ha'Penny Bridge Irish Pub in Sendai. We were celebrating our 7 year anniversary, belated St.Patrick's Day and of course, the two Sendai 89ers home wins.
What better way to relax after a basketball game then to take a bath! There are so many cool bath salts in Japan and we are want to try them all. Just like picking wine, we pick our bath salts based on how cool the label looks. Since we can't read Japanese a little pig cartoon with sweat running down its face is always a good choice! Nothing like hot pink bath salt! It even turned the tub hot pink, yikes! There are a lot of strange/scary characters on the bath salt packets. Fire seeping through the eyes and nose, yikes! Well, at least the bath wasn't scary, just turned the water purple/reddish. Dan taking a bath... perfect fit.
Here is s fun fact for everyone, Japan experiences about 1,500 earthquakes a year. Since Dan and I are both from the Midwest we had no idea what to expect when we first moved to the Pacific Ring of Fire. Our experiences with earthquakes was limited to one that struck Chicago, well Southern Illinois, two years ago. (A mere 4.3 on the Richter Scale). In the time we have spent in Sendai we have experienced around 25 earthquakes, mostly small but also a couple bigger ones. The small ones feel like a semi-truck driving by our apartment and rocking it a bit (or for those of you living in Chicago, it's the same as the "L" passing by your window and shaking your apartment). The bigger ones cause our building to rock a bit, we first notice our heater/ac unit swaying back and forth and the our tv shakes. Really though, it's not scary! For the most part they only last a couple seconds. Anyone can handle a train or a semi-truck passing by their apartment once in a while, right?! What do you do when the earth starts moving? Remain calm, ride it out, and carry on. If you are inside, stay away from objects that can fall on you. Most earthquake related deaths happen when one is not paying attention aka objects falling from above. The safest places are doorways or underneath tables, etc. If you are outdoors, watch your surroundings to make sure nothing is crumbling above you. Buildings in Japan are designed to handle the constant movement of the earth and unless another 8.9 strikes most building won't show signs of damage. Two bigger earthquakes struck Japan in the last 24 hours, one near Tokyo (6.1) and one in Northeastern Japan (6.8). Here in Sendai we felt the Tokyo one, it lasted about 15 seconds and since we were far enough from the epicenter it felt pretty small. We do want to assure our family and friends that we are all safe and sound. Earthquakes are not as scary as they seem, then again we have never experienced an 8.9, but the ones that did happen in our stay here have been very manageable. So fear not! Stay calm and carry on :) Also, earthquakes are a good thing! It means that the plates are moving and energy is getting released. If there are no earthquakes for a while that causes the next one to be stronger and more severe, such as in the instance of the 8.9 on March 11, 2011.
I got a chance to experience a part of the Japanese business world, one of the team sponsors hired me to photograph their manufacturing process. So a few weeks ago, I boarded a Shinkansen (bullet train) and headed north to a the sponsor's factory. As the train zipped past small towns and snow covered mountains I couldn't be more excited to shoot. It's been a while since I had a real opportunity to work and I've been missing the constant client interaction.
Two years ago I got a chance to go to Atlanta, Georgia and assist my boss as he captured the gum manufacturing process for Wrigley. With that under my belt, I somewhat knew what was expected and how a factory worked. The Japanese experience, however, felt very different and foreign to me. When we arrived we got greeted by quite a few people and the bowing competition began! Konnichiwa! (bow) Please take off your shoes (bow) Please sign in (bow) Please wash your hands (bow) I was taken back by how respectful everyone was to each other and how spotless the factory was. No shoes were allowed, we changed into slippers and got escorted to the upstairs bathroom to wash our hands (yet again) and gargle. Yup, gargle! I just followed the lead! Next came a meeting with the president of the company as well as two advisors that were showing us around. Tea was served, presents exchanged and small talk started. I couldn't understand a word but smiling and nodding will definitely get you by. I have to admit I felt a bit out of place at times ( I'm sure my lack of understanding Japanese played a huge role in that) but everyone was extremely friendly and kind to me. I was also secretly praying that I wasn't breaking some Japanese business customs. Plus, note to self, always bring a gift! After a short meeting we were escorted to a changing room where we changed into white suits, masks, hair nets, and shoes. We all looked like Frosty the Snowman's distant cousins that were perhaps doctors. Our gear in hand we each took turns going through an air shower! Great way to clean the dust off my camera! The factory tour consisted of going through the manufacturing process from beginning to end. I was in awe to see how clean and sterile everything was. Most of the manufacturing process was done by hand! (Very impressive!) Anything from weighing, bottling and putting the labels on the product. I wonder how many US factories still operate this way. I've never seen such care being put into making a product. These products were not just being massively pumped out but instead were perfectly inspected to guarantee the consumer was getting the best product possible. The Japanese are known for being perfectionists and this was clearly visible at this perfectly run factory. After the grand tour we came back to the conference room where more tea was served as well as a Tokyo Banana. The factory president, the two advisors as well as some of the staff walked us out. Thank you (bow) Arigatou gozaimashita (bow) Please put on your shoes (bow) Thank you very much (bow) As our car pulled out I looked back and everyone was still standing by the door, waiting for our car to dissapear into the snowy mountain path. I have never seen such hospitality on a business trip! Overall, I couldn't be more astounded on how the factory operated and the quality of the products they produced. I definitely add this to my "never thought I would experience" list. |
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