Maybe you’ve heard of strange things you can buy in vending machines in Japan. I’m here to tell you that maybe most of the stories are true. I personally have seen horse meat, alcohol, underwear, umbrellas, and socks. Today, I was in Osaka (more on why in in a later post) and I saw the … Continue reading Japan is Awesome – Vending Machines
Tag: weird
Japan Is Awesome – Usually
Japan is awesome. I've written a couple of posts about my adopted home. While there are more than a few examples of great innovations, I've also written about how Japan has mangled the English language. Maybe I shouldn't say "mangle.” In the end, words are imported. And when they are imported, they transform and take … Continue reading Japan Is Awesome – Usually
Not a Bluff
Long time no see. My posts have been very negative in the last year, all two of them. I should apologize, but the world is what it is. In my last post I wrote about how the stock market will crash. It is unfortunately in the middle of doing that. This time, I worry about … Continue reading Not a Bluff
Late to the Party
I've been living in Japan, this time, since 2006. A time of change to say the least. I say "this time" because there was another time (duh), in the 1990's. But that’s another story. Being outside your home country means you miss a lot of things. In both senses of the word. I miss home. … Continue reading Late to the Party
Villains
I picked up the first of the Dresden Files novels. I’ve never read them, despite their popularity and longevity. I’m enjoying it so far, but that’s not why I’m writing this. I’m writing this because of the villain. I can’t help but imagine him as Donald Trump. Below is the description. His salt-and-pepper hair was … Continue reading Villains
Recording More Dreams
A while back, I started recording my dreams. I don't always remember, but last night I had a dream about BTS. If you’re neither interested in dreams not BTS, fair warning to stop reading. I am not a teenage girl. <dream>I was at a music festival in the states, which turned out to be Canobie … Continue reading Recording More Dreams
Passing Time
Like a lot of people these days, I am working from home for a little bit. Apropos of nothing, or perhaps just to pass the early morning hours (I get a little more time in the day sans-commute), I decided to start recording my dreams. For a long time, it seems, I haven't been remembering … Continue reading Passing Time
The Strangest Thing
The strangest thing happened to me while reading a book in my apartment at the end of a long day at work and perhaps one too many glasses of wine. I was listening to Spotify, a song I'd never heard before. It felt both new and vintage, not old enough to fit in the memory … Continue reading The Strangest Thing
Published – in Asimov’s
A short story I wrote was published in Asimov’s Magazine of Science Fiction. It’s called “You’ll Live.” The idea for the story came when I was thinking about self-driving cars, and it veered off from there. I think that when we have real self-driving cars our lives will be very different. Cars will become living … Continue reading Published – in Asimov’s
Book Review – The Postman
Book Review The Postman By David Brin Note: I spoil. That said, the novel is over 30 years old, so if you haven't read it, where have you been for the last several decades? Tropes abound in post-holocaust fiction. The struggle against the fall into chaos. A man (or woman, but let's face it, usually … Continue reading Book Review – The Postman