Kamiya Bar

The Kamiya Bar, established in 1880, is the oldest Western style bar in Tokyo...think alot of old men and women. If you order anything but the medium or large beer, you just don't fit in.

Calpis

Would you like a drink of Calpis?

The Golden Turd

The Flamme d'Or of the Asahi Building

Clap Bar

I wonder what you get if you go in?

Classical Music

I would be falling asleep to classical music from the in-room stereo...except for Lamont's snoring in the next bed over.

Meine Meinung

A short clip of the band Meine Meinung at the south entrance of Shinjuku Station.

See websites for more information on the band:

http://www.meimei-music.com/home.htm

http://www.meimei-music.com/

Shinjuku Station, the busiest train station in the world

Shinjuku Station, people coming from the Tokyo Metropolitan Offices

Communters coming out of the South Entrance of the JR Line

Shinjuku Station South Entrance at rush hour

Shinjuku Stations South Entrance at 5PM.

Krispy Kreme in Japan, still has a line around the block at 5PM

In Tokyo, it's starting to look alot like Christmas

It's 7AM, do you have your gin and tonic?

It;s 7AM and the party is still going at Tokyo Loose.

Tokyu Hands

The Greatest Chain Store in the world.

Those drugs are MINE!

Those drugs are mine at MINE DRUG.

Newly Renovated Asakusa Kannon

The last time I was in Tokyo, this part of the temple complex was covered in wooden construction boards.

Yeah, I work with computers!

The keyboard was broken before I got to it and broke it more.

Snow

While I was waiting in line at the Metro for a commuter bus during a snow storm, two girls started kissing and making out in front of a long line of commuters.

I love snow.

First Snow

At the sight of first snow I am always reminded of a story from back when I was in Catholic grade school.

One day, we were all sitting in class in our uniforms and it started to snow...the first snow of that winter. All of us started to look out the window at the falling snow.

Our teacher, a nun, yelled at us to stop looking at the snow. She said, we shouldn't be looking at the snow. It's not like we haven't seen snow before, she said. In fact, she said the only person who should be excited to see the snow was a foreign student in our class from some unknown South Pacific island who had never seen snow.

So every time I see the first snowfall I think back to a nun yelling at me that I shouldn't be excited to look at the snow.

Butt Paste

The next time you are at the store, ask for BUTT PASTE!

For more information or to buy on-line, go to http://www.buttpaste.com/

For the 16oz. jar of BUTT PASTE, go to: http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=13173&AID=337564

For the Butt Paste and Bobble Head Set, go to:http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=152558&AID=337564

You can find Boudreaux's Butt Paste at most any independent or community pharmacies, as well as:
AAFES Albertson's Babies R Us Bartell's Basha's Bi-Mart Bel Air Brook's Buy Buy Baby Clemen's CVS Duane Reade Fred Myers Happy Harry's Drug Harmon's Harris Teeter HEB Giggling George's Kerr Drug		Kroger Long's Meijer Nob Hill Pathmark Publix Raley's Ralph's Food 4 Less Rite Aid Safeway Save Mart Target The Right Start Toy's R Us URM Stores Walgreens Wal-Mart Winn Dixie
Please Note: If your local pharmacy does not have Boudreaux's Butt Paste available, please ask the pharmacy manager to special order Boudreaux's Butt Paste for you from their wholesaler. Most retailers can get it for you overnight!

Above information from: http://www.buttpaste.com/custom/webpage.cfm?content=content&id=31

Make a Wish

I had my nephew take a self-portrait while I had a hold of his ears.

No Comment

What do you do with tape and a nephew?

The fun part was pulling the tape off his face with one quick pull...

I bet you $5 that you can't...

eat a York Peppermint Paddy and wash it down with a glass of cranberry juice...


This kid will eat anything...

Pumpkin Carving

Columbus Day

This is the first Columbus Day that I didn't work or have school. I actually got it off.

So what did I do???

"I did nothing. I did absolutely nothing, and it was everything that I thought it could be."

From Office Space or as I like to think of it the movie that most mirrors my life

From a book that I am reading

"In fact, internal efficiency or system departments, which were started in many firms adopting the methods of systematic management, sometimes began by systematizing the internal systems for communication information."

What?

From A Nation Transformed by Information

Talk Like a Pirate Day - September 19th

Wednesday September 19th 2007 is Talk Like a Pirate Day!

http://www.talklikeapirate.com/

http://www.talklikeapirateday.com/wordpress/

Remember to Talk Like a Pirate...but don't be a dork about it.

[as they are attempting to commandeer the Interceptor]
Jack Sparrow: Don't be alarmed, we're taking over the ship.
Will Turner: [lunges with his sword] AYE! AVAST!
[Jack stares at him as all the British sailors burst out laughing]

Luscious Ride - Starting the motorcycle on an early Fall morning

Starting my motorcycle on an early Fall morning

What I would look like as a Simpsons character

This is what I would look like as a Simpsons character.

To "Simpsonize" yourself, go to www.simpsonizeme.com

Bacon Wave

To all my non-Muslim friends in Qatar, I have the BACON WAVE...a microwave bacon tray that lets me cook up to 14 strips of bacon at a time.

My nephew and I are both excited to try it out!

"That kid is NOT right in the head!"

My nephew wearing an old pair of my father's (his grandfather's) underwear on his head.

My Nephew's First Plane Ride

Do you feel like you want to throw up?

Okay.

This picture was taken by my sister of my nephew's first plane ride. I had to work, so I wasn't on the trip.

Late Summer Snack

There is nothing like a late summer snack of a candy apple and Irish Whiskey.

My nephew gave me the candy apple...the whiskey...not from him...

VIDEO COMING SOON TO THIS BLOG

Blooger has just added a new video upload feature.

So get ready for edge of your seat motorcycle riding video!

Ed

Getting ready to ride my motorcycle

For those of you who weren't really sure if I was telling the truth about my motorcycle, here is a picture of me getting ready to ride it. My helmet is on the curb behind the motorcycle. It was a bit windy which is why my shirt is like that in the picture.

I will try to get a better picture soon. It is still too hot to wear my leathers, so no pictures of me in my leathers yet.

MMMmmmm..cotton candy

Mouthful of cotton candy at the Arlington, Virginia County Fair

Chocolate Fondue

Mini-Me LOVES chocolate!

Game ball

Peanuts for his Uncle...$6.00
Beer for his Uncle...$6.50
Hot Dog for his Uncle...$5.50

Getting a game ball...Priceless.

Hot Dog and Beer

A Hot Dog and a Beer at a baseball game...MMmmmmmm

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Washington Nationals pitcher

Beware of Flying Bats and Balls

Spectator and sign at a Washington Nationals' baseball game.

I Sue 4 U

How do I know that I am back in America???...lawyers with Porsches and vanity plates.

Me and my meat

Continuing my pork product a day for a week project, here I am with a pork and beef pepperoni.

Look ladies, he cooks!

Yes, that is right. I cook...

Pork Ribs

My sister cooking pork ribs for my return dinner.

C&O Canal

Canal boat on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in Washington, DC.

On Going Home

Greeting my nephew upon my return to DC. Look at those cheeks!

Well, I have returned to DC from living in Doha, Qatar (the dullest place in the world).

Remember, no matter where you are in the world, you still have family.

Almost 4,000 visitors since I started counting visitors to my blog a year ago today

I started using Site Meter to count the visitors to my blog on July 19, 2006. Since that time a year ago, I have had almost 4,000 visitors.

You know what they say..."Almost only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades, and nuclear warheads."

Where there is water there is grass, where there is no water there is desert

Watering the playing fields in Education City at 8AM. The Education City Convention Center is being built in the background.

Current temperature 95 °F / 35 °C

Expected high temperature today 105° F / 41° C

Couch Potato

I spent most of the entire weekend sitting on my couch watching movies, PBS videos, and BBC Prime (overseas BBC).

I went to a party but left before people started doing tequila shots.

I don't do tequila shots ever since "the incident."

Chicken Clock

Back in 1996, I found and bought this same chicken clock in Vietnam. The cool thing about this chicken clock is that the hen pecks to the time of the second hand. However, my chicken clock from Vietnam broke. The hen no longer pecks.

Now it appears that Lulu Hypermarket in Qatar is selling the same chicken clock. I am going this weekend to buy a new chicken clock.

Hot Rod in my Mouth

I don't know about you, but I don't want any product know as a "Hot Rod" in my mouth.

Also, notice the pointed wooden skewers. You wouldn't have KFC in the States using pointed sticks to serve the food on. First, someone in the States would impail themselves on the stick and then sue KFC and second, someone in the States would eat the stick and then sue KFC for having wood in the food.

Prayer mats on sale this week

Prayer mats on sale this week at Lulu Hypermarket.

You know you live in the Middle East when you see prayer mats advertised in the local newspaper.

CHACHACHANGES

I changed the look and feel of my blog a little bit by upgrading to the new template.

You will notice an email link next to the comments on each post.

I did that so if anyone wants to email a post to a friend they can.

High Noon in Qatar...now it's hot

Doha, Qatar

12PM NOON

111 °F / 44 °C

See: http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/41170.html

It's not even noon yet...

Doha, Qatar

11AM
109 °F / 43 °C

See: http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/41170.html

You want hot...I'll give you hot!

Doha, Qatar

9:00 AM

102 °F / 39 °C

See: http://www.wunderground.com/global/stations/41170.html

Ed's 15...uhh...13 Helpful Hints for traveling based on his recent adventures.

1. When exchanging money, get some small bills for tips, taxis, and drinks (Belize).
   
   
2. Put your money in wallets in front pockets. Carry two wallets. In one wallet carry the local currency. In the other wallet carry US dollars and debit/credit cards. If you have a credit card with a small balance put it in the wallet with the local currency for larger purchases (Mexico).
   
   
3. Carry a compass, even in the city. If you don't know which direction to go, pick one...N, S, E, W. If you go North, then to return to your starting point, go South. Also, when looking at a map with a North Arrow or Compass Rose, if you have a compass, then you will be able to orient the map in the proper direction (Nepal).
   
   
4. Photocopy maps ahead of time to refer to, so that you don't constantly look at the maps in the guidebooks and this will allow you to have maps to carry around when you want to carry light (India).
   
   
5. In regards to jewelry, only wear a watch...or if you are me, a medal around your neck under your shirt. However, no crosses or Stars of David. Leave your favorite jewelry at home. You will probably pick up a NEW favorite piece of jewelry on the trip (Burkina Faso).
   
   
6. Drink plenty of liquids, preferably water, especially before you go to bed. Drinking liquids (especially water) before going to bed helps hydrate you while you sleep, lessens a hangover, and it helps you get out of bed in the morning because you will have to pee like a racehorse (California, USA).
   
   
7. Carry individual packs of handy wipes in your back pocket and/or backpack. They are good for cleaning your hands before a meal and for emergency bathroom breaks, especially where there is no toilet paper in public bathrooms (Japan).
   
   
8. Bring sunglasses. If you wear prescription glasses, then bring an extra pair and the sunglasses. When needed the sunglasses serve as a backup pair of prescription glasses (Kuwait).
   
   
9. Get an international driver's license. You never know when you may need to drive. I have a motorcycle and car endorsement on mine just in case (Morocco).
   
   
10. Tell the indigenous population (locals) that you are traveling with a group, even when traveling alone. It could get you out of scams and hassles (Jordan).
    
    
11. Never pay for sex. When a woman in a bar says "200 Riyals", she doesn't mean the name of the band (Qatar).
    
    
12. Learn to snow ski. You may never know when you may need that skill (Dubai, United Arab Emirates).
    
    
13. It's not your fault, it's just your turn (Washington, DC USA).

These are just my helpful hints that I have picked up along the way. But remember the most helpful hints of all from Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure...

Bill: Be excellent to each other.
Ted: Party on, dudes.

And as Mel Brooks said in History of the World: Part I

Moses: The Lord, the Lord Jehovah has given unto you these fifteen...
[drops one of the tablets]
Moses: Oy! Ten! Ten commandments for all to obey!

Sundried Cow Pies

"So are these cow pies fresh?"

"So these are cow pies...they are pies...they come from a cow...but there is no cow in them...

How do these pies taste?"

Just kidding.

Cow dung is used for fuel to cook, electricity, and heat in parts of India.

Royal tombs in Jaipur

Hawa Mahal under renovation

When I was in Jaipur the Hawal Mahal or Palace of the Winds was under renovation.

For an unobstructed view of the Hawa Mahal go to:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawa_Mahal

Boarding the train in India