enderzero

That's what I have noticed Rach. Even the little kids. What shocked me the most was when I smiled at a 2 or 3 year old and he just kinda stared back. This happened a few times. A smile at a little kid at home would be sure to get a smile back. Not to say I met many unfriendly people. I understand it is just a cultural difference. BTW the MD was a Sony. The top of the line one from a couple years ago. I will probably get another one over there this year.

Anyone actually have to give a pass up before? What happened? "nihongo o hanashimasen, gomen nasai" I got caught in a sting one time for getting on a chair without a pass. They took me to the security office and threatened to call the police and press trespassing charges if I didn't pay a fine, etc etc. It was major BS. I paid it. My buddy didn't and nothing ever happened to him.

Nice post Deebee. I cannot think of any place in California that is less than 3 hours from a decent ski area. This is just off the top of my head though. By my calculations that would be further than Chiba to ski...at least by shinkansen.

I have never been into riding with headphones but I started this year. I was a little bored of riding by myself or waiting through long chairlifts. So I spent $300US on a minidisc player and spent a really long time making 3 or 4 mixed minidiscs (recording in real time sucks!). Then after less than a month the minidisc player just stopped working. I guess it got too beat up. How lame! I had decided to get the minidisc player because I though it would be the most durable. Guess not. Strangely enough I found it kind of weird to listen to music when on the chairlift. I found it diffi

It's all about speed. Whatever gets me back on the snow the fastest. I do like the quads with foot rests after a long day, though.

Not especially. It was okay when I drowned it in Ketchup.

Didn't we touch on this a few weeks ago Cheesman? Call me convential (Shakespeare's 'Amadeus'? -- didn't read that one) but I love cottage cheese with pears, peaches or applesauce. It is kind of a cheese class all to its own though.

Anko-Sakana get a big thumbs up from me. mmmm

Damn Powwwers, something about that post really took me there. Man that makes me want to get on my board. Givin me shivers. COME ON SNOW!!!!!!

Beautiful! Ocean, I guess the answer would be...buy new lenses?? In order to really keep your lenses in perfect shape if your gogs fall off and snow gets in them you are supposed to pick out the big chunks and just wait until lenses are again dry. ...or you can just keep them perfect by leaving them in the package they came in.

I love big drops on nice big pow days. Board though. It's really not to bad if it's soft snow. I think a big part of it is mental. Sounds like there's not too much opportunity for that in Japan, unless you want to risk getting your ticket pulled, eh?

I'm not a big night boarding fan. Most of the ski-areas around here stay open until 10PM but I usually head home before sundown. That's not to say I haven't had plenty of fun on occasion. I just prefer the open to early afternoon shift to the early afternoon to close. But I know a lot of people that are the total opposite.

Easy guys. Everyone adds their unique touch to the forum. Echineko is the frisky one. Cheeseman is the weird but likable one. S_F_G is the rowdy one. BagOfCrisps/2Pints,mate is the split personality posting to himself one. And Ocean is the...drunk one? That's what makes us such a happy family and what makes reading this forum such fun. As for the goggles fogging question...If you have quality lenses they will be treated with special anti-fog material. My Oakley A-Frames don't fog even on the breathiest hikes. That's why you should never wipe the inside of your goggles.

So what does it taste like then? Vegetable spread? And marmite tastes like...Marmots?

Well I liked the site, but it seemed about as useful as any of the other post your resume for auto job application sites, (like monster.com or hotjobs.com) except with obviously more focus. I much prefer to email the company personally and always do so if I can find their website (and it's in English). Some of the jobs were definitely cheesy. There was some crazy tech recruiting phone solicitation job that reeked of pyramid scheme. I applied for about 5 English teaching jobs through the online application and 3 that I found on Gaijinpot but was able to apply directly. I got one respon

Just where in the US are you? From what I am hearing, the El Nino is supposed to bring above average temperatures and well below average percipitation to the West Coast of America.

Looks Awesome Higuma. I've never been anywhere in BC other than Whistler/Blackcomb and Seymour. I guess I should check out the interior.

They call 'em fingers, but I've never seen 'em fing... ..oh...there they go.

What's your take on gaijinpot, Ocean?

Guess I better! Hopefully I'll be hitting those trees with the J-Pop blaring in early January. Thanks for the info.

Johnny Mnemonic Clasically bad. Only redeeming value was the Henry Rollins Cameo.

Boxing Day eh Nige? That's my b-day too.

Hey D Train, Can you give us a little comparison run down between Whistler and Niseko?

Well said Higuma. Being that we have ridden a lot of the same terrain, (at least Baker and Blackcomb) how do the mountains in Japan stack up. From what I have read it sounds awesome. But I also talked to someone who was used to riding in the Cascades and said it was really pretty lame (at least in Nagano). She said the resorts were all pretty much equal to a small, one hill ski area like Snoqualmie Pass. So what gives? Did she just go to the wrong places or what? I know Blackcomb may be the best place to ride in the world...but what about Baker, Steven's or Seymour? Are they better

The main problem I have is the idea that I can't board with my buddies that ski (or girlfriend, or family members or whatever the case may be). "Hey you want to go to the mountain?" "Yeah, let's do it!" "All right. Well you go over there, and I'll go over here. See you in 7 hours." Baka!!