fjef

After 14 years in Nakano-ku, Tokyo, moving to the beaches of Chiba was a life saver for me - and especially for my kids. I should have moved out of the city years ago!

fjef and Kaz can't make it this weekend - would love to come but too many things going on out here at the beach...

Damn - I got 8 - 2 of them are trick questions..

I lived and worked in Kitzbuhel from '76 to '80 - worked in the Londoner Pub - started working there when I was way below the legal drinking age in Canada - it was quite an education. I have just booked a flight for my 14 year old son and I. I have a conference in Paris and then on April 23rd will fly to Munich and then rent a car and head for Kitzbuhel. Fly back to Japan on the 27 - it will be a fast trip but I expect to see a lot of old friends. I hope there is still some Spring skiing in Pass Thurn left - they had a decent snowfall this year I hear but a month is a long time...

The real benefit of running Windows on a Mac is for techies who support both OSs and networks and need to troubleshoot and/or replicate problems. It would be nice to be able to occasionally boot Windows on my PowerBook to test/troubleshoot Windows systems and networks. For the majority of users, I can't imagine why they would choose to run Windows on any hardware...

The clip is taken from the Howard Stern show which is now broadcast on satellite radio in the US & Canada - it can also be found at Bit Torrent download sites....

A re-contracting fee is normal (at least in Tokyo) practice and Japanese pay it too - even if it is technically not required. A few times when I have protested my wife made it very clear that I shut up about it. Since moving out of Tokyo, we have made sure before signing a contract that we won't have to pay to extend the contract. I suspect that this and key money will disappear along with 1/2 the population of Japan in the next 30 years...

It certainly didn't come from me, but both of my kids are 'cute' and most of the attention they get is positive and/or a result of curiosity. It is very rare that there is any negative attention. I can think of only one negative occasion where my son was picked on (hit, pushed around) and called 'americajin' when he changed schools (about grade 4?) and the school called both sets of parents in and we talked about it directly with the kid causing the problem. The teacher and principal handled it very well and the 2 kids became close friends shortly after. We had Dutch friends in our

both of my kids usually respond to 'half' by saying that they are both Japanese and Canadian. They do this to shorten the next line of conversation that usually assumes they are 'americajin'. This has not come from their parents; its just how they have decided to deal with it when it comes up. It something they only have to deal with in Japan - my older son (13) commented this year that when he is in Canada, it is never brought up when meeting/talking to people. But it is not an issue that really bothers him - it was just something he thought was interesting...

I'll be leaving from Chiba on Friday afternoon, headed for Hakuba in my van if anyone is looking for a ride...can pick up in Tokyo... Planning to return on Monday, leaving Hakuba around noon. Jef

I have had 2 kids born here. My oldest is now 13 and things have changed a little bit but the whole experience was really stressful because I was not expected to be part of the process - especially the birthing part. The second time around was still not what I would have liked but at least I had some experience by then. The doctor did tell us I could be present at the birth - but that was before he got our money. I don't think he believed that I would actually be there when the time came. Its a long story - but now that my wife has spent a lot of time in Canada over the last

I tried to arrange to get away this weekend but now looking like next is better - will be driving to Hakuba and can pick up in Tokyo...

Quote: Originally posted by sock_monkey: show us the bombhole!!! that's just double plus insane, so HUGE. From an article here: http://www.skipressworld.com/us/en/daily...l?cat=Adventure Jamie’s bomb hole left him buried 6 feet under the snow for roughly a minute until he was dug out by nearby photographer, Adam Clark. He skied away making deep powder turns from the record breaking air with a mere bloody lip.

Quote: Originally posted by Creek Boy: fjef, that was alllllllllllllllllllllllll Toque on that one, you shouldnt have given him the camera!!! Toque was only the operator and interviewer - the rest of you are on the other end of the camera...

Quote: Originally posted by sunrise: By the way, anyone expert at taking out red eye? If so I'll send you some pics to fix. I wish I had CS2. iPhoto on your Powerbook should do the red eye trick...

FT doesn't dance - but he's a star...

OK - I just had a look at the party video with audio - now I know what I was warned about! Here are the options - 1) Toque, Fattwins, Tsonda, Slow, CreekBoy and a few others incriminated in the video can send me a few million (haven't decide dollars or yen yet) and I'll destroy it and all copies (maybe) and promise (maybe) never to use it for blackmail material. 2) I sell admission - you must be 21 to view the hardcore parts. You can send $29 (US) to scam@jef.com and I'll give you access. 3) I'll edit out the naughty bits and post all 3 seconds of what's left. 4) I

Kaz, Sunrise and I limped back to Tokyo this evening - got Sunrise back just in time for her gig. I manged to slip on the ice this morning and ding my back and elbow - I'll feel like the rest of the injured tomorrow morning I bet. Kaz got to try snowboarding today for the first time and I think he has hung up his skiis forever...damn It was a great party (all of them) and an awesome weekend (+ 1 day extra) - let's Hakuba again! Thanks to SJ and Fattwins and everyone else for making this all happen!

Tracks and Snowbeds are different places...Tracks is handy if you want to ski Goryu and is located above the bar/restaurant where the party will be on Saturday.

I'll be there with my 8 year old son - he will ski with me Sat morning, take a snowboard lesson Sat afternoon and is free to go crazy on Sunday - he speaks Japanese & English I'll be arriving in Hakuba Friday night and at the party Sat night.

I've was in a whiteout (fog and blowing snow) in Austria when the visability was so bad, I had to open the car door and look down to follow the edge of the road or tire tracks until I could find a safe place to pull over - my passenger kept an eye out ahead for oncoming traffic/tail lights to avoid accidents. Took about 30 minutes to go a few hundred meters- as soon as I found a safe place to get off the road, it cleared - it was not a fun experience, but the adrenaline sure was pumping... The next day, I learned there were 37 cars damaged in accidents on a 10km stretch where the whiteout

Since no one else is able to leave earlier on Friday afternoon, I will stop in Tokyo and try and find the me jane bar in Naka-Meguro and head out from there. I have room for 4 -5 extra peeps in the van - I would like to leave early evening though. It's possible to crash in the van once we arrive (my kid and I have warm beds at at friends place) so there is room and I have extra sleeping bags and dual heaters. A couple of people have asked how much a ride would be - I'm going anyway so a donation helps but I'm not bringing a calculator. The van is diesel so fuel is not much. m

This is a bit off topic but scince I'm driving to Hakuba for the party... What's the deal with tires and 4X4 vehicles out there? I have good all season tires on my 4X4 Delica and I know how to drive in snow - but I've seen the tire chain scene as soon as there is an inch of snow and I've seen how badly people drive in snow in Japan. I have been told that you have to have snow tires and chains - but I think its just fine the way I'm set up now. In Canada I've gone through winters with summer radials in lots of snow and never had problems - do the police turn 4X4s around if you don't h

Quote: Originally posted by Kraut_in_HongKong: Quote: Originally posted by sakebomb: It's regularly on the news here.....my favourite story was they ask you to come into their bar..let you drink happily and then extort you with a monster bill at the end.... This sounds like the plan for the upcoming SJ party in Hakuba...

I will try and leave Tokyo on Friday early or mid-afternoon. I have room in the van for 5 or 6 if anyone wants a ride. Between the Slow/me jane rides and my van, we can work out rides back on Sunday as well. If anyone is still pondering whether to go or not - there are officially no excuses not to go...