"I'd like to thank the Academy.. and all the.. yada-yada" Yessiree web guys 'n gals.. yours truly is pleased to announce that I have graduated with High Honors from the Japan Academy..!! I'm sure my parents will be so proud to see this diploma since they couldn't attend the ceremony in person. In other 'real news' if you didn't know.. we had a nice little quake here on Sunday night, registered at 5.1 so was a bit bigger than usual. Jeremy posted his funny 'Bath-Tub' story on that event. Meanwhile the Mrs. and I were.. well doing what husbands and wives do.. (besides the dishes) and the earth 'really did' move (waay freaky) so I can't won't take all the credit. If you've never had the Jishin pleasure, it's usually pretty mild, like a big truck going by an old house.. a little rattle but you get used to it. I know that sounds kinda weird 'cause its 'Not' just a truck going by.. it could be more like a freight train coming through. The 1st time was an amazing feeling for me, thought I was having a heart attack or something. I had a 'slight panic attack' once on the Oedo Subway Line (like 10 stories underground downtown Tokyo) bad place to be if/when the 7.5 hits.. +_+ The funny thing about it was I found myself cursing that I didn't have my camera with me to shoot if somthing major did happen.. and that seemed so absurd that I started laughing (quietly to myself.. because they already look at me like.. 'he's strange' here so you gotta be careful) and before long was back at Shinjuku. Anyway, I'm gonna buy some stock.. (BlogShares valued me at $1,300.. not bad for starters!!)

One of the things I love about running around in Tokyo is finding myself in familiar territory when I was sorta lost just a second ago.. maybe because there are so many place names and train lines that cross-over. Case in point, the Hibiya station A2 exit is actually Yuraku-cho (which I easily recognize from many rides on the JR Yamanote line) if you walk about 2 blocks down the dori.. guess what your in Ginza!! "OK.. now I know exactly where I am".. so..  that must seem really funny to most of the Tokyo regulars, and confusing for all the over-seas folks. To some small extent for me it was part of the awakening (like a child learning to read) when I hooked-up there with friends (new & old) for nomikai on the weekend. Things here are pretty much the same (but different) as in any other major city, it's a big place that will take awhile to learn your way around, and it has a whole networked community of people who 'might' be infected with this new global disease Health Canada has just issued (too late for us) a warning about!! Next thing you know they'll say cold raw fish Sashimi is bad for your sex drive.. (>_<)

I got some great replies from the mass invite mail-out to Japan Bloggers, and from my Spring '03 Japan Adventures update to a long list of friends and family that I never seem to have time to e-mail. One of the suggestions that came back got me thinking that I really should write more.. and show more of the wild and weird that is the mystic of my day-to-day life in Nihon. So.. ya.. mmmm.. lucky for me the wifes parents just came back from their Golden Week travels to visit family 'waaay out' in the country-side and of course they brought back omiyage, for anyone who doesn't know returning with souvenirs of your trip is a guaranteed "must do" here. What did we get.. maybe a hello kitty t-shirt or something else to hang on my cell phone?!? Nope, food of course.. so now this is where the people who know me best are gonna *freak* (my 1st thought was.. ok too weird, in Canada we don't boil chunks of beef in our beer.. and I'm not much of a meat-eater to boot!!) These photos will do a much better job of explaining what Kotsuzake is.. But here goes: 1- A Bottle of good Sake, 2- A Fresh dried river trout, 3- Heat *together* in a pot on the stove, 4- Drink-up..!! Believe it or not, was really a tasty treat that I've never had before but will look forward too every once and awhile 'specially come summer time when the salt levels need constant replentishment. The last shot in that group is of grannies home-made buckwheat soba noodles, it was the Best Soba ever..!! Taka-san has an awesome video here on how soba is made by hand. It's crunch time for me nowadays on a couple of projects, but will be pretty relieved when we finally get our PHP sites ready to go, that will speed things up and provide more options for activity, you'll see.. Ganbatte Masho!!

I was in Ebisu for a meeting the other day **don't call this statue 'Budda' though unless you want to get an evil eye from the locals** and had a little time to kill in the massive mall complex above JR train station. I actually found some pretty cool shops, and Groslich beer for $1.80 a bottle!! Anyway, I also found this western style public toilet.. question after the fact.. how do you flush the evidence.. the gadgets in this country never cease to amaze me!!

Blogshares update.. of course, as soon as I complained about not getting in after waiting for a full week.. Video-Link Japan has finally been added (but not indexed) to their Fantasy Shares Market!! Kinda makes you wonder when Digital Tavern (reg. ID#6008) gets fully indexed before we do (reg. ID#5859) but hey.. it's only a game.

Finally got our Odawara Plum Blossom Adventure clip edited and uploaded to the Video Gallery>> some parts came out pretty decent, others.. well didn't I guess. Always seems to be a rush on my 'spare' time to get these extra's done, and it shows. Over-all, better than just a couple of photo's and though you can't smell them on-line..(now that Would be a neat trick!!) if I close my eyes..mmm.. Plum Blossoms!! Meanwhile I have 2 proposals to work on and I'm missing out on Golden Week(end) for yet another learning curve to climb onto the PHP bandwagon. After meeting with Kristen (she's SO cool) last week it seems to be the natural evolution on a few of my web projects. Stay Tuned..!!

btw; BlogShares=Grrrr.. It's been a full week since I registered and went through the whole process (pinged weblogs.com 3x, read the manual, posted to the forum's etc) and yet their bot has still not visited here to confirm this address exists.. bummer.

I managed to send out a 1st. intro. contact e-mail to about 1/2 the Japan Bloggers list linked on the left nav. and got a few good/quick responds.. Thanks!! Also, signed up for the Blog Ring project, good idea!! I really gotta make it out to their next meet-up on May 21st.

The interview we did with Toyoo Gyohten went live this week, while it's a bit long (30 minutes) there are some very interesting insights. I really like his ending statement about being prepared for change (hits close to home for me these days) He was such a nice person and a candid speaker, very refreshing for some-one of his standing in the establishment. 

I decided to register on blogshares.. but doubt very much we rank too well value-wise because outbound links (which this page has many) don't count in their rating scheme like inbound ones do.. and I don't have many of those yet. **reminder to self; send e-mail invite to all those Japan Bloggers on left nav.** Otherwise, the end of an era here as most of Tokyo area subways have decided to go non-smoking on the platform on May. 1st!! I miss these 'Glory Days' already.

I went to the Imperial Hotel this week for a press conference, and took this quick shot of traditional Samurai Armour with my cam-phone..!! Boy's day is coming up again and I really should try to get the video I shot last year of all those colorful fish sock flags they put out (one for each boy in the family). Of course the hotel is located right across the street from the Imperial Palace and the whole area has gone no-smoking (Yes, outdoors no smoking!!) though I didn't realize that when asking the nice policeman at the corner koban, and he didn't mention anything about my careless lack of attention to the law while patiently giving me directions to the hotel.. @_@

Total rush job on my second Robodex video edit, the audio is whacked, and don't have time to fix that right now. I did manage to get decent final cut out of the Sony Ericcson interview for today's Wireless Watch program at least, and we also figured out 'the bug' in our Video-Link Feed .js that keep crashing those poor Mac browsers.. Thanks Rob..!! In other news, really happy to see Video-Link Japan featured on the TokyoDV site now with all our Robot clips that we have put together.. even the French are talking about it..!! Just so you don't think my life is all sugar plums and candy pie, I just found out that the warehouse burnt down along with alot of my personal things that were stored with the band there.. Lesson to the drunks who pass out while smoking cigarettes, you will be 'scarred for life' in more ways than one..  8-(

We finally finished.. the Tuck School of Business 3rd Annual World Business Forum on 'Managing Corporate Crisis in Japan and the U.S.' (type that 3 times fast) demo's are live!! There are 3 panels with a total of 12 videos that are available in both English and Japanese. Total run-time for all files is over 4 hours and as you can imagine some great info. on Corporate Goverance, Crisis Management and Communications.

It's been a crazy week here.. shooting Cherry Blossoms while we still had a chance, the weather this season was not kind to them, however last Sunday was clear and warm and I got some good clips. Too busy to edit them yet though, besides still have to get my Plum Blossom adventure from a month ago done first!! Also went over to the Imperial Hotel on Tuesday to cover DoCoMo's launch party for their new 505i series handsets, we even got to interview Natsuno-san who is the 'father' of i-mode!! They really put on a first class show and I'm looking forward to getting that program together for end of April. Otherwise managed to get together with the 'Shibuya Boyz' last night.. thanks for the beer Ryan..!!!

Usually Video-Link Japan adventure clips feature the "Traditional Japan".. maybe it's because our Wireless Watch project is always focused on cutting edge hi-tech content. This country is a total contrast of old and new.. by that I mean the 'really' age-old traditional way of life, along side with the worlds future, thats right here and now..!! As with wireless, Japan is also a world leader in Robotics, and the industries biggest trade-show event Robodex 2003 is in Yokohama this week. Despite having a schedule jammed with tight deadlines, we joined forces with Tokyo DV and ran out for a few hours yesterday to shoot some great video.. enjoy!!

If your a regular visitor to Joi Ito's site, then you'll have to love this. I thought the WireFarm tribute ('Joy of being Ito') was So Killer Funny that it still has me laughing the next day..!! It's gotta be hands down the Best Aprils Fools Joke on a blog I've ever seen, Thanks again Jim.. Great Job.

It's a Blog BOY!!!!!  haha.. Yes, what a way to start.. got e-mail from Deadly Dave yesterday that he's a proud new pappa (Welcome to 'the show' Sam!!) now your thinking "what the hell does that have to do with Japan"..  Actually David was the guy who 1st got me interested in all things Nihon years back while he was working here... Seems there are so many signs of 'new' lately (must be the cherry blossoms) that maybe the time has finally come to open the public door to this page, even though it's still not really true blog ready.. Damn the Bunker Busters.. here goes something..!!! Yoroshiku Onegai Shimasu.

Had a few beers with Freedom and The Captain in Shibuya last night.. *_*  It was really great to finally hook-up with them in person. We talked alot about blogs, web video and Gaijin life in Japan. I'm looking forward to make it to that regular 'last thurs. of the month ex-pats meet'. Maybe Ryan will actually be at the next one.. Cheers..!!!

I've seen so many great photos of Japan on various blog sites here over the last little while. So I thought it would be cool to pull a few images from video that I've shot, and show them here for the dial-up 'net people. While this is a (very) humble beginning, it will take me awhile to go back through everything and 'beef it up'.. the process made me really want to buy a good digital camera and get back to the basics of shooting stills..!! Meanwhile I hope you'll enjoy these ones..

(click here to see a Tokyo Sushi-bar live-cam)

We shot the last interview in our 6 episode Pilot Project for GLOCOM (Global Communications Platform). Those programs covered issues ranging from education to wireless technologies, economics, enviroment, media and venture capital with a Japan perspective. It's been a great opportunity to be involved, interesting people and discussion topics that (oh so often) are either misrepresented or at least misunderstood by 'traditional media'. Thankfully, our 'Special Video Series' project has proven to be quite popular and we look forward to signing a stable production contract for the new budget year beginning Apr. '03.

Eeeekk.. Well, it should come as no big surprise.. but still.. +_+  I heard the news today.. oh boy.. Sad but true.. the Gulf War 2 has begun.. I am not the type to get into a long hard <rant>!?!?! Grrrr.. !?!?!</rant> about this 'cause I know there are alot of people out there already have been doing a good (or bad) job on that.. One of the best comments on the whole messy issue I've read comes from Japan's 'Power-Blogger' Joi Ito..

Meanwhile if you (like me) need a smile in times of stress like this that are beyond your control.. then try this.

I went to shoot at the Tuck school of Dartmouth World Business Forum on “Managing Corporate Crisis in Japan and the U.S.” (.pdf) at Keidanren Hall in Otematchi the other day. Have to say I was So Impressed with the speakers there, Syd Finklestien and Kumi Sato were both very strong, Paul Argenti gave a great speech, and the true 'show stoppers' had to be Taizo Nishimuro (Chairman of Toshiba) and Darryl Green (President of J-Phone) The whole event should be available to view on-line (in Eng. & Jpn) in the next week or two..!!

What a Total Bummer that I could not make it to the Tokyo Bloggers Party in Harajuku recently...  it looks like I missed a great chance to hook-up with some like minded ex-pat bloggers.. (most are listed to the left) watashi wa itsumo isogashii da na.. well being So Busy is a lame excuse, part of the problem is a 3hour round trip on the train for me.. and at times like this (there are many believe me) I just have to smile quietly to myself as I look out the window at the Postcard view of Mt. Fuji from here in the 'home office'.. For Sure, gonna make it out for the next Japan Blogger event.. Soon I hope.. Promise to shoot some vdo of that to make up for missing last time..!!!

PS: Ok.. Now I'm Really (really) Bummed that I didn't go.. J.M.R. wrote this story..  #_#

We went to see a traditional Japanese dance recital over the weekend and I shot about 3 hours of great material. I finally took a little time to edit down the hilights putting together a new video gallery clip that features their sensei (teacher) who is also my Okaasan (Mom). She was a little bit surprised (shy) that it was 'on the internet'.. haha.. but was happy to see that montage of her students performances.. warm fuzzies all 'round.

We went out to Tokyo Big Sight the other day.. Whew.. if you've ever been to a trade-show here then you'd know what I mean.. it was rockin pretty good alright!! We interviewed people at the IC Card show from Toshiba, Sony and Omron about their new cutting edge type technologies that are coming to a 7-11 near you in 3-5 years (maybe).. meanwhile those programs will be available on Wireless Watch Japan  sometime in early April.

One of the other functions that we really gotta add onto this site is Mobilog.. would love to shoot and post pix from the road anytime. I have a great camera phone Sharp SH-52 one of the coolest features of this model is the SD Memory card.. which allows me to take Hi-Res. shots at 640x480 as .jpgs at about 180k and off-load then onto the lap-top.. To send an image over the regular J-Phone wireless network as attach. w/e-mail you are limited to 160x120 and about 15k.. (boge) I actually participated in this New Years 2003 Mobilog event and thought that was pretty cool idea..

If it walks like a Blog and talks like a Blog.. well I guess it ain't a duck..!! Thats right boys and girls (web junkies one and all) Video-Link Japan is moving to the Web-Log format. Welcome to ver. 09 haha.. Yes, so far without the permalinks, trackbacks, xml feeds, comments, postcard gallery (and a newsletter.. oh my). Once we get Movable Type operational will transfer this design lay-out to it's new Unix home and then let's bring-on the mega-functions!! Meanwhile, thought it would be good to get a handle on some entries to start (I'm a shooter not a writer) and from past experience I know how true the saying "if it reads easy, it wrote hard" really is. So here's to (yet another) 'new beginning'.. and although I've been a 'video blogger' for the last 4 years already, find myself wishing there was more time these days for projects like this..!!! (perhaps I could give up on my addiction to sleeping at night..) However once things get settled, will be happy to start including some of my classic vdo clips from years gone by.. the Great Sourdough Bathtubs Race '99 and Dingo Dave's Survivor 2 parody series are a couple examples that come to mind.. Stay Tuned!!

Drop me an email with your comments.. anytime!!

For those who wonder how it came be..

Without realizing the coming twist of fate, I met a beautiful Japanese girl who was attending college in Canada. As it turned out we both learned alot about each-other's culture and after her 3 year stay I was on my way to visit Japan for the first time.

After a significant amount of planning while I was in Canada and her living back in Japan, we were Married on the the Big Island of Hawaii June 15th 2001. After a short honeymoon at the Volcano National park, I returned to Canada and she to Japan!!

Being newly-weds apart the first 4 months was a difficult necessity, we both had commitments with our companies. Thanks to e-mail and MSN we were able to stay in daily contact, more planning (again all on-line) resulted in the obvious decision for me to move here to Japan.

I had met Daniel Scuka (Sr. Editor @ Japan Inc.) on my first trip here, with his experience and network of contacts we began to produce a weekly video program. We launched Wireless Watch Japan as a couple of media-type Canadians in Tokyo covering wireless 'From the Heart of Japan's Mobile Revolution'. Thankfully his Nihongo is almost as good as his ability to find our way around the amazing subway sytem they have here..!!!

It didn't take long for me to start meeting some other interesting ex-pats here in Japan. During those first few months getting used to the culture, I've had many adventures and shoot some of the videos now available on this site. Jah, Cool Runnings...

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