I have posted nothing on this website for so long but now I am doing not that

Sorry for not having written anything for so long, but I've had a run of almost comical bad luck these past couple of months and have just recently started getting my life running again. I know people back home read this to see if I am alive and, well, I am.

TWO MAJOR DECISIONS:

1. I will update here once a week from now on, if only for something to do. THAT MEANS THAT you may only be reading an awkwardly shaped hunk of my consciousness scanned into internefinity. But there will be pictures. I promise.

2. I am not going to recontract. I think that also means I am headed home sometime next year, but when exactly isn't so easy to figure out. I... really can't think more than one or two steps ahead (see: my horrible chess game and shuffling walk)

The stuff I have posted below is from my sister and mother's visit to Japan. the large number of photos may mean this is the biggest. post. ever. but enjoy

HIROSHIMA

Nice little garden behind the art museum there. Try to find the turtle...


Alyson and I meandering about the park:

Alyson does her best Godzilla-Rocky impression:






Now she is looking heroically to the east where there is air conditioning.
(it was hot. really really hot)




view of (most of) the garden:


we found air conditioning.
and ice cream.
thank god.

on to miyajima, the island shrine on all them postcards

there are deer... there


FLAPJACKS???


at the main temple:






we hiked! about 50 feet up to a smaller temple to take this picture looking down on the complex


at another shrine nestled away in the mountain:




We get to Kyoto:



stopped at this very, eh, interesting? restaurant that sold vegetarian food.
it looked cool, but, maybe not again...






this moss does not respect your opinions


the moss other moss wants to be


the common people


NIKKOOOOOOOOOO!!!!


yup, this too:







AOMOOOOOOORI


also continues her search for air conditioning
at the lake of death!







hanging out with some mutsu friends:

(mutsu is the place I used to live, but dont anymore)
(only in my heart)