Jason... The Ninja!

Ok so I get my haircut at this little barber shop where these two little old Japanese ladies cut hair. Because after all that's what people do if they work at a barber shop. Anyway They're kind of like second moms to me over here. Always telling me to be careful surfing and making sure I know what is going on with the ocean. I'm pretty sure they know the ocean a little better than I do After all they have lived here just a few more years than me. So on this particular day I show up and there are a few people waiting in front of me and I being the get the most out of your schedule, time kind of freak that I am decide to go change out of my work clothes and into my gym clothes (Gotta be off to the gym to get those biceps bulging just a bit moreand no ladies I'm not a no-neck gym freak). It only takes me a minute to change, and it's not like I was rushing or anything (you'll understand the significance of this in just a moment). I walk back in to the shop and the ladies are doing their usual back and forth chit-chatting, but then they start giggling and as I pick out a few words I understand in Japanese I realize they are talking about me. One of the words was Ninja! Then Michiko looks at me and says with a big smile, "Your a Ninja!" Yup that's right my friends! For my superior clothes changing skills I have earned the prestigious *Ninja* title from my little Japanese moms away from home. I've always been a fan of Batman, but for now I'll have to settle for "Jason the Ninja!"

So sayonara for now my friends! Until next time your Ninja friend will be somewhere around town lurking in the dark or on his surfboard wondering if Chris is mad cause I didn't get the chance to call him back this weekend! I'm not skeerd though, my Ninja skills will protect me!

5:51 AM - 2 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

RICHARD!!!!

So I have a VoIP line setup now right...so its easier for friends and family to call me here in Japan.  I set up a phone number in the states...  Then it's an easy call for them to reach me.  So here I am in bed at 2am, not feeling well already when the freakin phone rings.  The automated voice starts, "Hi this is Richard..."  (How appropriately named at 2am in the morning!)  ARGH!!!  Telemarketers!  I had conveniently forgotten about this wonderful aspect of US life!  I almost threw the phone across the room, but instead I decided to vent on myspace.  So I've vented.  Hopefully you have laughed!  My next blog will be about me the NINJA whenever I can make time to get to it!  You won't wanna miss it!  Until next then my sweet friends you are in my thoughts and prayers and maybe I am in yours after this blog!  Luv ya!

9:04 AM - 3 Comments - 6 Kudos - Add Comment

Friend... Brother..

Saman was a young friend of mine. He has a unique story. One that I couldn't relate to. He was raised as a young boy to be a soldier, a trained killer, for the Burmesedrug warlords.  Once I was in Thailand with him and we were at a small museum. We were looking at photos of the warlord's armies. They were kids. Probably no more then 7 years old and at that point they were considered well trained. He pointed to one kid on the front row of the photo we were looking at, "I knew him" he said.  Saman was rescued shortly after that and raised on a ranch in Thailand. He was a very quiet young man and one of the best chefs on the ranch. I was with him in a Chinese village one day and we were praying for some people. He was translating for me. The situation was a bit comical because Saman was telling me that the guy who was talking to us couldn't speak, but I was hearing words coming out of his mouth, or what sounded like words to me. It turned out that the man really couldn't speak and what was coming out of his mouth was all jibberish. We prayed for him and asked Jesus to heal him and the Lord did. That night we heard this man speak his first intelligible words in his lifetime. "Xie xie Yesu." Thank you Jesus indeed. I'm also thankful that Saman knew our Lord. He was killed on a motorcycle last week while taking some time off.  I'll see him again one day and on that day his face will shine, not from the flash of my camera, but from the glory of God.

I'll miss you brother!

Saman 5-29-04 at the Ranch

6:41 AM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Ahh.. Finally...

Thanks to Chris for the photobucket.com hookup! 

I took this photo on the way back from a surfspot a few months ago.  I'd love to be able to say that I had great session and then topped it off with this but it was blownout that day.  Oh well..  It was worth the drive though to come home with such a great shot.

ShiShi are on the entrance to just about everything over here.  To the average westerner they are cute statues; to the Japanese they are considered dieties with magical powers to protect.  When I see them I am reminded of a culture whose faith and religion is still in a god that brings death and not life.  Maybe this one is looking up towards the sky because deep within the heart of its craftsman there was a longing to know his own creator.

Later the LORD spoke his word to Abram in a vision. He said, "Abram, don't be afraid. I am your shield. Your reward will be very great." - Gen 15:1

8:29 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

New photo...

Well, its not exactly new but whatever.. It's from Christmas 2004 (a year ago).  And yes it was taken by my cool sister at Republic in Manhattan on one of our just us outings.  If you like noodles check it out.  Union Square west. 

http://www.thinknoodles.com/ 

8:18 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Mute Math

So Mute Math played in Albuquerque last week.  I just happened to be in ABQ at the time and I even knew about the show, but I still missed it.  What a regret!  You can only get their debut album at their shows.  If anyone happens to run across it I'd do just about anything to get a copy.  If you dont have their EP Reset I recommend it.  If you haven't figured it out yet they are my favorite band at the moment.  Oh well.... Hope you get to see the show if they are in your area.

7:42 AM - 2 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Breakout...

Well I needed a BLOG and so what better place to start it on then MySpace.  Plus all my friends have been bugging me to get a MySpace, so I have finally given in.   Talk to you sooner than later!

7:40 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment