Fecking elections....I hate election time in Japan.  At least I am not working nightshifts and having to try and sleep through all the noise.

Note for people not in Japan: TV and so on are too good for Japanese would-be politicians.  No.  They ride round in vans throughout the city with the loudspeakers on full volume explaining why they should be elected.  Has nobody heard of noise pollution!!??!?!

Some of the things I have been given by guests in the past year and a half:

-JPY10,000

-Easter Egg

-CD

-Underwear

-Mont Blanc briefcase

-Gucci dinner suit

-Books

-Backgammon set

You know, some of that is pretty weird stuff to be giving to someone you don't know who happens to be working in the hotel at which you are staying.

I suppose I should post something before a full two months passes by.  Just trying to remember what I did other than work.

1.  I won a bed and breakfast for two at the other Four Seasons in Tokyo at the staff party

2. Went to Nagoya to see Jen.  I like Nagoya.  Manageable size.  And the Hilton has nomihodai with a pretty view.

3. Saw Marie Antoinette and The Pusuit of Happyness.  Both ok, not great though.

4. Went to dinner at Nobu Tokyo for free.

5. Got invited to a gallery opening for the very first time....it is tomorrow.

6. Had colleagues quit left right and centre which means I have the month from hell this month with far too many and far too long shifts.

7. running out of things to say.

Isn't this a pretty picture.  I want to go here and do nothing for a while.

Hmmm...got food poisoning two days before Christmas.  That was not good.  Was more worried about the fact that I might not be able to eat at Christmas though!  As it was I was fine...quick recovery.

Took the shink up to Yonezawa on the morning of the 25th, adn Melissa met me.  We stopped by teh suuupaaa to get some roast chicken before heading on to Takahata.  Christmas lunch and presents!  Yeah!  And the Christmas Tree was so beautiful.  I was moved so much that I made up a Christmas Tree Dance.  After that it was back to Yonezawa to check out the latest fashions in Saty, and my god were there some skanks, before Christmas purikura.  In the evening Randy, Sousuke Melissa and I went to Gusto for traditional Christmas maguro-don before watching Love Actually and drinking Champagne.

The next morning it was back to reality and back to work in the afternoon.

Thank you so much Melissa, Sousuke and Randy.  I had a fantastic Christmas and could not have done if I was not with you.

And then on to New Year which was spent in teh bar at work because I did not finish until 11pm/  Unfortunatly I was working the next day too so I had to take my leave early and go home to sleep.  Still, it was fun and good to be with people I know and like.