I’ve been very angry recently. No reason, it’s just in my blood I think. I’ve been drunk for about a week, working, not sleeping to alleviate it. Exhaustion brings peace and calm.
Because it’s the 5th birthday of the Iraq war, everyone’s talking about it, especially the cost and the body count. The costs are phenomenal, and I’m thinking, what the hell have I been doing for the last five years? I should have set up an ammunitions factory in China, or a funeral home in Iraq – there’s just so much opportunity I’ve missed. Staying in my field, I could have even bid for the job of designing the new Iraq flag (or do you have to be associated with Cheney to get these contracts?) What ever happened to that flag anyway? I remember they released a new Iraqi flag about a month after Iraq “fell” then someone complained it looked too much like Israel’s flag, and then I never heard of it again. That happens a lot with news. Do you remember Yasir Arafat? He was the leader of Palestine, then one day he got sick, then he died with no explanation. That was suspicious, right? It wouldn’t have been, except absolutely no newspaper ever mentioned that it possibly could be suspicious. It’s like no paper ever mentions Barak Obama is half black, or Hilary Clinton is a female. They pretend it is just two people, because we’re not supposed to care who is what sex or colour, but in reality it is pretty exciting.
Speaking of Obama; Wrong design will now like to formally rescind our backing for him to become the next president of the United States. I was thinking today, George Bush should have been impeached when the US invaded Iraq. I understand it’s a pretty big deal and there was an uncertain feeling, so I forgive the public for hesitating; but when the public re-elected him, I really lost all compassion for them, and I think I have to hold them more than a little responsible for the outcome. That’s why I think Barak Obama is too good to be the next president. Instead I think Dick Cheney should be president for at least 8 years. America shouldn’t get off so easy, they should stick it out, till there’s nothing left of the country except a heavily fortified White House with a golden temple in the garden housing the chief executive of Halliburton and a couple of other elite cronies.
Another option: Barak becomes president, then everyone who voted to re-elect Bush gets lined up and shot.
Speaking of Obama; Wrong design will now like to formally rescind our backing for him to become the next president of the United States. I was thinking today, George Bush should have been impeached when the US invaded Iraq. I understand it’s a pretty big deal and there was an uncertain feeling, so I forgive the public for hesitating; but when the public re-elected him, I really lost all compassion for them, and I think I have to hold them more than a little responsible for the outcome. That’s why I think Barak Obama is too good to be the next president. Instead I think Dick Cheney should be president for at least 8 years. America shouldn’t get off so easy, they should stick it out, till there’s nothing left of the country except a heavily fortified White House with a golden temple in the garden housing the chief executive of Halliburton and a couple of other elite cronies.
Another option: Barak becomes president, then everyone who voted to re-elect Bush gets lined up and shot.
We delayed going to see Mom till we were almost recovered, then Baby lost her rail pass, so we spent half a day looking for it, going through the trash and everything. I was almost pleased, it was like a ticket out of every rebuttal I was going to face over the next several months for forgetting or not bothering to do something. We finally gave up and took the train up to Yonnago to see Mom. On the way we stopped at the Police station to file a ‘missing rail pass’ report. I really wish I had the balls to take photos in that police station. For all the wealth in Japan, they really haven’t channeled any of it to the police force. The walls were stained with years of dirt and hand washing. The chalk board was worn down to the wood in some places. The laptop had to be wired up, with a series of bulky cables stretching across from the custom-made reception desk, circa 1975. During the report two teenage boys in sports suits came in to hand over a wallet they found. It was like something out of a government sponsored infomercial from the 70’s. Everything was friendly, disciplined, charming.
Mom had booked dinner and a room for us in a beautiful hotel on Mt Daisen. It was a beautiful, elegant old hotel on the snowy mountain with a magnificent view. We had an enormous room and access to everything. We got there so late though all the family had left, and we had to rush through our luxury meal so the staff could go home. Next morning we had to catch the 9am train to get to Atami on time for check-in. We’d chosen Atami for a mini-honeymoon because it’s where Baby’s Mom and Dad had gone on their honeymoon. When we were eating with Mom though she said “Why are you going to such a boring place?” Turns out Mom never went there on her honeymoon after all. The trip was really starting to go from bad to worse.
Now, Atami was essentially the hottest resort town in Japan in the 50’s and 60’s. We assumed it would be full of old-world splendor. When we arrived though, it felt more like a ghost-town. We got given a room on the 4th floor, at the end of the corridor. This is pretty much the unluckiest room to get in China, because all the ghosts drift towards that spot. I’m not sure about Japan, but we left our shoes crossed at the doorway just in case (this makes it difficult for the ghosts to get in). 
We went out for a wander and, I’m not kidding, the same black cat tried to cross our path twice. Things were really starting to feel creepy. We slept on a tatami floor with the sliding paper walls half-open and the light on.
The place was truly enchanting, and the open access to so many of the rooms was amazing. 
We also visited the oldest tree in Japan. Each time you walk around the tree you gain one year of life. I went around 5 times, and Baby went around 6 times, the logic being that she wanted to live 1 year longer than me (idiot). 
That night we visited the famous statue of Omiya and Kan-ichi, recreated dramatically here. It was at this beach that the betrayed Kan-ichi said “You were blinded by his diamond” as he kicked Omiya away. Fortunately for Baby we got the shot in one take. By now we were starting to turn the wheels of fortune and things were becoming dandy again. 
Next day we visited the MOA museum. This, like more than a few of Japan’s museums, was set up by a fanatical religious group. Japan really sets the imagination wild with the dizzying possibilities of cult worship and the power of organized religion. The museum is in parts creepy, particularly the enormous elevator lobby-like area that is half-way up the odd series of multicoloured escalators that lead from the first gate to the main entrance. It may have been impressive, had it not been for the fact that we went to the Miho Museum in Kyoto last year – another religious museum set in a remote mountain, but far, far superior. The highlight of the MOA was definitely the tryptich of three Japanese beauties, including the enchanting bitch Sei Shonagon. 
After Atami, we returned to Tokyo. I started getting disenchanted with Tokyo as I saw more and more old men completely ignoring Baby as she was trying to get off the subway with her suitcase. They just walk ahead, blocking her way, and seem genuinely taken aback when you point out they are being complete assholes for not taking 3 seconds to stand out of the way while a female is getting off the train.
