Here is a little video showing the huge globe that hangs in the Museum of Technology and Innovation in Odaiba, Tokyo.  We spent an entire weekend at the Museum, and we still didn't experience everything.  One highlight for Kai was sitting in front with the other kids during the demonstration of the Honda Asimo robot.

Yeah, that's right, the date on the music is April 3, 1982, when I was in high school.  I've recently been practicing in the mornings after the kids have gone to school and before I'm due at the office, and I've pulled out some of my old music books to tackle.  It feel really good to play, and in some ways I'm a much better musician than I ever was in high school and college.  And yet my technique is rusty -- there's no way I'm going to be able to get back to where I was when I played 4 or 5 hours every day.  That's okay, though, it's still fun to play and frustrating not to be better, just like it was all those years ago.

Birthday Boy

Another birthday and Kai is 10 years old. I am writing during the tail end of his sleepover birthday party, and it's really fun to see these five boys doing interesting things -- one of them is composing music on the computer, two are doing chemistry experiments with a birthday gift, one is building a Lego robot, and off and on they have all been working on a Lego town. Last night they watched movies, ate popcorn, played some games, and generally got along famously. They are about to start their last activity -- a treasure hunt that I managed to write after breakfast -- and then everyone is off to their weekend activities.

Miss Liberty in Tokyo

We are so excited to welcome Liberty back to the family. She arrived just a day ago after spending six months with Rose and her dogs and horses. She is now an official Japanese resident along with the rest of us after going through six months of quarantine, except she gets a permanent visa. And it was as if we had just left her yesterday -- she is her old enthusiastic and wonderful self! Liberty immediately checked out her new house, acquainted herself with our terrace, and has been following me around ever since. We've been on three long walks and have met and made friends with several other dogs in our neighborhood.

Japan is definitely a nation of small dogs, which are very popular here. There are very few dogs as big as Liberty, and she's not all that huge even -- just 63 pounds. As common as dogs are, I have still had a number of people wanting to meet Liberty as we went out walking.

Office view 2

Office view 2
Originally uploaded by Invisible Marty

I finally got an office to go along with my new job! I was sitting at a borrowed desk squinting at my laptop screen for about four months and I nearly forgot what it was like to have a real office! This photo shows the view from my window looking out over Akasaka to the southwest. The one good thing about not having an office was that I didn't have anything to pack. Now I need some artwork and perhaps some family photos to liven up my very sterile office space.

McBakery Now Here!

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Originally uploaded by Invisible Marty

Today Kai and I went to Omotesando to check out KiddyLand, have lunch at Fujimama's, and check out a book exchange fundraiser. But we could not escape the launch of McBakery, mainly because there were what seemed like hundreds of young folks dressed up in neon green, brown, and white costumes with funky sunglasses and hats in the shape of baked goodies. They were everywhere, and here is a shot of a number of them resting along the sidewalk. Wish I had my new camera with me, because this shot with my cell phone just doesn't do them justice!

Venturing off the cute path

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Originally uploaded by Invisible Marty

Today Kai and I went to Hankuhinkan Toy Park for a second visit to this toy mecca in Ginza. Boy the place is crazy, and it's not unusual at all to see young couples shopping there with no kids in sight. I took a few photos of toys that caught my eye. You can see all of them here.