2004 Christmas message from His Eminence, Hot Five

Dear All,

Once again I find myself in this strange situation: Christmas in Japan. As on any other Christmas Day, I am enjoying some snackies in a festive atmosphere, joyfully composing my year-end message and awaiting our scrumptious dinner. But because this is Japan, the snacks are dried squid, the dinner is sushi, and the festive atmosphere is the soundtrack to a Gundam (giant battle robots) cartoon playing a little loudly on TV. Like almost everything else to the "Japanese Experience" for foreigners, Christmas here is great, but not exactly the same.

I have absolutely NO complaints though. This is Kotomi's and my first Christmas together, and it has been a great one; an absolutely wonderful finish to an amazing year.

Just to refresh some people's memory, the end of last year saw a very large Scott hosting a very small Kotomi as she came to visit in Vancouver. Since then, Scott found a job teaching at an elementary school in Japan, and moved there so he could live with Kotomi. That was in April. Since then, Scott and Kotomi have been on numerous adventures together (climbing Mount Fuji, Disney Sea, and the Streets of Tokyo to name a few) and have even decided to spend the rest of their lives together. Yes, an engagement. The happy couple have snapped over a thousand photographs, which is why you have been directed to this blog for viewing. Please enjoy and comment if the spirit moves you.

From here on, things look to be getting a little busy. I decided to stay with my current company and school for the next year starting in March, but Kotomi's committment to disgruntled socialites and their kitchen appliances seems to be ebbing, and a change of employment may be in the cards in early 2005. While I was busy working away on extra projects and side jobs this fall, I am thinking about taking a bit of a break from that next year so I can focus on my Japanese study; it would be criminal to come back to Canada with the incoherent baby babble I possess now.

Aside from the studying and the job, Kotomi and I have our wedding to plan for next year. There is little news on that front, other than the wedding will be in August in Aomori (Northern Japan). We head up there next week for New Years and will check out a few hotels and churches while we are there, so look here for new information sometime early in the New Year.

Finally, Kotomi and I will try to have as much fun next year as we did this year. We hope everyone is healthy and happy this holiday season, and we wish you all the very best for 2005. We would like to give an extra BIG thank you to Shane, James, Ryan (x2), Maurice, Justin, and Ciffy for coming out to see us this year (not to make the rest of you feel guilty or anything ;) ) Kotomi says you are all welcome anytime! Take care everyone, and we hope we can see you all in 2005!

Love,

Scott and Kotomi


P.S. If you are one of those lovely correspondents who have e-mailed me recently, I will be writing your replies soon. Been a little busy AND sick this week, but I will set everything right this weekend. Cheers!! S

Kotomi digging on her new sewing kit from Mom as she enjoys her first Western Christmas. P.S.... The hat and scarf look great on her, Mom!

The Christmas Scene - 2004. Our first Christmas together, and not bad for a start, I must say. Presents courtesy of the Pike Family.... thank you thank you!!

Snooping through the archives and found this pic. This was taken at world famous Tsukiji Fish Market. There is no way about it, that is a HUGE fish head!!

Scott and Kotomi with one of the rising stars in the Sumo world, Dewaoutori ! Can you believe this kid is only 19?! And look at how skinny I am!!

Scott hanging out with the large, near-naked men..... no real surprise here, is there? This would have been a good pic if I didn't have that stupid, giddy look on my face.

You need to look REALLY closely.... do you see it? Fuji-san!! On a really clear morning, you can see it from a park about 10 min. from our house. I will post more pics of Fuji as the seasons change!

Our honeymoon in Florence....... just kidding, Disney Sea again.

Scott liked the sausage dog. Disney Sea was fun too...

We have a new champion!!!! Until now, the best variation of my name on any piece of mail originating in Japan was Skratz Pikl..... This one is far better. For those who can read Katakana, click on the pic to reveal my new name. For those who cannot yet read Japanese, henceforth I am to be addressed by my new name . . . . . Hot Five!!!!

Mom and Dad are gonna be so proud!!!

Couldn't wait for class to finish so I could post this. The 4th graders and I are making Christmas cards this week. Nothing too fancy; the kids just color, write their names, and cut out and paste a picture of themselves or family on the front of the card. For most of the students, this idea has worked really well. Their cards have been cute and impressively decorated. Kids have brought in a variety of pictures; a full on cross section of Japanese family life, right down to the family portrait with Dad dangling a cigarette from his mouth.

The best card had to be from this kid who brought in a picture of his whole baseball team. I approached his desk just as he was gluing the picture to the front of his card, a card he was lovingly making for his Mom and Dad. He showed me the card and the picture, a cute little photo of what could have been from any boy's sports days. The team was all gathered together and posing for their victory photo. It reminded me of when I actually liked team sports.

I was just about to praise this kid, when I looked closely at the photo and noticed the same student flipping the camera the bird!! All of his teammates had their innocent little "peace"- or in this case "victory"- signs flashing high, and this little hellion was flashing the camera the bird!!! I know I shouldn't have, but I couldn't help but giggle. I didn't know what was worse..... that this picture actually made it to print, that this picture actually made it to school, or that this picture was going to make it onto a Christmas card to Mom and Dad!!

As shocking as it sounds, you have to remember that this is Japan. I suppose if kids here are given the creative freedom to go around sticking their fingers up their friends bums, then a little friendly gesture such as the ancient representation of a phallus shouldn't offend anyone, should it? God bless this country... I'm going to take this sweet little memory and file it with my other favorites: the teacher (same school) who came to Open Lesson day wearing his "Primal Scream - MTHR FCKR" t-shirt, and with kind old country Grandpa who politely tried to make conversation with me while wearing his "BITCH" baseball cap. Bless them all, and heaven help those millions of Japanese students who someday go to North America thinking its cute to flip someone the bird.

BWAAAAA!!! By far the best ride I have ever been on at a Disney establishment. As for Kotomi, her eyes were shut after she saw her first restless native.

Exactly How Time Flies...

... I don't know. I am looking at this last entry in October and thinking it was AGES ago... Should really stop putting my writing off. Not only that, but I am still deliquent in giving a proper introduction to this page....

.... naw, screw it. The people who know me don't need an introduction. For those curious wanderers who pop in and out, I will leave it to you to piece the info together. Hopefully, by the sheer strangeness of some of these stories (past and present), I will be able to entertain and enlighten. For now, I must get home to my lovely fiancee... More to follow once I post the pics from "The Happiest Place on Earth".