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