Knowing Who I Am

I can count the number of times I've gone all out on one hand. Whether it's a project, an event, or whatever, it's one of those rare moments when I'm so interested in something, nothing else matters.

Right now is one of those times. I'm talking about planning my trip to Japan next year. It's hard enough trying to plan one day, so try multiplying that by fourteen. I've probably been working on my itinerary for three weeks straight and I've only now just begun to pin down some actual details.

I'll be flying into Narita in late March just in time for the cherry blossoms. My friend will be joining me shortly later that week, but not before I get three whole days to myself.

The trip is divided into two segments: Tokyo and Osaka. As current progress stands, I'm stuck in Tokyo. Me and my friend will be in Tokyo together for three days. Naturally, I tried to cram as much as I could in that time frame.

I didn't start picking places to visit willy nilly. I used Japan-Guide and Google Maps to chart out the most efficient route throughout the city, allowing us to see as much as possible with the least amount of time wasted in transit.

The only way to know for sure is to run though each item line by line with reasonable time estimates. I pretty much had to gut each day to fit everything in. It was a little painful, but now I have something to do on those three extra days to myself. Unfortunately for my friend, he'll get the condensed experience. I'll be sure to show him the greatest hits.

My itinerary is just for the day. Most of the city's attractions from parks to shrines close by five thirty, which means the night is wide open, and therein lies my conundrum. When you think nightlife, you think clubbing, right? Considering that Tokyo is one of the biggest cities in the world, its night scene has gotta be thriving, but at the same time, clubs have always been my kryptonite.

Clubbing is one of those things that look a lot more fun than it actually is -- speaking only for myself, of course. My body simply does not house the spirit of a dancer. While there are other things to do in a club, my game is practically nonexistent, and I doubt a change of locale would change anything from my meandering night in Vegas.

My modus operandi is talk, which makes me a lounger. That's the kind of vibe I roll with. I've done a lot of research into the matter and you'd think there'd be more information out there. Most of the info I've dug out is sporadic, spread throughout the last five years and probably outdated. That either speaks to the strength of time-tested advice or not enough English-speaking people are partying in Tokyo.

I still have 7 months to figure things out. The important thing is to remember what kind of guy I am. There are certain situations in which I thrive and others in which I dive. The last thing I want is to end up walking the streets of Tokyo in the wee hours of morning with nothing in my pockets.

Planning to Plan

I love to plan things even when what I'm planning is how I'm gonna plan. It's comforting to know what the path ahead looks like despite not taking a step forward. It's a matter of preparation. By knowing how every route looks like beforehand, I know what to do should I ever be thrust into one unexpectedly.

Certainty is the only way to live a stress-free life. Isn't that what enlightenment is--a state in which you can see everything as it is? While we can't see into the future, we can certainly plan for it, and after realizing our premonitions enough times, the uncertainty of tomorrow begins to dissipate. Planning becomes less a prediction and more a fact.

So here's my plan: I'm going to write a post for JomattoPro, publish it, and do more research about my trip in Tokyo next year, which is the reason I'm feeling so motivated in the first place.

At the beginning of the year, all me and my friend had was a vague idea of going to Japan, but now that I'm digging into the research, the itinerary is starting to take shape. It's in a stage where anything is possible. The basic framework for Tokyo is mostly in place--it's just a matter of filling out the details. I haven't been this excited in a long ass time. Planning the trip is half the fun of traveling!

Saturday Walking

Last Saturday, me and my friend were trying to figure out a way to get into San Francisco from Emeryville, which is right across the Bay Bridge. We were supposed to use the "F," a bus whose only purpose is to bring people to SF. Unfortunately, due to construction or whatever, all trains on the BART weren't going in, which meant that everybody took the F, which meant that there was no way for us to get to SF. We passed by five stops, one earlier than the other, and every time we waited, a packed bus would just us by, leading us to coin the phrase, "F the F."

Finding some means of transport led us into the ghettos of Oakland and it was not a nice neighborhood. Eventually, we found our way by getting on a shuttle offered by BART. The amount of walking and running we did that day was nonsense, and exactly one week from that day, I went through my usual walking route. The lingering aftereffects of that trip would've been far worse if I hadn't started preparing myself through these weekly walks.

And it's during these walks that I can enjoy the moment. Exercise and happiness are closely linked, and I'm at most inspired when I'm tired. I thought about the final chapter of Love Sick and I think I finally got it sorted out. Compared to my other stories, it's not as explosive, but what it lacks in surprise, it should make up for in conclusiveness.

Finding Myself

I visited San Francisco over the weekend. It's hard to believe I was hundreds of miles away from home a mere couple days ago. I remember sitting on the couch of my hotel room thinking, "I'm really far away right now."

But California is California. It doesn't feel like I strayed too far from my comfort zone. Despite its uniqueness, San Francisco lies under the same sun I've been living with all my life. Visit any major U.S. city and they're all fundamentally similar.

If I ever visit SF again, it won't be for the city, but for the people. I went hardcore tourist mode, checking out the Golden Gate and Bay bridges, Golden Gate Park, the Japanese Tea Garden, Fisherman's Wharf, Twin Peaks, the financial district, and Chinatown.

You gotta take the bad with the good. The layout of the city is crazy interesting but inconvenient to navigate. Walking the street is the best way to experience the town up close and personal, but you get first hand exposure to bums, noisy construction on every block, and that nasty smell of exhaust and pollution. It doesn't help when I visit on a weekend in the middle of summer during the height of tourist season. I haven't heard this much foreign language since Vegas.

I don't think I can ever live in a metropolitan area. It's just not my style. Everything's too cramped and crowded. I'm all about the suburb. Give me open space, a minimum of two lanes for every street, and plenty of sky.