nude highway driving

So, um, I’m going to Tokyo in about a week.

For two months.

The bills are taken care of, the apartment-sitting is arranged, the passport has been found, the Japanese-language books have been unearthed, the 14-hour-flight entertainment currently is being planned, Domo is excited and my stress levels are pretty high. I’ll be filling in as Japan bureau chief, working with reporters, performing first edits on copy and generally enjoying the lack of an angry deadline steaming toward me every day. The Tokyo office has a much saner workday than the copy desk here in D.C. — hell, they actually take lunches — and I welcome the change of pace and duties. (Actually, I’m just highly jealous of Jimbo’s work travels and need some of my own.)

Unlike last year’s trip, about which I had only one entry upon return, I vow to actually post frequently from Japan and try to come up with interesting things to say. I’m taking an older PowerBook 1400 I bought cheap last year on eBay (for the purpose of writing more, though I haven’t used it much because it can’t talk to my G4) and hope to have quality Doogie Howser moments in my room at night. It’s a decent computer, and I hope to shed my spoiled OS X exclusivity and learn to make the most of my little friend with 32 megs of RAM and OS 8.6. (Any advice for getting the most from this setup would be greatly appreciated.) I think I can make my camera talk to the older PCs in the office, which means I might be able to post photos, too … such as when I’m attacked by a giant bisexual mouse in Roppongi.

Speaking of Roppongi, my room is only a few blocks away, which means wonderfully easy access to Mogambo and other fine gaijin drinking establishments. I’m also a short walk from a Denny’s, where you can get tasty tuna omelets for breakfast and enjoy the reality shift of seeing an overly polite server in a Denny’s uniform. No shag-carpeting art on the walls, though.

I hope to explore more during this year’s trip, so if anyone has suggestions for adventure please let me know. I’m already sporting massive wood after finding out that Bowie is playing two nights at Budokan while I’m there.