Japan again

I'm just back from another great two-weeks in Japan. This is the third year in a row now that we've gone there for my birthday.
This is a great time to go to Japan as it is cherry blossom season. Sadly, this year, thanks to George Bush I'm sure, the cherry blossoms were early - the earliest ever recorded! - so we really only got the full on experience up in the mountains around Nagano. We were lucky enough to be there right at 'hanami' time (cherry blossom viewing).
It was a big trip - lots of traveling. Started in Osaka, on to Hiroshima, Miyajima, Okayama, Kurashiki, Kyoto, Nagano, Yudanaka (snow monkeys!), and then to Tokyo.
I absolutely love Japan. From the people to the landscape to the food I find the place amazing. Especially the people! They are incredibly friendly and inviting. I noticed a big difference this year. I'd taken the time to learn some rudimentary Japanese and that really helped. People were always polite (of course) and genuinely interested in what we thought of their country.
The plan is still to move there. We are trying to find the best place, really. Something that gives us a taste of the incredible urban life of the big cities but also has some of the traditional side left.

Pics are being uploaded to my fotki

Two weeks of fun

The first two weeks of march were slightly hellish. I arrived back from a frigid trip to Canada on the 3rd and walked into an immediate move. After 7 and a half years in one place we decided to move on.
Initially the move was to be just around the corner really. We'd found a brand new house with reasonable rent. It was a little bit bigger than our old house and had a slightly different configuration. So, immediately after getting off the plane we went to Ikea to buy a couple of new couches. Then it was home and starting to move boxes.
For the next couple of days it was box moving a plenty. We were moving all the 'small' stuff and getting movers in to do the furniture.
But, the day before the move I had a conversation with Tony, my neighbour to be. It went something like this:

Tony: "Wanted to ask you something. You don't have dogs do you?"
Me: "Um, yes."
Tony: "Because this community voted not to allow pet owners."
Me: "Um"

Now, I happen to know, from previous experience that in the great zone that is Europe this kind of thing is illegal. Pets can not be a cause to deny someone the right to live somewhere. This is one of the many things that makes Europe so much better than shit holes like America. So, whereas I knew I was in the clear legally (and the owner of the house did too) the fact is you don't want to live next to assholes like that, do you?

So, I freaked out. This it the day before the movers are coming and almost all of our stuff is in the new house. But, our agent was amazing. Within an hour she showed us a MUCH MUCH nicer house and we had agreed to take it! How cool is that?

So, in the morning the movers came and we moved to a completely different house.

Unfortunately that means that I basically had to move twice as I now had to move all the boxes that I had moved into the 'new' house into the 'newer' house (which is technically older). Oh, and cancel the new furniture from Ikea as we no longer needed it.

Two days after my run in with Tony, this sign appeared on the community we didn't move into:



It was down the next day.

Anyway, this is our new house:



There are cons - for instance we had to get a new phone number, we couldn't take our old one with us. Small price to pay!

Fine Dining, Sarnia Style

One of the key reasons I came over to Canada at this snow-blown time of year was my mother's birthday. I don't get to see her that often and it seemed like a good time to come.

Sarnia is not a place resplendent with fine dining establishments. If ever a town needed Gordon Ramsay's advice it is this one! We decided to go out to the casino for dinner. My brother is an avid casino-attendee and my mother likes the place.

I don't mean to come off sounding snooty, but, well, it's an ok place, but not great. It is nice to have a special meal to the strains of Aerosmith's 'Dude Looks Like A Lady'. That was special. The food was not. But, my mother and brothe seemed to enjoy themselves and really that was what it was all about for me.

But if you want great food - don't go here.

Mind you, I won $15 on the way out and there are not many restaurants that can happen in. My mother got the real kicker - she won the Lotto 6/49! But that's a story for another day.

And now it snows!

This is crazy. Now the snow is coming down like no one's business. The only problem is that I am going a bit stir crazy - there is nothing to do! It is one thing to travel, but to go somewhere and sit and not have 'your stuff' is a bit frustrating.

I am working on the FilmAmora revamp, and also on the rewrite of 'Coming Out'... but good god where is the decent coffee?! Taking of the sacred brew at the Church of Tim Horton's I personally find unsatisfying. (Also, since when do they double glaze a frigging Dutchie?). I can't find a place with an actual coffee machine. Upon my return to España you will find me at the Carrefour tapas bar, without doubt.

I am reading this great book called 'The Dip'. I actually bought it for my brother for Xmas. I like reading books like this - it gets me motivated. I definitely agree with his philosophy - if you can't be the best, don't do it. Now, of course that is, on one level, blatantly stupid as a) who judges and b) someone is always better. But, the thought is be the best 'in your world'. Your world might be small town Indiana (though the internet has really buggered this idea up for a lot of people).

Anyway, I am rambling as a procrastination technique.

Up for air...

It's been a tough few months recently. Some quite stressful work, and lots of it, combined with ongoing woes about FilmAmora.com (and the useless institutions called Banks in Spain - and no I am not trying to get money from them!) and various other factors have taken their toll on me.

But, I am on a little respite, over here in Canada visiting my mother (and of course doing a little work related side traveling too - I am a workaholic).

It is incredibly cold here. How do Canadians survive it? And WHY? It was -18 Celcius last night when I arrived here in Sarnia. That is just.... stupid!

But it is relaxing, and I can even write up a few blog entries. I'm getting some screenwriting done here too... so life is getting back on track a little.

More soon....

Phil

See the difference you can make

Whoops.... a MONTH?

Crikey! It's been more than a month since I posted. Funny how life can whiz by like that.
Christmas and New Year's has come and gone. My best friend Dave Waldner and his wife Linda Gahagan were down for that. It was great to spend time with them. We did some driving around (to places like Malaga and Ronda) but for the most part we just hung out (apart from Xmas dinner over at Anna and Tilly's). We had an awesome New Year's Eve in Malaga, hanging out in the centre and drinking Champagne. What more can you ask for?!

Life has been pretty crazy - I have this contract to do a website for a Russian gambling company, but at the same time I am developing FilmAmora and of course doing all the business side of that. And CostaFilma. With our first screenplay optioned we are into the development side of that.

The other news is that we are producing a TV show that will be shown on Sky. Once that is finalised later this month I will post details.

More to follow....