Trying something new

Hello everyone. It a rainy Sunday night here in Higashi Zushi. (That's East Zushi in case you don't speak Japanese.)
I have decided to try something new and upload pictures to an online photo album system that Google is now offering as a function of Picassa, which is what I use to edit and organize my pictures.
The web site is http://picasaweb.google.com/Josh.Perry13

I posted some pictures of our outing into downtown Kamakura, which is the next town.
If you are Google Earth user the coordinates are 35°19'25.92"N, 139°33'18.04"E.

Another new feature on my web site is the Weather Underground tag which shows the current weather conditions about 10 miles from our area. Unfortunately it doesn't always reflect what is going on at the house or this immediate area because we do live on a penninsula and the weather can be very localized.
I am thinking of putting together a personal weather station myself. That would give the lower KanagawPenninsulala a little more weather coverage and it would set some trends that I could use for prediction.

Click on the weather tag and you'll see what I mean by personal weather station.

BTW, in case you didn't know, GT beat Virginia Tech badly. That's a huge win for the Jackets! Go Jackets!

~jp

Misty bright morning

This is our street. It has been raining for last couple of days and this is the first dry morning we have had pretty much all week. You can kind of see the mist coming up from the pavement as the sun begins to hit the ground. Our house is actually on the right down about two houses. 

The great outdoors in Gotemba

This was taken the morning after our drunken revelry up at a brewery/resort in Gotemba, which is about 70-80 miles north west of Yokosuka. It was very beautiful and gave me a real feel for the fact that not all of Japan is city. 

Stare Off

Here is Ronan and I sharing a momement at one of our favorite restaurants in Zushi. 

I finally have my wings

I know it's been a little while since I posted so I'll give you all a quick update.

I have finally earned my wings to ride free off the base on my scooter. This all culminated with me taking the Experienced Riders Course last Saturday and then getting my full license on Monday and registering the scooter. Painful, yes. Worth it? I think so. So far I can say that it cuts 15 minutes off of my commute vs. taking the car, and the savings in gas will be huge. I'll be putting about $3.25 into the tank every ten days.

Ronan, Kristin, and myself have all been sick. I was the last, thus I am the last to get better. It was a nasty cold that was totally expected. There are different viruses here and I expected to get sick a lot earlier. I only missed one day of work so it wasn't to bad. But I missed a whole bunch of social events this weekend, being Labor Day and all.

We finally got our internet phone working, and it worked quite well this morning as we called Mom. It was great talking to you and Dad, Mom. Take care and I'll call next week.

That's about it. I'm going to step out with Ronan, and go to the park and play T-Ball with him.

~jp

Boom economy

There is some insane construction going on in South Korea. I think it is something like the 13th strongest economy int he world. Pretty impressive really given the fact that they were living in 3rd world conditions 30 years ago. 

This is a great picture of Mt Fuji as we were flying back into Atsugi NAF in Japan. It certainly does look like the volcano that it used to be. 

Looking north into North Korea. It really is a beautiful country there. It was a little humid, but pretty comfortable all in all. 

I am standing on the north side of the UN negotiation table here in the negotiation chamber. 

The first of a few shots from Korea

This is right up at the Military Demarkation Line. You are looking at the North Korean side behind me. 

Here is a picture of my little scooter. It's has 100cc's of raging power so I should be good to go in that department. Other than that there is nothing really special about it. It will seat two people, but my license will be restricted as far as carrying people on the back. 

New goings ons

Well, it's been a few weeks since I graced these pages with another tidbit from my life here in Japan. Well folks, wait no more, because I am about to lay another episode on you!

So I bought a scooter a couple of weeks ago. It's kind of strange, but for some reason I have to have a fire lit under me to spend that much money. (It really wasn't all that expensive, but anything over $1000 I get the heebee-jeebees over.) So Kristin, Ronan, and myself go into this scooter shop. (Sounds like the opening to a joke doesn't it?)
You have to understand that I had done research, and I already knew which model I was going to get and what-not. So I find the model that I want to buy. They have a new one there on the showroom floor. It was going for something like 193,000 yen. I probably could have gotten it for 175,000 yen. But because I have discovered that registering a Japanese only model in the States will be fruitless and/or expensive, I decided to go into the garage and see what used scoots they had. As luck would have it, they had one of the model that I wanted to buy. And it was only 141,000 yen It had 8138 km on it, but it looked clean, and the engine ran good, and the oil was clean. So I decided to enter into negotiations with the scooter-ya (putting -ya on the end of a noun denotes a shop/shop keeper/ store clerk) to buy the steed in question.
Please understand that I don't speak all that much Japanese, and these people who ran the shop didn't speak and english, so we right from the begining we were off to a fine start.
We actually understood each other pretty well though, and after doing some paper work and finding a way to tell her where we live, we were able to pay and set up a delivery location and time for the scooter. It took about an hour and a nifty translation web site on Yahoo Japan. I paid the money and we took our leave.
On Friday of the same week a little truck with my scooter in it pulled up onto the sidewalk right outside the main gate of Yokosuka Naval Base. I hopped in the the truck and we drove to the back gate, did some paperwork and off we went to drop the bike off at the yard where the MSF Basic Riders Course is taught. (Which was begining that evening.)
So that night I sit in a classroom, watching videos, and answering questions that any well trained monkey could deal with. I was there until 2100 on Friday night. Then I show up at the yard at 0730 and we begin the practical aspect of the class. Riding around in a circle, braking, cornering, swerving. We covered the whole gambit. Nothing on developing a good traffic strategy that will keep you out of trouble on a bike. But it was good. I had a chance to get to know my scoot without being on the mean streets of the lower Kanagawa Prefecture. Scooters are pretty impressive little pieces of equipment. I think a lot mot engineering goes into them than most regualar motorcycles. Especially the transmission.
At any rate that was my weekend. Yes, I had to go back for another session on Sunday as well, and take a skills test as well as a written test. It was intense!
So there I was thinking that on Monday I would get a temporary Base Only plate, ride around base for 50km and then I can go to the Vehicle Registration Office to get the registration precess going so I can start commuting. After all, this scooter is supposed to be saving me about $1000 over the course of 3 years. (difference in train fare, time spent walking to train station, ect.)
But noooo........ I have another class I have to go to. The Experienceed Riders Course. You are not allowed to drive your bike off base here in Japan unless you take both of those classes. The good thing is that they are $300+ classes back in the States (for non-military types), for military members, they are free of charge, in fact the BRC is required for a military member to ride their bike onto any military base anywhere.
So I will be spending another day hanging out with the biker dudes so I can get my freedom to ride off this prison, errr I mean island of discontent.

I'll post a picture of the scooter tonigth when I get home. Of maybe later today. I do have a camera here and I am riding the scooter from the gate to my office everyday. (About 2 km)

~Josh

First Official Duty

This is at a Shinto shrine where I was asked to participate in a traditional Shinto Safety Ceremony. I was honored and grateful for the chance. Of course later at the luncheon I was asked to stand up and give a speak to about 85 people who could barely understand what I was saying. It was all a very gratifying experience.

~Josh

More pictures

A couple pictures from the top of the Landmark Tower. Breath taking.

New post!!!! (At long last)

I just wanted to update everyone onthe goings on in the Perry room-hold. Yes we are currently still in the Navy Lodge here at Naval Base Yokosuka. But the light at the end of the tunnel is swiftly approaching. We are going to move into our new house on Friday the 21st of July. I know this about a month after we arrived here, but with work being as demanding as it has been, it's been hard to schedule a time to make this happen.

However; we have not just been sitting in our rooms waiting for life to happen to us. The first weekend we were here we went Hiratsuka to the Star Festival. Talk about a lot of people. One of my co-workers keeps a great blog site about his adventures in Japan, and he takes incredible pictures of the experiences too. You can check that out at:
http://rippleaj.spaces.msn.com

Last week we went to the mandatory Area Orientation Brief/Inter Cultural Relations workshop, and part of that is going out in town and riding the train somewhere and then talking about it the next days. Kristin and I decided to go up to Yokohama, which isn't all that far, but it involved getting a transfer ticket to ride multiple lines. Not a big deal really, but for Kristin and I it was a new thing. But easy once it was all said and done. During our outing we ran into another couple who were going to the same place, and believe it or not they were newer than us. We helped them out (We at least knew how to buy a train ticket.) and we ended spending the rest of the day together. It was a lot of fun. Unfortunately I didn't bring the camera. But I was able to take some pictures with the cell phone.

And that is the picture of the Landmark tower that we went to the top of. It was 1,000 yen, but well worth it.

That's it for right now. I'll post a couple for cell phone pictures right now as well. (From our trip to Yokohama.)

~Josh

Pictures

Well, I wish I could post some picturs for everyone to see, but unfortunately the free internet connection that I am riding on is just to slow. It's wireless, but the actual connection to the outside world is not facilitating a fast enough connection to upload some fairly big pictures.

So anyway last night after I got off of work, Kristin, Ronan, a friend from work and his girlfriend, and myself all went to the town of Haritsuka to see a festivial that they put on there every year. It's called the Festival of the Lovers..... or Stars, depending on how you want to interpret it. There were tons pf people, food, drink, and did I mention people?

Hundreds of colorful, ornate lanterns were hung from elaborate bamboo rods and ropes. It was something to see. They were hawking a huge variety of food and drink from the street side. We ate well,a nd I even found a fresh (small) pint of Guiness. It was even pretty cheap, just 450 yen. ($4.30) I am sitting the bar at the Yokosuka Naval Base O Club drinking small glasses of Guiness right now, and it costs $6.00 a glass here.
The tales of things being UNBELIVABLE expensive out in the community are thus far vastly exaggerated. We going be moving into a house that cost about $2100/month, but it rivials anythign in California in that price range. Up in the mountains, 4 bedroom, 1200 square feet. once again, once I have a good internet connection, I'll post pictures. Well It's Ronan's birthday today, so I am going head back out to the pool and enjoy the sun, and my expensive beer.

~Josh

We Finally Made It!!!!

Hey everyone, I just wanted to let you know has been going on. We have finally made it to Yokosuka, Japan.

After a gruelling 10.5 hour nonstop flight aboard a AMC flight, we landed at Yokota Air Forces Base, which a just southwest of downtown Tokoyo. Our sponsor was graciously waiting there to pick us up so we wouldn't have to ride the bus for two and half hours down to Yokosuka.

It was pretty interesting seeing nothing but nonstop city thought the ride.

We are now in the Navy Lodge on CFAY (Combined Fleet Activities, Yokosuka). It's a four story tower right on the bay. (You really couldn't be further from anything on the base.)

The view hasn't been all that great either because of the rain and haze that has been in the air. Evidently we have arrived here during the rainy season. It is hot and muggy and all and all reminds me of Louisiana. (Not quite as hot though.)

I'll post some pictures once we have some.

~Josh

Last Port Hueneme update

I just wanted to give everyone a quick update on the ongoing adventures of the Perry family.  We are living out of an empty house for the next week while we clean and wait to check out of housing here in Port Hueneme.  
Then on the 5th of June we are going to be making a break for it up to Portland, Oregon to spend our last few weeks in the States with Rebecca and Peter.  
I can’t say the whole experience hasn’t been stressful, but we made it through it and we’ll do it again, and again, and yet again before this journey in the Navy is over.

On another note Michael finally got back from Kuwait, and I can’t wait to be able to hang out with him for a couple of days.  He’s going to be flying into Portland a day earlier than everyone else so we’ll be able to go out and talk, drink, ect.

That’s about it from here.  Thanks for tuning into our continuing adventures from the PH.

~jp

A little tidbit from the last deployment

It's not often these days that I really think about my time in Iraq, but once in a while, usually while I am sitting in a class learning about something that would have made my job easier, I think about it all.

For instance, who would have thought that it is illegal for a Contracting Officer Represetitive to threated a contractor with a cure notice, termination, or bodily harm.

All kidding aside, here is a link to a recent developement on one of our largest most expensive projects. Check it out.

http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/read.php?story_id_key=8678

~Josh

More good times at the Seabee Prom!

Here is a picture of almost everyone in the wardroom. Mike Guzzi is the one having relations with the .50 caliber machine gun.

~Josh 

Inspection Day

Twice a year we Seabees have dress uniform inspections. This was one of those days. I don't know if Ronan knows what to think.

~Josh 

Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Training

Seabees hard at work learning the critical skills of surveying a chemical attack site.

~Josh 

Seabee Prom 2006 ;-)

Here is a picture of Kristin and me as we were enjoying our time at the Seabee Ball in Port Hueneme. Fun stuff.

~Josh 

The Furry Tractor

Here is a picture from this last Christmas when Rebecca, Peter, and their dog Rosie came to visit. Ronan was entralled and Rosie was very toleratnt.

~Josh 

Great Blog

I was sent a site from a very helpful guy who is living in Yokosuka, Japan. He is a fellow CEC Officer who moved over to Japan late last year. (I’ll be working with him in all actuality.)
He has a blog site as well documenting his experiences over there.
http://spaces.msn.com/rippleaj/

It’s a MSN blog, but I don’t hold that against him.

~Josh

Long over due update

Long over due update

To everyone who has checked this blog out hoping against hope that there will be something new posted I apologize.  It’s been a crazy couple of months.  

I have been extremely busy at work.  For a couple of months I was the Alfa Company Commander.  Talk about a busy job, but very rewarding nonetheless.  We developed a good Company training plan and began to implement it.  
Then the new LT came aboard and I was asked to take the back seat again and let the grownup drive.  LOL….  That’s how it feels being an Ensign sometimes.  The time honored tradition of not letting the Ensign do anything important unless there is a shortage of people.
But the management found a new job for me.  I became the Officer Seabee Combat Warfare Coordinator.  That has turned out to be a fairly rigorous job as there were four LTs who needed to go through the final qualification portion in the first month.  (It’s hard to believe that this job has only been going on for about three months.  (It feels more like six.)
Of course this is only a co-lateral function; I am still the Assistant Alfa Company Commander.  In the Army or Marine Corps, this would equate to the Company XO.  But it’s not and the job really isn’t the same.  I pretty much work the admin side, helping out with evals and such.  It’s been okay.  I have certainly learned a lot about writing evals, which is good.

A couple of weeks ago the Chief’s Mess and the Wardroom had our annual Chief’s and Officers Combat Skills class, which includes a week of classroom and a week out in the field.  (Chief’s and Officer’s style of course.)  It rained cats and dogs up at Fort Hunter-Ligget.  Digging run off water diversion ditches was about the high-lite of the week.  We had some good times though.

Through this all Kristin, Ronan, and I have been getting ready to move to Japan.  Our overseas suitability screening is finished, and the passports have been applied for.  I still have to sell my car though.  Rebecca is going to be buying Kristin’s car so we have that covered.

We’re looking forward to going up to Portland and seeing everyone for Rebecca’s Graduation Ceremony.  And we’re looking forward to Michael Marrero’s return from SWA here in the next month.

Well I think this is enough for now.  Have a great week.

~Josh