To: Crecente From: Bashcraft

So, yeah, everyday I’ve been playing soccer when the kid. When I was younger, I played soccer for a few years, but later, got more interested in baseball. The kid really likes soccer, and man, I’m quite enjoying it! Don’t remember liking soccer this much. It’s really a great game — love the passing, love it.

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To: Crecente From: Bashcraft

Ahoy! Welcome back from you boating adventure.

Today, I went to the immigration office to see if I got permanent residence. The way it works here (and other countries, too, I guess) is that you typically get a one-year or a three-year visa from your employer, who sponsors your visa. If you are married, then your spouse is your sponsor. That’s kinda worrying if you’ve got a family — like, what if you don’t get your visa renewed? (It happens!)

What’s more, for me, I can’t qualify for a home loan with a spouse visa. Banks just won’t lend money! They got burned lending easy money during the Bubble Economy are are extra cautious. Want to buy a house? Most foreigners need that governmental Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval that is permanent residency. To apply, I had to fill out a bunch forms, stating why I wanted residency, divulge personal info. like how I met Mrs. Bashcraft and include pictures of us together over the years. She was my sponsors for my application, and her parents, my in-laws, were like the back-up sponsors. The government checked my tax record, blah, blah, blah, to see if I was being a good foreigner. We’ve been on pins and needles, ’cause we are too ready to buy a house, sick of paying rent, whatever. And today, we went to the immigration office and learned that, yes, I am officially a permanent resident of Japan. Yay!

What does that mean? Pretty much that I don’t have to renew my visa and can stay here as long as I want, but do have to get re-entry permits for my passport when I leave the country (which is something every foreigner has to do — maybe except for Korean-Japanese, not sure). Can’t vote with permanent residency, though, you gotta be a citizen for that. In the past, it’s been somewhat challenging to get permanent residency, though it probably was much easier for me as I am married and do my part in increasing the shrinking Japanese population.

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To: Totilo From: Bash RE: Spare a Rodent?

This morning wife and mother-in-law took the train to a Buddhist temple to ask for a healthy birth. As you may or may not know, this pregnancy has been rather tough on her. It was like that for Mini-Bash’s, but this time seems to have more teeth that dig in and bite. The baby, says the doctor, is healthy and strong. Wife still has bad days. Today, for instance, her mother said the moment Mrs. Bashcraft got off the train, she threw up. When she got to the temple, she threw up. After lunch, ditto. When she got back on the train, and so on. (She seems fine right now as she watches TV! Just going out of the house seems to take a lot out of her.)

At the temple, she bought two talisman or amulets — what the Japanese call “mamori”. The orange coloured one in the picture is for the unborn baby, to protect it. When Mrs. Bashcraft went to the temple today, she took the one she kept for Mini-Bash while he was in her belly, returned it and said thank you for a healthy birth. (Yeah, I know, she was five years late, but whatever.) The other amulet, the yellow one, is to protect Mini-Bash. At the temple, she also bought a white cloth called “haraobi” which pregnant women wrap around their stomachs to keep them warm. It’s basically an old fashioned maternity girdle. She won’t be able to start wearing it until the 27th of this month, because according to the Buddhist calendar that the “Day of the Dog”. Since dogs give birth easily, it’s advised to start wearing the haraobi starting from that date. (Note: This “Day of the Dog” changes every month, so I think it’s the 4th of next month, but I’m not sure.) Fingers crossed this stuff works.

In case you are curious, hit the jump for look at the back of the envelope from the Temple that the haraobi came in.

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To: Totilo From: Bashcraft RE: The Answer Key

Tricky quiz!

Got sent a copy of Metal Gear Solid 4 today from Kojima Productions. I’ve been playing through Grand Theft Auto IV, which I still haven’t finished, because I’ve been dealing with a gajillion different things — more than one human should have to at one time! Getting towards the homestretch of that game, and I really like it. But MGS4 just popped up. Usually, I’m finish-one-game-start-another kinda guy, but kinda interested in checking out MGS4.

So…………. Whaddaya think? Should I finish GTAIV first and then start MGS4 or just go ahead and start MGS4?

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To: Bash From: Crecente

It’s Friday night and I’m spending it waiting to board a plane back to Denver from Los Angeles. It was a pretty exciting week spent looking at the offerings that will be shown at this year’s E3 next month. It may not quite be the same calibre of games that were shown last year, because, well last year was insane. But we’ve got some very interesting triple-As headed our way.

Tomorrow morning I fly with the family to Miami and then Sunday we board a ship to cruise around the Caribbean for a week. I’ve sweet-talked MTV’s Stephen Totilo to guest edit on the site during my one-week vacation. Despite his insane schedule, he was kind enough to agree to fill in for me as I sleep… lots. I left the key for Kotaku Tower under that flower box next to the shed in case he asks. Oh and I think the ban hammer maybe under my bed… or in the laundry basket. Feel free to swing it around a bit when I’m oot and aboot.

Have fun, talk to you in a week!

PS. I’ll say hi to the pirates for you.

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To: Fahey From: Bash RE: A PlayStation 3 Reborn

Oh nice! Good to get use out of the things you purchase.

Bright and early tomorrow, Indy IV is *finally* opening in Japan, and as I mentioned earlier, Mini-Bash and I are going to see it. Bracing myself for the worst! (Hoping for the best.) The one thing I really, really, really hate about Japan is that movies take donkey’s yonks to get here. Like man, I’d kinda like to see Iron Man or The Hulk.

At least they subtitle the movies here… Hate dubbing!

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