This week was golden week, coinciding with my birthday. Instead of a string of bank holidays and the string of ambitious (offline) travel plans, I was summoned and spent the week indoors working and ordering in the entire inventory of CHOPPED SALAD DAY.
The work thing was a bit stressful, but it played to my strengths and I enjoyed supporting/rallying teams to accomplish a huge target, and as a little treat, I built (and evangelized) the codemod engine that I’ve wanted for most of my career.
On my birthday, D rallied some of my favourite people for a surprise dinner which ~ was a maid cafe. Genuinely masterful deception: Had I suspected anything, I would have not shown up. That’s a second bucket-list item crossed off this week, this one never to be repeated.
Followed by drinks in Arakicho, including at the insect bar. I was too wired to really be present or to really enjoy myself that evening but I am genuinely grateful.
The only plan I didn’t cancel all week was the Claude Monet exhibition at Artizon on Friday night which had been on my list since last year. This is my first time seeing his work in concentration and I really enjoyed his use of light. Followed by bar-hopping until the wee hours.
On Saturday K & I pivoted our plans to go to make some headway in the Yebisu Ippin Grand Prix. Heaps of fun, with genuinely some of the best food I’ve had since coming to Japan, and the weather couldn’t have been better.
On Sunday we continued Friday’s mission and both finished our targets. The first two places we went were exactly the places I had wanted to go. I enjoyed the tea cocktails, but really the entire day.
