So I watched the movie Sideways for the first time on Saturday. I've had the DVD sitting in my house for maybe 6~8 weeks but i finally just watched it. I have to say I liked it. I think, like most people, I was blown away by how intelligent the movie was about wine and literature that it made the movie intriguing. I was just sitting there thinking, I could never write a movie like this becuase it is so damn smart.

So after watching the movie my interest in wine was peaked. I want to become a wine sophisticate who is able to woo people with my succinct knowledge of the grape and its magical transformation into the living. breathing, complexity that is wine. Luckily the local youngster hotspot, The Aisle, has a wine party once a month. I texted my bartender and he told me that the next one was Monday night (last night). Yosh! So I signed up to educate myself.

It was incredibly educating. And that thing where you swirl the glass around was amazing! Oxygenating the wine makes it like 500x more fragrant and exciting.

So I ate, drank, and was merry at the wine party. I think it may have been one of the best nights here, not the best, but definitely a warm memory that I'll probably hold unto the grave.

Now hiring one person to massage my feet after a long day of work. You see, I have really flat feet and after a day of walking around educating the future leaders of Japan I've come to realize I have certain needs. Candidates are ideally female but for the sake of Equal Opportunity Employment, males are also welcome to apply. If employed, candidate will be expected to bring their own equipment but may be entitled to a stipend to purchase such equipment.

ENVIRONMENT: Exposure to florescent and incandescent lighting as well as natural sunlight.
PHYSICAL: May require heavy lifting and strenuous massaging. Also, possibly exposure to foot odor.

well, i didn't feel like i could continue my blog without addressing Rita again. i hate Rita for taking up at least two posts. what a dork. anyhow, I got an email from my mom that said she and Doug got out alright, and the apartment is on the THIRD FLOOR, thus saving me from any worry, except a boat gliding through the apartment.

the house, which i'm sure was flooded because my neighborhood would flood if a sprinkler was turned on, had everything moved to the second floor. this soothed my worry until i read on CNN that there were FIRES IN PASADENA! i clicked the link to learn more about the pasadena fires and.... NOTHING! so i don't know if the house burned to the ground or not. oh well...

well... i hope you're all safe and sound. mostly my peeps from the Dio. i hope you all got out safe and that your guitars are safe and sound as well. ok. take care and God bless. and let the zany howdy mr. whoever! action begin.

Above is a picture of my beloved Houston which stands in the face of Hurricane Rita. I've photoshopped in some labels of where my Mom's Apartment is (read: the place where my stuff is) and where Doug's House is (read: the place where I grew up). Click on the picture to see CNN's flood damage estimation.

So I got onto CNN.com today to track the progress of Hurricane Rita as it hurtles towards you at 9 terrifying miles per hour. They showed me an animated flood simulation and I realized just then that you might be in danger.

I called Mom the other day to see what her evacuation plans were and I'm glad she's going to be safe, but I didn't even ask about you. I wanted to call everyone I know and say "Get the F*$% OUT!", but I forgot to call you. I'm partly comforted by the fact that you're on the second floor of Mom's complex, but the outlook is rather grim, given your proximity to the waterfront. If you look out your window, you can see many-a boat in the water...

Whatever you do, stay indoors! Stay in your closet! Stay in your case! And no matter how appealing the water may seem, it's kryptonite to you. You may see other guitars floating around in the water, but whatever you do DON'T JOIN THEM! Their owners have loose morals.

I'm sad I didn't even get the chance to name you. I just simply referred to you as my Signed Limited Edition 41/250 Custom Martin D-16RGT with Tortise Shell Inlay on the sound hole, sometimes i called you "guitar" (that was to compliment me calling my car, "car").

Let's think back on all the times we spent together. Summers at camp. Our weekends spent at the Nightwatch, playing until my fingers bled. Nights under the Texas sky. On the roof of the Boathouse. That one night at Belmont. I still remember the day I found you and brought you home. You were perfect.

Well guitar, I hope you survive. But even moreso than you, I hope that all my friends do. Though ou're a few perfectly crafted pieces of wood, my friends and family are perfectly crafted children of God. I don't know who reads this from the Houston Area, I don't know what I can do from Japan to help, but I know how to pray, and that's all I can do for now. Take care and get the EFF OUT...

And guitar. Should we be reunited, we'll record an album together straight away.

I will always love you,
Dave

PS: Mom if you read this, don't feel bad for not rescuing my guitar. It's just wood and strings. You're what's most important. I hope you got somewhere okay. I heard the traffic out of Houston is terrible.

the other day i got out a piece of paper, folded it into four sections, drew some lines and made some boxes. i labeled the boxes Plan 1, Plan 2, Plan 3, and Plan 4. then i proceeded to plan out the rest of my life in these four boxes critically listing the plusses and minuses of each plan. this is maybe the scariest thing i've ever done in my life. the ghost of responsibility climbed into my desk with me. there in graphite and paper was my whole life spelled out before me in various Choose-Your-Own-Adventure scenarios. Turn to page 39.

though I only wrote 4, there should actually probably be 6 plans. and here's the breakdown, 2 where I come back to America, 2 where I stay here in Japan, and 2 where I go far away to Mystery Country X (Mamba Bamba, for all you old school Hopites). for those of you in the "Come Back" camp, you'll be glad to know, though i can't give all the reasons, there was no reason really not to come back home. And as it stands, that camp is currently winning this week. But we'll see when the contract hits the table.

It's a big decision, aruguably bigger than coming here in the first place. But there are a lot of factors due before I even know how I'll decide. the major one is how i'll perform on the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test). also, what my God says about it also plays a part. also, whether or not i have a better idea of what i'd do if i went home or somewhere else, that plays a big part.

Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21

perhaps though, you could lure me home with starbursts, postcards, and Mountain Dew....

Page 39. You fell in a pit and died.