Come on Irene

Sunday's hurricane proved to be rather uneventful around these parts. After watching news reports recommending people don't go outside, complete with reporters on location somewhere desperately experiencing sound problems while trying to prevent their loosely-fitted hats from being blown away, the power suddenly shut off all over town. We were bored, so I grabbed two of my children and decided to do the unthinkable and... go outside.

We found what could be described at its most extreme as a blustery day as featured in the classic Winnie the Pooh tale; this in contrast to what the Daily Beast proclaimed "Hurricane Fury". I headed down to the beach with my children to witness the power of nature and thereby cultivate a healthy, antitranscendentalist respect, newscasters be damned. 

Instead, we discovered a plethora of natives frolicking among medium-sized surf. Children darted in and out of rocks while dogs played fetch with the hands that feed them. Surfers graciously rode the whitecaps. After walking the beach for a while, we decided to head home. On the way, we ran into our next-door neighbors, who were coming from a "packed bar" down the street and a little tipsy. This reminded me that I could drink some wine if I wanted to, which I did. After that, I made Buffalo wings with my wife on our gas stove which we lit with a match. Then, we ate it by candlelight. The power came back on just in time to prevent our dairy products from spoiling and for me to catch the latest episode of Breaking Bad. 

Time Management 2011 ('Hey where are my keys?')

Barely three weeks into 2011 and I can already hear the shatter and crash of people everywhere tossing their new year’s resolutions out the nearest window. Normally I wouldn’t notice it over the sound of the toilet as I flush my own promises away, right along with the back end of the year’s first Tuesday afternoon beer. But this January there’s a new kind of noise around the Kato household. Yes, that sound you are hearing is the smooth, even drone of methodical, almost superhuman planning.

I’ve thrown a few resolutions on the table this year. Not casually tossed under the kotatsu, or mindlessly slipped onto my desk, under a pile of what may be last year’s city tax forms and trail of related notices and summonses. No sir, I’ve been cultivating my powers of concentration in preparation for what is shaping up to be a landmark year for me. This year, no more minutes and hours will be wasted, lost forever in the vortex of inefficiency. This year, things are going to get done, frequently and fast, with none of my valuable ‘Run & Gun Time’ wasted on YouTube or dental floss or barely-bleeding kids.

It’s 8am as I sit down to pound this out. The kerosene heater is empty again and there’s frost on the insides of the windows, but I’m not going to squander a single moment on wimpy creature comforts. I just cranked out forty quick push-ups (all right, the last few weren’t too quick), and the kids can do the same when they wake up. Go push your trains around, or crawl back and forth across the living room a hundred times if you’re that cold, I’ve got work to do here. Talk about efficient; not only am I getting down to business several minutes sooner thanks to my brand-new razor-sharp personal management strategy, but I’m simultaneously teaching my nine-month-old kid the value of both time and exercise.

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The Daily Routine

After a breakfast usually consisting of plain bran or wheat cereal mixed with granola with a banana on top in skim milk, as milk is good for my skin, I take a hot shower.  On my hair, I use an Herbal Essences Shampoo, which I throroughly work into the scalp as this prevents dandruff and removes volume-reducing salt, also thereby lightening the hair.  I also feel this shampoo makes my hair smell healthy, as though it's well taken care of.  I then apply an Herbal Essences Conditioner, which I leave in for a few minutes while I cover my face with Gatsby Cool Facial Foam.  I usually wash off the conditioner and facial foam simultaneously as the conditioner mixes with the facial foam to both cleanse and moisten my face.  I then apply a St. Ives Apricot Facial Scrub, which comes with small natural mineral particles to remove flaky or dry skin and to penetrate pores.  After this, I apply Old Spice Red Zone Cool Ice 8-Hour Scent Protecting body wash with a plain, undyed loofah.  I will usually use the Gatsby Cool Facial Foam again on my face, before exiting the shower and drying both my hair and face with patting motions and my body with vigorous rubbing using an off-white natural cotton twenty-five dollar Valentino Garavani towel.  After this, I apply a pre-shave lotion to my face to soften hair follicles.  I shave only in the direction of the hair using Gillette cream, not gel, as gel fails to effectively saturate all the hair follicles and can cause irritation and even painful ingrown hairs.  I use a four-bladed Gillette Fusion vibrating razor as I don't have to push down as hard, which can also cause irritation.  I always shave the sideburns and moustache last as this area is the most sensative and needs extra time for the shaving cream to soften the hair follicles.  I am strongly considering buying an electric razor to use on my neck as even the aforementioned routine fails to prevent mild outbreaks of shaving irritation, which disgusts me and makes me feel nauseous.  I also personally dislike the skin color of my neck, so, if there's a little stubble, it's for the best.  My neck skin looks yellow compared with the rosy hue of the cheek area of my face.  I also think dark stubble creates a unique contrast with the blond shade of my hair.  In Japan, this further amplifies my more unique and desirable facial qualities.  Yesterday I paid sixty dollars for a haircut.  My stylist was a professional makeup artist in London and told me I looked like a Beatle and that Japanese people think my hair color is very beautiful. 

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