There are a lot of lessons to be taken when it comes to skiing and snowboarding, but my favourite is that when you feel as though you are about to fall over, a lot of the time you can more easily than it seems just push yourself back up. Although it may not seem like …
In winter, go snowboarding. In summer, visit the ocean. In autumn, take in the leaves. In spring, take in the cherry blossoms. When it snows here, it really snows. There will be snow on the ground for the majority of December to the end of February. You can either complain about having to clear it, …
If you don’t fill your time, someone else will. This old adage rings true far more than I’d like it to. That’s why it’s important to put ‘me’ time on your calendar. You have to prioritize yourself, otherwise someone else will find a way to prioritize you. It may sound contradictory, but this is in …
I really like the idea of a past year review. New Year’s Resolutions are great and everything, if you’re able to keep them up that is*. Tim Ferriss suggests instead of having New Year’s Resolutions to go through your calendar of the past year and pick out the peak positive and negative people, activities, and …
Winter here is an entirely different beast. Last night we had at least 30cm of snow, I wish I was exaggerating. When I opened our garage to go take the rubbish out, at first I thought there was only a small 5cm layer of snow, but then the garage opened out and I realised I …
Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. Mike Tyson I couldn’t have said it better myself. I have multiple scars on my chin from being punched in the mouth while playing water polo. I also have a scar above my right eye from being punched deliberately while playing water polo. I …
I made a lemon meringue pie for Christmas, it’s perhaps a bit out of the ordinary, but eating KFC for Christmas is normal here so whatever. Except, I undoubtedly failed. The middle was too watery, and didn’t set even after a long time stirring it as per instructions (What happened was I didn’t stir it …
At the pool the other day I pull up next to a car and notice that there’s someone in it. An old dude. Reading manga. Listening to the radio pretty loud for such a confined place with the familiar whir of the heater humming. I think to myself, he’s probably just waiting for his wife …
In yamabushi training you meet a whole lot of amazing characters. My first time round I met a dude who had represented Japan at rugby, and who did 1,000 push ups a day, I’m not even exaggerating, you could see him at it whenever you woke up because he was always up before you (outside, …
Tsutaya: Yamabushi-run Ryokan Traditional Inn in Snow Country Read More »
I always wondered why there were specific foods eaten around this time of year in Japan, but simply thought it was because they were in season. This is partially true, of course it is, but I also only learned yesterday that for the winter solstice, Japanese people like to eat things with a name that …
