Erin Hughes.com

Long time

Erin — Wed, 18 May 2011 21:37:40 +0000

A couple of days ago I fired up my Skype and heard this message left by 2 drunken fools rambling on and on about how I never call and write and how they had t shirts for me.... In addition I have got a few email enquiries asking how things were going.

I have not posted anything since I got to America. There was just too much going on and I was not really feeling like .... well like I was really back in the USA. I have had the feeling more like I am on vacation from Japan and soon I will have to go back. There was more then a few times when I questioned why I was here WTF I was gonna do about XYZ problem and how I was gonna make it till the next day. In that time a couple of things pulled me through, team reports of matches on the TokyoGaijin.com text messages and emails from friends and lastly, the videos of all of my teammates at my going away party. Honestly, Lonnie told me not to watch them till I was on the plane. I waited till I needed them and they really helped me get through a couple of tough times.

When I got to Texas, the first thing I did was try to find the rugby club in my area. It was kind of a disappointment. I have been on plenty of teams before, but the coach and a couple of others made me feel pretty unwelcome right away. I shrugged it off and things got better, but when I got my work schedule I found I had to work on Saturday, our game day here, and the fact that I did not have health insurance till February did not help. Finally in January I scratched my leg. I slid in on my shin for a try in touch and got what I thought was a little brush burn. $300 and a swollen leg and 3 weeks of antibiotics later, I decided to wait till I had real health insurance to keep playing. There are some summer 7s and 10s matches coming up and I am trying to get fit to play in them.

After a long peacefully quite wait Satomi, Eric, Anna, and little baby Sara all arrived with the help from my mother in law.

It took some time to get all our stuff and fill the house but we did it and now have a guest bedroom, anyone want to come and stay in Houston for a couple days?

Eric started going to school and playing rugby. Both are going well for him, he scored a hard fought try on the wing in his last game of the season, and his English is improving also he passed ESOL reading and writing level 1, and his teachers and coaches are always ecstatic about having him around. In school Eric seems to be enjoying himself and his teacher is very happy at how well he does in math, especially word problems, with out being able to read them he still manages to under stand the problem and solve it correctly.

His Rugby Couch lets him play all over to get the feel for the right position and he likes prop lock and hooker, but the assistant coach would rather stick him on the wing cause he is tall skinny and fast. In his first couple of games Eric made a name for himself and had everyone screaming his name as he ran across the field twice to drag a player to the ground from the opposition who had made it past everyone else and stop what seemed like inevitable tries.

He is naturally better then me at everything he tries to do, but he is never very serious about anything still, like father like son. He always asks why we do not have after parties for his team like we did in Tokyo? "In a few years..." I say.

Anna has become quite the handful since moving but is still cute and funny! She speaks Japanese and English, in a very matter of fact way, so fast that the words sometimes run together into nonsense. Her favorite phrase right now is "You gotta wait!"

Sara is a patient little angle who rarely cries.... except at 4 AM or when she really wants to be held.

Finally I left the company I came to Houston to join, and had to find some new employment. There was nothing wrong with the company I was at, I just did not fit in. I found a new job and it appears to be a great fit so far. Things are getting better little by little.

I want to say that I miss all my friends from Japan and enjoyed the lessons learned, during my time in Tokyo. I miss all of my friends at GMO, TGRFC and TLUG, and hope through out the crisis you are doing well. I think about you all at least once or twice a day and think Gambatte!

Seriously if you're interested in coming to Houston, send me a message on my contact page or you can hit me up on Skype at erin_hughes_jp.

BABY! YEAH!

Erin — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 05:53:31 +0000

When I got to Gotemba last night Satomi said "I do not think the baby will come till tomorrow or the next day." She was right! At about 3 am she crawled into bed with me and said she was having some pain.

A little while later she said the pain was contractions. A round 330 AM we decided to go to the hospital.

At 4 we checked in and I went out to wait in the car.... they did not have a place for me wait.

Around 650 I was awoke by a call from Satomi, she said I could come inside the hospital.

I saw the doctor at almost 830 and he said I could see Satomi and the baby in a few minutes and ensured me that they were both fine.

At on 2010 10 09 at 743 my latest little girl was born. She weighed in at 3080 grams (6LBS 12.84 ounces) and 49 cm (19.29 inches). Right now we have not decided on a name but Sarah, Mia, and Sena are all in the running. If you have a suggestion please add it below, we have till Monday to decide. We decided her name will be Sara Alison Hughes/Udagawa.

Here are a few photos, you can click them to see larger images and view the rest of the photos in the gallery.

The Internet of things!

Erin — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 01:10:12 +0000

I was having a beer or 3 when I saw a post from someone I went to HS with who was not going to be able to make it to our high school reunion. I wanted to go too, but babies and other responsibilities will keep me away this time.

In about 20 minutes I put together some text, grabbed a picture from Facebook, and added a pay pal button for people to donate cash to the cause. That was Thursday night my time.
I mailed a few of the popular people in my class and then waited. The next day I posted it to my profile, soon a few class mates with a little prodding were doing the same. That was Friday morning my time.

By Saturday morning we were up too 340 dollars and not long after that a couple of big donations, you know who you are, came in and we were over the 400 dollar mark.

I do not like asking people for money personally, but feel this was a great way to show off the school spirit that made my time at Lake Shore　High School the reason I would move back there if I could.
NOTES: Things you might want to be aware of if you try this.

Pay Pal;

They take a % of your donations as their handling fee. If you need to raise X amount of dollars, shoot for X + 7% to cover that. I did not know this so.
If you do not have a Pay Pal Account in the USA you can not set up a straight forward donate button that allows people to make what ever donation the feel they want to. Instead I set up 4 different payment sizes ranging from 2 to 50 dollars. ($2.00, $10.00, $20.00, $50.00).
The easiest way to get the cash to the person you want is through Pay Pal. Have them set up a account and simply choose Send money and enter their e-mail address.

Facebook and other social media; I like Facebook and twitter they are good ways of staying connected but do not count on it to do all the work for you. You will still need to make people aware of what your doing and post constant updates on progress to keep people interested in the idea.

Finally, Kim I hope you have a good time. I put up a page and kept people interested (most of them were pretty excited from the start), but the people who donated, really did all the work.

E./

Corrosion of Conformity Take What You Want

Erin — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 01:36:28 +0000

Corrosion of Conformity Take What You Want

Just as long as we are here, standing tall for one more year
Sing out loud and keep away the cold

When you're blind and you can't see
Realize it's them, not me
I might be hard to find, you know it happens everytime

When I'm tired I crawl, I can't stand to see you fall
And the years they don't treat you like they used to

When you're wide and I'm awake
I got time enough for days Take a-want you want
It just might set you free, not me ...

Oh no way, I've been up for a thousand days
But you can cut me down when I'm old and gray
And if you catch me on the move, you can come along
Or you can disapprove

I might be hard to find, you know it happens every time

When I'm tired, I crawl, I can't stand to see you fall
And the years they don't treat you like they used to

When you're wide and I'm awake
I got time enough for days take a-want you want
It just might set you free and not me...

Does it feel the same

When I'm tired I crawl like the savior in us all
But I don't mind it's somethin' that I'm used to

And when it's time to go, I just thought I'd let you know
Farewell this time, you're always on my mind

When I'm tired I crawl, it's a shame to see you fall
And the years they don't treat you like they used to

But when you're wide and I'm awake
Baby, I got enough damn time for a million days
Take a-want you want and it just might set you free....

When you're up you roam, it's a shame to see you go
And the years they don't treat you like they used to

Just as every light you see might be the one that sets you free
Keep on rising like the ones you used to know, let's go.......

Day 3 part 3 "The good life"

Erin — Fri, 07 May 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Day 3 part 3 "The good life"

I decided to the last part of the experiment would be taking the Shinkansen to work. I had to wake up around the same time as the bus and be on the train at 0648. It was kind of a pain to get to Mishima you need to take Gotemba line to Numazu the from Numazu it is one stop to Mishima on the Tokiado Line. It was easy going due to the fact that it was the last day of golden week. I can easily imagine that this would be a crowded pain in the getting to Mishima, fortunately I think this would be one of the times that I would need to drive to the train station either on a motorcycle or a car.

assume there would be some hassles getting a seat now and again but really I think the amount of time you actually spend traveling being almost 1/2ed would make it worth while. The problem is the cost, 3900 yen to Shibuya. That is more than 2x of what every other mode of transport was, and even with a discount for buying a 6 month ticket I think it will still be out of my price range. That also does not include gas and parking.

Fortunately that day Satomi and the kids drove back from Gotemba to Tokyo so I did not have to go back to Gotemba. Instead my plain old 20 minute commute home on Inokashira line.

0610 Woke up

0630 Went to Iwanami Station

0635 Arrived at Iwanami Station

0648 Got on Gotemba Line for Numazu 400 yen

0705 Arrived in Mishima

0710 Purchased Ticket for Shinkansen to Shibuya 3850 yen

0722 Got on Kodama Shinkansen for Shinagawa

0805 Arrived in Shinagawa
0823 Got on Yamanote Line for Shibuya

0835 Arrived in Shibuya

0840 Got to work

Worked

Eric and the Bay Blade Masters

Erin — Fri, 07 May 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Eric went to a Bay Blade Tournement, and pitted his spinning metal top against other kids. He was pretty excited and so was Anna. I missed most of the "event" because Anna was screaming so much. She really wanted to get out of the stroller and walk around. I did not allow that because it would have meant baby godzilla would have been loose to smash and disrupt small metal top compititions.
Eric had his chance and the competition is structured like this;

1. The contestants face off over the "stadium"

2. The contestants bow and exchange tops to check for deffects.

3. The judge tells them to get ready.

4. The cadence is given, Ready Go SHOOT! On shoot the combatants launch their tops into the stadium.

5. The last top spinning or left in the stadium wins.

6. Best out of 3 is winner of that match.

7. Winner advances, looser is out.

Eric lost in his first competition but we waited around to watch the last of the competition. Eric & Kazuma realy enjoyed it. Anna was yelling the whole time so I guess she had a good time too.

Part 2 Day 2 The train

Erin — Wed, 05 May 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Part 2 Day 2 The train

I knew for a fact that the train sucks. I use to take it once a week to get back to Tokyo. The trip is long, and you need to switch trains a couple of times along the way. In the morning Odakyu line is one of the main lines into the city from the country side, so I can imagine it will be very crowded with little chance of sitting, and this is a line you will be on for the bulk of the trip.

When I got to Iwanami station I saw they had a IC card reader and thinking that this a JR line the reader must be Suica capable. I pressed my phone against it and it made that reassuring beep. Augh technology.

When I rode the Gotemba line up to Shin-Matsuda I did note that the scenery is very nice and provides a s good view of rural Japan.

At Matsuda there was no IC reader "Doh!" so I paid for my ticket in cash and tried to get on the next train. Now my IC chip in my phone was blocked from use because I had not checked it out "Doh!" so I went to the ticket counter and wasted 5 minutes waiting in line and explaining what happened. The cleared my IC chip and I was able to use it to get on the Odakyu line, but I missed the train that I wanted to take and ended up taking the next express train. This set me back 15 minutes on my already very tight schedule. I thought for sure I would not make it to work.

The train itself was pretty crowded for a holiday at 715 in the morning. I was able to get a seat the whole way but it was not very comfortable and working on my laptop was next to impossible. The trip seemed to take forever and when we did arrive in Shimokitazawa I bolted from the train that by this time had become packed. I do not want to see what it would look like on a Monday morning.

I made it to my office with only a few minutes to spare but I was still on time. Started in on some of the things I needed to get done.

I ate my lunch outside in the park next to my office and had 1 beer with it. Worked some more but the beer and travelling dragged me down and I could not complete too much.

To get back I decided to see if I could get the bus route back right this time. I did not want to take the train even though the purpose of my experiment was to try all routes there and back. I know the train sucks, I have taken it enough to know that and did not see a point in practicing to be miserable. But in order to make the bus there was no time to eat. I bought a Chuhi and a snack got to the bus.

The bus trip back was surprisingly comfortable and I almost fell asleep. I made it home at 2010, gave Anna a bath and then passed out putting her to bed.

As in my initial assumption the train sucks, although it is more reliable then the bus and costs about the same amount.

Train
Cost 1,470 yen Distance:105.0 km Time 133 minutes

0525 Woke up
0600 Left the house
0605 Arrived at Iwanami eki (SUICA like machine)
0622 On the train

0710 Off at Matsuda to change for Odakyu line had to pay

0716 Miss the train cause of Suica SNAFU

0729 On the next Express train Got a seat w/o having to hipcheck any old ladies for it .... but just barely
0835 Arrived at Shimokitazawa

0850 Arrived at Shibuya
0856 get to work (gi di gi di safe)

1810 got out of work
1835 got to Shinjirigaoka
1845 got on Tome Highway Bus
2010 arrived at Gotemba Tome Intersection
2025 Got home and gave the Babu-Chan a bath
2130 In bed

Steel Balls

Erin — Wed, 05 May 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Found these steel balls in the street on my way to the data center the other day. They were probably happy little parchinco balls at one time but now looked sad and abandon.

Part 1 Day 1 The Bus

Erin — Tue, 04 May 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Part 1 Day 1 The Bus

The Bus seemed easiest way to make my way to Tokyo, although the pick up point for the bus is quite far, if we moved I would buy a car and parking is free if you take the highway bus in a lot that is very close to the stop. The trip on the bus to Tokyo was quite easy and uneventful, and put me in Shibuya in plenty of time

The trip back was much less fun. I missed 2 buses that could have gotten me home because I was in the wrong place. I ended up going back to Shinjuku to get on the bus. When I got to Shinjuku there was a bus leaving at 730 but it only had "juseki" or fold down center seats available. This is equivalent to riding on a milk carton on roller skates in the center isle. I chose to take the next bus at 2000. I had a 1/2 hour before the bus left so I used it to get a 1/4 Pounder from Mc Donalds, and beer from Family Mart. I sat down on a side street and chowed down.

At 2000 I caught the bus and was finally on my way home 2 hours later than planned.

At 2130 I met Satomi at the interchange bus stop where I got on the bus almost 15 hours before. We went to a friends house to pick up my niece and then went home. Some where around 11 I got to sleep.

Tomorrow will be a tougher test, the train to and from Tokyo, wish me luck. Below is a breakdown of the day.

Cost 1,540 yen Distance:115.0 km Time 105 minutes

0555 Woke up
0620 Left house
0635 Got to bus stop
0655 got on the bus 1540 yen
0740 couldn't hold it and had to use the bus restroom
0755 Got onto Shutoko Expressway LOTS of traffic but it thinned out quickly
0813 got the train from ikijiri-ohashi to Shibuya, Monday on non-work week, still pretty crowded. I think I can walk this part on nice days, just need to check out how far it is.
0835 at the office no one here but me :(

Around 930 another 2 guys showed up and sat in the corner having a meeting. I had 2 Red Bulls and some bread and felt OK. I got to work and quickly finished 2 tasks that I thought would take much much longer.

Around 12 I got some lunch and around 4 or 5 started feeling the effects of being up so early and the travelling.

Having a hard time concentrating and a slight headache, but with only a hour left I just sucked it up.

1810 leave the office
1824 got to the !#$? bus stop?
1830 no bus
1845 no bus

1850 decide to go to Shinjuku cause I must be in the wrong place
1920 get to Shinjuku try to buy a ticket but all the seats were taken
1925 get ticket on 2000 bus
1940 got a 1/4 pounder a beer and sat down outside a chowed
2000 on the bus, head hurts and feeling very tired

2020 found out where the Ikijiriohahshi stop is I was off the mark by about 100 meters FML
2130 Satomi picked me up at Tomie Gotemba
2200 Went to friends house for 1 beer
2240 Got home
2300 Got into bed

The great commutation experiment

Erin — Mon, 03 May 2010 09:00:00 +0000

The great commutation experiment

Pay cuts suck but they are better than loosing your job. Recent changes at work and home, if you do not know, number 3 is on the way, have forced us to rethink our financial situation. For reasons unknown to any rational thinking adult I am considering commuting to work (Tokyo) from home in Gotemba. It is a 2 hour trip one way.

If you ask Satomi she will tell you that "Lots of people do it." I have not seen lots of people doing it as a matter of fact when I asked how much my company would pay for commuting from Gotemba the HR women all looked at me like I was holding my own bloody head in my hands and making it speak through some sort of devilish sorcery. When the shock wore off they started laughing and saying we will pay for what ever the "cheapest cost is to commute". This will most likely be JR line from Gotemba to Matsuda then Odakyu to Shimokitazawa to Shibuya.

Here is a break down of what that would look like.

On board for 125 minutes (Traveling for 137 minutes)
One-way fare:1,470 yen Distance:105.0 km

Iwanami

06:22am

07:08am

[46min.] 35.1km 650yen

Matsuda/Shin-Matsuda

Odakyu Line

Express 07:16am

08:28am

[72min.] 66.9km 700yen

Shimokitazawa

Keio-Inokashira Line 08:32am

08:39am

[7min.] 3.0km 120yen

Shibuya

140 minutes starting at 620 AM sounds sadly unmanageable for me.

The second option is to take Shinkansen and is probably what people think when think of traveling to work by train.

I do not dispute the fact that it would be faster and probably more comfortable, but it is almost 3 x the cost. They have commuter passes for that but I am afraid that it would still be such a huge chunk of change each month that it would just be cheaper to live in Tokyo.

On board for 84 minutes (Traveling for 107 minutes)

One-way fare:4,910 yen Distance:141.5 km

Iwanami

Gotemba Line 05/04/2010

06:48am

07:07am

[19min.] 14.9km 2520yen

Numazu

Tokaido Line(JR Tokai) 07:10am

07:16am

[6min.] 5.5km

Mishima

Kodama No.704 07:22am

08:09am

[47min.] 113.9km Reserved 2390yen

Shinagawa

Yamanote Line 08:23am

08:35am

[12min.] 7.2km

Shibuya

Finally the bus. There is a highway bus between Gotemba and Shinjuku. The second last stop is 1.7 Kilometers from my office. I initially thought I could walk from Ikijiriohashi but now think that in the winter cold or summer heat or spring and fall rains..... I will just take the train.

The bus departs 0655 and gets to Ikijiriohashi at 810, a quick trip on the train, although it will be a very crowded train it will get me to the office around 830. The cost is 1540 yen and you always get a seat, unfortunately the biggest problem with the bus is if the bus is late they do not give out "inconvenience tickets" which tell your employer you were late due to the bus/train/plane ect, and when your company is very aggressive about docking pay for lateness it could get expensive.

For this experiment I will try to check for my own sanity, how difficult it would be to go to work in Tokyo from Gotemba. For day 1 I will try the bus, then the regular commuter line, then finally the Shinkansen to see which is fastest, easiest and cheapest. I think in order to stay under budget and still make it back every night it will take some usage of a combination of the bus and other routes. Stay tuned the next couple of days to see what the results and side effects are.