Erin Hughes.com

Eric's birthday is today. I feel so bad for him. I think I am the only one in his family who knows how to celebrate any thing. I wanted to rent my friends bar for the afternoon and play games, eat cake and ice cream and sing happy birthday with all of his friends..... and next year I will! Instead Saturday night Satomi, Eric and I went to a restaurant for dinner we ate and picked up an ice cream cake. Then went home. We put candles on the cake sang a quick "Happy Birthday" and then everyone returned to smoking cigarettes and watching FUCKING JAPANESE VOLLEYBALL on TV while Eric Miku and I opened his presents in the corner. After that the three of us went upstairs and played with the toys. My parents had a good size house when I was a kid and they always tried their best to make me happy, I think. When I (or my brother or sister) had a birthday they decorated the house, made a cake and cooked my favorite food for dinner and invited all of our relatives over. I don't mean about my parents giving me TOYS either cause I am honestly hard pressed to remember a birthday when I got something I really wanted, but it wasn't about that. My parents made that day mine and made me feel special. Sure there were bad times during those days like when the 2 friends my mom allowed me to invite from school did not come after they said they would. I have tried as hard as I can to impress upon my wife and her family the significance attached for Americans to their Birthday. One would think that after the SUPRISE party I threw for my wife 2 years ago that the point would sink in. Wrong. I thought I was stubborn and un-accepting of others ways. But they just seem to be ignorant. Everything I say in English or Japanese is dismissed almost immediately. Whats worst is the most dismissive person of all is Satomi. Eric's Mother. I know it might be unfair to try to get her to go against how she was raised, but come on there are ALLOT of things I was raised to believe in, that I don't any more just cause I have been around the world and seen things differently. On top of that Eric's first birthday was at our house in America and she saw how much fun it was when everyone got together for a birthday. I don't really care for myself .... I care for Eric. I keep saying things need to change but now I am convinced that if they do not I may not be able to go on like this much longer. I have been sticking to the "if you do not have anything nice to say, do not say anything" about my Japanese family but this is just too much for me. I was so tired, upset and frustrated that I had too say something. Any ways here are some pictures of Eric and him opening his presents.......

Japan the only place where dressing like a idiot is a fashion statement. Tonight on the train back to Tokyo there was no lie a man who was dressed in the following; A black knit hat a white based rainbow striped button down shirt a v-neck something another v-neck w/ a pink triangle at the apex with a gray and pink aregiale design a gray sport coat (that did match the gray in the sweater a paisley back pack dark blue denim jeans with gold stitching and to top it all off or bottom it all off .... low cut Chuck Talyor's Converse with with different size & (primary) color spots. The funny thing is in America he would have stuck out like a sore thumb. Here he looks like most others to the untrained eye. I wish I could have gotten my camera out.

There was also a kids Halloween party and it was a allot more fun for me. Eric, Miku and a bunch of his friends along with some of Brent's students and kids. Brent has a party the next day for his kids classes and I take Eric. This year Satomi came too and so did some of her friends. There were about 20 or so kids and they all had a blast playing games and getting candy. I there is a lot to say about the cute kids in there costumes but why not just check out the pictures instead.

Here is a link to the album so you can check out all the pictures.

Halloween is my favorite holiday of the year, and of all the American/Western holidays celebrated here I think it is the most excepted. As always my buddy Brent had a big party at his bar. I went as Viagra which I made out of a large piece of card board spray painted blue. Unfortunately I forgot to snap a picture of it before I took it off. It was just too dam big for a bar packed full of people I was smashing into everyone. Here are some pictures.

Not really a lot to say except I came I took pictures and I drank. Allot! Here is a link to the whole album Enjoy! PS if you want copies of the pictures get in touch with Brent and have him tell me what you want.