A Straw Man Argument

It was my last day teaching the engineers* at my flight school so I showed them some Simpsons to celebrate. I gave each lad (and two lasses) an Oreo as a snack.

 

*not really engineers, just what they're referred as at the school.

Afterwards, I trekked over to The Sendai Agricultural Garden Center in order to check out their Straw sculptures. THIS is all they had!

I'm fairly certain that that is the same Dragon that has welcomed patrons for the last few years.  There were a few more last year and lots more the year before and a ton more before that! (Check out the label to the left called "straw art" for even more.)

At least they had a minor Halloween display.

 

Not even any pumpkins around the SENDAI sign like last year. (Maybe I came too early!)

Ah well, I'll check back in a few weeks. At least the local Hard-Off/Off-House had a display today. Kudos!

 

Tomorrow begins a month of daily (?) posts with something to do with Halloween as part of the Countdown to Halloween! There will be plenty of Halloweeny posts starting tomorrow with links at that site...

Another Happy Unbirthday to me!

I never get due acknowledgement on my actual birthday (December 25th--Stupid Jesus), thus I continue the tradition of celebrating it on Michaelmas, September 29th. My family adopted the custom when I was a wee lad so that I could spend a normal(ish) day with my friends. Then my sister comes along on October 1st and ruins that gig! So now, it shall forever remain my Unbirthday. 

This year is relatively low key. I cajoled my students into wishing me "Happy Birthday" and I picked up a couple of new toys to add to my ever growing collection.

I also scored a magazine. 

 I bought it mainly for this instructive/destructive map of Japan. 

 

Wait a second, Sendai isn't listed! THIS shows that Sendai Station was demolished in Godzilla vs. MechaGodzilla II!

 

Oops, my mistake. Skip to the 24 second mark and you clearly see that Rodan destroys it. 

Phew, now I can add this road trip to my bucket list with an untarnished record.

It also has a cutie with a collection:

 

My personal collection has a long way to go to match this guy's!

 

Then again, maybe I do have that many figures. I just don't have the shelf space!

Anyway, another pseudo-fake birthday comes and goes. A Very Merry Unbirthday To Me! 

Jihanki, Jinkies!

Has it really been over 9 months since I last blogged? I could have had a baby in that time! Every now and then, I'll play catch-up because there have been a few days of interest since December. Why am I getting back to the blogosphere? Duh, Countdown to Halloween is coming up.

Recently, there have been a few unusual vending machines cropping up, for example, Godzilla! (If you're wondering about the title of this post...自販機 (Jihanki) is Japanese for Vending Machine. Jinkies means Jinkies!)

    

 I saw my first one outside a Mandai in Tagajo. It was on its lonesome, so it was easy to eyeball the side pictures as well.

 

The same cannot be said for the next one I saw, outside a Mandai in Natori.

    

It wasn't as easy to see its sides for it was smushed in the middle of many machines.

 

I then saw my third one outside the Mandai in Izumi. I'm beginning to sense a pattern.

 

And it happens to be near my old pal Gamera!

 I figured that was it, yet much to my surprise, there was another adjacent to the neighbouring UFO Catcher!

 

 

Since I was at the UFO Catcher anyway, I managed to win a pair of Lobster Sandals in one try!

 

    

This post has been sponsored by Coca Cola because there just happened to be a nearby Coke Vending Machine with Star Wars labels!

 I bought one from there and got a few more at the supermarket at a third the price.

 

I only bought Cola Zero because I'd rather have carcinogens than calories.

I'm attending the Jozenji Jazz Fest tomorrow (it was drizzling all day, so I skipped today), so if I come across any interesting Jihanki, I'll revise this post.

Speaking of which, a friend who is touring around Hokkaido notice this machine that offers Nappies for Kiddies. Good idea, I wonder if they have adult sizes too? Those long drives can be murder!

 Tomorrow...some hijinx at the Festival I hope!