In 1985 I went to Japan to seek my fortune. I began studying Japanese in 1981, mostly because of my interest in Japanese military history. In the winter of 1983-1984, I spent six months in Sapporo on an exchange program. That sealed the deal. Japan was clean, orderly, and had great food. And oceans of…
Be like my mother
July 25, 2015
My mother and I didn’t get along. It wasn’t her fault; I can’t explain our problem because that would violate her privacy. She was stuck with me. Staunchly pro-life, she couldn’t have had me aborted, and everyone knew she was pregnant with me, so she couldn’t have given me up for adoption. In the last…
I hate my neighborhood
May 26, 2014
There was a time when I didn’t hate my neighborhood. Back when I moved here in 1993, it wasn’t a bad place. What happened was that all the old people died and young monstrosities moved in. Now I can’t wait to leave. The main reason I want to leave is that everyone here is a…
Paying the piper
December 2, 2013
Someone sent me a link to an interview with the bassist Lemmy Kilmister of the band Motörhead. He’s in terrible shape from all the drugs, drinking, and smoking. If you don’t know anything about Motörhead, they’re a metal band as famous for their excesses as their deafening music. Also, Lemmy plays his electric bass like…
I’m not evangelical
October 4, 2013
My purpose in writing is to banish my own crap and entertain you. But. Lots of people are in the same boat as me, problems-wise, so it makes sense for me to mention successes that may help fellow sufferers. Currently, there’s a backlash against psychotropic medication. What I hear lots of people say is that…
I feel bad, but I also don’t
September 9, 2013
Richard Lewis has made some great art. Some of his jokes are exceptional, and his movie Drunks is really top notch. (I may have liked the movie because I’m a drunk, so I might not be the go-to guy on whether or not it’s a good movie.) The ending is one of the best I’ve…