Cazwell

This guy ain't short on razzmatazm, but being a fan of The Electric Company can be exhausticatin'.

This summer's frozen cocktail~

Frozen mango, passionfruit juice and lychee liqueur. Jeezus, Josheph and Mary it's good! Yes, I know it's not summer yet... and yes, I am sitting shivering in woolen cap and scarf in front of the heater drinking it... but there's some summer right here in this plastic polka-dot martini glass man!!

EduPorn and the War on テロ

Canadian high-school senior Arman Noory made a video about America's "War on Terror" for his politics class' final project. He used a 1981 porn flick and dubbed his own voice to explain the war. Fantastic. Check it out here.

Thanks BoingBoing!

p.s. the board game pictured is so on my wish list... comes with balaclavas!!!

春分の日 Shunbun no hi

Yesterday I spent most of the warm sunny afternoon cleaning the garden and porch. I found a new tree which I replanted and six spider sisters hiding in the pile of leaves under the tatami room window. I gently swept the future mosquito eaters into the monkey grass, watered the ash trees and even hosed down the unbelievably filthy walls. All this spring cleaning just in time for the vernal equinox. Today we share the same amount of light and darkness as our friends down under - kinda nice innit? But from here on out I'm taking more of the light for myself! Mwah ha ha ha ha!

Shouldn't have gloated... today it's cold and rainy.

I need a hug...

Australian Juan Mann started the Free Hugs Campaign in 2006 and, thanks to Sydney band Sick Puppies' music video "All the Same", it's become a worldwide 'phenomenon'.

Check out the videos of people giving away hugs from all over the planet here and here. I loved seeing the differences between peoples' reactions in places like China, Mexico, Japan and Brazil.

I saw the free huggers in Harajuku the other week. But being Harajuku, it was of course cosplay hugging...

WWOOF!

I recently joined WWOOF - an international group of volunteers, hosts and organizations promoting sustainable living. Basically, farmers act as hosts for volunteers who go and work on their farms in exchange for food, lodging and education about organic farming. After a couple of years of reading up on beekeeping, I am itching to get some hands-on experience. There are two beekeepers near Tokyo that I am hoping will accept me for a couple of weekends this spring!!!

Once I get my own hives and am able to produce some high-quality wildflower honey, I can start brewing rice-based honey beer just like they did in Henan, China 9,000 years ago. Unfortunately, Chateau Jihau beat me to it.

Mmmmm... nice aloma!

All the way from Otaru, Hokkaido comes this gorgeous little pilsner made with all organic ingredients and "aloma" hops. They also make a dunkel that I have yet to try. Best part is - it's 40yen cheaper than the leading brands!
Am currently looking for gluten-free beer as I may have sprue. Found some sorgum beers in the States but the only "100% rice beer" I have found here actually contains wheat... hunh?