Shabbats

I won't waste time complaining about how today was my first day off since I got here in Japan, so I'll get right to it. Today was awesome. I didn't practice (I don't roll on Shabbats), and I fully enjoyed my first significant amount of free time. I guess my story actually starts yesterday. We played a Sunday afternoon concert with the Sapporo Symphony Orchestra. They split the orchestra into two, and I was fortunate enough to get to play the Firebird and Mozart. At 6:00, the reception began. Free beer and good food, we were pounding on the door at 5:45 to get a piece of that. In case you all weren't aware, free beer is a beautiful and dangerous thing. "Ikki, ikki, ikki!" For those of you that don't speak Japanese, it's their word for "chug," one of the first words I learned in this country. Either way, things got real crazy last night. (Seriously, I'm not an alcoholic) But, I woke up in enough time for breakfast, and went back to bed while watching the Mariners play the Tigers. (Japan's favorite teams are the Mariners, Yankees, and Red Sox, because these teams have imported Japanese players.) I also watched Lost in Translation on my iPod. If anyone is interested in getting a better idea of my experience here, watch that movie. There is nothing in that movie I haven't seen or done, it was actually kind of scary. Suntori makes everything around here, including good whiskey. They also produce great mineral water, a very smart marketing decision if you think about it. I had lunch at Freshness Burger (pronounced fleshness baga) down the street from the hotel. By the way, if anyone read about the Earthquake in Japan, I didn't feel it. I may have been asleep, or too far away. Call me crazy, but I have a desire to experience one at some point in my life. This afternoon, I went to an awesome driving range. It's right across the street from my hotel, and I had been waiting since the first day to go there. And then, I went to the supermarket, and bought sushi, chicken, and supplies for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Oh, and awesome fireworks too. You can get fireworks anywhere here. I guess the government here puts a little more faith into people than others that I can think of. (To boot, beer in vending machines, and the right to carry a beer on the street) After a spectacular display, here I am, feeling fully refreshed and rested after my day off. Tomorrow starts our rehearsals for the Rite of Spring, and I'm also playing in a masterclass for a member Berlin Philharmonic. I'm not sure what I'm going to play, but it's going to be sweet. Maybe some Brahms, maybe some Bach maybe some...baseball? Things are well on this side of the world, I have yet to see the effects of Man-Yi, one of the strongest Typhoons to date to hit mainland Japan, and I was unaffected but the 6.0+ earthquake. Things seem to be turning out just right...

Quote of the Day: "Let's get normal!"