While traveling around on work, it's difficult to lug around my crew-served camera with lenses, and all, so much of the time, I just use the handy-dandy camera on my super phone. We've got perhaps the coolest phones in the world here. Other than the fact that Melody's battery just died (seemingly permanently), it's got just about everything the well-connected (too connected?) person needs. Here's the list...

Telephone (duh)
World wide usability (just by switching it to global roam)
Photo
Movie
Internet
Email
Text messaging
GPS
Alarm clock
Voice recorder
Calendar
Countdown timer

So, it's eminently useful. When traveling, and away from the internet, I can use it to keep touch with Melody and other friends and family...it's great.

Also, it's handy for taking pictures of some of the strange things that one sees here in Japan. Here are a few samples...

Me about to be eaten by Gojira!

When you're at the yakiniku place (where you cook it yourself at the little grill on your table), always go for the fresh meat, as opposed to the rotten, rancid meat on the other side of the room.

Pajama party on a Sunday afternoon...

This reads, "Corolla: Cute and lively, the popular choice for the road."

Sweet Dogs!

Good advice when living communally.

My favorite kind of basket.

These were the starched sheets that I had in the barracks we stayed in.

The pillow that the starched pillow case went on...this is some sort of strange fiber (coconut?) that had been wadded into a vaugely bricklike shape and consistency. Not too comfortable. I woke up several times with my ear asleep...and then the pain of the blood returning to it.

This is a special dish from Kyushu that "assails one's nose" when you eat it. Think hot, spicy mustard crusted lotus roots. I unfortunately didn't get a chance to eat this...but it sounded really good.

Want a loan? Sorry! NO LOAN!

A Kyushu delicacy...raw horsemeat. Not as disgusting as it sounds...

Natto. Fermented soy beans. Disgusting enough for me to learn a new phrase..."Natto ni nioi-wa mawashi kusai." "Natto smells like a mawashi (sumo diaper)."

The strangely named Daihatsu "Naked." Unclear image, but you'll have to trust me...it really said that!

I think this is self explanatory...anything with the word "boob" in it is funny.

Wasabi Ice Cream...sweet, but with a bite. Eat it too fast, and you get the dual pains of an ice cream headache and the sinus clearing burn. Mmmmm Good!!

More good advice! This time from a square chicken.