Today me and my two sons moved into a bigger apartment. It is a temporary move for 1 year so that we have more space to work and live while making decisions on where to buy a more permanent home. The new place is very nice, and has enough room for us to live comfortably and support my son's fur suit creation business.
We are computer geeks for sure! I setup the living room so we can all watch TV at the same time, and work on our computers as well. It will take months for us to get fully moved-in.
The cats moved in and explored. Maggie should not be in the dryer!
Juliet recognized my bed probably by the my scent.
I had to do some repair work on the Juki sewing machine. It needed a new motor mount and repairs to the electronics.
Once done Shouta got it all setup!
I'll post more tomorrow, I wanted to share pictures of the new place. I still live with the struggles of taking care of my boys alone, and sometimes the loneliness makes me sad. Overall I am very happy now that we have a bigger place to live.
I hope you have a wonderful and successful day in Japan.
My son makes professional fur suits, similar to the ones seen in Hollywood. They take years to create, and are very elaborate and beautiful. My son got into it years ago, and he was so passionate about it that I purchased one for him. We purchased one a fur suit from Skypro Costumes that cost about 630,000 Yen! When spending that kind of money, I wanted to make sure it is the best quality and that will last a long time. It took over 3 years for it to be created, and is named, "Rogue"
I also purchased a suit named, "Voltie" that also took several years to create. My suit cost about 425,000 Yen when it was fully complete and was made by Monster Cat Creations. This was our first convention at which we could go together. I never imagined that I would buy my own suit, but I realized that if I wanted to really understand him and be a part of his world I needed to get one. I do not regret it. I realized just how much fun it can be to play around while in a fur suit. It is good clean fun!
This convention that we came together at is called, "Fur The More".
It just so happens to coinside with the end of Shouta's apprenticeship, and we were moving him home while also moving out of our current house and getting ready to move into a new one. We did our best to have a great time and participate in the major events at the convention. It was important for us to do so.
We were joined by another friend, "Nameless" (in the bright blue suit), and got a picture together!
We stayed in a hotel room for one day/night so we had a place to cool off when done suiting. It had a very nice view!
It sounds funny, but we took some time to brush our suits so that they looked their best!
Some of our friends, Sturmovick and Equis Silvermane were there for some pictures.
Suiting is hot work! It messes my hair up too.
The convention had a nice dealers room as well.
There was a group photo taken for many of the suiters. We are in there somewhere!
And the two of us passing by a video camera during the parade
This convention was wonderful, as my two sons and I were coming back together as a family. By the end of the convention we were tired but happy. The convention only lasted for one day and night, but it was hugely significant. Next we had the big move into our new home was coming up fast, which I will post about in Part 3.
If you believe in God as I do, the events of the past few weeks have felt like being on the wings of angels. So much has transpired that I cannot fit them all into one blog post. Yet I want to capture it, and share it with you as I continue on my long journey to a harmoneous life.
I'll post it in 3 parts, so can fit it all and make it as interesting as possible.
Part 1: End of the Internship
The first thing that happened is that my son's apprenticeship at Monster Cat Creations was completed, and it was time for him to come home and prepare to use his new skills to start his own firsuit creation company. It was both a happy and sad event for us, as he have become close to the Shouta's sensei, and having to leave was filled with sorrow. None the less Shouta learned the skills he needs, and it was time for him to move to the next level. We will see Voodoo, Shouta's sensei, many times in the future at conventions and for work, but his time living there was complete and is now over.
As I left home to pick him up, I could not help but take a picture of my younger son sleeping with his cat, Maggie.
We did not get much time to pack his things, and had to leave a few things behind which was regretful, but that did not change the joy between my son and I at being back together. This made the drive home very special, almost magical. It is still early spring, and the air is cold, the ground still snow-covered. None the less I found it beautiful. I took some pictures along the way as Shouta and I reflected on everything that had taken place over the last 8 months.
For me it is a wonderful time as I get my son back in a respect. The world right now is far-too expensive to try and create a new, small business outside of the home unless it is necessary to have a store-front. In the age of the internet, fortuneately, we don't need one for the kind of business that we want to create. There are 100 details to think about and plan for to correctly start and build a new business that will succeed. It is perhaps fortunate that I have taken college classes about it, and successfully built one business in the past. It was a different kind of business, and Internet Service Provider, but the basic financial, resource planning, people skills and fundamentals of running a business are the same.
I took some pictures of the mountains on my way home.
It will become a family business, something done with the full-mutual support of every family member to make it successful. This is the best way, I see, to create a small company in the 21st century. It requires sacrifise of course in privacy and sharing of resources, but that is a small cost next to the savings gained and the power of teamwork. I think it is a great mistake of Western culture (born of greed) that families should live separately from their parents and growing children, and I do not fall for it. Family is power. Family provides real support, in good times and bad. Respect is required between family members to make it work. Each must respect the privacy and opinions of the others. That is how a real team is created.
Now I can do that with my two sons. It is a time of joy for us in this way, I got my son back. =)
Thank you for reading as I share my journey towards the land of the rising sun.
I regret that I have not blogged in a week. Work has been very busy, and
I am trying to find a bigger place for us to live at the same time.
I will blog more with many pictures after we move in.
I work hard, very hard at my job. I do my best every day and getting results.
My management is very happy with me me and depends on me more.
My accuracy is improving in the work that I do.
Things are getting very busy at Comcast, as my project (called VSG) is going
really well. The company is investing allot in the future of VSG. That
means that I have a bright future as long as I keep doing my best.
That part is easy for me. I admire how Japanese people work hard.
It is one of many things I admire about Japanese culture.
I wish more Americans felt the same way, though many do.
The first six months of being back to work full-time was a struggle.
I had to regain my fighting spirit, and my self-confidence again.
I make some mistakes, and find it very difficult to keep up sometimes.
Yet every day I remember why I am fighting so hard. For my children.
Without my two children, I do not know if I would have enough strength to do it.
For their sake somehow I am able to keep going. I do not think it would be
so easy if it were just for my own selfish desires to be happy.
I am lonely of course. I remember when I see couples working together to manage
a family and I am envious. As a single parent it is hard to get it right all the time.
I run short of hours in the day to get all of the parental things done, like hair
cuts and new glasses appointments, things I feel guilty about when I can't do right.
I love them both dearly, and spend almost all of my free time
doing things for them. For one it's driving back and forth to where he works in
Pennsylvania to bring supplies, spend time with him, and help out. For the other
it is playing endless hours of YuGiOh with him (competitive YuGiOh too).
I feel really good about that part. My mom told me today that I made her smile
when I do those things, as she did those same kinds of things for me.
I think that is the duty of every parent; the children must come first.
I will admit that as my boys grow up, they tell me more and more that my
happiness matters, and that they want me to be happy too. I am grateful
for their consideration, and I enjoy being Friends with them.
I think being friends is very important, and helps build trust between us.
For now I have to stay focused on the goal; getting us into a bigger place to
live so everyone has their own rooms and lots of space, and to keep working hard.
This month is moving month, finding the right place to live is very difficult.
If I can do it right, I will be one step closer to happiness. For now I will have to
settle for dreaming about being in love again. The thing I miss the most
is companionship, compassion and friendship that creates soul-mates.
It is being surrounded by people who care about me as much as I care about them.
How do I find her? I really have no idea. One day perhaps.
Stay safe and have a successful day in Japan and America!
I drove from Virginia to Pennsylvania again to see my eldest son. It is about 4 hours of driving. I took this photo during the trip at sunset.
Our good friend Michelle made us a hot-pot dinner. It was amazing. She is a great host.
She is also an amazing friend.
I really enjoyed spending time with my son.
I drove home early in the morning. There was still fog in the mountains. It was very beautiful.
It's still very cold and snowy in the mountains. The snow was just starting for fall when I left for Virginia.
Whenl I got home, this is how I found my youngest son.
He competes against 50 others for the top prize. He competes against 50 others for the top prize.
The game store where we go has lots of fun things.
It only looks innocent. Thousands of life points are being taken!
There is a hole in the ceiling of the game store. The sign over it reads, "Ninja Exit Only"
When I got home at last, my cat Juliet was there to greet me. I love her very much.
I'm shy and really do not love again. I'm shy and really do not see so many asian women I work. For now, living for my sons is my life's mission, and their love gives my life meaning.
Work has been very busy, I hope to post more in the future. Thank you for reading.
I drove from Virginia to Pennsylvania again where my son is working.
He is looking great!
He is also very tired from long days of hard work.
He slept much of the way home.
He is on a 3 day vacation from his job at Monster Cat creations,
where he has been doing an amazing job making furr suit parts!
There is a major snowstorm going on in the eastern United States.
I had to drive through it, which was a little scary at times.
I took a bunch of photo's along the way because of how beautiful it was.
Some of the mountain areas are beautiful when covered in snow!
I am always impressed with how big the snow plows are here.
The snow plows are like monster trucks with scoups as tall as a person!
They are so big that they have two plows each!
I did take a few pictures of some interesting billboards along the way.
I've been spending long hours on my job last week.
We needed 30 UNIX machines built in one week.
Most days I worked almost 12 hours, but we got the job done.
He was very happy with us.
We got a 3 day weekend and thanks.
I have to include a pic of our kitty Juliet - she is the love of my life right now.
I was so busy last week that I had to cut my own hair.
Oh well, at least it is short again.
Thank you for reading!
I hope you have a wonderful day in Japan and America!
We are getting the first snow storm of the year.
The last day at work was good, and I finished on a high note.
I really need to replace my iphone, the camera lens is blurry on the front side.
We did not go shopping before the storm because of how crowded it is.
So I took my son after the snow started falling and it was empty!
He and I were the only ones in the store aside from the cashiers.
By morning the snow storm had arrived.
It is a mild one but still cold!
So far about 14 centimeters of heavy, wet snow has fallen.
The kind that make really good snow balls.
This is our apartment building.
It is nice, but I can't wait to get back into a house.
That depends on where I plan to live over the long run.
My Toyota, covered in snow.
By nightfall the snow had increased to 25 centimeters
The snow changes the look of the whole world.
That feels like my life right now.
My life has changed so much lately.
I have made progress on rebuilding my life, but have much further to go.
I have a new job and have moved into a new place place (temporary).
But my life is still in transition.
And I am still alone, and loneliness grips me hard at night.
I hope to find love again some day.
For now I must remain true to my children.
They must come first.
But I will never stop looking for my soul mate.
I have been reading Ameba blogs allot lately.
I enjoy looking at Ameba blogs of people who live in Japan.
It helps me learn what real people go through in Japan
I find it very similar to what I have gone through in America in some ways
In other ways I envy people in Japan.
I honestly enjoy the Japanese perspective on life, respect and most of all harmony.
The "Harmoneous Society" that Japanese aspire to build is a beautiful thing.
I hope to visit there someday soon, hopefully later this year or early next year.
There are many places I and my two sons would love to see.
Perhaps by then I will have some Japanese friends there I can visit.
I do not speak Japanese well yet, but I will keep practicing.
Thank you for reading
Have a wonderful and safe day in Japan and America!
I hope everyone in Japan and America are doing great!
I started blogging in 2018 here on Ameba.
I enjoy doing it, and hope that I can offer my readers something in return for your time reading!
I thought I would summarize the year in pictures, as they speak 1,000 words.
First and foremost are my two boys! They are the light of my life!
My eldest son Sho had poor health in the Oct, Nov and Dec, and is still struggling to get back to health. It has been hard for him.
But when he is in his fursuit Rogue (in Red), he lights up and gets really happy.
This is us in our cosplays and fursuits!
Then me; started a new job this year at Comcast making great money, and I love working there immensely
Our lives are filled with cats! We have 3, and love them like family.
I drove between Virginia and Pennsylvania many times this year as my son became an intern at Monster Cat Creations! I got some pictures, it is a very scenic drive.
I got to spend lots of time at Monster Cat Creations making new friends and helping their business with 3D printing. I'm so very proud of the work he is doing!!
I played lots anld lots of YuGiOh with my son Tokoyami!
Tokoyami made many games this year, including some board games!
I made dinner and lattes for my friends many times
I studied my family history via a very old document about my famliy.
I fell in love again with my Waifu; Rin Tohsaka of Fate!
I built a new mobile computer cart for my house..
One of my favorite artists, Shizuka Mikodou, completed a commission for me!
