Eastward, Ho!

With those additions, I can now go to the recent stuff.
I have arrived in Japan safe and sound, despite Northwest losing (ahem, "misplacing" as they call it) my luggage. It seems they just didn't load it on the airplane in Detroit. Ooopsie!

Idiots. Northwest has a habit of doing this. They lost my and VZs luggage in Ireland for days when we visited there, and I know many others who have had the same experience with them. You would think that they would figure it out by now, but, they seem to be happy screwing up. Yet another point of difference between Japan and the US. Northwest was rather cavalier when I dealt with them in 2003, but, Aer Lingus took our problem seriously, and really went out of their way to help us, even though we were not technically their customers. (Well, Northwest probably had to pay them to carry us, so I guess we were after all, but it is nice to know that they care.)
Back in Japan, I waited for my luggage. I had a premonition that something had happened, so it was no surprize to me to hear my name on the PA system at Kansai airport. Here, though, they were tripping over themselves to help me (and, quite literally, as the guy who helped me was really eager to make sure I was happy), and got the situation together very quickly. I now have my luggage and a $25 coupon to fly Northwest again! Whoopie.

So, as summer begins, let us issue the SECOND QUARTILE REPORT
Fellow investors,
This is our strongest Quarter ever!
Greg In Japan tm has once again attained great growth and attained security in its assests. Our plan to visit China was realized, as was our plan to collect more Japanese prints. The Language Department is stronger than ever, and will begin aquisistion of part two of the Beginners Class as of June 6, which should lead to an uninterrupted period of learning, to the year 2007.
In the Health and Wellness Department, Psyche reports a 100% gain in confidence and renewed sense of purpose. Body Reshaping Division reports a reduction of 30 pounds of useless fat, to be replaced shortly with muscle, upon aquisition of a bicycle.
And, the Happiness Division is pleased to report that all is going according to schedual.

Proposed tasks for the coming Quarter include:
*another visit to Tokyo at the end of June
*implementation of Project EBAY, starting with repro ukyio-e prints
*new living arraingements, looking for my own place, no roomates!
*a visit to Hokkaido in August
*a visit to Korea in September
*preliminary investigations of job change

Many of our goals of the last Quarter have been realized, and the Springfield/Baltimore trip was an unqualified success. Greg in Japan tm looks forward to the challenges of the next few months, and hopes to remain strongly competitive in the coming year. Kudos, to all involved!