Why I Love Japan.

Avid Reader, I love this place. Let me tell you a couple of stories -- just about this hotel -- and you will also be in love.

- Upon checking in: "Welcome back, Mr. Moore. We would be honored to upgrade your room to a deluxe for your stay." Umm... OK!

- Hand-written, personally signed... "Dear Mr. Moore, Welcome and thank you for staying with us. It is our utmost pleasure and honor to serve you. Please enjoy your visit." Know what?! I think they actually mean it!!

- "We understand you lost your trousers and have placed them in your room for you. Please notice them.". Background: I *thought* I may have left my favorite pair of shorts here on my last visit. I asked the concierge this morning -- after my complimentary breakfast buffet, of course (!) -- who asked my room number, then proceeded to tell me that I checked out in May (5/13 to be exact) and she "will do my best" to find them. Sure enough, I return to my room tonight to a shopping bag on my desk, a flashing phone message, and my dry cleaned, mind you, shorts... from over 3 months ago. This is in stark contrast to me leaving something (my camera) in the reception area of the high-end hotel I stayed at in Boston a couple of years ago and there being no record of it at 7AM the next morning. Some things that make you go hmmm...

Save the soaking I got this morning on the way to the office thanks to typhoon season, I'm excited to be here again. After dinner tonight with colleagues from Hong Kong at Gonpachi, I'm heading to bed exhausted yet contented. It's going to be a great week!

The "Good News! Bad News!" Game

The Good News is... I made it; I'm in Japan!
The Bad News is... right smack dab in the middle of hurricane season.

Typhoon Krovanh approacheth:

Conundrum

How am I supposed to leave this for three weeks? How, Avid Reader? HOW?!

JWI 2009

The John Weaver Invitational has come and gone yet another summer... and yet another summer, I am rendered immobile. Avid Reader, I am having a hard time moving, much less getting up and down or even sneezing! All in all, however, it's a pretty darn good pain and I'm excited to have gotten to play in my one outdoor tournament with so many close friends.

From a play perspective, I had a great time in pool play with Sean Smith, John Weaver, Jake Putnam, Mike Walton, Chris Costa and Jeff Baldwin. It was a pretty even pool, ultimately won by Chris; I think I was 4th or 5th based on record (3-3) and points for/against.

This put me smack dab in the overall standings of 28 guys and I was ultimately paired up for the tournament with Alan Wittren. Alan was SUPER excited to play -- and had the energy to boot. We were a good pairing altogether -- with his size and net play and my focus on defense (OK, really just trying to play smart behind a big guy), we knew our roles and played them well. In fact, well enough to win the tourney title!

We played a number of great teams, including Jake & Jason, Mike & Moses, Mark & Chuck, John & Alex, then Mark & Chuck again in the final. I'm not going to claim that any of our matches were filled with highlight reel shots, but we were consistent and had a few plays here and there when we needed them!

So, here's to you, Alan Wittren, JWI 2009 Champion!

(If you are interested in all of my photos from the JWI, Avid Reader, click here.)

Tagged

I woke up this morning and discovered that my retaining wall was 'tagged'. Technically, it's on my neighbor's "side", but it's our wall and therefore our problem.

Avid Reader, here's the deal. I could be pissed about the whole thing. I could be frustrated that I tried scrubbing it off and wasted a free evening (I have other projects!). No, I've taken the following approach:

When I start a gang -- let's call it the Todd Moore Club -- the first rule of Todd Moore Club is that any thug with poor handwriting is banished from all marketing initiatives and the art supplies stash. Period.

If this here were the Todd Moore Club, someone would be SO fired.

Great Day in Duvall!

I had the opportuntiy to spend this past sunny Sunday with my dear friends of the 80s, 90s through today on a Great Day in Duvall! Erin "Ed" Wirtz hauled her rig to Seattle for her annual weekend with Meagan. This year, I got to take part as we brunched at the Duvall Grill, checked out the local charming book shoppe (Duvall Books), shopped at Ed's "Business in a Box" (Ed's Handmade), and caught up. I hadn't seen Erin in ~four years and it's always grand to hang out with Meagan.

Sadly, Ed had to leave us to see another friend and trek back to PDX, but I hung around, watched hummingbirds and got some great color just enjoying time with my dear friend in the quiet of her Duvall backyard sanctuary. I also got to bring home some garden treasures, including a chocolate cherry tomato, golden beet, and choke cherry jam. Brilliant.

Oh, how I wish every day was a sunny Sunday in Duvall!

Man Night!

I got to enjoy ManNight with Jace Paulson this past week. Jesse & Steph took Steph's family to the Mariners v. Yankees game, so I got to spend the evening with Jace -- a long time coming!

I enjoyed watching Copper & Jace bond, teaching Jace the true nuances of quarterbacking ("set... down... hut!") with his Oregon State football (though I channeled my best Jake Locker), reading book after book after book, and the adventures of feeding a 21-month old! Our next ManNight can't come soon enough! Thanks for a great time, JaceMan!

Vashon Island

As part of the 'Matt's Back' Weekend Festivities, Copper and I hit the Fauntleroy Ferry in West Seattle and spent the day on Vashon Island at Claire's family's beach house (Claire being Matt's wife). Wonderfully rain-free, the day was a hoot altogether and we BBQ'd with a number of folks all excited to have the Hebener-Allens back on Seattle soil.

I joined the beautiful Pidduck family for the morning commute to the island, then joined a long and wonderful day right on Colvos Passage. Copper took to the rocky tide flats immediately and tried to make off with all kinds of rocks, sticks, seaweed, crab shells, crab legs, crab pincers... you name it. As the tides came in, we were relegated to land, but she was more than entertained by (and entertaining to!) the five (5) toddlers who couldn't get enough of her... and who helped in her training by teaching her "DOWN!".

Lawn darts, canoes, cold beer, friends new and old -- it was a great way to get out of the city yet again, to enjoy the beautiful Northwest, and to reconnect with Matt Allen and his family in a much more intimate setting than the 40,000+ allowed the guys to do the night before.

And of course, Copper was OUT before I could even close her crate in the back of the car. I love busy days (& a pack of kids!)!

Like Times Gone By

With Matt Allen in town from Austin, Texas, he, Charles, Tim and I relived our summers of old by heading to the Mariners game. We likely saw no more than 6-9 outs throughout the game, but it was a doozie nonetheless!

We started early at the Pyramid Ale House, made our way to Marv's Famous Hot Dog stand for footlong cream cheese dogs, picked up some peanuts on the way in, and quickly made our way to the center field bar. After man-style adventures in the Clock Pitch booth (Tim won by throwing 57MPH; Matty got 2nd with 52 (and bit it in the process!); I was third with 51. Charles? Let's just say Charles threw strikes had a great time!).

It's radical how much our lives have changed since we started doing Guy Night Mariners nights more than 5 years ago. Yet how little has changed relative to the amount of fun we have together and the willingness to keep our friendships in tact. Matt captured the evening well: "There is no where else I'd rather be."

Thanks Gents.

Copper Watches 'Where's Your Chicken?!'

For those of you who can't get enough of this puppy (who, me?!), I had her on my lap and played the previously posted 'Where's Your Chicken?!' video. For your viewing pleasure, click here.

Where's Your Chicken?!

Lake. Big Lake.

No, seriously, we spent today at Big Lake!

I joined my friends Stacey Dozono and Staci Imwalle on an adventure north to spend the afternoon with Danelle & Robert Chaddock at their Lake House on Big Lake. It was a PERFECT day to be out of doors and to be in the water. I was most pleased that Copper had two incredibly active (and fast!) pugs to wear her out.

Primarly, however, I am excited to learn that Copper loves the water! Perhaps it was because she was chasing Phinney or Willy, but she raced into the lake no problem... even so far as to have to swim a bit to get her feet back on the ground!

So, after an incredible (and incredibly themed!) Weinie Roast Saturday night at Justin Bross & Gloria Lee's, and after an awesome day today with dear friends in an incredible setting, the weekend comes to a too-quick close and I rest thankful to have such great friends and so many adventures to fill my days.

Asia to come!

Hi Avid Reader. Just a note to recognize that I haven't posted anything about Asia Pacific in a while. Not to mention that my last three posts have been all about A) the homeland (US); B) my homelife (I got a dog!); and C) my homegirl (Copper!).

To that end, I offer this news:

1. I will again be traveling to Asia... at the end of August for ~3 weeks (Japan, Hong Kong, Sinapore -- the latter to which I've never been!
2. I will likely conitnue to post a time or two on adventures at home with the newest member of my family.

Just to set expecations. :) Now, on to the next post! WOO HOO!