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!