Gratitude, Part 23 (Jan. 18 - 24, 2014)

  1. Lunch with my host at a sushi restaurant (Jan. 19, 2014)
  2. Since my host served as interpreter, I was able to order sushi without wasabi
  3. Edamame
  4. Finding rice flour to bring home to my wife
  5. My host translated the rice flour bag labels
  6. Finding stamps for the remainder of my postcards
  7. Having so many friends that I was able to write 22 postcards from Japan
  8. Attending the English-speaking church again (Jan. 12, 2014)
  9. Interesting conversations with several people at church http://www.kobeunionchurch.com/
  10. According to the scales at the onsen, I weigh between 66.5 and 66.8 kg
  11. Visting the Kamioka Mine, which is the host for multiple physics experiments
  12. Meeting my colleagues on shift in the Super-Kamiokande control room
  13. Seeing Super-Kamiokande in person http://www-sk.icrr.u-tokyo.ac.jp/sk/index-e.html
  14. Seeing the XMASS experiment in person http://www-sk.icrr.u-tokyo.ac.jp/xmass/index-e.html
  15. Seeing the Candles experiment in person http://wwwkm.phys.sci.osaka-u.ac.jp/info/syoukai/CANDLES_project.htm
  16. Seeing the CLIO experiment in person http://www-sk.icrr.u-tokyo.ac.jp/experiments-e.html
  17. Seeing the NEWAGE experiment in person http://ppwww.phys.sci.kobe-u.ac.jp/2013/english/newage/index.html
  18. Touring the tunnel for the future KAGRA experiment http://iopscience.iop.org/0264-9381/29/12/124007/article
  19. Amazing scenery at Mozumi, the town were I stayed while I was visiting the Kamioka Mine and experiments
  20. Being able to photograph the mountains, river and snow in Mozumi
  21. Being able to photograph the experiments and other sights in the mine
  22. Safe bus ride from Mozumi to the Toyama Airport
  23. Safe and punctual flight from Toyama to Tokyo Haneda with very little English spoken
  24. Successfully navigating Tokyo trains to Oedo-Onsen-Monogatari
  25. Helpful staff at a train station in Tokyo when the ticket machine confused me.
  26. Good food at Oedo-Onsen-Monogatari
  27. Figuring out my height in cm to get a proper fitting yukata at Oedo-Onsen-Monogatari
  28. Beatiful indoor "villiage" at Oedo-Onsen-Monogatari
  29. Foot bath at Oedo-Onsen-Monogatari
  30. The wonderfully relaxing onsen baths at Oedo-Onsen-Monogatari\
  31. My favorite pool was the one outdoors under and open sky and surrounded by rock walls.  I could cool off in the air or relax in the hot water
  32. A tourist guide helped me find the Sanrioworld store, which is the Hello Kitty world flagship store in the Tokyo Ginza
  33. Taking pictures and buying souvenirs for my wife at Saniroworld
  34. Finding the Tokyo train station in time for my train to Narita
  35. Safe and punctual train ride to Narita.
  36. Despite a power outage during the night, I was able to get a reasonable amount of sleep
  37. Safe and punctual flight from Narita to Minneapolis
  38. I saw the northern lights out of my widow during the flight
  39. Took pictures of the northern lights and the plane's contrails
  40. Free wireless internet and electrical sockets in at a business center in the Minneapolis airport
  41. Despite a delay in my flight to Rapid City, I made it in time for band rehearsal
  42. My wife picked me up at the airport in Rapid City
  43. New student joined my research group
  44. Started regular meeting for the students who are working with me
  45. Informal lunch with a visiting professor from Australia (Jan. 24, 2014)

Total: 753