This picture was made by a former student of mine. It brings back good memories of living and working in Japan.

My name is James. I was born and raised in Southern California but moved with my parents many, many times. When someone asks me where I’m from, I can’t answer simply. “Hometown” is a very distant term for me. I grew up in Los Angeles, Monterey Park, Bakersfield, Costa Mesa, Cerritos and other cities as well as a year in Bangkok during my freshman year of high school. I spent my college years in Irvine, California.

Fast forward to 2001: I graduated from the University with a degree in Film Studies. The following year, I went to Japan. My placement was here:


It’s true.


My friend said that I was responsible for “corrupting impressionable young minds”. I preferred to call my job “teaching”.

I lived in Kitakyushu City, in the southern island of Kyushu. There I worked as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) by way of the Japan Exchange & Teaching (JET) Program. It was one of the best experiences of my life. I returned to Southern California in 2003.

My hobbies have always revolved around the creative: graphic design, photography and (on some occasions) video.

The title of this journal refers to my favorite word. I often think about my past despite my thoughts about the present and curiosities about the future. This site has taken on many forms and functions, but its primary focus remains the same: a journal where I can jot down my thoughts and experiences. Once in awhile I will post photos. My current digital camera is a Canon PowerShot A60. I used to use an old but trusty 2 megapixel PowerShot A40. Both get the job done.

I’ve been “blogging” before the term itself was coined, back in 2000 and even earlier if really simple posts count. Obvious, but I’d like to state that my thoughts/writings expressed on this site are not representative of my employer or anyone else. They are purely my own.

My writings have made their way from one Content Management System to the next, and currently resides here in a WordPress installation.