There was a time when I would visit Japan once a year. But, for the past two years, the fates have conspired against me.
First and foremost are the unfathomable delays we’ve faced in attempting to get Akemi’s permanent resident card renewed. It’s been about ten months that we’ve spent, filling and re-filling and re-re-filling out those forms, sending them in, only to have them sent back for the most nitpicky of reasons. We’re hoping Fifth Time’s the Charm. The issue is that, while she can travel out of Canada with an expired card, she won’t be able to return and then who would those oven-roasted match stick Okinawan potatoes and remind me to put on sunscreen every morning?
The second obstacle to unfettered travel are our senior pugs, especially the adorable-in-photos-yet-extremely-cantankerous-in-real-life Suji. They’re both high maintenance pooches and I feel badly leaving them to someone else’s care. Not badly for the dogs, mind you, but badly for the people who have to put up with their surly attitudes for two weeks while we’re away.
The third obstacle is work. Between Dark Matter‘s cancellation and, oh, next week would’ve been the perfect time to go away as I juggled various development projects with mercurial often magical (in their ability to completely disappear like they never existed) schedules. But it seems more likely than not that I will be signing on to showrun a new series soon. How soon? Well, the writers’ room starts in a little over a week and will run to early October after which I will need to complete the pilot script, then two more scripts while overseeing various re-writes and pre-production in the lead-up to the mid-February commencement of principal photography. I suppose I could carve out a week or so sometime in there provided things come together – but, honestly, what’s the last show you worked on where everything came together as planned?
To be honest, this blog entry was going to be a reminiscence of my Top 10 Most Memorable Tokyo Meals but I got carried away with the intro so I’ll save my reminiscing for a future blog.
I leave you today with this snapshot conversation I had with the skateboarding four year old I crossed paths with today at the dog park.
Kid: I like your dog.
Me: Thanks.
Kid: I have a dog too.
Me: Well, say hi to your dog for me.
Kid: I also have a cat.
Me: And hello to your cat, to a lesser extent.
Kid: I had another cat, but he died.
Me: You’re bumming me out, kid.
Who says I wouldn’t be a good parent?
Oh, right. That was me.
I was once offered the opportunity to emigrate to Mexico, to teach English to resort staff. But for Burning Man and my cats, I might consider it.
Suji, cantankerous? Unpossible! 😄
I hope you get that stuff worked out with immigration. Do they have a line you can call so you can go through everything before you send it to make sure it’s okay?
Only Good Luck on showrunning the new series – I won’t and can’t guess what it might be, but hope that whatever it is that indeed that it goes smoothly, very well, and that you are the one showrunning.
That four years old skateboarder looks depressed. Was he a goth emo skateboarder ? 😀
I empathize with your Tokyo trip situation and especially Akemi’s situation. My son’s Mom (my ex-wife who is still a very close friend) is from the Philippines and I actually had to get an act of Congress to allow her to return to US with me on the second trip as the first trip we were denied. My congressman from Western NY where I was living at the time made some calls and when we entered the US embassy we were allowed to go ahead of the really long line and granted S1 status. Just about 3 years later she studied and applied for US Citizenship which was granted. She runs a restaurant in Myrtle Beach and works extremely hard. Sometimes it takes calling a legislator with a good back story. I did that with CTV for my first film. I hope you get this resolved soon. I really enjoy reading your blog, especially when you break out the funny. I’m rooting for you on your projects in progress. May they all succeed.
When we have time, we’re short on funds and we have funds….
🍀 with the Visa! Is Canada tough on immigration?
Rita: It will sort itself out. Odd though 🤔
Sorry you’re missing Tokyo again. I always loved traveling with you.
I hope you will give us the title of this new show sooner than later!