Out in the Heart of Texas

So the Executive Producer and I ended up flying out to Dallas to visit Funimation, one of our co-production partners, before flying out the LA for the week-long slog of AFM. While I don't recommend not sleeping at all on the plane coming out, it is a pretty handy way to combat jetlag. Unfortunately I had forgotten to take into account dinner on the other side, so was basically in a world of pain for a while. Glutton for punishment? Apparently it's genetic.

The DFW springhill suites has an incredible room arrangement with exceedingly comfortable beds and large rooms. I actually felt slight culture shock coming in.

Meeting up with Chris and his wife Leila (plus their daughter Evie in tow) was awesome. We got the 2 bit tour of Dallas looking for restaurants. And for all that we are in Texas, apparently there are NO BBQ places open on Halloween Sunday. It was rather surreal. We ended up at a steakhouse called Sweetgrass, where I reaffirmed my love for steak, garlic mashed potatoes, and a ranch side salad.

I hate to admit it, but it is the food more than anything else (aside from really wanting to see family and friends) that makes me want to come back here. I supposed I have hit a mental plateau with my Japanese for a bit, (especially given that I have a habit to comparing myself to my coworkers... despite the fact they are Thai and Korean) and it makes me want to throw in the towel sometimes. The idea that I won't be here for another 3 years is disturbing, though I suspect moving back here would make me miss Japan just as much. Perhaps I will try to move to Osaka before the soulkilling pit of Tokyo leaves me naught but an empty shell of gaijin OL. Still, I find as I live there longer, I grow used to the sprawling beast of the Japanese capital and like certain aspects of it.

Again too, there is the memory of meeting up with friends and all the adventures I am having out there, that reminds me that I belong in Japan at this current period of my life. Thank goodness I met up with Mika for a quick lunch before leaving Tokyo, or I suspect this trip might have been substantially more painful.

I suspect LA this week will hold a similar challenge for me. Between the day of what is shaping up to be brutal negotiations with Funimation, 8 days of boothwork at AFM, and then a full week of work after, I am just praying I don't get sick. Thank goodness we have the 23rd off!