These stairs continue for quite a ways, up up up to Piroko's relatives' house. We spent a lovely evening there, and I think I may have played my most immersed, inclusive role in a Japanese conversation yet. Something about evolution, religion, and UFOs.

Japan has a lovely selection of soft and sweet breads; our favorite is Miyabi. Of course, I don’t think I’d give up the Dave’s Killer Bread we get here in the Northwest for anything.

These odious drinks ape Starbucks’ logo and invoke the volcano visible from our home city. In a pinch, I tried one; next time I will just accept the caffeine-withdrawal headache.

Tea-time in this French-style cafe with Piroko and her aunt was one of the most pleasant memories from this trip. Something about the careful design and quiet ambience of this place made me want to stay there for a very long time. We did, enjoying little cakes, cafe au lait, and Mariage Frères tea.

I went and met up with Piroko in Tokyo, for my tenth trip to Japan. We visited the huge, futuristic, impeccably-designed shopping malls of Yokohama. Here are some of the huge, futurustic, impeccably-designed office buildings of the area. Walking around here, it's hard to argue that I'm perfectly happy and just as culturally stimulated in Seattle as I would be in Tokyo.

Piroko went to Tokyo in January, and I stayed back in Seattle for a while. I worked a bit, went to Macworld, and then moved into Ann & Julian's house to play video games with Nathaniel for a week. That was a memorable time; we finished Prince of Persia, Braid, Persona 2, and LittleBigPlanet. I started on Persona 3, and Nathaniel started Shadow of the Colossus. We made cookies and celebrated the new year together. It was my first extended time living with cats... I do love cats.

There was an unprecedented-in-recent-memory snowy winter in Seattle this past year. Most folks stayed inside for a week; we drove our new car around town almost every day, rumbling over the dangerously unplowed, deeply-pocked ice-stratum streets.

We visited this pizza place on the terrifyingly snowy night of our friends Ann & Julian's housewarming party in West Seattle. It's hard to argue with!

These are the belongings of the founder of Bastyr University. We went there to listen to Christmas carols by Piroko's boss's choir.

Delicious, surprisingly affordable Korean food in Lynnwood.