GabrielMathews.com | Biological Log

Tuesday morning started out with a stretch, a yawn, a look out my window, and a breath of fresh Portlan…Tokyo?! What?! “Oh, right.” A rush of severe displacement fell into my mind as I turned on the hotel television to check the news. Quickly, loud and fast commercials for yogurt based dietary aids flushed my mind and I realized that I needed some coffee very quickly.

I stumbled down the hallway to the vending machine and bought a coffee. 3 of them in fact as the typical coffee is served in about 6 ounce servings. My American gut craved MORE. ~7 dollars worth later and I was only partially satisfied as I milked the teat of the machine like a sinner at a prayer bench.

I washed up in the awesome shower and got myself into form before heading over to Tokyo Big Sight. I had arrived about an hour and a half early so I decided to sit and people watch. There was an “international lounge”, however I didn’t feeling like talking to anyone in broken “insert whatever native tongue they spoke here” with as little caffeine in my system as I had. It was turning into Fear and Loathing in Ariake real quick. Thankfully you don’t have to go very far before bumping into another vending machine where I downed another 6 ounces off brown-juice.

Finally, guest check-in started and I was able to get my pass and meander the show. I saw many awesome vendors and material samples.

I’d love to show you all the show pictures, but I’m considering them IDL Worldwide property, so unfortunately, I can’t…but here is a little montage of some of the booths with thier awesome construction.

After about 3 hours of the show, I also hit the Retail Tech show, LED Today, Security Show, and a couple others. It was massive. To walk the entire show and hit every vendor would’ve taken about a week. I was pretty hungry so I went to the bento cart and had some chicken and pickled radish. Very tasty. After that, I decided it was time to head back to the hotel and put on my walking shoes.

No, just kidding. I wore my Vibram Five Fingers. So good for walking Odaiba Park.

Why did I walk Odaiba Park you ask? Because I was desperately looking for this-

I must’ve walked 10 miles through the park and surrounding territories with zero success. It was quite maddening. However, there were some good things to see regardless. Lady Liberty was there, an immense amount of crains, beautiful architecture, and a bit of cultural informing. I learned all about the way pedestrians move in Japan is quite different from the US; they pass on the right and as such, make me look like a douche. It took a bit of getting used to veering in the new direction, but after awhile it made total sense (considering they also drive on the opposing side than Americans. Second to this, which I think is an unintended side effect, considering that 71.1%* percent of people are ‘right-eyed’ when you pass on the right, you are more likely to look up and see the person you are passing, thus making for more real organic interactions with the people you encounter on your way. JUST A THEORY…obviously.

Odaiba Park

As the day went on and my legs started to die, I eventually, around 6p, ventured back to the hotel for a much needed shower and change of clothes. I then snacked on a clif bar before watching a little television, and mentally preparing for walk-a-thon 2010. Wednesday I had planned on an intensive day of walking through retail environments, more park and community studies, and architecture photo-walks. I’m pretty sure I heard my legs weeping…or at least that is what I am calling the noise…hahaha.

Next up: Arigato! Mr. Gaboto

March 9th Play-list:

• Telepopmusik_Breath
• Blade Runner Soundtrack
• Boards of Canada_A Campfire Headphase
• Sting & The Police_Roxanne
• Tycho_Coastal Brake

Konnichiha!

Sunday, March 7th I left for Tokyo Japan. My work sent me to attend Japan Shop, a retail merchandising materials and manufacturing trade show and also to get inspired. I like working for a company that invests in its employees in this way.

What a wonderful experience! This is the first of four blogs that will give an overview of my stay, my observations, and the extremely brief role reversal of becoming the minority in one of the ‘world’s most populous metropolitan area‘ over the span of 5 days.

I left my bed at around 6am to catch the commuter flight from PDX to SEA. I got to the airport pretty quickly so I was glad to find that they had an earlier flight I could hop on to prepare for transit to the appropriate gate in Seattle*.

I got to my gate and had just enough time to mentally prepare myself for the 9:52 flight to NRT (Narita Airport). Once aboard, way back in seat 34B, I sat next a very nice, but extremely talkative human named Kristyn. She immediately barraged me with the details of her work life within the Washington State Legislature and her night job as a bar tender for some bar somewhere. I watched When Harry Met Sally, Family Guy, and a bit of the in flight GPS system. Fast forward, past the over-sauced flight meals, touchdown in Narita. “I lost a day.”, thinks the time traveler in his head.

When we deplane the craft, the first thing I noticed was the wonderful usage of iconography to help an ill-prepared visitor like myself. I followed ‘Yellow‘ to get to international arrival customs. The lines and customs lobby were clean and super efficient. When I got to the officer, he pointed to my head and softly said “cap”. I removed my cap, surrendered my fingerprints and a pretty awful face photo of myself to the Japanese government before heading to bag inspection. One in the bag inspection area, I kept noticing how amazingly fluent the iconography was. I could navigate with barely any effort. The officers were dressed in the most beautiful blue uniforms. So spotless you’d have thought that the officers themselves were rolled off of a manufacturing line 15 minutes before I arrived. The female officer I was prompted to approach softly welcomed me with a “hello” and then briefly glanced at my papers and bag before bowing and sending me on my way. I’ll never forget those deep, beautiful, welcoming eyes. Kindness and authority can go together. Who knew?

The whole time leading up to the trip, I felt my biggest hurdle was going to be getting from Narita to Tokyo. Thankfully co-workers informed me about the awesome limo-bus system. 2,700¥ or about $30. It was the only moment of culture shock I felt when I pointed to my destination of the Ariake Washington Hotel to the limo-bus counter clerk. She looked at the destination, quickly printed a ticket, collected my yen, and sent me on my way.  Painless. I then felt much better clutching that ticket. I sat next to a girl I recognized from the flight while I waited for my bus.

On the bus and the fastest hour of my life passed by, I was getting off of the bus when my co-worker Ed Toler was sitting in the front row and said, “Hey, are you Gabe?”…I was kinda caught off guard, and continued off the bus before turning around to greet him. We made plans for dinner and I checked into my room.

hallway to hotel room

my hotel room

Once I got into my room, I noticed a little card holder on the wall. Brilliant. You put your room card in to hit a switch to power the room. I assume it only works with the room card. I didn’t try any other cards, but still good stuff. Great way to save on power consumption.  I gave my room a brief scan before unpacking and laying down for a moment.



view from my room

I called Ed and we met up to have dinner in the hotel. We played elevator lottery trying to get up to the 21st floor where the restaurant was located.  Finally, we found out that the restaurant was closed. However, the 20th floor had a killer Chinese restaurant. We split all sorts of yummy dim sum, rice dishes, eggplant and dumpling soup. It was really delicious and just what my body needed after that long journey.

After dinner, Ed and I parted ways, and I went up to my room to sleep.

time for bed

Next up: “Arigato!”

Want to see more photos? Head on over to my flickr page. Always adding, never ceasing.

March 7th Play-list:

• The Fountain Original Score
• Portishead_Dummy_Roads
• Led Zepplin_Babe I’m Gunna Leave You
• Carbon Based Lifeforms_Abiogenisis
• Juno Reactor_Pistolero (radio edit)
• Juno Reactor_Rotoblade
• Ryan Adams_Love is Hell PT.1 & PT.2
• Sigur Ros_Flugufrelsarinn
• Sigur Ros_Glosoli
• Sigur Ros_Happipolla

March 8th Play-list:

• Cake_Prolonging the Magic
• Blue Foundation_Self Titled

*I should note I am not a huge fan of the Seattle/Tacoma Airport as the “N” and “S” terminals are separate from the other terminals. As a visitor, my first few attempts were pretty rushed and frustrating. WAY better than LAX though. Oh wow do I despise LAX.

This past weekend, I went up to Seattle to play with my good friend iLan and his amazing fiance Vanessa. I love them both and would murder you if you ever wronged them.

I came in at about 915ish in the evening. Sheila, iLan’s space heater, greeted me with a hot blow. I was instantly relaxed. After V went to bed iLan and I went to Safeway for energy drinks, a habanero pepper,  random sale items, and Yoohoo. He informed me that he is the proud owner of a carbonizer. Needless to say, we immediately carbonated the Yoohoo. Not exactly the best, but still a little bit of tingles. We sat and talked on his couch till four in the morning about life, love, and all things in between. It was wonderful.

In the morning, after the best sleep I’ve had in a couple months, we went to Costco to visit V at work, drop some stuff off, and then roam the food aisles for samples and price ogling. After a bit we came back to the house and chilled out. Soon enough, V was off work, and we went to 5 Spot for brunch. I had a great forest scramble and some coffee. I really recommend that place to anyone visiting to the Pacific north-west. During brunch, iLan asked me if I would officiate the wedding. I was really flattered and accepted the duties immediately. I’m going to have to spit-polish the little Hebrew I know as iLan requested I sing some traditional Jewish songs. Oy vey.

In the evening, we wound up meeting up with my good friend Joerael Elliot and surprising him with me. He didn’t know I was in town and we haven’t talked/seen each other in about 3 years. Crazy. I love that guy. So we caught up, at Shorty’s bar…another awesome spot. I met his wonderful girlfriend and spent a large chunk of time talking to this cellist Nancy. (EEK…I hope I got that right! Memory is a little fuzzy)…anywho very cool peep. I tried talking her into moving to Portland and being my friend. She lives in Jerome, AZ…my condolences.

After a great night of chatting, we came home, I passed out, and the day was over. Sunday, iLan made breakfast bagels, we ate at Red Mill Burgers. Holy shit you have to try the onion rings. I got a sandwich for my trek home too. At a certain point, as the day’s timeline was a little convoluted, iLan and I ate the habanero…who need drugs? That thing was crazy hot…I felt it move through my digestive system, only to wind up making porcelain violence later in the day…whew. I drove home after a quick couple stops downtown. I got home around 6, did some laundry and enjoyed the rest of my evening before the week started again.

Tomorrow I am going to see Roger Martin at Ziba talk about his book The Design of Business. That should make for some great brain candy.

Nighty taters.

~G