BUNKO AND THE VERY DEAD FISH

Bunko is…

a. absorbing the final memory of the dead fish so that she can figure out who killed him. She will absolutely be seeking vengeance.

b. thinking that she just found herself some lunch!

c. trying to figure out why her magic touch has not transformed the fish into a cupcake.

d. all of the above.

Answer: Obviously “D”. 

Tip: To see the dead fish in all it’s mummified glory click through to the hi-res version!

THE LIFE AQUATIC WITH TANNER’S TANK

EPISODE 01: “SHY BEGINNINGS”

So here’s a few pictures of my fish tank project so far. I’d thought by now my fish would come out and let me photograph them, but no, they’re still hiding out in the damn corner like a gang of Baltimore drug dealers. The guy at the fish store told me that they came directly from an Amazonian River and are thus “completely freaked the hell out” by captivity.

So yeah, I guess for now these wide shots are gonna have to do. On behalf of my pack of shy drug dealing cardinal tetras, I offer my sincerest apologies for lack of glorious close up fish shots.

Note to self: Get a MACRO lens!!!

Also, sometimes I see Bunko hangin’ out by the back left corner of the tank. Say it ain’t so Bunko, say it ain’t so!

…and so it begins.

The water will soon teem with life. 

To celebrate I’ll be ordering Vicki a red cap and a speedo.

PLACES OF JAPAN 12 - “KOCHI BEACH IS BETTER THAN OCEAN CITY”

Vicki and I spent most of our time in Kochi following Vicki’s dad around. He’s a rather quiet guy and English is definitely his second language, so sometimes I didn’t quite know what was happening.

Anyway, on this particular day all I knew is that we were going to see the “Kochi Aquarium” (This was a favor to me as I’m a big fan of any organism that can breathe underwater). So when I hopped out of the bus and walked up some steps and saw this beautiful beach scene my mind was blown. I didn’t even realize we were near a beach, much less a beach with epic cliffs and lush shrubbery.

I should mention that the only beach I’d really been to before this is the rather eclectic beach at Ocean City, Maryland. Now, don’t get me wrong, I have many fond memories of getting stung by jelly fish and getting sand in my bathing suit during summer vacations to Ocean City, and Thrashers Fries are the best fries ever… but never in my life have I seen such beautiful blue water as I did in Kochi. It was quite magical. 

Oh, and if you’re curious, the Kochi Aquarium is just outside of this frame to the right.

PEOPLE OF JAPAN 15 - “OUT OF FOCUS MAN”

I don’t particularly like this shot because the man is out of focus. However, what is in focus (more or less, anyway) is the top of what appears to be a Tom and Jerry 2011 calendar. I don’t even think you’d see that in America. Thus even with Mr. Blurry I deemed this mediocre shot “Tumblr Worthy”.

Obviously my standards are not too high when it comes to “Tumblr Worthy”. Also, upon further review, the Tom and Jerry calendar is not in focus at all. Good grief Charlie Brown, is any thing in focus in this picture!!!

PEOPLE OF JAPAN 13 - “FLOPPY HAT MEMORIES”

For a moment this man’s orange floppy hat reminded me of the floppy hat I was given at a Baltimore Orioles game with my dad and grandpa when I was around 7 or 8. Nothing beat sitting in Memorial Stadium eating popcorn and chanting “Eddie Eddie Eddie” between bites. Eddie Murphy may have been cool in the 80s, but trust me, he had nothing on Eddie Murray.

Also, Memorial Stadium was the steepest stadium of all time… OF ALL TIME!!!

PEOPLE OF JAPAN 06 - “A FISH, A CRAB, A MAN, AND A FLOPPY HAT”

This is what happens when the perfect storm of a goofy fish, a quiet man, and a “giant nightmare freak-a-zoid crab creature from hell” suddenly collides before your eyes. I feel bad knowing that most folks will ever experience an event of this magnitude in their lifetimes.

Also, there is a top-secret second fish hiding somewhere in this photo, and no, it’s not hiding under the floppy hat. Although I wouldn’t rule out a hermit crab being under there.

PEOPLE OF JAPAN 05 - “A PRETTY NICE MOMENT”

I wish I would have gotten this guy’s email address as I think he’d probably like this picture. He really looks genuinely “happy”. 

Note: I’d be happy too if I had a daughter with such awesome hair. Usually one would need a balloon and carpet to achieve that sort of hair style, but not her, she’s got it and she knows how to work it!

PEOPLE OF JAPAN 04 - “BABY SIMBA”

I probably shouldn’t be taking pictures of other people’s kids, but when this guy held up this adorable baby “Lion King” style I simply could not resist.

Sort of funny/sad story: I told Vicki that I thought this baby looked liked she did as a baby and she said that I was a bit of a racist for assuming that all “Half Japanese Half White” babies looked the same. I then told her that she was a bit of a racist for assuming that the baby was “Half Japanese Half White” just because she was with a Japanese woman and a white man. Vicki was not amused.

COOL STUFF IN JAPAN 02 - “STING RAY SUPER TUBE OF MINNOW MAGIC”

Had one of these things existed when I was a kid my head would literally have exploded from “awesome overload”.

Seriously, I’m an old married dude and as I was walking through this tunnel I could literally feel the “awesome meter” in my brain getting close to the danger zone. Had a shark swam by in a Santa Hat my brain literally would have exploded and Vicki literally would have killed me.