Looking Back on 2025

I ate a lot of delicious food. Oh, and started writing about baseball.

Hard to believe this year is almost over. There's been a few big changes in my life, including starting this newsletter and changing jobs.

I'm glad this little newsletter has grown from around 20 friends and family members to more than 150 readers. I'm incredibly thankful for those who read, and those who've promoted my work to others. I hope you will all stick with me for all of 2026. There'll be more pictures, more stories about everyday life, and, of course, more baseball.

Here are a few pictures from each month with what I remember most, and a few links to articles you may have missed.

January

It was my birthday. We tried kangaroo meat at a restaurant in Nakameguro. I don't recommend it.

February

I was sick for an entire week which means I used up a fair amount of my vacation days. I tested negative for both the flu and COVID. I don't recommend this either.

March

It snowed very briefly in Tokyo. Baseball returned at the end of the month. The Marines swept the defending pennant winning Hawks in Fukuoka. It was all downhill from there for Lotte.

April

April brought hunting for ladybugs (their eggs are yellow) and headed to Aomori for Golden Week. That meant a lot of eating, drinking, and card games. I'm sure I lost almost every round.

May

At the beginning of May, we were still in Aomori. We caught the end of cherry blossom season at Hirosaki Castle. Later in the month, we went to Belluna Down, home of the Seibu Lions, for the first time.

June

Our friends had a BBQ at their apartment. I started writing about Baseball in Japan with a short essay about why I love baseball. Oh, and a gelato shop opened near us.

July

I baked chocolate bread. I love baking. I think I made cookies around this time, too. My neighborhood turtle never looked as he good as he did at the height of the summer.

August

We went back to Aomori for the Obon holidays. There was a Crayon Shin-chan event in Shibuya. We spent too much money on character goods.

September

It was Kana's birthday. We celebrated with lots of conveyor belt sushi, hot pot, and spent a weekend at Tokyo Disney.

October

I harvested rice at during field trip at my school. Then Kana and I dug up potatoes at our favorite baseball player's farm.

November

I spent some time in Osaka as part of the onboarding process at my new job. Kana and I also celebrated our first wedding anniversary.

December

I made a lot of pizza at home. We got each other way too many Christmas presents. We're spending the end of the year in Aomori for the first time. There's snow, it's cold, and our nephew celebrated his 2nd birthday.

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My goal for 2026 is to keep writing and to keep growing. I want to hit 200 subscribers, then 300, then 1000. As a thank you for reading, you can use the above button to get half off a monthly or yearly subscription. You can even use that button gift a subscription to your friends or family members. Who wouldn't want to read more about baseball and life in Japan?

Thank you again for reading. I'll see you in 2026.

—Thomas