About a month after applying, and one month before my
spouse visa was going to expire (they told me I should
have applied at least six months before my visa was to
expire), I was notified to go to Immigration, and today
I picked up my Permanent Resident Visa stamp.

Unlike that Kansai ben Indian DJ (or was it the cook)
on Koko Ga Hen Da Yo Nihonjin, who says it took him
2000 pages of documentation and all sorts of trouble,
all I did was bring in about nine documents, including
the pages of the application itself, and wait. They
didn't even bother to come inspect the house, or call,
to interview us after requesting a hand drawn map of
the area and building. I doubt they bothered checking
up on my employment or finances, either.

It seemed exactly the same as applying for the spouse
of Japanese national visa.

I also saw a dead body while walking today, in a
parking lot off Routes 2 and 313 near my house, less
than 100m from the main police station and Fukuyama's
largest shopping center. It appeared some man simply
expired leaning back in the driver's seat while
preparing to drive his car off one of those overhead
parking lifts. Empty cars were blocking one lane of
Route 2 waiting to park, while police were waving
pedestrians on and taking photos. It was strange that
an ambulance had not yet arrived from one of the
numerous nearby hospitals.

Then I ate a melon pan and drank a salty dog while
sitting in the shopping center. That was a mistake.
Grapefruit just didn't go well with the melon pan.

--
If Gibson decides to make his next film about Rasputin
or that Utah hiker who had to cut off his arm after it
got trapped under a boulder, it might be time for him
to seek professional help.

- Jon Niccum, Entertainment Editor

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