Megliemoo

Present war

2009-01-02T17:07:00.004+09:00

We are in Fukuoka for the New Year holiday. And, incidentally, trapped here with no plane, train, or automobile to take us back in time for the 1st day of work. I HATE the holiday rush and that we didn't manage it successfully. But while I am in the countryside, I want to comment on the brisk present war I've been observing.

Country housewives can make and do ANYTHING! So it takes thoughtful little present giving to a whole new level. And soon escaletes into a full blown present war. My in-laws just moved to the countryside and while building their new house here visited the 24 or so homes in their "area" and distributed gifts. Thus the firt step in the present war--which is now in full swing and we got to benefit from while visiting. On one day, two neighbors stopped by to drop off their latest barrage of gifts. Including fresh strawberries from their hothouse! Yuuuuuuuuum.

In another arena, a present war is being conducted by my mother-in-law and a family she has never met in person. The husband of that family is Daisuke's fishing buddy and now his wife and my mother-in-law relentlessly exchange local delicacies--fish eggs, dried parsimmon, freshly grown rice. A twist I like is that they live in opposite ends of the country so have distinct local dialects. So sometimes they can't undertand each other when they call to say a word of thanks!

Japanese hospitality can NOT be beat.

Cortez blues

2008-12-23T22:08:00.001+09:00

Baja Kayak - 86.jpg
Originally uploaded by meggiemoo1

The cortez blues--yearning to return to the beautiful blue water and sky of Baja.

2008-12-23T21:56:00.000+09:00

Additional prediction

2007-07-24T19:56:00.000+09:00

Oh! And I kind of thought this before, at the end of the last book and at the beginning of this one (book 7 of Harry Potter) but then I thought it wasn't likely. However, I now believe that it may be possible that Dumbledore is not actually dead. Or kind of living. Or something like that. We shall see!

Day 1, Year 2...

2007-07-24T17:48:00.000+09:00

of being married! Yup, July 23 was our first wedding anniversary. A Monday. My cousin just got married over the weekend, so we almost have the same anniversary. And my Aunt has the same one, too. We're in good company! We had a nice dinner-very long and drawn out- at a restaurant just around the corner from our place.

It has been a very fast year, and a very long one. So much has happened in the year. I changed jobs. Daisuke quit his job. Well, I guess that is all but it seems like a lot. Learning to live together. Enjoying being a couple. Lots of hills and valleys. Onward and upward to eternity and beyond!

My predictions about Harry Potter and the Deadly Hallows

2007-07-22T21:29:00.000+09:00

Oh joy! The last book in the Harry Potter series arrived from Amazon delivery today. Even in Japan we could get it on the same day of the global launch. I have a terrible habit of reading ahead to confirm my predictions or reassure myself that my favorite charcter won't die. But I will try to resist that tendency today. Instead, I'll commit my predictions here so that I can see in the end if I was correct or not.

1. Kinglsely is the person leaking information to the Death Eaters
2. Snape hasn't really gone over to the bad side-we will see that in the end he was actually doing this all along to assist Harry/Dumbledore end it.
3. OR-if I'm not right about that, Malfeus will change sides at the end.....
4. Of course, Harry won't die.

I'm on page 247 already.... I'll update on my predictions later....

Small Town Tokyo

2007-05-21T21:15:00.000+09:00

Tokyo-major megalopolis and urban jungle urbanely sporting white gloves. I am always having small town encounters here. Honestly. In fact, my whole lifestyle has been reduced to two stations and the 15 minute walk between them. Today my friend calls me as she leaves work-walking-from one station outside my territory. 15 minutes later we meet at a local bar for a drink. Then a guy walks in who I know I know. He knows I know him. And I know he knows me. Where? How? When? Aha! It turns out I know him from Seattle as we traded place-he moving back from Japan and I back to Japan.

Not my first small town encounter in the Big City and probably not my last. Coooooooooooooooool.

Certified Card Holding Contact Wearer

2007-04-04T09:06:00.000+09:00

I am an offiical super eyes super hero. A Jedi of eyesight. I can see far where near-sighted non-contact lens non-glass wearing people see near. I feel so adult. So clear sighted. Now if I can apply this literal clear-sightedness in a more figurative sense to my life...my future would be clearly signposted.

All thanks to my local opthomologist. I am now a convert to having eyes checked by an actual doctor! I tried twice before to put contact lens in my eyes and failed miserably. Left the place in defeat and tears in my eyes. But not contacts. This time it took almost 2 hours for the entire process. including putting the lens in twice and taking them out once. But success!

New Words Coined at the Speed of Light

2006-11-01T17:03:00.000+09:00

I'm scared.
Really scared. As I read through US news-in particular news related to the blogosphere- I realize how quickly communication is changing. In particular, I find myself looking up the meaning of words and acronyms far more often than I'd like as a "native English speaker"

Please match the following words with their meanings (some may have more than one answer!)

1. WOMMA ____
2. EMEA ____
3. Shill ____
4. Flog ____
5. Hezbocrat ____

A. a roaming band of militant guerrillas (Democrats) seeking their party's 2008 nomination for president" who are lobbing "rhetorical bombs at Wal-Mart.", according to Herman Cain.
B. A fake blog
C. an associate of a person selling goods or services who pretends no association to the seller and assumes the air of an enthusiastic customer
D. Word of Mouth Marketing Association
E. Europe, Middle East, and Africa
F. A blog devoted to food
G. European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products

A love the word hezbocrat, even though what it is supposed to mean is ridiculous, because it reminds me of my brother Billy's tendency to coin derogatory terms for authority figures and other well-knowns. For example, the term I heard from him, Pataguchi, refering to of course the high price and "designer status" of patagonia in the outdoor crowd. Of course, he still wears Pataguchi...

Link to Hezbocrat word origin:

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/HermanCain/2006/08/22/hezbocrats_attack_wal-mart

The Ultiimate Adventure: Getting your haircut in Japan

2006-10-30T12:37:00.000+09:00

Excerpt from Friend's E-mail on getting her haircut in Japan:

***********************************************************************************************************************

Although I have to say that the ultimate Hittori-de (editor's note: hittori de=alone, by oneself) experience is let your hair getcut by Kawai-san! He looks like a nice quiet guy, but in fact he is a killer ! I realized yesterday the last time I was at Tony & Guy it wasn't Kawai-san (although I thought he was!). So yesterday I finally met him.

"Soooo ... you say your hair is too long?": Well, sure. I mean, why am I otherwise coming to the hairdresser, ahhh?

"Is this all natural? (meaning my hair, I guess)": Yes

"You know that straight-perm is very cheap in Japan?": Ahh? Yes, I know. (by this time I realized he probably had no idea about what to do with my hair)

"Maybe you should colour your hair": No. Cut please ... NOW !

Then he updated me about my boss, Andrea, Doreen ...
No wonder it takes 2 hours to get a simple haircut. And then the finishing "alla Japan". Straight, straight, more straight ... Ponny to the right. Arrrrrgh !!!

I have to say the cut wasn't that bad after all, once you wash your hair for the 3rd time and dry it the way you always do. :-)

Salary Men...

2006-09-27T11:41:00.000+09:00

An example of salary men at work....

________________________________________________________________

Dear xxxx-san,

Sorry too late of my reply to you.
I have drunk very much in the dinner of xxxxx today.
(Today, xxxxxx Workshop is held in xxxxxxx.)

Attached please find the template I have filled out.

Because I drunk beer very much here, there might be some mistakes in my
reply.
If there are any points to be amended or any mistakes, please let me know.

With best regards,

-----------------------------------------------
xxxxxx
Manager
Corporate Organization

______________________________

Space Invaders

2006-09-12T18:21:00.000+09:00

Yesterday my home was infiltrated by two space invaders.
Cockroaches as big as my fist that can fly! Which explains how they levitated up to the 15th floor.
But I still can't figure out how they got inside the apartment. I had the sliding doors open but the screens were closed.
Anyway-I heroically rose to the occasion. Blasting them at close range with the cockroach killer spray. Both struggled to survive-one flying through the room, me in chase and spraying madly. My friend who was visiting was completely useless. She ran screaming from the room. Ugh. Makes me want to move back to Alaska where there aren't any of these nasty creatures.

PR stronaut

2006-09-11T17:34:00.000+09:00

Yes, I'm now a PR agent. I could tell you about my clients, but I'd have to kill you.
When we decided to leave Japan last year, I started thinking about a new industry for when I had to look for a job upon my return to the US. And based on my background, relevent experience, and where I want to go in the future, I decided on public relations. And it sees I've finally found my profession! I'm at an agency so that means that I am at the whims of our clients. But at the same time, it means that every day is different and I get to learn about new industries all the time. Suddenly entire new worlds have opened to me. Reading the business section of a newspaper in the past was more like reading a book on space travel: I've heard of it but know nothing about it and as I have no chance of going there-do not plan to learn more.

Ah hah! I am now buckled into the rocket and jetting off to new planets on a regular basis. Space travel means I get to see a lot of aliens at work in their native element. Fashionistas and techies and non-profitables.... all seen from far above in my spaceship as a PRstronaut.

Marriage is our last, best chance to grow up.

2006-09-07T14:57:00.000+09:00

According to Joseph Barth (who the hell is he?) Anyway, I never plan to grow up-not really anyway, but it does feel kind of adult to be married. As of July 23, 2006, we're married! And its a lot of fun! Yipee!!!!!!!

Hole-in-One Insurance

2006-06-19T10:38:00.000+09:00

Golf is serious business in Japan and the fact that most insurance companies offer a special Hole-in-One Insurance policy for individuals attests to the scope of the business.

Apparently, if you have the good fortune to get a hole-in-one, you have to pay a fortune to treat everyone around you to a great dinner. And that's where Hole-in-One insurance comes in.

I don't know, it sounds a little bit like giving presents to people on your birthday to me.

Weiner Schnitzel

2006-06-19T09:58:00.000+09:00

First of all- I want you to tell me if you know what Weiner Schnitzel is. Be honest. Or better, yet, please describe it for me.
Because, sadly, I did not..... and see the all the ruckus I caused.

Dear all,

As O has talked a lot about his skills in preparing Wiener Schitzel
we finally would like to share this eating experience with you at our place
on Saturday, June 10 at 7 PM. Please, let us know who want's to join?

M, this is made of veal but we can preare some salad for you...

;-) If it's NOT going to reain we try agin to sit on our roof terrace as
this failed 3 times already!

Cheers I

***********************************************************

Sounds lovely! Count us in.
I'll bring some chicken to bbq along with the Wiener Schnitzel!
MB

***********************************************************

you do not BBQ schnitzel!

***********************************************************

Oh. Ahem...I'll bring some sushi to leave raw along with your veal sausages.
Am I closer? What does a non-sausage eater know about cooking schnitzels?
Anyway, I'll make sure that I don't starve while enjoying the lovely company:-)
MB

***********************************************************
not really meghan.... schnitzel is no saussage either....:-)

***********************************************************
schnitzel = sausage???
Megan, I defenitely have to take your 'h' away again. You just outed yourself as a non-global-food citizen......
To educate you I attach a picture!

***********************************************************

Aha! Veal Tonkatsu. Why didn't you just say it instead of trying to
confuse non-global food citizens with the word "Weiner". I thought
weiner=long shaped object on men=sausage. If not, why do we have
"Oscar Meyer Weiners" in the US?????

Don't worry Silvia, Jens is off of this e-mail. But I ask you, why the
weiner if the food is some kind of breaded cutlet?

MB

***********************************************************
vienna = wien =
schnitzel from vienna = wiener schnitzel

weiner (whiner) = girl crying all the time

***********************************************************
micha, I thought you are so busy, you can't even talk to me on the phone....?

***********************************************************
A, I guess Micha is seeing in 'educating' Meg somehow a priority.

Meg, I didn't want to start this conversation but we're in the middle.... It's like the name of the Hamburger but has something to do with Vienna because it comes from there. O would say this you only can get in Vienna or you do it at home. Everything else is not and does not tast like a real Wiener Schnitzel. And by the way, a hell of work and not just breaded... Details in person...

***********************************************************
Get Js' mail out of your list. He will go nuts if
he gets all this stuff during the day ...
Thank you.

S

***********************************************************

Plop, plop....

2006-05-26T10:08:00.000+09:00

fizz fizz.

I was pooped on by a bird on my way to work yesterday. Right smack in the middle of my head. On the crown of my head. Plop.
I had just used this new, nice smelling shampoo (Loreal Sensi Balance for Professionals) and was feeling bright, shiny, and cheerful. Apparently its good luck in more than one culture. In Japanese, poop is "unchi" and "un" means "luck" and chi can be extrapolated to means "tsuku" as in stick to you. So Luck is now stuck to me.

Hurray!

Girls Fast in Tokyo: Day 2

2006-04-04T10:49:00.000+09:00

DAY 2

(10 a.m.)
Hi Girls, I blew it! GOMENAZAI!

Highly determined, I was good all day - juice and tea and then M came home. of course hungry he started cooking and then it all went wrong...the smell, the atmosphere - I was starving.
So basically I fasted for 12 hours - M, does that count??
I am restarting when M is on business trip
J - how are you coming along?
B: you are soooo good.

*****************************************************
(10 a.m.)
Hello,

I managed to complete day one yesterday but I spent the whole day stropping around in a bad mood and smoking non-stop.

I'm not going to bother with day 2 or day 3 as I feel clean enough and detoxed out already. instead am going to eat healthily and go to the gym.

Good luck to the rest of you still on it. Glad it's over for me.

*******************************************************

You can't SMOKE when you are on a fast... that is a major no no.
But congrats to all you who tried (and failed).....

No word from J or B?

*******************************************************

Well I managed day 1 although I was starving by the end and it didn't
help that R got home and cooked and the smell wafted through to the
other room. Although he was lovely and did buy me my favourite "La
France" pear juice as encouragement!

Feeling a bit weaker than usual and didn't get a great night's sleep
(weather I think) but still fasting....

***********************************************************

Well, I have no company dinners this week plus I want to look fit and trim in my backless dress when I go to A's wedding this week so I have the motivation!

**********************************************************

Go B, Go! We are counting on you, at least one of us. I will restart when M is on a business trip. I am so undetermined....

**********************************************************
I will try from today, although I am feeling totally exhausted already, so not a good omen. I don't think I will last for more than 24 hours, maximum!

Am I allowed chewing gum?
**********************************************************
Well, certainly feeling empty, that's for sure... and weak... but my
stomach is looking quite flat which I'm pleased about.
Definitely looking forward to Day 3!

By the way, you have so much time on your hands when you are not eating!
J, I'm sure you felt the same when you were in Thailand....
**********************************************************
be careful - chewing gum makes hungry. :-)
the way to go is: buy a backless dress!!! that is exactly why I failed. going shopping now! a.
**********************************************************
Hahahahaha, now that's my kind of therapy ;oD
**********************************************************
I am starving.........!!!! (4:30 p.m., Day 1)
**********************************************************
Me too - trying not to think of food!
It's not as bad when you're at work but when you're home or walking
through the station and there are all those smells to tempt you... you
have to keep busy so you don't succumb! (4:30 p.m. Day 2)

M, are you starting tomorrow?
**********************************************************
Go Jo Go Jo !!! At least one day!
**********************************************************
Hey girls, I don't want to be the only one suffering for three!
(I'm really looking forward to midnight tomorrow...)
**********************************************************
I am definitely on track to start tomorrow.... so I will be starting
on B's last day. I'm curious to hear if day 3 really is when
you get energetic again and forget about hunger.... keep us posted
B! And curious to hear if J will continue on to day 2... I
guess she needs to go out and by a backless dress if that is to
happen.

Cheers to not eating!
**********************************************************
Not likely - I haven't finished day 1 yet!!
**********************************************************

Girls fast in Tokyo: Day 1

2006-04-04T10:41:00.000+09:00

DAY 1

What a stupid idea. I'm starving and in a bad mood already, but determined to complete it for atleast all of today.
Will most likely try and eat healthily from tomorrow (10 a.m.)

*********************************************************************
mmmm, I have got a official lunch today - menu 2:-

|----------------------+----------------------|
|Menu 1: Sashimi Gozen|Menu 2: Jidori Gozen |
|----------------------+----------------------|
|5 kinds of sashimi |2 kinds of sashimi |
|Charcoal Grilled Pork |Charcoal Grilled |
|Vegetable fritters |Chicken |
|Vinegared dish |Vegetable fritters |
|Rice |Vinegared dish |
|Miso Soup |Rice |
|Dessert |Miso Soup |
|Coffee or Tea |Dessert |
| |Coffee or Tea |
|----------------------+----------------------|

It will be me tomorrow though.....

*********************************************

The plan was to stick at it for 3 days - if I can do it, you can do it too!

It hasn't been too bad so far, although I noticed that
1) When you are not supposed to eat all you seem to think about is food
2) Whenever there's food anywhere in the same building you are much more aware of the smell of it

The worse is yet to come - the 4/ 5pm snack time is going to be a toughie....

But am determined to stick at it!

*******************************************

Ha ha ha! I woke up this morning thinking I would start to "ease into
it" So I had juice for breakfast and a salad for lunch. And now I'm
starving! And I'm not even into the fast. But I am still determined to
start on Wednesday, thinking of what all of you have gone through and
keeping that in mind as reference.

Can you believe J sent that nasty note with her lunch special?
Sometimes that girl can be downright cruel;-)

*******************************************

they forgot to give me my rice and miso at lunch, so you all have the last laugh!

Oh god, do I really have to do this tomorrow?

*********************************************

How are the fasters? Are you going to start tomorrow J? Really?
Looking forward to hearing how day 1 was for the lead group....

*************************************************

Ralph Takes Tokyo

2006-04-03T22:57:00.000+09:00

And picks the meat off the bones of all in his path!
After a grueling week working on the periphery of the RL visit to Tokyo, I feel I have been worried by a pack of hyenas and barely staved off certain death. New Yorkers! Fashionistas! What a combination...It's like mixing chlorine and detergent. Deadly.

True Tokyo-ites...

2006-03-21T12:12:00.000+09:00

When you first come to Tokyo, you are so overwhelmed by the number of trains that you are just proud you can get one and get off at the right place. When you've been here longer, you start to know the difference between the train lines and subway lines. This is because the card passes you use are different!

Around this time, you've learned of the websites/mobilesites you can use to plot your route according to fastest time, or cheapest, or least number of transfers. They are most often in Japanese but there is one with an English version:
http://www.hyperdia.com/

Let's check out commuting distances.

1. Our first place in Tokyo was in Fujigaoka (Kanagawa) and I had to travel to Myogadani (Tokyo)
2. My next commute was from Hiro to Myogadani.
3. Then it was Hiro to Hanzomon
4. Then it was Azabujuban to Yotsuya
5. Now... I walk!

Did you check out the commute times? You can see how things have been getting A LOT better for me in terms of commute.

Okay, but real Tokyo-ites don't need that website. They basically know the fastest way to get anywhere in the city. But that's not all! They also know where to stand on the platform to make the transfer to the next station the shortest. This is without looking! For example, they know that if you get on at Hiro but will transfer to the Chiyada line, you should get on at the car closest to the entrace and the Chiyoda line transfer will be close to that!

There is a cheat sheet in stations that show every station on the line, and where the exits and trasfer points are at that station in reference to car number.

As an American, learning all of these tricks of the train-riding trade has taken 3 years... and I still need the cheat sheets and websites to do it. Happily, still not a true Tokyo-ite.

The Matrix in Japan

2006-03-20T14:05:00.000+09:00

The other weekend I went to Naeba with some friends. Naeba is a ski resort that is only a couple of hours from Tokyo by car/train and is therefore very popular with Tokyo-ites. While extremely convenient and a great mountain for beginners, I being a complete snob didn't fall in love with the place. That didn't stop me from having fun that evening with a wild karaoke binge but I have to admit that the entire complex felt like being plugged into the matrix.

The hotel IS the town and it sprawls along the base of the moutnain. One of those hotels from the 80's bubble area. You check in and leave your identity at the counter. While in the matrix you can rent your skis, book lessons, buy tickets, eat at a multitude of restaurants. shop for sundries, pharamaceutical goods, tourist items, sing karoke, play darts, go bowling... (maybe I made up that last one).

Anyway, while it was a nice weekend with friends I have to admit that maybe BECAUSE I live in such a big city now, I really don't like to go to places where I am just another number. It makes you feel so.... faceless.

The matrix strikes again.

Mystery mania

2006-03-15T19:37:00.000+09:00

I've become addicted to detective/mystery books. It started with getting reacquainted with Raymond Chandler. I love that guy. Then at my lovely local English used bookstore, Good Day Books, the very interesting Conan the Librarian has been feeding me a steady supply of the genre. From the more serious, "hard boiled" to more lighthearted modern stuff. The most amusing and fun so far has been Carl Hiaasen, Skinny Dip. The one with the most beautiful character development was The Bottoms by Richard Lansdale. My least favorite so far was James Crumley, the Mexican Tree Duck. But it was still a good read. Although hakf the time I didn't really know what was actually going on.

Any recommendations?

Link to the bookstore.
http://www.gooddaybooks.com/gooddaybooks/contents/home/index_html?language=english

Soul

2006-02-26T17:09:00.000+09:00

For my birthday this week I celebrated with two concerts! The first was on the night before my b-day with D-man at the Cotton Club. The club is fairly new so I wanted to check it out and didn't really care who was playing. And D-suke was able to get us tickets for free! b/c he knows the owner. Pretty cool! Anyway, while it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening, the "soul" singer was not quite our type of music. Jeffrey Osbourne, of 80's renown, just doesn't seem to have the staying power to impress us 15-20 years later. But while I was listening to his songs, I was trying to think why almost all soul music lyrics are about love. If the word comes from the meaning of a person't soul, it seemes it would encompass a broader range of themes. So I put the definitions below for you to decide.

I was also thinking if I were a musical instrument, which one I would be.... any suggestions? I know D-suke would be the bass. Steady, not standing out, but essential to the overall harmony. But I can't think of what I would be....please don't say the piano!

Main Entry: 1soul
Pronunciation: 'sOl
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English soule, from Old English sAwol; akin to Old High German sEula soul
1 : the immaterial essence, animating principle, or actuating cause of an individual life
2 a : the spiritual principle embodied in human beings, all rational and spiritual beings, or the universe b capitalized, Christian Science : GOD 1b
3 : a person's total self
4 a : an active or essential part b : a moving spirit : LEADER
5 a : the moral and emotional nature of human beings b : the quality that arouses emotion and sentiment c : spiritual or moral force : FERVOR
6 : PERSON
7 : EXEMPLIFICATION, PERSONIFICATION
8 a : a strong positive feeling (as of intense sensitivity and emotional fervor) conveyed especially by black American performers b : NEGRITUDE c : SOUL MUSIC d : SOUL FOOD e : SOUL BROTHER

Main Entry: soul music
Function: noun
: music that originated in black American gospel singing, is closely related to rhythm and blues, and is characterized by intensity of feeling and earthiness

A house is not a home...

2006-01-26T08:41:00.000+09:00

unless you can lounge about on a nice sofa! Behold...

Bittersweet moments

2006-01-24T22:04:00.000+09:00

I love and hate these bittersweet moments when I feel like I'm eating a lemon tart- sugar sweet with joy but sour full of loneliness. Now I'm alone at home, tidying up before another day of work tomorrow. D.Suke left for New York yesterday and tonight I had dinner with the Pearl of India. After a mighty fine dinner, I returned home and am reveling in my sweet n' sour moment with music at full volume. Listening first to Sounds Eclectic and now to Norah Jones (Feels like home), I"m thinking of all the people I've met in my life and how many I miss.

Just yesterday, through my new job, I was able to meet the great-grandson of the British Prime Minister during World War I. A very interesting and nice man, but he isn't one of the people I miss!

Vietnam Highlight

2006-01-08T11:03:00.000+09:00

Retro-post

I went to Vietnam for two weeks in December. I visited my friend Kevin and his lovely girlfriend Nyung in Saigon and traveled North with my friends Rie and Juhi. Definitely visit Vietnam! The food is delicious, people are (usually) friendly, and the landscapes are beautiful. Oh, and it's cheap and a bit of a shopping mecca. I'll post a picture of my Vietnam work wardrobe later.

One of the highlights was a ride on the back of a motorcycle from a port where we got dumped and left by our boat and the tourist bus because I refused to pay the extortionary price of 5 dollars a person. I felt we'd already been rubbed raw on that particular journey and was putting my foot down.

As the boat and bus pulled away, I sat down and said, "At least I have my Ritz (crackers)." Juhi's mouth flapped open and closed a few times but being a good sport she just said, "Oh, all right then."

As we faced the prospect of a sad and lonely day at the abandonded port, around the bend our saviors appeared! So for $4 each, we experienced a brisk morning ride through roads encircled by limestone cliffs and dotted with tiny villages and rustic farms.

The joy of the wind on your face from the back of a motorcycle!

From the back of Motorcycle 1, a photo of Moto 2.

From the back of Motorcycle 2, a photo of Moto 1.

First Day: New Job

2006-01-06T08:42:00.000+09:00

Happy New Year!

Yesterday was my first day at my new job in my reincarnation as a PR person. I have a position at PR agency. The worst thing about it is the commute. I have to walk 5 minutes from my house to the office door! It's too early to judge but people are friendly and it's a very international place-owned by a German man and with foreigners (that's me and others) and Japanese with an International background.

The other nice thing was that they gave me flowers for the first day! A nice surprise.
This is the morning before my 2nd day.... off I go.

Crowd control

2005-11-27T10:39:00.000+09:00

Japanese are masters of crowd control. They process people like McDonalds processes hamburgers.

Er, that analogy didn't work well. Let's try it again.

They process people like fish swim. Really well.

Most people know about the incredibly efficient trains. But do you know about their annual health check-up? This is my third year in a row for my 健康診断。Every company has to provide a comprehensive preventive health check up for their employees each year. And clinics are set up to deal with large numbers of people. So it works like this.

You get your paperwork months in advance. On the day of your visit you have to collect your own stool and urine sample. Yuck. You bring that (talk about carrying dangerous weapons on the subway..) to the office and give it to them when you check in. Then you change into pyjamas (did you know that the word pyjama comes from India?) and then proceed to a big room with many stations. This is where the processing begins. A dozen assistants are standing in front of the stations, checking you in, sending you on, checking you off and generally directing traffic. They take blood, do a chest x-ray, examine you stomach (barium), mammogram, pap smear, eye check, weight and height, etc. And you're out in a couple of hours.

It feels a bit inhumane to be roaming around in your pyjamas with 50 or so other people, but it's so very efficient. Like fish swimming.

Onsen in Tokyo

2005-11-27T10:17:00.000+09:00

LaQua- what is that name supposed to mean? To me, after last weekend, it means a little oasis in the middle of Tokyo. After a hard night, the next day I was determined to escape the big city and head out to an onsen ryokan (Japanese inn with a hot spring). But as I called place after place and was told all the rooms were booked, my vision of relaxing in an outdoor onsen surrounded by the mountains started to disappear. Then my friend Rosanna and I remembered LaQua.

Digging deep, deep, deep down, the developers of LaQua uncovered a natural onsen and piped it 9 flights up into a building in the middle of Tokyo. Nothing is impossible in Tokyo where they used to have an indoor ski mountain.

At LaQua, you check in, get a digital wrist band and change into pyjamas. For $30, you can spend as long as you like in the building. While there, you can enjoy the many pools, including outdoor pools, jacuzzi pools, steam rooms... the list goes on. Or pay extra for a variety of massage services, manicures, and other bits of pampering. There are also cafes and restaurants. And it's open 22 hours a day! You leave your money in the locker and whatever you want you put on the wristband.

What way to spend a Saturday evening with a friend!

Ugly Americans?

2005-11-15T10:50:00.000+09:00

Or have the Brits surpassed us? As I was perusing the classifieds the other day in the Metropolis ( http://metropolis.japantoday.com/ ), it seems the Brits have really pissed off a few women in Japan. Peeping at the classifieds feels a bit voyeuristic sometimes, but there are some great quotes in there!

To enjoy some Brit Bashing, read on...
(Must remind you that I live with 2 lovely Brits)!

*********************************************************************************

I used to find Brits attractive but now I know they are all rubbish. SJF, 40s, mature yet young-looking, seeks trustworthy, funny, genuine gentlemen. Nonsmoker only. Good kisser a plus.

*********************************************************************************
JF, early 30s, said to be sexy and unique, seeks the only one for her. Hopefully you are intelligent, successful, affectionate, respectable and attractive, 30s. No Brits or teachers.

**********************************************************************************

My only question is, what's wrong with teachers??!!

Timing

2005-11-10T11:49:00.000+09:00

I was just musing about life timing the other day and how it is so important. For example, there are books that suit certain periods of your life but not others. I tried to read 100 Years of Solitude for what seems like 100 years. Each time I coudln't get past the first chapter. Then one year I picked it up and didn't put it down till I had finished it.
Maybe I couldn't connect to the theme or characters because I personally hadn't experienced enough in life.

Right now I have 4-5 books I have started but can't finish. And at the same time I have 4-5 books that I have read in the past month that I just plowed through.

Top on my recent reads is:
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night.
White Teeth.

Both fabulous!

Exciting Developments

2005-11-09T10:32:00.000+09:00

It's been so long since I wrote-over a month. In that time I went back to Fukuoka, to the states, and got engaged! Daisuke and I are now officially engaged and planning to have our wedding in Alaska. May 28!

Team Basic

2005-09-29T11:07:00.000+09:00

6+ hours, uphill all ways! The race start and end was at the top of a ski hill.

This year I entered the Hakuba adventure race as part of Team Basic. Don't ask about the name- it's a loosely interpreted acronym of something like, "Bearing Straight on the Arctic Circle". My team this year was Andrea (Russian), Andreas (Norwegian), Rosanna (fellow American). A great combo!

The race was toughter than ever but the weather was also better than ever. Considering last year was a downpour, I guess that's not saying much.

We single track raced, kayaked, river walked and swam! and orienteered.

Rosanna had to call it quits part way through do to heat stroke exhaustion but she continued to cheer us on at various points and crossed the finish with us.

The highlight (in my book) was when we discovered we had taken a VERY wrong turn during the orienteering and were at the bottom of the ski hill instead of the top! Being resourceful and tired, I begged a maintenance man from the ski resort to drive us to the top in 4 x 4. Good thing we did, too! Otherwise we'd still be walking. Shh... don't tell the race organizer that, though.

All in all it was an amazing weekend and race! Hakuba rocks!!

Cool Things People I Know Do, Part II

2005-09-28T20:24:00.000+09:00

My bestfriend from highschool, Caitlin, spearheaded this movement with her husband and two other friends. Since most people I know are equally disappointed by our commander-in-chief, you'll probably support the idea behind her website!
http://www.howblueareyou.com/
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How Blue Are You was founded after the 2004 election as a simple way for ordinary Americans to express our commitment to democratic ideals, show our determination to hold George W. Bush and the right wing elite in Washington accountable for their extreme policies and demonstrate our willingness to work for a better future for the United States and the world.

In unprecedented numbers, new voters, young voters and previously disenfranchised voters cast their ballots in the 2004 presidential election. And 58 million of us voted for somebody other than George W. Bush. The president interpreted his slim victory as a mandate and claimed he was ready to spend the "political capital" he had earned.

Bush's post-election remarks have only deepened the divide voters have felt since the disputed 2000 election. All this from a man who claimed to be "a uniter, not a divider." Since winning re-election, Bush has made it clear that we can expect four more years of the same policies that are taking our country down the wrong track.

Where does that leave us, the 58 million Americans who disagreed with the president on a variety of levels, but all who disagreed enough to vote for someone else?

Since the President and the Republicans in Congress have decided to ignore us, we set out to find a way so show our support for the democratic ideals that make our country the best it can be for all Americans. We chose to make our voices heard. We decided to act.

In blue states and red states alike, we're encouraging all Americans to wear How Blue Are You? wristbands in support of these democratic values and ideals and send a message to the ultra-conservative elites in Congress and the Bush administration that we respectfully disagree with their misguided policies.

We're showing our colors. We're blue. How blue are you?

Proceeds from the sale of How Blue Are You wristbands will go to the National Gulf War Resource Center, the leading organization providing advocacy and support for Gulf War veterans.

Cool Things People I Know Are Do, Part I

2005-09-27T20:09:00.000+09:00

In this case the people I know are related to me- even better! A report from Pat and my Dad from their travels.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Pat and Bill's Wilderness Adventure

We have emerged alive and victorious from the wilds of the Canadian Yukon. The wondrous airstream is still attached to the truck, and we are still on speaking terms after seven days of extreme closeness!

The beauty of the Yukon and the national parks of Jasper, Lake Louise, and Baniff rivals anything we have in Alaska. We took seven days to do the trip from Anchorage to Spokane, doing sightseeing , museums and every hot spring along the way, and we are already talking about doing it again to see all of the things we missed.

Our quest for new hardy perennials was satisfied with a fire plant and two Virginia creepers smuggled across the border to the US not to mention some park rocks caught up in the undercarriage of the "silver bullet"...right ...that will never fly Mr Warden.

So now we are in Spokane in a "full service hookup" RV park with wi-fi Internet, hence this letter.

Trailer Trashing it up

Pat and Bill

Rebels without a cause

2005-09-09T15:26:00.000+09:00

Two weeks ago
........................................................................................................................
This is just a reminder that the day is near, when we see the final
downfall of the Oppression.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Comrades in Arms, its all up to YOU now!!!!! The
date of the Water War is Sept 9 (fri). We will gather in Yoyogi Park at
midnight at the pond.

Please remember to get your own waterarms (water gun, water balloon,
Humvees, water bazookas, etc). Also, do bring along some munchies and as
much booze as you can consume. We will celebrate our victory with some
high-time partying later on…
NOTE: bring along as many friends to our side as you can!!!! And NO
TALKING TO THE OTHERSIDE!!!!

Cheers!!!!

Your Commander in Chief
hiroshi-kun
.........................................................................................................................
One week ago

Morning T,

You know, M is a wicked girl. She’s small and sweet looking but she has a wee devil inside....She heard about a midnight waterfight in Yoyogi park next Friday night. Are you interested? If you are keep reading.

We wanted to join a team. but once we thought about how many people we wanted to invite, we realized it would be quite a few, and we would be kinda our own sub-group, so then M's evil mind suggested forming a third team secretly that would seek and attack the other two teams and cause total confusion and hilarity! We could set up our own base camp and wear Zoro masks (cheap from Don Quixote) and call ourselves the Rebels Without a Cause.

We want you to be our General. You know everyone and can pull a decent size team together. We will be your lieutenants and get the technical stuff under control. We have classified information to help us get started.

What do you think?

J-ster

………………………………………
4 days ago

Dear Midnight Rebels without a Cause:
On Friday, at midnight, around by the pond, there will be a waterfight in
Yoyogi park between two well organised teams of people we barely know.

We thought we might crash their party! We are planning to form a team of
our own, complete with some kind of identifier (Zoro face masks? face
paint?) and attack both teams randomly to completely confuse the
situation. They will be playing some kind of game aimed at capturing one
or the other team's flag... we will just be trying to waterbomb anyone
from either team we can find.

They are not expecting us, and we must do our best not to be caught by
them, at least not until the fighting is over and the beers have been
opened.....

We need some people with time on their hands to help organise this. We need to source some water weapons, and think a bit about logistics. Any
volunteers? Also, we need more people - please fwd this email to your
friends.
J-ster
……………………………..

This afternoon

Hiroshi-kun,
I wanted to warn you that there is a guerilla water fighting group led by a ferocious, but tiny, Amazonian, who have vowed to wreak havoc at the water fight on Sunday.

A concerned citizen

The Rebels without a Cause

Enemy Fire-Isn't his weapon BIIIIIIIIIIG?!

Sushi!

2005-09-05T08:41:00.000+09:00

I've never been a HUGE sushi fan. In fact, when I was 18 and did my exchange abroad, the only country I DIDN'T want to visit was Japan because I thought I would starve to death. That was then, this is now. I love Japanese food and good sushi is something to celebrate.

There is an amazing sushi place in Ebisu that Daisuke introduced me to. It is the perfect combination of great food. friendly service, and sophisticated but laid back atmosphere. Not easy to recreate all those elements in another place and time!

Yakata Bune

2005-08-29T15:54:00.000+09:00

This Sunday a friend, Ayako, and I hosted a Yakata bune party. It's on my list of things to do before I leave Japan at the end of the year. So I did it! The link at the bottom of the page describes the experience much better than I could, so I'll just let you read about it there.

It was a great Sunday afternoon event. 2.5 hours of cruising around Tokyo bay in a Japanese-style boat. What better way to spend a weekend afternoon?

The boat

The karaoke audience

Tokyo Bay

Yukata wearing blogster

Foray into salsa dancing

2005-08-26T22:38:00.000+09:00

Everyone I know is into salsa. I know the real craze has come and gone, but many around me are still riding the wave of latin mania. Jo, my roommate, is a salsa addict. Damn good, too.

I want to be good. But it seems I need time for my body to catch up with that desire.

Tonight I went to a local Salsa bar for a "free lesson" . It was about 15 minutes long and I didn't learn much that I hadn't learned already at my gym salsa class.

Armed with the essentials (count of 8, right?), I sat on a bar stool and watched as people twirled, whirled, gyrated, and perambulated around the floor. It looked like so much fun!

But no one asked me to dance.

Next time I go, I must go armed with not only a knowledge of the very basic salsa step, but also the ambition to ask at least 5 people to dance with me.

Because in Japan, as a foreign women, no one will ever approach US.

Next time- basic salsa step + 5 people.

Ella Fitzgerald's song, Imagine my Frustration, sums up my feelings!
"Imagine my frustration with no invitation to dance" ba bum, trumpet. sax, ba bum...

Meglie moo

2005-08-25T17:32:00.000+09:00

I'm just writing this post so I can put a photo in my profile. Nothing special to report here. Except a typhoon is bearing down on us here in Tokyo.

Sado

2005-08-25T14:41:00.000+09:00

The trip to Sado was magic. It's my third time on the island but the first in summer. Lesson number one, island weather changes FAST! On the last day this was especially evident as a storm blew in before packing up the tent. After boarding the boat and pulling away from port, torrential rain started again. Talk about lucky!

The kodo drummer continued playing in the downpour until we were out of sight. What a send off!

The whole weekend went really well. It's a long haul to the island but well worth it.

The flea market in the park. A welcome sight for tired traveling eyes.

I joined my coworker Jo and her friends for the weekend. They were a lot of fun and play hard. Although we were all the same age, I was always the first to bed. But they were an easy-going, fun group of people. Each morning we cooked up a mad brunch, lounged about at the campsite, dodged jellyfish in the water, and then headed up to the concert.
Camp

The beach

The concert, in a natural amphitheater surrounded by majestic trees is the perfect venue for world music. And we were lucky with the weather-each time we got sprinkled with a bit of rain before the storm moved on.

This year the guest artist was Carlos Nunez from the Basque country. He was a fun performer and a master on the basque pipes and flute. The final concert, where Kodo and Carlos played together was a frenzy of pipes, drums and dancing. Both sides of the venue looked like a mosh pit. And this is to a celtic-taiko blend of music.

I want to go to this festival every year! It's worth the journey.....

The 2005 Group

The Grand Sleeping Bag Misadventure

2005-08-18T21:12:00.000+09:00

I'm packing for my trip to Sado this weekend. I'm so excited! This is my second trip to see Earth Celebration. (http://kodo.or.jp/ec/en/). The first was back in 98 when I flew in with a pack of friends from Kagoshima. Kagoshima and Sado are VERY FAR apart in terms of transportation. To give you an idea, multiple trains, planes, taxis, ferries and buses were necessary. Okay, okay, I admit that is because I was in charge of transport arrangements. Okay, okay. That is because I booked the bus and the plane on different days. Still, even if everything had gone smoothly, we would have used multiple planes, buses, and ferries. As it was, we had to take a slow train from Osaka to the port in the North of Japan. Then a ferry to the wrong side of the island. YES, that was also my mistake. Then a bus from the wrong side of the island to the right side of the island. And did I mention that I forgot the concert tickets back in Kagoshima? Moving on.....

Let's hope this trip is a bit smoother going. Maybe I really SHOULD get packing. The reason I'm writing this is because as I pack, I pulled out my sleeping bag. Which led me to this blog thought.

Last year I decided I wanted to go hiking in the Japanese Alps on a solo trip. The truth is, I didn't particularly want to go alone, but none of my friends in Tokyo are the least bit athletic. Or interested. So I decided to go it alone. I actually enjoy solo trips a lot.

This one started in typical Meghan-manner with a typhoon. Literally, the morning I left Tokyo, the typhoon blew in. But I was determined not to waste my days off. So I bused up to Hakuba and was picked up by Sakiko who owns a youth hostel there with her NZ husband. http://www.hakubabackpackers.com/englishtop.htm

I had met them a month earlier when I went to Hakuba for an adventure race. I went with my friend Isa who I always say has the heart of a lion and body of a hamster. In spite of being the slowest team in the field and not actually finishing the entire course, we won the female team event. The other female team was so slow they dropped out.

We raced in the pouring rain. In fact, the rain started when we arrived in Hakuba. It continued steadily for that day. The night before the race, the god who lives upstairs stood up and took a good long piss down on earth. Good and long. And hard. For the entire day.

By the way, I'm going again this year. http://www.evergreen-outdoors.com/english-adventure-quest.htm This time I'm have two male partners. Andrei and Andreas. If only my name were Andrea. When it was just Andrei, who is from Russia, I thought our name should be Bearing Straight. Get it? Because I'm from Alaska and we share the Bering Strait. But Andreas is Swedish or Norwegian. So we need a new name. Something to do with the Arctic Circle, I guess. Any ideas?

Sleeping bag. Yes. In preparation for this trip I wanted to pack light. So I asked Daisuke if I could borrow his divvy sack. He agreed and also recommended I take his sleeping bag. According to him, it was "much smaller and lighter." Sounds good, doesn't it? So I borrowed that, too. It was securely wrapped in a cinch stuff sack.

There I was in Hakuba, facing a typhoon. The first day I admitted defeat and hung out with Sakiko. We had a great time together. She took me to an onsen and we met some interesting people at the restaurant next door. The next day the meat of the big daddy typhoon had passed, so I was determined to go. Some of the road in were washed out, but we persevered. Some of the chairs leading into the mountains were closed due to high winds. We perservered. Was someone trying to tell me something? I found a lift to take and said goodbye to Sakiko. Would I ever see her again?

As I hiked that morning, I was accompanied by something marvelous. When I saw the double rainbow, I felt that that dude upstairs had put on his groovy sunglasses that reflected those two arcs down on me.

But in the afternoon it started raining again. Raining hard. So instead of snuggling up in my divvy sack on a patch of hard ground, I decided to sleep in one of the huts they have up there. Even though they provide bedding, I was a bit chilled. So I decided to use Daisuke's trusty sleeping bag. As I pulled it out of the stuff sack I gave a sturdy tug, expecting a long snake-like bag to come hissing out. Instead my hand jumped up like a band conductor's. And hanging there was a very small, light... down jacket. Size L.

This time I'm making sure I have my sleeping bag. But there is still ample room for error on this adventure. For one, I am traveling up alone. Meeting a coworker who i don't know well and her friends who I've never met. Sharing a tent with them. But she tells me they have coffee for the campfire. So how far wrong can things go?

Tokyo Wildlife

2005-08-16T21:08:00.000+09:00

Tokyo is one of the largest cities in the world. The population is over 12 million. Construction is rampant and concrete rivers dot the cityscape. Yet, wildlife still thrives. Certain varieties that is. For example, this guy is one of Japan's most famous stars. And he tends to hang out in Ginza.

Here is another form of wildlife. My roommate, Syd. See how they seem to be speaking to each other? Speaking lizard tongue is a little known branch of parseltongue. (Whisper... I think Syd might be a dark magician. Many parseltongues are, you know. If you don't know, read Harry Potter.)

Another wildlife variant found only in Japan is the Tanuki. I found a tromp of tanukis during my stroll in Kyoto. The ways to identify a Tanuki are as follows:
1. Large belly
2. Gigantic testicles
3. Bag of money and/or jug of alcohol in hand

They're also quite wiley- known as tricksters here so you should be very cautious when approaching one of these guys.

I'm not sure if Hachiko qualifies as wildlife, since he never budges. So he isn't too wild. But he is one of the most famous denizens of Shibuya station. In fact, an exit is named after him and everyone meets at his feel. Hachiko was a very faithful pet and walked his owner to the station every day. When his owner died, Hachiko continued to visit the station every day. Even now, he faithfully waits for the owner to return.

The last variant of wildlife that I've spotted in Tokyo is at the rock n' roll bar, Bauhaus. The Japanese version of Ozzy Ozbourne, this guy is a true party animal. He's been rocking out to cover tunes for at least 20 years and doesn't show any signs of stopping. Definitely worth a visit and he doesn't bite! Jo, Syd's girlfriend and my roommate, survived to tell the tale.

That's about it for wildlife sightings. Let me know if you spot any worth mentioning here.

Taming Wild Beasties

2005-08-15T09:53:00.000+09:00

In my walk from the house to the station I pass the same people each time. My current favorite is tiny woman with big dog (BD). Tiny woman is Asian, but I don't think she is Japanese. After passing each other for months, we have established quite a rapport. "Hello!" "Hello" Smile, smile, nod, nod. This photo was taken with my cell phone as I walked behind them.

Tiny woman is walked by BD, who is still young. YBD is a Bernese Mountain Dog. which are known to be difficult dogs to train. But Tiny One isn't daunted by that. As they move along the street, YBD stops in his tracks every 50 meters or so and refuses to move. Tiny one gives a half-hearted tug on the leash and then, with a surreptitious look to check that she is unobserved, pulls a scooby snack from her fanny pack and tosses it in front of YBD. This process is repeated as many times as it takes to finish their stroll around the block.

I wish someone would throw scooby snacks for me in the morning!

Commuting Peeve

2005-08-09T09:47:00.000+09:00

I was going to write this posting last week, when the peeve was fresh in my mind from the commute. But then the weekend intervened and the pain of the commute became a distant memory.

The great thing about living in Tokyo is you don't need a car. I haven't driven in over a year and don't miss it AT ALL. Really, efficient public transportation is the wave of the future that the US isn't riding. On the downside, because it is public, it can get crowded with.. the public.

My commute now is 30 minutes "door to door". That's great for Tokyo. My commute is:

10-15 minutes from house to station (downhill)
8 minutes on subway
10-15 minutes from station to work (flat).

My commute when I first moved to Japan was:
5 minutes to station.
45 minues of sheer hell on a train so crowded my feet didn' touch the ground and I still stood upright
10 minutes from station to work

I wanted to kill myself and everyone around me. And I'm a pretty friendly, loving person. Moving was good!

Even so, being around a lot of people does produce some commuter rage. Safer than road rage because I'm not in control of a large vehicle that I can ram up the ass of the driver/commuter in front of me.

So.. the pet peeve of my commute is the little pitter patter of Japanese women running in their ridiculous high heels. The thing is, they can't run. I want to turn around and snarl, "Jeezus, you run like a girl." But that isn't fair because women can run. What I mean to say is, "That wobbly, foot slappin burst is unsightly and the sound is very annoying.". Because they wear these heels that don't really stay on their feet. So the sound isn't pitter patter but Slap, slap, slap, slap... all along the platform or down the escalator or whatever.

I thought this pet peeve was just me but NO! All of my friends also feel a bit irritated by the slip slap of tiny high heels.

Pet peeves......

Pitter patter, slip slap

Friends

2005-08-07T17:09:00.000+09:00

It's a big topic. Friends are the flour in the cake of life. A flourless cake is just flat and boring. There are flourless cakes out there, but can anyone really say they're tasty? Not really, right?

I've been thinking about my friends a lot recently because there has been an exodus of them from Tokyo. At the same time, I connected with friends from my past in my recent trip to Europe. And the reason I'm writing this blog is because of another friend from my past, Amy. So when I get sad that so many good friends have left Tokyo I try to remind myself that 1. I'll see them again and 2. change means new opportunity. I think there is a Japanese saying to the effect, Every door closing means another one somewhere else is opening up. Which kind of sums up my nomadic lifestyle. I have met so many amazing people in my travels. Great! So many of those amazing people live far away from me. Not so great. But in our "global" world I've had the chance to keep in touch with them.

So below are some pictures of friends, past and present.

Some of my girl friends in Tokyo. We're in an Izakaya before hitting Smashed Hits.

Is there ANYTHING better at 4 a.m. than a doner? Juhi, force feeding my roommate Jo, doesn't seem to think so.

Here is a classic blend of old and new friends. Erik came to visit me in Tokyo and he blended in well with my friends here. The bond was firmly established over a loud and raucous rendition of MOONDANCE.

Banzai Mamas reunite in Italy. We met in Kagoshima back in 1995. Now Tammy is in NJ, Jenny in Australia, and I'm in Tokyo. So what makes more sense than to gather in Italy??! Well, that's where Tammy chose to get married and it was one of the loveliest weddings I've ever attended. And it was great to have the Bonzai Mamas back together, even if just for a few days.

Now, the friends here featured are all A-list. A-list? Yes. While everyone rates their friends to some extent (although many won't admit to it) I have a clearly demarcated ranking of friends. A-C. And these are spring cleaned annually. I don't rank below C because who wants a friend who is below average or failing? People who maintain D-level and lower friendships are masochists, in my book.

Friend ranking sounds harsh, but you know you do it too. Don't you? And A list friends are not necessarily those you see most often. I have many A list friends that I never hear from but are still very dear to me. And when (and if) I do see them, things are just like we were never apart. A-list friends are not necessarily those you have a lot in common with. Some A-list friends are ranked due to loyalty, sheer length of acquaintance, or just mutual appreciation of very different qualities.

Just writing this makes me want to contact all my A-list friends. Maybe I'll send them this link so they can know how much I miss them...

Some like it hot

2005-08-04T14:30:00.000+09:00

But do they like it Humid?
I don't. Look what happens to me in the hot and humid Tokyo summer. 36 celsius, 110% humidity.
Slight exaggeration possibly but not far from the truth. Below are my parallel lists of Tokyo summer good and bad points. If the bad points outweigh the good I want to remind you that summer is the LEAST pleasant season here.

Good
Cold beer!
Firework festivals
Never needing sweaters or jackets, even at night
wearing skirts and summer dresses
hand fans (not sure if this qualifies because on the negative side is the fact that they aren't that effective... but they look cool)

Bad
too humid
getting sweaty walking to the station from the house and from the station to work.
The days aren't much longer than in the winter. Bummer.
Cockroaches! I've found 3 in my room so far.

That's summer in a nutshell. Oh! Just remembered that things (people, trash, streets) are stinkier in the summer.

Birdman goes down in flames

2005-08-03T14:28:00.000+09:00

Birdman. He would be my nemesis if we were equals. But we're not. Comparable to the rivalry between Middlebury and Amherst college. One-sided. He's my coworker. I work and he exists in the same space near me. But yesterday I got to tell him what a shit worker he is. He deserved it. He really did. To summarize: I assigned 3 writing tasks to him while I was away on vacation. We confirmed what I wanted in person, in a meeting, and I sent an e-mail to confirm. When I returned from my trip I check his work and see he only wrote 1 of the tasks assigned to him. Instead of the other two he decided to write something completely different. Something that someone else wrote. I confront him, ask him icilly but politely why he chose to take an independent attitude to work. And he merely replied, deadpan, "I guess I just didn't check the e-mail." Sigh.

But I was able to tell him how embarassingly terrible he is. He agreed. I felt good about it and now whenever I see him I feel a little smile inside. Sometimes it bursts out, too.

I'm not a bitch. Burn, birdman, burn.