Present war

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

Baja Kayak - 86.jpg
Originally uploaded by meggiemoo1

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

Additional prediction

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...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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...

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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Plop, plop....

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

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

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

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...

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

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

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

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