Feeling bad

I have the flu. And I feel miserable. I am actually feeling a million times better than earlier this week thanks to the miracle that is Tamiflu, but I feel so weak. It looks like I will be off work until next Wednesday (due to company rules, though I am no longer contagious according to the doctor...if the company wants to make me stay home, fine, but it p*sses me off that I am made to use my vacation time even though the doctor has given me the OK to go back to work on Monday!).

Anyway, being stuck at home with too much time on your hands and not enough energy to do anything productive means thinking too much...about things you haven't accomplished, things you said you would do but haven't (this blog, for example!), etc., etc. And unfortunately a lot of frustration built up yesterday during the day and then I took it out on R in the evening when he got home. Some of my frustrations were valid - despite numerous conversations about housework the man cannot seem to do his share without being prodded and forced - ARGH! But some of it was just me being in an awful mood.

Anyway, now I just feel bad in general. It's a beautiful day outside, though (too bad I can't go out and enjoy it).

I am most definitely getting a flu shot next year!!!!!

Losing Kei

I finally read "Losing Kei" by Suzanne Kamata. Wow!! What a great read. The description of family life in Japan was pretty spot on in my opinion, and I liked how the herione didn't do much complaining about life in Japan but was quite accommodating until she couldn't take it anymore. I think those of you who have lived in Japan for a while and/or have Japanese inlaws or almost-inlaws will probably read this and be both amazed that it is so realistic and scared because of the very real subject matter (lack of joint custody and what happens in Japan when parents divorce). If anyone is interested in reading this, please leave me your email address in the comments and I will be happy to send you this book!

Desperately in need of sleep

I have never had problems sleeping. I have always been the one who can sleep anywhere...planes, trains, floors, literally anywhere. But for the past two weeks I have not had a single night of satisfying sleep. I either have trouble falling asleep or I sleep so lightly that I wake up in the morning feeling as though I have been run over by a steamroller because I am so tired.

Of course it doesn't help that things at the office have been busy and last week I didn't get home until 9:30/10:00pm. Eating dinner at that hour and trying to sleep well is impossible! OH, and then my boss had the gall to tell me that he wants me to get to the office earlier because "everyone else does." What a load of crap. So being stubborn me, I decided I will do my best to get there five minutes earlier than I do now...no more, no less. I am there on time and considering how many of my evenings the office gets they certainly don't need any more of my mornings than absolutely necessary.

Anyway, I should try to go to sleep now. Hope everyone has a great week!

This commercial always brings a smile to my face

Partly because I remember it and partly because it's just so sweet.

RIP

I grew up in the midst of the Michael Jackson mania. He dominated most of the airwaves of my childhood, and I remember several friends who decorated their binders and peechees (now there's a word you don't hear any more!) with Michael Jackson stickers. I was never a huge fan, but given the era I grew up in, it was impossible to *not* be a fan.

Despite all of the controversy and all of the bizarre stuff he did, the world has lost of its great performers. RIP. I hope he is in peace and happy.

Angry

R and I have a party to attend tonight and there is going to be lots of food, so when we got hungry around lunch we wanted to eat something light. Because it's such a nice day, we decided to go to the McDonald's nearby with outdoor seating and get just a single hamburger each.

After we ate I headed back inside with our tray to dump our garbage. As I approached the garbage can there was a woman with her back to me standing right in front of it. At first I thought she was throwing something away, but she was actually just standing there, so I said sumimasen (excuse me). She didn't seem to hear me, so I said it again. That time she heard me and looked back at me. Then she proceeded to take two steps back right into me, the whole time looking me in the eye!!!! The woman purposely walked right into me, in other words.

B*tch!!!!!!

I got angry and just pushed past her, but it bothers me. I have had these kind of things happen to me SO MUCH in Japan....the idiotic woman on the train who took one of my gloves that had fallen on the floor and purposely dropped it between the platform and the train (on the tracks!) as she got off, with me saying "Sumimasen!!!!" the whole time, for example. Oh, that made me angry!!!!! I have no idea why people do these things...generally there are people (99% of the time women!!!!) who I have had no previous conversation or interaction with. ARGH! This type of behavior would be unthinkable where I am from.

SO angry! Had to get that off my chest!

Vivir lo nuestro

I heard this song this other day in a Thai restaurant in Tokyo, of all places, and it brought back memories!



This was on a CD I borrowed from a friend way back when, and it is a fabulous version of this song. India looks great, but Marc Anthony looks like he belongs in Akihabara (nothing against Akihabara). Anyway, ignore the video and enjoy the song!

I'm alive.

Thank you, Illahee, for checking in! I am alive and things are ok. My lack of blogging has been partly because of my laziness, but mostly because it's been busy around here. Some of the fun has included:

- my birthday!
- crazy, crazy times at work, with lots of meetings starting at 6:30/7:00pm (which I absolutely detest), sometimes on the same day that we have had meetings starting at 8:00am. UGH. This week is another crazy week. Any suggestions on how I can get my boss/coworkers to realize that working efficiently is just as (and probably more) important than how many hours you are at the office?!
- studying for a test that I am supposed to take on June 7th. It's on financial concepts, and given that I am only 1/3 through the reading I somehow doubt it will even be worth my time to go. Better aim for the next test date in December (sigh...)
- etc.

When I list it up it really doesn't seem like much, but given that my job takes the bulk of my days and nights, that right there leaves me little free time. (Sorry to complain! But I am starting to get tired of work, work, work....)

I will try to be better about blogging! How has everyone been?