Friday, February 01, 2008

It's February

Given that it is now past midnight on Thursday, January 31st, it is now officially February!

This past month has been challenging, and all the stressful stuff that has been happening at work has given me a stomachache (literally, unfortunately...I hope this isn't the beginning of an ulcer).

But!! One must look on the bright side. I think R and I might go to Kyoto this weekend (haven't decided yet). We have an trip to an onsen with friends planned this month. And every day of February is another step closer to spring.

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Every year around Valentine's Day I suddenly panic. Why? Because, as those of you who live in Japan know, Valentine's Day is (mysteriously) a day when *women* give chocolate to *men*, including men they work with but have no romantic feelings for (which is called "giri-choco"). At my last two jobs all of the females in the office banded together and said we would not buy the giri-choco, which has eliminated much of the headache that Valentine's Day used to be for me. But one source of panic remains.....what to get for R?!

Although he is slowly developing an appreciation for sweets, for the most part R is not a huge fan of chocolate or candy (as I write this I have to wonder how we have stayed together, because I could LIVE on chocolate and candy and be perfectly happy). If I buy him chocolate on Valentine's Day he thanks me, but then it tends to just sit around with only a few pieces eaten (in symbolic thanks, no doubt). I then feel upset that the chocolate is being wasted and that I wind up eating the chocolate that I bought for him, and I always feel more upset that I can never think of something better to give him that he would like but that would still be Valentine' s Day-ish.

Hmmmm....any suggestions? A couple of weeks ago I made carrot cupcakes and he gulped those down like they were going out of style, so I could make those. Decorating them with hearts or something would be cute, but come to think of it, although he loved the cupcakes he didn't like the frosting I made because it was "too sweet." *Sigh* How did two people with such very different tastes get together????

2 comments:

Mande said...

I hear ya, girl! I just bought 2 huge boxes of choco that were being marketed as "perfect for giri choco!". They taste so retched though! I was going to put them out for my daughter's birthday party as something the moms could eat, but now I am considering throwing them out.
And, as for what to make for R. Carrot cupcakes with namacream frosting might be good for him. I have yet to meet a Japanese person who does not like that stuff. And, any choco you buy for him is actually meant for you. This is probably the way it is with most couples!!!

kuri, ping, the pinglet, & mini-ping said...

Yes, any chocolate that you buy for him is really for you so you should definitely go all out. I just picked up something for DH that I thought looked good (for me, that is) :) I agree about the cupcakes...why don't you try that?

 
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