deenster in tokyo

Hope everyone's ok

2011-03-12T21:28:00.001+09:00

Don't know if anyone reads this, but I hope everything is ok where you are. The earthquake yesterday had everyone at work under their desks and wearing helmets. I had to walk home from work (about one and a half hours) but I was with a friend who stayed over because she lives too far to walk home, so we were together. I was worried about Ichigo, but she was ok. Stuff fell over in the apartment and all the drawers had flown open but it could have been much worse. Watching TV is horrible because the number of casualties keeps climbing. My thoughts are with everyone in northern Japan. Stay safe, everyone!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Rough times

2010-07-07T00:41:00.001+09:00

It has been a very rough few weeks here at our household, with health problems, a friend's sudden passing, another friend's childish behavior, and craziness at work. The one thing I find therapeutic is to come and brush Ichigo. She absolutely loves it and even falls asleep while being brushed. So cute!

Life with Ichigo

2010-06-09T12:08:00.000+09:00

We always had pets (usually dogs) when I was growing up, and having a dog now after years of not living with one had made me realize how much they can change your lifestyle. Since Ichigo came into our lives, we get up earlier, come home earlier, go to bed earlier, and are generally more relaxed. I have taken a strict approach to overtime and I now stay past six (which is still an hour of overtime) only when absolutely necessary. Of course I don't think my colleagues look upon this favorably - they are all there from 7am to 8pm every day whether they are busy or not. I think that's ridiculous.

Anyway, I was a bit nervous about how R would do with Ichigo because he has never had a dog. It turns out I didn't have to worry at all - they are best friends and he is absolutely enamored with her. I dread the day someone asks him to choose between me and the dog...

New addition

2010-06-07T17:44:00.001+09:00

Meet Ichigo! She is six years old. Up until a month ago she lived at a puppy mill where she was kept in a small cage with lots of dogs and had multiple litters of puppies. She was then taken in by a volunteer rescue group, and as of a week ago she is a member of our pack!

Can anyone explain this to me???

2010-05-05T21:52:00.000+09:00

This commercial comes on TV every once in a while and it makes my skin crawl every time it does. Can anyone explain why on earth video of a guy wearing too much foundation cruising around Dubai is supposed to make me want to have him do plastic surgery on me?!?!

I have lots of things to blog about, but I found this topic to be the most pressing issue at the moment.

No excuses

2010-04-13T00:31:00.000+09:00

It has been forever and a day since I blogged. I really have no excuse... I am going to make a list of the things that have happened since I last blogged so I can try to remember that I do have some things to blog about! If I am feeling ambitious I will try to write a post about each one in the coming weeks:

- Deenster and R got married! No ceremony yet, but legally we are hitched.
- Deenster and R bought a house! Well, a "mansion" technically. Deenster gets treated like absolute crap by the bank!
- Deenster works crazy hours on a huge project and sacrifices her social life! But on the bright side I got to go to Ireland twice for work.
- Deenster and R get rid of R's adorable car! A sad day even though we didn't use it much.
- And more.

Hope everyone is well!

Feeling bad

2010-01-15T13:23:00.002+09:00

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

2009-08-03T23:38:00.003+09:00

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

2009-07-05T23:27:00.002+09:00

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

2009-06-29T21:46:00.003+09:00

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

RIP

2009-06-27T02:07:00.002+09:00

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

2009-06-07T16:39:00.003+09:00

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

2009-06-02T23:56:00.003+09:00

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.

2009-06-02T23:44:00.003+09:00

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?

2009-04-25T00:05:00.001+09:00

Fun bento site

2009-04-05T12:09:00.003+09:00

I have been trying to take a bento to work once a week for both health/financial reasons. I did a little research on the internet for bento ideas and I found this site:

http://www.ajinomoto.co.jp/recipe/benri_recipe/index.html

Click through the pages to do a "bento simulation." Kind of fun!

Aprons

2009-03-29T17:50:00.001+09:00

I am going to a cooking class with a friend today. I have been to cooking classes in Japan before and have generally not liked them because of the emphasis on doing everything "right": the "right" way to cut veggies, the "right" way to hold things, etc. But when my friend invited me I thought I would give it a try.
Cooking classes here require you to bring an apron, and I didn't have one so R and I went to the 100 yen store yesterday and bought one. The picture above is R modeling it in his pajamas.
How does everyone feel about aprons? I had never seen a person in real life wear an apron (even on fingerpainting day at school we wore smocks, not aprons) until I came to Japan. None of my female relatives wore them, and even if they did I'm sure they wouldn't wear one in public. But in Japan housewives wear them a lot...to the supermarket, to the bus stop to drop off their kids in the morning...etc. It seems to be one of the many "uniforms" Japan has. A lot of women in my office wear them all day at work, though I honestly have no idea why...the dirtiest things people in our office handle are their computer keyboards.
I grew up viewing an apron as nothing more than a symbol of female oppresion and outdated gender roles. But the lack of negative connotations associated with the apron here in Japan has forced me to reexamine that. I will never wear one every day, but I am no longer against wearing one when cooking something messy or when cleaning. I do think, however, that aprons should not be limited to women only, which is why we bought an apron that is unisex enough for R to wear, too. :-)

Hmmm...

2009-03-26T23:06:00.004+09:00

Yet another high-level government official resigns. It's becoming a trend in this country!

http://home.kyodo.co.jp/modules/fstStory/index.php?storyid=430200

I'm really not sure what is "borderline" about this at all. An elected government official sells $6 million worth of stock in a company his brother owns in a private deal at almost twice the market price, all while he is supposed to be prohibited from trading stocks because he is a ministry (of finance, no less!) official? Sounds pretty clearcut to me. I do find it funny, however, that there is no penalty for breaking this rule...

I might start taking bets: "Which high-level official will resign next?!" Anyone up for it? Ha ha.

Testing

2009-03-26T22:47:00.000+09:00

Testing mobile blogging

Wonder what they'll do for Easter? :-)

2009-03-25T22:19:00.003+09:00

There is a super old kimono shop near our apartment that is always empty. I am amazed that they stay in business.

I love walking by the shop, however, because of the display window:

Valentine's Day:

Halloween:

How cool is it that they have a Halloween window display?!?!

If I ever need a kimono, I am definitely going here.

Random things about me #22-#25

2009-03-11T23:56:00.001+09:00

22. Japanese TV simutaneously disgusts and delights me. There is some great stuff, and some really awful stuff, and not much in between.

23. I *still* don't understand why central heating is not standard in Japan. Can someone please explain this to me?!

24. My ideal Saturday afternoon is a brand new magazine and a warm, frothy latte in a sunny, quiet cafe.

25. I miss my family and friends in the US and I am truly thankful for all the technological conveniences that allow me to keep in touch with them!

Random things about me #19-#21

2009-03-04T23:11:00.001+09:00

19. For some reason people in Japan always tell me that I look like Meg Ryan or Winona Ryder. I don't think I look anything like them.

20. I have an "outtie" bellybutton.

21. So far the most amazing place I have been to is Cambodia. Incredible things to see, friendly people, yummy food and a laid-back pace of life that was such a welcome change from Tokyo.

Random things about me #17-#18

2009-02-26T23:50:00.000+09:00

17. I lived in Sapporo for three years and it was a fabulous experience. Friendly people, awesome sights, incredible food, and some great friends. The city also gets 18 feet of snow a year, and surviving three winters of snow, snow, snow and ice, ice, ice was a great learning experience. People can truly adjust to just about anything.

18. I had numerous babysitting jobs from middle school throughout college, and I really enjoyed them. I taught day camps for four-year olds during summer vacation, nannied at Halloween parties, worked in a church nursery on Sundays, etc. I am also a Red Cross-certified babysitter and have the ID card to prove it. :-) I often wonder about the kids I babysat and what they are doing now.

Random things about me #14-#16

2009-02-25T20:49:00.000+09:00

14. Living in Japan was at first a bad influence on my body image because I couldn't find clothes/underwear/shoes/anything that fit me like it should, but I have stopped worrying about this and have found ways to get around it (certain stores with clothes cut to fit me, shopping in the US/Guam, etc.). I now have a much better body image than before.

15. When I am hungry I get cranky. Very cranky.

16. I used to hate coffee. Now I have to control myself.

Random things about me #11-#13

2009-02-24T20:48:00.000+09:00

11. I work in a field (finance) I swore I would never work in. This has turned out to be quite challenging and interesting, though, and I somewhat enjoy it (despite myself).

12. The movie "Nothing to Lose" makes me laugh no matter how many times I see it.

13. I started pilates a year ago and I love it, but I am the least flexible person in my class.

Random things about me #10

2009-02-23T20:00:00.000+09:00

10. My family always had pets when I was growing up, and I love dogs and cats. We bought a TV recently with a hard disk recorder and the first show I programmed it to record was "Pochi Tama," a show on Friday nights all about pets (last week's show included a French Bulldog who uses a wheelchair, a toy poodle who could do slam dunks, and a 28 year old cat named Kuro who is still as healthy as ever). I am a sucker for this stuff.

Random things about me #7-#9

2009-02-22T12:58:00.002+09:00

7. I can't stand blood and guts in movies. I cover my eyes. I also can't take horror movies.

8. I am horrible at keeping up with email. Most of my friends already know that.

9. I am an only child.

Random things about me #6

2009-02-22T12:57:00.000+09:00

6. I played the flute from third grade through high school graduation. I still have my flute, but I just don't get the chance to play it, mainly because I don't think my neighbors would appreciate that. I'm sure the pads in the keys are moldy now, and it pains me a bit every time I see the case. I wish I could practice somewhere without worrying about neighbors.

Random things about me #5

2009-02-19T23:22:00.000+09:00

5. One of my fondest memories from elementary school was getting free tickets to a Phoenix Suns game (we were living in Phoenix, AZ at the time) because I participated in the "Principal's Challenge" and recited all 50 states and their capitals.

Random things about me #4

2009-02-18T23:21:00.001+09:00

4. I excelled at math up until high school graduation. I was one of five people in my high school who exhausted our school's math class offerings by junior year, so our senior year of high school we took math at a university nearby. I don't know what happened after that...but now I can only remember the basics.

Random things about me #3

2009-02-17T23:20:00.000+09:00

3. Until I went away to college I could always see mountains in the distance from whatever house we lived in. After going to college in New York City I realized how much I missed seeing mountains, even if they were far away. Now we have an awesome view of Mt. Fuji (especially in the winter) from our apartment, and the first thing I do every morning is to look outside at Mt. Fuji.

Random things about me #2

2009-02-16T23:18:00.000+09:00

2. No matter how tired I am I take a multi-vitamin before I go to bed. I always used to forget to take my vitamins, and then I challenged myself a few years back to taking my vitamin every night for a month. Now I don't even think about it.

Random things about me #1

2009-02-15T23:13:00.001+09:00

I can't seem to keep up with my blog, so I have decided to try to give myself a bit of a chance to "catch up" by republishing something that is going around on Facebook (anyone else on Facebook?). I will try to publish one item from my list every day (please bear with me if I fall behind...). Warning: some of these are really random and not very interesting! :-)

1. I am perpetually late, though I have gotten much better about this in recent years. I do somehow manage to make it to work on time.

Bits and pieces

2009-01-14T22:08:00.002+09:00

- Happy New Year everyone!!! May 2009 be a fabulous year!

- My year-end trip home to the US turned out to be more complicated than I thought... I was looking forward to 14 hours in Honolulu, but the weather was so bad in Seattle that a gate agent recommended I fly standby to Seattle ASAP and not risk getting stuck. So I flew standby to Seattle, but unfortunately I couldn't get any flights out of Seattle to my final destination. A friend from college put me up for the night (a lifesaver!) and early the next morning I went back to the airport to find an absolute MADHOUSE. Security lines of more than 90 mins long just to get in the airport (backed up to the parking lot!), crazed people (understandably) who wanted out of the airport after some of them had spent three days waiting for cancelled flights, etc. And unfortunately the NWA staff in the US were *nothing* like the friendly, helpful gate agents at Narita who really went above and beyond. I am definitely going to write a letter to NWA to compliment their Narita staff!

- My trip home was good, but I was sooooooo tired. I had a lot of fun, though!!!

- Work since I have been back has been....well...work.

- R and I did a major clutter cleanout this weekend, and now our apartment is finally shaping up! The living room is so clean it feels a little like sitting in someone else's apartment! But now the real challenge is to keep it this clean.

- Today a professor at Chuo University was stabbed to death. Awful. This professor was actually a client of R's, and R just met with him last week. He said this professor was an incredibly warm, friendly, and kind man, and he is shocked that something like this happened. I feel sorry for this man's family. How awful.

The journey begins

2008-12-22T18:37:00.004+09:00

Well, my decluttering rampage over the weekend was somewhat successful. I still have a ways to go, but I think I made a dent! Better than nothing, right? :-)

I am now at Narita Airport. I was supposed to have left four hours ago to go home to the US, but my flight was cancelled because of bad weather on the west coast. After a run-around with the Northwest Airlines customer service number (who told me I had to contact my travel agent to find another flight) and a frustrating call to the travel agent (who told me only Northwest Airlines could help me!) I finally got excellent help from three wonderful Northwest coutner agents who took an hour and a half to try to find an alternate flight for me. I will definitely be sending NWA a customer comment card about how helpful those three were!

In the end I can leave today, but I have to spend 14 hours in Honolulu and then another 11 hours in Seattle! 14 hours in Honolulu normally wouldn't be bad at all, but considering that I am dressed for ultimate winter weather and wearing ankle boots, I wish it were under different circumstances! Oh well. I also called a friend in Seattle, and it sounds like she might be able to come meet me at the airport! So this little unexpected trip might not be so bad after all.

I have a long journey ahead of me, so I bought two extra shirts at the Uniqlo in Narita. Too bad i won't be able to shower for more than 48 hours!

Any tips for things I can do in Honolulu in 14 hours wearing ankle boots and a turtleneck while suffering from jet lag?????

Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season!!!

Decluttering madness!!!!

2008-12-20T15:31:00.002+09:00

Our apartment is definitely not tidy. It isn't dirty, but it is very cluttered. Part of it is because it is too small (like 99% of the apartments in this country, so I can't use that as an excuse), and part of it is because we both have too much stuff.

With the new year coming up, I am going to try to do something about this! I won't get the whole apartment done today, but I am determined to make a dent. I found this great list at the flylady.net site:

Things to ask yourself as you get rid of your clutter:
- Do I love this item?
- Have I used it in the past year?
- Is it really garbage?
- Do I have another one that is better?
- Should I really keep two?
- Does it have sentimental value that causes me to love it?
- Or does it give me guilt and make me sad when I see this item?

Wish me luck!!!

Favorite websites

2008-12-16T00:04:00.003+09:00

Hope everyone had a great Tuesday!

I was thinking last night about the websites I usually visit and how I tend to have a few that are my favorites. There is so much out on the internet that sometimes it can be overwhelming, but here are my favorite sites that I check regularly!

- http://www.flickr.com/
I am wayyyyyyyyy behind with uploading photos, but I love Flickr! It's so much fun to share photos with family and friends this way.

- http://www.amazon.co.jp/ and http://www.amazon.com/
I use Amazon.co.jp for books as much as possible to save on shipping costs, and I have been able to sell quite a few used books on there, too! For everything else, though, I look at Amazon.com. These two sites get way too much of my money...

- http://www.facebook.com/
I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook....there is so much cyberdrama that happens on there. But it is a great way to keep in touch.

- http://www.makeupalley.com/
I check this site before I buy any new makeup products to see what people are saying about them! I love the product reviews, and I have written quite a few myself. Great site!

- www.dogeared.com
I love to "window shop" (ha ha) at this site because their jewelry is so adorable! Very creative designs. My friend has the wishbone necklace and it is so sweet!!! Perfect place to daydream.

Hmmm...that is my list of the top of my head. What are your favorite sites?

The two posts below

2008-12-11T23:45:00.003+09:00

The two posts below are two designs I made for a digital camcorder that I want. Which design do you like? The photo I took on the beach at Phuket or the photo of my favorite dog in the world (my mom's dog). You can click on the photos to see bigger sizes...though then you will also see the price, which is definitely not cheap...

Flip Mino Camcorder

2008-12-11T22:19:00.001+09:00

Flip Mino Camcorder with Personalized Design - Available only at www.theflip.com. Check out this unique Flip Mino design. The Flip Mino camcorder combines remarkable video quality in a pocket-sized package. Now personalizable - create yours

View >>

Flip Mino Camcorder

2008-12-11T22:12:00.001+09:00

View >>

The experiment has already failed

2008-12-11T00:05:00.002+09:00

So far my experiment has already failed seeing as I didn't write a post yesterday - oops! But I have an excuse...I was at the office until 8pm and I had an awful migraine, so I just came home and crashed.

And tonight it is unfortunately already past my bedtime so I think it is time for me to turn off the computer.

In other news, has anyone read any good books lately? I read Then She Found Me by Elinor Lipman, and I really liked it. Apparently it is now a film with Helen Hunt and Better Midler...wonder when it will come out in Japan?!

December

2008-12-08T22:28:00.005+09:00

Unfortunately this blog has become somewhat of a monthly update since I am so bad at updating! So I have a new strategy for today...I have lots of things to update on, but I am going to do only one at a time in the hopes that I will come back tomorrow and update again! We'll see if it works.

Guam

Guam in November was AWESOME! Really, truly great. I can't believe I didn't go sooner. American stores, American prices, and best of all, American sizes!! All just three and a half hours away. R and I had a great time shopping, snorkeling, and eating, and just enjoying the beautiful weather.

Thanks to Gina's blog, I had a list of places I wanted to go, and we were able to hit nearly all of them! Micronesia Mall was GREAT! Thank you, Gina!

Our hotel was the Guam Plaza, which was by no means luxurious. But we were barely at the hotel anyway, and it was in a fabulous location for first-timers to Guam. And because the hotel wasn't luxurious, we were able to score a really cheap package plan through HIS! So no complaints at all!

We will definitely go back. Even R, who claims to hate shopping, had a great time at the stores and of course on the beach. Can't wait to go again!

P.S. To any fellow Shu Uemura addicts out there....the price of Shu Uemura cleansing oil at the DFS Galleria in Guam is HALF the price you pay in Japan! Definitely cheaper than anywhere else.

Another wild Saturday night

2008-10-25T22:52:00.002+09:00

It's 11:00pm on a Saturday night, and here I am the computer surfing the internet and watching DVDs in my pajamas while drinking a beer. R is in the next room trying to catch up on some zzz's because he hasn't been able to sleep well the past week and is exhausted.

Yes, it's another crazy Saturday night - ha.

Actually, I haven't had a beer at home by myself in a long time....a very long time! But I found out today that the sharp pain I am feeling in my neck when I turn it a certain way is actually a sprain, and the doctor told me I had to take it easy. "Your disks in your neck aren't in great condition anyway, and I'm guessing you got really tired this week and then this happened. You can't get yourself this tired....it's going to go straight to your neck every time," he told me. I have been seeing him for five years, so I trust his judgment.

So not being one to disobey doctor's orders, I "took it easy" tonight by having R meet me at the station after my doctor appointment and whisk me off (in his tiny little power blue car...I love that car - that's a topic for another post) to our favorite Indian restaurant. We stuffed ourselves with curry (which gets better every time we go there!) and samosas, and then once we got home I immediately plopped myself on the couch with DVDs.

Without going into too many details, last week at work was hellish, though miraculously I got a lot of work done so I have quite a bit to show for all of the overtime hours. Next week promises to be even MORE hellish (as if that were possible!) and I have meetings starting at 6pm or later every day except Friday. ARGH. Meetings starting at 6pm means that if I am *lucky* I get to leave the office at 8pm. ARGH.

There aren't enough hours in the day.

But Friday I really *must* leave early because....we are taking a spontaneous trip to Guam!!! Yay!

Hope everyone is having a good weekend.

Where's the beef?

2008-10-14T22:41:00.005+09:00

So I read an article about how Eva Longoria is apparently now "defending" her "new, rounder figure" (as if she is its lawyer or something....). The photo offered as proof of this was:

Hmmm...I see nothing here that needs defending. In fact, if she is getting crap for looking like this, I am surprised I haven't been arrested by now for disturbing the peace.

Sick, sick standards of beauty for women!

Another great video

2008-10-13T22:28:00.001+09:00

Another too-funny TIna Fey video. I especially love the "lifelines" bit! :-)

Too funny

2008-10-09T21:33:00.001+09:00

This video cracks me up!!! Tina Fey is hilarious.

Flowers

2008-10-02T23:14:00.003+09:00

On my way home from work tonight I noticed an unexpected thing. In the middle of the packed train, I found myself admiring how pretty the lights on the buildings passed looked as they hit the surface of the river as the train passed.

This is unexpected because for most of the last four years I have been in hellish jobs, and my evening train rides home were most often spent trying to calm myself down from the stress and frustration of my day and push all those work-related thoughts out of my head so my evening could be as relaxing as possible. I almost never succeeded.

My current job is certainly not perfect, and there are some things about it that are highly stressful and frustrating. But for some reason I feel like I have more capacity to enjoy things now than I have had in a long time. Maybe it's not just the job...maybe it's just that the stars are aligned right...maybe it's just that I've gotten older and learned how to deal better. But despite all the work-related stress of my new job and all of the non-work-related stressful events that have happened over the last year and are still not over, I finally am able to stop and smell the flowers. It's as if my mind has room to breathe. I just have to learn to maintain this through whatever other stress that comes my way. I still have a lot of flowers to smell.

Hokkaido

2008-09-24T23:58:00.009+09:00

It's been a busy couple of weeks! Lots of changes: R is changing jobs (more on that later), I am still getting used to my new job, etc., etc. So how best to deal with these changes? To take a super cheap trip to Hokkaido! :-)

R and I both lived in Hokkaido (that's where we met) and it is super relaxing for both of us to go there and hang out. This time we spent some time in Sapporo and some in Hidaka. Beautiful, amazing weather the whole time and fabulous food made for a great trip. We spent a night at an onsen (and a cheap one at that!), went horseback riding, went to a lake, and more. So much fun!

Blue, blue sky

Wide open spaces and flowers

Horses!!

P.S. The photos above were taken with our new camera!

Quick reminder

2008-09-16T22:10:00.002+09:00

A quick reminder to all Americans living overseas to please register to vote! It is very easy to do from this website:
www.votefromabroad.org
Deadlines are coming up, so please act quickly!

Where did my three-day weekend go?!

2008-09-15T23:08:00.006+09:00

Well, the three-day weekend is almost over. Hard to believe it went by so quickly!

R and I had a nice weekend. We ran errands, did some shopping, ate at a couple of our favorite restaurants, and cleaned up around the apartment a little.

I also (finally) finished embroidering a towel I had been working on for a while! I'm still a beginner embroiderer, so my work isn't very precise, but it was a lot of fun. The designs are from Sublime Stitching.

An apple jumping for joy. I don't know what she is so happy about, but I would rather have a happy apple than a sad one.

I am actually not a fan of onions, especially when raw, but I do think they make a rather yummy pair with carrots, especially in stews and soups.

These two citrus characters just brought to mind retirees in sunny Florida learning the cha cha and having fun in the sun.

I also embroidered a tomato, but it has a small stain next to it on the towel and the picture isn't very pretty.

So it is back to work tomorrow, but it's a short week! Yay! Hope everyone had a nice weekend.

P.S. My thoughts go out to everyone who works at Lehman Brothers. It's gotta suck to have your company file for bankruptcy and then be left in the lurch. I emailed a friend who works there and his response was, "It's a sad situation." I know Lehman has a lot of dedicated and talented employees, so it truly is a sad situation.

In a funk

2008-09-13T00:32:00.000+09:00

I don't what it is, but lately I have really been in a funk. Is it because the past two months have been incredibly busy? Is it because I'm tired and I am trying to adjust to a new schedule getting up earlier for work? Is it some kind of post-job change stress catching up with me? Not sure, but I wish I could find a way to recharge myself. This weekend is a three-day weekend, though, and it might be just what I need!

In other news, H&M opened in Ginza today! I was actually in Ginza to meet some friends and was tempted to go, but I talked myself out of it. I knew it would be ultra-crowded and I wasn't in the mood to go be pushed around by strangers. But all the people in Ginza with H&M bags made me really, really want to go! I *really* hope they have a decent selection of sizes.

Today I met up with my former boss and two former coworkers. He has left the company and will be moving to northern Japan for another job. We dished about the rumors and gossip we have all heard about people in the company....so much has happened at that place! It's truly like a soap opera, and I am glad I got out. It was not a healthy place to be, despite all the amazing people who are there. I did make a lot of really great friends there, though, so I don't regret working there at all. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right? :-)

What????

2008-09-01T21:36:00.004+09:00

I'm watching the Prime Minister declare his intention to resign on TV right now, and I really don't get it. What happened? Just today he was in a light grey pantsuit promoting disaster awareness! Why doesn't he just dissolve the Cabinet if he's not happy with the LDP?

Another Prime Minister without a backbone??

I'm a horrible blogger.

2008-08-16T17:23:00.002+09:00

Ugh. I am such a horrible blogger. So much has happened since my lazy days of summer in June making sun dried tomatoes, but instead of writing about that I will write about something totally mundane: broccoli.

This is a photo of broccoli out on the town. Back in May before I changed jobs, on my way to work I transferred to the Hibiya Line at Hibiya Station one rainy morning. As I walked down the crowded platform I thought I saw an empty seat on the bench, which I was determined to get because there are never any open seats at Hibiya Station in the mornings. But when I got closer I saw that it was just some broccoli hanging out. Broccoli at 8:30am in a station that has absolutely no supermarkets around it... I wish broccoli could talk so I could ask it how it got there.

Gyoza galore

2008-06-22T22:59:00.001+09:00

Gyoza galore
Originally uploaded by deena_in_tokyo

R and I were on a short road trip this weekend and we drove through part of Tochigi last night. Tochigi is famous for gyoza so this was our dinner. Yum!

Some of the best buys I have ever made

2008-06-20T15:54:00.003+09:00

1. My region-free DVD player that I bought on the internet for 5000 yen. It is made by some no-name manufacturer that I have never heard of and it is mainly flimsy plastic, but it has seen me through over four years of almost constant use. Buying this really expanded my options DVD-wise and has allowed me to see a lot of shows not available on DVD in Japan. Thank you, cheapo DVD player!!

2. Diner Dash 2, a computer game I bought at WalMart in the US for $10. This has provided hours of mindless (and I mean really mindless) but great fun. I love this game!!

3. My clothes dryer. I bought this used for 10,000 yen four and a half years ago, and it has been well worth it. It is getting old and could give up the ghost at any time, but it has made my life so much easier, especially in the rainy season! Of course electric clothes dryers aren't exactly environmentally friendly...but my sanity was worth it, especially when I lived in Urayasu in a little tiny shoebox with no room to hang clothes. Thank you, clothes dryer! I look forward to more years together.

4. Our dishwasher. It takes up a lot of counter space and it wasn't cheap, but it has more than paid for itself in reducing the number of arguments R and I have about the dishes!! Unfortunately it is not as high-powered as I would like and sometimes we have to wash a few cups twice, but it has made things much more peaceful between us when it comes to chores. Worth its weight in gold!

Pleasant surprise

2008-06-19T19:14:00.002+09:00

Until last week I had been using the same Toshiba Dynabook laptop for five years, and every time I had used it in the past year I wanted to throw it out the window because it was so slow. One of the mouse buttons on the computer (hard to explain) broke, so I could no longer do right-clicks. Then one day last week it took me several minutes to open Internet Explorer, and that was the final straw.

R and I headed to Bic Camera and found that the computer I had my eye on for a while had gone down in price! It still was a large chunk of money, though, so we tried to negotiate with the sales clerk to get the price down further (tacky, I know), but all we got for our efforts was a 1GB memory stick and a Toshiba note pad (not bad, I guess). But I went ahead and bought the computer anyway.

I took a week to transfer data and clear files off of my old computer, which took an unbearably long time to do. When everything was complete, we took it to Sofmap to see if they would buy it. It was dirty, and as I said one of the buttons was broken, so I told myself I would be happy if they would just take it off my hands for free. Much to my surprise, they paid me 22,000 yen for it!!!! Wow...completely unexpected, but very welcome.

Needless to say, dinner was on me today. :-)

In a tomato mood

2008-06-10T17:02:00.006+09:00

Tomatoes are everywhere right now. I am not a vegetable (fruit?) expert, but they must be in season.

The tomatoes I see in the supermarket have all been so beautiful (and on sale to boot!) that I can't resist buying them. So...it's tomato week at our house!

Yesterday I made curry-flavored tomato ratatouille for dinner. Today I got inspired by a TV show I saw this morning and decided to try my hand at making dried tomatoes. The results looked like this:

The one I sampled was quite good!

Dinner will be spaghetti with olive oil, garlic, parsley, and...you guessed it! Dried tomatoes.

I also made tomato bread, which I think we'll be having for dinner as well.

This was shot to hide the slice at the back that I cut off because I couldn't resist taking a sample. I wish I could link to a scent, because the aroma of this baking was fantastic!

Unfortunately I am not skilled enough to turn tomatoes into a dessert...any ideas? :-)

P.S. Thank you for the wishes for my friend. She had a 13-hour surgery last Thursday that was apparently more complicated than the doctors aniticipated. She is doing well, however, and sent me an email today from her phone!

Update

2008-05-26T22:07:00.001+09:00

Well, yet again it's been forever and a day since I have updated my blog. I won't even try to make excuses.

My friend who found out she has a brain tumor is doing ok. She was hospitalized for a while, and she is now at home resting until her surgery on June 5. She is understandably nervous about the surgery, as I guess with brain tumors the doctors don't really know how bad it is until they get in and try to take it out. The doctors can't give her any guarantees about paralysis or anything else that might result. We'll see. She is a really positive person, thank goodness, and it is really amazing to watch her go through this with such grace.

In other news, I am changing jobs. My last day at work is June 3 and then my next gig starts on July 1. I'm nervous about the new job, but it's no use looking back now that I have made my decision. Wish me luck!

On an unrelated note, I read with sadness that ex-TBS announcer Ako Kawada commited suicide today. I really didn't know who she was, but I do recognize her face from TV. The article said that her blog had been filled with entries for the past few weeks about how down she was feeling and about how she didn't want to even go to work anymore. I can't help but think that this woman probably suffered from depression and her life might have been saved if someone had encouraged her to get help. Of course, it's very possible that someone did try and she refused, but either way it's sad.

With wishes for a friend

2008-04-09T23:49:00.008+09:00

I have been at my current job for a year, and while it has its ups and downs and I'm not sure how long I will stay, I will never regret joining the company because of two wonderful friends I have made there, S and T. All three of us joined at the same time, and we hit it off immediately. We support each other, cheer each other up, and encourage each other to take on new challenges. It feels as though we have known each other for years. We are truly great friends.

Today one of those friends (T) got some bad news.

I wasn't at my desk when it happened, but apparently this morning T was suddenly unable to see out of one eye and felt nauseous and collapsed. S (who sits closeby) rushed to her desk and called an ambulance. T was rushed to the hospital, the right side of her body numb, and vomiting and unable to see the whole trip. S went with her and called T's family.

This evening T's mother called to let us know that T would not be staying overnight in the hospital. However, an MRI showed a brain tumor...

A brain tumor?! How is this possible???? T is still in her 30s and one of the most genki and healthy people I know.

T is going to have more tests done on Friday to determine if the tumor is malignant or not. While it is of course too early to know what is going to happen, S and I are shocked.

My birthday is coming up and R keeps asking me what I want. I couldn't decide on anything, but after today I know the only thing I want: for T to get well.

Cambodia, day three highlights

2008-04-07T22:18:00.008+09:00

Our third day in Cambodia started leisurely. We got up and enjoyed breakfast at the hotel (included in our package) and then hung out at the pool!

Besides for the two obnoxious old men there, we had fun just hanging out and swimming.

After lounging at the pool, we headed for Tonle Sap, the largest lake in Southeast Asia. It was about a 30 minute drive out of the city on extremely bumpy, dusty roads. I'm glad we were in a car and not a tuk-tuk like most of the other tourists we saw on the way!

Tonle Sap has a floating village with over 5000 people living on the lake. Most of them make their living from fishing, but I imagine most of them are extremely poor.

The lake is fairly popular with tourists (though there weren't nearly as many as at the other sites in Siem Reap), so boats with villagers selling drinks and souvenirs pull up next to the tourist boats and try to pressure them to buy something. This was a boat that was just leaving ours. Notice that the little girl has a snake around her neck! She wanted people to give her money for taking pictures. The little boy rowing the boat was old enough to be in school and it was a weekday...

The lake also has a place with crocodiles!

It was hard to capture it on camera, but the lake was a really beautiful place.

On the road back to the city we passed numerous houses. This was a typical one (albeit a nicer one), and I think it speaks for itself. Cambodia is not a wealthy country. In fact, according to JICA, 80% of the population lives on less than $2 a day.

We then went to the Old Market in Siem Reap (forgot to take any pictures!) and then headed to dinner. We decided to splurge at a really nice place, but even then it was only $11 a person for a full-course meal, including this amazing fruit salad.

Unfortunately that was our last day, and after dinner we headed to the airport. We had an uneventful flight to Seoul, but the Seoul airport was freezing and the five hours we had to wait in the Seoul airport (from 4:30am to 9:30am...that's what you get for buying a cheap ticket!) were very, very cold.

My impressions of Cambodia: some of the friendliest people I have ever encountered, fabulous food, unforgettable sights, and a reminder that there is so much in this world is that is unfair. I would love to go back, and next time maybe for a short-term volunteer opportunity instead of just sightseeing.

It was hard to go back to work after this vacation...

Cambodia, day two highlights

2008-04-01T22:17:00.012+09:00

Day two started with breakfast at the hotel, and then it was off to see more sights!

We spent most of the day on the outskirts of Siem Reap. This was a scene from the road out of the city after we got past Angkor Wat. Buses, donkeys, elephants, bicycles, etc... you see anything and everything on Cambodian roads.

We then climbed Pre Rup, a temple older than Angkor Wat. It was still early in the day and the climb up the temple felt great in the sun.

Next was a visit to Banteay Samre, a temple built almost like a smaller-scale Angkor Wat. This was a fun place to explore, but what I remember most is the little girl outside the gates trying to sell scarves. She couldn't have been more than seven, but her smile and her enthusiasm were signs of natural-born charm that set her apart from all the other kids we saw in Cambodia peddling stuff to tourists. I wound up buying a scarf from her for a dollar, though I later wondered if I should have just given her a dollar and told her to go to school. Dilemma.

Last on the itinerary for the morning was Banteay Srei. This was an amazing place because of the beautiful, intricate carvings that cover it. Hard to believe these carvings have been around more than one thousand years.

It was then back to the city (Siem Reap) for lunch. We had amok fish, a steamed fish dish that is at nearly every restaurant in Cambodia. We were lazy so we ate at the restaurant in the hotel, which was quite overpriced. But even at ridiculous hotel prices, we had fish, curry, rice, and drinks for $8 a person.

After lunch we spent some time at the pool, and then headed into the city for shopping and to search for a restaurant for dinner! We got there in a tuk-tuk, a motorcycle-powered rickshaw. This was the view from the back. Unfortunately this picture doesn't capture the crazy traffic that we were in the middle of...lane lines that are more suggestions that rules, horns blaring, dust, people crossing the street right in front of cars....I LOVED it!!

As we headed into town in our tuk-tuk and watched the sun go down over Siem Reap, I almost felt like bursting with joy. I had *finally* made it to Cambodia, a place I had been wanting to visit for so long. There I was with R on a warm night, enjoying ourselves immensely and amazed at the youthfulness and energy of this country that had undergone such a remarkable transformation. I felt extremely lucky to be there, and more than that, unbelievably happy.

Cambodia, day one highlights

2008-03-31T22:22:00.015+09:00

Rather than starting another blog post about how I don't post enough, I thought I would go ahead and just jump into some photos of our trip to Cambodia!

The morning after we arrived, we got up early and went to watch the sun rise over Angkor Wat.

It was a clear day and so warm....such a nice change from the wind, rain, and cold in Tokyo:

We then went to Bayon, which was truly an incredible place. Amazing reliefs showing daily life, huge towers with faces representing the 49 cities of Cambodia that existed when Bayon was built, and just really amazing architecture.

This group was posing for photos with tourists, but I liked this picture of them talking together better.

We then had mango shaved ice. It was much bigger than we expected, and very yummy!

Next was Ta Prohm, a site that has apparently been left in pretty much the same condition it was found in. This place, with trees growing over the walls, gives you a sense of just how old the ruins are.

It was then back to Angkor Wat for a full viewing of the site.

We watched the sun set from Phnom Bakheng. The best part of the place was the view of Angkor Wat in the distance, and the fabulous people watching - there were lots of people waiting for the sun to go down. The climb up the hill was pretty tough with the steep steps, and the way down was even harder!

I have lots more photos of day one, but those are the highlights. Oh, and here's a bonus shot for anyone interested:

While walking around I stepped in cow dung...and it was fresh...and green! This photo was taken after I wiped off as much as I could. I washed my shoes after I got back, but I'm afraid my shoes will never be the same. A little souvenir for myself?!

It's been a long time

2008-03-23T21:26:00.002+09:00

It has yet once again been forever since I've written anything on my blog. I'm surprised I even remembermy Blogger password!

Things have been busy. My boss told me I need to "work more overtime," which is absolutely ridiculous as I already work more hours than are necessary, not to mention the fact that I get to the office every day before anyone else in my section (not that it's a content or anything, but give me some credit!). Work just generally sucks. Time to make another move? I haven't decided yet, but I do know that there is no light-waiting-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel where I am now. It's this or nothing.

One very bright spot, though, was the trip that R and I took to Cambodia last week! I will be posting photos for sure. If you haven't been to Cambodia, I highly recommend going!

I'm in love.

2008-02-25T22:55:00.004+09:00

Back in December I had time to kill at Narita so I stopped in one of the duty-free shops. I saw the Shu Uemura counter when I walked in the store, so I decided to take a look around. I wound up buying a mini-size bottle of their cleansing oil since I had read so much about it in magazines, and I must say...it has made washing my face fun!

I have always had slightly oily skin so I have shied away from oil cleansers, but this is different. It makes my skin feel so smooth and soft after I use it, and it removes makeup easily and completely. And there's no need to cleanse again after using it! Perfect. I am in love.

The only problem is...*ahem*....the price. It's an expensive habit, so I had better not fall too far.

It's February

2008-02-01T00:56:00.001+09:00

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????

The dinner problem

2008-01-28T23:55:00.000+09:00

Yes, once again I have gone forever without blogging. I have no excuse and therefore I won't even try making one.

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Things have been good since R and I started living together in October. We work well as a team (for the most part) so I can truly say it's been a fun experience to get settled in, work out where to put furniture, etc. The apartment is of course a work in progress (and probably will be for a while), but it's coming together.

The one thing we haven't worked out yet, though, is dinner. Both of us work, and unfortunately both of us work in offices where it is considered a slow day if you are able to leave at 6pm. I have really gotten fed up with this mentality (as has R), but I will save that rant for another day.

But since neither of us can really leave the office until 7:00 or so, it is usually about 8:00 when we get home. And the prospect of coming home and then starting dinner, meaning that we won't eat until around 9:00, is not appealing for either of us. (And that doesn't even figure in time to stop at the store and buy ingredients...)

So what is the solution? We have pretty much been eating out every night. This is of course not entirely economical, but our neighborhood has a lot of cheap restaurants. But more than that, I don't think it is very healthy. We need to eat more vegetables and fresh foods and reduce oil and fat, which is hard to do when you eat out every day.

What does everyone else do? Make meals ahead of time and freeze them? Use a crock pot? I'd like to hear your ideas!!

People, people, people

2007-11-28T21:54:00.000+09:00

I know this is a given since this is Tokyo and all, but...

For the past few days I just can't stop noticing how many people there are in this city!!

It especially strikes me on the train. My train is very crowded during rush hour (what train isn't, right?), but more than that what surprises me is the shinkansen! The shinkansen run on the track next to my train, and no matter what time of the day (morning, noon, night!) or what day of the week (weekdays, weekends!) the shinkansen are PACKED. Packed as in not an empty seat on the whole train. And the shinkansen run several times an hour...during busy times on the weekend, even once every 5-6 minutes!! Where is everyone going all the time??? And why don't they take me? :-)

I also notice the number of people in this city when I get off the subway to go to work. If I don't ride in the (jam-packed) car nearest the exit at my office's station, I have to wait in line to get up the stairs and out of the station. But...that's a story for another day.

People, people, people!

He passed!

2007-11-06T21:42:00.000+09:00

Today R got the results for the third of a series of three tests he took to become a benrishi (patent attorney) in Japan. He passed!!!!!!

(Of course, this means that he essentially studied four years for the privilege to pay $200 a month to be allowed to use the certification....smirk.)

He has studied for nearly four years for these exams, and only 10% of people who take each exam pass. The fact that he passed all three this year makes him one of only 500 people who are awarded the certification each year.

I'm so proud of him!!

Now if I only knew what I want to be when I grow up...

Vera Drake

2007-10-13T23:11:00.001+09:00

I just watched one of the best films I have seen in years: Vera Drake.

This has already been out a while, so I'm sure many of you have seen it, but if you haven't, GO RENT IT!!! This is superbly acted, and it is one of the best portraits of a family I have seen in a long time. Imelda Staunton as Vera is truly incredible, and the way her husband (played by Phil Davis) supports her throughout the film had me teary-eyed to the end...really a touching performance and story all-around.

Hello...???

2007-10-08T13:26:00.000+09:00

Not sure if anyone is reading this anymore, but I am still here. Sorry for the hiatus.

A lot has happened in the last two months...

1) R and I went to New York for a week on free business class plane tickets. Awwwww jyeah. Not sure I'll ever be able to fly economy again (though I'll have to). NYC of course never fails to deliver, and we had an awesome time.

2) R was transferred to the Kanto area!! We had been waiting for years (literally) for this. He was given one month's notice of his transfer, and it just so happened that three weeks of that month he was scheduled to participate in a three-week training in Tokyo. So it was insane...house-hunting, arranging for movers, etc. But we wound up moving into the first place we were introduced at the first realtor we went to. So...as of one week ago, we live together! :-)

3) R passed the second exam of the qualification exam he is taking. YAY!!! But that means he has the third (and final) exam to take on the 15th. He's pretty stressed.

4) We had major organizational changes at work and I now have a new boss. Whether this is a positive or negative thing remains to be seen, but I am trying to be optimistic.

So....lots of changes here. 2007 has been a wild and crazy year so far!!

Random stuff (again)

2007-08-06T23:30:00.000+09:00

1. I ripped big hunks of skin off of two of my toes on a sharp part of my sliding glass door handle on Friday. Ouch! This of course happened when I was late for work. Needless to say, I wound up being quite late for work.

2. R and I both got sick to our stomachs on Saturday and had to miss two parties. Sorry, Tari!

3. On my way home tonight a random guy passed me and said (in English), "Hello, Sexy." BIZARRE! I was so surprised that it didn't even freak me out.

4. R and I are going to NYC on Thursday! YAY!! But so much to do before then...*sigh*

Hope everyone is well!

Random stuff

2007-07-09T23:11:00.000+09:00

Just some random stuff...

1. I went to a wedding on Saturday. It was a lot of fun and a very intimate affair (only 30 people including the bridge and groom!) so I was very honored to be invited. I must say, though, it was easily the most disorganized wedding I have ever been to. The ceremony took place in a restaurant with a dinner and party to follow, and the brdige and groom didn't even decide where in the restaurant they wanted to do the ceremony until the priest asked them (and everyone was already seated and watching). I was also way overdressed...I didn't realize there would be people there in crocs and shorts. Ooops. The bridge and groom really seemed to enjoy themselves, though, which is the important thing.

2. I've been trying to clean up my apartment recently (which is a very long process) and I have been selling stuff online. It's kind of a pain because you have to deal with some unreasonable buyers, but I think I'm kind of hooked! Wish I could do this every day.

3. I cannot wait for the three-day weekend coming up!

4. I went to lunch at a friend's place and noticed that she was wiping all the dishes with newspaper before she washed them. I asked why and she said that was to remove the oil so she doesn't need to use as much soap and water when she washes them. Wow...I'm not sure I can go that far, but I am trying to be a little more environmentally-conscious these days. I try to put a small tote bag in my purse so I don't need to get plastic bags at the grocery store. I try to turn off lights and try not to use more water than I need to. I try to open the window and bear the heat instead of just turning on the air conditioner. I recycle every piece of paper that I get rid of. But I'm having trouble thinking of other things... What do you do to be environmentally-conscious?

I was tagged!

2007-06-12T00:10:00.000+09:00

I have been away from my computer and regular blog reading for so long that I didn't even notice I had been tagged by both Montchan and Tari! Sorry, ladies. I need to get back on the bandwagon.

Here are the rules, copied from Tari:
1. I have to post these rules before I give you the facts.
2. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
3. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
4. At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
5. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged, and to read your blog.

So, here goes...
1) I hate mushrooms. I can handle almost any kind of mushroom commonly found in Japan (shiitake, enoki, eringi, etc.), but the brown mushrooms used in the US a lot I just cannot get down. There's something about the texture that makes me gag. After years of hating them, I have also developed the uncanny ability to sniff them out no matter how finely they are chopped or how well they are disguised.

2) Housecleaning is not my strong point, but I love, love, love doing laundry. Love it!! I love folding and putting away freshly clean clothes. This has become especially true since I bought a clothes dryer, a machine which changed my life. Clothes dryers are not as common in Japan as they are in the US, and trying to hang dry my clothes in my tiny apartment on yet another rainy Tokyo day four years ago made me snap. I went to a used appliance store and bought one for 10,000 yen, and I have been a happy camper ever since. Not so good for the environment, but it did wonders for my sanity.

3) I am not great about keeping in touch, though I doubt that most of you reading this find that to be any surprise. :-) I really want to be better about this.

4) I have the same middle name as my mother. I imagine if I have a daughter someday I will give her the same middle name, too.

5) I have a rather large birthmark on my left calf that I share with my mother, and her mother had it, too. All three of us have it in the same exact spot and it is the same shape and size. None of my mother's male siblings have this. Very bizarre.

5) My father is an identical twin. I have never found that to be that interesting simply because I grew up with it, but everyone else seems to find it interesting so I'll add it in. :-)

6) I gained about 18 pounds during the two years I spent at my last job (which I left in March). I don't consider myself to necessarily be fat, but I became very concerned about my health. I joined a gym in April (unfortunately my new job has been so busy that I'm lucky if I get there once a week) and I am trying to slowly change my eating habits little by little so I make healthy choices but still enjoy all the delights that food has to offer. Oh, and the "eat breakfast every day" experiment I was trying has stuck...I still eat it every day!

7) I go to bed much too late for my own good. This has become a vicious circle. I feel cheated of free time because I have to work late, and I wind up staying up too late and sickly justify it by saying that I am "unwinding." But then I am sleep deprived and cranky, and it becomes difficult to deal with stress at work in the most efficient way possible. As a result, I wind up staying at work later. Gotta nip this in the bud.

8) I used to babysit for a family with the last name "deButts."

I don't think I have eight people reading this blog, so it will be difficult for me to tag eight people... But, here's the best I can do (and please play along only if you choose to):

Ali - I miss you, Ali!
Mayuko - Tell us about what's going on Bangkok!
Gina - Thanks for always checking in on my blog!
Kuri - Not long before the baby comes!
...and, whoever else wants to respond!

Off to bed. Good night!

I'm still here.

2007-05-24T00:01:00.000+09:00

For my two readers....yes, I am alive. (Barely)

Many apologies for being out of touch for so long. My new job has been insane (for many reasons), and most days when I get home I don't even turn on my computer. Provided I can get through the next few weeks at home, I think things will get better. (Wishful thinking, perhaps?)

In other news, my washing machine broke and I had to buy a new one (exciting, I know).

The most exciting part of the past few weeks, though, has been the rush of friends coming back to visit Tokyo - Kirsten, Vicky, Stacy. It's been GREAT to see them!

I will try to be better about updating. Please bear with me! Hope everyone is well!

P.S. Ali, I hope you got my messages. More on the way, though it will probably take me a while. *smirk*

P.P.S. Seoul was AWESOME! I loved it. I need to organize my photos and get some up here.

Bring on the kimchi

2007-03-26T19:26:00.000+09:00

I'm heading to Seoul today for a short getaway during my last week of freedom.

See you all soon!

Changes

2007-03-12T14:28:00.000+09:00

Well, I did something last week that I perhaps should have done a while ago. I quit my job! Because of various circumstances which I will spare you all the details of, I was very nervous about giving notice - much more nervous than the last time I changed jobs.

Friday was my last day at work, and my next employment adventure starts in April, so I suddenly have three weeks of vacation!! I'm trying to figure out what to do with myself.

I strangely did not feel the immense sensation of relief I expected when I gave notice. Everything happened so fast that it felt very surreal...

Oh, and I also got a new refrigerator! One of my (ex-)coworkers moved to New York last week, and gave me his refrigerator. Now I can graduate from the tiny dorm room-sized fridge I have been using for the last four years. I catch myself opening the new fridge just to look in and smile at all the space! :-)

February's over already?!

2007-03-01T11:21:00.000+09:00

Hard to believe it's already March 1st....where did February go?!

I've been sick for the past week and a half. I made a trip to the miracle-worker doctor I always see, and he put me on meds that had me feeling better instantly.

But then yesterday happened. I woke up feeling sluggish and achey. I was hot all day (which I later realized was a fever) and around lunch my throat was croaking in pain. I bundled up and went to bed early last night, but feel even more achey today, and now my ear is clogged. (So why do I go the office when I feel this way? I'll save that for another post.)

I think we have another cold on board, folks. Or maybe even the flu. UGH. Might have to make another trip to my miracle-worker.

Spring in February

2007-02-15T15:54:00.001+09:00

Spring in February
Originally uploaded by deena_in_tokyo.

This is a photo I took outside my office during lunch. What a gorgeous day! I should be outside reading a book in the park with a latte in one hand, not inside at a desk!

Remembering

2007-02-13T14:26:00.000+09:00

Today would have been my grandmother's 90th birthday. Happy Birthday, Grandma!

I was very close with my grandmother and grandfather, and they played a huge part in who I am today. I regret that I didn't call them more after I went away to college...I didn't have the money, but I should have found a way to call. My grandfather passed away my first year of college, and my grandmother shortly after I came to Japan.

There many ways I remember her, though. I miss my grandmother's curiosity, her eye for detail, and her appreciation of things handmade. Every time I crochet, knit, or embroider something I immediately wish I could show to her to see what she thinks. I have one lipstick I haven't worn for years but cannot stand to get rid of because the smell of it reminds of the scent of my grandmother's makeup.

Sometimes I wonder what she would think of my life, living so far away for so long. But then I remember how she always supported me and I smile.

My morning coffee

2007-02-06T00:34:00.000+09:00

Lately my morning cup of coffee just hasn't been doing it for me. It doesn't rev me up like it used to, and instead I am left needing more. Caffeine is truly a drug.

But I have found a new way to get that same high feeling I used to be able to get from my morning cup of java.

Recently I can't get enough of Aretha Franklin!

I bought one of those "The Nice Price" cheap-o compiliations of her music on sale at Tower Records back in college, and I have recently rediscovered it. It's amazing how a few minutes of "Spirit in the Dark" on the train can help one forget even the worst back-to-work blues, and even just the first few bars of "Without Love" take away the tension in my shoulders after a stressful day at work. The other day in Starbucks "Rock Steady" (warning: link has sound!) came on while I was waiting for my latte and it was all I could do not to break out in dance.

Wonder what will happen on the day I forget my iPod on the way out the door...might not be able to get any work done!

P.S. Check out the awesome crowd on that "Rock Steady" clip. Man, I miss Soul Train!!

RIP

2007-01-30T23:24:00.000+09:00

I'm not sure why it bothered me so much, but I was very saddened to hear of Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro's passing today. I had been checking for updates on him fairly regularly, and I really thought he would make it.

Of course, some people say it's "just a horse" and there are bigger things to worry about. Yes, there is a war going on. Yes, there are thousands of people who die around the world due to starvation, violence, and illness without making a blip in the headlines. Yes, horse racing has some very brutal aspects to it that deserve more attention. And yes, there are hundreds of horses who die on the track each year without getting this much attention.

But sometimes we all want a miracle. And there's nothing wrong with that.

Rest in peace, Barbaro.

Culinary adventures in Tokyo

2007-01-30T01:31:00.000+09:00

This past week has been full of culinary adventures!

The weekend started off with brunch at Au Temps Jadis with the lovely Montchan in from Sweden and the ever-amazing Tari!
We munched on yummy crepes and lots of free goodies thanks to Tari being a regular.

It was a great morning! Thanks, ladies, and hope you are having a great time in Tokyo, Montchan!

After brunch I met R and we had cake with Sebastian, a friend from Sapporo.

The cake was excellent, and the weather was fabulous, too! I got lost on the way to the restaurant despite having been there multiple times before, but all's well that ends well, right? :-)

Then tonight I went to a sayonara party for Karah. We just met in December (though we probably attended some of the same conferences in our previous jobs), and I wish I had met her earlier! The party was at Genghis Khan, an awesome Mongolian restaurant in Otsuka. The entire restaurant is made like a huge yurt!

Quite amazing interior!

The restaurant has Mongolian traditional clothing for all diners to wear, and the staff will even pick out a color for you.

Thanks to the awesome staff, a few rounds of a Mongolian drinking song, and lots of free vodka, everyone was having a good time.

Looking forward to my next dining adventure!

Some photos from Christmas

2007-01-29T23:21:00.000+09:00

Better late than never, right?

Our adorable little Christmas tree!

A drive-through window at Starbucks, and a gorgeous blue sky!

Bijou looking handsome modeling his Christmas present - a quilted vest for chilly winter walks!

Stress

2007-01-29T14:31:00.000+09:00

I've been delinquent about posting. Part of this is because I've been busy, and part of it is because I have felt like I have very little to blog about that is positive. I have been feeling a lot of stress recently due to circumstances which I cannot write about here for the time being, and I am trying to deal with it in healthy ways (i.e. ways that do not involve alcohol, overeating, Beverly Hills 90210 marathons on the couch, or other self-destructive behavior).

On the other hand, I had a great weekend which I will hopefully blog about later. Hope everyone's Monday is going well!

Progress report

2007-01-22T11:46:00.000+09:00

At the risk of making this blog even more boring for my readers...

We are now in our fourth week of the New Year, and I must say I am doing better on my "projects" and goals than I thought I would. I thought I would share a progress report:

I have eaten breakfast every day in some form for the past two weeks: sometimes a banana, sometimes some yogurt, and on days when I've overslept a banana while running to the station (eating while walking/out in public is of course a big no-no in Japan so I try to be discreet in order not to shock my elderly neighbors). I must say that I have noticed a change in my energy level and I will definitely try to continue this. (I hesitate to write this because I don't want to jinx it, but I have also noticed that my pants are looser!! Yay!)
I have taken the first step toward joining a gym. A new one is opening in my neighborhood in April, and I have made a "reservation" to "sign up." The price scares me, but I try to tell myself it's an investment in my health and my future.
Although this is probably one of the least "cool" things a woman in her 20s can buy, I bought a crock pot and I am loving it! I can make a big batch of food on the weekends with minimal effort, and the leftovers help me avoid the temptation to eat trash for dinner on weekdays after I come home for work late and exhausted. I have tried to avoid recipes that require a lot of pre-packaged seasonings and broths that are high in salt, so I feel that this is a much more healthful option than what I used to eat.
Although I have yet to see concrete results, I have taken proactive steps toward accomplishing the mission that Ali, Mayuko, and Tari know about.
I have been making an effort to purge my apartment of unnecessary stuff by giving it away, donating it, or selling it. This is going to be a bigger and more long-term project than I thought.

And my new project for this week is.....(drumroll, please):

To wash my face every night!

Yes, I know this is a very basic thing that everyone should do, but I haven't been very good about this for the past couple of years. Whenever I feel tired or lazy it's been too easy to just brush my teeth and then call it a night, but my skin has suffered. The extra five minutes a night to wash my face before bed definitely count as an investment in my future as well!

Wish me luck!

Technical difficulties

2007-01-19T19:30:00.000+09:00

I changed my template! I like it a lot, but there's still a lot of tweaking I need to do.

Pardon the mess!

My project for this week

2007-01-09T15:59:00.000+09:00

After puzzling over why I continue to gain weight despite my best efforts to eat as many fresh foods as possible and eat smaller portions, I have decided to try an experiment. I am going to try to eat breakfast every day! I'm thinking that this will give my metabolism a swift kick in the pants in the morning, and maybe my body will feel less of the need to hold on to every meal.

Now, this might sound silly to those of you who do eat breakfast every day, but considering that I haven't been in the habit of doing so since junior year of high school or so, this could be harder than it seems. My main problem is time. Every minute of my morning counts since I don't get up until I absolutely have to. So...I'm going to start small. A banana, for example, or a few bites of yogurt. In a pinch, I've decided that a glass of milk and a few crackers would even be ok.

I'll let you know how it goes! I don't have scales, so my measure of progress is how my pants fit me. If my pants get any tighter, I won't have any clothes to wear to work!

Bring it on

2007-01-04T11:39:00.000+09:00

Well, 2007 is upon us, folks! I had mixed feelings about this year...on one hand, it's unbelievably refreshing to have a metaphorical clean slate given that last year was quite challenging in more ways than one. On the other hand, however, it's a bit frustrating that it's already 2007 because there are some aspects of my life (mostly professional) that are not panning out as I imagined.

BUT!! A New Year is all about being positive and looking ahead, so I have vowed to turn over a new leaf. Bring it on, 2007, I say!! Seeing what is to come is exciting, and I can't wait.

I usually don't make New Year's resolutions, but I have decided to make some this year. They're not resolutions as much as guidelines (don't want to put too much pressure on myself - ha):

1. Keep track of my money with Microsoft Money or a kakeibo or something with the goal of paying off the remainder of my student loans
2. Join a gym by April and go three times a week (I decided to give myself the deadline of April so that I can work out how I'm going to pay for it through guideline 1 above)
3. Be more diligent about keeping in touch with friends (I love you all but I am horrible about email...I will try to be better!)
4. Be kind (especially to those who I often take for granted)
5. Be thankful for each and every day, experience, and feeling.

Guideline 4 was already tested twice this morning! The first time was when I got in the elevator in my apartment building. There was an older woman (who may or may not be my landlord...I'm not really sure) standing inside, and I said good morning (in Japanese). She then said, "A Happy New Year!" in English, and it surprised me. I should have replied with a "Happy New Year!" but instead I just smiled and nervously laughed. I am such a dork sometimes.

The second time was when I got to the train station. A fellow foreigner who lives in my neighborhood and has talked to me before came up to me on the platform and started talking. "Where are you from?" "How come I've never seen you before?" (Ummm....you have...) "Do you speak Japanese?" "What kind of work do you do?" I smiled and, remembering Guideline 4 and my failure to follow it in the elevator just moments before, did my best to answer his questions without giving away any personal information that could later be used against me. But then the questions changed. "Are you married?" "How old are you?" My cryptic answers weren't getting the message through to him that I felt uncomfortable, so I said goodbye and went on my way. Guideline 4 applies only when kindness is due.

What are your New Year's resolutions/guidelines?

Happy New Year, everyone!

P.S. Ali, don't worry - I made one more resolution that I haven't written on here just because I don't know who's reading this. It's the one that you just put into action! Congrats!!

Happy New Year!!

2007-01-01T12:11:00.000+09:00

Happy New Year!! 2007 is here. How did you celebrate?

R and I celebrated with a bottle of champagne:

That may be part of the reason why I have a touch of a headache this morning...tee hee.

May 2007 be a year filled with peace, love, and happiness for everyone! Happy New Year!!

Moody sidebar

2006-12-19T12:14:00.000+09:00

Why is my sidebar at the very bottom of my page? It wasn't like this yesterday (that I am aware of).

Oh, and does anyone have any suggestions for sites with nice blogger templates? I'm getting a little tired of this pink...

Surprise email

2006-12-15T11:31:00.000+09:00

I was heading home from dinner with friends last night when I noticed that someone had emailed me on my cell phone.

"I wonder who it is," I thought as I opened my phone on the train.

Imagine my surprise when I opened my inbox to find an email from "Bono" with the subject "Message from Bono"!

The message read:
"Hi, this is Bono... Thanks for emailing... We had a great time in Tokyo. We love this city... If you want to join the campaign to make poverty history, please sign up at http://www.hottokenai.jp/. The more people that join, the more difference we can make in the fight against extreme stupid poverty... Japanese leadership on this issue could change the world. Thanks for reading."

No, Bono and I are not personal friends and no, I didn't email him per se. I got this thanks to the U2 concert I attended last week in Tokyo! I invited the lovely Ms. Tari, who wrote about the concert on her blog here. At one point in the concert, the lights in the arena were turned down and Bono asked everyone to get out their cell phones and open them. He said it looked like a Christmas tree, and it was very cool (made you realize that everyone in Japan has a cell phone!). He then said that at Christmas he wants everyone to remember those in the world who have less than us, and flashed an email address on the screen and asked everyone to email their names to it. Later on in the concert, some of the names emailed were put up on the screen (including Tari's, which was very cool!), and obviously these email addresses are also being used to spread the word about Bono's cause.

Anyway, I got a bit of a thrill out of getting an email from Bono in my inbox. :-)

The concert, by the way, was fabulous!! Unfortunately Bono and the gang are not that tall and the stage was not very high, so it was nearly impossible to see them for most of the concert. This is the best it got (and this is a very bad photo taken with my cell phone...I didn't think they would allow cameras, so I didn't take mine!):

But ever since the concert, I just can't get enough of U2...can't leave the house without my iPod!

Ugh.

2006-12-12T14:39:00.000+09:00

Today is horrible. Awful. Terrible!!

I really need to make some changes!!

I wish I could write about what has made my day so terrible, but since the reasons are work-related and I can't know for sure who is reading this, I will spare you all the details. :-) But oh how I wish I could tell...I'm sure it would be a great stress reliever for me.

The day's not over yet, so let's hope it gets better from here on out.

In the meantime, I stumbled across a quote that seemed very appropriate for today:

"Discontent is the first step in the progress of a man or a nation." -Oscar Wilde

Yukimi Daifuku

2006-12-04T14:36:00.000+09:00

R and I had a craving for ice cream this weekend, so we went to the convenience store to check out their selection. I think I have found a new obsession...chocolate Yukimi Daifuku!!

Yukimi Daifuku are tantalizing little mounds of ice cream wrapped in omochi (a thin layer of chewy rice cake). Both the omochi and the ice cream in Yukimi Daifuku melt and dribble all over you if you eat them in warm weather, so this product is associated with winter in Japan. The original flavor is vanilla ice cream wrapped in strawberry flavored omochi, but this new flavor incorporates chocolate flavored omochi as well as a fabulously gooey center of pure chocolate. Yum!!! It is very likely I'll be making more trips to the convenience store for these.

A major milestone.

2006-11-25T01:57:00.000+09:00

After six years with R, I finally met his family yesterday. Those of you who know me have probably heard me talk about how R's mother has shown no interest in meeting me over the years despite multiple efforts by R. But that all changed yesterday. Too bad that it had to be at his grandfather's funeral, but I was touched that his mom said that I should come.

So instead of turkey and pumpkin pie, my Thanksgiving was spent at a funeral home dressed in head-to-toe black surrounded by mourners crying for man I have never met. The feeling of gratitude that I experienced, however, was appropriate for the day. Thankful to R's grandfather for bringing R's family together for a day. Thankful to R's relatives for molding and shaping him into the person he is today. And thankful to R's mother, brother, and sister for being so welcoming of me on what must have been a very sad day for them. It meant a lot to me.

Bad news.

2006-11-20T01:17:00.000+09:00

R's grandfather passed away.
We're going to have to cancel the Beijing trip.

Of course the loss of a human being is much, much more important than this trip, and it's only natural that we cancel.

But this was the last trip we were going to be able to take for the foreseeable future...probably for the next year. I would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed.

Between my disappointment at the cancellation of the trip and my sadness for R's loss of his grandfather (I have never met R's grandfather, or any of his family, for that matter, but that is another post in and of itself), I am feeling quite down right now.

What an awful week.

The only thing getting me through this week.

2006-11-17T15:39:00.000+09:00

It's been a rough week. Between being flat on my back two days sick, having a lot of work waiting for me at the office, and having to cancel on plans with friends because of my fever, this week is one that I will be glad to have over. But there is something that is getting me through this week:

In less than one week from today, I'll be in Beijing! YAY! R and I are going for a whirlwind four-day trip, which really means two days since the first and last days are spent getting there and back. But I am really looking forward to it...The Great Wall! Tienamen Square! The Forbidden City! YAY! It's going to be cold, but it's going to be a lot of fun. I just hope it's not raining.

I really MUST get rid of this cold before I step on that plane next week. Lots of sleep is on the agenda for this weekend!

Sicker.

2006-11-16T14:05:00.000+09:00

It just keeps getting worse. I haven't been this sick in a long time.

I am finally back at work, though, after having been out sick for two days. Tari, I'm sorry I had to cancel on the Sri Lankan food! I hope we can go soon.

I really would like to go home early (i.e. on time) tonight, but my boss has asked me to stay late to make phone calls to London. ARGH.

Sick.

2006-11-12T22:22:00.000+09:00

Friday night I was feeling great. Didn't have to work too late, had a fun dinner with R, and it was a beautiful evening. But about 11:30pm, I felt a sharp pain my right ear. I took some Vitamin C and prepared to get ready for bed, but it just kept getting worse.

Saturday morning I woke to a raw sore throat and more pain in my ear. I went to the doctor and got medicine, but I still don't feel like myself.

Ugh.

Things are looking up.

2006-11-10T11:58:00.000+09:00

Hallelujah!!

Happy Halloween!

2006-10-31T12:46:00.000+09:00

Happy Halloween, everyone!!

Though it's been many years since I wore a costume on this day, I always enjoy celebrating it. That used to mean, of course, trick-or-treating fun!! Once I got older it meant handing out candy and enjoying the costumes of the neighborhood kids, and then after I went to college Halloween was best celebrated by heading to Greenwich Village to see the Halloween Parade.

Though Halloween has started to catch on in Japan, it's still not nearly the day that it is in the US. But I do feel excited every time I walk by the (overpriced) mini-pumpkins at my local supermarket...Halloween is such a great day!

So how will everyone be celebrating today? I will be enjoying a feast of Peking Duck with the lovely Ms. Tari and some other friends...completely unrelated to Halloween, but just as exciting! :-)

By the way, here is a fun way to carve a pumpkin if you find yourself unable to do the real thing:
http://www.cubpack81.com/images/carve_pumpkin.swf
(Courtesy of Blue Lotus, one of my regular blog reads.)