Cambodia, day two highlights

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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!

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

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...???

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)

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

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!

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.

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

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

See you all soon!

Changes

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?!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!!

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Hallelujah!!

Happy Halloween!

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.)

It's raining, it's pouring

What is it with the weather in Tokyo recently?? It feels so extreme...it's either brilliantly sunny days with highs near 80 degrees (in October!) or it's typhoon-like winds with rain and bitter cold...and nothing in between.

Global warming?

Vacation highlights

Yes, it took me two motnhs, but better late than never, right? I've posted some photos below from our trip to Oregon in August. Enjoy!

I'll soon be posting from photos from Hong Kong and Singapore as well. I've been meaning to do that for ages, but it seems that life has gotten away from me recently and time just flies by...

In other news, Ali has now left Tokyo. :-( While I'm excited for her, I'm selfishly sad that she is no longer here. You already missed, Ali!!

Have a great week, everyone!

Vacation in Oregon #9

Native Americans in Oregon considered Crater Lake a sacred place and would not admit its existence to outsiders. After visiting, I can see why...it's truly a gorgeous place.

Vacation in Oregon #8

Crater Lake, Oregon on a beautiful day.

Vacation in Oregon #7

At Crater Lake, Oregon. It looks like sky in the background, but it's actually the surface of the lake.

Vacation in Oregon #6

A beautiful place on the Rogue River. The weather was perfect, too.

Vacation in Oregon #5

Salmon dinner in Prospect, Oregon. It was very good!

Vacation in Oregon #4

Yours truly with Barr Creek Falls. Not quite in focus...

Vacation in Oregon #3

Near Prospect, Oregon

Vacation in Oregon #2

This is the path we took when we went to look at some waterfalls. It was so peaceful and quiet.

Vacation in Oregon #1

Hellgate Canyon on the Rogue River near Grants Pass. It was a truly beautiful day!

For the chocoholics

Any chocoholics out there? I would certainly classify myself as one.

If you've read "Candyfreak" by Steve Almond, you know about the elusive dark chocolate Kit Kat, discontinued years ago and seemingly doomed to never make a comeback.

Well, imagine my delight when I found it!! I was in a 7-11 in Hong Kong last week buying water when I saw one on the rack next to the cash register. It was the last one left and it looked so lonely all alone in its box next to the regular Kit Kats. I was of course thrilled and bought it without hesitation.

However, after buying it I tried to find more information on the Internet about dark chocolate Kit Kats. Are they exclusive to Hong Kong? Are they a limited time version? I found many, many pages about dark chocolate Kit Kats, but what surprised me was that the packaging shown on all of the homepages I found is totally different from the packaging of the Kit Kat I bought.

So...my question now is, do I eat it? It looked authentic enough sitting on the candy rack in the 7-11, but now I'm not so sure. After all, it was the only one left, which suddenly seems fishy to my hyperactive paranoid mind. How much do I risk for a chance to try the rare dark chocolate Kit Kat?

I'll probably risk it.

To everyone looking for info on Kyubei

I'm not sure why, but recently I've gotten a flood of hits from people looking for information on Kyubei. Unfortunately, Kyubei does not appear to have a homepage, and I had a hard time finding comprehensive information on it in either English or Japanese. I would recommend finding a guidebook with information about it instead.

However, you can find a short review by typing "Kyubei" in the search box here.

If you have the time and the money while you're in Tokyo (especially if it's on someone else's dime), I recommend it! But don't worry if you can't make it there - there is lots of great sushi in Tokyo, most of which is not anywhere near as expensive as Kyubei.

From Hong Kong

After a very uncomfortable early-morning standing room-only train ride to Narita and an incredibly delayed flight, most of which was spent playing so much Super Mario Brothers on my personal video screen that my thumbs hurt, I arrived yesterday in Hong Kong sticky, tired, and with a horrible headache. I was also battling a cold, and the dry air on the plane had done nothing to help that. And to top it off, I had trouble with the computer (office computer) I brought and couldn't get any homepages to display correctly...

But what a difference 24 hours can make!! While the computer still isn't working correctly, my mood has improved considerably. Hong Kong is noisy, gritty, polluted, unsanitary, and full of life - I love it!! I've only seen a very small portion of the city, but it's so diverse, energetic, and vibrant!

If I only didn't have any meetings so I could take more time to explore...*sigh* I definitely haven't really seen many sights yet, but I have been doing my fair share of eating! Last night after we arrived my colleagues and I walked around the neighborhood surrounding the hotel in search of food. After walking through an extremely seedy area populated by women in short skirts and garters grabbing the arms of men walking by, we finally found a restaurant that looked fairly standard. The menu, though, was all in Chinese, which even my Japanese colleagues had trouble deciphering. But with the help of an extremely friendly waitress (whose English was limited to say the least) we wound up having a feast of vegetables, seafood, and Peking duck.

Today was mainly meetings, and for lunch my colleague said he would take us to one of his favorite restaurants in Hong Kong. Unfortunately the restaurant was no longer in business, so in the interest of time (we had only about 30 minutes until our next meeting) we went into the next restaurant we could find and ordered some noodles and vegetables. It was good, but we had to eat so quickly I didn't really have time to enjoy the food.

Then tonight I met up with a friend I used to work with who recently moved to Shenzhen, China (very close to Hong Kong). She said she wanted to take me to a famous restaurant that she saw in a magazine, and I gladly followed. As we approached the restaurant, I suddenly recognized my surroundings and thought, "This is close to where we had lunch..." We then turned a corner and my friend said, "Oh, there it is, over there!" pointing to the VERY SAME restaurant where I had eaten lunch!!! What a small world! Of all the restaurants in Hong Kong, it was the same one!

The second time around was soooooo much better! I had time to enjoy the food, which was all fabulous. We had roasted goose, sauteed vegetables, seafood soup, and black sesame soup and egg tarts for dessert. Of course, the conversation, laughter, and the feeling of excitement at meeting up with a familiar friend in a foreign place made for a great evening.

I'm afraid, however, all of my photos from Hong Kong will be of food. :-)

Any suggestions?

I'll be heading here next week:




And here, too!



Yes, I'm heading to Singapore and Hong Kong! I'm very excited because I've never been to either, but unfortunately it's a business trip (darn!). I have very little free time on the trip (the tortuous part of business trips - being in new places but not being able to see or do anything!), but I would love to hear any suggestions of things to do, places to go, foods to eat, etc.! The best travel tips are from people who have actually been there!

Revenge of the Ganglion

It's baaaaaaaaaaack!!

And this time the doctor says it's too small to drain successfully. My options are either surgery or waiting to see if it goes away on its own (which is "not impossible," my doctor says).

Although it's definitely smaller than last time, it's also much much more painful than last time. Ouch!!

For now I'll just milk it for all it's worth while I think about what to do and say that it's the reason I haven't cleaned my apartment in so long - ha.

Five years today

Five years ago today I was in a car with R driving through eastern Hokkaido. We had just taken a trip to Shiretoko, but had decided to cut the trip short by a day to avoid the typhoon that was approaching Hokkaido. We left Shiretoko in the early evening of the 11th, and we made a stop in Kitami at SATY, a large supermarket, to stretch our legs and buy some snacks. On the second floor of SATY I was browsing the stationery section when R said he was going to the restroom. When he came back, though, he surprised me with a present: an adorable small soft doll of a chick wearing a rooster costume. I was touched at the gift.

After our brief stop at SATY we got back in the car and continued on our way through rural eastern Hokkaido heading for Sapporo. By now the sun had set and the sky was pitch black, but the shrill ringing of my cell phone pierced the darkness. It was friend from college who was living in Kobe at the time. "Are you watching TV?" she frantically asked. I said no and asked if something had happened. Her answer stunned me.

R and I rushed back to Sapporo as fast as possible, listening to the radio the whole way and sending panicky emails to friends in New York from my cell phone hoping to find out if they were alright (they all were, thank goodness). As soon as we stepped through the door of my apartment at 3am, I turned on the TV and was immediately shocked by the enormity of what had happened. I felt numb and nauseous at once... I had just graduated from college in New York the year before, and it was hard to believe that such an awful thing had happened to a city I loved on such a beautiful September day.

The world had changed much since then, and when I look back it feels surreal all that has happened in only five years. At the same time, it feels surreal to think that five years have already passed since that dark night. The only thing that has stayed the same is that little doll that R bought for me at SATY. I keep it out as a reminder of those lilting minutes spent in a supermarket in Kitami that became the last moments we would experience before the world seemingly turned upside down.

It's a boy :-(

Princess Kiko reportedly gave birth to a son this morning.

While I am of course happy that she and the baby are healthy, I am disappointed (but not surprised) that it's a boy. Not only was the timing of her pregnancy way too convenient to have been accidental (her pregnancy was announced at the height of the debate about whether to allow a female to take the throne), but it is just too, too coincidental that she had a boy. So now Japan can sweep the whole debate under the rug and take three steps back into the Dark Ages, from which it was just beginning to emerge, when it comes to gender equality.

My response to people who claim that it's "tradition" and "culture" to have a male take the throne? That's a load of crap. There have been female emperors in the past, and "culture" is an ever-evolving concept, not something set in stone.

For the sake of females everywhere, I hope this country's (primarily old and male) lawmakers get their heads out of their a**es and make a change, though I'm not holding my breath. What on earth is the harm in letting a female succeed to the powerless figurehead position of Emperor?? I'm sick of my taxes being wasted on the ridiculous debate about it. ARGH.

RIP Steve Irwin

I just read that "crocodile hunter" Steven Irwin is dead after a stingray barb to the heart while filming an underwater documentary.

While I wouldn't exactly consider myself a fan, I greatly admire him for taking something considered "uncool" or "boring" (i.e. nature shows and shows about animals) and making it hugely popular and successful. He always seemed to really enjoy what he was doing, too, which is an admirable quality in anyone.

It just so happens that his wife is from my hometown. I can't imagine how she must be feeling right now.

Guilty as charged

So I've gotten a complaint from a fellow blogger whose name starts with A that I haven't been keeping up with my blog enough. Guilty as charged! I must admit, though, it's good to know that there are people out there who check in for updates. :-)

Part of the reason that I haven't updated is that I have so much to tell! I have lots of pictures from the US to sort through and lots has been happening here in Tokyo, too.

So, until I have more time to write, here's a brief preview of events:

• Deenster's ganglion comes back, and this with a vengance! It hurts even if she doesn't move her wrist! Anticipating going back to the doctor for another MRI and possible more drainage with needles makes her queasy!
• Deenster finally gets the hang of crocheting! New hobbies are always fun!
• September hits and Deenster realizes she really needs to get in gear and start studying for the test she is scheduled to take *again* in December! Deenster questions the necessity of taking the CFA exam, but realizes that since she's spent this much money on it so far she might as well bite the bullet and try again!
• Deenster goes to Ibaraki for the weekend! The weather is perfect and she has a lot of fun on the beach, going for a drive, and sleeping 12 hours a night!

Stay tuned for more details...

We're back

Well, R and I have been back in Japan for a week now, and the week since we've gotten back has been a whirlwind week of jetlag, overtime, heat, humidity, and disbelief that August is already drawing to a close. We had an excellent time in the US (despite some airline setbacks), and I will update soon with photos.

In other news, R and I had to kill a lot of time on Saturday (due to smoke detector inspections in my building....my management company seems to be inspecting something or other at least once a month!) and we went to a nearby park and aquarium. We had a great time despite the trying-to-squeeze-something-fun-into-the-last-weekend-of-summer-vacation crowds, but I discovered two bug bites on my legs later that night that just keep getting bigger. And bigger. And bigger! They're huge! They're also quite itchy and painful. I have no idea what bit me, but if it was a mosquito, I'm not sure how I didn't notice it because it must have been as big as a car to inflict bites this big!

On the road again

Heading to the US today for a vacation. Yay! Watch for pictures and updates when I get back.

Tokyo won't be the same

Dessert makes everyone happy

The lovely Vicky has left Tokyo today after three years to head back to the UK. It is always incredibly difficult for me to say goodbye to a friend, but I am very excited for her about the many wonderful things that surely lie ahead on her path. You will be sorely missed, Vicky!! Your smiles and kind words were always so comforting, and I will miss our dinners and your laugh. I am so glad I met you here, and can't wait to see you in the UK/US/Japan again!! xoxo