Monday, March 26, 2012

Puppy Love

No, this is not another post about Finn, though I do love the son of a bitch.  No, this is about another little dear that has been on my mind since last Saturday.

On Friday because it was raining, I gave my sister and dad directions to get to the big mall that is about an hour and a half from my house.  They had to take two trains and a bus to get there, but they enjoyed it so much that on the way home from noodle making on Saturday they asked to stop off to get some last minute things for people back at home.

The mall was quite packed but we didn't mind making our way to Muji, G.U. (discount UniQlo), Lupecia, and the 100 yen store (the dollar store).  And, since my family is nuts about dogs, we decided to take a quick peek at the new Pecos.

When I say peek I mean that my sister and dad wanted to show us which puppies they thought were the cutest.  And they were cute.  My sister liked a maltese pug and my dad liked a Japanese chin.  While they were both cute, all you had to do was look at the $2000 and $3000 price tag to overcome the appeal of a new puppy.  Although I did get excited when I saw a sign that says if you are looking for a certain breed, they will place orders for you.  This was because on the sign they offered all types of dogs including Cairn Terriers (the dogs I was raised with) and Wire Haired Fox Terriers (one of my dream dogs).  But then again I thought about how far Finn has come in losing a lot of his puppy behavior and I realized it wasn't time for a new puppy.

As we left the room with the puppies (the new shop is HUGE and has a section for clothes, grooming, a dog bakery for dog cakes and treats, etc), my sister told me that there was another section with bigger dogs.  Because she can't read Japanese, she didn't realize that this was in fact a rescue league part of the shop.  As in a section for dogs that, for whatever reason, have been given up by previous owners and who need homes.  Not only were these dogs older and calmer, but they were also FREE!

Next to the section where the dogs were housed in individual small rooms was a giant, brightly lit room labeled the, "Play Room."  In the play room one of the shop staff had one of the older dogs out and she was going through a series of commands and tricks with the dog.  And this is where I fell in love.

Suzu is a 6-7 year old Ame Shiba (a small version of the Japanese Shiba dog- Hachi was a Shiba).  I couldn't read the Japanese so I don't know her history, but as far as I could tell she was healthy and a good size.  Though she is bigger than the type of dogs I usually like, she is not a big dog.  She did all of the various commands with the shop staff and then played fetch.  She didn't bark once, although that doesn't mean she isn't yappy.

Anyway, I couldn't help but think about well she would fit in at our house.  We have a big yard and are right next to a bike trail that goes down to a river.  We already have a lot of dog stuff and have puppy proofed all of the rooms Finn plays in.  Finn is a lovely puppy but sometimes we just don't have the energy to keep up.  Not to mention there are just some moments when I can't stop everything for a game of fetch (when I am cooking dinner, doing laundry, etc).  Suzu looks like she has the energy to play with Finn and yet at the same time the obedience to be a good role model to Finn.  We have often talked about getting another dog so Finn would have someone to mess about with, but wanted to wait until he was older as two puppies would be too much.  I never thought about an older dog because up until now all of the pet adoption places had always seemed so far away.

Realistically, I'm too busy right at this moment to take on another dog.  We just finished hosting and now I am about to set off to Vietnam for a little over a week.  BUT when I get back I might just take Finn to the shop and see if it is possible to at least watch him and Suzu together.  Or one of the other similarly sized dogs. (I saw on the website that there are two dachshunds available for adoption...)

I also want to say that I am so happy to see the pet adoption in such a bright and cheerful place.  I think the idea of having a "play room" is brilliant.  If I had passed Suzu in a cage, I wouldn't have given her a second thought.  But seeing her move about you just had to fall in love with her.  I can just imagine Japanese families going in and getting all excited about the puppies.  I can also imagine dads thinking about how much money that is for one little dog and moms thinking about how much extra energy it will take to train those little dogs. And then I imagine those families walking a little further and seeing perfectly lovable dogs like Suzu.  Already trained.  Free.  Just as cute.  I am so happy these little dogs can get a second chance.

Here is the link to the dogs and Pecos, in case you live in Japan and are looking to adopt.  Suzu is スズ in Japanese if you wanted to check her out.
http://www.petcity.co.jp/lifehouse/parent.html

Words for Wednesday: Bossypants and The Paris Wife

So it isn't Wednesday and I am two weeks behind (or just one, I guess) but these are two books I'd like to recommend.


Tina Fey's Bossypants was sent to me by a friend back home.  If you aren't familiar with Tina Fey, she used to write for SNL and wrote the screenplay for the movie, Mean Girls (if you haven't seen it, watch it- watch it now!).  Thus her biography is filled with sarcastic, dry humor that had me laughing out loud at the schools I read it at.  I will say that it is a little choppy and sometimes read more as a collection of essays rather than an autobiography, but it is good.  I am not really a feminist, but Tina Fey makes me want  to take up the cause, and not in a bra-burning way.

She talks about being an awkward little girl, falling in love with gay men in high school, and then having to fight her way to be taken seriously in the world of comedians.  She then goes on to tackle comedy in politics, being a working mom, and breaking glass ceilings in the world of TV production.  I don't have the book with me at work or otherwise I'd quote it, but seriously, if you are looking for a good laugh, read this book.  I finished it in two days and that is with family visiting (although, with this being the end of the school year, I had a lot of free time at work).


Now I'm in the middle of reading The Paris Wife, a fictional account of Ernest Hemingway's first wife.  I've read Hemingway but was never a big fan, and yet this book is making me interested in going back and read his stuff again.  I am also liking this book as it is going into detail about the lives of expats in Paris during the years between the two world wars.  I love the book, The Book of Salt, which is about Gertrude Stein's cook during this same time and I also enjoyed the movie, Midnight in Paris, that also touched on this age of writing.

Anyway, even if you have no interest in Hemingway or don't know anything about him, the book plays out as a romance about a couple from the midwest who, at a young age, moved to a foreign country.  Though the book isn't heavily filled with action or humor, it has been reading fast and has me constantly turning to wiki to refresh myself with names like Ezra Pound and incidents like the Greco-Turkish war.  I feel like I am getting a history lesson along with the love lesson, which is my favorite combination.  Though the main character is a little weak at times (I have to remember that this was during a different age when women were far more dependent on men), her voice is strong and you can emphasize with her.

Maggie and Dad: Part Two

So the next few days were quite laid back with my sister gone and with me back at work.  My dad walked around town and hung out with my dog while I was at work, and we got dinner together at night.  Maggie came back from Korea and they spent the next day at the mall.  They were going to go to a park and different places, but it was pouring down rain all day.

That night we got dinner with Motoaki's family and then went to Karaoke.  That is always fun, although I feel bad because Maggie and I are such Mic Hogs.

The next morning we got up early and headed to Shikoku, an island of Japan that Maggie and Dad had never been to.  To get there we had to pass the Seto Ohashi, or a really long bridge.  Actually, I checked wiki and it is the world's largest two-tiered bridge.  I had been over it a lot of times but for some reason never realized how close it was to our house.

Shikoku is known for udon noodles, a thick noodle usually paired with tempura or a soy sauce-type broth.  We went to an "Udon Making School," where we made noodles and then ate them.  I had done this before and it is a lot of fun.  The presenters are very energetic and at one point you are made to "dance" on the noodles.  They play J-Pop and the whole room really gets into the art of stomping on dough that is in a plastic bag.

I didn't get pictures of us making the dough, but this is Maggie and Motoaki cooking the noodles.

The school is at the base of flights and flights of stone steps that take you up to a temple.  All along the steps are shops with all sorts of souvenirs.  I wish I remembered the name of it, but that is the problem of going around with my Japanese husband- I don't actually have to know where we are going.  We had a nice bit of exercise and enjoyed looking in the shops.




All of us climbing the stairs.

 I was very surprised when I ran into my coworker from my Jr high school.  I was surprised because we were a little far from home and because teachers are usually busy on weekends with club and things.  He was also surprised to see me, and we got a picture to document our meeting.
With my coworker and his family.

And, not to be mean, but Maggie and I were delighted to get a glimpse of this fashionable young Japanese boy.  Seriously, this boy has fabulous written all over him.  Can you tell which one I am talking about??

That is a boy and yes, his bag is rainbow and his BRIGHT blue jeans are tucked into his brown leather boots!  FABULOUS!!!  I am not really that big of a stalker so I refrained from taking the picture of him smiling, jutting his hip out, and throwing up peace signs while he posed for a picture taken by his mom.

After all of that we headed back to Okayama and made a quick stop at the mall for last minute souvenirs (tea and stuff from the dollar store as well as a quick stop at G.U.- the discount version of UniQlo).  We were going to try and make it back for Karaoke in Yubara, but Maggie and Dad still had to pack and they had to be up EARLY the next day to catch a train to Narita, so sadly our last night was kind of boring.  We visited Motoaki's family and then just went back to our house.

The next morning we went to the Okayama train station, and after getting tickets and a quick McDonald's breakfast (we didn't have time for anything else) they were off and the trip was over.  I might have been sad but a) they are coming again in June and then I am going home in August for my brother's wedding, and b) I get to go to Vietnam in two days!!!  I think Finn will miss them the most as he got a lot of attention and snacks from them.
Motoaki's sister, mother, father, my father, Motoaki, Maggie, and Finn







Maggie and Dad: Part One

So I have been MIA the past week or so because I was busy hosting my dad and sister in Japan.  They were off from work due to spring break in the US so they decided to make a quick visit.  This is probably not very interesting if you don't know them or me.

Anyway, they got in late on a Sunday because they came from Tokyo and then had to take a train down to where I live in Okayama.  We took Finn in the car to greet them and he behaved very well.  I always worry that he will either pee on someone or try to "have his way" with their leg, but he was really good and took to them right away.  My family are dog people so he didn't have to work too hard.

We stopped quick for some MOS Burger (the Japanese version of McDonalds- expensive but delicious) and then got them home so they could sleep.  Before bed my sister treated me to all of the things her and my dad had picked up for us.  Lots of cornbread mix and pudding, treats for Finn, and Old Navy Sundresses for me.

The next morning they were up early due to jet lag and we all headed to my elementary school.  My dad and sister hadn't been to see my work before and they were as excited as the kids were to see them.  I must say that my dad and sis are on the bigger size, both in height and weight, so some of the kids were quite shocked by them.  But the day went well.  We attended a morning assembly and then got to watch 6th grade graduation rehearsal.  This was cute as the kids sang different songs and made speeches.  The elementary is really small- only six graduating kids- so we got to hear a lot about each of the 6th graders.

After that they got to come to two lessons.  The first was the 6th graders and since we were basically done with the book, we just had a game day that involved a lot of conversation between the kids and my family.  The kids are pretty nerdy and sometimes shy, but they were really good about asking my dad and sister things.

The second lesson was with the rowdy 5th graders who are a little rude.  Their lesson was on food menus so we did "restaurants" where half of the kids were "serving" and the other half were "ordering."  It was pretty chaotic, but went better than I thought.

My dad and sister were invited to lunch, but since Japanese school lunches are "hit or miss," I used jet lag as an excuse to take them back to my house.  In all reality, I think they were pretty tired.  My sister said they played with Finn a bit and then both napped.

That night Motoaki drove us to Yonago which is in Tottori prefecture to stay at a Ryokan.  A Ryokan is the Japanese version of a resort.  They have big, traditional Japanese style rooms where all of your meals are served to you.  They also have bath houses, but we ended up not making it to those because dinner lasted a long time and we played cards after.  Our balcony was right out over the ocean and at night we could see squid boats out on the water.  We had a wonderful meal of sashimi (raw fish) with roast beef for Maggie followed by Shabu Shabu, or a boiling pot of water that you add meat and vegetables to.  We also got noodles and rice with this.







After dinner we played Phase Ten ( a card game like UNO- I highly recommend it) and watched, I am sad to admit, American Idol.  I was quite shocked that the Ryokan had TV.  I didn't realize that the one I've been watching is the current one that is on in America- only about 2 weeks behind.

The next morning Motoaki and my sister got up EARLY (5am) to go to the Okayama airport so she could go to Korea (she used to live there).  We had a bit of a misunderstanding and I had booked the ryokan thinking she would be going on Wednesday, not Tuesday.  My dad and I slept in before waking to breakfast.


Not as good as dinner, but still nice.  Motoaki came back and managed to eat before we had to check out.

View from the hotel room.

Rock garden outside of the hotel lobby.


We met up with three friends, Janet, Johnny, and Ellie, in Yonago city and got ready to go to the Tottori Sand Dunes.  I am an idiot and thought they were closer to where we had stayed the night, but they were actually about two hours away.  Not to mention that the traffic was horrible.  We had fun chatting and what not in the car, but we didn't have much time at the dunes.  Added to that was a really strong wind.  Still, I'm glad I could show my dad and it was better than if we had gone in the middle of the hot, hot, hot Japanese summer.





We then had a quick lunch at a Ton Katsu (fried pork) place and then had to race back so I could make it to a night class.  I was a little upset because I had wanted to do a lot more that day (go to the Gei Gei Gei Kitaro museum, eat seafood, spend longer at the dunes, etc) but we just ran out of time...

To be continued...


Friday, March 16, 2012

Words for Wednesday: The Woman in Black



So it's Friday today, but I started reading this book last Wednesday.  That counts, right?

I finished Daughter of Fortune and was upset at how abruptly it ended.  I would gladly have read on to read more details about whether or not Rose ever found Eliza or what really happened to Joaquin, but instead the book just tied everything up in tight little bow.  Pretty, but not satisfying.

Anyway, the new book is reading pretty quickly and I am thinking it might also end quite abruptly considering I am over half way through and I feel like the story is just getting started.  The book is called The Woman in Black and it was given to me by my friend Gemma.  I am normally not one for ghost stories or hauntings (except for Wait Til Helen Comes, Goosebumps, and R.L. Stein's books), but this one is turning out to be fun.

It is the story of a lawyer who travels north from London to attend the funeral of an old recluse and then gather her "papers" to bring them back to the firm.  I can't seem to figure out what time period it is in because it reads very old, like early 1900's, but then there seem to be mentions of cars.  I know that there were cars at that time, but there seem to be quite a lot.

Anyway, the man sees a ghost (or maybe a ghost) at the funeral and can't get anyone in town to tell him anything about what really goes on at the house the old lady lived at.  It is one of those stories that seems the same as a million others I've heard, but one that is still engaging so you read on (like romantic comedies- we all KNOW how they will end, but we go to new ones all the same).  Apparently there are a lot of stage adaptions of the book and even a new movie starring Daniel Radcliff.  It is fairly short and reads quickly, so I recommend it for vacation or light reading.

Here is the trailer for the film. It might be good to read it before the movie.

And another thing...

Sorry to be so negative lately, but I need to vent about another thing.  Why do people (and this could be anyone anywhere) think it is perfectly all right to ask me if I am pregnant or if I plan to get pregnant soon?  I know I am overweight but it isn't that bad.

Last week at the supermarket I ran into a woman who used to be part of the staff at my school.  I don't know her name and was never very close to her, but I recognized her and she recognized me so we said hello.  I asked her how she was doing, how her new job was, etc and she asked me how this year had been.  She then asked me if I had had a baby yet.  When I said no, she asked when I was planning on having one.  I really wanted to ask her when she was going to have her next (the woman is probably 60).

Now I don't mind when close friends or family ask.  I also don't mind when it comes up in conversation, like the time one of our coworkers announced she was pregnant and so everyone started asking the newlyweds if they were planning on having children.  But other then that, I think it is rude.

I know she was just wanting to be nice, but what if I am physically not able to have children or what if I had just miscarried?  What if I never planned on having kids?  And considering that having a baby involves sex, what makes people feel they have a right to ask me about my sex life?

This woman isn't the only one either.  I have a kindergarten teacher who, every time I go to her school, pats me on the stomach and asks if there is a baby in there.  And the choir ladies ask all the time.  Now of days when someone asks, I tell them I already have a baby and then show them a picture of Finn.  Because really, he is my baby.

I know they have good intentions, but seriously, stop asking me!  I'll let you know when their is news to tell, but until then it is my business!!!

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Babying Kids

OK, I am going to have a bit of a rant about the absolute BS that happens with Japanese students.  Or actually, with the way that they are treated by the Japanese staff.  In the west we have this concept that the kids are extremely well behaved and the rules are really harsh, but I find it to be quite the opposite and sometimes it drives me INSANE!

OK- on one hand Japanese kids are quite mature and are quite limited in their freedom.  They have to wear uniforms and at my school that includes the shoes they wear.  About the only thing they can choose is their socks and belts.  They aren't allowed to wear jewelry (earrings are a definite no-no, but some kids do get away with necklaces and bracelets) and they can't wear bright hair clips, bows, etc  They have to help clean the school, have to say excuse me when entering and exiting the staff room, they have to come to school on random Saturdays and don't really get much in the way of breaks between school years and at holidays.

BUT IN THE CLASSROOM they are treated like infants.  If a kid is sleepy, he will feel free to just sleep.  It is perfectly OK for them to never bring their book to class or to always forget their homework.  They get ten minute breaks between every class and a longer break after lunch.  If they don't want to answer, they don't have to.  Because they are automatically passed on to the next grade (as in they don't hold anyone back) it is quite possible for them to NEVER come to class and still graduate (as proven by one of the 3rd year graduates last weekend).

All of that is pretty frustrating.  But what really frustrates me is when the students are not pushed to try.  A lot of students have amazing ability but they don't excel because no one is there to push them on.  Not that we want to beat the students into learning, but a little push would help.

What set me off on this rant was last week when an elementary 6th grader was asked, "What's your name?" he replied in Japanese, "I don't know," and the teacher said, "I'm sorry, he can't speak English."  I would have understood if he had been really young or if he had been special needs.  I would have also understood if the question had been one of the more difficult ones like, "What do you want to be?" or "Do you have a cat?"  BUT SERIOUSLY!!  I ask "What's your name?" at the kindergarten and all of the kids jump up to tell me right away.

I also would have understood if this had been outside of the class.  But this was in the class and about five other students had already answered the question.  The teacher translated for him, and his friends did as well, but when I asked again, the kid continued to say he couldn't understand English, and the teacher continued to say sorry, he wasn't good at English.  When I think about the teachers I know in the States, I know they would have told the kid to stop messing around and to answer the question.

Now, again, I don't want to bully the kids into speaking English, but in letting them get away with, "I don't know," you are basically letting them get away with not trying, and as a result, they miss out on the chance to really learn.

As a child I hated it when my dad tried to teach me to ride a bike.  I, like all kids, fell down and was really frustrated with the whole thing.  Because one doesn't need to learn how to ride a bike, my dad left it.  Then three years down the rode at school when the police officer came to school to teach us bike safety, I was ashamed to be basically the only kid in the 4th grade who couldn't ride a bike.

With this elementary school kid, all I can think about is how, because he wasn't asked to practice in the lower grades, he is going to be really behind in Jr High and will eventually end up hating English and all English teachers.  Like riding a bike, he doesn't really need to learn English in the grand scheme of things.  BUT he does need it to get into a good high school.  I would hate to have him look back in regret at all of the time he wasted.

Now I don't want to come off as too crazy.  There is a chance that this kid will go to Jr high and be fine.  But this whole practice of letting the kids pretend they don't understand can be found in all of the lessons, and it seriously limits what we can do.  For example, when we were practicing, "Who is the ~est in the class?" I asked about who was the oldest.  When the kids said they didn't know, I asked about who had an April birthday (sine the school year starts in April kids with April birthdays are the oldest).  When no one answered, I moved on to May.  The teacher then told me that, "The kids are too shy to answer about their birthdays so we can't discuss the question."  What complete and total BS!!

To put a positive spin on this, at another school there is one student who is extremely special needs.  Sorry I don't know the PC terms to describe him.  I think he is autistic and for the most part, he is in his own world. He has a teaching aid with him and he comes to English class, but I don't really think he knows what is happening.  In most classes I think he would be just left to the side as he doesn't understand even simple games like fruit basket or high card.  But the teaching aid doesn't give up.

Every day in class she repeats the English over and over with him.  When we do a writing exercise, she writes it out and has him trace her letters (and this is in elementary where I am told to not even do writing with the high level students- I am asked to wait until Jr high which is even more BS).  When we are playing Rock Scissors Paper, she grabs him by the shoulders and has him face his opponents.  She does let him bring story books for when we are doing long explanations or CD listening, but she also makes him do the English book.  In all reality, this kid can barely speak Japanese so the idea of him speaking a foreign language is a STRETCH!  And yet, no matter what, she does not allow him to not try, and because of that he has small victories.  Two weeks ago at the elementary he said Good morning to me in the staff room.  And when she told him it was time for English class one day, he picked up the English book.  She pushes him because she cares enough to not give up on him- she knows he can be more then what he is now.  In seeing his progress, it makes me sad and extremely annoyed when perfectly able children are allowed to settle for less.

America is not perfect in its education.  And I am by no means a perfect teacher.  But seriously Japan, why are you selling these children short of their futures???

Crazy Choir Ladies

So last weekend not only did I have graduation, but I also had a choir concert (not to mention I went out for food and karaoke on Friday).  This was the 10th anniversary of the start of my choir so it was actually a LARGE show.  We sang a "best of" with different members suggesting songs they had sung in years past.  Seeing as I am a newbie, I didn't really add my 2 cents worth, but the selection was good all the same.

I mentioned Nadasousou in a previous post- love that song and enjoyed doing it with the choir, even with our director doing silly drumming.  It was actually hilarious as during dress rehearsal when the director would ask two of the choir ladies who had been listening out in the seats what they thought, they would always suggest that the drums be quieter or that they be moved behind the choir.  The director would then tell us that we needed to sing louder and would continue to play the drums just as she had been.

The other humorous (for me) song was "I Could Have Danced All Night" from My Fair Lady.  The thing that was funny was that we sang it in Japanese and the translation was really strange.  There is a part in the song where, in English, the harmony sings, "Your eyes are red, you must be dead, it's time to go to bed..."  and in Japanese we just repeated, "konya ha, konya ha, konya ha." which is basically, "tonight, tonight,tonight."

The other songs were pretty similar (aka all in Japanese) to each other and as a closing we sang The Sukiyaki Song and asked the audience to participate.  Added to our singing was a slide show, some solos, the kids choir, and a small pause to remember people who passed in the Tohoku disaster (since the concert fell on the 1 year anniversary).

As always I had fun during rehearsal and during the "hang around" time chatting with the people in my choir. It was a little weird to share the changing room with the kids choir (as most of them are my students), but also fun to see them outside of school.  They have completely different personalities ( as it is with kids all over the world) when they are out of school and doing something that doesn't have to be done in English.

After the concert we went out for another crazy night, though this time it wasn't as wild.  We ended up eating at a karaoke box, and instead of having a free for all sing, we played the game where the person who sang chose the next song for the next person.  I ended up singing only three songs, which is a huge record for me, but also sang along with everyone else (the rule was that we had to be quite for the first verse and then could join in on the others).  I am always blown away by the talent of all the women.

At the end of the night they actually mentioned that this year they want to take a trip, and told them we HAVE to go to America.  They said no, but it would be so much fun.  Maybe not this year, but definitely in the future.

Best part of the night was that the party was at the hotel that is about a five minute walk from my house so I was able to easily get home in no time at all.

Below is a song we have sang at both karaoke parties that one of the ladies is a big fan of.  She can do all of the dance moves and really gets into it.

PINK LADY UFO


Graduation

Last Saturday was the Jr High graduation.  I had been to this ceremony two years ago, but didn't really remember all of it.  I also missed the one last year due to being at home.

In Japan the children go to kindergarten and then elementary school from first to sixth grade.  They then start over in Jr high as first graders and graduate when they are third graders.  After Jr high they go to different high schools based on different tests they took, and though some will still be with a few friends, they are pretty split up.  So Jr high graduation is kind of a big deal as it is the last time they are all together and for some, the last time they are going to school in their hometown.  If students aren't very good at school, they might not even go on to high school or might attend a tech school.  Before you get all shocked, let me say that they are 15 years old when they graduate Jr high, not 13 like I was when I graduated Jr high.

Anyway, in Japan they have ceremonies for everything and they have graduation ceremonies for everything.  They are all made out to be these serious events, but because there are so many of them they end up being more of a hassle than a big deal (sorry if I am offending anyone).  At the school I teach at, aside from parents, not many people come to the graduation and even then not everyone had parents come.  Also, you don't see many siblings or grandparents like you would in America.  People are always on the go in Japan so a lot of times people want to come but can't because of work, house responsibilities, etc

The ceremony itself was quite boring and somber.  The adults all wore their best black suits and the students wore the same uniforms they had been wearing the past three years.  I was a rebel in that I had a dark pink shirt with my black suit, but I just really didn't want to feel like I was going to a funeral.  We had speeches from the principal and then two members of the city hall, and though my Japanese isn't the best, I am pretty sure not a single joke was told.

Four 2nd graders stood up and shared memories of the 3rd graders while a girl played a slow song on piano, and then the underclassmen sang a song.  It was a nice song, but the set-up was really weird.  In the gym there was a stage and then chairs lined up in rows facing it.  The 3rd graders sat closest to the stage with the underclassmen behind them and the parents behind the underclassmen.  The teachers sat to one side and the "guests" (city council workers, BOE members, elementary school principals, etc) sat on another side.  When the underclassman sang, rather than go up and face the 3rd graders, they just stood behind them and sang to the 3rd graders' backs.

Later four 3rd graders stood up and shared memories about the past year.  Again, not a joke was told and almost all of them cried.  Yes it is a sad time, but it is also an exciting time.  At one point each 3rd grader stood up and said, "Here" when their name was called, but, except for the leader of each class, none of them went on stage or even turned around so that their parents could get a good picture.

I shouldn't always insist on comparing things to "America," but it makes me a little sad/annoyed that what should be such a fun experience is so boring/somber.  I don't know why they couldn't do skits, wear their own choice of fancy dress, go up and receive some sort of paper or at least turn around for a photo op. for the parents.  Though my high school graduation was sad, I also remember all the fun of hearing classmate speeches, throwing our hats in the air at the end, hearing a guest speaker we selected, selecting the outfit I would wear under my robe, etc

The worst part was, after the ceremony the 3rds graders met with their different clubs and were given gifts from the underclassmen.  Then, after about an hour, it was announced on the loudspeaker that they needed to leave.  After they were gone, the underclassmen and staff ate a rushed lunch and then hurried out to club practice or to start working on things for class the next week.  It was like, "Well, that's done.  Time to move on."  Part of it is the fact that in Japan there isn't really a break between the school years and so things are busy all year round.

 In the west during the weekend of graduation my parents, who were teachers, went from house to house where families were hosting parties for the graduates.  Even for Jr high graduation (which is not a big deal at all), we had a cake at my house and family and neighbors came over to celebrate. I wonder if the graduates did anything with their families...  I especially feel bad for those students who aren't going on to any higher form of education...  For this to be it seems a little sad.

Friday, March 9, 2012

Forgotten Movies

So these movies haven't really been forgotten -they continue to be quite famous.  But they are all movies that I recently found while changing channels on TV and ones that I hadn't thought about in forever but that are actually quite good.  In fact, some of them I watched when I was young (my parents weren't really the type to censor things and they usually decided what we would watch rather than let us kids dictate what movie we rented or saw), and I am surprised at how much I didn't remember.  I thought I would share them in case you are wanting to watch something this weekend.

1 A Few Good Men
This is a movie with Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise, and Demi Moore in the main roles, but it is filled with famous bit characters such as Kiefer Sutherland and Cuba Gooding Jr.  It's the movie with the line, "I want the truth!" "You can't handle the truth!"  Anyway, it was interesting for me in that, I could remember how it ended but in that I couldn't remember the actual events that lead to the court room and how they got to the end result.  Jack Nicholson is usually likable even as an asshole, but in this film he is just straight up asshole.

2 The Firm
Another Cruise flick.  This was the first of the John Grisham movies and, while I distinctly remember seeing it in the theater (I was 10 when it came out), I realize that there was a LOT I did not remember.  Basically all I remembered was that Tom Cruise was the star.  In watching it again I was a little confused by all of the legal jargon going on and I am surprised that my 10 year old self could have stayed awake through it.  It's a good movie in that it plays fast and in that it has a lot of suspense, but it isn't as good as The Pelican Brief, A Time to Kill or The Client.  I think part of that is that, with those movies, I can imagine the story happening to me.  A Time to Kill causes you to think about what you would do if someone raped your daughter/sister/friend and The Client makes you think about what you would do if you were witness to a crime.  The Pelican Brief is just good because Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington are beautiful people.  With the firm, Tom Cruise is no longer thought of as sane and it is hard to place myself in the scenario of a hot shot law school graduate.  But even so, I stayed up well past my bedtime to see how the movie was going to end.  It might be fun to have a John Grisham marathon.

3 10 Things I Hate About You
I was so excited when I turned on the TV to find the opening credits to this movie.  I hadn't seen it in FOREVER and it is so good.  Actually, depending on your age it might not be the greatest film, but it came out when I was in high school so it was very relatable.  It also starred Julia Stiles who I so wanted to be in high school and Heath Ledger in a cute, fun role.  This movie made me want to watch She's All That, Varsity Blues, and Can't Hardly Wait.  Though a lot of teen movies ply dumb for their audience, this is one of the rare ones that has a bit of wit to it.  I especially love how absurd the adult actors are.  Allison Janney as the guidance counselor who spends most of her time writing slutty romances and Larry Miller, the OBGYN who  uses street slang to scare his daughters off of boys.

4 Misery
Again, a movie I have seen but all I remembered was the scene where she breaks his legs with a sledge hammer.  You can't go wrong with Stephen King and this film is well done.  Kathy Bates is so genius as the deranged fan who keeps her favorite author captive in her house.  It is such a simple film in that there are few characters and really only one set, but the dialogue and suspense are quite grabbing.  A must see if you haven't seen it.

Fitness Friday

Another slow week without much to report.  I went back down a pound but don't really pay attention when it comes to gaining/losing only one pound.  It could have anything to do with whether or not I just got out of the shower or if I've been to the bathroom in awhile.

I did manage to do a bit more exercise but not what I should be pushing myself to do.  Too much good stuff on TV and too many distractions like cross stitching.  I have also been doing a bit of spring cleaning which could possibly logged as exercise, but not really.  This is just not a good month to start in that I am busy and it is still cold.

My food intake has been so-so.  I use the zoom calorie counter thing on my android and last night after seeing that I was 10 calories under what I was allowed for the day, I made the decision to drink a diet soda instead of a regular soda.  Little things like that help in the long run, but don't mean much if I want visible results.

But I won't give up the good fight.  Here's to having wonderful things to report next week.


Thursday, March 8, 2012

Random Humor

So here are some quick things that aren't big enough for a post on their own but that made me laugh...

1) I Hate Mother Teresa
We are studying Mother Teresa in the Jr High and when we brought up a picture of her to introduce her to the students, one boy called out, "Ah man!  I hate Mother Teresa!" in Japanese.  Later on I asked him what he meant, and he explained that he hated church related things.  Really odd as there aren't really churches out here....

Then, when completing a comprehension worksheet, we told the students the answer was... "Mother Teresa always saw poor people on her way to school."  One kid said, "Eh, the answer isn't She always saw God?" and the boy who originally said he hated Mother Teresa said, "Only drunk people can see God!"

2) Choir
We have another choir concert this weekend and we have yet another new outfit.  These ones are already made and we just have to go to the closet in the concert hall to pick one up.  But during the discussion about if we would wear them or not, one women raised her hand to say that she was concerned I wouldn't fit into one because my boobs are so large (I am a 36C).  Luckily, I did in fact fit into the dress, although I was worried about my thighs and butt, not my boobs.  It's just funny because the choir is filled with little old ladies who are quite saggy (NO OFFENCE!).

And it is really stupid, but we were all laughing at our choir director who has decided to play the trap set as accompaniament to one of our songs.  It is mean of us, but she is an older woman in her 60's and plays like the little boy in Love Actually when he is just starting out.

3) Elmo!
So you kind of have to know the other song to get this, but the video below made me laugh out loud.  The original song is by LMAFO and it is called "I'm Sexy and I Know It"  It features lyrics like,


When I walk in the spot, this is what I see
Everybody stops and they staring at me
I got passion in my pants and I ain't afraid to show it
or
When I'm at the beach, I'm in a speedo trying to tan my cheeks
This is how I roll, come on ladies it's time to go
We headed to the bar, baby don't be nervous
No shoes, no shirt, and I still get service

The video is kind of lame, and normally I HATE Elmo, but his dancing is so cute and the "Tickle" part is hilarious/clever (In the original song, the guy sings "wiggle wiggle wiggle" as he thrusts his crotch while wearing speedos).


Wednesday, March 7, 2012

A Year Ago pt 2

When it rains it pours.  Sorry I seem to write five blog posts a week but all on one day.  Wednesdays just seem to be so chill because on Monday and Tuesday I go to elem. schools and on Thursday and Friday I am out of ideas...  But anyway...

Seeing my sister post about my mom on facebook makes me feel a little guilty, especially since my facebook status is currently a picture of my dog, Finn, and a quote about dogs that was on my daily dog calendar:

~If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dogs biscuits in your pocket and then giving Fido only two of them.~

I will say that my mom would have loved that quote and it is a bit of an omen that it is the one for today, just like it was a sign that we learned the song "Nadasousou" on her birthday.  Or maybe I am just trying too hard to find meaning.

I must admit that while I did think about the fact that today is the one year anniversary of her death, it hasn't really effected me the way I thought it would.  I was much sadder on her birthday.  The same thing happened at Christmas- I prepared myself to be stricken with grief and yet I ended up not really feeling much...

Maybe it is due to distance or maybe it is due to time.  Maybe it is due to the fact that I have never been one to attatch too much feeling to dates.  I don't really celebrate my wedding anniversary (it was in summer and I was on a different continent than my husband) and I only bring up the fact that its my birthday in order to get something (as in, honey it's my birthday so you have to take me to a movie and pay for lunch).  On the other hand, my emotions are tied to things like books and songs.  I have had random moments over the past year when I have been brought to tears with Skeeter Davis's "End of the World" or by realizing that I can never lend my mother a copy of "The Mitford Sisters."

No offence to my sister, but she has always been the dramatic one.  As a child it was easy to get a dollar from her if I found a penny with her birth year on it, and to this day her room is still a pit because she doesn't throw things away. She plays things up and is quite sentimental.  Nothing wrong with that, just different (I really mean no offence if you read this, Maggie).  So it makes sense that her Facebook is a bit more dramatic today.

My brother on the other hand is an enigma when it comes to feeling.  There is nothing on his Facebook page yet, but that could be due to the fact that it is still the "day before" in America.  (While my sister is in America now, she was in Korea last year at this time so technically this is the time when she would have been getting the news).  It could also turn out that he doesn't write anything because he is not the type.

My father is not on "that Facebook thing" and thus there will be nothing from him.  He also isn't the type to email or call.  I will call him this weekend but will probably avoid the subject all together and instead focus on his upcoming trip to Japan.

On a random note I have a student whose father died last year on the same day as my mother, and I thought about saying something to him today.  But I figured that WOULD make me cry, or I was afraid that it would upset him.  He isn't a student I know well- I wasn't his teacher when this all happened- so I felt it was inappropriate and a bit selfish on my part.

But yeah, an odd day but I thought I better comment less anyone thinks I don't care or that I have forgotten. I guess, too, despite my previous post, it seems a bit selfish of me to go on about losing my mother when so much worse things happened in the Tohoku region of Japan last year.  I saw on TV about a little boy whose entire elementary school (as in all the students, all the teachers, all the staff) was washed away in the Tsunami.  When the wave came, he got pulled in too but his body lodged in a tree, saving his life.  But who am I to feel down about losing someone who, though somewhat young, lived a full life when there are parents who lost children?

I will close with this song.  It is a song about love so its a bit weird to leave it in rememberence of my mom.  But she used to sing it all the time, and while I was waiting to hear about the outcome of her surgery last year, it came on during an episode of Mad Men.


Now I'm the one being dramatic.  Back to pictures of puppies...

March Jaken Article "A Year Ago"

So I write a monthly article for a small local magazine called Jaken.  I wasn't selected to write based on talent but more on the fact that I am here and foreing.  ANYWAY, I don't think they would really want me posting my articles for free (they never said so but I just assume that is the way it goes with published material), but here is my March article.  As you can probably see from my other blog posts, I have a hard time sticking to the 500 word count so I write a long article and then edit it down.  The result is usually not so good... but what can you do. I also tend to do the article the day before it is due, so it also lacks a lot of insight and planning.


March 11th, 2011

On March 7th, 2011 I learned that my mother had suffered from a blood clot in her chest and that she would be undergoing open heart surgery. Later that night I was told that my mother had not survived the surgery.  It was a big shock.

My mother had been fairly healthy. She didn’t smoke or drink and she exercised by walking our dogs. She was 61 but was still working as an elementary school teacher and a dance team coach. On March 6th I had called home and she had been busy packing for her upcoming trip to Japan. Several family members were coming for my Japanese wedding party. She was energetic about the trip. No one could believe that she had died.

My husband and I flew home March 9th. For him this was rough because he didn’t know how to act at an American funeral. Whereas I would usually explain things for him, I was too shocked to do anything but cry.

In America, the night before the funeral people come and pay their respects to the family and the deceased. My mother was a teacher and coach for 35 years, so she knew a lot of people. But we were overwhelmed with the over 900 people that showed up on March 10th. My husband stood with my family and greeted every single person despite not knowing them and not speaking much English.

That night many people asked my husband about earthquakes in Japan. I assumed they were trying to make small talk- just like when Japanese kids ask me about tornadoes. What we didn’t know was that people had already seen coverage about the earthquake and tsunami.

At home we turned on the news and watched the scenes of the tsunami. It was of course terrible to see, but at the time, I didn’t care. As for my husband’s feelings, I didn’t have the energy to ask.

The rest of the week was a blur of ceremony and family. We returned back to Japan and, trying to “forget,” my family came too as originally planned. While others were at home watching the “news,” we were touring Hiroshima, Kyoto, and Kobe.  

I say with all due respect that my family, in some ways, found comfort in hearing about the tsunami. We thought ourselves lucky that we knew what my mother’s last moments were like. My father and other family members were in the hospital and were able to say good-bye. Many in the Tohoku region must be haunted that they will never know what happened to their loved ones and that they couldn’t have a proper burial.

Now that a year has passed I can now focus on what happened in Tohoku with a clear head and heart. I recently helped with an English camp for students in Sendai and would like to do more to help the people of Miyagi. As the years go by and more natural disasters occur, many will forget about what happened. But due to the death of my mother, I will always remember March 11, 2011.

Hina Matsuri

March 3rd is Hina Matsuri, or the "girls festival/doll festival" in Japan.  If you are not a little girl (or don't have a little girl), it kind of goes by unnoticed.  I am not a little girl and I don't have a little girl, but I am an elementary/kindergarten/nursery school teacher so I often bring up the holiday in our lesson warm-up.  I also have a husband whose job includes selling stuff at different festivals and bazaars, so we always celebrate Hina Matsuri by selling stuff in the big festival held in the next town over.

To give a bit more history about the festival, I quote wiki...

The custom of displaying dolls began during the Heian period. Formerly, people believed the dolls possessed the power to contain bad spirits. Hinamatsuri traces its origins to an ancient Japanese custom called hina-nagashi (雛流し?, lit. "doll floating"), in which straw hina dolls are set afloat on a boat and sent down a river to the sea, supposedly taking troubles or bad spirits with them. The Shimogamo Shrine (part of the Kamo Shrine complex in Kyoto) celebrates the Nagashibina by floating these dolls between the Takano and Kamo Rivers to pray for the safety of children. People have stopped doing this now because of fishermen catching the dolls in their nets. They now send them out to sea, and when the spectators are gone they take the boats out of the water and bring them back to the temple and burn them.
The customary drink for the festival is shirozake, a sake made from fermented rice. A colored hina-arare, bite-sized crackers flavored with sugar or soy sauce depending on the region, and hishimochi, a diamond-shaped colored rice cake, are served.[3] Chirashizushi (sushi rice flavored with sugar, vinegar, topped with raw fish and a variety of ingredients) is often eaten. A salt-based soup called ushiojiru containingclams still in the shell is also served. Clam shells in food are deemed the symbol of a united and peaceful couple, because a pair of clam shells fits perfectly, and no pair but the original pair can do so.
Families generally start to display the dolls in February and take them down immediately after the festival. Superstition says that leaving the dolls past March 4 will result in a late marriage for the daughter.[4]


I have done this for about 4 years now, and so it was no big deal to do it again this weekend.  The town that holds the festival is one of those places in Japan that has restored its main street to its traditional form, with cobbled roadways and wooden store fronts.  It is also a hot spot for organic/hippy establishments such as a traditional sake brewery and an organic bakery.  Very cute and very touristy, but still nice. During the festival the store fronts and houses along the main road display old dolls as well as hand-made dolls or contemporary art dolls.

The first day of the festival Motoaki actually had to go to a seminar in another city, so I ended up not working but just going around with some friends and Finn.  Finn of course was the belle of the ball and kept getting stopped for his picture taken.  I was relieved in that he didn't jump on anyone, bark at anyone, or pee on anyone.  He doesn't get out much and so I was nervous he was going to be a big pain, but he did fairly well.  Still, I only stayed about an hour and a half.

The second day of the festival was pouring down with rain and so their was a poor turn out.  I had "advertised" on Facebook but could understand that few friends came.  In a way that was better because I was actually able to help Motoaki with his work.  He has a lot of "special needs helpers" but some of them get tired easily or are shy with large crowds, and thus aren't able to help as much.  We sold locally grown tea, jam made from locally grown pears, grapes, and yuzu, and small handi-crafts made by the special needs people.  We also sold hand-made konnyaku, which is a type of jelly made from a potato/yam like vegetable/root.  The stuff pops everywhere and some foreigners hate it.  I don't really think it has taste so I don't really mind finding it in soup, meat dishes, etc  But I was surprised to hear our group claiming the konnyaku we were selling could be eaten "as is."  Aka, salty jell-o...  Despite me doubts, it was a big seller.

Our other big seller was Hina Matsuri mochi, or strawberry rice cakes with sweet red beans for filling.  These are a bit of an acquired tasted, but after living here, I can eat them.  Still, I let the customers have them.

The festival this year was fairly uneventful though the highlight was definitely when the young girl I talked about in a previous blog post showed up.  Being a kid she was quick to point out that some of the art work done by the special needs people, "Wasn't very good.  It looks like a kid drew it.  I could draw better than that."  LOL!!!  Fair enough, the drawing she pointed at was more to sell the handmade frame, not the art.  I felt bad because it would have been fun to walk around with her.  But seeing as it was pouring down cold rain, her father wanted to get home quick (he had ridden in a bike marathon earlier) and they only stayed for a short while.

Anyway, not a fascinating post but just thought I would share.  Below is a picture (the last one) of Motoaki and his sister selling stuff and then pictures from previous years.  I was too busy with Finn the first day and it was too rainy the second day to take anymore shots this year.







Those Wild Inaka Nights...

Inaka is the Japanese word for "countryside" or "middle of nowhere."  The word strikes absolute dread to a lot of foreigners coming to Japan when they are told that they will in fact not be in Tokyo or Osaka.  When I was first told I was going to the inaka I really didn't care because a) I'm from Iowa which is pretty much all "the middle of nowhere" (there are no stoplights in my entire town) and b) I was just happy to have a job.  After being here for awhile, though, I realized that one can have just as good of a night in the inaka, if not better, considering the people are friendlier.  I also have helped other foreigners realize this.

Take last Friday night.  A group of us decided to visit our friend Ellie in her inaka village, Yubara.  Yubara is famous in that it has a lot of nice hot springs (onsens) so it does have shops and some small restaurants, but it seriously lacks modern conveniences like a large grocery store or trendy bars.  We usually make Ellie drive over to our towns where one can find a McDonalds, Indian food, and cheap Karaoke boxes.  But seeing as it is her last month here we decided to have a big night out in her home town.  We being a girl named Janet, a guy named Johnny, and myself.

We started at a small udon/soba/sushi restaurant where I introduced Ellie to my pickup line, "Ohisashiburi!" or "Long time no see."  I have a pretty lame sense of humor, but I love saying this to random Japanese people.  At the restaurant there was only one other group of people and they consisted of three ojichans and two obachans (grandpas and grandmas).  They are sometimes the age demographic that hates foreigners, but our pick-up line broke the ice and they invited us to their table for sake shots.  They were literally about to give us the whole bottle (and these are BIG bottles) but we insisted we better eat first (we were seriously feeling the alcohol after only 2-3 drinks).

Despite sitting at a different table we continued out conversation.  It was the usual, "Where are you from?  What do you do?  Do you know my grand daughter who goes to your school?" etc but it was fun practicing our Japanese.  I was really impressed as the one guy knew Iowa and proved it by saying that Iowa has the first caucus during the election year.  I was not as impressed when the other guy told me I had a large, round behind, even after he insisted he meant it as a good thing.

After having our fill of cheap food we decided to head off to the Karaoke bar.  We invited the friendly people with us, but seeing as they all were probably in their 70s/80s, they declined.

One really big plus about the inaka vs the city is that things are close to each other. When there is only one street for entertainment, you don't have to go far. We literally only had to walk two steps to the next place we were going.  AKA the one place with karaoke in town.  I had been here twice before, once for a good-bye party and one other night out with Ellie.  It is an expensive place in that you have to pay per drink and per song (really tricky for me since I always sing about 30- no joke), but it is very clean and the staff are really nice.  The last time we had been there we had been the only ones and we thought it would be the same last weekend, but we lucked out.

After singing for about an hour a group of about 13-20 men all in Yukatas (Japanese casual kimonos- more like a bathrobe) came in.  They were part of a tour group from Hiroshima studying the local "biomass."  I think they meant green energy.  Anyway, they had all been at the onsens (hence the robes) and had decided to stop in for a quick drink and some light singing.  After seeing us, though, they decided to stick around and we had quite the party.  It helps that Ellie and I are total hams and that Janet is quite the beauty (especially with the Japanese men- they were all pushing their chairs closer and closer to talk to her). If we had been in a big city the guys would have ignored us or we would have had other foreigners to compete with, but seeing as this was the inaka, they were all ours. Johnny of course was a little sad to not have any girls come in, but he is also the type that is happy to just sit back and relax.

I couldn't help but whip out the four Japanese songs I can sing (Ashiteru, Ruby no Yubiwa, Nada sou sou, Sukiyaki Song, etc) and was also happy to take requests.  Seeing as Whitney is still big news, I was asked to do "I will always love you" but did the Dolly version.  I also sang "Dianna."  The guys were pretty good singers themselves and we had fun clapping along, playing the tambourines and maracas, and dressing up in the hats/wigs/masks the bar has around the different tables.

Finally it midnight rolled around and it was time to go home.  Of course, what night would be complete without getting food on the way back.  One downfall of the inaka is that there aren't as many late night eating  places to choose from (I really miss living a five minute walk from Sukiya, though my waistline does not).  We did find a ramen shop, though, and enjoyed side servings of gyoza as well.

When we went to pay we only had a 10000 yen bill (like $100) and so the cook/cashier left us in the shop while he ran somewhere else to get change.  Seriously could have cleaned the place out or skipped the bill.  Of course, with our white faces we would have been easy to track.

Anyway, ended the night by walking back to Ellie's telling ghost stories and gossiping.  Probably the best part of living in the inaka is that you can safely walk back like that.