August 11, 2012 was the big day. Although it didn't feel quite like a wedding considering how busy we were.
To start with we had a baby shower for me in the morning. I know- what a selfish b*tch! But to be fair I had planned on having it on the Sunday after the wedding. Only a lot of people said that they would be leaving EARLY so they would miss it. Then we thought about Friday night after the rehearsal dinner (since the girls ended up hanging out anyway) but that became a bit of drama between my sister (who was planning the shower) and the bride. So we decided to have a quick one in my sister's room.
Despite the time change it was really fun. We did a Sock Monkey theme and the main focus (besides presents) was on a gender reveal. The night before a lot of rumors and been circulating about what it was but no one knew for sure until they had picked a team (by choosing a ribbon or a mustache) and had put together a puzzle that announced the winner or the looser (the ribbon team had a girl sock monkey and the mustache team had a boy sock monkey). The girls won (so my grandmother and the Chinese gender predictor were right)! The only one who seemed upset was Maggie as she really wanted to go shopping for little boy things. I will admit that I think boy clothing is cuter as well (there just seems to be more options for colors). I got absolutely spoiled with gifts and had a fun time talking with all of the BTDT women.
After that we had just enough time for a quick lunch (Panera) before we had to get ready for the big event. We got to the church and I visited with Morgan's family before the show started. Her grandmother (or possibly her great-grandmother or even a great-aunt) was especially excited to talk to Motoaki and I since she does ikebana (Japanese flower arrangement) and Japanese tea-service. I felt bad because her voice was so soft I could barely hear her (Motoaki didn't even realize when she spoke some Japanese, LOL) and because we didn't have much time.
The actual service was very beautiful but very short. I am not the sentimental type so I don't really get worked up over weddings (even my own was kind of just like another day for me). I will say that I was surprised that the only music was a folk rendition of The Lord's Prayer. A big part of my brother's life has been choir and I would have thought that he would have chosen at least one more song, but I guess it is really the bride's day (lord knows Motoaki didn't really get a choice for our wedding- but part of that was because in Japan they don't usually choose special music for the service). But it was a nice service and the church was pretty.
The reception was also held at the church and was also short but fun. They only had two hours for dinner, cake, toasts, and dancing. Being seven months pregnant only dampened my fun a little bit. My favorite part of any wedding would have to be the dancing but I was afraid to do too much as I didn't want to hurt myself. If it had been a longer reception I might have been bummed but as it was they only had time for about 7 songs of dancing. The same with alcohol- I might have felt left out but the church didn't allow alcohol anyway so everyone joined me in sparkling juice.
My brother's old college roommate, Drew, had the best toast, and the bride's step-mother stole the show with her baking of the cake, cupcakes, and cake balls (I am not sure what to call it when you have a small piece of cake on a stick). Because it was so short there wasn't time for any crazy stories or any big mishaps. Probably the guest who got the wildest was my cousin Anne's daughter, Betsy. She is normally a little shy (well, when she is with people she doesn't know) but she was running around on the dance floor like a wild woman with some cute little boy. I even think she got a kiss.
After the reception we went back to the hotel for drinks in the hotel bar. Again, nothing crazy. I spent most of my time with my cousin Johnny, his wife, and their teenage boys. A lot of people had to get up early for flights or drives the next day so most people turned in early. I guess when looking back I will always think of my brother's wedding as "short and sweet."
Monday, September 17, 2012
Summer...
is over and I have not been on here since July. August was an epic month as I did yet another whirlwind tour of the US, taking in about 9 states and two coasts, if you consider the Mississippi a coast ( a little Christopher Guest humor for you there).
Toby's Wedding: The Rehearsal
One of my main reasons for going home was that Toby got married to Morgan! If you don't know that's my older brother. I just now realized that in this day those names are both gender neutral so to add to that, Toby is the guy. Anyway, they had been dating forever (met at church out in Virginia where they lived) and had been waiting "in line" to make the commitment. I say in line because I had my wedding and then Morgan's brother had a wedding as well as her half sister in the past three years, making Morgan and Toby not wanting to steal anyone`s thunder. So though they only just got engaged this past fall, it was a long time coming.
The wedding was in Virginia Beach (which is why I took in soooo many states- we drove there from Iowa- we being my dad, sister, and grandma) which is Morgan's hometown. I had never been before but it reminded me of when we used to go down and stay in Florida. We picked up Motoaki on the way (he flew into Washington DC) and got to the hotel everyone was staying at late Thursday night (the wedding was on Saturday). It was good to be greeted right away by the Stalter side of the family- ie my dad's brother, his three boys, and the boys' wives and kids.
Morgan is a super organized kind of person and since it was her hometown, she and her family had most of the wedding prep taken care of. So we spent the moments leading up to the wedding spending time with people we haven't seen for awhile. Motoaki and I spent Friday morning with Auntie Ann, Connor, Uncle Bob, Ann's brother Jan, and Jan's wife Kathy at the boardwalk along the beach. Ann is actually my mom's old college roommate, but she is just like a real Aunt to me. She lives in Texas and I spent most of my childhood Christmas vacations at her home in Dallas (along with Jan and his family). Unfortunately with moving to Japan I don't get a chance to visit Dallas much and with my mom gone I don't get to hear much about their family. I do call once in awhile, but not enough. So it was definitely nice to have the whole morning with them.
At the beach we put our feet into the ocean but chose shopping over swimming (mostly because we didn't have that much time before the rehearsal/dinner). Nothing too major though Motoaki and I did pick up some cute Christmas ornaments. I like the idea of slowly building our family stash and he liked the surfboard and beach santa we found.
The rehearsal was your standard run-through. Poor Motoaki had severe jet-lag and kept falling asleep during it. I couldn't help keep him awake because I was on candle duty. Not a big deal but the wedding planner definitely made it out to be a big job. Apart from my duties I spent most of the time making faces at Jack, my cousin Shane's one and a half year old son (his sisters were flower girls)- such a cutie.
At the dinner for the rehearsal (held in the hotel) I hung out with my mom's side of the family and Stuart friends. It was especially nice to talk to my cousin Scott as I haven't seen him since Christmas (and even then it was only for a short time). He lives in Colorado so it is hard to see him when I come home.
After the dinner Motoaki finally got to get some sleep (despite being invited to a strip club for the bachelor's party) and I went to the hotel bar to talk with my girl cousins and boy cousins' wives. Nothing wild- Maggie is the youngest at 27 and the other girls are all in their 30s/40s. They had wine and I had ginger ale. We mostly talked about kids and babies (since I am due in November and my cousin is adopting a baby in October) and were in bed by about 11. Morgan had a bachelorette party but it was held earlier in the year, and so she was at home that night.
Toby's Wedding: The Rehearsal
One of my main reasons for going home was that Toby got married to Morgan! If you don't know that's my older brother. I just now realized that in this day those names are both gender neutral so to add to that, Toby is the guy. Anyway, they had been dating forever (met at church out in Virginia where they lived) and had been waiting "in line" to make the commitment. I say in line because I had my wedding and then Morgan's brother had a wedding as well as her half sister in the past three years, making Morgan and Toby not wanting to steal anyone`s thunder. So though they only just got engaged this past fall, it was a long time coming.
The wedding was in Virginia Beach (which is why I took in soooo many states- we drove there from Iowa- we being my dad, sister, and grandma) which is Morgan's hometown. I had never been before but it reminded me of when we used to go down and stay in Florida. We picked up Motoaki on the way (he flew into Washington DC) and got to the hotel everyone was staying at late Thursday night (the wedding was on Saturday). It was good to be greeted right away by the Stalter side of the family- ie my dad's brother, his three boys, and the boys' wives and kids.
Morgan is a super organized kind of person and since it was her hometown, she and her family had most of the wedding prep taken care of. So we spent the moments leading up to the wedding spending time with people we haven't seen for awhile. Motoaki and I spent Friday morning with Auntie Ann, Connor, Uncle Bob, Ann's brother Jan, and Jan's wife Kathy at the boardwalk along the beach. Ann is actually my mom's old college roommate, but she is just like a real Aunt to me. She lives in Texas and I spent most of my childhood Christmas vacations at her home in Dallas (along with Jan and his family). Unfortunately with moving to Japan I don't get a chance to visit Dallas much and with my mom gone I don't get to hear much about their family. I do call once in awhile, but not enough. So it was definitely nice to have the whole morning with them.
At the beach we put our feet into the ocean but chose shopping over swimming (mostly because we didn't have that much time before the rehearsal/dinner). Nothing too major though Motoaki and I did pick up some cute Christmas ornaments. I like the idea of slowly building our family stash and he liked the surfboard and beach santa we found.
The rehearsal was your standard run-through. Poor Motoaki had severe jet-lag and kept falling asleep during it. I couldn't help keep him awake because I was on candle duty. Not a big deal but the wedding planner definitely made it out to be a big job. Apart from my duties I spent most of the time making faces at Jack, my cousin Shane's one and a half year old son (his sisters were flower girls)- such a cutie.
At the dinner for the rehearsal (held in the hotel) I hung out with my mom's side of the family and Stuart friends. It was especially nice to talk to my cousin Scott as I haven't seen him since Christmas (and even then it was only for a short time). He lives in Colorado so it is hard to see him when I come home.
After the dinner Motoaki finally got to get some sleep (despite being invited to a strip club for the bachelor's party) and I went to the hotel bar to talk with my girl cousins and boy cousins' wives. Nothing wild- Maggie is the youngest at 27 and the other girls are all in their 30s/40s. They had wine and I had ginger ale. We mostly talked about kids and babies (since I am due in November and my cousin is adopting a baby in October) and were in bed by about 11. Morgan had a bachelorette party but it was held earlier in the year, and so she was at home that night.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
The Visit Pt. 4
I took a one day break and let the group go off
on their own. I would have loved to have gone with them to Kyoto but I
had an observation that I couldn't get out of (actually, I didn't try- I
figure if they are going to give me extra money then I should do the
job). I would love to write about the observation as it was
interesting, but I don't think that would be very responsible of me. I
didn't worry too much as both Maggie and Dad have been to Japan about
five times between them. And I had also given them very specific
maps/directions/etc
On Thursday as soon as I had finished work at the elementary school I raced to catch the train to Tokyo. I think some people might be bothered by long journeys but I rather enjoy them. I don't like the price in Japan (about $200 for one way) but I do like the ease of the trains (though I think Europe has Japan beat). Even when alone I don't mind the almost five since I like to read and have a smart phone. I had King Rat for book club and being on a train for about five hours actually allowed me to finally get into it.
I made it to Tokyo at about 10:30 and was relieved to see that it wasn't raining (forgot my umbrella at school) and that the hotel was really easy to find (I highly recommend the Comfort Inn in Tokyo Higashi if you have family in town- super easy to find and decent breakfast, though if you are just with a bunch of mates a hostel s better). I was also relieved to see that the others had made it and that they were ready for the next day.
We had a day and a half in Tokyo and tried to take in a lot. We made it to Asakusa but it was raining so that put a bit of a damper on doing any shopping at the stalls leading up to the temples. We then made it to the Imperial Palace where it wasn't raining but cool, which is nice since there isn't any shade there. We stopped for lunch at Hard Rock Cafe ( a little cliche but so good- I had this California burger with avocado, cucumbers, bacon, and cheese) and then made it to Harajuku for shopping and the Meji Jingu Shrine. The Shrine is one of my favorites as it isn't red but left in it's natural wood. It is really cool how you are literally steps away from the craziness that is Harajuku ( a major shopping street) and yet you feel like you are in the woods. Sheila enjoyed the flowers there (note to self for future gift ideas- gardening tools) and the rest of the group enjoyed the peace.
We window shopped in Harajuku and then made big purchases at the 100 yen store (aka the $ store). I had assumed that Maggie had already taken the group to one but this was Dave's first time and he floored by the selection and quality of goods. I was happy to be there for his "first time."
To end the evening we went to Shibuya to see the Hachi Statue (though it was really crowded) and the major cross walk that is similar to Times Square and that is featured in a lot of movies. To fully enjoy the amount of people without being overtaken by them, we went to the Starbucks that sits at one end of the cross and people watched. I so wanted a white chocolate mocha but I played by the rules and got a vanilla frappe (which is supposedly free of caffeine).
I had hoped to shop in Shibuya (English book store) or at least get a bite to eat at one of the dozens of restaurants there, but the group decided to head back to the hotel and look for food there. My dad doesn't do well with jet lag and had been up by about 4 or 5 every morning, and Sheila was tired from walking. I think Maggie and David wanted to keep the peace.
Unfortunately there wasn't really a lot of selection near the hotel. The staff had directed us to a lovely "sticks" place that had cheap beer (to David's delight), but it was one of those whole in the walls that only sits about 7 and it was full. The lovely restaurant below it that sat us right away unfortunately only really served fish (not for Dave and Sheila- and probably Maggie either). So we started wandering and ended up at a cheapo Chinese restaurant. Everyone seemed to like it, but again I was upset that I couldn't show everyone a nice meal.
The following morning we slept in a bit and then hit up Tokyo Tower for our final site. I myself hadn't been there but enjoyed it. I mean, it was your typical tower, but it didn't have a long wait and it had nice areas for sitting once you got up into the tower. I feel bad that Sky Tree will steal its thunder...
Afterward we had what was going to be a quick lunch at a Chinese place (David picked on the basis that they had chicken) and unfortunately it took quite a long time. It was good, but the place only had two workers and was popular with other diners. Thus we ended up having to pretty much run back to the hotel to pick up luggage and then catch the train to Narita (I just escorted them). Good-byes were quick but not sad as I am going home this August.
Overall it was an ok trip. Maybe not as good as others we have had in the past (last summer was fun taking Dad and Maggie to Nagoya and Tokyo Disney) but I really enjoyed getting to know David better (he is perfect for the family) and it was nice to finally put a person behind the name that is Shelia. I could get into some of the drama that was had, but I don't know who reads this and there has been enough drama this year.
On Thursday as soon as I had finished work at the elementary school I raced to catch the train to Tokyo. I think some people might be bothered by long journeys but I rather enjoy them. I don't like the price in Japan (about $200 for one way) but I do like the ease of the trains (though I think Europe has Japan beat). Even when alone I don't mind the almost five since I like to read and have a smart phone. I had King Rat for book club and being on a train for about five hours actually allowed me to finally get into it.
I made it to Tokyo at about 10:30 and was relieved to see that it wasn't raining (forgot my umbrella at school) and that the hotel was really easy to find (I highly recommend the Comfort Inn in Tokyo Higashi if you have family in town- super easy to find and decent breakfast, though if you are just with a bunch of mates a hostel s better). I was also relieved to see that the others had made it and that they were ready for the next day.
We had a day and a half in Tokyo and tried to take in a lot. We made it to Asakusa but it was raining so that put a bit of a damper on doing any shopping at the stalls leading up to the temples. We then made it to the Imperial Palace where it wasn't raining but cool, which is nice since there isn't any shade there. We stopped for lunch at Hard Rock Cafe ( a little cliche but so good- I had this California burger with avocado, cucumbers, bacon, and cheese) and then made it to Harajuku for shopping and the Meji Jingu Shrine. The Shrine is one of my favorites as it isn't red but left in it's natural wood. It is really cool how you are literally steps away from the craziness that is Harajuku ( a major shopping street) and yet you feel like you are in the woods. Sheila enjoyed the flowers there (note to self for future gift ideas- gardening tools) and the rest of the group enjoyed the peace.
We window shopped in Harajuku and then made big purchases at the 100 yen store (aka the $ store). I had assumed that Maggie had already taken the group to one but this was Dave's first time and he floored by the selection and quality of goods. I was happy to be there for his "first time."
To end the evening we went to Shibuya to see the Hachi Statue (though it was really crowded) and the major cross walk that is similar to Times Square and that is featured in a lot of movies. To fully enjoy the amount of people without being overtaken by them, we went to the Starbucks that sits at one end of the cross and people watched. I so wanted a white chocolate mocha but I played by the rules and got a vanilla frappe (which is supposedly free of caffeine).
I had hoped to shop in Shibuya (English book store) or at least get a bite to eat at one of the dozens of restaurants there, but the group decided to head back to the hotel and look for food there. My dad doesn't do well with jet lag and had been up by about 4 or 5 every morning, and Sheila was tired from walking. I think Maggie and David wanted to keep the peace.
Unfortunately there wasn't really a lot of selection near the hotel. The staff had directed us to a lovely "sticks" place that had cheap beer (to David's delight), but it was one of those whole in the walls that only sits about 7 and it was full. The lovely restaurant below it that sat us right away unfortunately only really served fish (not for Dave and Sheila- and probably Maggie either). So we started wandering and ended up at a cheapo Chinese restaurant. Everyone seemed to like it, but again I was upset that I couldn't show everyone a nice meal.
The following morning we slept in a bit and then hit up Tokyo Tower for our final site. I myself hadn't been there but enjoyed it. I mean, it was your typical tower, but it didn't have a long wait and it had nice areas for sitting once you got up into the tower. I feel bad that Sky Tree will steal its thunder...
Afterward we had what was going to be a quick lunch at a Chinese place (David picked on the basis that they had chicken) and unfortunately it took quite a long time. It was good, but the place only had two workers and was popular with other diners. Thus we ended up having to pretty much run back to the hotel to pick up luggage and then catch the train to Narita (I just escorted them). Good-byes were quick but not sad as I am going home this August.
Overall it was an ok trip. Maybe not as good as others we have had in the past (last summer was fun taking Dad and Maggie to Nagoya and Tokyo Disney) but I really enjoyed getting to know David better (he is perfect for the family) and it was nice to finally put a person behind the name that is Shelia. I could get into some of the drama that was had, but I don't know who reads this and there has been enough drama this year.
The Visit Pt 3
continued from before...
This being Japan and June the next day was extremely rainy. I felt bad because the same thing had happened in March when my sister and dad had visited. So like last time, instead of sending them to some tourist place like Kurashiki old town or Okayama Castle, I put them on the train to the mall. It's a nice mall and it is a little different than US malls, but for the most part it is just a mall...
I did my day of work and then picked up the travelers around 5pm during which it was quite sunny. In fact, I had only done a little bit of work because the kids had been sent home early due to Typhoon warnings. Teachers of course stayed at school while the children battled the winds and water on their bikes. Poor things. I know it was in the name of safety, but like I said it was pretty clear by 5, the time when kids usually go home. And oddly enough we never get out early or delayed for snow, and snow actually accumulates so it is better to beat the big storm as opposed to rain that passes by. Oh well, the group I met had enjoyed the mall and the scenery on the train (if you live around here, they went via Nimi and Takahashi which goes through mountains and along a big river).
We rushed home to meet Motoaki and then met Motoaki's family at a local Italian restaurant. We had wanted to do something more traditional, but the only places that had space for our group also only had floor seating, which I didn't think would work (my dad and Sheila have bad knees and David is a bigger guy). But the Italian food was high end so I think everyone enjoyed. We split it up so that Maggie and David were sitting by Motoaki's sister and that my dad and Sheila were by Motoaki's parents. This meant that Maggie and the sister communicated in broken conversation and I translated for the parents. I think Motoaki's family is a little surprised that my dad is engaged but they were very polite.
As usual we did the gift exchange. Maggie giving Motoaki's family photo albums, soap, and deluxe Oreoes (mint) and Motoaki's family giving Sheila and my dad snacks, Maggie hand towels, and David socks (out of nowhere). I think that they would like to get my dad something else but aren't sure on sizes.
Anyway, after dinner the in-laws headed home and we headed for karaoke. If you think I am a mic hog you should see my sister. Her and David both put in about a billion songs. My dad sang the ones we put in for him, and Sheila joined in on one or two. It was pretty low key as the older folks and myself were tired. I think this was the first time ever that I requested to go home when we got the warning call from the front desk. I felt bad because David and Maggie were having fun, but I was exhausted and we all had to be up early to get to the train station so that the tourists could go to Osaka/Kyoto.
Maggie gave me things that night and then stayed up playing with Finn for a little while. He loves her and is pretty obedient when she is around.
This being Japan and June the next day was extremely rainy. I felt bad because the same thing had happened in March when my sister and dad had visited. So like last time, instead of sending them to some tourist place like Kurashiki old town or Okayama Castle, I put them on the train to the mall. It's a nice mall and it is a little different than US malls, but for the most part it is just a mall...
I did my day of work and then picked up the travelers around 5pm during which it was quite sunny. In fact, I had only done a little bit of work because the kids had been sent home early due to Typhoon warnings. Teachers of course stayed at school while the children battled the winds and water on their bikes. Poor things. I know it was in the name of safety, but like I said it was pretty clear by 5, the time when kids usually go home. And oddly enough we never get out early or delayed for snow, and snow actually accumulates so it is better to beat the big storm as opposed to rain that passes by. Oh well, the group I met had enjoyed the mall and the scenery on the train (if you live around here, they went via Nimi and Takahashi which goes through mountains and along a big river).
We rushed home to meet Motoaki and then met Motoaki's family at a local Italian restaurant. We had wanted to do something more traditional, but the only places that had space for our group also only had floor seating, which I didn't think would work (my dad and Sheila have bad knees and David is a bigger guy). But the Italian food was high end so I think everyone enjoyed. We split it up so that Maggie and David were sitting by Motoaki's sister and that my dad and Sheila were by Motoaki's parents. This meant that Maggie and the sister communicated in broken conversation and I translated for the parents. I think Motoaki's family is a little surprised that my dad is engaged but they were very polite.
As usual we did the gift exchange. Maggie giving Motoaki's family photo albums, soap, and deluxe Oreoes (mint) and Motoaki's family giving Sheila and my dad snacks, Maggie hand towels, and David socks (out of nowhere). I think that they would like to get my dad something else but aren't sure on sizes.
Anyway, after dinner the in-laws headed home and we headed for karaoke. If you think I am a mic hog you should see my sister. Her and David both put in about a billion songs. My dad sang the ones we put in for him, and Sheila joined in on one or two. It was pretty low key as the older folks and myself were tired. I think this was the first time ever that I requested to go home when we got the warning call from the front desk. I felt bad because David and Maggie were having fun, but I was exhausted and we all had to be up early to get to the train station so that the tourists could go to Osaka/Kyoto.
Maggie gave me things that night and then stayed up playing with Finn for a little while. He loves her and is pretty obedient when she is around.
Happy Birthday
My birthday. It happened, as it usually does, on July 4th. Didn't do
much for it but that is more due to me and my age. Anyway, thought I
would mark it.
In all reality, I lucked out with a pretty good birthday in that the observation I was supposed to do on another teacher got canceled. I love work and all, but I also love not working. Who doesn't? Anyway, I ended up spending the morning calling home and having long chats with two of my Aunts. They were both getting ready for holiday fun as they live in America. My one aunt was going away to a cabin by the lake with her daughters and granddaughter and my other aunt was planning for some low-key festivities as her daughter recovered from foot surgery. Of course we spent most of the time gossiping about my father and my sister's trip to Japan (which I just remembered that I need to update about).
After that I had a huge salad for lunch with avocado and mozzarella cheese while watching daytime TV with Finn. So lucky to have a new channel (well, new to me) DS Family. During the day it has Ellen, Dr. Oz, and shows like The Middle and New Girl. At night it has a lot of good old reality like Wife Swap, Top Chef, The Fashion Show, and Super Nanny.
I then spent a looong time at the pool trying to avoid the old people, and finished the night with McDonald's. Motoaki had to work late so Mac was the easy option. Plus I had been craving it. And it was my birthday. AND, seeing as how it was the 4th of July, it was the American thing to do. Motoaki brought me some cheese cake and two slices of some fruity cakes for himself. I wasn't too bothered as I am not a cake person.
Then on Friday we went out for Yaki Niku (BBQ that you cook at your table) with Motoaki's mom and sister. They are really too nice to me. And I am not just saying that. For my birthday they gave me a Louis Vuitton purse. They were really excited about it and I had to work hard to also be "excited." I know, I know, what a brat. But I am just not a designer girl. And they had already given me a Louis Vuitton wallet earlier this year as a souvenir from Paris. I am not responsible enough for such finery, but they said that I deserved it now that I am an adult, LOL. I will have to remember to use it around them. I had actually been thinking about splurging on myself this summer and getting a Fossil Bag at the outlet in Kurashiki, but I guess I should use the Louis... Luckily when the baby comes they will start spending money on it and leave me to my cheap, $10 purses I get at the mall.
What really made me laugh was that Motoaki got nothing on his birthday from his family. But I guess his mother knows that while he helped, it's me who is really giving her a grandchild. Anyway, here's to being 29!
In all reality, I lucked out with a pretty good birthday in that the observation I was supposed to do on another teacher got canceled. I love work and all, but I also love not working. Who doesn't? Anyway, I ended up spending the morning calling home and having long chats with two of my Aunts. They were both getting ready for holiday fun as they live in America. My one aunt was going away to a cabin by the lake with her daughters and granddaughter and my other aunt was planning for some low-key festivities as her daughter recovered from foot surgery. Of course we spent most of the time gossiping about my father and my sister's trip to Japan (which I just remembered that I need to update about).
After that I had a huge salad for lunch with avocado and mozzarella cheese while watching daytime TV with Finn. So lucky to have a new channel (well, new to me) DS Family. During the day it has Ellen, Dr. Oz, and shows like The Middle and New Girl. At night it has a lot of good old reality like Wife Swap, Top Chef, The Fashion Show, and Super Nanny.
I then spent a looong time at the pool trying to avoid the old people, and finished the night with McDonald's. Motoaki had to work late so Mac was the easy option. Plus I had been craving it. And it was my birthday. AND, seeing as how it was the 4th of July, it was the American thing to do. Motoaki brought me some cheese cake and two slices of some fruity cakes for himself. I wasn't too bothered as I am not a cake person.
Then on Friday we went out for Yaki Niku (BBQ that you cook at your table) with Motoaki's mom and sister. They are really too nice to me. And I am not just saying that. For my birthday they gave me a Louis Vuitton purse. They were really excited about it and I had to work hard to also be "excited." I know, I know, what a brat. But I am just not a designer girl. And they had already given me a Louis Vuitton wallet earlier this year as a souvenir from Paris. I am not responsible enough for such finery, but they said that I deserved it now that I am an adult, LOL. I will have to remember to use it around them. I had actually been thinking about splurging on myself this summer and getting a Fossil Bag at the outlet in Kurashiki, but I guess I should use the Louis... Luckily when the baby comes they will start spending money on it and leave me to my cheap, $10 purses I get at the mall.
What really made me laugh was that Motoaki got nothing on his birthday from his family. But I guess his mother knows that while he helped, it's me who is really giving her a grandchild. Anyway, here's to being 29!
The Pool
My poor blog. I really haven't forgotten you. Just been, er, busy.
Anyway, nothing amazing to write about but there have been things that have been sitting on my mind that I thought I would add. First off, the pool.
About 2 weeks ago I finally got serious and joined the local indoor pool. I have been there before but had stopped going when I added my second job. Then, when I finished my second job I got pregnant which made me tired and all ideas of exercise went out the window. But after looking at my weight and realizing how bad I looked in some photos on Facebook, I decided to get my butt in gear. I realize that I am pregnant and that it is OK if I am looking heavy, but it is not OK for me to be lazy.
Anyway I can't believe that it took me this long to actually go because the minute I hit the pool it was so refreshing and relaxing. And easy. I set up my own routine of swimming 5 laps (250 meters), walking 5 laps, and repeating three times. I make sure to check my pulse and stop between laps to relax. But I have had so much energy from it and such a sense of calm. I usually go right after work and stay for about an hour, giving me just enough time to get home, walk Finn, and make dinner. Before I spent that hour watching crap TV or using the internet (so that is one reason I haven't been blogging so much).
Of course this is Japan so there are some things that do frustrate me (or maybe this would happen in the states too- I don't know because I haven't been a member of a pool in America since I was like 10). First off, the old people. They are all extremely polite to me but they are also in their own worlds. They walk two or three across and they always seem to be in my way. Not that I can't share, but it is frustrating to see them standing in the middle of the lane gossiping. ESPECIALLY when they are in one of the swim lanes. The pool has about 6 lanes. One is used for walking, two are used for lessons (kindergarten/elementary/Jr High) and the rest are for swimming. It makes me so mad when you get three older ladies parked in the middle of a swim lane talking about who knows what. Korean dramas? Sales on eggplants? I don't mind on slow days (once I went with Motoaki and there were only four people total in the pool) but on crowded days when I have other things to do it makes me so angry. Go to the edge of the pool or the walking lane. Or just get out of the pool to talk!
The other thing I hate are the lazy over achievers. These are the older people who will do one really fast, really impressive lap, and then just stand at the end of the lane for about five or ten minutes before doing another. This wouldn't be so bad if they were to share the lane with someone else, but whenever someone else joins them they seem to get uppity about it. I understand that they are old and they need to rest between laps. BUT I am pregnant and still manage to keep my break time between laps to a minimum, or am nice to anyone who joins my lane. Not that I am a saint, I am just conscious of the fact that there are probably other people that want to do laps as well. Again, if there are only three people there that day, take your time. But not when you have four people sharing the lane next to you.
Anyway, so the old people definitely annoy me. But then on the other spectrum are the little people. I love kids and I have patience with them. And when they are in the pool they are great (mostly because they have teachers yelling at them to swim faster and harder). But when they are in the changing room or in the lobby they are crazy. They run around, jumping on furniture and playing tag. I know they are just kids but when I was a kid I went to dance school and waited quietly in the changing room. The same for piano lessons. I knew what my mother expected of me and about respect, and I didn't lose that just because she wasn't there to see me. And the thing is the teachers don't say a thing. In the pool it's all yelling but out of the pool it's a blind eye. I can tell the old people get really angry with the little kids and I am always afraid there will be some cross-generation throw-down with myself in the middle.
It would probably be better if I went later at night but I still do get tired and I feel bad since I don't always get to spend as much time with Motoaki or Finn as it is. If I go right after work Finn doesn't notice (whats another hour to him- and don't worry- he has a toilet and water so he is fine- I usually get home to find him a sleep) and Motoaki isn't home anyway. So it works out best for me to get it done earlier. And it's really not that bad, just something I dwell on while swimming laps. I think because I always hear about rude Americans, but haven't seen this in America. Maybe its where I am from?
Also, on another slightly off topic note, I read the blog of a woman from New Zealand who has three small children in public school in Japan. Anyway, all schools in Japan have swimming at school and when she was attending the meeting about safety/rules, she asked about sending sunscreen along with her kids. She was told that sunscreen was not allowed because it made the pool "dirty." Obviously she was angry, especially when someone said, "The kids won't burn that bad." Then some other mothers got on and also commented how it was the same for their children at other kindergartens and elementary schools. That is so crazy. I asked Motoaki and he also thought it was crazy, but that he wouldn't know how to go about it if it were a school rule. I love Japan, but some days...
Anyway, nothing amazing to write about but there have been things that have been sitting on my mind that I thought I would add. First off, the pool.
About 2 weeks ago I finally got serious and joined the local indoor pool. I have been there before but had stopped going when I added my second job. Then, when I finished my second job I got pregnant which made me tired and all ideas of exercise went out the window. But after looking at my weight and realizing how bad I looked in some photos on Facebook, I decided to get my butt in gear. I realize that I am pregnant and that it is OK if I am looking heavy, but it is not OK for me to be lazy.
Anyway I can't believe that it took me this long to actually go because the minute I hit the pool it was so refreshing and relaxing. And easy. I set up my own routine of swimming 5 laps (250 meters), walking 5 laps, and repeating three times. I make sure to check my pulse and stop between laps to relax. But I have had so much energy from it and such a sense of calm. I usually go right after work and stay for about an hour, giving me just enough time to get home, walk Finn, and make dinner. Before I spent that hour watching crap TV or using the internet (so that is one reason I haven't been blogging so much).
Of course this is Japan so there are some things that do frustrate me (or maybe this would happen in the states too- I don't know because I haven't been a member of a pool in America since I was like 10). First off, the old people. They are all extremely polite to me but they are also in their own worlds. They walk two or three across and they always seem to be in my way. Not that I can't share, but it is frustrating to see them standing in the middle of the lane gossiping. ESPECIALLY when they are in one of the swim lanes. The pool has about 6 lanes. One is used for walking, two are used for lessons (kindergarten/elementary/Jr High) and the rest are for swimming. It makes me so mad when you get three older ladies parked in the middle of a swim lane talking about who knows what. Korean dramas? Sales on eggplants? I don't mind on slow days (once I went with Motoaki and there were only four people total in the pool) but on crowded days when I have other things to do it makes me so angry. Go to the edge of the pool or the walking lane. Or just get out of the pool to talk!
The other thing I hate are the lazy over achievers. These are the older people who will do one really fast, really impressive lap, and then just stand at the end of the lane for about five or ten minutes before doing another. This wouldn't be so bad if they were to share the lane with someone else, but whenever someone else joins them they seem to get uppity about it. I understand that they are old and they need to rest between laps. BUT I am pregnant and still manage to keep my break time between laps to a minimum, or am nice to anyone who joins my lane. Not that I am a saint, I am just conscious of the fact that there are probably other people that want to do laps as well. Again, if there are only three people there that day, take your time. But not when you have four people sharing the lane next to you.
Anyway, so the old people definitely annoy me. But then on the other spectrum are the little people. I love kids and I have patience with them. And when they are in the pool they are great (mostly because they have teachers yelling at them to swim faster and harder). But when they are in the changing room or in the lobby they are crazy. They run around, jumping on furniture and playing tag. I know they are just kids but when I was a kid I went to dance school and waited quietly in the changing room. The same for piano lessons. I knew what my mother expected of me and about respect, and I didn't lose that just because she wasn't there to see me. And the thing is the teachers don't say a thing. In the pool it's all yelling but out of the pool it's a blind eye. I can tell the old people get really angry with the little kids and I am always afraid there will be some cross-generation throw-down with myself in the middle.
It would probably be better if I went later at night but I still do get tired and I feel bad since I don't always get to spend as much time with Motoaki or Finn as it is. If I go right after work Finn doesn't notice (whats another hour to him- and don't worry- he has a toilet and water so he is fine- I usually get home to find him a sleep) and Motoaki isn't home anyway. So it works out best for me to get it done earlier. And it's really not that bad, just something I dwell on while swimming laps. I think because I always hear about rude Americans, but haven't seen this in America. Maybe its where I am from?
Also, on another slightly off topic note, I read the blog of a woman from New Zealand who has three small children in public school in Japan. Anyway, all schools in Japan have swimming at school and when she was attending the meeting about safety/rules, she asked about sending sunscreen along with her kids. She was told that sunscreen was not allowed because it made the pool "dirty." Obviously she was angry, especially when someone said, "The kids won't burn that bad." Then some other mothers got on and also commented how it was the same for their children at other kindergartens and elementary schools. That is so crazy. I asked Motoaki and he also thought it was crazy, but that he wouldn't know how to go about it if it were a school rule. I love Japan, but some days...
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Invasion
So now that summer is here (or summer/rainy season) the bugs have
returned to Japan. For the most part, we are doing ok. Before buying
the house we were warned that we were going to see a lot of bugs in our
house due to it being so close to the river and wood, but so far we are
getting by fairly easy. We got mukade (centipede) powder that seems to
really work (because I have seen dead ones in our shed or just outside
of the house) and Motoaki was able to kill the wasp nest and the bee
hive before they became massive (he is such a brave guy). We have been
managing to keep things clean enough to escape any cockroaches, ants,
beetles, etc and that snake I saw one time last year (the first week
moved in) hasn't returned.
BUT within the past week we seem to have been invaded by small centipedes or millipedes (I don't really take the time to count the legs). When I first started seeing them I freaked out as I thought they were baby mukade (my biggest fear in Japan) but once I realized they were harmless, they became more of a nuisance than a menace. For the most part they don't harm anything. And they are super easy to catch. If they are on the ceiling I just stick a plastic jar under them and they eventually fall into to it, after which I throw them outside. Although maybe I should be killing them... And if they are on the floor I stick an empty toilet around them and when they start to climb it I take it to the toilet and shake them out to a watery death. About a week ago I would maybe see one a day.
Sorry for the bad pics but here are two in the house.
BUT ON SUNDAY I caught 12. TWELVE! Six on the living room ceiling, two on our bedroom floor, two in the hallway, and two in the shower. Now, this could be because a) we had a huge rainstorm all weekend long and they may have been seeking safety and/or b) Motoaki wasn't around so I was kind of lazy and spent a lot of time lying about, looking at the ceiling while Finn brought random toys to me to throw. Anyway, it makes me wonder if maybe we need to do something about them. Motoaki (who'd been in Nagoya) got home at 1 am last night so I didn't have time to ask, but I will tonight. They really aren't that bad as for the most part they don't seem to bite us, they are very calm when caught, and they haven't been found anywhere near our food. But I am worried that maybe they eat wood or something. And I also worry that they will bother Finn or that he will start eating them (he eats enough random bugs and frogs outside as it is...).
On a side note, I will say that in going through this I am reminded of all of the random Asian beetles that everyone had a problem with in Iowa a few years back. I remember thinking that my mom was overreacting when she would go around killing what seemed to me to be harmless little bugs. But now I can definitely relate...
UPDATE= We looked into it and they are harmless for the most part and should go away after the rainy season. You can spray for them, but the spray would probably do Finn and me (due to being pregnant) than the bugs actually do.
BUT within the past week we seem to have been invaded by small centipedes or millipedes (I don't really take the time to count the legs). When I first started seeing them I freaked out as I thought they were baby mukade (my biggest fear in Japan) but once I realized they were harmless, they became more of a nuisance than a menace. For the most part they don't harm anything. And they are super easy to catch. If they are on the ceiling I just stick a plastic jar under them and they eventually fall into to it, after which I throw them outside. Although maybe I should be killing them... And if they are on the floor I stick an empty toilet around them and when they start to climb it I take it to the toilet and shake them out to a watery death. About a week ago I would maybe see one a day.
BUT ON SUNDAY I caught 12. TWELVE! Six on the living room ceiling, two on our bedroom floor, two in the hallway, and two in the shower. Now, this could be because a) we had a huge rainstorm all weekend long and they may have been seeking safety and/or b) Motoaki wasn't around so I was kind of lazy and spent a lot of time lying about, looking at the ceiling while Finn brought random toys to me to throw. Anyway, it makes me wonder if maybe we need to do something about them. Motoaki (who'd been in Nagoya) got home at 1 am last night so I didn't have time to ask, but I will tonight. They really aren't that bad as for the most part they don't seem to bite us, they are very calm when caught, and they haven't been found anywhere near our food. But I am worried that maybe they eat wood or something. And I also worry that they will bother Finn or that he will start eating them (he eats enough random bugs and frogs outside as it is...).
On a side note, I will say that in going through this I am reminded of all of the random Asian beetles that everyone had a problem with in Iowa a few years back. I remember thinking that my mom was overreacting when she would go around killing what seemed to me to be harmless little bugs. But now I can definitely relate...
UPDATE= We looked into it and they are harmless for the most part and should go away after the rainy season. You can spray for them, but the spray would probably do Finn and me (due to being pregnant) than the bugs actually do.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
The Sex is a No-Go
As in finding out if we are having a boy or a girl, LOL. Last time we went to the Dr.s we had two different types of ultrasounds- the regular kind and what I think is called the 3d kind (sorry, my Japanese isn't good enough to figure out what is going on all of the time). So I just assumed that we would do the same this time and that we would get to see if it was a boy or a girl. But unfortunately we only did the old fashioned kind and the dr didn't comment one way or the other. If I had been with DH I would have asked him to ask for the other kind of ultrasound, but because I was with MIL and SIL, I didn't want to seem pushy or take up too much time. And I was happy in seeing that the baby was still fine and growing at the normal rate.
Despite me not wanting to take too much time I ended up having to see two other Drs all because I asked the main OBGYN two questions. A) At this point in my pregnancy, how many calories should I be consuming? B) Are there any nearby excercize classes for pregnant women? I seriously thought these questions would take about 5 minutes to answer but the Dr insisted on me going to a health & diet specialist for A) and the head of maternity nurses for B).
I felt like I wasted the health specialist's time since I really only had the one question. I'm not super worried about weight gain at this point (though I have already gained 5 of the 20 pounds Japanese Dr.s say I should gain) but am curious since I haven't been especially hungry during the day. I think part of it is that I have started eating breakfast which I didn't do before and school lunches are so big. So dinner time I don't feel hungry. But she made sure to go over in detail what I should/shouldn't be eating and how much of what food group. I wanted to laugh when she asked me what was the main part of my meal: bread or rice? Japan is carb. obsessed and they base their meals around that. I said that mostly I base my meals around whichever veggies I have on hand (and refrained from telling her that I also base it on meat or fish). The carb. is the last thing I consider and half of the time I leave it out.
Anyway, I was really excited to meet the head of maternity nurses. I think usually I wouldn't have met her until much later in the pregnancy but because I had my question she went ahead and did a quick intro to the maternity ward where I will have the baby. I have heard horror stories about how some nurses can be a little strict or not accommodating to foreign wives, but this lady and I got on super well and I feel so much more relieved. She said she delivered for a Peruvian once (whom I know since I teach her daughters) so it wasn't a big deal if I didn't speak too much Japanese. She also said that my weight gain was fine and that since the baby seemed average I shouldn't worry.
She went over a lot of information and was really patient when questions came up. She wasn't able to help with an excercise class (the one they have is at 2pm on weekdays which is when I have work) but she did tell me where I could get the local government pregnancy guidebook in English and she told me about different birth plans that the hospital offers. She also talked to me about brestfeeding and cloth diapering, both of which are things I am curious about but thought might be considered a hassle in Japanese hospitals. It was a little awkward when she started showing me how to "massage" myself to get milk. Not because of her touching my chest, but because my MIL and SIL were there and I don't really get topless in front of them too often. Not to mention that Japan is kind of conservative.
But anyway, glad things are going fine and that I got to learn more about where I'll give birth. Bummed about the sex (especially since my Facebook birth club were waiting for my announcement) but it's not so bad. I want to keep it a secret so that we can all guess at my US baby shower, anyway, so it's probably better that I don't have to have a secret on my shoulders all month.
Despite me not wanting to take too much time I ended up having to see two other Drs all because I asked the main OBGYN two questions. A) At this point in my pregnancy, how many calories should I be consuming? B) Are there any nearby excercize classes for pregnant women? I seriously thought these questions would take about 5 minutes to answer but the Dr insisted on me going to a health & diet specialist for A) and the head of maternity nurses for B).
I felt like I wasted the health specialist's time since I really only had the one question. I'm not super worried about weight gain at this point (though I have already gained 5 of the 20 pounds Japanese Dr.s say I should gain) but am curious since I haven't been especially hungry during the day. I think part of it is that I have started eating breakfast which I didn't do before and school lunches are so big. So dinner time I don't feel hungry. But she made sure to go over in detail what I should/shouldn't be eating and how much of what food group. I wanted to laugh when she asked me what was the main part of my meal: bread or rice? Japan is carb. obsessed and they base their meals around that. I said that mostly I base my meals around whichever veggies I have on hand (and refrained from telling her that I also base it on meat or fish). The carb. is the last thing I consider and half of the time I leave it out.
Anyway, I was really excited to meet the head of maternity nurses. I think usually I wouldn't have met her until much later in the pregnancy but because I had my question she went ahead and did a quick intro to the maternity ward where I will have the baby. I have heard horror stories about how some nurses can be a little strict or not accommodating to foreign wives, but this lady and I got on super well and I feel so much more relieved. She said she delivered for a Peruvian once (whom I know since I teach her daughters) so it wasn't a big deal if I didn't speak too much Japanese. She also said that my weight gain was fine and that since the baby seemed average I shouldn't worry.
She went over a lot of information and was really patient when questions came up. She wasn't able to help with an excercise class (the one they have is at 2pm on weekdays which is when I have work) but she did tell me where I could get the local government pregnancy guidebook in English and she told me about different birth plans that the hospital offers. She also talked to me about brestfeeding and cloth diapering, both of which are things I am curious about but thought might be considered a hassle in Japanese hospitals. It was a little awkward when she started showing me how to "massage" myself to get milk. Not because of her touching my chest, but because my MIL and SIL were there and I don't really get topless in front of them too often. Not to mention that Japan is kind of conservative.
But anyway, glad things are going fine and that I got to learn more about where I'll give birth. Bummed about the sex (especially since my Facebook birth club were waiting for my announcement) but it's not so bad. I want to keep it a secret so that we can all guess at my US baby shower, anyway, so it's probably better that I don't have to have a secret on my shoulders all month.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
The Visit pt 2
The next day we went to Miyajima, or the island with the temples and the
deer just outside of Hiroshima. I have been there a dozen times
(probably more like only 8) but I don't mind going as it is pretty calm
and peaceful. This time wasn't too crowded due to it being a Monday and
light rain, so that was really nice as well. We made a quick stop at
McDonald's for breakfast which was nice for me as I never do it
regularly. The visitors would have probably gone for anything but
McDonald's is quick and has coffee.
On the island we did the usual thing of walking to see the red gate in the water and then visiting the various temples. I was a little tired and winded from all of the steps so I didn't go into all of the temples but everyone else enjoyed themselves. My dad's fiance is a big gardener so she really enjoyed the care that has been taken to all of nature on the island.
We ate okonomiyaki for lunch at a place where they cook it right in front of you. Not like you get in the states though. The chef doesn't throw the knives in the air or light the grill with a big flash of fire. Instead he just cooks quietly. Okonomiyaki is made from a thin pancake/crepe that is salty not sweet. You can add various things to it but we had it with noodles, egg, bacon, cabbage, and cheese. My dad also got oysters with his. I recommend it to anyone who wants to eat Japanese food but who doesn't like seafood.
We did the obligatory souvenir shopping and then went back to see the gate when the tide was out. Our guests walked down to it but again, being tired, Motoaki and I gave it a miss.
We then left the island and headed to Iwakuni, the city with a US Naval Base that our first home stay student, Nana, came from. The main site there is the Kintai bridge which is a wooden arch bridge. This is also a peaceful place that was a little deserted due to the late time of day and it being not a holiday. We also took time to tour the iris gardens and temples which were a big hit for Shelia and my sister. I am not the biggest flower fan (I prefer greens) but this was my first time to see the iris and they were impressive.
We got on the road at about 6 pm for the long ride home. Unfortunately we got back too late to Maniwa and none of the good restaurants were open, so we ended up getting Joyfull. Joyfull is similar to Denny's in that it serves sit-down fast food. It is good for foreigners because it is cheap and has a colored menu (as well as a mix of things like hamburgers, spaghetti, chicken, etc), but I felt a little embarrassed at the quality of it.
On the island we did the usual thing of walking to see the red gate in the water and then visiting the various temples. I was a little tired and winded from all of the steps so I didn't go into all of the temples but everyone else enjoyed themselves. My dad's fiance is a big gardener so she really enjoyed the care that has been taken to all of nature on the island.
We ate okonomiyaki for lunch at a place where they cook it right in front of you. Not like you get in the states though. The chef doesn't throw the knives in the air or light the grill with a big flash of fire. Instead he just cooks quietly. Okonomiyaki is made from a thin pancake/crepe that is salty not sweet. You can add various things to it but we had it with noodles, egg, bacon, cabbage, and cheese. My dad also got oysters with his. I recommend it to anyone who wants to eat Japanese food but who doesn't like seafood.
We did the obligatory souvenir shopping and then went back to see the gate when the tide was out. Our guests walked down to it but again, being tired, Motoaki and I gave it a miss.
We then left the island and headed to Iwakuni, the city with a US Naval Base that our first home stay student, Nana, came from. The main site there is the Kintai bridge which is a wooden arch bridge. This is also a peaceful place that was a little deserted due to the late time of day and it being not a holiday. We also took time to tour the iris gardens and temples which were a big hit for Shelia and my sister. I am not the biggest flower fan (I prefer greens) but this was my first time to see the iris and they were impressive.
We got on the road at about 6 pm for the long ride home. Unfortunately we got back too late to Maniwa and none of the good restaurants were open, so we ended up getting Joyfull. Joyfull is similar to Denny's in that it serves sit-down fast food. It is good for foreigners because it is cheap and has a colored menu (as well as a mix of things like hamburgers, spaghetti, chicken, etc), but I felt a little embarrassed at the quality of it.
The Visit pt 1
Last week my dad, his new fiance, my sister, and her
boyfriend David came to Japan. This was about the 6th time for both
my dad and sister to come but it was a first for Shelia (the fiance) and
David. It was also my first time to meet Shelia (I met David last
winter and drove to Colorado with him). Though I am sure they felt like
they were here forever, for me it was really busy and thus went really
fast.
We started out the trip meeting up in Hiroshima. They had flown into Tokyo and spent the night there before coming down. Tokyo is about 7 hours from our house (by car) and Hiroshima is only 3. They also had JR passes (pretty cheap and a good deal if you want to see a lot) so they were able to take the bullet trains to us.
Since we met at lunch time we decided to get food first, and as I had bet Motoaki, my dad wanted ramen. This actually worked out well as David is a picky eater and ramen is noodles, broth, and meat. A lot of you are probably thinking "instant ramen?" but I would say that instant ramen to real ramen is like Little Debbies to real cake. Both are delicious, but they can't really compare.
The restaurant was crowded so we had to split up. I gave Maggie and David Motoaki and I sat with my dad and Shelia. It was a little weird meeting someone my dad is going to marry, but I think we were able to avoid any awkwardness. Luckily we had things like Japanese culture and my baby to distract from any tension.
After lunch we checked into our hotel which is actually a big communtiy center. It is very near the Peace Museum in Hiroshima and foreigners get a discount for staying there. Though it serves as a hostel you can also rent it out for retreats and tour groups. The center also has a concert hall, bath house, and meeting/conference rooms. Anyway, when we were pulling up we were surprised to see tour buses for Monkey Majik parked beside the building. Monkey Majik is a half Japanese, Half Canadian band that Motoaki and I like. We used one of their songs for our dance at our wedding. I like them because they sing in English and Japanese. In the past I have included them on cds I have had made for Maggie and she likes them too.
Anyway, didn't think too much of it as we checked in and then headed to the peace museum. This is the one dedicated to the atomic bomb. I have been there numerous times so Motoaki and I sat in the small cafe they have while the others went in. Afterwards we walked through the gardens to see all of the various memorials. The most famous one is the statue of Sadako and her paper cranes. It is stated in an old Japanese story that anyone who folds 1000 cranes will be granted a wish by the gods, so Sadako and her friends folded cranes in order to cure Sadako's leukemia. Sadako had been 2 at the time of the bomb and she, like other children exposed to the radiation, fell sick when she was only 11. Now children all around Japan fold cranes and send them to be put into glass cases to remember Sadako and others who died as a result of the bomb.
The other famous spot in the gardens is Genbaku Dome, one of the only structures to survive the blast. It has been left as is, a gutted structure, as part of the memorial.
After that we headed back to the hotel and found out that Monkey Majik was playing in the hotel's concert hall that night. Though I felt bad ditching my dad, Maggie, Motoaki, David, and I decided to go. Though I didn't know a lot of their songs, it was fun to see them and a good experience for Maggie and David. Japanese concerts are slightly tame compared to western ones, though you do get a lot of enthusiastic fans. Part of the thing that is interesting about them is the trend of fans to do choreographed moves for different songs. Like during one song EVERYONE pulled out a towel to wave around their head. During another song everyone did specific hand movements. It was a good concert for Maggie and Dave as there was a good mix of Englisha and Japanese.
The concert finished early (maybe around 7:30) so we went to a major shopping street in Hiroshima to find food. Again, my sister's boyfriend is a little picky so we ended up findng a family restaurant (like Denny's or Perkins) that served pasta and pizza. For being cheap, it was really good. We stayed for a long time and caught up on a lot. I really like my sister's boyfriend- we have similar humors and we are the same age so we get along well. That's great as they are the family I will probably see the most.
We started out the trip meeting up in Hiroshima. They had flown into Tokyo and spent the night there before coming down. Tokyo is about 7 hours from our house (by car) and Hiroshima is only 3. They also had JR passes (pretty cheap and a good deal if you want to see a lot) so they were able to take the bullet trains to us.
Since we met at lunch time we decided to get food first, and as I had bet Motoaki, my dad wanted ramen. This actually worked out well as David is a picky eater and ramen is noodles, broth, and meat. A lot of you are probably thinking "instant ramen?" but I would say that instant ramen to real ramen is like Little Debbies to real cake. Both are delicious, but they can't really compare.
The restaurant was crowded so we had to split up. I gave Maggie and David Motoaki and I sat with my dad and Shelia. It was a little weird meeting someone my dad is going to marry, but I think we were able to avoid any awkwardness. Luckily we had things like Japanese culture and my baby to distract from any tension.
After lunch we checked into our hotel which is actually a big communtiy center. It is very near the Peace Museum in Hiroshima and foreigners get a discount for staying there. Though it serves as a hostel you can also rent it out for retreats and tour groups. The center also has a concert hall, bath house, and meeting/conference rooms. Anyway, when we were pulling up we were surprised to see tour buses for Monkey Majik parked beside the building. Monkey Majik is a half Japanese, Half Canadian band that Motoaki and I like. We used one of their songs for our dance at our wedding. I like them because they sing in English and Japanese. In the past I have included them on cds I have had made for Maggie and she likes them too.
Anyway, didn't think too much of it as we checked in and then headed to the peace museum. This is the one dedicated to the atomic bomb. I have been there numerous times so Motoaki and I sat in the small cafe they have while the others went in. Afterwards we walked through the gardens to see all of the various memorials. The most famous one is the statue of Sadako and her paper cranes. It is stated in an old Japanese story that anyone who folds 1000 cranes will be granted a wish by the gods, so Sadako and her friends folded cranes in order to cure Sadako's leukemia. Sadako had been 2 at the time of the bomb and she, like other children exposed to the radiation, fell sick when she was only 11. Now children all around Japan fold cranes and send them to be put into glass cases to remember Sadako and others who died as a result of the bomb.
The other famous spot in the gardens is Genbaku Dome, one of the only structures to survive the blast. It has been left as is, a gutted structure, as part of the memorial.
After that we headed back to the hotel and found out that Monkey Majik was playing in the hotel's concert hall that night. Though I felt bad ditching my dad, Maggie, Motoaki, David, and I decided to go. Though I didn't know a lot of their songs, it was fun to see them and a good experience for Maggie and David. Japanese concerts are slightly tame compared to western ones, though you do get a lot of enthusiastic fans. Part of the thing that is interesting about them is the trend of fans to do choreographed moves for different songs. Like during one song EVERYONE pulled out a towel to wave around their head. During another song everyone did specific hand movements. It was a good concert for Maggie and Dave as there was a good mix of Englisha and Japanese.
The concert finished early (maybe around 7:30) so we went to a major shopping street in Hiroshima to find food. Again, my sister's boyfriend is a little picky so we ended up findng a family restaurant (like Denny's or Perkins) that served pasta and pizza. For being cheap, it was really good. We stayed for a long time and caught up on a lot. I really like my sister's boyfriend- we have similar humors and we are the same age so we get along well. That's great as they are the family I will probably see the most.
Words for Wednesday: No Angel and Something Dangerous
Last Sunday I started Something Dangerous by Penny Vincenzi. This was a book that I had picked up by chance at a second hadn't bookstore only to find out it is the sequel to one of my favorite books, No Angel.
The first book follows Celia Beckanham and her marriage to Oliver Lytton from the early 1900's through to the 1920's. Though Celia comes from a well to do family she isn't deterred by the fact that Oliver's family are from the working class. They own a publishing house which Celia soon joins, much to the horror of her blue-blooded family. Balancing children and work, Celia slowly becomes a woman in her own and develops opinions about the world that she wouldn't have if she had married rich and become a house wife. With the start of WWI most of the men go off to war leaving Celia and her sister-in-law, LM, to run the business. Due to the struggles of trying to publish in a time of thrift, the women take chances with publishing different types of material, and the men return to find a very different publishing house.
Added to all of this are numerous side stories of affairs and family secrets. We also get to watch the children of the family grow up, as well as the adopted child Barty that Celia rescues (or steals, depending on which characters you identify with) from poverty. The book is long but I remember reading it quickly and feeling a bit disappointed when it finally ended.
So I am thrilled to have found Something Dangerous which picks up in 1928 with the Lytton children having grown up and with Celia and Oliver coming into their twilight years. I have just started but am already hooked. According to the bio from the book, Penny Vincenzi used to write for magazines like Vogue and Cosmopolitan before becoming an author, and I find that she is able to strike a fine balance between a romance novel and a historical one. I feel like her female characters are strong and overcome the obstacles that women faced before feminism became popular. At the same time they make mistakes and sacrifices, which makes them rateable and real.
I recommend both books and am looking forward to tracking down the third, Into Temptation.
Book Club June 25th
Last night was our first real meeting for book club in that we actually
had a book to talk about. When it was through my husband, who had been
in the next room over and could hear us, asked me what we had
discussed. I told him, "the book we've been reading" and he responded
that it sounded like we discussed a lot of other things. Yes, we were
off topic a lot.
The book we discussed was Tomorrow, When the War Began (which I had already blogged about) and the book ended up getting a 4.9 rating out of ten. The general consensus was that while OK for a teen novel, the book wasn't much. Most people felt that it lacked depth and detail and that too much time was spent on the teenage girl feelings about boys.
We also talked a lot about the fact that the author is an adult male but that the narrator was a teenage girl. We wondered if he had chosen that route as a way to make more money, or if he really felt like he was in tune with the thoughts and feelings of a 17 year old female. I figure that a lot of the book was probably written with the thought in mind that it was for a teenage audience. Some of the members were surprised when others reported that the book has won awards, been taught in schools, and has been made into a movie.
As I said before in my Words for Wednesday entry I didn't think the book was that bad as I have read some really bad stuff in my day. I also felt that it was just as good as The Hunger Games. The book is actually a seven part series and one of our members went ahead and read the other 6 (he is a smart guy and has a lot of free time- plus I think he found them free to download on the internet). He said that sadly a lot is left unanswered and undeveloped despite the many sequels. Still, as I said we did give it a 4.9 with two people awarding it a 7. It was a good book to start with and I hope the person who picked it doesn't feel bad.
The book we discussed was Tomorrow, When the War Began (which I had already blogged about) and the book ended up getting a 4.9 rating out of ten. The general consensus was that while OK for a teen novel, the book wasn't much. Most people felt that it lacked depth and detail and that too much time was spent on the teenage girl feelings about boys.
We also talked a lot about the fact that the author is an adult male but that the narrator was a teenage girl. We wondered if he had chosen that route as a way to make more money, or if he really felt like he was in tune with the thoughts and feelings of a 17 year old female. I figure that a lot of the book was probably written with the thought in mind that it was for a teenage audience. Some of the members were surprised when others reported that the book has won awards, been taught in schools, and has been made into a movie.
As I said before in my Words for Wednesday entry I didn't think the book was that bad as I have read some really bad stuff in my day. I also felt that it was just as good as The Hunger Games. The book is actually a seven part series and one of our members went ahead and read the other 6 (he is a smart guy and has a lot of free time- plus I think he found them free to download on the internet). He said that sadly a lot is left unanswered and undeveloped despite the many sequels. Still, as I said we did give it a 4.9 with two people awarding it a 7. It was a good book to start with and I hope the person who picked it doesn't feel bad.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Happy Birthday Motoaki...sort of...
June 14th was Motoaki's birthday. It's easy to remember because that is flag day in the US and I was born on the 4th of July- we are a matched set. Well, if you are American...
Anyway, we aren't big into birthdays but I try to do something. He is turning 37 so he didn't want to make a big deal of it. Since his birthday was on a week day we decided on having some really nice meat (well, nice for him- it's the Japanese "nice" which means really fatty...), salad, rice, and cake.
I was also excited because I was able to sneak away and buy him a new suitcase. We have other suitcases but he likes hard cases (he is Japanese) and his old one has a big crack in it (I suspect it is like 12 years old). I also got him some shorts that are "good for water and land." At least that is what the tag said. I thought I would get him a pair of khaki shorts since he only has one pair and he is always looking for them only to find that they are in the hamper or on the line. This pair just happens to be "rough" which is good since Motoaki likes the beach and does a lot of outdoor work at his job.
So I raced home from work and got everything all set up. I had to run a few errands and make some calls for work. Was about to start cooking when I got a call that he was having trouble and wouldn't get to our house until 8. AND when he got home we would need to go to a different city and get his car...
So I left the meat to thaw thinking we would just do the b-day celebrations on Friday. He picked me up and we stopped for some udon (which is his favorite food anyway) and then got the car. We made it home and he ate his cake by himself (I am not a big cake fan and was full).
It wasn't until the next morning that he told me that he would be going to a work party for dinner. The meat that he had selected was thawed, had been thawing, and needed to be cooked. So tonight while he was out I ate the birthday meal without him. It really isn't the end of the world. We are going to Hiroshima this weekend with my family and can celebrate there.
Ok so this isn't exactly how we would have eaten it. We would have had rice, less greens, and sauce. But Motoaki wasn't here so I had it my way.
Anyway, we aren't big into birthdays but I try to do something. He is turning 37 so he didn't want to make a big deal of it. Since his birthday was on a week day we decided on having some really nice meat (well, nice for him- it's the Japanese "nice" which means really fatty...), salad, rice, and cake.
I was also excited because I was able to sneak away and buy him a new suitcase. We have other suitcases but he likes hard cases (he is Japanese) and his old one has a big crack in it (I suspect it is like 12 years old). I also got him some shorts that are "good for water and land." At least that is what the tag said. I thought I would get him a pair of khaki shorts since he only has one pair and he is always looking for them only to find that they are in the hamper or on the line. This pair just happens to be "rough" which is good since Motoaki likes the beach and does a lot of outdoor work at his job.
So I raced home from work and got everything all set up. I had to run a few errands and make some calls for work. Was about to start cooking when I got a call that he was having trouble and wouldn't get to our house until 8. AND when he got home we would need to go to a different city and get his car...
So I left the meat to thaw thinking we would just do the b-day celebrations on Friday. He picked me up and we stopped for some udon (which is his favorite food anyway) and then got the car. We made it home and he ate his cake by himself (I am not a big cake fan and was full).
It wasn't until the next morning that he told me that he would be going to a work party for dinner. The meat that he had selected was thawed, had been thawing, and needed to be cooked. So tonight while he was out I ate the birthday meal without him. It really isn't the end of the world. We are going to Hiroshima this weekend with my family and can celebrate there.
Cloth Diapers????
Call me a hippy, but after talking to some moms in my Late November Birth Facebook group, I am seriously thinking about using cloth diapers. I know, I know...
BUT have you seen the new cloth diapers? Especially the ones that are "one size pockets"? Cloth diapers have come a looooong way since when our parents were babies.
A week ago I was talking to my grandma on the phone when she asked if I was going to use cloth diapers. I laughed a bit and said, "No, grandma! This is 2012!" But then, an hour or so after I had hung up, someone posted about fuzzibunz, a brand of modern cloth diapers. I thought I would head over to the website just to take a peek, and I really liked what I saw. The new diapers look like a cross-breed between a disposable diaper and a baby swimsuit/shorts. And though they are expensive, you can save money by buying ones that "grow" with the baby.
I've never been one to "go green." I mean, I recycle and I don't litter, but I also use paper towels and waste water (in some opinions) by taking long baths and then rinsing off in the shower after. So when thinking about having a baby I would have never considered cloth diapers. In fact, when I worked at Target I couldn't believe that people would come in and buy them. But those were the fold ones. After playing around on the fuzzibunz website, talking to people on Facebook, and watching a LOT of youtube, I am starting to like the idea of cloth diapers more and more.
For starters, they are supposedly gentler on the baby's skin. Then, you can technically save money in the long run and you don't have to constantly run to the store to get new. You have to wash them, but with washing machines and a bidet on our toilet, I don't think that will be that hard. After all, I already pick up Finn's poop all the time. I know a baby's poop will be worse (blow-outs and what not) but I think I could get used to it. And you help the environment. Plus THEY ARE CUTE!
Again, this might just be a pipe dream. I might get the baby and realize it isn't worth the extra hassle. One mom actually suggested to start with disposable for the first few weeks/months while things are crazy and I am an emotional/stressed mess. And then, when the baby is a bit bigger and I am in a groove, to buy one or two diapers and try it out. Then, if I like it and am not bothered, to invest in sets.
My main hesitations are that the cloth diapers will be a hassle when I am out for the day like at the mall or on a road trip. My other concern is that whatever daycare we go with will flat out refuse to use them. But, I am thinking that even if we only use the diapers on the weekends and at night, it might work out (saving money) in the long run. I am also worried about shipping to Japan and finding laundry soap that works with the diapers. The mothers I have talked to on Facebook have all been very good at answering my questions in detail as to what they see as pros and cons of the diapers. I really wish I could actually meet someone who uses them so that I could see in person what kind of work goes into it. I met one Japanese mother who used cloth diapers in the beginning, but she said that she gave up because it was too hard. BUT she was using the folded ones, which do seem like too much work for me.
If you are interested, here are the sites I have been looking at. I originally liked fuzzibunz but am now thinking the gogreen one size pockets better (only because I found some bad reviews about the fuzzibunz one size diapers). I also have seen reviews that say the alva diapers are the same as the gogreen diapers (made by the same manufacturer) but cheaper.
http://gogreendiapers.com/5-
http://www.justaddcloth.com/
http://shop.fuzzibunz.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lo2-7Fa75AY&list=PL111062E4696E7B40&index=27&feature=plpp_video
Euro 2012
I
joined a Euro 2012 sweepstakes with some people in town. Though I
don't mind watching football, I am not the biggest fan of sports in
general and only joined this as something to do with Motoaki. And there
is money involved which is always fun. I drew the Czech Republic and
Motoaki got Croatia. Not good teams, but one can dream, right?
But that is not what I really want to talk about. Two weekends ago Motoaki and I were spending a lazy morning in front of the TV and in an effort to watch something we could both understand, we started watching a BBC documentary about racism in Football in Poland and the Ukraine. Recently there have been a lot of reports about racism surrounding the Euro games, and I don't think I would have cared if I had not watched this documentary.
Though I am not a watchdog for racism, I do tend to get a little heated when the subject comes up. Though America isn't perfect and I am not perfect, I like to think that I was raised with a general respect for people who are different from me. My parents never expressed a difference or hatred for people that were a different religion, race, nationality, or sexual orientation from us. We had friends that were from all over and hosted home-stay students. Though my mom was upset that I would be moving to Japan, she never had a problem with the fact that my husband is Japanese. My parents don't love everyone, but their dislike for someone was always based on poor character.
So anyway, I was quite shocked to see that, in 2012, it is quite common to see racist violence being allowed at professional soccer matches. When I say allowed, I am not talking about the racial slurs you hear pro players make on the field. I am talking about the fact that fans hang banners that spout slogans such as, "Dirty Jewish Whores" or "Death to Jews." They also make monkey sounds when black players take the field.
I know that fans from opposing teams can get into heated arguments, but what shocked me about this was that sometimes the fans would attack other fans that were supporting the same team. For example, at one game in the Ukraine a group of Indian students had come to support the local team. They knew that there were some dangers of being assaulted due to their race, but they thought they were safe by sitting in the family section. Sadly they were wrong. In the video shot by the BBC you can see the Indian men just sitting quietly. Suddenly fans supporting the same team as the Indian men come running down the stairs and, pardon my language, start kicking the shit out of the Indian men for no apparent reason. And the next thing you know a dozen people are up and beating on the Indian men. Finally (and it was a long time) some police some and break it up, but no arrests are made. In fact, no attempt is made to help the Indian men out of the stadium. As they make their way out other fans stand up to kick and hit the men. It was one of the sickest things I have ever seen.
Here is a video with the footage...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-
Now I know racism happens in America and in Japan. It also happens in the UK, Australia, and pretty much any country you go to. But I cannot fathom that this would happen in one of those countries without it being made into a big deal.
I liked this quote at the end of the video footage in the link above...
I agree with many comments stating that racism exists in all countries...but the massive difference is that countries such as the UK are very visibly working hard to try and stamp it out, while countries such as Poland and the Ukraine do little or nothing...they even deny they have a problem.
And what really irks me is that this is all centered around a game. I don't care how you feel about football or soccer, IT IS A GAME! GROW THE F%&# UP! I know there are tensions in these countries behind these games, but to attack someone purely because they are enjoying a match and doing nothing is insane. And scary!
If you can find the whole documentary, it is worth watching. It paints a whole new light on the games in Europe.
But that is not what I really want to talk about. Two weekends ago Motoaki and I were spending a lazy morning in front of the TV and in an effort to watch something we could both understand, we started watching a BBC documentary about racism in Football in Poland and the Ukraine. Recently there have been a lot of reports about racism surrounding the Euro games, and I don't think I would have cared if I had not watched this documentary.
Though I am not a watchdog for racism, I do tend to get a little heated when the subject comes up. Though America isn't perfect and I am not perfect, I like to think that I was raised with a general respect for people who are different from me. My parents never expressed a difference or hatred for people that were a different religion, race, nationality, or sexual orientation from us. We had friends that were from all over and hosted home-stay students. Though my mom was upset that I would be moving to Japan, she never had a problem with the fact that my husband is Japanese. My parents don't love everyone, but their dislike for someone was always based on poor character.
So anyway, I was quite shocked to see that, in 2012, it is quite common to see racist violence being allowed at professional soccer matches. When I say allowed, I am not talking about the racial slurs you hear pro players make on the field. I am talking about the fact that fans hang banners that spout slogans such as, "Dirty Jewish Whores" or "Death to Jews." They also make monkey sounds when black players take the field.
I know that fans from opposing teams can get into heated arguments, but what shocked me about this was that sometimes the fans would attack other fans that were supporting the same team. For example, at one game in the Ukraine a group of Indian students had come to support the local team. They knew that there were some dangers of being assaulted due to their race, but they thought they were safe by sitting in the family section. Sadly they were wrong. In the video shot by the BBC you can see the Indian men just sitting quietly. Suddenly fans supporting the same team as the Indian men come running down the stairs and, pardon my language, start kicking the shit out of the Indian men for no apparent reason. And the next thing you know a dozen people are up and beating on the Indian men. Finally (and it was a long time) some police some and break it up, but no arrests are made. In fact, no attempt is made to help the Indian men out of the stadium. As they make their way out other fans stand up to kick and hit the men. It was one of the sickest things I have ever seen.
Here is a video with the footage...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-
Now I know racism happens in America and in Japan. It also happens in the UK, Australia, and pretty much any country you go to. But I cannot fathom that this would happen in one of those countries without it being made into a big deal.
I liked this quote at the end of the video footage in the link above...
I agree with many comments stating that racism exists in all countries...but the massive difference is that countries such as the UK are very visibly working hard to try and stamp it out, while countries such as Poland and the Ukraine do little or nothing...they even deny they have a problem.
And what really irks me is that this is all centered around a game. I don't care how you feel about football or soccer, IT IS A GAME! GROW THE F%&# UP! I know there are tensions in these countries behind these games, but to attack someone purely because they are enjoying a match and doing nothing is insane. And scary!
If you can find the whole documentary, it is worth watching. It paints a whole new light on the games in Europe.
Words for Wednesday: Tomorrow When the War Began and King Rat
As I mentioned before, we have started a book club in Maniwa. The group
is made up of about 9 foreign teachers and one Japanese friend of
mine. We are meeting once a month to select and discuss a book. The
point of the club is to get us to open our minds to books we might
normally read as well as to let people share stuff that they are into.
The first selection, Tomorrow When the War Began, was not exactly the type of book I normally pick up but it was a good read. It is a young adult novel, and that might discourage some from reading it, but apart from a few "love trianlges" I think it is can suffice for an adult reader. It is just as interesting as The Hunger Games.
Anyway, the book takes place in Australia and is about a group of teens who go camping one week only to return to find that their hometown has been taken over by a foreign army (in the first book it is hinted at where the intruders are from, but we don't get any straight answers). Their families are being held in a POW camp at some local fairgrounds. The teens then have to decide whether they will surrender, fight, or go back to the campsite they have spent the past week at.
I saw a member from book club last weekend and he expressed how he loved the idea and wished it had been written with adult characters. I think the characters are old enough in the book for it to be relatable, but I wish that we had gotten more specifics on why the invasion took place and where the invadors are from. It is hard in this current reality for me to imagine anyone wanting to invade Australia. Or, maybe more so, anyone having the strength and numbers to invade Australia.
I haven't read too many Aussie books and I enjoyed learning some new vocab as well as learning about farm country in that part of the world. It actually reminded me a lot of home- especially with the fairgrounds since those are things we have in Iowa.
The book has been made into a movie but it has gotten bad reviews. Still, I think it would be fun to watch. There are also two sequels to the book and though I don't think I will get to them, I imagine they have the answers I felt were missing in the first book.
The second book we are reading for book club is King Rat. It is written by James Clavell. Though I have never read any of his other books, I am familiar with his work because he is quite popular among expats in Japan- especially the guys. He wrote the novels Shogun, Gai-jin, and Tai-pan.
King Rat takes place in a POW camp in Singapore run by the Japanese. The characters are British, American, Aussie, Korean, and Japanese which is interesting since those are some of the nationalities represented in our group. So far it is reading like a lot of other war books I have read (or POW books) and though it wouldn't have been my choice, it is interesting.
There are a LOT of characters and they aren't given too much detail so I am finding I am getting a little lost with who is who. But I like the interaction between the nationalities. I thought the book was going to focus generally on the brutality of the Japanese, but so far we have seen very little of that. Instead, it seems to be westerners betraying westerners. Though they are allies, there are a lot of tensions between the armies, which is an interesting aspect of the novel. I had also never thought much of Australia's part in the war (I went through a WWII phase where I read a lot about the war in Europe and then the Japanese as well as China).
It takes a lot of concentration, but I recommend the book. Although personally I am thinking Gai-jin would appeal to me more. I must admit that I am only on page 140 of 479 pages of King Rat, so my mind could change.
The first selection, Tomorrow When the War Began, was not exactly the type of book I normally pick up but it was a good read. It is a young adult novel, and that might discourage some from reading it, but apart from a few "love trianlges" I think it is can suffice for an adult reader. It is just as interesting as The Hunger Games.
Anyway, the book takes place in Australia and is about a group of teens who go camping one week only to return to find that their hometown has been taken over by a foreign army (in the first book it is hinted at where the intruders are from, but we don't get any straight answers). Their families are being held in a POW camp at some local fairgrounds. The teens then have to decide whether they will surrender, fight, or go back to the campsite they have spent the past week at.
I saw a member from book club last weekend and he expressed how he loved the idea and wished it had been written with adult characters. I think the characters are old enough in the book for it to be relatable, but I wish that we had gotten more specifics on why the invasion took place and where the invadors are from. It is hard in this current reality for me to imagine anyone wanting to invade Australia. Or, maybe more so, anyone having the strength and numbers to invade Australia.
I haven't read too many Aussie books and I enjoyed learning some new vocab as well as learning about farm country in that part of the world. It actually reminded me a lot of home- especially with the fairgrounds since those are things we have in Iowa.
The book has been made into a movie but it has gotten bad reviews. Still, I think it would be fun to watch. There are also two sequels to the book and though I don't think I will get to them, I imagine they have the answers I felt were missing in the first book.
The second book we are reading for book club is King Rat. It is written by James Clavell. Though I have never read any of his other books, I am familiar with his work because he is quite popular among expats in Japan- especially the guys. He wrote the novels Shogun, Gai-jin, and Tai-pan.
King Rat takes place in a POW camp in Singapore run by the Japanese. The characters are British, American, Aussie, Korean, and Japanese which is interesting since those are some of the nationalities represented in our group. So far it is reading like a lot of other war books I have read (or POW books) and though it wouldn't have been my choice, it is interesting.
There are a LOT of characters and they aren't given too much detail so I am finding I am getting a little lost with who is who. But I like the interaction between the nationalities. I thought the book was going to focus generally on the brutality of the Japanese, but so far we have seen very little of that. Instead, it seems to be westerners betraying westerners. Though they are allies, there are a lot of tensions between the armies, which is an interesting aspect of the novel. I had also never thought much of Australia's part in the war (I went through a WWII phase where I read a lot about the war in Europe and then the Japanese as well as China).
It takes a lot of concentration, but I recommend the book. Although personally I am thinking Gai-jin would appeal to me more. I must admit that I am only on page 140 of 479 pages of King Rat, so my mind could change.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
In the News
Had
a bit of time at work and wanted to talk about some American news. Two
stories to be specific. This might be old, but just some stuff that I
was annoyed by.
First off, the track coach that went to prom with a student. Here is one of the numerous articles about it.
I know nothing happened, but this is a little creepy to me all the
same. Maybe it is because my parents are/were coaches and teachers and
because I myself am a teacher, but it just feels wrong. I don't see why
she couldn't help the boy find a date rather than be his date. He
looks like a good-looking kid and if he is out for an extra-curricular
he can't be that much of a loser. I remember when one of the Japanese
home stay students in town (not at our house) couldn't go to prom
because her host family insisted she needed a date. My brother, being a
nice guy (and probably bribed by my parents) came back from college for
the weekend and took her. It was never made out to be a real date, but
I think they had a good time. He would have only been about 19 at the
time so though he was older, it wasn't weird or creepy.
What else disturbed me was the mention that she had never been to
prom and that that was one of the reasons the boy asked her. It doesn't
mention it in the article I posted above but I saw it somewhere else.
That's where I felt that maybe she had ulterior motives. And then when I
saw her dress I really became suspicious.
I don't care what your
intentions, if you are 41 and dress like that I think you might be
kidding yourself. I am not sure if she deserved to lose her position,
but she as just a volunteer and can still go to the meets and cheer on
the team. I don't know... maybe I am a prude?
And what makes me mad is everyone saying how she helped this boy
feel better about himself. If she really wanted to build his
self-esteem, why didn't she encourage him to go stag? I know a lot of
people who went to prom with "just friends" in large groups. Maybe they
got teased because of it, but I don't really think so. She should have
sent the message that he was young and he didn't need to be tied down
to some chick to have a good time.
Second, Phillip Phillips wins American Idol.
This was
probably the first time I had ever watched American Idol consecutively.
I have watched random episodes before, but this year we have cable and I
am too tired/lazy to get out much. I started watching and really liked
a lot of the contestants. Though I didn't have a clear favorite, I
really enjoyed Heejun (more for his personality than his singing),
Skylar (for her energy and attitude), Jessica (for her voice power and
her sweet personality), Hollie (same as Jessica), and Joshua (for his
all around showmanship- the guy can entertain, though the screaming was a
bit much at times).
What's funny is that I should have been in love with Phillip. I am a
huge Dave Matthews Band fan and like acoustic bluegrass takes on pop
(one of my all-time favorite artists is Paul Simon). His singing was
decent and he chose nice songs. But, first of all, I couldn't get over
his exact impersonation of Dave Matthews. When the other contestants
were teasing about his crazy dancing that seemed to come from nowhere, I
was thinking, that no, it came from somewhere and that somewhere is
Dave Matthews. I know most artists copy other artists, but this was
exactly and it didn't seem to change during the season.
Phillip Phillips is Dave Matthews on Youtube. And the fact that he would always be saying, "I just do me."
I might have been able to forgive him that, but what really made me
hate the guy was his smug attitude. He seemed to always act like he was
above it all and that he wasn't on Idol to be changed or to conform to
anyone else's standards. The problem with that is, auditioning for
American Idol is in itself kind of a sell-out thing to do. Don't be on
the show if you don't like the way it works. Go on X-Factor or the
Voice. The thing I loved about Skylar and Joshua in particular was that
they had incredible attitude and yet showed incredible humbleness and
gratitude. Skylar was a little rebellious in her farewell song (I'm
goin' home, gonna load my shotgun / Wait by the door and light a
cigarette / He wants a fight, well now he's got one / He ain't seen me
crazy yet) but it fit the mood and was well done.
And speaking of the voice real quick, have also been watching that
for the first time and love it. Although I was really sad when I heard
Jamie Lono didn't make it too far. This is Jamie Lono's audition. Here is a guy who does have a bit of
Dave in him but who makes it his own. And his personality is so
sweet. I hope he makes albums and does shows- I'd go watch him in a
heartbeat. In first looking at him I was thinking he looked kind of
nerdy and a little out of his league, but his audition blew me out of
the water. So good, so sweet. Just a nice kid with great talent.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Thankful
I
wanted to write a little more about my pregnancy. I hope I don't bore
you. Part of it is that I have been thinking these things in my mind
the past couple of months but haven't been able to really tell anyone
about it.
First off, I can't say enough how thankful I am to have found MIJ
(married in Japan blogs) about two years ago and how grateful I am that
the moms are so detailed in their stories. I have never been a "oh I
want to get pregnant" type of person. I love kids and want a billion
(but will probably settle for 3) but do not like the idea of having them
one bit. Scary stuff! So if I hadn't of gotten hooked on these blogs I
would never have gone out and done the research myself. But people
like gaijiwife, gaijinshifu, umebossy, nay, nooh, and Always Leaving
Things Unfinished have totally helped me read up on the subject while
being extremely entertained at the same time. None of them have sugar
coated much and for that I am extremely grateful. I am also indebted to
the woman who writes the "Surviving in Japan (without much Japanese)"
blog. I literally went through the "questions for your caretaker"
posted their verbatim with my Dr. (ok- so I translated a few of them
into Japanese and also made my husband read through them).
My husband is Japanese but he has less knowledge than I do about
this whole baby thing so I am sure he is extremely thankful as well.
For example, at one of our last check-ups the nurse was asking my
husband what religion his family was and if they were going to observe
inu no hi (dog day). He had no idea what was going on but thanks to
blogs, I could pipe right in and say that I had read about it and would
be interested in directions on where to go in the area and what to do.
My husband was really surprised (and probably a little embarrassed) that
I knew more about his culture/religion than he did. He thought the
nurse somehow knew that we had a dog.
The second thing is how excited I am about how nice my Dr is being.
One thing I have learned from reading the above mentioned blogs is how
Japanese Dr's can be a little mean, er, strict with foreign women. I
have heard how they can be impatient with foreign women asking too many
questions or making too many comparisons to their home countries. I
have also heard about Japanese Dr's making comments about natural weight
gain.
But so far my Dr has been extremely nice in all of these areas. He
sat with me while I, as I said above, got online on my smart phone and
translated questions from a blog. He also has yet to mention my weight
at all, even though I am bigger than all of the other Japanese women who
I see visiting him. Then again, this might be due to the fact that I
started going to him long before all of this baby business (for the pill
and general check-ups) and my weight hasn't really changed much in the
past couple of years.
This month I have been in his office basically every week for one
small thing or another, and he has always been really calm about
everything and very sympathetic. When I showed him my boob last week
(which was quite red and swollen from the mystery lump- sorry if TMI)
the first thing he said was, "Wow, that looks like it hurts!" (OK- so
he said "ええ！痛いそ！”). He then gave me all the time in the world, even
though I had been a walk-in that day, and he even said I should take
time off of work. I expected him to be like, "It's nothing- good
luck." I hope he stays this way (although I fear that after summer
break in America he will change his feelings about my size- oh Lord help
me resist the wonder that is American cuisine).
Anyway, just wanted to give thanks to these people as they are life
savers. My family and friends have been supportive, but they can't
begin to understand what it is like for me to do this in a foreign
language.
And of course my husband, who has gone above and beyond to an almost
unnecessary point of treating me like something that is going to break
any second.
Words for Wednesday: Catching Fire and House of Happy Endings
(written on Wednesday May 23)
I
finished the Hunger Games awhile ago and began reading the sequel,
Catching Fire, right after ( this is mostly because they are on my
Kindle and I had them at work). Though the book almost felt like it was
two different stories, I liked it a lot better than the first. In
discussing it with a friend, he said, "The characters had more
motivation in this one." I agree. I said in my similar blog post that I
liked Battle Royale better than The Hunger Games because I knew what
the characters were thinking and why they were acting the way they
were. Though I didn't necessarily know why the different characters in
Catching Fire were acting the way they were (we are made to suspect the
have hidden motives), at least I had some back story and got to see more
of their personalities.
At first with the main plot twist in Catching Fire, I felt a little
like, "Really? Again?" but I soon came to enjoy the change and was
drawn into the story more after it. I had heard others say the book
wasn't as good as the first, but I strongly disagree. I think it was
because since I don't know of a sequel to Battle Royale, I could get
over my "comparison" and just enjoy the story.
I started the third book, Mockingjay, but due to family drama and
being sick, I didn't really finish it. The nice thing about the Kindle
is that it keeps my place in case I want to come back.
Last night
I started House of Happy Endings by Leslie Garis. I think this book
was sent to me by my late mother, but I am not sure. Anyway, I am only
three chapters in but am already excited about it. The memoir is told
by Leslie, the granddaughter of Howard Garis, the man who wrote Uncle
Wiggily (a popular children's series in the early 20th century). Though
that plays a part, it seems to be focusing on how her father, Roger
Garis, dealt with his parents successes. Roger Garis was also a writer
but, while celebrated, he felt he couldn't live up to his father's
greatness. Right now in the book there is only a lot of hinting towards
this but it is written so well that I am intrigued.
What is also really interesting is that Leslie's grandfather not
only wrote Uncle Wiggily, but that he was also a ghost writer for
several other children's books like Tom Swift, Judy Jordan, and The
Bobbsey Twins books. As a young child my mother read these to me and
then as I became able, I read them to myself. I have quite a collection
of them, though they are old and fragile. This adds another compelling
part to the story as we are told Leslie's father and grandmother also
wrote for these series. If you have read those books I think this book
is very interesting, though I am not sure many people have. Though my
parents were "with the times," they also valued the past greatly. As
children, my brother, sister, and I were just as excited about The
Little Rascals (and I am talking the originals in black and white) and
Shirley Temple as we were The Lion King and Aladdin. I would read a
Bobbsey Twin book one day and a Baby-Sitters Club book the next.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Book Club
So an idea I've had for awhile finally came alive last night with the first meeting of the Maniwa Book Club. I had always talked about doing it but it wasn't until I mentioned it to a new teacher, Alice, that I did anything. This was because of her enthusiasm for the idea which came as a surprise for me. I had always considered book club to be something that others would find nerdy.
Not only was she interested, but so were 8 other people from Tsuyama, Mimasaka, Maniwa, and Takahashi. Including men and women. I was impressed with the amount of people and their enthusiasm for the group. Our first meeting was a simple one, partially because none of us are really sure how we are going to do things just yet. We simply introduced ourselves and then each person suggested two books they think the group should read. We then put all of the ideas into the bowl and pulled out two (we chose two so that we can order ahead and some members can read ahead if they like).
I must admit that the two chosen weren't necessarily the two I was interested in reading but that is the point of book club- to open our minds to new ideas and opinions.
Our first selection is Tomorrow When the War Began by James Marsden suggested by Michael Douglass, my intern. Our second selection is King Rat by James Clavell suggested by my long time friend Ben. I'm a little nervous about the second selection as it is about westerners in a Japanese run POW camp and we have Japanese members in the club, but it should make for a great discussion.
Not only was she interested, but so were 8 other people from Tsuyama, Mimasaka, Maniwa, and Takahashi. Including men and women. I was impressed with the amount of people and their enthusiasm for the group. Our first meeting was a simple one, partially because none of us are really sure how we are going to do things just yet. We simply introduced ourselves and then each person suggested two books they think the group should read. We then put all of the ideas into the bowl and pulled out two (we chose two so that we can order ahead and some members can read ahead if they like).
I must admit that the two chosen weren't necessarily the two I was interested in reading but that is the point of book club- to open our minds to new ideas and opinions.
Our first selection is Tomorrow When the War Began by James Marsden suggested by Michael Douglass, my intern. Our second selection is King Rat by James Clavell suggested by my long time friend Ben. I'm a little nervous about the second selection as it is about westerners in a Japanese run POW camp and we have Japanese members in the club, but it should make for a great discussion.
I'm Back
So I have been MIA for various reasons. One of them has been that I really wanted to write about Vietnam but whenever I tried I got sick and had to stop. Let me explain...
While I was in Vienam I got sick on the food. I had been warned this would happen but I was surprised at how sick I felt. I never threw up but just looking at the food, smelling the food, etc would make my stomach turn. I felt like I was being rude since all of our meals were with my friend's family who was hosting us. I didn't know how to tell them that it looked nice but that it made me feel nauseous. I didn't understand because I had been to so many other countries that had reputations for making people ill and had never felt this bad before.
Then on the last day of the trip I got to thinking... and suspecting... but it wasn't until I had gotten back to Japan and still felt sick about some food that I started believing. And my beliefs were right.
So upon returning to Japan I was surprised/thrilled to find out that I am pregnant. My husband more so. This was something we had been thinking about but something that we didn't think would happen so soon due to our ages. But the Dr confirmed it the weekend after I had gotten back by showing us an image of a blinking edamame that was supposedly a baby with a heartbeat. We were told that we are due at the end of November.
Though we were excited we decided to wait to tell people until we had cleared the first trimester. This was due to everything I have read/heard about people miscarrying in the first trimester. I told about five people but waited until just a week or two ago to tell family and just this week to tell friends in Japan and a few select coworkers. I still haven't told everyone at work but that's mostly due to the fact that I work at a school and don't want all of the students knowing. They already try to touch me or ask me bizarre questions. I can only imagine what they will do when they find out I am pregnant.
For the most part things have been fine. I never threw up and the morning sickness pretty much stuck to me being extremely tired (like seriously going to bed by 8) or not being very excited about food. Especially rice at school... In Japan they do an ultrasound at each checkup so I have been able to see arms and what not. We go again this weekend and hope to see more. Up until recently the hardest part has been giving up caffeine. I can handle no alcohol, no sushi, but no coke, no peach tea, no Dr. Pepper? Kill me now...
Starting with last weekend, though, things have gotten a bit sucky. (Warning the next bit is a little "too much information" so reader be warned). It started with a cold/sore throat which wouldn't be so bad save for the fact that I am not allowed the really heavy stuff like NyQuil. I would have been able to suck it up except for on Saturday I woke up with a small lump in my chest that HURT! Like seriously hurt and would not stop. To explain it to Motoaki I went up and pinched his chest and held on for a minute. I then told him that is what it had felt like for the past few hours. The only thing that felt good was to sprawl on the couch and watch old movies. I felt bad because Motoaki and I had planned to do a deep clean of the house but it ended up being mostly him.
On Monday I went to the Dr in the morning and he said I shouldn't be too worried but that he would do some tests and then tell me this weekend what was causing it. He gave me cold medicine (weak but helps a little) and pain meds that are safe. And he said to take a holiday from work if I had more pain, which I did. I feel a little guilty as for the most part I look fine, but I was supposed to be at elementary school which would have involved a lot of jumping, running around, etc With the cold and the sore chest I would have been wiped after one class and would have really struggled through the following four.
But yeah, that is why I have been MIA from the blogging. I probably still won't write about Vietnam sadly. I am fine with people telling people (unless you are in Japan and know my students or school staff) but have asked for people not to write about it on Facebook because I am friends with some coworkers there.
I will try not to make this a "mommy blog" but will update with any big news.
While I was in Vienam I got sick on the food. I had been warned this would happen but I was surprised at how sick I felt. I never threw up but just looking at the food, smelling the food, etc would make my stomach turn. I felt like I was being rude since all of our meals were with my friend's family who was hosting us. I didn't know how to tell them that it looked nice but that it made me feel nauseous. I didn't understand because I had been to so many other countries that had reputations for making people ill and had never felt this bad before.
Then on the last day of the trip I got to thinking... and suspecting... but it wasn't until I had gotten back to Japan and still felt sick about some food that I started believing. And my beliefs were right.
So upon returning to Japan I was surprised/thrilled to find out that I am pregnant. My husband more so. This was something we had been thinking about but something that we didn't think would happen so soon due to our ages. But the Dr confirmed it the weekend after I had gotten back by showing us an image of a blinking edamame that was supposedly a baby with a heartbeat. We were told that we are due at the end of November.
Though we were excited we decided to wait to tell people until we had cleared the first trimester. This was due to everything I have read/heard about people miscarrying in the first trimester. I told about five people but waited until just a week or two ago to tell family and just this week to tell friends in Japan and a few select coworkers. I still haven't told everyone at work but that's mostly due to the fact that I work at a school and don't want all of the students knowing. They already try to touch me or ask me bizarre questions. I can only imagine what they will do when they find out I am pregnant.
For the most part things have been fine. I never threw up and the morning sickness pretty much stuck to me being extremely tired (like seriously going to bed by 8) or not being very excited about food. Especially rice at school... In Japan they do an ultrasound at each checkup so I have been able to see arms and what not. We go again this weekend and hope to see more. Up until recently the hardest part has been giving up caffeine. I can handle no alcohol, no sushi, but no coke, no peach tea, no Dr. Pepper? Kill me now...
Starting with last weekend, though, things have gotten a bit sucky. (Warning the next bit is a little "too much information" so reader be warned). It started with a cold/sore throat which wouldn't be so bad save for the fact that I am not allowed the really heavy stuff like NyQuil. I would have been able to suck it up except for on Saturday I woke up with a small lump in my chest that HURT! Like seriously hurt and would not stop. To explain it to Motoaki I went up and pinched his chest and held on for a minute. I then told him that is what it had felt like for the past few hours. The only thing that felt good was to sprawl on the couch and watch old movies. I felt bad because Motoaki and I had planned to do a deep clean of the house but it ended up being mostly him.
On Monday I went to the Dr in the morning and he said I shouldn't be too worried but that he would do some tests and then tell me this weekend what was causing it. He gave me cold medicine (weak but helps a little) and pain meds that are safe. And he said to take a holiday from work if I had more pain, which I did. I feel a little guilty as for the most part I look fine, but I was supposed to be at elementary school which would have involved a lot of jumping, running around, etc With the cold and the sore chest I would have been wiped after one class and would have really struggled through the following four.
But yeah, that is why I have been MIA from the blogging. I probably still won't write about Vietnam sadly. I am fine with people telling people (unless you are in Japan and know my students or school staff) but have asked for people not to write about it on Facebook because I am friends with some coworkers there.
I will try not to make this a "mommy blog" but will update with any big news.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Words for Wednesday: The Hunger Games vs Battle Royale
So about a month ago I noticed that a lot of people were posting about The Hunger Games on Facebook. Not knowing what this was, I looked it up online. In doing that I came across a handful of blogs comparing it to Battle Royale, and old Japanese book (ok, by old I mean 1996). I had read Battle Royale and loved it. Now I am reading The Hunger Games. Though the two are very different, I can see why they are being compared. I must say that I am on team Battle Royale. Not due to any, Oh I am so snobby and hate mainstream pop culture, but because the book was better in structure and approach. So anyway, I thought I would write about the two. I might accidentally give away some key elements so read with caution. I will also say that it has been awhile since I read Battle Royale so I might get fuzzy with the details.
Battle Royale takes place in an alternative future, one in which Japan is a totalitarian state. Though not too much is said about the history, it appears to be what would have happened if Japan had won the war. Anyway, every year a third year Jr High class is selected to compete in an event called the program. The class (or the grade) is taken to a secluded location and forced to kill each other. Each classmate is given a duffel bag a map, food, and with a random weapon. Some people get guns, some people get knives, and some people get ridiculous things like a paper fan or a yo-yo. Resistance to the game is impossible, as we see when one student is shot when protesting the fight to the man controlling the game. Also, the students are outfitted with these special collars that can be detonated to blow them up. They are threatened that everyone will die this way if they don't play the game.
This is one of the plot elements that makes me like Battle Royale better than The Hunger Games. In The Hunger Games everyone just goes into it accepting the fact that they will be killing other people. In Battle Royale we get a mixed range of emotions. Kids who commit suicide because they know they could never harm anyone else. Kids who try to pull everyone together to find a way to beat the system. I think it helps that they are classmates and thus know each other and have relationships with each other. For example, one fat kid starts killing other people. Not because he wants to, but because he has gone through year after year of being picked on at school. He assumes that since no one has defended him against bullies, no one will defend him against death, and this puts him on the offense.
In this sense, we also get reason and motive behind all of the characters (if I recall correctly- there might be one or two that we don't get to read the thoughts of). And this even with 42 players in the game. In The Hunger Games we get a little background into how some of the contestants have been training for the games their whole lives, but we don't really know what they are thinking. I guess in this sense I can relate more to Battle Royale. I can think about my own classmates and my own human nature and see where I might fit into or play the game. The Hunger Games seems too far from reality for me to do this, thus I am slightly detatched from it. Also, in not knowing the characters better (aside from the main ones) I don't care about their deaths. I think there is so much spent on Katniss's history that we're not involved with the others and aren't hit emotionally when they die. Maybe I am a hard ass, but I haven't cried at all in The Hunger Games. I am only halfway through. But I remember crying a lot earlier in Battle Royale because so many of the deaths are somewhat a mistake or a misunderstanding. Like with the fat kid- everyone knows that kid in school who has been bullied and who would feel alone in the game. Or because there is more said between lifelong friends. Like the one girl who runs all day even though she is hurt to find her guy friend. Or the two girls who try to call everyone together to make peace, only to get shot by the one crazy student.
I don't want to give too much away, but I also like how the game is set up in Battle Royal in regards to making students come together. There is a map and different zones are closed down everyday. If you step into that zone, you automatically get blown up by the device on your neck. In The Hunger Games they use natural things put in place by the game makers, such as fires and floods, to draw players together. And I like how smart some of the Battle Royal students are. In using things like computers they make good headway in defeating the people running the games. The kids are also more resourceful, using things they find around them to create explosions or to build defences. In The Hunger Games they get gifts from sponsors, magically. It seems to easy for them to be rescued. Not to spoil it, but Katniss gets baddly burned only to receive a healing balm from a sponsor. Seems a little too easy for me.
Though I haven't finished The Hunger Games, I prefer the plot twists in Battle Royal so far. In The Hunger Games halfway through the book it is announced that the rules have changed, that there can be two winners. Again, that seems too easy. I was looking forward to see how the conflict was going to be resolved if Katniss and Peeta were the last two alive. But now that storyline is no longer an issue. In Battle Royal you are reading until the very end to see how in the world the three heroes of the story are going to manage to survive the game without killing each other.
I just want to say that, though I haven't seen all of Cato in The Hunger Games, Kazuo in Battle Royale is so much more of a badass and really scary. His background is that he was in some sort of accident that left him with brain trauma. He functions like a normal person, only he has lost all empathy. Basically, he has no feelings or emotions and thus doesn't mind killing, similar to a lot of serial killers and psychopaths you hear about in real life. Again, I don't want to give too much away, but his first act is to murder everyone in his alliance and to steal all of their weapons.
The Hunger Games takes place in a modern America where the country is ruled by one Capital City. The country is now split into 12 districts and every district has to send a boy and a girl to fight to the death in the games. This is punishment for the districts trying to defeat the Capital long ago. The two kids from each district might know each other, but they don't know anyone else. The book is similar to Battle Royal in that they are taken to a remote place to fight, but different in that the game is more complex and has more of a build up. Like the Olympics, there are ceremonies before the games start which include TV interviews and make-overs. I felt in the book this goes on too long without much result. We get to see more of Katniss and Peeta, but we don't learn much about the other characters and the games don't start until further in. It felt very slow going in reading. Battle Royale gets right to the action and then uses falshback to tell each students story. So we get action, story, action, story, etc Where The Hunger Games is stooooooooooooooooooory followed by aaaaaaaaaaaaaaction. And what's weird is, I hate action and yet prefer Battle Royal. But then again, the action in Battle Royal is pretty clever.
In The Hunger Games the players are given nothing at first but they do have a chance to fight for supplies at the beginning. However, most players scatter to hide and let the elite players get the goods. There is a kind of romance in The Hunger Games, but it is kind of vague. And Katniss friendships are slightly short-lived. But it is a good read overall. I have been sticking with it and will be excited to read the following two books in the series. I just find it a bit uneven, especially in terms of character development. Like how can she fall for Peeta when she has Gale...? I guess I will have to keep reading.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Vietnam Part 3
I'm going to have to step up the pace if I want to get this done. Part of it is that my work commuter no longer lets me access my blog. I can read but I can't post. We flew into Da Nang after a short flight and we were greeted with an extremely modern and fairly quiet airport. This felt like going from New York City to Des Moines or from Tokyo to Okayama. Again we were greeted by family, this time Amy's Aunt and Uncle. I feel horrible because everyone told me their names but I only remember about two from the whole trip. Amy's Dad's family has 10 children and we met almost all of them during the trip. I was surprised by their nice clothing (including matching gold watches) and their even nicer car (it looked like a Ford Explorer but it was a Toyota- I'm useless when it comes to cars, but I knew this was a nice one).
Though there was still a LOT of traffic in Da Nang, it was much quieter than Ho Chi Minh. Everywhere we looked there were Vietnamese flags, and we were told that there was some sort of anniversary happening. Amy had said that Da Nang was small but we still saw lots of familiar sights- like KFC.
We turned down an especially busy street and parked outside of a building that had some sort of office out front. This was Amy's family business, and they lived above and behind it. Amy's grandparents were there to greet us and they were a lot like Amy- short and friendly. You definitely can see where she came from. We were quickly ushered past the shop into the house and up to our "apartment." Amy's dad recently remodeled the room in the house and it is very nice. Big TV, new sink and shower, etc It was like a nice hotel. We took a few minutes to settle in and then went out with the Aunt and Uncle who had picked us up and the Grandpa for dinner.
They took us to a food court which was nice in that we could choose our food. I secretly wanted a pizza (mostly because it looked pretty American which can be hard to find in Japan) but settle for a suggestion from Amy and Kym. It was a spring roll set where you wrap them yourself and came with this fired egg type pancake that was really good. We were joined at dinner by two of Amy's younger cousins, one of whom is quite the little comedian. When told to, talk to us in English, he asked, "Who are you?" He also sang along to some Korean pop songs on an iphone and told us he will never have a girlfriend.
After dinner we took a walk along the river in Da Nang. It is very modern and not what I expected at all. There was lots of live music and other people walking, rollerblading, and taking pictures. We stopped at a small road side stand and the aunt bought us coconut water. It was very sweet and I didn't really like it, but I drank it to be polite.
The next day we got woken up EARLY by Amy's grandma. She told us to come down and eat (like any other grandma would in any other country). I was the first to the table and there was a choice of this white noodle dish that was topped with what looked like Japanese fish flakes, or a sandwich (made on long French baguettes). Not wanting to be "the foreigner" I tried the noodle dish. It was pretty good, so I was surprised when Amy and Kym, the natives, chose the sandwich. The grandma seemed pleased that I liked her food and offered to send it home with me to Japan.
After breakfast we got whisked away to a message parlor by Amy's aunt. I thought we were just getting back rubs but us three girls were taken to a room and asked to strip to our underwear. We were then covered by a towel and given full body massages including the thing where they put hot stones on your back. I am not a fan of massages and this was my first time, so I don't know if it was relaxing or not, but it was an interesting experience. I think mostly I was just unsure of what to do and a little embarrassed because compared to the average Vietnamese, I am OBESE. I think if I were to do it again, though, I would know what to expect and relax. And it was cheap.
After massages Amy's aunt came to pick us up with a friend of the family. They drove us out of Da Nang to the beach where we had a huge lunch at an ocean side resort. Since it was still spring and a little cool (though hot compared to Japan) there weren't many people at the resort and we had the outdoor restaurant to ourselves. We ate hot clams with lime and salt, french fries, and spring rolls that we wrapped ourselves with fish and veggies. Extremely delicious, though I was nervous about getting sick (I had heard horror stories about people having to go the bathroom every five minutes).
We went to the beach for a little big but I didn't have a towel so I didn't get in. Amy and Kym also decided to sit out, but the sun was nice.
We then drove back through Da Nang to the other side where we went to a more traditional/more touristy village. Here we saw a lot of tourists. They had some fabulous tailors where you could get things made. I kind of wanted to get a coat made but thought it might take too long or be too expensive (well, not really expensive, but since I thought we were just going to the beach for the day I didn't pack much money). I had always read about people getting clothes made in Vietnam and it was kind of something I wanted to do... I did buy postcards, though, and a nice card to frame. The other girls were also waiting to buy things as well so we mostly just window shopped before stopping at a small shop for cokes.
After that we went to yet another beach, one that is under a lot of development. In Vietnam we saw a lot of building going on of what are going to be posh resorts. It makes me want to go back in five years to see if things work out. I hope so. The beach is beautiful so it would be a nice vacation spot. We walked along the beach and then went to a restaurant for even more food. We were seriously stuffed at this point, but so far all of the food had been great and I hadn't been sick.
Though there was still a LOT of traffic in Da Nang, it was much quieter than Ho Chi Minh. Everywhere we looked there were Vietnamese flags, and we were told that there was some sort of anniversary happening. Amy had said that Da Nang was small but we still saw lots of familiar sights- like KFC.
We turned down an especially busy street and parked outside of a building that had some sort of office out front. This was Amy's family business, and they lived above and behind it. Amy's grandparents were there to greet us and they were a lot like Amy- short and friendly. You definitely can see where she came from. We were quickly ushered past the shop into the house and up to our "apartment." Amy's dad recently remodeled the room in the house and it is very nice. Big TV, new sink and shower, etc It was like a nice hotel. We took a few minutes to settle in and then went out with the Aunt and Uncle who had picked us up and the Grandpa for dinner.
They took us to a food court which was nice in that we could choose our food. I secretly wanted a pizza (mostly because it looked pretty American which can be hard to find in Japan) but settle for a suggestion from Amy and Kym. It was a spring roll set where you wrap them yourself and came with this fired egg type pancake that was really good. We were joined at dinner by two of Amy's younger cousins, one of whom is quite the little comedian. When told to, talk to us in English, he asked, "Who are you?" He also sang along to some Korean pop songs on an iphone and told us he will never have a girlfriend.
After dinner we took a walk along the river in Da Nang. It is very modern and not what I expected at all. There was lots of live music and other people walking, rollerblading, and taking pictures. We stopped at a small road side stand and the aunt bought us coconut water. It was very sweet and I didn't really like it, but I drank it to be polite.
The next day we got woken up EARLY by Amy's grandma. She told us to come down and eat (like any other grandma would in any other country). I was the first to the table and there was a choice of this white noodle dish that was topped with what looked like Japanese fish flakes, or a sandwich (made on long French baguettes). Not wanting to be "the foreigner" I tried the noodle dish. It was pretty good, so I was surprised when Amy and Kym, the natives, chose the sandwich. The grandma seemed pleased that I liked her food and offered to send it home with me to Japan.
After breakfast we got whisked away to a message parlor by Amy's aunt. I thought we were just getting back rubs but us three girls were taken to a room and asked to strip to our underwear. We were then covered by a towel and given full body massages including the thing where they put hot stones on your back. I am not a fan of massages and this was my first time, so I don't know if it was relaxing or not, but it was an interesting experience. I think mostly I was just unsure of what to do and a little embarrassed because compared to the average Vietnamese, I am OBESE. I think if I were to do it again, though, I would know what to expect and relax. And it was cheap.
After massages Amy's aunt came to pick us up with a friend of the family. They drove us out of Da Nang to the beach where we had a huge lunch at an ocean side resort. Since it was still spring and a little cool (though hot compared to Japan) there weren't many people at the resort and we had the outdoor restaurant to ourselves. We ate hot clams with lime and salt, french fries, and spring rolls that we wrapped ourselves with fish and veggies. Extremely delicious, though I was nervous about getting sick (I had heard horror stories about people having to go the bathroom every five minutes).
We went to the beach for a little big but I didn't have a towel so I didn't get in. Amy and Kym also decided to sit out, but the sun was nice.
We then drove back through Da Nang to the other side where we went to a more traditional/more touristy village. Here we saw a lot of tourists. They had some fabulous tailors where you could get things made. I kind of wanted to get a coat made but thought it might take too long or be too expensive (well, not really expensive, but since I thought we were just going to the beach for the day I didn't pack much money). I had always read about people getting clothes made in Vietnam and it was kind of something I wanted to do... I did buy postcards, though, and a nice card to frame. The other girls were also waiting to buy things as well so we mostly just window shopped before stopping at a small shop for cokes.
After that we went to yet another beach, one that is under a lot of development. In Vietnam we saw a lot of building going on of what are going to be posh resorts. It makes me want to go back in five years to see if things work out. I hope so. The beach is beautiful so it would be a nice vacation spot. We walked along the beach and then went to a restaurant for even more food. We were seriously stuffed at this point, but so far all of the food had been great and I hadn't been sick.
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