My life has been feeling a wee bit chaotic lately. As some people know, I recently joined a gym, trying to fight off the last of the excess weight that I have been hauling around for far too long. In addition to this I am also training for my first 10K, and in addition to THAT, I have been scheduled to work the past 2 Sundays. Once was a voluntary sub/overtime day, the the second was a colossal "whoopsie" made by the management in accidentally scheduling me to work a mandatory "working holiday (read: unpaid working day) the very next week. And just to top it all off, it seems tons of friends are leaving at the end of this month, and my students all want to have parties at the same time, plus I am preparing for T to FINALLY get here in a few weeks. I am starting to freak out, just a little.
Trying to make time for work, gym, running, students, friends, Japanese lessons and stuff I want to do myself, like going out dancing next week, is causing some serious schedule crammage. Don't get me wrong. Suddenly I am feeling a little bit like Ms. Popular, which is always nice, and I love being busy as it makes time pass quickly when one is anticipating something one has been waiting for for what seems like an eternity. It just seems that everything has just all piled in at one to make for one incredibly wonderful, confusing, exciting, and crazy-busy month!
That being said, I have some pretty awesome events ahead of me in the next few weeks:
Dinner at my students house, complete with the whole class.
Drinks with another of my adult classes (the day before the previous event, oh boy!).
Lunch with my volunteer Japanese teacher.
Drinks at my place with a coworker (tomorrow!) that is leaving to move to Wakayama (FAR!).
Clubbing in Shibuya.
Lunch date and phone shopping with Eunjeong.
Possibly a party at my place for some friends, depending all schedules can coincide.
Hanging out with Matt and Beth before their departure at the end of March.
Dinner with Natasha before she heads out.
Justine's b-day.
Must see Zoe soon, as have been neglecting that friendship as of late. Bad friend! :(
And then, the big event!....Picking up my sweetheart at the airport, trip to Disney, cherry blossom parties, 10K run, checking out Tokyo, etc etc etc.
All this in addition to logging 7.5 hours in the gym and 2 runs, plus of course my regular class work. EEEK!
By the time Golden week get's here and I get another week off to relax, it will be high time, to be sure! But I sure do love the excitement!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Gratitude
Let me preface this with "I stole this from Gail". I saw here list of things she was grateful for this year, adn started my own. Unfortunately I could not think of a hundred all at one time, so I kind of forgot about it for a month or so, it was supposed to be a new year thing. Regardless, here are 100 things I am grateful for, in no particular order (though it should be noted that the PEOPLE mentioned would be at the top of the list, were it in order of importance).
1. My fabulous life
2. My parents
3. My siblings
4. Susan and Heather
5. Trevor
6. Having a job during an economic crisis
7. Having the education that allows me to be here
8. Making new friends
9. Keeping in touch with old ones
10. Facebook, Skype, MSN and email for making that easier
11. Not having killed myself by accident in June
12. Bike rides
13. Being able to run
14. Avocadoes
15. Cheap and easily available produce
16. Paying off student loans
17. 20 hour work weeks
18. My super cute apartment
19. One snow fall so far this year, and it didn’t even stay on the ground
20. Thinking minus 5 is frigging freezing
21. Travel
22. Knowing the person I love will soon be a couple of hours away, and not a full day plane ride
23. Discount airline tickets
24. My guitar
25. Friends that make music
26. Dinner parties at Gail’s and Matt and Beth’s
27. Kyoto trip with Justine
28. Coffee chats at Lisa’s
29. Karaoke nights with Sarah
30. Sharing
31. People who help me when I can’t speak enough Japanese to get by
32. My volunteer Japanese teacher
33. Ikegami Sensei
34. My kind and generous students
35. Izakayas
36. Coco Curry
37. Not starting work until 4 some days
38. Legwarmers
39. Heat Tech undershirts
40. Sunshine
41. Walking to work
42. Keitai
43. The Daily Show
44. Diet beer & Chu-His
45. Riding my bike to the gym
46. Body Pump
47. Step Aerobics
48. Body Combat
49. Oatmeal
50. Cool receptionists
51. Hanging out with Eun Jeong
52. Puri-kura
53. My electric blanket
54. REALLY fast internet
55. EZTV
56. The Nike outlet
57. Flashcards
58. Pimsler
59. Club nights in Shibuya
60. The Dart Bar
61. Sex and the City on DVD
62. Having a plan to be debt free by the end of next year
63. Thursdays with Aaron and Shanny
64. Wednesdays with Jude and Eun Jeong
65. Saturdays with David and Sarah
66. Etsuko!
67. Travel reimbursement
68. Plane ticket home bought and paid for
69. U of A hospital
70. My ultra-responsible brother
71. Quitting smoking
72. Never having to go to the laundromat
73. Cheap sushi and sashimi
74. Shanti Indian restaurant
75. Starbucks (the only place with decent coffee, I am ashamed to say)
76. Aeon
77. Cuteness
78. 5 minutes to get to work 2 days of the week
79. Less than 30 minutes commute EVER
80. The Taeko game
81. Egg McMuffins (shut up, when I have no time!)
82. Sweet potatoes
83. Yukyu days
84. Sheila
85. Lisa
86. Jacklynn
87. Hanging out at Mie’s house
88. Legally drinking in public
89. Cheap shopping
90. Sending home half my paycheck anyways
91. Excellent exchange rate
92. Cheap health insurance
93. Low crime rate
94. Free tissues
95. Dictionaries
96. Body language
97. Taxes included
98. Duty free (T, I have a list, lol)
99. Subtitles
100. sparkpeople.com
1. My fabulous life
2. My parents
3. My siblings
4. Susan and Heather
5. Trevor
6. Having a job during an economic crisis
7. Having the education that allows me to be here
8. Making new friends
9. Keeping in touch with old ones
10. Facebook, Skype, MSN and email for making that easier
11. Not having killed myself by accident in June
12. Bike rides
13. Being able to run
14. Avocadoes
15. Cheap and easily available produce
16. Paying off student loans
17. 20 hour work weeks
18. My super cute apartment
19. One snow fall so far this year, and it didn’t even stay on the ground
20. Thinking minus 5 is frigging freezing
21. Travel
22. Knowing the person I love will soon be a couple of hours away, and not a full day plane ride
23. Discount airline tickets
24. My guitar
25. Friends that make music
26. Dinner parties at Gail’s and Matt and Beth’s
27. Kyoto trip with Justine
28. Coffee chats at Lisa’s
29. Karaoke nights with Sarah
30. Sharing
31. People who help me when I can’t speak enough Japanese to get by
32. My volunteer Japanese teacher
33. Ikegami Sensei
34. My kind and generous students
35. Izakayas
36. Coco Curry
37. Not starting work until 4 some days
38. Legwarmers
39. Heat Tech undershirts
40. Sunshine
41. Walking to work
42. Keitai
43. The Daily Show
44. Diet beer & Chu-His
45. Riding my bike to the gym
46. Body Pump
47. Step Aerobics
48. Body Combat
49. Oatmeal
50. Cool receptionists
51. Hanging out with Eun Jeong
52. Puri-kura
53. My electric blanket
54. REALLY fast internet
55. EZTV
56. The Nike outlet
57. Flashcards
58. Pimsler
59. Club nights in Shibuya
60. The Dart Bar
61. Sex and the City on DVD
62. Having a plan to be debt free by the end of next year
63. Thursdays with Aaron and Shanny
64. Wednesdays with Jude and Eun Jeong
65. Saturdays with David and Sarah
66. Etsuko!
67. Travel reimbursement
68. Plane ticket home bought and paid for
69. U of A hospital
70. My ultra-responsible brother
71. Quitting smoking
72. Never having to go to the laundromat
73. Cheap sushi and sashimi
74. Shanti Indian restaurant
75. Starbucks (the only place with decent coffee, I am ashamed to say)
76. Aeon
77. Cuteness
78. 5 minutes to get to work 2 days of the week
79. Less than 30 minutes commute EVER
80. The Taeko game
81. Egg McMuffins (shut up, when I have no time!)
82. Sweet potatoes
83. Yukyu days
84. Sheila
85. Lisa
86. Jacklynn
87. Hanging out at Mie’s house
88. Legally drinking in public
89. Cheap shopping
90. Sending home half my paycheck anyways
91. Excellent exchange rate
92. Cheap health insurance
93. Low crime rate
94. Free tissues
95. Dictionaries
96. Body language
97. Taxes included
98. Duty free (T, I have a list, lol)
99. Subtitles
100. sparkpeople.com
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Daddy's Girl
Actually, I never really thought of myself as a Daddy's girl. My father and I have never had the world's greatest relationship. We never seem to see eye to eye on anything, and, especially in my teenage years, I rebelled a lot against what he thought was best for me, or how he thought it best to raise me. Words were exchanged and feelings hurt on both sides on more than one occasion. However, I do feel that over the last few years we have come to a mutual understanding and respect for one another.
One thing I am sure of, and have never doubted, is that my father loves me very much. And despite all of our differences, I love him very much too, I always have, and I always will. My father raised me pretty much by himself for a large part of my childhood. He was the one who kissed me goodnight every night, who made me say my prayers before I went to sleep, and who always told me, at the end of every day, that he loved me. I credit him as being a very significant contributor in the fact that I grew up always knowing that no matter where in the world I was, someone out there loved me.
I have so many happy childhood memories of days spent at the cabin, rides on the skidoo, him taking us out in the woods or fishing. My father is an outdoorsman at heart and I am convinced he could survive indefinitely in the woods with nothing but a tin can and some wire. He's the McGyver of outdoor living. I believe that over the years we have resolved any of the differences we may have had in the past, and now the things I remember most about my childhood are all the fun things we used to do with Daddy when we were small. I also credit him with my appreciation of music, especially the classics, and by that I mean the Beatles, the Stones, Simon and Garfunkle, and CCR, among others. I clearly remember having to do a music project on a "classical" musician (Handel, I believe) in elementary school, and my father claiming that I should be able to do my project on a "real" classical musician, like John Lennon, for instance.
That is why, when I received word this weekend that my father suffered a small stoke last Friday, my heart skipped a beat. Though we live far apart, and we don't speak often (he hates talking on the phone and is computer illiterate, lol) I think of him often, and I can't imagine what my life would be like without him in it. He's a young man, only 54 years old. I am not ready to lose him.
Yet when I spoke to him today, after he was released from the hospital, he was the same as ever, making jokes, making light of the situation, most likely to keep me calm. (I remember he always used to joke that I was "getting his shirt all wet" when I would cry as a child, to try to get me to laugh and cheer me up.) However, I am happy to report that his tune has changed. This has been enough of a scare for him to realise that it's time to change his ways, and start living a healthier life so that he can be around to enjoy more of it. There is lots more good stuff around the corner, and like I told him today, I want him to be around and healthy enough to enjoy his grandchildren one of these days.
So here's to my father, the first man in my life. The first man to hold me, and dry my tears, and tell me everything is going to be ok. To the man who put food in my belly, a roof over my head and clothes on my back for the first 18 years of my life. Thank you for being the best daddy you could be. I know I was a willful child at times. I know that you probably would have had an easier time raising a less girly girl. Thank you so much for being the person that you are. I hope that I have many more years to listen to your corny jokes, tease you about your fashion sense, and tell you many many many times how much I love you. You mean the world to me. Please get well soon. I can't wait to see you.
Dad and Aunt Sharon, 2006
One thing I am sure of, and have never doubted, is that my father loves me very much. And despite all of our differences, I love him very much too, I always have, and I always will. My father raised me pretty much by himself for a large part of my childhood. He was the one who kissed me goodnight every night, who made me say my prayers before I went to sleep, and who always told me, at the end of every day, that he loved me. I credit him as being a very significant contributor in the fact that I grew up always knowing that no matter where in the world I was, someone out there loved me.
I have so many happy childhood memories of days spent at the cabin, rides on the skidoo, him taking us out in the woods or fishing. My father is an outdoorsman at heart and I am convinced he could survive indefinitely in the woods with nothing but a tin can and some wire. He's the McGyver of outdoor living. I believe that over the years we have resolved any of the differences we may have had in the past, and now the things I remember most about my childhood are all the fun things we used to do with Daddy when we were small. I also credit him with my appreciation of music, especially the classics, and by that I mean the Beatles, the Stones, Simon and Garfunkle, and CCR, among others. I clearly remember having to do a music project on a "classical" musician (Handel, I believe) in elementary school, and my father claiming that I should be able to do my project on a "real" classical musician, like John Lennon, for instance.
That is why, when I received word this weekend that my father suffered a small stoke last Friday, my heart skipped a beat. Though we live far apart, and we don't speak often (he hates talking on the phone and is computer illiterate, lol) I think of him often, and I can't imagine what my life would be like without him in it. He's a young man, only 54 years old. I am not ready to lose him.
Yet when I spoke to him today, after he was released from the hospital, he was the same as ever, making jokes, making light of the situation, most likely to keep me calm. (I remember he always used to joke that I was "getting his shirt all wet" when I would cry as a child, to try to get me to laugh and cheer me up.) However, I am happy to report that his tune has changed. This has been enough of a scare for him to realise that it's time to change his ways, and start living a healthier life so that he can be around to enjoy more of it. There is lots more good stuff around the corner, and like I told him today, I want him to be around and healthy enough to enjoy his grandchildren one of these days.
So here's to my father, the first man in my life. The first man to hold me, and dry my tears, and tell me everything is going to be ok. To the man who put food in my belly, a roof over my head and clothes on my back for the first 18 years of my life. Thank you for being the best daddy you could be. I know I was a willful child at times. I know that you probably would have had an easier time raising a less girly girl. Thank you so much for being the person that you are. I hope that I have many more years to listen to your corny jokes, tease you about your fashion sense, and tell you many many many times how much I love you. You mean the world to me. Please get well soon. I can't wait to see you.
Dad and Aunt Sharon, 2006
Thursday, February 5, 2009
love/life
So much is going on these days I hardly know where to begin. I just received the wonderful news that the love of my life will be coming here for a visit on his way to his new gig in Niigata. I am glad he finally came around to my point of view that 9 months has been far too long and that it will surely be nice to see a smiling face at the end of such a long and arduous trek across the pacific, and most of the North American continent. Now I still have about 7 weeks to count down but I am very glad to know that the wait is almost over. I miss you T.
In other happenings, I have embarked yet again on a quest for self improvement. With a 10K race coming up at the end of March (the 29th to be exact) I am training my butt off as we speak. I have decided that this last 20 pounds I have been struggling with for years have had their time and I will be fiercely battling them until I WIN! I have joined a gym and have been going regularly, and did my longest run yet yesterday, at 6K. I should be in top fighting form by the time the Sakura Asahi Health Marathon begins at the end of next month.
On the subject of the gym however, I did experience yet another instance of discrimination when I was denied membership at my number one choice gym on the basis that I have a tattoo. Apparently just having one is grounds for denial, and even the offer to cover up all tattoos while on the premises did nothing to persuade them to allow me access. I was forced to go to gym number 2, with less of what I was looking for, but at least closer to home. There I was told that I must keep all tattoos covered at all times, and that even one lapse detected by the staff would result in my immediate expulsion without refund. All I can say is, LAME. I can neither shower nor use the pool, and am reduced to wearing very un-stylish turtlenecks to my aerobics classes. Nevertheless I am grateful to at least have a gym to call my own, after 3 previous failed attempts. (The first 2 I was denied on the basis that I don't speak Japanese) This really shocked me. Though I was prepared for the fact that tattoos would be banned, I was not expecting to be asked outright and then denied for simply HAVING them, and I thought that my willingness to be sensitive to my new culture would be sufficient. Apparently not. It amazes me that a person who has the drive and determination, who has made the step, which is often challenging for many people, to decide to improve themselves, their health, and overall quality of life, could be denied from doing so over something as insignificant as a few flowers on the back of one's neck. Oh Japan, please get with the times.
This month I also embarked on my second journey into the Tokyo underworld, with out most recent all-night club outing in Shibuya last weekend. We ended up again at Camelot, where we danced the night away and left at the crack of dawn, all danced out, exhausted, but happy and satisfied that we had indeed kicked Camelot's butt. We then proceeded to fall asleep on the train on the way home. Special thanks to Jude for making sure I got up and off the train at my stop and did not end up in Katsutadai, or worse, on the way back to Tokyo. I will include some of the pictures of the festivities here for you to enjoy.
Until next time folks, stay warm! Here's hoping for an early spring! :)
The "before" shots: Jude and Yuko
Sarah and I
I never knew Jude was such a wild man!
The "after" shot...oh dear!
In other happenings, I have embarked yet again on a quest for self improvement. With a 10K race coming up at the end of March (the 29th to be exact) I am training my butt off as we speak. I have decided that this last 20 pounds I have been struggling with for years have had their time and I will be fiercely battling them until I WIN! I have joined a gym and have been going regularly, and did my longest run yet yesterday, at 6K. I should be in top fighting form by the time the Sakura Asahi Health Marathon begins at the end of next month.
On the subject of the gym however, I did experience yet another instance of discrimination when I was denied membership at my number one choice gym on the basis that I have a tattoo. Apparently just having one is grounds for denial, and even the offer to cover up all tattoos while on the premises did nothing to persuade them to allow me access. I was forced to go to gym number 2, with less of what I was looking for, but at least closer to home. There I was told that I must keep all tattoos covered at all times, and that even one lapse detected by the staff would result in my immediate expulsion without refund. All I can say is, LAME. I can neither shower nor use the pool, and am reduced to wearing very un-stylish turtlenecks to my aerobics classes. Nevertheless I am grateful to at least have a gym to call my own, after 3 previous failed attempts. (The first 2 I was denied on the basis that I don't speak Japanese) This really shocked me. Though I was prepared for the fact that tattoos would be banned, I was not expecting to be asked outright and then denied for simply HAVING them, and I thought that my willingness to be sensitive to my new culture would be sufficient. Apparently not. It amazes me that a person who has the drive and determination, who has made the step, which is often challenging for many people, to decide to improve themselves, their health, and overall quality of life, could be denied from doing so over something as insignificant as a few flowers on the back of one's neck. Oh Japan, please get with the times.
This month I also embarked on my second journey into the Tokyo underworld, with out most recent all-night club outing in Shibuya last weekend. We ended up again at Camelot, where we danced the night away and left at the crack of dawn, all danced out, exhausted, but happy and satisfied that we had indeed kicked Camelot's butt. We then proceeded to fall asleep on the train on the way home. Special thanks to Jude for making sure I got up and off the train at my stop and did not end up in Katsutadai, or worse, on the way back to Tokyo. I will include some of the pictures of the festivities here for you to enjoy.
Until next time folks, stay warm! Here's hoping for an early spring! :)
The "before" shots: Jude and Yuko
Sarah and I
I never knew Jude was such a wild man!
The "after" shot...oh dear!
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