Cherry Blossom Adventures

Yes, I am going against the norm and celebrating my 102nd post…instead of my 100th (Ok Ok…I actually did not realize it had passed until about 10 minutes ago…) . So yay for me! And here here to another 102 posts… Maybe I will celebrate my blogs 1st birthday a bit better..which is sometime just before golden week next year i believe…I will have a party or something…maybe…but probably not. It has been fun so far though, keeping a blog I mean….It is like ranting, which I love to do, but to a wider audience…I just thought I should go through and pick out some of my favourite posts…but I can’t actually be bothered. But hey if you would like to, go ahead and pick out your favourite and post the link in the comments…

Well since nothing to actually celebrate as such it is just going to be another random post with dot points. Because nothing says celebration like dot points!!!

• Is 21 too old to try and figure out what your talent is? I realized I don’t actually have a talent as such…Sure I am exceptionally good and brilliant at a lot of things…(but nobody notices!) but yeah, not really a talent as such. I can’t even make one eye cross eyed while the other one stares straight ahead with a cheezle in my mouth….Which is something someone I used to know was able to do…she even took a day off school to perfect the eye part (It wasn’t me…I do wonder if the girl in question can still do it though!) It has kind of come about from reading blogs…lots of talented writers etc and photographers and crafty people…Take Flickr for example and the 365 days group I have being participating in (badly). Some people have said they take 30 minutes to take their photo and set it up and then about another 20-30 minutes in photo shop. And you can tell cos their photos are awesome but how did they discover they had this talent of taking great photos (or imagining that if they did that it would make a good photo)
• Is the word Ta an Australian think. As in “Ta mate, I appreciate it?” Or is it a worldwide English thing? Also, why do people teach babies to say ta instead of thank you or thanks..sure I know it is short but just wondering…
• Yesterday I mentioned that I want to be Frances Whiting…Not so much be her. Just kind of wish I could write like her and be funny…Cos you have to admit she is a good writer and is funny. I was lent her book called “That’s a Home Run Tiger” which has some of the columns she has written over the last couple of years. I admit I had no idea who she was before Wednesday night…But she writes the way I wish I could, she is funny without being crude and she writes about everyday stuff but manages to make it interesting. I wish that could be my talent!!!! (Can you choose your talent randomly like that?) I read most of her book yesterday and a lot of it on train trips and I now know that laughing out loud on the train is a no-no…Especially when it is peak hour and you are not laughing at something someone said but because you are reading a book.
• Annoying things of the week- Well the ladies that discussed my breasts in front of me for one, the disappointment that is the OC, the fact I have put on almost 2 kilos…despite going to the gym and not eating THAT badly (Ok I might of eaten a little crappy but still…), Not been able to find the lids for plastic Tupperware containers when you are certain you bought sets and lastly the fact that is 8:30 on a Friday night and I am sitting at home blogging.
• Can people just make up their own memes randomly? I am thinking of making one…maybe. (See I can’t say I am without a maybe cos then what if I don’t)…Memes have stopped circling the blogs I read recently….Memes are fun though and you find out a lot about people.
• I have a craving for cadbury chocolate. And Karaoke. I really want to go to Karaoke (more than the chocolate)…I have not been in months. The first time I ever did Karaoke (not including Karaoke at the Vic in Brisbane city the year i turned 18…and singing Johnny Farnam with Claire..) was in April 2004 and since then have been many times. All nights from 11 til 5 in the morning. An hour here and hour there. And Karaoke is rarely disappointing…It is always fun and well yeah I have a craving. So I really hope to go this weekend…Because jumping around in small Karaoke booths with a bunch of friends singing and dancing is a great night out.
• I think Shun is definitely a keeper. Wasn’t home Wednesday night but when I came home on Thursday after class I looked around the apartment and realized he had remembered to take out the garbage and had sorted out the garbage for today already, all dishes were washed and packed away, he had done a load of washing and the towels were in the machine ready to be turned on….He might even win a prize for one of the best bf’s ever.
• Lastly, if there was a movie made about your life…who would play your character?

And now, the 102nd post is finished…over and out!

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A couple of notes.

Dear two ladies in restaurant,

Next time you sit at a table beside someone and decide to discuss their breasts perhaps at least come up with a codeword…or wait until said person is not sitting next to you and listening to your conversation while they eat their pasta.

I am sorry if you thought it was ok to discuss my breasts…perhaps thinking I did not understand you but let me assure you it is not OK. I did not discuss the fact that you LADY 1 had on the most hideous jacket I have ever seen nor did I tell discuss the fact that you Lady 2 had green hair…Sure in my head I was thinking WHY THE HELL DO YOU HAVE GREEN HAIR but I did not talk about it in front of you. Want to know why? Well firstly I do not know you and secondly well it would just be plain rude.

I hope that you both think about this in the future…

Lulu

Dear kind man on train,

Thank you for picking up my book this morning when I fell asleep and dropped it on the floor…and I think into your bag. I do apoligise but getting up at 7:15 really took it out of me and I am not used to travelling from Chiba to Tokyo…that extra distance is not fun.

I appreciate the fact that you also just picked it up, and placed it on my lap. I know you were not trying to touch me up and really were just doing a kind deed.

I am sorry I woke up suddenly as you did it and scared the hell out of you…Please do not think that the look I gave you was one of contempt…I was slightly shocked but once I figured out what happened was really grateful.

I know I said thank you at the time but wish to say it again now.

Thanks, Lulu

I was going to post today about otherstuff but it is after midnight and well I just can not be bothered…Might do a random post tomorrow though with all sort of stuff including the fact that I think I am in love with Frances Whiting and want to be her…..mainly cos she writes well, is hilarious and is from Brisbane! Oh and how weird dalmations are…

I do have other gratitue and complaint notes but don’t want to bore you all to death…or make you fall asleep and drool on your keyboards!

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Woah another post in the space of 24 hours. Maybe I am going to start blogging everyday again (or several times a day even!)

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Conversation overheard on the train home today *

Uni Boy 1:I am going to Mexico for three months on exchange…

Uni Boy 2: Cool, so are you studying English.

Uni Boy 1: No…Spanish. They speak Spanish in Mexico

Uni Boy 2: But they speak English too right? Because isn’t Mexico like right near America?

Uni Boy 1: Yeah, but we are right near China and Korea and not many Japanese speak either of those languages because of the you know, conflict. Instead we all learn English in school right?

Uni Boy 2: So Mexicans don’t speak English? Do they have a conflict with America? Is it the same as us and Korea…They don’t really like each other?

Uni Boy 1: I am not sure. I guess I will find out when I am there.

Uni Boy 2: I still thing will probably speak English though cos doesn’t the whole world want to speak English and go live in America? What language do they speak in Europe? English right?

Uni Boy 1: I am pretty sure they speak lots of languages and I think the main ones are French, German and English…

Uni Boy 2: But everyone speaks English as well too right?

They got off the train at this point…

* Translated and slightly edited…just cos I felt like it….and because I am not a qualified translator so I wrote what I thought they said.

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I don’t know if it is just me, or my understanding of the conversation but Uni Boy 2 did not seem that bright. I have decided to listen in on more train conversations from now on (especially when I forget my book or kanji cards) to improve my listening…Although Listening and speaking are my best points, it is reading, writing and grammar that I need to work on!! (Hence the kanji cards)

The conversation lead me to wonder about why people study other languages? Or who can speak other languages? And if given the chance what languages you would want to learn? Share your experiences please!!!!!!!!!

If I was one of those people that had a gift and learnt languages easily (I am not by the way, which is why I am actually studying my ass off now trying to get ready for my proficiency test) then I would master Japanese then study Spanish then Chinese. They say the three most spoken languages in the world are Spanish, Chinese and English… After that I would then like to learn French or Italian.

I wonder who in the world speaks the most languages (anybody got a Guinness book of world records handy?) It would be really cool to be able to speak a lot of languages and be able to be a translator for the UN or someone famous or important, or in embassies or even for tours all around the world. I was a tour liaison leader for a Japanese group of students that came to Australia for 3 weeks and that was a fun job!! Even though it was in Australia…I still got to translate for them and help them with stuff plus go to the zoo and beach and other fun stuff like that. (That said travel tours translating would probably be less stressful and less strict…ie I am pretty sure if you work in embassies or the UN it would be almost impossible to have a blog, flickr or internet personality!)

I am really jealous of people who seem to master languages really easy. Or can speak lots of languages. Take my friend Douglas…He was born in Brazil to a Scottish mother and Brazilian father so his first two languages were English and Portuguese. He then learnt Spanish, Italian and French before moving onto Japanese. He is fluent in 4 and still working on his Italian and Japanese…(I think…he might be fluent now?!) Imagine the career possibilities!!!

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Firstly I want to say that I am very happy to see strawberries come back to the supermarket and mandarin prices go down. I love my fruit!!!

Had a long weekend this weekend, actually extra long since I woke up this morning and couldn’t move due to a pain in my chest/back, so I rang school and told them I was sick and stayed at home and did extra study while watching dvd’s. It was actually quite a productive day considering all the extra study I got done. My chest/back is feeling a bit better…I don’t know what it is…maybe it is muscular? I will go to class tomorrow and study lots and lots…

On Friday after a much needed sleep in and pottering around the apartment we went to Shun’s parents place for dinner since I had not seen them or his brother and wife since the wedding. We try to get out to Chiba at least once of month, and even if I can’t go Shumpei will, even if it is just to spend the night to be closer to his soccer games. Dinner was nice, and the newly married couple seemed happy and most of the night was spent looking at photos etc etc… Shumpei’s sister in law Kazumi is so nice…we have only met a couple of times but she is one of those people that does not treat me as if I am foreign….I know I am foreign and that is why a lot of people treat me that way but she is really natural in the way she speaks to me as if I am just like everyone else. I know you are all thinking it sounds weird but with people I do not know well, or anybody that is a little bit older, this is hard to come by.

On Saturday I met Catherine and Tomoko in Shibuya so that we could head out to Yokohama, china town. We couldn’t stay long but managed to have lunch and a little look around but I really want to go back!!

After lunch we stayed in Yokohama but headed over to the shopping area which is also where the big ferris wheel is. I have never actually ridden it, but have ridden the one in Odaiba and I imagine it is much the same. I love Ferris Wheels and while I didn’t know this at the time, when I rode the one in Odaiba it was soon after I met Shumpei, the thing is he is afraid of heights (which I didn’t know at the time). Poor thing, the trip around is like 20 minutes long and I was jumping about, so excited, taking photos of the city at night and he was probably wanting to jump!! I am very happy to announce that I managed to find a jacket that I fell in love with at Banana Republic…I haven’t taken a photo yet but it is gorgeous and exactly what I wanted. I have several coats but it is not actually cold enough for a coat yet but it is getting too cold to go out in a cardigan. It was the only thing apart from lunch I bought all day (although the shops were awesome with lots of imported stuff however I could not afford anything other than the jacket…but am definitely going back if stumble across a pile of money or get rich…because they have shoes and boats in my size which I want to point out is not that big but is here in Japan…I am the cut-off, so most of the time places don’t have my size at all)

We were a bit late getting back into Tokyo since we had to meet friends in Shinjuku at 6pm for a catch up dinner and drinks party. The first place we went to was terrible, but it didn’t matter because we could all laugh about it, but the second place was fantastic…Thanks to Yoga for passing on the details about that one as it is definitely going to be a place we head to again. There was about 12 of us for drinks and it was a really good crowd, a couple of John’s friends who most of us hadn’t met before but it was a great mix. Actually more non-Japanese than Japanese for a change which is rare…We must be quite funny to listen too…we go back between languages in the same sentences…Must be confusing for anybody that isn’t used to it. I will be like in Japanese ” Hey Shun can you get me a drink” and in the same breath turn to cat and say in English “yeah so I was saying about…”

The second bar really really was brilliant. There was three floors in the building, apparently all rented or owned by the same guy. We were in the basement, but above us was the actual bar and above that was a hair salon. On the tables in the basement were prices for haircuts and perms instead of drinks (That is because all drinks were 500yen anyway). We could go upstairs and get drinks but a waiter would come down every so often and take our orders. We were the only ones in the downstairs area and it was just great to lounge around anywhere and talk with everyone and listen to music (Or hiro playing the bongo drums). Because it was kind of dark and had that reddish light that most bars had, taking photos with a flash kind of made the atmosphere change so most of the photos I took were without flash but on a special low light setting. There are more on my flickr but here are a few from the night…

Sunday was spent sleeping, studying and watching movies. The weekend might not sound much but I really did have a great time. One of the best weekends in ages!!! I wonder what is on the agenda next weekend…

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Yes, as the heading suggests it might be a long one…and probably boring…so if you are already sleepy bail out now!! For those of you, like myself, that are in love with dot points…well you should continue just to get your fix…even if it is to just look at the pretty little dots!!! And maybe the photos!

• I am halfway through my language course and need to start thinking about what I am going to do after it. Whether I find a new job, go home, go home just for a bit and then come back, whether or not Shumpei should get a WHV and come to Australia now while he could probably still get away with doing it. The worry there is though that if he leaves his job now he might have trouble finding another one when he comes back to Japan…Lots of decisions to be made in the upcoming weeks and I do not really want to make them. So if anyone is interested in a life controlling position please let me know…
• Am loving the drama 14才の母(14 year old mother) mainly because it goes against what is usually discussed in Japanese society. While of course it happens (mainly because there is not much sex ed in schools therefore they didn’t realize that doing things like that could get them pregnant) it is not discussed and usually taken care of very quickly! The 14 year old girl playing the lead is amazing for her age!! In other TV news watched the first episode of The OC for the upcoming season (4? 5?) and it sucked! A billboard for 14 year old mother at Meguro station
• Got a package in the mail the other day!! From Rikki, on the founders of Gimme Your Stuff. It took awhile to get to me, and got lost in the mail then sent back to Australia but it finally arrived earlier this week and it had lots of great goodies…Including Pavlova mix…I have been craving Pavlova so as soon as I find myself and oven, and when strawberries come back into season I am making myself some Pavlova!! Picture below of all the great goodies…Thanks Rikki!!
• Ate really really nice Thai food last night and it was a great way to spend time with Shun before our long weekend started. Poor boy can’t handle spicy food very well but he did enjoy his main meal which had like no spice at all…Plus I am confused as to whether is is actually Thai food so can somebody help me out…Picture below. I think maybe it is Japanese fusion…Because basically you squish the egg up and mix it all around before eating, and sure it was really nice but not Thai food right? I found it so funny that it was Number 1 on the menu because basically it is I guess what Japanese people would like best…My flickr has other shots but unless you are a real foodie then you could probably give them a miss.
• I am really really sick of train station toilets. They are disgusting and I am sick of having to pee squatting…I say we rebel!! Either that or I wish I would remember to go before I left the house or before I left school. Damn it.
• Had lunch with Suzy the other day and we were talking about marriage and babies and whether or not she would be having any soon. I told her that sure Shumpei and I had talked about marriage and children but were not exactly sure what was happening. We were talking about it the other day and Shumpei decided that If we have children then I could name it if it was a boy (Kai) and he could name it if it was a girl (and he choose Olivia)…Is it weird that we have names for our fake un-born children?? Is it also weird that Shumpei choose a name that he can not actually say (He says oribia …he calls me rora or ruru though and I am kind of used to it so I guess it wouldn’t be a problem) We will have known each other for 2 years in January…Although for 10 months of that I was in Australia and we only saw each other for 2 and a half weeks during those 10 months…yet a lot of people still ask us when we are going to get engaged and married… I was with another guy from 16 to almost 19 and marriage never came up with us…maybe it was because we were both the same age and quite young but really I don’t think I ever imagined us married…What are your thoughts??? I never thought I would get married or have a family young, in fact when I first met Shun and he was 24, he was already thinking about marriage…Yet I was thinking oh yeah might get married around 30 and kids a couple of years after that. Some people have plans right? Plans that they want to be married at a certain age and have children by a certain age…I suppose it is hard to control that sort of thing but I guess I never really had set plans as such. But some people meet the person they want to be with forever at 14 or 15 and that is it. A Japanese friend and her bf (now fiance) met when she was 15 and he was 19…She is now 22 and they have just gotten engaged. They will get married next year…..
• I am pretty sure despite eating better and going to the gym that I am not losing weight…which sucks. It really really really sucks… One of my private students tells me I am fat all the time. Isn’t that rude? Then again he is kind of fat too… A lot of Japanese people lack subtlety. In Australia you would never tell someone they are getting fatter or say “your fat” unless you were really trying to insult them. Yet here it happens all the time. Shumpei is constantly told he is getting fat…and he ways less about 70 kilos?????? Also when I go the gym I swear I am the biggest person there so what are all those really really skinny people doing at the gym anyway??
• I have made some jewelery but It isn’t very good but I promised D’Jen that I would post a photo. I don’t really have anywhere in my room that I can take it nicely so I just hang it off my drawers…
• Christmas has started in Kichijoji with the tree outside of Parco department store getting put up and decorated on the 1st of November. Also some illumination in the streets. Christmas is just not the same here. Shumpei will have work Christmas day and a lot of my foreign friends are going home for Christmas or getting out of Japan so there is no body to enjoy Christmas with…well know body who really understands Christmas they way I do. I love Christmas and this is the second Christmas I have not gone home for. The first was brilliant though because I was a student and we were all together and made lots of food and drank lots and had a secret Santa thing going…This year I have no plans. I might cancel Christmas until the day before New Years or something and then that way Shumpei will be off work and we could do something. Or the weekend before Christmas perhaps we could do something…Am not sure exactly what we could do though…
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• I wonder how many people got to the bottom of this post?? I am not sure I would have continued reading. What is everyone up to over the weekend? I have a nomikai tomorrow night and today I have to go to Shumpei’s parents house to get some of my winter clothes because it is getting colder here. Then for the rest of the reason I should study….Ok I should press post now I think.

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I mentioned this project a couple of posts back but it is something that anybody who is interested in photography, or interested in improving their photography skills (like me!), might want to get involved in.

For more details see here but basically every two months or so a list is put up of 26 things and people can submit their photos for the project. The 26 things taken from here for November are below…Would love to see what people come up with!! I did try to do it a couple of months back but I got distracted and didn’t finish (little bit like 365 days i think) but this time I will try really hard!!

# glee
# village
# reality
# accident
# anxiety
# low
# copy
# kindness
# bad taste
# stairwell
# public transport
# art
# shoes
# Friday
# alley
# 7pm
# telephone
# ant’s eye view
# words
# odd
# a stop sign
# traditional
# the sea
# stripes
# tangled
# a night shot

Also just want to say thanks to everyone for great advice and concern about the Chikan I accounted on Monday. Since then I have had no problems. Holiday in Japan tomorrow!!! YAY!!! So over the long weekend I will get started on the list

Ps: It is Ok to use photos you already have if you would like to. For example I have a good one of the sea from when I was in Okinawa…etc etc. Have fun!

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