in the middle of somewhere

Merii Kurisumasu!!!

2007-12-25T19:40:00.000+09:00

Last year, I wrote out nengajo (New Year’s Cards) to friends and family back home. This year, Christmas cards caught my eye. I got ten of them, but these were the ones that came out the best after scanning and were my favorites.

If you look closely, you will see why I like them so much. Hint: it’s the kitschy aspect.

Miyajima, Hiroshima

Kinkakuji, Kyoto

Sanjusangendo, Kyoto

Kiyomizu-Dera, Kyoto

Mikoshi

Himeji Castle, Himeji

Kyoto

Ganbare!

2007-12-24T19:35:00.000+09:00

Many things happened this weekend; oh where to begin?

On Saturday, it was pissing rain. HARD. As in, if it were snow, it would be a blizzard. But this is Kyoto and we don’t get blizzards; only genteel snowfalls (I want a blizzard!). And I had to meet up with some students to interview about their Machiya Light-Up project for Kyoto Journal. It turned out pretty ok for a preliminary interview in my halting Japanese; we will do a more comprehensive one in English, so I can record it next week. I was also invited to their bonnenkai (End-of-Year) party; I might go for an hour or so this Thursday.

That evening, I met up with Emily and we went to the old dorm where Colleen used to live for a Christmas party Emily was invited to; she asked me to come because she didn’t know anyone besides the guy who invited her and she didn’t want to be rude and turn him down. We ended up socializing/eating/mingling for about an hour or so and then we went back to my place (I live 5 minutes away), knitted and watched Grey’s Anatomy Season 3.

Yesterday, Emi my jazz singer/songwriter friend performed at ShinPuhKan. On my way there, I noticed that Higashioji-dori was blocked by traffic; after a few minutes of musing, watching people and reading kanji characters disjointedly, I saw the runners and realized, “Oh! It’s the Kyoto Marathon!” and asked the police officer. Actually it wasn’t; it was the national high school race or something like that. I saw the leader run by me; as runners passed, people shouted “Ganbare!” “Run hard!”

The concept of “ganbare, ganbatte, and ganbarimasu” can be applied to any situation requiring luck; so while it means “Good luck” generally, it can be translated to mean “Work hard” as well, dpeneding on the situation.

At ShinPuhKan, Emi’s whole family was there and it was really sweet; Emily and I were the only “non-family” people there. The songs are the same but it’s always fun to see her perform. After, Emily and I went back to my place: more knitting, more Grey’s Anatomy. My baby blanket is getting bigger and I can’t tote it around anymore. I started working on socks for my “tote about town” project.

Speaking of knitting, I got a nice little surprise today and just in time for Christmas! My package from the Kawaii Swap came in today: in it was a pack of Hello Kitty Christmas themed stickers, a small box of chocolate (which I promptly ate, yum yum!) and a amigurumi stuffed cat, with a letter on Chococat stationery. So adorable! I think I will name the cat “Neko-chan.” (“Neko” means “cat” in Japanese).

'Tis The Season...To Get Sniffles

2007-12-21T19:30:00.001+09:00

Fa, la, la, la...la, la...bah humbug.

It NEVER fails.

Every year since I have started college, I get sick around the holidays. Particularly after December 15, and before December 25. I am thinking that since final exams are around that time of year, it's due to the stress of school.

Last year, I had tinglings in my throat, and proceeded to hightail it to the Kyoto Uni health center. I got a weird powdered medicine because I had my flight the next day and didn't want it to get worse. This year, they came back with full force last night.

Just like last year, I attempted to will the tinglings to go away (ok, I had medicine, but I prevented it from getting worse before I went to the doctor). And, it worked. I am getting quite good at mentally preventing sore throats (I do not like them, having a bad relationship with my throat and germs since childhood, but never had my tonsils taken out). Luckily, my glands are not swollen. I just feel a bit dry and as if a cold is coming on. Now I am sneezing.

So, when I woke up this morning I called my koto teacher and told her I had a cold and took two Tylenol. No way I was going to ride my bike all the way down to Kujo today. Still, I took the bus down to Kyoto Eki because I was meeting some friends to check out the Toji Temple fair, since I figured I can make do with the bus and some walking about. Even hough the day was pretty decent, I put on my North Face and wrapped my pashmina around my neck securely.

The lady from the travel agency called when I was out; luckily I had a 1-day bus pass so I went back up to Sanjo. Turns out, the final confirmation of my tickets for Australia were ready, and I got the printout. While I went to the Gap and Zara in search of leggings, I began to not feel so hot again so I took the bus home.

Got home and drank orange juice, ate two mikans (Japanese mini mandarin oranges, they are in season now), took more Tylenol and proceeded to just finish a Halls lozenge. I have social engagements this weekend and will NOT let a fever or a cold take me over. That said, I will rest as much as possible (I knitted all afternoon) so that I am somewhat decent for Monday, as I have to start working on my presentation.

The Three Month Stretch

2007-12-20T22:11:00.000+09:00

Last Monday, Rits called me saying something along the lines of "Information regarding your return home has arrived, please come and pick it up."

I go to the International Center today in anticipation. I get to know when I come home!

Erm, not exactly.

Turns out, I had to fill out a bunch of forms indicating where I wanted to go (JFK, not Newark!) and when. Easy enough. Gave them my passport number, got my adviser to sign the form (I knew his office hours on Thursdays, or at least I can drop in during a specific time and I know he would be there) and got everything neatly filed away with the office by 3:30pm.

I wanted to get it over an done with, because I only go to Rits once a week and its the winter break as of tomorrow. Don't want to deal with this stuff during my vacation.

My dates? First choice is either March 22 or March 23, the weekend before the lease of my apartment expires which is March 25. Get final deposit of stipend on the 19th, and it gives me 3 days (because my stipend arrives at 9 am on the dot of the day that it is deposited) to tidy up my affairs: close cell phone, health insurance and bank accounts.

Things like tossing useless junk, selling furniture, random crap I won't take home and bike will start at the beginning of March when I make "Sayonara Sale" and spread the word amongst my friends. The International Center will call me or email me when my plane ticket arrives.

So that means as of this weekend, I have EXACTLY three months left in Japan.

It is a Truth Universally Acknowledged...

2007-12-19T18:26:00.001+09:00

..that come the end of the year, the subject of "New Year's Resolutions" pops up on most people's minds.

Having received my new Moleskine in the mail (as part of a birthday gift from The Aussie, the package containing THE J.Crew dress and other sundries came, and the dress FITS! Might wear it for New Year party on the 29th at El Coyote) I began to input little memos and reminders, important dates and such for the beginning of 2008. Things like, "Pay rent," "Pay Health Insurance," "Deposit of stipend", and more fun things like "AUSTRALIA! 1/27-2/7."

I also began to put post-its in my Moleskine. I am trying to downgrade from my humoungous planner (that and the refills are too expensive in Japan) so I needed some sort of system for writing random notes. Moleskine's have the "notes pages" in the back, but I want to keep things neat, and re-usable. Hence the post-its.

On one post-it (yellow and pink striped, very cute) I put down my New Year's Resolutions for 2008. In retrospect, I am trying to think of them more as goals as opposed to a resolution because resolutions, in my opinion indicate that there is something wrong and needs to be fixed. I want to accomplish things.

1. Clear American Express card (damn the grad school application fees).
2. Stick to a monthly budget of ONLY $50 for knitting a month (hmm, if I don't spend that, let's let it roll over, no?).
3. NO KNITTING ADD! (Meaning, finish a batch of projects before you start the next group)
4. Eat healthier (which translates to: become a better cook).
5. Learn how to drive (My permit expired. Pathetic, I know).
6. Lose 15 pounds before I get my wedding dress/start grad school (about the same time- September - I've lost 4 already).
7. Get a job for Spring/Summer '08.
8. BUDGET. Stick to it.
9. Try not to panic/experience anxiety.
10. Get into grad school (of course this one is out of my hands, but I tried).
11. Plan wedding with as little stress as possible.
12. Do not buy stupid and useless things (this is ESPECIALLY the case in Japan where amazing, but useless things are right and left).
13. Pass Japanese Language Proficiency Test Level 2.
14. Enjoy life.

This post-it is on the front cover of my Moleskine, so that I am always reminded of my goals for the year. Looking at it, they are all inter-related: sticking to number 3 means that number 2 will be accomplished (finish all projects, then get yarn for next means I will try not to have impulse buys on yarn, and if I roll over, then I can save for pretty yarn for a luxe project), as well as 8. Numbers 9, 11, 12 and 14 are really important to me, given the past few months with my semi-quasi "quarter-life crisis" and applying to zoo that was applying to grad school.

Number 14 is a constant work-in-progress, as I did enjoy my life in Japan. When we were discussing my return, my mom said "Of course it will be hard [to come back], Japan is your home, too."

Namu Amida Butsu

2007-12-16T17:57:00.000+09:00

Traditionally, most markets in Japan were held on Buddhist temple grounds. In Kyoto, Hideyoshi moved the temples to a part of the city which was later known as "Tera-machi" (lit. "Temple Town) and if sort of became a fair ground. Today, Teramachi has 100-yen shops, a foriegn bookstore and still, countless numbers of shops selling Buddhist paraphernalia. You can still smell the incense from the remaining temples behind the shops as you walk up and down from Shijo to Sanjo.

I had mentioned once before that there is a temple fair in my neighborhood. I later learned that it is specifically a "Tedukuri-shi" or "handmade craft city" sort of fair. It's actually pretty popular - so much that I learned after going there religiously every month for the past year that it is actually in Lonely Planet Kyoto, where you can see an "alternative" side of the city, whatever that means. You do sorta see the Kyoto version of hippies there, complete with dreadlocks.

Still, you cannot ignore the fact that it is on the grounds of a Buddhist temple, named Chionji. I certainly couldn't ignore the temple (and the ichigo-daifuku, oh yum!) yesterday, as there were sounds like drums coming from inside. Usually, the shoji screens were open, but yesterday they were closed. I noticed other people going inside, so I took off my Uggs, climbed the steps and went inside.

Turns out, there was a Buddhist service going o, complete with acolytes, a head priest and other monks. Inside the dais, two monks and two higher level priests were cleaning the main statue (don't know who it was unfortunately, no information on Google Japan actually) and those parishioners on the inner part of the temple were drumming on these things like wooden frogs and chanting. I sat myself down on the tatami in the outer part of the hall, and tried to do seiza, but lasted less than 5 minutes. Still need to work on that. So I sat indian style, as straight and respectfully as I could.

At the end of the service, the monks and priests and parishioners came to where myself and the other spectators were sitting, and a huge Buddhist bracelet was produced. I sorta followed what was going on thinking it would be rude of me to leave. I can now say I have participated in a Buddhist service in preparation for the New Year. We all sat around the bracelet and with our hands under it, passed it around and around to the chant of "Namu Amida Butsu," the Nembutsu prayer.

That I recognized, and chanted along myself, so I think Chionji is part of the Pure Land sect. I am holding it the wrong way in the picture. My legs are in seiza in that picture, but I stayed that way during the whole thing, even with my knees creaking. People bowed their heads as the main bead passed through their hands - I did the same and hoped for a good new year.

It's Not Beginning to Feel Alot Like Christmas

2007-12-14T18:57:00.002+09:00

Hearing (and reading) about the snowstorm in the Northeast from various sources made me think.

It's weird. It LOOKS like Christmas - even some houses in my neighborhood are strewn with Christmas lights - but it doesn't really feel like it.

This is coming from a person who, in spite of growing up in a place where the snow turns dirty in less than five minutes, still knows that come Christmastime, you are supposed to be freezing your butt off when you venture outdoors, and when you go out, you wear getups just short of "ski bunny" to protect yourself against the elements. And you don't mind, really.

Mel, coming from a warmer climate, actually has a pair of Quiksilver ski pants for those nasty days. They have proven to be very useful, even if not intended for the slopes but rather the nasty winds that turn around the corner of 5th Avenue; I keep telling myself to get a pair.

No offense of course to those living in warmer climates - it's just what I am used to. I spent Christmas of sophomore year of high school in Florida, and the palm trees with Christmas lights were strange. Weirder was walking around in shorts.

It is 50 degrees here in Kyoto and I am still going around in a light jacket, cardigan and scarf. When I ride my bike, I put my gloves on if only for preventative measures at first, since I get hot later and subsequently remove my layers. I only wear a hat if it is ridiculously cold. Which I haven't done yet.

My advisor looked at me a couple of weeks ago - or rather at my feet - in aghast. It was still sunny and pretty warm out, but I wore my Uggs nonetheless; in this country where you take your shoes on and off all the time, they are easy to put on. I would wear my flats or riding boots, but that day the sky threatened rain and I didn't want to ruin those shoes. My Uggs are old. No matter if they get ruined.

So when he asked me if it was too cold for me, I looked down at my feet and said a bit sheepishly, "Well, it IS November. Back home, it's snowing right now."

I miss snow.

Of All the People, in All the Places in the World

2007-12-12T16:08:00.001+09:00

Today I was in the library at the study abroad program puttering away on my laptop, procrastinating and using the internet. I was also doing some work - I am going to lead a part of the class tomorrow so I figured a powerpoint presentation will help a bit, since I still have nerves about talking in front of people.

I print, and head down to Prof. S's office to show it to him. I knock on the door, and see him talking with a petite Japanese woman. She looks...familiar.

We both realized it at the same time - she was my old Japanese teacher from when I started Japanese waaaay back in January 2003 at the Japan Society. I continued with her for about a year, then I went off to London. Oh my god! Of all the places in the world - Kyoto and in particular in Prof. S's office to see my old Japanese language teacher. Prof. S explained what I was doing and in particular why I was in his office - "course assistant."

I waited outside until the two of them were done with their meeting. At first, I thought she was coming here to be a new Japanese language teacher, but turns out she is now at another school and the representative for the school since some of their students are here. After getting over our initial shock, we compared notes.

She asked how Mel was doing; when I began studying Japanese, I dragged him along, and she taught the both of us and knew we were a couple. She asked if I was married (guess she saw something on my finger) and told her I was engaged, and to him as well.

We exchanged emails, and I told her I would email her some photos of my time in Japan. I still can't believe it! So surprising, but a nice one too. She is a good teacher.

Jumping the Gun

2007-12-08T20:58:00.000+09:00

I almost always jump the gun. It's a very annoying trait that I have and I know I have annoyed myself again. However, I am trying to look on the bright side of things.

I have not replied formally to my friend's invitation to Tokyo yet, and in a way it was a good thing I didn't. I was very excited about it, posting it here and such, but I jumped the gun. However, I was getting a bit of a "feeling," if you get what I mean.

I took a look at my bank account today and let's just say with grad school applications (sending stuff international is expensive, now multiply that by 8), Australia, a stipend coming late and the most likely trip to the Philippines in February, coupled with the dismal state of my finances (though I did get confirmation that I made the deadline for immediate reimbursement when I get to Australia so I don't have to worry about that, but I get it when I arrive in Australia) I really can't afford to go to Tokyo, what with Shinkansen ticket and spending money even with a free place to stay if for a few days. Things pile up.

I know it would be a treat to myself, but that money is better earmarked for the Philippines because the family is waiting for The Aussie and I. They actually don't know that we are coming, but I know it's important to The Aussie that we try to go as much as we can. Plus I need to save money for when I get home.

That doesn't mean that things are looking bleak. I met up today with my friend Emi and that Shin-puh-kan (a shopping center remodeled from a 1920s building; I will go back and take pictures) and she mentioned how she was going to perform there on the 23rd and I actually wanted to go - she is an amazing singer. So now, I will go and I think I am going to cook Christmas dinner for some friends. I like to host parties (or at least the idea of it, I haven't really done it yet, but I have had friends over and I like to entertain). I didn't get to do it at Thanksgiving, but I will try to do it now.

Kyoto actually looks very nice all decked out for the holidays. So I may not be going to Tokyo but in the end, everything will work out. Tokyo is really messy, so maybe I will be able to enjoy the holiday more here. Thus, the Starbucks Tall Non-Fat Peppermint Mocha is half-full.

Acts of Kindness

2007-12-06T20:16:00.002+09:00

There is this elderly woman in my graduate seminar - Japanese of course. We chatted a few times and I learned she has a daughter studying in the United States. When I got back from my month long break in Japan she asked how it was seeing The Aussie and how my vacation was. She is very sweet.

A few weeks ago, she asked me if I was going back home for Christmas. There is a phrase in Japanese that goes, "mottanai" - "wasteful." I said that, because I am returning home for good in March, I was back home for a month in August, so there is no point for me going home for Christmas, hence: mottanai.

Today, she surprised me. When I finally settled myself into my seat for class she gave me a small package in a pink bag. "For Christmas," I think she said in English. I told her that she really didn't have to, and I was very shocked. I wasn't really sure what was in the package, but she asked me if I liked Japanese things and wagashi (Japanese paper). I said I did. I always admire the stuff at Kinokuniya back home but it's really overpriced. Now that I am here, I am distracted by the other great Japanese stuff to appreciate the more traditional goods - wagashi, for example.

I opened the package when I got home. What a surprise! In it were two fans, a small wagashi notebook, a large wagashi notebook, a small sewing kit in a chirimen fabric packet, a small chirimen fabric covered box and two small charms. Most of the smaller items were held in a pretty pouch.In the larger notebook (red, with a pattern of irises), there was something written inside in Japanese script. I picked out a few things here and there, but I couldn't read the whole thing - it was in the calligraphic style. I am going to go to Prof. S's house on Monday with the rest of the class for a little party; I think I will ask his wife who is Japanese if she can read it for me.It was very nice of her to do that and I am still quite surprised. As I was opening the small packages, I noticed that one of the fans (the blue and red one) looked gently used - it didn't have the 'spring' that the pink one did. Perhaps, it was one of her own? I like to think so. Maybe a memento, like what was written in the book.

Random Bullets of...Stuff, I Guess

2007-12-03T20:35:00.001+09:00

1) Thank you all for the birthday wishes! It was very sweet of you all who dropped a line, I appreciate it very much.

2) I just submitted School D. Oh my god, finishing that one was killer - an hour and a half to figure out one final sentence!

3) I am not so sure I want to go to School D anymore. Not because it is far (heck, School E is right across the road so to speak in the same 'hood) but because I was looking at the J-History profs and they aren't in line with what I am researching. I am preparing myself for a rejection from them. No problem by me (I sorta like School E if I HAD to choose between the schools. Plus, School E is closer to a city :::cough cough - civilization - cough cough:::. Being near a metropolitan area is important to me - I don't want to get cabin fever. School D is near the same city but you need a car more.)

4) Lotsa knitting done. I also had two hours before class because I finished my midterm (See number 4) and took a nap. As well as knitted. Will put up a more dedicated knitting post later.

As such, most of the madness is over. I have Yo-Yo Ma playing non-stop, apartment is a mess, laundry isn't done, but it's all ok.

It's My Birthday and I'll Eat Ice Cream if I Want To

2007-12-02T22:46:00.000+09:00

You know how one can tell if she is really, truly, 23?

The age changed automatically in her blogger profile. On a blue note, grad apps have made me so wound-up that several months ago, my friend and I figured out that I was having my quarter-life crisis (there was a point that I was considering to screw academia and go to law school, which for my friend was a troubling reaction to see from me, considering I never said a peep about law school before). I have always been a bit mature for my age (so people tell me) so I wasn't surprised that it came at 22 as opposed to 25.

I am 23. Hmm. Interesting. It has a nice ring to it. 22 is still too close to 21, the "Yeah! I'm finally legal! LET'S PARTY!" age.

Life is like wine - it gets better with age.

And I truly mean that. I am still in my early 20's but 20-22 was awkward. I'm looking forward to my mid and late 20s.

For my birthday, I celebrated twice. Last Friday, I went with Waiyee for Indian food, and to the Light-Up at Kiyomizu-Dera. Kiyo is very famous for it's fall foliage. So famous that the place is crowded with tourists and the temple extends it's hours till 9:30pm with strategic lighting displays. For all its touristyness, it was very pretty. That white stick in the third picture is Kyoto Tower. It's downright ghastly close-up, but gorgeous at night. The view of the city from Kiyo is amazing (I have been there once before when Justine came in June).

The Indian food? DELICIOUS. I have had a craving for Indian food for while. It's a chain, and they opened a branch in mine and Waiyee's neighborhood. Reason number 13454 why I love my neighborhood. Affordable (1300yen for a dinner set), AUTHENTIC (it's run by Indians) and tasty (with 5 different levels of spicy; I had level 3) Indian food.

After Kiyomizu, we walked up back to Shijo and had cake, to which Waiyee treated me at Lipton. I had a waffle with bananas, vanilla and chocolate mousse ice cream and chocolate syrup and English Breakfast tea. I was stuffed.

Today, I went to Very Berry on Nijo-Kawaramachi with some girls from the study abroad class that I became friends with. Very Berry is an institution, with American style sundaes. I always make it a point to have ice cream on my birthday; as a winter baby I never really had ice cream cakes as a kid. Now, I make sure I have ice cream every year.

Most of them had not been to the Nijo-Kawaramachi branch (it is a chain, I have been to the one in Teramachi). Alisa and I went to it the first time in September, and loved it. It was in a restored machiya which adds a lot of charm to the place.

Yum! Emily and I split a club sandwich of cream cheese, avocado and salsa - on my way back home, I stopped at the supermarket and got the ingredients for it, hmm, might make one again! We also split a raspberry sundae.

I had a lot of fun. I also got some cute gifts which they really, truly didn't have to, but it was very nice of them. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pics of the sundaes, but don't worry. Very Berry won't be going anywhere and I KNOW I am going back. Again. Many. more. times. In the meantime, you can drool over their menu.

When I got back home, I actually wanted to listen to some classical music, but I deleted some stuff off my iTunes in a deleting frenzy (I still have the CDs back home). So I browsed on iTunes and picked out Yo-Yo Ma's "Bach: The Cello Suites." Amazing, relaxing music to listen too. I heard some other stuff which was good, but for now a solo cello is good for concentration. I might get this Renaissance chorale CD in a week or two, once my mind is not so frazzled anymore.

I submitted School E, aka the application from hell. Thank god that one is done.
Tomorrow: School D. By the end of this week is Schools B and H for sure (I want to mail out my supplementary materials, THEN click the "submit" button.)

By the end of this weekend, I will have Schools A and G done. All that is left are essays for this fellowship (since I had to submit SOMETHING for that for School E, I have it like 90% done) and financial aid application, which all the schools don't require.

Bite Me in the Bum, Why Don't You

2007-12-01T10:41:00.000+09:00

Maybe it was a sign.

Or karma?

First off, it's my birthday today and I am still working on grad apps. I told myself I wouldn't do that, but deadlines are deadlines, and I am at the "checking-afraid to press the submit button" stage. School C is done. I meant to do School F yesterday but I had a little problem.

You see, I was cleaning out some stuff off my hard drive which involved multiple copies of my personal statement.

I ended up deleting one of the two essays for Schools E and F. Oh $%*&^.

So, whilst wishing I had Leopard for my Mac because of the Time Machine feature, I tried to use some data recovery programs. But I had to pay to get all the features. Pfft.

Luckily, I had a draft on my USB stick, so I banged it out again and actually polished it a bit. Submitted it this morning (Side note: Schools B and H are ready to go, but I am afraid to click on the "submit" button. Once I mail out my stuff next week, then I know it's for real and will click on that button.).

This was a bit of deja vu for me. Why?

The day before I had to mail out my application for my scholarship, I forgot to email it to myself from work. In the summer the office was closed on Fridays. So I had to re-write the WHOLE thing. I didn't have a draft backed up. Nothing.

And as all of you know, I ended up with the scholarship.

So maybe this is a sign. It bites me in the bum but still, one can hope this is a sign for the good since the last time, it turned out very nicely.

If I Just....BREAAAATHE

2007-11-30T12:01:00.001+09:00

I just submitted my first grad school application, School C. I just also realized that I sent my supplementary materials to the History Department as opposed to the Grad School Admissions Office - some schools want the actual department, some schools want the admissions office. I bet I wouldn't be the first one, and it's there already so I know they probably noticed what was up. So I will call them tonight (when it is Friday morning).

Thing is, the deadlines are weird: I didn't know if I qualify under the Non North-American deadline (December 1, which is a Saturday so December 3) because I am in Japan, or the North American deadline, since I am a US Citizen, I am just living abroad. Just to cover my arse, I submitted it today, 10pm EST, November 29. A good 4 days before the deadline for NNA.

I just got the congratulatory email, that I successfully completed the application. Congratulatory, my bum. I get email notification on whether or not I got in my March 15.

MARCH 15. Three and a half MONTHS. Oh, jeez I am going to have a heart attack by then - if I am in the Philippines in the end of February, you can bet I am going to nag The Aussie everyday to take me to an internet cafe. That, or let my sister check my email for me.

Next: School B and School F. Then tomorrow, Schools D, and E.

I added another school at the last minute, which is in the same city as School A as another safety. Prof. L. submitted his rec letter for it and I Prof. O's letter in hand so I figured why not, might as well since I have all the materials for it. So in terms of hierarchy, it is above School G (and is in the same city as School A, you can tell I REALLY want to stay in the tri-state area) but because it's a last minute addition (deadline is Dec 12 so I am all good actually) it is School H.

Final count: 8 grad schools. I really, never EVER want to know how much I paid for all this: transcript requests, mailings, fees (I applied for a waiver for School C let's see what happens), etc. etc.

Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out.

Oh Yes, Wait a Minute Mister Postman

2007-11-27T21:16:00.001+09:00

I really don't get a lot of mail in Japan. My sister STILL has not sent me her postcard to me from Italy - HINT HINT Little Sister if you are reading this - and the only thing I get on a regular basis are bills.

No, I don't like mail like that. That sort of mail does not count.

This month looks to be a banner month for mail, because of swaps, birthday and Christmas. I LOVE getting mail.

So imagine my joy when I saw a bright pink bubble envelope poking out of my mailbox. In the mailbox was the package from my birthday swapper! I sent out her package yesterday (big holiday last weekend so no post office for most of the latter end of last week) and in it was yarn. Smooshy, smooshy yarn!

Specifically, Patons SWS in "Natural Denim" - 70% wool, 30% soy in a beautiful variegated blue. I also got a knitting magazine called "Knit Simple" and it has CABLE patterns! I am totally addicted to cable patterns - like I mentioned to my swapper, I am learning how to cable without a cable needle. Squee!!!

I like mail.
I like yarn.

I also like knowing that the second essay for schools E & F is done. All that's left is the fellowship essay - I have my points, but right now I really don't care much for it because if I get into the school, they give me funding anyway. So this is just a supplemental thing, and for the other schools I can tweak it more because they are due in January, and even February, but I will get them done before Christmas. School E wants it this-very-minute, along with the application.

Boo to School E, but yeah for yarn! Smooshy, smooshy yarn.

Sutoresu!!! Sutoresu!!!

2007-11-26T10:33:00.001+09:00

Stress!!! Stress!!!

This is what I get for procrastinating. However, being in Japan means I am 14 hours ahead of the United States (at least the East Coast and that part of the Great Lakes that is on EST), which works for me because:

It means I have an extra day for the grad school materials to arrive on time in the States.

I am such a procrastinator. I wait till the week before the first round of grad apps are due (this weekend, exactly) to submit the stuff in the mail. granted it was via EMS, Japan's version of Global Priority, and according to BOTH the Japanese and English websites it will get to the States in two days.

I go to the post office and mail my stuff. Then I ask for confirmation. In Japan I always double check in case I missed something; I may ask the same question 3 times in 3 different ways but it has worked so far.

"Well, it is the holidays, so it could take maybe a week."

A week? WHAT holidays? The country isn't even Christian! Christmas was imported after WW2 for crying out loud and turned into a couple's holiday! (Which is why I hate Christmas in Japan even more. Mel isn't here and everyone and their mother on Shijo is holding hands.)

I freak out. All day. Couldn't do alot of work on my essays. I meet up with Prof. S. before class and he asks how I'm doing, and I tell him what's going on. He told me to not worry. Given Prof. S's experience, I trust his answer. So I am not freaking out so much.

At least EMS has tracking numbers. As of 1:15am Japan time on 11/26 (lunchtime EST 11/25) it was at the Osaka Int'l Post Office. I am guessing it will be on a plane by the end of today.

I can only hope.

I did finish the academic essay for schools E and F.

Mel Goes a Knittin'

2007-11-24T23:20:00.001+09:00

Haha. To some extent, I wish.

He tells me this morning what kind of yarn I want, and that he heard of this store called String, on the UES - it's in Zagat. Have I heard of it?

Of course I have heard of it. It's the Bergdorf of yarn stores. It sells Koigu Cashmere for $50. For ONE skein.

Go figure that he picks the yarn store in Zagat - that is his Bible.

I told him not to get me yarn. While I do love the idea of people getting me nice yarn and appreciate it, and it is really sweet how The Aussie came up with the idea all on his own (which is his affirmation of my newfound hobby, and shows that he doesn't think I am trifling here) in my current situation (me being in Japan), yarn is no good.

I know some of you will be thinking, "The man wants to buy you CASHMERE. What the heck are you thinking, telling him no?"

I am not being picky here. Thing is, I can make only so many hats for myself in Japan, since expensive yarn = not so much yarn. It is also the question of space, and me moving back home in less than 4 months (where did the time go?). It's kind of silly for him to send me something that I won't use, only to bring it back with me. Yarn is smooshy, but I don't want the nice stuff to get squished.

I don't want him to spend so much money, since I am trying to be the sort of knitter that picks the pattern, then gets the yarn. Or if I do an impulse buy, I better find a pattern for it quick. Swaps of course, are totally exempt from this rule; making your stash bigger is a lot of fun. I did say I was "trying" - that being the operative word.

I don't have much space - nor funds - for a lot of yarn so thinking "economy" and "lack of space" is the way to go. One plastic drawer is all I got here, folks. And that sucker better be empty by the time I go on my next yarn binge.

So in lieu of fancy yarn - since he STILL wanted to get me something - I asked for fancy sticks. Yes, we call my knitting needles "sticks." It just stuck. Pardon the pun.

In particular, Lantern Moon needles, size 9, 10" long. Don't mind which color. It is also my dream to have all my needles from Lantern Moon - I love wooden needles. Good chance to start now no? I think they are birthday-worthy sticks myself. Needles, I can use. Like the day I get them in the mail. Yarn? Might wait awhile.

I am also very proud of Mel - he may scoff at the idea of me teaching him how to knit, but he will not balk at going to a knitting store. What a man.

Although he pointed out that he wanted me to get cashmere so I can knit HIM hats.

I Wonder How Turkeys Say "Gobble Gobble" in Japanese

2007-11-23T23:31:00.001+09:00

Or in my case, Turkish.

In lieu of a turkey dinner, Ingram, Alisa, Ted and myself went to have Turkish food. For Thanksgiving. According to Alisa, she put in "turkey" and "Kyoto" into the Google searchbar, and a Turkish restaurant is what she got.

For it certainly turned out to be an expedition. We got to the restaurant, only to realize that we needed reservations, even though the place was crowded. Japan is very weird in this respect - there are certain rules and even the Japanese don't get them.

So Alisa gave the lady her cell number and we trooped back outside, in search of a replacement. Thing is, this is the busiest weekend in Kyoto and all the tourists were out in force. Again, it's momiji madness - the autumn leaves. Pfft. My inner New Yorker says "Go away, tourists! Shoo! How can you NOT hear my bicycle bell!"

This Thanksgiving, I didn't need to take the bus down to Kyoto Station. It took me an hour last year!

But it took about an hour's wait for the Turkey - I mean, Turkish food. Good things come to those who wait because we were traipsing from place to place only to find they were full when Alisa's phone rang. Mmmm...Turkish food! Almost like Greek so I was really happy.

Lamb and chicken souvlaki, hummus, yogurt dip, the works. Not exactly turkey and gravy and mashed potatoes, but the company was the most important thing. To be around friends and have a good time, even if you are in a foreign country, where the largest oven to cook the smallest turkey is practically non-existent. For that I was thankful. We all had laughs and shared memories and overall had a great time.

This Thanksgiving was quite different from last year. Last year I spend it with friends and their mothers and had both turkey and then blowfish the next day - quite different experiences, but being with them was like being with family, and reminded me how mine wasn't there. Add that I was barely two months in Japan and I actually cried from all the emotion surrounding the holiday and being away as I walked home from the bus back to the house that I lived when I first got here. I actually felt very much alone then, and lost.

But now, while I miss my family - and thankful for their support in me being here - it doesn't hurt so much. I am not being cold, but rather thinking that I have changed and grown up a lot during my time here. Being away from family during the holidays does suck, but it happens. I think I am better at dealing with things like that, as if I have gained my footing on my own in this world, and can stand up by myself.

I am also thankful for living in this city and having the opportunity to live here; if it weren't for the scholarship, I would most certainly not be here. Kyoto is great for students and wonderful overall; it's not like Osaka or Tokyo, this big fancy metropolises. There are so many things happening and even though the tourists are annoying I know they are crucial to keep the vibe going. This place is not just filled with little old ladies in kimono. It's a thriving city with a distinct heartbeat.

And because I live in this city, I get to see things that I normally do not see on a regular basis since I grew up in a major metropolis. There are lights everywhere in NYC even in the quiet neighborhoods such as mine and you really can't see the stars, save for Venus and the moon. Lately, on my bike rides back home at night, I noticed that on clear nights, the sky glittered.

When I was in high school I had to prepare for this one event at the science competition, which involved my partner and I memorizing the constellations. I was pretty good at it; I forgot most of them, but when I looked up at the sky tonight, I recognized the Big Dipper.

I had seen it several times before in the past few weeks, but this was the first time that it was as clear as day. Not a cloud in the sky, and the moon was particularly bright. I never get to see a lot of stars, but tonight was spectacular.

It may sound silly, but for that I am also thankful.

"No Worries"

2007-11-21T18:34:00.001+09:00

I was looking at my ticket receipt last night for Australia, when I started freaking out.

I only have one hour and 10 minutes between planes. One hour and 10 minutes to go through customs, possibly get my baggage, and re-check. I then looked up the Brisbane Airport and discovered to my dismay that I need to take an AirTrain between the domestic and international terminals because they are THREE kilometers apart.

Oh, crap. Is it enough time?

I tried to reassure myself, (and my mom tried to reassure me over Skype) saying that I had an hour and a half in Detroit to go through that mess known as US Immigration and Customs (even the US Citizen/Permanent resident line took forever!) and had to get my luggage, re-check, and go back through security. I professed my worry to The Aussie, whose response was not particularly helpful: "I told you that the Brisbane Airport was big" (he of course, has an intimate relationship with BNE since that was his local airport).

Gee thanks. I love The Aussie and all, but seriously? Right at that time men sucked. After some more minutes of conversation, I began to really freak out, thinking that I am going to miss my flight, etc. etc. If I miss my flight, I miss the bus to Canberra.

Plus, I learned that the maximum amount allowed as carry-on is 15lbs total. Either I was going to pack really, really light (thank god there is free laundry in Canberra) or I was going to miss my plane. I think I might leave my laptop behind. Ringo may be pretty light compared to the clunkers that my friends have, but it will weigh me down.

This morning, I called JetStar in Australia via Skype, knowing full well I will not get the specific information via the Japan line as easily and as quickly. Apparently, I didn't have the specific JetStar reservation number so I would have to call back later. This was at 9:30am. JTB (the travel agency I used) opens at 11:00am. It was one of those times that I really wished things were like NYC and open either at 9 or 10am. I STILL forget that the shops (except for the department stores) open at 11 as opposed to 10.

At 11:01, I called JTB. After explaining twice in Japanese, the lady told me she will look up the number and call me back. I got the number in less than 5 minutes, and called Australia again.

Good news - my flights are "thru," which means when I check-in in Osaka, I have also checked-in for my flight from BNE to SYD. Also, my luggage will go between the planes so that means I don't have to pick them up and check them in again, like I had to do in Detroit. But I am still thinking of just going with a carry-on (I will call again like a week before just to double-double check). If I do check-in my bag, it means that I can bring my laptop, but I really don't want to lug it around. Alisa pointed out that I can still tweak my presentation, but it's excess weight.

Honestly, I have no qualms running through an airport. It wouldn't be the first time (when I had known Ingram less than 24 hours, I convinced him to run through Narita in Tokyo so that we could make our connecting flight to Osaka on time).

More good news: I got the confirmation from Wake Up! Sydney - 4 Share Dorm, Female Only. Another good thing about it is that while they do take your credit card for the reservation, it's only for reservation purposes; I will pay in cash there (phew). Very happy, though I think I messed up on the number of nights that I was going to stay. I don't like it when they ask for the check-in date and the number of nights as opposed to the specific dates - it can lead to mistakes. So I counted off my fingers - yes, 2/2 to 2/7 is 5 nights, not 6 - and e-mailed them back, telling them sorry made a mistake, and these are my dates.

"No worries," was part of the reply. How cool - they actually do say "no worries" in Australia, and it's not some Crocodile Dundee thing. Mel not only hides his accent (it only comes out after a tipple and when he gives speeches/presentations) he doesn't say "no worries."

All that's left is to email Mel's mum to let her know when I am going to Sydney so she can email the family friends and let them know that the DIL is coming. They might take me around for a day. Also need to email this professor I know who is at a uni in Sydney - we met last year at a conference, so it would be cool to meet up, if only for a bit.

When I return to Japan, it is going to be very interesting (but I am being sarcastic here). They just implemented mandatory fingerprinting like the US. But unlike the US, even permanent residents (except those "special permanent residents") and those who are on visas and have the gajin card (like me) get fingerprinted. According to the news, travelers are fine by it, but a lot of the foreign residents are not happy.

Accents Galore

2007-11-20T20:23:00.000+09:00

Imagine a 6'2" bear of a man with a very thick Greek accent when he speaks English. Think Kosta, Toula's dad from "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," but deeper. And my dad is certainly taller than Michael Constantine.

Now imagine that accent, trying to imitate an Australian accent.

That is my dad for you.

The Bell Lap

2007-11-20T17:29:00.000+09:00

I can't run. I know there is a proper way to run, but I actually physically can't do it. For one thing, my Achilles tendons are too tight, so I don't run heel-toe, heel-toe. I used to just walk on my toes, but several years of consciously thinking, "heel-toe, heel-toe" has somewhat remedied that.

In short, don't expect me to run in a marathon. I have however, volunteered in the NY Marathon one year as a chip clipper at the finish line. Kinda yucky since some runners have sweat streaming down to their sneakers, but it was fun. I want to cycle a marathon. That, I think I can do.

I can see the finish line, regarding my grad apps. At least for my personal statement. I have brainstormed for the two essays for the other schools (two schools want TWO essays, the meanies), and have a good idea of what I want to write. But the essay for the other schools?

I hate it. I am constantly second-guessing myself, and have resorted to looking at my resume (since I had to fix it and add Australia on it) for some comfort, to prove to myself that I have done significant stuff, that I am a viable candidate, that yes I do care about the program and I have proof that I am one of the most dedicated and hardcore candidates that you got.

Still, I hate my essay. I don't know what else I can do to it to make it better, which is a sign that it's done. I just need to polish up the closing and add "Why I want to go to X school."

400 people apply.
20-25 get accepted.

One also needs to realize that there are more than 5-6 different fields. So it's about 3-5 people per regional section. At School B, they only accept TWO people for the East Asia track. I am presuming that it's 1 China and 1 Japan.

The odds are not looking good.

That final lap is always the hardest.

It's Just One of Those Days (Where Ya Don't Wanna Get Up)

2007-11-19T16:42:00.001+09:00

Ugh. I had such a crazy morning.

My goal was to get my plane ticket to Australia. I needed to get the documentation for my reimbursement down to Canberra by November 30th and wanted to get it ASAP. I had a sinking feeling that I was running out of time.

Turns out, I actually was running out of time. Because of the snafu regarding my arrival date into the dorms in Canberra, I was actually going to get in one day earlier. Add to the fact that I really couldn't do that cheaper plane ticket via Hong Kong because the time between arrival in Sydney and departure for Canberra was too tight, and I was running out of options.

An hour's worth of searching at the Co-op travel agency led to a ticket that was 177,000yen. About $1700. My heart was falling, and I had a sinking feeling that I wasn't going to go to Australia.

&*%^$>.

Seriously.

So, with all abandon and muttering curses under my breath (at least I wasn't cursing in Greek, that would mean that it was REALLY bad), I left the co-op, got on my bike and hightailed it to the JTB on Sanjo. I got there in 15 minutes. My heart was pounding and I seriously was not exactly on the verge of tears, but I could willingly turn on the waterworks if I wanted to.

I go to the desk, and begin my search with the agent again. A ticket via Seoul came up, 100,000yen (about $1000USD). Woo-hoo!

Or...maybe not.

The flight from Seoul to Sydney was booked.

SERIOUSLY! Is everyone and their mother in Asia going to Sydney on January 27!

I offhandedly mentioned (in Japanese, of course) to the agent that I was there on Saturday and there was a ticket via JetStar, this Australian airline that is like Qantas. The agent got back to the computer, and typed away. At this point I was just thinking, "Oh feckit (or at least a bit more coarsely), I will just get the ticket even if it is $1700, pay in cash and put the rest on my card." (We can't use credit cards in the Co-op. Weird).

She takes the paper that had the Korea flights on it, and writes something on it:

1/27, KIX-->SYD 21:20-11:00 (1/28)
2/7, SYD-->KIX 12:00-20:00

Total: 101,000yen.
With taxes: 130,470yen.

Oh. Thank. God.

I hightailed it back to the library at the study abroad program that I am the CA for (because I have access to the wireless internet and a printer) and made my reservation for Wake Up! in Sydney. Printed out all necessary documentation for getting my reimbursement, and to prove to my teachers that yes, I am presenting at a conference. Last thing is to get confirmation for Wake Up! and to get my bus tickets ($30AUD total, not bad at all) to and from Canberra.

In fact, when I go to Australia on 1/27, I am making a connection in Brisbane, Mel's neck of the woods. Bit sad. But, I am only going to see the airport.

I ended up skipping the first half of my afternoon class because by that time I still hadn't eaten lunch, and I was not up for a cold sandwich. It's cold today! I wanted nabeyaki udon. So, I also skipped the first half of grammar too. But I did go to the second half and explained to my teacher (she is really cool) that I had to get my ticket today and I was having a hard time. Gave her the letter from the conference people, and a letter from me stating that I am going to be out of Japan during finals period. No problem. I take my exam February 8.

I am on my way!

Teacher, Teacher!

2007-11-18T16:01:00.001+09:00

It's getting colder here. I woke up this morning, and the sky was a bit gray. I got up because I needed to go to the Lake Biwa Canal Museum - I am preparing a lecture to teach a class on "Meiji Kyoto in a Day" this Thursday, and I needed to make a homework assignment, field trip and readings.

Yikes. This is going to be my first time ever teaching a class. In front of college students. Prof. S. pretty much told me to regurgitate my thesis (because that was the topic of the day) but still can't help but be nervous. Readings were easy, I had scanned and compiled them last week. Prof. S. told me not to give them too much, and I didn't.

So I went, and actually got a tour of the museum by one of the guides there. It was in Japanese, I understood about 70% of it, but was quite proud of myself. Asked questions, got some things confirmed, and had some ideas for what to look out for when the kids go to the museum. Still, can't help but be nervous. Even when I answer questions in any class, I feel my face turning red.

Fall is Here

2007-11-17T18:37:00.002+09:00

I started up a new project, for my sister: an iPod cozy. On DPNs (double-pointed needles). Quite ambitious, since I am STILL not done with The Aussie's scarf (never knit a 6 foot long scarf with finger weight yarn!). After several attempts, curses and watching a video on the use of DPNs, I finally figured out how to knit with 5 pointy sticks. I showed my mom via webcam and she was astonished. So was I. DPNs are cool. I don't think I will ever do socks via Magic Loop.

This morning was a meeting of a new Kyoto Stitch'n'Bitch group. Me and two others, met up at the Sanjo Starbucks and knitted for 2 hours. One of the girls uses Magic Loop for her socks, and expressed concern at the possibility of my poking my eye out. We showed each other our projects, and upon further examination of the yarn for The Aussie's scarf (I brought a new skein with the label still on it because I am almost done with my current ball), we learned that it's not just wool, but it consists of mohair (ok, thats normal) and REINDEER. That's what "tonakkai" means. Cool and weird at the same time.

After, I went to Seria (love that 100yen store) and rode my bike back home. It was a beautiful day; and the leaves are really starting to change. So I thought I would end here (and my day of relaxation, back to the grad school grind tomorrow) with some photos of Kyoto in autumn. Hopefully, there will still be momiji (the maple trees) that are red by my birthday which is in two weeks; according to Prof. S. they are turning late this year. Ginko trees, which line Kawabata-dori, turn a luscious gold.

And Yet More Ouch

2007-11-15T22:13:00.000+09:00

Kanbun. Real Classical Japanese.

Also known as my latest foray into Pre-WW2 Japanese. Note: it was used from the 11th Century to the end of WW2.

You definitely want to check it out. The picture on the right side is of the Chinese characters with the numbers next to it. The numbers determine the reading order.

Except in my readings, there are NO numbers.

No funny Japanese symbols to determine the order either, which are also in that picture. Not like I understand it. The numbers are used for us Westerners.

Kambun.

In my dictionary, it means "hell."

But I am a geek, so I willingly put myself through this torture for sake of academic advancement.

NH-Wha?

2007-11-14T19:50:00.000+09:00

Spurred on by Libby's question on "What is the NHK?" I give you another edition of..."Maria in Japan."

This week's episode: "Battle with the NHK Lady!"

Dum, dum, dum.

***

Maria is in her apartment, puttering about one evening when she hears a knock on the door. Owner of hand that knocks on door does not announce him/herself.

Maria slowly creeps to door. Well it's more like two paces; this IS Japan, land of the tiny!

She looks at peephole.

Strange person in a suit.

Dum, dum, dum!

Tune in next week for what she does! (Hint: you guys already know.)

***

As several of you noted, it might be the NHK lady. Or person. They come to collect the fees that no one pays.

What fees? NH-Wha?

NHK is like the BBC. In fact, according to Wikipedia, NHK modeled itself on the BBC. I was able to make that connection pretty quickly since I lived in London, and remember the tv ads and bus ads and posters plastered everywhere warning people who don't pay the BBC fees. It's state-run television, to some extent (hmm, that sounds very Cold War Soviet Union). So in Japan, you have a lot of variety shows and samurai dramas and such.

Regardless, Japanese tv does suck. I only watched it extensively during Golden Week at Mayuko's condo in Shirahama and only enjoyed the commercials.

Japan does have a law stipulating that people pay certain fees. But they don't enforce it! Hence the NHK lady and attempts at freaking me out.

On the outside of the apartment doors in my building are the stickers with numbers for the gas and electric, and a sticker that says "NHK." I knew about the fees when I was checking out my apartment and asked my landlord about them. He actually started to laugh. No one pays the NHK fees. Just like no one pays the BBC fees. But in England you get screwed over more.

Ooooouuuccchhh....

2007-11-14T15:27:00.000+09:00

Head hurts.

School E (or was it D? Who cares) is kicking my butt. They want me to calculate my GPA four different ways! Bloody nitpicky. I think this is the worst of the bunch - this is the one that I have to write two essays for. PLUS, I can only send a 10-page max writing sample. At least they aren't that sado-masochistic, because they also mentioned that in lieu of a whole writing sample, I can provide a 10-page excerpt with a cover letter. Phew. The rest of the schools are around 20 pages, one is 25 pages minumum.

Guess who is going to be playing with formatting tools on Word!

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi!

2007-11-12T21:09:00.000+09:00

So I start the hunt for plane tickets.

And I am going to thank a lot of people in very high places who were able to give me A$1000 for my travel, because my plane ticket + getting my arse to Canberra is about A$1200 total.

Hmm.

As a friend pointed out, "Australia for $200 is not bad."

It's not really, but still I will try to find something cheaper. Due to the following circumstances: check-in to the dorms is really 1/28, not 1/29 (mix-up) and that I do need to take Japanese finals and one will be on 2/8 I will be actually leaving most likely the evening of 1/27 and returning 2/7. Can't make it to the knitting group in Sydney, but I will visit the yarn shop (which is near the Opera House!).

Soooooo many things I want to do; I dug up an old article from the NY Times travel section (yeah for getting rid of "Times Select"! Silly thing, really). They have these features, "36 Hours in [Insert City Here]". Here is the description of Sydney:

"A boarding pass to Sydney should come with a warning label: Beware, this city will have you questioning the quality of life in your hometown. Sydney has managed to skim the best parts of other cities and swirl them into a perfect blend of urban bliss. At any given time, visitors can enjoy the sun-soaked laid-back vibe of Los Angeles, the cleanliness and efficiency of Geneva, the energizing hustle and bustle of New York City and the Old World charms of London. Pair all of that with a unique brand of casual Aussie warmth and you’ve got more than enough to justify the otherwise prohibitively long flight to get there."

Wow. And the things they list! I wasn't really planning on going to Bondi, but now it's a must (and maybe for 2 afternoons?). How can I NOT go to Australia in the summer and NOT come back with a tan (or as a tomato? Which is the modus operandi for my skin, but I'll ask for some Coppertone SPF 50 in my care package).

Many of you will probably get sick of me gushing about my trip, but things will die down once all plane/bus/train ticket and lodging issues are settled. Plus, it's NaBloPoMo, this is certainly something worth talking about! Grad school apps are dogging me so I haven't been out much.

I have been playing The Cat Empire non-stop on iTunes. Their new cd is quite different - more mellow but still snazzy. If anyone is piqued, they do have their second album on iTunes and a EP version of their first album as well. It will even be better if they have a show in Sydney like I mentioned before - according to their site, it's going to be an outdoor tour in February.

Security Check

2007-11-11T19:58:00.001+09:00

Warning: I'm a bit snappy.

You know, they always say that Japan is safe. It sure is to be quite honest; I mean, there have been nights here where I ride my bike back up from downtown at 1, 2 in the morning by myself. No homeless people (they are all under the bridges at the Kamo River, but they don't bother you) no wierdos. I am too busy flying on my bike to garner any attention. Also, there are still people around; the Kamo River/Kawabata-Dori is one of the major North-South arteries of Kyoto.

But still. Except for the fancy manshons (apartment buildings), most apartment buildings in general don't have any security. The main door to my building is never locked; in fact, most buildings don't even have a front door. The only door that you have is the one to your apartment. Anyone can come in.

That has made me a bit uneasy, but I guess I considered myself lucky.

Until about 5 minutes ago.

I was doing my own thing, listening to The Cat Empire when I heard a knock on my door. I muted my music and checked first if my door was locked, then through the peephole. There was a Japanese woman, of middle age in a suit, sort of.

:::Knock knock:::

I KNEW that she knew that someone was inside because obviously I had my music on and I turned it off. But I didn't open the door. She just kept knocking and even looked at my peephole, as if she was willing to see who was on the other side of the door. I am not opening that door! She said not one word. Just knocked. Then she turned to my neighbor (who I think is a bit of a wierdo, he talks in this wailing voice which sorta creeps me out) and knocked.

That's when I knew I wasn't being targeted specifically, but just going around. Then I heard her knock on other doors but not even my neighbor opened his door. And this wasn't the first time this has happened either!

Call me paranoid, but I really don't like it how people can walk into my building without prior notification, or that the front door isn't locked. It just makes the stereotype of "Japan is safe" even worse. Sure, naysayers can say that it's true but better to be safe than sorry. Things still happen here. This place is not paradise.

I am not knocking Japan (pun not intended) - I like it here a lot. But there are just some things that tick me off, which I think is natural. And when it comes to strange people knocking on my door and not even saying a WORD, then we got issues here.

I'm off to the combini. Comfort chocolate is in order.

It's My (Chinese New) Year and I'll Party if I Want To

2007-11-11T16:13:00.000+09:00

Here is something interesting.

I thought that Mardi Gras was going to be in Sydney during my trip there.

Well it's two weeks after but...Chinese New Year is going to be up and running! 2008 is the year of the Rat which is extra special because I was born in the year of the Rat (1984, if anyone was wondering). What better time to see Chinatown? I have been to Chinese New Year in London. Funny thing is, I have NEVER seen Chinese New Year in NYC, which by this point is quite pathetic.

Tickets to "As You Like It" at the Sydney Opera House are $35. Hmm...I would LOVE to see a show there, and I have never seen "As You Like It." My dream was to see "Madama Butterfly" (it's my favorite opera) but beggars can't be choosers. I might also want to do a tour of the place too.

Wake Up!

2007-11-10T15:42:00.000+09:00

So, I think I found a place to stay.

Since I am traveling by myself, it gets a bit more expensive. Also, I am debating on how long to stay in Sydney. 5.5 days or 4.5 days? I don't want to run out of things to do, nor do I want to get bored. Tricky tricky. Mel's mom is emailing some relatives/family friends in Sydney, so that is one day about, then I am going to email the prof I know at Uni Sydney so that might be another afternoon, I TOTALLY want to go to Bondi Beach and attempt at a tan (even though I turn into a tomato with SPF 50)....

As for my possible choice of hotel, well it's actually a hostel, called Wake Up! Sydney. I took a look at the site: it has keycard security, no curfew, lockers for personal possessions, color coded and themed floors, ranked 18 out of 20 in LP and according to the most recent review from Trip Advisor (last week actually) it was amazing. Too bad there are no single rooms, but the smallest room they have is 4 people and there is the "Female Only Option." I contacted them and they do have it.

They also won the award for Best Large Hostel in the World and the Best Hostel in Oceania; no matter what it looks a heck of a lot better than the place I stayed in Tokyo. That was a hostel, and it did look dingy. I think if I can survive than place, then this looks like a piece of cake. One professional reviewer called the place a "fancy hotel in disguise."

It looks fun. It's right in the center of Sydney, so at least I won't have a helluva time getting from transportation to it. I started looking on Qantas for flights - its 87,000yen (not like I'm paying for it, however!) and it leaves the 28th of Janaury at 9:20pm and arrives the next day at 11:00am Sydney time. (Australia is two hours ahead of Japan).

PERFECT - considering that I found out how to get to Canberra from the airport; there is a bus that goes directly from the airport (but starts in the city) then goes express to Canberra. Might take the train back into Sydney, since Wake Up! is right across the street from the station.

I also posted a note on the Aussie group over at Ravelry asking for tips on yarn stores, and if there is a local knitting group that wouldn't mind a visitor. Figured since I am on my own, it would be cool to drop in. They have their meeting on Thursdays, which makes me think about leaving the 8th, a Friday as opposed to the 7th, a Thursday. Either way, I can only sign for my scholarship on the 12th because of the flight times and such - so, stay the extra day and have more fun?

Wake Up! is only A$36 so it's not that bad. Just have to think about what I want to see, so I am really going to have to get LP Sydney this Friday. Also have to let teachers know, since I am going to be leaving during finals period and have to reschedule exams if any, then check out the co-op and JTB for tickets because while I can get my ticket at Qantas.com, I don't want to use my credit card.

Do I Come From the Land Down Under?

2007-11-09T18:06:00.001+09:00

Come on, everyone knows that song.

I for one am not from the Land Down Under...

...but I am surely going to the Land Down Under!!

I come home after a trip to the Shimadzu factory (seriously it was dull, and this trumps everything right now) a bit down. I checked my email earlier via my friend's cell and no reply.

The-minute-I-turn-on-my-computer-and-check-into-gmail, a new email pops up (this is after I initially check it, I have a pop-up notifier).

I got accepted! Oh. My. God.

What's more...

...I got the travel stipend, room and board!!!

On a sad note, I will be going to Australia for the first time without Mel. And it looks like his return will be without me as well - his high school is having their reunion in October 2008, but I have school at that time, and possibly midterms as well.

So now I am celebrating by eating pastry and blasting The Cat Empire, one of my favorite bands from Australia. My day just gets better - they came out with a new cd!

OH. MY. GOD.

2007-11-09T09:54:00.000+09:00

OH MY GOD I JUST GOT AN EMAIL FROM AUSTRALIA SAYING 'HERE IS THE FORM IF YOU NEED TO APPLY FOR A VISA' BUT I STILL DIDN'T GET AN EMAIL SAYING THAT I GOT IN IN THE FIRST PLACE SO I HAD TO EMAIL THEM BACK HELTER-SKELTER AND I STILL DON'T HAVE A RESPONSE YET!!!

And most, importantly...

DID I GET THE BURSARY?

AAAAHHHHH!!!!!

You have NO idea of how much I am yelling at my computer right now, willing that gmail comes back with a response.

O-Yasumi, Yo.

2007-11-08T23:51:00.001+09:00

It's late and I need to get to bed. Random stuff:

1) I want the Phildar patterns for the swing jacket, the sailor sweater and the Cabo Marine. And I want them now. (^_~).

2) Red sangria is good. Red sangria with grapefruit is even better. Red sangria, with grapefruit that emits a crapload of more sangria when you bite down on it and is indicative that the fruit was not put in for show, and has properly soaked up the sangria is the best.

3) Vanilla gelato with fresh espresso poured over it from a REAL espresso machine (not that Starbucks crap - not to knock Starbucks overall, but the stuff in Japan is so bad!) is beautiful.

4) I had the best cheeseburger and bite of french toast in my life.

5) Going out to dinner is fun. Going with a friend who loves to eat is even better. Going with a friend who loves to eat in great places that are mere steps away in our neighborhood (we both live in the same 'hood, but different parts of it) is bloody AWESOME.

6) My sister compares the possible neighborhood that she might get an apartment in Rome for next semester as "Flatiron, but close to Chelsea." The other option is in "Chelsea." I turn around and describe my neighborhood as "Park Slope, with a university attached," or "Morningside Heights, but the more residential area, west of Broadway."

O-yasumi, yo*.

(*"Good night!")

Too Close for Comfort

2007-11-06T10:08:00.000+09:00

Oh, bah.

There was an earthquake in Nara prefecture a few minutes ago. A thump, and my windows actually rattled.

A bit too close for comfort, that one.

Fill In the Blank

2007-11-05T20:19:00.001+09:00

I always forget that I have quizzes in my Monday 8:45am Reading/Grammar class. Who the heck wants a quiz at 8:45am on a MONDAY morning?

I panicked a bit when I got to school, but calmed down. Our teacher (who is also my composition teacher and really amazing) doesn't collect them. It's for our own kimochi. Well, my kimochi tends to go Type-A/Anal-Retentive/Mildly OCD when it come's to school. I am like Cristina on Grey's Anatomy, sans the bitchiness in that department.

But today, taking that quiz blind and going over it, I noticed something. ALL of my fill-in-the-blanks, which I am never good to begin with, were right. I only had one mistake on a kanji reading and one mistake on a hiragana fill-in, otherwise.

WOW.

I think my Japanese is actually a lot better than I thought. I was really happy after that quiz.

Fits and Starts

2007-11-04T16:19:00.000+09:00

I seem to be working on my grad applications in fits and starts. A half hour here, an hour there. My draft is done, and now I am fixing it which makes me happy (thanks to a friend with amazing editing capabilities, London Adviser hasn't responded yet) so it will prob be done this week. Maybe. I try not to cry or be terrified of them too much - I have done that and now I am ready to bring it.

I have given myself two days - or rather an afternoon and a day - known as "Grad Apps Day." I will hunker down, and just work on grad apps. I plan to do these twice a week - Wednesday afternoons and all day Friday - till the deadline. Hopefully, I will get ALOT done, since I am planning to print out all related papers and forms on Tuesday and maybe even the paper version of the applications so that I don't have to go online. Thus, I am not tempted by internet demons and I can work on my apps in a cafe. Time to hunker down, and kick some application booty.

Fits and starts is also representative in my knitting. Mel's scarf is going by really slowly, simply because the yarn is so thin and it takes forever (I think it's fingering weight). Not so sure if I will finish it so it's mailed by Christmas, considering the other project I want to make for him. Then, I made one slipper which was meant for me, and I realized that I have too much yarn (I got enough for two pairs incidentally), so then I decided to give them to a friend and then make another pair for me.

Might I add that I LOVE Takumi needles? My new size 10 needles (JPN13) are by Takumi and they were a joy to knit with. I LOVE wooden needles. Can't wait to get to my Takumi circulars, though my DPN's are another brand since they were cheaper. I can totally tell the difference between my 100yen needles and the Takumi's. Dream is to replace 100yen needles with Lantern Moon needles - I think I am a wooden needles knitter.

My sister saw them over Skype and wanted a pair, so I will finish this pair, mail them to her in my little care package that has been sitting on my floor for a month, then make the other pair for my friend. The slippers are a really quick and affordable knit (and turns out I bought enough yarn for two pairs), so it's no matter if I don't get my own pair later rather than sooner. I have to admit, I think I did the overcast stitch quite nicely.

Maybe I will also make a pair of slippers for Mel for Christmas and birthday (he is December, like me). It's DIY this year, though I will be getting him a model Shinkansen train set (but I am waiting to see if they made a model of the newest version of the Shinkansen which came out in July and is f*&$-ing fast). I got him a 19th-century Japanese train engine last year. As you can tell, he collects train sets; I have actually gotten all of them for him too. Guys are hard to shop for, unless they have hobbies.

In other news, I went to Emi's school's November Festival. It involved a lot of eating, and Japanese kids speaking to me in English the minute they saw me. Nonetheless, it was fun. I got there a bit early, so I walked around the (hilly) campus which is in the NE part of Kyoto, carved into the mountains; I found a pond and sat down. I had my knitting with me and my camera; my new banner is a (edited) photo of the pond. It was such a gorgeous say, and so serene, I wanted a photo of myself there. So, I figured out the self-timer and took a photo of myself. The unfortunate thing is, the background noise was not serene silence, but Japanese college boys playing REALLY BAD rock music. Luckily, photos don't emit sound.

Trick or Treat!

2007-11-01T22:02:00.002+09:00

Yesterday was Halloween, but I celebrated in on Saturday, the 27th. In the morning, I to Osaka since it was a good opportunity to hang out with Emi in her neck of the woods. We usually hang in Kyoto, but I want to go to Osaka more. Plan was lunch, then shop. Shopping will become VERY crucial as you will see.

First, I had an appointment in a section of Osaka known as "Universal City." Where Universal Studios Japan is located. Seriously, the minute I walked out of the JR Station (where I rode a train festooned with Spiderman) I felt like I just got off the monorail to the Magic Kingdom. And I KNOW the Magic Kingdom.

I felt so odd, so out of place. It was noisy and well...AMERICAN. It was Orlando, with Japanese subtitles. And instead of some tacky old-school Florida museum, we have the Takoyaki Musuem. The Grilled Octopus Museum. And since this IS Japan, there is a mascot whom I call Mr. Takoyaki and he is bloody cute. (P.S. takoyaki is delish. It's a Kansai thing, so you can't find it in Tokyo, as far as I know).

After leaving Orlando - erm, I mean Universal City, Osaka - I met up with Emi at the Shinsaibashi Apple store. I got there a bit early, so I fondled the new Nano's, which I haven't had the change to ogle properly yet. Lunch at a Mexican restuarant which was amazing, and then shopping at Uniqlo. While we were in the NOISY shopping arcade (I wanted to cover my ears), Emi and I passed by a Sanrio store. Scary, but cute. There was this HUGE Hello Kitty doll.

Apologizing to Emi for making her take this picture, I stood next to Kitty-chan and grinned.

Uniqlo is in NYC now and I actually didn't check it out when I was back home. However, if it's like how it is here - GO,GO,GO my fellow New Yorkers!!! Where else can you get quality pima cotton long sleeves to TEN DOLLARS? Their cashmere is quite nice too. And $20 merino sweaters in amazing jewel tones. I got 4 shirts and a straw Ralph Lauren/J.Crew-ish belt for just 500yen. That is less than 5 bucks.

I had to leave early to get ready for the Halloween party. I get back, realize I don't have much time to get dressed and proceeded to put on my Zara dress. Then I notice something: a small tear in the bust of the dress. I got SO mad and actually sad aloud, "*&$%#@ this!" Took the dress off (thank god the tag was still on, I never take tags off till I actually wear it), tossed it in the corner and looked in my cupboard. I needed to think of a costume. And FAST.

Lo and behold, thank god I dress preppy. And that I went shopping at Uniqlo. And got my vintage Chloe purse. And got a gold headband with a bow. And have (fake) pearls. And red lipstick.

I went as "French Riviera Chick from the 50's." Smoky eyeshadow and red lipstick, and ready to go! Uniqlo proved VERY important because all I had to do was look at the belt I got and the lightbulb turned on in my head. Below, is me strutting my stuff in our party's "Kyoto's Next Halloween Top Model Contest", looking my chic-y best:

Some of the girls complemented on my outfit, said I should dress more like this and that I embodied the whole French Riviera thing. Well, at least not too cartoonish, maybe. Secret: that "pin" is actually an earring that I stole from my mom - I saw it in her jewelry box poring over her 80s costume jewelry that is now "in," saw it and thought it would make a great pin.

I now have confidence to tuck in my shirt in that particular skirt - there is a bow that ties in the back and you sort of tuck your shirt in but I never do because I feel a bit self-conscious about the lower half of me.

Nonetheless the party was a blast. We all said it was better than going to a club - lot cheaper, no one smokes and we invite who we wanted to so no skeevy people either. Plus, no cover charge. We were all sore for the next two days because we were dancing so much. And we all plan to do it again - NO ONE complained about the music, and we had it quite loud.

Alas, I didn't win the contest. Wolverine did. His claws were out.

Must...Get...Off

2007-10-25T10:18:00.000+09:00

Omg. I just got onto Ravelry.

Username: venusfueri.

Sorry, can't do homework/grad apps/translation/blogging now! I am too busy pilfering through the cardigan patterns and deciding which ones are J.Crew-ish to knit for future reference when I return to the States. Oh, there will be ALOT of knitting next summer in anticipation for fall!

Kill Me. Now.

2007-10-24T16:29:00.000+09:00

I hate writing my personal statement...

I hate writing my personal statement...

I hate writing my personal statement...

Whoa.

2007-10-23T21:33:00.000+09:00

That is the one thing I can think of saying at the moment.

Perusing my site meter, I noticed that someone, or something has lead this blog, and not even my now defunct "in the middle of the academy" (that is on hiatus) to be on this one history network site, in particular the blog listing. I am listed under "Academic Lives."

I am not sure if I should be flattered, or concerned. What I would like to know is how the heck I ended up on that list; it's one thing if my other blog was listed because that blog is part of the Grad Carnival, but this one? It's hitting a bit too close to home. So far, there are no consequences - not like many people comment on the blog (those who do you rock!) and this link will self-destruct in say, April 2008.

But it's a bit unnerving, especially since there can be consequences that I am not aware of. Whoever did it, speak up please! It would be greatly appreciated, since I am just curious about it.

Then again, it's on the blogroll, which means someone trowled the internet and thought my blog was worthy of being on the list? Said website is a pretty decent history network, so maybe I shouldn't be so wary. I'll just be more aware.

Decisions, Decisions

2007-10-23T11:58:00.000+09:00

So it has been confirmed, I am going to the party this Saturday - woot, woot!

In retrospect, this is actually my first real "grown-up Halloween party" which is cause for more excitement.

Another idea: I go as "Gossip Girl" herself, or some combination of all my ideas thrown in - the hipster part of the "damaged socialite" would be in what I wear, and my story is that I cam from a charity benefit yes, but in the Meatpacking District, or Brooklyn. The Gossip Girl part? Have no clue, but I should be texting my friends away during the evening with gossip, Gossip Girl style - possibly?

Halle-bloody-lujah

2007-10-20T00:59:00.000+09:00

It did NOT rain.

Or rather, it rained again when I was at El Coyote, but it did not rain when I rode my bike there, or when I came home. Thank god.

PS. Bailey's with milk is an awesome drink. Slight kick but not too strong. I have discovered that I despise strong drinks.

Thinking of Him

2007-10-19T20:38:00.001+09:00

You know, I just realized I have been blogging for almost two years, been together with the him for almost 8 (yep, since I was 15), been engaged and I have never posted a picture of Mel - just in case if anyone is wondering what he looks like.

In terms of looks, we are like night and day: I am fair-skinned, light-brown hair and blue eyes, Mel is more olive-skinned, thick, black-black hair and brown eyes. He insists that he is 6'1" but when we stand next to each other straight, he is only an inch or two taller than me.

You really can't call us "high school sweethearts" because when we started dating I was a sophomore in high school, and he a freshman in college. But we did meet in high school - in Science Club class.

Funny thing: when I was presenting at a NYC Science Fair when I was a junior, my mom, Leah and Mel came along. My mom was chatting with another woman, who remarked upon seeing Mel and Leah and finding out that I was in the science fair room, "Oh that is too sweet! You have kids all in junior high, high school and college!" She thought Mel was her son, which was cute.

I still have a photo of him in my wallet from the first letter that he ever wrote me - it was a digital photo, printed out on regular paper. We still look the same, sort of; a little older, the hair is different (he insists on cutting it almost military short - I blame my dad for that since he has his own military haircut, whereas I have gone through various lengths of short and shorter, and blonde and blonder). I don't have that many pictures of him on my computer (as all the photos from our trips are on his) so when he finally utilized the Flickr Pro account I got for the both of us, I downloaded my favorite photo.

Now, as I get ready to go out and brave the rain to go salsa dancing, the only one other thing that I am thinking, besides "Please don't let me get too wet" is, "How I wish Mel was with me."

Rain, Rain, Go Away...

2007-10-19T15:55:00.001+09:00

...come again on a day when I am not supposed to be going out!

First, it was the night I went to Sam&Dave (a club) a few weeks ago when Chen came back. I took a taxi because I wanted to treat myself. And tonight, it's Salsa dancing at the usual place, El Coyote for my Russian friend Uly's birthday. I want to wear my Tory's but it's bloody nuts out there. Pfft.

How the heck is a girl supposed to look nice when it's raining cats and dogs! I am NOT going to risk my nice shoes in this mess; there is a big spot on my riding boots now that doesn't seem to go away when my wet shoes fell on it and I didn't notice till it was too late.

It has been raining ALL DAY LONG. Since exactly 9:18am according to my keitai. And not just a drizzle - a proper pissdown!

How do I know the exact time?

I had my koto lesson this morning (today, I learned a Japanese lullaby - now I need to get the words to it to file away into my brain for future reference). I woke up to the sound of rain and thought, "Dammit, have to spend 500yen on the one-day bus pass" (I need to take two buses to get all the way down to the Kujo/Tofukiji area, a little south of Kyoto station).

Then, as I got outside my apartment, I noticed that there wasn't any rain. So, I hopped on my bike, knowing somewhat that I am risking it. It was a "Damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation: if I take the bus, it won't rain. If I ride my bike, then it will rain.

It started to rain, just as I arrived at my teacher's house. Ok, I thought, it's just going to be for awhile and there will be a lull long enough for me to get to Ogawa on Sanjo for some coffee and to dry off.

Man, the Shinto god of rain must hate me, if there is one. Since I am not sure, I invoke Zeus as the person upstairs that hates me at the moment.

It has not stopped all day. Good thing I know how to ride my bike whilst holding my umbrella; I went slowly and meandered through the traffic without a hitch, save crashing on my ankle which I did to myself but it doesn't hurt now.

My legs were soaked (the umbrella only works on keeping your upper half dry, since you are still pedaling). The stuff inside my Herve Bag (waterproof it is NOT) is soaked. I felt like a cold, drowned rat.

Missing Autumn

2007-10-17T19:45:00.000+09:00

It's getting cooler now, but the weather in Kyoto is such that it is nice and crisp in the mornings and the evenings, but boiling during the day. According to my sister, Leah, it's the same in Rome.

I have to admit, I miss autumn in New York. Call me cliche, but there is nothing more satisfying then getting out of the 17th street exit at Union Square on the N/R/W/L line and ascending right into the Farmer's Market, for one thing. For another, just walking down the avenues with a hot drink in hand or just hanging out, enjoying the weather.

The air is crisp - which means the regular icky city smells (which I barely comprehend because I am either used to it, or my nose is dead) are gone and it's just replaced with a fresh nip - along with the smells of Starbucks Apple Cider or Pumpkin Latte from the Starbucks on the corner of 17th and B'way (it was featured in an episode of SATC, when Carrie has a sorta fight with Aidan and leaves the apartment). Everyone still runs about, but there is a bit of a slowdown, especially on a bright and crisp day. So sunny in fact, that you still need sunglasses along with your scarf.

Sure, the leaves are not that great. They barely get any color and by the time they do, they fall. But I don't mind.

I have never seen a New England autumn, only in photos. I have never gone apple picking, or pumpkin picking for that matter. Call me cliche city girl, but unfortunately none of the family cars would not make it out upstate or to LI because they were quite old (but now that has changed! Parents got a new car - me yia tous*). However, if we went late enough in September to our annual Woodbury Commons pilgrimage for back-to-school shopping, then the Catskills would be aglow.

Last year, I experienced autumn in Kyoto - but in reality it was a blink-and-miss. The weather is so odd here; I was still just wearing a tshirt with a cardigan come the end of November with just a light jacket for the evenings. There was one weekend when all the leaves were out in their flaming glory and poof! They fell. I just kept on asking, "Where did autumn go?" This year, I am going to try to pay a little more attention to the weather and make my second Kyoto autumn more fulfilling.

Now that I am applying to grad school, in a way I sort of dread it for a silly but somewhat significant (to me at least) reason: if I do not get into School A (which is in NYC and my first choice) then I won't experience a fulfilling New York Autumn for a very long time.

*Me yia tous/Me yia sas - something you say in Greek when you get something new or succeeded at something, sorta like "Congrats". The former is plural and when you talk about someone, and the latter is singular and directed to the person - so if I was blogging to my parents directly instead to the world at large, I would say that instead of the former.

To Do: Months of October 2007 to March 2008

2007-10-15T21:34:00.000+09:00

I make weekly to-do lists. I like to know at least the things that should be accomplished during the week; it is somewhat obsessive-compulsive and Type-A anal-retentive, but it makes me feel better. It sorta harks back to the homework pads that I used to have in grade school.

A few posts ago, I made a list of things to do. To make sure that I actually do them, I decided I should give an update. So here is update 1:

1) Antiques Grand Fair - check, with two kimono and a vintage Christian Dior silk scarf for my sister
2) Interesting field trips for my class that I am the CA for - check in progress, semester ain't over yet (so far: two museums, one shrine festival and a visit to a Buddhist graveyard at a temple this week)
3) Maybe a trip to Okinawa/Hokkaido with some of my students/classmates? - no check, 90% chance going somewhere over Christmas so this is off the list
4) Japanese language classes start up next week at Kyodai - check, I get the placement test results tomorrow
5) Need to blog on the Kyoto Botanical Garden - check
6) Fall Light-Ups at the Temples (and a VERY delayed post on last March's Spring Light-Up for context, and another delayed post on Shirahama) - Shirahama, still working on that. The Fall-Light ups: those start in November. I plan ahead in advance.
7) I need to go to Osaka to get Kate Spade refills for my organizer (yeah yeah, I know I can get a cheaper refill but KS is so pretty! And I am a stationary whore). And I want to go to the Umeda Sky Building. - check on October 27, though I am thinking of getting a Japanese diary thing for this year to save some money since KS stuff is expensive. I saw a pretty KS-ish one at Loft for 1800yen and it is both monthly and weekly. Plus, I won't have to carry my big gold organizer anymore - I get these phases where I don't want to use it, and now is the time, methinks for something new. As for Umeda, maybe next time - might go to Suntory Museum instead with my friend Emi.
8) Random free festivals at Shinto Shrines - check, going to Nonomiya Jinja in Arashiyama's bamboo grove this Sunday
9) Momiji Madness Month (aka people go gaga for fall leaves in November)- it's just starting to get chillier now!
10) More flea markets- most likely in December, as I am broke, going to Osaka next week and I have the flea market that Emi is running at her school's festival on November 3.
11) TRY to see Kabuki in December-working on that, but I have the rest of my life to see kabuki, really
12) Check out a Sake Museum possibly- probably in November
13) Get my bum over to Kobe for the Illuminarie in December and eat Kobe beef!!!- this is in December
14) I get to play teacher November 22, when I give a lecture to my students/classmates on expositions in the Meiji period- starting to get a bit nervous about this...though I am probably overreacting
15) Oh yeah...grad apps.- London advisor (L.a.)knocked off 4 from my list, but I put one back for my own sanity since it's a safety and now I have 7 as opposed to 10. I apologized to (L.a.) saying that my personal statement wasn't done yet and yes, I am guilty of procrastinating and he just turns to me and says "Calm down, you will do fine, you have done well, its only October."

That doesn't mean that my somewhat frayed nerves are not un-frayed. No matter how many people tell me that I did good, I still feel like the black sheep (since I didn't do the traditional East Asia Studies major and study Japanese like everyone else) and inadequate, but that's the topic for another day.

Nonetheless, still many things to look forward too. At last count, I have 1,113 photos of Japan alone in my iPhoto. And more this Wednesday (Buddhist graveyard/temple) and Sunday (Nonomiya Jinja and the bamboo grove).

Damn Straight!

2007-10-15T11:18:00.001+09:00

A couple of months ago, this fancy designer created these bags that said "I am Not a Plastic Bag" for Whole Foods (they were sold at Sainsbury's in the UK - don't ask how I know that). I saw them featured online in the blogs and sorta wished that I could get my hands on one of them - but I was still in Japan in July and not that crazy.

Instead, I got this from the UFO Catcher in the arcade, which I had learned about thanks to a girl I know who got the same one (but mine is in a different color, and I know copying is bad but I told her I really liked it a lot, so I warned her to begin with). What is cool about it is that it's in Japanese, so this makes it way better than the Whole Foods one. Plus, as I pointed out to my friend, we actually understand what it says.

The kanji read: "Watashi wa biniiru-bukuro ja nai!!!"

"I am NOT a plastic bag!!!"

Damn straight.

Strike a Pose

2007-10-14T17:39:00.000+09:00

SO many titles to choose from for this blog. Mostly from Madonna songs.

Regardless...

On Friday I went to the Sagawa Art Museum with 3 of the s/c's from my class; it was in Otsu, over the eastern mountain range near Lake Biwa. We, along with 5 others (who came to the museum as we were leaving) volunteered to check out the Raku Bowls collection at the museum, and a teahouse that is built on the site. The class this Monday focuses on tea in Kyoto - and Japanese tea sure as hell played a big role in politics. Not so much now, however.

The museum was amazing. Give me that museum, turn it into a house and it would make some fancy architectural magazine.
The pictures don't do it justice. More on Flickr.

We saw the bowls and generally loved the museum - unfortunately we didn't get enough time to see the other art galleries. Why? We were too busy having fun with a blank cement wall.

Models we do not make. There was this cavernous room on the lower level of the Raku Kichizaemon building, where the entrance to the teahouse and the galleries where the bowls were located. It was actually underneath the moat surrounding museum, one of those 6-inch deep ones for decorative purposes, and the glass bottom was a part of the ceiling.

This let light come inside; I wanted to take a picture before we went into the gallery but a gallery person told us to wait till noon, where the light was best. It was sure worth it, and a lot of fun. I have to say that is one of my most favorite museums now.

Oh, Sunny Day

2007-10-11T11:12:00.000+09:00

Yesterday was quite sunny so yeah for new sunglasses! I can't help it - aviators really make you feel bad-ass, lol. One girl said all I was missing was a bomber jacket. Now THAT would have looked awesome with my outfit yesterday: v-neck plum sweater, cream pashmina scarf tied around my neck, dark jeans tucked into riding boots. Pity it's still sort of hot and I would not buy a bomber jacket in Japan.

(On an interesting note, one girl pointed out that should I go to Australia, I should get a new pair of Uggs there - we were talking about chucking clothes when we leave japan and I told her I'm going to toss my 3-year old pair.)

Today I am taking my placement test for my Japanese classes after my CA-class. This week has been a bit messy, though I did get some work on my personal statement done yesterday.

I am about 90% done with the draft: just need to finish up the research section, random paragraph on my I want to go to school A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J (yep TEN schools, I just haven't figured out which school is which letter in the alphabet for the appropriate pseudonymous moniker and I deleted one from the list but added another) and a closer on "What the hell do I plan to do with a Ph.D in Japanese urban history." The latter part is sorta done because of the Master's application go-round (half of my personal statement is my master's recycled but polished anew and updated).

Going to a club thing tonight with some of my s/c's from my class; one of the girls is a musician and she is performing. I listened to some of her songs from MySpace and I love it! It's a mix of jazz and folk, think a youngier and edgier Madeliene Peyroux with some Feist mixed in maybe? Looking forward to it and if she is selling cd's I will definitely buy one.

Then this weekend is a matsuri at my local shrine - part of a project for the class I am a CA for. Oy vey and Japanese classes start up in full swing next week. I am going to be busy, busy, busy.

And then there is the gym. I WILL stick to the Self-Goal plan, I think I can I think I can, I want that J.Crew dress, I want that J.Crew dress...

And the Winner Is...

2007-10-09T20:01:00.000+09:00

...the Ray-Ban Aviators, gold frame and pink lenses! If you want to see a very horrible pic of me in them, as the batteries to my camera are dead, drop a line in the comments section.

My reasons for ditching Kate this time were thus:
1) They looked quite snazzy
2) Mel told me pretty much I need to get metal frame sunglasses so I can stop whining every time a pair breaks (HIS Oakley's have lasted 7.5 years, so the man has a point)
3) Aviators, according to Wikipedia are so popular because they suit many faces (so that assuaged any uncertainties on it somewhat)
4) They weren't tight on my face to begin with, so that means they wouldn't stretch
5) My sister (my harshest critic) approved (thank god for cell phones with cameras and email capabilities!)
6) I wanted to start spicing things up in my wardrobe
7) I can literally say that I look at things with "rose-colored glasses." Not so much a reason but a funny little pun.

Besides, I am still loyal to dear Kate. I am going to Osaka the 27th and I am hightailing it to the store to get my refills (and to mentally drool over the bags, and to mentally scream over the prices). And I am still holding onto my old ones in hopes that I can fix them and use them as my "beach glasses."

I checked them out Sunday after the Antiques Fair because my friend wanted to check out the department stores. She saw my neck scarf and recognized that it was Celine. Now then, people would think that I spent like $300 on it, but nope! 1500yen. She was totally shocked, because she has worked in a Celine boutique before. I think I mentioned once before that some brands make these cheap-o handkerchiefs, which I use as "couture-on-the-cheap." So she wanted to check them out.

I also wanted to check out something as well. Rumor had it that Daimaru Dept. store was where J.Crew had their foothold in Japan. Well, yes they do, but no it's NOT affordable. A dress that I like (and I most definitely plan to get - on sale that is) is $220 in the states, $400 in Japan. HOWEVER...this means I can resort back to the old J.Crew modus operandi: try on in store, wait till sale, order ASAP when on sale.

Provided they have my size that is. However, I signed up for this one-month challenge from Self magazine, just to get my booty moving and some motivation. I start tomorrow and am quite looking forward to it - free workout plan!!! I am downloading all the A/V stuff and saving all the info into a doc file so that in case after the 4 weeks my account is deleted, I still have all the workout routines.

At first, I was freaked out by how the aviators looked, but then I got quite used to them. I am very cautious when making purchases say over $100 - in this case, I took the photos, asked people's opinions (I also emailed Elisa, my mom and I think Deena) and I converted the Japanese price into American dollars to make sure I wasn't getting ripped off (I didn't - $137 after conversion and that is WITH the tax, and its $129.99 at SunglassHut.com). Then I went back to Daimaru yesterday, walked right in and got them.

Now I wish it was SUNNY so I can wear them! It's been cloudy this week so far and it doesn't look any better for the rest of the week. I still have hope.

Water, Water Everywhere, and Actually a Few Drops to Drink

2007-10-08T10:07:00.000+09:00

Yesterday, I went to the Grand Antiques fair in the Fushimi area of Kyoto, several minutes south of Kyoto station by train. I went there with another girl and in hopes of picking up a few interesting things.

Well, there were a lot of interesting things - but WAY out of my league in terms of price. Suits of samurai armor, old estate jewelry, vintage scrolls, laquerware, furniture, pottery, etc. etc. In short almost anything under the sun. Some prices were utterly ridiculous.

I did, however find some things within my budget. Note to anyone going to Kyoto for a holiday - the best sort of souvenier you can get is a kimono, so long as your in town for any antiques fairs or the monthly fair at Toji Temple which is on the 21st of each month. Kimono are cheap, gorgeous and make great wall hangings. And they can be found almost anywhere - there were more kimono at that fair than I can shake a stick at. How do I know? I got TWO.

The black one is a formal, five-crested (the little circles) kimono usually worn by older women for occassions such as weddings. Younger women wear kimonos with brighter colors and longer sleeves, so that is my next goal. When I was at the fair I even saw a gorgeous wedding kimono - not that I would get it to wear to my own wedding, but if I had the money (it was only 8000yen but I only had 7000yen total to spend) I would have gotten it, it was gorgeous. I got the black one for 2000yen.

The second one was the first one that I got. The good thing about going to the last day of the antiques fair (or at the end of any flea market) is that prices get marked down. Case in point: my Chloe bag was marked down to 400yen from 800yen and then to 300yen when I apparently showed some hesitation. The white kimono was marked down from 2000yen to 1000yen - and as you can see in the detail picture, it was actually the design that got me since it was folded.

Unfortunately, there are some stains but they are more on the front of the kimono; I plan to hang it showing the back of it off a curtain rod when I get back home. I am actually thinking of going to the Toji fair this month - the 21st is a Sunday and I figured I can finish up my kimono shopping there before it gets too cold. Apparently to get the best selection I need to be there very early - normally I would go at the end but for this fair, I would want to go early.

I also picked up some old pictures for my mom at 100yen each, but also got another bargain, this time for my sister - a vintage Christian Dior silk neck scarf for 300yen.

Zannen*

2007-10-06T20:53:00.000+09:00

*What a pity.

Seriously.

My sunglasses broke today. And so the conversation about fancy designer sunglasses begins and my dilemma.

My nice, retro-ish, big frame blue/brown tortoise-print Kate Spade sunglasses, that I got for $43 at Century 21 (discount store) in Brooklyn. That's me wearing them, with my feet in the Pacific Ocean at Shirahama. I kinda figured I had this coming - I wear them almost everyday (don't want crows feet and my eyes are sensitive b/c they are light colored, it's an actual medical fact!) and plus, when you get stuff at the discount store, it's obviously not going to be in perfect condition. They were in the glass counter and when I tried them on, obviously the lady doesn't go get a new pair when you decide to buy them - you buy the ones that are on the floor. I have gone through 2 pairs of them and now that my sunglasses are totally shot - the screw fell off so the stick thing over the left ear fell off - time for a new pair.

I actually do need a pair - I ride my bike and it's really hard to ride your bike when your squinting or when the sun is in your eyes. I know winter is coming but the sun is still strong and now that I care about the skin around my eyes and my eyes are just darn sensitive I wear them if my eyes bother me in the winter as well. Case in point: when I go to Brooklyn with Mel by car on the BQE, I end up wearing my glasses because the combo of the sun glaring off the cars and the sun just bothers me.

However, should I get a pair here? I need to go to the Kate Spade store regardless for refills on my organizer. I could actually trek out to the outlet (yes they have American style outlets in Osaka and they have a Kate Spade one). I mean, I have not paid full price for either of my KS sunglasses and the total counts for $86. A basic pair runs at about $160 so its like by two, get one free: $160 x 3 = um...$480, say $530 with the taxes, and had spent about $95 with tax on just two pairs of glasses, so $530-160 (hypothetical price of new glasses)-95= I saved in theory say $255-$275.

Oh my. My love for Century 21 grows ever larger (until last year, I bought all my Seven jeans for under $50, but I needed a new pair of jeans and they didn't have nay new ones so I got a full price pair of Citizens and I was justified in that as well, given the money I saved on the 5 or 6 pairs of Sevens over the previous 4 years).

However, I have come to this realization as well: not get Kate Spade. Get another brand. The chance is here!

:::GASP:::

Call me silly, but Kate Spade is my thing. When people know me, they know that I am the Kate Spade/J.Crew wh*re. Ever since senior year of high school (^_~). Obviously I can't afford it most of the time but still, that's my thing.

I mean I could go try on other ones but my rationale is that everyone and their mother has the Gucci, the Chanel, the Ray Bans...hmm I wouldn't mind Ray Bans actually, depending on the style - not those ones that are popular now, they are too trendy and they don't fit my face, regardless. Those are classic. Point being, no one actually does Kate Spade when it comes to the fancy stuff. On any given day in NYC I will count at least 5 of Coach, Prada, Gucci and LV. Kate Spade? 1 more besides me - if I'm lucky. And I don't count the nylon bags (though the Jack Spade messengers are quite popular).

Also, I could just go get a pair of cheap-o ones till I get the money for nice ones, but the thing is, I can't tell if they have the UVA/UVB protection. I mean, come on, my Japanese friend didn't know what sunblock was and their sunblock here is horrible. Everything here is mostly for the fashion, so I would rather plunk down the money and get myself a quality pair.

But I would like to see any other styles as well - so while I will have fun with the Gucci, Chanel etc. I obviously can't afford it. My budget is about $175-$200 with tax maximum. Which is why I like Kate Spade as well - in some cases, it is quite affordable compared to the other brands. For now, I am eyeing the colette in navy or brown, greta in another color besides black if they have it, and bethany in either navy or brown.

What do you guys think? Any other options for sunglasses?

The Wheels on the Bus Go 'Round and 'Round...

2007-10-05T20:00:00.000+09:00

As a part of the course that I am a CA (course assistant, I don't teach, so I am not a TA, teacher's assistant) for, there are a lot of field trips - of a sort. They are meant for the students (and myself, because I do the homework too) to get out and about in Kyoto because the course is about Kyoto.

One assignment called us to go to explore nature in the city; I being a city girl myself and pretty much can't tell the difference between a maple and an oak tree (though I do know what a Japanese maple looks like) I figured the best bet was to go to the Kyoto Botanical Garden. One part of the assignment was to identify what the bug or the plant was and to see what kigo is assigned to it. I have my new nifty denshi jisho and could easily figure that out. The plus side of going to a botanical garden?

SIGNS. There are signs in front of the trees. And plus, it was an interesting take to see how nature was under a controlled environment.

So I went with one of my students/classmates (henceforth known as s/c) and my camera died shortly after we arrived. My s/c took take photos with her camera while I did denshi-jisho duty, and she let me keep my own copies of the photos. My favorite part of the garden was the greenhouse: the combination of the greenhouse, flowers and the small pond in front reminded me of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, with the Palm House and the lily ponds in the front.

Today, I went with 3 other s/c's to the Tale of Genji Museum since on Monday the class tackles the question of where is the Tale of Genji is in Kyoto today. Simply put: nothing from circa 1000C.E. (the period where the story takes place and where it was written) survives in the city, save for one Buddhist temple called Byodo-in and some other few small sites here and there. Everything was made of wood and paper. Nothing survives.

So, people down in Uji (city south of Kyoto and the place where the last 10 chapters of the book take place) decided to make a museum dedicated to the story and make it also a center for research. The issue was to see how museums tell history and how it fulfills its purpose. Even though it's not so much as a Tale of Genji Museum as a Tale of Genji - Last 10 Chapters of the Book Museum it was very nicely done, fancy yet subtle at the same time (it's designed to look like a Heian mansion but more modern of course).

Boring, geeky academic stuff aside, it was nice to go see the museum. I have three versions of the story (2 translations, an abridged version of the translation) and added another - an abridged, children's version in Japanese. One of my favorite parts of the museum was this techo-modern take on the traditional Japanese arched bridge. I'm thinking it was put there because the final chapter of the book is called "The Floating Bridge of Dreams." I tried to jump in the air when this photo was taken, but the effect of it is still pretty cool.

A~Zed

2007-10-05T13:23:00.000+09:00

A different take on the 100 THings. Got this off a new read called Pretty in Pink and Green .

A-Available or single? Very much taken and very happy.
B-Best friend? Have a few very close and very good friends.
C-Cake or pie? Hmm...tricky! Right now I will go for Lipton's (yes, the tea company has a chain of cafes in Japan) "Rare Cheese with Berry" cake.
D-Drink of choice? 1) Greek Frappe in the summer 2) Ogawa Strong Blend Coffee in the winter 3) Peach Tea 4) Water with lemon slices
E-Essential item I use everyday? My gold Kate Spade organizer
F-Favorite colors? Plum purple right now.
G-Gummy bears or gummy worms? Bears
H-Hometown? Greek-town, Queens, NYC
I-Indulgence? Almost anything in a green Kate Spade box, mani/pedi and a facial.
J-January or February? February. Anniversary with fiance.
K-Kids and names? I want three, and for now if it's a girl it will be Natasha.
L-Life is not complete without...family and friends.
M-Marriage date? Tentatively September 12, 2009. We will finalize it most likely in April 2008, shortly after I return to the States.
N-Number of siblings? 1 younger sister, 2 younger future-BIL and one younger future-SIL.
O-Oranges or apples? Apples
P-Phobias or fears? STAIRS. Yeah I know it's weird. But I have fallen down alot and that's why as much as I would love to wear heels, I really don't. And I am terrified of snakes.
Q-Favorite quote? "What is history, but a fable agreed upon?" - by Napoleon; sorta keeps me in check when I wax on a particular topic in my research.
R-Reason to smile? I am *almost* ready to finalize plans for the holidays.
S-Season? Autumn. Riding boots and tweed here I come!
T-Tag? You're it.
U- Unknown fact about me? I can whistle at a really high pitch, because I played the flute for about 4 years.
V-Vegetable you don't like? Weird Japanese things that I can't recognize.
W-Worst habit? I bite my nails way too much.
Y-Your favorite food? Butakatsu-don: totally fattening, but the best comfort food ever.
Z-Zodiac ? Sagittarius.

Can Ya Pay Mah Telephone Bills, Can Ya Pay Mah Automo-bills

2007-10-02T14:46:00.000+09:00

Oh sweet relief.

September was quite unbearably hot, which meant I used my air conditioner. I thought it would be quite a lot since there were some occasions in which I would leave it on all night. However, I did my green part - which, I do admit, was partially motivated by the fact that I do NOT want to pay an extortionate amount of money for my electric bill. I thought it would be around ichi-man, (10,000yen, or about $80-$100).

The electric meter dude just came by.

I opened my little envelope with much trepidation.

3,614yen.

That is how much I pay on average during the wintertime - thank god. I may have mentioned this before, but they are cutting my stipend by ichi-man next month: boo. Eh, now that Japanese language classes are starting next week, I won't be in my apartment so much, regardless.

In Japan, you can pay your utility bills at the combini (and you can do everything at the combini, I love my local combini and I think one of the people that works there even recognizes me at this point) - you take the big white piece of paper with the amount to the register and they stamp it, scan the barcode and there ya go. No need to go mail a bill and go through all that hassle of trying to remember to buy stamps, as you can also pay the bills at the Post Office ATM machine. That I have not figure out how to do, which in a way, is all the better, since the Post Office is now privatized.

The Sun is Always Brighter on the Other Side

2007-10-02T14:16:00.001+09:00

Firstly, I want to say thanks to two people who helped me regarding yesterday's post - Saisquoi and Libby, you totally rock and thanks to you, I feel so much better now.

Unfortunately, it looks like Thailand is off the hook - Deena is the process of getting a job and is thisclose to getting one - and I liked how she used "we" to refer to me and her in terms of what she wants to do in the future (something in library sciences possibly). So that's good, I'm happy for her.

So, unless certain person A reads my blog (and by the time CPA does, the previous post will probable be at the bottom of the page now that I am back in blogging gear and got that off my chest) CPA will not know about my rant which is all the better. I did mention to CPA about Singapore for Christmas...I was looking at some places and emailed a quick note to Ingram if he was interested.

I am listening to NPR's "Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!" right now via my iTunes podcasts and I totally forgot about Taiwan, since they just mentioned it. Taiwan seems to be like China, but more managable, maybe? Options, options. Hong Kong looks to be for February regardless of whether or not I go to Australia (though that would be an awesome plus!). Then there is the Philippines to with Mel - oh dear I am going to be SO broke when I get back home...but it will be worth it in the end, I think.

A lot of people have gone through the same thing that I am going through now, so I just really can't sit on my bum and go "woe is me." I need to be proactive. That said, on the agenda for the future (I looked at the Kyoto Event's Web Magazine for things going on for the next three months):

1) Antiques Grand Fair this Sunday
2) Interesting field trips for my class that I am the CA for
3) Maybe a trip to Okinawa/Hokkaido with some of my students/classmates?
4) Japanese language classes start up next week at Kyodai
5) Need to blog on the Kyoto Botanical Garden
6) Fall Light-Ups at the Temples (and a VERY delayed post on last March's Spring Light-Up for context, and another delayed post on Shirahama)
7) I need to go to Osaka to get Kate Spade refills for my organizer (yeah yeah, I know I can get a cheaper refill but KS is so pretty! And I am a stationary whore). And I want to go to the Umeda Sky Building.
8) Random free festivals at Shinto Shrines
9) Momiji Madness Month (aka people go gaga for fall leaves in November)
10) More flea markets
11) TRY to see Kabuki in December
12) Check out a Sake Museum possibly
13) Get my bum over to Kobe for the Illuminarie in December and eat Kobe beef!!!
14) I get to play teacher November 22, when I give a lecture to my students/classmates on expositions in the Meiji period
15) Oh yeah...grad apps.

Of Wanderlust and Travel Angst

2007-10-01T20:48:00.000+09:00

There have been a few things going down here that are a bit unbloggable, hence me being a wee bit down in the dumps.

For one thing (in terms of bloggable stuff), I am procrastinating like no tomorrow on my grad apps - but tomorrow I will whip their butts and get my personal statement done this week.

And for another thing that has lead me to being down in the dumps and hence, AFB (Away from Blog), is the realization that I will quite possibly be alone for Christmas, unless something hopefully comes through. Deena mentioned to me that she was planning to go to Thailand (half Thai = family outside Bangkok) and we had once discussed about me tagging along should this ever come to fruition, and her maybe setting up house on the floor of my apartment in Kyoto for a week or two after (she has been to Japan but wants to come back, and hey, it's a free place to stay). Thing was, a certain someone highly objected to me going, even with Deena.

Now another certain someone just came to the understanding that I will not be going to Thailand by myself - I will be with Deena, (certain someone B thought I wanted to go by myself) she has family there and we would not be spending all our time in "The Beach"/"Brokedown Palace" backpacker world (All I ask is to see a stupa, eat some Thai food in Bangkok and go to this purported amazing flea market).

Now that certain someone B has come to that understanding, the idea of me being alone at Christmas definitely trumps the objections of certain someone A. That, and I am pissed. I do not want to spend Christmas by myself. And if I were to resign myself to that reality, I do not want to sit on my bum at my desk, during my holiday break. I need to get OUT. (That, and Thailand is the most affordable option of the countries that I can choose from during the holidays).

I am not stupid - frankly, I consider myself a quite cautious traveler. I am very aware of me being a tall, Caucasian, blue-eyed and somewhat blonde female in a sea of black (and orange)-haired heads; living in Japan sure as hell makes you more aware of your surroundings, given my physical appearance. In Tokyo, I always felt I was being watched.

I feel antsy. I need to get out of Japan. I feel like I have seen the whole country - and it quite looks the same. I mean there are places that I still haven't gone to yet (Okinawa, Hokkaido, Hiroshima, Nikko, Shikoku with the temple pilgrimage top the list) but I need to get OUT of Japan. I need to see Asia. I will ALWAYS get to go around Japan - but will I get the opportunities that I have now to say, go to Thailand under these pretty decent circumstances? I will be with a friend, and with family. Which is why I am pissed.

I don't want to buy tickets to Hong Kong quite yet in hopes that I go to Australia come January/February (plan being to go Australia via Hong Kong) and if I don't get to go to Australia, I'll just get tix for Hong Kong during February regardless. I am that antsy. Hong Kong is a short and cheap trip - I wouldn't spend no more than 4 days there. I barely have these chances to go to these countries, so I especially want to go while I can. I know I am coming back to Japan in the future, so I will save China for then.

Oh, My Poor Tory's!!!

2007-09-23T16:58:00.000+09:00

I got caught in the rain today. And I was wearing my Tory Burch flats. Screw me getting wet, I was more concerned with my shoes getting wet!!!

Allow me to backtrack.

Today was the Takasegawa Fune Matsuri, or, the Takase River (well, it's more like a canal) Boat Festival. The Takase Canal is really old and one particular part of it near Nijo-Dori served as a major hub for transport in flat-bottomed boats, and was crucial to the economy, yada yada...

...but at this matsuri, there were maiko. Two of them. Serving tea and sweets.

And I got a picture with one of them. Not just OF them, but WITH them.

At first I wasn't really sure if I could because there was in fact a sign that said, "Satsue Kinshi" ("Photography forbidden"). In that sense, I internally played the "gaijin who can speak Japanese, but not read it card" and started snapping as discreetly as possible. Spurred on by the fact that the Japanese were taking photos with their noisy keitai (read: cell phone) and big fancy SLR's, I started to edge up a bit closer to the maiko.

Snap, snap. They serve tea. I stick around a bit more. Snap, snap. I think something up is with my camera (too many buttons and I do not know all of them - it's really Mel's camera) but I think I fixed it. Snap, snap.

At one point, the tea ceremony-ish part was over, and the maiko were actually serving tea to those who were present. I didn't get served tea myself, but I did ask one of the maiko if I could get a photo of her, and got both of them together. There was one foreign lady sitting near me and I asked her, as the maiko were milling about, if she can take a photo of me with one of the maiko if I asked them.

Let's just say, my hands were actually shaking a bit. To see a maiko walking in Gion is one thing. To take pictures of them at the Miyako Odori is quite another. But to take a picture with one? I totally acted tourist, but all I have to say is this - I asked her politely in Japanese, and I said "thank you" in the Kyoto dialect ("Okii-ni" as opposed to "Arigatou").

(Apologies for the frizzy bangs - it was very humid. Best to go over to my Flickr because you DEFINITELY want to see the rest of the pictures.)

Afterwards, I checked out the Shimadzu Museum (which will be a field trip actually for my course so more on that in the future) and then decided to check out this underground shopping center near City Hall. It looked cloudy. However it was still hot - so hot, that I could feel the sweat dripping down my neck. I want fall to come. NOW.

There was a flea market in the courtyard in front of city hall, and I walked around, in spite of the fact that they were packing up. Look what I found!!!

A vintage Chloe bag. I am pretty sure it is real if only for one reason: Japanese will not bat an eyelash at forking over hundreds, or even thousands of dollars for a designer bag. Quite 50's/60's-ish, don'tcha think? And it's in pretty good condition - I paid 300yen for it. It was originally 800, then down to 400, then because I was hesitating, the lady suddenly said "300yen." I was sold. Very classic.

Then the rain started. Very very hard. I contemplated riding home (because I had my bike and I do know how to ride my bike whilst holding an umbrella for all it's illegality) but instead I ducked into a store that I have been eyeing, called Florame. It's French and sells organic aromatherapy stuff. The lady in the shop gave me some cold tea and I picked up a a mini-soap in Verbena and a 3-pack of Lavender, Almond Milk and Vetiver. Much like L'Occitane - and in fact, there is one on Shijo. But I don't bother because I can get that stuff back home, but Florame isn't in NYC. I have recently been getting into scented stuff - I picked up scented tealights and a plug-in in from Yankee Candle Co. and brought them here with me. Now my apartment smells really nice.

But oh, my poor Tory's. They felt a bit squishy when I finally got off my bike and scampered up the stairs.

H-Japan is My God

2007-09-21T16:47:00.000+09:00

Oh, how I worship my ListServ. I get emails about jobs (though I qualify for those in about 7 years, still nice to know that there is hope), conferences, events, books, etc. Through H-Japan, I found out about the conferences that I presented at during my time in Japan.

The closest thing that I can possibly get perhaps to worshiping some sort of deity for the H-Japan ListServ is going to Kitano Tenmangu Jinja - Kitano Tenmangu is the patron saint of calligraphy and students.

I get this email from the H-Japan ListServ today about this week-long series of workshops/mini conference of a sort at one of the top uni's in Australia (no, it's not in Sydney, it's in Canberra).

I am intrigued. Piqued, even. My interest is very piqued.

I look at the website.

"Squeeeeeeee!!!!"

Looks like right proper good fun - fun in both a geeky way (because this conference really does tailor to grad students and helps foster networks) and they have these things called a bursary.

I have never heard of the word "bursary" myself until I went to London - it is a fancy-schmancy word for "scholarship." Leave it to the English to make a nice word, then leave it to the Yanks to totally change things about.

This programme (note the English/Australian spelling everyone!) provides bursaries of up to $1000AUD for those that are overseas to cover travel costs. After a little quickie email conversation with the convenor (read: English way to say "director") of the Japan section, I am eligible to apply.

Very simple application: fill out a form, fax it and then send an email to the convenor with a one-page abstract of your current work. Applying for the bursary was simple as well - you just circle "Yes" on the form if you wish to be considered for it.

Form? Check
Fax form? Will do Monday (office hours are over and I would prefer to fax it during office hours, since Australia is in a similar time zone as Japan).
Abstract? Have it typed up, but I need to fix the formatting, plus update it a bit with what I have done last semester.

Wish me luck! I will get this all done before the September 30, deadline and I find out November 11.

In the meantime, I am going to go say a small prayer at Kitano Tenmangu this Sunday.

Is it Wrong...

2007-09-19T09:21:00.000+09:00

...to want to make a baby sweater?

Not really. Good sweater making practice.

But to make a baby sweater for me?

I do not mean what you are thinking. Not quite yet!

I want this (I got the photo off a Queens knitter blogger on my nyc knits ring):
But I want to WEAR it.

It is from a 2005 issue of Knitty, but I googled and found the pattern on the internet for $6. I am totally down with getting it and tweaking it so it can fit me, maybe for next fall, and make like 3 of them. I personally love that color combo above - makes the sleeves bracelet length and make it maybe a bit cropped in a nice bulky weight - makes a nice cardigan jacket for an early fall day, with a white t-shirt, dark jeans and heels or flats. The grosgrain ribbon adds that perfect preppy touch, but I can also close it with a nice brooch or a cameo(!).

Update: I just bought the pattern from Knit/Purl in Portland, ME. $12.50 but well worth it! I just remembered that a family friend (who is like an older sister to me) is having a baby and my mom agreed to mail it to me here so I can get working on that and other baby goodies - I have the instructions for a baby blanket and a knit cap. I plan to make that sweater in all three sizes - the baby is due in February so the newborn will be I think a warm acrylic blend, 6 mos. will be cotton for the summer and the 12 months will be again a warm acrylic. Hurray for making things for babies!

Plus, by the time I finish all three I will be good enough to figure out how to make it in a big-girl`s size.

19370

2007-09-18T22:13:00.000+09:00

That's the number of people that are ahead of me at Ravelry, this beta site that looks like it will be the uber, ultimate, meta-site for knitters.

I just joined a bunch of knit-rings (see the sidebar) and now I am (hopefully!) going to be in on a Grey's Anatomy KAL, or a Knit-Along. What could be better than Grey's and knitting?

It certainly makes the knitting more fun and social in my end of the globe, or at least in my neck of Japan - I have tried in vain but there are no knitting circles to be had, really. Thank god for the net!

Tales of the Japanese Toilets and the Tissue Packets that Love Them

2007-09-18T12:18:00.000+09:00

When I first got to Japan, I would always get little packets of tissue paper as advertisements. You can find these everywhere - in front of the school cafeteria, on a busy street corner, downtown etc. I would get these in twos and threes and hold on to them - the packets were tiny, they were free and good if I needed a tissue.

I was always somewhat confunded by the "Why tissues?" question. Usually at school, they give out plastic folders as part of the advertisements - well that's easy to understand. Students need folders. I think I have only bought myself one here and that was a large one to hold most of my files. Otherwise, I use the free ones, to carry around the papers I just need for the moment.

In the summer, they advertise on fans - tradition I think carried over from the Edo period. Besides, everyone and their mother (myself included) uses a fan in the summer. It is STILL like 90 degrees out, and it won't get colder till about oh, mid-October. Last year, I was still just wearing a cardigan or a light jacket by the end of November. I want to wear my riding boots, dangit!

But why tissues? Hmm...well it is actually considered quite rude to blow your nose in public. So that's not it.

Yesterday in class, Prof. S. was using the wireless to show the students a faulty problem on an entry about Kyoto in Wikipedia. He opens up his bookmarks and one of them was labeled "Wiki-Japanese Toilet." EVERYONE started laughing and Prof. S. turns around, nonplussed and says, "The 'Japanese Toilet' article is the best article written in Wikipedia."

I have already mentioned my love for the Japanese toilet - the fancy one with all the buttons that is. The ones that cost over $1000 in the States precisely because of all the buttons and the bells and the whistles. Let me tell you, you use a Japanese Washlet, and you never want to use that old button-less toilet again (I very much missed them last August). I avoid the squat version at all costs. However, if the situation is dire then I will use it. So long as it is somewhat clean. I have seen worse versions in Greece, in the tiny mountain villages. But if I have a choice, then I choose the Washlet.

The reason why they give out tissues as advertisements is, according to Wikipedia, that most of the public toilets in the train stations and such do not have toilet paper. When I read this, I was like, "Eureka!"

When I went to Nara I had find a bathroom ASAP. I go to the one in the station which was the closest and there was no toilet paper.

%*$&^.

Luckily I had 200yen on me and bought my tissue packets.

I really need to hoard more free tissue packets - just in case.

KICKIN'!!! And Knittin'

2007-09-17T21:07:00.000+09:00

This is just so awesome!!!

First, my old advisor from Fordham comes to Kyoto on his way to China and I meet up with him.

Second, he tells me that he will write me a rec letter for grad school.

Third, my advisor over at Rits agrees to write me a rec letter.

Fourth, my advisor back from London agrees to write me a rec letter...and is currently in Osaka for the next nine months. I will probably get to meet up with him in the first time in about two years - June 2005 was the last time I saw him.

That is just so kickin'! If it weren't for London advisor, I would not really be here right now. He was the one that told me about my scholarship, let me sit in on his grad class as a junior and helped me start my undergrad thesis which is now my research project.

Fifthly, I finished my first ball of yarn for Alisa's scarf, and it is now about 21cm. I forgot what that was in inches, but I have 10 40g balls of this stuff and I did the math - it will be just about 6 to 6.5 feet. I am going to add tassels, just to funk it up a bit.

I even mastered the skill of adding on another piece of yarn from a new ball - granted its the same color, but whatever. My Knit Knack kit suggests that one way to do it is to "knit with both strands for 2 or 3 stitches, to secure it then continue to work with the new yarn alone...weave loose ends later into the knit fabric." Well, I just did my first knitting mod (to me at least) - instead of leaving loose ends, I just kept knitting with both strands till I had no more of the old yarn. No loose ends to weave in later! Saves a step.

Unfortunately, the one non-kickin'is is my GSPS - Grad School Personal Statement. Remember that acronym! It feels quite messy, but I will try to finish something of the sort tomorrow to type up and print.

Oh, Those Magical Golden Years - Harry Potter Style!

2007-09-15T22:32:00.000+09:00

Sigh, barely a year and a half out of college and already I am waxing nostalgically about it. Why? Here: I give you an article on how the characters from Harry Potter are like college stereotypes.

Personally, I think I was a Hermione most of the time. ESPECIALLY in my Asian History classes - man my classmates must have hated me - and my advisor was like a Professor Binns. And I did have a Professor McGonagal! She totally kicked ass - I mean come on, what better way to compare Napoleon Bonaparte to a class of scared-stiff freshmen than to compare him to Lord Voldemort?

Knit 0, Purl 0

2007-09-15T18:00:00.000+09:00

So I mentioned how I got (slightly overpriced) pretty plum purple 100% wool yarn from Avril. 100 grams. Well yesterday, I go to Avril (as opposed to working on grad apps - that WILL be rectified! I go to Starbucks tomorrow at EIGHT a.m.) to get more pretty plum purple (henceforth known as PPP) yarn.

The idea was since that that PPP yarn is a bit pricey, to use it at the ends and fill in the middle with a different color. I was thinking chocolate brown - preferably to get it at a different store, since it might be cheaper. Ok, so I go to Avril and I get the last 82 grams and there is no more in the lot at the store. Bah. I get it, and trot off to find this fabric store that I always remember in passing - but I forgot if it was in Shinkyogoku or Teramachi, the two covered shopping arcades between Shijo and Sanjo. I was at Sanjo so I go down Shinkyogoku (where I pick up the bamboo needles that are actually in numbered sizes as opposed to millimeter width, and a few other sewing things at the 100yen shop) and walk back up Teramachi. Wouldn't you know, the shop was in Teramachi.

I go and a see a small bin with yarn. For 2100 yen I got 400grams each of chocolate brown and hunter green wool (the latter color is for Alisa). But I notice it's rather...thin. Hmm.

After walking around Fuji Daimaru (sigh, but I did not buy anything - control here!) and getting a case for my Nintendo DS (they came out in new colors! METALLIC PINK, METALLIC SILVER!!! Good thing my sister didn't get hers yet I can pick up one for her here and she will be the coolest girl on the block, haha), I returned to Avril to see if they had any acrylic yarn. I wanted to make dishcloths.

Seriously! The state of the yarn situation in Kyoto is deplorable. It is (somewhat) overpriced (I am a student, ya know!) and there is not much variety. I miss the bins at Michael's and the stores down in SoHo that I have not been to yet (oh, but I will! I need to now set up a separate yarn fund - I am totally addicted now).

There are 2 more stores possibly around here - I asked the girls at Avril and they didn't even know. I go home and realize that the chocolate brown yarn is too thin to go with PPP to make a comprehensible ribbed scarf. Furthermore, 182grams a tucker scarf does not make. Especially in a K3,P3 rib stitch.

I could go back to Avril and get the chocolate brown from the same group that I got PPP from to make it a tucker but a) ANOTHER 1050yen for 100 grams? Hell no, and b) I have 400grams of very nice 100% chocolate brown wool and I was considering chocolate brown originally. PPP was a bit of an impulse buy.

Sadly, I frogged it. I was talking with my mom about this issue of the now excessive PPP yarn (if I knew what I knew now I wouldn't have gotten that other 82grams) and I was thumbing through my Knit Knack cards. Wouldn't you know! There is a pattern to make a knit cap with ear-flaps and it requires 100grams exactly. Well I have that, and I think a PPP knit hat would go better with my (sister's) red J.Crew cropped Panama jacket with a chocolate brown scarf since the purple won't clash so much against the red.

As for the other 82grams? I dunno but for now I am thinking of tassels to go on the bottom of the ear-flaps and have those braided - I would say a foot long braid so that is two feet and then that would mean 6 feet of yarn total...possible. It is such a pretty color, I really do not want it to go to waste. Mittens require 113 grams, but I will go back to Avril and get a funky color (like a multi-color yarn) for that.

In the meantime, I am working on Alisa's scarf, on No. 6 bamboo needles. I think I am going to toss the plastic ones, since the exact bamboo needles I got at the 100yen shop were also sold at Avril, so I know those are the proper ones - I also got a set of size 6 double-pointed needles so I can start knitting in the round, though I think I might need 8 for the hat whereas 6 is fine for the socks/mittens pattern I have.

I started it in a garter stitch - I was too pissed at myself to concentrate on K3,P3 whilst talking to my mom on Skype, though I might just make it really nice and long and use up all 400 grams. Right now it is about 5 inches wide - a bit skinny but since it will be long and flat it will be nice and warm, and I have seen her wear long-ish scarves. Maybe I will dress it up at the ends with some tassels if I have enough yarn left over.

Rockin' and-a Rollin'...

2007-09-12T18:10:00.000+09:00

Thank you so much Saisquoi!!!

I have to pass it along, right? Let's see...(pardon for the no links, but they are in "The Reading List")

1) Britt at Tickled Pink - preppy rocks. I am very much down with the love of J.Crew and the combination of pink and green.
2) BadAunt at Present Simple - rockin' English teacher in Japan. Love the stories, and great to have someone to relate to with the "wierd Japan stories."
3) Kristiface at LifeXHistory - rockin' history grad student. History just rocks.
4) Midge at Lipstick and Legalese - rockin' lawyer with the most adorable lobster suit for her cat. Still waiting on the pics!!!
5) Kerri at In the Life of Kerri - rockin' real-life bestest friend who can actually rock your butt as she does jiujitsu.

Knit 3, Purl 3

2007-09-12T16:16:00.000+09:00

When I came back to Japan, I left my mom's garter-stitch scarf on size 13 needles behind. Kinda wish that I didn't now, since I learned how to purl via the internet. I need someone to visually show me how to do it at first, or else I am clueless. That's why I was grateful to that knitting group back home although I didn't go again after that first time because of other things popping up.

However, I still like to knit. It's fun - esepcially now that I can purl so I am doing a ribbed scarf! Cue in the ooohs and the aaahs...I have graduated from garter stitch! I can purl! I can do more than make rectangles!!!

As for my mother's scarf sitting on top of the stereo, that is going to be frogged and put in a rib stitch. I really did make it too wide - the number of stitches does matter and it is not really an indicator of the actual width of the scarf. My mom's just got out of control.

Before I returned to Japan I went with my dad to BJ's. There was this "Knit Knack Kit" which was in the books section and one of the kits was open - a sample, perhaps. I took a look and it was really neat! 25 projects on little cards in PLAIN ENGLISH with a size 8 circular needle, yarn needle and a basic how-to book. But like I said earlier, I need someone to show me, especially since I am a left-handed Continental knitter. (I really, really like Continental). I know if I want to make better stuff I have to learn the shorthand, but for now this is all good.

So I brought the contents of the kit sans the needles (don't ask my why I didn't bring them I think I'll ask my mom to mail the needle stuff - which is plastic - since I think I'll be itching to make hats next!) and knew that there was a nice yarn store in Kyoto. I found it last Sunday, it's called Avril. Nice stuff but a bit expensive, I ended up paying 1000yen for 100grams. Eek. But thats ok - I'll look at the other craft/sewing stores that I also know where they are and probably they will have cheaper yarn since I was in a specialty store. I picked up 7mm, 8mm, and 12mm needles for 100yen each (plastic, though they do have bamboo) at the 100yen store and voila!

My first real knitting project: a Knit 3, Purl 3 rib-stitch scarf. 100% wool yarn, in a deep plum (I know I mentioned I wanted a cream scarf to go with my sister's red jacket, but this color called to me). If the yarn gets too expensive (I won't go over 3000yen for this) I will make it more like a tucker for early fall, closed with a brooch.

Eh, Maybe Not

2007-09-12T15:56:00.001+09:00

I was contemplating deleting all of my old entries because I am a "CA" or a course assistant at that study abroad program I once mentioned because I did not want my students to find out my blog. I thought about it and well it's not worth it. For the following reasons:

1) I have not written anything incriminating - i.e. what grad schools I am applying to, and really personal opinions. I have learned to keep my mouth shut.
2) Not like it matters - they all know what university I go to in Kyoto anyway.
3) My Facebook profile is already on the most extreme of privacy settings and I don't have the link to it there.
4) I have tried to do something other than Blurb which is a nifty program that imports your blog but I need more memory and more patience to run it more efficiently but I like Blurb, plan to publish my blog when I finish and damn it all to hell if I have to pay $100. Those are my memories and Zapfino is a gorgeous font (that is the font I now have in my header).
5) They know I am a blogger because we spoke about blogs in class.
6) I changed my email address to which this blog is connected to and upped the privacy settings short of making the blog private. Unfortunately I can't change my user name but I plan to delete this blog in 7 months, or after I finish my Blurb project.
7) My title for the blog is not in the web address and when you Google "in the middle of somewhere" my blog is NO WAY at the top of the list. And my name is so common not like I need a moniker.
8) I Googled myself and my blog doesn't pop up.
9) I Googled the program I am a CA for and my blog still hasn't popped up after the 10th page of searches.

It took me ALL day to contemplate moving from Blogger to WordPress, deciding that I hate Wordpress (damn complicated) trying to copy-paste into Word (which lead to the Mac version of the "blue screen" and a warning to restart my computer) so I just have had enough. Besides I write too much - it will have to take someone with ALOT of dedication to read through my blog. The amount of pages that I have for my Blurb book is about 340, portrait style which is 8x10. That is ALOT of reading. I do write alot.

I will just be more pseudonymous from now on - monikers for others that is, and no more direct mentions of names of schools and such.

Welcome to the Rat Race

2007-09-11T23:35:00.000+09:00

My mom's crazy friend who I regularly chat with (and is good fun) has a son who is now applying for pre-med to the top undergrad schools. According to her, there is a bubble of applicants who are the kids of the baby boomers and there are just simply too much of them; it's not going to burst till 2009 and already last year there were stories of the top schools turning away 4.0 and 2400 SAT combos.

Yikes.

And what does this have to do with me?

I am entering the rat race as well - again, this time the Ph.d edition. Ladies and gentlemen on your marks! Get set!

Go!!! And write that personal statement!!!

Oh, heaven help me. I just got off the phone of one of the schools that I am eyeing because I had applied to them before in the Master's edition two years ago; they deleted my application after a year so I have to start from scratch. No prob. The lady was nice and she even remembered me.

What threw me off the loop was this tip she told me: said school only accepts TWO PEOPLE usually into the History Ph.d-East Asia track. What I can do if I really, really, really want this school is to also apply for the Master's...again. And it would be very likely - not guaranteed - that I could get into the Ph.d two years down the line, but there won't be funding because duh it's a masters program and the master's kids feed the Ph.d kids (but they don't really know that most of the time)....the more I think about it, the more I don't want to do that - apply to both, that is. There is also the matter of me paying duplicate application fees and I am already applying to 9 other schools (but one is hopefully free - one that I was accepted to and deferred).

Ugh...now I am very scared. VERY.VERY.SCARED.

There are about 20 students per year at most of the programs I am looking at and obviously there is more than one track in the department.

I want to crawl into a hole right now.

Gotta Love Me Some Meme

2007-09-08T16:52:00.000+09:00

Got this off Tickled Pink - 4 Things Meme. Let's see how this turns out!

Four things that make me happy:
1. Mel's laugh
2. My dad's laugh
3. Chocolate mousse cheesecake - the one my dad gets from the Bronx
4. Lazy Sunday mornings

Four movies I would watch over and over:
1. Pride and Prejudice (Kiera Knightley version)
2. My Big Fat Wedding (if only for the jokes and well, the fact that I am living the movie right now!)
3. I honestly have no clue on the other two.
4.

Four websites I check daily:
1. Gmail
2. Japan Addicted (my online forum)
3. News websites
4. Facebook
Bonus: When I am in the States I check J.Crew. At least twice a day.

Four favorite drinks:
1. Amita Dark Cherry Nectar Juice (from greece)
2. Amita mixed fruit nectar
3. Pellegrino
4. Ginger ale

Four places I have lived:
1. NYC
2. London
3. Kyoto
4. Don't have a fourth - I have moved only once in my life when I was 16 and that was just across town.

Four TV Shows that I watch:
1. Grey's Anatomy
2. Top Chef
3. Bridezillas
4. Private Practice (when it starts, of course!)

Four favorite colors:
1. Chocolate Brown
2. Kelly Green
3. Plum Purple
4. Golden yellow

Four places I have been on vacation:
1. Greece
2. Florida
3. Canada
4. Greenport, LI

Four things on my floor right now:
1. my Herve Chapelier bag
2. TV that I don't use
3. Futons (blankets) that I am holding for a friend till she moves into the dorm
4. laundry basket

Four blogs I read regularly:
1. Schoolbooks and Shoes
2. Lipstick and Legalese
3. Saisquoi
4. Tickled Pink

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Jumbo shrimp cocktail
2. The way my mom makes Greek salad (I try but it just never quite tastes the same...)
3. Tofu with kimchi
4. Greek chicken soup

Four places I would rather be right now:
1. On vacation with Mel
2. Cycling on my Trek bike in Central Park (I really miss my bike ever since I got back on my mama-chari in Japan the riding is not the same!)
3. Having a frappe on the back balcony of my house with my mom and my sister, or at my mom's godson's house with everyone
4. in some dream world, where grad school applications don't exist and yet I still get into the one of my choice...(I just started them today).

I now tag:
Libby, Saisquoi, Midge and Tulip Mom!

His and Hers New Techie Toys

2007-09-07T14:34:00.000+09:00

Mel just got a new Blackberry. He didn`t get it from his company, like everyone else, but got it because he just simply wants it, and it was time for a new phone. Might as well get one with all the bells and whistles (he DOES use it for work related purposes - apparently).

Well, Mel got his new tech toy, I got myself a new tech toy, too. Behold! I FINALLY got myself a denshi jisho (electronic dictionary).

But why a denshi jisho? Aren`t good ol` paper dictionaries just enough?

Nope, no way, not anymore. Even the Japanese use these suckers EVERYWHERE - and that`s why they are so expensive in the States, because they are imported from Japan and only sold in special stores. You won`t find these at your local Best Buy; I have to get one here.

The Japanese developed these for the Japanese and the Japanese-learners use them as well. They have English/Chinese/French/German/Dutch/Italian/ Korean-Japanese versions. I have a regular paper dictionary, a paper kanji dictioanry and a paper grammar dictionary. That amounts to ALOT of weight. Pity they haven`t digitized the grammar dictionary yet.

And the SHEER number of dictionaries you can put in these things!!! There are more dictionaries under the Japanese sun for sure. For me, they are mostly useless. I needed a jisho with a specific combination to start with and some other basics that I forgot: the Kojien Kokugo Jisho + Oxford Dictionary of English. What the Oxford Dictionary is to English, the Kojien Kokugo Jisho is to Japanese - the king of the dictionaries for Japanese-Japanese.

However, I ran into a slight problem. All the new models for English-Japanese sure have the Oxford dictionary, but they don`t have Kojien. Instead they have Daijisen, sorta like Webster`s Dictionary, a second tier version. I was told by someone that for people in the Japanese humanities, there is no alternative: Kojien or bust.

Well, the bust would surely be in my wallet. Hang on to your jishos - the basic price is about $400-$500 for a new model, general/junior high/high school version. There is even a new feature: instead of looking kanji up by the radical (old-school way, many buttons involved), there is now a small touch pad where you write the kanji in question with a stylus, like the bottom screen of a Nintento DS Lite.

I did some research and it seemed that the models after 2005 switched from Kojien to Daijisen. EXCEPT for the medical focused dictionaries. You see, within the major categories of denshi jishos there are ones tailored for specific uses. There is general (the one with every basic jisho under the sun), business oriented, junior high and high school versions, special college versions with TOEFL practice and ones with expensive medical dictionaries for those that are doctors. Now, those are the ONLY ones that have the Kojien + Oxford combo. The cost? 79,000yen for a 2007 model, with that touch pad feature by Casio. Yes, Casio makes more than cheap digi watches, and they are the best sorts of jishos, because you can add on more to the jisho`s internal memory.

No way in HELL was I going to fork over that much money. First, that is alot. Second, I need to buy about 5 more dictionaries to add into it for my needs (Classical Japanese, Japanese/World History Encyclopedia, the queen of Japanese-English dictionaries from Kenkyusha, etc.) and thats another 20,000yen. I would end up spending almost $1000.

So imagine my surprise when I ended up at the co-op shop at Kyodai yesterday. There is was, last year`s medical dictionary with Kojien and Oxford, sans touch-pad feature, all the other basics I need...for 23,800yen. Original price was 79,000yen. I go home after lunch do some research on the net, go back to the co-op ask some questions...

...and I just bought it a few hours ago. The ONLY difference is that I have to look up kanji old-school style, but if I am stumped, I have my old Nintento jisho for that. I really needed a denshi jisho - the cartridge for my DS is dying on me (it won`t read the data sometimes), I am tired of being tethered to the internet dictionaries for my classical Japanese homework and I just downright need one. It`s not a matter of me getting a new toy, this is a matter of one of the `pieces of equipment` that I use, so to speak. Plus, since it was so cheap, I don`t feel bad about getting a jisho with dictionaries I know I`ll never use (the medical ones) and I can definitely afford the specific dictionaries that I will use.

I even got a pretty case for it since I really need to take care of this, as I probably won`t get a new one till I return to Japan for my dissertation research in 4-odd years. It`s a nice, soothing melon green.

Nai, Nai

2007-09-07T05:57:00.000+09:00

Take a look at this video. A dad is feeding his son some baby food and he runs out! The reaction is classic. "Nai, nai" means "None, none." And when the people are shouting out "kawaii" that means cute. I need to start a series of "Cute Japanese baby videos because they are just so adorable!!!

Somewhere Over the Rainbow

2007-09-06T18:38:00.000+09:00

I saw this this evening, as I left the co-op store at Kyodai in my mad dash to check out a denshi jisho:
The picture doesn't do it justice. Luckily I ran into my friend who took photos with his camera and his phone. That is the one from the phone. Now imagine that in a perfect arch. Sadly, I actually saw it fade away as the sun set.

It's Gettin' Hot in Herrre....

2007-09-05T12:47:00.000+09:00

...and I just WISH I could take off all my clothes.

It was quite steamy when I was dropped off by the MK Sky Gate Shuttle Bus service last night; luckily, the driver was nice enough to lug my suitcase up the two flights of stairs to my apartment on the third floor.

On my first day back, I went grocery shopping. But first, I had to schlep over to Rits to sign in for my scholarship. While there, I asked when do I receive information about my plane ticket back home in March. I get information about that in November - I needed to know because I need to get my ticket before we get Mel's ticket for March.

The sun was boiling, and I didn't have my parasol, since I brought it home with me. Instead, I had my sunglasses, Fordham baseball cap, and my SPF 40 City Block. I just wore a t-shirt and jeans but it was still hot. And the Japanese girls were still wearing their long sleeves and their jackets and sweaters! I counted 4 t-shirts on one girl. Utterly nuts.

I then went to the shopping arcade that was near me on Imadegawa and Kawaramachi; Alisa told me about it and I have been there twice but this time i really perused what they had. I wanted fruits and veggies and those suckers don't come cheap. Luckily there was a fruit market that sold SIX apples for 450yen. What a steal!

And they were good quality; I also got 4 long and fat cucumbers for 100yen, 3 fat tomatoes for 250yen and bananas for 100yen. At the supermarket, I picked up some ham for sandwiches at the meat counter, 100g for 100yen. Sweet. I even got something that looks like pork chops, a good amount of chicken and some fish. And it was cheaper than at the other supermarket, and I picked up the last loaf of whole wheat bread! Score! Soo happy you have no idea. (The rice I got was cheaper too.)

Because my basket was full, I went home to drop off my stuff, then I went over to the QQ Shop (100yen supermarket) for the "basics". Like I have mentioned before, there are things at the QQ that I wouldn't even bother getting at the regular supermarket, like low fat milk, OJ, water, yogurt and some other things as well. It's just cheaper.

When I got back I was practically dripping. I made one FINAL trip out to Kizuna, the "hangout" place of sorts for the international students at Kyodai. They don't check ID and I lost mine anyway but I still remember my old student ID number, even though it's expired. Hey, Rits is really far! So I borrowed a book on Japanese history to refresh my memory.

I plan to go back there tomorrow to the lounge area to hang out; it is really hot here and I don't want to have my A/C going on all day and all night, like it is now. I was chatting with Elisa and she asked what the temp was. I go and check and the temperature was 93.

But in reality, it felt like 100 degrees, according to the Weather Channel.

That "Meh" Feeling

2007-09-03T09:19:00.000+09:00

So now I am on the plane flying back to Japan. But the weird thing is that I am not overly excited about going back, nor am I bursting into tears at the thought of leaving. Call me crass, call me cold but the thing is – I am used to it by now. Maybe it is also a front to prevent myself from bursting into tears, as I aptly warned Mel while I waited for my dad to give him the key to one of our cars:

“Whatever you do, do NOT act in such a way that will make me burst into tears.”
“What, who is gonna cry?” (:::chuckle chuckle:::)
“My new mascara is not waterproof.”

Miraculously, there were NO delays, problems, or flight attendants that overslept and delayed the flight. (Seriously, that was one of the cause for my delays previously.)

So now that I have finished eating my dinner (which has shrimp cocktail, whee!!) I will recount quite quickly what has happened this past month and in particular the past few days (since I hardly blog during the summers):

1) When I actually arrived back on August 3, I burst into tears when I saw Mel and hugged him. He was carrying a bouquet of yellow roses and irises, and everyone at Newark was asking him where he got it (that airport is very gross).
2) I rode my bike through Central Park on the weekend once when they close the roads to cars. And I did the very hard hill as well – it was so much fun going down that steep hill and not having to pedal. I think maybe with two or three years, I will upgrade to a road bike. At one point, Mel went way ahead of me, simply because he has the higher bike. However, I am able to carry my bike up and down the stairs on the subway system.
3) Did not study at all. And I am very happy that I did not.
4) But that didn’t mean that school was far from my mind. As mentioned previously, I requested transcripts from Fordham (free!) and realized at the last minute that I needed transcripts from CUNY Hunter where I took Japanese for a year. Now, CUNY being CUNY and my realization that I needed them just at the start of the school year made me freak out because with the start of school it’s a downright mess. Luckily, I was also able to request them online – cost me an extra $10 and its already $7 a copy, but I did not have to go through all that hassle.
5) Spoke with also a 2nd year student from uni that I am eyeing, same one as 6th year. I feel way, way better now, even though I did spend $55 on “Get your butt into grad school/Get your butt out of grad school” books. But it was for my own sanity. Applying to grad school is one thing. Applying from a foreign country is quite another.
6) Ate a lot of red meat and other things that I really shouldn’t have. Now I really need to get my ass to the gym.
7) Bought “The Historian” and am reading it now on the plane. That is SUCH a detailed book and it moves at a steady pace. But sometimes I think some things are obvious, HOWEVER I would not be surprised if my musings were wrong, either.
8) Saw the 5th Harry Potter movie at the movie theaters on 66th and Broadway. It was in IMAX 3D, or rather, Mel and I paid the extra $5 to see the finale in the Ministry of Magic in 3D. Those Death Eaters are very creepy in 3D.
9) Got my hair cut and I got blond highlights. I have had highlights every other two years or so since I was 15 (because they blend well with my hair I just let them grow out and I don't do touch ups) but I am on the fence on how they look since I am used to my natural hair color now - it's been a LONG time.

Very much a blur this month – it really did go by fast. The interesting twist to the end of my month is that the same day that I left for Japan, my sister is leaving this evening for her year in Rome. I tried to get her on the blog thing but she isn’t interested. Pity – she always has a comment for something. I think she is on the plane now, but hasn’t departed; another wrinkle is that we left from the two different local airports in the NYC area (but not Newark).

She connects in Dublin and arrives in Rome at 10:00-ish local time, which actually, is about the same time that I land in Japan (6:30pm Osaka time is about, oh, 11:30 Rome time? Not sure but it’s in that window). Maybe I will swipe a photo or two off her Facebook profile to give a taste of Italy via Japan – she gets to go to all the other cities for SCHOOL TRIPS. Milan! Florence! Naples! All within the space of 3 months (that is just the first semester!). I’m jealous. Then again, Mel wants to go to Italy for the honeymoon. I want to go to the Amalfi coast.

These next four months will be a blur – especially till about December 15, which is the deadline for applications. I have the following on my plate:

1) TA-ing for Professor S./Taking that Kyoto history course
2) More Classical Japanese lessons/twiddling my thumbs in my sensei’s seminar.
3) Working on some sort of paper for my seminar and attempt to do the presentation come the last week of January 2008 in Japanese.
4) Fixing the last paper for my writing sample for grad applications.
5) FINISHING those Grad applications.
6) Studying for JLPT Level 2 (thought I am not sure now if I am really ready but I would just study on my own to prepare for next year, need to speak to Colleen on this).
7) Applying for scholarships to pay for grad school (there are two that I qualify for, as per my talk with the scholarships office back at Fordham).

All I know is that THANK GOD that I took the GRE in my senior year of college. I do not have that stress as well. And I was happy with my score too.

What Being in Japan Has Done to Me

2007-09-02T06:21:00.000+09:00

For one thing that is the most obvious, is that I am more picky with my Japanese food. Mel and I went to our favorite Japanese restaurant and I couldn't stomach the tuna rolls. Mel still thinks they are great but the man has not eaten proper sushi, or whale sushi for that matter (I have eaten that in Shirahama).

It's just like the Chinese food here - American Chinese food is groos. I can't eat it. However, I had heard that the Chinese food in China is quite different so I will eat me next cup of egg-drop soup when I (finally!) get to Beijing. When that will be, I have no clue.

The second thing that I have noticed is that well I have become more, how shall we say...high-maintenance? The girls in Japan go all out when it comes to getting ready and while I am not the type of person who will fail an exam because I don't have my mascara on, I have started to pay a little more attention to what works and what doesn't.

Clinique had this "RSVP to Colour" event at the Macy's in Herald Square/34th Street last week and I wanted to go because in essence it was a consultation on what works and what doesn't. I like Clinique because it doesn't feel so makeup-ey and cakey and it's allergy free.

And what a consultation! My makeup artist was amazing and we tried both regular stuff to see what works on me and fun stuff. She put on green eyeshadow and while it sounds horrendous it actually was nice because I have green-ish/blue eyes. Makeup artist said it was a day look but for me, I don't wear eyeshadow during the day so I held off on it.

We also talked about skincare - I turn 23 in December and I figured might as well think about crows feet now as opposed to later. My maternal grandmother is 78 years old and has not a wrinkle save for some (very) fine age lines, and looks 65 because of it. Why? She took care of her skin. I didn't even get a tan this summer and I am glad I didn't. I even carry my sunglasses with me everywhere all year round because my eyes are sensitive and the minute I feel myself squinting, out of the bag they come. In Japan, no one wears sunglasses because they are related to the yakuza (Japanese mafia) but I already stick out so I really don't care.

I tried this eye cream thing from Clinique while I chatted with the makeup artist; told her that in Japan this stuff is twice or three times as expensive. And I learned that the hard way - the lipstick I got in Japan was 2800yen whereas here it was $14.50. And that lipstick (Rubelite) was really bright for day, I needed a daytime lipstick. Apparently, I have long eyelashes as well.

So this is my new make-up booty:
Long Last Lipstick in Ruby Glass (discontinued! I got the last tube, but I saw it at Century 21 in B'klyn)
Perfectly Real Makeup Foundation in Shade No. 8
Cream Shaper Eyeliner in Chocolate Lustre
High Definition Lashes Brush Then Comb Mascara in Black
Touch Blush in Petal Cream
Full Potential Lips Plump and Shine in Sugarplump (my lips are already quite full but I liked the color and I doubted the plump factor in these things, and its an alternative to the lipstick, and it doesn't feel goopy)
Super City Block Oil-Free Daily Face Protector SPF 40
and...
I plan to get the Colour Surge Eye Shadow Trio in Ebb and Flow come March when I return if its still there. When I was in Detroit, I picked up another tube of the City Block at the Duty Free because I have a feeling I will run out of that pretty quickly.

In toto...$124.08. I have never done that before, but the fact that I got the consultation made me feel good so I had tried on all the stuff beforehand made me feel confident.

A Crash Course in MY Big Fat Greek/Filipino Wedding

2007-08-24T10:25:00.000+09:00

Who woulda thought with the postponement of the wedding to TWO years off, I would have a very remotely related wedding-themed post in the month of August 2007? With most bloggers that I know getting married (COngrats!) it has made me think of my own wedding.

My mom and I took Cleo, one of our cats two the vet. Leah was going to meet us there after work. Cleo actually behaves better than Caesar (who is thisclose to getting a sedative the next time he goes so he can get checked) so when Leah came to the vet, my mom wanted to go to this store Markella's across the street. It sells stuff related to weddings and baptisms, with a Greek twist of course. This is Astoria, where there are 4 Greek Orthodox Churches within a 10 block radius. It's also a place that you can make a bridal registry say for china - I figured that out when I saw the Kate Spade display case and began to drool internally, for now my mother can finally see what I go gaga about.

Even though Mel and I are of different religions, we are getting married in a Greek Orthodox Church. They are very plain outside, but ornately decorated inside in the Byzantine style. In fact, we are going to get married in the same church that I was baptized in, and my parents got married in in 1981. I also went there for Sunday School and (blech) for a time Greek school.

There is a ramp that leads up to the main entrance on the second floor; when my parents got married, the photographer had the entire bridal party line up along the ramp, and he took a picture from the street. I have seen the picture, and in a nod to my parents I want to do the same thing. It has recently finished a massive renovation/restoration and it looks fantastic.

If you have seen "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" (yes, cue the jokes here) you know what a Greek wedding is like. There are these crowns called stefana that the bride and the groom wear (and the ribbon is held by the koumbaro, i.e. best man but it can be a girl so long as they are orthodox - Mel's best friend from college is Bulgarian) and they walk around the altar. My mom wanted to see what Markella had to offer in terms of stefana, and the boubounieres, which are the favors.

You also need lambades, which are just big fancy candles trussed up for the occasion. Luckily, since orthodox churches are mega fancy with paintings covering every inch of the walls, you don't really need to go all out in decorating the church. Since St. Catherine & George's (the church) is redone it will most definitely not need much.

Most of the stefana are downright gaudy, like sparkly versions of a white olive wreath connected with ribbon, and just short of a princesse's tiara. I wanted something different. Miraculously we both liked this one in particular - it sorta like a crown made of gold wire tightly wound to make the circlet, with small flowers in cream with a (few, very, very few, I really don't like bling) crystals. Simple, but elegant and modern.

All of the stefana are imported from Greece, and with Astoria being the way it is, you don't have to worry about asking your yiayia to get you stefana from Greece. They even have the cases for the stefana; my parents still have their stefana in the case in their bedroom. Their case looks like a little church, but more modern styles still have the icon inside - either painted or in silver - and it comes in more contemporary shapes, like oval or round.

Sitting in a Very Tiny Boat, Floating in a VERY Large Ocean

2007-08-23T23:46:00.000+09:00

I requested my transcripts for application to grad school last week. I have been having some freakouts these past few months, mainly consisting of "What am I going to do with my life?" and "Do I really want to do a Ph.d in History?", "Is it worth it?", etc. etc.

Recently, I have been going through that period of stress that college seniors usually get in their final semester, I didn't have because I knew what I was going to do after college back in January '06. That's pretty early. So, it's a very delayed reaction, to the point that I was considering going to law school, but I don't think that's a good fit for me. So for now, Plan A is to submit applications, and think for the next 7 months. I have all the paperwork (sans personal statement) ready for "Ph.d History applications" so I might as well put them in. Besides, one of them is going to be free.

Prof. S. put me in contact with a 6th year Ph.d. student over at one of the schools that I am seriously, seriously eyeing. I called him up yesterday and we had a nice chat. I reiterated what I told PRof. S. about my anxieties regarding grad school: "Sometimes I feel that I am in this very tiny boat, in a very large ocean."

I am all by myself in Japan, at least departmental-wise. I do not have access to the research lab/room for the kids in my department (we need to swipe IDs and the grad student was really surprised to hear that) and the grad students going for a degree treat me like I am over there, and they are over here. Like Iam this wierd species, and I seriously think one of them just hates me on principle because I am not Japanese, in the same program that he is in and that I am just taking up space since I am on scholarship and not going for a degree.

It's extremely hierarchical there and I hate it. I wished I was back over at Kyodai or something bcause in all seriousness, the only good thing about Rits is my professor. Even my friends who were research students were granted access into the research labs when they were research students at Kyodai. I just have the overcrowded library.

Which is why next semester, I am quite happy that I am just going in once a week on Thursdays for my sensei's seminar; I can study in the library at Kyodai which is nicer and I have my computer access code still in use, and Chen's extra library card to get in. And I will save money too - taking the bus took quite a toll on my fiannces everyday and I coulnd't get the collge discount because I was not considered an actualy college student. Load of crap that was.

In short, I had no one to talk to about grad school especially those in the US and I was freaking out. 6th year student told me that it was totally normal and everyone in the first year goes through that "WTF am I doing here?" phase. It's good to know that I am not the only one, but let me tell you, Japan is lonely. Good thing I am going to TA this semester, else I would not have much to look forward too, really.

There is a big pause button on my life, being in Japan and while I do enjoy my time there and an gratefull for my experiences there I am ready to move onward. Even if that means scaring the crap out of myself, and stepping into unknown and unsure territory.

I made a schedule for this coming semester this time, blocking out periods of time to do things, since I am only going to be in class for no more than 6 hours a week, with Ta-ing, Bungo lessons with my sensei and me twiddling my thumbs in the back of his seminar.

I tried it last semester and while it was good in theory, I totally messed up because I took too many classes. I think I am not going to take Japanese in the fall at Kyodai if I can (rather study on my own for JLPT), save say one composition course or something, no more than two or three. I have not tried a composition course yet, and I would like to jazz up my speaking and listening maybe (though I hardly doubt I'll take the listening, I didn't like the one I took last time). Mybe not speaking either, since I plan to rejoin the KIXS (International Student exchange group at Kyodai) and just start talking at the weekly dinners.

But I will continue with the gym. I was thinking of ending my membership but I can afford it if I budget. I was a totaly mess last semester.

Umm...

2007-08-23T08:22:00.000+09:00

Whoa...so I'm finally watching Borat on HBO on demand simply because Mel likes to laugh. Refer to Flight of the Conchords, also on HBO - but then again as a New Zealander pointed out to me, the humour is rather local, and since Mel did grow up in Australia, he gets the humour more then me but it is funny.

I didn't see Borat when it first came out because I was in Japan, so now I'm watching it. First ten minutes? My mouth is dropping more than I am laughing. The things people get away with these days, no wondrer Japan didn't want to show it there. I'm cringing more than laughing...OMG he is on the NYC subway, damn New Yorkers CAN be nasty.

Shop 'Till We Drop

2007-08-16T01:54:00.000+09:00

So I went to the outlets yesterday. There was a bit of traffic going upstate because there was a Yankee game (and you have to go through the Bronx to go upstate) and the trucks are only allowed to go on the upper level of the George Washington Bridge for security reasons.

My Uncle George was shocked at the size of Woodbury Commons (236 stores). We got there at 1:30-ish and Leah told him that we will spend the whole day there. At first he didn't beleive it but we left at 8:30, and the outlets close at 9. Leah got the best bargain of the day: a North Face Summit Series parka, the outer shell. Original price was $299, she got it after another 50% off for $116. Since they didn't have any inner fleeces in her size at the store (all XS, L and XL) she is going to the North Face Store on the Upper West Side and get it from there.

At Kate Spade, I saw the canvas tote bag that I wanted which is STILL in the stores (well at least the ones in Japan) and was marked down to $125 from $145 and another 25% off. THEN, there were these 3" heels in chocolate suede that fit me like a glove, and they looked damn sexy, real "grown-up" shoes that make you want to wear a pencil skirt every day and wished that you had a job that calls for shoes like that and pencil skirts.

However, my mom reminded me that the shopping today was more of necessity, and no I did not need ANOTHER Kate Spade bag nor did I need 3" heels when I am still a student and will be doing my TA-ing in bare or stockinged feet (because in the building where the class is held we take off our shoes).

And to be honest, I was a bit unsteady in those heels - they felt REALLY high, even though my espadrilles are almost 4". Then again, espadrilles are wedges (though I tripped and fell on my bum last week, and skinned my knee. So much for that then).

At lunch, I got a map from the information booth and proceeded to circle and mark up the map with all the stores that me, mom, Leah and my aunt and Uncle wanted, and made a route. Then we went to J.Crew. Personally, I am not that big of a fan of the J.Crew outlet because the prices are still not a cheap and I can get stuff at the sales even cheaper. However, me being in Japan this past year I really did not have much choice, and the clearance rack - though usually good - didn't have much either.

I picked up a pair of the matchstick jeans, but not the ones that I originally had - these have more stretch. I really wanted a pair to replace my old ones because they can go inside my riding boots, and Leah is permanently lending her red J.Crew jacket since she isn't taking it to Italy - cute outfit, especially with my navy and white striped boatneck sweater, cream wool scarf (which I am going to knit) and patchwork wool newsboy hat (I got it in Annapolis, imported from Ireland) no?

I also got a button down shirt in navy with polka-dots and ruffles on the collar. THAT was a bit pricey but, I liked it and didn't get anything else; sure, the sweaters were cheap, but I have so many J.Crew sweaters so I am just trying to change things up a bit. Plus, the shirt is quite versatile - I can wear it to class, and it jazzes up my suit.

But the one thing that I was REALLY happy about were my new shoes. I finally figured out who makes these ballet flats with a big gold disc on the front - Tory Burch (Reva ballerina flats). I went on the internet and screamed at the initial price - YIKES! - but then also discovered that she was going to open an outlet at Woodbury. In August. So, the question was, will it be open in time when I get there?

Yes! The shoes were not the ones in that photo - they are chocolate brown, with the gold disc. The shoes were not that much cheaper (by $30) but my mom liked them and I got some help as a gift. there was a girl on the train the other day and I pointed them out to my mom (speaking in Greek, however) and at first she thought they were a little too "bling" but on closer inspection, she did concede that they were cute. And I can dress them up too - what I like is that they are such a dark chocolate brown, they look almost black so they are nice, comfy flats to go with my suit. I think I will get these ballet flats (one pair like every three years, however!) from now on - comfy and very versatile. So many colors! but for now, start with the basics.

I am not going to wear them as often, especially since I will be going to class just twice week next semester; like I am really going to dress up to just go to the library. However, I will wear them this Friday; Mel and I were invited to a birthday party of his 2nd cousin's daughter. It's her 18th birthday and in the Philippino culture, 18 is a very big deal, just like the Quincanera for Hispanic 15 year olds and Sweet 16's.

All in all a very good day. I also got Mel two pairs of dress pants and a pair of jeans. One pair of dress pants were in pinstripe; he has never had pinstripe, but I got them since I liked them and they suit him nicely.

Today, aunt and uncle went with my mom to Chinatown, then Union Square, and I stayed behind. Now, I am off to go place 20 books for sale on half.com; I forgot to mention that my first weekend back, I purged my desk and bookcase of all the books I don't need anymore, and today I am going to purge my closet and dresser.

Knitting update: Almost done with the first ball of yarn - I might not be able to make it to knitting group this week because the relatives are here, but I need to figure out what happens after you finish your yarn and need to start with a new ball. Oh, and since I only learned the knit stitch, as Sasquoi pointed out, my mom's scarf with be mostly in garter stitch, with a bunch of other stitches for practice here and there.

We Now Returned to Your Regularly Scheduled Blogging

2007-08-14T10:02:00.000+09:00

There was a really stupid reason for why I have been on hiatus for more than a week:

I couldn't blog from my laptop. Ringo was resting for a week.

Never mind that my sister has her own laptop - it's password locked and she won't let me use it (it's a 12" PowerBook and her baby). Never mind that we have wireless in the house: I couldn't get my laptop onto it for some damn reason, and now my sister tried the EXACT same thing that I kept on doing it for a week and she got it. Pfft.

Never mind that my mom has her PC always on the net - I HATE using regular computers. Never mind that I can also use Mel's laptop, however from the hours of 9-12 (around that time) the internet is off limits, so he can trade from home.

I just simply want to use MY laptop. I am used to it. Other laptop users could probably relate.

So, roundup of what I have been doing:

1) Flight: TWENTY-FOUR HOURS of travel, literally from door to door. There was a delay in Detroit because of some strange weather system, otherwise, it would have just been 21 hours. I ended up spending $50 on books from the Borders in the NWA terminal, and picked up a fancy Lancome travel compact with eyeshadow, lipstick and blush and a two pack of Clinique Happy (parfum) from the duty free. Because I wasn't going international, I had to pay the taxes (since I couldn't get this stuff at Kansai due to the stupid rules on cosmetics) but the taxes were cheaper than NYC. Going to get another Lancome compact when I go back to Japan, the colors suit me really nicely, and I get a nice rosy glow with the blush, very fresh.

I JUST made it under the weight limit, but I still had to leave those 10 books behind. Meh. However, I can say that I am pretty seasoned traveler, to go 24 hours and not look completely horrible and gross. And, I beat the jet-lag demons: I stayed up the entire night before my flight, drinking coffee, chatting with Elisa and watching Grey's Anatomy, so I was right proper tired when I got on the plane, and promptly clonked out. I am able to sleep on planes. So no jet-lag whatsoever when I leanded in NYC which was great!

2) Last Week: Started making the rounds to see people. Had dinner with Fordham girls, and the rest of us are planning to go to the Beer Garden over here in Astoria, the last one in NYC. So the rest of the Fordham people will come there, since everyone hasn't been to the Beer Garden yet and want to go. Saw my mom's godson and his family, and have started to drink the frappes like no tomorrow. I promised Alisa I would bring back a shaker and the Nescafe for frappe in Japan.

3)Personal: Eyebrows threaded, hair cut, nails manicured and pedicured (Essie's Capri). My mom was at the salon when my sister and I got our cuts, and she likes me with the golden highlights, and I am going back to get a half head of highlights. With the postponement of the wedding, I chopped my hair, got bangs and asked my stylist to use a razor to cut my hair to give it more oomph. Got my Neutrogena face stuff and it all FEELS good. Had steak too!

4) Mel and Maria: I got a Trek bike! I think its a 2007 or 2006 Trek Hybrid 7200. Mel and I split the cost and it was my anniversary gift. It was our 7 and a half year anniversary this past Sunday, and we spent it riding our bikes to Astoria Park and had lunch. And enjoying the East River view. It looks sorta like this:

However, the black is in blue. At first, I really didn't like it, but then I listened to the bike guys there and they know what they are talking about - I am too big for a women's bike since I am 5'9". It's either a men's bike, or a 20" step-through for me. However, I really couldn't get my leg over the men's bikes and I couldn't afford the nice women's road bikes that come in more sizes (like the one Mel has) so I stuck with the 20" and I am glad I got it.

It's got seat and front-wheel suspension, BIG comfy seat, and flat-proof tires. I'm going to add a rack to it in the back with maybe a side or top-pack so I can put my bag in, a light for night; say if I end up in Cambridge or Princeton, I can zip around like I do in Kyoto (I already zip around in Astoria, but I still need to get a lock, but Astoria and NYC has alot of bike paths, and Central Park is closed to vehicles on the weekends. I am going to try to increase my endurance to get over the Queensboro Bridge to get to Central Park and not rely on the subway). Kinda hard to get on and off, because now it the proper way to do it - I need a lot of space to extend my legs, so I need a big bike. The guys at the shop were aghast at my height. Not really sure if I am into the real hard-core cycling yet - however I got into cycling because that's all I do to get around in Kyoto - but it's a pretty good start, since I am on a hybrid bike.

4) Misc: I learned how to knit! Well all I know now is how to do a long-tail cast on and the knit stitch; this week, I am going to learn garter and purl from the girls in the local knitting group here. I have started a scarf for my mother on size 13 needles with a dark lemony-yellow yarn that my mom chose for her scarf. However, I got a little to cast-on happy when I finally figured it out, so my mom's scarf is going to be like a mini baby blanket, but she doesn't mind. However, I might run out of yarn, unless they restock at the crafts store here. Now that I got the hang of it, I am going to get a nicer/thinner yarn than I have now, on maybe size 9 needles.

Have I started studying yet? NOOOOO. (^_~). And now?

My Aunt Stella and Uncle George (the ones who actually ended up visiting me back in October) are here right now; I am blogging from the back porch of my house. How nice! So they, with my mother and sister they are looking at Google Earth and her dorm in Rome. Tomorrow, I go to Woodbury Common Outlets - woot!

Why Being a Graduate Student Sucks, The Travel Edition

2007-08-02T16:30:00.000+09:00

At first, I thought Northwest Airlines was kidding me when I saw that the weight limit was 50lbs. It was always 75! Seriously!

Then Colleen told me in her email that they lowered the weight limit, then she had to pay at the airport.

Oh, $%*#.

I have PAPER. And BOOKS. And RESEARCH. For example, I don't need the conference proceedings from the conference back in December. My FIRST publication. I know I will never read those articles because I don't need to at the moment, but there is a lot of sentimental value - those two books have ISBNs. That means it pretty much like a real book. However, together, those two books are a total of over 1200 A4 size pages - they easily weigh at least 5lbs together, maybe 10? Paper weighs alot.

This is why being a graduate student sucks - you gather all the research that you need in the target country only to realize its a royal pain in the ass to send it through mail and utter hell if you go over the weight limit in the airport because obviously, no foundation or government will give you a first class ticket. Everyone goes through the same thing - tourists buy too many souveneirs for example, Greeks from Astoria pack everything but the kitchen sink to go to the mother country for the two to four month vacation (ah, the memories of Olympic Airways and JFK, seeing people unpack and repack at the ticket counter) - but damn, paper is heavy!!!

Ahh...soooo annoying. You get all this research and you need to bring it home and the only recourse to action is to mail it. But I think at this point, after looking more carefully on NWA's policy for overweight luggage and printing out with me, I might as well just keep some of the books and either toss them (Japanese textbooks) or put them through the mail. And what sucks even more is that USPS changed their policies regarding low-cost freight out of Japan, which is a problem amongst many academics both in and out of Japan - I got the petition to restore the service via the H-Japan list serv email. And the Japan postal system isn't cheap either.

I already took out two Japanese textbooks (but frankly I don't need them, I might just chuck them in the garbage, but for now they stay in the bookcase) - I don't need my paper dictionary or my paper kanji dictionary anymore since I have the electronic dictionary for my Nintendo. I MIGHT take out the regular paper dictionary (since its like 5lbs) and chuck it when I leave Japan for good, because by that time I will have my real hard-core denshi jisho. But for now, the kanji dictionary goes home.

And then there are the clothes! I have a winter coat and a jacket to bring back...bah. So frustrating, but its the books that make things so darn heavy. Need to REPACK. Blah. However, everything else regarding prep (printing boarding pass, checking in online, returning rest of library books, etc. etc. is done)

Now, I am REALLY hoping Mel comes in March with the two empty suitcases (he travels light, I plan to use his weight allowance and he wants to come to Japan) to help me move back. I just checked with JAL (which will be the way I go home in March because the Japanese government pays for it and the weight limit is still at 70lbs thank god!)

UPDATE: Finished packing. Since I got rid of like 10 books and took out one Kate Spade bag (figured I should keep a nice bag here, though I am returning with my green KS bag), I had to repack AGAIN into my medium sized suitcase. But thats ok - when I went to Korea, I used said medium suitcase and the weight was 18 kilos. So I *think* the weight will be fine.

I hope.

She's Making a List, and Checking it Twice

2007-08-01T15:58:00.000+09:00

Exchanged yen into dollars: Check (with tears, the exchange rate is so bad right now)
Made sure my passport still has that stupid re-entry sticker: Check
Returned library books: Check
Signed for scholarship: Check
Made reservation for taxi to take me to airport and to return in September: Check
Packed: Half-check
On-line check-in: Check for tomorrow

Laundry: No check
Cleaned apartment: No check

Doing that when? RIGHT NOW.

A Cacaphony of Cicadas

2007-07-30T15:27:00.000+09:00

So, due to the fact that it IS summer vacation and I do need a break after the craziness of the semester and trying to not have jetlag when I get home, I have been sleeping in till about 12pm. The latest was 2pm. Trust me, I am not normally like this; I think today is the last day that I sleep in late since tomorrow I am going for cake with Emi, Wednesday I need to go to Rits to sign for my scholarship and I plan to play tourist for a day on the 1-day bus pass and Thursday I need to pack and clean. However, that doesn't mean I am going to wake up at the crack of dawn.

Not unless the cicadas have anything to say about it.

Rainy season ended last week and I have been enjoying the sunshine either at the Kamo River or out on my teeny tiny balcony. However, the fact that it is now summer for real also brings along the cicadas. And their singing. I have heard about the cicadas; even thought I heard them at the start of rainy season as I rode my bike along the Kamo, but let me tell you, cicadas are bloody noisy. I was lolling away this afternoon trying to read Harry Potter in Japanese with the door to my balcony open; it wasn't stifling, but still hot and I didn't want to use my A/C (which because I am on the top floor of my building and heat rises and I do not get much of a breeze I have been using almost all the time). Every morning, I wake before my alarm say around 6am (I set my alarm for 9:30, not like that was happening these days) due to those damn cicadas. My ears actually ring when they stop making those sounds because it is all of a sudden so quiet.

However, there are a bunch of trees right behind my building and my balcony opens to those trees - the sound of the cicadas got so loud I was getting a headache. So I closed my balcony door; as I did a cicada flew away from the doorjamb and I jumped - those things are big!

Now, I have my Grey's Anatomy playlist blasting out of my iTunes so as to drown out the noise, which isn't working, really. Speaking of which, I should finish downloading the songs off Season 2, since I am done with Season 3. And make some more playlists, provided that my crappy 15gb iPod will survive the flight (highly doubt it, unless its plugged into my laptop).

T-Minus 4 Days

2007-07-29T21:43:00.001+09:00

Four more days till I hop on that plane on the artificial island known as Kansai Airport and return to Nueva Yorka!!! Bah, can't it come any faster?

I leave this Friday, but I say 4 days because my flight is at 1pm, and with getting to the airport (2 hours) and needing to give extra time for traffic and check-in, I need to leave my apartment by 8:30am so that I do not panic while on the shuttle bus. Going to cost me 4000yen to get to the airport, but the MK Sky Gate Shuttle is worth every penny, and every lack of hassle that I don't have.

Get to see my girlfriends next week for Happy Hour and there are soo many things to do:

1) Get a tan
2) Go to Greenport
3) Attend Astoria Crafty Knitty at FreezePeach for (FREE!) knitting lessons
4) Eat GREEK FOOD
5) Go to the cafes, Bohemian Hall Beer Garden, Water Taxi Beach
6) SoHo! Time Warner Center! Whole Foods! J.Crew! 'Nuff said!
7) Cycle with Mel
8) Go to Fordham and start prepping for grad school apps
9) See friends
10) Oh yeah, study too.

A month is not enough!

The City of a Thousand Shrines

2007-07-27T15:23:00.000+09:00

Kyoto is known as "the city of a thousand shrines" because well literally, there are most likely more than one thousand shrines. You have the circus that is known as Heian Jingu (seriously, don't get me started on that one, especially after this semester) then the really famous ones like Fushimi Inari, then the local ones like the one near me Yoshida Jinja that is actually famous for Setsubun. THEN you have the little itty bitty ones that dot the streets, and the ones that are still around the shopping areas - though I have seen more temples around Shijo than shrines, because the shopping arcade Teramachi literally means "temple town" - back in the day, that road (which is now a shopping arcade) was populated with temples.

I forgot to say that on the day I was accosted by two men, I went to Shimogamo Jinja afterwards. Every time I ride the 102 tourist express bus across the Imadegawa bridge, I always hear about this shrine. Turns out, it's famous for its association with the Aoi Matsuri - another parade, but this is from way back in the day. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to see it, but it's sorta like Jidai Matsuri, so I know I am not missing out. Try the Heian Period, which was in the 10th-11th centuries. (Hmm speaking of Heian Period...I really need to finish The Tale of Genji, it's quite pathetic when you have three versions of it, and you haven't finished the whole thing. Don't even ask me if I am going to try that sucker in Japanese, that is going to be after I read all the other stuff - mega hard.)

I liked Shimogamo Jinja alot. I have to admit, I think I am a bit shrined and templed out; they are all starting to look the same. However, the atmosphere surrounding Shimagamo was different. It is a World Heritage Site so that would mean a helluva lot of tourists, but it's sorta in the middle of the forest that is in the Kamo River Delta, so a bit off the beaten path, if you will. Still, it was easy to get to; I had brought my guidebook with me just in case, but turns out I didn't need it. Unlike the circus say at Kinkakuji, or even Heian Jingu, Shimogamo was quiet. The forest around it is also like a little park, so you saw people walking dogs. After the Shiba (I want that dog!), Corgi's are really popular.

I noticed that they were prepping for maybe a festival; I wasn't sure, so I asked one of the shrine maidens manning the little shops - there is going to be a matsuri from July 27-30. It starts today, but maybe I will check it out tomorrow. Going to karaoke tonight.

PS. Unfortunately, Ingram and I didn't end up eating okonomiyaki because the place is closed on Tuesdays. Had pretty good Italian food instead at a restaurant in OPA on Shijo.

The Art of Being Slovenly

2007-07-26T19:32:00.000+09:00

In my opinion, everyone has their own way of being slovenly. I once wrote last summer that when there is no school, my desk just turns into an utter disaster. Now then, my definition of disaster appears to be quite relative; in London, and here, whoever walks into my room/apartment and sees it is astonished at the neatness. But for me, that is not neat. In the summer, I usually have things just stacked on one another - I may be organized, but my one flaw is that I tend to either stuff or stack, leading to a big mess in my opinion.

So, the same thing has happened again. It's a vicious cycle. My bookcase (if you can call the cabinet above my bed that has my books) is actually in pretty good condition as is the clothes cabinet - just things are a bit out of place. It gets to a point where it just irks me. So because I was really bored, I started to pack. A week ahead.

This flight around, I am bringing an extra suitcase of just well, crap. I have mentioned this before, but when you see all the crap that I have just made a list of actually right in front of you, it's alot. Yikes! Extra Japanese textbooks (I have ten, including JLPT but those stay with me), the ReEA Conference proceedings, bento boxes, my yukata, clothes I don't need, all the pottery and Starbucks mugs, my old paper dictionary, my paper kanji dictionary, kanji flashcards and just well alot of paper and books. And some clothes I don't need anymore and my peacoat - I have my Northface, two coats is excessive and I will have my sister's cute J.Crew jacket for days when I feel girly. Speaking of which, I am also brining back two of my three light jackets, and my sisters A&F bomber. I really need to just get rid of a lot of stuff, especially stuff that is a bit extraneous (like skirts and dresses, I really don't wear my spring dresses in the winter, and as a student I really doubt I will dress up alot).

So I filled up the little suitcase, which is an extra and I have to bring back regardless. I figured I might as well take full advantage of the 35 kilo per suitcase (o DRAT, I just checked Northwest Airlines, I'm only allowed 50lbs per suitcase!) weight limit. However, I filled up that suitcase with books :::cringe::: I MIGHT have to just re-pack so I can distribute the weight of the books. That little suitcase is DAMN heavy. But it's good to see all that extra crap away, so that my apartment doesn't feel so cluttered.

I pretty much got into packing mode not because stuff is all over the place in my apartment, but also I went shopping today. Again, I really didn't intend on it, but I did. But I am justified! When you find things that fit in JAPAN and ON SALE you do not pass it up! I got 6 shirts for 6000yen at this shop called Lowry's Farm and they are all cool. Four of them are the same style but in different colors - and one is bright fire engine red so I think that's awesome. I also got Mel's little sister a birthday gift - an umbrella that is sky blue with brown swiss dots and the curved handle. I would take a picture of it, but it's wrapped. People may think that umbrellas are an odd gift, but that is not the case with Japanese umbrellas. They are damn cool. And another Liberty handkerchief/head scarf from Takashimaya for 315yen. The sales are still going on.

Before I went shopping, I went to Rue-Ergo for lunch/brunch (I woke up at 12pm today). Unfortunately, on my way there, I was accosted once again. And this time, it was at a stoplight; I was on the bike, with sunglasses and iPod on. I had my head scarf on so my hair was back; you could obviously see that I was listening to my iPod - I really blast the music so that I don't have to hear those damn election trucks (they are BAAACK! Elections are this Sunday). So this guy comes up to me and starts talking; I totally ignore him, and he just keeps on trying to get my attention. Asshole. When the light turned green, I pretended that I had a message on my cell phone so that he would speed off first; NO WAY in hell was I going to let him see where I was going. Seriously, I am not amused. But I just brushed it off; and kept an eye on the guy riding ahead of me, should he stop again.

He looked sleazy, just coming up to me on his bike and talking to me WHEN I HAVE MY IPOD ON! GET A CLUE! Seriously! This is more in exasperation as opposed to anger; really these guys are so clueless - back in NYC, having your iPod/any sort of headphones in your ears is a clear sign to not go up to the person. Jeez!

In other news, I do have some happy news - I am going to get free knitting lessons! I found this forum for Astoria, the town in NYC that I live in and just asked about knitting. Turns out there is a cafe right on Ditmars (I would have to take the bus since I am further up, but since it's summer, I am going to go by bike, I still have my old one circa junior high school and Mel is promising me that he is going to fix it) that hosts a knitting/craft circle. Knitting! For free! In Astoria!

I think I am going to bring a box of nama-yatsuhashi (the sweet special to Kyoto) as a little thank-you maybe, since the leesons are free and share them with the group. Any thoughts on that? It's nothing really big; a decent sized box goes for about 800yen and make good souveneirs, I can pick them up at the airport too. They come in all awesome flavors; since it's summer, I am going to get all the citrusy ones, like peach, mango, strawberry (and get some for myself!)

NOT *&%$^! FAIR

2007-07-25T19:36:00.000+09:00

(Warning: Regular scheduled blogging has been interrupted. The sarcastic levels are at full blast and the caustic levels are sky high. I am pissed.)

Today I went to the Kamo River to enjoy the sun and read my book. I brought two books with me - the Japanese Outlander and Under the Tuscan Sun. Only when I arrived at the river did I realize I forgot the Japanese dictionary for my DS; as close to the river as I am, I wasn't up for going back just to get the cartrige. So I read as much as I could, and switched over to the English book.

I have become a bit wary of reading books in English in public, unless I am at a cafe other than Starbucks. At Starbucks you can easily move about, so to speak, whereas at a cafe you sit in the place that the waitress tells you to and that's it. I make this distinction because it was at Starbucks where a strange man just sat down right next to me and started to speak to me. Then the next day, when I was at the Kamo River, a younger guy walking a dog came up to me and tried to talk to me. They see the English and see that I am an English speaker.

Twice, I was able to prevent anything going further because I pretended that I didn't speak English: back in December and last week. The guy last week even asked me if I was an English teacher. I just walked off. I couldn't even find a nice quiet place to sit in the area where that guy was just because he was there and I didn't want him to pester me. It is REALLY annoying, and has become to the point where I feel I cannot go to a park or the river anymore.

Ah yes, it's another story of where middle-aged men come up to Maria - "Look, foreigner with light skin and light hair!" Really, THANK GOD it was a sunny day today so that I wore my sunglasses; just IMAGINE if they saw the color of my eyes! Then FOR SURE, they would really go gaga. I am SICK of it.

I read English books and they come up to me for English practice. I read Japanese books and they are SO AMAZED that they come up to me to speak to me in Japanese. Of course, I look TOTALLY harmless - young, Caucasian female all alone and just reading a book.

I have mentioned more than once that across the Kamo River, there are these stepping stones. Well, the day as hot and the tide was low and everyone else was doing it, so I went to the stones, plopped myself down and stuck my feet in the river and continued to read Under the Tuscan Sun. The water was cool and I was enjoying the day. People were crossing behind me to get to the other stones but that was alright.

I felt someone pass by me; out of the corner of my eye, I saw a white polo and navy blue trousers. At the stone right next to me, the man stopped, turneed around and knelt RIGHT NEXT to me and started to talk to me - he asked if I spoke Japanese. I knew I was caught between a rock and a hard place right there - I couldn't say that I didn't speak Japanese because then I would bet you my scholarship the guy would start speaking to me in English. I THEN can't say that I am not an English speaker, because I have an English book in my hands - the other two times, I was just walking and obviously, no one walks while reading.

So, I just muttered "yes" and turned back to my book. I was ready to pick up and go, but that would show that I was uncomfortable. Frankly, I do not care if I am downright rude to these men; I will just blatantly ignore them if it gets it through their thick skulls that I am not to be spoken to, and just "FARK THE BLOODY HELL OFF". Even when I have my iPod on they still come up to me. So I turned back to my book without saying anything other than a very almost inaudible "Yes." The man walked off. He was too smiley when he saw me, it creeped me out.

Later, another man crosses the stones - he takes a look at me, starts muttering stuff at me and when I don't reciprocate, he jut walks past me, starts muttering even louder as he turned around and directed the muttering at me. I had enough. After he left, I dried my feet off and left. They totally ruined my day and I was now again wary of other people coming up to me - two already! And in the space of 10 minutes.

My point is that middle-aged men are coming up to me in Starbucks, at the Kamo River and I get no peace whatsoever; I am all too aware that I stick out from here to kingdom come and I don't need to feel like I am being watched or am a target. IT'S NOT FAIR - people would say that this is one of the things about Japan but when it makes you nervous then it's not fun. It's not fun how I cannot enjoy the Kamo River like everyone else because of the way I look and what I read, unless I am with one other person.

Granted most of the time it is probably harmless, but better to be safe than sorry. People could think that I am overreacting - "Maria! You grew up in NYC!" - but I am by myself here; as a male friend pointed out when I told him this: "Yeah I do meet a lot of people that way [just running into people] but its different for a girl." At least I am keeping all the alarm bells in my head but still I am quite sick of it, and very glad I am going home next week. I really do need a break more than ever.

People can say that I can cover my book - I even have a Japanese book cover for my Japanese novels, but I think that no matter what precautions I take, it still won't happen. Tomorrow, I am going to go to Bon-Bon, have an iced coffee for 300yen and hopefully enjoy the sight of the Kamo River from there.

Anata mo Atashi mo POCKY!

2007-07-25T01:18:00.000+09:00

That is the slogan for the Pocky commercials in Japan. You could say that it literally means, "You and me - POCKY!" or rather, "You and I [want] POCKY!" Something like that. Pocky are these little sticks covered with flavors; some are even specific to the season and the region - for example, Kyoto has some special matcha flavors. I like the Tahitian Vanilla and Cocounut as of late. You can get them in Asian food stores back in the States; I'm lucky in that Hong Kong Supermarket has one whole section filled with the million flavors of Pocky.

This particular commercial below strikes my fancy: the little kid is adorable, and its cool how it's a total traditional setting, pounding out the black sesame (Kurogoma - that's the flavor Pocky they are advertising in this commercial, I've had the ice cream in Kii-katsura).

Below, we have high school commercials - this one is for the "giri-choco" that girls give to guys they like on Valentine's Day. If you pay close attention to the music, it's the same tune as in the previous commercial. It kicks ass. Poor girl; she likes the guy so much her giri-choco practically knocks him over! :::sigh::: high school :::sigh:::

This last one is the most recent set of commercials, featuring Morning Musume, a famous J-pop group. The name literally means "Morning Daughter(s)" (there is no distinction of singular and plural most of the time in Japanese).

(PS. This is what you do when you can't sleep - you watch Japanese commercials on YouTube).

Putt, Putt

2007-07-24T17:32:00.000+09:00

So on my first day of summer vacation I did the following:

1) Woke up at 11am.
2) Spoke with mom, then Leah on Skype, took shower and dissected Harry Potter with Leah; spoke about Venice Carnivale and possible trip to Antiparos in Greece for her fall break (LUCKY!).
3) Realized at 12:30 that I had not eaten anything yet and had no milk or sugar for my coffee so I went to QQ Shop for a quick grocery trip.
4) Made salad for lunch; finished downloading all the songs from Grey's Anatomy Season 3.
5) Began to hack at excess photos on my hard drive; re-organized and fixed iPhoto so that I do not hate it so much (I still find it sorta confusing, but now I think I have it figured out, so that I just don't have a whole lotta photos and lack of organization).
6) Between the hours of 5:42 and 6:55, try to read Outlander in Japanese, and do a whole lotta nothing.
7) Dinner with Ingram for okonomiyaki at 7:00pm.

Alot of puttering about, especially on my computer. I had been meaning to fix my iPhoto and get rid of alot of photos that are just excessive (say three photos of the same thing) or out of focus. Out of about 2000 photos, I ended up deleting/hacking at 200.

In other news, for the past two days it's been sunny and HOT. According to the weather authorites, rainy season is over. And just in time too - I can have a week and a half to go out and enjoy the sun. It's 5:30pm and because the sky is so clear I don't have to turn on the light in my apartment.

In rainy season, I had to around this time because my windows face east so I would begin to lose what little light there was at around 4-ish. Downside is, I get the sun BLARING into my apartment like I said before at 7am, so it takes a bit more effort to sleep in. But I might not do that tomorrow, I want to check out Shimogamo Jinja which is near me and a World Heritage site. I've some sightseeing to catch up on, and I want to do some of it this week because next week, I'm going to give myself a head start of JLPT studying.

Putt, putt.

As George Michael Said, "FREEDOM!"

2007-07-23T15:51:00.000+09:00

DONE! FREE! OWATTA!

SUMMER IS FINALLY HERE!

And to top it all off, it was a PERFECT day. Well the day is still going - its only 3:51pm here as I type this, but the last test is DONE! The sky is clear, blue with puffy white clouds, the Kamo River isn't overflowing, so people are in the river, it's not humid...but it is hot.

That's why I am back inside my shady apartment - the windows to the balcony face East, so from about 7am to 5pm, I have the sun blaring inside my apartment, which makes it hot. Today, I kept all my curtains closed, so as a result, it wasn't bloody stuffy in here.

After my test, I went down to Book-Off, the used bookstore (where the books are restored to newness) to see if they had Harry Potter. Unfortunately, the didn't have it in th 105yen section; they did have 1-4 in hardcover, but those were 1000yen, andI didn't want hardcover, I wanted paperback. At the 100yen shops, they have these nifty little box-bag things that you are supposed to put your manga series in, but I will get that before I go home to neatly transport all my Japanese novels. When I go back home, however, I will check out the Book-Off by the NYPL on 41st and Madison (yep they do have a branch in NYC! I got my first three Sailor Moon manga there, speaking of which, I need to complete my set) and see if they have the rest of the Harry Potters. The paperback price was originally 950yen, but I got it for 550. And it was the first one too so a nice way to start.

I was browsing again through the 105yen section when something caught my eye: Diana Gabadrudon. Huh? I pull it out - in the foreign section I pull or quickly look at the cover of the books as opposed to looking at the bindings since the titles and the authors are in katakana and just getting the cover is faster for me to understand the book - and on the cover underneath the Japanese title, it says: "Outlander by Diana Gabaldon."

OH MY GOD! THEY HAVE THE "OUTLANDER" SERIES IN JAPANESE!!! YOKATTA!!!

In case anyone doesn't know, the Outlander series is sorta in the romance genre, but not exactly the bodice-ripping sort of romance novel. I read one of those after I read Outlander back in 2002 when I was in Greece (my mom's cousin had the first three book) and I put it down in disugst; Outlander is much better. It's got your stereotypical Scottish hot guy in a kilt but the series is much smarter in the sense that it's not all about bodice ripping. That, and it gets better a it goes along; personally, I would choose Roger, Brianna's husband (olive skin, black hair, green eyes and 6'3") over Jamie (the red-head Scot who is Claire's husband and Brianna's dad) any day.

Seriously, if you do not have enough to read this summer, pick up the series. It gets better: each book is at least over 700 pages so for me as a fast and avid reader, that makes me happy. Thing is in Japan, longer books are cut up into smaller pieces; my copy of Memoirs of a Geisha is in two parts, and as Harry Potter goes along in the series, the book is cut up as well. Don't ask me why, but it's more for compactness (and maybe to make more money). I was able to find all parts of Outlander, but alas, not all were 105yen. The other two were 400yen each, so the whole thing was 950yen. In reality, it would have been 2,220 yen even in paperback. Yikes. No wonder places like Book-Off are so popular. However, they didn't have the other books - yet another reason to go to Book-Off in Manhattan. I took a look at the publication date: Outlander in Japanese came out in 2003 so maybe they don't even have all the books translated yet. Yikes.

Just did a check on Amazon Japan and they have up to Drums of Autumn...not bad. And they have a lot used, so I think I will get them from Amazon when I get back, just to have them and read at leisure. I did say I was going to get rid of all my English language books (o DRAT, I need to check if Book-Off had Pride & Prejudice!) and read Japanese novels for reading practice...

...Speaking of reading practice, after my test, my teacher (who was my old "homeroom teacher" back when I was in mandatory Japanese) said if I was going to come back next semester. I told her I didn't know if I was able to, but she said I was always welcome to take classes. WOO-HOO!!! I got her email address so that I can contact her at the beginning of the semester; if I can take Japanese at Kyodai for sure then I'm definitely going to do that as opposed to Rits, because the Kyodai classes are better.

So, after my heart attack and paying for the books, I went to the Kamo River in a bit of a dilemma: which to read first, Harry Potter or Outlander? I was in quite a pickle. In honor of Potter-palooza back home, I started with Harry Potter, and got maybe through one page. Now I am going to try out Outlander, but both will come home with me along with Girls Guide - now I am in the middle of god knows how many books! And in Japanese to boot. I should just start getting them from Amazon; especially Harry Potter because I want to keep all the covers in the series the same.

Now, I need to complete the Harry Potter and Outlander series and get Pride & Prejudice, and get more pretty book covers from the temple fair to cover and protect my books. I already have a cute one that I originally got for Memoirs of a Geisha, but now that I have more Japanese books, I am justified in getting pretty book covers.

Harii Pottaa, Sayuri and Densha Otoko

2007-07-22T11:33:00.000+09:00

Tomorrow after my test, I am going to go to Book-Off at Sanjo and see if they have the Harry Potter Series in the 100yen book section. Yep that's right, I can get books for 100yen. I got "The Joy Luck Club" - or was it "Memoirs of a Geisha"? - for just 100yen, which is less than a dollar. I love Book-Off; if only I can actually get through the novels. Memoirs of a Geisha is pretty tricky, especially since it uses geisha speak - hence, Harry Potter is more or less a children's book (my guess is by the time I get to 7 my Japanese will be pretty decent) so I hope the Japanese will be a bit better. My plan is to bring back home all of my English novels/fun reading books (not much, there are only three that I brought with me) and just read novels in Japanese. This is what I've got so far:

Breakfast at Tiffany's
The Girls Guide to Hunting and Fishing
The Joy Luck Club
Memoirs of a Geisha (in 2 parts, actually called "Sayuri" in Japan)

They ARE translated novels, simply because I don't know who are good writers in Japanese, save Soseki and Murakami. And, if I get stuck, I have read most of these books (save Breakfast at Tiffany's) in English so I can remember the part in English then puzzle out the meaning in Japanese. I really need to get my reading and listening up and get more out of the academic Japanese thing, so I am watching Japanese movies (some with, some without subtitles) and reading Japanese novels. Oh wait I DO have some actual Japanese novels back home that Maki gave me before she left for Chicago...now I have to add "Densha Otoko" to the list! Lotsa reading and studying for me this summer.

Maybe I'll surf around Amazon.jp and get some bestsellers if they have them at Book-Off before I leave Japan for good (there is a 100yen book section, and other books are like 700yen, they are used but practically brand new). Besides, it's really reading practice regardless. And I will have like 14+ Harry Potter books - they break longer books down into pieces because they like their books to be small and portable. I plan to read either Girls Guide or Joy Luck Club on the plane; Girls Guide is bigger in size so I might do that, easier to write in the readings of the kanji. I think I am going to start reading Girls Guide in earnest after my test, with Harii Pottaa if I can get it cheaply. If Book-Off has most of them in the 100yen section I am going to get as many as I can.

And in case you're wondering, "Harii Pottaa" is the romanized version of ハリーポッター
which is "Harry Potter" in Japanese. Oh man, all the spells and the names in Katakana are gonna KILL me.

My Attempts at Spellcasting are Misfiring

2007-07-21T22:37:00.000+09:00

So I got the infamous PDF file lurking on the net and read through the whole thing. But I think its bogus - its the whole book apparently in 398 pages, but in reality the book is 750+. Fishy. So I lose on that account...either the book was an early draft, or seriously abridged...or maybe the text for the abridged audiobook.

Which leads me to a uber Homer Simpson "DOH!" remark.

I could have just ordered and downloaded the book as an audiobook from iTunes. Or get it off Limewire, I'll bet its on there now. But I won't. Geez...I just checked iTunes now and it's not even available there.

Two more weeks, till I get my hands on the Potter. But I already know who dies for the most part.

I REALLY wish I had a wand now - I would totally Accio Mel's copy, but that hasn't even arrived by UPS yet at this time! He has his hands now on one of Leah's copies.

Potter-Palooza!!! Where's My Wand At?

2007-07-20T23:45:00.000+09:00

BAH!!!!

Seriously!

AAAHHH....

Libby got most of the deal down over at her blog, but seriously, the Potter is that important, I need to give my own 20yen (=2 cents) on the issue, 6000 miles away - or rather, at least 3000 miles from the closest bookstore in the United States.

I am buying into Potter-mania. Not only does my sister, Leah have her hands on the bittorrent file that is circulating throughout the web...

I COULD HAVE ORDERED THE AMERICAN VERSION FROM AMAZON JAPAN AND HAVE IT BEFORE EVERYONE ELSE!!!

I tried to not give into the Potter. But I cannot help it. Why, oh WHY did I not think of going to Amazon Japan? Boo. Fark, bloody, fark. Pfft.

Of course, I am not going to do it now, since between Mel and Leah there will be three copies - Leah gets two because she has two sets: first edition set and reading set. Good thing too - her number 4 is literally in more than 20 pieces because she read it so much...

...AAAHHH, I am going to KILL Elisa, she just told me RIGHT NOW that one of my favorite bands Lifehouse is going to be at the Borders in Time Warner Center for their Potter-palooza.

Seethe...seethe...

Must.Calm.Down.

It's just a damn book after all. But the whole Potter-palooza is so much fun! And I am missing out on it. How can I miss out on this when it's the final book?!?!?

Stupid tests. I can't even place an order on Amazon Japan right now because I have a test on Monday. And after that it's just pointless - I can wait.

But I'll bet that by the time I get home, I would have the book practically read to me - but then after my test, I can read the first 498 pages guilt-free via that torrent file. I KNOW that is really bad of me, but I am in dire straights here! If I am going to have the end ruined for me within the next 72 hours, I might as well read the first 2/3 of it, even through illegal channels. What people will do for the Potter.

And now, Mel really sucks. He is finishing work for the day at 11am, and going downtown to check on the "festivities" for Potter. Apparently, there is a triple-decker purple Knight Bus at the Scholastic store in SoHo. He isn't going to midnight Potter-palooza but getting it from Amazon. Leah is getting one copy from B&N, and her "first edition" copy from Books of Wonder, an independent children's bookstore, where she will get her number 7 and number 3 signed by Mary GrandPre, the book cover illustrator. Back in 2005, she was in Florida at #6 Potter-palooza, but Mel and I got #4,5 & 6 signed for her since she was absentee.

See what a good elder sister and future brother-in-law we are? And what do I get now? Mel at least gets his hands on the book by 10am (or its free according to Amazon), I get spoilers, illegal torrents, no party and in the words of my Auntie Sophie, "Bupkis!"

And then Mel will be laughing at me over Skype, teasing me about what will happen; and then when I find out what does happen, Leah and I will go into "deep discussion" over the subject matter, and then I have to ask her even MORE questions on WTF happened because obviously I haven't read it yet. Case in point: I found her on Skype at 3am NYC time Friday morning and she told me about the torrent file. She was actually reading it - bad girl but I guess I could tell that she was really excited about it. We then got into conversation about R.A.B. and other interesting tidbit which I hadn't realized.

Pfft...I KNOW I could get it to read on the plane, but then my jet-lag would be horrible. I am just going to make Mel bring it to the airport so I can read it the minute I arrive. I can just imagine the scene:

Me: I missed you! :::hug::: Please tell me you brought the book, I need to finish it!

At least I will have the first 498 pages done. And I am a fast reader (I devour books practically); if there is traffic from Newark coming home, I can bet you I will have the next 100-200 pages done by the time I get home. To which I will say hello to my parents, Leah, hug the cats, and lock myself in my room and leave my luggage in the middle of the living room floor, jet lag or no jet lag.

Can't I just cast "Accio Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows"?

Because Procastination is Preferable to Studying

2007-07-17T20:30:00.001+09:00

Meme!

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Yes, my paternal grandmother. There are three "Maria's" in the family.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Maybe when I was homesick last.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? For a lefty, I am pretty proud of it. If I take my time, I write pretty nicely in Japanese.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE LUNCH MEAT? Prosciutto!

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? I want three.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Probably.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? I'm from NYC. Sarcasm is part of the local culture. (^_~).

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? I'm not too keen on having my vertebrae stretch then bounce back into place.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Olympic Cheerios (the triple flavor one that comes out during the Olympics), Corn Pops, Muesli, Raisin Bran, Honey Bunches of Oats, Rice Krispies, Plain Special K with fresh strawberries...I really miss American cereal.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? If they are sneakers, yes. Other than that, I don't wear shoes with ties.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Physically? Hell no. Mentally? I try to think that I am.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ICE CREAM? My dad's Mister Softee in vanilla, with cookie crunch. Mint Chocolate Chip. Gelato: Pistachio and Coffee

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? In Japan? If they have orange hair or not.

15. RED OR PINK? Either, but I would love to get a classic red polo from Ralph Lauren.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVOURITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? At this point? My eyebrows. No threading in Japan.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? Family and Mel.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? n/a

19. WHAT COLOUR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Dark Uniqlo jeans, bare feet - don't have slippers and its hell to pay if there are shoes worn in a Japanese house.

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Itaria-Don!

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? My mom puttering at the comp over Skype.

22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOUR WOULD YOU BE? Kelly Green

23. FAVOURITE SMELLS? Salvatore Feraggamo "Incanto Dream", gardenias, that Axe stuff that Mel uses.

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Talking to mom over Skype now.

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Saw it at Tulip Mom's blog.

26. FAVOURITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Baseball (boo to Yankees this season, however), rugby, soccer

27. HAIR COLOUR? Dark dirty blonde...wow, I just realized that all my blonde highlights are GONE.

28. EYE COLOUR? Blue-green

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Nope, but I did wear glasses at a time for therapy because I was a bit cross-eyed.

30. FAVOURITE FOOD? BIG, juicy steak...or rather that's the food I crave right now.

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy Endings

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Um...in the theatre? Don't remember (it's been that long). At home? Pride and Prejudice on DVD with Kiera Knightely.

33. WHAT COLOUR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Olive green.

34. SUMMER OR WINTER? FALL.

35. HUGS OR KISSES? both

37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? n/a

38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? n/a

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? I'm trying to finish "Memory and the Mediterranean" by Braudel

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Don't have a mouse.

41.WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? No tv.

42. FAVOURITE SOUND? falling rain

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? the Beatles

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Japan

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I play the koto, and can roll my eyes into the back of my head.

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Queens, NYC.

47. WHAT SUPERPOWER WOULD YOU LIKE? Hmm...don't think I would want one because they all bite you in the bum and backfire in the end.

Ladies & Gentelmen, I Give You...Itaria-Don

2007-07-17T19:39:00.000+09:00

It's fusion, I tell you, fusion! East-West fusion food is not just limited to fancy chefs on the Food Network and over-hip, hispter restaurants!

When one only has ONE stove-top burner, NO oven, a small grill and a rice cooker you either tend to get boring or creative.

Well, today marks the start of my creative streak. Behold!

The Cooking Technique: Asian Stir-Fry

The Cuisine Inspiration: Italian

The Presentation Inspiration: Japanese "Donburi" (something over rice)

The Main Ingredients: rice, chicken, olive oil, tomato, dried oregano, red wine vinegar and a bit of salt. (Don't ask me about amounts, but I did use 1 tomato and enough chicken for one person, so basic rule of thumb is 1 person gets one tomato and the rest is up to you.)

The Fusion Process:

1) Put rice in rice cooker - or cook rice however you cook it. I'm in Japan and Mel is Filipino, so rule of thumb in either Kyoto or NYC is rice cooker. Turn on.

2) Put olive oil into saucepan, and when hot, put chicken in. Put a lot of oregano (so that you can actually smell it, I like oregano, however to each their own, you can put whatever spice but I have oregano and basil on a regular basis). Start stir-frying on medium-low heat level. If you have too much olive oil drain a bit, but keep enough to prevent chicken from burning and to help make the sauce.

3) That's where the tomatoes come in. Dice them beforehand, and when the chicken is 99% done cooking, drop them in. Add more oregano, a bit of salt and red wine vinegar to your liking - its like stir-frying a chicken salad! (I came up with the red wine vinegar at the last minute, I like a little zing).

4) At this point, the juices in the tomato will make the stir-fry more like a boil/sautee - that's what happened to me, since I have a really small pan. Don't worry about it - FUSION! Keep boiling/sauteeing/stir-frying the whole lot (make sure there is liquid enough for some sauce, you don't want a dry pan) till the rice is done - purpose is to keep it all piping hot and to finish cooking hte chicken. But you don't want your tomatoes boiled into a pulp. Taste sauce, add more oregano, red wine vinegar, etc. to your liking.

5) Put rice in bowl, add stir-fry + sauce ON TOP of rice. This is important - putting it on top puts the "don" in "donburi." Mix as you like, to get the taste spread throughout the rice.

Presto! Some sort of twist on Italian food with a further Japanese twist! I call it "Itaria-don." In Japanese, "Italy" is "Itaria" so I just add "don" to indicate that this is a "donburi" or "something over rice." Yum, yum!

If there are leftovers, place in tupperware, put in fridge and select your favorite bento box for lunch the next day. Put the rice in the top part (with the tupperware-ish top) and the chicken/tomato stir fry in the bottom. Add some kalamata olives and warm feta cheese and it becomes..."Girisha-don." ("Greece" is "girisha.")

Hmm...need to get more chicken. And have to wait till I get home for the feta cheese.

THIS is Why NYC is (one of) the Best Cities on the Planet

2007-07-17T17:45:00.000+09:00

Seriously, this week's Metro Diary takes the cake!

***

Dear Diary:

Scene: Metro-North Railroad, 7:30 a.m. express to Grand Central Terminal.

Cast: Middle-aged man of ample belly.

Wardrobe notes: Wearing Marine Corps baseball cap adorned with additional U.S.M.C. pin and 9/11 World Trade Center pin. Large tattoo on forearm.

Action: Cross-stitching a newborn-baby-size bib with image of Looney Tunes’ Tasmanian Devil catching a baseball.

Domo, Makku Desu!!!

2007-07-16T08:52:00.000+09:00

Ok, I can't wait till later and I have alot of time on my hands this morning.

Behold! My latest favorite commericals (I actually like all of them, but I can't obviously put them all up, however, if you guys want I will since I got the ones with subtitles):

We Are Experiencing Technical Difficulties

2007-07-16T08:39:00.000+09:00

And I like to think myself as tech savvy!!

Guess I'm not, (^_~).

I think the problem with the video is fixed; I thought I could still link to it and have privacy settings on, but I guess not, so I switched it to Public and logged out of YouTube to check. It plays on my comp and Mel says it works on his, so I think the videos are ok now.

Sorry guys! :::kneels on floor, bows, forehead to floor:::

Severe form of Japanese apology, in case you didn't know - (^_~) - the lower the bow the more the apology. There is a great video on YouTube out there displaying the different forms of Japanese apology, called Dogeza:

This is I think from the same comedy duo that does the Japanese version of the Apple commercials in Japan - and they crack me up more than the American ones because of all the nuances. Next time, I'll get the videos with the subtitles in the bottom, now that I know how to embed video in blog!