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.
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.
..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."
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.
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.
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.
