dating someone younger makes me feel older.
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One thing that I love about living in japan is the amusing use of english that appears in some of the most unexpected places. Yes, the grammar is often perplexing at best. But what I really like is what they try to convey…usually something involving being happy, sunshine, hopping, clouds, friends, smiling, free time…even this toothpick holder has many good friends. I’m glad. I bet I know some of them. I imagine a little world of little objects and little food items wandering around speaking endearingly cute, bad english together. Kind of like the elves that make shoes at night.
Japan makes me sick.
Typically I only get sick once a year. I mean really sick. I do tend to have chronic allergies, but manage to avoid any serious sinus infections. In the past month and a half I have been to the doctor 5 times. That shit is crazy. I never get sick this often and so relentlessly. Even though I’m currently battling with a mere sinus infection (and potentially pink eye) the fact that it follows bronchitis and one mean ear infection just pisses me off. I went to Disney Sea this weekend and being sick just really made it not so fantastic. (It didn’t help that the rides were slightly pathetic. But it was immaculately clean. And I had my first soft taco in seven months.) To be honest, I know it’s not Japan that’s making me sick. I blame the children. Especially the 3-5 year olds. Little bastards straight up cough in my face. Pick their nose and then try to give me a high-five. I wash my hands like a maniac but it is not enough. And i think my heater is toxic. Despite this rant, i still love living here. And i dig the whole affordable health care part. Even if they don’t wear gloves or wash their hands between patients.
Otitis Media. Inner Ear Infection. Usually common among babies and young children. Thank god I never got one of these at that age because I was a WUSS. I guess I’m still a wuss. The first night it hurt so bad I just cried all night. Mainly because I was really tired and knew I had to, somehow, work the next day. Two visits to the doctor, and many weird Japanese medical tools and procedures later, there’s talk of slicing open my eardrum(s). I really hope it doesn’t come to that. I’m so ready to be healthy again. Going to the doctor here really is very, very different. They do not wear plastic gloves. And you watch everyone else go through all of the examinations and strange procedures. and treatments. After they tried (unsuccessfully) to unclog my ears via my nose, I was directed to a table with what looked like 40 year old headphones. Only these headphones had heating lamps in side. I held them up to my ears for 5 minutes. uh…ok.
Crawl under a rock.
So this weekend began full of promise. On Saturday there was a Halloween party. It was the kind of evening that starts off incredibly well, incredibly fun, and then just goes awry. In many ways, I got what I had been asking for, so perhaps in the future I will be more specific. It was the kind of night that serves as an awakening…I’m too old for this shit. The kind of night after which you wake up and ask, did that really happen. oh god. it did. But in sense, I guess it’s good. It will force me to pay closer attention. to everything.
Aside from early Sunday morning and its aftermath, it was a good weekend. Sunday night was lovely. Good friends. And today I bought the camera. My camera. That I have been talking about buying for nearly a year. I hope to be as productive with it as I imagine.
Tonight I am still recovering. Nursing aches and pains, bruises, and a sore throat. I am definitely no longer a smoker. I think this nearly compensates for my actions this weekend.
This is from our camping trip about a month ago. It was a very quiet and peaceful occasion. We arrived at the site around midnight. After setting up camp we sat around a campfire on the beach. Nearby was this giant mess of rope.
The next day we didn’t talk much. Mostly just slept on the sand. The beach was deserted save for the hawks. There had been an announcement over the loud speakers to beware of the hawks. They have sharp claws and beaks. They will try to snatch your snacks. I was watching a hawk perched on the rocks, eating an apple. I imagined myself standing, arms outstretched, holding my apple for this hawk. In my mind she would swoop down and take it from my hand. But I told myself that she probably wouldn’t really catch on to what I was trying to do. I finished my apple, laid down, and closed my eyes. Listened to the waves. After awhile, I was abruptly disturbed by the sensation of said hawk swooping over my body. There might have been a centimeter between us. My apple core was in her claws. I immediately regretted not giving into my fantasy, but couldn’t help but be excited by they fact that in a way, it was realized.
thunder and trucks.
I experienced my first thunderstorm in Japan today. It has rained fairly often since I’ve been here, but no thunderstorms. At first, I didn’t even know what was happening. It was SO loud and kind of unlike anything i’ve heard before. For about a 30 seconds i thought-this is an earthquake, i can hear it coming-but then it stopped and i was just confused. My apartment faces a main street with a trolley line. While the trollies are loud they don’t really bother me. But sometimes, when I’m not entirely asleep a truck will pass. As i lie there, the sound from these trucks creates an image of trucks that are two stories high. Trucks with teeth hell-bent towards their destination. Tonight the thunder was much louder and menacing than my half-awake imaginary giants. I was genuinely confused. After about 5 minutes of listening for the sound again i finally got up and looked out my window. It was raining. Only thunder. Almost disappointing. Yet, even once i knew it was thunder, with each strike of lightning followed a sound that continued to amaze me. In the southwest each clap of thunder kind of crackles. They have sharp edges. Tonight it was more of a roar, a vibration. (Is it because i’m near the sea?) Unfortunately it was short-lived.
I love thunderstorms. Growing up, my dad and I would sit the porch and just watch the sky. To this day the first thing I do when I see lightning is open the windows or go outside. I’m looking forward to more.
