It Really Does Take a Village

While I was at home today, I heard some odd noises in my carport, then Sparky started barking. Before I could get to the window to see what was up, I heard a little, weak voice at my door saying, "Sensei." That's teacher in Japanese, and it was one of my students who is about 7 years old. He said he had fallen on his way home from school and showed me his injuries on his hand and his knee. I had to look really close to see anything, but sure enough, in both places there was a little scratch; no blood, and the skin barely broken, but I sat him down with Sparky, ran to the back of the house for neosporin and bandaids, then fixed him up.

The reason this is such a cute story, though, is because his house is about 5 minutes from mine, but my house, I guess, was the first one where he knows someone, so he stopped here for a quick fix. Tim says this is the perfect example of how we are living the "It Takes a Village" life here. And this is the second time this has happened, although the last time, the girl really had fallen and cut herself. I really like that the kids feel so comfortable with us that they see us as being just another part of the community. You may all take that for granted, but as a foreigner here, we aren't always so welcome. At least the kids and their moms have embraced us.

Linda

Don't you love, love, love this time of year?

I am soooooo happy that fall is here. Right now, the sun is shining, the sky is crystal, the leaves are starting to turn, I am not sweating, and I feel energized.

On top of that, Halloween is almost here (my favorite holiday), I'm working on a haunted house for my English students (and loving it) and planning for the other events coming up. And except for the fact that I have a cold, I don't feel tired. IN fact, I feel like I could do more, more, more!!

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this time of year.

What do you think of David Letterman's situation?

What do you think of the scandal? I have always liked Letterman but thought the announcement was a bit weird. The audience obviously thought he was kidding. There hasn't been any mention of when he had sex with these women. I assume it was while he was married or it wouldn't be such a big deal. Or, maybe he pressured an employee(s) to have sex. The news reports seem to focus on the simple fact that there was sex. Anyone else think that's strange?

Sue

P.S. Last time I tried to post it appeared as someone else's post. Perhaps we're using the same password. I'm not listed as an author and don't know how to be.

So its September, what's on your list?

Ok, I admit it, I'm a list person- I have the big in my lifetime list, the this year list, the this week list and the today list. Oh, and of course, there are two sets of these lists- personal and business.
So my personal list (abridged somewhat lest I make you guys way too bored) for September through December.
1. Finish writing my online and face to face to classes for Wilmington University.
2. Lose 5 pounds- I've given up thinking I'll lose what I really need to lose, right now I'll settle for five freaking pounds.
3. Plan trip to Florida - bless my horse trimmers heart she and her husband are going to let Gerry and I use their Orlando, FL condo the week after Xmas and they are only going to charge us peanuts, so it will be a relaxing vacation that won't break the bank.
4. Ride, ride, ride - find more time to ride.
5. Figure out a way to do Xmas without spending three months getting ready- there has got to be an easier way, would love some ideas.
6. Try to carve out some time to spend in the studio- I've got so many ideas for new jewelry designs and no time to try executing them.

OK, ladies, that's my list, what's on yours?

Is Anybody Out There?

I can't believe the summer is almost over. And I can't believe how much has happened this summer--good and bad. In fact, I've thought about three times a week of things I wanted to write here, then didn't. I guess the rest of you are like that, too, huh? Well, now that summer is almost over and I'm getting back to a regular schedule of some sort, I'm going to try to post here more regularly.

For starters, here is how my August went.

1) Returned from the States on the 5th, said good bye to Tim on the 6th. Okay, maybe you all already know this kind of thing, but I'm slower than the rest of you. I really missed my husband this summer. Of course I've always loved Tim, but for the first time, I understand what people mean when a spouse dies and they say there is a hole in their lives as a result. In the 16 years of our marriage, Tim and I have never been separated for more than a day or two. It was weird Whenever something happened, he wasn't here to tell, when I read something of interest, he wasn't there to share it with, we didn't have our long discussions about politics or kids or work or whatever, he wasn't around to make us laugh, and he wasn't here to hook up the computer to the TV! There was literally something missing in my life, but it didn't have the permanency with it that a death or divorce would entail, so it was like being in limbo. And then, when he came back, everything just fit back into place. It was a real eye-opener for me.

2) I had another fight. This time with some jerk involved with Democrats Abroad. Maybe it was because of my trip home and all the emotions that went with going through some old papers that included the emails, memos and missives that Jeff and I sent back to each other, but when this guy with DAJ started acting like a jerk and making accusations, I just latched on and went after him. Maybe I over reacted, and quite honestly, most of you don't even know what I'm writing about, but the details don't matter, because the thing that bothers me is that I, once again, got involved in a fight/discussion with someone that was not that important. I always say that when someone (like Molly) always has similar relationship problems or recurring fights with someone, then that person should look to themselves to see how they are causing and/or contributing to the problem. Well, that means me, too. Tim always tells to be a duck, let it roll off, and that is a good philosophy, but when I feel something is unfair or just wrong, I can't do that. This guy wrote to a bunch of people insinuating that I and some other members involved in DAJ were acting unfair, undemocratically and unethically. It sounds like something that needed a response, and had he sent it to our membership, then it probably would have required a response. But it was to a small group of people, in the overall scheme of things, it wasn't that important, but at the time, I couldn't let it go. Not because I was offended or angry, but because it was just wrong and I hate passive aggressive people who insinuate and imply things and dirty a situation with negative, subtle undertones. I guess that is why I hate Molly so much. So the real question is, did I take out on that guy all the frustration and negative emotions that I brought back to Japan from my stay with Molly? The simple answer would be yes, but then since I often jump at the same bait, I'm not sure the answer is so simple. Anyway, maybe this is all a little too personal for this kind of blog, but thanks for letting rant/vent. You should have heard my internal discussions two weeks ago--they were NOT so reasonable or logical.

3) All kinds of weird things have happened to me this month. I got a weird, weird, weird, sexually suggestive email from a person who I admire and respect but who is a work contact, and I still don't know how to respond to this. I waited until Tim got home, but now I'm afraid to talk to Tim about it because he knows this person. I found out that a friend of mine, who broke his neck two years ago actually did it by crashing his head through the wall of his apartment and then he had to lay there, with his head in the wall and unable to call for help, for 26 hours until someone stopped by to see why he wasn't answering his phone. Another person who I don't know that well ask me for a lot of money. My leg still hurts...

4) Enough of the bad stuff. On the plus side, I soooooooo enjoyed seeing my friends again this summer. You all have a life full of each other and your dear friends, but it really meant so much to me to be able to spend time, even of only a few hours, with all of you. It's the thing that helped me get through all the other crap that happened while back home. Laura and I had a wonderful time together doing girly things, I started a new hobby of making beads I'm uploading pictures of them next time), and Laura and I are hooked on Project Runway. We saw Tim Gunn on the Daily Show a couple of weeks ago and checked out season 1. We just finished season 2 last night, and I don't know if we'll have time to watch anymore, but it was a fun thing for us to do together. And I was elected again to be Secretary of Democrats Abroad Japan. Those things don't have as much to write about, but they are the things that daily life is made up of, and the things that we'll remember much longer than the bad stuff.

Linda

Earthquakes and typhoons

I don't usually have long term trouble with jet lag, but I've been home now for a week and am still not sleeping properly. I've been waking up at 4/4:30 every day, and since I'm wide awake, I just get out of bed. Laura has been having a hard time falling to sleep, but the little devil sleeps until 9 or 10 in the morning.

So, since I've been home, we've had two earthquakes and a typhoon. The epicenter of one earthquake was just about 20 miles from our area so it was felt pretty strongly. Have any of you felt an earthquake? It is a weird feeling. I get a momentary rush of adrenalin, then depending on the strength of the quake, either sit still and wonder if I'm going to have to rush to a doorway or I immediately rush to a doorway. The kids always seem to be asleep when we experience a quake, so then I worry about whether I'll be able to get to them in the case of a severe quake. Yesterday, morning, I was sitting in my undies, so then I had the added worry about whether there were any clothes nearby to jump into in case the quake was severe. Anyway, all of that is the mental part. Then, it is a freaky feeling to have your house shaking. If you live in a high rise, I imagine it must be an awful feeling to see everything swaying so much. My legs get wobbly and stay that way for about a half hour after the quake stops. And my brain feels the same way after a short quake (yesterday's was about 20 seconds, the night before about 10) as it does after an afternoon of sailing. In other words, I feel like the ground is still moving.

Before I moved to Japan, I always wondered how people could live in a place that has such frequent quakes, where they know that it is inevitable that they will someday experience a big one. But now that we live here, I realize that you don't even think about it until it happens. I mean, we may think about the possibility of a quake when we put breakable items out on a shelf, or when moving furniture to make sure heavy things aren't over the bed or anything, but otherwise. I never think or worry about the possibility of a big quake. Even after the earthquakes, as soon as the physical symptoms disappear, I don't think of them anymore.

How about you all? For those of you who live in Japan, do you worry about them? Has anyone else experienced a big quake or natural disaster that upset you mentally and disturbed you physically?

Linda

Sorry to Be Absent

work on the wine bar and catering kitchen continue!

here- take a look at our new logo. We are going for art-deco 1920's-30's Japan.