Life is harried and hectic at the moment, but the writing bug has bitten and I feel like jotting down a word or two.
It's been a while since my last international move, so I'd forgotten how quickly things begin to happen the closer I get to D-day (departure day). There are so many people to see, work to finish, loose ends to tie up--loose ends I didn't even realize or remember that I had rear their ugly heads seemingly out of nowhere. Still, time marches on (faster and faster!) and in the meantime I'm running around like a chicken with its head cut off.
Only increasing the sense of hecticness is the fact that I moved twice in September, finally settling in with all my junk (where did all this stuff come from??) with my friend New, who kindly let me set up in his extra room. I've been there since Friday and will be there until my real Japan departure in November.
New and I counted it up last night that, all in, I have only about 20 days left in Japan--that's including these days before I leave and the 10 days I'll have when I get back from backpacking 26 days in SE Asia. That time is gonna fly...
Okay, I'm in official countdown mode. In a couple weeks, I'll be Bangkok bound. From there, I'll head immediately to Phnom Penh for a couple days and Siem Reap (Angkor Wat) for a couple more days. From there, back to BKK to catch a train to Vientiane for a couple more days. Then I'm planning a slow-boat up the Mekong (don't know how that's gonna work). Finally, cross back over into Thailand for some good food, good yoga, possibly an elephant sanctuary, and, of course, BEACH!
can.not.wait.
T-14.
I'll try to keep everyone posted via blog and/or Facebook. I might drop a line or two on twitter every once in a while too.
Okinawa is renowned for its beautiful beaches, spam, and ゴヤ (bitter melon). Based on my experience, it also needs to be renowned for its number of A&W Root Beer fast food joints--they're everywhere!
leonard 5th floor (a.k.a. the coolest floor) representin'
I went down there during rainy season, but we ended up with an entire weekend of beautiful weather. I stayed with two other Leonard Hall alums, college sweethearts who are now Mr. and Mrs.: Risa and Alex (a.k.a. Don Alejandro... it's what he tried to convince other people to call him in college, but somehow it just didn't catch on, though he claims no memory of this--feel free to chime in here, other AU folks). It was the first time for me to see Alex since college (couldn't believe it), but Risa and I have been in touch through the years in DC and NYC. We bond over our "Japanese-ness" (in big quotes in Japan) and suburbanness (Risa loves Irvine, my hometown). Alex and Risa's awesome family addition: Pochi. He and I had a special connection. I call him Pochito. He calls me the bringer of dirty laundry that apparently smells like the closest thing to heaven on Earth for dogs. What can I say? I'm the Pochito Whisperer.
risa strikes a pose by the seawall post-pedicure
Okinawa is awesome because it's like a mini-trip to America. Okay, admittedly, for many people, that's not so awesome, but for me, right now, Chili's, Target-esque and American supermarket shopping, awesome tropical white sand clear blue water beaches, and mani-pedi places that don't cost an arm, a leg, and two hair extensions, and no jet lag are all just what the doctor ordered. The main thing is that I get to stay with Risa and fam, so there's lots of reminiscing and the instant comfort you get when hanging out with friends who have known you since you were actually 18 (rather than just your mental age 18, which, of course, I still am).
Check out our pedis w/ hand-painted designs!
Even though it was rainy season, we ended up with good weather most of the time and got in a great day at the beach. And, because we wanted to be like the cool kids, we buried Alex in the sand. And we did it real classy like, giving him sand boobs and rock nipples.
alex in his sandy repose
All this to say, it was great and I loved it... so much, that I'm heading there again this weekend!
It sounds/feels like something you say in AA, "one day at a time," blah blah blah. I guess that's how we get through it all anyway, right? One step in front of the other, put your pants on one leg at a time. Part of the problem these days is that I'm living for the weekends, just trying to make it Monday through Friday, one day at a time, and then all of a sudden it's Monday again. Whatever the next step, next chapter is, it's gonna be motherf$^#%#&$*$g exciting, because this day in, day out drone life is not what humans were put on this Earth to do.
To that, I say, DJ, blow my speakers up 'cause tonight I'm gonna fight still I see the sunlight. (Okay, this may be the most obnoxious and weird song ever if you actually listen to the words and how she pronounces them--major valley girl alert--but it's got the energy I need to make it through the final hours of drone time this week.)
I've got at least 5 posts in the line up, just waiting, wanting, to be finished. Alas, I think I'm in dirty dish territory right now and that prevents me from being productive. If I still lived on my own and so had no one else to be accountable to, I'd be eating Ghetto Risotto for dinner probably almost every night. As it is, I've got a roommate and it's hot out, so lately I've either been eating out or just eating lemon ices for dinner.
This post is at least something. One down, 5 to go (and counting, I just found another old one from eons ago while I was digging around for some links... :/ ).
In the meantime, trying to get energized with this #dancewin song (the actual video though is kinda lame-o, sorry). I've listened to this song at least 10 times today and hum-danced in the bathroom at my office (#luckilynoonesawme).
The winter seemed like it was going to last for.ev.er.
Growing up in Southern California, I dreamed of leaves changing in the fall and snowy Christmases in winter and bird-chirping spring days. "The weather is so boring here," I'd always complain. This winter is what the kids like to call "karma, bitch." It lasted forever, was miserable and cold and rainy, and seemed neverending. There was snow in April, April!
chigasaki fireworks on the beach
Now the heat is on in Tokyo and it is not kidding around. It seems like it must be record temps every day and guess what... I'm loving it! Yeah it's hot and I have to do laundry like 5 times a week, but I've figured out that as much as I love leaves that change color and snow, I like that stuff in small doses (like other people's kids). I even realized that this may need to be something I factor in as I look for grad schools. I can't imagine trying to be productive and smart and thinking about my electricity bill because I've been blasting the heat to 30 degrees Celsius so I can walk around in shorts and a tank top like it's a California winter. I know, I'm weak. What can I say?
long tail boat and coral beach at long beach, thailand
Last summer, I was enthralled and infatuated with the house my friends and I shared in Chigasaki (I wrote about it here). This summer, there's been no such regular escape from city life. But there has been a relaxing and productive weekend getaway to Okinawa, a fantastic trip to Thailand, and some great days at Chigasaki beach, including fireworks this weekend. Yesterday, I got a surprise last minute invite to Summer Sonic, where Mr. Stevie Wonder helped soothe my winter blues and helped me enjoy the heavy humid Tokyo summer heat.
a fierce pedicure and beautiful beaches in okinawa
marianne and me at summer sonice (that's a tribe called quest in the background)
