Strange days

I wrote a blog about all my woes a few days ago, only to have the computer freeze on me when I went to post it. Was that a sign? I'm not sure. Anyway, lets just say my circumstances have certainly changed and I am at a real loss what to do.

I want to write about it- I know it would be therapeutic to get some of this out and from those who chance upon my boring excuse for a blog, maybe some advice. But I'm virtually crippled when I try to write down what has happened. Time heals all wounds right? Take time to think things through? How about time is of the essence(spell?)? Patience is not a virtue of mine, so right now my nerves are shot and my heart is aching.

Please God let this all turn out well.

+ thinking day 2

Made the most of having absolutely nothing pressing to do today and fell in and out of sleep until 1pm! Blissful- no alarms, just good quality sleep which I very much needed.

Around 2pm made my way to the Japanese school in Himeji where I have signed on for a term. Bloody cheap really- only 3000yen plus text book. Hope the other folk in my class are nice. I was put into upper intermediate but asked to be moved to intermediate. Unlike the students I taught in Oz who always demanded to be "revelled up" regardless of their ability to pass the test, I would rather be the best in a low level, then the worst in a higher level. Anway, I have 1 month until the semester begins so lets see how it goes.

Stopped in at Mister D on the way home and had a lovely pineapple juice (though next time will ask for more juice and less ice!) and me favourite pon de kokuto. Three people plonked themselves down next to me and started whispering in English, which I couldn't quite make out and didn't really care for as was deep into a Woman's Weekly article (thanks mum) on Julia Guillard- erection this weekend! I voted in Osaka at the Australian Consulate on Tuesday. Anywho, guy at the next table, who I suspected was Korean, asked where I was from and then it was all on. Turns out they had lived on the Gold Coast for about a year. Was nice to chew the fat with some random young people and not dirty toothless men in Max Value.

Tis day 2 of my positive thinking and 7 things to be grateful for so here goes tonight's list:

1. Will start Japanese lessons in September
2. Love my yoga class on Tuesday nights with Miki
3. Am finally saving
4. Have ticket booked home for December
5. Have a lovely little Suzuki Wagon R to get around in
6. Did 2 "Views from the Street" for The Japan Times this month
7. Have an awesome bedroom in the Yuasa castle, my sanctuary

Am going to crack out the WII Fit tomorrow morning, paint toe nails, download photos, organise room, iron some clothes (find it very cathartic) and hopefully get a walk in tomorrow night.

Gosh, what a terribly exciting post!

Stay tuned...

ただいま

Mum and dad took off in a jet plane yesterday. Don't know when they'll be back again, but I know I'll be bear hugging them come Christmas eve where the festivities are done in summer time. Yay!

We had a great 10 days. It was unbelievable how well the three of us got along, save for mum and dad's snoring. They are a well-synced snoring machine. When one is whistling out the last of their snore, the other is nearing the peak of theirs. Was so tough being in a hotel room with that going on and no escape. Can't complain though, both hotels were a nice relief from the castle. We stayed in Hotel Nikko for 5 days and the Osaka Hilton for the last 4. Osaka Hilton is a magical wonderland of gadgets, skyscraper views and eggs on demand breakfast feasts. They even served baked beans, though it was made up all gourmet-looking with big silver ladle beckoning to the stuff. Felt like Scarlett Johannson in Lost in Translation. Pictured self many times writhing around on king size bed in pink undies while contemplating view of Osaka below. Couldn't actually re-enact said scene, as the snore team were always around.

Man it was good to get some hugs in with them. I started to realise after being here for close to one year and only having Taku's parents to observe, that mum and dad are really lovely and affectionate with one another. Of course they'll mock and have cranky pants occassionally but they kiss and hug and hold hands. When I watch Taku's parents interact I can hardly believe they conceived 3 kids together. And it got me thinking about Taku and myself. Mum even noted that we hardly hold hands these days, to which Taku replied "Yeah we do, sometimes" in his Aussie accent, so rolling laughs got in the way of any real discussion on the topic. Feels sometimes like Taku and I are the old jaded couple. I know Taku is different here to in Oz. I know his job is all consuming and he misses his life in Brisbane dancing and playing baseball. I just wish he could embrace it all and be more positive. Or maybe I should embrace it all and be more open minded, hey? An unsuspecting hug on the odd occassion would not be turned down, though...

Have decided from tomorrow I will start 100 days of positive thinking. Everytime I entertain a negative nelly I'm going to quash it and pen a positive thought. Gratitude is on the menu too. Despite its many critics I'm going to embrace The Secret and think of 7 things to be grateful for each day. Man, this stuff comes easy to some, but I've been struggling since living here. No more voodoo on me, it's time to whip into mental and physcial shape.

がんばれ！

So here is my first positive thought- Summer will be over soon and we can all look lovingly at the mountains and note the subtle changes in the leaves. Something I don't get to appreciate in Oz.

And 7 things to be grateful for:

1. My family
2. I have a job
3. Skype is installed on my computer
4. All limbs and senses are accounted for
5. Hair, although damaged from blonde ambitions, is recovering
6. Toiletries cabinet is stocked once again with Nurofen, tampons and COLGATE!
7. Takuya is still with me despite my waterworks!

Stay tuned...

ようこそ

The time has come. Mum and Dad will be here tomorrow afternoon!

Will take a break from blogging as I enjoy some real hugs and quality time with my mum.

☆　やった！☆

なにもない。。。

Bugger, just lost my post! Well, considering the title is 'nothing special' I guess it doesn't matter...

So just taking a break from Kanji land. Head is spinning with all manner of shapes and stroke orders. Makes the drive home a little frightful too, as kanji keep jumping out at me from street signs/shop fronts and the like. Is worse than texting while driving. And by the time I get home I am spent. I tell ya, this becoming literate in Japan does have its pitfalls. I remember way back in 2003, when I was a naive little thing, relaxing/day dreaming/snoozing on trains because I was safe in the fact I couldn't read a lick of any of the advertisements posted around me. Is a different thing these days when I ride ye olde 電車. My eyes start darting around identifying any kanji I know, then, like I'm a character in a Dan Brown novel, I want to shout out 'Got it! I know! I know this one!' Nonetheless am pleased with my progress.

I have some favourite kanji too. I guess everyone does. At the moment mine is 水. Two readings- Wednesday and water. Water is good for the body and skin. I like water. Wednesday is hump day, and if your glass is half full that's a good thing. But it's less the meaning than the strokes. Without fail, everytime I pen these four lovely markings into my kanji renshu book they come out perfect. No bloated head here, being very honest. Other seemingly easy kanji is another story. I have a real problem with 世. Now despite its simple appearance everytime I go to scribble it down, it never comes out looking nice. 好 is another one. Am having a real love hate with relationship with it. Although combined with hiragana's き it makes for a nice meaning, it never looks proportioned on my pad. I can give or take 寒 as well. That's not to say I don't like cold weather but these strokes never look lovely when I get them out. Could write 味　forever and 友 because they always come out pleasingly to the eye. Todays five are 持　屋　声　朝　昼. There is no reason for the order. Am just flicking through my photocopy of the list and choosing at my fancy which ones I like the look of. I guess other more studious folk will order their kanji according to adjective, verb and the like. But I'm doing it my way and me likey.

Right, off to lunch. Cup Ramen and salad. Yummo!

Stay tuned...

Thick.

I love the use of this word in the English language. Stupid, ignorant, dumb etc don't have the same implication as 'thick' which I associate with the consistency of a good McDonald's thickshake. And that is how I think Japanese are educated in this country- to be as thick as possible when it comes to self-learning. It's a generalisation, but an observation I feel qualified to make.

When I taught in Australia, I used to get the occassional European, or South American student asking me thick questions like how to improve their writing/reading/listening skills. But I`d have to say Japanese outnumbered all other nationalities with Koreans coming in at a close second.

When I decided to spend 3 weeks of lesson-less days at school before my summer break starts, I searched the net for the list of kanji I'd need to pass the JLPT N4 level. I then bought myself a kanji renshu book, a nice pacer, a rubber and set about learning around 5 kanji a day. Sometimes I get in a few more, but I've found that that is the most I can retain in one day. I also bought myself some kanji palm cards, which I'll take to when I finish writing out all the kanji in my list (around 300). All of this preparation and practice has been born of my own motivation. I never once sat down a 国語先生 at the schools I work and asked, 'How can I learn kanji?' It's a stupid question, indeed thick question to ask. Why? Because it's so bloody obvious. Like, how can I lose weight? Exercise, eat right! Granted everyone needs to do a bit of poking around to find what helps them remember best, but I've learnt what suits me, without consulting a teacher and asking a bleedingly obvious question.

It's a cliche I know, but if I had 円100 for everytime a bloody student asked me 'How can I improve my listening?' I would be living on 5th Avenue in Manhattan, drinking cosmos till the sun came up. How can you improve your listening? Listen. To. English. Pick. Up. A. DVD. And. Watch. It. In. English. Without. Subtitles.

I understand for some people it might not feel enough but honestly, the way I improve my Japanese listening skills is by turning on the radio in the car in the morning on my way to work, watching TV when I get home at night, or just turning on the TV while I do other stuff. I pick up so much vocabulary as well. It may not feel like you are improving your listening skills because you are not bent over a desk furiously colouring in a multiple choice test, but this is how it is done, dear Japanese student. If the education system in this country could encourage students to think as well as memorize then perhaps there wouldn't be so many people skulking around this country with 6 years of compulsory English under their belt but not a clue how to speak it.

Wow, this blogging stuff is very therapuetic and although I know I am the only one who reads my blog, it is very satisfying to get this out.

Thank you again, mum and dad for giving me the opportunity to attend 3 great schools, with great teachers and a great atmosphere to learn, think and do!

In other, more trivial news, 100yen heaven has taken a back seat since I discovered a stationary shop on my route home last week. Got myself one of those plastic boards you put between pages to keep your writing smooth. Mine is a pink Care Bear one with LOVE emblazoned on it. Also got cute United Colors of Benetton eraser (who knew they did stationary?) and a Care Bear folder yet to be utilised. Ahh, it's the small things that make you happy.

Stay tuned...

Idle times...

Am into my second week of nothingness at the schools. Not going too bad actually, though I really need to figure out a way to exercise as I sit on my bum all day in the air conned しょくいんしつ and then go home to my room where I sit in the air con and check my bank account at 5 minute intervals to see if my tax return has been deposited. Should learn to be more patient as standard processing time is 2 weeks and that will be tomorrow night. Very happy if all goes well with the return as it will pay for my flight home in December and help shave off some of my credit card debt.

Kanji practice is coming along nicely. I've estimated I know around 150 kanji by sight and can confidently write around 40. Not too bad. Find it all therapeutic going through stroke order, kind of like meditation- instead of observing my breath I am keeping calm by counting my strokes. Ichi, ni, san, shi and so on.

Have many things to get done by next Friday when mum and dad arrive. Really looking forward to seeing them so can hug and laugh loudly and moan when the fancy takes me without being made to feel like some weaker species for offloading my emotions. Perhaps that is too much to say, but nonetheless looking forward to being with mum.

List making feels very productive so will pop these to-do things down here and check in later to see if I have scratched 'em all off my list:

1. Clean car (empty boot, remove shoes)
2. Cull clothes and bag up for garbage deposit
3. Clean bathroom (must buy cleaner first)
4. Vacuum all areas of my 'zone'
5. Nails (clean and polish)
6. Bleach
7. Organise paper work (phone and car papers)
8. Research international drivers licence (ask Chris/go to Akashi)
9. Re-schedule yoga class (call Miki-chan)
10. Wrap dad's Father's Day present
11. Download photos from けいたい on to computer

That's it for now, am sure some other to-do's will sneak their way in but that's all I need to do. Despite all this free time I really am getting things done. The only other thing I would like to do but have been shying away from is write another article. This one may be an annonymous piece though as a little sensitive. Not sure where to send it yet.

Forgot to mention 100 heaven last week. Found the cutest little red polker dot envelopes for when have miscellaneous messages/cash to hand out to someone. Love how Japanese women do their business in that manner. Also got myself a nice purple zip up folder to hold all me kanji worksheets in. Exciting I know!

This weekend might go to Midori and check out cameras for mum. Also might pop into JUNKUDO and get myself another John Grisham novel. The last one was such a tease- a great plot, awesome climax and then the most useless ending. Is called THE ASSOCIATE. Don't buy- email me and I'll be happy to offload to you:)

Stay tuned...