Reading r_pendragon's journal

Hello again, NAO friends!

Well. After a few weeks hiatus as I turned my life and my internal clock upside down, I am now sane enough (and awake enough) to check in online. Many thanks to those of you who e-mailed me. I shall get back to you soon.

The last week in Japan was topsy-turvy craaazy. Lots of work, lots of fun, lots of tears, very little sleep. I haven't done much reflection on it though, because I've basically just come home and hit the ground running.

It is so, so good to be home.

I'm not really experiencing Reverse Culture Shock, perhaps because this isn't the first time I've moved home from Japan. But some things still just seem astonishing:

1. Prices. Things are so affordable. My mother dragged me to the grocery store (which was HUGE, my god!) and let me toss whatever I wanted into the cart. Fruit, Doritos, corn on the cob, turkey sandwich fixings, bagels, Edy's Girl Scout Cookie Thin Mint ice cream, the list goes on. I swear all of it cost less than one day's worth of tofu and seaweed.

2. Space. The house is giganourmous. The Fucktard Cat hardly knows what to do with herself– she got lost in the foyer the other day and hid in the closet. Poor thing. It doesn't help that I can't really recognize anything in the house, as my mother has spent the last 6 months remodeling. This week there's a floor guy here who's refinishing the hardwood in the three upstairs bedrooms. Gah. Also, the land space; parks, lawns, gardens. Wow. Seems like I haven't seen privately-owned grass in a century.

3. Stars. Tokyo is os light polluted, I'd forgotten about stars. Last night the Milky Way was so bright and beautiful, and in addition the Aurora Borealis decided to grace us with its brilliant green presence.

4. Color Spectrum. Everyone around here is so blond. (Northern MN, so everyone's Scandinavian.) Even my mother's blue eyes are a bit strange.

5. Religion and Patriotism. I'd forgotten how religious so many Americans are. Did not miss that. Could definitely do without so much flag-waving and "God Bless the Troops." And I live in a blue state.

6. English. My ears sing with my native language. Wit, irony, sarcasm, rudeness, cursing, complaining, pleasantries, greetings and goodbyes. It all makes sense. It's overwhelming.

7. Clothes. Jeans are long enough. People don't overdress. I have yet to see a Louis Vuitton handbag. American men don't wear tight jeans.

8. Elections. My man lost and I'm righteously bitter, but it was still so sweet to watch the news, vote, participate, stay up late holding my breath for Ohio. At least my state went blue. Our 12 electoral votes belong to the right candidate. It's just 4 years. Come on, Hillary!

All of this is up there with the joys of simple things like sleeping in a bed instead of a futon, full-length bathtubs, Mexican food, my wonderful friends and family, driving a car (nothing like the sensation of whipping down the interstate), reading the Star-Tribune, playing with my dog.

I know I'll start missing Japan eventually, but right now I'm not letting nostalgia and regrets taint my glee. It's just so, so good to be home.

I won't be able to check NAO as often because I'm super busy right now, but I missed all of you and I'm not dead. This week: up to Canada to visit friends, then to Las Vegas with my brother for the weekend. We're staying at the Venetian, whee! I don't gamble, but maybe I can convince a drunk rich guy to give me a million dollars…. ;)

Why can't the header on this read rosyxxx *** smiles surreptitiously... ;P

Hi There! So good to see you on again. I'm sure the jetlag was enormous... what is it something like a full twelve hours difference counting Daylight Savings Time? And minus the Scarlett Johannsen jokes that might keep you up even later, you probably were really short on sleep. I hope you are well-rested, now.

Well... I certainly hope you aren't reading the Star-Tribune while driving down the freeway };->

...driving a car (nothing like the sensation of whipping down the interstate), reading the Star-Tribune, playing with my dog.

Full-length bathtubs? Oh, the woes of being tall; unfortunately, I cannot indulge in the same thoughts as I fit quite well into very-short bathtubs; but I imagine if I were tall I'd breathe a sigh of relief at the site of an American bathroom too.

But back to the beginning...

I swear all of it costs less than one day's worth of tofu and seaweed.

The stores in Japan must really think a lot of their wares. I like seaweed, but not enough to spend as much on it as on two packages of Famous Amos cookies, two pineapples, frozen Chicken Tettrazini, and a box of laundry soap. :)

The Fucktard Cat hardly knows what to do with herself -she got lost in the foyer the other day and hid in the closet. Poor thing.

Yes, it is fun watching cats explore new territory. I must confess I simultaneously feel sorry for them, and want to watch just one minute more. *I'm going to stand in the corner right now*

I am so envious that you have seen the Aurora Borealis. What is it like... besides being 'green', I mean. (kick me while I wave my Kermit the Frog doll under the scanner)

4. Color spectrum. Everyone around is so blond. (Northern MN, so everyone's Scandinavian) Even my mother's blue eyes are a bit strange.

Hear! hear! A Scandinavian is near... my mother hailed from Michigan, and her parents were from Denmark. I've heard all the jokes. Including the ones on Garrison Keillor's recent broadcast of a Praire Home Companion... I especially liked that joke about the Baptists and beer, and the one about Mother Teresa and God. But I digress. This would be somewhat referring back to your comment on Religion and Politics. Still, hurray for Bertha's Kitty Boutique. (A must for all cat fanciers out there, including Hello Kitty/kitty chan fanciers...)

7. Clothes. Jeans are long enough. People don't overdress. I have yet to see a Louis Vuitton handbag. American men don't wear tight jeans.

Rachel, you have not been to St. Louis. O_o.

I am so glad you love Mexican food... that means I can ramble on to you about the joys of cooking salsas Pre-Columbian style, preparing and eating Chiles en Nogada Sauce, and Pollo con Mole. Mmmmm.... soooo hungry!

Where in Canada are you traveling to?

I hope you and your brother enjoy your stay at the Venetian, and that you get your wish. Call me and tell me if you become a millionaire... then I can be a better friend. ;P

Send me a picture of your little 'dog' Toto.

I have a feeling that your Fucktard Cat will be much happier in Minnesota than in Kansas in the midst of a tornado.

So glad to see a post from you again! Take care! See ya soon!

My mind is made up...not like my bed, which is a mess.

This post was edited by rosyxxx on Nov 09, 2004.

It's really good to see your name in the recent posts bin again. Missed your ramblings. So what was the absolute best thing about being back in the states?

I should be ashamed of myself.

This post was edited by Aynjell on Nov 11, 2004.

So what was the absolute best thing about being back in the states?

That is a brutal question, so I'm going to cheat.

As an American: voting.

As a woman: tall, well-dressed men.

As a consumer: good food.

As a northern girl: cold weather and snow.

As a bibliophile: English-language libraries.

As an animal-lover: my dog.

As a car-lover: getting back behind the wheel.

I think that sums it up. :D

As an animal-lover: my dog.

uh ohh, how do your dog and the Fucktard Cat get along? putting fullgrown animals together is always...enlightening
-Mel ;)

Look at me! I'm a prostitute robot from the future!

uh ohh, how do your dog and the Fucktard Cat get along? putting fullgrown animals together is always...enlightening

Yeaaahhh, they are quite a pair when put together. For the most part, Tawashi the Fucktard stays in my room and engages in her primary occupations, which are attacking her arch-nemesis the Feather On A Stick and knocking shit off shelves/tables and onto the floor.

However, when she does dare venture into the rest of the house, Molly chases her into the foyer closet. I've come to the conclusion that Molly thinks Tawashi is a squirrel.

At the moment they are engaged in a fierce battle for ownership of the hall rug. Molly (who is an Australian Shepherd/Blue Healer cross) naps on the rug during the day, but usually sleeps in my mother's room at night. Tawashi-the-Fucktard-Cat then sneaks into the hallway at night and rolls all over the rug, making it smell like her. In the morning, Molly comes out to investigate the rug and reacts with "OH MY GOD THERE WAS A SQUIRREL HERE IN THE NIGHT!" This usually upsets her quite a bit, but she takes her ire out on the mailman so it all works out.

Stupid pets. Can't really live with them, and, well, can't really live with them. ;)

So good to see you on again.

You, too, dear. I hope your virus-induced hiatus is a short one.

Well... I certainly hope you aren't reading the Star-Tribune while driving down the freeway };->

Actually, I have been known to do worse. ;) Driving through ND up to Canada is especially great, because the speed limit is 75 and there's just nothing for miles and miles (and radar dectors are legal. I want one of those.)

I like seaweed, but not enough to spend as much on it as on two packages of Famous Amos cookies, two pineapples, frozen Chicken Tettrazini, and a box of laundry soap. :)

Precisely! :)

I am so envious that you have seen the Aurora Borealis. What is it like...

Kind of a blur of green wavy lights across the stars. Streaked and luminous. For all that it's frigid, I do love the North. Although right now we're having a heat wave: tomorrow it's supposed to be 50 degrees. In November! (Ah, I have missed Fahrenheit and imperial measurements. Cups, pints, inches, miles, feet, pounds, tablespoons, bwahahahahahahahaha!)

Hear! hear! A Scandinavian is near...

*hugs* Just for being Scandinavian. Do you know any good Ole and Lena jokes? Unfortunately, most of the ones I know are too dirty for public consumption. ;) Good ol' Ole. We'll have to swap recipes for lefse and krumkake. Yummy!

(A must for all cat fanciers out there, including Hello Kitty/kitty chan fanciers...)

Did you get that little package I sent you from Japan with Kitty-chan stuff? Now I have this horrid fear that it couldn't come through for some reason (esp. since I just read null's post on chocolate/mail into the US).

I am so glad you love Mexican food... that means I can ramble on to you about the joys of cooking salsas Pre-Columbian style, preparing and eating Chiles en Nogada Sauce, and Pollo con Mole. Mmmmm.... soooo hungry!

Oh, that sounds so fabulous. Send me recipes? I adore cooking.

Where in Canada are you traveling to?

Manitoba. Possibly the most boring province after Alberta, but Winnipeg is a nice city and I have great friends there.

I hope you and your brother enjoy your stay at the Venetian, and that you get your wish. Call me and tell me if you become a millionaire... then I can be a better friend. ;P

The Venetian was gorgeous; I haven't stayed in such a nice hotel in such a long time. You can really tell the point in life when you become fiscally independent; you have to stop staying in sumptuous hotels, because it's no longer on your parents' nickel. But this time my brother's company was footing the bill, so I got off scot-free!

Alas, no millionaires, though the place was chock-full of rich orthodontists (why my brother was there; he's in Research and Development at a company that designs invisible braces). A lot of them had young blonde, breast-enhanced things with them, and they were getting scornful looks from the female orthos and my brother's female co-workers. Quite a few of them were pretty unpleasant to me, too, until he introduced me as his sister. I got a lot of "OH! His little SISTER!" and then offers to buy me drinks and show me around because it turned out I'm NOT a young-twenties gold-digger in a May-December relationship. I was amused. ;)

Send me a picture of your little 'dog' Toto.

Tonight she is at the vet's overnight because she was spayed this morning. :( I miss my baby, but I'm glad she will no longer have use of the parts that make her yowly. ;) But I shall try to get a cute picture of her and send it when she comes back.

Take care! Talk to you soon!

Why have you been to Japan at all? And why not the first time? Why and how long have you been before? How long did you stay now? Sorry, I'm just curious...

"Sie wollen nichts anderes. Sie wollen kämpfen! Sie sind Soldaten! Fucking Wahnsinnige!" - Noel G.

So many questions!;) But, here goes with some answers...

Why have you been to Japan at all?

I was a double major at university: History and Japanese Studies. I wrote my honors thesis on Japanese history, and so I spent a semester in Japan improving my Japanese and doing some on-location research for my thesis. (Which was on the incredibly boring-sounding topic of "Female Cultural Influence Through Japanese-Language Literature in the Heian Era." A real yawner, right?:))

And why not the first time? Why and how long have you been before?

So the first time I lived in Japan I was at Kansai Gaikokugo Daigaku (Kansai Foreign Languages University) in Osaka. I was there for about 6 months.

How long did you stay now?

Slightly more than a year.

And now for questions of my own...

You've been to Japan, too, right? When and why did you go? How much Japanese, if any, do you speak? Nihongo o hanashimasho!

So the first time I lived in Japan I was at Kansai Gaikokugo Daigaku (Kansai Foreign Languages University) in Osaka. I was there for about 6 months.

I've been there, too. It's pretty impressing! Very comfortable ;)

I've been to Japan about a year ago but just for two weeks. It was a competition. They paid my flight. Didn't I write that? Okay, no I didn't ;)

Anyways, two weeks is nothing but enough to wish me back some time, together with null of course :) I have a lot of problems with japanese grammar, so I always say: Nihongo o sukoshi hanashimasu. It was enough to ask after directions and busses so and this is what helped me survive :) I have no idea how the other winners before me managed all that! Well, the problem is, assuming that I'll be able to travel to Japan again next year, I might forget everything till then because I can't practise and am too lazy and too busy to learn with the books I bought over there :/

"Sie wollen nichts anderes. Sie wollen kämpfen! Sie sind Soldaten! Fucking Wahnsinnige!" - Noel G.