Friday, January 30, 2009

The "no title...just a Friday post" post



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Yesterday, the weather here was pretty crappy. It was cold...rainy...and the wind was blowing big time. NOT a great day to be out and amongst 'em.


But....there I was...amongst 'em. And I'm so glad!


You see...yesterday was the annual
Kyushu Hula Association in Nagasaki Annual Hula Party.


Take 461 Japanese women and one American.....dress them up in their finest of performance outfits....let them gather at the Best Western Hotel in the largest of the ballrooms they have....add some live Hawaiian music by a really good band...give everyone food and drink....let them dance when a song comes on that they know....give them a chance to win some great prizes for everyone at the table.....and what do you have?


You have, in spite of the inclement weather, 462 extremely happy women!!



The last few posts, I have had the 'unintended theme' of age and growing older or, better yet, the denial of the whole process.

I have to chuckle a bit to myself here now. Did you really look at the pictures from the party? In that room yesterday, I was surrounded by women of all sizes and shapes....and seriously...there were maybe....maybe 10 of us under the age of 50!!

These women are amazing. The outfits they wore would rival any at a hula show in Hawaii. The colors were so bright. Some of the flowers in their hair were amazing. One woman laughed when she told me that one of the main reasons she does hula is because she can wear colors and outfits that she would never wear outside the house....and wasn't the hair accessory that she just bought pretty? (Yes, it was, actually!!)

One of the best things about this group? I am one of them. I'm not "Debbie, the foreigner." but, I am "Debbie, the tall one with the big smile...and, oh yeah, she's a foreigner." I even got pulled up on the small stage, just like many others, to dance a song we know best. Oh sure, I don't understand most of what is being said around me, but....I noticed that many of them slowed down their Japanese for me so I could follow the conversations. THAT was a wonderful thing!!

We laughed. We laughed a lot!!

Also, since I had not seen many of them since August, the comments about my weight were so flattering. "Where did the rest of you go? (That one made me laugh!!) You look so smart (smart = thin in Japan)! How did you do it? Please tell us!!!" were enough to make me get over the "Meh! Diet schmiet." feeling I have been experiencing since the holidays. No more, my friends....those last 5 kilos? I started working on them today! They will soon be history, baby, like the other 12!!


When it was time for everyone to change back into their "regular" outfits, I noticed that these women are a bit.....dare I say, different, from your basic Japanese obasan ("older lady"). They have a bit more flair about them....their lipstick is a bit brighter than others...their hair? Perfectly coiffed. Earrings? check. Necklaces? check. Make-up? Amazing. Many of them seem to walk as if they have a special secret and they really want to tell you, but....they won't...they'll just tease you with it for awhile!! They make me smile.
What a great day it was!!

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Let us be grateful

to people who make us happy;

they are the charming gardners

who make our souls blossom.

--Marcel Proust.

How true. How very true.

I wish that for you today....something that makes your heart feel happy. It's a great feeling....and then, may you share it...pass it on.

Have a great Friday!



10 comments:

Mommy2Twinkies-Deb said...

How nice. Reading your post has immediately cheered me up! Thank you so much. I really needed that today. Sounds like you had a great time!

Anonymous said...

What fun! It's great that you have something like that for YOU! We all need something to do for ourselves that's fun!

Gina said...

What a lovely post. It makes my heart happy to think of you and all the other ladies hula-ing your way through a yucky winter day. Thank you!

smalltownme said...

262 beautiful women!

The bit about the costumes? Being able to wear what you wouldn't normally...That was one of the reasons I did belly dancing for many years.

Janet said...

Ohio! I'm so glad you had a good time!

3rdEyeMuse said...

it would be so hard to be anything less than happy after reading such a joyful post. :) glad you had such a wonderful, wonderful time. :)

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

What a wonderful, cheery post. It sounds like a great time.

Nancy said...

Such a colorful post! Spiritually and visually.

Looks like a wonderful time AND since climbing over the 50 hill, I find most women my age DO have fun, wear what they want, pay attention to the things that make themselves look and feel good vs what "fashion and men" think.

You have a beautiful smile =)

Cruise Mom said...

I loved reading this post! With so much bad news and so many challenges, it is so nice just to enjoy the simple gifts of friendship and color! Maybe I should take up hula!

Ms. Lea said...

Thank you for sharing all your fun!! Brightened my day too!! BTW I love the Flamingo picture!!