taking something and making it uniquely mine

Japan is a country that is famous for its everyday use of the surgical mask. At any given time on any given day you will find someone wearing one. Whether they have a cold or allergies, those around them can only guess as to why they are wearing the mask. The mask is to help protect others from any germs that you might be tossing about...or to protect yourself from catching anything flying around in the air.

(FYI....the other day I read where teachers were now expected to teach their student the correct way to sneeze and/or cough---by turning one's head or by covering one's mouth with arm, hand or even better, a tissue or handkerchief. As a westerner, my first response to that was "Du-uh!")


These days, thanks to the swine flu, it is more often than not, you see people wearing these masks. Last week at the boys' school, there was a culture festival and a memo was sent home the day before, reminding everyone to wear their masks to the festival...we all had them on. Only those students about to perform were allowed to take theirs off.

At the stores, you can find a bevy of masks to choose from: adult or child sizes, cotton or other materials, with germ-fighting medicine or not, generic shape or face forming shape, you can choose men's or women's....the list is endless
Some even have pictures on them....personally, the Hello Kitty ones are my favorite (but they really don't come in adult sizes. Damn.)

The other day, I was at one of my friend's restaurant and she was in the back sewing masks for her grandchildren. I commented that they were really cute and was she going to make them in adult sizes? *hint hint* She had some very cute ones with Hello Kitty material on one side....yeah, I wanted one of those. The ones that the majority of adults wear are plain white...actually, kind of boring.

See what I mean....

A few days later, I went back for lunch and the owner handed me a small package....a present from his wife, he said. "How did she know I would be in?" The look on his face upon hearing that question was funny....his own thoughts of "Du-uh!" were quite evident. (Yeah, yeah, yeah, I go there pretty often!)

Inside the package was this.....my own personal handmade, reversible, washable mask.
It's pink with white polka-dots and I like it very much.

But...once I got it home, I knew what I had to do.....

It's taking a good idea......having it made a bit more me.......
...and then really making it mine!!

Happy Flamingo Friday

Find something that many people have and

make it yours today!!

The countdown has begun...again...

It is time, once again, to start making plans for the holiday party season. No, not Thanksgiving...the next one....Christmas. Because bonenkai ...or "end of the year--forget all the bad stuff from the past year" parties are extremely popular here in Japan, it is even more difficult to get a place than any other time of the year. Last year, for those of you who remember, I had a party to celebrate 5 years of teaching classes during this busy holiday time. My idea was to have the party as a "thank you" to my students who had stuck by and supported me for the last 5 years. It was in gratitude to them, that I went all out and planned such a party .....incredible food, lots of beer and wine, games and donated prizes from other students and a couple places in town, presents and finally door prizes for one lucky person at each table. As 67 of my students came and thoroughly enjoyed themselves, my thinking was that every 2 years or so, I might do this.

Fast forward almost one year...it may be only the middle of November, but, according to the bonenkai schedule makers, it is time to start planning. Already though, there have been inquiries as to the possibility of doing a party again. At first, I balked at the idea....it really took a lot of time and energy to get everything and everyone to fall into place.



Last week, students from 4 different classes asked about the bonenkai schedule with the idea of getting their own class bonenkai planned and on the calendar. I came home one night and started thinking....I have, on average, 15 classes a week...two of those classes are with kids...everyone else, are wanting the traditional end-of-the-year party. These parties are not small events....all are at least 2 hours with food and drink (lots and lots of drink). Thirteen classes means thirteen parties. Thirteen nights of staying out late...eating too much and drinking, probably, more than likely too much...thirteen times. And all of these parties would be held from Dec. 7 to the 20th (or so)...and NOT on Friday or Saturday nights (usually).

Are you beginning to understand where I am going with this??

After looking at my own personal schedule and thinking about it for, oh I don't know, maybe 5 seconds, I decided that I will, once again, be having a Christmas/End-of-the-Year bonenkai for my students.
The date: December 18.
I called and reserved a room at the same place as last year....a hotel that specializes in really nice wedding receptions and other big parties.
There will be a bingo game with prizes....there will be some singing...there will be wonderful food...everyone dressed up in nice clothes...and there might possibly even be some dancing.

But...for certain, there will be a crazed foreign woman throughout this whole process (until Dec. 18, at least) wondering why the hell she's doing this again and muttering "someone shoot me if I mention this again next year", running around making sure that everyone has the best time.




Seriously....someone thump me on the head (lightly please, I'm kind of a wuss!)....or remind me every so often that I'm doing this for some of the best people in the world that I know (other than my family and some very good friends)...for some people without whom my life would be much poorer (in terms of money AND emotional feelings).


~~sigh~~

Let the madness begin!!!

less than zero....

...motivation, that is.

No, really. None.

Zip.

Nada.

Get ready, 'cause the fat lady is starting to sing.

I'd really like to get me one of these.....

...and fill it with some of this.....
...and then....then, I might be energized to do something.

Oh, who the heck am I kidding? I'd have three or four of those drinks and then it would be

"No, really, Debbie...you don't have to dance on the table...there is a wonderful

dance floor...right over there."

*********************

This past week has been full to the brim with busy.

There was a high school 8-man football state qualifying game (in my hometown in Colorado!) that two of my nephews played in (my brother is also the head coach) that I listened to on Sunday morning....at 5 o'clock in the morning, thank you very much (damn that time difference anyway!!). It was a very exciting game in which my nephew, Bo, was all over the field, playing his heart out and I had to apologize to my neighbor later for possibly waking them up at 5:30 (VERY exciting right before the half!!).

Then, it was off to spend the rest of the day with over 5, 000 other parents in the annual Nagasaki City PTA Sports Festival. It was fun and I had a great time, but...that is 9 hours I'm never going to get back....and my left arm still hurts from the tug o' war contest!!

Classes on Monday and Tuesday...Wednesday was the elementary school's culture festival and I spent all morning and most of the afternoon there, watching and helping out....I played 'rock, paper, scissors' for about an hour and a half with students (winners got a big sticker, losers got a little one!)...then I ran to dance class and hula-bula'd my butt off for the next 2 hours.

Thursday and today...classes, classes and more classes.

I'm tired.

Unmotivated.

Dozing off even as I type.

Good night, my luvs...sweet dreams!!

Hear that....sssshhh....it's the Fat Lady....

here she comes....

"The hiiiills are aliiiiiiiive...with the sounnnnnd of muuuuuusic...la la lala..."

....of treasures that come in the mail....

Some days, when I come home and check the mail box, I'm lucky to find a flier for a local pizza delivery service or a postcard telling me of the weekly specials at a particular shop...or woohoo!!...my credit card bill. Every other week or so, I get a packet from my mom filled with newspapers, clippings, maybe some smooshed chocolate, and sometimes even cosmetic samples....which I appreciate oh so very much, but still....like the credit card bills and fliers, I know that it will be there.



So, last week, when I came home to find a box....a pretty good sized box (which, I have to admit, has already been re-used and is on its way BACK to the States to someone else!) sitting on the kitchen table (it wouldn't fit in the mailbox!!)....I was verily excited!!


A few months ago, one of my very good blogging friends--who I've never actually met, by the way--and who used to live in Japan--mentioned that there were some things that she really missed from this place I call 'home' and being the nice person I am (uh-huh...I am so), I put together a care package for her (and her dog) and sent it on its way.


And now....Janet returned the niceness and sent some "stuff from home" that she thought I would like. It was almost like Christmas.....lots of tissue paper hiding some incredibly wonderful things. The excitement was almost overwhelming!!!


She had included some things that I had mentioned I liked (granola bars..which have been rationed like you wouldn't believe!!)....some wicked smelling scents from a place I plan on ordering from soon (seriously...wicked...one of my students said I smelled "mysterious"!!), there were some magnets from the East Coast--one with beach sandals....but....there was one thing that really, brought tears to my eyes.

This pin.....

...was one she found among her late mother's things

as she and her family were getting ready to sell their family house.

Her mom, you see, was also a big fan of this beautiful bird.

I'm almost afraid to wear it. The very idea that she would send me this means the world to me. Even Issei, when he saw it, said, "Mom!! Do you know what that is?!?!"



Once again, I've been touched by the kindness of those I have "met" through this blogging experience....I have some incredible friends.



Now...Janet...while being very kind and giving...also has a bit of a mean streak in her.
Oh yes, she does. I'm a big (HUGE) fan of Jimmy Buffett. So...my dear friend, Janet...passed on some things......

...two Cd's...a hat....a couple of key chains....and....do you see that really white piece of paper sitting on top of the hat???

Can't read it?

Here...let me bring it in a bit closer, shall I????

That...my friends...is a concert ticket stub from a Jimmy Buffett concert that she went to in 1998.

Oh, wait...did you NOT know that I have NEVER BEEN TO ONE OF HIS CONCERTS?!?!?!

I know she meant well...but...really....that was just mean.

o(~_~)o

Oh...okay....so she got back into my good graces with these....

a beautiful pair of angel earrings....how did she know that I have a small angel collection that is slowly growing?!?!

Janet is an avid collector of poppets. What is a poppet, you ask? Well...poppet is the old spelling of "puppet" and from Middle English popet, meaning small child or doll. (The pirates in Pirates of the Caribbean used it a couple of times.)

According to "that place we all go to that is like an Internet encyclopedia"...a poppet is also something that is used in witchcraft and voodoo....for casting spells.

But...take a look at this little poppet...does she look voodoo-ish to you??

Nah....she's not like that. Isn't she pretty??

I've named her Dulcie J.....

her name means "sweet". I think it's the perfect name for her.

Dulcie J being introduced to some of the 'mingos in the menagerie that is Debbie's desk.......



.......and watching over me, from her place above my keyboard....keeping an eye on things. When I see her, she makes me smile.


And so...
to Janet....
for brightening my day....

Thank you, oh so very much!!

Janet is having some pretty intense surgery right now (probably even as I type), so send some prayers, good thoughts and quick recovery karma her way, would you? thanks.




And to the rest of you....**mwah** to you too!!

Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Going Green for The Colony

I like going over to the The Women's Colony and reading what they have going on...if you're not familiar with this place, you need to be. It's like a 'women's Internet magazine...full of Arts, Letters, Feminine Shenanigans' ....they have a few "rooms" you can visit...hang out in...one of my personal favorites is one called The Cabana....go there if you're in the mood for "some mancake with your coffee".



This week I decided to join the photo challenge that is held weekly in The Sanctuary and this week's color is GREEN. I didn't go out and take any special pictures for this...I just took some that were in my photo albums.



And so I give you....Green, by debbieK:

1. place mats I made a few months ago

2. basil in our garden

3. bento and thermos for Koji

4. cucumbers from our neighbor yesterday

5. one of my favorite key chains

6. a quilted bag made by someone's grandma

7. Issei...this summer at the fair in Colorado

8. a flamingo decoration I saw and wished I had bought this summer

9. a rooftop summer beer garden here in Nagasaki

A power post of the scary flamingo kind...

It's Friday night...well, actually....it's Saturday morning...and waaaay past the time I should have already gone to bed....but....after a long day (3 classes, one with another awesome spider web cake!) and then quick home...make dinner and then out the door again for yet another mind-numbing PTA meeting...I came back home about 9:30, had a salad and a beer...or two.

I painted my nails (du-uh...a girl needs to have her nails look good, am I right?) and as they were drying I put in a DVD and well.....fell asleep on the couch.

Fast forward 3 hours, it's now 2:17 a.m. and here I am.

Needing desperately to sleep but....as I realized that I have been doing this whole Flamingo Friday thing for over a year now and have maybe missed one week, I needed to get this posted.

So...since tomorrow is Halloween....this is to celebrate the occasion:

...and I. am. out of here!

Good night all!!

...and in spite of having to play soccer, he had a really good day

Tuesday dawned an incredibly beautiful day....the sun was shining...a slight breeze was blowing...it was a perfect day for being outside. Which was good for hundreds other parent-types, like myself and their kids..their 11-12 year-old kids, to be exact....because we were out there in it, for most of the day.

Tuesday was the annual Nagasaki City 6th Grade Sports Festival. Sixth graders, from over 100 elementary schools participated in basketball, soccer, track & field, jump rope and something that is called "tama ire" which is basically "how many bean bags can you throw into a peach basket that is on a pole about 12 feet in the air in 30 seconds?" Each 6th grader throughout the city chose one event to participate....and Issei chose soccer.

Just for the record....Issei? My manga drawing, classical musical loving, DS addicted young man....is NOT exactly what one would call "an athlete". Oh....he plays sports with his friends, but that is all for fun. So, when he told me he signed up for soccer, I was a bit......surprised. He likes soccer okay..."better than basketball and running"....and jumping rope and throwing bean bags into a basket were just a bit too girly "silly" for him!

The kids practiced most afternoons. They got some pretty snazzy uniforms. They were ready to go. Our elementary was in the 7th Block of teams (I think there were 10 different groups), and each school was guaranteed at least 2 games...more if they won.


Issei...in the morning, as he was leaving for school.

Not exactly the pose I was looking for when I told him to "Act tuff!!" Goof!

Issei and some of his friends before the first game...they were a little nervous.



The boys played their hearts out...even Issei, in his own way. But...the best part of the morning?The other parents that were there and I had such a great time. I haven't laughed like that in quite awhile. One of the principals even mentioned in passing that it was nice to see parents enjoying themselves so much!! (She might have been insinuating that we were too noisy, but we didn't really care!!)

As for the matches....I had my camera but....it was hard to take pictures, cheer, holler and laugh all at the same time. There were so many things that I missed. Things that, if I think of them now, make me smile:

When the goal keeper kicked the ball and it was debatable as to which went further: the ball or his shoe.

When one of Issei's friends just kicked the crap out of the ball only to have it wing back up and fwomp him in the head!! A great combination...kick AND header....THAT one put the mom next to me almost to the ground.

When one girl who, during the girls' game, was in perfect position to head the ball and as it was slowly coming down to her, struck a pose....not unlike that of The Karate Kid (arms out, one leg up and on the ready to attack!). Her mother just sighed and then laughed until we were all almost in tears.

And....Issei's unintentional block..yeah...he wasn't really ready for it and got his bell rung pretty good. The funny part? Right after it happened he looked up at me and gave me one of those "animation shaking it off" looks you see in cartoons when a character gets something big tossed onto his head. Yeah....we laughed big time at that...THEN one of the fathers made a sound effect that matched it perfectly.
That is when I officially lost it!! Tears, my friends, I had tears running down my cheeks!!

**********************
That said....I did actually manage to get pictures I can share....

As the first game was about to start, one of the dads pointed out to the field and asked me what Issei was doing. I looked at my young son and then to the dad I said, "Waiting. He's just waiting for the action to start and come to him."

To which, the dad replied, "He looks like a company president or something out there."

#14, by the way...in case you were wondering!

In the first game, he did see some action...he got to throw the ball in, but..sadly, there was a penalty...something about one foot coming off the ground.....whatever!!

Another of the boys before the first game. The relaxed a bit before they actually had to get on the field.
Seriously? A peace sign? ~sigh~
His Japanese DNA shines through pretty loud and clear sometimes!!


Issei (now #15) in an action photo. This one was actually taken a few minutes before he got hit in the head with the ball had a strategic block.




One of my favorite parts of sports here in Japan? Win or lose, a team will go to the opposing team's bench and coach (and on this day, the girls' team who was cheering for the boys) and bow and say "otsukarasama deshita"...which is like saying, in this particular case, "That was a great game, thank you for playing against us."
("Thank you for playing like crap, giving us the chance to beat you.")

Issei and his team won their first match, but lost their second. Even though they lost, they played really hard and only lost by one point. The day was all in fun and no one was upset about losing...which was good to see.

When he got home later that afternoon, he informed me that our school had actually won 3rd prize. "Really? How did that happen?" asked I.
Issei's reply? "We're not sure, but we don't care...we got something!!
He was just beaming!!
After talking about how much fun he had had that day, I asked him if he might want to play soccer in junior high next year.....hahahaha....I really wish I had a picture of the look on his face after THAT question!! Let's just say that, no...he's not really interested in doing that.

But still....Tuesday? Yeah..Tuesday was a great day for Issei...and soccer!

Is it possible to be Uber Random....even without those little dots above the U??

According to the Urban Dictionary:

random
Something unexpected and irrelevant, but often amusing. A very over-used word now, please people, use it when something really is random.

Well everyone....today...we are. truly. random.

Let's just hope we are also amusing!

*

A few days ago, I got a small package from my mom. In it were the usual county paper, Sunday crossword puzzle, Sunday comics and other various clippings and what-not and......yes....manna from heaven....4 (count 'em)....FOUR Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

Now...to you...if you are a lover of these particular little bits of wonderfulness...this may not seem like such a big deal. But....for those of us (and there are many...not just here in Japan!!) who can NOT get them....it truly is a special treat.




Opening up the package, I realized that Mom had sent something that she had bought for the purpose of eating them herself while ignoring the costumed ones ringing her doorbell handing them out on Halloween to all the cute little trick-or-treaters that come to her house.

But...after being packed in a light cardboard package...okay...an envelope...and sent across the big water a gazillion miles away.....

this....









...is what they looked like.

Yeah...little thin.















Aaaaand....a little smooshed.



















But...do we care?

Nope.

















Like I said....manna.

From.

Heaven.

God bless ya, Mom.

(One down, 3 to go, by the way...just in case anyone was wondering!!)






**

Saw this poster hanging on a convenience store window.

Tokyo....in March, 2010.

Too far away, but still.....

Damn.

The 18-year-old in me REALLY wants to go!!!

***

Yesterday...I was going through some stuff in the bathroom and came across a tube of lipstick that was in a box of things that my Aunt and Uncle had sent a few months ago. After my Grandmother passed away, they had gone through her things and all of us "kids" got some bits and pieces...some things that were definitely "Grandma".

My Grandmother used to wear this color. I had seen her quite often with it on.

I wasn't so sure about it...okay....so it was a little bright...a bit over the top...but...it was pink.

After I put it on,

Issei saw me....and got a little frightened.

Koji laughed.

The K-man? Yeah....he just said, "Nice lips." (but in that sarcastic tone that said, "Holy Hell woman!! You're not going out like that, are you?")

I may have to work up to actually going outside.

****

Went to my favorite discount store on Saturday.

Saw this as I walked in.

AAARRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!

*****

Artwork....by Koji.

(He added his own bit of "style" to a Halloween invite I had written out.)

Done in black magic marker pen in about 2 minutes.

Not bad....not bad at all.

(We may commission him to do our Christmas cards this year!!)

******

I'm in dire need of a 'chick flick' and have been looking forward to seeing this movie:

As with a lot of movies, they don't use the actual English title here in Japan, instead, use something they think is the same (or close enough) in Japanese. I went to the movie theater site, in hopes of finding a movie poster, at least, to let me know if they were even showing it yet.

I found it. It is showing....and the title is something really kind of long in Japanese (and right off the top of my head I can't think of what it is but will come back tomorrow and tell you!). There was also an explanation of the movie...of which I couldn't read but, I've seen enough of the trailers and clips that I know what it is basically about.

Now....since the site was in Japanese, on my toolbar, there is a "Translate this into English" button. Knowing that something like this is ALWAYS good for a giggle, I clicked it.

And this is what it was translated into:

I am not you become a son-in
Margaret wield the pre-eminent publisher in New York as editor for 40 years. From the first time in the company being called a tyrant that had her secretly sucks. , And suddenly one day, to the dismay was told to leave the country. In fact her Canadian citizenship, had been inadvertently neglected to apply for a visa. If this is losing a long-awaited career built. Is in trouble, with 28 assistants, but absolute obedience at once to declare that the age to marry Andrew ....


Did you get that?

Don't you just hate things that "secretly suck"?!?!

Some days...this country just makes me laugh. And as long as I can do that...I'm okay.

**This is too funny...Issei and Koji get caught by the spellcheck every damn time....

but gazillion?

THAT is spelled correctly.

Are you telling me gazillion is a real word?!?!?

Go figure!!