To go, or not to go....that...is no longer the question

for many ex-pats, this is the time of year that we start scouring the papers and combing through the internet sites to find reasonable flights, waiting 'on hold' for what seems like forever while some person who may or may even be able to understand what it is that we want, searches

 to find the answers.

yes, my friends,

it's almost the summer holiday.

it's time to think about going to our respective countries for the break.

when i was single, it really wasn't that big of a deal.

call an agency..get the flight..."i really don't care if i  go through seattle, los angeles, chicago....just get my ass home.... however"!

deposit the cash (because at that time, no credit cards and let's face it, tickets were crazy cheap!).

get to the airport in time for the flight..."any seat will do as long as it is on the aisle, thank you very much"...

get some alcohol as soon as we were in the air and

boom baby. i'm on my way home.

having kids put a whole 'nuther twist to this.

extra suitcases...bigger carry-ons..."please, give me time to get to the next flight with a little bit of time to spare, thank you very much".

plus they added to the final cost of the whole trip....and then some.

but we did it. 

it was a sacrifice made to be able to spend some much-needed time with  family and friends. 

but now...thanks to the rising cost of oil, they have now added a pretty hefty surcharge to each ticket purchased....i've checked a couple of places and some places are charging 

about $500 extra (give or take a few dollars)

for. each. ticket.

that's $1500....just for the surcharge.

i've checked a couple of places and tickets to denver run anywhere from

$1,300-$3,000....depending on how many layovers i'm willing to make.

let's face it, when it takes about 26 hours, from door to door, to get to my mom's house, any extra layovers can really make a girl craaaaanky.

let's say that i can scrounge together the money to buy the tickets...that's only part of what i have to do, really.  even though i'm gone for 3 or 4 weeks (which is the amount of time i like to be there), i've still got bills coming in here that have to be paid.  then....keeping in mind that i am not a salaried kind of teacher (i'm basically self-employed) and most classes pay at
end of the month...i wouldn't get very much money until the end of september.
and that right there.....is one of the main causes of stress when i go to the states...knowing that when i come back to japan, i'm faced with that as soon as we land. 
oh, i can have a fun time but..still..there is that dark cloud hanging over every patio time and restaurant outing while i'm there.
so....making the decision to postpone coming "home" for another year really wasn't one that took too terribly much time to make.
man.
this making adult decisions sucks sometimes.
but really....

thanks to the internet, my blogging friends and...that social networking place i love so much,
i'm not so far away...not really.

and next year?
just try and stop me!

a 1-day car trip...quality family time...and something we'll probably never find again

during the last 'golden week' holiday a few weeks ago, we loaded up in the car and headed out on a

kuroiwa family adventure. as usual, it was a one-day trip....literally....one. day.

22 hours. about gazillion kilometers.  one car.

one angst-ridden teenager.  one aggravating little brother.

mom. and dad.

we loaded up in the car and headed out at 4:00....in the morning.

during the trip, we drove a little, took a ferry, drove some more, ate ice cream at eight in the morning, and despite the close confines of the vehicle, we all survived it quite nicely...and yes,
we can admit that we had a pretty fun time.

here was our trip:

we have taken many a day-trip over the years, but never had we journeyed down to this part of kyushu before.  it really was quite nice. 

at one point, looking at the navigation map, we all got a bit of a chuckle, for this is what we saw:

 f.y.i.....the road goes through, out and around and once again through the mountain. very cool.

an interesting part of this trip was when we got off the highway and near the city of miyazaki.

issei asked, "are we in california?"

this part of the island of kyushu is famous for it resort-ness.  a long time ago, it was THE place for japanese to go on honeymoons.  the palm trees...the beaches...the pacific ocean...

it really is very southern california-ish.

aoshima was one of the places we really wanted to visit.  there is a very small island that is just off the shore.  on the island is a shrine (famous for good luck in love...hence the many couples we saw!!) and a small jungle-like area with a few more very small shrines. 

koji gave a tarzen yell while we were in there, so that should tell you what it was like!!

the best part is not just what is on the island itself, but really....what is around it.

all around the little island (and all along the coast, actually) you see this

*note to self:  burn the overalls. they are not the most becoming article of clothing in the closet. 

they call it the "devil's washboard".  it really is quite amazing.

but the most amazing thing was what we found....

koji and issei were running along the rocks and suddenly stopped....

"mom!!!  come here!!!"

wondering what on earth it was they had found, i had prepared myself for just about anything....

but was NOT prepared for this...

 

oh sure...it was probably carved into the stone by someone, but....

really....i don't care.  what are the odds of finding something (heart-shaped, no less) so incredibly small

in this

so. very. cool.

after playing/running in the rocks for awhile, we headed on down the coast to another shrine that is up in a cave overlooking the ocean.  we hit some major power spots, my friends.  we prayed in many places and

all was right with the world.

our final stop was a place we had all been really looking forward to.

it's a place that was kind of cheesy, but, we like places like that.

you know the moai statues on easter island, don't you?

well, here on our island of kyushu is the only place in the world where the people of easter island have given permission for someone to replicate those statues.....

and we were there.

it really is a nice place...but one that, we decided, you don't really need to see twice.

that happens sometimes.

(^-^)

the boys had a good time

 

**in case you're wondering...no, there was no glass...it's just the frame. silly boys!!

yeah, yeah, yeah....we ALL had a good time!!!

.

when i realized that Motivation and her sisters WillPower, Energy and Miss No-Thanks-I don't-need-that had left the building

does that explain why i haven't posted a sentence or picture or even a joke for such a long time?

damn.

a lot of things have been going on.

a lot of nothing has, too.

i have done some soul-searching...some deep thinking....

given myself some pep talks...drank a few beers....read more than a couple books...

and have spent some time just..... being.

i also signed up for this month's "blogging everyday" group (who is using the theme of "maybe" and i was thinking that "hey, that's the theme for me!"....obviously....i was wrong  maybe next month.).

but  now, after a long-ish holiday (last 10 days, 8 days off)  i think i'm ready to do this again.

so....let's start with something i do best....

random.

********

my mom sends me her magazines after she is finished reading them.  one of my favorites is specifically for those us over the age of 40 (but, not yet ready for that AARP one, which she sends, too, by the way...you know...for the articles..."they're good!"  whatever.)

every month they have a section called

"this is what *insert particular age* looks like".

they ask questions so we can see just how much alike you and i are with that woman.

yeah.

right.

one question they sometimes ask is "what was your most memorable birthday?"

the lady of one month said that her 40th was because her husband rented a club and dave matthews was there to play for her and her close friends.

yeah.  okay.

that happens to me all the time.

so.....and not answering any questions (because that will interfere with my randomness, ya know)...

this is what 49 looks like...

as for my most memorable birthday....i'll say this last one.

i had the most incredible of birthdays this year.

if you are not one to celebrate a 'birthday week', then, really,

you need to change your way of thinking.

(and fyi....if your birthday is one that ends in a -0, then, you are entitled to a 'birthday month'...

keep that in mind)

my b-day was on a wednesday this year, so the celebrations started on the saturday before...and seriously, continued for 7 days.

we went from

a box of krispy kreme donuts from a student/friend

(which, of course, i shared with my family...sigh)

 and this (hi janet...thanks, again luv!!)

to this with a very dear friend...

and flowers and goodies from my other friends and students...

(and yeah....that is a bottle of tequila....from the husband of one of my friends...he thought i'd like it.  smart man, he is.)

everyday there was some little goody or surprise....

and the last day, i had dinner with some friends (one who had just come back from a trip to the states where she met my sister and her husband in las vegas and my cousins in denver....isn't that great??)

the place we had dinner was also the same place another friend was having a dinner, so she and i met up later for drinks (a really bad margarita and some coronas).  it was early enough that we could enjoy the drinks, the company, the conversation and a laugh or two and still make it home on the last buses to our respective homes.  the icing on the cake my friends. 

 it really was.

********

have you ever tried any of this stuff?

i got some from that friend who went to the states as a souvenir and it says that it is

" A deeply hydrating lip plumper".

it's to make your lips a bit more.....poofier.

after putting some on,  my friend who i was having drinks with said,

'if they get any poofier, i'm going to have to kiss you!!"

i guess that means it works. 

(^-^)

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

this is the toilet in our house.

yes, the room is fairly small, but...it serves it's purpose.

but...look again....

do you see what i see?

obviously, not only am i the only one who can put a new roll of toilet paper where it belongs,

i'm also the only one who knows how that silly trash can works.  it's tricky, i know.

i wonder if the men in my house know that the cardboard tube can actually go into the trash.

note to self:  give "what trash goes where" talk to boys.....again.

(and just for the record....yes, i could see those tubes on the floor.
i was just waiting to see how many could amass before someone, other than myself, noticed them.  i finally folded after i took this picture...i couldn't take it anymore!!!)

***********

yet another reason why one particular coffee joint is the one for me:

from: me

to:  me

you gotta love that!

*****

and finally....'cause this really is what is about me the most....
(did that even make sense??)

from my friend in ny....taken from a mural at the american museum of natural history

i would love to have seen this....thanks, luv, for letting me see it through your eyes (and camera!!).

******

oh...one last thing....

look up at the header

see that first picture?

that is a card that was made by my friend, maggie.
she has a shop over at etsy and it is full of some of the most interesting pieces.
go and check out what she has made...she has something for everyone!!
she is such a creative spirit.....and the card?
i love it.
it's perfect!!
**mwah**
********
i hope you all have a great week....
to all those moms and soon-to-be moms who are reading this...
happy mother's day.
i hope your day is full of wonderment and love.

smiles...coming and going

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

monday was a long day....two classes and then a pta meeting at koji's school were on the schedule.

(the pta meeting, by the way, was an hour of my life i'll never get back again. ugh!)

 after the meeting, i had to race to the supermarket to get something for dinner and then 'ride like the wind' (vroom vroom) to pick up koji at the after-school place by 6:00 and finally i could

drag my butt make it up the stairs to the house and i was stopped by a vision in the garden.

{and by vision i mean "oh my gosh! what the hell is that?" }

wait.

can you get a better look?

i started laughing and happened to turn my head...something else, behind me, caught my eye...

(look....this one has a flower!!)

the neighbors probably wondered what i was doing.

i sort of had 'a moment' ....standing there...loaded down by the many bags i had to haul into the house...surrounded by kitsch (that i have pretty much made fun of for oh, i don't know...forever!).

giggling maniacally laughing.

it seems that my mother-in-law thought i'd like these fun little garden gnomes.

(she has a few of her own and thinks quite highly of them.)

strangely enough....those little guys?

did brighten my day.
so, i'm certain....

leaving my house...returning home...the garden gnomes will make me smile.

wait.
are you thinking what i'm thinking?

something tells me that i might possible be needing something else for this part of the garden...

hmmmmm.....

i wonder....

wonder...

what i might be needing.....

heh heh heh.

here's to something that makes you smile today....
i hope you find it....

maybe even a couple of things...
(^-^)/*

an 'onegai' to you

an onegai in japanese is a favor or can also be "please" when asking for something ("onegaishimasu.")....and i have an onegai for you today..

it's been a month since the earthquake and tsunami.

the level of devastation is hard to comprehend.

the stories are heartbreaking.

and yet...there are so many people who are working so very hard to help the people in these areas try to find some kind of "normal" in their daily lives.

they need your help.

big or small....your donations are great appreciated.

and still needed.

desperately.

jason kelley and his crew working at socks for japan are working so hard to help the thousands of people living in the shelters.

and they are doing it with socks.

amazing isn't it?

it's wonderful how a simple pair of sox can brighten a cold, wet day for someone.

a pair of sox....and a note of encouragement.

jason is documenting his travels and deliveries on his blog.

go and read....it's heartbreaking to see the pictures of the destruction and the conditions in which so many are now living. but.....we canNOT forget that they are there and they need our help.

so...here's my onegai for you....

if you belong to a group....a church...a club...a sorority...a class...or even if it's just you and a friend or two...think about donating to jason kelley and his socks for japan organization.

your goodness will help jason and his goodness and that's...well....

good.

whether it's socks...or money...or something else....

the people....the children...need your help.

"onegaishimasu."

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

aaaaaahhh.....it's spring......

finally.

it feels like we've been waiting for so long for her.

we hope she stays for awhile...because we really, really like spring.

we have for as long as we can remember....and before that.

sunday, the k-man, little k-boy and i took a drive.

(teenage k-boy had better things to do...or at least that is what he mumbled as he and his 'crew'

shuffled out of the house.)

it is cherry blossom season in southern japan.

it's the season for hanami...or 'cherry blossom viewing'.  this is the time of year where many people gather under the cherry trees, have picnics with friends, family or co-workers...and celebrate the warmer weather...they celebrate life.  it's wonderful.

our mission on sunday......to do some hanami-ing.

we found, not only some absolutely beautiful cherry blossoms, but also tulips...and other flowers we are not really sure by what name to call them.

 it was a great day.

spring.

it makes me feel so.....alive.

and this year....i have the desire for something.

not sure what that something is, but....something.

we may start with a haircut.

i haven't had a cut since the k-man got out his clippers a couple of months ago.

 

(not exactly redford and streep, but,....)

i usually take a picture in to my hairdresser whenever i want a change or if i have something in

particular in mind..

i have an idea (have had it for awhile) and i'd like your help.

which picture (of the hairstyle i want) do you think would cause the least amount of laughter in the salon....

 a picture of

a japanese, tranny, make-up artist, entertainer?

or.....

a karaoke-singing, cross-dressing minion?

oh, wow.

so....if i do get this hairstyle...

will i look like a tranny?

or...

a minion?

(i do have a pretty pink dress!!)

hahahaha!!

happy spring everyone....how are YOU feeling???

a special note from Wolf....you know, if he could type, but he can't.....because...hello! he's a dog

this....is Wolf.

and i'm sure that, if he could actually type and send me a message,

it might go something like this:

dear debbie,

how are things with you?

i know you are pretty far away from the earthquake, tsunami, daily after schocks and

the trouble with the nuclear power plant, but, my human (the sweet and lovely, janet) and i think about you often and thank the stars above that you are safe.

you know that i am a shiba ken and my ancestors are from japan.

i can't help but feel a little helpless and i really would like to do something to try and help those like me and other animals that might not be getting the love and attention they need.

janet found some sites that i would like you to share with your friends.

we need to help our four-legged friends who are suffering, too.

thank you, so much....please tell koji that i have

found a great place for us to run and play....you know...for when we do finally meet.

xoxo

wolf

If you’re looking for a way to help out the people and animals hurt and left homeless in Japan due to the earthquake and tsunami, here’s a collection of sites:

Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support (JEARS) is a coalition created to positively support rescue efforts for the animals who have been affected by the devastating earthquake that hit Japan.

World Vets is an international veterinary aid organization that provides “free veterinary aid, resources and support during times of disaster all over the world”. World Vets is collecting veterinary supplies and medicines through the group’s website as well as cages and cash donations. The donations will be used to assist the first-responder team the organization will establish to house and treat injured and lost animals.

Humane Society International is helping to keep people and their pets safe. They’ve made a substantial emergency grant to their animal coalition partner, arranged for the purchase and shipment of more than $100,000 in needed veterinary and other supplies, and helped to set the stage for emergency animal sheltering operations in the devastated areas of northeastern Japan. In the coming days, HSI will continue to support these crucial efforts.

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

~~thanks janet for the links and letting me use wolf ...love you!! <3

how you can help

I have had quite a few e-mails from various people from, literally, all over the world, asking how they can help the people of Japan, in this most horrific of disasters.

I want to share with you a few places that I think are great places to donate goods and money.

Second Harvest

This organization has been wonderful in getting supplies out to the areas that need them the most.  Their trucks go out every other day and they have all of their staff working hard to make sure the right stuff is getting out to the people who need it the most.

If you click on that link, you can find a place where you can donate directly to their cause.  The money you give will help pay for the gas used in the delivery trucks, maintenance fees, drivers, etc. 

There is also a place on their site where you can pay for specific items (such as water and diapers).

Here is a list of the things that they are collecting:

* Food & Beverage (MUST be unexpired): rice, canned items, retort-pouch food, food for elderly people, baby formula and baby food

* Items for Baby & Elderly People (MUST be unopened): baby diapers and adult diapers

* Items for Soup Kitchen(MUST be unused): paper plates, paper cups, plastic spoons, plastic forks, chopsticks and saran wraps

* Other (MUST be unused): brand-new underwear, wet wipes, masks, shampoo that does not require water, towel, portable gas stove and portable gas

Socks For Japan

Jason Kelly (a fellow Coloradoan) and his organization are gathering and delivering new socks to the people living in the shelters, especially those nearest the nuclear power plant.  They have delivered hundreds of socks and letters of encouragement from all over the world!!!

  Think about a time when you were cold or tired....just putting on a pair of new, warm socks helps keep not only the body warm, but they help warm the soul and help you feel safe.

If you go to his site, you can read all about what these wonderful people are doing....

maybe they will inspire you to gather up some socks and send them this way.

Yoyo Market

There are seven CostCo warehouses here in Japan, but for many of us, it is too far and too expensive (gas + road tolls add up quickly) and trips to go shopping are few and far between.

Which is why Yoyo Market is a great company.

They, basically, go shopping for us.  Though not everything in the warehouse is available, the main items that most of us expats want are on their site....and we can buy from them, on-line.

Now....Yoyo Market is taking special orders to be delivered to the devastated areas.

But wait....that's not all they are doing....

Yoyo Market will match 10% to any order shipped directly to active relief groups.

Isn't that great??

If you know of a specific relief group (like Second Harvest, for example...and hey...doesn't CostoCo

carry socks?? (^-^)), you can purchase a case of something and have it shipped to them.

Or....if you want another group, the good people at Yoyo will help you find an organization to ship to.

(You can find the details in the Order and Delivery Updates link on their site!!)

Oh! and don't worry about that whole yen/dollar thing...there are many places out there in the wide world of Internet that will very quickly figure that up for you!

Easy peasy.

So.....if you want to help, you can.

If you belong to an organization that donates to good causes, I, personally, cannot think of a better one.