Likes and Dislikes -- Part 1

Here are some things that I'm liking and not liking so much right now.

Dislikes

1. Taxes -- Ugh I hate having to deal with taxes!! Also, it doesn't help that we have to do them for two countries. You know, I hate to say it but the Japanese system is so much easier to deal with, and we have those 90% finished. Compare this to one of the U.S. forms that indicates that it will take a total of 37 hours to complete...yeah...for one form...haven't gotten the energy to even crack open that file yet.

2. Library Books on Hold -- I recently checked out Shogun from the library, and then I was told that I couldn't renew it because someone else has requested it. This book is more than 1,000 pages long!! No way I have time to finish it and enjoy it in two weeks. What's worse? I actually started the book, so I just feel like I wasted my time with it.

3. Facebook -- Though I do share my blog posts on Facebook and some pictures of Mia for mostly family to see, there is really very little of anything interesting on it anymore. It is like one huge medium to forward junk mail to each other. I would so delete my account, but I do use it to keep in touch with people and store pictures....so I guess I just won't check it that much.

4. Idiots -- Yeah, this may sound kind of harsh, but I'm definitely not liking them right now. I don't want to say too much because people may get the wrong idea....but in general people should realize that you do have a right to have your own opinion, but you may want to think twice before you share said idiotic opinions or tidbits of "wisdom."

5. Lack of planning -- I have a weird idea...if I was more organized and better at planning out my day, week, and month...then I would get more done. I would have a beautiful blog that wasn't so random, be super in shape, have a shiny apartment, be on top of all paperwork and randomness, have so many Japanese activities planned for Mia, and finding more ways to make money for the family. However, I only think that this is partly true. I probably can't live up to my own standards, so I don't know where that leaves me...hahaha

I also dislike hugely long, rambling blog posts...so I will leave it at that for the day...and post my likes (which are more than 5 luckily) next time.

Things I'm Loving Right Now

Rosemary and Mint- This scent is my new all time favorite. I'm using Rosemary and Mint shampoo and conditioner....and I am so in love. It wakes me right up in the mornings. I also just picked up a hand wash in this scent and can't wait to bust it open.


aiden + anais- We got two of these blankets as a gift for Mia....and they are so soft. They are also really cozy and warm without overheating baby. The designs are so simple and cute. I'm about to bust out Ten's credit card this week and purchase a few more things for Mia (read myself...haha). I cannot recommend this company enough... :)


Home Organization Binders- I am beyond pumped to make my binder. I've been reading up on them from a lot of different sites on what to include in making one....this is like the ultimate in list making and planning...so right up my alley!! I will also have a ton more to plan for...three adults, two kids, and lots of fun...so we will need to be very organized.


Proverbs 31- If I feel lazy I just flip over to Proverbs 31 and read about this perfect yet attainable image of how a woman should be....it really helps motivate me to get a little bit extra done. This may seem a bit old-fashioned...but I really admire the Proverbs 31 woman...in fact, she is like my new obsession...right up there with the Duggars....that means...yes, I'm even reading books dedicated to  the topic.


Homeschooling- No...we are not planning on homeschooling...well not exactly...but Ten and I have talked about how great we think homeschooling is. To be honest...and not to offend any of my teacher friends...but I don't have a lot of faith in the public education system. Also, I do have a university degree and taught English...so I could do it...and we could customize the material....but in the end...it isn't really that socially acceptable. However, I have decided to use some of the curriculum with my nephew when we move to the US...and with Mia we plan on doing it during summers....fun learning for a couple of hours each day is better than sitting in front of a TV....in our opinion.


Suntory Oriental Blend Tea- I grabbed a bottle of this yesterday while we were in the checkout lane....it's a blend of oolong and jasmine tea with some other things mixed in....I could drink this stuff all day long....sad I only grabbed one bottle!! May have to ask Ten to make a run to the grocery store for more.


The Godfather- I had never watched this series until recently. I always started and stopped it and just couldn't get into it. Well I was determined to make it past the first half hour the other night and now I am addicted to it. I have finished the first two...so I will be lost when I finish the third one. It's always sad to finish such a great movie...because then other things are such a let down.


Walks- I don't get to leave the apartment very often. Rainy season with an infant makes that almost impossible...but when the rain does stop I am very appreciative of the bit of movement I can squeeze in.


Skype- I used to think I was wasting a lot of time on Skype...but now with nursing in full swing...there are times I can't do much else. Had a lot of fun today talking to my grandma about the gossip going on back home...and then making fun of Ten with my sister and mom...LH didn't mind.... ;)


Adoption- This isn't really something we are thinking about doing right at this moment, but it is something we are keeping in the back of our mind. With two difficult pregnancies (one miscarriage and one premature baby), we aren't quite sure if we are willing to go another round....so, this may be a great option for us...but like I said...lots to think about here.


Anyway, please forgive the typos and odd grammar and what not...great thing about a blog is that it doesn't have to be perfect.

Crazy Things People Say

As most of you may know by this time, our days in Japan are numbered. In fact, we will be moving back to the U.S. before the summer is over. I was thinking back over my time here as an English teacher, and I wanted to make a list of some of the funniest things my Japanese/Chinese/Korean students have said to me....So here they go:


1. "So, how is California life? Oh, you aren't from California? Then, how is it living in New York?" Yes, that is right. Most students that I met would inevitably assume that I was from California because I have blond hair. When I told them that I was not from California then it was assumed I must be from New York...because these are the only two places that exist in America. I even had one student say he was disappointed that I wasn't a "real" American because I wasn't from either of these beloved states....haha.


2. "How many guns do you have?" Once when I was asked this question for the hundredth time, I got a little bit mean and told the student that in fact I was carrying a gun in my bag at that very moment. The sad thing is....he actually believed me. I had to physically show him the inside of my bag to ease any fears.


3. "Can you use chopsticks?" "Can you eat rice?" "Can you eat Japanese food?"  No matter how many years I have lived here....it seems to boggle the average Japanese student's mind that...gasp...I can use chopsticks! Also, here comes another shocker...we have rice in America! Actually, I'm sure they know that rice exists in America if they really put their mind to it...but the logic escapes them in the beginning. Also, I'm not sure what kind of food you live on in if you are living in Japan, but I'm almost certain some of it must be Japanese.


4. "I hope my son doesn't marry a white person when they study in America, and it would be even worse if they were black!" Now, this one I must say is more of a favorite phrase of my lovely Korean students. I think that even if Japanese students think this...they wouldn't necessarily say it. However, I have been told many a time how terrible it would be if a non-Korean were to enter the family. Really this statement doesn't bother me all that much. Korea is predominately....wait for it....composed of ethnic Koreans...so I'm sure it would upset things quite a bit.


5. "Can you speak Japanese?" This is an absolutely reasonable question, but what I have loved about Japan is that they in NO WAY EXPECT YOU TO SPEAK JAPANESE!! How great is this!! I mean they understand it is a hard language and assume that foreigners haven't taken the time to learn it....could you imagine Americans saying this about English...hah! Now there are two sides to this coin...I know. But since I don't plan on staying here for too much longer, I have decided that this is a good thing.


6. "So you eat McDonald's everyday." This is always in statement rather than question form. I always had to gently break it to the student that....no...we do not eat McDonald's everyday. Instead we go to Taco Bell, Burger King, Arby's, etc...hahaha. Well, I'm sure people don't go every day....but admittedly we Americans (did you see what I did there if you are familiar with Japanese English)...do tend to eat a lot of fast food compared to people in Japan. I wouldn't say this statement is necessarily that unfair.


7. "Why do Americans love war?" I honestly have no idea how to go about this one. Do Americans love war? We have been in a war of some sort or the other for most of my life. Also, isn't history class mainly a string of wars with some social issues sprinkled in between. I always approach this one with the idea of making the world a safer place, blah, blah blah....but I'm not sure if I buy it myself.


8. "My son made a friend in the U.S., but I'm sad that the friend isn't a real American." The first time I heard this one....I was a bit confused. I kindly asked the student to clarify and found out that said friend was of Indian descent. Born and raised in America....but not American in Japanese eyes. Now, this issue runs very deep here in Japan. Even someone born in Japan to one Japanese parent and one foreign parent...may not be considered really Japanese. Yes, I have been told this many, many times. So, it doesn't surprise me that this poor Indian American is not considered a real American....but I always go through my little speech that one of the great things about the U.S. is that if you are born/naturalized there then you are a "real" American. 


9. "Why are American women in porn so scary?" hahaha....this one made me laugh so hard. This poor guy explained how when he watched a U.S. porn he was quite terrified of the actress and didn't find her attractive. Too aggressive he said with all of the yelling....and...well you know. These conversations always just went to really wacky places...because...honestly...I have no explanation for this...cultural I guess? .... hahaha...maybe they are scary.


10. "When will you leave Japan?" Most students that I have met always assumed that I would leave. Not because I had mentioned it...but because they don't expect you to stay here for long. You are expected to go back from whence you came. I never knew how to answer this question because I wasn't really sure if I was leaving Japan...so this always ended up with me asking why they would assume that I would leave.


Now, as you read through all of these it may sound like people are a bit....hmmm...I don't know racist? However, if you inserted U.S. or American for Japan or Japanese....I think the questions aren't really all that different. Do we expect foreigners to go back to their own country? Probably. Do we assume that Japanese people eat sushi all of the time. Yes. Do we ask if a foreign person can speak English. Yes, and we assume that they should (which is beyond ignorant).


So, while I have faced a lot of interesting situations here...I believe that it was all for the better in the end...I have a much better idea of what it is like living as a minority. I honestly feel that no white American can say the same without having truly lived in such a situation for an extended period of time...no matter how many non-white friends you have....you are always looking at it from the viewpoint of the majority...so, overall I've been very thankful for my experiences over the past five years.

Things I will Never Miss

We are now officially in our 31st week of pregnancy, and I would say time is neither flying by nor moving at a snail's pace. 


As I get closer to my due date, people often ask me if I am tired of being pregnant yet? My first reaction to that question is no, not really. I never had the terrible morning sickness, fatigue was offset by the fact that my extremely great husband allows me to stay home and not work, and I haven't gotten a huge pregnancy stomach...yet. Things are running fairly smoothly so far. However, if I think about that question a little bit more, I would say that there are several things that I am tired about when it comes to pregnancy. 


These things have nothing to do with the actual baby that I am carrying. The baby does very little to harass me during waking or sleeping hours in fact. Instead I will be happy not to be harassed by the endless questions and the heaps of advice that I receive from others. Sounds kind of terrible, but I think a lot of women might agree. 


Here are a few of the things that I indeed will be happy to say good bye to:


1. "How do you feel?" Every person on greeting me asks this question inevitably. Indeed I feel just the same as I did before pregnancy, so PLEASE STOP asking!! I have no idea how to answer this question. I feel fine...or should I make up a list of dramatic symptoms so we can have something to talk about?


2. "Are you able to do that?" Yes, yes I can. Now, there are certain things that I can't do like lift heavy weights at the gym, hop into a sauna (or do anything else that overheats me), or drink alcohol (not that I do anyway). However, almost everything else...yes...I can do it. Walking will in fact not kill me. I am capable of going to crowded places. I do not in fact need to be a hermit. Now as time goes on and I get more tired, I may choose not to go out for long periods of time....but this is my choice.


3. "Can you eat/drink that?" I ordered tea at lunch one day, and a friend about had a heart attack! Yes it had a tiny amount of caffeine in it, but well within the allowable limit. It shall be okay. I can indeed eat almost anything except for uncooked meats and unwashed vegetables and some cheeses. But I can eat 99.9% of normal foods!


4. "Are you craving that?" Every time I say I want to eat ABC or XYZ, I am  immediately asked..."oh is that a craving?" Umm, no! I'm hungry and that is what I feel like! It isn't pregnancy related. This is no different when you answer what you want to eat for dinner.


5. "How was your last doctor's appointment?" Ok, this one may be a bit cruel to be annoyed about....but it still does get under my skin. It went fine as far as you are concerned. If something really went wrong...would you actually want to know? Would you know how to react? I'm sure if there was something to tell...I would. Though I completely understand why people ask...it drives me nuts.


6. Your baby will look more Japanese/white. You have no idea, and neither do I. However, I definitely don't appreciate a discussion on our baby's race! Who cares which it looks like!! It will be a perfect blend of the two. I know Ten and I don't care "which she looks more like," so why do you? If I hear one more time about how our baby will have black hair/blue or dark eyes/pale skin, I will scream. 


7. You need to buy this/that now! You are just in denial that you are having a baby. What? Trust me there is no denial when you are kicked in the stomach so many times a day that you feel a bit of motion sickness. We are just really wise shoppers. We always have been. So, it shouldn't surprise you that we do a lot of research on things before purchasing them.


8. Parenting Advice with the comment "You'll see." I do not care that you believe in spanking your child. I do not care that you think breastfeeding for an extended amount of time is strange or plain inconvenient.  You think that babies should learn self soothing by crying a bit in the night? Great for you. When you ask about what we believe....we don't need the response "you'll see!" No, you will see that we have different beliefs and will try to do things differently. Your way is not the right way!


9. Labor/Birth Advice. Simply put...it is none of your business. I don't care if you highly recommend an epidural or wish that you had had one. You are not me! I think it is even worse when people speak negatively to you about the decisions that are you making. Why be a source of discouragement? Shouldn't we try to uplift people in their choices if they aren't doing anything wrong or hurting anyone. Also, I will punch you in the face if you talk about how I have no idea how painful labor is...and I just have no idea. Yes, indeed it is painful.....but your experience will not be mine. We can't even really  predict what each person's labor will be like, but we definitely shouldn't try to undermine their ideas or scare them!


I better stop here. The list may go on forever...I didn't even think I had this many...hahaha

Things that I thought that I would never miss.....

Top 10 Foods That I Miss in the U.S.


1. Taco Bell - Every time I step on U.S. soil, this is one of the first places that I head to...oh how I miss Nacho Bell Grandes....and pretty much anything else on the menu.


2. Funyuns - I don't crave these very often, but I miss being able to eat them whenever I want to.


3. Chicken Fried Steak - Greasy diners don't serve this dish any better.


4. Fried Catfish - and I miss the fish fries that go along with them.


5. Cherry Coke - Even though it kind of tastes like cough medicine, and I can't even drink the full can; sometimes I miss it.


6. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups - We have nothing similar to this in Japan, and it is extremely hard to find here....so I have to improvise by spreading peanut butter on chocolate...hahaha....it kind of works.


7. SpaghettiOs with meatballs - eaten straight from the can


8. Doughnuts - especially when you get them at a gas station and wash it down with soda....hahaha....diabetes here I come.


9. Hot dogs - chili, cheese, and onion....perfect


10. Red Velvet Cake and German Chocolate Cake - okay I know these are technically two things, but I couldn't decide which I miss more...oooh and also Carrot Cake!!


Yes, I know a lot of junk food is on this list (well all junk food)....but I wouldn't want to eat all of this at once....It would just be nice to have it every once in a while.


So, two blogs in a row with no pictures....will try to do better....but this just popped into my head.