Mosquitoes

I just found a mosquito in the house. It landed on me and I swatted it and I missed. ARSE. Where is it? Last year they were the bain of our lives. They get in the bedroom then wait for the exact time between the time you go to sleep and the time you wake up and then they bite your arms then they buzz around your ears - you wake up confused and itchy and you have to hunt the little buggers. We have a method. There are so many places they can hide in our room - there are clothes hanging up, and stuff everywhere. So I lie down - bait. I breathe out slowly, heavily and for a long time. The CO2 attracts them. Then Kei waits for them to come to feast on me. Then POW! he does some cool ninja moves and kills. This involves clapping the thing between his hands and then looking at the bloody mess left behind. I have just covered myself in repellent. It stinks.
I was thinking about grief and loneliness too. I watched Sex and the City series 5 again recently and I got to thinking (see what I did there?). There's this line when she is at her own book launch and she says to her friend Charlotte 'I'm lonely and the loneliness is palpable' and everytime I see or think about that it makes me cry. That feelings can take shape. That you actually emit them, secrete them so that they take shape. It's so sad. Sometimes I feel like my love is palpable. I have a friend who is grieving and I bet her grief is palpable and it makes me sad. Not so the sadness is palpable, but so that I can imagine it.
Now some of the high brow readers out there may scoff at quotes from a tacky TV show and I might as well be qouting 'I'm bad I'm bad shomon' (Micheal Jackson 87 - I actually went to see that tour - 125,000 people in a racecourse in Liverpool. It was pretty amazing) But a quote is a quote and it speaks to you - like a song lyric or a quote from an intellectual. And 'The loneliness is palpable' is something that speaks to me. At the moment I have a feeling that is palpable. I'm not sure what it is exactly, but I know I don't like it and I cannot wait for it to pass.
It could be homesickness, a need to get out of Tokyo or simply the chemicals in my body making me feel a certain way. But the feeling is palpable. IT'S HUNGER. I'm bloody starving - going to make a bit of toast!!! Yeah!!!

Plodding along...

Do you ever wake up in the morning and feel like crap? Not neutral or normal, not happy or contented, but like crap? I do. It's incredibly boring actually and if it happens for too long it becomes a bit weird. But that doesn't usually happen without a tsunami of hormones. It did happen once. For the whole of the F&%$'&n 90s!!!! Waste of time and energy and good conversation time!!!! Anyway, I had a great weekend in a way. Chillin with my hubby and hangin with friends. Friday night we went to a local French restaurant for a set menu. It was pretty good - the food wasn't stellar, but we had a really nice time chatting and drinking and being together. Friday day was leg wax day - thank the lord! And a bit of hanging out with my lovely pregant friend - that is more or less all of them right now, but this is the one who will pop very very soon.
Saturday day was a very very very lazy day watching CSI then a quick trip to Harajuku to get baby presents and birthday presents followed by Tom's 30th birthday part 2. Karaoke in Shinjuku then beers in Nichome. Lots of beers. Fun night, met some new people. Sunday HANGOVER. Was meant to meet a mate, but forgot until the last minute and postponed, thus adding to the feeling like crap.
Late in the afternoon was summoned by best friend's son to provide entertainment as he was bored of his parents. We met at Outback steakhouse and he loves Keisuke and I mean LOVES him, so they hung out together while I tried to be sociable with my hangover. Outback Steakhouse actually kicks ass it is ideal hangover food. I ate my large swordfish steak then tucked into Kei's chips and had a huge dessert. We rolled home and watched more CSIs. I nursed my hangover a bit more.

Today I had a weather-dependent day off. If it rained I had lessons and had to go to work. If it didn't rain, I had the day off as the kids had a big inter-class ball game. Hoorah for good weather. I had Kei check the Internet at least 10 times yesterday to check that the 0% chance of rain was not a beautiful vision created by Yahoo Weather to trick me. I got up at 6.15 as usual to go onto the balcony, look toward the city I work in and checked for rain. Non. YEEEEES. I had the day off. It was a doing day. I managed to only get through half of my list, but presents were posted, thank you cards were written, forgotten presents were delivered back to owner, washing was done, futons were aired, socks were folded and put away and things were slightly more organised than before. Still have a never-ending list of things to do. Me and the rest of the world. So why do I feel so edgy and nervous? Bored with it. All words of encouragement gratefully accepted.

Love Lady Luck

I heart boyz
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

This is how I feel today!!! I just went to my school's term start party and I won digital camera! First prize in the bingo! There is a gigantic thunderstorm and it is my wonderful lovely friend Tom's 30th today! That's him there> He has fabulous news too, so I am super happy for them.
Funny because today started a bit shonky. I kept being late for everything and I had to pay for mine and Kei's flights to the UK. I am sorry if you are uncomfortable with talking about money matters but the grand total was...TWO THOUSAND F"#$%iIN QUID. My God and in cash too although this being Japan all I had to worry about was me dropping it, leaving it somewhere or setting it on fire or something. Which wouldn't be out of the question. But I managed to get my huge wad of cash to the travel agent's in one chunk and buy 2 flight to England. So today is a day for CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Some things you don't want to imagine...

I met an acqauaintance today who is a doctor. That Dr had done 100 pap smears that day.
I lost my ticket on the train and had to pay again, surfaced an my bike had been impounded. Not bad luck, but rank stupidity, I was going to go home between sesssions and get my bike before the men took it away, but decided to go shopping instead. DOH!!!
Then I got home, made dinner and watched a few episodes of sex and the city.
Today I have a bit of a day off and I had a nice long lie in and it is a beautiful day, so I will enjoy this relaxing time...

Shortly before this he was trying to do Barry White Impressions

Making invites
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

It's exhausting. Still at work, been a funny kind of day. Had an early morning session, the 3 hours off, then one trainee cancelled, so I'm just surfing. I have another session later and then a kid's private lesson.
Anyway, I took the opportunity to by some CDs and read Heat and Hello magazines in HMV. I bought Barry White for Kei, Talking Heads for me and in my bid to try and not always go for natsukashi music and try something new, I got Sigur Ros - I have never heard a single thing by them, but they entered my periphery via someone's weblog recently and they are from Iceland and I thought I'd give them a go. I bought the CD based entirly on the purple cassette and the excellent cover. I am so glad I have some time to sit back. I'll go home, tidy up a smidge then head out for the evening shift before enjoying my (almost) day off tomorrow!!!

At Work

I'm at work now. In a big office building in Shinjuku with a big ole company. Just deciding whether to hang around here or go home and tidy up a bit and make lunch. mmmmm...

GENIUS!!!

Budding Jasmine
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

I just found out how to put photos on my Blog from Flickr, so I am very happy and decided to post this lovely little fella!!! So I may be able to do some more interesting posts now!!!!

Little God

Little God
Originally uploaded by sigsy.

Today I did something new. I went for a quick massage between lessons. 15 minutes of hard back work. I have been thinking about doing this for ages as I have time to kill on Monday nights and I think it is time well spent.
I asked for it strong and he said if it hurt to say, and he gave it very strong but I was too embarrased to say anything and just made gurning faces into the donut thing.
So every Monday I am going to get massaged. I really wanted a foot massage as my little tootsies get tired and achy.
Friday will be leg wax. Two days off school this week - Yata!!!

BACK ON FORM!!!

A what a difference a day makes. ..


After the workshop yesterday, which wasn't too bad, but wasn't the greatest performance ever, I had lunch with my colleague at a Chinese restaurant. Kei doesn't like Chinese so I seized the opportunity. It was yum cha and really really good too - the shrimp dumplings were juicy and delicious and I took the opportunity to stuff myself.

Then I went home and crashed out in the living room, so tired I could barely move and watched 4 episodes of CSI (thanks banana).

At about 8 we decided to go to the bbq for our good friend Tom's 30th, that started at 4.30. We stayed there and caught up with old friends, made some new ones and I downed a bottle of Chardonnay and felt much much better. It was a great night and the parties at that guesthouse (where I lived for 2 years) are always fun.

This morning I woke up on the tatami with a raging hangover, but I was happy because a) my stress had subsided and b) I knew the cause of feeling like shit was wine based and not some mystery. I also slept well. So I had a few glasses of water, vitamin C and a dioralyte (for rehydration) and enjoyed my hangover.

Then we headed out for 12 o clock lunch date with Rach and 16 friends to celebrate her birthday. We went to a lovely retaurant in the harbour near Shinagawa called TY Harbor Brewery www.tyharborbrewing.co.jp They brew their own beers and do good hearty food, Californian style. it was a rgeat place and a really 'great space' (What a gread spaze) in and old warehouse. The weather was stunning and being by the water and the smell of the sea was a wonderful tonic. We sat for over 3 hours talking and eating and drinking and it was perfect. Again a mix of old friends, mutual friends and new friends - a great crowd!!!
Not ready to finish the day, we then headed for Yoyogi Park - my favorite park and summer hangout and wedding venue!!!! It was buzzing. The recent rubbish weather and this amazing day brought everyone out and there were so many people doing their thing outdoors - drummers, dijeridooers, belly dancers, breakdancers, skaters, bikers, dogwalkers, rabbit walkers (really), jugglers, drinkers, families, just everyone and I was in love with Tokyo and my life all over again. The contrast of the day in comparison to last week made me feel all the more contented and warm and happy. Everyone was on top form.

One of the things I love about living in this city is the network of friends and people we build up and the fact that there is so much going on and people realy make an effort. All of us live away from our families and we kind of create a family around ourselves. And people in the foreign community are all connected somehow and you can get connected so easily. Through one friend you may end up with a whole new set of friends, or find out you have common friends and this all makes the bonds all the stronger. In Tokyo there is always this feeling that anything can happen and that everyone can be or do something. No one fits in, so everyone does, you can be what you like. People drift in and out of your life and leave their impression, people who you get very close to then may never see again and this transience makes relationships both very precious and very disposable yet no less important.

So we finally headed home at about 7, ate improv dinner and settled down in front of the TV, talked to the folks and ignored the hell hole that is our home because, well I don't feel like tidying up!!!

Exhaustion and Misery

It's at that time when I feel really exhausted and mental and negative. Mid term, hormone levels and just peed off with things. I'm up late on a Friday and I am working tomorrow (for a couple of hours only) and I really just want to be hanging out with Kei, asleep and waking up for a lazy morning before he goes to footy in the afternoon.

I feel like moaning - the Blog I guess is not such a good place to do it, but I feel like it, so I'm doing it. I must remind myself how much I enjoy my jobs, enjoy my life and my friends and how lucky I am. But right now I am a self indulgent little madam. Just earlier this week I was training an amazing lady who works for Medecins sans Frontiere and she talked me through her amazing and dangerous time in Sudan, doing women's medicine (gyneacology and obstetetrics) and here I am moaning about having to get up and go to Roppongi Hills to deliver a 2 hour training session to highly motivated people. GET A GRIP!!!!

2 Incredible Things yesterday...

I was on the train with my friend and colleague when he suddenly went 'Oh my God' and a woman behind me had fallen to the floor and hit her head very very hard and was convulsing violently. On the back of a rather long discussion that has been going on on the Blog 'Blue Lotus' about 'bystander intervention' and 'diffusion of responsibility' I immediately went to help, along with a lot of other people on the carriage.
She was having a SERIOUS Grand Mal (tonic clonic) epileptic seizure and I mean serious.
I have never see anything like this before and it was frightening. Not only that, but the strength of the body when it is convulsing is quite unbelievable. A man cradled her head and put a lighter in her mouth to keep it open. I gathered her things and put them in her bag and just kind of held her hand and motioned a telephone gesture. Someone used the SOS intercom on the train to call the next station, 1-2 mins away. When we arrived there, there were 3 guards waiting at the door and the took her on a stretcher. She was alone and a couple of very kind people stayed with her. Afterward I was surging with adrenaline and shaking. I went online and found out about 1st aid for seizures and here it is:

http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/answerplace/Medical/firstaid/firstaidkeys.cfm

The other thing was that we finally got married last night. At 11pm in the back end of Shinjuku! A little man in a security office put a few stamps on a few documents and told Kei to call up today between 1-5 (don't know why). So we are official!!! Finally!!! We took a few pictures so when I can, I'll pop them on Flickr and you can see just how romantic a Japanese town hall marriage can be!!!

BARRY!!!!

It just struck me how funny it is that Barry White, the whale of love or whatever is called Barry!! So here are a few Barrys I can think of:

Barry off Brookside Grant - son of Matty, hardman, scally heart throb.
Barry of the Scousers - I mean Barry is really a very scally name. (Or was it Terry?)

Anyway I can't actually think of any more Barrys off hand.

Barry Sheen - the amazing motorcycle man with a lot of metal in his legs. I think I had a poster of him on my wall in the 70s. He was sooo 70s. You don't really get motobike heart throbs these days do you?

The Menfolk can be strange

Mine has just got into Barry White. He has taken to singing Barry White in front of the computer and glancing over to me every now and then. It is hilarious, anyone who knows my male will know that is Barry White had a polar opposite it is Kei. Barry - huge, Kei - tiny, Barry - thick beard, Kei - 2 patches of whiskers that most Brit boys have by the age of 12, Barry - incredibly deep voice, Kei - not very and very funny when trying to do the talky bits of Bazza's songs. I think i might buy him a special trat of Barry's greatest hits tomorrow as it is a special day!!!
Right I'm off to trawl through all my fave Blogs now...

Photos

Just updated recent photos onto my Flickr account so checkem out.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sigsyintokyo/

I still haven't worked out how to use this Blog thing to its full potential. Never mind heh, so now it will be very text heavy with no links!!!

On Sunday...

26 inches of flat screen delight was delivered to our house. All other interests cease. We await the World Cup Kick off as we watch film after film.

First film watched on new TV - The Matrix as promised. Then watched 'In Her Shoes' with Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette. It was good - chickus flickus but KEi liked it too and Shirley McClaine put in a fine performance. There were loads of old people in the film and we are both huge fans of old people - they are very cool and we love them so that was a huge bonus.

Sunday league, I mean J-League football

We got free tickets to go and see J1 league FC Tokyo play Omiya at the Ajinomoto Stadium. It was great - the atmosphere at football matches can't be beaten. First they sang 'You'll Never Walk Alone' and I cried (Japan teams often adopt the songs and anthems of well established teams as the J-league has only been going 10-15 years)

Then there was all the chants and songs and it made me think of home and how ace footy matches are and how passionate Brits are about football. And I was well excited. 8 Minutes in, Tokyo got a penalty and scored so the home crowd were happy. We had a beer and watched all the families enjoying themselves.

After half time about 10 minutes in we got a bit bored of watching everyone moving around in a clump in the midfield. No attacking to speak of, not much defending either, just 2 teams each avoiding having to try to score. We got really bored as we were shouting attack, for goodness sake attack. Then we left before the crowds and Omiya scored twice! But we missed the crowds and it was hardly a huge loss.

It made me impatient for the World Cup and some World Class football. But it was fun and the atmosphere was good and it was a lovely day.

Then we hit Shibuya for a couple of hours shopping then we went round to A and T's for a couple of beers and to see the bairn and say goodbye to the big brother and the girlfriend, flying back to UK the following day.

Things that happnened in Golden Week...

We went to a town in Gunma called NishiKoizumi. There is a really high Brazilian population in this area and it is evident as soon as you reach the station.

All signs are bilingual Japanese and Portugese
There are loads of Brazilian shops selling Brazilian good
Loads of Brazilian hair salons
Loads of Brazilian estate agents
Loads of...you get the picture
Loads of Brazilian people and various mixes thereof (funnily enough, by sheer coincidence, a guy from that area called 'Marcos Furuya' contacted Keisuke through one of the online communities the day after we were there. A beautiful coincidence and he shares the same family name as Kei!!!)
There was loud music playing and the smell of barbeques everywhere
There were loads of 'souped up' cars with spoilers, dark windows etc.

I GOT WOLF WHISTLED!!! For the first time in years and years. It was fantastic. I turned to Kei and said 'Still got it honey - watch your back!!!' Granted I was wearing dark glasses, thus hiding the true nature of the leathery hide that is my face and they were driving pretty fast dwown the dual carriageway that we were crossing so in a flash my hair looked blond not bungy, I looked like a leggy blond. Maybe they thought it was Gisele Bundchen. I am officially still worth a letch.

We stayed about a couple of hours, then headed to Ginza where we ate soba noodles in a standing noodle bar for about 2 quid then headed home to relax and enjoy the rest of the holiday.

Golden Week

We had a great Golden Week - day trips and football matches and flatscreen TVs. And no work, which is always a B O N U S!!!!!

Many things

We've done loads of things since the last post among them:

Ordered a telly - 26 inches of flatscreen joy

Got on a really old train line and travelled deep into the Tokyo Shitamachi area to see what was at the end. We bought Miso and Japanese sweets.

Been to karaoke with my colleagues from the High school.

Cleaned the balcony.

Repotted some plants.

Got cable in the flat.

Today we are going out to an island somewhere that Kei selected - I'm so happy because I really want to go to the sea. If he can remove himself from in front of the TV. MOVE SUCKER!!!!!

Tomorrow we are going to Gunma to a town that has loads of Brazilian shops.

Saturday we are going to see FC Tokyo play.

Sunday the TV arrives and all other activies in our lives cease. God forbid.

Ok better go and get the train. Will be updating my Flickr account this week.