MY JAPAN: PEPPER LUNCH

I love eating here. It's a good thing we have a Pepper Lunch resto here in Manila. When Ruther came home last December, I asked him to take me there. Really miss this...

STILL MISSING...

I miss Japan a lot. I've been thinking about it these past few days and I realize that it's never been out of my system since the very first time I went to that country. Every little thing that reminds me of that place just make me want to leap on a plane and go there. I just miss it so much.

After living there for more than a year (collectively), I just know that my family could be happy there. I just know that it would be wonderful to live in a great country together. I know of course, that there will some inconveniences from time to time (like how to go to a movie without the kids) but I'm sure, as always, we'd be able to manage. To be honest, when we were in Japan, I didn't feel homesick at all. I got to talk to my family through Skype, we'd email each other regularly, when we want Filipino dishes we'd go to a Filipino store for supplies/food, and most importantly, we had our family intact so I never felt like I needed anything else. Plus, the people in Japan were so kind and friendly that I never felt like the language was much of a problem.

I miss Japan so much, even if i couldn't take the winter cold sometimes, or if I didn't know what to cook for the family anymore, or if I always worried about our homeschooling. It was difficult but I was so happy. And I just know in my heart that that's the place where I would want to live with my family eventually.

MOVING ON

I'm probably on week 6 in my pregnancy. But I've yet to get an ultrasound to confirm that. I'm making a guess. Work has made me so busy I hardly have time to homeschool the boys. But of course, we still manage. Other than that, I've stopped crocheting, watching my shows because after I get home from work, I'd be sleepy and then it would the boys' naptime at 3pm. I feel so unorganized.

Anyway, I'd be done with work on Friday. Many of the students are flying back to Korea this month. One of my students already went home last Sunday, 2 will leave tomorrow and my last student will fly home on Saturday. I don't mind ending my stint with the school. I had fun and I learned a lot. But only those were the positive perks. My pay was measly. I earned only P280 (approx. US$6.11) a day because they only paid me P70 (approx. US$1.53) per student. Early January, I asked the head teacher if the P70 pay was fixed and she said it wasn't and depending on performance, I could get an increase. But I don't see that happening now with most of the students leaving. So I'll end my work on Friday and just think of a way to earn while at home. It'd be so much better and we'd get our homeschooling back in order.

There. I feel so much better already.

.....

I feel so awfully fat. But so far no one has guessed that I'm with child yet so I think I should be thankful for that. But this time, I want to make sure that I don't get too big. I hope (I said "hope" instead of "want") to exercise in the mornings by walking around the subdivision. I would love to do that anytime everyday if it wasn't for the fumes from tricycles and vehicles around the neighborhood. Carbon monoxide really irritates me. Anyway, I hope to be able to do that regularly every week...

And I'm still wishing for a girl...

.....

I miss Japan a whole lot. Ever since I went to that country, I just wish my family could live there already. I just love Japan and its people. It's such a wonderful place and I miss it like crazy. I wish I could see Japan again soon...

TOTEM

A photo I took in Japan...

Miss our life there...

SOME PHOTOS

Here's Ethan eating an ice cream to keep cool. The boys are going through around 6 ice creams (a scoop of vanilla ice cream on a cone) per week I think. Dunno if that's a bad thing...















A usual thing in Japan during the summer. Cicadas are quite noisy this time of the year. We haven't caught any yet because it's just waaay too hot to go out during mornings and afternoons and also because I'm just wary of mosquito bites. Good thing I "captured" this one using my camera.



The rightmost building is Ruther's office building at Sakuragicho. :D

TALK THE TALK

Another thing I have yet to master while in Japan is learning how to use my kawaii voice. In case you didn't know, kawaii in Japanese means "cute". My regular speaking voice is probably lower than a typical girl's but definitely higher than a guy's deep voice. However, here in Japan, a girl's speaking voice is really high-pitched and well, girly. I may sometimes pass off as Japanese-looking (because I am so Asian) but once I speak, the cat's out of the bag.

I try really hard to speak in a kawaii voice but it's harder than I thought. There's a typical kawaii voice and then, there's someone trying to speak in a sweet, lilting manner - which can be so nauseating. I, of course, don't want to be the trying-hard version. But again, it's really difficult. The first few times I used my regular speaking voice at the supermarket and said arigatou to the cashier, I sounded really well, masculine. And I almost cringed at the sound of my voice.

Anyway, several times after that, I've tried changing the tone of my voice and so far, I've still been unsuccessful. I still haven't gotten the right kawaii note. I wouldn't want to raise my voice a full octave higher because for one, it wouldn't suit my look (I'm definitely NOT petite) and two, I would look, sound and feel reeeeeally stupid. So, I'm still hoping to be able to get that right girly voice eventually. I'm sure a few more practice sessions in front of the mirror mumbling sumimasen, arigatou gozaimasu and gomen nasai would enable me to find my very own kawaii voice.

Wish me luck.

AT YUIGAHAMA BEACH

Here are some photos from our beach excursion...


The water was cold but that didn't stop the boys..











By afternoon, the rain stopped and more and more people came to the shore.












Our group photo

Y12,000

I don't think I could still enrol Nikki in a swim class with May coming to a close. I think we will probably be doing that in Japan instead. Hopefully, we will be able to find a class that won't cost too much. I just don't feel confident enrolling Nikki right now, especially since I have a lot of things to do at this time and we have yet to see his hematologist (which I am scheduling for next week). So swim class will have to be postponed, I'm afraid. But I'll still be searching for other activities for the boys for the next two months. Hopefully I'll be able to find something fun for them...

.....

Ruther told me the other day that the government is giving Y12,000 per person in Japan (including foreigners) as a supplementary income payment to boost the economy. Isn't that great? I only wish the government here in the Philippines were as generous... I asked Ruther what he was going to do with the money and he immediately answered "Save it" because he had a few unexpected expenses the past month. Oh well...

MORE PATIENCE FOR ME... AND HELP PLEASE...

A few days ago my hair fell to the middle of my back. Not anymore. I asked (read: forced) Ruther to cut my hair last Saturday after getting impatient with my long tresses. I would have wanted a professional cut and as much as I would love having this first experience, salon services are expensive in Japan and I would really rather we save the money for Nikki's birthday bonanza rather than on a haircut for myself. So deciding on that, I supposed that it was all right for Ruther to trim my hair. He was really nervous but there was no changing my mind. I wanted a short 'do and I wanted it ASAP. (Don't ask me why but if I didn't get my haircut immediately then I would have chopped my hair off myself.) Anyway, it took some time but I am quite happy with my new haircut. My hair now falls above my shoulders and my head feels really light and I am already thinking of all the shampoo I would be saving now that I have less hair. I am still thinking of getting the haircut I want later on (perhaps in Manila) but for now, I am happy with the change.

(The photos will come soon, don't worry.)

.....

We went to Ueno today after church. We had fun at Ueno Park and I loved the photos we took of the autumn leaves and colorful sights and food stalls and the family fun, of course. It was really wonderful getting immersed in the culture. Inside Ueno Park is a zoo but we didn't go in anymore since we were just at Nogeyama Zoo a few days before. It was a short stroll but it was still fun and hopefully we sould get to see even more beautiful places - before it turns icy cold, that is.

.....

I am usually a very patient and tolerant person. I believe myself to be pretty understanding of people from different walks of life and I always try to give everyone the benefit of the doubt before jumping to conclusions about a person's personality. I have grown and matured mentally and emotionally, knowing different kinds of people, relating to them, interacting with them, learning from them, and after taking the psychology course, I think I have broadened my tolerance for people with (let's just say) some unsavory traits. I could take some of those traits (to a limit): poor hygiene, emotional vampires, extreme neediness, perverts, temperamental people, etc. I would always turn to my psychological thinking and try to find reason behind those traits. More often than not, I see some sense in their actions and words. I would usually think, "I suppose that is why he/she is like that", see the connection and be more understanding of their peculiarities.

But lately, my tolerance for a certain person has really stretched me to my limit. Not only is she obnoxious, but she is spoiled, self-righteous, overbearing and a first class brat. Yes, you could even say she's a B****. You would have to forgive me for saying that but she is really all this (and probably more). Honest. I'm not exaggerating. Several weeks now I have "studied her case" in my head. I have tried to look at her personality from all angles, tried to piece together her background just to make some sense of her really ugly traits, even tried looking for some redeeming qualities in her, but I just can't see how all these unsavory traits could end up in one person and I cannot see how I can tolerate her uppish attidute any longer. This is really not the kind of person I would want my boys to emulate. No way.

The definition of a snob is:

1. One who tends to patronize, rebuff, or ignore people regarded as social inferiors and imitate, admire, or seek association with people regarded as social superiors.
2. One who affects an offensive air of self-satisfied superiority in matters of taste or intellect.

This is exactly who she is. You try to start a conversation with her and it ends up with a topic about her. She talks about Nikki or Ethan as a conversation opener and pretty soon it's something about her or her family. She compliments you about something and when you talk about yourself, she cuts you off and starts talking about something concerning her. You try to be nice (with your entire being, you try to be oh-so-nice) but it's hard to resist gritting your teeth or pulling your hair from the roots when all she talks about is her, herself, Her Highness, her family, her dogs, her hair, her food, her clothes, her life and all you could do is smile and nod. I am not being biased here. I know of other people who have complained about her and really, how can they not? After looking at her "case" for weeks now, I still find it SO hard to be friendly and nice when she's all that I mentioned above (and probably more). Still, I know I am not a mean person. I know I should always give people second chances. But deep inside, I feel that this person can no longer change who she is. She is the kind of person who could find no fault in herself. Being spoiled all her life, she feels as though she could get away with anything. She feels that people should pay attention to her when she is around. She can't even talk softly for crying out loud. Yup, it's all, "I, me, mine". See how hard it is to love or like a person like that?

As God is my witness I have tried, really tried to like her. But it is just so freaking hard!!! I just feel so emotionally tired after spending time with her. I feel as though all my energies were spent exuding a positive front to counteract all her negative acts/words. Sigh. Am I really mean? Do I really have horse-blinders on when it comes to this particular person? Trust me, in my whole life I have never, ever encountered a person like her. She just really makes me angry, sad, pissed, irritated, pitiful (for her, not for myself) all in one. And that's a lot to take in a single moment with her. Sigh.

What would you do if you were in my shoes?

NOGEYAMA ZOO

The boys and I went to Nogeyama Zoo yesterday and we had a blast! I wanted to take them someplace new and since we haven't been to this particular zoo yet (we've been to Zoorasia twice) and since it was located in the Sakuragicho area (near Ruther's office and I'm quite familiar with the Minato Mirai area) I thought it would be nice to have a new place to visit. So armed with a map we made it there from Sakuragicho station with no problems at all. There's no entrance fee to the zoo which is all the more appealing. The woman at the information booth was kind enough to give me an English guide map when she heard me speak to the boys in English. Nikki was in charge of the map and he pretty much led the way. It was easy enough going around the zoo. We just had to follow the numbers on the map. It was fun seeing the animals and identifying them our way. "Oh look! It's Master Shifu!" when we saw the really cute red pandas. "There's Master Monkey!" at the monkey cage where 2 of them were grooming their companion. "It's Master Tigress!" when we spied the really huge tiger pacing about the cage. The tiger was a bit intimidating because it was quite restless and whenever it made eye contact with me I could imagine it thinking, "I want to eat you." So we hurried away from the tiger's cage after a few quick photos. Anyway "Master Oogway" (the tortoise) was so cute eating away on his lettuce leaf at the reptile house but the snakes and the crocs were scary. Our favorite part of the tour was the petting area. Nikki loved the mice and enjoyed having them scamper all over him (which is a surprise actually because he's a very cautious kid). I suppose when he saw me handle the mice and let it climb onto my arm he found it fun. Plus, I reassured him that they didn't bite. Ethan on the other hand loved the garter snakes. He just sat on the bench and looked at the snakes through the glass. He was so fascinated with them I think he only left them for like 10 minutes just to check what Nikki and I were up to. :) There were also guinea pigs there, chicks and chickens. Nikki handled a guinea pig (which we called Linny from The Wonderpets) and also a chick. I loved the petting area too and had loads of fun with the animals there. Of course, after we were done, we washed our hands at the wash area. It was great teaching/reminding the boys about proper hygiene then. After that we just finished the tour and then when we were done at around 230pm, we went back to Sakuragicho station and headed home. The boys and I just napped in the train.

We had a lot of fun at Nogeyama Zoo, Nikki wants us to go back there. I told him we could check out Nogeyama Park instead. The park is right beside the zoo and since we didn't have enough time to go around the park yesterday, I thought we could go there another day. Nikki wanted to check out the play area which we saw through a fence from the zoo. It looked really nice actually so I guess we could always go to the park later this week or next week.

It's great that Yokohama has nice places that have no entrance fees. I told Ruther last night that even without collecting entrance fees, Nogeyama Zoo was well-maintained, really clean and orderly and there was no "zoo smell" except for the deer cage. I loved the place. Hopefully we could find other nice places the boys and I could visit on our own. :)

SURVIVING

It seems to be getting only colder these days. I know I should be expecting this but my body needs a lot more adjusting. I've had some rashes but nothing a bit of ointment could not take care of. I remember last year I had a difficult time adjusting to the cold and I was getting miserable and homesick that I was relieved to go home when our 6 months were up. But now, I don't mind the cold so much. I suppose I know what to expect and my body does too. Although Ruther still reminds me that winter will be waaay colder, I'm not (too) worried. I know that despite the cold and the bundling up and the layering and the allergies and the sniffles and the super dry skin, I would still rather be here than anywhere else.

.....

I know that Japan is an expensive country. The first time I came here I was shocked at the prices of the food, groceries and clothes. Whenever we went around I didn't want to buy anything because I just felt horribly guilty for spending that much for something. Ruther would scold me for always converting yen to pesos in my head and he would say I would never be able to buy anything if I kept on doing that. Back in Manila, a P200 blouse would be fine with me. A P500 one will have to be for a special occasion. But here, the prices are atrocious! Some would even go for as high as Y5,000! Unbelievable.

A huge chuck of our budget here would go to food and groceries. Ethan's milk, rice, canned goods, meat, vegetables, juice, fish, toiletries, etc. If we have dinner here at home that would cost around ¥500 that's a good thing already but converted to pesos, that's a bit too much for an everyday meal in the Philippines. What more if we eat out and at fancy restaurants? Oh yeah, we do eat out sometimes and hopefully we keep that to a minimum and go to less expensive restaurants but I still always feel guilty when I order something that costs more than ¥600. (Anything cheaper than that are usually side dishes.) Whenever the waitress/attendant hands me the menu, I always look at the prices first. It's kinda instinctive. I don't even know if Ruther knows I do this. I have to admit that I have always been budget-conscious. And I do feel guilty spending for myself sometimes when I remember that the boys need new pairs of socks or I would rather get that homeschooling book instead of new clothes. Which is probably why Ruther buys things for me because he knows I would be perfectly happy with ukay-ukay and secondhand stuff. Oh yeah, and I love sales. (Who doesn't?)

So with all the expensive stores and stuff in this country, it's just wonderful to chance upon discounted things that are in very good condition still. Our favorite haunt is BookOff. That's a store that sells secondhand stuff at cheap prices. I already got a lot of stuff there for the boys from clothes to bags to toys. I was able to also find this nice pink coat for myself for only ¥200! How ridiculous is that? A dark blue dress I found also costing ¥200 would be perfect for our Christmas pictorial next month. And I also got this Lego toy for only ¥1000 which retails at ¥3,700+!! Insane, right? And don't let me even get started with the 100-yen stores like Daiso. They are a godsend, really.

I suppose I still have to learn the tips and tricks of staying in this expensive country. Like the other day, Ruther told me that I should check the supermarkets on Thursday evenings because most of the food items are 50% off by then and I was like, "I didn't know that!" Oh well. It's still not too late to learn I suppose. I mean, if others have made it here, why can't we?

NOV 3

November 3 in Japan is a holiday. Yay! More family time. Here are more details about the holiday (from Wikipedia):

Culture Day (文化の日, Bunka-no-hi) is a national holiday held annually in Japan on November 3 for the purpose of promoting culture, the arts, and academic endeavour. Festivities typically include art exhibitions, parades, and award ceremonies for distinguished artists and scholars.
Culture Day was first held in 1948, to commemorate the announcement of the post-war Japanese constitution on November 3, 1946.
November 3 was first celebrated as a national holiday in 1868, when it was called Tenchō-setsu (天長節, Tenchō-setsu), a holiday held in honor of the birthday of the reigning emperor—at that time, the Meiji Emperor. (See also The Emperor's Birthday.) With the death of the Meiji Emperor in 1912, November 3 ceased to be a holiday until 1927, when his birthday was given its own specific holiday, known as Meiji-setsu (明治節, Meiji-setsu). As Meiji-setsu was discontinued with the announcement of Culture Day in 1948, some see Culture Day as a continuation of this tradition as well—a mere renaming of Meiji-setsu—although they are ostensibly unrelated.
As Culture Day exists to promote the arts and various fields of academic endeavor, local and prefectural governments typically choose this day to hold art exhibits, culture festivals, and parades. For example, Hakone in Kanagawa Prefecture holds the annual Federal Lord's Parade (箱根大名行列, Hakone Daimyo Gyoretsu) to exhibit Edo Period clothing and costumes. It is common for universities to present new research and projects on Culture Day.
Since 1937, the award ceremony for the prestigious Order of Culture has been held on this day. Given by the Emperor himself to those who have significantly advanced science, the arts or culture, it is one of the highest honors bestowed by the Imperial Family. The prize is not restricted to Japanese citizens, and for instance was awarded to the Apollo 11
astronauts upon their successful return from the moon.
Culture Day is statistically one of the clearest days of the year. Between 1965 and 1996, there have only been three years with rain occurring in Tokyo on Culture Day.

We still don't know what we're planning to do tomorrow but for sure we'll all be together on this holiday. :)

.....

Ruther is feeling under the weather. Which is another reason why we cannot make final plans about tomorrow. I really don't want him to get sicker than he already is. Today he sported a mild fever after we came home from church. I think the cold air and the exercise he did yesterday just wore his body down. He already took some medicine today and I urged him to drink lots of juice. Hopefully he'll be all better in a few days.

.....

Tomorrow is Mama's birthday. That's Ruther's mom. We're planning to call her to greet her. We already sent her a birthday card and Nikki made her a small poster for her birthday so we hope she got it days ago just so she'll know we remembered her. I'm sure she'll be glad to hear from us because with Russell (Ruther's younger brother) in Dubai and Ron (the youngest) in Laguna for work, it can get quite lonely at home with just Papa as her companion. So hopefully we'll be able to cheer her up and make it a nice day for her.

.....

It's getting to be quite cold these days. We've had 12-degree nights and now the boys are usually in pajamas (at their request). I have to dress them up in the bathroom after their bath because it's just too cold to dress outside the warmth of the bathroom. After their bath, the boys' legs are like chalkboards where you could draw and write on them using your fignernail because of the dryness but it's nothing a good dollop of lotion can't remedy. I'm having some rashes/allergy from the cold as well but thank goodness my sister sent me some ointment so that's well under control. It's been wonderful going out because we don't sweat in the sun anymore and the boys are comfy running around but it's just a bit of a hassle bringing jackets in the bag just in case the day gets a little bit too cold. But then again, we are adjusting quite well and despite the little setbacks, we are still really happy to be here.

FEELING, BEING SAFE

I really love how safe I feel whenever we're in Japan. I grew up sheltered and when I went to Manila for college, I was really aghast at the high crime rate in the Metropolis. I have to admit that there were many instances (maybe 3) where I was swindled by smooth-talking crooks on my way to school. And I cannot even count the times I lost my wallet to thieves that eventually, I tucked a note inside my wallet that said "To whoever finds this wallet: You may take all the money inside but kindly return my IDs and photos." Yeah, I know. It's silly but when you lose your wallet like half a dozen times you get fed up of renewing cards and IDs.

Coming to Japan is like learning to relax for the first time. It's only here in Japan that I don't have to stay on guard all the time. In the Philippines, I would get so stressed when the boys and I go to the mall or out of the house because not only do I have to watch the boys closely, I have to keep track of our bags and make sure the zipper is zipped or the snaps are fastened, to be wary of strangers and suspicious people, to be mindful of the reckless drivers on the street and to stay away from smoking commuters whose secondhand smoke finds its way into our lungs. In Manila, I have to always dress according to the destination. When I go to Baclaran, I can't go with jewelry or fancy clothes. I'll be like a beacon to thieves. When I ride the jeepneys or commute, I have to make sure my bag is always in front of me. I hardly ever use backpacks in Manila because I lost my wallet twice that way. Also, whenever I'm out of the house and in public, I always have to dress down because I just don't want to attract attention. It's of course, different when we go to the mall and someone drives us. It's always safer that way and I don't have to worry about dressing nicely.

Japan is just so safe. I know that it's not really crime-free but compared to Manila, I just feel that I could breathe and relax here. Here are some reasons why:

• I can wear nice clothes and a bit of jewelry when I go out and I don't have to worry about being targetted by thieves.
• I could walk with an iPod or a cellphone in my hand and not worry that someone is going to snatch it away in an instant.
• I could take my boys to the playground at 7pm, let them play and have fun and not worry that something bad is going to happen to us.
• When I forget to lock the door and it's 10pm, I'm not worried that someone will come in and rob us.
• We could leave the windows unlocked the whole night without fear that someone is going to climb in, steal everything inside or do us harm.
• When a police officer approaches, I know I could trust him (whole other story in Manila) and he will not take advantage of me.
• When I am lost, I know that people will do their best to help me and not trick me or cause me harm.
• I could jog at 7 in the evening without worries that I'm going to get mugged or harassed.
• We could walk on an unlit street and I don't have to be afraid that a bad person is hiding in the shadows waiting to harm my family.
• I could cross the street without holding my boys' hands and not worry that a reckless driver is going to beat the red light and run over one of my boys.
• I don't have to worry about secondhand smoke too much.
• When I'm out with the boys and I discover that my bag was left unzipped the whole time, I don't have to check if my wallet is gone.
• When we're at the playground, I could leave my bag on the bench and not worry that it's going to disappear when I look away for a second.
• Since we arrived here in Japan, we left Ethan's stroller outside the apartment and as of tonight, it's still there, intact, unvandalized and unstolen.

These are all the things I could remember for now but I'm sure there are still a lot instances why I feel so safe here. This is just one of the many reasons why I would love to live here with the boys and Ruther. I know it's an expensive country and the standard of living is high but I am adaptable, resourceful and I'm sure with God's help we'll manage and get by. And did I mention I just love Japan a lot? I think it would be wonderful to work here, bring the kids up here, homeschool here, take care of my family here and make new memories here. I think that this is definitely a great country and I hope that we can (and will) be here to stay.

SWEETHEARTS

I took this photo at Minato Mirai, Yokohama. The area where the ferris wheel is located is CosmoWorld.

HOLIDAY

Today is a national holiday. It's Sports Day. Here's a little info:

The second Monday of October is Taiiku no Hi, or Sports Day, a national holiday to foster healthy minds and bodies through physical activity. It was established to commemorate the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, which were held from October 10 to 24. It was designated a national holiday two years later in 1966. Until 1999 the holiday was on October 10, but beginning in 2000 it has been changed to the second Monday of the month.

Why were the 1964 Games held in October, which is quite late for the Summer Games? The biggest reason was the weather. It had to be just right to accommodate athletes from both warm countries and cold countries. And compared to other cities that had hosted the Games of the Olympiad until then, Tokyo was very rainy. The summer months are hot and humid, moreover, while the weather in spring tends to be very unstable. Early autumn is the height of the typhoon season and is marked by heavy downpours.

So the organizers of the Tokyo Games asked meteorologists when would be the best time to hold an outdoor sports event. The answer was mid-October, since by then, the typhoons stop coming, and the skies turn a deep, clear blue. Based on this recommendation, the organizers chose an unusually late date for the Summer Games. Much to the organizers' relief, the Opening Ceremonies were staged under a brilliant, cloudless sky.

Since then Sports Day has generally been blessed with fine weather, and a lot of sporting events are held on this day. It's when many elementary and middle schools schedule their field days.

At the Kyoiku no Mori Park in Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward, for instance, a lot of athletic events are held each year. Visitors can get a computer-aided check of their physical strength and receive health tips from counselors. A number of ball games are organized, and in the park's square kids can try out the trampoline or go horseback riding.

http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/explore/calendar/october/sports.html

.....

We were supposed to go out today with it being a holiday but when I woke up this morning, I was so dizzy. The moment I opened my eyes, I felt a heaviness in my head and I even thought there was an earthquake (which was not). Whenever I closed my eyes, my brain thought the room was spinning so I had to look up at the ceiling while lying down just so my eyes could tell my brain "See? The room is not moving so stop making the room spin." I felt so sick I even threw up a bit in the kitchen from dizziness. I'm suspecting think I'm anemic again or my hemoglobin is low because I just had my period and I forgot to take my folic acid for the past weeks. (I know, stupid me!) So my great gallant husband took charge and cooked our lunch and made me rest. He was so sweet to take care of me for a change. I felt a bit bad that we stayed home today because of my headache/dizziness. I thought we were gonna have a fun time outside or seeing a new place or walking with the family under the sun. But we still had a nice time spent at home. And by evening, I was feeling a whole lot better. So we went to the supermarket to buy some food for dinner and we also went to the pharmacy to get a can of milk for the boys. It was nice taking an evening stroll so I guess the day was not such a complete waste.

SUNSET

I took this photo at Odaiba. I must say, the sunsets in Japan are a whole lot different from the ones we have in the Philippines. Ours are redder and more vibrant. But maybe it's also because it was a really cloudy day when I took this photo.

Still that does not change the fact that I love sunsets.

AT ODAIBA

A family photo at Odaiba. I just love family outings...

WATERMELONS

I've always been amazed at the ingenuity of the Japanese but when I saw these watermelons, I was really blown away.


A watermelon in the shape of a pyramid. The price on the tag is Y50,000 (approx. US$469). Wow.



A trapezoid-looking watermelon and a cube-shaped one.




A really yellow watermelon, and 2 heart-shaped ones. Question is, is anyone going to buy these watermelons before they ripen and rot?

KEIRO NO HI

Last Monday was a holiday so we just stayed home and watched my new favorite series Bones. I just love this show. I suppose I've always loved crime/forensics shows because I've been watching CSI, New Detectives, Air Crash Investigation since before. I don't know why it's so appealing to me but the cases are just so interesting. Anyway, I like Bones a lot because of the characters primarily. I like Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz. I think their chemistry is hot hot hot! Anyway, I'm just glad that I've now a new show to watch. Since we don't have cable here in Japan, I kinda miss the shows I usually watch back home. Hopefully, this will keep me busy for the time being.

.....

http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/explore/calendar/september/keiro.html

September 15 is a national holiday called Keiro no Hi, or Respect-for-the-Aged Day. When it was first named a day for elderly citizens in 1951 it was called Toshiyori no Hi, or old people's day. It was designated a national holiday in 1966, and its name was also changed.

Keiro no Hi is a day when one shows respect to long-time contributors to society, celebrates their longevity, prays for their health, gains greater awareness and understanding of welfare issues confronting the elderly, and thinks about how welfare services can be improved.

Because Respect-for-the-Aged Day is a relatively new holiday, there are no customs particularly associated with this day. Usually, though, cultural programs and athletic events spotlighting the elderly are held in the community. In some elementary schools, kids draw pictures or make simple handicraft items to present to their grandparents or residents of nursing homes.

The Tokyo metropolitan government usually holds a ceremony on September 14 to honor the older residents of the prefecture and also sponsors a number of events. The governor of Tokyo visits centenarians and presents them with commemorative gifts.

Japan has the longest life expectancy of any country in the world. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the average life expectancy in 1995 was 76.36 years for men and 82.84 years for women. The 100-and-over population is growing by about a thousand each year, and there were 7,373 centenarians in 1996.

The population of those 65 and over as of April 1, 1997, was 19.44 million, according to the Management and Coordination Agency, representing 15.4% of the total population. This means that one out of every six and a half persons is 65 or above.

Japan's fertility rate - the number of children a woman is expected to give birth to during her lifetime - is dwindling, moreover, and so by 2010, every fifth person in Japan could be 65 or over.

Japan's society is thus graying at a rapid pace, and Respect-for-the-Aged Day should become an increasingly important day in the years to come.

CHANGES

The nights have definitely become a whole lot cooler. Previously, I would sometimes wake up in the early morning and be uncomfortably warm so I would always have the AC remote beside me to turn the air conditioning back on. But last night was deliciously cool. It kind of reminded me of those chilly December mornings when my siblings and I had to prepare for school and of course, of Noche Buena and Misa de Gallo also. I dunno but I just can't stop thinking of Christmas. Anyway, I was able to convince the boys to sleep in the loft last night and fortunately, Ethan complied. I was at first guessing that he would come down in the middle of the night and insert himself between Ruther and me but he slept soundly through the night. This morning though, he was curled up into a ball so I covered him up with a blanket. Speaking of blankets, I usually sleep with one but in the morning someone steals it! Of course it's Ruther. I tease him about it because he always says I feel cold easily but this morning, he was under my blanket as well! Haha! Anyway, I suppose when the nights get a lot more chillier, we would need a bigger blanket.

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There's just so many things I love about Japan that sometimes, I get so overwhelmed and don't know which one to focus on and sometimes, I just feel like I can't decide on which particular topic to write about. This would be my 8th month living here (in total) and I just love it more and more. I am less intimidated by the train stations now and am more comfortable commuting. I find talking to people enjoyable and always a fun experience despite my very limited Nihongo. It's always interesting to find things out on my own and learning along the way. In a country where you hardly understand the language, mistakes and misunderstandings are often common but I find these things help me grow more and help me appreciate the culture. In the Philippines, I would always be terrified of making mistakes. I have a somewhat obsessive-compulsive nature and I would always worry about being unprepared or about making mistakes or saying something nonsensical when I interact with people. I just don't want to look well, I want to say obtuse but perhaps stupid gives you a clearer idea. I guess being a sensitive person makes me wary of criticisms and coming across as someone stupid is the least impression I want to give someone, especially to a stranger. But here in Japan, I don't have to worry about that. Well, I did before but I find that this country is helping me to grow as a person and to just welcome mistakes as a part of learning. I no longer freeze up when someone talks to me in Nihongo. I instead try to read the meaning behind the words and if in the end we still can't understand each other, I could leave that coversation with a smile and not worry and obsess about it. Most of the time though, I figure things out (it just takes a bit of time) so that's a good thing I suppose. Anyway, I really don't want my boys to be like me, afraid of making mistakes, afraid to grow as a person, wary of other people's criticisms. Hopefully, they won't and instead of being afraid of life, they will embrace it, just as I am doing right now.