(em)

making resolutions

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:03:37 +0000

This is what I told my students:

1) study more Japanese.

2) exercise more!

My real list:

1) pray more!

2) study more Japanese!

…I guess it’s not that much different, and I am a little ashamed that I took off exercise more, but really, can you expect me to exercise when it’s a snowy less than 0 degrees Celsius outside and all I want to do is hide in my kotatsu? Which is, by the way, the best invention on earth. Why don’t we have these in America?!

wisdom teeth and dentist woes

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:51:59 +0000

While I was in Taiwan, I went to see a dentist (who was coincidentally my uncle) and underwent the fastest cleaning I’ve ever had in my 20 some years seeing a dentist. Now, I have this cavity that’s been chilling in my mouth for about 2 years now, and I was scared that he would say something like, well, you left it alone for too long, it’s time for a root canal.

But this is not what he said. No, he did mention it casually, but he poked around the back of my mouth and said in Chinese, I see it, I see it.

I assumed he was talking about the cavity, but no, he uncovered my face (they had covered my face with a towel) and said, “You should get your wisdom teeth out.”

This was so unexpected that I’m sure I gasped aloud and looked aghast at him, but he had turned to my grandmother and was explaining something I didn’t catch, so I couldn’t ask him questions. Not that it would’ve helped.

The point of this story is, I’m scared. (I know what you’re thinking. Why aren’t your wisdom teeth out already?

I’m thinking the same thing. I wish it was already over.)

i’m looking forward to

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 12:01:27 +0000

vegetating all day tomorrow.

older and wiser

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:35:39 +0000

but i don’t know anything at all.

happy new year!

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:54:57 +0000

“…and then we watched fireworks at midnight,” I said, “Did you get to watch fireworks? The New Year’s fireworks here must be awesome!”

My coworker gaped at me in astonishment. “Fireworks are for summer,” she replied in stern bemusement.

In other news, my New Year’s Resolution is to study more Japanese. Go figure.

i miss pie

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 12:14:10 +0000

Tried to make pumpkin pie the other day with a friend from Scotland and a Japanese teacher. Neither of them had had pumpkin pie before. It looked promising, but once my fork sank in, I knew it was wrong. They assured me it was delicious, but I was inconsolable. It didn’t matter if it was good or not. It simply wasn’t pumpkin pie.

hourglass

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 13:10:27 +0000

Little boy, when you speak
I can’t help but kiss your cheeks
I love the way you grab my hands
And tell me all about your plans

Rocket high, comets fly
You and I could take a ride
And fly away to Neverland
And give our best to Peter Pan

When you reach for the stars
Don’t forget who you are
And please don’t turn around and grow up way too fast
See the sand in my grasp
From the first to the last
Every grain becomes a memory of the past
Oh, life’s an hourglass
Life’s an hourglass

Story’s read, prayer is said
Close your eyes sleepyhead
While angels linger in your dreams
And hold you in their feathered wings
Just like you, I was small
Not that long ago at all
I wish you all the happiness
That God gives freely if you ask

Mindy Gledhill has been playing on my computer nonstop.

small _

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 12:43:28 +0000

Yesterday, one of my students yelled to me across the hall, then planted her hands on her butt as if to make a point. I turned to her teacher inquisitively and he laughed, trying to find the words. “She says,” he starts falteringly, “that you are stylish. You have small…hips.”

Smallness is a good thing here, I surmise. I remember that another student had made a remark about how small my face was. “She envies you,” the teacher had said, when it was clear that I wasn’t sure if this was a compliment or not.

Sometimes it’s very obvious how out of place I am. I’m always trying to be bigger, when the custom here is to try to be smaller.

FREAKING OUT

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 11:57:02 +0000

…in all caps. It snowed today! Granted, just a tiny little flurry, but still, it caught me off guard. The teachers had a good laugh watching me panic.

pudding face

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 12:55:20 +0000

It’s not pretty.

いっぱい食べた。やばいい～～～～。