Hiromi’s Blog

A while ago, somebody said that he likes the word, chaos, well he said he likes tokyo because it is chaotic. To me, chaotic doesn’t sound positive or good, but for him, chaos is a definately good/ positive word, he said. I wonder why it sort of bothered me a little. The reason I thought about this was that I bought a magazine called Tokyo Biyori and started thinking about how people enjoy tokyo life or what they look for in tokyo. The magazine was great and made me want to go out, not socializing purpose, but more exploring super traditional or super modern sites.

Just like other big cities, there are loneliness and reality in tokyo. Oh that sounds a little sad, I guess, but I meant it in a not sad way. Oh…this is, to me, so Japan/ Tokyo. A half hour after I bought an old style homemade tofu in my neighborhood, I could easily stand on a 55th floor of some random super modern highrise building, but I didn’t do it today. Maybe, I will or should, and then I might understand why he strongly believes that chaos is a good thing.

Anyhow, I enjoyed my day offs and I am happy that I finally felt relaxed/ feel like I am at home… I slept in, read a lot and wrote a lot. and of course, cooked a lot. I made salmon cakes with a lot of green onions my parents sent me. It turned out very good.

On my next day off, Kaori is coming. It should be fun!!

According to the article Harper sent me, drinking decaf coffee might be not good for your cholesterol/ heart… Luckly, I haven’t had any decaf coffee since I moved back here. well, good to know…because I was thinking about buying decaf coffee beans the day before yesterday at Tully. and drinking just one or two cups of either decar or caffenaited coffee doesn’t affect your health. Whew…I don’t drink more than two cups a day. I wonder if tea does the same….I hope not though..

I discovered!? my diet – fish = Macrobiotic diet…haha and you can toast your bread with a frying pan!

So Tokyo shouldn’t be as cols as Chicago for sure, but it is getting cold. Here, you have to buy your own heating equipment unless you live in Hokkaido, the northern island. Luckly, the previous person in my apartment left a gas heater. Yey, it is free…and it is supposed to be cheaper than using electricity. I use an air conditioner in my loft. The air conditioner has ion control? so that it doesn’t dry out air and my skin. In fact, it is very good on my hair and skin. I love it. I just use it when I fall asleep, so for one hour. I heard ion hair drier is very popular in Japan. Now my hair and skin are very happy!!

My parents will send me another parcel full of vegetables from their farm. I don’t have to buy vegetables and rice. It has been very helpful since I haven’t gotten my first pay check yet. 9 more days to go…I am surviving… Japan is not creadit card friendly compared to the U.S. ummm…you can use it, usually not at the restaurant. I wanted to use it at Denny’s, but they take only cash. Denny’s though… There are bicycles everywhere without heavy duty safe lock. Instead, they just use a wheel lock. I haven’t seen anyone who attach a bike to the pole. I saw that city had to collect many bikes which were left by the station for a while, to clear the way out. I keep hearing Japanese economics is not good, but there are so many new fancy buildings popping up and people constantly spend money on fashion, food, or electronics. Oh unemployment rate is improving…good!!

I can’t wait to be not poor…it will take me a couple months, but I am surviving!! I can’t wait the holiday seasons!! This year, I will spend Christmas with Harper and his family and the new year’s with my parents. I am excited!! it will be a good vacation!!
ok, it’s time to go back to work…

We don’t celebrate Thanksgivings and many people don’t know about it. We have similar celebrations in Fall–Moon watching, one of my favorite celebrations, but not holidays=no day off. People used to believe that rabbits were making a sticky rice cake on the moon. Of course, I had the rice cakes on the day!! It has been a couple of months, I think. One of my clients is visiting her sister who lives in Seattle and will have thanksgiving dinner with her. Oh thanksgiving, I almost forgot about it. I might cook something yummy since Kaori is coming for two days in next week. My parents’ sweet potatos are soooooo delicious! I baked them with skin on in the oven. It turned out so good.

I have been reading a Japanese website about sort of self-help?/ healing method –psychological stuff? I guess. I can’t describe it well, but he says something like, “you should like yourself in order to like other people, and if you struggle with your low self-esteem, that means you are judgemental towards the others too, and so on.” I can’t describe it well, but his logic makes sense to me and I always realize that I created stress or worries by myself. Well, even if I am in the same situation, I can see things with different perspectives and feel different. His writing has been like a therapy to me for several months.

I didn’t read them carefully for a long time, but I just started paying attention to it. I think it is a good thing, yeah…maybe, meeting new people all the time and asking and being asked about people’s lives make me super conscious about myself. Oh well, maybe, I am just exhausted…haha

I want to buy a Feng Sui book and Chinese medicinal cook book, haha…so nerdy… I am drinking Yuzu-nade (like lemonade, but with Yuzu/ Japanese citrus which my parents sent me the other day!) sooooooo good. I need good honey…raw honey…where can I buy it?

My friend said that I make good stories out of ordinary daily life. I wonder if that menas my life is not exciting and I just make a big deal out of it? I took it as a compliment though.

Speaking of books, I want to buy a new? Murakami book with short stories. Oh..murakami phase again…

I went to Roppongi hills which is the hippiest place? ever in Tokyo. It was nice of course and I felt a little “where am I” sensation, which wasn’st bad at all. I have never done anything fancy since I moved here to Tokyo, so it was nice. I had no idea that the other side of tokyo station from the place where I work is so fancy. I had a mojito with John. It was nice.

I met up with his old friends and had yummy Japanese seafood. Oh so good… we (John’s friend, Fuhito) asked the staff how to make the very delicious stew. So simple, yet so hard…I will try to make it tomorrow. Fuhito is super cool and sweet. I hadn’t seen Sean for several years, so it was very nice. John just got a job, so it was his vacation. very fun..

I realized that I haven’t had any alcohol lately, wait, except the farewell party, I guess. I didn’t get wasted, haha. It was nice to see how easy to get home from Roppongi where is known as a big party place, but tonight, we went to a nice old town-ish sea food pub. soooooo good. I want to go there again for sure. Their sashimi was just amazing. I was melting down…huh.. It was totally laid back and nice location! Roppongi hills is very very, I don’t know how to describe it, utlra modern. If you guys come to Tokyo, you should check it out.

I realized that I need to explore Tokyo more. even around the Tokyo station, which I thought was amazing!!

Ok…it is time for me to go to bed…

good night guys

oh, so nice to have day offs. I love it. I was running some errands all day long yesterday. My pms is over, now menstrating….I feel better, but physically exhausted..maybe because of the weather..it is getting chilly. I am wearing a sweater today. oh..winter is around the corner.

So I found out that the international flight over the Pacific Ocean costs extra $100 each way because of the gas price, so the one way trip will be $200. but this does not apply to domestic flights.ummmm…..I called several travel agencies, so I don’t think I was tricked or anything, but just so expensive this time! around Christmas. But it is worth it, i think. I will spend my new year’s with my parents this year. It has been a while, so it will be nice.

I don’t have money but keep spending a lot by using credit card…i need to stop this soon, and I will, haha. it is under control though…i think that the first few months are not easy for me, but soon it will be all right. It will be very nice to spend Christmas with Harper and his family again. I can’t wait!