Hiromi’s Blog

For a long time, I didn’t believe in the new year’s resolutions. I mean, I guess I had never thougt that I could stick with something for a long time. But this time, I thought, I want to do exercise/ stretch/ yoga every day for just a few minuites (ideally a half hour or so). Being sick for several days right after the new year’s holiday made me think what I am lack of is doing exercise. My diet is good as you all know, and I can deal with stress (well, I had to in the past, so I learned something, you know). I have been doing yoga for a few years now, but never intensively. There was one summer when I went to yoga class a lot, perhaps every other day or so. I was becoming flexible, but now my body is stiff like a stick. Flexibility helps detoxing. I have been into detoxing recently. Since the recovery of my sickness, I have been doing yoga every night before going to bed…just a mild stretch and simple yoga. It has helped me stay healthy for sure. I don’t get super exhausted by the end of the day. I will keep it up this year.

Another thing is to write a lot, which I mentioned it in my last entry. Any form, in English, and in Japanese, for public, and for private. I guess I haven’t completely given up on my career as an art historian or some sort. I just can’t, haha…

I realized that I needed the vacation! After my vacation, I felt excited about living in Tokyo. I had been, but I was a little bit overwhelmed or felt being out of place. Or simply I am getting used to it. I avoid rush hour trains and watch good movies on my day off. When weather gets warmer, I will explore shrines and temples in Tokyo. Anyhow, looking at many workaholic Japanese businessmen made me think that I want to enjoy my life, my Tokyo life. I was once like them; working all the time with no life. I just got worn out and quit the job. No regret though. Actually, I am glad that I did that.

Ok..it’s time to take a bath and do yoga!!

ok…part 3. I know it has been a while since I was on my vacation. I should write about it before my memory gets a little unclear..you know details and so. I went to Colorado to spend Christmas with Harper and his family. It is very nice of them to have me in every Christmas since a few years ago. I always have a great time with them and a lot of fun. When I lived in the States, I felt so left out, especially the holiday seasons because my family lives in Japan. Harper’s parents came to my graduation, and always invite me for family-get-together occasions. I really appreciate their kindness and sweetness.

When Harper and I arrived at Denver, here they were..with Dylan dressed up like a clown…he got so much attention from the crowd and I laughed a lot. He said to me earlier, “a funny person will pick you guys up at the airport” I see..a funny person, who is YOU!! I took a picture of him with my cellphone, of course. All of them were there to pick us up, and I felt like “family reunion” haha…

Harper brought Qee dolls (spell?) for us to paint them. I picked a puppy and paited in a pretty standard way. I needed to be more creative, but my puppy became so cute…it is a girl puppy. everyone was so into painting them and I had a great time doing that. a perfect Christmas project. As always, I ate a lot! Harper’s mom baked yummy vegan chocolate cakes!! I love them a lot. It is so moist and fluffy. We went to Sarah and Liz’s house. it was very nice to meet them because it had been a while since I saw them last time. Their grandparents told me about their trip to Japan, and I really enjoyed having a nice conversation with them. After that, we played a game called “taboo” which was so much fun!! Oh..we didn’t play Cranium this time…anyhow, it was a nice gathering.

OMG..I’ve got many nice gifts. many things…digital camera from Harper, a nice black jacket from Harper’s mom, a nice drawing set and a book about Colorado nature from Harper’s dad, a nice hand made felt bag from Sarah, and a cute card in Japanese!! from Dylan and Sarah, a doll from Granpa Jim…but I think I left a doll at their house…sad… many many gifts, thank you all very much!!

We hang out with Harper’s nephew, Kyle and niece, Cory. They had a lot of energy!! We played hide and seek for several times. I was exhausted, but had a good time! They are so cute and full of energy…We visited Dylan’s work. His office smelled like curry because the next door is an Indian restaurant. It smelled good, but maybe not for everyday… we had a nice lunch at the seafood restaurant by his office. It was good.

We flew back to Chicago and I had bacially one full day left. I hang out with Harper and did some shopping with him. Last year he gave me a gift certificate for ‘Sur La Table’, but I hadn’t used it yet…I was supposed to move to CA to start my doctoral program….but it didn’t happen…I deferred it again for this year. I will see if I can come up with something by this Fall… Anyhow, I bought this cooking pan which I had wanted for a long time…”le Cruset” I’ve got a soup pan and it works great. I cooked rice, Brussels sprouts, and pasta. oh so good..I love it!! Thanks, Harper. it was very heavy to bright it back to Japan. It was worth carrying this heavy pan which was on sale. I was so sad when I left Chicago. Right after I came back to Japan, next day, I went to my parents’ place for new year’s which I hadn’t done it for several years. I had a double vacation here in Japan and there in the States. I don’t have money, but I am glad that I did that. I needed to do both..yed I did..haha

ok…it is getting long again. I stop here now…one of my new year resolutions is to wrtie a lot…yea..I will

ahhh…it has been a while since I updated my last entry. I have been busy and tried to catch up my last month’s off, and I got cold. It totally sucked. I didn’t have fever, but oh my sinus was crying.

I watched two good movies last week. “The Corporation” and “Where the Truth lies” The corporation was very good and it was nice to include both sides. It critisizes the system pf corporataions: how they made profits from the poor, but they also interviewed several CEOs from big corporations. As an individual, they are not evil and concerned the environment and the victims of capitalism. umm…a lot of things to think about. Aftrer the movie, my friend and I walked out from the theater, we went to a nice bar on the top of this pretty high building in Shibuya. I had a mixed feeling while watching this nice view. It looked so artificial, and yes it is artificial. I couldn’t enjoy this artificiality after the movie. Anyhow, it was great.

“Where the truth lies” is done by Atom Egoyan. His movies are very confusing and mysterious, and sometimes even frustrate me, but I like his movies. This one is a little bit different from the other works of his. It reminds me of Twin Peaks. I enjoyed it and want to watch it again. In a magazine review, he was compared with David Lynch. Yeah..sure..but his has a political twist, I think. Anyhow, I liked it.

So my vacation, I just talked about the first few days. I had facial at Aveda (my secret..but not really) went to Sultan’s market. Umm, I love their lentil rice and salad bar. They have unique stuff at the salad bar: kimchee..Brussel sprouts…anchovy and more. I hang out with Glenn at Gold Star for a little bit after dinner at Reza’s with Harper and his rockstar friends. It was fun, but I was so sleepy because of jet lag. Plus it was freezing cold…-12 degree celsius… I felt like I just came back from my long vacation in Japan. weird..I couldn’t tell which one is vacation or not..

I met up with Nana and Sayaka. We don’t know any Japanese people but us in Chicago (j/k, but kind of true)� I suggested having brunch at Blind Faith Cafe.� They hadn’t been there yet, and Sayaka lives in Anderson ville and Nana lives in suburb, I thought it was convenient for them.� Of course, I really wanted to go there.� I love their breakfast menu and bakery stuff.� many vegan goodies…� I guess they didn’t hang out for a while too, so it was nice for all of us to get together and caught up what we had done and so on.� They were doing well and working hard.� All of us enjoyed our brunch and I took them to Harper’s work because I was meeting him there anyway.� His work was so much fun!!� People were nice too.� I had a good time there.� Mark and Lenora came too.� We all went to Taste of Lebanon.� I was so full already, but how could I not have their lentil soup???� so I did…and I felt too full..my fault.� I did quick Christmas shopping after that and went home, I mean, Harper’s apartment.� I took a short nap and Harper and I went to Metro for Kill Hannah� and Tommie Sunshine’s show.
I’ve got a backstage pass, so I could go everywhere.� It was cool (thank you, Harper!).� I ran into a few people I knew before, so it was nice!� Cool things about them or people around me in the states, they don’t ask me too many questions.� Here in Japan, people I just met ask me very detailed questions, like what exacty I am doing or was doing, about my family: what they do, about my education and the reason I studied art history.� very intense.� In my head, “I am not at an interview…stop asking me about things like that”� Of course, my close friends in Japan are not like that.� ok..that is enough…

After the metro event, Harper and I flew to Colorado for Christmas.� Our flight was on the 24th..

ok..i will write part 3 soon.

I was busy before my vacation and somehow, sort of busy, during the vacation. Why is that? I always feel like I have to get million things done before I go on vacation…paying bills, organizing my place, packing, calling people, and so on.

I had a great 2 weeks off!! I went to Chicago and hang out with Harper, Becca, Glenn, Nana, Sayaka, and more people. It was kind of weird that, my old room at the apartment isn’t mine any more. I almost went to Katy’s room after I went to the bathroom middle of the night.

It was soooooo cold in Chicago which I sort of prepared for it, but still, oh…so cold. anyhow, I miss living there even if it is super cold, haha…I miss people there. I miss hanging out randomly. I miss watching many movies there. I miss many things. Don’t give me wrong, Japan has been treating me better than what I thought. I was worried about being told that I don’t fit here or what I have done is crazy, and so on, but my relatives are pretty nice about it. At my work, there are a few people who said that women like me, who pursue career, cause the low birth rate in Japan. I was upset about it, but who cares? I don’t even know this person. I realized that I can’t avoid those people no matter where I go. haha…it is kind of funny…

I had a great vacation in the states because of Harper. He is busy as everyone knows, but he spent a lot of time with me. It was very nice!! We have very different life styles, but it worked out well, probably because we both respect the differences…my friends in Japan think that I hang out with crazy people in Chicago,, haha…They don’t know my Chicago friends in person, but through the pictures, so that is why…

Harper took me to Kill Hannah show and it was a lot of fun and I got to see some people whom I haven’ seen a while. It was nice!! Harper’s co-workers were fun to hang out and the show was really fun. It was fun to walk around the backstage and talked to random people.

Right after I put down my baggage at Harper’s, I went to see Becca and her baby boy Alva. He is sooooo cute and I was amazed by Becca being a mother!! She is a good mom for sure, but it was just so incredible that another life came out from her!! what a beautiful thing!! I hang out with them a couple days after that day too. We went to Chicago dinner for brunch, and it was fun!! Becca and I used to do this every monday…I miss doing that. We usually don’t plan things, but it just happens, and I don’t have anyone who can do that with me in Tokyo yet, so I really miss it.

Ummm..it is getting long, so I will write part II…yeah, I should..