Performance and Poop

Well, I have been trying to update more, but I don't really have anything interesting to post. I went to Cirque De Soleil on Saturday. I saw the Zed show (the permanent show at Tokyo Disneyland). It was so amazing! I arrived late, and it was only at intermission I realized we could take photos (with no flash of course), but I didn't take any.
I had no Thanksgiving this year. Reiko's grandpa died last week, so I went to her house on Thanksgiving. In Japan when someone dies, the keep the body at the house and people come over to visit. So I spent the evening dining next to his body. It was strange, but also a great cultural experience. Reiko really misses him though, she is sad. That makes me sad.
In other news, Jetta is two months old now! I can't believe it! I have been bottle feeding her for two months?!? Now it is time to find her a home. She still isn't litter trained though. I found a massive poop field behind my bed. It smelled like a chicken coup! I have since found other little "blessings" around the house, but nothing as bad as the poop field. It is my fault, really. I am never home. But I am going to be home more this week, so I am going to focus on getting her litter trained. I know she can do it.
I am now starting to prepare for the Christmas season. I have already started my holiday shopping, in fact I am almost finished with it! I am going to Kyoto for Christmas. I can't wait!

You all take care.

Anna

Photos from my Birthday (September 7, 2009)

Jack's Birthday (actual bday in August, celebrated early September)

These are not in order, but anyway for Jack's birthday I made tacos. After dinner Emily and I tied him up and made him eat his cake. He LOVED it!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACK!

over exposed

yesterday most of my classes were canceled, so i thought i should take advantage of the nice day by going for a walk. i was enjoying the scenery when i saw a white pick-ups passed me and turn at the next right. he drove a few meters and then got out. i looked over and saw his pants were down. i have recently heard stories of japanese men exposing themselves to gaijin (foreign) women, and just that day i was reading about it my lonely planet. either way, i convinced myself he was just peeing (though why not on the tree just behind him?) (also, very common to see men peeing on the road in japan) and kept walking. i walked maybe 1k and decided it was time to turn around and head back. on the same road i thought i saw the same pick-up again, drive a meters, stop wait....it did that few times. can`t be the same guy, i thought, there are so many pick-ups like that around here. finally the pick-up turned on the main road and disappeared. i followed the road around some trees, with a beautiful meadow on my right that went on for ages. i was admiring the scenery when i heard a honking noise. does the joso line come close to here? no the train isn't close. then i saw it, same pick-up, same guy with his pants down, only this time he was rubbing his small little dick! my eyes, my virgin eyes!! trauma...oh the trauma....he had been honking at me to get my attention. of course the fact that he exposed himself to me creeps me out. but actually the fact he followed me around to do it twice bothers me more. i guess it is one of those things i have to get used to here in japan.

Wow! Long time no see!

I can't believe it, but it has been almost two months since I wrote on this blog. I am so sorry! I don't have any excuses. Only, I did lost my camera this summer, so I haven't had any photos to post. Still, I could have written something-or at least told you that I don't have my camera. I think my life in Japan has gotten so ordinary, I just don't feel I have anything interesting to say anymore!

Anyway, I promise I will update this thing more! In the meantime, I hope the posts below tie you down for a while. I promise I will update again soon!

A weekend in Tokyo!

Last weekend I was lucky to go out in Tokyo, not only Friday night, but Saturday night as well! Friday we went to a place called Alcatraz and had a course meal. It is a theme restaurant and the theme is, mental hospital prison, or something. They usually have a show, but didn't this time :( I don't know why not. But anyway, here is a picture from that.


Then Saturday I went out in Shinjuku to a "British Pub" called the Hub! After we went to karaoke. This coming weekend is Halloween, I can't wait to go out!

Painting Pumpkins!

I had the boys over two weeks ago to paint some pumpkins. At first I felt like I was kind of making them do it, but we actually had a good time! Jack even made one with Jeff, Cotter and myself on it....how cute! We watched Family Guy and The Simpson's episodes online. They didn't leave until 12! I am so lucky to have such great friends right here in my town! I love my boys!
Cotter had a little bit too much fun!

New kitty!

About three weeks ago I was meeting Jack for sushi. It was Monday night and it was dark and it had rained all day. I stepped outside and I heard a squeak noise. I began looking around in the dark for the noise. It was so wet outside. Finally I took out my little flash light and I came across this little guy (or girl).


I couldn't believe it! It must have been born that day because its eyes and ears were closed. It was soaking wet from the rain. I have no clue where it came from, but Chloe and I have been taking care of it ever since. Chloe does everything but feed it, which is what I do. The baby has gotten really healthy and everyone loves it! I am happy Chloe and I have a new addition to our "family!"

another year older.....not wiser.....

1. Learn to speak and read Japanese.

2. Make new friends

3. Keep the friendships I have that are good.

4. Heal from the past year.

5. Visit my PC friends in Ghana.

6. Forgive people who hurt me.

7. Learn to play an instrument.

8. Paint and do other artistic things more often.

9. Visit a new country (or two or three!).

10. Climb Mount Fuji.

11. Plan for life after Japan.

12. Eat healthier.

13. Exercise three or four times a week.

14. Grow out my hair.

15. Save money.

16. Study the bible.

17. Get a pet (if I can).

18. Look into graduate school.

19. Study for the GRE.

20. Learn to take good photographs.

21. Study for the Japanese drivers license.

22. Go to the beach as much as I can.

23. Find a place to volunteer in Japan

24. Floss daily.

25. Keep my apartment clean.

26. Read more books.

27. Have fun!

I am about to turn 28. Last year when I was turning 27 I posted 27 goals for myself for the next year of my life. I am sad to say I failed most of them :( I did go to the beach (not too many times though)....got my drivers license.....studied Japanese (but not enough)....I flossed for a while.....I did read a lot......I got a pet!.....and I visited a couple of countries....and I did meet a lot of new friends....

Otherwise I have failed :( So this year I am not doing goals. It is pointless, I don't have enough discipline to accomplish anything.

On another note, I lost my camera (again) so that is why I haven't updated this blog in a long time. So, I will try, but I am not buying a new camera for a while. I just lose them, so it is a waste.

Last Friday Five Course Meal!

Last Friday one of my school's had a five course dinner at a French restaurant. I am so lucky that I have had such nice food lately (however, my bank account is feeling it!).

Last Wednesday Five Course Meal!

My old supervisor, Miyuki, invited me to a dinner last Wednesday night. It was at this really cute small Italian place right here in Bando! Yummy, it was so good!

Thoughts about China

China was great. I didn't really know what to expect when I went there. Actually, I kind of expected it to be a lot like Japan, only ten or twenty years behind. Maybe it is? But honestly China was way different than I imagined. If you ever get the chance, I highly recommend going. It was the best vacation I have ever been on. I am not sure if it was because of China, the food, or just the people I met, but it was great!

The Great Wall!

Our final journey in China was to see The Great Wall. Our hostel told us about an eight kilometer hike, with transportation. We signed up! We went with Dan, Eva and James, some people we met at the hostel. The hike was hard! Going up and down, I barely kept up. But I can now say I did and I am proud of myself. We took a cable car to get up and a zip line over a lake to get to the bottom. It was so fun!

Beijing-the Forbidden City!

The next day Rob and I went to the Forbidden City. It was so hot that day, and we were tired from the night before. So it was hard to get through it. Still, I am so glad we went. It was an amazing place!

Beijing-the best part!

The last part of our trip we were in Beijing. We stayed at a hostel there and met the coolest people! Since Rob and I had separated for a few days (I went to Shanghai, he stayed in Qingdao) we met up at the hostel. Rob had already met some people and thirty minutes after I showed up we were out on the town! First we went to this market area that has strange food. We tried fried scorpion, grasshopper, starfish and baby chickens. Then we moved on to this nice local out door restaurant. One of our new friends, Young, spoke Mandarin. We were so thankful for him because without him we wouldn't have gone to these local places! Next we moved on to this bar area. It seemed touristy, but actually had many locals and Chinese tourists as well. Good times!