It's Saturday night, 1:24am. What should I be doing? Reviewing my presentation notes for tomorrow's training and sleeping. What am I doing? Surfing the net for pictures of scary fish, celebrities, and the effects of vitamins on nightmares. Guilt factor=zero! Why? Because I have done away with my bachelor life existence and the entire week I have run errands on the day they were due, exercised every day, and cooked all but three meals (those three were lunches and a dinner with my co-workers), and have gone to bed when I was sleepy (instead of the usual state of denial, then falling asleep in the middle of doing something. In the past I have not been above waking up with noodles in my hair.) so I am cutting myself a little slice of slack. But only a tiny one.
Tamami's Birthday Dinner
Tonite the office went out for Tamami's birthday, which isn't until the 23rd, but this is the only time we could all get together. We went to a killer Italian place a couple stops on the train east of where we work. It was called Totino's and the waiters were all authentic Italians who spoke Italian, English, Japanese, and French. How cool is that?? I had a mini crush on our androgynous waiter, whose shift finished midway through our dinner and when he changed into street clothes he was wearing a pink shirt. I love guys in pink. Esp when they're lean and kinda feminine. Anyways, the meal was beautiful and the risotto was melt-in-your-mouth delicious. I think this was the first dinner I've eaten with Japanese people that hasn't been 'family style' (ordering a bunch of things to share). It was really weird to order and eat just one thing for yourself. We surprised Tamami by having them bring out plates of almond pudding, Italian cake, tiramisu, and chocolate cake, with candles and "Happy birthday Tamami" written in chocolate on the plate. It was so cute to see her face light up in surprise- Tamami is just one of the sweetest people I know. I wish I could clone her and sprinkle her clones all over the world because I think everyone needs a Tamami in their life.
Weekend Plans: Strap Yourself in for an Exciting Ride!
The weekend is almost upon me. I'm SO excited! Just have to get through another rigorous day of work tomorrow, which will fly by fast. Because I'm working on Sunday I have Tuesday off. On Monday I have a dr's appt in the morning, and hot yoga in the evening. In between I could study, but I am probably going to end up at one of the museums in Ueno... oh wait... they are probably closed on monday. ok... I guess I could go to the Diet Library (that's parliament, not not eating) and study before yoga... but on Tuesday I have no plans. I'm thinking I could study, or go get acupuncture or reflexology done.
This month my working days are messed up because I am working on a couple of sundays. but, just like how I'm getting this Tuesday off, I'm also getting the last Saturday of the month off. This excites me, why? Why would I enjoy having the day off that 12 million other people in Tokyo have off? Because that's the only day I can help out with Second Harvest (ie. the Tokyo Food Bank)! I signed up to prepare food in the morning and distribute it in the afternoon to the homeless people who live in Ueno park, in their little blue tarp community. I don't know if I've ever gotten into it, but the homeless here are so different than the homeless in North America. There's no begging, for money or for anything else, no stupid cardboard signs asking for things, not really any dirtiness. They have neat little houses made of tents, and even leave their shoes outside the tent door. Some have tvs, coffee tables, and reclining chairs. Those who don't have tents, have neat little cardboard "tubs", constructed of boxes, with a flap at the top so when they lie down they can pull the flap over the top to have some privacy- homeless people deserve dignity, privacy, and alone time too! Anyways, I haven't done a lick of volunteering in Japan unless you count my past drinking binges as volunteering for future studies of advanced cirhosis, so I thought now's a good time to start. I want to start volunteering with the Peace Boat so maybe I will go see them this weekend too. there's too much me in my single life, and it's time for me to offer up my time for another cause.
that weekend I'm also heading down to Okayama because it's the other Danielle's goodbye party. She's heading back to Canada to become a recruiter for our company in March, and this will be the last time i'll see her until August, unless she comes back sooner. The trainers and the teachers in Okayama are getting together to have a pot-luck dinner at her place on Sunday night. I'm hoping to make it back to Tokyo on Monday in time for yoga in the evening but the train takes about 4.5 hours so I might just bum around Kurashiki, because I've never been there outside of work, and then head back in without rushing.
i really should go to sleep to avoid looking like something similar to death tomorrow morning. until tomorrow...
Tamami's Birthday Dinner
Tonite the office went out for Tamami's birthday, which isn't until the 23rd, but this is the only time we could all get together. We went to a killer Italian place a couple stops on the train east of where we work. It was called Totino's and the waiters were all authentic Italians who spoke Italian, English, Japanese, and French. How cool is that?? I had a mini crush on our androgynous waiter, whose shift finished midway through our dinner and when he changed into street clothes he was wearing a pink shirt. I love guys in pink. Esp when they're lean and kinda feminine. Anyways, the meal was beautiful and the risotto was melt-in-your-mouth delicious. I think this was the first dinner I've eaten with Japanese people that hasn't been 'family style' (ordering a bunch of things to share). It was really weird to order and eat just one thing for yourself. We surprised Tamami by having them bring out plates of almond pudding, Italian cake, tiramisu, and chocolate cake, with candles and "Happy birthday Tamami" written in chocolate on the plate. It was so cute to see her face light up in surprise- Tamami is just one of the sweetest people I know. I wish I could clone her and sprinkle her clones all over the world because I think everyone needs a Tamami in their life.
Weekend Plans: Strap Yourself in for an Exciting Ride!
The weekend is almost upon me. I'm SO excited! Just have to get through another rigorous day of work tomorrow, which will fly by fast. Because I'm working on Sunday I have Tuesday off. On Monday I have a dr's appt in the morning, and hot yoga in the evening. In between I could study, but I am probably going to end up at one of the museums in Ueno... oh wait... they are probably closed on monday. ok... I guess I could go to the Diet Library (that's parliament, not not eating) and study before yoga... but on Tuesday I have no plans. I'm thinking I could study, or go get acupuncture or reflexology done.
This month my working days are messed up because I am working on a couple of sundays. but, just like how I'm getting this Tuesday off, I'm also getting the last Saturday of the month off. This excites me, why? Why would I enjoy having the day off that 12 million other people in Tokyo have off? Because that's the only day I can help out with Second Harvest (ie. the Tokyo Food Bank)! I signed up to prepare food in the morning and distribute it in the afternoon to the homeless people who live in Ueno park, in their little blue tarp community. I don't know if I've ever gotten into it, but the homeless here are so different than the homeless in North America. There's no begging, for money or for anything else, no stupid cardboard signs asking for things, not really any dirtiness. They have neat little houses made of tents, and even leave their shoes outside the tent door. Some have tvs, coffee tables, and reclining chairs. Those who don't have tents, have neat little cardboard "tubs", constructed of boxes, with a flap at the top so when they lie down they can pull the flap over the top to have some privacy- homeless people deserve dignity, privacy, and alone time too! Anyways, I haven't done a lick of volunteering in Japan unless you count my past drinking binges as volunteering for future studies of advanced cirhosis, so I thought now's a good time to start. I want to start volunteering with the Peace Boat so maybe I will go see them this weekend too. there's too much me in my single life, and it's time for me to offer up my time for another cause.
that weekend I'm also heading down to Okayama because it's the other Danielle's goodbye party. She's heading back to Canada to become a recruiter for our company in March, and this will be the last time i'll see her until August, unless she comes back sooner. The trainers and the teachers in Okayama are getting together to have a pot-luck dinner at her place on Sunday night. I'm hoping to make it back to Tokyo on Monday in time for yoga in the evening but the train takes about 4.5 hours so I might just bum around Kurashiki, because I've never been there outside of work, and then head back in without rushing.
i really should go to sleep to avoid looking like something similar to death tomorrow morning. until tomorrow...
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