{KONVERSATIONS}
Things I miss from America:
1.
Harper dog and nephew B.
2.
Harper has met her match. Nephew G and a remote control T-Rex.
3.
Number 5, 8-pack, sweet tea, polynesian sauce and chick-fil-a sauce.
4.
heaven in a jar.
*List is not definitive.*
Post from one year ago today: Home Sweet Home
What time is it in Tokyo?
It doesn’t get any better than The West Wing. Brad and I have been watching the West Wing starting with Season 1, because it is my ALL TIME FAVORITE SHOW, and he failed to watch it when it was on the air. So, I am making him watch the whole show season 1 to 7 with me. Honestly, I am enjoying watching it more having a little bit more understanding in to the government and military in my older age.
Anyways… this video…it was in a season 2 episode that we watched last night.
It’s perfect.
1. What time is it in Tokyo? A very difficult question…A lot of people seem to have trouble with this (cough cough family members, love you) … We tend to get middle of the night phone calls and text messages. I was on the phone with the Old Navy lady when she said “have a goodnight…wait, is it night?…have a good day?… is it tomorrow already there?” What time is it in Japan is a very good question. Kids if you want to stump your teachers in the States ask them what time it is in Japan (and don’t let them google it). Which reminds me to mention that you can google “what time is it in Japan” before you call us… :)
2. TIME TRAVEL. “He’s gonna land in Washington an hour before he took off, and that’s not a story that beats the surgeon general?” Landing in the States before you left Tokyo…that my friends is why Jet lag is a dragggg. But, also way cool to time travel.
3. “those clocks should be in Military time” “Yeah cause that’s less confusing” Military time is a constant ‘debate’ in our house. I do not like military time, it requires even more math. I don’t like math. Brad has been trying to convince me that military and zulu time are very helpful. I say using p.m. and a.m. doesn’t require THAT much more work. West Wing perfectly demonstrated this on going debate.
Point is… What time is it in Tokyo?
Soccer to chef…(recipe included).
Me: “I realized something really big today!”
Brad: “What?, elephants are really big?”
Me: “No, I realized that I have not played or coached soccer in a year. That’s big. It’s the first year, since I was 4 (!!!!), that I have not played or coached.”
Brad: “Yeah, but you learned to cook.”
__________________________________________________________________
He makes a good point in the 25 years while I was playing/coaching soccer I was not cooking very much…so, there must be a direct correlation there.
But, yeah, my cooking has improved dramatically over the last year (still the occasional cut or burn). I’m sure my first touch on the ball has drastically declined, though. If I picture myself playing soccer right now, I picture a baby deer on ice. Although, after 25 years…It is somewhat second nature.
I guess in some ways, not playing/coaching soccer has opened up time for me to do new things like cooking, running a 10k (yes, singular), teaching English, and Pinterest. Oh, yes, Pinterest. Pinterest has certainly revolutionized my cooking. That, and greek yogurt, I almost can’t cook without either of those things.
I miss soccer.
Back to cooking…
This recipe is AMAZING. It is my new favorite. It is a Martha recipe (so you know its good).
Curried Chicken Salad on a whole wheat pita!
If you want you can click on the link there to get the recipe. I suggest click on the link to get the recipe…it is scrumptious!!…If you like curry. If you don’t like curry… you probably won’t like curried chicken salad. Just a hunch though. I made it yesterday for lunch and wanted to eat the whole bowl. Next time, I think I won’t boil my own chicken and will just save some time by using a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken from the store. Either way though…you won’t regret curry-ing your chicken salad!
Quite taken by this song.
Supposedly the artist has said that it is more than just being about heartbreak, but embracing change, difficulties, and whatever is coming your way…
I think I want to make it my ‘military spouse’ soundtrack song.
“Comes and goes” by Greg Laswell
10Kay
It’s completely true, I admit it. I have played soccer my entire life, I am athletic…and I hate running.
I’ve tried everything in the past to love this simple, cheap, and convenient sport. New shoes, new clothes, new songs, new apps, new friends…run longer, run harder, run shorter, run faster, run less, run more, run in the morning…
You get the picture. I just have never liked running…
HOWEVER, back in January (when I thought Brad was deploying) I decided to commit myself to be a more disciplined runner. And, when he did not end up deploying he decided to join the venture (though he is a natural runner!).
Anywho, I went from running an average of 1.5 miles a week to running 21 miles a week in just under 12 weeks. I also decreased my average pace by 2 minutes…I mean according to nike+ app. I remind you, I genuinely do not like running.
And, this past saturday I ran my first race, a 10k. It’s just a 10k, but honestly, I never thought I would ever enter myself in a running race, ever. EVER! It was merely bonus that the race took place around the Imperial Palace in Downtown Tokyo on a perfectly beautiful Saturday. Of course, by mile 6 my body hated that it was the first day in weeks it had been sunny and temperatures had broken 80 for the first time in like 8 months, but still….
For the first mile I thought about how pretty and cool it was to be running around a palace looking at a moat. On mile 2, I thought about my form. On mile 3, I thought about how I had to beat the girl in the tank top that kept run/walking (I beat her). On mile 4, I thought about jumping in the moat, or stopping to buy a popsicle from the popsicle vender. On mile 5, I briefly thought about how I had only run 1/20th of the Leadville 100, I also briefly thought about the fact that math may be the only thing I like less than running. On mile 6, I thought about jumping in the moat again. At the finish line I’m not sure I was thinking.
Even though I told him not too, B ran with me the whole race. Probably to ensure that I didn’t stop and buy a popsicle. But, either way major thanks to my husband for making sure I finished what I started.
Bottom line, this apathetic runner, (or a pathetic runner, however you choose to read that) ran a race.
The past few months have been good discipline for me, however, I haven’t caught that elusive runners high yet…maybe its at mile 7 ??? I highly recommend the Nike+ app to anyone with an aversion to running. It helped keep me on track for sure.
On another note, I discovered one of the top 5 mysteries of Japan…why do the ladies like to wear mini skirts and no tights when its 30 degrees outside, but when its 85 they like to wear tights under their running shorts ???? Add that to the list of things I don’t understand in Japan.
pre-race
passing the man running with his juice box
notice the tights under the shorts. IT WAS HOT.
had to beat the girl in the teal tank top. had to!
crossing the finish line. Brad sprinted ahead of me to finish first…and to snap a picture.
post race.
Naki, Naki, Naki !!
If I haven’t made it clear up until this point…Japan loves festivals!! There is a festival for EVERYTHING. From bean throwing to dolls, to fertility, to shaking babies. No joke.
We went to this festival a few weekends ago in Asakusa, Tokyo. Essentially, young sumo wrestlers shake babies, the baby that cries the longest and the loudest is considered the luckiest. The baby cries are considered to ward off evil spirits.
Naki means “cry”. So…they are shaking the baby and encouraging it to cry. This certainly makes the list of “things that wouldn’t fly in America”.
Also, I’ve never been so close to a Sumo butt. I’m just saying.
Just a little Saturday afternoon drag in Asakusa. I thought it was a video shoot for Lady Gaga at first, but nah, just a local Japanese drag celebrity. Or, just a local Japanese. It’s hard to be certain actually.
Either way, the streets of Tokyo are entertaining.
Another day, another temple! Can we say, Endless Temple Tour 2012! (They have a lot of temple’s in this part of the world).
This time we visited the Sensoji Temple in Asakusa,Tokyo. It is a popular one. Also, an old one.
It also consisted crying babies, sumo wrestlers, and perhaps a little bit of drag…(more post to come on those topics- get excited).
My Leucadia…
I think I found my little Leucadia…
Those that don’t know of Leucadia…it is a community of Encinitas where I lived, and worked, in California. “Keep Leucadia Funky”!
It is where ultimate surfer town, meets vintage, hippy, retro, wonderful. It prides itself on its character and, though I am not a surfer, hippy or retro… I appreciate living somewhere that has distinct character. To be fair, Leucadia is not a hard place for anyone to live. It’s got a beach, a donut shop, a neighborhood restaurant (with delicious Sangria) and the most devine coffee shop ever. It even has a post office that seems to operate straight out of Mayberry.
Of course, there will never be another Leucadia, and it certainly will not be in the middle of concrete locked Tokyo…however, I did stumble across an area that gave me those same distinct feelings of unique character that Leucadia does…
It’s called Kunitachi, and it’s just a short train ride away from where I live. It had just enough character all its own to make me smile. A coffee shop, or three, some bakeries, a fresh (expensive) market, a cool shop or two, wide sidewalks and huge trees, a University displaying art and a blend of nationalities.
According to my English student it was planned out to be this way, where as many other areas of Tokyo, haphazardly took shape as they developed. For me it was my little pocket of Leucadia in Tokyo. For goodness sakes It had a coffee shop with a big patio.
I know where I will be taking my computer to blog from now on….A patio in Kunitachi.
Keep Kunitachi Kool. Put that on a bumper sticker.
Wide sidewalks…
lined with wide grassy area and beautiful trees.
also, bikes for as far as you could see on either side of the University.
