Rotten Neighbors!!!

Ha ha!!! This is one more website dedicated to people who love ranting and complaining!

This time, it's for people to gripe about their rotten neighbors!


The map uses Google's easy to use street/satellite hybrid and little red house icons indicate where people have complained.

BEWARE- this website can be highly addicting and hilarious. And, it's nice to be able to share your pain!!

Japanese-style Urban Camouflage

I read articles like this and I get frustrated because people think of the Japanese as silly and naive. At one point, Japan was known as the pioneers of technological advancement- computers, cars, robots!!! But they are potentionally hurting their reputation with some of these far fetched and silly ideas?!?

Back in the day, ninjas wore all black to disguise themselves at night. Inspired by this practical idea, a young fashion designer invented a bulky full-size vending machine costume to elude assailants! One interesting invention is the "manhole bag": when unfolded and put on the street, this purse hides valuables by disguising itself as a sewer cover. Of course, the texture could give it away and to me, if you know that you're being followed, then how and when would you have time to lay this on the street without having someone see it?

This just brings back the major difference between American and Japanese culture... Americans want to protect themselves from criminals, and strike back, while many the Japanese, who avoid confrontation and self-assertion at all costs, favor camouflage and deception. I guess we all need a bit of common sense and creativity just to be safe.

DoCoMo in New York?!?

Walking through Nolita with my sister and some friends the other day, I saw a very familiar object from my past year in Japan.... The DoCoMo mushroom!

I ran in and saw a huge pile of thousands of the cute fuzzy characters that had smiled me from every DoCoMo mobile phone shop in Japan! There is a great temporary (October 19-28) exhibit by 16 up-and-coming Japanese painters, fashion designers, ilustartors and artists on these "Docomodake" (DoCoMo mushrooms).

Since I refused to have several pounds of obnoxious cell phone straps from my phone, I ended up hanging these DoCoModake "keitai sutrappu" from each of my pull light chains in my apartment... who knew I would get so sentimental?

My sister rolled her eyes and told me that they were going to check out the shoe store next door.

Giddyup!

A few of us went to the racetracks at Belmont Park on Sunday, dressed in our finest. It was a sunny but crisp fall day with a biting wind. The beautiful fall colors and long shadows of the racetrack really made it feel like autumn...

Ray arranged for us to get private tours of the padock and entry into the clubhouse, but the real fun was in the bleachers with all the other betters. Of course, none of us really had any idea what we were doing at first, so we each picked up a copy of the program and studied it intensely, placing our bets for each race. I just am not a gambler though.

But I liked looking at the pretty horses and little jockeys and their colorful jerseys.

Belmont Park,

New laundromat

I HATE the new place.
boo!!! hiss!!!

My old place closed down without any warning- the nice old Chinese guy and all the

First of all, I got there and it's $1.50 to wash! (didn't the old
place used to be $1.25?)
Then, i ask the ladies folding laundry for change, and they just
shrugged and pointed to the "change machine" in the corner. OH. oops.
So, I changed my $1 and got my 4 quarters.

So, here's a sidenote: I always throw my dimes and nickels in my
change purse so I can change them to quarters at the laundromat. So I
had 5 quarters in the machine and all i needed was another quarter for
the $1.50 wash- but I only had nickels and dimes left. So I asked the
folding clothes ladies if they would give me a quarter in exchange.
NO. They don't give change. WHAT?!?!?

so i went over to the lady selling pastries and sodas in the SAME
laundromat- all the way at the end- gave her the coins and asked if
she would give me a quarter. NO. She doesn't give change. WHAT?!?!?

I'm fuming, and started cussing them out, like what kind of laundromat
is this?!? I already have my money in the machine- all i need is a
freaking quarter. It's an even exchange!! it's not like I'm begging
them for the quarter.

Finally, one of teh folding ladies came over and said that this was
the only time she would do this- she pulled out a quarter in her
pocket and exchanged it for my coins.

I thanked her, but was still sooooooo annoyed. It's just an even exchange!

I guess I was used to the other place having supplied me with quarters
for all my loose change for so long.

Is that so wrong?!? Blargh.

otherwise, it was quite uneventful.
Digital times on the washers and dryers.
Fairly clean place, not so crowded, but then again, it was a Tuesday afternoon.

Japanese Music

For some reason, I have seen more Japanese music in the last 2 weeks than I did in the last year, LIVING in Japan!
I suppose the exposure and finding out about schedules is much easier when you can navigate the websites in English or whatever (and not living in the Japanese countryside helps), but anyway...

So a couple weeks ago, Paul and I went to the New York-Tokyo Music Festival in Central Park. The festival represent two extremes, as in New York & Tokyo, East & West, underground & mainstream, cool & cute, futurism & traditionalism.... Upper East riches & downtown rugrats?

The Upper East was oddly milling with skateboarders and hip hop fans, and the normally quiet park was throbbing from the deep booming reverberations emanating from the park...

It was a great lineup, with the impressive Kenny Muhammed (The Human Orchestra) as MC/performer- it was freaking amazing to watch all those sounds only coming out of his mouth! Yes, indeed, he is the human beatbox!!!


Also playing were DJ Red Alert, Pharoahe Monche, Collie Buddz from New York, and from Japan.... the surprisingly awesome and fun TERIYAKI BOYZ & DJ Uppercut. Teriyaki Boyz were like young cute colorful versions of the Beastie Boys- they had such fresh raw energy... What a shame they didn't seem to get the support that they deserved from the (young-ish) crowd...


As the excitement was building up, Kenny Muhammed announced that headlining MF Doom was not going to make it because he was in the hospital. The audience booed (and were immediately admonished for "disrespectin'"), but with Doom's mysterious personality, most of us were just trying to figure out whether we were getting tricked or not.

When his equally respectable last-minute replacement, Rakim, showed up onstage, Paul practically fainted from excitement!! Again, unfortunately, there was only a small percentage of the crowd who really could appreciate his talent, which was a shame. For him, it was like me getting to watch The Beatles live, so I could imagine what a treat it was for him...


Then, last night, we rocked out to DJ Krush on his first stop of his American DVD Release tour. We picked up a copy of the DVD along with an autographed photo! The Highline Ballroom is a fantastic intimate venue! As usual, watching Krush was an amazing experience. I think I was still smiling this morning when I woke up!

SKETCHBOOKS v.1

An exhilarating preview of the gorgeous images...

Made by a good friend of mine, this is an amazing... book within a book, culled from five years of sketchbooking. All works siphoned from the world around [her]; a manner of dialoguing with art exhibits, books, fossils, architecture templates, food wrappers, RV culture, love, cats, photography, sake, childbirth, cities, graphics, origami, tape, people on the street and landscape.

Bon apetit!

BUY THIS BOOK here!!!

Animals

I have been equally terrified of all animals, from puppies to arthropods for most of my life. (Are arthropods technically animals?) Fish were ok because they swam harmlessly in their little aquarium and pretty much didn't need any caretaking. I had my stuffed animals to keep me company- they were cute, didn't bite, and didn't need baths or walks.

I started warming up to dogs in my teens and 20s when my family inherited Mariko, a fluffy but yappy Shih Tzu from our Japanese neighbors. Not until I began to dogsit for my boss in San Francisco did I really learn to yearn for the company of dogs.

And then I moved to Japan where I shared a living space with lizards, frogs, mice, and many unidentifiable winged creatures. In one of my 2nd year English classes in Japan, we actually held debates on which were better: Dogs or Cats?

Cats to me, symbolized these snooty mysterious creatures that came and went on their own, with little regard or respect for people. Dogs on the other hand, were loyal, friendly, and approachable.

So, I never thought I would see the day when I would catsit. Regardless, Raylene and Ez asked me if I would be interested in taking care of Arwen, their Abyssinian, while they were away for a week. Since Paul has been outspoken about wanting to have a cat "slink around the apartment" for some time, we decided that he would host the kitty at his apartment and I would stay over and take care of her.

Well, after seeing that cute face, her beautiful and elegant poise, we both started fighting for her attention and the privilege to feed her, pet her, hold her... It was like having a cute little baby waiting at home for us without the mess, the crying, the diaper changing.

Unlike many [obese] American pets, this was one lean animal. She jumped and played gracefully and had a shiny coat, due to her very healthy and organic diet. She would softly "bonk" her head as her cute little way to show her affection for us, and purr softly as she inspected the apartment. After a week of having her around, we are now feeling a little empty spot in our hearts and Paul's apartment.

more pics of the kitty

An appeal for Manish and Emily

An excerpt from an email written by a good friend of Manish & Emily:


It's a great honor for me to make a sincere appeal to you on behalf of my dear friends, Manish, Emily and Dillan Desai.

Manish is 31 and an architect - a gifted one with a passion for design.
He and Emily have been married about six years and have a beautiful 21-month-old boy, Dillan. It's been six months since Manish was diagnosed with cancer.

The doctors are surprised that Manish is even alive because the form of cancer he has is known to spread rapidly. The cancer doctors were always clear that amputating Manish's left hand -- his dominant hand -- would be the best approach to dealing with this grave disease. Manish mourned the loss, but Emily says the day he was given the news he also started practicing writing and sketching with his right hand.

Manish is in the process of getting an i-Limb, by a company called Touch Bionics.


This hand provides precision and fine motor skills that are unmatched among other prosthetic devices, which are more hook- or claw-like. The i-Limb boasts four fingers and a moveable thumb, each powered by its own motor and directed by a central processing unit in the palm.

The i-Limb was just introduced in the United States about two months ago and there are only 30 in the country. Insurance companies are not paying for this yet, and the costs could be as high as $50,000 to get Manish set up for the first few years.

We've set up a website that will provide that information, as well as tell Manish and Emily's story for other people who may be going through similar circumstances.

Check out www.whatsleftisright.com to see the site, read their story and check out the blog.

You can keep up to date on Manish's progress via the website and his blog.
--Marshall Allen

I sprayed myself with pepper spray....

...well, sort of...

The other night, I was making dinner with Vel, and I wanted to make roasted vegetables since I had just bought a bunch of red peppers from Essex Market. So, while she was preparing the chicken, I got to work cutting the peppers and scooping out the seeds with my fingers.

Into the 10th or 11th pepper, my forefinger started to hurt, like I had gotten a paper cut and the juices were getting into it. Not surprising, I probably gave myself a little cut with my knife. I washed my fingers and inspected, but there was no cut to be found. So I continued.

Well, about 20 minutes later, all of my fingers were in uncontrollable burning pain!! I realized they were caused by touching the capiscum seeds!!!!

Han recommended me to spread toothpaste all over my fingers and stand in front of the air conditioner to allow the minty coolness to calm things down. That helped for about 10 minutes until the toothpaste started to dry out and I wanted to eat dinner..

It was so intense I could barely hold my fork.... Then Vel got out a half-eaten container of yogurt that Dylan hadn't finished from earlier on. I soaked my fingers in there which felt great again, until the smell of the yogurt started to get me sick.

Wendy and I finally left and during our 10 minute walk home, I guess my swinging arms got all my blood to rush to my fingers so I was in intense pain again. We briefly talked about her come up to my apartment with me to help me take out my contacts, but I convinced her that I would manage.

From the internet, Paul helped me find some home remedies including soaking fingers in rubbing alcohol or vodka (both of which I didn't have), or Clorox Clean Up (of course I have a full bottle under the sink).

So I ended up spraying my countertops with it and rubbed my fingers through that, and then alternated between soaking my fingers in a 50/50 bleach & water solution and then 2% milk. I took 2 advils, spread on thick hand lotion, and went to sleep with still tingling burning fingers.

However, when I woke up, I was thrilled to find that my fingers had healed 99%!! Only the tips of my fingertips, right below the fingernails, were slightly tingling!

So, my advice for next time, USE GLOVES.

Hot shots!

A drunken conversation on Saturday night actually became reality when Hide voiced his desire to shoot some guns in New York, because, well, he was in New York. (All Americans own guns, right?!?)

Add to that, he is a bonafide police officer in Japan (but has never had to use his gun), so why not?

Well, on the morning of September 11th, I found myself with Hide and Raylene at the Westside Shooting Range in the middle of Manhattan. We were sitting and chatting around a table, casually loading .22 bullets into the magazines of our rifles, quilting-bee style.

After a short intro lesson, we were armed with goggles, ear protection, a stack of targets, and a rifle each.
BANG BANG!!!

Hide in New York

Hide, my police officer friend from Japan, just came out to New York for a whirlwind visit. Even though it was his 3rd time here, it was the first time he was here with a "local".

The main purpose of his trip (woah, I sound like a Japanese textbook) was to watch the Men's Semifinals and Finals of the US Open! Big time. I've never even been to a Yankees Game and he's seen all the major sports events in New York.

Anyhow we squeezed in visits to Central Park, Bryant Park (Fashion Week), Greenwich Village, Chinatown, Soho, Nolita, downtown Manhattan, and a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. Lots of shopping, lots of walking, and lots of eating, to be expected.

The last time he visited New York, he met a stretch limo driver on the street so he ended up hiring the guy to drive him to the airport. This time, he took a helicopter! wait, what?!? Yes! For only 100 bucks, you can get from Manhattan to JFK in 10 minutes, on a helicopter! That beats a $50 car service or cab sitting in traffic for an hour anyday. Well, I'm too cheap (and poor) so I take the subway to the airport.

But yeah, good times. I'm still recovering...

kimono sensei

As one of the highest appreciators of Japanese art and culture, Raylene was the recipient of my sheer black kimono that I brought back from Japan. We had a "dress up" session where I got to dress and tie her up in all the layers associated with wearing a kimono and obi...

Pre-kimono exquisite lunch, glowing window, bird in hair, and glass bubbles all added to the magic.

RA(n)TS!!!

After a leisurely, delicious dinner at Delhi Palace (Jackson Heights, Queens), Anne Marie, Edward, and I were walking back to their apartment, sucking on some Malai Kulfi popsicles.

Even though it was like 10pm, we passed all kinds of bustling street vendors, shops selling things from saris to cigarettes... Man, you can get ANYTHING in New York...

Anyway, so we were walking past these beautiful old brick apartment buildings when I noticed a backlit window with some sort of active shadow puppetry going on. When I slowed down to see what all the activity was- it was actually a couple of rats, scurrying around in the basement of the building, right up against the window!! They were quite playful, but really, the whole thing was making me a little nauseous.

I was so flustered that I couldn't find my camera to take a video, but my handy cell phone caught them in action. (And technology these days!!! I even sent them from my phone to my email account, just like my great Japanese phone!)

Anyway- back to the dirty rat show... It was so WEIRD to be so close to the scampering vermin and not be scared sh*tless by them possibly running over my feet, or possibly even up my leg and into my skirt or something. I stood there in disgusted awe, watching the show with that thin piece of security glass separating us.

However, it was free and the lighting was great (2 of my most favorite aspects for any experience)...

Overheard (and experienced!) in NYC: #2

Paul and I went to my friend Susan's birthday party at a bar in Brooklyn last Saturday- it also happened to be her wedding day! It was great to see both sides of Susan and Chris' friends and family, relaxed after a whole day of formal festivities.

Now, the crowd was pretty wasted by the time we showed up (about midnight) so we had a lot of catching up to do.

A guy with a shaved head in an impeccable National Guard uniform (a friend of Chris) roped us in for our first shot of the night- after much debate on whether it was going to be vodka or tequila, we ended up deciding that I would pay for the round of vodka shots- 3 for us, plus the bride and groom. Then he was going to buy the next round, where he would show us the "correct" way of taking a tequila shot.


He kept telling me and Susan that we'd be pardoned if we refused to take the shot after watching him do it the "correct" way, because women are "wusses" or something like that, which of course, put us on the defense. But really... after seeing what he did, I'd be fine if he called me a wuss for the rest of my life.

This is what he did:

#1) Took the salt and spread it out on the bar. Took out a credit card and started chopping it up and making lines. SNORTED the salt up his NOSE.

#2) Took the tequila shot.

#3) Took the lemon wedge and squeezed it into his eyes.

This ranks up there with my other crazy bar experience in Kyoto.....

Overheard in NYC: #1

This is actually something that Paul overheard while at the gym the other day...

[Setup] Crowded loud Bally's Gym, midtown Manhattan.

The music playing over the loudspeakers stop abruptly as a voice interrupts with this very firm command:
"Shawna. Please come to the front desk. And I am NOT playing..."

Dear Architects...

I wish I could take credit for writing this but I can't.

California Dreamin'

Now that I'm back in the US, the updates won't be as regular, but I'll try to keep them still interesting and worthwhile!

SO, first off... pics.

1) The cutest girl in the world: my 15 month old niece Kayla.

2) At the Asian market near my parents' place: all kinds of food from China, Korea, the Philippines, and of course... Japan. Lots of packaged goods like miso, mochi, fruit jellies, etc....

3) The "western" packaging of the Japanese drink "Calpico", which sounds a lot better than "Calpis".

4) Planning a garden bridal shower for our friend Tiffany (center) was over- whelming, but so much fun. It went off without a hitch!

5) Paul and I were finally reunited when he came to California for a week...
He met the rest of my family (my dad and brother) and many of my friends. Everyone got along swimmingly!!! We played a lot of tennis and ate lots of Chinese & Mexican food.
You just can't beat the California beaches! (San Gregorio State Beach, south of Half Moon Bay)

BACK in the USA

I'm back safe and sound in the land of the free, land of the "huge", the land of the bountiful... no more bugs and typhoons, but also no more rice fields and friendly Japanese old ladies....

my passport was impatiently stamped by a non-friendly immigrations officer who never once smiled or even looked me in the eye, and found one of my suitcases was ripped and had a missing handle!!! Yay...

first day back consisted of sleeping and trying to unpack.

second day back consisted of sleeping, going to Walgreens, getting Mexican food with my mom (yum!!!), visiting my adorable niece, and catching up with Velba!

third day back- a visit to Peet's for some Major Dickason's Blend, a stroll down Burlingame Avenue, and a little bit more sleeping.

another week or two of this gorgeous sunny California weather and then back to muggy NYC with Paul!

OK, fresh sweet plums and California grapes and a glass of wine is beckoning me...

Final Posting From Japan

it's past midnight, and I should be deep asleep in my hotel bed... hours before my flight back to America...

but it's hard to sleep when I realize that I have one year of memories jammed into my suitcases, hundreds of wonderful meals with wonderful friends, hundreds of miles traveled in this beautiful country, hundreds of smiling students who are going to come to school next quarter to find a new AET sitting at MY desk...







I have been extremely fortunate to have met so many generous beautiful people in my year here- some are fellow JETs and some are part of my Japanese family- my landlady and her family, the Yoshidas, Jun, Akira & his wife, who constantly fed me at their udon shop...

Sometimes people ask me "why are they so nice?!"- and I still don't get it... Every year, the Yoshidas and Jun and many other of our wonderful friends here spend so much time with us, invest their time and energy to get to know us, make so many happy memories, just to see us go back to our own countries after a year or two (or three) of living in Japan. My brother always had a saying that he felt bad for people who stayed behind as travelers left them to continue on their journeys...

It's hard to adequately "thank" people like the Yoshidas except by making them something handmade, like a photo book (which Becky & I did make) or a painting of their name (in my kimono patterns)- but still I feel that we could never repay their hospitality and generosity.

I came to Japan to teach English, but in the end, I learned more about myself and making lifelong friends than anything else.

In a couple weeks, I will be back in the hustle and bustle of New York City- away from the lush green rice fields and mountains, away from the chirping cicadas and circling hawks, away from the serene year that I spent in
宮津市（Miyazu Shi)
京都 (Kyoto Fu)
日本 (Japan).

All of these experiences, just like everything else in my lfe, will be filed away in a part of my brain while I focus on what is immediately happening in my life. I just hope these memories don't fade over the years.

Sayonara Japan!

or as I like to say, "It's not goodbye- it's see you later!"


Thank you to everyone who kept up with my blog and supported me during this past year... especially to Paul who gave me strength in his love, and to all my friends and family who sent me packages & letters!!!

I'm sure I will find it difficult to adjust to life back in the US after being in Japan for a year, and I'll realize that everyone's lives continued- there were births and deaths, sicknesses and career changes, graduations, engagements, pregnancies, breakups, and new homes/ apartments...

I'll have to catch up on all the new restaurants to try and buildings that went up in New York, as well as all the movies and music and shows I missed... so I'll continue the blog when I get back to New York- after all, it's still a "day in the life" of Laurie!

See you all soon!!!

Last Day of School

Monday was the last day of my contract at school...

I packed up my desk and had a final lunch with my favorite students...



Many students (even some who I had never taught) found me in the staff room and gave me sweet farewell presents!

I packed up my bags to leave and said "sayonara" to some lingering students in the hallways. Some of them threw themselves at me and we stood there hugging and crying... I had scoffed when the teachers were bawling their eyes out at graduation, but here I was!!!

I told them to "ganbatte" ("fight!"/ "try hard!"/ "good luck!") and changed my shoes one final time, and walked my bike out to the front of the school where all the teachers and staff had formed a "passage" for me to walk through. I remember seeing through my tears all the genuine smiles of teachers who I had never talked to, and of others who I had shared many hours teaching with in the classroom.

As I walked out the school gate, I turned around to wave one final time, and saw Atsuhiro and Yuka running to catch up to me! (It was like something out of a movie....) We stood at the gate and hugged and cried again, promising to write and keep in touch.

As cheesy as all this sounds- it was really a good ending to the school year...

Sayonara Miyazu High School!

いつまでも宮津をわすれません。

I will never forget Miyazu!