At 5am when I woke up, the birds are already chirping, the sun is already up. Avery good day marking exactly I have 4 more yrs to 60. White hairs grow here and there, some face wrinkles and a lot of ups and downs in life that made me a bit stronger. Last month had gone to 2 different shrines in 2 different prefectures dedicated to happiness. It was a discovery in accident. I believe it foretells something very positive and the feeling still lingers till now. To all b-day celebrants today like me, happy spaghetti day!
I'm not writing this to glorify a place and put down another. Been to Yamaguchi Ken and I noticed that the toilet in the vicinity of the train station had no toilet paper. It's not that they ran out of papers. There was really no provision at all. Good thing I always bring pocket tissues. Yet, surprisingly, the comfort room's cubicles are very clean. No wondering urine or what nots, no cigarette butts, nor used disposable pregnancy kits, nor wrappers of comfort foods nor chewing gums. In my place in Aichi, the next station after the one near us is nice if only for the little flower vase with real, fresh flowers. Ditto for whoever is trying to maintain it. That toilet is well provided with toilet papers yet the urine, even specks of feces which most of the times aren't just specks at all, the used toilet papers which could just be thrown inside the bowl and flushed and sometimes the used pantyliner which could be accommodated in the not so full mini trash cans which every cubicle is well provided, are all great annoyances. Could it be that the discipline inside the military camp spill over to the whole of the community? I just wonder.
For two straight days, went to 2 different shrines dedicated to happiness. One is the Ohatsu Tenjin Shrine in Osaka and the other is the Tenmangu shrine in Yamaguchi Ken. When I decided to see the shrines, I never know its English meaning. When I get there, I got to read some English translation. Maybe then it's my turn to be happy now. No pun intended. I just look at interesting places near the train stations as my main purpose of travel was the enlistment ceremony of my son. I never realize that those places were intended for people looking for happiness. So, could this really be called fate?
Up to his early yrs of schooling, I walked holding his little hands made course by building sand castles in a nearby park. At times, when I got mad, I'd walk a bit faster and then he would try to catch up by running. I remember his little steps and his little hands. Now he is 22. It's the other way around. But, I do love to walk behind him. I love to see him holding as much shopping bags he could carry yet able to walk passed me. It's been 22 yrs now and despite of all different trials, he's the best thing that ever happen to me. Today is his first day in the military and I believe it's his fate and vocation. Both sad and happy, though.:
The old lady is used to spending her lunch break at home and her husband always fetch her. Just this noon break she waited for quite a time and her husband was nowhere. She called home and nobody even knows. Little did they know that the man since morning went to his vegetable garden and then fell unconscious without anybody around. She's now a widow. He could be still here if somebody was around to call the ambulance. But then again he may not. What a way to go!
Yesterday, Sunday, there was an international festival in the adjoining town. One of the highlights was wearing the national costume of different countries. I chose a kimono. There were two Jwomen fixing the costume for me. The room heater wasn't that warm yet I notice that the ladies fitting me were a bit sweating. I wonder how the Jwomen of olden times did it. And how many hours did it take them to be fully made up and dolled up. When I was finished, I don't know but I had the urge to dance rock and roll style.
It's snowing until now. And it's 21:05 of Sunday. Tomorrow got to work again. Halfway on my way to work, I'd get to pass by that man again. He going to the train station and me, from the station to my work. I thought at first that he's a Jman, an office worker elegantly dress for work. But apparently, he's not.How come I know without even talking to him despite of his chinky eyes and yellow skin? It's his insistence on walking on my left side of the lane. Jpeople don't follow the keep to the right rule. For them it's keep to the left. Do I have to stomp my feet and shout "You're getting in my way. Go to your side of the lane, i...t." Of course not. Japan is a man's country. And me an old foreigner woman who ought to be wiser, always go to my right side of the lane just like a lamb but with gritting teeth.
This blog is written not to question or to answer an unanswerable question. Simply RIP to Jacintha Saldanha a victim of prank gone too far.
Are straight men raise one eyebrow when annoyed? Just wondering because I saw a couple of men who are straight-looking yet one raised his eyebrows twice as if he's peeved. In my home country, a man doing that is tantamount to being branded as gay. No offence meant to the gay community though.
It seems some beliefs are beyond bounds regardless of culture. I saw a woman sprinkling some white granules around her coffee shop as early as 7:30 am. Never asked her yet I presumed it was salt. I never thought of it as sugar, though. In my home country, it is a belief to shoo in customers and stomp out bad luck. Her shop's garden is surrounded with pinkish and greenish foliage and some little purple flowers. Is that not enough assurance that customers would flow in?
I'm on my second month on this small metal factory. When I applied here, I never realized I'd be in an all male environ. Two of my colleagues are in their 70's but when you see their lean body, and muscled arms and no sagging skin and firm stance you would say they are (May I borrow from Mr. Jim's vocabulary.) the epitome of the Japanese workers who made Japan rise from the ruins of war. One of them to be exact is 76 yrs old. He didn't even had to work since he's receiving something like 2,500 US dollars a month but he is still working. The youngest of them is 30. Iam kind of enjoying being around them as each one seems to be very willing to teach me the ins and outs of the machine Iam assigned to. The only taxing part is, I have to walk for 20 mins in going there as no bus leaves around that time. No choice but to bear. Overall, I get to see the Jmen in a different light. Simply amazing!
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