its so fun being back in california... laughing and enjoying "home"... not a home found in this city, but a home found in the hearts of these people. these people that have known me since i was a pipsqueak, and still love me. awww. its so special. today i shared at church--pictures and a speech of sorts--and it was great. everything seems to be reminding me of my mom, and its wonderful. childhood friends and deepening relationships. oh, how lovely. i am so enriched today... so full and bursting with life and great joy!

the randomness that life brings...when you're not looking

so, i was out at this pub last night with my wonderful friend Ryoko. you know, the one with the great laugh? the laugh that soothes your soul because its shouts of its unabandoned freedom? yes. so we're eating and talking and enjoying all of life--unwinding after another day, and these 3 people come in. they sit at the table next to us and i realized that this british guy is speaking GREAT japanese with these other two people. i was envious of him... well, anyway, after 10 minutes or so, i had to get something out of my bag and had to move his coat a bit, and he said, "im sorry pretty, you have a great accent" and i laughed. how in the world do I, little miss californian sunshine (ahahah) have an accent? did oregon change me? possible, i guess. anyway, we all end up spending our evening together, talking in both japanese and english enjoying it all. the dank dark pub, loud music and laughs and incredible similarities. this guy is crazy. he's got shops (like restaurants and stuff) all over tokyo. he has something like 15 or so. crazy. anyway, turns out he loves Ryoko's hometown (which is smaller than a walnut on a hot afternoon) and lives near me out here in BFE. he owns a few schools too, and said that the kids school is too much for him to handle now. its all paid for and there is a good student base in a great location... and he offered it to me! he said he would just give it to me if i wanted it! how crazy is that??! so, needless to say, im thinking about it a bit... just wondering what japan would be like without the rules and space that i have had to adhere to. and it sounds, well, possible. i dont know. just thinking. the evening ended (all things do) and we headed back, on an absolute HIGH. we had such a surprising great time! i LOVE random interactions that free me up and remind me why im alive!

a day that shines...

what a great day! woke up and talked with my sister for a while. we haven't talked in over a week because, well, i think we were avoiding talking about the presidential election. now that its over, we can move on, in a way... which relieves me. i dont want to fight with her on our different opinions. so i headed to the train station, which involves either a 20 minute walk or a bus ride. today, i chose the bus. i noticed a man with a big suitcase (hard to miss here when everyone looks at you like they are so inconvenienced you brought luggage with you to a public place!) we both headed to the bakery for a make-shift breakfast--a coffee and a something small to eat--and he started talking to me! it was great. he was really interesting; living in Shanghai but Japanese and is tri-lingual. he works a lot, and whenever he has time off, he goes out of country to see more of the world. how wonderful. i love meeting people like him... and really, there are MANY of them. as far as you leave america to find them? heheh, who knows.

so anyway, i went across town to meet a friend for a date at the museum. It was this exhibit i have been wanting to see for over a month called "The Poetry of Silence" by Vilhelm Hammershoi. It was SO GOOD. there were some great pieces. he used oil well to depict light in his dark landscapes and portraits... sometimes using people... but always using doors and tricks of light and beautiful furniture. it was intoxicating. Yasuko and i just stared and gasped as the 90 different paintings passed us by. it was too much fun! Here are a few of my favorites:



mmm, im inspired to create again. its been a while, but its pumping through me and needs to escape! i love this feeling... its been gone for FAR TOO LONG.

We then headed to lunch... MEXICAN! it was REALLY good... i haven't had such authentic mexican food in all the 2+ years here in Japan! sure, if it were in america, i wouldn't think it were that great at all, but here, wow. delectable! :) as we started eating, 2 foreigners sat down and they seemed nice. Yasuko and i were talking a bit about the Obama/McCain election, and they started talking with us about the issue! i told them I voted Obama, and they were so excited! that started a complete snowball of conversation. We talked about many things, and actually, i learned some things about them too! it was great... yasuko and i agreed that we LOVE older friends--like parents--because they are willing to let you be you, but they offer wisdom and life experience to match what you are walking in yourself. its a beautiful portrait of community. and we love it. as we parted, we did the western thing of HUGGING. hehee, so happy... i never hug anymore. but it always feels like home when i get to. then they invited us to their home in Massachusettes if ever we find ourselves on that side of the globe. i love new friends!

We did a little shopping and some TEA. mmm. lovely. and great conversation! why couldn't we have met and known one another for longer than just these past few months?!

Heading off our different directions and saying goodbye was good because we decided that next weekend, we're going to go hiking in which case i am taking my sketch book, and she's taking her camera. its all about inspiring creativity. and we're excited! got to make the best of my time here while it lasts, eh?!

then, to jiyugaoka to be with Abby and Jason. We always have a great time of laughing and conversing about all different kinds of topics. i feel so comfortable with them and love sharing life with them. already, i am starting to miss them. but i guess thats too mushy to start saying by now... all i know is that i think they are wonderful (and no, im not just saying that because i know you read my blog!!)

i loved my day. its fall. its cool. people are everywhere, walking around with their own stories and their own beliefs of love and where to find hope. its interesting. and i feel like the world is just one LARGE book waiting for me to peel back the pages and jump right in. excuse me for doing so, huh? its lovely. all of it.

Japan's got rules.

japan is a silly place full of wonky rules that an outsider can never really understand. here is a ridiculous example. I went to the city library to check out a book and renew one that i've already had my 2 weeks. the lady, in VERY APOLOGETIC japanese, explains that she cannot allow me to renew my book, because its a Lonely Planet book, and these are special. we must allow time for the next person to have the option of checking this book out. So, after she allows me to check out the other book, she explains that there is a chain of command (of sorts). she takes the book and walks across the library to a sorting shelf, in which she sorts and files the book away to be reshelved. then, she tells me to bring it back to her at the counter once she has returned. then, and only then, can she allow me to check it out once again. it all seemed so silly. like it was some tricky thing for the CIA or maybe she didnt want to get in trouble in case someone really important was watching?? haha, who knows. in japan, you CANNOT break rules. wow, how freeing it could have been for her to just check it in and check it back out. i used to do that when i worked in a library. in and out. books are books. but, i guess that is what makes her japanese, and me OH SO american?