For your enjoyment - A list of a few things I've been loving lately...
1) Books designed for kids to learn Hiragana and Katakana.
I've been trying to learn both for some time now and just staring at the character on a card is not helping. I found these books one weekend and since then I've learned 26 Hiragana characters and read my first word in the real world! I could read that the store near the train station in obu sells sushi (すし)!! It felt awesome to be able to read something. Talk about motivating.
2) Samurai re-enactment festivals
One weekend I was doing some Halloween costume shopping in Sakae when I found myself in the middle of a samurai battle. There was a festival (autumn?) that featured floats and then in the intersection people dressed as samurai would fight (these battles were complete with background music, smoke machines, popping rifles and swords). After the battle they would all stand, the crowd would clap and then the next float would roll down the main street. Simply, it was awesome.
3) 100 yen Stores
Yes, I drone on and on about how awesome they are but seriously people, THEY ROCK! The stuff you can get for 100 yen never ceases to amaze me. Everything from tools (yes, tools for a buck) to slippers, to food, to toys... Here is a picture of some of my favourite 100 yen store purchases (includes a teapot, a scarf, picture frames, candy, paper, etc). Some places even have 300 and 500 yen stores. In Kyoto I bought the best set of measuring cups EVER for 3 bucks. I had seen them in another store for 1000 yen - haha, take that expensive international store!
[too bad I don't have an oven...these make me want to bake]4) The Conveyorbelt Sushi restaurant in Nisshin
On Sunday I visited Elspeth in Nisshin and we decided to try out the 100yen sushi restaurant near her house. Unfortunately, it was raining and the buses had stopped (they stopped at 6pm!?!?!) so we got a bit wet while walking there but the fabulousness of the restaurant made us forget about our wet jeans. It was huge, clean, beautiful and there was delicious sushi whizzing around on a fast moving coveyor belt! I ate more sushi than ever before and it only cost 900 yen! We had a great time trying to figure out how the coveyorbelt worked and which type of cake we wanted for dessert (yes, there was cake going around too!!)(This was the best place in the world!) We waddled out of the restaurant into the rain and back to Elspeth's. Sorry about the blurry photos but the sushi was really whipping by!
5) Microwave Hello Kitty Cake
Elspeth bought one of these at the 100 yen a couple weeks ago and I got an excited phone call from her telling me the fabulousness of the hello kitty cake. On Sunday we bought some and made them at her house. I now understand the insanity that is Japan. Only here would you be able to make an individual sized chocolate cake (in the shape of hello kitty's head) in your microwave in 1minute and 30 seconds.
6) My new sneakers
Let's see...polka dots? check. Cute? check. Cheap? Oh yah baby ($12) check. Cheeky? check!
7) Cute little Japanese kids in Halloween costumes
ooo...You'll just have to wait for these photos....
6 comments:
Laura, you rock. Over here, it is 11:56 on Friday night, and I am still in my office. I made a solemn vow to myself that I would not leave tonight until I had completed and finally sent out my oh-so-revised thesis proposal to my committee. While I stand by my decision, I am starting to wonder if I will ever leave this concrete bombshelter of a building. Your email is a GREAT distraction.
Fil
Ps. Oh yes, I am #1 to respond. Again.
Pps. Might that actually just be yet another indicator of the sad life I lead, perpetually infront of a computer? I chose not to think about that. Bye!
Cute shoes! I love cute shoes! Especially for $12!
The "Hello Kitty" cake looks fairly intense, but awesome! My thighs are thankful that such delights do not exist here (same goes for sushi on conveyor belts).
I'm aiming to have a dozen things completed and sent out to various persons and places within the next 24hrs, but I'm in a rather procrastinatory mood (if that's not a word, it should be). I figure what better way to waste time, that post on Laura's blog. See Laura, just like my phone calls on the TTC, contacting you continues you be the bestest time-waster ever :P
Anyways, Laura, Steph, Aaron, and all other interested parties, my dad was asking me about the release dates of the next Harry Potter books/movies. I figure there's no one better to ask that the three of you.
So folks, what are the HP updates? And will the next book be the last one?
Cheers, and back to F-scores I go.
Fil
Ps. Laura, I was looking up health psychology and preventive medicine conferences in Japan the other day, trying to see if there's a potential academic reason to come visit (and get some people with deeper pockets than I to (1) pay for some of it, and (2) give me an excuse to come visit before my current ETA of 'eventually'). No luck yet, but I'll keep you posted. This degree may prove to be good for something after all :P Cheers.
Pps. I think a dvd or two will be en route shortly - shipped out within the next couple of wks. What's the shipping time for that sort of thing? Anything special I should be aware of?
Fil, the next HP book will be the last one in the series (*sob*). As far as I know, there's no word on when it'll be released (however, the HP books tend to be released in the summer); it's apparently quite lengthy, and I believe JKR is still toiling away at it.
As for the next film, it's due out July 13, 2007. And according to the director, he's filmed something that lends itself to a movie over 3 hours long! Hurrah!
Fil - As for shipping...I can't think of anything important. Mailing things to North America has been speedy but I'm not sure about Canada Post...(NOTE: I do LOVE getting mail)
About your HP question: YOU CALL YOURSELF A HP FAN!?!?! Seriously...I can't believe you didn't know the next book is the last...I'm disappointed, Fil...This reminds me of the summer when you were fine waiting until your entire family read the book before you.
Laura, you forgot to add: "Sorry if that offends you, Fil!"
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