I hop into the open door which automatically closes behind me. Hooray for Japanese taxis I say ! Hooray for getting outta this cruel wind into a cab with warm seats and the lingering smell of tabacco!
I am a little drunk.I am feeling chatty.So obviously is the taxi driver! Its a 10 minute ride.We talk in broken english and broken japanese! we talk about the weather.We talk about his time in Denver and Hawaii.We talk about his two jobs .Toki doki taxi driver and mostly money lender.Hes an aging fella I would guess at 55. I imagine his wife sleeping soundly in her tatami room on her futon. I imagine his grandchildren (who he most definately adores)playing around his slippered feet on the weekend.I imagine his friends some a little older and some a little younger playing ego on a sunday evening.I imagine himas he falls asleep in fromt of the t.V late at night .
He whisks out his mobile phone.I think he is going to show me a picture.The sound of "and so this is Christmas" starts to play in a high pitched tone.We sing together for a while.The we sing "I am dreaming of a white Christmas" this time without the keitai accompanying us.
We get to my house.I hand him the fare.He says Ahhhhhh @00 yen for me 1,500 for my wife.I laugh! I ask him if he has bought his wife a Christmas present."Yes" he says as he grabs a bag and pulls out a little box."Diamond and Sapphire he says as he pulls out a beautiful ring! Its not my style but pretty all the same.I ask him how much.He says 500,000 .Oh its lovely! Its expensive neh?? Oh he says "I am rich" as he pulls out a big zip up bag stuffed with more yen than I have ever seen in one day! Ohhhhhhhhh! I say "Your wife will be very happy! its a beautiful ring!". "Yes" he says "She is 23"................ I get out of the taxi and wish him a happy new year. I imagine him going home to stockings and lace.
Friday, December 17, 2004
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
4 seasons in one day!
I just have to get this off my chest! Some of you may understand and some of you may not.
I am not constant.
I change.
Sometimes I am genki and sometimes I am blue.
Sometimes I am confident and sometimes no.
Sometimes I am stunning and sometimes average.
Sometimes I am entertaining and other times dull.
Sometimes I am clever and others quite dense.Sometimes I am sexy and sometimes a fridge.
Sometimes a love and sometimes a bitch.
Moments i am witty and others quite wierd.
Days I am thoughtful and days I am selfish.
An hour when i am busy and hour when I'm not.
A night when I sleep for way too long than I should and a night where the day creeps up way too fast.
Times when I'm strong and times I am weak.
Months when I'm creative and months with a block.
Weeks where adventurous and weeks when I'm housebound.
And years (at least 30) where i am perfectly me!
I am not constant.
I change.
Sometimes I am genki and sometimes I am blue.
Sometimes I am confident and sometimes no.
Sometimes I am stunning and sometimes average.
Sometimes I am entertaining and other times dull.
Sometimes I am clever and others quite dense.Sometimes I am sexy and sometimes a fridge.
Sometimes a love and sometimes a bitch.
Moments i am witty and others quite wierd.
Days I am thoughtful and days I am selfish.
An hour when i am busy and hour when I'm not.
A night when I sleep for way too long than I should and a night where the day creeps up way too fast.
Times when I'm strong and times I am weak.
Months when I'm creative and months with a block.
Weeks where adventurous and weeks when I'm housebound.
And years (at least 30) where i am perfectly me!
Smart Art!
These pics are great!! Do we permit Pavement (or sidewalk) Art here in Japan???
This guy would make a fortune!
This guy would make a fortune!
I come from the land down under!!!
VEGEMITE................. here I come.I cant stand the stuff actually but hey the ho! There are still many other products on those Australian shelves I am keen to get my fingers on.........
Gnna get my haircut and not pay 20 thousand yen for the privellage,(lets hope I dont come back with orange hair and a mullet.)
Gnna speak to every available individual that will talk to me in English(bearing in mind they may think I am a bit kooky)
Gnna sit in my nephews paddling pool with them and drink chardonnay in the HOT, sunny garden.
Gnna strut my stuff down the christmas sale streets and know that I will be the small size and not the large.
Gnna get drunk and fall over knowing that my family fully expect it and that I will be looked after.
Gnna play charades fully drunk and make a wally out of myself (and know my family fully expect it)
Gnna revel in the fact the my family love me just the way I am (and know my family fully accept it!)
Gnna buy a truck load of Berocca.
Gnna paint silly pictures on canvas with my silly aunt and spill chardonnay on the carpet!
Gnna wake up on Christmas day and KNOW I will have a stocking full of goodies and a tree with a heap of pressies and a table laden with christmas fare and be expected to eat everything!
Gnna drink sparkling wine at 7am and get tipsy by 9 while sharing christmas present opening!
The list goes on! I am so excited! I am the grown adult with the kiddy heart!
Ding Dong merrily on High!!!!!!Aint this waht Christmas is about??? Last year I spent it touring the beaches of Bali with a keen surfer who only wanted to catch the next best wave while I stood and watched! It was okay but not my idea of Christmas,this year it will be magic!
Gnna get my haircut and not pay 20 thousand yen for the privellage,(lets hope I dont come back with orange hair and a mullet.)
Gnna speak to every available individual that will talk to me in English(bearing in mind they may think I am a bit kooky)
Gnna sit in my nephews paddling pool with them and drink chardonnay in the HOT, sunny garden.
Gnna strut my stuff down the christmas sale streets and know that I will be the small size and not the large.
Gnna get drunk and fall over knowing that my family fully expect it and that I will be looked after.
Gnna play charades fully drunk and make a wally out of myself (and know my family fully expect it)
Gnna revel in the fact the my family love me just the way I am (and know my family fully accept it!)
Gnna buy a truck load of Berocca.
Gnna paint silly pictures on canvas with my silly aunt and spill chardonnay on the carpet!
Gnna wake up on Christmas day and KNOW I will have a stocking full of goodies and a tree with a heap of pressies and a table laden with christmas fare and be expected to eat everything!
Gnna drink sparkling wine at 7am and get tipsy by 9 while sharing christmas present opening!
The list goes on! I am so excited! I am the grown adult with the kiddy heart!
Ding Dong merrily on High!!!!!!Aint this waht Christmas is about??? Last year I spent it touring the beaches of Bali with a keen surfer who only wanted to catch the next best wave while I stood and watched! It was okay but not my idea of Christmas,this year it will be magic!
Blog Block No more.........
Oh my! I had blog block.
I have been feeling a tad emotional these last few days and didnt really want to bore you with all my ramblings........but then again.........
Its funny when you start to ponder on what exactly your blog is.I guess its a diary,but a diary that you have invited others to see and so in that vain I guess there are some things you you can blog about and others you CANT.I also came up against the issue of what others may think of me if I ramble on too much or rant about this or rave about that or witter on about "stuff".Perhaps they may find be boring,or twee . Maybe others will find me rather unitellectual or a bad writer.Some may think that I am a cool gal with alot to say . it finally came to me that this is MY blog and I dont give a crap what people think.I will write to my little hearts content and hopefully some of you out there may find it enlightening or interesting or downright amusing.If thats the case....Hoorah!! .............and if not........tough tits!!!!!!!
I have been feeling a tad emotional these last few days and didnt really want to bore you with all my ramblings........but then again.........
Its funny when you start to ponder on what exactly your blog is.I guess its a diary,but a diary that you have invited others to see and so in that vain I guess there are some things you you can blog about and others you CANT.I also came up against the issue of what others may think of me if I ramble on too much or rant about this or rave about that or witter on about "stuff".Perhaps they may find be boring,or twee . Maybe others will find me rather unitellectual or a bad writer.Some may think that I am a cool gal with alot to say . it finally came to me that this is MY blog and I dont give a crap what people think.I will write to my little hearts content and hopefully some of you out there may find it enlightening or interesting or downright amusing.If thats the case....Hoorah!! .............and if not........tough tits!!!!!!!
Tuesday, December 07, 2004
For you the sun will be shining......
ohhhhhhhh...here I go..........grab the sick bucket and hold it there for a while.
My boy is away and I misssssssssssssss him! I hate it when he goes away but also I kinda like it.I miss him in the bed.I miss his big warm hugs! I miss his smile,which always has the same affect on me.........a big smile! I miss that I dont have anyone to do the washing,I miss his bigness(no funny comments please,he is 2 metres tall after all!) I miss the spooning,I miss cooking for him,I miss his stories about the day,I miss his text messages,I miss hearing him coming through the door saying "Todaima",I miss just being with him and the warmth that gives me. I also like the fact that I miss all these things and on wednesday he will be back to spoon me again! Hoorah!,and that I will remember all these wonderful things he is! (there are more but there is only so much a bucket will hold!)
My boy is away and I misssssssssssssss him! I hate it when he goes away but also I kinda like it.I miss him in the bed.I miss his big warm hugs! I miss his smile,which always has the same affect on me.........a big smile! I miss that I dont have anyone to do the washing,I miss his bigness(no funny comments please,he is 2 metres tall after all!) I miss the spooning,I miss cooking for him,I miss his stories about the day,I miss his text messages,I miss hearing him coming through the door saying "Todaima",I miss just being with him and the warmth that gives me. I also like the fact that I miss all these things and on wednesday he will be back to spoon me again! Hoorah!,and that I will remember all these wonderful things he is! (there are more but there is only so much a bucket will hold!)
Thursday, December 02, 2004
Forgiveness
My thoughts today have been on forgiveness.There have been times in my life that I have wanted forgiveness and times when I have needed to give forgiveness. I was pondering on this a little today and came up against a strange feeling.
What is forgiveness? How do we forgive?
I know what the text books say and yes there is a definition in the dictionary.But my question is, when do you know that you have truly forgiven someone or something?
Is forgiveness moving forward without looking at the past at the supposed wrong doing and allowing yourself to "just forget about it?"
If so then I am not the forgiving individual I believed myself to be.
Is forgiveness accepting that you feel wronged ,processing that feeling,communicating that feeling with the supposed "wrong doer" and together building trust again ,hoping that in communicating that you felt a certain wrong doing that you can move forward and trust that they will not hurt you again.
Hmmmmmm.this sounds a little nearer..but not quite there.I found some quotes on it today while pondering the situation and came to this conclusion.
Forgiveness is a state where we allow ourselves and someone else freedom to be exactly who they are at any given moment.To allow any individual freedom to act in any way they choose and not hold any grudge or hold anything over them.Forgiveness in my reality is learning from each other and taking risks.Its a huge leap for some.
For me I have decided to take that leap......watch out world here I go!!!!!!! Slaaaaaaaaassssshhh!!!!
Israel Zangwill
The Past: Our cradle, not our prison; there is danger as well as appeal in its glamour. The past is for inspiration, not imitation, for continuation, not repetition
Doc Childre and Howard Martin, The HeartMath Solution
The incoherence that results from holding on to resentments and unforgiving attitudes keeps you from being aligned with your true self. It can block you from your next level of quality life experience. Metaphorically, it's the curtain standing between the room you're living in now and a new room, much larger and full of beautiful objects. The act of forgiveness removes the curtain. Clearing up your old accounts can free up so much energy that you jump right into a whole new house. Forgiving releases you from the punishment of a self-made prison where you are both the inmate and the jailer.
David McArthur & Bruce McArthur, The Intelligent Heart
Many people are afraid to forgive because they feel they must remember the wrong or they will not learn from it. The opposite is true. Through forgiveness, the wrong is released from its emotional stranglehold on us so that we can learn from it. Through the power and intelligence of the heart, the release of forgiveness brings expanded intelligence to work with the situation more effectively.
What is forgiveness? How do we forgive?
I know what the text books say and yes there is a definition in the dictionary.But my question is, when do you know that you have truly forgiven someone or something?
Is forgiveness moving forward without looking at the past at the supposed wrong doing and allowing yourself to "just forget about it?"
If so then I am not the forgiving individual I believed myself to be.
Is forgiveness accepting that you feel wronged ,processing that feeling,communicating that feeling with the supposed "wrong doer" and together building trust again ,hoping that in communicating that you felt a certain wrong doing that you can move forward and trust that they will not hurt you again.
Hmmmmmm.this sounds a little nearer..but not quite there.I found some quotes on it today while pondering the situation and came to this conclusion.
Forgiveness is a state where we allow ourselves and someone else freedom to be exactly who they are at any given moment.To allow any individual freedom to act in any way they choose and not hold any grudge or hold anything over them.Forgiveness in my reality is learning from each other and taking risks.Its a huge leap for some.
For me I have decided to take that leap......watch out world here I go!!!!!!! Slaaaaaaaaassssshhh!!!!
Israel Zangwill
The Past: Our cradle, not our prison; there is danger as well as appeal in its glamour. The past is for inspiration, not imitation, for continuation, not repetition
Doc Childre and Howard Martin, The HeartMath Solution
The incoherence that results from holding on to resentments and unforgiving attitudes keeps you from being aligned with your true self. It can block you from your next level of quality life experience. Metaphorically, it's the curtain standing between the room you're living in now and a new room, much larger and full of beautiful objects. The act of forgiveness removes the curtain. Clearing up your old accounts can free up so much energy that you jump right into a whole new house. Forgiving releases you from the punishment of a self-made prison where you are both the inmate and the jailer.
David McArthur & Bruce McArthur, The Intelligent Heart
Many people are afraid to forgive because they feel they must remember the wrong or they will not learn from it. The opposite is true. Through forgiveness, the wrong is released from its emotional stranglehold on us so that we can learn from it. Through the power and intelligence of the heart, the release of forgiveness brings expanded intelligence to work with the situation more effectively.
For Mama
Okay Mama!(my mum has been asking me to send her this pic so I thought I would honour you all!)
Here you go!! This is my J-Lo dress!!Worn at my favourite place in Tokyo.The Park Hyatt.(for those not in Tokyo,the place where "Lost in Translation" was filmed and are now serving Sofia coppola rose sparkling wine and leading group tours of all the places the "stars" were filmed in,lets hope not the Pachinko parlour)Anyways back to the dress..................
Yes its sexy ! Yes I plan to head to the biggest Casino in the Southern Hemisphere wearing this babey so that my Aunt and I can relish in free drinks all night! (oooooooops did I really say that??)I will try to keep my boobs in! They have been known to be a little free and easy in this dress ,but honestly ..........like anyone would notice!
I am so glad that my blog is turning into a highly intellectual thought provoking forum........haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Haaaaaaaaaaaa!
Here you go!! This is my J-Lo dress!!Worn at my favourite place in Tokyo.The Park Hyatt.(for those not in Tokyo,the place where "Lost in Translation" was filmed and are now serving Sofia coppola rose sparkling wine and leading group tours of all the places the "stars" were filmed in,lets hope not the Pachinko parlour)Anyways back to the dress..................
Yes its sexy ! Yes I plan to head to the biggest Casino in the Southern Hemisphere wearing this babey so that my Aunt and I can relish in free drinks all night! (oooooooops did I really say that??)I will try to keep my boobs in! They have been known to be a little free and easy in this dress ,but honestly ..........like anyone would notice!
I am so glad that my blog is turning into a highly intellectual thought provoking forum........haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! Haaaaaaaaaaaa!
Monday, November 29, 2004
milky monday cappucino
One of the things I am really missing at the moment is my dear friend Mona.I would usually end up at her place a couple of times a week and talk over stuff and drink any number of drinks,ranging from wine to water.Sometimes we would just drink coffee(this was rare!)Mona is now in Denmark and seems so far away.
I am missing our weekly get togethers, and so, in need of something to fill the gap I went and bought myself a milk frother.........(Mona had one too and we would drink wonderful cappucinos)It cost 1,344 yen and is superb.I am sure I could do other things with it apart from frothing milk . I now feel like I have a piece of mona too.I think I am very strange to connect so deeply with a battery operated milk frother ............anyone else have strange connections like mine? Anyways my house is now the house of great cappucino or chai latte or whipped cream! DOZO!!!!!
I am missing our weekly get togethers, and so, in need of something to fill the gap I went and bought myself a milk frother.........(Mona had one too and we would drink wonderful cappucinos)It cost 1,344 yen and is superb.I am sure I could do other things with it apart from frothing milk . I now feel like I have a piece of mona too.I think I am very strange to connect so deeply with a battery operated milk frother ............anyone else have strange connections like mine? Anyways my house is now the house of great cappucino or chai latte or whipped cream! DOZO!!!!!
Friday, November 26, 2004
lost in translation
Grrrrrrrrrrrrr!
I am having one of those days when everything I say comes out wrong ! I managed to insult my friend quite unwittingly and feel terrible. I failed to communicate with my man in a way that was loving and kind.All these things just create distance and I just wanna pop outside myself and say "hey everyone! I am nice, REALLY,I want to love you guys more ! I want you to love me more! I wanna hang out more ! I want to be part of a community and feel part of something" I guess I just wanna belong ! Am i normal?? Does anyone get me??
I am having one of those days when everything I say comes out wrong ! I managed to insult my friend quite unwittingly and feel terrible. I failed to communicate with my man in a way that was loving and kind.All these things just create distance and I just wanna pop outside myself and say "hey everyone! I am nice, REALLY,I want to love you guys more ! I want you to love me more! I wanna hang out more ! I want to be part of a community and feel part of something" I guess I just wanna belong ! Am i normal?? Does anyone get me??
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
Falling Leaves............
Wow!! Isn't this beautiful weather just the best??? Last year I remember it got cold during October and I was wrapped in scarves, several layers and whoever I could find to huddle up too!!
This year is just one glorious warm day after another!! Being a tropical type of gal I have to say this is a much more pleasurable experience for me! Dont get me wrong I LUUUUUUUUURVE the snow ,but it has its time and place!
This sunday we decided to take advantage of the gorgeous weather and head out west to Okutama! I dont like getting up too early on my day off but Jonathan hauled me out of bed or should I say lured me out of bed and got us on the road at a very un-sunday like time of 8am.........all good things sometimes come with an investment or some kind of sacrifice and this was definately one of them! We arrived in Okutama (the end of the Ome line ,take the chuo to Tachikawa and change)around 10.15am and were met with smiling faces and enthusiasm galore! By this time I had managed to wake up sufficiently but it took 3 coffees and several cigs to get me there! I know !I know! I am a lush! I need stimulants man!
Anyways we started our hike in Okutama and made our way through the sunshine! Destination Okutama itself! Yes a huge damned lake,with no end in site.
As I said by the time we started walking I was feeling a little more lively and ready for anything! Our first stop was a shrine that was not visible unless one walked up ,i would say at least a hundred steps.Brad our beloved friend and tour guide assured me that if I ran up these steps (chotto steep) that I would have good luck for a year! A sucker for this kind of thing I dashed up there on the heels of 2 other fellas and made it to the top barely alive!( Bless my calves)
It was well worth it as now I feel I am blessed with luck in abundance and am sure I worked off a few pounds in the process! It got me my first whiff of damp mossy autumn though! Yum!
After this rather rude start to the day we continued on along what is called Mukashi Kaido.It used to be the main road through the area which I think now is Ome Kaido.Through lush beautiful reds ,yellows , burnt siennas,waterfalls gushing merrily , leaves dancing down upon us,the sound of laughter as 7 adults make like kids ,the abundance of Konichiwa's as we pass the several hundred seniour citizens out for a jaunt (not too many young folk out here! I guess the shopping and the lie in is all that sunday affords the tokyoites these days!),the deep lined faces of farmers selling fresh wasabe and vegetables on the side of the road who are ready to give you a full historial run down for just a smile,the hush of shrines and the on looking weathered trees...........Its all a mosaic of a perfest scene on a perfect day!
I wondered to myself why more of us dont get out there more often?? It was so good to get back to nature and watch the changing of the season and honour it.I felt like I had a 3 day holiday break all packed into one and man did we sleep well that night! What more could you want???
Ill let the pics tell more of the story! Enjo! Thanks all to those who made it a great day!
This year is just one glorious warm day after another!! Being a tropical type of gal I have to say this is a much more pleasurable experience for me! Dont get me wrong I LUUUUUUUUURVE the snow ,but it has its time and place!
This sunday we decided to take advantage of the gorgeous weather and head out west to Okutama! I dont like getting up too early on my day off but Jonathan hauled me out of bed or should I say lured me out of bed and got us on the road at a very un-sunday like time of 8am.........all good things sometimes come with an investment or some kind of sacrifice and this was definately one of them! We arrived in Okutama (the end of the Ome line ,take the chuo to Tachikawa and change)around 10.15am and were met with smiling faces and enthusiasm galore! By this time I had managed to wake up sufficiently but it took 3 coffees and several cigs to get me there! I know !I know! I am a lush! I need stimulants man!
Anyways we started our hike in Okutama and made our way through the sunshine! Destination Okutama itself! Yes a huge damned lake,with no end in site.
As I said by the time we started walking I was feeling a little more lively and ready for anything! Our first stop was a shrine that was not visible unless one walked up ,i would say at least a hundred steps.Brad our beloved friend and tour guide assured me that if I ran up these steps (chotto steep) that I would have good luck for a year! A sucker for this kind of thing I dashed up there on the heels of 2 other fellas and made it to the top barely alive!( Bless my calves)
It was well worth it as now I feel I am blessed with luck in abundance and am sure I worked off a few pounds in the process! It got me my first whiff of damp mossy autumn though! Yum!
After this rather rude start to the day we continued on along what is called Mukashi Kaido.It used to be the main road through the area which I think now is Ome Kaido.Through lush beautiful reds ,yellows , burnt siennas,waterfalls gushing merrily , leaves dancing down upon us,the sound of laughter as 7 adults make like kids ,the abundance of Konichiwa's as we pass the several hundred seniour citizens out for a jaunt (not too many young folk out here! I guess the shopping and the lie in is all that sunday affords the tokyoites these days!),the deep lined faces of farmers selling fresh wasabe and vegetables on the side of the road who are ready to give you a full historial run down for just a smile,the hush of shrines and the on looking weathered trees...........Its all a mosaic of a perfest scene on a perfect day!
I wondered to myself why more of us dont get out there more often?? It was so good to get back to nature and watch the changing of the season and honour it.I felt like I had a 3 day holiday break all packed into one and man did we sleep well that night! What more could you want???
Ill let the pics tell more of the story! Enjo! Thanks all to those who made it a great day!
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Our House!
Well it was a lovely sunny Wednesday afternoon and we were watching the elections on CNN when a full camera crew came cruising past my front door. I am not shy by any means and was curious to know what they were doing so I popped my head out and in my best Japanese said "Excuse me ,What are you doing?". The young guy turned to me and said he was going a couple of doors down to talk with a man who has been living in our building for the last 48 years. Thats the full lifetime of this brick and mortar.Apparently our building is of great cultural importance as it is the oldest in Tokyo, I say the oldest but don't mean the oldest building but it was the first mansion of its kind to be built in Tokyo. This tweaked my interest muchly! It was only a few days previously that my boss in an effort to make polite conversation had said, "I wonder why they haven't knocked down your building?? Its so old" Hmmmmmmmm........Comforting type of chat but all the same it left me thinking why.
So here was the answer. I managed to get my house mate (thank you) to do some research for me in Japanese as little was coming up in my search in English,and this is what we found out.
"Yotsuya condominium" (Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo) in Yotsuya, Tokyo, was the first condominium by a private sector in 1956 (Showa 31). Nihon Kaihatsu (literally translated as “Japan Development”), which dissociated and became an independent company from the real estate section of Nippon Shinpan (known for NICOS), handled the development and sales as a proprietor. In Showa 30s, the request from the members of Nippon Shinpan to have some benefits to get a residence became strong and that ignited Nippon Shinpan to progress the development and the subdivision for sale of their own property. As the land price in city area was rising in those days and the advanced use of land was a pressing need, the construction of a multistory apartment met the time.
Although it was small-scale apartment only with 28 houses in total in 5 stories, the sale-in-lots price of those days was about 2,300,000 yen for a 3LDK. That must be very luxuriant apartment, compared with the first public apartment in Miyamasu-zaka, having 60,000,000 to 1,000,000 for 2DK.
Both apartments are almost 50-year-old, existing, and people still living in there. Now the environment around the apartment is changing and people think much of stock (I do not understand what stock means here). It is glad that these apartments which can leave their name in history still exist in plain form. They are precious cultural property who teach us again that "the life of an apartment" is not depend on an advanced construction technology or the durability of concrete, but how to manage them."
I quoted this directly from the article she found and have kept the strange grammar and choice of wording as I thought it was fun!
It really tangled my brain to think that our apartment that looks like a run down 50's mess from the outside is actually an antique! In my country the houses that afford this kind of status are 150 years or older and certainly look a little finer!
I have been assured that even though it is an old apartment because of its high end status all those years ago that the materials used to build it would have been the most advanced and of the premiere quality. Its withstood 50 years of earthquakes! Will it stand another???
So here was the answer. I managed to get my house mate (thank you) to do some research for me in Japanese as little was coming up in my search in English,and this is what we found out.
"Yotsuya condominium" (Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo) in Yotsuya, Tokyo, was the first condominium by a private sector in 1956 (Showa 31). Nihon Kaihatsu (literally translated as “Japan Development”), which dissociated and became an independent company from the real estate section of Nippon Shinpan (known for NICOS), handled the development and sales as a proprietor. In Showa 30s, the request from the members of Nippon Shinpan to have some benefits to get a residence became strong and that ignited Nippon Shinpan to progress the development and the subdivision for sale of their own property. As the land price in city area was rising in those days and the advanced use of land was a pressing need, the construction of a multistory apartment met the time.
Although it was small-scale apartment only with 28 houses in total in 5 stories, the sale-in-lots price of those days was about 2,300,000 yen for a 3LDK. That must be very luxuriant apartment, compared with the first public apartment in Miyamasu-zaka, having 60,000,000 to 1,000,000 for 2DK.
Both apartments are almost 50-year-old, existing, and people still living in there. Now the environment around the apartment is changing and people think much of stock (I do not understand what stock means here). It is glad that these apartments which can leave their name in history still exist in plain form. They are precious cultural property who teach us again that "the life of an apartment" is not depend on an advanced construction technology or the durability of concrete, but how to manage them."
I quoted this directly from the article she found and have kept the strange grammar and choice of wording as I thought it was fun!
It really tangled my brain to think that our apartment that looks like a run down 50's mess from the outside is actually an antique! In my country the houses that afford this kind of status are 150 years or older and certainly look a little finer!
I have been assured that even though it is an old apartment because of its high end status all those years ago that the materials used to build it would have been the most advanced and of the premiere quality. Its withstood 50 years of earthquakes! Will it stand another???
Monday, November 08, 2004
Flump Day!!!
Okay today wasnt the best day for me! It took me at least 45 mins to do my hair and somehow it didnt look much different when I left!! Ho hum!
I feel really old today........
Anyways I will let the poem explain.Its an eleven minute poem(written on my way to work.......I know I know I am sooooooo lucky ! An eleven minute commute how good does it get!)
So here's eleven minutes of my day!
FLUMP DAY
Today is flump day
the wrinkles just wont go away
I'm 30 years for crying out loud
Is it not the time for feeling proud?
My butt looks huge
My thighs do too
Oh god! Oh god! I feel like poo!
My frock wont fit
Oh Shit Oh Shit
My pants I'm sure have shrunk
I'm feeling old
I'm in a funk
Theres nothing I can do
The Nihon gals look just like dolls
And here I am , a troll a troll
I feel really old today........
Anyways I will let the poem explain.Its an eleven minute poem(written on my way to work.......I know I know I am sooooooo lucky ! An eleven minute commute how good does it get!)
So here's eleven minutes of my day!
FLUMP DAY
Today is flump day
the wrinkles just wont go away
I'm 30 years for crying out loud
Is it not the time for feeling proud?
My butt looks huge
My thighs do too
Oh god! Oh god! I feel like poo!
My frock wont fit
Oh Shit Oh Shit
My pants I'm sure have shrunk
I'm feeling old
I'm in a funk
Theres nothing I can do
The Nihon gals look just like dolls
And here I am , a troll a troll
The onsen Gals
Jo and sarah
This was Jo and I looking sun kissed and relaxed(yet again) In indonesia at Christmas! yes us gals know how to do it good!!!
Jo has been a wonderful,loving supportive women to me this year! I have seen many sides to her and she just keeps on getting better!
Oasis
Living in Tokyo has its times! Often I feel tired and run down and in need of rejuvination.........Yesterday I took my beautiful friend to LA Qua .Ita a wonderful onsen in Tokyo Dome.Its been open I believe for about 2 years and is one of my favourite places to head when I need a little pick me up!
Its a real onsen in the very fact that the water comes from about 1,700 metres underground!! Thats alot of digging on behalf of relaxation and natural springs but believe me its worth it!
It was not my first time to visit La Qua .I have been several times before and I have also been by myself on several occasions.It was nice to see it through fresh eyes but honestly this place blows me away.It has a whole onsen area with natural springs,sauna,jacuzzi bath ,foot onsen and rotemburo.This section is not mixed,but I love the feeling of being naked around all the women ! Its so natural and comforting.
Then there is a Healing BAden (315 yen extra) It has heated floors and the ambience of somewhere tropical,say Bali or Thailand.You have to be dressed for this area and you are given special pajamas for it! The floors are heated and the lighting is warm and non-invasive.You can order a drink and sit on any of the platforms and enjoy the lucious green tropical feel while supping on a glass of wine!
There are no baths here just a place to relax!
Thirdly and lets not say lastly because this place has many feels and many functions ,there is the relaxation area.Its an area with beautiful plush chairs each with a small T.V and a telephone for waiter service ! Also included is a cinema, an internet area and massage chairs!! Pure bliss!
If you wanna pay extra and grab a massage then there are places you can do that too.
We enjoyed ALL of the facilities and had a wonderful relaxing time and finished up by preparing for the outside world in the .hmmmmmmm.....not sure what to say here.the leaflet says "womens locker room" I am not sure that really details it to the max! There is everything you need there to pamper yourself and look fabulous before you head out.Hairdryers ,hair products ,face products ,body products and even a make up bar!!! GIRLS!!! Its wonderful! Just be aware ! if you go with a fella you might take a little longer than he to get ready!!!
That was my lazy sunday!!! Followed by a great night sleep it was worth the cost at around 3,000 yen! Its a little extra at weekends and you have a 4 hour time limit which amazingly doesnt seem like enough time ! This place is awesome and if you ever miss your last train,well pop over there ! Its open from 11 am until 9am!!
Thanks Jo for a great day!!!
Heres the link for heaven!
http://www.tokyo-dome.co.jp/e/laqua/spa.htm
Its a real onsen in the very fact that the water comes from about 1,700 metres underground!! Thats alot of digging on behalf of relaxation and natural springs but believe me its worth it!
It was not my first time to visit La Qua .I have been several times before and I have also been by myself on several occasions.It was nice to see it through fresh eyes but honestly this place blows me away.It has a whole onsen area with natural springs,sauna,jacuzzi bath ,foot onsen and rotemburo.This section is not mixed,but I love the feeling of being naked around all the women ! Its so natural and comforting.
Then there is a Healing BAden (315 yen extra) It has heated floors and the ambience of somewhere tropical,say Bali or Thailand.You have to be dressed for this area and you are given special pajamas for it! The floors are heated and the lighting is warm and non-invasive.You can order a drink and sit on any of the platforms and enjoy the lucious green tropical feel while supping on a glass of wine!
There are no baths here just a place to relax!
Thirdly and lets not say lastly because this place has many feels and many functions ,there is the relaxation area.Its an area with beautiful plush chairs each with a small T.V and a telephone for waiter service ! Also included is a cinema, an internet area and massage chairs!! Pure bliss!
If you wanna pay extra and grab a massage then there are places you can do that too.
We enjoyed ALL of the facilities and had a wonderful relaxing time and finished up by preparing for the outside world in the .hmmmmmmm.....not sure what to say here.the leaflet says "womens locker room" I am not sure that really details it to the max! There is everything you need there to pamper yourself and look fabulous before you head out.Hairdryers ,hair products ,face products ,body products and even a make up bar!!! GIRLS!!! Its wonderful! Just be aware ! if you go with a fella you might take a little longer than he to get ready!!!
That was my lazy sunday!!! Followed by a great night sleep it was worth the cost at around 3,000 yen! Its a little extra at weekends and you have a 4 hour time limit which amazingly doesnt seem like enough time ! This place is awesome and if you ever miss your last train,well pop over there ! Its open from 11 am until 9am!!
Thanks Jo for a great day!!!
Heres the link for heaven!
http://www.tokyo-dome.co.jp/e/laqua/spa.htm
Thursday, November 04, 2004
What do you know!!!
I went out with a few friends the other night and after much beer and terrible service from the restaurant........(not sure if I should drop the name or not??? )We got to scribbling our signatures on the coasters and wondering what they can tell us about ourselves.Of course sometimes as one friend quite clearly pointed out its a case of having a signature that is really impossible to forge.
I , on the other hand have never been that logical and just wanted my signature to look nice and flow easily onto the paper. Having given it some thought I cruised the net and found this site! Wanna check out what your handwriting says about you?? then take a peek! I did it today and although some of it was way off the mark some of it was rather interesting! To note that my handwriting analysis said that I like to talk alot........about absolutely anything and everything (otherwise known as wittering) WHO ME???? NO!!!!!!
www.myhandwriting.com
Enjoy!
I , on the other hand have never been that logical and just wanted my signature to look nice and flow easily onto the paper. Having given it some thought I cruised the net and found this site! Wanna check out what your handwriting says about you?? then take a peek! I did it today and although some of it was way off the mark some of it was rather interesting! To note that my handwriting analysis said that I like to talk alot........about absolutely anything and everything (otherwise known as wittering) WHO ME???? NO!!!!!!
www.myhandwriting.com
Enjoy!
Wednesday, November 03, 2004
Let me introduce Floppy...........
Floppy meets Gardner
World,Floppy.................Floppy,World!
Okay Okay! Yes I am 30 years old, I do have a fulltime job and a reasonable income,Yes I am relatively sane and Yes I do consider myself to be a well rounded adult,but there are times when the going gets tough and when the tough gets going Floppy comes to the rescue.
World meet one of my best friends! Yes he is an Usagi san (stuffed bunny rabbit.......not real I might add)
He has travelled the world with me,slept in numerous beds ,travelled on a host of airlines( he likes cathay) been introduced to most of my friends and seen boats ,trains and automobiles.
He has been to about 3o countries at a guess and loved Bangkok the most!
In this photo he is getting to know Gardner a dear friend of ours and protecting my drum.
For a long time I was hesitant to introduce him to the masses but recently I have met several others who also seem to have this affinity to the cuddly population.
Check out this site! http://www.zousan.com/blog/
This is Zou........he is a friend of a friend and travels extensively too.In fact Floppy and him may go to Oz together in December so watch this space about thier travels! Of course I will be the tour guide and protective mother.I am not ready for them to take on the world without an escort and floppy doesnt like to travel without me.
I also went camping a few months ago and discovered a whole host of little critters swinging in a hammock! This was a good day for me and for floppy.....I am not mad, there are others like me,sane intelligent individuals............... I am glad to have found these people and share my love of the fluffy loveable kingdom!
Sunday, October 24, 2004
I HAD A DREAM........................
well...........it seems we have had a bizarre and most frightening string of earthquakes in the last 15 hours.Nigata being the epicenter of it all. I counted 24. Thanks to a new little function I have on my phone I now get alerts about earthquake hits. Go to this site to subscribe www.nooper.com .You can get the alert sent to your phone or your computer and its free.
Damage has been extensive with several buildings floored and over 700 people injured and 15 killed. A shinkansen jumped the rails and there have been landslides. Pretty serious if you ask me.
The strange thing about this is that I had a dream. It happened last wednesday night.I was on a beach and an earthquake hit followed by a Tsunami (gotta love this word!!) Tokyo was sprawled out next to me and I watched buildings collapse and people running all around. It was an unsettling dream but not out of the norm for me.I often dream if Tsunami and Earthquakes.Up until this point I thought it was something only freud could find any solution too or a damn good counsellor.
It so happened I was meeting some friends on friday and the first to arrive was a very good friend of mine who asked me to listen to her dream. It was the same as the dream I had had on the wednesday night.She had hers on the friday morning.
A lively little chat started about wether it was a premonition or just an outlet to "stuff" that we had been going through.You know how it goes ,dream about teeth falling out and its worry,dream about snakes and you are sexually starved etc etc the list goes on.
Of course at this point we had no way of knowing what the answer was to our topical quandry....until last night............ I would just like to add here that in America and other earthquake zones there are certain animals (namely a strange catfish that lives in lakes in California) that go berzerk before an earthquake.They sense the vibration in the earth long before the earthquake hits.
So I ask........................are our dreams just a working out of the days worries???????.............. or are they a key to something more???????
Damage has been extensive with several buildings floored and over 700 people injured and 15 killed. A shinkansen jumped the rails and there have been landslides. Pretty serious if you ask me.
The strange thing about this is that I had a dream. It happened last wednesday night.I was on a beach and an earthquake hit followed by a Tsunami (gotta love this word!!) Tokyo was sprawled out next to me and I watched buildings collapse and people running all around. It was an unsettling dream but not out of the norm for me.I often dream if Tsunami and Earthquakes.Up until this point I thought it was something only freud could find any solution too or a damn good counsellor.
It so happened I was meeting some friends on friday and the first to arrive was a very good friend of mine who asked me to listen to her dream. It was the same as the dream I had had on the wednesday night.She had hers on the friday morning.
A lively little chat started about wether it was a premonition or just an outlet to "stuff" that we had been going through.You know how it goes ,dream about teeth falling out and its worry,dream about snakes and you are sexually starved etc etc the list goes on.
Of course at this point we had no way of knowing what the answer was to our topical quandry....until last night............ I would just like to add here that in America and other earthquake zones there are certain animals (namely a strange catfish that lives in lakes in California) that go berzerk before an earthquake.They sense the vibration in the earth long before the earthquake hits.
So I ask........................are our dreams just a working out of the days worries???????.............. or are they a key to something more???????
Friday, October 01, 2004
Tamagawa Heaven
This Is a Haven in the midst of Tokyo.I have been living and working in Tokyo for almost two and a half years now and by far and away some of the best times I have had have been in this long stretching park that runs along the Tama River .
I have camped,played,danced,fallen over drunk,tossed disc,bicycled,watched wierd and wonderful movies and generally made this place a home from the cement city.
When I first came to Tokyo and visited this park I remember thinking to myself "GAWD" is this it ??!!! It seemed so city still and the passing sounds of cars and trains were all around.Now, however compared to the insane population in central Tokyo and the chaos that it brings I now realise this place GOLD! Theres a fantastic vibe there.Peoplehangingout,relaxing,excersing ,playing and taking it easy after a hard week in the city(well earned if I may say)
Of course the ingredient that makes it the dish of all dishes is the people! We met these people about a year and a half ago through Ultimate Frisbee which is played at tama every sunday .Check out the link www.outdoorjapan.com .Its a great opportunity to meet a good crew and hang out in the sunshine.Its non competetive and so much fun! If you like being outdoors and want to meet a great set of like minded people, go down! All are welcome.You dont even have to play! Take a long a beer and sit back and watch if you like!
Its been a highlight of my time in Japan amongst others ,and its important to connect here.More so than any other country I have been. Sometimes living in the city is like being a non entity in a very large cement cage.Tama and the friends I have made have given me some heart and feeling in the big smoke!
Testing my blog!!!!!
Can it be true! I found this great site to create my own blog and although there is not much of my own creative input right now at least I am up and running and blogging to all those around! yehhhhhhhhhaaaaaaw!
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