No cell phones with cameras at work? I understand.
No talking on cell phones while driving? Sure.
No talking on cell phones on public transportation? I guess.
No talking on cell phones while WALKING?? Come on now!!
I didn't even consider what I was doing as breaking the rules, so of course it took the security guard yelling "Excuse me!" at least 3 times before he got my attention. And then when he explained what I was doing wrong, I couldn't help but question him.
So, I did what any fine American born-and-raised girl would do - glared at him, mumbled a barely audible "fine," and stormed off.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
"Lunch" has a whole new meaning...
Our final half day of orientation ended with a tutorial on how to use the cafeteria, yes cafeteria. I now work for a company who's so efficient, that even the task of getting oneself food is a task in itself. All the dishes have chips on the bottom which tell the checkout computer not only how much, but how many calories you ate. And the checkout process is incredibly assembly-line-esque. Put tray on sensor, swipe badge (automatically amt from paycheck), put away chopsticks, and place tray on conveyor. The end.
The whole process was incredible. Herds and herds of people come into the cafeteria the minute it strikes noon. People dash to get their food, then dash to eat it, the dash to get the f outta there. To do what? Not sure, but I can tell I have never experienced that stressful of a lunch, that's for sure. And that was with the hubs there calming me down. I can't imagine what tomorrow will be like on my own in my area's cafeteria...
You were hoping for a pic? You and me both. Unfortunately, I had to part with my iPhone at the entrance, where I let it sleep in a nice cozy "mobile phone locker" all day. Ah well, let your imagination run wild :)
This is Yuko, signing off from the subway, on my 1hr 45min commute home...
The whole process was incredible. Herds and herds of people come into the cafeteria the minute it strikes noon. People dash to get their food, then dash to eat it, the dash to get the f outta there. To do what? Not sure, but I can tell I have never experienced that stressful of a lunch, that's for sure. And that was with the hubs there calming me down. I can't imagine what tomorrow will be like on my own in my area's cafeteria...
You were hoping for a pic? You and me both. Unfortunately, I had to part with my iPhone at the entrance, where I let it sleep in a nice cozy "mobile phone locker" all day. Ah well, let your imagination run wild :)
This is Yuko, signing off from the subway, on my 1hr 45min commute home...
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Happy 4th of July!
I decided to celebrate the independence of my home country today by attempting a "long run" this morning. Last time I made it only 4 train stations, so today's goal was simply further than that, depending on how my body would handle the heat/humidity.
Perhaps it was the overcast skies, or simply the fact that I was going uber slow, either way I made it an additional 3 stations, right into downtown - just over 7 miles roundtrip. My first decent run in a looong time, and after standing in front of my A/C unit (that's right, we don't have the oh-so-luxurious central air) for about 15 minutes, it felt gooooood to have taken the first step in getting back into shape :)
After watching the Sapporo International Half Marathon and the Paraguay vs Spain match on tv (I know, since when did I start watching sporting events out of my own free will? I don't even know myself!), we headed to a local 4th of July BBQ full of brisket and pork shoulder, oh my!
Perhaps it was the overcast skies, or simply the fact that I was going uber slow, either way I made it an additional 3 stations, right into downtown - just over 7 miles roundtrip. My first decent run in a looong time, and after standing in front of my A/C unit (that's right, we don't have the oh-so-luxurious central air) for about 15 minutes, it felt gooooood to have taken the first step in getting back into shape :)
After watching the Sapporo International Half Marathon and the Paraguay vs Spain match on tv (I know, since when did I start watching sporting events out of my own free will? I don't even know myself!), we headed to a local 4th of July BBQ full of brisket and pork shoulder, oh my!
Didn't think I'd get me some brisket this good in Japan!
On top of that, I even got a dose of doggie time too!
Meet Maverick! He's no Kobi or Gymmy, but he'll do for tonight!
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Turning into a...city girl??
A full week (and a full 5 lbs heavier, in case you were wondering!) in Japan and I *finally* ventured out solo today. I surprised even myself how dependent I had become, in my own motherland too. I blame it on my lack of sense of direction, and living in a city definitely doesn't help it!
I'd seen all these advertisements for a huge sale this weekend, so my first solo trip was a quick subway ride to Nagoya station's Takashimaya. I was NOT prepared for the crazy crowds and mass chaos. But most of all, I was not prepared for what are infamously known as "obachans" - old, extremely pushy ladies. These creatures would sneak right in front of you out of turn, using their small stature to their advantage. In a country known for politeness, I think these women should be banned from public shopping and my experience would have been much much better.
So what product, you may wonder, got my lazy bum out of the house and head downtown? Handkerchiefs, otherwise known as sweat wipes in this country, of course.
Toodles from the land of the hot 'n humid.
I'd seen all these advertisements for a huge sale this weekend, so my first solo trip was a quick subway ride to Nagoya station's Takashimaya. I was NOT prepared for the crazy crowds and mass chaos. But most of all, I was not prepared for what are infamously known as "obachans" - old, extremely pushy ladies. These creatures would sneak right in front of you out of turn, using their small stature to their advantage. In a country known for politeness, I think these women should be banned from public shopping and my experience would have been much much better.
So what product, you may wonder, got my lazy bum out of the house and head downtown? Handkerchiefs, otherwise known as sweat wipes in this country, of course.
Toodles from the land of the hot 'n humid.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Just call me Fatty McFatterton in the land of itty bitties
I woke up nice and early this morning (4:30am, to be exact, but that's because I've still been experiencing jet-lag) to head to the office to get my physical exam done. I was quite nervous due to some rumors I heard regarding the lack of privacy in this country...
It wasn't as bad as I expected - there was no trotting around openly in only our undergarments like Victoria Secret models on a photo shoot. But definitely significantly less privacy, as the females were put in a single file line to wait our turn as they measured our height, weight, BMI, body fat, waist, you name it, it was done.
I realized why I'm too big to fit into clothes in this country while I snuck a peak at the females' printouts sitting near me. Of course I'm a huge obese Amazon compared to these girls who weigh *gasp* 43kg - that's in the double digit range in lbs, people, DOUBLE DIGITS!! I'm pretty sure I was the only girl there who topped over 50kg. Way over, actually, but who's lookin' (besides nosey me, that is). Although my BMI pointed out that I am "normal," they did not hesitate to print out, blatantly, what an average weight *should* be for a female my height, hmph.
So what did me and my equally "overweight" hubs do right after the completion of our health exam? Stuffed our faces w/ yummy Indian food till we had to unbutton our pants, of course! Wouldn't you do the same if this was served in front of you??
It wasn't as bad as I expected - there was no trotting around openly in only our undergarments like Victoria Secret models on a photo shoot. But definitely significantly less privacy, as the females were put in a single file line to wait our turn as they measured our height, weight, BMI, body fat, waist, you name it, it was done.
I realized why I'm too big to fit into clothes in this country while I snuck a peak at the females' printouts sitting near me. Of course I'm a huge obese Amazon compared to these girls who weigh *gasp* 43kg - that's in the double digit range in lbs, people, DOUBLE DIGITS!! I'm pretty sure I was the only girl there who topped over 50kg. Way over, actually, but who's lookin' (besides nosey me, that is). Although my BMI pointed out that I am "normal," they did not hesitate to print out, blatantly, what an average weight *should* be for a female my height, hmph.
So what did me and my equally "overweight" hubs do right after the completion of our health exam? Stuffed our faces w/ yummy Indian food till we had to unbutton our pants, of course! Wouldn't you do the same if this was served in front of you??
Fresh naan, chicken curry, soup-of-the-day, and a side salad w/ deliciously sweet yogurt-like dressing. Nom nom nom...
People weren't kidding when they told us Japan serves up some good Indian food! Hallelujah!
Monday, June 28, 2010
Hello from Nagoya! Brief update
Hi from the land of the rising sun!
As we get situated here and get our Internet working, I wanted to do a quick post on some random updates/observations from living in Nagoya for 3 whole days...
1 - Cannot. Run. Ever. I finally made an attempt to do a quick run this
morning - something I haven't done in what seems like over a month - and I failed miserably. Instead, I came back looking like a took a shower. At 6am. I give up.
2 - Lost without my iPhone. After only a few days in this new city, I was completely lost. Where to eat? Where to shop? I felt disconnected from the world. I almost screamed "Come to MaMa!" as the Softbank lady (the Japan equivalent to AT&T) handed me my 2nd iPhone (at least this one's white?).
3 - I melt in heat. Literally. I can't fathom having to walk to work in this trecherous heat and humidity. How are these girls wearing layers with not a bead of sweat on their forehead??
4 - Separating garbage is a science in itself. We currently have 4 separate garbage cans in the kitchen, and even with that we have a pile of "oh sh*t what category does THIS fit into" pile lingering by the sink.
5 - Whats the one thing you never want to forget to pack when leaving your home for a year? Let's jus say that buying undegarments in a foreign country deserves a blog entry for itself...hmm, maybe next time.
As we get situated here and get our Internet working, I wanted to do a quick post on some random updates/observations from living in Nagoya for 3 whole days...
1 - Cannot. Run. Ever. I finally made an attempt to do a quick run this
morning - something I haven't done in what seems like over a month - and I failed miserably. Instead, I came back looking like a took a shower. At 6am. I give up.
2 - Lost without my iPhone. After only a few days in this new city, I was completely lost. Where to eat? Where to shop? I felt disconnected from the world. I almost screamed "Come to MaMa!" as the Softbank lady (the Japan equivalent to AT&T) handed me my 2nd iPhone (at least this one's white?).
3 - I melt in heat. Literally. I can't fathom having to walk to work in this trecherous heat and humidity. How are these girls wearing layers with not a bead of sweat on their forehead??
4 - Separating garbage is a science in itself. We currently have 4 separate garbage cans in the kitchen, and even with that we have a pile of "oh sh*t what category does THIS fit into" pile lingering by the sink.
5 - Whats the one thing you never want to forget to pack when leaving your home for a year? Let's jus say that buying undegarments in a foreign country deserves a blog entry for itself...hmm, maybe next time.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Clean, clean, clean
No time for jet-lag, its time to CLEAN! And when I say clean, I mean CLEAN! Picture me on my hands and knees, cleaning the tiles of the bathroom...with a toothbrush! Oh yeah. In a matter of not even two days, the hubs and I managed to clean out and set up two bedrooms, one guest bathroom, and even start moving furniture into our designated "sea shipment room."
I took a quick break from immersing myself in the Clorox perfume to take a jab at my first attempt at a run from a two week hiatus yesterday. Unfortunately, it had to be cut short, real short. After about a little over a mile, Gymmy wanted to call it quits (good thing I wasn't feeling too swell either), so we headed back home in the sweltering heat. I guess neither my dog nor I are made to run in 88-degree weather.
We called it a day on cleaning, and the hubs and I headed over to KT's rents' place for a mini HS swimmers reunion BBQ. It was so great seeing everyone - and meeting my fav lil girl Lil' A! She's such a cutie-pie! And look, now she's a big sis! Introducing Lil' C, just 5-days old!
My fav quote came from L-Nol while she was holding J-Woww's Lil' C:
As I was cleaning, I found a pic of the four of us - KT, J-Woww, L-Nol, and I - from about 13 years ago. I'm gonna try to scan the "Then" pic, but for now, here's the "Now" pic:
And of course, our manly men:
Thanks KT for hosting a great BBQ - we had a blast!!
This morning, I got up just a tad earlier than yesterday. I'm of course blaming the jet-lag. I finally got my lazy bum out of bed when I heard the hubs mowing the lawn. I got changed, put the harness on Gymmy, filled a water bottle, and headed out for a "morning" run (it was *cough* 10:30am). After running past just a few houses, Gymmy looked at me w/ a "hellz-no-take-me-home" look, and I obliged. I decided to continue today's run solo, and even made a mental goal of at least 6 miles since I didn't have Gymmy to worry about. Well, clearly I over estimated myself. In the mere 2 weeks of my "running vaca," I have completely lost my endurance. It may have been due to the heat, or it may have been due to me not being a morning person, but I literally had to cut down my run to two miles. TWO MILES. And even that hurt. I'm totally depressed. I had signed up for a "fun" 5K this coming weekend, but I'm thinking twice about it now. I don't think I can have yet another horrible race so close after the Chicago Half...urgh. Talk about frustrating.
And what do I do to make myself feel better? Celebrate Memorial Day w/ a night of Hungry Howie's Pizza w/ our neighbors, of course! Won't be able to get our hands on these yummy babies in a few weeks!
Happy Memorial Day, everyone!
I took a quick break from immersing myself in the Clorox perfume to take a jab at my first attempt at a run from a two week hiatus yesterday. Unfortunately, it had to be cut short, real short. After about a little over a mile, Gymmy wanted to call it quits (good thing I wasn't feeling too swell either), so we headed back home in the sweltering heat. I guess neither my dog nor I are made to run in 88-degree weather.
We called it a day on cleaning, and the hubs and I headed over to KT's rents' place for a mini HS swimmers reunion BBQ. It was so great seeing everyone - and meeting my fav lil girl Lil' A! She's such a cutie-pie! And look, now she's a big sis! Introducing Lil' C, just 5-days old!
"Cheeeeese! Says Lil' A
My fav quote came from L-Nol while she was holding J-Woww's Lil' C:
"I think my baby just kicked your baby's butt!"
As I was cleaning, I found a pic of the four of us - KT, J-Woww, L-Nol, and I - from about 13 years ago. I'm gonna try to scan the "Then" pic, but for now, here's the "Now" pic:
And of course, our manly men:
Doesn't it kinda look like J-Woww and KT's hubs are playing footies? :)
Thanks KT for hosting a great BBQ - we had a blast!!
This morning, I got up just a tad earlier than yesterday. I'm of course blaming the jet-lag. I finally got my lazy bum out of bed when I heard the hubs mowing the lawn. I got changed, put the harness on Gymmy, filled a water bottle, and headed out for a "morning" run (it was *cough* 10:30am). After running past just a few houses, Gymmy looked at me w/ a "hellz-no-take-me-home" look, and I obliged. I decided to continue today's run solo, and even made a mental goal of at least 6 miles since I didn't have Gymmy to worry about. Well, clearly I over estimated myself. In the mere 2 weeks of my "running vaca," I have completely lost my endurance. It may have been due to the heat, or it may have been due to me not being a morning person, but I literally had to cut down my run to two miles. TWO MILES. And even that hurt. I'm totally depressed. I had signed up for a "fun" 5K this coming weekend, but I'm thinking twice about it now. I don't think I can have yet another horrible race so close after the Chicago Half...urgh. Talk about frustrating.
And what do I do to make myself feel better? Celebrate Memorial Day w/ a night of Hungry Howie's Pizza w/ our neighbors, of course! Won't be able to get our hands on these yummy babies in a few weeks!
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