I wanted to give an update about my sister-in-law.
Sister-in-law = SIL
We met The boyfriend last Saturday over dinner at the in-law's tiny, cramped 2LK. Hey, they raised two children in this tiny apartment, so perhaps to them, cramming 6 adults in this place is nothing to them.
He is tall and thin, wears glasses and has funny ears. I thought he may have done judo, but he never mentioned it during our conversations. I think he is good-looking, but my husband kept whispering stuff like this to me.
Him: "Look at the top of his head. He's balding."
Me: "I think everyone has a slight thinning at the top of their heads. It's nothing to worry about.
Him: Look at those ears. How weird!
Me: Maybe he practices judo. Or maybe his ears look red because he has been drinking so much.
Yes, in the drinking department, he does hold his own, and that is A LOT when you compare him to my in-laws. I mean, my father-in-law is no drunk. He drinks one glass of beer, feels drunk, starts acting funny and then disappears into his bedroom for the rest of the night. My mother- and sister-in-law like to party, and Yusuke and I can barely keep up with them. The boyfriend was right there, keeping up with them, not a trace of drunkeness - except for the reddened ears.
I call him The boyfriend because I cannot refer to him by name, however, from now on, I will call him "Sensei." This is what my sister-in-law calls him. For anyone who has seen the Karate Kid movies, you would know that "sensei" means teacher or master. We asked why she had nicknamed him "sensei" and like everything is with her, she said, "It's a secret. I can't tell you." So, right away, I imagined that she called him "sensei" because he had taught her the ways of the world...if you know what I mean. Wink, wink. Nudge, nudge.
So, Sensei has been dating my sister-in-law for the past year. They met at a three-week training conference for their company. They work in different departments. He is an executive. From what I can tell, she is more like an administrative assistant to an executive, but of course, she is sworn to secrecy about her job. When she first met him, he told her he was in charge of the Psycho Dept, and she just assumed that he was a teacher of some sort. This might explain why she began to affectionately call him Sensei.
I was eager to know more about Sensei and his relationship with SIL, and since I am the designated Say-it-like-it-is Foreigner of the family, I knew that it was my job to bring a few issues to the table. So, I asked her why the heck she had kept their relationship a secret for so long. And, I went on to tell her that I had been suspecting for a long time. Of course, I got no real answer from her. Just a shy giggle. A shy giggle? From my SIL? She must be in love or something because normally she is a stern (albeit heavy-drinking), serious OKORIPPOI (a person with a bad temper) woman.
After Father-in-law had retired to his room (oh, thank god he's gone. We can really party now!), we sat down and asked Sensei some real questions about his life and their relationship.
I think everyone is a geek about something. (I am a geek about scrapbooking. My husband is a TOTAL geek about movies. Shannon is a geek about reading sci-fi and romance novels.) Sensei is a geek about -get this! - building and riding bicycles. You know how some computer geeks enjoy collecting various parts of old computers and building "new" computers out of them. Well, apparently Sensei likes to do the same with bicycles. This guy is a gem!
Now, for the unfortunate news. There will be no $30,000 wedding spectacle. I would have liked to see SIL in a wedding dress (but I would never say that to her face!), so I am disappointed. Instead, they have invited both sets of parents (little brothers and their foreign wives need not apply) out to lunch and the parents will be asked to sign the papers as witnesses to the marriage. Then, they will go down and add her name to the family registry. This will take place in two weeks. I asked about a ceremony and a party (you would think that with this kind of family, they would at least get together and down a few bottles of sake), and she said they were thinking of having a small ceremony at a temple in Kamakura.
No laser light show. No emcee. No giant fake wedding cake. I am utterly disappointed.
Then, the good news. They are already apartment hunting, and the timing is perfect because we are hoping to get rid of some of our stuff. When I offered them our white leather two-seater sofa, my husband got really annoyed. I guess he wants to keep it for his "man's room". But, that would be a subject for another blog.
After SIL and Sensei left to go back to Tokyo, my husband promptly fell asleep on the couch with the bird (my MIL's pet) perched on his crotch and pecking at his zipper. What a nice photo opp that would have been! Then, I had to wash dishes with MIL, and the whole time she lamented about how dispicable it was that her daughter would be getting married even though she had vowed that she would never marry. How horrible that one's own daughter should fall in love and get married! I assured her that SIL probably didn't mean it when she supposedly "vowed" to never marry. Who does that anyway?
MIL's sadness about the whole thing made me wonder (while wallowing in my own selfishness), will I have to step in as wife of the only son and take care of her in old age? No wonder she is feeling sad! If I were her, I would not want MandeJ taking care of me either!
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Catchy Lyrics or Lyrics That You Can't Catch
A fellow teacher asked us to decode some song lyrics today. As you can imagine, we have a lot of free time these days.
The song is by DefTech, a Japanese band, that like most Japanese bands, seem to enjoy sledgehammering nonsensical English phrases into their verses.
1.
DefTech Micro & Shen heed it
Your seeds will grow, reap them.
2.
DefTech Micro & Shen heed it
Your seeds are weeping.
3.
DefTech Micro & Shen heed it
You will know it.
Well, anyway, what the hell does that mean? I like version #1 becomes it seems almost biblical.
The song is by DefTech, a Japanese band, that like most Japanese bands, seem to enjoy sledgehammering nonsensical English phrases into their verses.
1.
DefTech Micro & Shen heed it
Your seeds will grow, reap them.
2.
DefTech Micro & Shen heed it
Your seeds are weeping.
3.
DefTech Micro & Shen heed it
You will know it.
Well, anyway, what the hell does that mean? I like version #1 becomes it seems almost biblical.
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Bachelorettes II
The other day, I wrote about my poor, poor Japanese girlfriends who are still single. I count my sister-in-law to be part of this group...but, not anymore!
Last night, my mother-in-law called me up (actually, she wanted to talk to my husband but she couldn't get a hold of him), and she told me this story.
My mother-in-law went to the hospital in Tokyo for some routine tests and her daughter (age 32 and perpetually single, but very beautiful and with an attitude) showed up to keep her company at the hospital. While there, she informed her mother that she would be visiting her this weekend and that she was planning to bring her boyfriend with her. This was the first anyone had heard of the existance of a boyfriend.
Not only that, but they have been dating for a whole year and they are planning to get married. So, she just wants to introduce him to us before they go through the formality of seeking permission from their company. They both work for a very strict company and apparently, they need permission to do this!
Anyway, my mother-in-law told her that she was against the whole thing, but I think she is just upset that she was never told her daughter was even dating someone.
Actually, my husband and I suspected that something was up for a quite a long time. She lives in Tokyo by herself, and she used to come home to our town almost every weekend. Last summer, she stopped coming so frequently, and then last fall, we didn't see her at all! Whenever we asked her about it (I was always made to ask the questions like "So, whose this mysterious guy you're seeing? What's his name? What, there is not one person you are even slightly interested in? Not even a flirtation? Oh, come on! I don't believe it," and so on), but she would never give anything away. So, even though we suspected, we were unable to get anything out of her.
In my view, this is just another example of Japanese culture. You date, but you don't tell, especially the family, until it is really serious and you plan to get married. I am not surprised about her, but I am surprised that my husband and his family are so shocked.
In our case, my mother-in-law saw it coming. For the six months before my husband and I got engaged, we were sending packages and letters back and forth through the mail, talking on the phone every week, and since he still lived at home, his mom was clued into everything. Then, he went and visited me in the USA for two weeks at Christmas, so they all figured he was planning to propose. When he came back to Japan and sat them all down to tell them the big news, his mom kind of stole his thunder when she said, "Oh that, yeah, we knew you were gonna do that. That's nice. Another drink, anyone?"
Last night, my mother-in-law called me up (actually, she wanted to talk to my husband but she couldn't get a hold of him), and she told me this story.
My mother-in-law went to the hospital in Tokyo for some routine tests and her daughter (age 32 and perpetually single, but very beautiful and with an attitude) showed up to keep her company at the hospital. While there, she informed her mother that she would be visiting her this weekend and that she was planning to bring her boyfriend with her. This was the first anyone had heard of the existance of a boyfriend.
Not only that, but they have been dating for a whole year and they are planning to get married. So, she just wants to introduce him to us before they go through the formality of seeking permission from their company. They both work for a very strict company and apparently, they need permission to do this!
Anyway, my mother-in-law told her that she was against the whole thing, but I think she is just upset that she was never told her daughter was even dating someone.
Actually, my husband and I suspected that something was up for a quite a long time. She lives in Tokyo by herself, and she used to come home to our town almost every weekend. Last summer, she stopped coming so frequently, and then last fall, we didn't see her at all! Whenever we asked her about it (I was always made to ask the questions like "So, whose this mysterious guy you're seeing? What's his name? What, there is not one person you are even slightly interested in? Not even a flirtation? Oh, come on! I don't believe it," and so on), but she would never give anything away. So, even though we suspected, we were unable to get anything out of her.
In my view, this is just another example of Japanese culture. You date, but you don't tell, especially the family, until it is really serious and you plan to get married. I am not surprised about her, but I am surprised that my husband and his family are so shocked.
In our case, my mother-in-law saw it coming. For the six months before my husband and I got engaged, we were sending packages and letters back and forth through the mail, talking on the phone every week, and since he still lived at home, his mom was clued into everything. Then, he went and visited me in the USA for two weeks at Christmas, so they all figured he was planning to propose. When he came back to Japan and sat them all down to tell them the big news, his mom kind of stole his thunder when she said, "Oh that, yeah, we knew you were gonna do that. That's nice. Another drink, anyone?"
Friday, January 27, 2006
Never Would Have Thought It
| You Are a Sarariiman! |
 Or "salaryman." Whatever. Treadmill off, treadmill on. Most of the sleep you get is on Tokyo's extensive subway system, since you are putting in 14 hour days. You're a workaholic who works hard for no overtime. And vacations? Forget about it. You spend most of your trip hunting around for gifts to bring back all of your coworkers. |
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Bachelorettes
Why is it that many of my Japanese girlfriends are still single?
Okay, when I wrote "many", what I meant was "the six women that I happen to be friends with."
Not a boyfriend in sight. No dates. Not even a flirtation.
I have heard that Japanese men are so shy, or that they portray themselves as being shy so as to not appear "needy." And, if these women don't pursue the man strongly, by say, hitting him on the head with a big club and then dragging him back to the cave, perhaps he will just never get the hint.
I have heard Christine's stories. And, I suppose there are other foreign wives who were very aggressive with their Japanese men.
I, myself, had never pursued anyone so strongly before I met Yusuke and since I have known him. I was unstoppable.
I remember this one time...we were in high school and I stayed after to visit him when his club activity finished at 6pm. Then, we hung out in the equipment room together until we absolutely had to leave the school. Finally, he went and got his bike and walked me to the bus station. I still didn't know for sure whether he liked me or not, but even though his friend was walking with us, I put my hand over his hand which was resting on his bike seat as we walked to the bus stop. He didn't acknowledge, but he didn't move his hand away. I never mentioned it to him until two weeks ago, but I figured he would have no memory of it. He just started giggling like a little boy. Of course he remembered!
Back to my Japanese girlfriends. I want to fix them up, but I only know a few foreign guys, most of whom are off limits for one reason or another. I wish I knew some nice, decent Japanese guys, but most of the ones I know are married with kids. Is it just that women outnumber men, or is that men are super picky?
Okay, when I wrote "many", what I meant was "the six women that I happen to be friends with."
Not a boyfriend in sight. No dates. Not even a flirtation.
I have heard that Japanese men are so shy, or that they portray themselves as being shy so as to not appear "needy." And, if these women don't pursue the man strongly, by say, hitting him on the head with a big club and then dragging him back to the cave, perhaps he will just never get the hint.
I have heard Christine's stories. And, I suppose there are other foreign wives who were very aggressive with their Japanese men.
I, myself, had never pursued anyone so strongly before I met Yusuke and since I have known him. I was unstoppable.
I remember this one time...we were in high school and I stayed after to visit him when his club activity finished at 6pm. Then, we hung out in the equipment room together until we absolutely had to leave the school. Finally, he went and got his bike and walked me to the bus station. I still didn't know for sure whether he liked me or not, but even though his friend was walking with us, I put my hand over his hand which was resting on his bike seat as we walked to the bus stop. He didn't acknowledge, but he didn't move his hand away. I never mentioned it to him until two weeks ago, but I figured he would have no memory of it. He just started giggling like a little boy. Of course he remembered!
Back to my Japanese girlfriends. I want to fix them up, but I only know a few foreign guys, most of whom are off limits for one reason or another. I wish I knew some nice, decent Japanese guys, but most of the ones I know are married with kids. Is it just that women outnumber men, or is that men are super picky?
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
What Not To Do When You are 29
Out of pure laziness, I have somehow developed the habit of answering the phone (which rarely ever rings, by the way!) like this:
Me: Moshi, moshi. (Hello.)
Them: Hello, is your mother there?
Me: No, she's not.
Them: Okay, we'll call back later.
Now, I do not do this every time I answer the phone, but when the coversation starts out "Is your mother there?", I used to feel so insulted that I would go off on the salesperson. Then, I realized how funny it was, and I just started answering with the truth.
Tonight, I was doing aerobics to my new DVD (can you believe that?!), and the phone rang. Figuring it was my husband playing a trick on me, I answered the phone like this:
Me: Hello.
Them: Hello, is this the _______ household?
Me: (pause, as I try to discern whether it is my husband on the other end or not)
Um, my dad's not home right now.
Them: Oh, really? Well, we'll call back later. Sorry to bother you. (click)
Before pushing the play button on my DVD, I waited for my "husband" to call back right away, but the phone never rang. Later, I called him to ask if it was really him, and he had NO IDEA what I was talking about.
So, no more of this laziness. I must answer the phone like a proper lady and wife would do. I may think it is hilarious now, but when I have kids someday and they overhear their mother pretending to be a child on the phone so she can get out of talking to salespeople, I think they will lose respect for me. Don't you think?
Me: Moshi, moshi. (Hello.)
Them: Hello, is your mother there?
Me: No, she's not.
Them: Okay, we'll call back later.
Now, I do not do this every time I answer the phone, but when the coversation starts out "Is your mother there?", I used to feel so insulted that I would go off on the salesperson. Then, I realized how funny it was, and I just started answering with the truth.
Tonight, I was doing aerobics to my new DVD (can you believe that?!), and the phone rang. Figuring it was my husband playing a trick on me, I answered the phone like this:
Me: Hello.
Them: Hello, is this the _______ household?
Me: (pause, as I try to discern whether it is my husband on the other end or not)
Um, my dad's not home right now.
Them: Oh, really? Well, we'll call back later. Sorry to bother you. (click)
Before pushing the play button on my DVD, I waited for my "husband" to call back right away, but the phone never rang. Later, I called him to ask if it was really him, and he had NO IDEA what I was talking about.
So, no more of this laziness. I must answer the phone like a proper lady and wife would do. I may think it is hilarious now, but when I have kids someday and they overhear their mother pretending to be a child on the phone so she can get out of talking to salespeople, I think they will lose respect for me. Don't you think?
Do Not Disturb
We have a rule in my household. It is a rule that my husband protested at first, but now he has quieted.
Every night, before I go to bed, I must read until my eyes start drooping. If I don't get a chance to read, even for a couple of minutes, I will lie there wide awake for hours (okay, maybe minutes!) until I can fall asleep.
Although I would venture to say that everyone in my family is the same way, it is an unfortunate fact that my husband does not require a reading session before sleeping. In the beginning, this was a definite point of contention for us. He used to accuse me of liking books better than I liked him, among many other things.
Rather than feel guilty about my habit (love, addiction, lifestyle) for reading before bed, I stood firm on the fact that I should not be disturbed once in bed with a book. You may be thinking that this is far too strict and that it holds me back from enjoying other pleasures in life.
Perhaps this is true, but a good-night's sleep is truly one of life's pleasures, and if reading is the only thing that will get me there, I am willing to sacrifice. (I have been known to put down the book, enjoy other activities, only to book up the book afterwards and continue where I left off.)
So, back to reading. Recently, on the advice of two good friends (Christine & Kaz), I finally joined Bookcrossing. I have three growing piles of books in my to-be-read pile. After finishing a few very good novels last November, I floundered through a few books only to give up on each after about 20 pages. Then, I thought, well, I haven't touched my non-fiction pile lately, so I picked up my long awaited autobiography by Hillary Clinton, and I am back in the game! Great book, by the way. I'll put on Bookcrossing as soon as I finish.
So, for those who don't know, check out the web site and sign up. It's for book lovers all over the world, not just Japan. This is a great way to see what others are reading, to get free books sent to you, and to get rid of your books once you have read them. Another advantage is this: You can track books and see what happens to them after they leave your hands.
This last one is really important. Let me illustrate why, and I am sure you will relate to this.
A long time ago, a friend presented me with a very thick novel called Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet. I am not a follower of Ken Follet, nor am I a fan of really thick books. After a few years, I moved to Japan and soon ran out of books to read. I dug that book out and read it out of pure desperation for English literature.
It was more than a page-turner. It was an amazing tale of the building of a church which starts in the 11th century England and ends some 400 years later. After reading it, I lent it to Andrew, an English gentleman whom I worked with at the time. Andrew lent it to his friend later, and after much prodding, I got the book back from him months later. A couple of years later, I was working a different job with a different English gent, and I decided to lend it to him. Have never seen it since. He swears he has no memory of it. So there you go. One of the best books I have ever read is out there somewhere, and I have no idea where. How sad.
How many times has this happened to you? I can think of countless others, and that is why I have a bookshelf for "Books-that-I-never-lend-out."
Then, from the opposite view, people have lent me books. I read it, but by the time I am finished reading, I cannot for the life of me remember who the heck lent me this book. I am not sure if I should keep it around or if I should lend it out to others. Oh, the guilt I feel over these stray books.
Check out the web site for Bookcrossing and join up!
Every night, before I go to bed, I must read until my eyes start drooping. If I don't get a chance to read, even for a couple of minutes, I will lie there wide awake for hours (okay, maybe minutes!) until I can fall asleep.
Although I would venture to say that everyone in my family is the same way, it is an unfortunate fact that my husband does not require a reading session before sleeping. In the beginning, this was a definite point of contention for us. He used to accuse me of liking books better than I liked him, among many other things.
Rather than feel guilty about my habit (love, addiction, lifestyle) for reading before bed, I stood firm on the fact that I should not be disturbed once in bed with a book. You may be thinking that this is far too strict and that it holds me back from enjoying other pleasures in life.
Perhaps this is true, but a good-night's sleep is truly one of life's pleasures, and if reading is the only thing that will get me there, I am willing to sacrifice. (I have been known to put down the book, enjoy other activities, only to book up the book afterwards and continue where I left off.)
So, back to reading. Recently, on the advice of two good friends (Christine & Kaz), I finally joined Bookcrossing. I have three growing piles of books in my to-be-read pile. After finishing a few very good novels last November, I floundered through a few books only to give up on each after about 20 pages. Then, I thought, well, I haven't touched my non-fiction pile lately, so I picked up my long awaited autobiography by Hillary Clinton, and I am back in the game! Great book, by the way. I'll put on Bookcrossing as soon as I finish.
So, for those who don't know, check out the web site and sign up. It's for book lovers all over the world, not just Japan. This is a great way to see what others are reading, to get free books sent to you, and to get rid of your books once you have read them. Another advantage is this: You can track books and see what happens to them after they leave your hands.
This last one is really important. Let me illustrate why, and I am sure you will relate to this.
A long time ago, a friend presented me with a very thick novel called Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet. I am not a follower of Ken Follet, nor am I a fan of really thick books. After a few years, I moved to Japan and soon ran out of books to read. I dug that book out and read it out of pure desperation for English literature.
It was more than a page-turner. It was an amazing tale of the building of a church which starts in the 11th century England and ends some 400 years later. After reading it, I lent it to Andrew, an English gentleman whom I worked with at the time. Andrew lent it to his friend later, and after much prodding, I got the book back from him months later. A couple of years later, I was working a different job with a different English gent, and I decided to lend it to him. Have never seen it since. He swears he has no memory of it. So there you go. One of the best books I have ever read is out there somewhere, and I have no idea where. How sad.
How many times has this happened to you? I can think of countless others, and that is why I have a bookshelf for "Books-that-I-never-lend-out."
Then, from the opposite view, people have lent me books. I read it, but by the time I am finished reading, I cannot for the life of me remember who the heck lent me this book. I am not sure if I should keep it around or if I should lend it out to others. Oh, the guilt I feel over these stray books.
Check out the web site for Bookcrossing and join up!
Monday, January 23, 2006
Causes of Stress & Interferences (in the life of a foreign wife)
One of my main stress factors is that my husband is in the worst health, and he continues to go downhill. According to Kaz, I am the only one who allows this to stress me out. Okay, so from this day forward, I will no longer give a damn about my husband's diet, lack of exercise, lack of sleep, anxiety disorder, cavities, bad smoking habit, fatty liver, etc. Must I go on? I have managed to make him sound like a complete dolt to most of my friends.
For many foreign wives living in Japan, our stress factors include the following:
Lack of knowledge (of the language, the laws, the medical system, etc.)
Taking care of others
Household responsibilities
Making decisions (about medical care, education and money) for others
Dealing with children, especially sons
Dealing with Oedipus Complex (again, I may be the only one who feels this way!)
Lack of Time
Lack of Money
Limited job opportunities
Going on a vacation (to our hometowns, which is not nearly as relaxing as a real vacation might be.)
Having to be a "good girl" (a.k.a. being a wonderful wife, mother, housekeeper, daughter, friend, etc.)
Oh, the list goes on, but these seemed to be the major ones. Then, we talked about what interferes with our chosen methods of relaxation.
Many of the same things applied to this next list:
Lack of money
Lack of time
Sleep (Yes, sleep can interfere even though it would really be thought of as a method for relaxing.)
Demands from others
Guilt
Lack of knowledge (language, etc.)
If we can find our most preferred method for relaxation, we should consider what that is.
Mine is scrapbooking. I also enjoy reading, but that is mainly to help me relax enough to go to sleep or sit on the pot. Otherwise, I don't usually take the time to read during the day unless I am involved in a really good page-turner.
I often ask myself, "Mande, why the hell can't you take it upon yourself to exercise a bit?" I have so many excuses for not doing it. In fact, I could be using a newly-purchased-in-the-USA DVD to learn how to do dance aerobics or yoga, but instead, I am writing this blog.
These excuses are my "interferences":
I don't want to bother the neighbors downstairs by my potential thumping.
It's too cold in this apartment.
I would rather eat dinner and then do some scrapbooking.
I might like it too much.
Wait, was that last one an interference?
There are four areas of one's life that should be considered for managing stress, and a good balance is necessary:
Work
Shelter
Spiritual
Emotional
Work
I am nearly satisfied with my job, much moreso than many foreign wives I know. Teaching positions are becoming more and more restricted. I was lucky to get the job I got, and so I don't usually worry about it. I do find it stressful, but usually that is a good thing as it stretches my brain a bit. As Pamela Anderson says, "I don't mind playing dumb blondes. After all, a dumb blonde couldn't actually play a dumb blonde." If you read into that retarded statement, you would understand that she is actually pointing out the fact that she is NOT dumb. I don't mind being an Native English teacher in Japan because after all, a Native couldn't actually work as a Native English teacher.
Okay, that made NO sense whatsoever.
In any case, I am happy at work.
Shelter
We are moving to a new shelter, and we're busy preparing for the move. I am jumping out of my pants for that day to come!
Spiritual
Okay, so I never go to church. This is a problem, perhaps. I need to consider a bit more about what kind of spiritual life I would like and how I will pass this on to my kids. I think they need some kind of spiritual guidance, even if it is not the mainstream religions like christianity.
Emotional
I used to be a real mess in college. Now, I am okay, and I can talk to my husband about most things even if we do fight a lot. I think that one's emotional life always NEEDS some fixin' up. Not a day goes by when I don't assess issues going on my mind, but I think things are much better than they used to be. I am so much more adjusted to Japan now. My first year, I was sick all the time, constantly going to the doctor and quite depressed. But, I am much happier now.
For many foreign wives living in Japan, our stress factors include the following:
Lack of knowledge (of the language, the laws, the medical system, etc.)
Taking care of others
Household responsibilities
Making decisions (about medical care, education and money) for others
Dealing with children, especially sons
Dealing with Oedipus Complex (again, I may be the only one who feels this way!)
Lack of Time
Lack of Money
Limited job opportunities
Going on a vacation (to our hometowns, which is not nearly as relaxing as a real vacation might be.)
Having to be a "good girl" (a.k.a. being a wonderful wife, mother, housekeeper, daughter, friend, etc.)
Oh, the list goes on, but these seemed to be the major ones. Then, we talked about what interferes with our chosen methods of relaxation.
Many of the same things applied to this next list:
Lack of money
Lack of time
Sleep (Yes, sleep can interfere even though it would really be thought of as a method for relaxing.)
Demands from others
Guilt
Lack of knowledge (language, etc.)
If we can find our most preferred method for relaxation, we should consider what that is.
Mine is scrapbooking. I also enjoy reading, but that is mainly to help me relax enough to go to sleep or sit on the pot. Otherwise, I don't usually take the time to read during the day unless I am involved in a really good page-turner.
I often ask myself, "Mande, why the hell can't you take it upon yourself to exercise a bit?" I have so many excuses for not doing it. In fact, I could be using a newly-purchased-in-the-USA DVD to learn how to do dance aerobics or yoga, but instead, I am writing this blog.
These excuses are my "interferences":
I don't want to bother the neighbors downstairs by my potential thumping.
It's too cold in this apartment.
I would rather eat dinner and then do some scrapbooking.
I might like it too much.
Wait, was that last one an interference?
There are four areas of one's life that should be considered for managing stress, and a good balance is necessary:
Work
Shelter
Spiritual
Emotional
Work
I am nearly satisfied with my job, much moreso than many foreign wives I know. Teaching positions are becoming more and more restricted. I was lucky to get the job I got, and so I don't usually worry about it. I do find it stressful, but usually that is a good thing as it stretches my brain a bit. As Pamela Anderson says, "I don't mind playing dumb blondes. After all, a dumb blonde couldn't actually play a dumb blonde." If you read into that retarded statement, you would understand that she is actually pointing out the fact that she is NOT dumb. I don't mind being an Native English teacher in Japan because after all, a Native couldn't actually work as a Native English teacher.
Okay, that made NO sense whatsoever.
In any case, I am happy at work.
Shelter
We are moving to a new shelter, and we're busy preparing for the move. I am jumping out of my pants for that day to come!
Spiritual
Okay, so I never go to church. This is a problem, perhaps. I need to consider a bit more about what kind of spiritual life I would like and how I will pass this on to my kids. I think they need some kind of spiritual guidance, even if it is not the mainstream religions like christianity.
Emotional
I used to be a real mess in college. Now, I am okay, and I can talk to my husband about most things even if we do fight a lot. I think that one's emotional life always NEEDS some fixin' up. Not a day goes by when I don't assess issues going on my mind, but I think things are much better than they used to be. I am so much more adjusted to Japan now. My first year, I was sick all the time, constantly going to the doctor and quite depressed. But, I am much happier now.
Which Symbol Are You?
Yesterday, Kaz and I attended a seminar for AFWJ, a group that we belong to in Japan. The first thing they asked when we arrived was, "Which symbol are you most attracted to?" We were each assigned our symbol and then told to go sit with others who had chosen the same one.
There were four symbols: a circle, a square, a squiggly line and a triangle. I chose the triangle right away, and there were only two others in my group.
We triangle people are supposedly leaders and we are decisive, ambitious, competitive and athletic. We are also self-centered, overloaded, dogmatic, status-oriented, impatient and driven. Jobs that we tend to go for include executive positions, administrative positions, lawyers, entrepreneurs, etc.
Check out this link if you want to find out more about your own symbol.
http://www.personalityquiz.net/test/symboltest.htm
I must get this from my mom. She is way over the top in the leadership category of life. Anyway, what was most interesting about my group members is that one women is a past-president of AFWJ and other woman is the current president. Also, I used to be the Journal Editor for AFWJ, so there you go. Well, for now, I don't see myself pursuing any leadership positions, except for "Big Mama of our Household" and "Dog-owner".
There were four symbols: a circle, a square, a squiggly line and a triangle. I chose the triangle right away, and there were only two others in my group.
We triangle people are supposedly leaders and we are decisive, ambitious, competitive and athletic. We are also self-centered, overloaded, dogmatic, status-oriented, impatient and driven. Jobs that we tend to go for include executive positions, administrative positions, lawyers, entrepreneurs, etc.
Check out this link if you want to find out more about your own symbol.
http://www.personalityquiz.net/test/symboltest.htm
I must get this from my mom. She is way over the top in the leadership category of life. Anyway, what was most interesting about my group members is that one women is a past-president of AFWJ and other woman is the current president. Also, I used to be the Journal Editor for AFWJ, so there you go. Well, for now, I don't see myself pursuing any leadership positions, except for "Big Mama of our Household" and "Dog-owner".
Friday, January 13, 2006
100 Things About Me
1. I was born on 7/7/76.
2. My mom wanted to name me Andrea. My dad wanted to name me Tanya.
3. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a teacher, then a scientist, an architect, then a doctor, then a psychologist, then a writer.
4. In college, I wanted to be an events planner.
5. Now I am a high school teacher.
6. When I was a kid, I used to design my future house in my free time, and I used to study house design magazines so I could design the perfect house.
7. My dad was an elementary school teacher. He used to let me correct his papers when I was young.
8. My mom got her college degree when she was 35 years old. She worked as a nurse for several years and is now the director of the county public health department. I am so proud of her!
9. My best friend and I have known each other since we were in the womb.
10. She moved away when we were in junior high, but we kept in touch through letters and frequent visits.
11. We went to the same university and were roommates for two years, then lived on the same street for two more years.
12. I am the youngest of three kids. I think I am the only normal one.
13. When I was a kid, I used to pick out my future children’s names and update the list often. For a while, I wanted to name them Keegan and Theresa.
14. My favorite class in elementary school was grammar.
15. My favorite class in high school was English.
16. My favorite class in college was definitely NOT Japanese.
17. I majored in Japanese for the first three years of college.
18. I added a second major in my sophomore year, and that was Communication Arts.
19. I dropped my Japanese major later so that I could concentrate more on my media and communications classes.
20. Also, because I was tired of studying Japanese for six hours every night and not getting anywhere.
21. In high school, I studied abroad in Japan for one year.
22. I had always wanted to study abroad during college, but I decided to go in high school so that I could escape my life.
23. I wanted to go to Japan because I thought they ate fish every day.
24. My favorite singer when I was a kid was Boy George. I had a laminated photo of him taped to the head board of my bed.
25. In high school, I discovered John Mellencamp and have liked him ever since.
26. I began liking country music soon after graduating from college because I experienced my first line-dance lesson during a vacation in Nashville.
27. I took line-dance lessons for 3 years during my “single-life” days.
28. One thing I miss the most about the USA is listening to the radio. I miss the Deejays. Thank God for iTunes!
29. Another thing I miss are the sitcoms. I need to get a good dose of sitcoms every once in a while or I will go insane!
30. My favorite actor used to be Tom Cruise after I saw him in Interview with a Vampire.
31. I don’t really like him anymore.
32. I do like Ben Stiller though. Being funny is definitely more important than being good looking.
33. I love hearing about celeb gossip. My husband always knows about stuff before I do!
34. My favorite comfort food is Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.
35. I also like Swiss Miss hot chocolate.
36. I check my email at home about 50 times a day.
37. In college, I dated a guy who dumped me when football season started so that he could have more time to watch the games.
38. Another guy dumped me as soon as he turned 21 so that he could have more time to go to the bars.
39. One of my goals this year, in 2006, is to get a puppy.
40. I figured out what the “bare minimum” is, and now my husband rarely complains about my cleaning skills. If I keep up with the laundry, wash the dishes every night and take his shirts to the dry cleaning as needed, I am in the free and clear to do whatever I want with my free time.
41. I love to cook.
42. I love to bake.
43. I hate crowds and crowded places.
44. I make a To-Do list every week and cross things off as they get done.
45. I make a goal list every year (my husband makes one too) and I check it once a month and then cross off things as they get done.
46. I love doing creative things, such as scrapbooking.
47. I would like to go to graduate school someday.
48. I love to read novels, both fiction and non-fiction.
49. I don’t like mysteries, science-fiction and romance novels, but I do like anything that seems like it could happen in real life.
50. As for movies, I love comedies, I love romance and I love romantic comedies. I also like anything that centers on family relationships.
51. I don’t like dishes that have potatoes, carrots and meat mixed together.
52. When I was a kid, I played in the percussion section of the school band for 5 years.
53. I wanted to play saxophone in the worst way, but my mom came home with a pair of drumsticks and said, “I bought these because they were cheaper than a saxophone.”
54. When I was 12, I spent my life savings to buy a used piano and I took lessons for 4 years. In my senior year, I had to quit because I could no longer afford the lessons.
55. My real name is Amanda Jill. When I was a kid, I hated the name Amanda because it sounded too formal. I wanted to be called Mandy.
56. In fourth grade, I changed the spelling to Mande with an “e” because I thought it was unique.
57. The very first time I saw my husband, I knew I just had to meet him.
58. I have never pursued someone so much in my life!
59. I think ironing is the worst household chore in the world.
60. In high school, I joined the cheerleading squad for one basketball season.
61. I only did it so I could spend more time with a friend who was on the squad.
62. My classmates were very shocked the first time I showed up to school in a cheerleading uniform, but actually, I really enjoyed cheerleading because I love to dance.
63. I love pies. In fact, I prefer birthday pie to birthday cake.
64. I have the coolest grandma ever. She wears brightly colored, sparkly outfits, paints her nails red and wears bright red lipstick. She always has a can of beer in her hand, and she loves to gamble. Last time I met her, she was wearing black-rimmed glasses with rhinestones.
65. She has a knitting machine and loves to knit sweaters for people. She also crochets doilies by hand.
66. My husband and I try to go on a date every Saturday.
67. Usually, we go to our favorite coffee shop to hang out, then we go out for dinner and finally to a movie.
68. We see about 3 or 4 movies a month at the theater.
69. My parents are building a new house and they were shocked to hear that their new address would be 6969.
70. I have a huge weakness for chocolate chip cookies, and even on the South Beach diet, I allowed myself to eat chocolate cookies.
71. When traveling, one of my favorite things to do is tour historical houses.
72. I prefer educational trips to relaxing trips. Historical houses, presidential libraries and historical museums – that’s my gig.
73. I have never visited a tropical island, and the only beach I have been to is Daytona during spring break one time.
74. I really feel that one of these days I should try visiting a tropical island for a nice, relaxing vacation.
75. I have to read before going to sleep, but I always fall asleep after about ten minutes.
76. I am the shortest person in my family.
77. I am the only person in my family who doesn’t wear glasses.
78. My friends are extremely important to me.
79. My favorite Christmas custom is sending and receiving Christmas cards. I love getting updates from everyone.
80. Someday, I want to road trip around the West and visit every restaurant of the Old Spaghetti Factory chain.
81. Someday, I want to take a road trip from San Diego all the way up to Vancouver.
82. My parents want to take a road trip out west with my husband and me.
83. I would like to get my driver’s license in Japan within this year, but only if we buy a car!
84. I live close enough to work that I can ride my bicycle there. It takes about 10 minutes.
85. For my only source of exercise, I sometimes walk to work, and it takes 30 minutes.
86. In only I could wake up earlier more often…
87. My mom and dad met and got married only 3 months after meeting. They are still very happily married.
88. My best friend and I dressed up as drag queens every year for Halloween when we were in college.
89. I want to get paid for doing scrapbooking someday.
90. I am a terrible singer, but I love to do karaoke.
91. There are only a few songs that I can do – Journey’s Faithfully, Mellencamp’s Wild Night and sometimes Suzanne Vega’s Luka.
92. I say sometimes because there are days when my singing is worse than other days.
93. The reason why I am a terrible singer is because I lip synced my way through music classes and church all through elementary school.
94. I am a really good lip syncer.
95. The one thing I hate about being married to a workaholic is that I have to eat dinner every night alone.
96. I always thought that one reason people get married is so that they can have a dinner partner.
97. When I go to the USA and have many chances to eat meals with my family and friends, I realize how sad I feel about #93.
98. I love to plan everything.
99. In college, I loved doing weight training and playing racquetball.
100. I think I am a pretty healthy person, but I constantly worry about my husband’s terrible health. I am afraid he will die long before me.
2. My mom wanted to name me Andrea. My dad wanted to name me Tanya.
3. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a teacher, then a scientist, an architect, then a doctor, then a psychologist, then a writer.
4. In college, I wanted to be an events planner.
5. Now I am a high school teacher.
6. When I was a kid, I used to design my future house in my free time, and I used to study house design magazines so I could design the perfect house.
7. My dad was an elementary school teacher. He used to let me correct his papers when I was young.
8. My mom got her college degree when she was 35 years old. She worked as a nurse for several years and is now the director of the county public health department. I am so proud of her!
9. My best friend and I have known each other since we were in the womb.
10. She moved away when we were in junior high, but we kept in touch through letters and frequent visits.
11. We went to the same university and were roommates for two years, then lived on the same street for two more years.
12. I am the youngest of three kids. I think I am the only normal one.
13. When I was a kid, I used to pick out my future children’s names and update the list often. For a while, I wanted to name them Keegan and Theresa.
14. My favorite class in elementary school was grammar.
15. My favorite class in high school was English.
16. My favorite class in college was definitely NOT Japanese.
17. I majored in Japanese for the first three years of college.
18. I added a second major in my sophomore year, and that was Communication Arts.
19. I dropped my Japanese major later so that I could concentrate more on my media and communications classes.
20. Also, because I was tired of studying Japanese for six hours every night and not getting anywhere.
21. In high school, I studied abroad in Japan for one year.
22. I had always wanted to study abroad during college, but I decided to go in high school so that I could escape my life.
23. I wanted to go to Japan because I thought they ate fish every day.
24. My favorite singer when I was a kid was Boy George. I had a laminated photo of him taped to the head board of my bed.
25. In high school, I discovered John Mellencamp and have liked him ever since.
26. I began liking country music soon after graduating from college because I experienced my first line-dance lesson during a vacation in Nashville.
27. I took line-dance lessons for 3 years during my “single-life” days.
28. One thing I miss the most about the USA is listening to the radio. I miss the Deejays. Thank God for iTunes!
29. Another thing I miss are the sitcoms. I need to get a good dose of sitcoms every once in a while or I will go insane!
30. My favorite actor used to be Tom Cruise after I saw him in Interview with a Vampire.
31. I don’t really like him anymore.
32. I do like Ben Stiller though. Being funny is definitely more important than being good looking.
33. I love hearing about celeb gossip. My husband always knows about stuff before I do!
34. My favorite comfort food is Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.
35. I also like Swiss Miss hot chocolate.
36. I check my email at home about 50 times a day.
37. In college, I dated a guy who dumped me when football season started so that he could have more time to watch the games.
38. Another guy dumped me as soon as he turned 21 so that he could have more time to go to the bars.
39. One of my goals this year, in 2006, is to get a puppy.
40. I figured out what the “bare minimum” is, and now my husband rarely complains about my cleaning skills. If I keep up with the laundry, wash the dishes every night and take his shirts to the dry cleaning as needed, I am in the free and clear to do whatever I want with my free time.
41. I love to cook.
42. I love to bake.
43. I hate crowds and crowded places.
44. I make a To-Do list every week and cross things off as they get done.
45. I make a goal list every year (my husband makes one too) and I check it once a month and then cross off things as they get done.
46. I love doing creative things, such as scrapbooking.
47. I would like to go to graduate school someday.
48. I love to read novels, both fiction and non-fiction.
49. I don’t like mysteries, science-fiction and romance novels, but I do like anything that seems like it could happen in real life.
50. As for movies, I love comedies, I love romance and I love romantic comedies. I also like anything that centers on family relationships.
51. I don’t like dishes that have potatoes, carrots and meat mixed together.
52. When I was a kid, I played in the percussion section of the school band for 5 years.
53. I wanted to play saxophone in the worst way, but my mom came home with a pair of drumsticks and said, “I bought these because they were cheaper than a saxophone.”
54. When I was 12, I spent my life savings to buy a used piano and I took lessons for 4 years. In my senior year, I had to quit because I could no longer afford the lessons.
55. My real name is Amanda Jill. When I was a kid, I hated the name Amanda because it sounded too formal. I wanted to be called Mandy.
56. In fourth grade, I changed the spelling to Mande with an “e” because I thought it was unique.
57. The very first time I saw my husband, I knew I just had to meet him.
58. I have never pursued someone so much in my life!
59. I think ironing is the worst household chore in the world.
60. In high school, I joined the cheerleading squad for one basketball season.
61. I only did it so I could spend more time with a friend who was on the squad.
62. My classmates were very shocked the first time I showed up to school in a cheerleading uniform, but actually, I really enjoyed cheerleading because I love to dance.
63. I love pies. In fact, I prefer birthday pie to birthday cake.
64. I have the coolest grandma ever. She wears brightly colored, sparkly outfits, paints her nails red and wears bright red lipstick. She always has a can of beer in her hand, and she loves to gamble. Last time I met her, she was wearing black-rimmed glasses with rhinestones.
65. She has a knitting machine and loves to knit sweaters for people. She also crochets doilies by hand.
66. My husband and I try to go on a date every Saturday.
67. Usually, we go to our favorite coffee shop to hang out, then we go out for dinner and finally to a movie.
68. We see about 3 or 4 movies a month at the theater.
69. My parents are building a new house and they were shocked to hear that their new address would be 6969.
70. I have a huge weakness for chocolate chip cookies, and even on the South Beach diet, I allowed myself to eat chocolate cookies.
71. When traveling, one of my favorite things to do is tour historical houses.
72. I prefer educational trips to relaxing trips. Historical houses, presidential libraries and historical museums – that’s my gig.
73. I have never visited a tropical island, and the only beach I have been to is Daytona during spring break one time.
74. I really feel that one of these days I should try visiting a tropical island for a nice, relaxing vacation.
75. I have to read before going to sleep, but I always fall asleep after about ten minutes.
76. I am the shortest person in my family.
77. I am the only person in my family who doesn’t wear glasses.
78. My friends are extremely important to me.
79. My favorite Christmas custom is sending and receiving Christmas cards. I love getting updates from everyone.
80. Someday, I want to road trip around the West and visit every restaurant of the Old Spaghetti Factory chain.
81. Someday, I want to take a road trip from San Diego all the way up to Vancouver.
82. My parents want to take a road trip out west with my husband and me.
83. I would like to get my driver’s license in Japan within this year, but only if we buy a car!
84. I live close enough to work that I can ride my bicycle there. It takes about 10 minutes.
85. For my only source of exercise, I sometimes walk to work, and it takes 30 minutes.
86. In only I could wake up earlier more often…
87. My mom and dad met and got married only 3 months after meeting. They are still very happily married.
88. My best friend and I dressed up as drag queens every year for Halloween when we were in college.
89. I want to get paid for doing scrapbooking someday.
90. I am a terrible singer, but I love to do karaoke.
91. There are only a few songs that I can do – Journey’s Faithfully, Mellencamp’s Wild Night and sometimes Suzanne Vega’s Luka.
92. I say sometimes because there are days when my singing is worse than other days.
93. The reason why I am a terrible singer is because I lip synced my way through music classes and church all through elementary school.
94. I am a really good lip syncer.
95. The one thing I hate about being married to a workaholic is that I have to eat dinner every night alone.
96. I always thought that one reason people get married is so that they can have a dinner partner.
97. When I go to the USA and have many chances to eat meals with my family and friends, I realize how sad I feel about #93.
98. I love to plan everything.
99. In college, I loved doing weight training and playing racquetball.
100. I think I am a pretty healthy person, but I constantly worry about my husband’s terrible health. I am afraid he will die long before me.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
American Airlines...Never Again!
This is a letter of complaint that I wrote to American Airlines. This was one of many dark clouds over our trip to the USA this time.
Re:
December 22, 2005
NRT → ORD Flight 154
ORD → GRB Flight 4367
January 2, 2006
DEN → LAX Flight 1469
LAX → NRT Flight 169
A few years ago, we made the decision to be loyal to American Airlines. One reason was obviously to build up mileage, but other reasons related to the customer service and airplane accommodations that I felt surpassed other airlines, which we had experienced. Unfortunately, our feelings have changed drastically due to the experience my husband and I had during our last trip to the USA.
On December 22, 2005, we traveled from Japan (NRT) to Ohare Airport and then on to Green Bay, Wisconsin. We had purchased our E-tickets back in September, and had even chosen our seating assignments via the Internet. We had a short layover at Ohare, and we felt worried that we would not make it to our next plane, but after going through immigration & customs, the re-booking agent assured us that we could make it if we hurried. She took our luggage to be rechecked in, and we were on our way.
Fortunately for us, the flight to Green Bay had been delayed by about thirty minutes, and we made it to the gate with plenty of time to spare. We boarded the plane with our boarding passes in hand, and a couple of hours later, we arrived at the airport in Green Bay, claimed our luggage at the carousel and were on our merry way.
Little did we know that American Airlines proceeded to cancel our return tickets, so that when we showed up at the Denver International Airport on January 2, 2006, we would be told that there were no reserved tickets under our names.
Why?
Because there was no record that we boarded that plane from Ohare Aiport to Green Bay on December 22.
Why?
Because the ticketing agent had booked us onto a different flight without issuing new boarding passes and without communicating this to us.
Why?
Because when a passenger does not show up for a flight, the policy of the airline is to cancel the remaining reservations for their trip.
The agent in Denver was nice enough to call Ohare or Green Bay and find out what happened from the perspective of American Airlines. She was also nice enough to admit that it was the fault of American Airlines. She explained that when it is the fault of the airline, they HAVE to accommodate the customer.
So, how were we accommodated? Let me paint a picture for you.
We were assigned seats on our original flight from Denver to LAX. Of course, these were not the seats we had originally reserved, but hey, at least we got seats. These new seats were in the very last row, the tail of the plane, the most uncomfortable seats EVER, and there was no window. It was nice that the captain pointed out the wonderful views of the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, etc. over the PA System, but we couldn’t see a thing! And, if you have ever sat in the tail without a window to bring you back to reality, you would understand how it what it feels like to be “landing” for two hours straight.
I was nervous (not to mention nauseous) during this flight because we had been told that we had no seating assignments for our flight from LAX to Narita. In place of “boarding pass”, the words “priority verification” were typed on our pass, and according to the agent in Denver, they would be asking for volunteers to give up their seats so that we would be able to get on that flight from LAX to Narita.
By the time we deplaned at LAX, our flight to Narita was already in the process of boarding. We hurried to the gate so that we could check in with the agents there. With no explanation, they told us to wait for our names to be called. There were others standing around who were also waiting for their names to be called. Knowing that our original seats had been taken, we could only hope for the best, and we braced ourselves for the long ride to Narita.
Our names were called, and we were assigned seats in the middle section of the plane. My seat was exactly in the middle, two people on either side of me. My husband was next to me. At the time, I felt relieved to be able to get on the flight. I just wanted to get home, but my husband proposed that we complain and try to get upgraded. I could see how busy and overwhelmed the agents and flight attendants at the gate were (it’s a busy time of year!), and I didn’t want to add to their stress.
I really regretted my decision when we boarded the plane though. When I realized that my seat was in the middle (NO ONE would choose a seat like this on their own volition!), I regretted not complaining, but then I felt it was too late. Oh, I saw how full business class was when I walked past, and I knew there was no hope for us anymore.
I regretted getting on that plane in the first place. Here is why:
• It was the most uncomfortable flight I have ever been on.
• I was hard pressed to get any service. Flight attendants who served food/drinks skipped over me, possibly thinking that I would get served on the other side, or that I had already been served. In plain English, I was blatantly ignored most of the time!
• I could not get up to go to the lavatory or stretch out without wreaking havoc for the two strangers on either side of me.
So, I have some questions for your airline.
• Why would someone’s entire flight be cancelled without notice if that person does not show up for one leg of his/her flight?
• Why do flight attendants and agents at the gate run every person’s boarding pass through a machine before they board the plane? Is it to check that everyone is boarded? Is it so that checked luggage can be cross-checked with the passengers who have actually boarded the plane? If so, then why would there be any confusion over which flight my husband and I had taken from Ohare to Green Bay on December 22nd?
• Why would flights be so overbooked that when computer mistakes like this one are made, the customers can only be accommodated by putting them through hell?
• Why would a complete stranger (not even related to the events at hand) be compensated if they volunteer to give up their seats through the use of $600 travel vouchers, hotel stays and food vouchers, so that the affected customer can go through 10 hours of hell?
• Why are flight attendants so commonly rude and unfeeling when it comes to customer-relations? (I have had bad experiences on flights, including this one, so this is more of a general complaint.)
• Why would flight attendants feel that it is okay to blatantly ignore customers who are sitting in the middle seat of the middle row of a 777?
I sincerely doubt that my husband and I are the only people who have gone through such an experience with American Airlines. I am not writing this letter in order to get a handout. In other words, I don’t want an upgrade the next time I fly; I don’t want more miles added to my account, food vouchers or hotel stays. What I want is simple: better service and a more sincere commitment to the customers.
In the meantime, I am going to let everyone, including my large network of foreign friends and colleagues in Japan, know about my experience with American Airlines. Then, I am going to encourage everyone to start shopping for an airline that offers better service. Finally, I am going to wait for a sincere reply from your company along with some proof that services will and are improving.
In closing, I would like to say that I did have one rather pleasant experience on a flight I took in 2004. After that, I told a few people about it. However, as a general rule of life, “When something good happens, we tell our friends. When something bad happens, we tell anyone who will listen.”
Re:
December 22, 2005
NRT → ORD Flight 154
ORD → GRB Flight 4367
January 2, 2006
DEN → LAX Flight 1469
LAX → NRT Flight 169
A few years ago, we made the decision to be loyal to American Airlines. One reason was obviously to build up mileage, but other reasons related to the customer service and airplane accommodations that I felt surpassed other airlines, which we had experienced. Unfortunately, our feelings have changed drastically due to the experience my husband and I had during our last trip to the USA.
On December 22, 2005, we traveled from Japan (NRT) to Ohare Airport and then on to Green Bay, Wisconsin. We had purchased our E-tickets back in September, and had even chosen our seating assignments via the Internet. We had a short layover at Ohare, and we felt worried that we would not make it to our next plane, but after going through immigration & customs, the re-booking agent assured us that we could make it if we hurried. She took our luggage to be rechecked in, and we were on our way.
Fortunately for us, the flight to Green Bay had been delayed by about thirty minutes, and we made it to the gate with plenty of time to spare. We boarded the plane with our boarding passes in hand, and a couple of hours later, we arrived at the airport in Green Bay, claimed our luggage at the carousel and were on our merry way.
Little did we know that American Airlines proceeded to cancel our return tickets, so that when we showed up at the Denver International Airport on January 2, 2006, we would be told that there were no reserved tickets under our names.
Why?
Because there was no record that we boarded that plane from Ohare Aiport to Green Bay on December 22.
Why?
Because the ticketing agent had booked us onto a different flight without issuing new boarding passes and without communicating this to us.
Why?
Because when a passenger does not show up for a flight, the policy of the airline is to cancel the remaining reservations for their trip.
The agent in Denver was nice enough to call Ohare or Green Bay and find out what happened from the perspective of American Airlines. She was also nice enough to admit that it was the fault of American Airlines. She explained that when it is the fault of the airline, they HAVE to accommodate the customer.
So, how were we accommodated? Let me paint a picture for you.
We were assigned seats on our original flight from Denver to LAX. Of course, these were not the seats we had originally reserved, but hey, at least we got seats. These new seats were in the very last row, the tail of the plane, the most uncomfortable seats EVER, and there was no window. It was nice that the captain pointed out the wonderful views of the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, etc. over the PA System, but we couldn’t see a thing! And, if you have ever sat in the tail without a window to bring you back to reality, you would understand how it what it feels like to be “landing” for two hours straight.
I was nervous (not to mention nauseous) during this flight because we had been told that we had no seating assignments for our flight from LAX to Narita. In place of “boarding pass”, the words “priority verification” were typed on our pass, and according to the agent in Denver, they would be asking for volunteers to give up their seats so that we would be able to get on that flight from LAX to Narita.
By the time we deplaned at LAX, our flight to Narita was already in the process of boarding. We hurried to the gate so that we could check in with the agents there. With no explanation, they told us to wait for our names to be called. There were others standing around who were also waiting for their names to be called. Knowing that our original seats had been taken, we could only hope for the best, and we braced ourselves for the long ride to Narita.
Our names were called, and we were assigned seats in the middle section of the plane. My seat was exactly in the middle, two people on either side of me. My husband was next to me. At the time, I felt relieved to be able to get on the flight. I just wanted to get home, but my husband proposed that we complain and try to get upgraded. I could see how busy and overwhelmed the agents and flight attendants at the gate were (it’s a busy time of year!), and I didn’t want to add to their stress.
I really regretted my decision when we boarded the plane though. When I realized that my seat was in the middle (NO ONE would choose a seat like this on their own volition!), I regretted not complaining, but then I felt it was too late. Oh, I saw how full business class was when I walked past, and I knew there was no hope for us anymore.
I regretted getting on that plane in the first place. Here is why:
• It was the most uncomfortable flight I have ever been on.
• I was hard pressed to get any service. Flight attendants who served food/drinks skipped over me, possibly thinking that I would get served on the other side, or that I had already been served. In plain English, I was blatantly ignored most of the time!
• I could not get up to go to the lavatory or stretch out without wreaking havoc for the two strangers on either side of me.
So, I have some questions for your airline.
• Why would someone’s entire flight be cancelled without notice if that person does not show up for one leg of his/her flight?
• Why do flight attendants and agents at the gate run every person’s boarding pass through a machine before they board the plane? Is it to check that everyone is boarded? Is it so that checked luggage can be cross-checked with the passengers who have actually boarded the plane? If so, then why would there be any confusion over which flight my husband and I had taken from Ohare to Green Bay on December 22nd?
• Why would flights be so overbooked that when computer mistakes like this one are made, the customers can only be accommodated by putting them through hell?
• Why would a complete stranger (not even related to the events at hand) be compensated if they volunteer to give up their seats through the use of $600 travel vouchers, hotel stays and food vouchers, so that the affected customer can go through 10 hours of hell?
• Why are flight attendants so commonly rude and unfeeling when it comes to customer-relations? (I have had bad experiences on flights, including this one, so this is more of a general complaint.)
• Why would flight attendants feel that it is okay to blatantly ignore customers who are sitting in the middle seat of the middle row of a 777?
I sincerely doubt that my husband and I are the only people who have gone through such an experience with American Airlines. I am not writing this letter in order to get a handout. In other words, I don’t want an upgrade the next time I fly; I don’t want more miles added to my account, food vouchers or hotel stays. What I want is simple: better service and a more sincere commitment to the customers.
In the meantime, I am going to let everyone, including my large network of foreign friends and colleagues in Japan, know about my experience with American Airlines. Then, I am going to encourage everyone to start shopping for an airline that offers better service. Finally, I am going to wait for a sincere reply from your company along with some proof that services will and are improving.
In closing, I would like to say that I did have one rather pleasant experience on a flight I took in 2004. After that, I told a few people about it. However, as a general rule of life, “When something good happens, we tell our friends. When something bad happens, we tell anyone who will listen.”
Winter Trip to WI and CO
I would like to go on record as saying that this was the worst trip ever, but I shouldn't be so negative about it. I am sure that by the time I get around to scrapbooking this trip, I will be able to look back and remember the good things or at least laugh about the weird stuff that went on.
My Family
First and foremost, my family members were all healthy and happy. Everyone got along well, and there were no major gaffs. We arrived in Wisconsin on December 22 and stayed in Antigo until December 27 (morning). For the entire time, the house was full of people as it was non-stop visiting, gossiping, cooking, playing, and if you know my husband and me, arguing! It was great to see Mom and Dad and their new house, which is in the process of being built. This was our last Christmas in the old house, the house they bought when they first married in 1969. In honor of this, the whole family made sure to get home in order to celebrate one last Christmas here. The new house will have more space, more bedrooms and bathrooms, and it will be closer to our greatest source of pleasure, the woods. So, everyone is looking forward to future Christmases, but it was nice to be in the old house one last time. They will move into the new house at the end of February 2006. It was also great to see my nephew Oliver. What a funny boy he is! And, if I was worried that he wouldn't remember me, I was wasting my time. Every day, he was going around saying, "Auntie Mande, come with me! Auntie Mande, I want you to do this with me. You have to play this with me, Auntie Mande."
Christmas
On Christmas Eve, we had our first official family party and opened almost all of the gifts. Of course, we saved Mom's birthday presents for the next day. Aunt Cindy and her husband Steve had come all the way from Idaho to celebrate Christmas with us. It was their first visit home in 5 years. On Christmas Day, we checked our stockings, and then Mom and Dad left to pick up brother Seth and his new (secret) wife. Of course, she is no longer a secret, but we all go to meet her for the first time. She fits right in with the relatives, and in fact, her voice sounds just like some our cousins' voices. After they arrived, we started our second official celebration and ate a turkey dinner. Afterwards, we opened the rest of the gifts - Seth's and his new wife's, along with Mom's birthday gifts. Then we met Shannon's family and went on a sleigh ride (yes, a real sleigh with horses and everything!) in the woods. It was Yusuke's first time to do this, and I forgot to check on what he was wearing before we went out there. Of course, everyone else had long johns and ski pants on with scarves, hats, etc. But, Yusuke had a coat and a hat. He was freezing the whole time, but luckily the temperature was not nearly as low as it would normally get at this time of year. My bad!
The next day, we had a "free" day, but we were still quite busy. We were able to meet up with Carrie, my friend from high school. Yusuke had never actually met her before even though she came to our wedding. Also, we did our last-minute Walmart shopping, and then prepared to leave Antigo for our 1-day excursion to Madison.
Madison
In Madison, Mom and my aunt dropped us at our rental car we went our seperate ways. Yusuke was so excited to eat at his favorite State Street restaurant, Tutto Pasta. I would very much like to introduce him to some of my other old haunts, such as Dotty's Dumpling Dowry, but he seems to be stuck on Tutto. We ordered way too much, and halfway through the meal, we realized we were making ourselves sick, so we surrendered to the doggy bag. After that, we hoped to do some shopping on State Street, but Yusuke was suddenly feeling ill. We split up, so we could do some shopping separately, but when I found him in a coffee shop about 30 minutes later, he was a wreck. I called Shannon's house and asked them if we could go there earlier than planned so that Yusuke could rest. It was a 40 minute drive to their house, and I felt disappointed because I couldn't go clothes shopping at my favorite stores in Madison. I had pitched all of my underwear in Antigo so that I could buy a whole new supply, and I still needed to pick some up, at least a few day's worth.
Shannon's House
At Shannon's house, I put Yusuke to bed and promptly left (with her brother) to do some quick shopping in a town nearby. I hated having him present while I bought a whole slew of underthings, but he has always been like a real brother to me, so it didn't seem to bother him at all. Back at Shannon's, I checked on Yusuke who felt wholly abandoned by me. He said he was in hell and that he wanted to go back to Japan right away. I just couldn't imagine forgoing the rest of our trip, especially since we were basically giving Shannon a ride back to Colorado. At that point, I really felt at a loss. I went downstairs for dinner and found that Shannon's entire family (mom, dad, 3 brothers, 1 sister) and our friend Jill were there to celebrate Shannon's birthday (and possibly my homecoming). It had a lot of potential for fun and excitement, but I felt slightly overwhelmed. I was torn between wanting to visit with her family in the worst way and between having to take care of Yusuke. He was couped up in the bedroom, taking his temperature every 10 minutes (it reached 40 degrees C at one point!) and bemoaning the fact that he was missing out on so many things and that I didn't care about him. During dessert, which was Shannon's birthday cake, I started to feel strange as well. I picked at the cake for a while and then went upstairs to check on Yusuke. At that point, I started to feel extremely nauseous. I wasn't sure what to make of it, but I didn't want to tell anyone, especially since I had just been sort of making fun of Yusuke for being such a baby. When I went back down to the kitchen to make some more tea for him, the smell of the alcohol and food aromas in the air caused me to run to the bathroom and throw up. This lasted all night. I also was unable to visit with Shannon's family in the end! Late into the night/early in the morning, as I lay writhing in pain, I did something that I very rarely do. I actually prayed that I would get well and be strong enough to start the road trip to Colorado in a matter of hours. And, no, in case you are wondering, I am definitely NOT expecting!
Road Trip
In the morning, Shannon, Yusuke and I were planning to leave for Colorado. It would be a 19-hour drive, but we were planning to stop for the night in Missouri and then again in Kansas. Luckily, Yusuke awoke in the morning feeling fine. I felt markedly better, but had a sore back and headache. First we had to take care of our rental car, which had a "mechanical problem." We were supposed to trade it in for a different car before getting on the road. We meant to leave early, but after driving to the Hertz Care Rental in Janesville and filling out the new paperwork, we had to unpack and repack the car many times in order to get everything to fit into our new Toyota Camry. That wasted a good hour!
Then, we were on the road with Shannon at the wheel, me in the passenger's seat gabbing with her about our lives, and Yusuke taking up the rear, bored as ever because A) he still hadn't been given the chance to drive B) he thought Illinois was the most boring state ever C) he despised being in our presence during our girl-talk session D) All of the above. If you chose D, you are absolutely right. He was becoming increasingly annoyed with us, and he soon began masking all of his statements in sarcasm. Amateur sarcasm, if you must, because as we all know, Japanese people have not yet mastered the art of sarcasm. This, in inself, caused us to become increasingly annoyed with him. Need I say more?
By the time, we got to St Louis's Gateway Arch, 10 hours of hell-in-a-car had passed and everyone was exhausted. It should have only taken 6 hours from Janesville. Why the extra four hours? I have no idea because we didn't stop to see anything worthwhile along the way. Then, we still had two hours to drive to Jill's house where we would be staying the night.
Jill's house was peaceful and her cats are adorable, even though I don't consider myself a cat-person. She has a cute place, and I especially liked the red walls in the kitchen. Very tasteful. In the morning, we went to eat breakfast at a local diner, and then Jill rode with us to Kansas City where we planned to meet up with her boyfriend, Bill. Once again, Yusuke had to silently suffer through the noisy girl-chat, and he was noticeably getting more and more anxious by the second. I had to stop a couple of times so he could get out of the car and cool off. If we could have spent more than an hour in Kansas City, that would have been fantastic, but we were on a tight schedule and only had time for Kansas City Ribs. I was less than impressed, but this is just the start of my disatisfying food experiences in the USA on this trip. Up until now, I have always enjoyed the food on our trips, but this time was terrible. Anyway, on with the story.
We wanted to get on the road by 2pm (actual time - 3pm) so that Yusuke would have plenty of time to drive in the daylight. We wanted to come through on our deal that he would only be able to drive Kansas. We came to find that he is lacking in confidence, but at the same time, he is overly enthusiastic about the prospect of driving - much like we all were back in high school! However, this lack of confidence (not to mention competence) almost got us killed on the 75-mile and hour freeway, and I was kind of glad when, after 45 minutes, he decided he needed a rest and we switched drivers. Later that evening, he asked to drive again, and we let him for about 45 minutes. And, the next morning, we let him drive the first shift. It was still dark, and he was probably sleepy, so that was a mistake! I won't get into details, but let's just say that Shannon and I are really glad to be alive today. In reality, he just needs some more practice in Japan, and he needs to drive by himself with no one else in the car in order to gain that much needed confidence.
As mentioned above, we spent the night in Kansas, in small town called Hays. I heard there is a lot to see and do there if you are an American history buff, but we arrived late and had to leave early the next morning so as was the sucky thing about this whole road trip, we had no time to actually see anything! One good thing we discovered about Kansas is that the sunsets are absolutely gorgeous! We were driving right into the sunset and it was amazing.
Colorado
After Hays, we drove to Colorado Springs, and it took about 4 1/2 hours. Colorado Springs is located on the east side of the Rockies, so there is a wonderful view of mountains, including Pike's Peak and Norad. That afternoon, Shannon's boyfriend came over and took us to a place called Garden of the Gods. This used to be a sacred place to the Native Americans, a place where they speculated that the gods were living. Now, it is a national park with hiking trails, riding trails, etc. Shannon and I went horseback riding there several years back. This time, we only had time to drive around and take photos. We did stop at the souvenir store for a quite a while and we picked up a poster print called "Dancing til Dawn." It is a painting of four Native American women facing the sunset. They are wearing colorful blankets over their shoulders, and the colors of the blankets and the sunrise kind of blend together. After passing up a great piece last year in New Orleans, I had promised not to pass up art if I saw something I liked. Now, we'll be able to hang this up in our new apartment.
The next day, we met up with Shannon's boyfriend again, and the four of drove to a hot springs resort about 2 hours west of Colorado Springs. It is near a town called Salida. Shannon and I have been there before and we wanted to take the boys. I don't know what Russ thought of it (he seemed to enjoy it with Shannon, at least), and Yusuke thought it was interesting but that Japanese hot springs are definitely better. Okay, I will admit that Japanese hot springs are amazing, but this one had a certain charm as well. It seemed almost untouched, and we were all wearing swimsuits. And aside from the rocky springs, there were also two chloriene pools for swimming and hanging out in. But, when you look up at the mountains and evergreens which surround the resort, you really feel like you just stepped into John Denver's Rocky Mountain Vacation with the Muppets (which, by the way, we were forced to watch over and over again with Oliver while at my family's house!).
Although exhausted from our hot springs excursion, Russ and Shannon were planning a New Year's Eve/Birthday bash that night, so we went back to Colorado Springs to prepare for that. The party was at Russ's house and by the time we got there, Russ had decorated the house. It was a fun party even though we didn't know anyone except Shannon. We got to meet a couple of her friends, but mostly, it was Russ's friends who came. We never did get over our jet lag during this trip, so actually, Yusuke and I had agreed to take off early and get a cab back to Shannon's house. We would have liked to stay and party longer, but we were afraid that the longer we wait, the longer it would take for a taxi to come and get us. Meanwhile, Russ broke out his Karaoke video game, and everyone was taking turns at the mike. I would have loved to sing one of my Journey songs, but we couldn't. And Yusuke later told me that he regretted not being able to try it out. We took the taxi back to her house (Shannon stayed at the party, of course), and promptly fell asleep watching Meet the Fockers on DVD. Oh, how we love Ben Stiller movies, but for some reason, we just couldn't stay up past 10:30 during this whole trip!
The next morning, we waited for Shannon and to come home so we could do our last-minute shopping. I still wanted to buy lots of clothes, so we went to JC Penney's and Kohls where I proceeded to spend way more than I budgeted though. It's okay though because I love all the clothes I got. Shannon is a great helper when it comes to shopping. One of many talents is definitely choosing clothes for other people. That night, after packing our suitcases, Russ drove us to Denver so we could stay at a motel for the night. We would have to get up early to catch our flight back to Japan.
So, that was our trip in a nutshell. At the beginning of this blog, I described it as the worst trip ever, but now that I am done writing this, I feel that it wasn't so bad. Shannon was very understanding and hospitable. Russ was so nice to take us places, and he was fun to hang out with. It was great to see Jill and her condo, her cats and her new boyfriend. Also, everything went smoothly with my family - no major fights or gaffs. All in all, a nice trip.
My Family
First and foremost, my family members were all healthy and happy. Everyone got along well, and there were no major gaffs. We arrived in Wisconsin on December 22 and stayed in Antigo until December 27 (morning). For the entire time, the house was full of people as it was non-stop visiting, gossiping, cooking, playing, and if you know my husband and me, arguing! It was great to see Mom and Dad and their new house, which is in the process of being built. This was our last Christmas in the old house, the house they bought when they first married in 1969. In honor of this, the whole family made sure to get home in order to celebrate one last Christmas here. The new house will have more space, more bedrooms and bathrooms, and it will be closer to our greatest source of pleasure, the woods. So, everyone is looking forward to future Christmases, but it was nice to be in the old house one last time. They will move into the new house at the end of February 2006. It was also great to see my nephew Oliver. What a funny boy he is! And, if I was worried that he wouldn't remember me, I was wasting my time. Every day, he was going around saying, "Auntie Mande, come with me! Auntie Mande, I want you to do this with me. You have to play this with me, Auntie Mande."
Christmas
On Christmas Eve, we had our first official family party and opened almost all of the gifts. Of course, we saved Mom's birthday presents for the next day. Aunt Cindy and her husband Steve had come all the way from Idaho to celebrate Christmas with us. It was their first visit home in 5 years. On Christmas Day, we checked our stockings, and then Mom and Dad left to pick up brother Seth and his new (secret) wife. Of course, she is no longer a secret, but we all go to meet her for the first time. She fits right in with the relatives, and in fact, her voice sounds just like some our cousins' voices. After they arrived, we started our second official celebration and ate a turkey dinner. Afterwards, we opened the rest of the gifts - Seth's and his new wife's, along with Mom's birthday gifts. Then we met Shannon's family and went on a sleigh ride (yes, a real sleigh with horses and everything!) in the woods. It was Yusuke's first time to do this, and I forgot to check on what he was wearing before we went out there. Of course, everyone else had long johns and ski pants on with scarves, hats, etc. But, Yusuke had a coat and a hat. He was freezing the whole time, but luckily the temperature was not nearly as low as it would normally get at this time of year. My bad!
The next day, we had a "free" day, but we were still quite busy. We were able to meet up with Carrie, my friend from high school. Yusuke had never actually met her before even though she came to our wedding. Also, we did our last-minute Walmart shopping, and then prepared to leave Antigo for our 1-day excursion to Madison.
Madison
In Madison, Mom and my aunt dropped us at our rental car we went our seperate ways. Yusuke was so excited to eat at his favorite State Street restaurant, Tutto Pasta. I would very much like to introduce him to some of my other old haunts, such as Dotty's Dumpling Dowry, but he seems to be stuck on Tutto. We ordered way too much, and halfway through the meal, we realized we were making ourselves sick, so we surrendered to the doggy bag. After that, we hoped to do some shopping on State Street, but Yusuke was suddenly feeling ill. We split up, so we could do some shopping separately, but when I found him in a coffee shop about 30 minutes later, he was a wreck. I called Shannon's house and asked them if we could go there earlier than planned so that Yusuke could rest. It was a 40 minute drive to their house, and I felt disappointed because I couldn't go clothes shopping at my favorite stores in Madison. I had pitched all of my underwear in Antigo so that I could buy a whole new supply, and I still needed to pick some up, at least a few day's worth.
Shannon's House
At Shannon's house, I put Yusuke to bed and promptly left (with her brother) to do some quick shopping in a town nearby. I hated having him present while I bought a whole slew of underthings, but he has always been like a real brother to me, so it didn't seem to bother him at all. Back at Shannon's, I checked on Yusuke who felt wholly abandoned by me. He said he was in hell and that he wanted to go back to Japan right away. I just couldn't imagine forgoing the rest of our trip, especially since we were basically giving Shannon a ride back to Colorado. At that point, I really felt at a loss. I went downstairs for dinner and found that Shannon's entire family (mom, dad, 3 brothers, 1 sister) and our friend Jill were there to celebrate Shannon's birthday (and possibly my homecoming). It had a lot of potential for fun and excitement, but I felt slightly overwhelmed. I was torn between wanting to visit with her family in the worst way and between having to take care of Yusuke. He was couped up in the bedroom, taking his temperature every 10 minutes (it reached 40 degrees C at one point!) and bemoaning the fact that he was missing out on so many things and that I didn't care about him. During dessert, which was Shannon's birthday cake, I started to feel strange as well. I picked at the cake for a while and then went upstairs to check on Yusuke. At that point, I started to feel extremely nauseous. I wasn't sure what to make of it, but I didn't want to tell anyone, especially since I had just been sort of making fun of Yusuke for being such a baby. When I went back down to the kitchen to make some more tea for him, the smell of the alcohol and food aromas in the air caused me to run to the bathroom and throw up. This lasted all night. I also was unable to visit with Shannon's family in the end! Late into the night/early in the morning, as I lay writhing in pain, I did something that I very rarely do. I actually prayed that I would get well and be strong enough to start the road trip to Colorado in a matter of hours. And, no, in case you are wondering, I am definitely NOT expecting!
Road Trip
In the morning, Shannon, Yusuke and I were planning to leave for Colorado. It would be a 19-hour drive, but we were planning to stop for the night in Missouri and then again in Kansas. Luckily, Yusuke awoke in the morning feeling fine. I felt markedly better, but had a sore back and headache. First we had to take care of our rental car, which had a "mechanical problem." We were supposed to trade it in for a different car before getting on the road. We meant to leave early, but after driving to the Hertz Care Rental in Janesville and filling out the new paperwork, we had to unpack and repack the car many times in order to get everything to fit into our new Toyota Camry. That wasted a good hour!
Then, we were on the road with Shannon at the wheel, me in the passenger's seat gabbing with her about our lives, and Yusuke taking up the rear, bored as ever because A) he still hadn't been given the chance to drive B) he thought Illinois was the most boring state ever C) he despised being in our presence during our girl-talk session D) All of the above. If you chose D, you are absolutely right. He was becoming increasingly annoyed with us, and he soon began masking all of his statements in sarcasm. Amateur sarcasm, if you must, because as we all know, Japanese people have not yet mastered the art of sarcasm. This, in inself, caused us to become increasingly annoyed with him. Need I say more?
By the time, we got to St Louis's Gateway Arch, 10 hours of hell-in-a-car had passed and everyone was exhausted. It should have only taken 6 hours from Janesville. Why the extra four hours? I have no idea because we didn't stop to see anything worthwhile along the way. Then, we still had two hours to drive to Jill's house where we would be staying the night.
Jill's house was peaceful and her cats are adorable, even though I don't consider myself a cat-person. She has a cute place, and I especially liked the red walls in the kitchen. Very tasteful. In the morning, we went to eat breakfast at a local diner, and then Jill rode with us to Kansas City where we planned to meet up with her boyfriend, Bill. Once again, Yusuke had to silently suffer through the noisy girl-chat, and he was noticeably getting more and more anxious by the second. I had to stop a couple of times so he could get out of the car and cool off. If we could have spent more than an hour in Kansas City, that would have been fantastic, but we were on a tight schedule and only had time for Kansas City Ribs. I was less than impressed, but this is just the start of my disatisfying food experiences in the USA on this trip. Up until now, I have always enjoyed the food on our trips, but this time was terrible. Anyway, on with the story.
We wanted to get on the road by 2pm (actual time - 3pm) so that Yusuke would have plenty of time to drive in the daylight. We wanted to come through on our deal that he would only be able to drive Kansas. We came to find that he is lacking in confidence, but at the same time, he is overly enthusiastic about the prospect of driving - much like we all were back in high school! However, this lack of confidence (not to mention competence) almost got us killed on the 75-mile and hour freeway, and I was kind of glad when, after 45 minutes, he decided he needed a rest and we switched drivers. Later that evening, he asked to drive again, and we let him for about 45 minutes. And, the next morning, we let him drive the first shift. It was still dark, and he was probably sleepy, so that was a mistake! I won't get into details, but let's just say that Shannon and I are really glad to be alive today. In reality, he just needs some more practice in Japan, and he needs to drive by himself with no one else in the car in order to gain that much needed confidence.
As mentioned above, we spent the night in Kansas, in small town called Hays. I heard there is a lot to see and do there if you are an American history buff, but we arrived late and had to leave early the next morning so as was the sucky thing about this whole road trip, we had no time to actually see anything! One good thing we discovered about Kansas is that the sunsets are absolutely gorgeous! We were driving right into the sunset and it was amazing.
Colorado
After Hays, we drove to Colorado Springs, and it took about 4 1/2 hours. Colorado Springs is located on the east side of the Rockies, so there is a wonderful view of mountains, including Pike's Peak and Norad. That afternoon, Shannon's boyfriend came over and took us to a place called Garden of the Gods. This used to be a sacred place to the Native Americans, a place where they speculated that the gods were living. Now, it is a national park with hiking trails, riding trails, etc. Shannon and I went horseback riding there several years back. This time, we only had time to drive around and take photos. We did stop at the souvenir store for a quite a while and we picked up a poster print called "Dancing til Dawn." It is a painting of four Native American women facing the sunset. They are wearing colorful blankets over their shoulders, and the colors of the blankets and the sunrise kind of blend together. After passing up a great piece last year in New Orleans, I had promised not to pass up art if I saw something I liked. Now, we'll be able to hang this up in our new apartment.
The next day, we met up with Shannon's boyfriend again, and the four of drove to a hot springs resort about 2 hours west of Colorado Springs. It is near a town called Salida. Shannon and I have been there before and we wanted to take the boys. I don't know what Russ thought of it (he seemed to enjoy it with Shannon, at least), and Yusuke thought it was interesting but that Japanese hot springs are definitely better. Okay, I will admit that Japanese hot springs are amazing, but this one had a certain charm as well. It seemed almost untouched, and we were all wearing swimsuits. And aside from the rocky springs, there were also two chloriene pools for swimming and hanging out in. But, when you look up at the mountains and evergreens which surround the resort, you really feel like you just stepped into John Denver's Rocky Mountain Vacation with the Muppets (which, by the way, we were forced to watch over and over again with Oliver while at my family's house!).
Although exhausted from our hot springs excursion, Russ and Shannon were planning a New Year's Eve/Birthday bash that night, so we went back to Colorado Springs to prepare for that. The party was at Russ's house and by the time we got there, Russ had decorated the house. It was a fun party even though we didn't know anyone except Shannon. We got to meet a couple of her friends, but mostly, it was Russ's friends who came. We never did get over our jet lag during this trip, so actually, Yusuke and I had agreed to take off early and get a cab back to Shannon's house. We would have liked to stay and party longer, but we were afraid that the longer we wait, the longer it would take for a taxi to come and get us. Meanwhile, Russ broke out his Karaoke video game, and everyone was taking turns at the mike. I would have loved to sing one of my Journey songs, but we couldn't. And Yusuke later told me that he regretted not being able to try it out. We took the taxi back to her house (Shannon stayed at the party, of course), and promptly fell asleep watching Meet the Fockers on DVD. Oh, how we love Ben Stiller movies, but for some reason, we just couldn't stay up past 10:30 during this whole trip!
The next morning, we waited for Shannon and to come home so we could do our last-minute shopping. I still wanted to buy lots of clothes, so we went to JC Penney's and Kohls where I proceeded to spend way more than I budgeted though. It's okay though because I love all the clothes I got. Shannon is a great helper when it comes to shopping. One of many talents is definitely choosing clothes for other people. That night, after packing our suitcases, Russ drove us to Denver so we could stay at a motel for the night. We would have to get up early to catch our flight back to Japan.
So, that was our trip in a nutshell. At the beginning of this blog, I described it as the worst trip ever, but now that I am done writing this, I feel that it wasn't so bad. Shannon was very understanding and hospitable. Russ was so nice to take us places, and he was fun to hang out with. It was great to see Jill and her condo, her cats and her new boyfriend. Also, everything went smoothly with my family - no major fights or gaffs. All in all, a nice trip.
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