Who said some things are too good to be true? Does it ever seem like some things are just too simple? Do you ever feel suspicious about that which comes too easy?
I can't answer these questions yet, but next week, I will let you know my thoughts on this. Last weekend, Yusuke and I made an appointment to see the saleswoman for the apartment we fell in love with. This time, we wanted to bring his mom and sister with us. We figured they would be more objective about it and that his sister would ask a lot of necessary questions, since she is so good with that kind of stuff.
At first, his sister was almost snotty to the saleswoman...asking all kinds of questions while barely looking at anything. I whispered to the saleswoman to just do her thing and show the place just like she always does. Halfway through the apartment though, my sister-in-law and mother-in-law's attitudes completely changed, and suddenly it was as if the sun was shining on them, and they listened intently to everything the saleswoman was telling them. Meanwhile, Yusuke and I walked around and testing things - getting in and out of the bathtub, measuring the veranda, opening and closing doors. We could practically see our children running around the place creating havoc!
What was intended to be a short visit with the saleswoman turned into a 5-hour meeting. At some point during that meeting, Yusuke was suddenly filling out forms, running to the nearest ATM to fetch some earnest money (the money that you initially put down on the place to prevent others from making offers on it - basically it puts you first in line). By this time, we had chosen our exact apartment, and I was looking at the catalog of options and colors. Dishwasher...check. Normal-size actual oven...check. Heated toilet/bidet...check. (That last one is for Yusuke.)
How did this happen? According to my mom, when you find a place, it just hits you. You want it, and there is not much that will stop you from getting it. We spent the last two weeks making a pros and cons list, and we mulled it over 10 million times, and Yusuke kept me up at night looking over floorplans and prices. Obviously, we could not get it out of our minds. We meant to go look at other places, and we actually planned to go after our short meeting with the saleswoman on Saturday, but it never happened.
So, now we have to pay half of the down-payment this week. We are also applying for a loan at my bank. At the same time, the deadline for choosing colors and options of our liking is this week, so we have to make these choices whether this goes through or not. We'll pay the remainder of the down-payment in the fall, and then we'll move in next March.
More details after the loan goes through...keep your fingers crossed for us!
Monday, June 27, 2005
Monday, June 13, 2005
Moving into the Future
Yesterday, in the midst of Yusuke's busy work schedule (even on weekends lately), we managed to get a glimpse of our future. It was a very exciting day for us.
We decided to go look at a few apartments that are for sale. We have been researching and looking at places from afar since January, but this was the first time we would actually see the inside of one of these babies. First, we looked at a 20-year old apartment that is extremely close to our train station. As we would prefer to stay in the neighborhood, we thought we would be willing to put up with a slightly older apartment. However, the 4-bedroom place was quite small, and seemed even less roomier than our two-bedroom apartment. Without boring you with other details about the cleanliness, or lack thereof, the brightness, or lack there of, of the place, I will say that we made a quick getaway just as the real estate agent was asking us to sit down and fill out a "questionnaire."
Then, we took a little restroom break at a local department store, and happened upon a brand new pet store. I am vehemently against pet stores because it is likely that they get their supplies of pups from so-called puppy mills. I would rather purchase directly from a breeder, so that I can visit the place and see how the puppies are raised in their first few weeks. Anyway, though I would never buy a puppy from a pet store, I am never against going into one and staring with desire at all the puppies. We have researched and decided on the breed that we would like to get once we move next year, so we went straight to the cage holding that type of puppy. There was a big crowd around the cages, and the clerk asked me if I would like to hold the one I was staring at. At first, I denied my desire to do this, but she lead us over to a table where she sprayed our hands with disinfectant and told us to wait there. She reappeared with the little two-month old cutie. This particular one costs ¥258,000 (about $2500, several hundred more than the average going rate in Japan and the USA!). Anyway, she instructed me how to hold him, and I took him from her. God, he was so cute! I couldn't believe my luck to get to hold this little thing, if even for just a few minutes. I handed him over to Yusuke, but he was unsure how to hold him. He usually holds things (babies, bags of groceries, heavy plants, etc.) a little distance from his body, which makes it feel even heavier. I always tell him, "Hold it like a baby. Let your hip or stomach support it. Don't grip it too tightly!" He must have been holding the puppy a little too tight or something because he kind of whined. Yusuke immediately handed him back to me. He's gonna have to learn sooner or later! Anyway, I can't wait to get a puppy of our own!
So, happy and excited, we went next door to the model apartment/gallery of a new building that is currently being constructed in our neighborhood. I had been wanting to look at this place since I first noticed it being constructed last year, but Yusuke held off. He was afraid that I would totally fall in love with the model apartment, that I would be really obvious about it, and that the salesperson would try to take advantage of us. Finally, though, he agreed to take a look at it. We fell in love. Then, the salesperson took us through the model (which was of course the best and most expensive representation of the 10 layout plans that will make up this building), and the more we looked, the more we loved it. We spent a long time there going over lots of details with the salesperson. I could tell Yusuke was genuinely interested because he was asking lots of questions. When she went away to get something, I told him to ask if they allow pets because if they don't, it's not a possibility to live there. He said he was afraid to ask, but it turns out they do allow pets. Anyway, even though we're excited about this place imparticular, there are other places we are interested in, so I think we have to get much more serious about looking. The ideal thing about buying a newly built place like this is that there is still time to choose our own colors and we can alter the lay out plan a bit at this early stage. If we wait much longer, we won't be able to do that. No big deal, but it would just fun to do that!
This is exciting for me because I feel like this is the year we're finally moving towards a future. For the last three, we were quite stagnant, and I felt depressed about that. I am so glad that Yusuke is finally taking initiative this year, and together we are working towards planning for our future.
We decided to go look at a few apartments that are for sale. We have been researching and looking at places from afar since January, but this was the first time we would actually see the inside of one of these babies. First, we looked at a 20-year old apartment that is extremely close to our train station. As we would prefer to stay in the neighborhood, we thought we would be willing to put up with a slightly older apartment. However, the 4-bedroom place was quite small, and seemed even less roomier than our two-bedroom apartment. Without boring you with other details about the cleanliness, or lack thereof, the brightness, or lack there of, of the place, I will say that we made a quick getaway just as the real estate agent was asking us to sit down and fill out a "questionnaire."
Then, we took a little restroom break at a local department store, and happened upon a brand new pet store. I am vehemently against pet stores because it is likely that they get their supplies of pups from so-called puppy mills. I would rather purchase directly from a breeder, so that I can visit the place and see how the puppies are raised in their first few weeks. Anyway, though I would never buy a puppy from a pet store, I am never against going into one and staring with desire at all the puppies. We have researched and decided on the breed that we would like to get once we move next year, so we went straight to the cage holding that type of puppy. There was a big crowd around the cages, and the clerk asked me if I would like to hold the one I was staring at. At first, I denied my desire to do this, but she lead us over to a table where she sprayed our hands with disinfectant and told us to wait there. She reappeared with the little two-month old cutie. This particular one costs ¥258,000 (about $2500, several hundred more than the average going rate in Japan and the USA!). Anyway, she instructed me how to hold him, and I took him from her. God, he was so cute! I couldn't believe my luck to get to hold this little thing, if even for just a few minutes. I handed him over to Yusuke, but he was unsure how to hold him. He usually holds things (babies, bags of groceries, heavy plants, etc.) a little distance from his body, which makes it feel even heavier. I always tell him, "Hold it like a baby. Let your hip or stomach support it. Don't grip it too tightly!" He must have been holding the puppy a little too tight or something because he kind of whined. Yusuke immediately handed him back to me. He's gonna have to learn sooner or later! Anyway, I can't wait to get a puppy of our own!
So, happy and excited, we went next door to the model apartment/gallery of a new building that is currently being constructed in our neighborhood. I had been wanting to look at this place since I first noticed it being constructed last year, but Yusuke held off. He was afraid that I would totally fall in love with the model apartment, that I would be really obvious about it, and that the salesperson would try to take advantage of us. Finally, though, he agreed to take a look at it. We fell in love. Then, the salesperson took us through the model (which was of course the best and most expensive representation of the 10 layout plans that will make up this building), and the more we looked, the more we loved it. We spent a long time there going over lots of details with the salesperson. I could tell Yusuke was genuinely interested because he was asking lots of questions. When she went away to get something, I told him to ask if they allow pets because if they don't, it's not a possibility to live there. He said he was afraid to ask, but it turns out they do allow pets. Anyway, even though we're excited about this place imparticular, there are other places we are interested in, so I think we have to get much more serious about looking. The ideal thing about buying a newly built place like this is that there is still time to choose our own colors and we can alter the lay out plan a bit at this early stage. If we wait much longer, we won't be able to do that. No big deal, but it would just fun to do that!
This is exciting for me because I feel like this is the year we're finally moving towards a future. For the last three, we were quite stagnant, and I felt depressed about that. I am so glad that Yusuke is finally taking initiative this year, and together we are working towards planning for our future.
Thursday, June 09, 2005
Scenes from a Comedy
No, this post is not about the comedy elements of my life. It is about real American comedies. I am a big fan of sitcoms, Saturday Night Live, and many comedy films. It is hard to find a decent comedy here on the video rental store shelves. There is a small section devoted to comedy, but most are just lame. I have tried to introduce several comedies into Yusuke's life, and he really gets into Ben Stiller's movies and even likes some of the movies created by recent SNL alumni. However, he just doesn't get the older comedians like Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, etc.
Anyway, in one of my classes called Intercultural Communication, my co-teacher and I came across a blurb in the textbook about comedies and whether our Japanese students would understand and appreciate American-style comedy. Japanese-style humor is more slapstick - stick a finger up your nose and it's funny. So, we decided to challenge our students by showing them one scene each from four famous comedies. We'll see if they will understand and appreciate the humor.
Here are the scenes we plan to show:
Tommy Boy, starring David Spade and the late Chris Farley
"The deer thrashing around in the back seat of the convertible" scene
There's Something about Mary, staring Ben Stiller, Cameron Diaz and Matt Dillon
"The drugged dog" scene.
Zoolander, starring Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson
"The models at the gas station" scene
Orange County, starring Jack Black
"The crazy family interrupts college interview" scene
Do you have any memorable comedic scenes in your mind?
Anyway, in one of my classes called Intercultural Communication, my co-teacher and I came across a blurb in the textbook about comedies and whether our Japanese students would understand and appreciate American-style comedy. Japanese-style humor is more slapstick - stick a finger up your nose and it's funny. So, we decided to challenge our students by showing them one scene each from four famous comedies. We'll see if they will understand and appreciate the humor.
Here are the scenes we plan to show:
Tommy Boy, starring David Spade and the late Chris Farley
"The deer thrashing around in the back seat of the convertible" scene
There's Something about Mary, staring Ben Stiller, Cameron Diaz and Matt Dillon
"The drugged dog" scene.
Zoolander, starring Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson
"The models at the gas station" scene
Orange County, starring Jack Black
"The crazy family interrupts college interview" scene
Do you have any memorable comedic scenes in your mind?
Saturday, June 04, 2005
MTV Video Music Awards Japan 2005
There are some perks to being married to someone in the media business. Not that I am bragging or anything. There are some really unfortunate downers as well, but one perk is that we often get free movie tickets. And about once a year, Yusuke's boss passes him some free tickets to a big event. Last year, we got to attend a sumo wrestling tournament. This year we had a chance to go the MTV Music Awards.
Japan does have its own version of MTV, and it is related to the American version, but of course there is a bit (understatement) of focus on Asian music as well. So, the 5 nominees in each category often consisted of American musicians as well as Japanese, Korean, or other Asian musicians.
It was a nice mixture as I got to see some of my favorite Japanese musicians, like Daichi Miura. He is a totally HOT hip hop singer/dancer. I am embarrassed to admit how old he is because I am a high school teacher, so let's just leave it at that. Crystal Kay also performed. She is a really talented singer - half black and half Japanese. She grew up in Japan, so her songs are mainly in Japanese, but when she puts a few English words in her songs - well, it's obvious that she is fluent in both languages. Also, a relatively new singer named AI was nominated in a couple categories, but she wasn't slated to perform, unfortunately. I really wanted to see her as her mom is a member of AFWJ.
As for American musicians who showed up and performed - Hoobastank, Jamiroquai, Ashanti, and...are you ready for this?...Mariah Carey! Who else can say they have ever seen her perform live?
Now, Korean musicians are in a category all of their own. One Korean musician performed, and I had never heard of him, but his name is P. I am not sure how to spell it in English, but in Japanese, it is just Pi (as in "I have to go pee.") He was so hot! I am telling you, this guy is the Korean version of the Michael Jackson from the 80's, only 10 times better! Wow! You would just have to see his talent for dancing and singing for yourself.
So, Yusuke and I were sitting in the section for people who are "related" to the MTV awards. Yusuke's company was a sponsor. Anyway, we had a great view of the celebrity section down below, which was fenced off, but fans could stand right behind the fence and stare at their favorite celebs all night. I was so amazed at how they manage the celebrity seating section. They bring them out separately so that the crowd can go crazy over each one. Then they move them around throughout the show depending on what's happening next, performance times, camera angles, etc. Once a celebrity's job is done, they get moved to the back of the section to make room for others who get moved up, or they get escorted out never to come back. It was so crazy! I don't think there was enough room for every celeb to sit in the section, so some never appeared except when they did their part on stage. Many stayed backstage, or perhaps they came to the awards only to do their part and then leave. Really weird stuff, but of course, as a bit of a celeb gossip, I am totally fascinated by this.
And one more thing... you know how it is so obvious when celebrities at award ceremonies are reading their lines? Well, have you ever seen their teleprompter? Well, in the case of the MTV Japan awards, the teleprompter was this absolutely huge screen at the back of the auditorium. EVERYONE and their brother could read the teleprompter at any time. And, when a celeb messed up their lines, they would just rewind it and let them try again. Again, weird how so very scripted these things are!
Japan does have its own version of MTV, and it is related to the American version, but of course there is a bit (understatement) of focus on Asian music as well. So, the 5 nominees in each category often consisted of American musicians as well as Japanese, Korean, or other Asian musicians.
It was a nice mixture as I got to see some of my favorite Japanese musicians, like Daichi Miura. He is a totally HOT hip hop singer/dancer. I am embarrassed to admit how old he is because I am a high school teacher, so let's just leave it at that. Crystal Kay also performed. She is a really talented singer - half black and half Japanese. She grew up in Japan, so her songs are mainly in Japanese, but when she puts a few English words in her songs - well, it's obvious that she is fluent in both languages. Also, a relatively new singer named AI was nominated in a couple categories, but she wasn't slated to perform, unfortunately. I really wanted to see her as her mom is a member of AFWJ.
As for American musicians who showed up and performed - Hoobastank, Jamiroquai, Ashanti, and...are you ready for this?...Mariah Carey! Who else can say they have ever seen her perform live?
Now, Korean musicians are in a category all of their own. One Korean musician performed, and I had never heard of him, but his name is P. I am not sure how to spell it in English, but in Japanese, it is just Pi (as in "I have to go pee.") He was so hot! I am telling you, this guy is the Korean version of the Michael Jackson from the 80's, only 10 times better! Wow! You would just have to see his talent for dancing and singing for yourself.
So, Yusuke and I were sitting in the section for people who are "related" to the MTV awards. Yusuke's company was a sponsor. Anyway, we had a great view of the celebrity section down below, which was fenced off, but fans could stand right behind the fence and stare at their favorite celebs all night. I was so amazed at how they manage the celebrity seating section. They bring them out separately so that the crowd can go crazy over each one. Then they move them around throughout the show depending on what's happening next, performance times, camera angles, etc. Once a celebrity's job is done, they get moved to the back of the section to make room for others who get moved up, or they get escorted out never to come back. It was so crazy! I don't think there was enough room for every celeb to sit in the section, so some never appeared except when they did their part on stage. Many stayed backstage, or perhaps they came to the awards only to do their part and then leave. Really weird stuff, but of course, as a bit of a celeb gossip, I am totally fascinated by this.
And one more thing... you know how it is so obvious when celebrities at award ceremonies are reading their lines? Well, have you ever seen their teleprompter? Well, in the case of the MTV Japan awards, the teleprompter was this absolutely huge screen at the back of the auditorium. EVERYONE and their brother could read the teleprompter at any time. And, when a celeb messed up their lines, they would just rewind it and let them try again. Again, weird how so very scripted these things are!
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Christmas 2004 Music City Tour
Last Christmas, Yusuke and I took a road trip around the southern region of the USA. We called it our "Music City Tour" thus the title of this entry. It was an interesting trip, to say the least. We have decided that the best time to road trip in the USA is any season except winter. Even in the South, it was cold and there was more ice than we could have imagined. We also decided that Christmas is a really lonely time if you are not spending it with your family. Yes, Yusuke and I ARE a family now, but I meant my extended family or his. Or Shannon's family. Many places are closed on Christmas Day and Eve. Opening your presents in a hotel room while watching America's Most Wanted is not my idea of a happy Christmas. Okay, enough complaining now! We are most definitely going to Wisconsin next Christmas!
I have attached a link to our photos of our trip. We had just purchased a digital camera and it has taken me this long to learn the ins and outs of it. To find the link, click on the title of this entry. It should take you directly to my photo album website. Each photo is blogged, so if you're interested, you can read the descriptions of each photo. (There are only 19!)
So, anytime you see an entry title in my blog that has three dots next to it, you'll know that there is a link attached to it.
I have attached a link to our photos of our trip. We had just purchased a digital camera and it has taken me this long to learn the ins and outs of it. To find the link, click on the title of this entry. It should take you directly to my photo album website. Each photo is blogged, so if you're interested, you can read the descriptions of each photo. (There are only 19!)
So, anytime you see an entry title in my blog that has three dots next to it, you'll know that there is a link attached to it.
My Husband
Still practicing the how-to of a blog. I thought I would put a photo of Yusuke up here. Some of you have seen this photo already. I think it's not the best one, but some people have said we look tremendously happy in this picture, so I've grown to really like it. Why can't we be smiling like that every day?
Yusuke and I have known each other for 12 years. But you never REALLY know someone until you live together. Having a roomate (especially someone of the same sex) is challenging. Shannon and I can definitely vouch for this, as we almost broke up a few times due to our roommate issues in college. Eventually, we agreed that living together was in fact ruining our best friendship, and so we made the grown-up decision to live on the same street, but in different houses. In the case of a marriage, you can't do that. If your partner's living habits bug you, you can only complain so much before it begins to sound like nagging, or even worse, it reminds the partner of his/her own parent. How many times have I said to Yusuke, "You are not my father!" and how many times has he said to me, "You are not my mother!"? In a marriage, you get to the point where you may have to put up and shut up.
I know that Yusuke has so many complaints about me. He thinks I don't clean enough. Anyway, here are my current complaints about him, but I don't have the heart to say anything because they seem so lame.
1. He doesn't throw his dirty clothes (particularly, his socks) INTO the laundry basket. He carefully throws them just OUTSIDE of the basket. When asked why, he has been known to say "The stuff in the basket is dirty." Yes, I suppose it is dirty in there.
2. He doesn't put the dirty dishes INTO the plastic wash bowl, which sits inside the large sink. The bowl serves a purpose, and that is so we can use the sink for other things, such as washing vegetables and whatnot. Instead, he sets the dishes just outside the bowl. See the recurring theme? I keep telling him that it wouldn't be a problem if we had a dishwasher. He just scoffs.
You can see why it might hard to keep up with housecleaning, just based on these two examples. Anyway, I do love him dearly, and I wouldn't let something so "lame" get in the way of our good times. However, it sure does make me appreciate Shannon's living habits, in comparison. At least, Shannon and I had the added benefit of girl talk and cable TV. Oh, the things I miss!
Yusuke and I have known each other for 12 years. But you never REALLY know someone until you live together. Having a roomate (especially someone of the same sex) is challenging. Shannon and I can definitely vouch for this, as we almost broke up a few times due to our roommate issues in college. Eventually, we agreed that living together was in fact ruining our best friendship, and so we made the grown-up decision to live on the same street, but in different houses. In the case of a marriage, you can't do that. If your partner's living habits bug you, you can only complain so much before it begins to sound like nagging, or even worse, it reminds the partner of his/her own parent. How many times have I said to Yusuke, "You are not my father!" and how many times has he said to me, "You are not my mother!"? In a marriage, you get to the point where you may have to put up and shut up.
I know that Yusuke has so many complaints about me. He thinks I don't clean enough. Anyway, here are my current complaints about him, but I don't have the heart to say anything because they seem so lame.
1. He doesn't throw his dirty clothes (particularly, his socks) INTO the laundry basket. He carefully throws them just OUTSIDE of the basket. When asked why, he has been known to say "The stuff in the basket is dirty." Yes, I suppose it is dirty in there.
2. He doesn't put the dirty dishes INTO the plastic wash bowl, which sits inside the large sink. The bowl serves a purpose, and that is so we can use the sink for other things, such as washing vegetables and whatnot. Instead, he sets the dishes just outside the bowl. See the recurring theme? I keep telling him that it wouldn't be a problem if we had a dishwasher. He just scoffs.
You can see why it might hard to keep up with housecleaning, just based on these two examples. Anyway, I do love him dearly, and I wouldn't let something so "lame" get in the way of our good times. However, it sure does make me appreciate Shannon's living habits, in comparison. At least, Shannon and I had the added benefit of girl talk and cable TV. Oh, the things I miss!
Monday, May 30, 2005
Welcome, Welcome, Welcome!
One of my goals this year was to start a blog or personal website so that I could post messages, thoughts and photos for friends and family back in the USA. This is going to be fun once I gather some of my photos together and post them up here. I've noticed that email has made people really lazy. It's as if we can no longer take time to write a real letter, and now we're at the point where we can't even take the time to write a real email. Once in a while, I get forwards from Shannon or my mom, and I think, "Wait, is this it?" Then, I usually press delete...sorry, guys! However, Mom does send the weekly email update. No matter how short this is, it is greatly appreciated. As for other friends, I find as time passes, the distance also seems to grow. We hear from each other less and less, and then pretty soon it's just the annual Christmas cards...for those that even bother with those. Let's try to keep in touch more! I want to know what's going on in your lives, no matter how boring. And, in keeping with this theme, I'll let you know what I'm up to. All you have to do is put this blog in your favorites, and then check in sometimes. Comment when you have something to say, or email me and give me some updates on your lives! I would love to hear from you!
Well, as I learn how to use this blog, it will get more interesting from my side. I've got to figure out how to get photos up here next.
Well, as I learn how to use this blog, it will get more interesting from my side. I've got to figure out how to get photos up here next.
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