Things I miss....

Patience IS a virtue.

Recently I met somebody that has dramatically changed my view on life and myself. He is unaware of this and had no intention to cause a drastic effect or even try to convince me of anything. He was simply stating his view on life and therefore triggered something inside me that brought to light everything that I have observed and unknowingly absorbed during my time here in Japan.
It seems that at 24 years old I would be close to figuring out my inner self, but no, it is not so. In one way I feel like I am getting old, as in, many opportunities have passed and the chances of many more coming are diminishing. This scares me; because I am not a sea anemone. I use this analogy because the sea anemone, conceived by sperm and egg or by hermaphroditism, is bound to a substrate; steadfast there until conditions become unsuitable. Only at that time does it detach and suction cup along the ocean floor to a more accommodating location. Although I'm sure there is a suitable comparison of myself to something meaningful out there, I'm going to just go ahead and say I'm like a plastic bag blowing in the wind. Nothing significant, but the potential exists. Being carried by the wind with no qualm about it. Fleeting from one location to the next. Although, a plastic bag has no mind to be selfish, and that's what I am. This person talked to me about how the Japanese hold patience as a virtue, something that Americans don't have. Also, how people live to help others and ensure that the people around them are cared for, before themselves. When I first came here, it was really hard for me to understand everybody working together. At many times I felt that so many people helping meant they thought I couldn't do it myself, that I was stupid or not strong enough. As embarrassing as it is to say out loud, and in public for that matter, I also did not understand people putting others first. It's not that previous to the conversation, I didn't care about people or want the best for them. Or that I only cared how well I did, I just didn't consciously put forth the unlimited effort to think about others before myself and act on that. A common theme amoung the gaijin was that, we didn't like sharing things. For example, if you buy a package of Pocky, you offer some to everybody around you, pass it around and eventually it comes back to you and you have a few left. Us gaijin were not game for that. Even if you did not offer, people would ask if they could have one and you would unenthusiastically let them have one. I am very ashamed that I felt this way. very. How could I ever feel this way when so many people have given all they have so that I can be sitting in this room right now? when they have cooked me meal after meal everyday? when they literally jump up from their work to get me something or to help ME out? I am so, so ashamed that I ever felt this way inside. BUT! I am so happy that this turnover occurred, whether it was because of what this particular person said to me or if it was just time for it to happen. I feel a clearness inside now and hope it continues without fail.

No, those are not hobos.

In America, if you see somebody sleeping on a bench in broad daylight then they are most likely a hobo or "drag rat", as we so eloquently call them in Austin. This is why I was very perplexed when Mr. Sekine took us to the Emperor's Palace in Kyoto and there were hobos sleeping on every single bench! Turns out, people just like to sleep whenever and wherever they can! Japanese work so hard, and so much, but never sleep so they're damn good at sleeping standing up on the train, on a bench in a park, while visiting a museum, in the kitchen while eating, during a speech, or while writing a letter.
I think I will utilize this when I get back to America, too bad I didn't come by this tactic while I was still in college!

Texas Toast

Hopefully most of you are aware of so-called "Texas Toast". You know, the needlessly thick, greasy, buttery pieces of toast that come with your equally as unhealthy Denny's breakfast or Dairy Queen chicken fingers and gravy. Well, in Japan, all bread is Texas Toast! and it only comes in packages of 6. At first I just thought that's what Aikiyo bought, no complaints there, I love the stuff. But I went to the LaLa grocery store to get bread, and it's all they've got! Just a big shelf of white, Texas Toast in packages of six. I was baffled. There was no wheat bread to be found aaaaaannnywhere! but there was a whole aisle dedicated to rice ;)

Highly Technological Toilets

Being in Japan, there's just so much to say about toilets!!! In addition to the previously discussed "squatters", we also have the "holy crap, this thing can wash my ass AND lift it's own toilet seat!!!!" toilet. This are the fancy ones - found in Sekine outings and nice office buildings. These things can make you a cappuccino if you want...but that would seriously just be sick..and unsanitary. Unlike, the squatters, I need to describe this toilet to you because it's just THAT cool! I'm going to tell you about the top of the line "holy crap, this thing can wash my ass AND lift it's own toilet seat!!!!" toilets, because, yes, I have experienced that many different types of toilets here in Japan.
To begin with, when you walk up to the thing, it lifts the lid for you! Very unexpected. Then when you sit down it makes a flushing noise and, if you so please, you can adjust the volume. Thank you for all the options toilet. Then once you've finished your business you can choose from a variety of ...showers. (My mom tried them all out and gave me the lowdown. She was very excited.) You can have your ass washed for you and even adjust the pressure. If you're a woman, you can uh, use the shower instead of toilet paper, how environmentally aware.

Of course, after playing with the toilet's many options then you have a dilemna... drip-dry, wipe or be on your way. Gambatte with that one!

The End.

It's a little breezy in here....

Something most people don't know about Japan is that the toilets are...well, squatters as we call them. For example - Gaijin says they have to go to the bathroom, but returns rather shortly with a sad look and says, "Aw, nevermind, they're squatters." Gaijin, especially females, will go to great lengths to not use the Japanese style toilets, including just holding it in until a Western toilet is found!
As you can see in the picture, the toilet is less of a toilet and more of a hole in the ground. This restroom was kind enough to provide a descriptive picture of the correct direction to face while using this facility...too bad I found it 7 months after arriving in Japan. Yep, that's right...I was facing the wrong way for a very long time. I kept wondering why the toilet paper was behind me, that was very inconvenient! Needless to say when people are squatting over a hole in the ground....you're never sure exactly why the ground is wet...if you catch my drift..ew.
This brings me to another subject, my mom. If you ever thought I was weird...meet my mom. And yes, Japanese squatters and my mom DO have something in common. Instead of an explanation, I will give you one short conversation we had while she was visiting me in Japan - Mom : "Oh yeah! I almost forgot to take a picture of the toilet!!", said with all seriousness and charisma.
Me: "Um.......what?"
Mom: "Yea, I want to make a book about toilets around the World. I think they're cool!!!" giving me a look of 'don't you think that's cool too?! because I'm so excited about this'
Me: Utter disbelief.


The End.
mom's book idea

Beaker

This is what I look like when I play clarinet... sad, but true!

Front ensemble

This is a re-start of my blog... let's begin.

I have officially made it full circle in the realm of the marching arts. I started off as a clarinet player, learned mello & french horn for BK (drum corps) & LHB (marching band), participated in winterguard with Nolan, played trumpet for Aimachi and am now in the front ensemble in the Aimachi winterline. I feel kind of turned around sometimes because I'm used to hearing the pit tinkering away in the far distance. For me, they have always been the people you only see every once in awhile unloading their equipment from the truck and then they roll away, not to be seen again until full ensemble. You can always hear them though, their sounds carry on the wind to you and you look around wondering where they heck they could be. Maybe today they're standing in the shade under a tree, or in that ditch over there, or in the street, who knows. Then you come to full ensemble, and whoa! there they are. Or you see them rolling along in a train of keyboards and various percussion equipment, always with the smallest person on the biggest piece of equipment. I've only touched the pit equipment a few times. One was in New York at this school with a hill probably on a 30% grade down to the field. Another was when a thunderstorm hit in San Antonio and being the typical Texas storm EVERYTHING started to blow and roll away, so the Northerners freaked and everybody ran away screaming and terrified. One more involved another storm, that I believe was in Virginia during my first year of drum corps. The staff thought the storm would pass, so we left all of our equipment outside. Lo and behold, it rained so hard it could have been a typhoon. So, of course, we had to haul butt through the needles-and-pins rain and grab anything we could to bring it inside.

Anyhow, now I'm IN the pit. Although I prefer to move and march, this is a very nice change of scenery and fun experience. I like how the pit is a small family, that always moves and works together. It's interesting to see how this section rehearses compared to guard, trumpet, the battery, etc. since there is no marching involved. I had always wondered how they moved their sticks up to the board in time together and swayed back and forth together. Stupidly, I figured they were just trained that way. But since there aren't dots to learn or feet to work on, every small detail can be ironed out, down to how far to lunge to either side. It's also nice to have alot of time to practice and clean things up on your own. With say, mello, you usually learn and practice everything in tandem. Sixteenth notes are cleaned together, the new melody is learned together. With the pit, although you're physically in the same room as one another, you have time to stick in your ear buds, crank up the metronome and clean your notes solo. Then when there's sufficient time, everybody (minade) plays together and the group is cleaned as a whole. Pretty nice, I'd say.

To sum up and conclude, I'm excited to be apart of this new group and see how they work. It's kind of like how you always wonder how penguins can live and survive in the Antartic, but now you're there living with them and experiencing it firsthand....although this is not quite as extreme. :)

Over and out,

-F