it's not life that matters but the journey...

So that's what it feels like to be busy?! I just got home at midnight, and I left the house this morning (well, yesterday morning) at 10:45 a.m.! Its going to take me a long time to get caught up on everyone's posts, and yesterday's comments, and also to write my own...

its been a long time since I've been gone for a whole entire day and night, and I feel like something is missing (I'm usually glued to this darn computer day and night). My cat sure did miss me - since he was alone all day and all night (poor baby is used to someone always being here). But I did have a good time today!

I taught the kids in Shimizu, and it looks like I will only have two more lessons with them. Since I told Noriko I was thinking of returning to the U.S. in the spring, the kids' mothers decided to find another school (or teacher) for the kids starting in April (which is when new classes begin in Japan), so I'm getting the boot. Well, not really, since I am the one leaving... It will be sad to say goodbye to the kids, but I will still teach Noriko a couple times before I go I think. Plus she and her friend invited me to this Italian village in Nagoya (I guess they even have a real gondola and horse drawn carriages, and an Italian buffet lunch) before I move. Should be fun! My first trip to Italy (well, its about as close as I will get for awhile)!!

After teaching, I went to Kambara, my old home town (from when I taught here six years ago), and met my friend Naomi for dinner and a movie. We spent nearly an hour in traffic, then went to a crowded "family restaurant" and had to endure the piercing screams of a child for almost the entire meal (apparently Japanese parents don't understand the concept of taking their screaming children outside to avoid bothering customers - I might write more on that in another post, because its been something I've encountered in Japan many times before - a big cultural difference regarding parenting) The dinner was good, but I ate too much today so now I have a tummy ache.

And finally, after dinner, we saw "Walk the Line" and it was absolutely incredible! I was totally amazed at the singing, and acting, that Joaquin and Reese did - and if at least one of them doesn't win an award, I'll be very disappointed. I so enjoyed learning about Johnny Cash's life story - there was so much I didn't know! Very very good movie!! My only complaint was that the movie theater was so unbelievably hot that I was sweating, and having a hard time concentrating. Yes, it is cold outside, but there really was no reason that the theater had to be 80 degrees!!

so now I'm home, but Masahiko is just now leaving Tokyo after his gig - so he won't be home for three hours. Me, I think I'll go to bed now, and write more later... sorry for not commenting or replying, but I will get caught up soon.

I just got this in an email from my cousin Linda, and its quite funny (in a twisted, warped kind of way)

but caution, this is for girls' eyes only: (not that any boys read my journal, hmmm)...

( girly stuff here )

my sleep schedule has been so weird lately. Last night, after returning so late, I was online until 2 a.m. and then slept sporadically until 3:45 a.m. when Masahiko finally returned from Tokyo. I awoke again at 6 to feed the cat, then slept again until about 9:30 - then finally got up. tonight I think I'll try to sleep before midnight since we will be leaving tomorrow by 8:30 a.m. to go to the ocean, more specifically the Izu Peninsula east of here. Masahiko's friend, who he played with yesterday, invited us to go there with his family - the boys will surf, and the girls (and his friend's kids) will hang out and watch, I guess. I just hope its not too cloudy or raining - if its sunny, it should be fun!

that got me thinking: I wonder how many people know where I'm living in Japan? 
here's a map, and if you can see where it says Shizuoka, and just above that Fuji, that's where I'm living!  so you can see in relation to Tokyo and other places, just where we are:  http://www.expedia.com/pub/agent.dll

tomorrow we are going to the Izu Peninsula, which is in Shizuoka prefecture just to the east of here (you can find Fuji on this map, and look to the east where it says Izu Hanto):  http://www.expedia.com/pub/agent.dll  of course I don't know exactly where we are going, but I'll let you know when I get back!

oh, and on a sad note, my digital camera died - its gone to camera heaven, so I have to see if I can get film (and a battery) for my other camera so that I can take some photos!  and I need to buy another digital camera  - which shouldn't be a problem here in the land of electronics (if I can be sure that it has a booklet and software in English - otherwise, it won't do me much good!!)

I'm thinking I should start a series of postings on here about strange Japanese customs and daily living in Japan (such as toilets, trains, restaurants, shoes, showers, etc...)  what do you want to hear about first?