What It's All About

So the last few days (maybe even a week now) I've started to feel blue about the upcoming holiday and not being around my family for the first Christmas EVER. I've been trying to live in the moment here in Japan and not forget about the past but not take the present for granted either. It's been working for the most part (it's helped me in those very sad seconds when I think of my cats and remember that unconditional love that was waiting for me everyday when I came home). Today I had a break through on what I can do to beat this onset of depression into submission. As some of you may know I'm going through a transformation while in Japan. I'm changing (or baking) into the best version of myself. I have the book "The Four Agreements" to guide me down this road of self discovery and it's liberating it feel the false misguided beliefs I once held onto so dearly crumble away. It's important to understand this about me because it will give light to what I'm about to say.

Today at work we had to put on a U2 concert video because the movie I rented (Gremlins, the perfect Christmas movie) was all scratched and not watchable. Sometimes I forget how much I like U2 because I don't listen to them often but I love that their music is about love, spirituality, politics, and changing the world for the better. I enjoyed listening to them so much at work I decided to pull up Joshua Tree on my iPod and listen to them on the bike ride home. I started to think about my journey to Japan and all the people and places I've seen along the way and that's when the epiphany or inspiration hit me.

(Hold on people...we're gonna go down a slight detour but it will make sense it the end. Please bare with me...) Vancouver has a serious homeless problem. People have always told me how beauty the city is (and it really is quite breathtaking) but it also has a serious homeless problem no one seems to talk about. It's so bad that people where telling me about how the city officials plan to ship off the homeless to Victoria when the Winter Olympics arrive. I wouldn't be too surprised if this is true because countries go CRAZY when the Olympics come. Look at Beijing. Anyway...when I was there for training, every night I saw an overwhelming amount of people sleeping on the cold streets and the distance I had to travel on a typical night was only about a 1.5-2 miles. Many of the homeless people would work "jobs" for money (like holding the door open for you when you walked into the 7-11) and they did it with a smile on their face, kindness in their eyes, and would still wish you a good evening even if you gave them nothing. Now I'm not naive by any means. I understand some people are homeless because they have a drug problem (that was another surprising element to Vancouver, the amount of drug addicts) while others are homeless because of mental illness (undiagnoised mental illness is a major contributor to the homeless problem in America, especially in NYC). But even if we understand the reason it doesn't excuse us from not creating a solution to the problem.

The reason I bring up Vancouver, and my eye opening experience to their homeless problem, is there is something we can do about it this Christmas season (and more importantly ever day of our lives). To all my family and friends, who I love and miss dearly, for the time and money you would have spend on or with me if I was home for the holidays, I humbly ask of you to spend it on those in need. Don't send me any presents or cards. Instead please spend it on a charity. There are so many big and small organizations that could use all the help they can get. If you don't have any money than give your time. Give the time you would have spend hanging out with me on collecting donations or handing out food to the homeless. If you live in Minnesota I can tell you the names of the places I liked to volunteer for if you don't know where to go. Many of you know I've never had much money but I always thought I was doing something worthwhile with my life when I volunteered (even if it was just 2 hours spent on making safe sex kits for the Minnesota AIDS Projecct and talking about how a chocolate flavored condom would go well with a vanilla flavored lube!)

And for my part I'm gonna spend the time and energy I would have spent on being sad because I can't see you for Christmas on finding a charity I can volunteer and donate to here in Japan. They don't have a Toys for Tots and since they don't seem to be a very gay friendly country I doubt I'll find an AIDS organization to work with but I'll ask my JET tomorrow about local charities and see if he can help me in this mission. I know I live in a small town but there has got to be something somewhere. Finally thank you for taking the time to read this. I know it's not the shortest of blogs (and probably my most impassioned) but I've never been one to shy away from emotionally going where a lot of people may not want to go.

Oh and before I forget...thank you Sarah G for suggesting I donate my old mittens to that homeless man in Vancouver. Where others ignored them you saw them as nothing but human. Liz...I wish I could be there on the streets with you donating your time to bring awareness to the homeless in MN. Don't worry I'm still gonna pay your good deeds forward. And for all the others, who do good things everyday but never tell a soul, I admire you and one day hope to have a soul as beautiful as yours. Take care of each other. We're all we've got!

Kyoto

Ok so I've FINALLY put up my pictures of Kyoto. I went for the first time about a month ago and the link to the photos are posted below. Kyoto is a beautiful city rich with Japanese culture. It's really pretty there now with the leaves changing colors and will be even more breathtaking in the spring when the cherry blossoms are in bloom.

The one strong memory I still have of my first trip to Kyoto was the smell of incenses at the top of a temple and hearing the cries of crows and the low hum of a gong in the distance. A woman silently prays to the left of me and to the right of me is a cemetery the stretches endlessly beyond the view of my naked eye.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=71912&l=efca6&id=615202714

Christmas in Japan

Ok so Christmas never really starts for me until AFTER Thanksgiving. I don't care that the advertisements for toys and gifts starts at the end of October/beginning of November. I believe in giving Thanksgiving its props and not even DISCUSSING Christmas until we thank all the people that we love for the blessings that we have. Now that that's been said, Christmas season has finally begun for me. I'm not a huge Christmas person. It was a massive holiday for me as a child but now I'm just glad to spend the time with friends who are home for the holidays and coming up with quality gift ideas for the ones I love. Now that I find myself far away from home, I've come to realize this holiday means more to me than I ever really knew. The relevation came to me yesterday.

So the other day my co-worker and I decided to put up a Christmas in the office after our last class (actually it was more like me directing him on correct ornament placement and how neon pink is a very tacky color for Christmas decorations and will be NOT be put up around or in our office). But I couldn't decorate the tree without Christmas music playing or more specifically without the music of "A Charlie Brown Christmas". It's a tradition my family has and I can't dare to break. So I pulled up youtube on the work computer (which is a big no-no but I didn't care) found a clip from the beginning of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" with the song "Christmastime is Here" and played it as loud as our crappy speakers would go (which in reality was just a whisper) but it was enough for me. I only let it play once before I put on my headphones and listened to "Christmas Remixed" (a compilation of old Christmas songs with people like Dean Martin, Andy Williams, and Louis Armstrong singing but remixed) on my iPod. I knew I hadn't let the family Christmas tradition of always decorating the tree with Charlie Brown music being played die and I was happy. I even gave my co-worker my iPod and had him listen to some Christmas music for a bit while we decorated. It felt like Christmas had truly begun.

So in my excitment (or pleasure) of decorating the tree I went on to the decorate more of the office. I did the staircase, put a wreath on the outside door, and told my co-worker there is a checklist of things we need to buy. First we need a star for the tree (alas the teacher that came before me didn't leave one), mistletoe, a tree skirt, and a Santa hat. It was fun explaining to my co-worker what a mistletoe was for (kissing) and the purpose of a tree skirt (to keep the presents clean). He's never had an American co-worker before and from what I've learned, Japanese people don't really have a holiday comparable to Christmas. Christmas is about eating some of your favorite meals you only get maybe once or twice a year (I know I LIVE just to savor my mother's macaroni and cheese), the anticipation (and appreciation) of great gifts and taking time off to spend with your loved ones. But my co-worker told me a big difference between Americans and the Japanese (and maybe the reason why don't really have a holiday like Christmas) is that the Japanese live to work whereas we work to live. Hmmm....

Anyway...while my co-worker and I were decorating I came up with a wonderful plan. On Wednesday he and I are gonna go to the 100 yen shop and buy little gifts for the children at our school and put "From Santa" on them. Throughout the week we're gonna point out the gifts to the children but tell them they can't open them until the week of Christmas (which they'll hate). My overall plan is to teach the children about the RIDICULOUS amounts of anticipation us American children had to experience every year because we couldn't WAIT to see what Santa brought us. In the end they'll finally understand the true torment of good American Christmas. :-)

Hosed

I have loved the expression "hosed" ever since I first saw the Mountain Dew commercial with Davey and Goliath - Tommy: "What just happened here?" Davey: "We got hosed Tommy. We got hosed." Goliath: "Oh Davey." (to watch it the link is below)

http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=aSU_W30kMm4

This information I'm about to share I'm not supposed to know about it until next week when I see my Native English Teacher (NET) trainer in Day One/Day Two training in Osaka. What he's going to tell me is my ONLY co-worker and the ONLY Japanese English Teacher (JET) has just quit and I will be the ONLY teacher at my school indefinitely. I will have to take over all of his classes and students and the JET is supposed to miraculously create a work schedule where I'm NOT working over 29.5 hrs a week (good luck with THAT!) Plus we don't even have a manager at our school right now. Technically every school should have one manager, one NET, and one JET; that's the minimum. But in my case it's just me and the JET. And now that the JET is leaving, it just ME. Oh the company SAYS they will send us a manager but they will not be replacing the JET. So the JET and I have no idea when or if a manager will show up. And if the manager DOES show up, s/he will be a new manager so they will know LESS than I do. So I only have the month of December to train myself to take over the JET's classes and any manager duties I may need to know about; like sending in Daily Teaching Reports (DTR) to Head Office, ordering books and paying for students' classes online, payroll, etc.

I just got hosed Tommy. I just got hosed.

Cemeteries in Japan

Here's a link to more pictures I took within the first 2 weeks of arriving in Japan. I think cemeteries can be beautiful and serene. It's a place where life can stand still (no pun intended) and you can find some peace and reflection within yourself and for this precious temporary life we are given. Call me strange but I like them.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=67559&l=750c3&id=615202714

Tony, Takeshi, and John Woo

So I've just gotten back from seeing a great movie directed by John Woo. It's entitled "Red Cliff". Unfortunately it will not be coming to the States anytime soon (if at all) but I think American audiences would love it. It's got plenty of action, clever fight scenes and a lovable underdog. Americans can't help but cheer on David everything he battles Goliath.

But the real reason why I'm endorsing this movie is because of Tony Leung. Some of you may know him from "Lust, Caution", "Hero", or "2046". He is a great actor. And how do I know this...because I just spend 2 hours watching a movie in Chinese with Japanese subtitles (I don't understand either language) and I could comprehend EVERYTHING Tony's character was thinking or saying just by his facial expressions and subtle looks. This man can emote SO MUCH with his eyes! It's amazing! I can't say enough about him... Rent one of his movies as soon as you can.

Also I must recognize Takeshi Kaneshiro. Takeshi has been a crush of mine for a while (he is beautiful beyond words and I can stare at him for hours) and thankfully Takeshi has been in a couple of movies with Tony Leung; first "Chungking Express" and now "Red Cliff". Takeshi is the reason I spent $18 to go see the movie (I've never paid that much for a movie in my life! Even the movies at IMAX are cheaper. Also I was worried that I wouldn't get the chance to see this movie outside of Asia) but Tony is the reason why I'm gonna spend another $18 to see the 2nd part. Oh did I forget to tell you that...yeah this movie is has TWO parts with the second half not coming out till April. Thankfully I'll still be in Japan and I'll have something to look forward to in the spring; that and the cherry blossoms of course. :-)

A New Day

I`ve always had hope for America and the citizens of it. Today my hopes materialized when Barack Obama was elected our new president. Not because he is the first Black President but because he brings with him the change and determination needed to heal this country back to the inspirational and empowering place it was always meant to be. Have a great and BEAUTIFUL Wednesday!!!