Fighting off the jet lag

Day 4 back in Japan and the jet lag is kicking my butt. The cold I have at the moment is probably not helping. But it's still good to be back. I've been in the onsen at the gym everyday since I returned, made a curry, ate ramen, and had the door not held for me about 3 times! But yes, it's good to be back! I really think that chivilary is one of the things I miss most about the States. Not just pausing and keeping the door open as you walk through (which, believe it or not, does even always happen here), but actually pulling the door open and stepping aside as you walk through...I swear, the first few times that happened to me in the States, I wanted to kiss the guy! Helloooo, lowered expectations! Seriously, those kinds of things...the door holding, the bag carrying, the letting me get into the elevator first...it's just so nice, it makes your day. Men of the world, I implore you...do not let chivilary die as it has done in Japan. Well, I'm not sure it was ever here in the first place.

(I'm having serious deja vu and think that I might have blogged about this before. Sorry for being redundant. Clearly, it's something I think about.)

I think my rice is about done. I'm going to eat so I can go to bed. I'm really enjoying waking up so early and having a long morning but it makes the nights so tough. Enjoy the week.

New Year, New Blog

Since I've been home, I've had many people ask me why I never update my blog anymore. I guess the answer is because Tokyo had just become home...do you all really care that I picked up my dry cleaning today or that it was cold out? I assumed not. It could have also been that I didn't find the later part of 2007 particularly exciting. After skiing in February, the hike in May, and a week in Hong Kong in July, the rest of the year was just work. Good work, a new job that I like alot but still just work...and everyone knows that all work and no play makes for a grouchy girl and a pretty boring blog! After 2006 (which went something like Hong Kong, skiing, Sydney, NY/PA, Shanghai, Hong Kong, London/NY/PA, Korea, Uzbekistan/Tajikistan, Beijing, Singapore!!), 2007 left a lot to be desired on the excitement scale. Hum, you know, it was my yakadoshi year (year I turned 33 and for women, a year of major calamity). Maybe instead of a major calamity (which I didn't have), I just had a boring year. Fair enough. Give me a boring year over major calamity any day, Shinto Gods. So, my New Year's resolution is to revive the blog and make sure I've got something to blog about...other that work and dry cleaning!

And I do. But not now. :) My 2008 started in the States. It has been an unbelievably fantastic 5+ weeks but sadly, it's time to return to Japan. I have very mixed feelings about it. While I am looking forward to getting back to work and getting started with the year and getting back into a routine and seeing all my sweet friends that I miss, I am so going to miss PA, my family, my friends here and really just being in the States. I know. I thought I would never say it but it appears that I have. I'm still really happy in Asia and really am looking forward to this year but am also starting to look forward to moving back home. Have no idea when that will be but it's probably why I'm looking forward to getting back to Tokyo...to see what's going to come next and when.

I'll be sure to get some entries posted over the next week when I'm up at 3:00 in the morning fighting with jet lag. The NY eating post makes my mouth water just mulling it over in my head! I really did have the most incredible time even though it started out on a very sad note. I'm grateful that I could be here and be here so long.

My flight is on the early side and I haven't packed yet so better make my way upstairs. Hope this finds everyone well, happy, and enjoying 2008!