again?

So the snow that two days ago was a novelty is still here, trying hard not to melt in quaint little piles around town (if you've seen the snow piles that would accumulate in the old Fayetteville Mall parking lot, then you know what a real snow pile looks like).  Tonight, it wasn't so exciting to discover as I was taking out the ridiculous daily ration of garbage that it is, once again, snowing in Tokyo.  Not Funny.

We did have a nice day though, eating all of our meals at home (yes, this is a major accomplishment for us these days) and doing a lot of work(jeff)/reading(melissa) at a coffee shop.  Well, we did have coffee and a choco-cro (chocolate croissant) but that doesn't count, right?

I started a new book by Natsume Soseki, the author of Kokoro, and I am less that 15 pages from the end so I think I can safely say I'll be finishing it tonight.  Unless we watch all of last week's Daily Shows before bed.....

Mata ne,
Melissa

photo from choco cro website

let it snow... somewhere else

A few of you have asked me about the weather, so while you're all recovering from the latest "storm of the year" coverage on the news, I thought I'd gloat share.

In Tokyo, this year at least, the weather is actually quite nice.  It's definitely "winter" but more of the mid-November/early-March winter than January winter that we're used to in the Northeast. The average daytime high for January (I just looked it up on weather.com) was somewhere between 45˚ and 50˚ F (around 10˚ C if anyone out there actually knows how the metric system works) with average nighttime lows between 30˚ and 35˚ F (hovering just over 0˚C - that one's easier).  We even had a few days over 60˚!

Generally it's been a sunny winter - something I thought was an oxymoron coming from Syracuse, New York.  We've had not even a hint of snow and not too much rain, either.  Unfortunately, today has been rainy and gross and under 40˚.

NOOOOOO!!!  Jeff just called me (he's on his way home from a coffee shop where he was doing some work - Me? A distraction?) and told me to look outside.  It's beginning to look a lot like... Syracuse.  Yes, February 1, Old Man Winter arrives in Tokyo and brings some fluffy white snow with him.

 

I made Jeff take pictures of me when he got home - stuff like this doesn't happen everyday in Tokyo!  Here you can see our very, very sad looking "backyard."

 

Ok, it doesn't look like much, I know, but the snow is sticking (for now at least)!  And yes, there is a funny shadow on my face where the flash hit a falling snowflake.  I don't have a new giant mole.  Our "backyard" as you can see, is somewhat lacking.  We are seriously looking forward to enjoying our spacious American backyard without dirty, peeling concrete walls and green turf when we get home. 

We got to enjoy two wonderful treats this evening after our fun in the snow.  First, we bought fabric softener the other day and I did our first load using it tonight (we have to line dry everything as we have no dryer - and have I mentioned before, our washer is outside?) so finally we won't have dry, crispy clothes to wear!  Now everything's drying on our dry rack hung under the wall heater and making this place smell glorious! (Too many "dry"s in that paragraph?  Yea, I thought so too.)

Second, Jeff whipped up an amazing breakfast dinner of English muffin topped with an egg, sauteed garlic, spinach, onions, and lox (that's smoked salmon for all you goyim out there).  YUM.

He's a regular Raymond Ray.  Now if I could only get him to wash all the dishes he used making it....

Mata ne,
Melissa

ramen times

Sumisasen*, New York Times.  I think you've been reading my blog.  You see, I totally beat you to the ramen punch. 

Well, I am glad at least the Old Gray Lady is on the bandwagon. 
 

Special thanks to Jeff's dad for sending us the link.  And the NYTimes for the photo.  Enjoy!

Mata ne,
Melissa

*excuse me

killing two books with one sun*

Yesterday I finished two, that's right TWO, books!  One of them I'd started earlier in the week and the other I read start to finish yesterday.  They were both by (very) well known Japanese authors and were translated (by others) into English.  I say this because having been translated to another language, one must wonder if any of the original style or charm that make the authors so well-liked is lost.

At least he never walked.

The first book is What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami.  It was recommended to us by my Ironwoman Aunt Nancy.  For anyone who is a runner, or participates in any activity where one spends considerable time alone with their thoughts and is constantly questioned about why they do it, I recommend taking a look at this book.  At just 180 pages, it is a relatively quick read.  More personal memoir than narrative, it has interesting insights into both the life of the runner and the life of the author.  I have to wonder, though, for someone who discusses the art of translating a novel without losing the beauty of the original words, if this translation does an adequate job.  Maybe I'll make Jeff read the original and tell me.  (For the record, he is playing sudoku on his phone in the background.)

The heart of things.
(Don't judge the 1 a.m. portrait by my husband.  He loves me just the way I am - at 1 a.m. or otherwise)

Kokoro (which is best translated as the heart of things, by Soseki Natsume) is the second book I read, the one I read cover-to-cover yesterday.  I think maybe it helps to have just a slight familiarity with Japanese culture and customs when reading this book - but really, just a slight familiarity - I was quite comfortable with all of the context required.  This book was first published in 1914 and is considered a classic of Japanese literature.  It is essentially a story of a friendship between two men - one young, one old - and the differences in how they interact with the world.

Much like Jane Austen, Natsume writes of a time when long entrenched traditions and the established social order meet with an evolving modern world, and the different ways that old and young people relate to the changing cultural context.  Sounds heavy, I know, but it was a quick read (250 pages - hence me reading it in one day) and I think a very thought-provoking tale addressing the concepts of friendship, love, jealousy, honor, and loneliness.  And the translation (be sure to get the one by Edwin McCellan in 1957) was wonderful. 

Check two more books off the list for me.  We're headed back to the library within the next few days and I plan to further my exploration of Japan through its classic literature.

Mata ne,
Melissa

*one sun is one day in Japan

City of Brotherly Love?

In just a few short days my baby brother will be landing at Narita so we are eagerly preparing for his much hyped visit.

Jeff and I are both super excited for sibling hosting part deux, this time with one less sibling squatting in our teeny tiny apartment.  Coming in over six feet tall, Aaron will likely find our place a bit cramped and will be doing a fair share of ducking while exploring the city, but he's already excited about the basketball game we've arranged for him. 

I just know Aaron is going to love Tokyo and we've been racking our brains for great things to do and see with him while he's here.  We haven't made any specific plans yet, and we don't want to spoil any surprises, so here are just a few things that I know Aaron will love about my temporary hometown.

The food:

Ramen, soba, udon, tempura, yaki niku, yaki soba, yaki tori, okonomiaki, sushi.  Yum.  What's not to love??  Ok, maybe tako yaki (tako = octopus) and the ten million kinds of mushrooms they have here, but that's just me.

Don't worry, Aaron, we'll definitely go for kai-ten sushi place while you're here (or as Leigh likes to put it - sushi-go-round).


Starbucks:
My baby brother has an affinity for (obsession with?) Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Lattes and the day they add them to the seasonal menu is a day of celebration in his world.  Unfortunately we've reached the time of year when they've run out of the appropriate spices at many locations and I didn't see them in Japan at all.  Lucky for him there is a Starbucks on almost every corner in Tokyo (though I haven't scouted a location where you can sit in one and look out the window at another like at Astor Place in NYC) with a wide range of caffeinated options for his enjoyment.  And an English menu.
(Point Tokyo: In addition to Starbucks, there are in fact many such high end coffee shops to chose from.  One is not limited to the Starbucks/Dunkin' Donuts dichotomy.)

Tully's:

Ok, Tully's Coffee, but he does like Tully's and coffee, so where can you go wrong?  Right?









Engrish:
My brother is an avid reader and a great writer and I think he'll be quite amused by the, shall we say, "liberties" taken with the English language. 

Public Transportation:

Aaron's been living in New York City since he graduated college and knows the ins and outs of the NYC subway system.  I think he will be impressed by the organization and efficiency of the Tokyo train system though.  The trains are never late.  Ever.  Oh, yea, and it's about a thousand times more comfortable and clean than in New York.  Maybe more.

This is my well worn English copy of the system. For perspective, it takes exactly one hour (the trains are always on time) to do the oval in the middle - this city is HUGE.

Can't wait to share more when he actually gets here!

Mata ne,
Melissa