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In: Life, Random, Reflections

I can’t believe that summer is almost over! Where has all that time gone? It’s been really hot here lately. Very hot and very humid. Worst part about this heat is that I actually have to be outside in it. The short travel time between home and work can feel like eternity in this heat. I’m just really glad that summer is coming to an end. I expect that the heat will start to cool down in October… Hopefully… I’ve actually been pretty occupied with work lately. In fact, I spent most of this month at work, getting things ready for the new school year.Read More →

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In: Japan

Quick tell me what color light is this. Green light, you say? Why, yes, it is indeed a green light….if you live outside of Japan. In Japanese, the word for green is “midori” and the word for blue is “ao.”  In Japan, they call green lights “ao-shingo“, or blue light.  You will never find a Japanese person referring to this light as a “midori-shingo” despite it’s obviously green color. Strange, isn’t it? I was pretty confused about this the first time I heard about it so I did a little googling. It seems that the word for “green” did not exist in the past andRead More →

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In: Japan, Random

I love watching Japanese evening news. Depending on what the topic is, I can understand at least 50% of what they are talking about most of the time. This summer, we got the usual government and political related news like who our new prime minister is this time (since they haven’t been able to keep one for more than a year apparently). Then, we had our usual weather news…well, mostly about the crazy rain and floods we had at the beginning of the summer to the incredible heat that we’re all suffering in right now.  It’s officially the hottest summer we’re experiencing in Tokyo ever. Read More →

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In: Updates

*ring ring* *ring ring* “I’m here, I’m here!  Don’t hang up!  I’m here!” *ring ring* “Hello?” *Beeeeeeeeeeep* “Not again…  I have got to talk to dad about getting a cellphone.”Read More →

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In: Japan

Follow the Yellow Brick Road. Follow the Yellow Brick Road. Follow, follow, follow, follow, Follow the Yellow Brick Road. – Wizard of Oz (by the way, today’s the 71st anniversary of the film…at least according to Google) You can find these yellow, bumpy strips on almost all the streets here in Japan.  These are here to help the blind navigate around the city and to prevent them from walking into traffic, off train platforms or into any dangerous situations. Bumps right before the edge of the train platform. Bumps before the stairs. Bumps to tell you where you can safely cross the street and whereRead More →

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In: Updates

This child…. She smiled, looked at us and rubbed both of her rice-filled hands into her hair while we watched in shock.  Then she laughed and threw rice at us. Crazy child.Read More →

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In: Life

Mind tired…brain function weakening… Been a very long day… Lots going on with family…good and bad… Sick child…home all day…cabin fever… Exhaustion… New project…in progress…more later….Read More →

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In: Life, Random

This weekend felt like a very, very long weekend. Normally, I try not to post on weekends. It’s mostly because I’m trying to spend less time at the computer and more time with the family and getting the rest I need. However, this weekend….I think I just need a small break and unload my brain a little… This heat wave we’ve been getting is really horrible. Apparently, it’s one of the hottest summers that Tokyo has had ever. Of course it’s also pretty hot all over the world right now too so were all getting baked alive together…unless you live in Australia, from what IRead More →