I have tons of things to post right now, but I am jumping ahead again to wish everyone a Merry Christmas!
My bosses realized that since classes ended on the 24th, there probably wouldn't be any students coming to the school today, and therefore, no English teachers would be needed.
Christmas off! Hooray!
Russell spent Christmas Eve making chicken soup. We had a roast chicken carcass left over from the awesome Christmas party we threw on Wednesday (there will be a post coming). Not wanting to waste even a morsel of roast chicken, Russell set about making delicious soup. I was very lucky when I came home.
So after the soup we started staring at our little pile of Christmas gifts. We had originally intended to wait until Christmas morning (especially since I knew I wouldn't need to go into work after all) but the gifts won out. We opened them on Christmas Eve.
Russell got a Takoyaki pan and related utensils along with a bottle of Glogg and a bag of hard gummy ninja treats. I got convertible glove mittens, a cell phone charm with a compass in it and here's the best part:
Gift certificates to the Cat Cafe!
Apparently, the cat cafe is a small cafe with tons of cats in it. For $10 you can spend an hour snuggling cats. For $12 you can snuggle cats AND drink a beverage and for $15 you can snuggle cats and drink an alcoholic beverage. I can't wait! I kind of feel like I'm cheating on my cats at home... I hope they'll understand...
So wherever you are, if you are celebrating Christmas, Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year to everyone.
Friday 25 December 2009
Sunday 13 December 2009
Unwelcome Surprises
Its been a long time since I have felt the urge to fret over mold. Most of the worry passed with the muggy summer weather. Fall has been lovely and considerably less damp. Winter, however, is now setting in and bringing with it cold winds and rooms covered in condensation in the morning.
Pop quiz:
Let's say you were to go to flip your futon over one morning and upon flipping it over found a dark spot in the middle. Upon further investigation you discovered that the good side of your futon had a spreading infestation of mildew and the bad side of your futon was turning colors.
Would you:
A: Put the $60 futon out in the sun for the day, wash the sheets and pretend you didn't see anything.
B: Buy a $90 futon dryer, dry the $60 futon, wash the sheets and pretend you didn't see anything.
C: Consult a professional cleaner in the hopes that someday in the near future you can drag your oversided futon to their shop and have it cleaned for $20.
D: Buy a disposal tag for your ruined bedding and go out to buy a new $60 futon.
E: Get full use out of your super deep bathtub and give your bedding a bleach bath. Rinse and hang outside for a few days until it is dry enough to bring in the house, use your new $90 futon dryer on it and ignore any remaining spots (they're just stains, right??)
Russell and I are still working on this logic problem. Russell is all geared up for E. I'm prepared to follow up with D when the inevitable hilarity ensues.
Wish us luck.
Pop quiz:
Let's say you were to go to flip your futon over one morning and upon flipping it over found a dark spot in the middle. Upon further investigation you discovered that the good side of your futon had a spreading infestation of mildew and the bad side of your futon was turning colors.
Would you:
A: Put the $60 futon out in the sun for the day, wash the sheets and pretend you didn't see anything.
B: Buy a $90 futon dryer, dry the $60 futon, wash the sheets and pretend you didn't see anything.
C: Consult a professional cleaner in the hopes that someday in the near future you can drag your oversided futon to their shop and have it cleaned for $20.
D: Buy a disposal tag for your ruined bedding and go out to buy a new $60 futon.
E: Get full use out of your super deep bathtub and give your bedding a bleach bath. Rinse and hang outside for a few days until it is dry enough to bring in the house, use your new $90 futon dryer on it and ignore any remaining spots (they're just stains, right??)
Russell and I are still working on this logic problem. Russell is all geared up for E. I'm prepared to follow up with D when the inevitable hilarity ensues.
Wish us luck.
Saturday 12 December 2009
Jazz Live
Today we got a fun treat. My Japanese teacher has a friend who plays piano for a jazz band. The band was playing at a local restaurant, so she invited us to go with her and one of her friends. How could we pass up a live jazz concert??
The restaurant was a small place - it held about 20 customers and the band and not much else. It also served gourmet curry. It came to the table in a little earthen pot still bubbling away. We arrived early, so we got our dinner first. This turned out to be lucky as later orders didn't come out for over an hour.
Everyone at the concert had reserved their seats ahead of time. The concert lasted two hours and then everyone paid an agreed on $20/person to the band. After that anyone could take the stage. It may have been possible to request backup from the jazz band - I wasn't clear on that. We left before the audience took the stage.
The jazz band was really fun. The pianist and bass player were great. The singer was also good, though she had some moments that were better than others. She definitely had good presence on stage. I tried to take a picture but my iphone couldn't handle the dim lighting. I really should bring my normal, and more reliable camera for times like these.
My favorite part was when, during the last song, the bartender broke out egg-shakers to go along with the clapping and everyone joined in the music.
All in all, it was a great night out. Good food, good music, good company!
The restaurant was a small place - it held about 20 customers and the band and not much else. It also served gourmet curry. It came to the table in a little earthen pot still bubbling away. We arrived early, so we got our dinner first. This turned out to be lucky as later orders didn't come out for over an hour.
Everyone at the concert had reserved their seats ahead of time. The concert lasted two hours and then everyone paid an agreed on $20/person to the band. After that anyone could take the stage. It may have been possible to request backup from the jazz band - I wasn't clear on that. We left before the audience took the stage.
The jazz band was really fun. The pianist and bass player were great. The singer was also good, though she had some moments that were better than others. She definitely had good presence on stage. I tried to take a picture but my iphone couldn't handle the dim lighting. I really should bring my normal, and more reliable camera for times like these.
My favorite part was when, during the last song, the bartender broke out egg-shakers to go along with the clapping and everyone joined in the music.
All in all, it was a great night out. Good food, good music, good company!
Tuesday 8 December 2009
Thanksgiving in Japan
Our lack of oven kind of tied our hands when it came to Thanksgiving this year. That and our general indifference to American feast cuisine. The friends and feasting part of Thanksgiving was not to be missed, however. With that in mind, this is what we came up with:
Friends: Russell, Jaci, Carolyn (Russell's sister) and Kenji (Russell's conversation partner). Sorry for the small numbers keep in mind we only have four plates and one chair.
Feast: Homemade okonomiyaki and eggnog!
We actually jumped the gun a bit and had our impromptu Thanksgiving on Wednesday, not Thursday. Russell, Carolyn and Kenji were on their way back from visiting Himeji castle and had the idea for our feast. Kenji offered to show us how to make okonomiyaki and while explaining eggnog, Russell got the bright idea to just go ahead and make some (no matter how much we wish for it, it isn't going to appear in Japanese grocers any time soon).
When I came home from work the trio had already purchased everything they needed and were ready to set to work.
First, the okonomiyaki.
I am fairly certain I have described this particular cuisine before. It is kind of like a vegetable pancake, You take a healthy dose of sliced cabbage mixed with egg and batter and various other vegetables to taste and then grill it. Kenji made pork okonomiyaki by placing strips of pork (not cured like bacon) across one side of the pancake. Once both sides are fully grilled the pancake is taken off the griddle and smothered in a special brown sauce that is extremely popular around these parts. Other toppings can include mayonnaise and bonito flakes among other things. Check out chef Kenji.
At the same time, Russell and I set to work on the eggnog. Russell separated the eggs and we started taking turns beating the egg whites. We were suppose to beat the eggwhites until they held stiff peaks. Ha! We only had a fork and our enthusiasm, so we only got the egg whites to the thoroughly fluffy stage - no peaks. The cream, luckily, whipped up easily. In fact, it was almost butter by the time Russell was ready to use it. We mixed a good cup and a half of vodka and cup of a half of whisky into the eggwhites along with the egg yolk and sugar and then tried to fold the cream into the mixture.
The problem was that we were suppose to fold the mixture into the cream. The result was a bit lumpy (check the picture) but oh so tasty and worth a repeat effort. I mean, what's the point of knowing how to make homemade eggnog if you can't perfect your technique?
As experienced eggnog drinkers, Russell and I thoroughly enjoyed our new version of the classic holiday nog. It was, well, not what you get at the grocery store - and yet somehow better. Carolyn felt it was perhaps a bit strong.
But what did Kenji, our new eggnog drinker, think?
In the first picture, Carolyn directed Kenji to pose with a thumbs up.
In the next picture, she directed him to pose with his real reaction. This was paired with the vocal reaction, "Eggnog is a mysterious drink."
And there you have it. Mysterious eggnog in Japan for Thanksgiving.
Friends: Russell, Jaci, Carolyn (Russell's sister) and Kenji (Russell's conversation partner). Sorry for the small numbers keep in mind we only have four plates and one chair.
Feast: Homemade okonomiyaki and eggnog!
We actually jumped the gun a bit and had our impromptu Thanksgiving on Wednesday, not Thursday. Russell, Carolyn and Kenji were on their way back from visiting Himeji castle and had the idea for our feast. Kenji offered to show us how to make okonomiyaki and while explaining eggnog, Russell got the bright idea to just go ahead and make some (no matter how much we wish for it, it isn't going to appear in Japanese grocers any time soon).
When I came home from work the trio had already purchased everything they needed and were ready to set to work.
First, the okonomiyaki.
I am fairly certain I have described this particular cuisine before. It is kind of like a vegetable pancake, You take a healthy dose of sliced cabbage mixed with egg and batter and various other vegetables to taste and then grill it. Kenji made pork okonomiyaki by placing strips of pork (not cured like bacon) across one side of the pancake. Once both sides are fully grilled the pancake is taken off the griddle and smothered in a special brown sauce that is extremely popular around these parts. Other toppings can include mayonnaise and bonito flakes among other things. Check out chef Kenji.
At the same time, Russell and I set to work on the eggnog. Russell separated the eggs and we started taking turns beating the egg whites. We were suppose to beat the eggwhites until they held stiff peaks. Ha! We only had a fork and our enthusiasm, so we only got the egg whites to the thoroughly fluffy stage - no peaks. The cream, luckily, whipped up easily. In fact, it was almost butter by the time Russell was ready to use it. We mixed a good cup and a half of vodka and cup of a half of whisky into the eggwhites along with the egg yolk and sugar and then tried to fold the cream into the mixture.
The problem was that we were suppose to fold the mixture into the cream. The result was a bit lumpy (check the picture) but oh so tasty and worth a repeat effort. I mean, what's the point of knowing how to make homemade eggnog if you can't perfect your technique?As experienced eggnog drinkers, Russell and I thoroughly enjoyed our new version of the classic holiday nog. It was, well, not what you get at the grocery store - and yet somehow better. Carolyn felt it was perhaps a bit strong.
But what did Kenji, our new eggnog drinker, think?
In the first picture, Carolyn directed Kenji to pose with a thumbs up.
In the next picture, she directed him to pose with his real reaction. This was paired with the vocal reaction, "Eggnog is a mysterious drink."
And there you have it. Mysterious eggnog in Japan for Thanksgiving.
Japanese Dentists
I am safely through my first dentist's visit in Japan.
I had heard all sorts of horror stories going in. Everyone I talked to - both Japanese and foreigners - agreed that Japanese dentists were something short of what one might expect in the U.S. One suggested reason I heard along the way (I can't remember who told me this - so take it with a grain of salt) was that dentists in Japan are basically med school drop-outs. People who can't finish a medical degree are presented with dental degrees and sent on their way. I have no idea if that is even remotely true, but the reputation around dentists here definitely makes you wonder.
Both Russell and I were surprised by this. In a country that is so focused on customer experience and making things as gentle and painless as possible, it seems impossible that dentistry would be some back-alley practice.
Even so, we weren't going to just wander into the first dental clinic we saw. First I asked at work. No one was from Kobe so they couldn't recommend any local dentists. Next I asked my conversation partners. No luck there either. One of my conversation partners, though, was kind enough to look for local dentists (she had just moved back to the area and was also interested in finding someone good). She suggested three dentists that seemed to have good ratings and highlighted their use of technology (so how behind the times could they be?). She did warn me, though, that Japanese dentists are usually about 5 years behind the U.S. and privacy in dental clinics was unheard of. More warnings.
Russell and I called the first one and got an appointment. I have had an uncomfortable feeling in my molar for a couple weeks and I was pretty sure I could see a cavity. Russell told them I had a toothache and we got in the next Tuesday.
Post Dentist Report:
Turns out I didn't have a cavity after all. The dentist did use all sorts of technology (including a painful-looking animation of a root canal - didn't need one of those, thank goodness. The hygienist cleaned the plaque away from the molars that were bothering me in case it was causing inflammation and then she applied some topical medication (which made my cheek numb but didn't effect the discomfort in my tooth). The work that was done was super gentle and the staff were friendly and explained things to us. Russell was a little worried about the repeated use of the root canal animation, though.
Hopefully we won't be doing that any time soon.
In the end I am comforted to discover that Japan is not the original staging ground for Little Shop of Horrors. Decent dental care can be found - so far as we have tested it.
I had heard all sorts of horror stories going in. Everyone I talked to - both Japanese and foreigners - agreed that Japanese dentists were something short of what one might expect in the U.S. One suggested reason I heard along the way (I can't remember who told me this - so take it with a grain of salt) was that dentists in Japan are basically med school drop-outs. People who can't finish a medical degree are presented with dental degrees and sent on their way. I have no idea if that is even remotely true, but the reputation around dentists here definitely makes you wonder.
Both Russell and I were surprised by this. In a country that is so focused on customer experience and making things as gentle and painless as possible, it seems impossible that dentistry would be some back-alley practice.
Even so, we weren't going to just wander into the first dental clinic we saw. First I asked at work. No one was from Kobe so they couldn't recommend any local dentists. Next I asked my conversation partners. No luck there either. One of my conversation partners, though, was kind enough to look for local dentists (she had just moved back to the area and was also interested in finding someone good). She suggested three dentists that seemed to have good ratings and highlighted their use of technology (so how behind the times could they be?). She did warn me, though, that Japanese dentists are usually about 5 years behind the U.S. and privacy in dental clinics was unheard of. More warnings.
Russell and I called the first one and got an appointment. I have had an uncomfortable feeling in my molar for a couple weeks and I was pretty sure I could see a cavity. Russell told them I had a toothache and we got in the next Tuesday.
Post Dentist Report:
Turns out I didn't have a cavity after all. The dentist did use all sorts of technology (including a painful-looking animation of a root canal - didn't need one of those, thank goodness. The hygienist cleaned the plaque away from the molars that were bothering me in case it was causing inflammation and then she applied some topical medication (which made my cheek numb but didn't effect the discomfort in my tooth). The work that was done was super gentle and the staff were friendly and explained things to us. Russell was a little worried about the repeated use of the root canal animation, though.
Hopefully we won't be doing that any time soon.
In the end I am comforted to discover that Japan is not the original staging ground for Little Shop of Horrors. Decent dental care can be found - so far as we have tested it.
Tuesday 1 December 2009
December!
Man... shouldn't it still be October?
In honor of the new month (and in spite of the lovely weather we have been having here) I dug out my best chilly-looking photo to ring in the end of the year. This picture was from last Saturday when we were walking home from the train. We had to go under the busy street instead of over it. Unfortunately, however, the city planners didn't plan on an invasion of Mulls. Things were a bit cramped.
In honor of the new month (and in spite of the lovely weather we have been having here) I dug out my best chilly-looking photo to ring in the end of the year. This picture was from last Saturday when we were walking home from the train. We had to go under the busy street instead of over it. Unfortunately, however, the city planners didn't plan on an invasion of Mulls. Things were a bit cramped.
Carolyn Arrived
I was unfortunately unable to participate in many of the early activities with Carolyn. I had to work. :( I did, however, catch a few of the highlights. The first night I joined Carolyn and Russell after they spent the day wandering around Kobe. Russell took us to the all you can eat Japanese buffet his Japanese teacher had introduced him to. It was pretty awesome. The food was probably only mediocre quality for traditional Japanese food, but it was super healthy, there was tons of variety, and it was still pretty darn delicious. As an added bonus, we got trays with little compartments for all the morsels. We could take as much as we wanted, but there was so much variety, it was probably best not to take more of anything than a compartment could hold. We each had two trays of food and a tray of dessert. It was lovely.
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