fiesty work women, cheer yourself up, and old macdonald

MIND - Motherhood woes cross cultural barriers. At a farewell party for a coworker from my adult teaching job, I tried to hide in the corner away from the guest of honor and away from a nabe pot. I was quickly surrounded by 3 older women and the office assistant manager. I figured they would get lost in their Japanese communication, leaving me to enjoy the melodic hum of the language I have come to enjoy, but the ring leader kept pulling me into the conversation. Three of these ladies have two children a piece so it was only natural to hear friendly advice passed around along with the shabu shabu plate.

They told me they would test my Japanese and give me some etiquette tips, but they mostly teased me, which I loved because it reminded me of Samoa. Somehow, the conversation drifted to my plans (if any) to marry and ended (believe it or not) on teaching Dating in English classes with complimentary kava candy. We had a great time laughing and hatching our imaginary marketing idea over the outstanding menu. All in all, I wasn't nearly as angry after the dinner as I was before when I had to pay $50. Those ladies and their advice was worth every penny.

BODY - I keep forgetting my ipod so instead of staring into space, I decided to count how many stairs/footsteps it takes for me to get home. (I know, it's the OCD in me.) After the 10 minute bike ride from the daycare center, I have 20 stairs up into the bike parking lot, and 20 down, then 60 into the station from the street...then get this, 300 paces (including 20 more stairs) to get to the platform position that minimizes my walking. Isn't that crazy? I stopped counting after that, but estimating I think it's 50 paces to the transfer platform, 40 more steps, and then another 50 paces to get to the right car on the platform. Then 10 steps to an escalator, 20 steps, another escalator, 50 paces to the next 50 stairs, then the bike ride home. Are you tired yet? That's why I take a cig break on my way home. lol. I wish I had a pedometer for all those librarians who took those hokey "walk across america" challenges to meet some HR person's goal to get us healthy. I would blow those chix outta the water!

SPIRIT - I simply remember my favorite things, and then I don't feel so bad. After reading it twice though, I just feel weird.
FOOD
hot tea or water, chocolate anything, kaki-peanut mix, grilled jelly sandwiches (pb/cheese are too expensive here), tofu with ajinomoto and shoyu, butter cookies, somen sauce, takoyaki, rice and furikake, miso soup
KIDS
getting boogers out of kids' noses, toddlers blowing kisses, bubbles, rolling around on the floor, running and screaming at the playground, toddler handprints, toddler hands, toddlers calling my name
CLEANING
getting lint out of my big toenail, refolding toilet paper once I've ripped it off the roll, having tissue when my nose is runny, scrubbing faucets with an old toothbrush to get all that gunk out, cleaning out the hair catch in the shower (OCD),
GROOMING
trial sized lotions, anti-bacterial solution, lotioning my feet and putting socks on them before bed, vaseline on my lips in the morning, knitted scarves, gloves, beanies, fabric softener, covering my head with a thick blanket and breathing to warm myself up before bed (the heater is too expensive), hot hot hot showers (gotta splurge somewhere)
VICES
CHOCOLATE!

LANGUAGE BARRIER OR CULTURAL BRIDGE?

What sound does a cow make? me: mooooo him: mo
What sound does a monkey make? me: ooohx2 aaahx2 him: key key key
What sound does a lion make? me: rooooooooarrr him: gaaaaoooo
What sound does a rooster make? me: cockle doodle doo him: kokey koko
What sound does a cat make? me: meow him: niaaaaa
What sound does a dog make? me: woof woof him: wan wan

*one day i will figure out how to add recordings. sorry, im still learning my mac.*