Happy Halloween from Kiki

Happy Halloween! After making a No-Face costume last year I wasn’t sure what to follow it up with. It’s hard to think of something that is so easily recognizable and that gets as much of a reaction. There was also the question of time, as in, not having enough of it. I do this every year – promise myself I’ll think of something awesome to be for Halloween and then realize it’s the week before and the best idea I can come up with is being a cat. So I decided to simplify and do something that would take less time and ideally no money… and success! I decided to be Kiki from Kiki’s Delivery Service. I had a blue dress and a blue shirt that were the right colour. My work happened to have a broom that worked perfectly for the costume and they let me borrow it. I had also seen a card / coin purse of Jiji (the cat) sitting on one of the shared desks in the office. I hesitantly asked to borrow it not knowing who it belonged too. Luckily it had been left by a graduated student a few years before and I was told I could keep it! I pinned it to a stuffed cat I already had. All that was left was t0 find a red bow which I bought at the 100 yen store (with tax… 108 yen, just over a dollar). All in all my last minute costume worked out very well and I plan on wearing it to work on the 30th… we’ll see how it goes!

Mont-Tremblant, Quebec

A Mashup Of Spring Happenings

The past week or so has been a hodgepodge of work and events. The weather has been alternating between cool and hot… so I’ve been enjoying my fortunate location near the sea. Here is a taste of what’s been going on…

Last weekend I went down to the pier and sat closer and closer to the water to play chicken with the waves. The wind and water were refreshing and I’ve ended up with a pretty impressive and awkward-looking tan on my forearms.

This is the view from the pier looking at the mountains. The odd-shaped buildings are Uozu’s buried-forest museum which I have yet to visit… another thing to add to the to-do list for the next month.

I’m spoiled to have an awesome conveyor-belt sushi place close by, it’s the best place for a quick meal that also happens to be insanely delicious thanks to our proximity to the sea.

I needed to get a wedding present, and having no idea what type of envelope/ how much to give I was generously helped by some kind ladies at the local convenience store. Turns out one of the ladies’ sons is one of my students! What a small world, or at least a small town!

Last weekend was a dance and music festival in Uozu! The night ended with these little lanterns spread out through the park.

Kind of a lonely image of the room where I have my Japanese lessons. Kind of hints at a more empty version of Vermeer’s room paintings.

Coca Cola has produced bottles of Coke with popular given names – it’s pretty cute even if it’s just a marketing technique. Hey, if you’re drinking Coke anyway, it’s kinda fun to have your name on it!

It’s getting hot, which sucks for the people who still have to wear button-ups and suit jackets to work. Cool Biz wear starts soon though!