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If you peeked into
If you peeked into my genkan, you might think a dozen people lived in my house. The genkan is the entryway, recessed a bit, where you remove your shoes before stepping up into the house. It’s a relic from farming days when shoes and boots were muddy and keeping them at the door kept the…
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On the 29th of
On the 29th of every month, our local yakiniku (Korean barbeque restaurant), has a 29% discount. It took me a while to figure out why. The date in Japanese is “ni-ju kyu nichi” (2 tens 9 day). If you read the numbers without the place value, it is “ni kyu” which is very close to…
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Astrid’s Chinese Opera Costume
Astrid’s Chinese Opera Costume party had the best costumes of any I’ve ever attended–so much red and gold silk and excellent make-up. I was a Chinese acrobat crowned with a three-tiered layer of glitter- and sequin-enhanced wine glasses. I think I wore the most talked-about headpiece at the party–at the very least, it made me…
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Japan’s consumer price index
Japan’s consumer price index fell again in September–the 24th month in a row that prices have dropped. It was just 0.8% lower that last September but every little bit helps a shopper’s wallet. Despite lower prices, Japan’s consumers aren’t buying as much. We all purchased 2.9% less stuff in September. Dropping prices are bad for…
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A couple of weeks
A couple of weeks ago I resumed SITO again after a five year absence. SITO is an online art community. I’ve been playing in the Gridcosm where eight artists share a grid and try to create a cohesive image. After last night’s chat with friends in the US, I’ve got two new projects going–a writing…
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I discovered that I
I discovered that I can touch type. That probably sounds odd coming from a woman who’s spent a significant chunk of the past ten years at a keyboard. My shameful admission is that I always watch my fingers. Not so much to find the keys, I guess, as to will the words to come out…
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I’d been anticipating dinner
I’d been anticipating dinner at the Irish House for more than a week. It’s an Irish pub in Shimbashi with all the right beers and a wonderful menu of potato-based foods. Potato bread, champ (mashed potatoes with bacon), stew. Mouthwatering just to think about it. Think about it is all I can do now. We…
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Diagnosis: migraine. After four
Diagnosis: migraine. After four months of tests and appointments, my doctor has pronounced that my headaches will not kill me or cripple me and that since they don’t stop me from doing what I need to do, I should just learn to live with them. “Take two aspirin and call me in the morning…”
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The interior of Zakuro,
The interior of Zakuro, an Iranian restaurant near Nishi Nippori, is completely covered in carpets–stacks of Persian carpets fill an alcove; a thick layer of them blankets the floor. Even the walls sport carpets worked with figures of women and tigers. Iranian foods are similar to other Middle Eastern cuisines but with several different spices,…
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Three cheers for Tod
Three cheers for Tod and his astonishing Internet knowledge. For about a month, I’ve been having weird Internet problems. I first noticed them around the time of the terrorist attacks and I chalked it up to extra-heavy Net use. But as the Net returned to normal, my problems continued. Tod spent the day researching IP…
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