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Expats come and go.
Expats come and go. That’s a way of life here. You have to make friends fast because they might be gone in a couple of months. But when expatriates leave, they have “sayonara sales” to sell off the furniture, appliances and other items they don’t want to ship back. So we get good prices on…
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Thank goodness for our
Thank goodness for our electronic Japanese dictionary. We carry our Canon Wordtank everywhere. Last night at dinner with friends it came in handy several times. What’s the Japanese word for “brisket”? Kantan means simple, but so does tonboku. Which one is better? How do you say “nuclear physics” in Japanese? All these hurdles came up…
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Our phone has started
Our phone has started talking to us. We tried to configure our ISDN terminal adapter to do what we wanted–route our two phone numbers to separate phones. Doesn’t seem like a big challenge. But we still don’t have it right. All of our phones ring no matter which number is dialled. The phone displays caller…
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Japan Webgrrls 4th Anniversary
Today, one day only. Japan Webgrrls 4th Anniversary event, e-Lifestyles This is the volunteer project that’s eaten up all my spare time this fall. In fact, it’s eaten all my sleep, too, at least last night. We’ll have a video premiere, “e-Lifestyles” demonstrations, speakers and a keynote presentation. Plus refreshments, and really great door prizes.…
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Chanko nabe
Chanko nabe is what makes sumo wrestlers fat. Last night, too tired to cook at home, we had dinner at Kushikyu, a chain of restaurants that focuses on food to eat while swilling beer and whiskey. (I think of Kushikyu as the Denny’s of the drinking set) They were having a special on chanko nabe,…
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4:00 am, Tokyo
At 4:00 am, Tokyo is very quiet. The hum of my computers drowns out the distant sounds of sparse traffic. Birds are asleep; school children are asleep. The construction sites all around me are still. The sun is waiting in the wings for his cue to come onstage. The sky is inky; streetlights dot the…
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Ah, home
Ah, home. The familiar sounds and smells of Tokyo welcomed me back home this evening. The musical train announcements, the sound of bicycles swerving to avoid pedestrians, the scents of oden and ramen wafting over the smell of car exhaust. It’s good to be home.
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Travel weary
How can I be here in Italy and have nothing to say? I’m not sure, but I think jetlag has finally hit me. I could curl up under the table and sleep now (it’s 11 am here). My powers of observation are limited to Internet points and caffe bars. Please, more caffeine and a ‘Net…
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Anniversary
Today is a full moon, Friday the 13th, and our 11th wedding anniversary. Normally on our anniversary, we visit the place where we were married–Pittsburgh’s South Side–to stroll the streets, windowshop the antique stores and dine at Dairy Queen, just as we did on the day we eloped. This year, we strolled over the Ponte…
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Layers of Rome
Rome is amazing. Layer upon layer of history. We came across an aquaduct last night whose ancient water line was at street level. It’s supporting arches were excavated to a depth of about 10 meters below the street. Everywhere we turn there are more old things to see. Churches, temples, scavenged columns, Bernini churches and…
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