PELLET STOVES...in Japan?!

My friend Hiroshi Abe (soon to be married - congrats!!!) quit his job, started a company way up north in Toyama. Wow, I really give it to him for having the guts to do it. Best of luck with the coal stove importing business, Hiroshi!

炎を見ながら一家団欒！今年もまた寒い季節が目の前に迫ってきました。皆さんは冬場、どのように暖をとりますか？石油ファンヒーター？エアコン？炬燵？いろいろな手段がありますね。私と友人は、部屋を暖めるだけではなく、炎を見ながら心も暖めようと、薪ストーブの製作を始めました。揺らめく炎はいつまで眺めていてもあきませんし、同じ温度でも他の暖房器具より、炎を見たほうが体感温度が高いという実験結果もあります。また大きな薪ではなく、木屑を圧縮した木質ペレットのストーブも普及しています。ペレットストーブはタイマーや温度設定も出来るものもあり、燃料の補給も石油ファンヒーターのように簡単です。最近は原油価格の高騰も気になるところですし、薪ストーブは家計にもやさしい暖房になりました。一昨年までは、一冬の暖房費を考えると薪やペレットは灯油より高いといわれていましたが、現在ではほぼ同等か、安いといわれています。私たちは来シーズンに向けて、鉄鋳物製の薪ストーブ、ペレットストーブの製作を進めています。現在主流のストーブはヨーロッパ製の高価なもの（本体２０～４０万円、設置まで含め１００万円～）ですが、設置まで含めて２０～３０万円と価格を設定し、気軽に導入してもらえるストーブを目指しています。ご興味がありましたら、またVivian経由でも、ダイレクトでもかまいませんので、お問い合わせください。

越の国ストーブ 阿部洋志
CONTACT: summersnow_ha AT ybb DOT ne DOT jp

Dec 10th, in Matsuyama, Ehime prefecture (date & location of his wedding!)

one career, two careers, three careers and more!

Last winter I met an interesting man through the ski trip I was organizing. He was a professor at the University of Tsukuba at that time but told me his intentions of resigning at the end of the school year. The university wanted to again give him the short end of the stick and lower his salary and raise teaching hours, something to that extent. I did not get the full picture but I suppose you vaguely know what I mean.

In any case he seems to have planned his exit a year before the fact, establishing a translation and scientific editing company at which he is not the president (editor-in-chief). This allowed him to have the freedom to quit his job at the university. What amazing planning. In any case, if you are curious or need some materials edited/translated, feel free to check out his homepage for ELSS company.

Could you drop it all and start your own business? If you were to choose another profession or field, what would it be? If you did not need to work for money, what would you do? Remember that hobbies do not really count because sometimes after your hobby becomes work, it is not as pleasurable as it was before it became your 'job.'

Here is my dad's website for his hotel in Honduras. (see picture) My father was an engineer at Baxter Health before a series of layoffs started...before that, he was wise enough to start his own company an alarm security company...and after he 'retired' to Honduras he established a small hotel. Now that is really adventurous.

Nowadays job security is low, I believe people ought to have a "PLAN B" at all times.

rules of the road...rules of the train?!

Though I rarely go to Tokyo, when I have gone, never has a ride failed to baffle and astonish me. Many younger people lack the courtesy to give up their seat to seniors. What repulsive and selfish behavior. (sad to say, this does happen back at home too...not just in Japan) But then again there are the middle-aged men who stare at porn magazines in the train. C'mon people - when we say take it indoors we do not mean in a train!

The other day I saw an older woman looking very exhausted while standing. I stood up and headed to the door, hoping she would take a seat...only to have my hopes dashed by a young woman in her 20's plop herself down. The reason why I did not ask the woman if she wanted to sit was that some women, especially in their 50's or early 60's hate to be asked to sit down. They fear they might actually look their age or older. Do you get what I mean?

Hiro has seen women cut split ends with scissors and let them fly all over the place. He has even witness some women putting on or removing nail polish. Now putting on makeup is one thing but doing something that's potentially harmful to other passengers? Not just overstepping etiquette boundaries but also common sense ones. So much for regarding the safety of other passengers. Oooh. But I admit it is fascinating to see a very plain or even unattractive woman slather and cake it on, and look fantastic at the end of the 'show.'

I found this poster on the Do’s and Don’ts of being a passenger on the train.
Train etiquette:
-Refrain from using a mobile phone
-Do not sit in the silver seat section if a pregnant woman or elderly person is standing
-Don’t wear a backpack when the train is crowded
-Don’t hog two seats
-Refrain from applying makeup on the train.

Here is a list of what irritates your average Japanese rider. Click here for the survey in Japanese.

Here is what bothers commuters in London. Click here for the survey.

published - what an accomplishment!

This is the book a former student of mine wrote. He was employed at JAXA before but is now a professor in Osaka. The book is titled, "uchu jugyo," which means "a lecture about the universe."

That is the amazing thing about working in Tsukuba. I heard from somewhere that this city has the largest concentration of people with doctorate degrees. Now that is a lotta brains in one lil' town! Many of my students come from all sorts of impressive backgrounds.

Sometimes I do not find out until years later how famous they are in Japan. At times correcting their papers or presentations can be a doozy. It is full of technical writing and field-specific terminology. The only thing I can be sure of is the grammar and not the concept itself! Doing a google or other research is pointless because their research is so cutting edge.

I suppose that is what you get when you live in a university town!

my invisible fiance

Ha ha...very funny! My best friend asked me why there were no shots of Hiro in my blog. This is all for good reason - he finds my blog at times invasive, an invasion of his privacy...so I try to limit displaying his pic on there for all the world to see. I like to respect his wishes. :)

As for sightseeing - recently I have not gotten out to nature as much as we used to. Come after the wedding you are sure to see more pics of leaves changing colour and the like. I love nature but have neglected it a bit this year. Sorry! If I get out and about, I will take some pics with my new digicam.

immediate or delayed satisfaction?

I used to be more of a person who satiated my appetite as soon as possible, though this has changed over time. Now I realize the benefits of waiting. Hard to imagine? See the following examples.

Reluctant to do at the time but satisfaction afterwards:
- Flossing teeth
- Exercising, a hard routine
- Wait 'til after the hot spring to guzzle down beer or cold tea
- Doing crunches or muscle toning
- Complete face care (esp. when tired at night)

Immediate satisfaction, guilt afterwards:
- Eating way too much
- Sleeping in
- Buying some pricey luxury item
- Having too much coffee or alcohol

bridal facial for you?

It is not uncommon for brides-to-be here to get esthetic sessions at some beauty clinic. I looked into how much that would cost and was stunned by what they could charge! Just short of highway robbery, I think.

The women I met at Yuri Takano, (one of the reputable chain salons in the country) seemed very condescending and snobby. Perhaps they only cater to the wealthy and smile when they smell cash? Ha ha, how cynical of me to think so...but I cannot help myself!

Anyway instead of going to a salon, I have started to do home bridal esthetic treatment, which include an array of strange masks. I have found that face masks (in Japanese-English, face pack) work even more effectively when used with plastic wrap over it to prevent premature evaporation.

Home made face masks are also great: lemon juice, cucumber, oatmeal. You can even try using yogurt. In particular, the lemon juice has been effective at lightening the sunspots on my cheeks I had acquired during my childhood (I played outside a LOT). A combination of homemade remedies in addition to some store-bought ones are doing magic to my skin. It takes work and is at times a tedious routine, but the final product will be worth it, so I like to think!

My knitting club housewives were talking about a recent fad cropping up: men shaving and preening their eyebrows. Most of the young men they know (and even a few of their sons!) are keen on grooming their bushy brows, especially unibrows. In Tokyo you can find many metrosexuals, so I have been told. Younger men in Japan are often very fashion-conscious and even admit to using nose packs regularly!

Vivian, more skeptical than ever of news she reads...

How much of the news we get is filtered, edited, fabricated, altered, and so on?!

Remember the story of the 'Piano Man' that gripped the world and dominated international headlines? Some papers wrote about his amazing talent as a piano virtuoso where in the end it was said that he could hardly even play through a piece.

Now that I have regular access to a TV, I notice how much news I am missing out on, making me even more eager to become well-versed and well-read in Japanese! 100% of the Japanese news I get comes from 'reliable' English version sources. How much is lost in translation, I will never know!

AERA once published an article about how Japanese men were no knights in shining armor. (I contributed a few quotes to the piece) The Japanese version was moderate and tame whereas it was really spiced up and sensationalized for the English tabloid published in Mainichi News. I was disappointed in that particular translator and much of the writing came from her own personal bias as well!

I am a sucker for health-related articles...though I really should know better. 9 times out of 10, those so-called objective studies are funded by companies who simply want some research proof to support their sales claims. What bogus says I!

the 22nd...

8/22
9/22
10/22
11/22
12/22

We decided to plan everything around the 22nd so that we could remember it easily! I am boke-BB, in other words, forgetful Vivian. Boke Boke BB...it is really catchy - feel free to use it anytime you see me, I don't mind! (Picture in our kitchen...again, a funny face! Normal pictures are so boring, if you ask me!)

8/22 the day we moved into our condo
9/22 the day we held our official (but small) housewarming party
10/22 the day we will marry
11/22 the day we will officially register at city hall
12/22...hmm, I think we will be all 22nd out by that time!

grape farm, right next to our new condo!

My aerobics classmate (a kind middle-aged housewife) took us to the grape farm after class. I was famished and eating sugary grapes was just what the doctor ordered! The instant smack of sugar gave me a real pick-me-up! Notice now some grapes look like mini sausages, one variety had dimples all over its surface, and another one (left above) looks like spindly fingers!

That particular 'finger' variety takes 20 years to develop and become really tasty. This was the first year he had planted it, therefore the crop did not turn out so well. I thought they tasted all right and asked if I could buy some for a party I was going to host - just kind of a fun food to display and eat. Instead he offered to give me two bunches for free, on the condition that I introduce plenty of friends! So now I am referring everyone - only problem being that most everyone knows him already! Hozumi-san is an already well-known grape farmer in the area.

On the floor were egg shells...all over the place, I assume they fertilize the soil. In Japan farmers wrap grape bunches in opague paper bags. When the grapes have matured, they burst the bag open, an indication of ripeness! This way they can limit the use of chemicals on the grapes. Most of the time I eat the skin and seeds along with the fleshy inside - figuring they are packed with flavonoids and antioxidants galore. Most Japanese do not like eating grape skins because of the astringent aftertaste it leaves in one's mouth.

Grapes back home come in only red and green varieties...kind of boring and no depth to the sweetness, just sweet sweet. Japanese grapes come in all shapes and colours - acidic to super sweet to sweet&sour...yum, lots and lots to try. The names of grapes here are equally impressive: black opus, olympia, bianco, kyouho, picaro bianco, lizamato... Hozumi-san's farm has over 10 kind of grapes, each maturing at a different times.

cottage wonders

This is a picture of my uncle and aunt's remodeled cottage. I could hardly recognize it at first - that's how drastic the change is. It looks like something one would find out of an interior design magazine! My aunt is really good at i.d. and making a place really cozy!

The days I miss in Canada: eating timbits at Tim Horton's, fishing with uncle at the cottage, hanging out with friends, Kensington market, Baldwin street's quaint cafes.

Ah, how great it is to reminisce the good times. Though I have created plenty of fond memories in Japan as well and am sure to miss it if I ever left!

I have fallen in love, yet again!

Today I made garlic-basil-parmesan infused extra virgin olive oil. I finely diced up the garlic and basil...and mixed it up with olive oil. Finally I pressed it through a sieve and topped it off with some parmesan cheese!

Great with fresh baguette bread. Simple, delicious, to die for! Try it today.

on living together

Have you ever lived together with someone for more than one month? If so, what happened? Did you remain on good terms with that person or did relations deteriorate over time? How did you deal with differences? Were you able to communicate smoothly? Did you have a feeling of suffocation or not?

What an interesting thing this is indeed. We have been living together for almost one month now and strangely enough, we are not at each other's throats...er, not yet at least! Ha ha. I expected to long for old lifestyle, living alone in my last apartment. That has not happened yet! Every aspect of the new living arrangement is better, making me the most surprised party of all. I am one of those 'expect the worst and hope for the best' sorts of people. And you?

I am sure we will get sick of each other and want our personal time apart from each other. After the wedding and more settling down, I am sure we will be able to allow one another the space that we need and possibly crave. As they say, the easy part is the honeymoon stage of a marriage and the act of getting married itself. The hard part is staying married! Again, I am expecting the worst but hoping for the best! Which makes me an optimistic pessimist. Hee hee. Did I lose you there?

5 of my friends started living together with their significant others this year. 4 out of 5 said that living together was a very enjoyable thing...double the fun! One friend mentioned her cramped apartment was not intended for two, which I assume meant she was not enjoying living with him?

on juggling work and home life!

As most people already know, managing one's household and career at the same time is no cakewalk! It takes a great deal of brains to ensure the smooth operation of both. Since we started living together we have had much more on my plate than we did before. Doing laundry, shopping for household items, menu planning, running errands, cleaning and vacuuming...the list goes on!

Strangely enough I am empowered with more energy these days...perhaps my personal mission has expanded to covering two people thus giving me loads of energy? I wake up around 6am to prepare a healthy breakfast to help get us through the day. Sometimes if I feel ambitious or extra genki I even make a bento box for Hiro...for the most part, it is leftovers but when he's lucky he gets something made fresh! I am learning time-saving tips here and there which make life easier. Lemme tell ya: the microwave is magic when it comes to making bentos!

I have had to give up or cut down on some night classes in order to prepare and have dinner with Hiro. Oops, now don't get the wrong idea - I love both...classes and dinner with my fiance! My father always emphasized our family dinners, even when it was just the two of us for my four years of high school. At the time I could not understand why he made such a fuss over not wanting me to be a latchkey kid...but in retrospect, I can understand he was going at.

Dinner is a time to share stories and find out if one's family has any concerns that need to be tended to. Studies have proven children who eat with their family tend to be more mentally sound. I couldn't agree more. I hope that with more working parents in Japan, they still are able to make time to have dinner. Some admirable parents I know (in Japan) return home for dinner and go back to work after they have tucked the kids into bed.

kogane tamogitake

Forget about shitake mushrooms...we're talking gold mushrooms now! They were on sale for 60-cents (68yen) at the local supermarket. They are hard to come by at large supermarkets, which is why I often frequent the local veggie store, for unique veggies not likely found at major supermarkets.

This particular mushroom, 黄金タモギタケ, kogane-tamogitake, is known for its cancer and diabetes prevention properties. I think all mushrooms contain some sort of cancer prevention magic, which is why I am sure to incorporate a variety of shrooms into our diet!

I put them into fried rice, soup, simmered them in seconds using microwave magic...can't get enough of them!

soba-mania

This is the cold soba lunch set Hiro had in Kanasago on our visit last Sunday. I had 100% soba because I am a bit of a soba snob. ^_^ The middle is yamaimo (sticky grated mountain root) on rice.

The tempura here is amazing...very memorable. Years later and I can still remember the first time. It still entices me and manages me to take the 1-2 hour drive up just to eat soba and bathe in hot springs!

I prefer my soba cold because when it is served up hot, it looses the al dente texture. My friend had かも, wild duck soup soba - yum!

From dinner a few nights ago...

Perhaps with my new camera and heaps better resolution, you can see details of my foods now!
Sashimi konnyaku from Fukuroda Falls
- it is vegetarian sashimi, dipped in wasabi soy sauce!
Kinpira gobo
Nameko soup
- beware: canned or vacuum-packed nameko have an acidic vinegary taste which I dislike!!!
GomaAe spinach and tsuruna
- freshly ground sesame seeds and soy sauce, dashi

TSU-RU what?

This is tsuruna, otherwise known as New Zealand spinach. You can Google it but you might find that little information exists on it. I bought a bag of it for a mere 50cents in Fukuroda when we visited over the weekend. I made it blanched with sesame, stir-fried with garlic, in soup...very versatile - interchangable with plain 'ol spinach.

Chinese food, the healthy way

Last night's dinner:
Chinese style sweet&sour tomato shrimp
Fried rice (scallions, mushroom, egg)
Garlic Tsuruna and Spinach
Melon soup, not pictured (uri melon, white pepper, dried scallop soup base)

ranking the hubby

First read the background information:
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20060920f1.html

How do you or your husband rank?
Here is a list of rankings for husbands set by Zenkoku Teishu Kanpaku Kyokai:
1st dan: Is still in love with his wife after three years of marriage.
2nd dan: Does a good job helping with housework.
3rd dan: Has never cheated on his wife -- or his wife has never caught him cheating.
4th dan: Can practice a "ladies first" policy.
5th dan: Can take a walk with his wife while holding hands.
6th dan: Can listen to his wife seriously.
7th dan: Can solve problems between his wife and his mother in one night.
8th dan: Can say "thank you" without hesitation.
9th dan: Can say "sorry" without fear.
10th dan: Can say "I love you" without embarrassment.

HA HA, this is funny...found it in the Japan Times. I want to see the one for How Does Your Wife Rank? If they don't have it, perhaps we should create one!

on the newsfront: thinspiration

This blog entry was inspired by the recent controversy banning excessively thin models in Madrid (Spain). India has also jumped on the bandwagon protesting thin models in the media and catwalk.

In recent years I was alarmed by an internet trend taking place worldwide: websites supporting anorexia and bulemia, often nicknamed pro-ana sites. If you do a google search you can find plenty while others have already been deleted by server providers due to the unhealthy nature of its content. Girls on the sites talk about how 'Ana' is their friend and share extreme tips on how to lose extra pounds. In fact most of these young women could stand to gain a few but instead thin is never thin enough.

They are believers of thinspiration: looking up to models such as Calista Flockhart, Angelina Jolie, Kate Moss, and most recently Nicole Ritchie - a celebrity who went from chubby to skeletal. It is said that Japan has a high rate of eating disorders, something which I do not doubt. In America it is clear as daylight when someone has an eating disorder, however, in Japan it is not as easily recognized because 90% of women are quite thin.

Many of those with eating disorders in the West who were my friends or acquaintances often lost weight by both dieting and exercising. Most of the women I heard of in Japan dieted by only caloric restriction methods, diet pills, etc...eeks. As for me, personally, I don't see the point. If you diet all your fat off, there is no more hourglass figure...just a shapeless, buttless, breastless board. Yuck. We don't have the joke, "flat as a board" for nothing.

My former 11-year old private student at AEON started dieting and despite her lean and tall frame, called herself 'fat.' How sad it is. If only she spent all the energy she used dieting for things that will give her character and make her a more interesting person as a whole.

Nevertheless, don't think that I have not been affected since I came to Japan because I have! I came to Japan a bit pudgy and slightly overweight for my height. Not long after I arrived, I felt like a whale, surrounded by waiflike students and co-workers. I tried dieting but it inevitably resulted in depressing rebounds, which is why I am a non-believer in fad diets. Atkins, grapefruit diet, whatnot...all a bunch of hooey.

Even now, at a weight 5kg less than when I first arrived in Japan (due to healthful eating, smaller portions, and no more food after 10pm), I am considered average or slightly heavier than average. Is that nuts or what? All my friends in Canada told me I needed to put on weight, that my face had slimmed down too much. As one friend put it, "you lost those cute chubby cheeks I liked so much." Anyway for now I try my best to eat healthily, have my sweets when I crave them and repent by sessions of exercise...not daily but enough to prevent weight gain. I checked out BMI indexes to find out my min/max BMI to make sure I stay within a healthy range.

I hope that women have better, healthier role models in the future. While being overweight may physically damage our health, being underweight can be scarier in the sense that it is mentally detrimental.

Ibaraki Prefecture hit by spate of muggings

One of many reasons why I carry very little cash on me. I never could understand how so many of my friends and acquaintances insist on carrying so much cash! More than 50,000 yen (almost 500USD) in their wallet at any given time. That's crazy, if you ask me. I suppose it is just one of many cultural differences. Japan and Asia have more a cash culture - a stark contrast to the plastic culture in the West.

Pictured on the left is a 10,000-yen bill. The 10,000 yen bill is bigger than all other denomination bills. This way one is less likely to confuse a 10,000-yen bill for a 1,000 one. The other day I gave the clerk at the bakery a 2,000-yen bill. 2,000-yen bills have not been around for many years but, anyhow, they never seemed to pick up steam. The clerk mistook it for a 10,000 bill and was about to give me change when I pointed it out. She seemed really panicked and apologetic. To me, it was simply amusing to give her the early morning (6:30am) jolt she probably needed.

HITACHI, Ibaraki -- Three men attacked two university students here Monday night and stole more than 10,000 yen in cash from them before fleeing, police said Tuesday. At about 9:50 p.m. on Monday, three men assaulted a 20-year-old private university student from the Ibaraki Prefecture capital of Mito, and stole 10,000 yen in cash and a watch from the victim, local police said. The student suffered serious injuries to his whole body.

About three hours later, three men attacked a 20-year-old student of a national university, investigators said. The robbers stole 1,000 yen in cash from the victim and fled the scene. He was also seriously injured. The three appeared to be in their 20s and one of them is about 175 centimeters tall and thin. (Mainichi)

ME-SHELL's visit

My cousin Michelle (and honorary sister) came to Tsukuba for a visit over the 3-day weekend. She came all the way from Gifu prefecture...a small city named Kaizu where she is an English ALT (assistant language teacher) for a high school. I was glad to see her embrace Japanese culture from the get go and eat/see new things without hesitation. We had a lunch housewarming party as well as took a day trip: a drive up north to Kanasago to eat at my favorite soba noodle shop + bath in hot springs, followed by a short trek around Fukuroda Falls.

PICTURE: At Kanasago's hot spring - as you can see, my cousin is equally crazy as me!

blogging

You know it is really hard to keep up with blogging if one does not have internet access at home?! For awhile I was able to keep up at the net cafe but that was tiring - on top of that, it was not very economical!

Consequently, I put off blogging for awhile and saved some entries in my e-mail system. I hope you have enough time to catch up on the recent entries.

Now we have lightning fast internet by optic fiber cable - woooo. It is really much faster than ADSL as it claims. I just hope it is as reliable, if not reliable in the connection. Optic fiber connections only cost slightly more than ADSL and in the long run, are worth it. For the extra money you pay, you save oodles of time and as they say, "time is money."

Salad eaters have higher levels of key nutrients

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who eat plenty of salads, or raw vegetables in general, typically have higher blood levels of several important nutrients, according to a large study of U.S. adults.

Researchers found that even one serving of raw vegetables a day moved people closer to getting the recommended amounts of vitamins A, E, B6 and folic acid. And as salad and raw vegetable intake increased, so did blood levels of vitamins C and E, folic acid and several carotenoids -- antioxidants that give yellow, orange and red hues to many vegetables and fruits. Color is key; dark leafy greens mingled with red and yellow vegetables beats iceberg lettuce and croutons.

Water-soluble vitamins, like vitamin C and many B vitamins, are heat-sensitive, and it's better to get them through raw vegetables, Arab explained. But certain other nutrients, including the carotenoids, tend to be better absorbed from cooked vegetables.

PICTURED: Vivian's salad: hijiki, cabbage, carrot, onion, tuna,...a variation of Harumi Kurihara's original recipe

it takes balls to go for one's dream

The other day I was pleasantly surprised to find an e-mail sent by a former colleague of mine, Tetsuharu, or more affectionately known as 'Tets' to all.

I really admire his optimistic outlook on life and his willingness to drop it everything to do what he loves: football and teaching English (privately). He is really a one-of-a-kind guy, just like this soccer ball to the right.

Here's what he said about his current life:

"I'm in a performance group called CUBE that fuses street-soccer moves and music to create 'freestyle football'." INDY(インディー) is his 'stage name.'
http://www.cube-mau.jp/

hot sando, a very Japanese phenomenon

Go figure...in a country with even Hello Kitty imprinted toilet paper, you can find a kitty hot sandwich maker. (mine is not this one...mine has a cute penguin colour scheme)

I remember a while back Mie and Nao told me about how great sandwich maker is. Despite my skepticism, I gave in and bought a very reasonable one, just to see if I'd be won over by one. To my surprise, I have fallen and fallen hard for it! In just days I made all sorts of sandwiches - peanut cream, prosciutto ham and cheddar cheese, leftover Indian curry (chicken saag and a spicy bean kind), curried minced beef and onions...the possibilities are endless!

Instead of using margarine or butter as instructed by the user's manual, I reached for the big bottle of extra virgin olive oil. (see my previous entry on that) It turned out delightfully crispy! I wanted to try Mie and Nao's second suggestion: using the ends of bread for hot sandwiches. The end crusts are called the bread's ears in Japanese, "Pan no mimi."

You know Japanese bakeries and supermarkets do not sell bread with end crusts?! It did not dawn upon me until that time my friends brought it up. I often ate end crusts because no one else in my family ate it...as was true with pineapple and other fruit cores. In the end I developed a taste for all the things people tended to avoid, how ironic.

I purchased these bread end crusts at the bakery minutes away from our place. It was just 50-yen for a big bag of them. Apparently I was lucky enough to get a bag because usually one has to put in an order for them. Anyway if you ever find yourself with a surplus of sandwich end crusts, why don't you pop it in a hot sandwich maker or make some bread pudding?!

What a walk down memory lane...it brought back memories of using iron hot sandwich makers in campfires during my Girl Scout days. We often used pie or custard filling...ummm, yumm. My next experiment: hot sandwich made with homemade apple pie filling.

holy investment

This is our, er my latest purchase. I tried my best to manage with my former 145L refrigerator but was frustrated to my wit's end!!! I bought so much that the whole thing was packed, resulting in uneven cooling distribution. Some veggies froze while my eggs did not stay at the right temperature. It's like asking for a case of salmonella to hit or something.

I gave in and bought a nice fridge. At first I was going to get a simple 3-door fridge...but was eventually tempted into buying a 2-door, 4-compartment one. I asked my knitting club ladies what model or brand was known for its superior performance. One woman recommended Mitsubishi because the refrigerators are designed by women, meaning it is specifically designed for discerning cooks!

Who knew a fridge could be sooo technical? The 2-doors open up like French doors so not as much energy is lost when you swish them open. One compartment produces clear ice...that's right - clear as crystal! The small compartment to the right flash freezes meat, preserving it's texture and flavour. The second compartment to the bottom is a veggie room and is pulled out horizontally like a drawer, limiting energy loss. The last one is the regular freezer. Let's just hope it won't be too much of a burden to clean up!

This one retails at 168,000-yen or just over 1500USD...mine cost 120,000 yen because I bought the closeout store showroom model. The salesperson assured me it was the lowest price he had ever seen it at. I double-checked with kakaku.com and surely enough, it was the lowest price.

Due to my reckness nature, I bought a 5-year extended warranty plan to go with it. Most of them come with the standard 1-year warranty but we're talking about something one uses several times a day. An extra 25 dollars is more than worth it, if you ask me!

This purchase was worth every yen. It makes cooking each day a delightful experience. I don't know why I waited so long to get it! Amazing what happiness some material things can give us. So contrary to the Buddhist thinking of freeing oneself of materialistic greed, I believe materialism in moderation can make life just 'that' much more enjoyable.

some scones and tea, dear?

This is not a picture of the scones Andrea made but it is close enough. Before I could realize it, the scones made at her house were gobbled up. ^_^

She was a real dear - she taught me how to make real scones and Auzzie-style muffins! Aussie muffins are more biscuit-like than the American counterparts. She made a savory (salty...made with salt and fresh herbs from her garden!) pumpkin ones.

I cannot recall having had a tasty store-bought scone while here. I think scones are one of those things that needs to be eaten while pipin' hot, straight outta the oven. Do you like scones? The ones found at Starbucks filled with butterscotch chocolate bits are lovely but not very authentic.

wedding tunes

We had a meeting with the wedding planner again. We received one of our final estimates for the wedding bill...ouch. As expected, the semi-final estimate was much higher than the first quote they gave us. Isn't that how it always goes?

At the meeting we decided all our BGM (this is a very Japanese acronym...it stands for background music) for the wedding. We picked predominantly songs in English, oldies that most of our guests are familiar with. The following is a very quirky song we picked primarily for its lyrics.

When I'm 64 (the Beatles)
When I get older, losing my hair,
many years from now,
Will you still be sending me a Valentine,
birthday greetings, bottle of wine?
If I'd been out 'till quarter to three,
would you lock the door?
Will you still need me, will you still feed me,
When I'm sixty-four?

get cooking, folks!

Hiro told me cooking is good for the noggin so I dug around and managed to find this research.

The Asahi Shimbun (August 2005)
Cooking, researchers say, is good for the brain. A research team led by Ryuta Kawashima, a professor of medicine at Tohoku University, found that a daily stint in the kitchen improves blood flow to the prefrontal cortex, which controls brain functions such as decision-making and calculations.

Although preparing a bowl of spaghetti may not make you a lot smarter, the study shows that cooking speeds up the process when people have to use their noodle. "Regardless of gender or age, cooking on a daily basis will keep the brain in good condition," Kawashima said. "I hope more people will take up cooking for the health of their brains and bodies."

Using an optical topography device, the team, which included researchers from Osaka Gas Co., first observed the real-time brain functions of 15 women aged between 35 and 55 as they cooked. All of them cooked on a daily basis. The researchers found that the prefrontal cortex was active in all stages of cooking, from thinking up a menu to cutting and frying vegetables, and arranging food on plates.

PICTURED: Hiro made Hokkaido white curry...we saw it on TV ads and could not resist!

fitness instructors - we should give them more credit

It must be quite the feat to be an aerobics instructor!!! I never noticed it but after my friend told me about the experience, I guessed it is much more taxing that we think.

Some factors might include:
- everyone is always staring at them
- most aerobics participants are by nature, competitive
- they have got to stay in time with the music
- make sure their outfit is not creeping up
- ensure they do not wreak of sweat
- try their best not to 'rain' perspiration
- look very upbeat
- keep an eye on all the participants
- develop fun, interesting, effective routines

The list goes on and on. I suppose this is why a high percentage of aerobics instructors are prone to image or eating disorders. If one puts on even a little weight, her career is at risk. Few people are likely to trust a plump fitness trainer...talk about stress!

How safe are IH heaters?

See below for some clips from a paper on radiofrequency waves emitted from IH sources. It is a comprehensive paper and full of various useful information. Despite all this, it seems that even experts remain inconclusive on the long-term effects of such IH technology. In the meantime, countless homes in Japan are turning to IH heating appliances...ranging from IH rice cookers to IH stovetops. This one featured (by Toshiba) sells for almost 1000USD (roughly 99,000yen)

I have mixed feelings about our IH stove. We had to toss all our old pots and pans and purchase all new ones. Everything we get has to be IH compatible, in other words, made from steel. Pros: the stove is super easy to clean and when cool, the on/off panel can be stored, the fish burner cooks fish to perfection, the surface can even be used as a food preparation area. That sure frees up a lot more counterspace. I love counterspace! It has a stove timer with automatic shutoff function, making it a whole lot safer for accident-prone folks like me.

Some cons include: inability to judge actual temperature of the stovetop, uneven cooking (heat is concentrated in the centre), and poor frying or browning power. My crepes just didn't turn out as they always do. Waaaaaa!

EXCERPTS from the paper:
Radiofrequency sources in the home include microwave ovens, induction heating stoves, burglar alarms, video display units (VDUs), and television receivers. Leakage from microwave ovens can be up to 1.5 W/m2 at 0.3m and 0.15 W/m2 at a distance of 1 metre. Exposure to radiation from domestic appliances is best limited by design and by monitoring at the point of manufacture.

There are concerns about the possible effects of RF fields in the areas of promotion and progression of cancer, of reproductive failures, such as spontaneous abortions and congenital malformations, and of effects on central nervous system function. Knowledge in all these areas is inadequate to determine whether such effects exist, and therefore, there is no rational basis for recommendations to protect the general population from possible adverse effects.

meeting up with uncle and auntie Liu

This weekend I received an abrupt jolt to my lackadaisical Sunday post-dinner lounging. My uncle Liu called to find out if we could meet up in Tokyo. It was all so very sudden that I could not call off classes.

Instead I took the afternoon off between classes and sped to Tokyo. They stayed at the posh ANA Hotel where one night in a single room will set you back over 300 dollars! This picture is a carbon copy of what their room looked like on the 'executive floor.'

I could only see them for a brief two hours but it was worth it. I had not seen them in almost two years. They seemed just as young and jubilant as they did two years ago. Amazing...I wondered if it was the result of going to all those spas and foot massages in China. I remember my body condition really tuned up with the daily foot massages I received during my one-month stay there years ago.

Uncle Liu and auntie came to Tokyo from Kyoto where they had been treated to a very luxurious dinner in Gion. Each guest was accompanied by a real geisha! Amaaaazing. My aunt said the singing and dancing was not as impressive as one would expect. Then she asked me of my impression...I laughed and told her most people do not have the opportunity nor money to go to such a place!

Uncle Liu set up Augmentum, a blooming software development company so he often finds himself in Japan. I saw it when I was in China - he runs it like the CIA to protect trade secrets and keep all the employees in line. One piece of advice he gave me was, "You can do whatever you want, Vivian, but whatever you do, you have to be the best at it." He admires and respects Japan, especially the Japanese work ethic, nevertheless he did mention that Japan has lost that spark it had when he first visited decades ago.

Japanese version of Forrest Gump?!

Comic 'Always' cited as example of close-knit neighborhood

TOKYO — Popular comic "Sanchome no yuhi," which was made into the blockbuster film "Always — Sunset on Third Street" last year, is cited as an example of a close-knit neighborhood in a government report released Friday. The film, directed by Takashi Yamazaki, won 12 Japan Academy Awards out of 13 nominations.

We saw this movie on DVD. I had a hard time staying awake - partially because the film seemed to lack plot, partially because I was so sleepy! Overall this was not a bad film, however, at the same time we could not understand why it was awarded so many Academy Awards. Some scenes, as Hiro said, were obviously targeting some reaction from the viewer like, 'cry here' or 'feel moved here'

for laughs

This is my favorite Japanese film, "Waterboys" which was purportedly based on a true story. The plot revolves around a group of boys who decide to put on a synchronized swimming show, something at that time unheard of - men doing sync swimming. It was a side-splitter and full of really catchy music! I highly recommend it.

If you liked it you might also like "Swing Girls" which is similar story but involves a group of novice (er...wannabe) female music players who long to form a good swing band.

numb eyes and fingers

Are you a heavy-user of PCs? How many hours do you spend in front of a computer each day? Though we will do not have internet access at home right now, I still use my PC for various reasons. Today, as I type, I go into my 6th or so hour of using a PC.

At the moment I am doing some one time English transcript work (due to a big vacation month and various purchases, I am low on cash reserves) which is a bit hard on the ears and fingers - ears because I have to listen to the recording at blasting volumes and fingers due to all the typing.

What's in a voice?
It is funny listening to the interviews because just from them, you can tell a lot about one's personality. The first subject they interviewed was an intelligent man yet very obviously full of himself. The second subject was a much humbler and easy to follow woman - she did not toot her own horn at all during the questioning.

Oh my goodness, there are various fruit flies around this computer station and a mosquito buzzing in my ear. Perhaps this is a sign to log off and out.

Out for the day...signing off!

ha, and I thought I was bad

Today while picking up some mochi mochi (chewy donut holes made with a combination of rice and wheat flour) donuts (donuts...yes, guilty me!) at the bakery, I noticed a woman who was ferociously flicking through the pile of donuts laid out in a lined wicker basket. She was really prodding and poking with her aluminum prongs.

Hiro always points his finger at me, disapprovingly in the supermarket. I mean yes, sometimes I inspect veggies and even the springy factor of fish but I do not damage the merchandise like that!

I gave her a scowl (she was hogging the whole station) and got my ONE single donut - one of the few that had not been damage by this lady with obvious obsessive-compulsive perfection problems. Sure we all have our own OC issues but c'mon, spending more than 5 minutes at the donut station?!

There is more to life than perfection, folks. As the movie title says, sometimes life is as it is "as good as it gets." Enjoy it while you can and stop obsessing over the trivial donut 'issues' in life - heck, in the end, some person who could care less is going to pop it in their mouth all in one bite! Hee hee.

no surprise...

Fast-food eaters underestimate calories
PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (AP) -- Next time you go out for that big burger, bucket of fries and super-sized soda, you better bring along your calculator just to be safe.

Most people, no matter how large or small they are, tend to underestimate how many calories are in fast-food meals -- a big problem as portion sizes have ballooned, a new study has found.
People make more accurate guesses when determining the calories in smaller meals, according to the results of the study published this week in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Reading the book, "Fast Food Nation" really put me off fast food. Even beloved Taco Bell. I would say this book is the written version of the movie, "Supersize Me" only different in the sense that it is backed up by more facts and less 'propaganda-like' than the movie.

Pour on the virgin, baby!

By Amy Norton
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - When it comes to heart health, virgin olive oil may have an edge over other vegetable fats, new research suggests.

Reporting in the Annals of Internal Medicine, European researchers say virgin olive oil may be particularly effective at lowering heart disease risk because of its high level of antioxidant plant compounds.

In a study of 200 healthy men, the researchers found that virgin olive oil -- rich in antioxidants called polyphenols -- showed stronger heart-health effects than the more extensively processed "non-virgin" variety.

The findings suggest that virgin olive oil has more going for it than its supply of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, according to the study authors. Polyphenols, they say, may account for some of the health benefits that have been attributed to the oil.

In fact, virgin olive oil is the only vegetable oil that's rich in polyphenols, Dr. Maria-Isabel Covas, the study's lead researcher, told Reuters Health.

Finally giving in...

After years of holding stubborn and insisting on using a 35mm camera, I am waving the white flag and splurging on a camera. This one was given good reviews by kakaku.com - the ultimate electronics review site in Japan.

My friend just recently bought a Sony digital camera and told me to steer clear from them. In less than 6 months, she was already experience abnormalities with the camera. What a shame.

For those of you unaware, Sony products are often not so user-friendly because you have to by SONY-compatible parts and other accessories, often at a premium. Take Sony IC recorders, for example - they only record in Sony sound files and after you have uploaded that onto your PC you can then convert it into an mp3. What a royal pain in the butt!

Like my friend Chigusa advised me, you should buy a camera just before the new model is coming out. The old model will sell at a substantially lower price. The store clerk was honest enough to tell me that over 5 or 6 megapixels was more than sufficient for taking quality photos. This one is 7.1mpx - not bad at all for the price@ 24,000yen plus a 5000 yen 512MG memory chip.

What is your experience with digital cameras? Are there any brands you dislike or are loyal to?

Shock for the month!

Today I had the most shocking experience. Most people would call it revolting but I was somewhat amused by it. A chubby and stout man started talking to me and asking me if I was 'hitori' or, by myself. At first I wondered if he was a staff person, then I pretended I could not understand him and tried to ignore him and told him I was with someone. He was persistent and suddenly he said, "hey are you looking?" I turned around to see him with his fly open and 'schlonger' hanging out. At the time I froze and it took a while for me to register his act of perversion. He seemed pleased to see my digust. Right after, I ran after him and yelled out, "hey someone - would you help..." and he ran away in fear. He knew I was about to report him to the store staff. This was at the Ishimaru electronics shop in our town at around 11:00am.

Women - if you see such a thing, I recommend you have the last laugh and burst out laughing if an exhibitionist approaches you some time. Unfortunately it took too much time for me to register and I could not have fun with the situation, like laugh and point, perhaps all the while saying "chisai, chisai!!!" Ha ha.

Since the store clerks did not take me seriously, I went to the local police station (police box) to report this incident. They jotted down some details and sent some patrols to surveillance the area. For me I was not surprised (heck, my best friend Jessie and I went to a gay nude beach - Hanlin's point in Toronto before...it was a bizarre experience) but if an elementary school student was victim to such a stupid act, it might scar them for life! ^_^

RICE as the main

It took me a while to get used to the Japanese concept of rice as the main dish. As you can see, this tea house I dined at was particularly generous in its serving of 16-grain glutinous rice.

In my family, I was always told that I ate too much rice and that instead, I should eat more meat, fish, and veggies. When I visited China, we often went 'sans' rice because it was a pity to fill up our stomachs with cheap rice.

Rice in Japan is expensive and considered one of the most essential if not THE essential part of one's meal. During WWII and its subsequent years, Japanese people had to mix rice with barley, a sign of meager times. Now it has become trendy among younger Japanese to eat rice with other grains (esp. barley) though older people tend to turn their noses up at it, still remembering barley+rice's symbolic past.

it CAN be helped, gosh damnit!

One thing I could not understand about Japanese people was their tendency to shake everything off with a 'shoganai' which basically translates as, "it cannot be helped" or "there is nothing we can do." Sometimes I can understand how quitting while one is ahead is a good thing, however, when it is obvious that there is another way or all the other ways have not yet been exhausted...you should not say 'shoganai!'

This bugs the heck out of me!!! I feel like saying it is such a weak 'cop out,' an excuse to give up. I think giving up is easy but to persisting in trying takes even more courage. I suppose sometimes 'shoganai' can be used to keep peace in a group - that is one of the only times I feel it is truly appropriate.

Unless you try 3 times, you cannot say "shoganai" - that is my new house rule. If you come to my house, please do not be so quick to say "shoganai." With my stubborn determination, 9 times out of 10, there is a way. Like we say, "if there is a will, there is a way!"

This pictures is our condo entrance. The area was soiled by a dark track caused by repeated footsteps in the same path, evidence of the previous tenants. I thought it was permanent but with much effort and an hour's worth of time, it came out. This is when I came upon my new rule: you cannot give up until you have tried it three times.