I just can't believe that I'm almost down to 2 weeks left in Japan! Today is what, the 29th? And I leave on the 14th. Holy crap! I'm so excited! I'm still a little sad but mostly excited now. Kohsuke and I went to Roppongi Hills on the weekend and it was... alot of shopping. I liked it but really, how much fun can you have in a gigantic shopping mecca when all you can afford to buy is a Christmas card. A as in ONE Christmas card! It sucked ass. But very swank. Swanky ass sucking. I took a lot of pictures and fondled a lot of designer goods that I'll never actually be able to afford. It was groovy. And then we went to...I forget. No! I remember! Shibuya! And there was nore pictures taking of the sneaky variety and some Starbucks and then home. Do you think it's wrong to photograph the homeless? Because I'd like to but then I think maybe it's just not right. But then I think what the hell. I just don't know.
We're going to head out to the Tsukiji Fish Market really early on Saturday morning. I'm stoked. Well, as stoked as you can be when you're going to have to get up at 5am. Because really, what kind of person gets up at 5am? I ask you! Not this kind of person. Not usually anyway. But I will because happiness isn't happiness without a guitar playing goat. Sorry. That has nothing to do with anything. I just like it. But really, I should be able to get some fun photos of the giant tuna and the fish flying through the air. Or is that the Seattle fish market? I can't remember. Ooo...I'm looking forward to the sushi as well. Mmm...raw fish at 6am. Sounds good! The scary thing is that I'm not actually joking here. I love smell of fish in the morning. Um, wait a minute...that's just not right. I mean, I'm SO not wearing the comfortable shoes if you get my drift. And then maybe we'll go on the Tokyo Dome roller coaster again. I like it. Like it a lot. Or maybe not. There was something else I really wanted to do this weekend but now I can't remember. I'll have to consult my list. Lists are good.
Okay bye.
Monday, November 29, 2004
Friday, November 26, 2004
Lots of plans
So at Nova they have this thing called the Voice Room. The function of the Voice Room is for students to have a place to practice using their english in a less structured environment. Some teachers like to give them tasks to complete, some play games, some just have guided discussions or conversations. It's alot of fun sometimes. And sometimes not. Anyway, yesterday I decided to tell some of the students that I was leaving soon and give them the task of arranging a touristy itinerary for my remaining days in Tokyo. Things I HAVE to see or do before I leave Japan. I'm always a little shocked to find out how little most people living in Tokyo actually know about the city but they managed to come up with a few good ideas. So here they are!
1. Tsukiji Fish Market - I think it's one of the biggest or maybe even the biggest fish market in the world. Which in itself is maybe not so exciting but if you go early in the morning they have the freshest, tastiest sushi known to mankind. So I'm in! I'm going to try to go next week. You have to be there by about 7am. I'm afraid. I'm very afraid.
2. Korakuen Amusement Park - This is actually the amusement park near the Tokyo Dome that I went to with Moody last week. But I'd like to go again. The trip with Moody was very quick and we just went on the scary roller coaster because I had to get to work. They have other equally frightening rides that I may have to partake of. Maybe.
3. Sumo - It looks like watching sumo may be a no go. I'd love to see it but the current set of matches ends this weekend and I'm all booked up today and I have to work Sunday so...yeah. No sumo for me I think. I'm very sad.
4. Roppongi Hills - This is actually just a building in Roppongi. But it's new and very famous and swanky. Nobody seems to be too sure as to why it's famous exactly but it is and I'm intruigued. A little boy was crushed to death in the revolving door of the building and one of my students sites that as the reason the building is so famous but I'd heard of it before that so I'm not sold on that theory. We're going today so I'll let you know.
5. Onsen (japanese hot spring) - Again, I probably don't have time to partake of the onsen-y goodness. It's sad but true. But really, getting naked with a bunch of strange japanese people (strange as in unknown to me, not abnormal in any way that I know of) just isn't my thing right now. I'm shy.
6. Ueno - This is an area of Tokyo that is quite famous. Why? Not sure. But it's where the Science Museum and Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum are. I'm going to try to make it to both of those museums before I go because, well, I love museums. Dorky but true. I've been to Ueno before to visit the grave of our friends's ancestors. It's a really exclusive and expensive cemetery with a walled off section that is really old and contains the remains of famous samurai and whatnot. I'd love to go back and take some photos. It's really beautiful.
7. Pachinko - Ahhh. Pachinko. Really pointless gambling type game that people in this country are completely addicted to. I've never been myself but it seems like I should try it once before I go. There are pachinko parlour everywhere so I'll have lots of opportunity. The students seemed to think that I should get the whole experience by lining up with the really desperate people outside the parlour in the morning. Because they're funny.
8. Akihabara - You may have heard of Akihabara. It's the famous electronic goods district in Tokyo. It used to be the place to go for just about anything. Lots of bargains and shady backroom type deals. But not so much anymore. Now that it's so famous with the tourists it's pretty much as expensive or more expensive than anywhere else. But apparently there are a lot of interesting people I can take sneaky photos of there. I may drop by today if I have time.
9. Mitsukoshi department store in Nihombashi - This was a suggestion given to me by one of the housewife students. They love the department stores and apparently this one is fantastic. It was recently remodelled and she expects good things from it. It's pretty close by so I'm thinking I will check it out because some of the department stores here in Tokyo are really remarkable. They've taken shopping to a whole new level really. And I do like to shop.
So there you go. This is what I'll be doing in the time I have left here. I'm actually not sure I'll have enough time for all of it which is kind of sad. I've only got 17 days left and a big website to build for Kohsuke's boss and Nova to go to as well. Grrr. Working sucks. It leaves so little time for sightseeing! :-)
1. Tsukiji Fish Market - I think it's one of the biggest or maybe even the biggest fish market in the world. Which in itself is maybe not so exciting but if you go early in the morning they have the freshest, tastiest sushi known to mankind. So I'm in! I'm going to try to go next week. You have to be there by about 7am. I'm afraid. I'm very afraid.
2. Korakuen Amusement Park - This is actually the amusement park near the Tokyo Dome that I went to with Moody last week. But I'd like to go again. The trip with Moody was very quick and we just went on the scary roller coaster because I had to get to work. They have other equally frightening rides that I may have to partake of. Maybe.
3. Sumo - It looks like watching sumo may be a no go. I'd love to see it but the current set of matches ends this weekend and I'm all booked up today and I have to work Sunday so...yeah. No sumo for me I think. I'm very sad.
4. Roppongi Hills - This is actually just a building in Roppongi. But it's new and very famous and swanky. Nobody seems to be too sure as to why it's famous exactly but it is and I'm intruigued. A little boy was crushed to death in the revolving door of the building and one of my students sites that as the reason the building is so famous but I'd heard of it before that so I'm not sold on that theory. We're going today so I'll let you know.
5. Onsen (japanese hot spring) - Again, I probably don't have time to partake of the onsen-y goodness. It's sad but true. But really, getting naked with a bunch of strange japanese people (strange as in unknown to me, not abnormal in any way that I know of) just isn't my thing right now. I'm shy.
6. Ueno - This is an area of Tokyo that is quite famous. Why? Not sure. But it's where the Science Museum and Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum are. I'm going to try to make it to both of those museums before I go because, well, I love museums. Dorky but true. I've been to Ueno before to visit the grave of our friends's ancestors. It's a really exclusive and expensive cemetery with a walled off section that is really old and contains the remains of famous samurai and whatnot. I'd love to go back and take some photos. It's really beautiful.
7. Pachinko - Ahhh. Pachinko. Really pointless gambling type game that people in this country are completely addicted to. I've never been myself but it seems like I should try it once before I go. There are pachinko parlour everywhere so I'll have lots of opportunity. The students seemed to think that I should get the whole experience by lining up with the really desperate people outside the parlour in the morning. Because they're funny.
8. Akihabara - You may have heard of Akihabara. It's the famous electronic goods district in Tokyo. It used to be the place to go for just about anything. Lots of bargains and shady backroom type deals. But not so much anymore. Now that it's so famous with the tourists it's pretty much as expensive or more expensive than anywhere else. But apparently there are a lot of interesting people I can take sneaky photos of there. I may drop by today if I have time.
9. Mitsukoshi department store in Nihombashi - This was a suggestion given to me by one of the housewife students. They love the department stores and apparently this one is fantastic. It was recently remodelled and she expects good things from it. It's pretty close by so I'm thinking I will check it out because some of the department stores here in Tokyo are really remarkable. They've taken shopping to a whole new level really. And I do like to shop.
So there you go. This is what I'll be doing in the time I have left here. I'm actually not sure I'll have enough time for all of it which is kind of sad. I've only got 17 days left and a big website to build for Kohsuke's boss and Nova to go to as well. Grrr. Working sucks. It leaves so little time for sightseeing! :-)
Thursday, November 25, 2004
Fantastico View!
This is a pic taken from the 45th (I think) floor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building. So cool! But I wasn't too fond of the unnecessarily large wall diagram detailing how in case of an earthquake the building is designed to sway back an forth like an orange on a straw (my description, not theirs). Not fond at all. Nope.
Elvis. And other good things
So yesterday I was telling one of my students about my fascination with Elvis impersonators (not Elvis himself, just the impersonators) and she said I was crazy. What's that all about? Am I the only girl in the world that thinks crazy 50s style hair and a little rhinestone action is hot? I especially like the way they combine the looks of Elvis. They choose the pre-bloat body (the good ones anyway) the late 50s - early 60s style hair and the rhinestones!!! Woo hoo! I'm also a fan of leather Elvis but the rhinestones just make it a little more special. And who doesn't want to feel special. It's all about the sparkle. I worked with a girl once who had slept with the Elvis impersonator on this cruise she was on. She was my hero. She also ordered a prom dress from a shop in Vegas. Is there anything funner? (Yes I know funner isn't a word).
Maybe I need to go to Vegas.
Or maybe I should befriend one of the rockabilly guys in the park and get him to wear the rhinestones for me! They've already got the hair! And the kick ass dance moves! Do you think they practice at home in front of a mirror? Do they have one of those walls of mirror like you see in the gym? The apartments here are generally pretty small so maybe they just go to the gym and practice their posing while lifting free weights. And if that's the case, do they wear their tight jeans or leather pants to the gym as well? What about the cowboy boots? Or do they wear spandex? Because that's just wrong. I'm just imaging one of them getting off the train to go to the gym with his greaser hair, cowboy boots, leather jacket and shiny black spandex shorts. Ack! Get out of my head! This may very well ruin the whole thing. I'm going to have to go back on a Sunday very soon to get this ghastly picture out of my mind. Ghastly. Is it even possible to say the word ghastly without using some sort of cheesy faux british accent? Not for me.
Maybe I need to go to Vegas.
Or maybe I should befriend one of the rockabilly guys in the park and get him to wear the rhinestones for me! They've already got the hair! And the kick ass dance moves! Do you think they practice at home in front of a mirror? Do they have one of those walls of mirror like you see in the gym? The apartments here are generally pretty small so maybe they just go to the gym and practice their posing while lifting free weights. And if that's the case, do they wear their tight jeans or leather pants to the gym as well? What about the cowboy boots? Or do they wear spandex? Because that's just wrong. I'm just imaging one of them getting off the train to go to the gym with his greaser hair, cowboy boots, leather jacket and shiny black spandex shorts. Ack! Get out of my head! This may very well ruin the whole thing. I'm going to have to go back on a Sunday very soon to get this ghastly picture out of my mind. Ghastly. Is it even possible to say the word ghastly without using some sort of cheesy faux british accent? Not for me.
Wednesday, November 24, 2004
In the immortal words of Keanu Reeves...wo.
I'm leaving Japan in 20 days. 20 days!! That's crazy talk. I can't believe I'm actually leaving. I'm sad and happy all at the same time. I'm also a little hungry but that has nothing to do with Japan. It's just time for brunch. Because I don't eat breakfast but I"m sometimes too hungry to wait for lunch so...brunch! Isn't it magical? Anyway, I'm leaving. On a jet plane. Don't know when I'll be back again. Sorry. I woke up feeling a little odd this morning. It's going to be a long day of speaking in song lyrics and movie quotes. I can feel it. I'm such a dork. A neo-maxi-zoom-dweebie even. Yup. Movie quotes. So what was I talking about?
Right. Leaving Japan. It's strange. I wish I was staying but I'm thrilled to be leaving. Yesterday I left for work early and went down to Harajuku and Shibuya and wandered around a bit. I bought a funky yet affordable watch and was hit on by a tall and kind of sexy black guy who pestered me until I took down his number which I will not be calling because...well, I'm just not interested in numbers right now. Especially when they belong to people who follow random girls around Harajuku trying to pick up. You see where I'm coming from? But he was kind of cute so I'm flattered. And while I was wandering around in the happy sunshine, window shopping and all that I felt really happy and I thought about how much I would miss Tokyo. It's a really amazing city. And there are so many things I haven't done yet! We have this big, long list of things we were going to do when we had more time or more money or more whatever and now...yeah. It's sad. Not hamsters gnawing at my belly sad but sad nonetheless. I've never seen a sumo match. Or a noh play. Or kabuki theatre. I've never been to Hokkaido or Okinawa. Or the crazy fish market. Actually, I think I will do that before I go so I can cross that one off the list. It's always sad to leave a place that has so much to offer. You could live here for your entire life and never do everything. I'd like to come back sometime and see Tokyo just as a tourist without the pressures of everyday life.
Most of all I'll miss all the great people watching. It's so good here! I've been trying to get out to take pictures of random people doing their thing as often as I can lately. I spent a good deal of time bonding with the Rockabilly guys in Yoyogi Park last weekend. It was great. And by bonding I mean I took a lot of pictures and they did a lot of posing. I find them oddly compelling. It's disease. There should be a 12 step program for that. No! If loving the Rockabillies is wrong, I don't wanna be right! Tee hee.
This weekend I'm going to station myself in some cafe in Shibuya or Harajuku and take sneaky shots of people passing by. I have Kohsuke's swanky camera with the crazy zoom which is perfect for the sneaky shots. Perfect I say! I should become a private eye. Then I could spend all of my time taking sneaky pictures and I'd get paid for it. Plus I could become a master of disguise and wear wigs and stuff. And hats. Hats are key. Okay, food now.
Right. Leaving Japan. It's strange. I wish I was staying but I'm thrilled to be leaving. Yesterday I left for work early and went down to Harajuku and Shibuya and wandered around a bit. I bought a funky yet affordable watch and was hit on by a tall and kind of sexy black guy who pestered me until I took down his number which I will not be calling because...well, I'm just not interested in numbers right now. Especially when they belong to people who follow random girls around Harajuku trying to pick up. You see where I'm coming from? But he was kind of cute so I'm flattered. And while I was wandering around in the happy sunshine, window shopping and all that I felt really happy and I thought about how much I would miss Tokyo. It's a really amazing city. And there are so many things I haven't done yet! We have this big, long list of things we were going to do when we had more time or more money or more whatever and now...yeah. It's sad. Not hamsters gnawing at my belly sad but sad nonetheless. I've never seen a sumo match. Or a noh play. Or kabuki theatre. I've never been to Hokkaido or Okinawa. Or the crazy fish market. Actually, I think I will do that before I go so I can cross that one off the list. It's always sad to leave a place that has so much to offer. You could live here for your entire life and never do everything. I'd like to come back sometime and see Tokyo just as a tourist without the pressures of everyday life.
Most of all I'll miss all the great people watching. It's so good here! I've been trying to get out to take pictures of random people doing their thing as often as I can lately. I spent a good deal of time bonding with the Rockabilly guys in Yoyogi Park last weekend. It was great. And by bonding I mean I took a lot of pictures and they did a lot of posing. I find them oddly compelling. It's disease. There should be a 12 step program for that. No! If loving the Rockabillies is wrong, I don't wanna be right! Tee hee.
This weekend I'm going to station myself in some cafe in Shibuya or Harajuku and take sneaky shots of people passing by. I have Kohsuke's swanky camera with the crazy zoom which is perfect for the sneaky shots. Perfect I say! I should become a private eye. Then I could spend all of my time taking sneaky pictures and I'd get paid for it. Plus I could become a master of disguise and wear wigs and stuff. And hats. Hats are key. Okay, food now.
Sunday, November 21, 2004
Random Questions Make Me Laugh.
I recently got another of these survey emails so instead of sending it out to everybody and their dog I'm posting it here for anyone who's interested. That way I don't get any hate mail from my friends and family who are sick to death of surveys! It's win, win really.
1. What time did you get up? 9am.
2. If you could eat lunch with one person, who would it be? I think I'm still gonna go with John Cusack. He just seems fun you know? Or maybe Johnny Depp. Just so he could sit there and look cool. No. John Cusack.
3. Gold or silver? White gold. That way you don't have the dilemma. It's got the shiny silverness of silver but the swankiness of gold. It's the perfect precious metal. Unless of course you want to talk about platinum. And who doesn't want to talk about platinum!?
4. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? The cinema? I love it when people call it the cinema! It sounds so much cooler than theatre. I haven't been to the cinema for ages!! Maybe it was Spiderman 2.
5. What is your favorite TV show? At the moment I'm addicted to 24. I've watched the first season and now I'm working my way through the 2nd but the rental competition is fierce here! The whole frickin' country is addicted to 24! I'm going to have to stake out the video store.
6. What do you have for breakfast? Oh my god! I just woke up! I'm planning on having a couple of those taasty japanese oranges and a glass of water. I can't do food in the morning.
7. Who would you hate to be stuck in a room with? Hmmm...so many choices depending on my mood. My father, his crazy sister, George Bush, the really annoying guy at work, Kohsuke's skank (because I'd have to kill her)...it's a long list really. I'm going to add a more positive version of this question!
7b. Who would you love to be stuck in a room with? Virve, Marya, Marla, Shae, Tom, O'Neil, Kohsuke (what can I say, he's still one of my best friends - he just can't bring his skank), and about a zillion other supa fun people that I can think of but don't want to type out because I'm very lazy.
8. What inspires you? Sunshine. Strong people who know what they want and go after it without squashing people along the way.
9. What is your middle name? Oh god. Why do we always have to talk about it? Brandy. There. Are you happy now?!
10. Beach, city or country? I love this question. Beach located in the country about a 40 minute drive from the city. But if I had to choose just one...city. Maybe. Or maybe beach. But not country.
11. Favorite ice cream? I don't know what it's called. It's some crazy citrusy blend they used to have at the Coombs Old Country Market with the goats on the roof and the whatnot. It had mango and orange and maybe pineapple but I could be adding that one in myself.
12. Butter, plain, or salted popcorn? Popcorn kind of picks my ass now that I think about it. I like the butter and a little salt but I really hate the way bits get stuck in your teeth for hours afterward so you're walking around making these ridiculous faces while trying to poke it out with your tongue. Or maybe that's just me.
13. Favorite color? Red. Black. Happy, sunshiny yellow (with a hint of orange) and...pink. Shut up. It's happy.
14. What kind of car do you drive? Ha ha! No car here. But in my head I drive a VW Karmenghia. Is it spelt with a K? Or a C? I don't know, but I like it.
15. What is your favorite sandwich? Traditionally a beef dip but I have to say I've become partial to the club.
16. What characteristic do you despise? Sickly sweet fake niceness (embrace your inner bitch!), dishonesty, arrogance and cruelty.
17. Favorite flower? Sunflower or daisies of the gerber variety or otherwise. I love all flowers really but those are just so forcefully cheerful. Are there any happier flowers than these?
18. If you could go anywhere in the world on a vacation, where would it be? New York to visit the Beerbah. Or if we take friends out of the equation then Italy. To visit the art.
19. What colour is your bath robe? No robe.
20. Favorite brand of clothing? Too poor to be a brand girl. I'd like to develop a taste for Chanel or Gaultier. But for now...the Gap and Old Navy. Oooo...and this brand here called Hysteric Glamour. But a t-shirt costs about $70 so...yeah. Lots of skulls and bat wings and fun stuff. It's cool. I have one shirt I found in an outlet store for $25.
21. Favorite day of the week? I'm going with Saturday. I have to work the next couple of Sundays so it's no longer my favourite. I'm fickle that way.
22. What did you do for your last birthday? Had a little partay at the bar downstairs with some friends and then went to FujiQ Highlands Park the next day. It rained. Most of the rides were closed and I was really wigged out the whole time by the weird vibes. Not a stellar birthday to be honest. But the thought was nice.
23. Where were you born? Drunken Duncan, City of Totems. Vancouver Island, BC, Canada for those of you not familiar with the non-stop party that is Duncan.
24. Favorite sport to watch? The kind that is over in 10 minutes so I go back to watching something I actually like? Do they have one of those? Ha ha. I'm a good canadian girl. Hockey of course. Or rugby. Rugby is fun.
25. Who do you least expect to send this back to you? All of the people I didn't send it to.
26. Person you expect to send it back first? Johnny Depp. He's really very attentive. I've told him to back off a little, I need some space but he's just crazy about me. He can't help it. It's the sex vibe I send out. It's really not his fault.
Part II
1. WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Angela Brandy Tomizu (for now)
2. WHAT COLOUR PANTS ARE YOU WEARING? I so don't want to tell you! Black with white stripes down the side. They're my comfy pants!
3. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? My dog destroying something. There's some thumping and clicking involved which makes me think it's a shoe.
4. WHAT DID YOU DO LAST NIGHT? Worked, met Kohsuke for dinner and hung out for awhile.
5. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Mos Burger!! The best fast food in the universe. It's true.
6. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOUR WOULD YOU BE? The black with silver sparkles. I saw it. It does exist.
7. HOW IS THE WEATHER RIGHT NOW? So nice!! Sunny and cool. Crisp you might say. Or a little nippley but that's just crass.
8. WHO IS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Kohsuke.
9. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT THE OPPOSITE SEX? Depends which way they're facing. Different things in different situations I guess. Probably height. If I'm looking then I note the build, the eyes and the smile. Hands are also key.
10. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT YOU THIS? Yes. She's funny. Funny is good.
11. HOW ARE YOU TODAY? I'm okay. The sun is shining, the dog is biting something that is not me...it's a good day.
12. FAVOURITE DRINK? I'm so boring. Water. Then chai latte from Starbucks. Diet coke is also a good thing.
13. FAVOURITE ALCOHOLIC DRINK? No favourites. I'm a fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl. Shuji the sexy bartender downstairs makes a mean Alabama Slammer. I'm also quite fond of the strawberry margaritas at Ginas in Nanaimo.
14. FAVOURITE SPORTS? Tonsil hockey? Or do you want a real sport? To do would be cycling, or mountain biking (back when I lived somewhere with mountains and actually had a mountain bike). To watch...hockey of course.
15. HAIR COLOUR? Reddish at the moment.
16. EYE COLOUR? Hazel with a strong tendency toward green.
17. SUNRISE OR SUNSET? Sunrise. I know, I know. Usually when I see sunrise it's because I've been up all night not because I'm an early rising go-getter type. But it makes me happy to see the sun come up.
18. SIBLINGS AND THEIR AGES? None really. A couple of steps here and there.
19. FAVOURITE MONTH? October, December and July.
20. FAVOURITE FOOD? I like food. I'm partial to mexican, thai and japanese. But I also like a cheeseburger.
21. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Satisfaction with Justine Bateman. I love the 80s. I love the Batemans!
22. FAVOURITE DAY OF THE WEEK? This is so redundant! It's still Saturday.
24. ARE YOU TOO SHY TO ASK SOMEONE OUT? Sometimes. Shut up. It's true.
25. FAVOURITE SONG? No. No favourite song. But I was listening to Istanbul Not Constantinople by They Might Be Giants and it made me want to shake my ass so that was pretty high on my list yesterday. Ooo...I'm also addicted to Summertime by Janis Joplin at the moment. And Solsbury Hill by Peter Gabriel. He's sexy.
26. SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer. I like the sunshine.
27. HUGS OR KISSES? Both! Who would ever want to choose?!
28. RELATIONSHIPS OR ONE NIGHT STAND? I'd like to say one night stand but sadly relationships. I'm a fan.
29. CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA? Chocolate.
30. DO YOU WANT YOUR FRIENDS TO WRITE BACK? Um, no. Because I'm not actually sending it to any of them.
Where are questions 31 and 32? What happened to them? My favourite cheesy celebrity is a tie between that actor with the really fake orange tan (George something maybe) and that woman who had so much plastic surgery she looks like a cat. I'm also partial to Anna Nicole Smith and Paris Hilton because who doesn't love really stupid girls? Add Jessica Simpson to the list.
33. LIVING ARRANGEMENTS? Me, my dog and Mr.Bear. Currently in a cute little studio apartment in Tokyo but soon to be an air mattress on my mom's floor in Duncan. Best not to dwell.
34. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? The Burglar on the Prowl by Lawrence Block. I chose it because it had a funky cover and it's really quite good. I'm not usually the mystery type but I dig this one. Which is good because he has many other books that I will now partake of. I read too much so I'm always on the lookout for a new author.
35. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Mouse pads are so 1995.
36. FAVOURITE BOARD GAME? Still Cranium. Oh my god! I hadn't thought of it before but now I'll be able to play Cranium again!! I'm so excited! This is a sad day really. I'm actually excited by the prospect of playing Cranium. Was I always this big a dork and I just didn't notice?
37. CAN YOU TOUCH YOUR NOSE WITH YOUR TONGUE? What am I a circus freak? No. I have a small tongue. Shut up.
40. DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF LUCKY? I don't like this question. Maybe sometimes. Not all the time and maybe not this week in particular but overall, yes. I have a lot of good things in my life so I guess that would make me lucky. Not like lottery winning lucky but not too bad either.
1. What time did you get up? 9am.
2. If you could eat lunch with one person, who would it be? I think I'm still gonna go with John Cusack. He just seems fun you know? Or maybe Johnny Depp. Just so he could sit there and look cool. No. John Cusack.
3. Gold or silver? White gold. That way you don't have the dilemma. It's got the shiny silverness of silver but the swankiness of gold. It's the perfect precious metal. Unless of course you want to talk about platinum. And who doesn't want to talk about platinum!?
4. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? The cinema? I love it when people call it the cinema! It sounds so much cooler than theatre. I haven't been to the cinema for ages!! Maybe it was Spiderman 2.
5. What is your favorite TV show? At the moment I'm addicted to 24. I've watched the first season and now I'm working my way through the 2nd but the rental competition is fierce here! The whole frickin' country is addicted to 24! I'm going to have to stake out the video store.
6. What do you have for breakfast? Oh my god! I just woke up! I'm planning on having a couple of those taasty japanese oranges and a glass of water. I can't do food in the morning.
7. Who would you hate to be stuck in a room with? Hmmm...so many choices depending on my mood. My father, his crazy sister, George Bush, the really annoying guy at work, Kohsuke's skank (because I'd have to kill her)...it's a long list really. I'm going to add a more positive version of this question!
7b. Who would you love to be stuck in a room with? Virve, Marya, Marla, Shae, Tom, O'Neil, Kohsuke (what can I say, he's still one of my best friends - he just can't bring his skank), and about a zillion other supa fun people that I can think of but don't want to type out because I'm very lazy.
8. What inspires you? Sunshine. Strong people who know what they want and go after it without squashing people along the way.
9. What is your middle name? Oh god. Why do we always have to talk about it? Brandy. There. Are you happy now?!
10. Beach, city or country? I love this question. Beach located in the country about a 40 minute drive from the city. But if I had to choose just one...city. Maybe. Or maybe beach. But not country.
11. Favorite ice cream? I don't know what it's called. It's some crazy citrusy blend they used to have at the Coombs Old Country Market with the goats on the roof and the whatnot. It had mango and orange and maybe pineapple but I could be adding that one in myself.
12. Butter, plain, or salted popcorn? Popcorn kind of picks my ass now that I think about it. I like the butter and a little salt but I really hate the way bits get stuck in your teeth for hours afterward so you're walking around making these ridiculous faces while trying to poke it out with your tongue. Or maybe that's just me.
13. Favorite color? Red. Black. Happy, sunshiny yellow (with a hint of orange) and...pink. Shut up. It's happy.
14. What kind of car do you drive? Ha ha! No car here. But in my head I drive a VW Karmenghia. Is it spelt with a K? Or a C? I don't know, but I like it.
15. What is your favorite sandwich? Traditionally a beef dip but I have to say I've become partial to the club.
16. What characteristic do you despise? Sickly sweet fake niceness (embrace your inner bitch!), dishonesty, arrogance and cruelty.
17. Favorite flower? Sunflower or daisies of the gerber variety or otherwise. I love all flowers really but those are just so forcefully cheerful. Are there any happier flowers than these?
18. If you could go anywhere in the world on a vacation, where would it be? New York to visit the Beerbah. Or if we take friends out of the equation then Italy. To visit the art.
19. What colour is your bath robe? No robe.
20. Favorite brand of clothing? Too poor to be a brand girl. I'd like to develop a taste for Chanel or Gaultier. But for now...the Gap and Old Navy. Oooo...and this brand here called Hysteric Glamour. But a t-shirt costs about $70 so...yeah. Lots of skulls and bat wings and fun stuff. It's cool. I have one shirt I found in an outlet store for $25.
21. Favorite day of the week? I'm going with Saturday. I have to work the next couple of Sundays so it's no longer my favourite. I'm fickle that way.
22. What did you do for your last birthday? Had a little partay at the bar downstairs with some friends and then went to FujiQ Highlands Park the next day. It rained. Most of the rides were closed and I was really wigged out the whole time by the weird vibes. Not a stellar birthday to be honest. But the thought was nice.
23. Where were you born? Drunken Duncan, City of Totems. Vancouver Island, BC, Canada for those of you not familiar with the non-stop party that is Duncan.
24. Favorite sport to watch? The kind that is over in 10 minutes so I go back to watching something I actually like? Do they have one of those? Ha ha. I'm a good canadian girl. Hockey of course. Or rugby. Rugby is fun.
25. Who do you least expect to send this back to you? All of the people I didn't send it to.
26. Person you expect to send it back first? Johnny Depp. He's really very attentive. I've told him to back off a little, I need some space but he's just crazy about me. He can't help it. It's the sex vibe I send out. It's really not his fault.
Part II
1. WHAT IS YOUR NAME? Angela Brandy Tomizu (for now)
2. WHAT COLOUR PANTS ARE YOU WEARING? I so don't want to tell you! Black with white stripes down the side. They're my comfy pants!
3. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? My dog destroying something. There's some thumping and clicking involved which makes me think it's a shoe.
4. WHAT DID YOU DO LAST NIGHT? Worked, met Kohsuke for dinner and hung out for awhile.
5. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Mos Burger!! The best fast food in the universe. It's true.
6. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOUR WOULD YOU BE? The black with silver sparkles. I saw it. It does exist.
7. HOW IS THE WEATHER RIGHT NOW? So nice!! Sunny and cool. Crisp you might say. Or a little nippley but that's just crass.
8. WHO IS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Kohsuke.
9. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT THE OPPOSITE SEX? Depends which way they're facing. Different things in different situations I guess. Probably height. If I'm looking then I note the build, the eyes and the smile. Hands are also key.
10. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT YOU THIS? Yes. She's funny. Funny is good.
11. HOW ARE YOU TODAY? I'm okay. The sun is shining, the dog is biting something that is not me...it's a good day.
12. FAVOURITE DRINK? I'm so boring. Water. Then chai latte from Starbucks. Diet coke is also a good thing.
13. FAVOURITE ALCOHOLIC DRINK? No favourites. I'm a fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl. Shuji the sexy bartender downstairs makes a mean Alabama Slammer. I'm also quite fond of the strawberry margaritas at Ginas in Nanaimo.
14. FAVOURITE SPORTS? Tonsil hockey? Or do you want a real sport? To do would be cycling, or mountain biking (back when I lived somewhere with mountains and actually had a mountain bike). To watch...hockey of course.
15. HAIR COLOUR? Reddish at the moment.
16. EYE COLOUR? Hazel with a strong tendency toward green.
17. SUNRISE OR SUNSET? Sunrise. I know, I know. Usually when I see sunrise it's because I've been up all night not because I'm an early rising go-getter type. But it makes me happy to see the sun come up.
18. SIBLINGS AND THEIR AGES? None really. A couple of steps here and there.
19. FAVOURITE MONTH? October, December and July.
20. FAVOURITE FOOD? I like food. I'm partial to mexican, thai and japanese. But I also like a cheeseburger.
21. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Satisfaction with Justine Bateman. I love the 80s. I love the Batemans!
22. FAVOURITE DAY OF THE WEEK? This is so redundant! It's still Saturday.
24. ARE YOU TOO SHY TO ASK SOMEONE OUT? Sometimes. Shut up. It's true.
25. FAVOURITE SONG? No. No favourite song. But I was listening to Istanbul Not Constantinople by They Might Be Giants and it made me want to shake my ass so that was pretty high on my list yesterday. Ooo...I'm also addicted to Summertime by Janis Joplin at the moment. And Solsbury Hill by Peter Gabriel. He's sexy.
26. SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer. I like the sunshine.
27. HUGS OR KISSES? Both! Who would ever want to choose?!
28. RELATIONSHIPS OR ONE NIGHT STAND? I'd like to say one night stand but sadly relationships. I'm a fan.
29. CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA? Chocolate.
30. DO YOU WANT YOUR FRIENDS TO WRITE BACK? Um, no. Because I'm not actually sending it to any of them.
Where are questions 31 and 32? What happened to them? My favourite cheesy celebrity is a tie between that actor with the really fake orange tan (George something maybe) and that woman who had so much plastic surgery she looks like a cat. I'm also partial to Anna Nicole Smith and Paris Hilton because who doesn't love really stupid girls? Add Jessica Simpson to the list.
33. LIVING ARRANGEMENTS? Me, my dog and Mr.Bear. Currently in a cute little studio apartment in Tokyo but soon to be an air mattress on my mom's floor in Duncan. Best not to dwell.
34. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? The Burglar on the Prowl by Lawrence Block. I chose it because it had a funky cover and it's really quite good. I'm not usually the mystery type but I dig this one. Which is good because he has many other books that I will now partake of. I read too much so I'm always on the lookout for a new author.
35. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Mouse pads are so 1995.
36. FAVOURITE BOARD GAME? Still Cranium. Oh my god! I hadn't thought of it before but now I'll be able to play Cranium again!! I'm so excited! This is a sad day really. I'm actually excited by the prospect of playing Cranium. Was I always this big a dork and I just didn't notice?
37. CAN YOU TOUCH YOUR NOSE WITH YOUR TONGUE? What am I a circus freak? No. I have a small tongue. Shut up.
40. DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF LUCKY? I don't like this question. Maybe sometimes. Not all the time and maybe not this week in particular but overall, yes. I have a lot of good things in my life so I guess that would make me lucky. Not like lottery winning lucky but not too bad either.
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Crazy
I've just had a really fun day today. Nothing special happened but I'm just feeling so good and strong and optimistic! I met Kohsuke for a beer downstairs in my favourite bar and it was fun. I didn't cry and I didn't feel bad at all. I enjoyed my beer and we talked and it was nice. And there was non-stop eye-candy with the sexy bartender and then as we were leaving he (sexy bartender) gave me a mixed cd he made me. It was good. Kohsuke and I were in there having a beer a couple of nights ago and SB was listening to heaps of great (and I mean really great, not just by comparison great) japanese music and I kept asking him what it was and voila! Mixed cd for me! Score! Did I mention that he's hot? Anyway, that's my night. Simple but good. And I didn't cry once today. And my hot surfer boy student at work (I call him my surfer boyfriend) was crushed when I told him I was leaving. He wouldn't shut up about it. I actually had to tell him to shut up so we could get on with the lesson. I feel so loved. If only he expressed himself nekkid. Say it with nekkidness I always say. Kidding. Sort of. Nevermind. I'm crazy from the beer! It's the liquor talking! The liquor!
Tuesday, November 16, 2004
Ahh...Japan...
One of the things I will miss most about Tokyo is the noise. Not the too many people crammed into a space that's way too small and all of them driving around at once kind of noise but the strange noise. For example, the trucks that drive around my neighbourhood all day blaring strange music or recorded messages from loudspeakers on the tops of their trucks, selling things or offering services.
Some of them are loud and scary and make me want to throw things at them but most of them are really funny and occasionally really beautiful. A truck just went by playing this beautiful, haunting music that sounded like an old fashioned music box and I can still kind of hear strains of it as it circles the block (lots of one way streets make for lots of block circling) and it makes me feel nostaligic for something or some place I don't even remember. It's great. Sometimes they sing as they drive to tell people what they're selling and sometimes it's just the music. Different pieces of music mean different things that only the people who grew up here understand. It's something that's so different from home that I think it will always stick in my memory. One of my person favourites is this strange, warped carnival music that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up everytime I hear it. It's so bizarre and creepy for me as a westerner but nobody else seems to notice. I think they were selling tofu. Maybe. I can't remember. Everytime I hear it I have visions of horribly deformed clowns popping out from the back of the truck weilding long, curvy knives. And yes, this is one of my favourites. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I'm a strange animal. :-)
I think I'll be posting a lot of these memory style posts over the next month. I guess I'm hoping that recording my thoughts now will help me to be able to remember everything once I've gone. It's been a really interesting experience living here and I don't want all of my thoughts and feelings about the rest of what's going on to crowd out the memories of the place itself. So bear with me. Soon enough I'll be posting scathing descriptions of "the island" and it's colourful inhabitants in my customary bitchy, I mean funny, yeah... funny, manner.
Some of them are loud and scary and make me want to throw things at them but most of them are really funny and occasionally really beautiful. A truck just went by playing this beautiful, haunting music that sounded like an old fashioned music box and I can still kind of hear strains of it as it circles the block (lots of one way streets make for lots of block circling) and it makes me feel nostaligic for something or some place I don't even remember. It's great. Sometimes they sing as they drive to tell people what they're selling and sometimes it's just the music. Different pieces of music mean different things that only the people who grew up here understand. It's something that's so different from home that I think it will always stick in my memory. One of my person favourites is this strange, warped carnival music that makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up everytime I hear it. It's so bizarre and creepy for me as a westerner but nobody else seems to notice. I think they were selling tofu. Maybe. I can't remember. Everytime I hear it I have visions of horribly deformed clowns popping out from the back of the truck weilding long, curvy knives. And yes, this is one of my favourites. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I'm a strange animal. :-)
I think I'll be posting a lot of these memory style posts over the next month. I guess I'm hoping that recording my thoughts now will help me to be able to remember everything once I've gone. It's been a really interesting experience living here and I don't want all of my thoughts and feelings about the rest of what's going on to crowd out the memories of the place itself. So bear with me. Soon enough I'll be posting scathing descriptions of "the island" and it's colourful inhabitants in my customary bitchy, I mean funny, yeah... funny, manner.
Gah!
So I'm feeling a lot better today than I have for a long time. I mean, I'm damn nervous about moving back to Canada, sorting things out with the student loan people and finding myself a design job but I'm also kind of excited. Terrified too. But people do this kind of thing everyday don't they? Dealing with debts, finding jobs, building lives for themselves. It's not like I'm the first person to have to do this. It's kind of funny when you think about it...I have no problem picking up and moving to another country (it seems easier even now just to hop on a plane to Korea or somewhere to teach english and travel) but the thought of trying to lead a "normal" life just freaks me out. I'm a strange animal, that's what I know. But I'm going to do it.
I worry alot though. I wonder if I'm doing the right thing going back to Canada or if I should be staying here for a few years to save money. But then I think that if I stay here teaching english for much longer I'd not only go insane, I'd be so far out of the design loop I don't know how I'd ever get back in. And I want to make a career for myself. I don't know how many of my old dreams are still really interesting to me anymore but I do know that I am a designer and I want to work in my field. Eventually I think I still want to teach. I love connecting with people and helping them to understand. And I love rhetoric. I haven't had much chance to expand my thinking on the subject over the past couple of years given all of the other things I've been doing but I'd love the opportunity to get back into it. Maybe I will eventually go to school and get my phd. Maybe not. But I want to be involved in my chosen industry. I want my brain to feel alive again. Because living here, in a country where even the most basic communication is a challenge for me, my brain has become a little numb. I've gotten so caught up in trying to navigate my way through the everyday stuff that I've neglected the more interesting bits. I don't know what it says about me or my relationship with Kohsuke but after the first week of our breakup (which was a nightmare) I'm feeling more alive than I have for months. I feel like I have some sense of purpose that I haven't felt much since we've been together. And it's good. I also feel really lonely but I can see how that can change once I get home and get out and about. I don't ever want my whole existence to revolve around one person again. It's too much. For me and for them. I need to make a good life for myself without anyone else in it. Except of course the doglet. The doglet can stay. Because she brings the happy joy-joy feelings. Of course she also brings the destruction of computer power chords, my glasses, the blinds and a number of other things but I'm told that's just a phase. Maybe if I had her teeth pulled out and fed her soft food...kidding. Sort of.
All this introspection is making me a bit stir crazy. I think my friend Moody and I are going to go to the Tokyo Dome tomorrow and go on the scariest looking roller coaster I've ever even thought of getting on. I was thinking about my birthday trip to FujiQ Highland Park and how I didn't go on the roller coaster there (or anything else really) because the whole time I felt scared and weird like there was something bad about to happen and I just wan't sure what it was about and I realised that the impending doom sensation was coming from Kohsuke and I and now that it's past I regret not having more fun that day. I'm not a chicken by nature. I mean, I get scared (terrified of rollercoasters because of the height issue) but that's part of the fun usually. So I'm going to go to the Tokyo Dome Park and reclaim my fun. Dammit. I may also wet my pants because this is one scary frickin' roller coaster but hey, it'll be fun. And if the roller coaster derails and I go flying into the side of a building...well, at least I wasn't hit by a bus right? Life is too short to be scared and nervous all the time and I used to know this. And now it's time for me to know it again. I just wish it was a little warmer. Brrrrr.
So that's my update. Now that I'm feeling a little better and probably won't feel the urge to post crazy, depressing monologues with snippets of melodramatic poetry sprinkled sporadically throughout too often I think I'll be posting more regularily. Is that really a word? Regularily? Regularly? I forget. This is what happens when you teach english in Japan. You forget how to actually speak (or write) english. It's very sad really. I'm going to go straight to my storage unit and dig out my gigantic dictionary as soon as I get home so people won't mistake me for a moron. Of course, I will be staying in Duncan for awhile so maybe I'll be alright. Tee hee. Kidding. Again with the sort of.
Okay bye!
Slugs and Hisses and Gimme a Job Wishes,
Angela.
Why did I sign my name on my own frickin' blog you might ask? It's my damn blog and you're not the boss of it so shut up! :-)
I worry alot though. I wonder if I'm doing the right thing going back to Canada or if I should be staying here for a few years to save money. But then I think that if I stay here teaching english for much longer I'd not only go insane, I'd be so far out of the design loop I don't know how I'd ever get back in. And I want to make a career for myself. I don't know how many of my old dreams are still really interesting to me anymore but I do know that I am a designer and I want to work in my field. Eventually I think I still want to teach. I love connecting with people and helping them to understand. And I love rhetoric. I haven't had much chance to expand my thinking on the subject over the past couple of years given all of the other things I've been doing but I'd love the opportunity to get back into it. Maybe I will eventually go to school and get my phd. Maybe not. But I want to be involved in my chosen industry. I want my brain to feel alive again. Because living here, in a country where even the most basic communication is a challenge for me, my brain has become a little numb. I've gotten so caught up in trying to navigate my way through the everyday stuff that I've neglected the more interesting bits. I don't know what it says about me or my relationship with Kohsuke but after the first week of our breakup (which was a nightmare) I'm feeling more alive than I have for months. I feel like I have some sense of purpose that I haven't felt much since we've been together. And it's good. I also feel really lonely but I can see how that can change once I get home and get out and about. I don't ever want my whole existence to revolve around one person again. It's too much. For me and for them. I need to make a good life for myself without anyone else in it. Except of course the doglet. The doglet can stay. Because she brings the happy joy-joy feelings. Of course she also brings the destruction of computer power chords, my glasses, the blinds and a number of other things but I'm told that's just a phase. Maybe if I had her teeth pulled out and fed her soft food...kidding. Sort of.
All this introspection is making me a bit stir crazy. I think my friend Moody and I are going to go to the Tokyo Dome tomorrow and go on the scariest looking roller coaster I've ever even thought of getting on. I was thinking about my birthday trip to FujiQ Highland Park and how I didn't go on the roller coaster there (or anything else really) because the whole time I felt scared and weird like there was something bad about to happen and I just wan't sure what it was about and I realised that the impending doom sensation was coming from Kohsuke and I and now that it's past I regret not having more fun that day. I'm not a chicken by nature. I mean, I get scared (terrified of rollercoasters because of the height issue) but that's part of the fun usually. So I'm going to go to the Tokyo Dome Park and reclaim my fun. Dammit. I may also wet my pants because this is one scary frickin' roller coaster but hey, it'll be fun. And if the roller coaster derails and I go flying into the side of a building...well, at least I wasn't hit by a bus right? Life is too short to be scared and nervous all the time and I used to know this. And now it's time for me to know it again. I just wish it was a little warmer. Brrrrr.
So that's my update. Now that I'm feeling a little better and probably won't feel the urge to post crazy, depressing monologues with snippets of melodramatic poetry sprinkled sporadically throughout too often I think I'll be posting more regularily. Is that really a word? Regularily? Regularly? I forget. This is what happens when you teach english in Japan. You forget how to actually speak (or write) english. It's very sad really. I'm going to go straight to my storage unit and dig out my gigantic dictionary as soon as I get home so people won't mistake me for a moron. Of course, I will be staying in Duncan for awhile so maybe I'll be alright. Tee hee. Kidding. Again with the sort of.
Okay bye!
Slugs and Hisses and Gimme a Job Wishes,
Angela.
Why did I sign my name on my own frickin' blog you might ask? It's my damn blog and you're not the boss of it so shut up! :-)
Monday, November 08, 2004
So sad
Well, as most of you know, my marriage to Kohsuke has come to an end. A sad, and icky feeling end too. I love him to bits and I wish it had worked out but no. I thought about leaving him many times but I just couldn't do it. You see, our unhappiness had nothing to do with compatibility or personality. We always got along fabulously and we still do. When I'm not calling him horrible names or crying that is. But prior to that. Our problems stemmed from our circumstances and the way we dealt with them. We made alot of bad choices and let alot of things slide when we should have been addressing them and now it's gone too far to go back because he's found someone else and I have no trust left for him. Or for anyone else unfortunately. I think I had him up on this pedestal. I thought he was the perfect guy (well, almost anyway), I thought I really knew him. I had him on this pedestal in my mind where he was the kindest, most honest, thoughtful and devoted man in the world. I really did. I looked at him and I saw only sweetness. I always thought I would be the one to fuck it up by fooling around with someone else because let's face it, I've been down that road before. But I was wrong. So, so wrong. I still believe that he's a good person. He's kind and he's funny but he's very capable of lying and not so much with the devotion. And it breaks my heart. Which has also happened before so I know that I will get over it, it's just that it'll be such a long haul. I've never been big on trust when it comes to men and now I don't know how I'll ever trust anyone again and that's a scary thought. He made me believe in romance and fairy tales again which is silly coming from a grown woman but it's true. He wasn't ever particularly romantic but something about the way he looked at me made me believe and that was a great feeling. I'd like to feel that way again someday. But for now, I just hurt. So much that I don't know how I'll get through it. I mean, I will get through it, but I can't quite see how yet. Although today I had a tiny glimpse of what it might be like to meet someone new and have that tingly feeling of new romance again so...I guess that's a good sign. But it won't be for awhile. Because I just need to sort myself out first. I think that's been my biggest problem in the past. I cut one person out of my life (or they cut themselves out) and I just replace them with someone new. I think I need to figure out how to make myself happy without having to rely on anyone else.
Monday, November 01, 2004
Groovy
This really is a great time of year. The air is all crisp and lovely, the evening comes sooner and all the leaves are lovely and colourful. It's so groovy. I think it's pretty bizarre that no matter where you go (okay, my scope may be a little limited here), the air always smells the same in the fall. I didn't give it much thought before I came here because really, who does give alot of thought to how the air will smell when the seasons change when they're moving to another country? Not me. But since I'm here and I've got a lot of free time going on, why not? Tonight is actually the first time this fall that I've been hit with a wave of nostalgia due to the smell of the air. It's got that crispness I love so much (not cold really but somehow fresher feeling than usual...because sometimes you just don't feel fresh...sorry) and the smell of leaves burning that always reminds me of halloween and being out after dark running around in some crazy costume with your friends, eating copious amounts of candy. Jumping in piles of crunchy leaves, and yes, a little of the smoking pot in a field out behind the high school. But that came much later than the rest!
Whenever I smell that particular fall smell in the air I always think of a specific halloween. I was in grade 7 which would make me a sassy 12 year old, and we had just moved to Lantzville from Prince Rupert. I don't know why it stands out particularly. I guess I must have been really happy. I had my first boyfriend who was very handsome and very popular (probably a shoe salesman or something now - in retrospect he seems like a used car salesman type but at the time he was the shit), I had cute outfits and cool hair (again with the first time thing - I was always at the bottom of the cool food chain in elementary school), and I had friends (not so plentiful prior to this occasion either). The night was crisp (as I like it!) and there was a big neighbourhood bonfire that all the families went to and I don't really remember anything else. Except that it was exciting and fantastic. We were allowed to be there and it was perfectly safe and my parents must have been there somewhere but somehow it felt a little bit dangerous anyway. A little bit risky. In a PG kind of way of course. The only tangible picture I have in my head of that night is of a path beside the school field with lots of feet passing by and drops of dew all over the grass and the weeds and the shoes. It was a fantastic night that stands alone. It's not great because it was connected to someone I love or loved, or because anything extraordinary happened. It's great just because it is. And even now that I'm 30 and 18 years have passed since then, I still see those feet filing down that path everytime I smell burning leaves on crisp autumn air.
Whenever I smell that particular fall smell in the air I always think of a specific halloween. I was in grade 7 which would make me a sassy 12 year old, and we had just moved to Lantzville from Prince Rupert. I don't know why it stands out particularly. I guess I must have been really happy. I had my first boyfriend who was very handsome and very popular (probably a shoe salesman or something now - in retrospect he seems like a used car salesman type but at the time he was the shit), I had cute outfits and cool hair (again with the first time thing - I was always at the bottom of the cool food chain in elementary school), and I had friends (not so plentiful prior to this occasion either). The night was crisp (as I like it!) and there was a big neighbourhood bonfire that all the families went to and I don't really remember anything else. Except that it was exciting and fantastic. We were allowed to be there and it was perfectly safe and my parents must have been there somewhere but somehow it felt a little bit dangerous anyway. A little bit risky. In a PG kind of way of course. The only tangible picture I have in my head of that night is of a path beside the school field with lots of feet passing by and drops of dew all over the grass and the weeds and the shoes. It was a fantastic night that stands alone. It's not great because it was connected to someone I love or loved, or because anything extraordinary happened. It's great just because it is. And even now that I'm 30 and 18 years have passed since then, I still see those feet filing down that path everytime I smell burning leaves on crisp autumn air.
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