Thots from my secret life: September 2005

Fly Me to the Moon....actually I'll settle for LA

The deed is done...I've packed.
Ready to catch my 10:00 airport bus tomorrow morning. I've stressed all day, spent numerous minutes going over and over all my papers, stuffed an incredible amount of things into my trusty old suitcase (I hope it survives the trip)..made countless lists and have managed to cross everything off of them.
And spent lots of time praying for faith and peace of mind for my travels.

I hope I'm not forgetting anything.
My flight is at 3:00 pm tomorrow, so if you think of me, please shoot up a prayer.
I actually don't mind traveling by myself. It's a lot less stressful than traveling with a big group of people, in my opinion. Maybe that's my extreme independent side coming out. As long as I have a good book and something to listen to, I'm happy. Oh and good movies are a plus :-)
I'm bringing my notebook just incase the muse strikes while in the air.
Cheers all...I will try to blog from the States and Mexico, if I can.
The comments may be turned off temporarily over the next few days. Not sure yet.
But I'll be back
Wish me luck :D

4 more days....

4 days left til I'm gone....
And now I'm having to pack. Dreaded packing....
Hitting up the 100 yen stores for presents for my family, namely senbei, dried ika, umeboshi(FOR YOU ABI :D), nori and other small goodies that are hard to find overseas.
I'm such a worry wart, imagining the worst scenarios possible...like...getting to the airport and finding that I've forgotten my passport, or ticket voucher... (I actually had a dream about that the other night) and every other conceiveable mishap....Sigh
Perhaps I should start making lists of things NOT to forget.
Have only one more concert on Friday before I'm on a singing strike for a month...heh...
actually that's not strictly true, hopefully there'll be karaoke with my sisters and bro when I'm in LA
Oh and there's recording in Mexico too

I have some kind of feeling about this trip. It's hard to define.....
I'll let you know if and when I figure it out

Laura came over today...she wasn't too thrilled with my new hair color... (pouts)
Oh well, at least she's honest
I've decided the new look is sorta surfer/hippie chick

Shine on harvest moon

Last night there was a full moon, harvest moon, actually. Big beautiful and golden. It may have been part of the reason why I impulsively had our hairdresser friend streak my hair...so now I have lots and lots of blonde streaks....
I look rather "beachy" :D
I'm happy with it for now, but I'll probably change to another color after my trip.
And no, I don't have pictures because I don't have a camera. And those who do are away on vacation and took their cameras with them. But when they get back, if I get the urge, I'll take one. We'll see
I saw this movie called "Pieces of April" tonight. It made me cry at the end.
I used to NEVER cry in movies....seriously. I thot only sappy, emotional people did that. But recently I've found myself crying occasionally when watching a movie. I wonder if that means I'm now sappy and emotional.
But this movie really got me thinking about how important it is to appreciate your family, and it made me so thankful for the family I have.
Lord help me never to take any of you for granted.

Nick and Vesna have returned so I'm back to wearing clothes around the house ....ha ha

Home Alone

Yep, as the title says, I'm home alone. Totally.
Everyone went up to Gifu for our annual Summer vacation, a tad late this year. I didn't go due to a number of appointments that I managed to put off to the last minute before my trip. Why do I always do that?
Only one week left...and then I'm off to see the world :D
They have a concert up in Gifu, but I'm giving Ambie a chance to perform a couple of songs in my place. I'm sure she'll ROCK. It's good experience for her too, as she'll be filling in for a couple of gigs they have while I'm gone. Gambatte!!
So with the house eerily empty, I'm trying to find ways to amuse myself...like streaking up and down the hallway....HAHA...NOT
And since there's no one here but me...I have to answer the dreaded phone :(
(I hate phones)
Oh well
Must remember to feed the kids fish. I'll probably end up over feeding them or forgetting and killing them all.

And in other important news, I have developed a toe ring and anklet fetish....Just thot I'd share that with you
heh

You know who you are...

Delicate balance
Assumed to be steady
Upset all at once;
My heart so unready
To lose all sensation
Of ground once beneath me,
And find myself lost,
Unstable completely

When we made an end
And closure was reached
I built up my walls
That somehow you breached.
Ever so slowly
A haven was made
To shelter my soul
Left shy and afraid

But now you appear
Again in my life
Upsetting defenses,
Emotions run rife,
Places held sacred
You’ve now become part;
Confused by this feeling
Reborn in my heart

Forgive me dear love
I’m wary, I know
Afraid of more heartbreak,
Afraid to let go
It may take some time
For fears all to flee
Just one thing I ask --
Don’t give up on me.

The other night...

Considering the fact we had NO practice with a new drummer for the band, the gig the other night went off quite well.
GB Steve for helping us pull it off.
We had forgotten that we had promised a full band show for this TINY club that usually only has the smaller version of the band play. When the Mama san (Japanese for women owner of a club) heard that we were planning to only have three of us go, she FREAKED out and told us that we had to come up with a drummer, as she had advertised to her customers a full band show.
Amazingly enough, Steve was going to be staying over at our place that night, as the next day he was travelling with Gene and co. to the JT. camp, and he agreed to help us.
Everything turned out well, we had a nice laid back show, the Mama san and the customers were happy, and so were we. Variety is always a good thing.

Returning home in the van...I think this was at about 3:30 am or so

Silliness after the gig

The Show

Set up for the show

Music

The power of music...never ceases to amaze me, and the way the Lord works through it.
We've had a couple of very moving shows this week, more so than usual. Maybe with the recent disasters, Tokyo people are a little softer than they usually are.
Last night a good half of the audience was in tears after hearing "Yoku Wakaru Yo" (an original) and then Gene singing the song he just recently wrote. That song is AMAZING. Very simple but touches so deeply.
I felt like crying too.
The other night we had the same kind of reaction as well.

Today I'm counting my blessings ... I have a job that I love, I work with terrific people, I have a home, food, clothing... and most of all a purpose and meaning to my life.

And tonight Steve (of Dancing Trees fame) is going to play with our band, as our drummer is still on his temporary leave of absence in China with his family.
This is gonna be fun. YEAH BABY!!!
I hope we remember to take the camera :D

Dancing my heart away.....

The typhoon has passed, leaving us not too badly battered here, thankfully. I managed to do my legal work on a day where the wind was blowing up to 70 kph...It was difficult to even walk outside. But it's done and I'm all ready now for my month of traveling :) Counting the days til I see you.....

I'm now officially the "dance teacher" for the kids (12 and 13 yr old girls)...as of the other day. I'm choreographing the show they're getting together for some upcoming concerts. I haven't choreographed or taught dancing for years. But TG it's coming along quite nicely. I've suprised myself. Heh. I'm enjoying it too. It's great exercise and I've temporarily laid aside my Taebo and Pilates/Yoga videos...and cut my weight training time down as well.... who needs that when you can work up a sweat dancing your heart out...

I think I need to write something...but I don't know what

Praying

Prayin for all those affected in Kyushu by the typhoon...
And of course Katrina...that goes without saying.... am praying and wish there was something I could do physically to help
"Prayer is not the least we can do, it's the most"

In other mundane news... have been under the weather for the past few days so slept a lot today.
This afternoon I made dinner with the kids...pancakes, custard, fruit salad and deviled eggs. It turned out delicious, albeit a little strange to those having to eat breakfast foods at dinner. But variety is the spice of life, no?
We had fun, that's what matters.
This evening to continue in my culinary arts marathon.....I made banana cake for tomorrow's breakfast (which also turned out lovely....I think...we'll see tomorrow)
Have to wake up at the crack of dawn tomorrow to go into downtown Tokyo for a re-entry permit for my upcoming trip. I hope the typhoon isn't too nasty or I'll have to rethink my schedule.

Insert witty or humorous statement here.....

I'm just rather boring at the moment it seems

I can't think of a title

Saw the news tonight about the flooding last night....in some places in Tokyo it was 1.5 meters deep. Whoa!!!! Praying for all the people that have been affected. We have another few days of rain as we await this newest typhoon...please pray that it doesn't do too much damage.
Got 4 demos from Andrew Vee the other day to study that I'll be recording with him when I go to Mexico. Listened to them today. Nice songs :) I hope I can do them justice.
Mike and Aich (miss you already) went on their trip yesterday, and Gene and the kids went to the OC camp, so the house is very quiet.

Saw the Phantom of the Opera tonight...it made me feel a little weepy :(
for some reason I could identify with the Phantom.
We all need love

You're beautiful

Long Island Iced Tea inspired poetry

To that beautiful tree......

Tree so grand
My senses fill
Your strength is in
Just standing still.

And letting breeze
Run through your limbs,
So pliable
To nature's whims.

You awe the eyes
And stir the soul,
Yet mere applause
Is not your goal.

Instead you serve
To humble me,
And make me wish
To be like thee.

Rain Rain Rain

My newest discovery:
Pouring rain makes Japanese guys bolder than usual....
While I was out last night it started pouring... the kind of rain that makes things like umbrellas look like a joke.
The type I love to walk in if I'm not in good shoes. Sigh
Waiting under some covered passageways I was approached 4 times in 15 minutes (a record for Japan) by both younger and older guys. Thankfully no one was too creepy. These men were very "concerned" by the fact that my umbrella was small and slightly broken. (I'm a poor missionary, what can I say) and wanted to offer assistance to me getting to the train station, which was, I should add, only about 10 meters away. Such sacrificial men.
I, of course, being the strong and independent woman that I am (snicker) refused.
I made my own way to the station and when I got off at my stop had a sudden fit of madness...and concern for my nice sandals getting ruined...and decided to use my umbrella to protect my shoes and my bag (it wasn't doing any good protecting me anyway) and walk home barefoot, getting soaked.
It was exhilirating
I felt like yelling at the top of my lungs....for no good reason at all
About a half an hour after I got home, our driveway and front road started flooding. The water was up to about a foot and a half. Rather scary. Thankfully it subsided.
And this morning I have a sore throat.
I wonder if my late night jaunt through the storm might have had anything to do with that??
Sometimes I'm too impulsive for my own good
But oh, it was such fun