What's a turkey?

I don't want to write much, because I don't want to take away from your happy family Thanksgiving.
But I'm not having such a good time of it. Even with the snow falling, even when I ate Vegetable Beef soup from home, even yesterday when me and Jonathan went to KFC to eat our first 'Thanksgiving' meal. I want to go home. Or I just simply don't want to be aware of what day it is.

When Christmas comes, I think I may literally shut down my computer for a few days because everyone posting on Facebook about Thanksgiving is really bringing the mood level down in Mel's apartment.

You want to know what I'm thankful for? I was brushing my teeth last night when this dawned on me, and I broke down for a half hour. I'm thankful that my mom and dad have sacrificed so much of their time and money so that I could live this dream in Japan. It breaks my heart that they've done so much for me, and I haven't be able to do anything to repay them. They won't read this for weeks, probably, but I really, really realize what they've done for me and it's too much ... overwhelming.

Where are the snow plows??

Sorry it's been a few days!! I just don't feel like posting unless I have news, AND I DO:

Took this picture for my dad, cause he loves these Japanese looking trees:

I could see this in a magazine someday... the color is great and you can actually SEE the snow (if you look at the sky hard enough haha):

So yep! Snow has finally hit the city. Happened last night and all of today. Jonathan and I also decided to go shopping which was nearly suicidal with the slickery sidewalks. I ended up buying that cute little snowman above and thought I'd have fun when I got home and heard the snow hitting my kitchen window (I'm thinking it might be a certain time of year, but the snow is extremely icy). My neighbor was coming home as I was sitting outside my apartment taking pictures of the snowman and she must think I'm a lunatic. Oh well, it was fun!! More updates coming this week, because we're having Thanksgiving TWICE this week -- just like back home :)

First snow of the YEAR!!!

The snow was so disappointing!! Nothing stuck, it barely flurried. But that was YESTERDAY. Today it rained! And I got soaked because I wasn't expecting it!! But when I traveled to my business class, I noticed a few tiny piles of snow on the ground and was thinking,
NO... WAY ?
And then as I rode the train on the way back to the city -- SNOW. It covered everything and it was beautiful. This area is just packed with tall trees, and it was a thousand times more beautiful than my backyard. Sadly, since it was night time, I couldn't get a picture as we rode through the country. But we stopped at a station and I snapped this:

I was like, totally PUMPED. And we rolled into Aomori station.... and there was no snow. It's either rain or very strange wet snow in the disguise of pure rain. I thought weather in Cincinnati was crazy... it's nothing compared to this place. But still, I'm hoping that snow over the mountain will find its way to my lazy city, and I can wake up with a winter wonderland of half an inch!! PUHLEEEZ!!

Japan has lava lamps too!!

Hm, well I did what I actually SAID I would do this weekend. Laundry, sorted/put away clothes, vacuumed, and bought water. Didn't bother with canned food or anything else. EXCEPT I BOUGHT A LAVA LAMP!!!!!

Hahahaha I do need more yellow lighting in my apartment and this is yellow (with purple water), so it made me laugh. Nothing else is really new, this weekend was just about cleaning and then being a bum. The snow is still scheduled to fall tomorrow night - and tomorrow during the day, the mountains get the snow... we only get rain. BOOOO!!!!! Sorry, kind of a boring entry. Hopefully I'll be able to get some great pictures tomorrow night and upload some snow action!!! Wish me luck!

Getting ready for winter!

Just a few random updates:
Snow has started at the very tippy top of the tallest mountain. I love waking up every morning because it's been sunny every day for a week, and you can clearly see the mountain with snow. Better news is that Weathernews (yep, all one word cause Japan isn't so hot on spaces) is saying that it will snow HERE, IN THE CITY on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. I'm not sure how much... all it shows is a picture of a snow man. Haha their pictures are hilarious here!! This weekend I have decided to clean and take stock of what I have and what I need before the winter of discontent (according to my friend, Colin).
In other fun news, Japan has unveiled a new Pepsi flavor: PEPSI PINK.

STRAWBERRY AND MILK FLAVOR. Ummmm, it's definitely an interesting ride. Jonathan hated it but I kind of like it. Weird but oddly enjoyable. I'm lucky, that's 2 strange Pepsi's only available in Japan! Usually it's only 1 a year!
And finally, I saw some cool things on the walk back from my business class...

Never seen starfish in their native habitat and there are HUNDREDS of them!! They're so cool to see!! The photo definitely doesn't do their colors justice.

Weekend Update

So it was almost a productive weekend.
In order to appease my mom and keep her off my back since she continues to think I absolutely do not socialize with people outside of work, I will tell you what I did. Saturday night I went out with Christina, her brother and his school friend. We ate at Gusto (which is kind of like a Denny's, but cleaner 'cause it's Japan) and then we went to Puri-kura. I wanted it - so they humored me. The photos are HILARIOUS but I could only get a clear picture of one, and the other I was able to download for free. Sadly, you won't be able to see the rest....

Sorry, that second picture I only wanted to upload it to Facebook, so I didn't really include the others... Christina's eyeball made it tho.
And Sunday I went curling with Jonathan. You know that sport (or, perhaps you DON'T) that they show during the Olympics at 4 am? Yep, it's huuuge here. It was a nightmare - very difficult on my knee - Waow I sound like I'm 50. But, I'm shocked I didn't break it!! I definitely fell more than anyone else yet, I was better at sliding the weight down the lane. The lesson was 3 hours in Japanese with 5 other Japanese people we didn't know. I understood about half of what the guy said and the other half I just watched the others before me. Some coach at the arena had a camera out when I was getting ready to push off and throw my weight thingy but I exploded and told him 'NO.'
I'm not Canadian, I'm definitely not even close to looking decent, so I don't need anyone making fun of my picture on some wall of shame ... which I don't want to know about.

AND THEN. My mom's box came and I've played The Sims for the majority of today. Except for a pause to buy a few groceries and MAKE TACOS... YEP! It was taco night at the apartment and I ate ALL 10 OF 'EM (in 2 days, not at one sitting). It's a great game, I made my Lexi and she literally runs around the yard all day while I'm off at work as a rock star knocking her ball around. JUST. LIKE. REAL. LIFE.
So, it's nice to watch computer Lexi be as crazy as she is back home :)

5 months left! WAOW!!

During today's crucial mid-morning nap (because the neighbors are really loud at 8 am in the morning), I had one of my reoccurring dreams. Not the taco bell one, but the one where I am back home and I'm having a great time. Actually, now that I've thought of this, each dream I've had where this happens, I am spending more and more time at home and am not JUST back to EAT TACO BELL AND LEAVE. Anyway, I was having a swell time back home with my dad and I suddenly remembered I LIVED IN JAPAN and had to get back because winter break was almost over and I had to teach class. And I remember thinking in my dream that there was no way I was going to get back when I had to work in 2 days. This dream really bothers me, taco bell humors me. I'm usually so happy in this dream and then I literally begin to panic. An overwhelming panic.
5 MONTHS. LITERALLY. TO THIS DAY. (my contract is a little shorter than I originally thought) And I can go home!
Work is better. We've made up and kind of moved on. I really think a big part of it is that Melissa is a LAZY BUM and hates putting forth effort of any kind. At least I can admit that I have a problem! But only on-line... you'll never hear it in person ;)
DAD!! I downloaded the second season of The Munsters! I have like, 40 episodes!! I didn't even know they made that many in one season!!! They're so great... I was completely born in the wrong decade.