For Your Information

It was very difficult using the wireless keyboard/ TV computer system because you couldn't really read what you typed. It was very blurry. Anyway, THAT is why there are so many errors in the Jan 20 posting... or maybe my eyeballs were sunburned :)

A Qick Taste of Our Hawiian Vacation
I mean Chris' conference..my vacation (hee hee)

Hung out with great friend from San Diego, Big D for 3 days. Drank excellent Califomia wines, compliments of Darrell. Hunted waterfalls. Visited a Volcano. Whale watched from the pool deck. Oh, and Turtles too. Lots of lounging. Reading. Eating. Napping. And got a sunburn (but not as bad as Darrell!). .

Aloha

I'm typing this from our hotel room in Hawaii using our TV and a wireless keyboard! Pretty cool, eh? We were playing around with the menu on the TV when we noticed an Internet option. Since we didn't bring the computer we had thought we would have to find an Internet cafe, therefore we were pretty excited we could email from our room as we laguish on the bed enjoyiing a balmy Pacifric breeze through the open doors of our balcony.Unfortuntely, the first site we typed in, hotmail, can't be accessed from this system. But Yahoo can... go figure.

Ah, Hopes and Dreams Dashed Yet Again...

No, I was not picked as the honorary buyer for Vietnam.

But was 'encouraged' to apply for the Thailand trip.

Um, yeah, I don't think so... we all know how much I enjoyed Bangkok the first time around...

"Shrines, Shrines, Everywhere There Are Shrines..."



Went kimono hunting the other day and ended up at this Shrine by Camp Foster. It's small compared to the one I visited earlier, but they still ranked enough to warrant a cotton candy man. Shrine celebrations take on a somewhat carnival-type feel. Unfortunately, we didn't find any kimono-clad girls as we had been promised. The paper had described a town event for all 20 year olds with promises of beautiful colored Kimono's, but after an extensive island-wide search we came up empty. I guess all the 20 year olds were inside watching their Mtv.

Ah well, some temple pics for you anyway...





The white things tied around the tree are the 'fortunes' I described before.

I think this picture speaks for itself...



Ok, maybe not.
This is Chris in the bathtub with a large 'bottle' of beer.

That probably didn't clear anything up for you either did it?
Ah well, let your imagination travel where it must...

The answer, we hope, will be tapped in about 3 weeks.

Stop Toying with My Emotions!

Recently discovered that I am infact eligible for Vietnam trip, but so are 10 other people...

Tomorrow the 'honorary buyer' will be publicly announced; however, I will be on my way to Hawaii and won't know till I check email on Saturday. I explained this to the Store Director yesterday and she then asked what time I was leaving. Was this a polite question or does she have something to tell me?

And now Jessica emails me to say the Store Director is asking for my (correct) phone number.

Oh what could all this mean? Is she leaving me a msg, as I type, asking me to go to Vietnam? or perhaps she just wants to know if I'm attending the gift shop luncheon?

Ah, the suspense of it all!

Sniff... woe is me....

sew.ing.ma.chine.died.on.me.to.day...

Counting Down the Days till Sakura Viewing!

Oh, Oh, Oh.... when we get back from Hawaii guess what will be in bloom????

Ah, the famed Cherry Blossoms of Japan! Yippee!
The first blooms of the season appear in Okinawa before any other part of Japan!
And what better place to view them than the Nakijin Castle Ruins?

Oh, I love Japan!

Mikan Season

Apparently we are STILL in Mikan season (I think it's a tangerine or something similar)! Chris and I had attempted to do our own picking, but had a little trouble finding the grove (?). Anyway, in a few weeks I will have a chance to pick as many Mikans as my little heart desires. The OIWC (Okinawan International Women's Club), an organization of Japanese and International (American) women, are going on a field trip to the North part of the Island.

This is a photo I took on one of our drives. By the number of fruit stands in the vicinity I had felt we must be on the right Mikan picking track, but alas, Chris and I failed miserably... that was the day we ended up at the Habu fight.

Fast Food in the Car- Another True Japanese Experience



And you thought eating a burrito from Taco Bell while cooking down the 5 was a challenge! Just try eating your fast food Japanese curry pork cutlet with chopsticks on your lap. (Note: Apple Tea in Hand- although not MY Tea.)

It's a Hello Kitty World After All!


Yes, that is a grown adult woman with a dozen Hello Kitties shoved in her back window.


Uh, huh, you got it... Hello Kitty MILK!

Honest there is soooooo much Hello Kitty here it's unbelievable... Jessica and I have decided to start a new blog project dedicated to Ms. Kitty herself. I'll let you know when we're ready to launch.. I know you won't want to miss it! Admit it, you love little Ms. HELLO KITTY!

Still Stitching...



Had machine issues this week, not looking good. But still managed to knock out a few more bags. In another few weeks I think all the parts will come together. As it is, each bag has it's own unique issue/solution.. Here are a few more for you to feast your eyes on.


The top part of this purse is made from a real Kimono that I took apart. I like the strap length cause it is comfy to wear. It has a snap closure, which really helps. The bag is a tad on the small side and I would probably go about 2 inches bigger. I like this picture because you can see the view from our front window.. note the awful graffiti they claim as art!

But this picture shows the bag better...


This is my Vera Bradley impersonation... it's a pink quilted fabric with white cranes..has a Japanese feel to it.


This bag I really like. But again, a smidgen too small... it's a black denim which gives it good shape and a real summer kimono for the top.


Each bag has a "Go-Yen" stitch into the lining.. about a 5 cent piece. It's nice because it has a hole in the middle and the number 5 is very auspicious in Japan.


This is my work in progress. I made a mistake and measured incorrectly.The red fabric is supposed to go to the top, but I had to simply turn it into a 'sash' around the bag. Again, black denim. This is not fabric from a kimono, but rather fabric you would buy to make a kimono.


Close up of material... and that is not a stray thread.. it's the antenna of the butterfly/dragon or whatever!

Ah Yes, Words to Live by



The Japanese sure are fond of spouting good living rhetoric. Advice such as this can be found on t-shirts, spare tire covers on the back of SUV's, placemats, and the side of buildings, such as this found on the side of the Sega Game building near our house.

Welcome to the World Baby Boy Brandt

Another nephew! This one weighing in at 9 pounds 6 ounces - Yikes!
No photos yet...

Congrats Bill & Theresa!

Old Pics from the Yomitan Pottery Festival

I know, at times I'm a slow poke. Here are some pictures from the pottery festival a few weeks ago.






A skinny version of Vinnie-san

Temple Tour

The Japanese celebrate New Year's much in the way we celebrate Christmas. They exchange gifts, visit friends and family, and also go to their local temple to receive their new year fortune or to make a wish. I went to visit a Shinto shrine on the 3rd of January. There are certain 'rules' you must obey in order to reach the top shrine area. First you climb many stairs and stop to take photo of giant rope decoration hanging from Torii. (Note that there is a traffic light under the Torii. Since there is no road my only guess is that this is to keep order while people rush the temple to receive their lucky lotto numbers.)



Once at the top, you must ritualistically cleanse your hands.


Irene cleaning her hands.

Then you stop for another photo op.



Now you enter the shrine 'lobby' and hurl yen onto a white tarp and clap loudly 3 times while making your wish. At this point, the people that know what they are doing go further into the shrine and do something secret and the rest of us head off towards the amulet vendors. You can get all types of amulets- even Hello Kitty! or happy cat. (Happy cat doesn't look too happy. Maybe his arm is tired.)





Since it is the year of the monkey, the little guy was slapped on everything. Some people purchase wood tiles and write their New Year's wish on the back and then the tiles are hung from the trees.



You can also pay 100Y for a fortune. It is written in English (apparently this is the traditional Shinto fortune-telling language - not a ploy to take money from American Tourist.). My fortune was only good. I know this because even though everything I read on my fortune seemed bad, "you will qurll with someone... love: give it up... baby: you have boy..", at the bottom it rates your fortune as bad, good, or very good and mine said good. At this point you can twist your fortune up and tie it to just about anything you want, but I opted for the same piece of string everyone else tied theirs to. If you like your fortune you pray it will come true as you tie it up, if you dislike your fortune you pray it will go away. Unfortunately, as I was tying mine, I twisted too hard and broke it. Does this mean I won't have a baby (a good thing- for now) or that I will have a baby girl (EEK!).

All this fortune telling business made us pretty hungry so we went to explore the food stalls lined up at the foot of the temple.


Now that looks pretty tasty.. potatoes and bacon, french fries, fried chicken, and yakisoba (the omelet thing in the back).

It's traditional to wear Kimono's to the temple during the New Year's celebration, but not many women do. Here's Irene and the back of a woman wearing her Kimono- the sash is called the Obi. Many people use Obi's for decorations in their house ( I haven't reached that point yet, but with every day that passes I get a little closer.)



Near the Shinto temple is a Buddhist Temple. Here you can almost see the Bell that is rung 108 times on New Year's Eve.

Another Great Idea from the Japanese



Exercise instructions on your fast food!

Patriot

Cultural Picture of the Day..




"Late..."

When Tech Geeks Design Bathrooms...




The Japanese either have way too much technology or way too much time- or perhaps a little of both. Just about all public bathrooms have Emergency Call buttons- which is a good thing. But what about the "Nature Sounds" button? Ok, also a good thing. However, these buttons aren't always labeled in English. I've been tempted to let "nature" sooth me as I do my business, but I fear a Japanese security guard force will lay siege on the women's room instead.

Note: the Nature Sounds button is not pictured, but I'll get one!

Traditional New Year's Decoration



Around New Year's you start to see these holiday 'bouquets' all about town.
Since everything here must have some traditional meaning: the bamboo represents the plants ability to bend in the wind without breaking (although there really isn't much bamboo in Okinawa because of the Typhoons), the evergreen is for long life, and the cabbage is used to sustain the giant wild rabbit that only appears under the first full moon in the New Year- to see this rabbit is to live long, happy life, with lots of money.

Ok, really I have no idea about the purple cabbage-like plant.. but I think I may be on to something.

Japanese Homeless Person



Just kidding. This is one of the Vendor's at the Holiday Light Display.

Wrong Turn


Katsuren Castle

In Okinawa it is nearly impossible to get anywhere the way you think (judging by the map) you should. Invariably you must constantly correct yourself as you traverse the Island. A simple trip to the East Coast may take you on the 58 to the 23 to 330 to the 17 back to the 330 and again to the 17, etc, etc. You just keep going East till you hit the Pacific (notice how I can't shake the 'the' before my road numbers..that's because of San Diego and THE 5 and THE 8). Half the fun of living here is that you can never really get too lost. And therefore you have the freedom to simply explore. The other day we were headed to Ikei Island and found ourselves a castle on the way.

Okinawa has over 300 castle ruins (Yes, on this little tiny island!). This castle, Katsuren (a World Heritage site) is pretty interesting because of its history. Back in the day the King of the Ryukyus lived in Shuri Castle located in Naha (the capital of Okinawa). Amawari was Lord of Katsuren Castle during the mid 15th century and had his sight set on Shuri. The King was aware of this and decided to marry his daughter off to Amawari so that the daughter might spy on her husband for her father. In addition, the King placed his most loyal retainer, Gosamaru in Nagagusuku Castle, mid-way between Katsuren and Shuri. But that tricky Amawari pulled a fast one and told the King that his retainer was the one planning a rebellion against him and not Amawari. The King quickly sent troops to Nagagusuku. The retainer was so distraught he committed suicide. Amawari now saw his chance to march on Shuri with no interference from the retainer. However, he was no match for the King's forces and suffered a crushing defeat.

The revenge of Gosamaru's two sons on Amawari of Katsuren forms the plot of one of Okinawa's most classic theater productions. I haven't seen it yet and I'm fairly certain I won't find any English subtitles...

Taco Rice

The Japanese are well known for their ability to transfer ideas from other countries and modify them to fit their needs. One such case is the advent of Taco Rice. Essentially, all the ingredients found in a taco are placed on a bed of white rice. Taco Rice is rather prevalent in Okinawa. So, if you're ever in a pinch, no worries, you can always count on Taco Rice!

The Ubiquitous Food Display Saves Another Hungry Foreigner!



I cannot thank the Japanese enough when it comes to these plastic (although sometimes real) displays. I used to think, "hmm, plastic food, that looks appetizing! Perhaps a food display isn't really how they should be advertising?" And now I've learned the error of my thinking. The food display, no matter how disturbing an egg atop noodles and octopus looks, is the best way to warn your dinners of what precisely they have ordered.

Italian Food Display

(that pizza may look harmless enough, but trust me, under that cheese hides a layer of mayo...)

Decisions, Decisions

Kimono Bags
Inspired by my NEW sewing machine, I've been playing at making Kimono bags and purses. I purchased some old kimono's and obi's at an antique fair (ok, it felt more like a flea market, but the sign did read "Antique Fair") and used them to accent the bags. Other purses use kimono fabric purchased at a local fabric store (otherwise know as my temple that I make daily pilgrimages to. They have the most beautiful fabrics!). Unfortunately, I can't sew in a straight line (or cut for that matter) and these little bags are no more than prototypes for the real deal. But, I remain confident! Even if the sewing instructor failed to show up at my first class! I will learn to sew straight!

All these bags are made with a soft brown corduroy.







Me and my bag sitting on a tatami floor in a traditional Okinawan home

Arts and Crafts Tour



I simply cannot get enough of Okinwan Arts and Crafts. I AM OBSESSED. Today we took a guided tour down south to visit an Awamori factory (distilled rice liquor-blick), Bingata Factory (!), Pottery and Glass Blowing Factory, and Laquerware Factory. Unfortunately I had been to half of these places the week before and didn't realize it before I signed up for the trip, but it was still worth it 'cause I got to 'paint' my own bingata!

Awamori with Traditional Okinawan Hat Placed on Top


Shisa Standing Guard at the Pottery Factory


Forming the Deigo Wood at the Laquerware Factory