A Slew of Thoughts...

Supermarkets paralyze me. This is the second night in a row that I have attempted the grocery shopping after work, and this is the second night in a row that I have spent 25 minutes on a shopping list chock-full of a total of four items. 25 minutes! Yesterday I came home an hour later ranting that I had been screwed by the supermarket. I first went for the raw fish, but there was none because of the rain. Try No. 2 was also a no-go. Consequently, 25 minutes later I walked out with a disgusting combination of artificial crab meat and crunchy noodles.

What was I thinking? Needless to say Gino ate leftovers that night. But tonight I will redeem myself, or so I thought. I was mulling over in my head about how I was going to use hard noodles and fake crab together, or actually, how Gino would use it (I have yet to gain trust in the kitchen.)

Aha! The bells and whistles went off - I'll make Champon! (oops, that sentence should read, "...Gino will make Champon!)" Champon is a famous Nagasaki dish of noodles, seafood and fish-like food that I've never minded to identify. It's good and easy because everything can be bought pre-made.

That is, unless you are a person that stiffens up and gets lost in supermarkets. Yep, I would be referring to my very own self. This is how my story went: Found nothing pre-made and left Gino with an almost equally awkward combination to work with tonight. I'll post a picture of how it turns out!





Issue Number Two: "Crocs" have become the happening thing in Japan these days, almost two years behind North America. Ten months ago GET RICH QUICK scheme no. 1,569 read "Bring Crocs to Japan." Geez, why don't I ever follow through on these things!!

Next time Danielle, next time.

While you've got me fired up, guess what the latest MUST-HAVE-CAN'T-GO-WITHOUT item everywhere in this consumer-driven country is??? "Boot Camp with Billy."

Here is the buzz I've heard: My college girls can't go with out it; a hospital in town puts in the video Friday nights for their staff; my salary men are buying it for their stay-at-home wives.

You remember Billy Blank's 2003 military style Tae-Bo?

Four years later Billy is back and Japanese are snatching him up in droves. The four-set DVDs are rumored to have sold well over 500,000 copies.

The 51-year old "Has Been" is a "Here and Now." That lucky dog!!



And my final random thought:

On the whole, killing spiders is just not an option in this country. In the summer, however, there is an abundance of these creepy crawlers sneaking into houses. Two nights ago I had one in my classroom. Now I am one tough cookie, but these palm-sized gigantors take my breath away.

Enter my fearless 57-year old mountain-climbing tough-as-nails female student Mikiko. She charges out of her chair, palms the sucker, and throws it out the door, all in one fluid motion.

The insanity!!