One for the Money, Two for the Show

What do you do when you're burnt out from work, exhausted by a grueling schedule, tired of catering to the everyone's needs except your own? Some of us may turn off our cell phone, retreat to a hot bathtub, or head down the beach for some R&R. But what do you do when you're famous beyond your wildest dreams? Growing up, my mommom Fidati and I would watch tons of old classic movies- Fiddler on the Roof, My Fair Lady, Oklahoma, Guys and Dolls, Singing in the Rain, everything Fred Astaire, and anything Rodgers and Hammerstein. We also watched documentaries and concerts of Elvis. Up unil now I (and i bet you, too) were under the impression that Elvis permanently left the building for a big encore in the sky. Boy, were we fooled! Apparently the only way to get away from the pressures of fame was to come out to Japan and start his own look alike club. This way Elvis's proteges could entertain for him while he disappeared into history. Well, maybe that's not how it played out, but I don't doubt anything can happen here in Japan. Yesterday I went to Harajuku to check out the local festivities that occur each week and was expecting quite a scene. Needless to say, I was not let down by either the wierd nor gifted acts that were around me. Along the park path I found people sitting on a blanket plucking away at guitars, others beating on some drums, a group of dancers practicing some choreography, kids playing baseball, runners moving quickly as their pets jogging along side of them, and people practicing flag twirling. There were some very memoriable sights, but the best of all was this group of 20-25 who were dressed as Elvis or James Dean with high hair, tight leather pants, and black boots grooving to some rock n roll. They cranked up their music, covered their hair in aqua net or dippity doo, gave themselves one last check in the mirror and then twisted and shouted for a good hour. It seemed like each group tried to out do the other- causing the crowd to shift our focus from one spot to another, seeing who had the best moves. Here are some pics and a video from the day.

The Rain is Falling

There is nothing like being woken in the middle of the night by a feeling that something is crawling in your bed. Whoever came up with alarm clocks had it all wrong by thinking some incessant beeping or buzzing coming from the nightstand couldn't be ignored. However, if a system was devised to unleash little ants or creepy crawlers onto your bed at the stroke of a hand, there wouldn't even be a need for a snooze button. I thought of this the other night around 3am after finding myself standing in the middle of my bed, covers on the floor, my right arm wet, and my heart beating like I had just ran to the top of Mt. Fuji. Confused and a now itchy, I hit on the light and smiled at the absurdity of my discovery- oh it's just the rainy season. Evidently, I did not anticipate such high winds and heavy rains during the night so I didn't think to shut the screen door that leads out to the balcony that is a couple feet from the bed. I shook my head while I watched a small puddle on the floor beside the door ripple in the wind as our blue curtain whipped high into the air. Ah, that's why my arm is wet! The tip of the curtain is long enough to land a few inches of damp fabric against the bed- and my arm was in it's path. What a relief! So with a new found sense of peace and calm, I slid the door shut, pulled the sheet from the floor, turned off the light, and found myself wide awake from the commotion. I began to think of what it means to be in a rainy season.

Back home in NJ, it rained during all the seasons- we don't have any particular months dedicated to rain- I guess April showers brought May flowers but that was it. And during the rain we would just get in our cars and put on our lights and wipers and go about our business. Rarely did I carry an umbrella with me, I would rather run from the car to the store or put up my hood on my sweatshirt or coat. In Japan, you will see matching rain coats and pants on all of the scooter riders or bikers-- purple, red, orange, green, blue- if you catch a bunch together at a stop light they can look like a handful of skittles. The walkers always have their umbrellas in tow. Most department and grocery stores have a place to stow your umbrella while you shop. Even little stores like 7 & Holdings (7-11) or McDonalds provide plastic umbrella bags so you or the person next to you won't be inconvieneced by your dripping accessory. The daily routine doesn't change much, just the outfits that the people wear. Then I thought of the Caribbean. Ah, yes the rainy season is such a big part of the year down in St. Lucia and St. Kitts. Wow, I've been in two different parts of the world for 'rainy season'- and the people behave just as differently during these times. Unlike Japan where the people go, go, go, and work, work, work, the rainy season in the islands provides for more vacation days and less time worrying about what isn't getting done. Indicative of their attitude, when the rain is falling, they just chill in the house and enjoy the beauty and company of those around them and thank the Lord for providing nutrients for their crops and land. Naturally, at first I was amazed by this [backward] thinking that you wouldn't go to work or school cause the 'rain was falling'- what do you mean, no one else will be there either?? But that's the beauty in different cultures and different parts of the world. I feel so blessed to not only experience rainy seasons in these places but to observe and learn to understand the people who live in them. Here are some pictures from around the town and the house during our rainy season. The bike parking lot for McDonalds is just as big as the parking lot for the cars. The picture of the dude who has curtains in his car cracked us up as well. Here also is a picture of Mark putting together a new counter space addition to our kitchen. The kitchen table you see in the picture is about to be gone as it's a loaner from the Navy and our time with it is up.

Back on the Clock

I've started a job being an educational facilitator at the Navy College Learning Center. It's only part time for now but with some luck it will turn into a full time position by the Fall. I never would have thought I'd be tutoring in Math but come to find out, I actually enjoy the subject when I know what I'm doing. Here's how it works. Active duty military or adult dependents are able to come in to our center and take online prep courses to improve their chances on SATs/ACTs or ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) scores- say if they want to cross rate to another job in the Navy. Our center requires them to take a TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education) assessment to identify at which grade level they're currently operating. Ready for this one? The average grade level our adult students score is a 7.2- that is seventh grade and two months!! Are you shocked and awed? I was. So depending on the student's abiliy level, we set them up with a web based self-paced program to work on their weaknesses and bump up their skills. Upon completion of the two week course they usually increase an average of 5 grades. Now, to be fair, most people just need a refresher on what Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally means, or how to get the volume of a cylinder, or the rules for the pythagorian theorums- but whoa. I must say, however, I am thankful that no one has asked me for tutoring on nonlinear differential equations. Sorry Ms. White but you lost me on those. I am thankful to finally have a job because I was going a little stir crazy. The job has allowed me to meet new people, learn more about the Navy, and appreciate sailors' efforts in bettering both themselves and our military. Although it can be quiet at times, the job is interesting and has given me the opportunity to create a more stable and meaningful routine. It also feels good to be contributing again to the bank account. Yes, I chose to go on semi-retirement before coming to Japan and during these months off I have learned that a big part of my identity was derived from what I did- community development, mentoring juvenile offenders, working with the homeless yada yada yada. Since I can remember, my education, my jobs, and my career path have been my top achievements. These past 11 months without a job have forced me to look at myself in a different light. I realized that without that side to me, I wasn't completely happy with who I was as a person. So I've have made some changes. Although it is not easy, I am working hard to live a life without mind alterning substances. We all know I like to party as much as the next person but I'm taking a break and I am dealing with life on life's terms and not using alcohol to numb my frustrations or aggrevations. Mark being gone so much is tough on the mind and soul, but at the same time being in Japan, away from friends, away from family has been a good thing because it has allowed me to focus on me. And I am starting to like what I see.
I'm also keeping busy by going on tours that the base provides. This past weekend I went to Nikko, an old city about two hours north of Tokyo. Here are some pics from my adventures.