Left, Right and Center

It's almost impossible to type while playing my blues harp...
So there just might be gaps in this post as I take  breaks to annoy my neighbors and get my thoughts in order.
< interlude >


See what I mean?

I think I spend a lot of time 'editing' my life. The stuff I don't write about far outweighs the drivel that makes its way onto these pages...probably a good thing too. Writing about your adventures with a dutch oven or the last time someone annoyed you while driving just does not make for interesting reading, does it?

So, what does?
< interlude: sounds of shower and off key singing in the background >


Daily ablutions are refreshing, don't you think? I am fortunate enough to live in a country where the bath is considered almost sacred and I have access to Onsen (Go on, Google it if you have too.) where I can share those moments in the company of others. Mixed bathing is especially nice. OK, get your mind out of the gutter and stop the porn soundtrack this instant. There's almost nothing erotic about it. Being in a bath, warm and naked with another person gives you the opportunity to express yourself differently than you would if you were wearing sartorial armour.

< interlude: bacon sizzling, eggs cracking and the smell of toast >

Food can connect you to a culture on so many different levels. I often try to maintain my American citizenship by donning my plaid Woolrich shirt, faded Levi's and one of a dozen baseball caps I keep hanging in the hallway then sitting down for a man sized plate of eggs and bacon. A pot of coffee and a tall glass of O.J. I think that most Americans would find the Japanese breakfast puzzling; I did when I first got here. Sitting on the floor with a piece of grilled fish, miso soup, a bowl of rice, some pickled radish or eggplant and natto (you can search this blog for more info on that particular dish.) is just not what John Wayne chowed down on before setting out to catch some cattle rustlers.



< interlude: jangling keys, searching and cursing and the sound of relief when the object is found. zippers being zipped and silence as the CD player is shut off.  >

I have lived almost half my life in this country and there are times when I feel that I have lost many things that would define me as "American" I am definitely not "Japanese" either, so I traipse along in a kind of limbo without worrying about being defined by my nationality. That is sometimes a good thing to have in your back pocket when you don't want to engage in the fantastically intricate social system here. I get to play the game, but more often than not I'm not held accountable to the rules as strictly as I ought to be.

Heading out to make some dough and break a few rules...
Have a great day everyone!
じゃ～まったね！