A moving livingroom, building the greatest toilet, Chopstick shortage, Mickey hatred, and other tidbits

The online newspaper, japantoday.com, has a "Quote of the Day" section. Here are some of my favorite quotes from the past few weeks that really give insight to this society (and some that are just funny).

• "My car is like a moving livingroom. It doesn't make sense not to have a TV in it." A 32-year-old company worker who admits he likes to watch TV while he is driving. Police say the number of accidents that occur while drivers are watching TVs is increasing. (Asahi Shimbun)
• "Japan is a country in which you are forgiven (in many cases) if you apologize soon." Corporate crisis management consultant Tatsumi Tanaka, who says Swiss elevator manufacturer Schindler took too long (9 days) before issuing the first clear apology for a fatal elevator accident in Tokyo.
• "In my day, men thought the kitchen was a lady's castle, but now young men are learning to cook and helping in the kitchen, while girls are not interested." Kyoko Hattori, who has been teaching Japanese-style home cooking for 31 years.
• "We can build the toilet that no one has imagined. That is our mission." Kyoji Asada, top designer for bathroom appliance maker Toto Ltd, who is considered Japan's top toilet designer. He believes Japan has the cleanest and most comfortable toilets in the world.
• "It is as easy to get sushi in Lexington as it is to get a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken at Mount Fuji." Japanese Ambassador to the U.S. Ryozo Kato, speaking of the intertwining of the two cultures during a speech to 170 members of the Japan America Society of Kentucky and the Kentucky World Trade Center at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky. Earlier, Kentucky Gov Ernie Fletcher appointed him a Kentucky Colonel.
• "I saw that half of the people left when the credits began to roll at the end. Some people even stood up and left the theater in the middle of the show." Hiroshi Kawanabe, 58, who said he studies Christianity and culture, after attending a screening of "The Da Vinci Code" on Saturday.
• "We're not in an emergency situation yet (over chopsticks), but there has been some impact." Ichiro Fukuoka, director of the Japan Chopsticks Import Association, after China slapped a 5% tax on sales of chopsticks over concerns of deforestation. The move is hitting hard at the Japanese, who consume 25 billion sets of wooden chopsticks a year — about 200 pairs per person. Some 97% of them come from China.
• "Always be able to kill your students." One of the teachings of Grand Master Masaaki Hatsumi, 76, the only living student of the last "fighting ninja," Toshitsugu Takamatsu, the so-called 33rd Grand Master who was a bodyguard to officials in Japanese-occupied Manchuria before World War II. He fought - and won - 12 fights to the death.
• "Pop culture has the power to influence the public, so we want to and need to have it on our side. Popeye, for example, planted in the Japanese an image that Americans are nice and strong. Until then, the Japanese despised them." Foreign Minister Taro Aso, proposing a "Nobel Prize" for foreign "manga" cartoon artists. He said the United States — once Japan's enemy — won over Japanese hearts with its pop culture and cartoons.
• "People seem to think sumo is a simple sport. If they put on a 'mawashi' (loin cloth) and tried it for themselves, they would soon realize how hard it is." Bulgarian sumo wrestler Kotooshu, speaking at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan.
• "I hate Mickey Mouse. He has nothing like the unique sensibility that Japan has." Tokyo Gov Shintaro Ishihara, during a speech at the Tokyo International Anime Fair. The governor urged anime creators to tackle more important themes and practice some concision to raise the level of the art form.

To be blonde or not to be blonde

Look closely at these pictures....Here's Liz (she's on the left)... And here's Liz with me and Shiona...look closely... What color is Liz's hair? She insists that she is a brunette. The rest of Japan and I think she is a blonde. Liz says there is no way that her and I could be considered in the same hair color category. I feel I am an authority on hair colors since my hair has been multiple shades of blonde, light browns, and I have dabbled in reddish tones. Her hair is dark blonde, dishwater blonde, dirty blonde if you will (when I said this earlier, a Japanese girl replied, "But Liz's hair is clean"). What do you think? Is Lizzy a brunette or a blonde?

Improving my domestic goddess skills

Been going to a Japanese cooking class recently. The past time was my last time to go until September because of summer break, which is kind of disappointing, because the class is really fun. And I have learned so much from the three Japanese ladies teaching. Here's some pics from the last class. Lizzy stuffing eggplants slices with some kind of chicken. Not really sure why she was making that face at the camera. So, they told us to poke holes in the hot peppers so they wouldn't explode when they were being cooked. Liz and I went to town poking a billion holes in the peppers because we sure didn't want any exploding peppers. The teacher told us to be more gentle with the peppers. And here's the meal we cooked AND got to eat! Some kind of fried eggplant sandwich with rice, pickles, some other dish with seaweed in it, and miso soup, and green tea. It was sooo yummy. And the wonderful cooking teachers...Sakane-san, Maede-san, and Hanzaki-san!!

Chi's Art

My friend, Chi, is an artist. She is really talented and draws all kinds of cute characters. Some of her artwork is being exhibited at this empty building with other artists. The building is going to be torn down in a few weeks, so the artists can draw on the walls, floors, ceilings, anything. The building itself has become one big masterpiece. The pink thing is a big knitted blanket that has to be at least 50 yards long and at least five feet wide. It looks like pepto-bismal. This is one of the artists drawing on the wall. I was even allowed to draw on the wall. And this is what I created...a defective cross. Paintings in the stairwell. This is Chi's children book. She wrote and illustrated it herself. Chi doing art on an old metal shelf. Me, Chi, and Chi's sister, Azumi, standing in her section of artwork.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!

My mama turns 50 years old today!! And what a great mom, wife, daughter, sister, friend she is!!

HAPPY 50th BIRTHDAY, MOM!!! Thinking about you and missing you!!!

(And another Happy Father's Day to my dad!)

My legs :(

Learned today that the Japanese say those who smell the worst get bitten the most. Guess I'm pretty smelly, because I got bit quite a bit. Crazy Indonesian mosquitoes.

Wanna loose a quick 5 pounds?...Go to Indonesia for a week

I have tons to say about Indonesia, my meeting there, and the experiences I had. Let's just do it list style...

• I went to Indonesia for a meeting for people who have served one year on the field in my region (that would be the Pacific Rim region). It is a retreat, debriefing, refocusing, half-time type meeting. Totally awesome.
• We stayed at a Hilton Hotel and we weren't able to leave the hotel most days because of security and because the hotel is not conveniently located to anything. However, the Hilton in Indonesia is a little different from America. While it was absolutely beautiful and clean and very tropical, we couldn't drink from the tap, there were ants that permanently lived on the bathroom sink, the shower water temperature was never consistent, and in the lobby bathrooms, there were hoses next to the toilets that you had to spray into the toilet to flush everything down.
• Indonesia is a Muslim country, so we heard the call to prayer often. The first time I heard it, I was sitting by the pool and I thought at first it was Indonesian music playing. Then it got louder and louder, and then you could hear the PA systems turn on with men leading in prayer. My first time in a Muslim country, my first time to ever hear Muslims praying...it was haunting and heart-wrenching to hear hundreds of voices in unison crying out to untruth.
• Totally got some kind of something-something with my stomach while there. The kind of little something-something that forced me and the toilet be good friends.
• I counted...I have over 40 mosquito bites on my legs alone. Today I went to the pharmacy here in Japan and just lifted up pants leg to the cashier and they immediately directed me to the anti-itch cream.
• I saw a woman going to the bathroom in the river.
• Security guards checked my purse before going into the shopping mall, and when I entered the grocery store, I had to put my purse in a cubby.
• I ate at a restaurant and the toilet didn't flush...you dumped a bucket a water into the toilet yourself to flush it.
• When I was checking my bags to leave Indonesia, instead of having a computerized label on my suitcase, the lady hand wrote the destination on the label. Thankfully, my luggage arrived safely.
• Here's some pictures.... I had to fly through Taiwan on the way to Indonesia. Here's a view from the plane. This is Indonesia. My first time to see someone side-saddle a motorbike. This sticker is in our hotel room. It tells Muslims which way to face when they pray. That's right, folks...INDONESIAN IDOL!! I caught an episode one night on tv. It is just like American Idol, complete with the judges, posters from fans, numbers to call and text, and even some English songs. First time to see four people on a motorbike. Street corner. Me and my buddy, D, eating some Indonesian food (I know my food looks very western but it was Indonesian).

Things you should know about Japan today...

• The rice fields around my house have been flooded, and the frogs have arrived, and they are insanely loud. I can't even imagine what it must have been like during the plague of frogs in Exodus. Also, frogs don't say "ribbit" in Japan, they say "ghetto".
• Liz and I were walking down the street, and a mom comes by on her bike with her little boy in the child's seat on the back. As the bike passes us, the little boy turns around to stare at us, and then all the sudden blows us a kiss. It was sweet.
• Liz and I had the luxury of watching the season finale of "American Idol" last night. While I love Chris and Mandisa, and Taylor is growing on me, I was so excited to see Clay Aiken and his new 'do...He is still my favorite American Idol.
• Our bathroom is a mold magnet. Today as I sprayed bleach where the mold likes to live and watched it disappear, I found myself singing Kelly Clarkson's "Since U Been Gone"...Since you been gone, I can breathe for the very first time.
• And today I ate this.... I know it doesn't look very appetizing but it is my favorite Japanese food. It's okonomiyaki, and it's a cabbage pizza/pancake thing. This one is especially cute because the lady made it heart-shaped. Ai and me cutting our cute heart-shaped meal.

They came like a Tennessee Tornado

Well, now that I have had some time to rest, I can put up some pics of the last few days with the TSC Team. Man, it was a crazy, busy ten days, but it was so good. My heart was encouraged and warmed by the ladies and girls, and I know they ministered to some many others as well. THANK YOU FOR COMING TO JAPAN, TSC TEAM!!!! Kaleigh, Hannah, and me!! The girls with Chi!! Janee talking with students at Mukogawa. Morgan and Molly talking with students at Mukogawa. A student demonstrated a "Strange Face" for us. The girls with an English class at Mukogawa. Janee, Molly, Kaleigh, Morgan, Emily, and Hannah on the train. The girls with Hannah and Collin, two MKs here and my neighbor kids. Check out Collin's big grin with all those girls surrounding him. And the MAMAs! Kim, Victoria, Teresa (my missionary neighbor), Lisa, Becky, and Ms. Leighann. And missionaries in Japan!...Barb, Teresa, Liz (demonstrating her own "Strange Face"), and me!

Happy 24th Birthday, Shi Shi!!

My Saturday...met the TSC daughters in the morning and took them on a little adventure around Osaka. A round of Karaoke, Print Club pictures, lunch at Outback Steakhouse, and a few stops at my favorite stores...the girls experience a bit of what Osakans are known for...FUN!! Then that evening...Shiona's Birthday Party!! How do you celebrate birthdays in Japan? With spicy Thai food, more Print Club pictures, a trip to the arcade, and a slumber party!! Emily pretending to be on "American Idol" during Karaoke...can't tell whether Molly is overcome with joy or horrified. Lizzy, Janee, and Chi shopping for some cheap accessories. The girls let loose in Osaka. Me and Shi Shi...dressed the same for her birthday party. Yuka, Liz, Erika, and Shiona!! My most favorite game in the whole world, except that I can't ever remember the name of it...but it's a drum game and you follow the music that runs across the screen. Shiona always beats me, but it's ok cause I rock at "Cranium".

Update on the TSC Team

It's been a great five days with the Thompson Station Church mission team so far!! The first day started with a bang by meeting them at 6:45 am (by far, my earliest morning in Japan yet), and speaking to four university English classes at Kansai University. Since then the team has hosted a luncheon for the lady missionaries in the area, spent a day in Kyoto, prayer "rode" Osaka on the train loop line that goes around the city, prayerwalked Shinsaibashi, spent the day in the country at a Japanese home, eaten various Japanese foods including tonkatsu, okonomiyaki, and tempura, as well as eaten Korean food, Egyptian food, and McDonalds, learned to play the koto, participated in a tea ceremony, and on and on. And God has been answering prayers by providing so many divine opportunities to meet Japanese. Here's a quick look at our first five days... Here's Morgan and Lisa with some English university students. The English professor who invited us to come speak to the classes is a Christian. It was a great day to meet so many students, especially for Liz and me. Hannah with some university girls. Hannah has impressed all of us with how comfortable she is with Japanese. She is only ten years old, but look how tall she looks in this picture. Ahh, tiny Japanese girls. When we went to Kyoto, there were lots of schools on field trips also visiting. While in Kyoto, some students were required to interview any foreigners they met for their English class. Here's Kaleigh answering questions for some high schoolers. Emily, Morgan, me, Hannah, Kaleigh, and Molly in front of the Golden Temple. At the temple, the girls saw people buying prayers, burning incense, ringing bells to wake gods, throwing money at statues, lighting candles...doing anything so the gods would hear their prayers. The girls' brokenness, sadness, and frustration as they saw these things taken place is a reminder to me of the urgency to share that Christ is all we need, no bought prayers or loud bells. Hannah, Molly, and Kaleigh on top of Umeda Sky Building in Osaka. Behind them, the city of Osaka. The team spent the day at the Harada Family's home out in the country. Mrs. Harada prepared a Japanese tea ceremony for the team. Love this picture...Ms. Leighann, after she took a sip of the green tea. It's a little bitter. Janee preparing green tea the traditional way. Mrs. Harada also did a little Koto concert for us, and then let each of us play the koto. And check out all the food Mrs. Harada made for the team! It was a feast! That's Mr. and Mrs. Harada is the back.