Salmiakki

I got two packages of Super Salmiakki today. It's been a long time since I last ate them. We Finns love our salmiakki. I'm sure there is a shop selling it here in Tokyo, but I haven't been bothered to find it yet.

Emperor's Mother

We watched a really funny film last night: "Kung Fu Hustle".

There was action, romance, gansters, stupid jokes and even some clever ones...AND some very cool over-exaggerated kung fu scenes. It was a pity I didn't see on the big screen.

Today we went to Tepco Energy Museum. We'd heard that it was fun with kids - but they obviously had removed all fun parts for kids. So we ended up to Metropolitan Children's Hall again, which is always a good choice. Vimme loves that place. My guess is he thinks he owns the place or is at least the emperor of that part of Japan. That makes me the emperor's mother. Where's my limousine?

Clip Clip

Here's the hair situation. After washing it I saw that some parts of were longer than others. In a bad way. This morning I ended up using a clipper on my own (don't you hear doom's bells ringing here). It looks ok now - well, I haven't used another mirror to see how it looks on the back of my head, but I assume it can't be worse than what it was.

Again, I noticed that changing the hair style doesn't necessarily bring any improvement to looks. Tell me, when you get used to the idea that you look old?

What Is Hot?

It's starting to be quite hot here. I was told that this is nothing yet - the hot weather is still on it's way here, so I am curiously waiting to see how it gets. Our neighbours said that back home in India there would be +50 C degrees right now, so this weather isn't hot at all.

We watched 'Life and Death of Peter Sellers' last night. It reminded me of 'Being There' film, which is one of the best films I've ever seen... well, that list is actually quite long, but most films on this planet aren't on that list. Funny thing is that 'Being There' in Finland is called 'Welcome Mr. Chance' - in english. Isn't that odd.

Yesterday's Picture and Army Hair

Here is a picture from yesterday's adventures here and there in Tokyo.


Vincent and Vimme at Hibiya Park.

Today I went to another hairdresser. And now my hair is short. M said it looks like an army hair cut. He did say as well that he likes it. I sort of like it already, but I do have to wash it and shape it myself with the sticky pink hairwax I have, before I know for sure if I like it or not. Next I want to experiment with hair colours.

Don't Leave Your Dog

Notice.

Cheese (Said with Homer Simpson's 'Doughnuts' Voice)

I am really really really missing good cheese here. Ok, you can buy even that stuff in here, but I am not desperate enough yet that I would buy any of those tiny and extreamly expensive cheese pieces they sell here - and I am talking about European cheese: good old Dutch Gouda, sweaty Emmental, soft Brie de Meaux, creamy Gorgonzola and an endless list of other cheeses that make me drool only by thinking of them.

I see myself eventually getting desperate enough to buy cheese here.

Scary Girl

Vimme thought this Swedish anti 'snus' commercial was scary. And that was before the girl smiled.

An Earthquake Again

There was an earthquake last night. I woke up to it but couldn't even be bothered to get off my shaking bed.

Salarymen's Secrets

A guy last night said that a japanese salaryman can name 'drinking' as his hobby. If you did that in Finland or in Sweden, everyone would think that you are an alcoholic. That's why you wouldn't say it's your hobby, though it was that in practice. He also told that he once talked to his japanese work mate, who said that he doesn't like his own kids. I think that was the saddest thing I've heard for a while.

An Old Couple

Happy anniversary M. We have been married for 17 years now. Well done we.

Work Clothes

I have decided to buy few pairs of japanese work man's trousers before I move back to Europe (I am not going to wear them here in Japan). Then I will get myself few pairs of work shoes too - those with separate big toe. I have wondered where one can buy them. Today I found a brand new work man clothing shop close to us. I went there to see what they have. Well, they had everything - even pink work man's trousers.

I had the kid with me (he started immediately to re-arrange rubber boot shelves), so I couldn't really go deep into checking what else they had. I bought socks and when I payed for them the guy at the cashier gave me a towel (the kind work men wear under their hats... and other people too, but that's another story) and a bunch of flowers! It was their first day open. I couldn't stop smiling when I rode back home.

Free Katie

She needs all the help there is. Some good caring people have put together a site to rescue her.


Tom's prisoner.

½ a Year

I have lived a half a year in Tokyo. It has been fun so far and I couldn't think of any better place to be now that I am home with the kid. To me this environment is very inspiring and all small challenges of ordinary every day life keep me mentally awake.

But, I have missed the night life, cool clubs, karaoke bars and many other sides of Tokyo that potentially would be intresting to me, if I had a chance to explore them.

But I know my Tokyo play grounds.

A Tokyo Dog

A Tokyo Dog.

So In Love

In the beginning of 90's came out this fantastic collection of Cole Porter's songs. My absolute favourite on that album is kd lang's 'So In Love'. I still get goose spots when I listen to it. And I remeber being forced by an inner need to sing it myself everytime when I had had one too many drinks. That was during my art school time... Oh well - not that many nights out now a days. To be honest: no nights out now a days.


Red Hot and Blue.

Where was I... oh yes, last night we watched De-Lovely. Strange enough, I liked it inspite of all musical scenes and when 'So In Love' was sang in the end, I cried my eyes off. My eyes still look like two tomatoes. This is a way to get the hang-over looks without alcohol.

Still Itching

Today we went to National Park for Nature Study. It's quite amazing that such a place exists in the middle of this huge city. I am not going there again - at least not in summer time. I was the main attraction to local mosquitos. It wasn't fun at all.


Flowers.

Spread Legs

I have always wondered why some men have to sit their legs widely spread, no matter where they are seated. Is it a desperate try to convince other people they are so well equipped that they simply can't sit legs together?


A Poster in a train.

Anyway, I have got quite pissed off at some guys sometimes taking my place with their knees and I have even said to them about it. Result was that his one meter spread became 1 cm narrower, which equals with 'no result'. At least I got the steam out.

Rain and Future Mould

This must be the beginning of the famous rainy season in Japan. It's raining and this dimmy rain looks like it's not going stop in a little while. I am curiously waiting to see what moulds and in what scale during these weeks of rain - and weeks of humid heat after that.

It's ever so exciting to live abroad.

I'm Not Immune

I thought I was immune to Coldplay. I have listened to "Speed of Sound" over and over again for an hour now and I can't get enough of it. Damn.

I was on my first Japanese lesson today. It's a very low key course for mother's who have their small kids with them - so don't be dissapointed if I can't read Japanese high literature and haiku poems in original language when I come back to Europe. I hope to be able to say something nice to Japanese kids at play grounds.

Secret Agendas?

I hope this will happen.
Do I have to start liking these guys now?
Why do I have a feeling they are not doing this in Mother Theresa spirit?
Am I just being cynical and paranoid?


Double-U and Tony.

House Wife's Happiness

Now I feel like I am back in my real life and part of the world in spite of my house wife status: I got my first invitation to an art exhibition at a gallery near by. I missed the opening party, but I am definitely going to see the exhibition.

I have to say, that though I am taking some odd years off my "real life" by being at home with the kid, it doesn't make this time any less valuable. The kid grows fast and I don't want to miss his early years. Everything else can wait.

Instructions

This is on our bath room wall right above the toilet seat.


Intructions.

I Once Was a Film Snob

Since we moved to Japan, my choices of rental films have become worse and worse. I used to be one of those people who rather watched a slow artistic (read: boring) french film than a main stream american comedy. Now I've watched all rubbish there is on comedy shelves at Tsutaya (a local dvd, cd, and book store). Tonight's film is 'Legally Blonde'. Quite bad, isn't it. Next step will be action comedies and cop films with big guns, bad attitudes and exploting cars.

I don't want to get there.

Spraying

I can't but admire all effords people make here to keep this country clean and in order. Today, while riding my bicycle home from a play ground, I saw a woman spraying water (or even some desinfecting liquid) on a corner of a fence where her tiny dog had just peed. Impressive, isn't it!

I feel the earth move under my feet

Last night we had three quakes in a couple of hours time. Two of them felt like a truck had hit a corner of the house. Afterwards, when I checked Tenki, these quakes didn't seem to be strong ones at all. Earth must have moved right belove us.

Quite often I find myself humming or singing Carole King's 'I Feel the Earth Move'.

And click here to read some poodle news.

House Wifes are Way Too Busy to Train

I took the gi (aikido traning suit) I had borrowed back to the dojo yesterday.

I was a bit too over-optimistic about how often I'd be able train. They train 4-5 times every week. I thought, I'd go there 1-2 times/week, mostly once. Then one week I couldn't go at all and I realised that those kids would be so much ahead of me in their skills that I would slow down their traning, and I didn't want to do that. So, no aikido at that dojo.

I do hope I will get a chance to train aikido in Japan before moving back to Europe.