Food Art

Food presentation is such a high art form that I always wonder if I should just sit there and admire it for a long while more.
Eventually I take that first bite. Then it is just food again...

The Land of Contrasts

Japan is a land of contrasts -

where the traditional

and the modern

exist comfortably with each other.

I find that fascinating...

All packed!!

Oh wow, I am finally all packed and ready to go, with hours to spare before heading for the airport.

It seems like I bring along the same amount of barang barang whether I am packing for 10 days or 10 weeks. That's too profound for me to think through right now...

My good friend who loves Jepun-land tells me I am heading into good weather. So...

I am looking forward to visiting the strange new place.

How goes my packing?

I have been following the weather forecast for Tokyo and Kyoto. The prediction is sunny days with temperature in high teens, or else rain bringing the temperature down to high single digit.

I am being stubborn again, just like I was when packing for New York city. That time I decided that it could not possibly snow on me. It did. I lived my days all bundled up in everything I had.

This time, I am betting that it will not be too rainy, and ambient temperature will be comfortably cool, not clammy cold. I am actually bringing my many brightly coloured Paul Ropp skirts with tops to match any of the colours. If my bet went against me, I will wear everything all at once; I will look like a bag lady wearing a confusion of multi-layered multi-colours.

I really should learn to look at weather forecasts with greater reverence. Just not this time.

An alternative investment

There are many alternatives to wealth creation besides investing in the stock market. There are bank-bundled products, foreign currencies, land banks. And for the uber-snobbish, there is investment in fine, rare, collectible wines.

Proponents say wine investment outperforms the stock market and is recession proof.

Detractors say wine is not an investment.

Then there is this.

Unstable

I was at a MRT pickup/dropoff stand that everybody uses as a taxi stand.

I was next in line when a young lady asked from behind me if I was waiting for a cab. I turned to her, smiled and said yes. She did what any well mannered regular person would do: she smiled back and proceeded to stand behind me.

In the next minute, I heard a timid voice from behind saying to the young woman that he was there before her. I expected the woman, who just a short while ago, was all sweetness and light (and sane), to tell the man something like, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't see you." And switch places with the guy.

But noooo... In a flash, her face contorted into a snarl. Then, with fangs bared and neck veins popping, she screamed into his face, "WHAT FOR YOU TELL ME?! GET IN FRONT OF ME LOR."

I exaggerate not when I say the poor guy froze, not knowing what next to do. Sigh. He looked pitiful! I turned, smiled at the stunned bloke and said to him, "Get behind me, ok?" Oh, he made this big curve of a path to put himself between the woman and me, keeping the angry shrew within his nervous sight . He must have been really scared and wanted to give her as wide a berth as possible.

I looked at the woman again as I got into my cab. She was just standing there, looking at nothing in particular in front of her. Acting like the violent outburst of invective never took place.

And I thought, that's what it means when an animal is described as "of unsound temperament". When the animal is all purr-ry and cuddly one minute, and, in the next, has snapped and bitten half your face off.

It's called unstable when referring to humans.

I felt chill down my spine. I was scared. Really. Truly. Scared.

A heart-to-heart

Sometimes, it takes a heart-to-heart with an old friend to get back one's perspective. Even if it's a friend from so long ago. Even if the friend wasn't even particularly a friend back then, for whatever reason.

We filled in the 45 year blank for each other. We heard of each other, but never had the chance to meet in those years. We are mostly amused about the scandals heard through the grapevine - they were more spectacular than we could have lived up to.

Her advice to me - keep my distance from the known enemies because they will always be just that. Of course I have been doing just that, but it is interesting that we are talking about the same rumour mongers...

Her words that gave me pause because I never looked at myself that way: I have done well enough to have real enemies. My complimentary assessment of her life: so has she.

We said our goodbyes. We will remember the evening until next we meet.

The mutterings of a guru

I listened to her heartbreak story with disbelief, as I watched her face crumple with dismay and her body slump with defeat.

She had asked her spiritual guru (whatever that is) about her future and her happiness with her partner. The guru told her there is a woman in her path.

She confronted the partner (compulsive-impulsive woman that she is), saying she had set a PI on him, and she knew he was seeing another woman. She hoped to hear him deny the allegation.

Instead, he (silly like most men) blurted that he was sorry, the other woman didn't mean anything, and it was only a one time fling etc etc.

I am numbed to think that the mutterings from a stranger, even if he is a spiritual guru (please tell me what that means) can have such devastating effect.

And couldn't "the other woman" just as easily have been an overly possessive mother, a petulant sister, a crazy cousin? Couldn't the know-it-all obi-wan have been more specific?

But the damage is done. It will be a long road to recovery.

I hate how the mutterings of a guru can turn into a self fulfilling prophecy.

A beautiful dance

I remember again how beautiful the middle eastern dance is:


as I listened to the woman wax lyrical about the ballroom dances, which she now learns with a professional partner.

And I bit my tongue instead of giving in to the temptation of proffering my unsolicited opinion.

I admire my will power. LOL

March

was the month

Princeton Art Museum

- I did not hear from mother. I said to the sister she's either too busy rumour mongering to more sympathetic ears, or she has totally forgotten about me. The sister says its the former. I don't know how I feel about that, and decided it doesn't matter.

- A handful of old friends found me on FB. I am surprised I am not simply forgotten. One of them was my collaborator for the small community newsletter I wrote for, edited, and published. The other is currently doing my job. I am happy to know the newsletter is still alive. They are arranging for past copies to be sent to me. Words cannot express how touched I am about their graciousness.

- I am happy to see an old friend back in town for a short visit - and happier to learn she has written a second book. I admire her for turning adversity to advantage.

- The man is itching again to "go somewhere". It's only been 5 weeks since we got back and have only just settled into our routine! But I am not complaining. I have never been to Tokyo and Osaka.