I was going to finish writing about last weekend…but it is almost this weekend so it looks like that might not happen. To summarize: Sunday morning we woke up at 5:30am to amaaaazing breakfast prepared by Yuko’s mother, then we drove to Kujikuri beach, I had a surf lesson, it was fun, I left in pain, we bought omiyage, went to BBQ at the surf shop, got back on the bus, got off in Tokyo, I got my haircut, then I hobbled home and passed out. Monday I woke up with battered knees and it hurt to laugh but I want to go again.
Tomorrow I leave for Nagasaki and I will not be back until September 11th. Waffles will come with me…last night (s)he finally got some Internet love courtesy of Roz’s connection…so I will post if I can find wifi during my trip. I was hoping to set up moblogging and I am *almost* there but the last part is discouraging…I have to have some “iconv” module in my web server’s PHP installation. I think dreamhost’s wiki has instructions on how to do this…but they seem headache-y. But, I would really really love to moblog so I might give it a go while waiting at the airport tomorrow.
I need this time away I think. My head has been feeling saturated lately. I feel like I am accomplishing a lot and at the same time, like my life is marbles on the kitchen floor and I am a three-year-old kicking them around. Does that imagery work for you? I know this cause I had a “no grip on life” dream last night. These often take the form of me being in my residence (whether real world or a past place or a made up one) and there being something chaotic about the space. In this dream “my landlords” (whoever they were…it was a made up place and they were a made up couple although vaguely familiar) admonished me for letting things go. When “the landlords” enter my dreams…I think that reflects my feeling that my irresponsibility is letting someone down – something that has been present lately. Although I don’t know who…likely no one because ultimately we are only responsible for ourselves. Thinking that can bring some relief and some (hard to help it) feelings of loneliness.
Oh it’s Friday – why am I being such a downer! Super excited for the trip ahead.
And one funny story: When I went to get my haircut last Sunday, I was carrying a full backpack and a bag with omiyage in it. The receptionist gave me the key for a locker and my backpack fit inside but not the omiyage bag. So I went back to the counter and lifted the bad as if to say “oh it doesn’t fit”. She immediately nodded in understanding and put the bag behind the counter for me.
In the final stages of my haircut, the stylist came around and asked me “oh…so did you leave something for us…” and I looked at her strangely…”…a gift?” she said, and then it dawned on me that the receptionist thought I was giving HER the omiyage. Ah language barriers – you gotta love the awkward situations. I felt so bad explaining that I couldn’t fit it in the locker but needed to take it to work the next day for my colleagues. Totally wished I had brought something for them but unfortunately it is not in my cultural instincts to bring gifts to the salon.
Some interesting background from what I know (FWIK…yes, that will be the new acronym): the department / gift shop bag has significance. Gifts are often handed to people still in the bag. The bag can indicates place of purchase thus value of the gift. What I don’t know: what are the facial expressions and hand gestures that signify “I am giving you a gift”. Few words are used.