日本での発見 / Discoveries in Japan #6: 上野公園 / Ueno Park

That's a tightly formatted title there...must follow my own instructions when I tell my students that they can't reformat their paper just because it doesn't fit the page requirements...

Second (and Fourth) Saturdays are free at the National Museum of Western Art, so rather than do real work I headed to the other side of the Yamanote-sen.

美術館にも行ったし、東北応援の短冊も見たし、ブラブラ公園の中を歩いたし······晴天だったので人が沢山いました。でも帰って来たら仕事が山積み。ここ一週間は遊んでられないな······

日本での発見 / Discoveries in Japan #5: "Bad" Wine

This is the equivalent of a "Please pick up after your dog" sign in the U.S., except this one says "Please take your dog's poop home." I suppose even in the U.S., after you pick up your dog's poop, you would then take it home...

Right now I am more than tipsy (and feeling silly for it) because I am trying to finish off the bottle of wine I picked up in Yamanashi. Thank goodness I at least have delicious 焼きとうもろこしあられ to wash it down. Otherwise I'd have to eat lettuce or something.

My friends had warned me about "bad" (read: not to their tastes) wine in Japan, but I didn't think I'd fall prey to that phenomenon, too. In California you take three steps and you can't help but run into a decent (even good!), cheap bottle of wine, but apparently in Japan the wine is made to (surprise) Japanese tastes, which does not seem to suit my taste buds. Plus the other day when I had wine at Pastel, my glass of red wine came out positively refrigerated. Oh, come on, man...I do like a good glass of chilled white wine (even in winter), but even I like my red wine only slightly below room temperature when I do drink it...

So, until I find a decent bottle of wine at a reasonable price, I think I'm going to have to keep taking pictures of silly dog poop-related signs around town...

Shopping Spree / 買い出し

Ito Yokado served me quite well today, as I went from one floor to the next checking things off of my to-buy list—and all at competitive prices!

The steal of the day was my One Piece "yoga mat," which enabled me to do floor stretches for the first time in nearly four weeks! Holler.

I also chose toothpaste based on which product matched the color scheme of my bathroom best. I believe that is a first in personal history...

日本での発見 / Discoveries in Japan #4: 甲府 / Kōfu

今日は、生まれて初めて甲府へ行って参りましたぁ〜！

My first trip to Yamanashi Prefecture...lots of mountains, trees, grapes, and overall goodness. 

友達とゆっくり電車で目的地まで。研究、人生、恋愛······お喋りしながら時間を過ごせたのが嬉しかった。

We went to see her friend's art show, and on the way back we bought some grapes and a bottle of wine. Score.

[甲府市藤村記念館と初秋の雲 / Fujimura Kinenkan and some nifty clouds]

日本の謎 / Mysteries in Japan #3: The Ubiquitous T-Shirt

Last summer my aunt gave a very similar shirt to my mum. Which means...clearly this shirt design already has been around for over 16 months, right?

でも、このデザインの Tシャツって、やたらと色んな所で見るんですけど。どこに行っても、いつも視界の中に最低一人はこういう感じのシャツ着てるんですよね。時々色違いだったり、もっと丈が長かったり、シマシマが違う太さだったり······これって、もしかして「定番」っつー奴ですか？

It's not that I don't like the design, it's just...I guess I haven't caught on to what makes it so darn popular. Somebody, please tell me. Is it the boatneck? Is it the unexpected contrast between the stripes and the upper white space?? DAH!! I can't stand the mystery!!!

きっといつか分かります。でもその時にはもう遅い····

How to Live a Life

As long as I can drink Calpis, I think I can be happy.

今日はとてもいい日でした。図書館に本を返したり、初めて ATM を使ったり、台湾風唐揚げを食べたり、焼き芋を歩き食いしたり、面白い授業に出たり、カルピスを自動販売機で買ってみたり、大学の図書館で読みたかった本を見つけたり······こんな一日を過ごせて、ちょっと罪深いです。

This weekend I get to see a relative (holy crap!) and also go to Yamashi prefecture with a newfound (newmade?) friend. Who cares that I have to give a presentation on Tuesday? I only live once.

でも、遊んでばっかいてもいけないので、今日はちゃんと仕事してから寝ます。ん？ん······ホント、ホント！だってカルピス飲んじゃったんだもん、仕事ぐらいしなきゃ、神様に怒られるよ······

日本での発見/Discoveries in Japan 3: 食いしん坊万歳

いえ、あのテレビ番組ではありません。（書き方も変えました。）ただ私としては、南大沢でこの様に便利な食品の買い方ができるのが嬉しいです。

I signed up to join a co-op, and now I get groceries delivered to my door every Tuesday. This is, like, the coolest thing since sliced bread.

有機栽培だったり、国内直産だったり。今週はキャベツ、白菜、苦瓜、ピーマン、洋梨、等等。勿論自分で選べるので、決められた中身の箱が届けられるのよりもっといいかも。

You can choose what you want delivered, but they also offer a "grab bag" option so that produce that don't get specifically ordered still make it to people's tables—so there's a surprise element that is kind of charming. (I'm sure the charm is not their goal, but rather to cut down on waste.)

今年も食生活だけは充実するような気がします。

Work or no work, at least I'll be eating well...