>
Monday, July 28, 2003
countdown
t-minus 4 days before i leave, which is kind of surreal. i've done most of my shopping, and still have to cram my shoes, a couple more packages of maple leaf cream cookies, some perfumey stuff for aunts, baseball glove, tennis racket (?), my target bag... aaand that's it..? hmmm ok.
i blew so much money this weekend, in essentially one day. it's kind of freaking me out. i have been going through money (both real and credited) like it grew on trees in my backyard. i think ots was really disappointed with the amount i had saved (only b/c i hadn't cashed out yet). i am too. a lot of it has gone towards omiyage, but i can't say that has been the only source of damage. ugh, preparing to leave has been quite taxing on the old (and IMAGINED!!) finances. at least i don't have to stress about paying reiken... ugh, poor Kris. the board should've covered that for him.
Last night was another hit to the wallet, draining me of all of my MoE paycheque. IN ONE DAY!! can i Not stress that more????? ugh. But I got my drink on, yes my long-sought after GREEN APPLE MARTINI!!! woohooooooooooooo!! it was so alcoholy, and K got a couple of pictures of me grimacing as the green apple sours and vodka flew at hyperspeed to my minute brain cells. but at least i can buy the t-shirt and say that i've been there, done that. it was nice to be out and about in grown-up land, with heels might i add. M's pants were uber-cool, which matches her uber-fantastic and loveable self, and I found out D has become a major alkie =) I really enjoyed catching up with that girl on the ride home. it was a nice night...
however the tone of the story changes as soon as i got home, to the inviting embrace of mi familia. i was immediately drawn to the hakka chow mein by a compelling force, chow mein trachter beam if you will. while i was happily munching away, ots tells me that i had better get a jump on the training, beer training that is. i had been anticipating this command for the entire weekend, and now that it had come, i felt ready. daddio poured me a mugful (of mostly froth), and left me alone to confront the yeasty brew. As i lifted the mug to my mouth, the stench overpowered me and i reeled back, almost naseous. "I can't get past the smell!!" I wailed desperately, my voice echoing in the empty kitchen, as my parents watched tiny Japanese people flutter around on the TV. i took a tiny sip and was overpowered by the smell and the bitterness.
quick, hakka chow mein to the rescue.
i could only brave another sip and then asked my mom to take it away. after she saw my horrified reaction to the foul brew, she proceeded to berate daddio for forcing me to drink, holding her alcohol-virgin-lips as damning testimony against his belief in the brew as social survival in Japan. Ots looked disappointed, but still managed to fight through it, and down the remaining beer (which was basically the whole bottle).
I too share the disappointment. I had visions of pints and wings dancing in my head. Alas, it is not to be so. God has a different plan for me, one filled with fruity-flavoured girly drinks. I am going to be SUCH a hit in Japan.
t-minus 4 days before i leave, which is kind of surreal. i've done most of my shopping, and still have to cram my shoes, a couple more packages of maple leaf cream cookies, some perfumey stuff for aunts, baseball glove, tennis racket (?), my target bag... aaand that's it..? hmmm ok.
i blew so much money this weekend, in essentially one day. it's kind of freaking me out. i have been going through money (both real and credited) like it grew on trees in my backyard. i think ots was really disappointed with the amount i had saved (only b/c i hadn't cashed out yet). i am too. a lot of it has gone towards omiyage, but i can't say that has been the only source of damage. ugh, preparing to leave has been quite taxing on the old (and IMAGINED!!) finances. at least i don't have to stress about paying reiken... ugh, poor Kris. the board should've covered that for him.
Last night was another hit to the wallet, draining me of all of my MoE paycheque. IN ONE DAY!! can i Not stress that more????? ugh. But I got my drink on, yes my long-sought after GREEN APPLE MARTINI!!! woohooooooooooooo!! it was so alcoholy, and K got a couple of pictures of me grimacing as the green apple sours and vodka flew at hyperspeed to my minute brain cells. but at least i can buy the t-shirt and say that i've been there, done that. it was nice to be out and about in grown-up land, with heels might i add. M's pants were uber-cool, which matches her uber-fantastic and loveable self, and I found out D has become a major alkie =) I really enjoyed catching up with that girl on the ride home. it was a nice night...
however the tone of the story changes as soon as i got home, to the inviting embrace of mi familia. i was immediately drawn to the hakka chow mein by a compelling force, chow mein trachter beam if you will. while i was happily munching away, ots tells me that i had better get a jump on the training, beer training that is. i had been anticipating this command for the entire weekend, and now that it had come, i felt ready. daddio poured me a mugful (of mostly froth), and left me alone to confront the yeasty brew. As i lifted the mug to my mouth, the stench overpowered me and i reeled back, almost naseous. "I can't get past the smell!!" I wailed desperately, my voice echoing in the empty kitchen, as my parents watched tiny Japanese people flutter around on the TV. i took a tiny sip and was overpowered by the smell and the bitterness.
quick, hakka chow mein to the rescue.
i could only brave another sip and then asked my mom to take it away. after she saw my horrified reaction to the foul brew, she proceeded to berate daddio for forcing me to drink, holding her alcohol-virgin-lips as damning testimony against his belief in the brew as social survival in Japan. Ots looked disappointed, but still managed to fight through it, and down the remaining beer (which was basically the whole bottle).
I too share the disappointment. I had visions of pints and wings dancing in my head. Alas, it is not to be so. God has a different plan for me, one filled with fruity-flavoured girly drinks. I am going to be SUCH a hit in Japan.
// posted by naomi @ 2:44 p.m. 
