Well, it's been an... eventful... return in both good ways and bad ways.
The good?
I've been able to spend time with a lot of friends and family. Friday night when I came back I immediately called Ceci and she, Vicki and I all went out to Tim Horton's to hang out. Saturday I got my license renewed and went shopping with my mom and Diana. Sunday was breakfast at Cora's with Ceci and Vicki; church; a little shopping with Ceci and Vicki; a late lunch with Ceci, Vicki and Joeie; then playing Cooking Mama and watching Kiki's Delivery Service with Jen, Ceci and Vicki at night. Monday to Friday was WAY Camp.
Even though (or maybe because) there were fewer kids than usual, it was a lot of fun. I was glad to see all (four) of the twelfth graders there, and it was good to meet some of the (soon to be in grade ten) niners. *sigh* Being back reminded me that I really do miss the WAY kids. Before I left there were times when I felt really drained by my commitment as a WAY counselor, and I wondered if I'd really re-join them if I stayed away for longer than a year, but now I think I'll still want to come back to the WAY when I'm back in Canada for good.
Anyway, Friday night (after getting back from camp), I went out to Cafe Hollywood with Jen, Ceci, Grace, Jon Tang, Benson, Joanna, Vince and Vivian (hope I'm not forgetting anyone!!). Saturday I went to the Woodlands Library (you have NO idea how much I've missed English books!) and EK (where I spent pretty much all of the money I got from my parents on manga). For dinner my parents and I met up with a family friend to have peking duck (yum)! Sunday was church (including Life Long Learning) and lunch with Bettina and Ken, Alan and Liz, Ivy, Brenda and Ceci. Then another Chinese dinner with family friends. I'd never actually met these family friends before, but my parents wanted me to meet them since the daughter will be a frosh at UT this September and is also interested in anime/manga.
So that was the good. The bad?
Well, the day after I came back (Saturday) before getting my license renewed and going shopping, I went to a viewing at church for a parent of some of my WAY kids (former and current). He had been sick for some time, so it wasn't a sudden or completely unexpected passing, but I'm sure that didn't make it any less painful for the family.
A less serious, but still not so great thing was the amount of rain we had at WAY camp. Certainly we were lucky that, with the exception of one day, the rain mostly came at times that didn't interfere with our schedule (at night, during Bible study, etc.), but that one day was pretty bad. Alan, Liz and I were out grocery shopping when it started, but it was still going strong when we got back to the camp site. The kids were real troopers and all pitched in to move flooded tents and to get wet stuff to a place it could dry, but it was still a pretty miserable day.
Even though Alice and I dried and moved our tent, it ended up getting wet again. On Wednesday night (Monday and Tuesday I went home with my dad after lights out and returned before 7am) I slept in the tent and woke up with a wet back in the morning! Alice was fine since she had a mattress thing so the water didn't get through her sleeping bag. Luckily Thursday was the all-nighter so I only spent that one night sleeping on a wet spot in our tent.
Today (Monday) was the "most bad" (yes, grammatically it should be "worst") day, though. I learned first hand the truth in the saying "haste makes waste." I had a doctor's appointment at 10am and even though I had enough time to make it, I was cutting it a little close so I was driving pretty fast. And wouldn't you know it, at the bottom of Mississauga Road (at The Collegeway) there were two police cars waiting for speeders.
Yes indeed, today I got my first ever speeding ticket. ^^;; I was lucky, though, because the cop was really nice about it. He gave me a reduced ticket (15 km/h over the limit, instead of the 20km/h I was actually clocked at) and he didn't give me an additional fine for not having the car registration in the car (it was in the car, but I couldn't find it). So even though having to pay $52 sucks, it could've been a lot worse: $120 and 3 points on my license. What makes me feel even more lucky is that I actually did see the cop cars before I crossed the intersection and managed to slow down some before they got me: I was actually going 80km/h (30km/h over the speed limit) but had enough time to slow down to be clocked at 70km/h.
Anyway, I definitely learned my lesson. I mean, I would've been on time and saved myself $52 if I'd left a little earlier, or if I'd even just been feeling less rushed and driven at the speed limit. Indeed, "haste makes waste."
The other bad news for today was that my dentist discovered a cavity when I went for my cleaning!! How sad is it to still be getting cavities at my age?! To be fair to myself, though, at the last check-up before I left my dentist did say there was a tooth with potential to develop a cavity, so it wasn't a completely new development. (Although I guess it doesn't say much about my tooth brushing since I knew about it but didn't manage to prevent it.) So now I have to go back on Monday for a filling. And of course I don't have any insurance to cover dental expenses, so I'm going to have to pay for it on top of the cleaning. @_@
Oh well. I guess I'll just have to be more diligent about my brushing from now on--and maybe lay off the sweets a bit.
Actually, I almost forgot, but there is some good news from today (so I can end on a positive note). At my check-up, I learned that I've actually lost about 14 lb since last year! I knew that I'd lost about 4-6 lb when I was moving into my apartment in May, but I didn't realize I'd lost more before that! Guess that explains why everyone was like "Did you lose weight?" I really couldn't understand why a mere loss of 4-6 lb was so noticeable to everyone... Another good thing is that the problem I had last year with my feet swelling seems to be pretty over. I wonder if it's another benefit from my healthier, less processed food diet in Japan?
But yeah, I've still got one more week at home, so I hope I won't have anymore unfortunate surprises and can enjoy meeting up with everyone I haven't had a chance to see yet.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Sunday, July 27, 2008
New Miyazaki Film
I finally got to watch the new Miyazaki (Studio Ghibli) movie (it opened last Sat., Jul. 19th) today! Gake no Ue no Ponyo (a.k.a. Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea) is a "Little Mermaid" type story that begins with a 5-year old boy named Sousuke rescuing a magical sea creature stuck in a bottle. He thinks she's a goldfish at first, but when the cut (obtained rescuing her from the bottle) that she licked is magically healed, he correctly guesses that she is a magical creature and names her "Ponyo." Ponyo immediately takes a liking to Sousuke and decides to use magic to take the form of a human to be with him. Her father, however, objects and tries to bring her back.
It was a cute and enjoyable movie, but I found it lacking the depth of other Miyazaki films (Nausicaa, Laputa, Mononoke Hime, etc.).
Still, I'm glad I went to see it, especially since it gave me the chance to hang out with Tomabechi-sensei and Higashi-sensei (from Kirita JHS). We all met at Shimoda Jusco for dinner and then watched the movie together. ^_^
It was a cute and enjoyable movie, but I found it lacking the depth of other Miyazaki films (Nausicaa, Laputa, Mononoke Hime, etc.).
Still, I'm glad I went to see it, especially since it gave me the chance to hang out with Tomabechi-sensei and Higashi-sensei (from Kirita JHS). We all met at Shimoda Jusco for dinner and then watched the movie together. ^_^
Friday, July 25, 2008
50th movie!
I have now watched over 50 Japanese movies since coming to Japan!
Since it's been a while since my last Movie Madness post, I thought I should honour the occasion with another set of movie synopses. ^_^ Again, the titles are in no particular order, although the numbering is continued from the previous post:
6. Daitenden no Yoru ni (Until the Lights Come Back) - On Christmas Eve, a rogue satellite takes out a power plant in Tokyo and plunges the city into darkness. Inspired by the 2003 blackout in New York City, the film follows several characters through the night, until the lights come back. The six stories of love and friendship are well crafted, thoughtfully paced and nicely intertwined, and the actors do a fine job, but somehow the movie failed to evoke any deep emotions. It was enjoyable enough, but at the end I was left feeling "ho hum" rather than touched.
7. Sukida* - Two high school classmates trapped in the awkward stage between friendship and love are suddenly separated before they can resolve their feelings. Will they be able to finally work things out when they meet 17 years later? Although the story was a tad too melodramatic for my usual tastes, the film was so artfully directed--minimal dialogue with most of the feeling conveyed through subtle but expressive acting--I was easily able to overlook the plot defects. Most importantly, the actors successfully captured and portrayed the insecurities, awkwardness, and bittersweetness of first love.
8. Waterboys* - One of my favourite Japanese movies!! Based on a true story, this is the story of a group of misfits and losers at an all-boys high school who find redemption through sport. An old plot, but the twist? They form a boys synchronized swimming team! Although the plot predictably follows the structure of any other underdog sport story, the movie is nonetheless highly entertaining: the characters are endearing; the jokes/gags are funny; and the grand finale is awesome. Highly recommended!
9. Tennen Kokekko (A Gentle Breeze in the Village)***: Based on a popular manga, Tennen Kokekko is a high school romance set in rural Japan. MIGITA Soyo is the oldest student in her small school--a combined elementary and junior high school with only six students, each in a different grade! She (along with all the other students) is thrilled when a transfer student from Tokyo, OSAWA Hiromi arrives, particularly since he is in the same grade as her.
Although they get off to a rocky start, predictably, a relationship between the two gradually develops. It was a decent film, but I thought the start of the relationship felt really forced. Osawa seems to go from complete indifference--the cool city guy who condescends to join the rural kids because they make such a fuss over him--to aggressive interest in Migita in the blink of an eye. I couldn't help but feel that he only became interested in her because she was convenient--a rather fatal flaw in a love story! Still, I guess it's a testament to the acting and direction (apart from that fatal flaw) of the movie that I would probably consider buying it if the price was right.
10. Koko ni Iru Koto** - AIBA Shino is a young career woman working in the creative marketing division of a Tokyo sales company. Her ambitions are dashed, however, when her affair with one of the company's top managers is discovered by his wife who puts an end to the relationship with a payoff of five hundred thousand yen and a transfer (demotion) to the sales division of the company's Osaka branch. Aiba plans to return to Tokyo as soon as the money runs out and makes every effort to hasten her departure date by living in an expensive hotel and even placing a huge bet on a long shot at a local boat race track but ends up winning enough to keep her in Osaka for a long time. An eccentric but charismatic fellow transferee, MAENO Etsuro takes a (platonic) interest in her and, through a series of jaunts about the city, helps her to learn to appreciate simply being in every moment. Both the comedy and "serious drama" of the story are portrayed with a deftly light touch, making it a thoroughly satisfying experience.
* - I own the movie.
** - I want to buy the movie, but am waiting until I find it on sale at a reasonable price.
*** - I would consider buying the movie if I found it on sale at a good price.
Since it's been a while since my last Movie Madness post, I thought I should honour the occasion with another set of movie synopses. ^_^ Again, the titles are in no particular order, although the numbering is continued from the previous post:
6. Daitenden no Yoru ni (Until the Lights Come Back) - On Christmas Eve, a rogue satellite takes out a power plant in Tokyo and plunges the city into darkness. Inspired by the 2003 blackout in New York City, the film follows several characters through the night, until the lights come back. The six stories of love and friendship are well crafted, thoughtfully paced and nicely intertwined, and the actors do a fine job, but somehow the movie failed to evoke any deep emotions. It was enjoyable enough, but at the end I was left feeling "ho hum" rather than touched.
7. Sukida* - Two high school classmates trapped in the awkward stage between friendship and love are suddenly separated before they can resolve their feelings. Will they be able to finally work things out when they meet 17 years later? Although the story was a tad too melodramatic for my usual tastes, the film was so artfully directed--minimal dialogue with most of the feeling conveyed through subtle but expressive acting--I was easily able to overlook the plot defects. Most importantly, the actors successfully captured and portrayed the insecurities, awkwardness, and bittersweetness of first love.
8. Waterboys* - One of my favourite Japanese movies!! Based on a true story, this is the story of a group of misfits and losers at an all-boys high school who find redemption through sport. An old plot, but the twist? They form a boys synchronized swimming team! Although the plot predictably follows the structure of any other underdog sport story, the movie is nonetheless highly entertaining: the characters are endearing; the jokes/gags are funny; and the grand finale is awesome. Highly recommended!
9. Tennen Kokekko (A Gentle Breeze in the Village)***: Based on a popular manga, Tennen Kokekko is a high school romance set in rural Japan. MIGITA Soyo is the oldest student in her small school--a combined elementary and junior high school with only six students, each in a different grade! She (along with all the other students) is thrilled when a transfer student from Tokyo, OSAWA Hiromi arrives, particularly since he is in the same grade as her.
Although they get off to a rocky start, predictably, a relationship between the two gradually develops. It was a decent film, but I thought the start of the relationship felt really forced. Osawa seems to go from complete indifference--the cool city guy who condescends to join the rural kids because they make such a fuss over him--to aggressive interest in Migita in the blink of an eye. I couldn't help but feel that he only became interested in her because she was convenient--a rather fatal flaw in a love story! Still, I guess it's a testament to the acting and direction (apart from that fatal flaw) of the movie that I would probably consider buying it if the price was right.
10. Koko ni Iru Koto** - AIBA Shino is a young career woman working in the creative marketing division of a Tokyo sales company. Her ambitions are dashed, however, when her affair with one of the company's top managers is discovered by his wife who puts an end to the relationship with a payoff of five hundred thousand yen and a transfer (demotion) to the sales division of the company's Osaka branch. Aiba plans to return to Tokyo as soon as the money runs out and makes every effort to hasten her departure date by living in an expensive hotel and even placing a huge bet on a long shot at a local boat race track but ends up winning enough to keep her in Osaka for a long time. An eccentric but charismatic fellow transferee, MAENO Etsuro takes a (platonic) interest in her and, through a series of jaunts about the city, helps her to learn to appreciate simply being in every moment. Both the comedy and "serious drama" of the story are portrayed with a deftly light touch, making it a thoroughly satisfying experience.
* - I own the movie.
** - I want to buy the movie, but am waiting until I find it on sale at a reasonable price.
*** - I would consider buying the movie if I found it on sale at a good price.
When I'm home in Canada...
It's funny how after one year, I still feel the need to add some sort of qualifier to the noun "home." I mean, my apartment in Japan is "home", but Mississauga is also still "home." I wonder how many years it would take for me to think of Japan as "home" without any qualifiers (not that I want to put it to the test, though!).
Anyway, I'll be back in ONE WEEK!! It feels like a both a long and short time away. Long because there's so much I need to get done before I leave, and short because one week really is no time at all (especially when you're busy).
Compared to my last visit home (Liz & Alan's Excellent Adventure), I've got a lot less already planned for my time in Canada. Aug 2nd I'll need to get to Square One bright and early to get my driver's license renewed (it expired in April!), then Aug 3-7 is WAY camp. Then hopefully on the 9th I'll be meeting up with Jen and Syv. I've got doctor and dentist appointments on Aug 11th (and hopefully I'll be able to get my health card renewed on that day as well). After that, the next thing I've got a date for is the softball tourney on Aug 16th.
Of course there are other things I've got planned but don't have a date for:
- family dinner (with Nathan)
- meeting up with my friend(s) from teacher's college
- BSGE (Best Small Group EVAR!) reunion
- meeting up with a former colleague from Woodlands
Then there the things I'd like to do, but haven't yet arranged:
- dinner with an old family friend
- a trip to the Monster Factory
- checking out a friend's coffee shop, Manic Coffee
- dinner with school friends
- visiting my old workplace (Scotiabank)
Man, now that I'm sending out emails and trying to get dates to meet up with people, it seems like I'm not going to be as free as I thought I'd be. -_-; I don't know if that's a good thing, or a bad thing. I mean, it's good if I have a full schedule because that means I'll have made good use of my time back home. On the other hand, second term is pretty hectic, so it'd be nice to be well rested before going back to work. Ah well, I guess that (getting rest) is what my afternoons will be for.
The hard part about growing up is that people's free time gets limited to nights and weekends. Even though I'll be in Canada from the 1st to the 19th (almost three weeks!), in practical terms, I only have 17 full days (and nights) to work with since I arrive at about 11:30pm on the 1st and fly out early in the afternoon on the 19th. When you consider that five days and four nights will be taken up by WAY camp, that leaves me with only 12 full days and nights to work with. @_@ Hard to believe I was worried that the trip would be too long!
Now that I've started planning, I'm getting excited about coming home!! I can't wait to see everyone!! And to go to church!! (I haven't been since April, but that's a story for another post... ^^;;) And to be able to READ!!! I'm definitely going to be hitting the library on free afternoons!!
Anyway, I'll be back in ONE WEEK!! It feels like a both a long and short time away. Long because there's so much I need to get done before I leave, and short because one week really is no time at all (especially when you're busy).
Compared to my last visit home (Liz & Alan's Excellent Adventure), I've got a lot less already planned for my time in Canada. Aug 2nd I'll need to get to Square One bright and early to get my driver's license renewed (it expired in April!), then Aug 3-7 is WAY camp. Then hopefully on the 9th I'll be meeting up with Jen and Syv. I've got doctor and dentist appointments on Aug 11th (and hopefully I'll be able to get my health card renewed on that day as well). After that, the next thing I've got a date for is the softball tourney on Aug 16th.
Of course there are other things I've got planned but don't have a date for:
- family dinner (with Nathan)
- meeting up with my friend(s) from teacher's college
- BSGE (Best Small Group EVAR!) reunion
- meeting up with a former colleague from Woodlands
Then there the things I'd like to do, but haven't yet arranged:
- dinner with an old family friend
- a trip to the Monster Factory
- checking out a friend's coffee shop, Manic Coffee
- dinner with school friends
- visiting my old workplace (Scotiabank)
Man, now that I'm sending out emails and trying to get dates to meet up with people, it seems like I'm not going to be as free as I thought I'd be. -_-; I don't know if that's a good thing, or a bad thing. I mean, it's good if I have a full schedule because that means I'll have made good use of my time back home. On the other hand, second term is pretty hectic, so it'd be nice to be well rested before going back to work. Ah well, I guess that (getting rest) is what my afternoons will be for.
The hard part about growing up is that people's free time gets limited to nights and weekends. Even though I'll be in Canada from the 1st to the 19th (almost three weeks!), in practical terms, I only have 17 full days (and nights) to work with since I arrive at about 11:30pm on the 1st and fly out early in the afternoon on the 19th. When you consider that five days and four nights will be taken up by WAY camp, that leaves me with only 12 full days and nights to work with. @_@ Hard to believe I was worried that the trip would be too long!
Now that I've started planning, I'm getting excited about coming home!! I can't wait to see everyone!! And to go to church!! (I haven't been since April, but that's a story for another post... ^^;;) And to be able to READ!!! I'm definitely going to be hitting the library on free afternoons!!
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