Tokyo Redhed

High and Dry

"This is the last time I can see you," he said. "Yes, you are leaving for vacation tomorrow," I answered automatically, not really listening. "No I'm leaving Tokyo for good". I looked at him, wounded and confused. "What do you mean you are leaving me?" I said, my voice already cracking from the blow inflicted. "But you said you would stay with me forever!" "It's not you," he replied. "It's me, it's my career". Silence, awkward silence. He held my shoulder and ran his fingers through my hair, as if examining every strand. Then came the excuses, the reasons. They fell on deaf ears. "But six years," I said now exasperated as the true reality hit me. "I've never been with another in all that time." He was the one constant in my life, in this crazy town. I could always rely on him to make me feel good. In many ways he made me what I am.

He assured me there would be another, someone just like him. I didn't believe him. I don't believe him. "Is he going to tell me I'm beautiful, I'm cute, I've lost weight?" I pleaded. "Is he going to forgive me when I'm habitually late. " I forced a smile. "Of course," he forced one too.

The last time I saw him I had the same thought running through my head. I felt guilty. I had to tell him I was leaving him. But I thought it would kill him and I didn't want to drag the long goodbye out over the months it was going to take me to leave here. I didn't want to talk about it, I kept quiet. But he beat me to the punch tonight. I'm the one being left. High and dry.

For Further Contemplation

Hmmmm. Went to an event tonight. The audience was specifically asked not to write about it or photograph it. So I didn't and I won't. However, just wanted to note it for reference and as a reminder to write about it in the future, when I'm no longer in Japan... Mmmmm. Yes. Hmmmm. I have a lot to say, good and bad. It was interesting to say the least.

Dinner Ladeeez

Had the most enjoyable meal gathering last night, again using my birthday as an excuse. Really cool, well-hidden restaurant in Ebisu with a door entry system that offers the illusion of exclusivity. My companions, P, J, Suz and A are I believe truly some of the most interesting ladeeez in Tokyo (and in P's case, probably the world because she definitely seems to have seen most of it), and so when combined with great food and a couple of bottles of wine, it all made for a very special evening. The oysters were divine! I would show you some pics but I'm afraid I still haven't got the hang of the lighting aspect of my new camera.

Work Ethic

A fellow sufferer of the Monday morning blues. Every-day-of-the-week in her case. Will she be able to keep it up I wonder? I've felt the same way about my job for 6 years, so I guess it's possible.

Parental guidance required.

Madam Cyn Joins In

Despite the Chicken Tikka situ - I do love the UK... now Cynthia Payne is in on the great debate de jour! All total smut of course.

Cherry Blossom Moment

Attempted to attend two hanamis yesterday - how dumb. Of course, one isn't going to be able to move from the first to the second after a downing half a bottle of wine and a few nihonshus. Pity too because Aoyama Cemetery (location of the second one) is so much nicer horticulturally than Yoyogi where I ended up. However, as everyone knows, it isn't really about the blossoms, it's about the delicious bento boxes and the sake contributions (or, in my case, a huge packet of Doritos and a bottle of Chardonnay) and of course, the company - N and B and some of their old mates from Waseda days.

My personal hanami experience was thrown off course for about five minutes when DAP appeared in the flesh, the first "physical" manifestation in over two months. He didn't see me and I didn't reveal myself. Freak scene averted. Opportunity lost. Perhaps next time.

Ended up in an aquatically-themed karaoke joint 'til 2:00 am. Managed not to sing "I Will Survive" although I did belt out "You Outta Know" with every other woman in the room :-)

B-day Treat

Big thank you to P and U for a fabulous b-day dinner. Yummy cake baked by U (that's right, BAKED). Thanks also for the pretty petite bag to hold my "smalls", which I suspect won't be small much longer after the aforementioned yummy cake and dinner. The dinner party wasn't all in my honor - it was also sayonnara for S & B, who I actually met through another friend, B (it's getting confusing now and it truly is a small world afterall in Tokyo). Good luck to them and hope to see them in Sydney some time. As you can see, still need to spend quality time with the old manual.

Officially Old...

Happy birthday to me.

A present to myself below. Cute or kawaii is a word seriously overused in this country but I've got to say this baby is pretty God-damn cute. I'd like to think the quality of images here will now improve as a result... just need to work out how to use it... Manuals always bore me to death, once I get to grips with the basic functions of anything technological, I can never be bothered going any further. My mobile phone is a case in point. If I could be arsed, I could apparently change the channels of my TV with it.

Anyway, thanks to N and B for being so patient, while I changed my mind a hundred times before I bought it. And for getting me the discount. Who says you can't bargain in Japan.

Bin (Laden) Threat

Looks like Japan, or Toyoku Rail at least, is taking the terrorist threat seriously and have sealed up platform garbage bins. Apart from earthquakes (of which I am truly terrified), I've always felt pretty safe here so it kinda saddens me to see this.

Red Food Alert

It's when I read stuff like this, I really have to question whether I'm making the right decision to bolt back to the "West". Not only am I reminded that the variety of British food is so pitiful that we have adopted a curry dish (Chicken Tikka Masala) that Indian's themselves probably don't even eat and given it iconic status, but also that many people need to be warned not to eat it (and anything else) in "excessive" quantities... thus making it a major news item.

I'm never gonna fit in again...