Gratitude

Gratitude First

Dear Grenkle,

Thank you, thank you, thank you for the care package of coffee and Splenda! I can't tell you how glad I am for the artificial sweetener, which is just about unheard of in this town. (Honto! Even Starbucks doesn't have artificial sweetener!) Of course, I picked up the package on my way into work and gladly carried the Costco-sized box on my lap on the subway, as I didn't want to accidentally leave it on the train.

Big hugs and even bigger kisses to you and Boss!!

Gratitude Second

April left for Ireland today.

When I last saw the Goddess, she was, of course, shopping. I walked her down to Ito-ya, the famous Ginza stationers (six stories of all things paper and paper-related), gave her a hug, and walked away. I enjoyed my Demon and Goddess visitation, but, man, I'll tell you, three adults in one room for so long? And I'm decidedly not the easiest person to live with--even though I spend, like, twelve hours a day away from home.

Still, as glad as I am to regain my alone-time, I was sad to see my visitors go. I had a bit of a pang thinking that I'd be coming home to an empty apartment...

Gratitude Third

Wendy and Chris announce their engagement via email. (Welcome the the 21st century, ne?). I sent them a return email, of course to congratulate them--but also to remind them that, having just played hostess to another married couple, they should forget any ideas about honeymooning in Tokyo! Unless they're willing to put me up at the Hyatt while they inhabit my little shoebox in Higashi-Mukojima.

I'm ready for some "relax time" (as my students say.)

And speaking of students:

Break Through

After my last class tonight, one of the students said, "Teacher!" The other students laughed. I assured him it was okay. Then he asked, "Do you want to go drinking?"

That's right. My students have invited me out drinking. They were shocked that I knew Watami, the Japanese Appleby's that I've mentioned so often.

The class includes the man who said I reminded him of Jennifer Lopez (the same man, incidentally, who called his wife "chubby and cute"), a young woman who is the cutest thing you've ever seen with her spangly gold eye shadow and high-heeled clippity-clop shoes (and who is, incidentally, pursuing a degree in economics at Keio University), a young man who reminds me of a fly and who showed me a picture on his phone of some wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets) he had made over the weekend, and a man who I swear, if he had ever seen Indiana Jones and The Temple Of Doom would paint "I love you" on his eyelids so that he could blink adoringly at me during class. That guy...

Anyway, I agreed, so I'll let you know how it goes.

Aaaaand...now it's gym time!