New Glasses

I could have gotten glasses for half the price, but $100 for frames, lenses, and an eye exam is still nothing to sneeze at. I lurrrrrv my Muji glasses!
They are a clear honey-brown that suits my hair and eyes really well. I wanted to get the clear frames since they are kind of unusual and cool, but they just didn't look as good as these did. The guy who helped me made sure these fit my head perfectly, so I don't get a headache when I wear them and they don't slide around on my nose. Just one more reason to worship Muji!

Behold! A post!

I am feeling pretty good right now even though I am awfully exhausted. I finished a hat for my Hawaiian friend, and I went to the gym got a good workout in even though I was cranky and tired. I have been trying to eat more traditional-style Japanese foods, fish and pickles in particular, since they are so healthy and low in calories. The other night I made a pretty excellent Japanese meal!

I read that kimchi is among the world's top five healthiest foods (along with Greek-style yogurt, lentils, soy, and olive oil), and since I enjoy kimchi for the most part (so long as it's not ridiculously spicy), I am trying to eat more of it too. I will have to ask the Korean CIR if Japanese kimchi (hardly spicy, since Japanese people cannot tolerate spicy foods) is as healthy as Korean kimchi. I bet she will say it's not, haha. Cooking my own fish is a pain in the butt, though, and makes my house smell, so I will probably just buy roasted fish from any supermarket in the area on the day I plan on eating it.

On to the hat! It's a pattern by my favorite Scottish designer and it took me just two days to finish. I am probably going to make one for myself!
Yes, that is a huge pile of clean underwear in the background.

Finally, some pictures (aka the picture post of most epic proportions)

Click each picture for the (much) bigger version!!

Yahoo! Dome. Pretty self-explanatory.

Boys and girls running around with kegs strapped to their backs serving beer and chuhai!
This sticker is actually referring to the Climax Series, which is kind of like the Japanese equivalent of the World Series. However, I don't think the Japanese realize how funny this sticker is.
Japanese baseball! A weird feeling being indoors.
SMAP tells you to buy a Softbank phone. You must obey.
No, not gigantic yellow sperm. Screaming jet balloons!
My jet balloon <3
Hawks victory!!
I love Fukuoka.
Study abroad pal performing at Sunset Live!
Big Brass Band- nuts!
Big Brass Band's lovely dancers.
Lovely hot day at the beach!
Got a bit cloudy, but still wonderful fun!
People went nuts for the last performance! I thought they were totally weird- a mixture of ska/jazz/rock...
Hojoya at Hakozaki Shrine. One whole kilometer of food/game stalls!
Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki! Delicious, but I have to admit I prefer Osaka-style...
A kebab, by which I was somewhat underwhelmed since Japanese people had made it.
GORGEOUS candied grapes. A LOT harder to eat than you would think. I don't think my teeth have ever stuck together so badly.
Iced cucumbers being gently bathed in seaweed brine.
Vegetable juice-flavored kit-kat. DO NOT recommend.
6 a.m. in Shinsaibashi, Osaka after a long night of dancing!
The oh-so-familiar slope up to HOME SWEET HOME
With Tanaka-san at Nanzenji (I look disgusting because it was still summer in Kyoto and I was sweating like a horse)
"God passing over Kyoto." Taken from the Tahoto of Eikando along the Philosophers' Path.
I had a wonderful trip, but it was great to come home! How can I not love Fukuoka- BEST AIRPORT CODE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. END OF STORY.

Rain over Tenjin. Damn, I love Fukuoka.
A pretty day in Saga!!

Ok I am now caught up in terms of photos! Text updates to come... at some point...

Oops I lied, but...

I realize I did not upload a single picture this past weekend, and here it's already Thursday!! I probably won't have time to upload much this weekend, as I am going to visit KT in Saga on Saturday and then have to represent the western hemisphere at a temple-shrine tour for international students on Sunday. However, my coworker just took some pictures of our workplace to show her mum and sent me the pic she took of me. So here I am sitting at my desk, amidst the clutter that is the preparations for the 地球市民どんたく ("Global Citizen Dontaku," a weekend of NGO workshops, booths, performances) next week.

From what I have gathered from the telly, most Japanese offices resemble this in some way. Desk island, rows of beige/gray filing cabinets, binders and crap littered everywhere. I guess it's good I don't have a cubicle, though. Not only would I get nothing done, but I would be lonely and never speak Japanese.