Salt, no sugar--Cabbage--Michael Jackson--The River

SALT, NO SUGAR
Last weekend I decided it would be a great idea to make some baked goods.  Specifically banana bread and peanut butter nutella cookies.  SO, Saturday I went to the store, got flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, etc. yada yada yada.  I transferred the sugars into small containers for easier access and when I was doing the plain sugar I thought it seemed a little odd--almost wet.  Who knows, I'm in Japan and everything is juuuust a little different than in America.  So I ignore it and keep on goin.  Sunday rolls around and I'm so excited to relax and spend my day baking some goodies (in my miniature conventional oven).  I took my two perfectly blackened bananas and mashed them up.  Then I combined all my ingredients--bananas, sugar, flour, egg, etc.  I transfer it into my bread pan, and go to take a taste and WOOOOAAAAAH.  Holy salt.  Was all of the salt in the entire batch (less than 1tsp., or so I thought) on my spoon?  No, way too salty.  I look at my bag of "sugar" and have a flashback to when I thought it looked a little odd....no no no no nooooo.  Yes.  My sugar was salt.  And I had no sugar for my relaxing day of baking.  I contemplated ditching my day of baking but instead I furiously sucked it up, put real clothes on, and went to the store and got my Sato.  Needless to say I didn't get to make my banana bread again, because I no longer had super over ripened nearly rotting bananas.  Oy.

CABBAGE
Cabbage is much more popular in Japan than in America and after eating it a handful of times (probably more times in the past two weeks than in the past year combined) I began to get extremely curious as to WHY it's popular, and what it's really doing for me.  Yeah yeah it's a healthy food and it's good for your body...but how.  So I looked it up and here's what I found:

• Cancer Prevention
• Brain Health
• Weight Loss
• CONSTIPATION PROBLEM SOLVER
• skin, hair, nails
• Anti-aging (maybe its the Japanese secret to looking young forever--cause they do!!!)
• AND SO MUCH MORE!

Here's a website just incase you get as curious as I did....
http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/vegetable/health-benefits-of-cabbage.html
The jest of the story:  America, eat more cabbage.  Parents, give your kids cabbage. Kids, like cabbage. Teenagers and young adults, just do it.

Random Thought:
I keep doing this....where I set some small item down somewhere and immediately think "oh no don't put that there, Cali will knock it down and it will be gone forever."  Then I get sad and realize Cali won't knock it down cause Cali's not in Japan. <3mybabygirl

MICHAEL JACKSON
I was in the grocery store yesterday, bagging my groceries when a stranger came up to me and said something.  I didn't quite hear him but I heard "America".  "Sumimasen?" (Excuse me?) He was speaking in Japanese and all I could understand was "America".  In Japanese I said "Yes, I'm from America, but I don't speak Japanese".  He continued to talk to me, in Japanese.  I continued to apologetically look at him, with a face that I'm sure says "Sorry, but I don't have any idea what the #$)@# you're saying."   This guy was persistent.  He continued to speak to and look at me with a 100% straight face.  Finally I caught another couple words--"Michael Jackson".  "Yes, I know Michael Jackson" I say to him.  Doesn't flinch and continues to talk in Japanese.  He slowly starts walking away, continuing to talk to me and continuing to hold a 100% straight face.  I hear "Michael Jackson" a bunch of Japanese, and "Stevie Wonder".  I nod, as he's walking away, and I too begin to walk away in the other direction.  What. Just. Happened.

Random Thought:
Last Friday our department had a welcome party for the new members in the department, and a goodbye party to those retiring or switching departments.  Had soooo much delicious food (see pic below), and tried hot sake for the first time!  Oishi!  It was very nice to really be able to socialize with everyone over food and drinks, outside of the work atmosphere.  The restaurant seemed traditional Japanese--take your shoes off before you're seated, and then sit at floor level with your feet dangling below.  There seems to be no rules for what is an "appropriate" way to be sitting--and that's awesome!  Some people would sit on their shins with their feet tucked under their butts--however you feel like sitting, okay! Naturally, I joined those going and went to the "second party", at another place for a couple more drinks and a couple more small eats.  Fun time!

THE RIVER
No. Words. Needed.  Just check out the awesome pics at the bottom of the post.

 

Some pics from the past two weeks:

 Salt vs. Sugar.... nooooow it all makes sense.

 

This is my vacuum...just random, but interesting

 



My Saturday in Starbucks

Loving my mini conventional oven...baked spaghetti!

My awesome team leader at work got this for me =)

My new favorite place to run =) Alongside Yodogawa River

Yodogawa river...not a bad view for a long run

So many delicious foods at the welcome party!  And new friends!  The center pic is Pachinko!  No, I did not partake...but cool pic :-).

Bicycles, Toilets and Shopping

So this blog I'de like to talk about a few new things, as well as a few things I just briefly mentioned last time.

Riding My Bicycle to Work
It has become significantly less terrifying; however, I do still get some relief every time someone coming at me turns down another street or gets off the side walk before we actually meet.  Phew.  People go so fast on their bikes and sidewalks and streets are super narrow.  Sometimes it's really a gamble which way you (or them) will pass ---I'll go left...ok no it looks like you're going left so I guess I'll go right....oh sh*$ just kidding, guess I'm going left.  I don't know if this scenario is more scary for someone coming towards you on a bike or on foot......yiiiiikes.  For some reason though, every time, I seem to be the only one really concerned as to how this might end up. 

Toilets
I'm not sure you can even call these "toilets".  If I were a Japanese pissing pot, being called "Toilet" may offend me.  These things are more luxurious than an Escalade with an invisible rear wiper.  They don't only cover the rear...."Please, call me the Privates Pamper".  Seriously, look at the pictures below to see how many options there really are with these things.  Here's a list to start:
a.Heated seat (this is fun when it's already on when you get in there...SURPRISE!  All-accompanied heating pad for your stay in the "Private's Pamper" suite. 
b.Music options (your choice between a dripping waterfall (that way no one knows what you're doing in there ;-)) or a flushing tune--congratulations, you did it!
c.Deodorizer:  Literally it releases nice smells while you're doing your business...be generous to the next guy, press this button.
d.Bidet:  Ladies, this one's for us.  Save a tree--use water instead!
e."Spray":  This one's for everyone.  Save a tree---use water instead?  Eehhhh. 
f. temperature controls for a.
g. temperature controls for d. and e.
h. PRESSURE controls for d. and e.
Alright story time....sorry in advance to those who don't expect this of me. 
My first night in Japan, the hotel toilet was my first experience with the Privates Pamper.  I used it once or twice American style (pee, wipe, flush) before deciding to really give anything fancy a shot.  When I finally got the courage to push one of the buttons it was like facing a pool of cold water with a crowd of bullies behind you, just waiting for them to shove you in.  So, I did it.  I pushed the button...it made some noises...I waited...I waited...nothing happened.  I began to think maybe the "sprayer" was out of order, when suddenly... BOOM! Holy crap the last guy to stay in this room must have really liked a lot of pressure.  Water came shooting out of the toilet, between my legs and all over the wall in front of me.  Thank God I apparently wasn't positioned appropriately on the toilet.  I would have had water shot straight up my @*$&/()r<>. So this is my warning to anyone who visits Japan and uses the "toilet".  Just. Be. Ready.
Now I'm sure once you get past the initial shock, the luxuries are much more appreciated, but needless to say, I haven't pressed any buttons since that first night.

Shopping
I went shopping this weekend, and in doing so realized how much people in America DON'T appreciate fashion. Really, the average American style is pretty boring.  Everyone dresses the same, and if you don't dress exactly like everyone else, then you immediately become an outcast and everyone will stare at you.  Disagree?  Agree to disagree.  I never thought of it this way or really noticed it until being here.  People wear WHATEVER THEY WANT, and it almost always makes so much sense.  It's hot outside, but I want to protect my skin from the sun, but I have to walk a lot so I don't want my feet or legs to hurt = Light weight long-sleeve, skirt with leggings, sport shoes, hat. done.  No one person is dressed like the other, and it doesn't matter.  I feel like in the USA it's jeans and a nice shirt. Jeans and a t-shirt. Leggings and a nice shirt. Leggings and a t-shirt.  Shorts and a nice shirt. Shorts and a t-shirt.  Summer dress.  So many options, but really no options at all (at least deemed "Acceptable").  Fashion just seems like more fun here--socks and earrings galore, summer gloves (protect your skin!), scrunchies (bring it back), and sooo many different styles of clothing.  Yosh!

Other things that happened this week:
-while shopping, many stores play radio with music from the US -- at least twice, the f-bomb was dropped, probably unknowingly by most
-Sweets addiction--you think you'll be so healthy because Japanese food is so healthy....but Japanese sweets are also soooo delicious.  Time to get running....
-Speaking of running, did it 4 times this week woooaaahhh.  Get.up.on.miles.

Alright picture time :-)

 

One example of many, from the Privates Pamper Collection.  This one isn't even the best example, but it's what I got.

 

The toilet in my apartment....yep, you guessed it.  You are expected to wash your hands using the same water source that you dump into.  Notice the hand towel ring is empty...this is another one that is taking me some time before giving into (ha).  Also, there is a "half flush" or "full flush" option.

 Sushi conveyor belt....nope, not blue fish.  This is eggplant sushi.

 

My American dinner I made--steak, mashed potatoes, broccoli...and an "All Malt" beer that tasted slightly better than Natty light.  woof.  And yes, I realized after I cooked the steak that I have no knives, except for this pretty pink chef's knife, which I of course used--don't mind the result of a scratched up plate.  Totally worth it.

 



The bag of Japanese junk food I won for getting points in the "ball toss" game at work :). Go team!  

This one's for my sister and my bestest.  A restaurant up the street.... Erin, Shannon, I'll let you know how this goes...

Tofu, spinach, cabbage and blueberry salad

They have these available in the fitting rooms in stores...not really sure what their real purpose is.  Just incase you really can't bear looking at yourself in the clothes our store has to offer... gotta figure this one out.

 

Some be-a-u-tiful flowers I picked up from a shop up the street =)

 

That's all Folks!

One week down!

One week down! Phew!  And it's been a busy one indeed. Luckily I have some reeeaally supportive co-workers who have helped me with a lot of things this past week (like making sure I buy yogurt instead of sour cream).  Pasi, Mika, and Yuki are three girls who live in my building.  My first night we had a curry party--and for the first time ever for all of us, we had WHALE.  :-( Sorry whales.  It was delicious; probably wouldn't eat it often, but I'm always glad to try something new.  Pasi also taught me a traditional Japanese dish this week--don't remember what it was called, but it was kind of like an Asian inspired stew....Beef, potatoes, carrots, onion, etc.  Oishi!  On Sunday I went to a BBQ with some NPC people.  It was at "Yodo Riverside" in a park where a toooonnnn of people go, set up tents, and grill out.  Japanese style of course, chopsticks in hand and eating right off the grill!  Yum.  At the BBQ I had COW INTESTINE...the idea of it was rough, but the taste was phenomenol.  Weird though, because you can't really chew it to pieces.  You chew, but eventually you just have to give in and swallow (...that's what she said (sorry, had to)).  It was a super nice day at the BBQ--hot but not unbearable; however, I definitely got a nice "welcome to Japan" by some lovely sun poisoning on my leg.  Joy.  I even wore a jacket to keep my skin covered--shoot.  Today, I was told that the UV-Rays are the strongest in May. 2 1/2 days late.  Oh well.  Now instead of being the sole blond haired American in Neyagawa-shi, I'm the sole blond haired fried American (neither is a needle in a haystack).  So I could go on forever about all the things that have happened so far, so I'm going to resort to bullet points and pictures for the rest of this blog:

Favorite thing that has happened:
-Walking into the office of the President/CEO/highest high of all of NPC, to see him sitting behind his big ol' desk, smokin' a cigarette.  Talked with him for 15-20 minutes, was served coffee by his "Assistant".  Seriously awesome experience.

Cool things:
-Fog resistant mirror at the hotel (but only a small square where your face and torso reflect)
-Green tea kit kats
-4 year old riding a unicycle

Terrifying things:
-Riding a bicycle to work in the mornings
-Toilets

And here's just a few of the many sweet pics that I've got so far:

My home for the next 11 months :)

 

panoramic off my balcony--a little tricky to see the mountains here, but cool pic

 

Oishi!  Dinner with Pasi!

 

New friends at the BBQ!

Desert with my babe =)

 



Coming down a 3 floor escalator

 

 About to go up the three-floor escalator!

 

Outside Osaka Station

Hello Kitty :)

 

  Just a Standard Bar...

 

Okinomiyaki! Osaka food!

 

This KING banana.

 

That's all Folks!

This is your warning!

So I'd like to preface my blog by saying that I don't care about grammer.  I just want to share all of the wonderful (and maybe sometimes not so wonderful) things that are going on in my life in Japan :).  I won't be proof reading or fussing about making sure my sentences make sense--if you know me well, then you know that most the time my storytelling doesn't make sense anyways, so it just makes sense for my blog to sometimes not make sense =) hahaha Enjooooyyy