Car got approved for export (more accurately, it got approved for import). I also got nice wad of cash for my Switch and a lot of old video games that were just gathering dust. Praise be!
Tomorrow is my one year anniversary of moving to Japan.
Went to the gym for the first time since 2021, and feel sore in a good way.
Had a nice mini vacation. I’m going to try to get out of the city at least one weekend a month.
My blog broke 500 daily views for the first time yesterday. At this rate I’ll have my first 10k monthly views this month too.
My husband and I both got paid leave for Monday. Four day weekend! We’re going on a day trip for strawberry picking and churrasco.
The train driver just said “Mind the gap between the train and the platform”. 5 seconds of happiness xD
My old man is here! Been good to catch up and he brought a ton of chocolate and some TimTams. And he made it over from Osaka with no troubles at all. My daughter was terrified of him though! Baby was over the moon and embraced the cuddles.
Not Japan related but my sister just bought a new house back home and it turns out her band is doing pretty well (dad told me her earnings last financial year and I almost crashed the car!), which is just amazing. So happy for her.
The award I won for the poem I wrote came in the mail on monday.
My ENT performed a miracle (re: minor surgery) at my last appointment and my nose isn’t blocked anymore. 3 months of mouth breathing sleep was getting rough.
1. one of my kouhai at work asking if I alright, because I didn’t seem to have much energy in the morning. it was Monday and I was just tired from wrecking my own sleep schedule over the weekend, but it was sweet that he noticed.
2. realizing that that (cute) guy in HR is actually quite personable and funny. I’ve only interacted with him a handful of times where he seemed pretty quiet and withdrawn, and once was even at a nomikai where he drank and kind of just stared off into the middle distance for most the evening. he seems a lot more chill nowadays.
3. dealing with the intern was not as much of a chore as I thought it would be.
4. no idea how the new Bayonetta game is gonna pan out, but still excited to play it later today!
I confessed to someone. Like, face to face (sort of, we were on swings)!
It’s not reciprocated but he’s been extremely sweet about it. And though that night was rough, 3 days later, I’m mostly just proud of myself and even more every time I remember him saying “it makes me happy” right after I told him.
No “what if” or “should have” on that front. And I’ll be able to enjoy my last two days with him before I fly back home feeling much more free than before!
My friends have been absolutely adorable too.
I managed to sleep laying down! After 2 months of having to wedge myself upright on the sofa this is a significant improvement.
A lot of raising/managing kids is about resource management, time being the most precious.
**This Morning**
Both kids up early, happens. Oldest didn’t want to get changed, so I dared him I could finish changing the little one’s diaper before he could get changed. So the race was on, and he was going to win.
But if he finishes before I can move to the next task, he’s a potential loose asset, chaos in an order held together by chewing gum and hopes.
So I keep changing the diaper with my left hand, and yank his pants down with my right. Howls of laughter at my cheating, he demands disposal of the diaper as a new condition of conclusion and thus, victory in our contest.
Accepted, the little one has lesser chaos potential, so I wrap up (the diaper and changing her clothes) and do a polite, inside the house sprint for the diaper bucket (unecessary, it’s burnable trash day, it all goes out), but yank his shirts up over his head, hockey fight style, as I go, to his peals of laughter, slam dunk the diaper, and grab prepackaged croissants from the box we keep in stock.
Both kids are ready for the day as I place down said prepackaged croissants, and ask what the boy wants on his as his, as I get more baby-friendly food ready, as my wife emerges from her shower.
Above events, elapsed time, roughly three minutes. A nice quiet breakfast thereafter.
Oldest refuses to let go of me as I leave for work, I leave only to promises to figure out some ‘tough’ riddles as I leave for work.
(Edit – What’s under the backwards sofa? Mi, because Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti-Do.)
I get why, but man, some people **don’t** want kids?
There’s honestly so many things to be grateful for these days after what feels like lifetime’s worth of childhood trauma-induced depression and mental problems, but the weirdest of all is waking up in the morning and just feeling, like, normal and content. I used to have crippling existential dreads in the middle of the night, causing me to wake up feeling like shit every morning (if I could even sleep at all anymore), which I legit thought was the same for everyone since I was so used to it. Looking back though, yeah that shit isn’t normal at all apparently!
Starting to exercise, eating properly, and actually dealing with my personal issues since a couple of years ago now was the best decision I ever made in my life.
Funny thing is I actually have a cold now, but it’s not even affecting me that much because I’m just physically and mentally stronger these days.
Weekend was fun, ate yakiniku with friends, cycled to and climbed Takao-san the second day. The weather has been absolutely lovely and I’ve been eating healthy and getting in some exercise. Also already have some nice pictures of the various blossoms.
Asked for English books at a local used books stall I walk past pretty much every day and the keeper brought out like a hundred of them. Picked a short story collection from various famous writers for 100 yen. Will definitely visit again.
Found myself in an odd situation where I noticed that a girl seemed to be into me for a while but I was confused about my own feelings and wants and maybe ended up hurting the poor being with my coldness. I’ll try to make it up somehow but not honestly I wish we could just talk it out.
Shout out to my Japanese mother in law who helps me so much, raising my baby boy. I’d be lost without her.
I will praise the hell out of anyone who can recommend a good, affordable dental floss without PFAS carcinogens (somewhere other than iherb), that can easily go in between tight teeth.
The sponge floss at Daiso was great (even at double their regular floss’ price), but it disappeared.
We got two more ‘no recurrence of cancer’ (for both spouses) reports in the last week.
Five day vacation tomorrow, and going to Tokyo. I have a bunch of cafes and roasters bookmarked; any recommendations for a place similar to Osakas Lilo Roasters in style of beans?
25kg Rice coupon from Tokyo! Sent that postcard as soon as I opened the letter 😀
Committed to a solo trip this weekend to Niigata for probably the last snowboarding trip of the year after going last week too.
Excited since it looks like fresh snow planned on Saturday.
Gym dropped mask requirements on Monday and it was amazing. Had my best lifting session of the year so far.
Jojo Friday 🙂
Just had an interview today and it’s pointing to good signs!
My kid graduated today! I managed to keep him alive all the way through elementary. Pray that I don’t chuck him out a window as a teenager during junior high 😂
Company gave me two weeks paid vacation to go visit the family back in the states before the new school year starts back up. It’ll be my first time back in four years, my wife’s first time meeting the parents, and we just had a little commander and chief about 6 months back. Needless to say, the parents are super happy.
And I like chocolate milk.
Grateful that I managed to get in 2 post-run morning swims in the sea this week before work.
Also bed frame arrived yesterday and it’s the first time I’ve slept on an actual bed outside of a hotel/friends house in maybe 6 years. Feels surreal to wake up and be able to hop out of bed real easy-like.
Got to the gym 6 days this week as originally planned. Now to keep that up for the next decade.
Had family photos taken and my 2mo stayed on his tummy, head lifted, for a good five minutes! Got some pretty nice pics!
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Car got approved for export (more accurately, it got approved for import). I also got nice wad of cash for my Switch and a lot of old video games that were just gathering dust. Praise be!
Tomorrow is my one year anniversary of moving to Japan.
Went to the gym for the first time since 2021, and feel sore in a good way.
Had a nice mini vacation. I’m going to try to get out of the city at least one weekend a month.
My blog broke 500 daily views for the first time yesterday. At this rate I’ll have my first 10k monthly views this month too.
My husband and I both got paid leave for Monday. Four day weekend! We’re going on a day trip for strawberry picking and churrasco.
The train driver just said “Mind the gap between the train and the platform”. 5 seconds of happiness xD
My old man is here! Been good to catch up and he brought a ton of chocolate and some TimTams. And he made it over from Osaka with no troubles at all. My daughter was terrified of him though! Baby was over the moon and embraced the cuddles.
Not Japan related but my sister just bought a new house back home and it turns out her band is doing pretty well (dad told me her earnings last financial year and I almost crashed the car!), which is just amazing. So happy for her.
The award I won for the poem I wrote came in the mail on monday.
My ENT performed a miracle (re: minor surgery) at my last appointment and my nose isn’t blocked anymore. 3 months of mouth breathing sleep was getting rough.
1. one of my kouhai at work asking if I alright, because I didn’t seem to have much energy in the morning. it was Monday and I was just tired from wrecking my own sleep schedule over the weekend, but it was sweet that he noticed.
2. realizing that that (cute) guy in HR is actually quite personable and funny. I’ve only interacted with him a handful of times where he seemed pretty quiet and withdrawn, and once was even at a nomikai where he drank and kind of just stared off into the middle distance for most the evening. he seems a lot more chill nowadays.
3. dealing with the intern was not as much of a chore as I thought it would be.
4. no idea how the new Bayonetta game is gonna pan out, but still excited to play it later today!
I confessed to someone. Like, face to face (sort of, we were on swings)!
It’s not reciprocated but he’s been extremely sweet about it. And though that night was rough, 3 days later, I’m mostly just proud of myself and even more every time I remember him saying “it makes me happy” right after I told him.
No “what if” or “should have” on that front. And I’ll be able to enjoy my last two days with him before I fly back home feeling much more free than before!
My friends have been absolutely adorable too.
I managed to sleep laying down! After 2 months of having to wedge myself upright on the sofa this is a significant improvement.
A lot of raising/managing kids is about resource management, time being the most precious.
**This Morning**
Both kids up early, happens. Oldest didn’t want to get changed, so I dared him I could finish changing the little one’s diaper before he could get changed. So the race was on, and he was going to win.
But if he finishes before I can move to the next task, he’s a potential loose asset, chaos in an order held together by chewing gum and hopes.
So I keep changing the diaper with my left hand, and yank his pants down with my right. Howls of laughter at my cheating, he demands disposal of the diaper as a new condition of conclusion and thus, victory in our contest.
Accepted, the little one has lesser chaos potential, so I wrap up (the diaper and changing her clothes) and do a polite, inside the house sprint for the diaper bucket (unecessary, it’s burnable trash day, it all goes out), but yank his shirts up over his head, hockey fight style, as I go, to his peals of laughter, slam dunk the diaper, and grab prepackaged croissants from the box we keep in stock.
Both kids are ready for the day as I place down said prepackaged croissants, and ask what the boy wants on his as his, as I get more baby-friendly food ready, as my wife emerges from her shower.
Above events, elapsed time, roughly three minutes. A nice quiet breakfast thereafter.
Oldest refuses to let go of me as I leave for work, I leave only to promises to figure out some ‘tough’ riddles as I leave for work.
(Edit – What’s under the backwards sofa? Mi, because Do-Re-Mi-Fa-So-La-Ti-Do.)
I get why, but man, some people **don’t** want kids?
There’s honestly so many things to be grateful for these days after what feels like lifetime’s worth of childhood trauma-induced depression and mental problems, but the weirdest of all is waking up in the morning and just feeling, like, normal and content. I used to have crippling existential dreads in the middle of the night, causing me to wake up feeling like shit every morning (if I could even sleep at all anymore), which I legit thought was the same for everyone since I was so used to it. Looking back though, yeah that shit isn’t normal at all apparently!
Starting to exercise, eating properly, and actually dealing with my personal issues since a couple of years ago now was the best decision I ever made in my life.
Funny thing is I actually have a cold now, but it’s not even affecting me that much because I’m just physically and mentally stronger these days.
Weekend was fun, ate yakiniku with friends, cycled to and climbed Takao-san the second day. The weather has been absolutely lovely and I’ve been eating healthy and getting in some exercise. Also already have some nice pictures of the various blossoms.
Asked for English books at a local used books stall I walk past pretty much every day and the keeper brought out like a hundred of them. Picked a short story collection from various famous writers for 100 yen. Will definitely visit again.
Found myself in an odd situation where I noticed that a girl seemed to be into me for a while but I was confused about my own feelings and wants and maybe ended up hurting the poor being with my coldness. I’ll try to make it up somehow but not honestly I wish we could just talk it out.
Shout out to my Japanese mother in law who helps me so much, raising my baby boy. I’d be lost without her.
I will praise the hell out of anyone who can recommend a good, affordable dental floss without PFAS carcinogens (somewhere other than iherb), that can easily go in between tight teeth.
The sponge floss at Daiso was great (even at double their regular floss’ price), but it disappeared.
We got two more ‘no recurrence of cancer’ (for both spouses) reports in the last week.
Five day vacation tomorrow, and going to Tokyo. I have a bunch of cafes and roasters bookmarked; any recommendations for a place similar to Osakas Lilo Roasters in style of beans?
25kg Rice coupon from Tokyo! Sent that postcard as soon as I opened the letter 😀
Committed to a solo trip this weekend to Niigata for probably the last snowboarding trip of the year after going last week too.
Excited since it looks like fresh snow planned on Saturday.
Gym dropped mask requirements on Monday and it was amazing. Had my best lifting session of the year so far.
Jojo Friday 🙂
Just had an interview today and it’s pointing to good signs!
My kid graduated today! I managed to keep him alive all the way through elementary. Pray that I don’t chuck him out a window as a teenager during junior high 😂
Company gave me two weeks paid vacation to go visit the family back in the states before the new school year starts back up. It’ll be my first time back in four years, my wife’s first time meeting the parents, and we just had a little commander and chief about 6 months back. Needless to say, the parents are super happy.
And I like chocolate milk.
Grateful that I managed to get in 2 post-run morning swims in the sea this week before work.
Also bed frame arrived yesterday and it’s the first time I’ve slept on an actual bed outside of a hotel/friends house in maybe 6 years. Feels surreal to wake up and be able to hop out of bed real easy-like.
Got to the gym 6 days this week as originally planned. Now to keep that up for the next decade.
Had family photos taken and my 2mo stayed on his tummy, head lifted, for a good five minutes! Got some pretty nice pics!
TGIF and trades are going well