November Notes

I don't really have anything really interesting or cultural to share this time around. But, for a few tidbits on life this month...

1. I've started (fairly) regularly attending ZUMBA at the gym. It's a latin dance inspired aerobics class. It's super fun to dance around than, say, marching in place on an elliptical.

2. Speaking of marching, I definitely saw an Okinawa taking a "march." Which I assume is similar to taking a walk or taking a jog, but this guy was definitely marching. Windsuit and all.

3. I think we're halfway through!!!

4. Communicating to Afghanistan is rough. Especially when one party does not have reliable internet. Without that, all the miraculous inventions of the last 10 years are useless, if not completely frustrating. I'm surely thankful for anything I can get, but it just gets old after a while. It's exhausting emotionally and relationally (word?).

5. Fortunately, we got in a GREAT Skype session Sunday afternoon. Probably haven't had a good talkin' to since September. A little breath of fresh air sure goes a long way for the soul.

6. Speaking of souls, I've been teaching the Confirmation class at church this year. Let me tell you, it's not the same as my confirmation experience with 300+ kids going through at the same time. My class is 5 boys. 5 eighth grade boys to be exact. What a trip! I hope and pray in some form or fashion I'm getting through to them. Even if I do use doughnuts as a bribe from time to time...

7. Thanksgiving is in a week and a half! Holey smokes! I'm off again to Tokyo for a girls' trip! Konnichiwa Tokyo!

8. I think I'm used to the fact that stores start the Christmas decorating thing before Halloween. Although, I wasn't quite prepared to hear Christmas music playing so soon. I think there must be market research that says people buy more when they hear Christmas music. The BX was already blaring their Christmas tunes this weekend! Ha, I beat them, though. After spending $500 on contacts and glasses (thanks to my fabulous Tricare coverage...you sure you want government insurance, America?) I escaped the BX with just my cotton balls and paper towels, booya. [And who knew glasses were so dadburn expensive? Probably doesn't help that I'm legally blind. And they were very generic, no Gucci glasses here.]

9. I officially switch over to Christmas music the day after Thanksgiving. I have quite a collection going, and usually add a new album every year (or two). This year, the new addition definitely going to be Dave Barnes. It looks like there are some new songs and a couple of oldies/goodies. If you've never heard of Dave Barnes, his song "Nothing Fancy" is a great one...and the namesake of this blog!

10. Zac told me the other day that the Josh Groban version of "I'll Be Home For Christmas" will be especially hard to listen to this year. I had completely forgotten about it until he mentioned it. If you don't know, this particular version has messages in from deployed military to their families played intermittently throughout the song. Makes me cry on a normal Christmas, and now makes me just thinking about it. Note to self: Do not put on Ipod!

Where Did October Go?

Can anyone believe that it's November already? Shoot, one month closer is all right with me!

I expected October to fly by, and fly it did. (And now that I finish this post, November is halfway through!) I started the month on the tail end of a whirlwind trip back to the homeland: Texas. I got to spend some good quality time with friends and family (though so much less than I needed to see everyone!) and be in my friend's wedding! My trip back to Okinawa came all too soon and it was a little sad coming back to an empty house. But hey-oooo, there certainly was no sitting around!

My first week back was super busy at work, which made the week fly. Fortunately, I had Okinapa to look forward to at the end of a tiring week and the beginning of a long weekend. It was fantastic to reunite with my wonderful Okinawa friends and, of course, drink wine!

It was a good weekend: wine, friends, relaxing, sleeping, and THREE DAYS. I think the world would be a better place if all weekends were three days long.

I wasn't settled for long before I left on a 2 week trip for work. I'm not sure I've ever really talked much about my job, but I do accounting for the USO centers in mainland Japan, Guam, and Hawaii. So my boss and I headed to mainland for a week and Hawaii for a week to train some new employees. It was such a great opportunity for me to meet the people that I've been emailing and calling for 6 months. It definitely makes me feel more invested in the job and the people. 

We started out at a naval base in Sasebo, Japan. It really had an sleepy wharf town/east coast vibe going on. I guess what I would imagine Maine to be. And yes, there certainly is a different feel to mainland Japan and Okinawa! Probably the same difference as mainland USA and Hawaii! Anyway, Sasebo...a co-worker from Sasebo took us up on a mountain that overlooked the entire city. It was a spectacular view!

View of "99 Islands" According to our native Sasebonian friend with us, this was the background for a scene in The Lost/Last (?) Samurai...some Tom Cruise movie

....Sorry, just had to take a second to pinch myself. Sometimes I forget the amazing places and opportunities that are part of my everyday life!

After a couple of days there, we went north to the naval base in Yokosuka (pronounced ya-KOH-ska). Yokosuka is right outside of Tokyo, a suburb, if you will. Yokosuka had a very different feel. Maybe like Chicago in the 80's. Because I obviously know all about Chicago in the 80's...

I don't think I took any pictures in Yokosuka. We pretty much just worked. We walked to the commissary once. That's about all the sightseeing we did. 

THEN, here comes the big one, we headed out to HAWAII!! 

Ok, I'm going to be honest here. I was certainly excited about Hawaii, but probably not as much as a normal human would be. I thought since we pretty much live on a tropical island, what's another tropical island a paddle down the ocean?  Well, let me tell you. I can't wait to go back to Hawaii. It's so beautiful AND it's America. It's like the best  (in my homebody opinion) of all worlds - the island feel and English/Target/highways/Cheescake Factory/.... I suppose being away from all of the American conveniences can make you appreciate the little things. 

So Hawaii was great. We stayed at a hotel a block from Waikiki Beach and walking distance from tons of shops and restaurants. The weather was fantastic. We were there for about a week, including travel days on both ends. Fortunately there was a weekend in the middle. I used my free time wisely: either by the pool, shopping, or watching the sunset at the beach. It was a tad bit awkward being a loner in the land of honeymooners, but I made myself useful taking pictures for other couples/families. 

Waikiki Beach - take me back!

I told Zac that I wouldn't mind him staying in for another assignment if we lived HERE! He said he was ready to be somewhere where he can drive to visit people, but I think that's just his exhaustion talking. Who would give up living HERE!! 

We did do a lot of work, and I loved meeting all of the people that I have "worked with" for the last few months. It makes it so much easier to communicate when you know who you're communicating with! It wasn't all a vacation, but I really think that it will help in my work (and morale) moving forward.

The rainbow was wishing me farewell on my last day in Hawaii.

After two weeks, 3 hotels, 4 airports and dragging my suitcase all over tarnation, I was more than ready to be home. All it took was a 20 hour trip and a little time traveling and I got back to Okinawa....just in time for Typhoon Chaba!

I'm thanking my lucky stars to have flown in just in time (though the flight was quite bumpy). I went to work the next morning for 2 hours before we were sent home for TC-1Caution. Fortunately, I stopped in at the Shopette for some milk and bread (I hadn't been grocery shopping since mid-September) merely an hour before it shut down. I got the rest of the day off to hang out with friends, which was such a blast. 

Friday night, I was catching up on some shows and cuddling with Shish when my eye swole (a word?) almost shut. I thought I was going to have to go as Quasimoto or a pirate. It was the weirdest thing ever. I still can't understand what happened, and there was no irritation, itching, gooey things, nothing. It wasn't even that red. I have a picture, but it looks like a mug shot gone bad. So I took a Benadryl and went to bed. It was still pretty swollen in the morning, halfway better by Saturday night, mostly better by Sunday morning, and pretty much normal by Monday. 

Thank goodness one more month is down!!

Happy Veterans Day

This week is just chock full of military celebrations.

I read this on someone's facebook status today:

"A Veteran is someone, who at one point in their life, wrote a blank check payable to the United States of America for an amount up to, and including, their life. That is beyond honor, and there are way too many people in this country who no longer remember that fact."

I always identify veterans as old guys sitting around the VFW hall wearing black caps with the pointy middles and the gold wings on the brim (you know the ones):

But it's funny to think that now my 24 year old husband is (will be? I don't know when you "become" a vet) one of those that we honor today. So thank you, veterans, for all of the sacrifices that you make and continue to make.

Happy Birthday, Marine Corps

Happy 235th Birthday, USMC! Oorah!

From the Halls of Montezuma,

To the shores of Tripoli;

We fight our country's battles

In the air, on land, and sea;

First to fight for right and freedom

And to keep our honor clean;

We are proud to claim the title

Of United States Marine.

Our flag's unfurled to every breeze

From dawn to setting sun;

We have fought in every clime and place

Where we could take a gun;

In the snow of far-off Northern lands

And in sunny tropic scenes;

You will find us always on the job

The United States Marines.

Here's health to you and to our Corps

Which we are proud to serve;

In many a strife we've fought for life

And never lost our nerve;

If the Army and the Navy

Ever look on Heaven’s scenes;

They will find the streets are guarded

By United States Marines.

And a little "fun": Top ten things Marines did (last year) to celebrate the USMC birthday

(Shisa watched this quite enthralled when I played it on the computer. She also sat at "attention" as I played the Marine Corps Hymn. Whatta (devil) dog ;) )