beware the eyes of march

My experience at the dermatologist was really cold and detached. I left there feeling like I deserved to look the way I do. Perhaps I may have been a little fragile but it felt strange.The first thing I found a little bit frustrating was that he looked at me and asked me what my problem was. I gestured up to my face and he nodded inquisitively. This is kind of how it went…

Doc - have you any allergies?
Me – not to my knowledge
Doc – are you taking any medication?
Me – no

Ok I may have told a little white lie at this point. I had taken a Sudafed earlier that morning and I was feeling a little woozy because unbeknownst to me it was a night time pill but I didn’t want to get into all of that because Sudafed, Reactin, Advil and the many drugs we have access to at home are all illegal here and well, I get caught at EVERYTHING so I lied.

Doc – is it itchy?
Me – yes
Doc – does it sting?
Me – a little bit yes
Doc – do you drink alcohol?
Me – yes
Doc – you shouldn’t because it’s bad for the skin
Me – ok

He then gestured over to the nurse and told me he was going to prescribe me an ointment for my eyes that I was to apply twice a day. The nurse gingerly dabbed my swollen eyes with a Vaseline-type goo. The doctor then told me he was going to prescribe me pills that I was to take twice a day then he sent me on my way. I paid my bill, got my prescription papers and headed down to the pharmacist. The woman at the counter gave me a form to fill out but I was completely useless. In the end I got my drugs neatly tucked in their proper paper bags. Each bag has a small digital image of the drug printed on the outside. The lady at the counter had a translation book, we communicated the twice a day dosage with hand gestures and then she asked me to look down at a translation which read ‘do not drive or operate any heavy machinery’. Check.

I’ve been in a bit of a daze since Tuesday, I didn’t take anything this morning and it’s probably good. Things are beginning to come clearer to me now, my eyes have deflated and I feel I can now ride a bicycle without any threat of injury.

Unfortunately I pinched a nerve in my back while I was in the shower yesterday, I must have been quite the sight hunched over in pain with a swollen face. Yes, this week has been quite stellar in Delphine world.

I worked from 10 – 2 today so I got to enjoy some of my afternoon off. I think I’m going to hobble down to the corner store and stuff my face with Meji chocolate almonds. I have an addiction…it’s becoming a BIG problem…pretty much a box a day. I should stop, they’re probably bad for my skin.

Listening to Band of Horses – Everything All The Time

dave in nippon

sorry for the delay, things have been a little busy as of late.

kyoto was an amazing trip and dave is the best tour guide i’ve ever had. our first day in kyoto was pouring with rain but our second was perfect. we went to fushimi inari where walked through tunnels of these orange gates.

along the way there were shrines with many different fox statues sporting red bibs.

we walked for a good 7 hours that day!! yiks!

we parted ways on friday, dave went to a hill to pray with some monks for a couple of days and i headed home on the bullet train. my birthday was well spent. i boarded the train around 12pm and gazed out the window to the sounds of Max Richter, Kings of Convenience and Ulrich Schnauss, it was nice and sunny as I watched the world go by at high speeds. i treated myself to a lovely bento box of goodies and some beers.

i got home around 5pm then met matt at omiya where he showered me with treats : )

dave got back on sunday evening and we pulled an all nighter. we started out with drinks and food at an izakaya. joe and matt joined us for food and later we had shelley, lisa and lola come ‘round for some drinks. after that we all headed to a karaoke bar. i had never heard dave sing before…he’s got quite a set of pipes on him!! 3000 yen for all you can sing and drink is alright by me. here's a pic of dave and matt tearin' it up, i think they might have been singing toto's africa...

toto's a problem, you can't escape it. crane does not make toilets and sinks here, toto does. everytime you go to the bathroom you're guaranteed to come out humming one of their tunes.

we took a cab home and walked through this tunnel under yono station. it was late and the many gin and tonics had kicked in at that point. dave was prepared to protect me from any intruders...

yesterday dave and i walked around tokyo. we went to yoyogi park where we saw many cherry blossoms!! next week the trees will reach full bloom and i can’t wait. many people go to the park for picnics under the trees and apparently you can also go at night cuz they illuminate the tress from below which sounds beautiful. some parks also have karaoke set up as well…good times!

today is dave’s departure and i don’t know where the time has gone. it was lovely seeing a friend from home, i think he’s going home with fond memories of nippon.

today i'm going to go see a doctor in omiya. my eyes are practically swollen shut and i look really pretty. i may not go into work tomorrow in fear of scaring my little kinders away.

xo

d

Listening to Gllia Kazumasa Hashimoto

off to kyoto

dave's here, it's 23:20 and we're watching smap. he's actually staring into space and giggling at the odd commercials. we're off to tokyo tomorrow then kyoto on wednesday. i have four days off this week which is going to be a wonderful treat. i think i may actually get some sight seeing done. i don't understand the above sign, someone please feel free to translate.
xo
d

Africa in Japan

Time is starting to fly over here and I can’t believe Dave gets here in one week. We plan to go to Kyoto which is going to be a nice change from the daily grind. It’s tough, whenever I have time off all I want to do is laundry, go grocery shopping and relax to a movie or two. It’s quite sad to think I’ve only been to Toyko about 4 times in 6 weeks, I guess I’m preparing for Dave’s whirlwind tour. It’s going to be so great having 5 days off to explore some temples and view the beginning stages of cherry blossom season.

I haven’t seen a rock show in 2 months and this has got to change soon. Concerts here are a little high in price so I’m waiting for something I’m willing to pay a lot of money for. Regular Lee’s Palace-type shows average about $60 - $70 here…ouch! Right now the only tempting shows are Kings of Convenience or Arctic Monkeys but the tickets are about $60, I’ll have to think about it. Of course I could always opt for the fromage and see Toto for $75. I could bob my head to such hits as Rosanna, Pamela, I’ll Be Over You, Hold The Line and of course Africa.

I hear the drums echoing tonight
But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation
She’s coming in 12:30 flight
The moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation
I stopped an old man along the way
Hoping to find some long forgotten words or ancient melodies
He turned to me as if to say, hurry boy, it’s waiting there for you

Chorus:
It’s gonna take a lot to drag me away from you
There’s nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do
I bless the rains down in Africa
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had

The wild dogs cry out in the night
As they grow restless longing for some solitary company
I know that I must do what’s right
Sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti
I seek to cure what’s deep inside, frightened of this thing that I’ve become

Chorus
(instrumental break)
Chorus
Gonna take some time to do the things we never had

Wow, I’ve never read the lyrics to that song before….interesting. I always think of the writer when I read lyrics. Where were they? What were they thinking? What books were they reading at the time? My guess is maybe National Geographic and a good dose of Discovery channel although it didn’t exist when the song was written. Hrmmm maybe The Alchemist? Maybe the writer had some travel brochures on his or her coffee table that morning? Oh dear, why am I analyzing Toto lyrics? I must find something better to do with my time.

Another interesting show that caught my eye is the 80’s Dance Pop Summit. Did you know you can also catch Belinda Carlisle and Rick Astley together for the low cost of $80? I’m not going to quote you any lyrics, all I need is to see the name Rick Astley to have Never Gonna Give You Up in my head…how’bout you?

So yeah, not too much is new. My work branch had a little welcome Delphine and Stacey party in Iwatsuki last night. We went to an izakaya, drank plenty of beers and gin and tonics and sang. It could have easily turned into another all nighter but I had to be at work for 10am this morning. I got home to a couple of tipsy roommates and ended up on MSN for a good couple of hours spewing too many truthful words to the new man in my life.

Today I worked then went to Omiya where I bought myself some Celestial Seasons tea at a specialty shop. I got home, watched Walk The Line and took a nice long cat nap. It’s 10:30pm and my roommate Shaggy and I are watching a really famous program called Smap. Today’s guest is the latest Japanese Olympic Gold figure skater. I don’t know what to compare this program to, perhaps Regis and Kelly meets the cooking channel? Celebrities are invited to sit and eat a variety of dishes by top notch Japanese chefs. That’s all I could understand. They make a sour face if they don’t like it and smile if it’s to their liking. Laugh tracks kick in here and there. Good times.

Listening to Toto’s Greatest Hits

2nd all nighter

On Monday evening Joe invited me out with him and his friend Max after work to a swanky little restaurant in Omiya. I invited Matt to join us as well. Many beers were consumed as well as delicious caesar salad, sushi and yaki tori. After food, things got a little warmer as the saki, shogu and gin and tonics hit the table. We had every intention of hitting the last train back but all of a sudden the karaoke bug kicked in and well...so did the alcohol. I think we were inspired by the restaurant playing Atlantic Starr’s ever so popular wedding tune called Always, you know the one ‘and we both know that our love will grow and forever it will be you and meeeeee…yyeaahhh ohhhh’ total fromage but a perfect drunken duet. I think Joe and I pulled that one off ok.

So yeah, we found a karaoke place and had only half an hour to sing due to the train curfew and…well…we were there til about 5am. Yes folks, five quality hours of karaoke in our own private booth. 3000 yen for all you can drink/all you can sing, this is my kinda night! We sang such hits as “Can’t Get You Outta My Head” by Kylie and “Touch me” by Samantha Fox. I dedicated “Love Bites” to Jenny. I also had to pull out “I Touch Myself” for Mike and Bev. Matt swooned us with “My Delilah”, Boston’s “More Than A Feelin” and I helped him out with harmonies on “Smooth Operator” and Mister Mister’s “Broken Wings”. Joe impressed us with some J-pop hits and dirty dancing on the couch. This was a night to remember!

What else is new? Umm I’ve got a fever and the prescription is not more cowbell. It’s been a very long time since my temperature has risen to such a level and I think it may get worse. Symptoms include endless amounts of day dreaming, springs on the soles of my shoes and butterflies dusting off their wings in my stomach. It’s a frighteningly wonderful place to be and I shall not let fear defeat me.

Xo
d

Listening to Lali Puna Scary World Theory

lexington queen

This rain has got to stop. I guess I’ve been living out of Vancouver for so long I forgot how depressing it can be. I’ll take snow over this wet stuff any day. It’s so damp and chilly I don’t want to do anything. The average temperature is about 5 degrees but it feels like minus 10 with the dampness factor. Carrying an umbrella is too much; I have a hard enough time juggling my train pass and ipod.

My face now morphs into one of those sad commuter looks when I’m on the train. The routine is starting to catch up to me and this has me a little worried. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not in another funk it’s just I tend to notice how much the weather can affect my state of mind.

Ah, two well deserved days off ahead of me. I think I’ll hunker down and catch up with you fine folks for a while.

On Sunday evening Joe and I went to a gaijin bar in Omiya called The George. The bartender looked like a person out of “Heavy Metal Parking Lot”. Long blonde mullet, really bad tattoos, a wife beater and a pair of Ray-Bans…wow! I wanted to know what his story was but I didn’t have nearly enough drinks to be so forward. He did have rather good taste in music though; I heard some Echo and the Bunnymen, PIL and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Unfortunately I left before Joe started dancing on the bar…tis a darn shame.

Poor Joe was quite “sick” the next day so I had to work by myself on Monday morning. It’s was rather nice, I like how quiet it can get at the Iwatsuki branch.

I pulled a 10 – 2 shift then went home, did some grocery shopping, danced to some music in the comfort of my dank apartment and got ready for the evenings plans.

My first all nighter in Tokyo was quite fun. I met my new friend Matt at Omiya station on the last car of the Takasaki line. He was kind enough to bring a couple of Asahi’s along for the ride. It’s quite lovely that one can crack open a can of beer where one chooses in this city. There’s nothing like swinging by the grocery store on your way home from work, picking up a tall can of beer and realizing “hey…wait a minute, I can crack this baby open right now!” It’s a beautiful thing.

So yeah, Matt and I met his friends Adam, Josh and Darren in Roppongi. We went to some famous bar called Lexington Queen. It was ladies night which means it cost me only 300yen for unlimited drinks. 300 yen = $3.00. Why pay anything at all? That’s almost the price of a street car token. The boys had to pay 4000 yen which is around $40.00. This is the second night club in the span of a month…not to worry though, I’m not sporting any Richmond Street attire just yet!

So yeah, Lexington Queen is quite the famous Tokyo night club and has had many celebrity patrons such as Charlie Sheen, Jean Claude Van Damme, Keanu Reeves, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Vin Diesel, Boston, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Def Leppard, Duran Duran, Earth Wind and Fire, Guns N' Roses, Bon Jovi, Metallica, Motley Crue, Toto, Yngwie Malmsteen, David Copperfield, and Canada’s very own Sum 41, Celine Dion and Cheap Trick. There many Polaroid’s on the walls for people to peruse at their leisure.

Many gin and tonics were consumed and many beautiful people were there to be looked at. Every time I went to the washroom I found myself surrounded by tall Russian models elbowing each other for mirror space. I felt like an ugly duckling as they tossed me sideways glances. They were all very pretty girls but young young young and I don’t want to sound all catty but they really weren’t sexy at all. Just walking sticks with many a chip on their shoulder. Anyways, I had a good time chatting about this with Matt’s friend Adam from St. Louis. He said something interesting I hadn’t heard before. Men go to these bars and dress for the ladies, ladies go to these bars and dress for the other ladies…so so true.

5am came quickly. As the gin coursed through our blood streams, Matt and I sunk into a VIP couch. We were rebels you see, we hopped the velvet rope when the bouncer was looking the other way. Two slow songs were played and the florescent lights came on. I didn’t know they played slow songs at the end of club nights anymore, I felt like I was back at the Smokin’ Turtle Cabaret in good ol Ladner. They didn’t play “I’ve Got Friends in Low Places” or “Patience” but close enough. Shows how long it’s been since I’ve been clubbing. This place may sound swishy but it looked like a scaled down Dance Cave.

After the club Matt and I found a place to snack on some delicious udon, tempura and sushi. We hit the train home around 7am which was the beginning of rush hour. Matt was nice enough to wake me up at our transfer stations and supply my head with a shoulder to drool on during the ride.

I was in fine form for work the next day. I had slept about three hours and it was actually a nice experience. I was giddy with sleep deprivation and Joe managed to crack me up between lessons.

I may go out again tonight; I think I’m now caught up on sleep.

Cheers

d

Listening to Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan Ballad of Broken Seas