Greater heights @ Niijima

This week @ work was really rough - even my boss assured me that "it will be back to normal". Many mini projects on hand, and have been working slightly late despite not being month-end. When things dont make sense, I realise I am starting to lose my patience. After a challenging day at work, I always feel a need to talk about the problems in order to "let it out" to feel better. I wonder when I can reach a state of mind where I will always be non-violent & nonaggressive. How do I make a clear-cut division between work and after-office life; and not bring my work problems home?

Chicken rice investment in Japan

It's always satisfying to have recipes from Singapore once in a while. Together with Singaporeans, I have had chicken rice three times in Tokyo so far. The best so far was this one from Idobashi. In terms of display, it is similar to Chatterbox @ Mandarin hotel Sg. The rice and soya sauce did taste authentic. Notice the table-top, this is similar style to Ya-kun kaya toast. We also ordered carrot cake, laksa, fish head curry, goreng pisa and durian ice cream.

Singapore is currently the largest Asian investor in Japan. One of the investments to tap into the rebound of the Japanese economy is chicken rice! This was encouraged & assisted by the International Enterprise Singapore (under Singapore's Trade and Industry Ministry) to invest in Japan's "lifestyle services" sector. To my Japanese friends, indeed chicken rice is exotic. More Sg food can be found in new Lalaport Toyosu shopping mall in Tokyo opened this month. Ya Kun Kaya toast has also broke into mainstream Japanese consumer market this month!

Cooking was something I never did when I was in Singapore. But now I can cook pasta, grilled chicken breast, teriyaki and vegetable soup. Most of the time, I followed receipes off the internet. Its not that difficult after all?! Dealing with people is complex in comparative. There are no recipes - perhaps reasoning and empathy?

Halloween in Tokyo

If it is October, then it's Halloween time, and kids have already started celebrating so @ Gotemba. Clearly western-style Halloween decorations & fun are becoming popular in Japan. Even at my apartment's front desk, I saw an elegant pumpkin.

I received an Halloween invitation to dress up and celebrate so by sitting on the eki (train) on the circle Yamamote line. Funny interesting idea - so people will sit on the eki with costumes and drinks would be served.

Similar to Halloween, Japan has a traditional festival o-bon where people visit graves and bring back their ancestors' spirits to their homes and offer food. Of course they dont wear costumes, but yukata (traditional summer kimono) and go to bon dances.

A pity I will be missing Halloween celebration since I am travelling out of Tokyo. Read an interesting quote by Greek dramatist Euripides 'Marry, and it may go well. But when a marriage fails, then those who marry live at home in hell.'

Ooh its Fuji-san again.

"Which one is Mount Fuji, which one is Mount Fuji?"

Yes, 4 of us girls drove out of Tokyo to Gotemba Premium outlet yesterday. There are 165 designer and some of the world's most sought-after brandnames. That kept us very hectic from 11am - 6:30pm non-stop shopping. As we moved from East to West Zone, and back, we saw many mountains - & kept asking one another which one?! but hehe no one really slowed down to ponder.

Well, I managed to take a picture, and in the shuttle bus at the end of the trip, instead of constantly talking about our new acquisitions and discounts we "saved", we finally decided to show better appreciation and concluded that this must have been Mount Fuji.

Well, its not the first for most of us. I personally have climbed Fuji-san. Phil has also recently saw Fuji-san from Hakone.

Phil's description of individuals being posted here was interesting. She felt that exploring is always interesting, but not to kill time. She enjoyed her own trip to Hakone, enjoying nature, onsen, seeing Mt Fuji and oops but she had to eat the famous black eggs alone in a corner while all were doing so with their family & friends. I can understand what she meant, I have eaten the black eggs on 2 trips. Once with my bf and once with my family. It is kinda symbolic as 1 egg adds 7 years to your longevity. You dont really wana do something so meaningful alone. Something is definitely missing...guess she is missing her bf of 8 years!

For me, the blessing is a realisation of which relationships are based on caring & genuine affection. From the daily humourous phone calls with my bf, to the sewing kit my mother has brought for me to Tokyo. Well, I never took a look at the kit since she brought it here in May. Today I did (slow, but better slow than never), and whoa I think she bought me the best! Millions of needles of different sizes & heights, and tons of different coloured threads to suit any "occasion", some extra buttons, scissor and a thimble - all these for a girl who has never sewed in her life.

Thanks mum.

I also met Joyce who has gone through 2 long distance relationships ("LDR" expert) and she is now happily married. Her hubby, at 33, is dropping his career to join her in Tokyo as they were previously on long distance for 15 months. She seemed very happy & was very grateful about the scarifice her hubby is making.

Yea! So hearing, seeing and experiencing LDR have given me another perspective. This is more real. Forget about pursuing only romances, gifts and candle-lights dinner you see in movies, its more cool to be in something more real - real affection, kindness, mutual respect!

Shadowed temple

@ Kagurazaka

As I reflect on a handful of friends' long distance relationships who made it, and others' localised relationships who dont, I realise there is a consistent pattern.

Cannot make it:
Relationships very much based on immediate sexual attraction. Have seen instances where A meets B who is not really a good or kind person, but say "dont know why but I still feel attracted" - such relationships eventually become unstable, unreliable, unstainable, temporary.

Some guys say its a matter of demand meets supply (which I dont agree!); Guy wants pretty girls, Girl wants rich guys. I am happy to see the theory flopping again and again - "sorry" for the break-ups.

Can make it:

Duh - good character - kindness, gentleness (for my own list: humour & intelligence). This creates real bond and genuine communication; and eventually real appreciation and respect.

I used to think that the core of relationship is all about feeling passion day-by-day, and that indicates real love - a little naive - but now I realise, having the opportunity to know someone's character thoroughly is more passionately interesting. Funny for me, the opportunity came from being away in Tokyo!

Sexy Japanese Fashion

Japanese are really creative when it comes to fashion. The Gothic French Maid look is immensely popular. I cant quite say whether it is creative or strange. As I look at the display of Harajuku fashion, and the Kawaii lacey sought after image everywhere else on the street; I wish I could understand or empathize with their experience & mentality behind the dressing.

Dance @ Yokohama!

I am often intrigued by the arts and culture scene in Japan. I remembered stepping out of Ebisu Eki one evening and saw a matsuri dance where all were in their yukata. At that moment, I felt I could stay here forever.

The only art scene I couldnt quite comprehend and appreciate was definitely a dance performance at a temple based in a park in Yokohama. I couldnt quite understand or connect with anything @ Yokohama, especially the Chinatown & the Chinese vendors who offered nuts samples with their bare hands!