You might recall my story of commuter A. If you don’t, and you would like to, please refer to this blogpost. It will help you follow this post. Commuting has its rough moments, but my hope is that by writing this one you will all empathize with me or at least laugh a little.
So commuter A and B were sitting in front us on the bus on Friday. We hoped that by facing forward most of their utterances and volume would be directed away from us. Sadly, that wasn’t the case. I tried my best to focus on my Squaredle. I should have put my headphones in, but there was nothing I wanted to listen to. Their conversation was quickly in full swing. They raced through many topics–all of which commuter A had either an opinion on or a self-confessed mastery of. My focus was good and I only heard snippets until commuter B left the bus. I had finished my Squaredle by that time and had moved onto my book.
Since this was Friday, the bus was less than full and commuter A didn’t have anyone sitting next to him to keep him from sprawling out all over the seat. This seemed to give him opportunity to look around and potentially start a conversation with….I am pretty sure he was going to pick me. I could sense it. I could also dread it, and I started to form a reply that would have started with “didn’t you already talk enough with James (the real first name of commuter B)?” or “I’m not James and I really don’t want to talk to you.” Actually, my response was a little less polite, but since it was in my head (at that point) I feel okay about making it seem less dramatic. Perhaps because I didn’t take my eyes off my book and perhaps because my groan was slightly audible even over the roar of the bus engine, he elected not to talk to me at that point.
Nearing the end of that leg of the journey, when my girlfriend and I were organizing our stuff to change modes of transportation, he struck again…or at least tried to. He turned his body to make eye contact again. He scanned both our faces and must have been put off by our lethal grimaces.
When we were safely aboard the subway, my girlfriend turned to me and asked if I had noticed him trying to talk to us. We spent a few minutes discussing the events of the morning. It turns out that we were both aware and were both unwilling to talk to him. She had formed a rather strong response as well. We don’t want him thinking we are his second conversation group and we certainly wouldn’t want to set a precedent, would we?
I thought I was finished with writing about my Japan trip, but I realized that I totally forgot to write about trains. Maybe subconsciously, I was planning to write about them on my hobby blog (which I haven’t written about in such a long time) or maybe I thought I shouldn’t expose my nerdy self. Who knows.
Japan is a fantastic land of trains. While we didn’t have the JR pass this time, we did take the Shinkansen from Tokyo to Osaka, and we took various other local and express trains. We had a 3 day pass in the Kansai region–which meant we could take any train or bus except those of JR (the National railway). While this wasn’t as convenient, it was still better than anything I have at my disposal in Ontario.
On that note, it is very tough to experience a high level of public transportation greatness and then come back to the incompetence that is the TTC (Toronto Transit Commission). They can move millions in Tokyo, but we can barely handle a fraction of that without continuous breakdowns and fare cheats. My girlfriend has been the victim of sever transit delays in the past few days-which has only made the desire to visit Japan again that much stronger. I don’t have a solution, but something needs to be done. Perhaps the government should invest all the revenue from marijuana sales in that.
But I digress.
In addition to traveling on trains, we went to the fantastic train museum in Kyoto. We spent a nice morning there and it was quite fun. It has lots of hands-on displays for kids and it is definitely well presented. This is definitely one to visit.
No sooner had I gotten home than it began to rain. It sounds like the kind of writing task we give students. I think I had better back up and explain.
Cycling season has started, and thanks to indoor training, it probably never stopped for anyone else. For me, a torn rotator cuff, several trips to Japan, a subscription to Zwift that seemed to crash every time I used it, and general laziness prevented me from doing any off season training. So here I am trying to play catchup with the first official club meet next week.
I thought I had put everything neatly away last year, but I ran around the house trying to get all my gear together. I had to put the wheel back on the bike (I did try to use the trainer) and had to deflate the tire I had blown up because I couldn’t get the bigger tires past the rim brakes. I had to lube up the chain. I had to put the saddlebag back below the saddle. Luckily for me, the lights were still charged up and that bit of confidence in my safety helped.
I have new shoes and a new helmet to sport this year. I haven’t gotten either one of them ready so I rushed out with my old ones–though I had to rummage a bit in the basement to find them. I also had on my worn out gloves because I didn’t want to spend any more time in the house. I knew rain was coming and I had this 80 or 90 minute route in mind and my window was closing. I hoped I could do it in less, but I had no idea what shape I was in.
Needless to say, it was great to finally be out on the bike. It was a great feeling, even when I had to slowly chug up some hills. I got the bike up to a decent speed once or twice and it felt pretty good.
I’ve got a few things that I need to take care of:
I’ve got to get a new set of cleats for my new shoes.
I’ve got to install those new cleats.
I’ve got to get my new helmet adjusted.
I should clean my sunglasses.
I should adjust my brakes.
I have to charge up my Garmin.
I have to download next week’s route in the new platform.
I had better do some cycling specific stretches.
I have to get my electrolytes for next week’s longer ride.
I have to open my box of cliff bars.
The ride itself was quite contemplative. As a result, I thought of a few more things I should explain about my last trip to Japan. If I decide to go that route, it will be part 4. I also came up with a whole other blogpost I would like to tackle.
There are, perhaps, a few more words needed to wrap up the trip in a nice neat package.
Unfinished Business
There is no denying that food in Japan is ….. great. What we didn’t experience, but very easily could have, is how well they do other people’s food as well. Because I have access to a world of food at my door, we decided we were going to enjoy Japanese food on our trip and not try Japan’s take on other food. Although we haven’t booked another trip to Japan (though we’ve talked about it) I am pretty sure we will go there again some day.
We really enjoyed trying new restaurants and returning to older ones. In Osaka, we went for ramen at a tiny restaurant at the edge of the nightlife district. Despite spending three years in Kansai, I knew so very little about the area south of Umeda. It had a good vibe somewhere between seedy and mysterious. In that same area, a student took us to a fantastic course restaurant–which wasn’t overpriced. He explained that they didn’t have a website and only took reservations over the phone. Without his help, we probably wouldn’t have been able to visit there.
In Kyoto we found the maze of food restaurants below the station to be very interesting. Sadly, some of the upstairs places we liked from our previous trip had already closed up shop. Things change in Japan–sometimes very rapidly. Nevertheless, we found some good sashimi places and tonkatsu places. Thanks to our Kansai ThruPass, we even went back to Kyoto just for some food. It wasn’t on the way, but it wasn’t out of the way either.
I had had katsudon on the previous trip and my girlfriend wanted to try it this time. We found a place on the Yaesu side of Tokyo station that served a good version of it and included a delicious milk pudding dessert. It became our go to restaurant on the trip. This is surprising because we had planned to visit another restaurant from our first visit more often than we did. It’s funny how things change.
In addition to all those foods, we took time to have onigiri from a multitude of convenience stores. We also went to several coffee shops to rest our weary feet. I have come to decided that Doutour is my favorite coffee shop. I suppose it is because they serve the coffee in real cups. I am tired of the paper cup coffee shops.
Rather than tell you about every single thing we ate, I hope the pictures I have included will help you.
The Bookstore
When I lived in Japan in my early twenties, a visit to the bookstore happened on almost every trip to Osaka. This time, I decided to go back to Umeda to find it. At first, I had a lot of trouble locating it, but when I did, everything came flooding back. I even knew which door to enter to be closest to the foreign books, and Japanese learning textbooks. The section is smaller, but the clerks were still helpful. They even wrapped each book my girlfriend bought in a book cover. I think that was very nice. If only Kansai Time Out were still being published.
The Tourist Information Centres
We visited official Tourist information centres in each city we visited. They were always helpful and the level of English was great. In Kyoto, the last time, it was very crowded and we had to wait ten minutes. This time, we breezed in right up to a counter. Maybe our timing was good. It was either that or the rain kept people from things.
Internet Access
This time around, we arranged for internet access. We had it sent to our hotel and it was waiting for us when we arrived. It even came with a power-bank so we wouldn’t run out of battery power. I think we could have survived without it, but the convenience factor was amazing. We could easily plan our trips and we even knew which train car to get on for easy transfers or exits. Returning it was easy as it went in the mailbox with the envelope provided.
Bike Shops
I came across many cool bike shops. They had a fantastic collection of bicycles. I even considered buying a less expensive Pinarello and bringing it back with me. I resisted. Sadly, I couldn’t find a jersey that would be both commemorative and a good souvenir. Also, there weren’t any in my size. I can still dream.
Miscellaneous
Japanese bathrooms are still fantastic.
People on public transportation do not try to take up two seats, don’t play their music without headphones, and do not engage in loud telephone calls that other people have to endure–this is my life currently on public transportation and it frustrates me to no end.
It was so much fun to wander around areas that I hadn’t been to and to see ones I had been to.
I chose pocket guidebooks from Lonely Planet this time rather than the large one and I was much happier. They fit into my pocket and supplemented both my knowledge and what I could drag from the internet. I should probably go onto Amazon and leave a positive review.
We considered going to the movie theatre on a rainy day but there was nothing playing that we both wanted to see. However, the lobby of a Japanese movie theatre sells so many interesting movie related items that you would be surprised.
I ate many of my favorite snacks and even brought some home. Sadly, they are all gone now and I might have to make a special trip to the Japanese store to get some more, despite the increased price.
When my girlfriend bought some beautiful chopstick holders, the clerk noticed my bag of Tamiya models. He seemed excited and we exchanged some model nerd moments. It was nice to see someone express enthusiasm.
Both the Team Lab and Harry Potter attractions are definitely worth seeing.
The Real Unfinished Business
Having visited Japan twice in a short time, you might have thought that I was trying to “get it out of my system.” I don’t think that is actually accurate. Japan makes a strong impression and a visit will probably only make it more interesting. While I do not want to go back and be a teacher there again, I do wish there was some way I could spend more time living there.
One rather interesting thing happened to me on our way back to Tokyo from Osaka. It reaffirmed everything about Japan. I could probably explain it in a sentence or two…. but what kind of writer would that make me?
We took the shinkansen (bullet train) back from Osaka and arrived in Tokyo a little before we expected to be allowed to check in. This gave me a chance to stop by the Hitachino Nest pub at Tokyo station. I had seen the place on our previous trip, but had opted to go to the Yebisu beer place instead. Years ago, I came across this brand by accident at my LCBO (this is where they sell liquor, wine, and a small sampling of beer in Ontario–supermarkets now sell beer and wine, but this is a rather recent thing). Trying it wasn’t a priority, but we had a few minutes to kill, so we stopped in for the sampler, some sausages, and conversation with some people who happened to be from the town where the brewery was located.
After that, we went to our hotel. We have always picked a hotel between Tokyo station and Kanda station. This worked out well for this trip as it made getting to and from the airport easy. We like the neighbourhood and we are getting quite familiar with it. That being said, there are always new things to discover and we are really discovering new things all the time.
Since we had spent the first night at the same hotel that we came back to, we were able to leave one of our suitcases there. That made traveling to Osaka easier. We had divided up our clothes before we even left for Japan, so we were pretty set. Also, we use packing cubes, which definitely makes things better. When we checked back in, I asked them to bring our suitcase out of storage and they informed us that it was already in our room. Wow! I hadn’t expected that. That was fantastic. It isn’t what I am writing about, but I thought you should know.
While unpacking, I got a bit stressed because I couldn’t find my English flatcap–actually, I don’t know if that is indeed an English flatcap. After posting pictures of myself wearing it on Facebook, most people declared it that. I normally wear a baseball cap to fend off the harsh sun, but chose something different this time. I bought it specifically for the trip, got used to wearing it, and then managed to lose it. I wracked my brain wondering if I left it in Osaka. I couldn’t remember if I had put it on that morning. It wasn’t expensive but I had grown attached to it and will always think of it as my Japan trip hat.
On a side note, I had a cap I really liked that I took on my Vietnam trips. I had put the museum stickers from Saigon on it and was really fond of it. I lost it in a reckless dune buggy ride in Costa Rica and have felt bad about it since. So, I was worried that I was becoming a loser of hats.
Lost thanks to a gust of wind in Costa Rica
Convincing myself that I had had it on when we left Osaka, I decided to check with the Shinkansen lost and found. It was on the Yaesu side of Tokyo station, and required a bit of walking to find. The office was small, but the woman on duty took my information–which train I was on, my name, etc. She asked me what colour it was, but rather that get into a discussion about colours–which I rarely agree with anyone on, I showed her a picture. I worried that I might have left it at the beer place, but I had looked around before we left and don’t recall seeing anything. If I had to, I would have gone back. If I had left it on the train, it might be back in Osaka. It had been a couple of hours.
She went into the back room and a couple of minutes later I was reunited with my cap. I have always had good luck with lost and found, but this was a bit unprecedented. I really didn’t think I would see it again. I had heard that lost and found in Japan was impressive, but this really reaffirmed it for me. Wow!
My absence, totaling more than a month, from these pages is mostly due to my vacation. You don’t need a day by day recount of my adventures, but over the next couple of posts, I would like to share with you with a few highlights. Two of the reasons we chose March were cherry blossoms and Sumo. There were other reasons, but for now, they will do.
Cherry Blossoms
While I can’t possibly believe the weather forecast in my area, I have come to believe that Japan can usually accurately predict when the cherry trees will bloom. They cover it quite seriously and the number of online resources at my disposal were considerable. That being said, as the trip approached, things seemed somewhat less than certain. At one point, we considered that we had blown it and booked the wrong weeks.
Although we arrived in Tokyo, we only spent one night there before getting on the Shinkansen for Osaka. The Sumo basho was in its final days and our original plan was made with that in mind….but more on that later. The weather was less than stellar. The forecast called for lots of rain, and indeed it rained a lot. Undaunted we did our best.
We chose a great location for our hotel. We weren’t in the crowded downtown, but we were centrally located and our hotel had an exit to both a train line and a subway concourse. It wasn’t the most glamorous, but it functioned well. Above ground we had a river park, numerous cafes, a children’s bookstore that took reservations, easy access to numerous interesting neighbourhoods, and lots of interesting sculptures.
The title of this section is Cherry Blossoms and I haven’t mentioned them. The truth is that they were not in abundance in our first week in Japan. We managed to catch a few trees on the grounds of the Imperial Palace in Kyoto, and you could imagine a few buds here and there at Osaka castle park, but they just weren’t blooming yet. We busied ourselves by seeing the sights, eating food, drinking coffee, visiting a train museum, eating even more food, using our Kansai Thru pass in interesting ways, and visiting Kyoto more times than I imagined we would.
Tokyo provided more opportunities to see Cherry Blossoms. We found the famous canal near Waseda university (and got caught up in freshman initiation days) found them lurking in public spaces by the bookstore, by the Sumo Auditorium, in various parks, on the way to the Harry Potter attraction, and in front of the Royal Palace. We also saw them in Ueno park, but since everyone and their child was probably there with us that day, I am not sure it is worth mentioning. Besides, walking away from the park to visit the old town was much more interesting.
While we didn’t get the full picnic in the park cherry blossom experience that I had in my twenties, they are still beautiful to see. I hope you enjoy the pictures I have included here.
Going to Japan in this season was a gamble. Fares were higher and hotel prices had risen dramatically. We knew there would be more people, and that was certainly true. On the other hand, having more experience made many things easier. I might write about that in another blog.
Sumo
We chose the trip hoping to catch one of the last days of Sumo. We booked ourselves to arrive on Thursday afternoon, thinking we might be able to get tickets for Friday or one of the weekend days. I had scoped out the website to buy tickets, and knew that tickets went on sale exactly one month before the start of the event. Sadly, for reasons that are not really clear, we were unable to get tickets of any kind. I have since read that we were not alone in this and the website really couldn’t process orders from overseas, or that most tickets were sold to fan clubs and various scalpers. Unfortunately, we made our arrangements and stuck to our schedule.
Although we didn’t have tickets, we did go to the venue hoping to catch a sneak peak of the champion and some of my favourites. We only managed to catch a couple of lower ranked sekitori walking the streets. Actually we had seen a rather high-ranking sekitori out for dinner with some well-heeled fans the night before, but I couldn’t tell you who it was.
Most of my current favourites all train at the Isegahama beya in Tokyo. So, on a whim, we decided to go there. We didn’t really think we would see anyone, but it was an outing in Tokyo. When we arrived at the place, we were amused to find a bunch of reporters hanging out. Workouts were over for the day, and this particular stable doesn’t have public viewing. I approached one of the reporters and he explained that he had a “small job” to do. I asked him if we should wait. He said we should. A few minutes later Hakuho showed up. He was being disciplined and his stable was being forced to “temporarily” join this one with all his wrestlers. The place was already a powerhouse, but this might take it to the next level.
We also thought we would stop by the Sumo stadium and the local museum. Things didn’t turn out like we planned. The stadium was being used for first day university entrance ceremonies. The museum was also closed. Instead we visited the Hokusai museum and ate a tremendous sushi lunch close by in a complex that had its own sumo ring (dohyo).
Friday morning was …bizarre….weird….even now, a couple of days later, I am having trouble putting it into words. What I do know is that the events of the morning had me convinced it was going to be, for lack of a better term, one of those days. Thankfully, there was some redemption on the horizon (and that was without considering Friday night pizza). Let me put it all into focus.
I’ve written a lot about my commute and the frustratingly selfish and rude people who inhabit it. Lately, another commuter (let’s call him Commuter A) has latched himself onto another commuter (for ease of use, let’s call him Commuter B). Commuter A has a habit of talking nonstop and saying things that seem rather outrageous. He also takes up more than one seat and prefers talking to Commuter B at some distance–necessitating some serious volume and a complete lack of privacy. They used to sit at the back of the bus and that basically meant they were someone else’s problem. Lately, though, they have been sitting at the front and forcing me to put in headphones.
I don’t mind pleasant conversation, but this is more like conversation one-upmanship. There is nothing Commuter B can say that doesn’t get a response from Commuter A–and that response always comes with an “I know that better than you” or an “I have done that so many times.” In fact, on Thursday Commuter B briefly mentioned an Ex and that set off a torrent of “I’ve had so many girlfriends” or “I am an expert at relationships,’ kind of talk. I tried drowning it out until Commuter A explained how he would stalk people on FB, including a demonstration of how he would find Commuter B’s ex online using her middle name or maiden name or some combination thereof. He might have thought he was cool, but I found it downright creepy.
On Friday morning Commuter A sat right behind me and started in on his talk about Spring Break–apparently he is a teacher–something I also felt a bit chilling. I put my headphones in and concentrated on my Squaredle. Fortunately, Commuter B doesn’t make the whole trip and no one else engages Commuter A in conversation. He still takes up more space than he should, but I am not the bus police unless it concerns me or there is some person who needs a seat but feels intimidated.
That was pretty horrible, but nothing like what happened next. After stopping for coffee, and heading out of the shop with my order in hand, a …customer…outpatient….homeless person… started screaming at me. They told me to “go F*** yourself.” repeatedly. I hadn’t talked to this person and I hadn’t even made eye contact. It was rather disconcerting and I really felt like it was going to be a rather horrible day.
Luckily, mere seconds after that horrible encounter, I met one of my former colleagues (and friend) who had stopped working at my company during the pandemic. He was always someone I liked talking to and it was fantastic to meet him by accident and catch up with him. I should take a moment to plug his book as he is an author. Please check it out if you have the chance. Meeting old friends is something I don’t think about often enough. but it is something I enjoy when it happens. In this case, the horrible moments of the morning were erased and I could go about my day with some positivity.
I don’t know how clearly I alluded to it, but in case you didn’t know, my girlfriend and I are headed to Japan….soon
Again?
If you are asking this question, you can count yourselves among friends and family who expressed the same sentiment–with emotions ranging from mild surprise to complete bewilderment. Yes, in less than 6 months we will have been to Japan twice. We liked it that much.
There are some subtle differences this time. We are still flying Air Canada (which we found to be quite good) but instead of landing at Narita, we will be arriving at the much more convenient Haneda airport. I haven’t been there in 30 years–I transited through there on my way to Paris from Japan. I am not sure why I did that, but there was no flight from Osaka to Paris available. We will have a direct flight and getting into the city centre should be much easier.
The price of the train pass has gone up, but this isn’t the reason we aren’t taking advantage of it. We have decided to spend a bit more time in and around Tokyo and Osaka. We will try and get to Kyoto, Kobe, Nara, Kamakura, and Yokohama, but we will stay situated in the two hubs. This will mean less navigating walkways with suitcases and hopefully a different travel experience.
We are both pretty excited as we feel as though we have some unfinished business in the Land of the Rising Sun. We are hoping to build on our experience from last time and get a lot out of our trip. Hopefully, you will enjoy some of my photographs hear and on my Instagram link on the right side of this page.
I picked up the Tokyo Maze book from Amazon as I thought we might like to do some walks in Tokyo. The book is in black and white, but has QR codes to get phone maps. There are even links to the same pictures in colour. I have flipped through some of the chapters and I have found a few walks I would like to do. Additionally, we are already looking for interesting restaurants and coffee shops to visit. We are watching YouTube videos in search of interesting places to explore.
Feel free to suggest something. My students have already given us a bunch of good ideas.
In my role as an ESL/EFL teacher, I spend most of my day helping students acquire a richer vocabulary. They start with a functional vocabulary, basic at times, and grow it to something that fits their communication style. It is a pleasure to see them grow. It is a pleasure to see them add new phrases to the active vocabulary…most of the time.
Outside of class, the students learn from the internet and streaming services. They do their best to use what they have learned. While I do not teach swearing, I do correct it when it is blatantly wrong. I do not want my students looking foolish.
From time to time, they ask me to teach them some slang They often express it as slangs, but then I have to teach the difference between countable and uncountable nouns–but I digress. I explain to them that I am not at all clear about modern day slang. We are not the same age and I don’t want them sounding like me.
Which of this rich tapestry of language would I like to get rid of? The word “Bro” is currently on list of cringeworthy phrases. My students throw it around far too liberally. Imagine a conversation between four students, all with different accents ending each sentence with Bro. Couple this with the fact that their intonation is not always spot on and you might understand me.
Is it strange that I like the words and the paragraphs, but find less enthusiasm for the book they compose. I find myself nodding along with the things expressed in the book, sometimes even snorting spontaneously despite being in a public setting–if indeed that is what commuting on the bus is these days.
….
People on the bus seem so much less courteous than in my formative years. They take up more seats than they need. They seem to love sharing their music through pitiful phone speakers rather than enjoy quality earphones. My students love their wireless earphones and constantly try to put them in while class in in session. Why are these two groups so different?
Additionally, commuters seem to think it’s okay to put feet on seats that other people might want to sit on. They seem to think it’s okay to sit on the aisle seat and leave the window vacant. How I snicker when a somewhat less than desirable person (reeking of pot these days) wants to sit next to them. I have only had one minor confrontation, but after being ignored by a few people I have developed strategies aimed at annoying them in return.
….
The book is a beautiful edition. It is a paperback-sized hardcover. The image on the cover is both pretty and completely confusing. The paper is of high quality and despite the plain font for the title, the font for the text inside is quite nice.
Have you noticed that books these days contain a page explaining the font and its historical origins? When did that become a thing? I would rather have a longer introduction by the author–but I am a fan of Harlan Ellison and perhaps he is to blame.
….
The receipt from the library where I borrowed the book from notes that I saved myself 31.95 dollars (Canadian) by borrowing this book from the library. Far be it for me to quibble, but this sum does not include the five percent the government decided to tax literacy. It also makes no mention of how much gas I had to use to get to the library. Perhaps they suspect I walked.
….
I want to use Vonnegut as an adjective or noun in my description of this book. This is because the book reminds me of the works of Kurt Vonnegut. Perhaps it is because the author can find intimacy and humour in the mundane aspects of life. I thought I was the only one who criticized people for breaking rules and social contracts but failed to hold myself accountable. Could I use Vonnegutesque or Vonnegutish?
….
I put the book down for a minute and stare out the bus window. The car next to us has four pairs of skis mounted on the ski rack. It’s a Friday and maybe they didn’t forget the skis there for the whole week and are actually going skiing for the weekend. I think they are going to have to drive pretty far as there isn’t any snow left around here. It’s still winter, but a few of my flowers have started budding and I am pretty sure the weeds are growing. Either way, I take it as a sign I shouldn’t be on the bus and I should get myself out of here. Luckily my vacation is coming.
….
The blurb on the cover, purportedly written by some reviewer, indicated that “We are not ready nor worthy.” Despite possibly being true, my main concern is how I might have to explain to my students why the writer of this quote chose “not” over “neither”. I would say maybe I would get lucky and they wouldn’t ask, but that really isn’t how they are geared.
….
Having few formal chapters and every paragraph or two being separated by an ellipses, I am able to dip in and out of the book at will. There is a story, but not necessarily in the traditional sense. I suppose this might end up on a literature class reading list some day.
….
I haven’t been reading as much as in years past. Maybe the annoying commuters are to blame. Maybe it’s because I have a smartphone. It seems that both squardle and YouTube are vying for my attention when I should be reading more. You can probably guess who I blame more.
….
The author, Jenny Offill, has written some other lauded books. I am unsure if my library has any of them. I am not sure I am going to read any of them, so I probably won’t spend any time looking them up on the library website. I do know that I am going to spend several minutes Googling her name and wondering about the pronunciation, though.
….
I am going on vacation to Japan in less than a month. I have some planning to do and there are both websites and guidebooks I could be looking at. Perhaps those are things that I will read next.
…
If you liked the style of this post, you will probably enjoy the novel. If you didn’t, there are other books in the library and bookstore for you.
Today's Perfect Moment 