geTTing the chiLLs

Happy fall to all near and far. While the colors have yet to peak here in Taneichi, the frEEzing cold weather is much more akin to pre-winter. It gets dark around 5:30 and COLD. As you know the houses here are not well insulated and I swear "central heat" only exists for members of the Diet (Japanese government). It has taken some getting used to- no heat and no air conditioning during the sweltering sauna bath of summer- but it all adds to the fun of being in a new place. Being in the schools that are widely ventilated through out the entire year (probably due to their not meeting OSHA standards), is sure to bring on more than a few colds this winter. 3 layers wasn't cutting it at school, so I have opted for thermal underwear! I thought central heat was everywhere, how naive was I?

So my house is also an ice box. I have the choice between some archaic kerosene heaters or a new electric heater (gee, what'll it be!?) I refuse to do the kerosene thing, don't people DIE using those!? My MN thick skin is not holding up though---I think I might bite the bullet and turn on the electric heater sometime next week. It gets down to 5' Celsious, which is around the upper 30's Fahrenheit. BRRRRR. I have recently found a couple of Japanese winterizing accessories--one if a kotatsu (basically a heated floor table). You put your legs under neath and it heats ya right up....well, until you need to go anywhere else in the house (but practical for lazy people that are willing to sit in the same spot just to stay warm!) I also found an "electric carpet"-japanese term unknown. This is a sweet deal...sprawl it out and it keeps your bum nice and toasty!

As I write this I am enjoying my first-time concoction of "wakame" soup-pictured above. On these cold evenings, I will be making tons of this stuff. Wakame means sea vegetable soup. Aptly named, it is seaweed and tofu. Its about as low-cal as you can get---with very little seasoning other than a packet or two of some sea-salts you are supposed to throw in it. My friend Junko showed me how to make this soup last week. It tastes............uh, earthy! I had been avoiding the sea weed scene thus far, but have decided to give it a go as it is nearly free! (Side note: Its a common sight to see women heading down to the ocean every day and to pull in their own seaweed, dry it on the beach and use a rickashaw sort of thing to wheel it back to their home---no lie!) I have also acquired the taste and texture of tofu! Yep, that stuff is sold by the semi truck over here....I mentioned how it is in everything (ice cream, cake, salad, soup etc...), but it really is the mystery ingredient w/ no taste, a spongy texture, an insane dose of protein, yet carb-free and can actually mold itself into whatever it is you are cooking. (Oh, and you can't screw it up!) So I had to experiement with this stuff....I'm doing as the Japanese do and putting it in every salad, stir fry and soup. I NEVER would have guessed I would have enjoyed cooking so much---but I love cooking Japanese food, as it actually requires creativity --I'm recipeless!

Let's see, in other random news and thoughts of the day, my GREs are one week from today! YippEE! So excited to take them...to get them out of the way! I have tried to study the last three weeks, but it's no use. It's not nearly enough time to refresh 10 years of math, to acquire thousands of new words and vocabulary (my brain is like mush...my speech has been oversimplified for too long!) and frankly, I would rather be doing anything BUT studying for what is only 2.5 hours of my life and SO not indicative of what kind of graduate student I will be. Alright, my alibis are on the table! I leave for Tokyo next Wed nite via overnite bus....it's a 10 hour trip down (or I could have opted for the Shink, which would have shot me down in 2 hours BUT cost double). I will be meeting up with my friend Yukiyo (who is from Akita-ken --the friendly neighbors to the West of Iwate) and I met her while she was finishing up her Master's program @ SCSU. She currently lives in Tokyo and is such a doll, super helpful and willing to be my tour guide for the weekend. She also happens to be the VERY first friend from back HOME that I will get to see! Seeing a familiar face is going to be great and we have several things planned to see and do down there....some temples in Aksaksa, shopping in Ginza, the Tokyo Tower and hopefully a chic jazz bar. I can't wait! I need a teeny breath of polluted air, ridiculously overpriced EVERYTHING and swarms of millions of people..........!!??!!

Well, it's back to the books for me. Keep on keepin' on. Toodles! Anne.