Why?

Why is it so easy to find humor in a child's distress? Perhaps not their distress but their reaction to stimuli.

For instance, we had a thunderstorm. Chao lei was content to watch the rain fall laughing at the coldness on his hand from the rain drops. Then it happened. It seems we were directly beneath the storm given the loudness of the clap. To see his face change from smiling and laughing to large round eyes, open mouth, and running as fast as he could to momma and attempting to climb me. It caught him by such surprise. As soon as he was safely in my arms only then did he turn to see what had caused such a noise.

Soon, he was wishing to be placed on the floor again. Here is the humor. He warily approached the window to see when there was another sudden clap and he spun, as well as a young child may spin, to run again to momma. This was repeated several times, in fact, with each time becoming more funny especially when he began to shout "boom" after each clap (still running to me mind you).

What am I to do with a son that returns to things he is curious of in spite of initial fears? After witnessing this behavior, I fear my future will be more stressful than I have imagined.I am sure to be old and gray too soon.

Keeping Busy

I have re-discovered that keeping busy helps me stay cheerful while LCDR (He got promoted this month!) is underway. Summer patrol is long and full of emails that say nothing. At the least, Chao lei is able to see and here his father on the computer now and then.Chao lei and I have kept busy by going to parks and the day care center for play times. Our days are kept full.

It is night times that are most difficult. My son sleeps quietly and most times there is no one to speak to. I watch the tv. AFN is nice but it is also so predictable. After all, there is only so much time in a day and there is only one channel.

I read voraciously. I am afraid the book store is nearly out of books to read. I am there often looking for something new. As an alternative, I read and re-read my research data, organizing it into a comprehensible reference file so that when it is time to write my dissertation it is not such a difficult task.

One might believe there is so much time left from my day blogging would be more often. In truth I do attempt to write but each day seems to be only a copy of the previous one. How much can one read of trips to the park and the day care before they cease reading? I have thought that perhaps I should write at least once a week unless something of interest arises.

*sigh* I do hate these times of .... blah.

Almost There!

One week and a half. That is all that remains of this term and then I have the summer (well, till August 18) off. No more speeches. No more books. No more student's empty looks. Yay me! I find  what I am doing interesting and at times fun. But 52 weeks of education, taking and giving, can tire the mind. Summer is my time to refresh.

I will spend my summer with Chao lei. I am afraid He will be required to become reacquainted with the women at the child care center because none of my plans involve leaving him there. There is a long list of summer activities that are available for his age. Among them are the park visits. This one is Verny Park near the base. The Japanese seem to take great pride in their parks since even the smallest of them are well maintained. They are peaceful even when there is the sound of children playing. One cannot help but smile, even if it is only a small smile, while in a Japanese park.

 I will spend time with Lt when he is home (which has been little of late ಠ_ಠ). It is my hope he is home in time for the Curry Festival. We enjoyed it very much last year. I also hope to have him accompany Chao lei and I as often as possible. It would be good for his son to see his real face rather than a picture. I am happy to show Chao lei his father's picture and when he sees it he always smiles to say "Poppy!" It is only that when he sees Lt he does not call him Poppy at the beginning. I believe it causes Lt to be a little bit sad.

Our FRG decided to attend a recent SCREAM (Sailors Changing Reality and Ending Myths) program. It was supposed to be about sexual assault and sexual harassment awareness.It also included simple assault portions. I was unsettled by that portion as it brought memories of the woman in the hospital I visited. It is good they have these programs as I do not wish to see another woman as the one in hospital.

Here comes summer! I welcome hat it holds for my little family.

Going It Alone

First, my life is not a bad one. I am certainly blessed with the husband I have and my son who is growing and healthy. Please do not think of this as a "poor me" post.

I am slowly discovering how to live this alone/not alone life. Sometimes, it is not so easy. Other times it is. Easter was a time when it was not easy. Not so much for Lt being away (though that is not so easy) but for somethings more simple.

For example, how does one take Easter pictures of mommy and son to send to daddy? How am I to take pictures of Chao lei as he discovers his first eggs on Easter if I am required to help him find them and place them in his basket? Plus, have you ever attempted to mind a 1 year old child and take a photo? It is not an easy thing to do!

Another thing that is not so easy to do... it is my fault of course but what do I do when son is poopy and the diaper is already opened and I reach to get a wipe only to discover it empty and a refill is across the room? ARG! Should I let him go, his hands will go to places they should not go. Should I refasten the diaper that both sides have already been pressed together, well... ew. Fortunately as this event occurred, Tammy arrived to rescue me as I was about to refasten the diaper and retrieved a new package of wipes.

What do I do when the oil light illuminates? Lt says it is usually just requiring an oil change but I am to wait for his return so he can do it. He says there is no need to waste the money to pay someone. But that light... it stares at me... taunting me. It never blinks. Perhaps I should learn to make this oil change. It would prove to the light I am not to be intimidated. I am the master. Or maybe just take it to the garage and have the change accomplished and only not say anything to Lt.

Speaking of cars, were you aware that garage mechanics snicker because you are unaware of where the window washer water goes and the fact it is called "washer fluid"? Why would I know this? Lt is usually the person who sees to these things.

I suppose more things will arise since it is sure there will be more time that Lt is away. Someone must have written a book of things I should know that I am unaware I should know. It is not at the bookstore but it must be somewhere.

BTW.... do NOT allow a one year old child to suck on a dyed blue egg unless you wish your child to have a blue face... and hands... and clothes.

Long Day

This day began early. It seems Chao lei ate something that did not agree with him. I say this because I woke to him being fussy and as I entered his room I could see he had something on his pajamas. As I approached closer the smell became obvious. Poo was leaking through his pajamas. ಠ▃ಠ
My poor baby had poo all over his legs and up his back to his neck. Another mother called this an epic diaper fail. I must agree with her. And for some strange reason, suddenly Chao lei cannot leave himself alone. Ordinarily this is not so bad but when it is covered with poo it is a terrible thing. Fortunately, as I had not showered yet, I cleaned him up and we showered together. The wipes get him clean but still, all that poo? No, and a bath simply would not do.

After cleaning him thoroughly, we dressed and I prepared our breakfast. Breakfast done we departed for the daycare center. After leaving him in their capable hands I began my train challenges to arrive at the campus on time but only just.

I had the pleasure of teaching a first year class of diagrams and circuits. Today's subject was tracing routes. Everyone grasped the concepts very quickly. Except. one. I do not know why there was such difficulty. It is as simple as it can be. In this case it is follow this line from here to there. It is like the first lesson in cooking which is "This is the kitchen."Very basic. If you cannot do this, your future in computers is uncertain dismal. After two hours of instructing this one student I had to stop for a seminar requiring my attendance. I passed him to one of my brighter students. Hopefully there is no repeat of this tomorrow.

Now I am home. I have retrieved Chao lei and the ladies have sworn his diapers have been normal all day. Why then do I come home to a diaper full of soup and a son still fascinated with himself? Arg! I am tempted to keep a hose available for diaper changes. Perhaps he ate some of my Dan dan last night without my knowledge. If he did, I am impressed since Dan dan is very spicey and would bring discomfort to most adults not accustomed to it. If he did, I must ensure he does not do so again!

April Fools

I admit I did not completely understand April Fools Day. Lt takes great delight in tormenting me on that day. I find myself beginning to dread the arrival imagining what he will do each year.
I began my morning with a customary shower. It was not as customary as I thought it would be. It seems Lt thought me to require "flavoring." As I began to awake in the nice hot water I noticed an aroma I thought was him preparing breakfast. It was strong but I thought nothing of it. Then I noticed the smell was getting stronger. I noticed the water changing color. Chicken bouillon does not smell near so tasty when you are showering in it. Lt had placed cubes in the shower head.Grrr.


I have humor. It was a joke. Now we can continue our day... Right?

As I prepared Lt's breakfast I very carefully checked every cabinet and drawer I opened to be sure I would not be caught again. All he did was sit there and smile at me. I am unsure which is worse. The joke or the anticipation of the joke. His smile told me there was sure to be more. It is unusual for me to wish for him to be gone as soon as possible. I fixed a wary eye on him until he left but he unnerved me such that I found myself trembling slightly. Finally gone, I began to relax.

I retreated to my computer to answer last minute e-mails before beginning my day. It seems the joke was set to a delay. I found this only too late. I now know what my heart looks like and tastes like. Of course such a noise brought Chao lei to me to investigate the noise. Finding his mother on the floor trembling seemed to entertain him. I assume this is so due to his squeeling in delight. I fear there is much of his father in him and my future is one of much stress.

I promised Chao lei, Mother would have her vengeance. I began my plans in earnest. I sought advice from the craftiest people I know. It seems Lt has earned enemies, or at the least some seeking vengeance for past jokes, for this day as few were reluctant to assist me .

With my helpers assistance and since one good turn deserves another,  as Lt left his office we struck back. there was a danger in this that the wrong person entered before Lt discovered my gift so we carefully informed all those we found including the Captain (who by the way gave his blessings for each joke upon discovering my morning).

The results were better than I had hoped. When Lt returned to his office he brought with him a bowl of pretzels. Unless he ate them from the floor, and wherever else he scattered them, there was no snacking for him.

No. I was not finished. With the aid of a devious Petty Officer, his drawer was outfitted with a can of air freshener so when he opened the drawer it began spraying. Closing the drawer did not stop it, only the emptying of the can.

After having been witnessed placing marbles in his hub caps, a kind electricians mate offered to do "old school" and place some marbles in the ceiling of Lt's room aboard ship. It seems this comes from a favorite old Navy movie of the sailor. Lt will not know of this one until they are underway. When he does discover it and opens his ceiling, he will discover a note from me that says, "From Mei. I love you. You will not expect the next one. XOXO."

According to the Captain and others, Lt spent the next several hours anticipating the next joke. I am told his leaving for the day was quite entertaining. Not a word was spoken of it when he arrived home. He went to the bathroom and cleaned flour from my hair dryer. It was only fair to tell him to throw away the cream cheese speed stick and open a new one.

I believe I understand this day better now.

Home and Gone.

We have returned home. It is surprising how tired one can become while "relaxing." I suppose if I were honest of it, we spent little time relaxing. There were too many castles to see and tree houses to eat in.

The last one gained your attention. Yes? In Naha. there is a restaurant called Gajumaru. Interesting to see is it not? Of course, it is not a real tree but the sensation of it is probably no different than if it were. On a windy day, such as the one when we visited, if you sit still you can feel the entire restaurant sway in the breeze.

If you are easily breathless, entering the restaurant may challenge you. There is no elevator. There is only the spiral stairs .

The specialty of this restaurant is shabu-shabu. What is shabu-shabu you ask? Shabu-shabu is a meal that you cook at your table. Instead of a grill in the middle of the table like yakiniku, there is a glass-top cooking surface. Still, one must be careful as it is very hot. I found it humorous they even provided English instructions on how to eat this way. The choices are only of your type of shabu-shabu. The lunch choices were pork rib and chicken.

Since we were at the docks (why is it Navy people always go to docks?) we decided to see the fish markets. I was surprised at what I saw. Never have I seen a market that was as colorful as this one. More surprising, all colors were natural color of the fish.

Have you ever seen such color in a fish market? I wondered that people would even buy fish for fear of ruining the beauty.

Outside of the fish market was another small market that was for those less inclined to fish. It may be that it is not for the faint of heart though. Some things there may unsettle or even frighten some.

Yes. Those are real frogs made into coin purses.

This was Chao lei's favorite place. I believe it to be more the color that entranced him rather than the toys. He could not settle for only one or two. As we thought he decided for one, another would fall into his gaze and that is the one he now preferred.




 
It is surprising what some believe to be acceptable. According to the vendor, these frogs (yes, they are real) are very popular. Given the frequency Japanese girls were purchasing them, I must conclude he was not lying.





After the markets was Shuri Castle.
The entry is deceptive. When you first approach it seems only gray stone and trees. You must be patient though. You will be rewarded with much more colorful views soon.

If you are to visit, it is important to wear proper, comfortable shoes. The park is quite large. At the bottom there is a rest center in the event you become too tired. There is also a restaurant (which we discovered too late.).

This is the approach to the castle. It is what you will see moments before seeing the castle proper. We were fortunate the flowers had begun to bloom though we were told if we had waited only a few weeks, the colors would have been much brighter. It did not matter to me. I was impressed even with the muted colors.

This is the castle proper. It is a striking sight after passing through so much grey stone. What is interesting of it more than its age is that it survived the devastation of war. It seems America to great care to leave it intact even though the surrounding areas were completely destroyed. The pictures are astounding to me especially given the Japanese were not so careful with Chinese temples during that war.

It was a good week for us but as with all good things, it had to end. I wish it had not ended as it did. It ended with bad news, good new, and I am not sure news.

As we arrived home, Lt was sure to check in at which time he was informed they would get under way the following day. Bad news. Then he was given good news. It seems Lt will no longer be Lt but instead he will be LtCdr. He has received the promotion he hoped for. His "wetting-down" will be in June. I am informed I may not attend this particular ceremony. Not sure news? Lt will finish at least one more year here but our next home is a question. Lt has been told Pearl Harbor, Norfolk, and San Diego are all possibilities but others may present themselves. Lt hopes for Pearl Harbor.

It was an interesting end to the week. Now it is again Chao lei and I at home and Lt underway. The adventure continues!

Okinawa - Arrival

Our flight to Okinawa was uneventful. It was a beautiful day to fly. Chao lei flew comfortably with only a little disturbance of the noise of take-off. He giggled uncontrollably from the sensation of leaving the ground. Lt though me to be tickling him to distract him. There was only a few times he was not happy and those were when his ears would adjust. After the beginning events, he was happy to nap for most of the 2 hours of flying.

 This was what we saw as we approached the airport. I must say the approach was unlike any I have ever flown. Usually they are a simple straight landing or a long left 180° turn. This one was flown over the airport and then a left 280° turn. It was different than any I have ever experienced.

The advantage was Chao lei had extra time for his ears to adjust to lower altitude. Coming down was more to worry of than going up. Thankfully, he slept through most of it and when he did awake, his bottle was enough to keep him calm and allow his ears to adjust.

Landing was as uneventful as take-off. We did see Japanese Air Force planes. I was not aware they were here. Lt told me they once shared a base with the USAF at Kadena AFB. I suppose it could be crowded with so many airplanes and two air forces competing for the same runway.

Even though they are utilitarian airplanes they have a beauty all their own. Of course they could not compare to the airline planes and their colorful art.

It is not often you see such style on airplanes. I believe more airlines should practice this type of painting.

Tomorrow we will begin touring. I will take more pictures and share.

It is the Day!

As I write this from my phone, Lt, Chao lei, and I sit in the terminal awaiting our departure time. Okinawa is not a long flight away from us so this will be a first time for me; a short flight time. lol

I have my camera (cell cameras are adequate but not as good as real cameras) and everything I will need while we are away. I have also brought my laptop since there is some little amount of work for school I must complete.

I may even discover I have time to update.

It is Closer! Lt. is Home!

It is only six days until I will be in Okinawa with Lt. and Chao lei. It is our first holiday as a family. Now I must spend my days thinking of what I may have forgotten. lol

Lt. is finally home. I am afraid he returned to a weepy wife. Just before I left to greet him at the dock, I saw a video on Facebook by military men about military men returning home. If you have Facebook it can be viewed HERE. I warn you though. If your husband is military you will become weepy as I did.

Lt was more tender at this return than the last. I believe he is becoming accustomed to it. I wish I could do the same. I will never care for his departures, though I will accept them as necessary. Even so, I cannot help myself but to blush with such pride for him. I think this may be more common than some will admit.

Lt. is before the promotion boards this year. A promotion would be nice. Lt has been told he has very good chances for it. I only have questions of it. Should he be promoted, will he stay here? I have been told that rank is dependent of billet (please speak Greek to me... I will understand it as much). I only ask if he is promoted will we move so soon? Where will we go? When? ARG!

I suppose I will discover these things in time. *sigh*

Holiday is coming. Only happy thoughts are permitted.

One More Week

There is only one more week to finish the term. It has returned to the crazy rush that is end of the session. Otherwise intelligent and adequately organized students ask many questions that should have been asked before now. Why they wait until such late times is beyond my understanding. Does it not make more sense to ask when the question first arises? 

I have been preparing for our trip to Okinawa. We will be staying in Naha. Our room is booked as well as a car. I am also researching the area to discover what sights there are to visit. I have not packed our luggage yet but it does require restraint. Since spring is approaching in the Pacific it will be most important to bring rain coats.

Not a sight I enjoyed.

So beautiful

As strange as it may sound, I hope there is a small storm at least while we are there. Most prefer sunny and warm days at the beach. I do enjoy those days but I also enjoy it when there are storms. I would spend hours watching the storm waves crashing to shore when I was home in Oregon. My favorite inn was in Depot Bay where the windows were large and you could see the entire bay front. For me, it was calming and peaceful. Yes, the waves approached with such energy but the waves would leap into the air with such grace and beauty. I have been told Naha is not so rocky as Oregon but there are some rocks for waves to crash upon.

Whatever weather there is, I am sure we will enjoy ourselves.

Two Weeks Until...

There are only two weeks until mid-term break. I am eagerly anticipating this time. Lt has promised he will be home and we will go to Okinawa for a week.It seems there are attractions there he wishes to show me and he says he has saved money for it. He speaks of staying on base where it is less expensive.

What Lt does not know is I have faithfully set aside our savings of moving from my first Japanese house to on-base. He has not looked at the bank and I have not seen fit to tell him. There will be enough for the week of sight seeing, lodging, and a rental car.

Please do not think ill of me for not having told Lt of the extra money. First, he is grown up and may see the accounts anytime he wishes. Second, he would scold me for not having spent it on myself or Chao lei. To be sure, Chao lei nor I lack for those necessary things. We are clothed well and we do not starve. It is only that I buy what is needed.

What is the reason for buying Chao lei more toys than he is able to play with? What is the reason for buying more clothes than I can wear? We are happy and healthy. Is it possible to need more than that? I think not.It is sensible then that I save the money for a special time.

So, it seems I must find a cat sitter. I hope to find one that will sit at my house so that Yuki is not in unfamiliar surroundings but I will do what I must. I must also tell my violin students of my coming absence and prepare exercises for them while I am away.

All that remains is for Chao lei and I to remain healthy for the next weeks and begin to organize what is needed for our trip. It is sure to be enjoyable.

Another day in paradise...

I tire of this snow. There is not supposed to be this much snow so close to the ocean. I do not care to go outside in it. Chao lei does not care to go outside in it. That is unfortunate for both of us since I must go to the University and he must go to the daycare center. Is it too early to begin longing for summer?

Lt remains underway. It is strange to think to oneself that their husband is "out there" somewhere and will be for an unknown length of time. I suppose it could be worse. I do know a woman who cannot be sure her husband will return from work each day because he is prone to "unannounced departures" and has no means of communicating with him when he is gone. At the least I know when Lt will depart and am able to communicate with him occasionally.

Chao lei has taken to having serious conversation with me. He babbles for lengthy periods then looks to me for a reply. If I seem to be inattentive he is sure to get my attention. At other time, he simply asks "Shénme?" In English it means "What's that?" (I have warned Lt if he is not here his son may learn Chinese first) When he asks of something, usually he points to it. But my concern is that other times he attempts to touch or grasp it. I have certainly learned that in the commissary the cart must stay in the center of the aisle or Chao lei will grasp enough to fill my cart. He has already pulled an entire display to the floor. One might believe keeping him in my baby back-pack when shopping would eliminate this. One would be wrong. Only a moment of inattention an he will have his hand to something. That display I spoke of? He got it when in the back-pack. I have determined it is safer for me to keep him in sight at all times.

Chao lei is also daring. It seems he has not learned fear yet. To see him dive head first from the seat

to the floor is terrifying to me. Nothing I do dissuades him from doing it. He has eve taken to climbing from his bed. At the beginning, when he was ready to rise he would fuss to let me know. Now he simply climbs out ad comes to find me. It is unnerving to know he has developed this skill. While Lt is gone I prepare his sleeping area inn my bed. It is much closer to the floor and at the least I am able to isolate him to my room so he does not wander about the house.

What I know is this, if he is silent, he is up to something and if we are shopping he is securely fastened in the cart and the cart is in the center of the aisle. I would rather hear him fuss for not being allowed to stand than face the humiliation of another store display pulled to the floor.

Valentine's Day

I usually enjoy the day very much. This year I believe I will not. This year Lt is away.

So, what will I do with my day? I have no classes for that day so I will be able to do as I wish. I will have Chao lei obviously. I had hoped to discover what a couple does when there is a child. That must wait for another year.

In the morning of the day I will open Lt's gift for me that he had seen to before he left. I promised him I would wait though it has not been easy. I came near to opening it on several occasions; usually when I was thinking of him. I resisted the strong urges... so far. I must also remember that gift box is not necessarily the size of the gift. He finds humor in deceptive sized boxes. I received a bracelet in a box that would fit a large book in a box that would fit my computer in a box that would fit... you get the idea of it. It is enough to say the outside box would fit my clothes washer. I fear Chao lei will be required to become accustomed to this strange tendency.

For the remainder of the day I do not know what it is Chao lei and I will do. It is supposed to snow through Saturday so playing at the park is not an option. I tried to play with him in the snow already. He enjoys looking to it but has no desire to be in it. He attempts to climb my leg if I put him down. It may be we remain home and play together. We could play his favorite game of leading me about the house, pointing at something and asking "What that?" Or we could chat with each other. He is very expressive with his hands as we "talk."

Perhaps later I will treat us to a visit to Sbarro's. Perhaps not. We have dined out often so that he may begin to believe his mother cannot cook. We can go to A&W for a float. Yes, that is better. Chao lei loves root beer (credit for that is to his father).

I suppose we will see what the whole day will hold. Of course, the day I truly worry of is Chao lei's first birthday. It is sad enough Lt was not present for his birth. He has missed enough firsts. It is my hope he does not miss this one.

Intelligent Students? Sometime, I Think Not.

I am afraid my weeks and week ends are non-events. There is nothing that happens that is really of importance but I have determined to write of something and to write more often. It is only a question of what I will write.

Something I continue to attempt to solve is why otherwise intelligent students insist on being... well... unintelligent. For examples:

• Email etiquette. There’s a student who is now in her third and final year here. Her email address is nearly identical to mine so for the past year, I have been getting her emails. MANY of her emails. I have notified her to tell her friends and family to change the address in their address books. I have emailed the people who sent me things in error to tell them that I am not the person they are seeking. I have been doing this for a year. Do you think they could stop sending emails to me? Of course not. I have given up…now I just delete them.
•  Following instructions. There is a printer and photocopier for the students to use. There are clear instructions for replacing the toner cartridges for both machines. There are simple step-by-step instructions taped on the wall above the printer. The copier’s instructions are built in: there is a diagram that appears on a screen showing you exactly how to replace them. For some reason, if the second the toner is low and their copies do not appear crisp (which is required to submit papers), I get asked for help. Why? Is it beneath them to do it themselves? Are the instructions in Japanese/English/Chinese too difficult to comprehend? Do they feel entitled to pampering? 
•  Japan, in general, is a country that prides itself on manners. But it is not so for all things, apparently. I learned to form single file lines – one behind another – when waiting in queues or when walking along corridors. Students here cannot seem can’t grasp this concept. Instead, I will be walk down a stairwell, corridor, or narrow outdoor path (as a result of on-campus construction) and the students will stop in the narrowest portion to chat with their fellow students. All the while, people using the WALKway must constantly say “excuse me” to pass. What I do not understand is, the students will move only a step to let the person pass, then they go back to their original position. One would believe they would realize “This is a narrow place for 4 friends to chat. Perhaps we should walk 5 feet over to that big open space?

Is it only me? Am I the only person who struggles to not throw rocks at these people? I realize I am not here only to learn, but to teach as well. I did not believe I would be required to teach them such things that should have been learned in elementary school.

How long?

How long have I stared at this blank screen with no idea what to write that may be of interest? I have done
nothing out of the ordinary. I went shopping today.  Perhaps I can give you a glimpse into what I grew up with. To some it may sound familiar. To others it may sound, well, different. It may sound "Andrew Zimmern" different.

Spicy Beef Tendons

I grew up eating foods such as spicy cumin beef tendons and hearts and lamb face salad. Eve then, those were reserved for special days. The number of people I know now that have eaten duck tongue or chicken feet soup are few. Pigeons on a stick anyone? I can thankfully say my mother was never one to cook dog or cat but they are a common meat in China.

I do know that many people think they thoroughly enjoy Chinese food. Most of them have never truly had it. Except for very rare times, they have eaten Chinese cooking that has been westernized. For instance, I have seen lambs face salad on menus in Chinese restaurants but a short interrogation of the staff reveals there is no lamb's head in use; only lamb meat. It is a change that anyone who has eaten true lamb's head salad would quickly discover since the flavor is different.

Lamb's Head Salad

Before you dismiss this dish, Look at it. Does it not look delicious? If I did not tell you from where the lamb the meat came, you would not be able to tell me a difference of any other lamb you have eaten except it would taste different.

Imagine my arrival in the U.S. and no familiar food booths to find a proper meal or even snack! Hunger drove me to try new things. I had no experience with "General Tso's Chicken" even though it was described as Chinese. I assure you it is not but, and depending on where you get it, can be quite tasty. Another that disappointed was egg rolls. Is it me or when one buys an egg roll they expect an egg to be in it is some fashion? To be honest I got them because I thought they were burritos. Imagine my surprise at finding no delicious meat filling.

So what do Chinese people really eat? A lot of vegetables, a sprinkle of meat, maybe some fruit. It is not fancy but it is what people would call comfort food. Unfortunately for me, I do not eat it often. The commissary is not the best place to find ingredients. I can, as Lt. says it, "fake it" most times.

I will say I believe in Andrew Zimmern's saying "If it looks good, eat it!" How will you know it is not something you would enjoy if you allow your own cultural preferences prevent you from exploring?

Time to write again

I will admit it. I have allowed this blog to suffer terribly of neglect. Very few even read it any longer. I have determined to change this and write more frequently. It is, after all, good for me also.

I have used the excuse of school. It is a poor one. Perhaps at the beginning it could be justified. There was a routine to be established and there were syllabi and rubrics to write. They are established and written now so there is no longer an excuse.

I believe there is some discouragement with writing also. I have envied those women who write that develop their themes for writing. I have participated in "Walk-about Wednesday", "Fill In The Blank Friday", and others. I regularly read "Wordless Wednesday" over at Jen's The Adventures Of Our Army Life. I have been unable to develop my own idea that does not feel as if I am copying someone else's idea. Perhaps I am overly-sensitive to plagiarism because of school.

I will develop something. In the mean time you will have to hear of Chao lei and Lt.

My Year Past

Here we are in a new year that has nothing written in it. I wonder of what it will be. The future can be an exciting prospect but what would it be without the past to compare it to?

It has been a year of adjustments for me. At the beginning of the year I was still adjusting to relocating to Japan and to the Navy. This, to me at the least, is not such an easy task. Changing from a person who makes her own decisions based on what benefits her to one who must now consider another and how my decisions could adversely affect them. I was not so good at it in the beginning. I believe I have improved.

It is also not very easy adjusting to the Navy deciding when I will see Lt and for how long. I understand this is all necessary since there is a mission to accomplish and his presence is required. Without these who voluntarily forfeit a portion of their lives there would be no Navy and there would be no balance to those who wish to dominate other nations. My intellect understands and accepts this reality.

My heart, on the other hand, does not. I wish for Lt to be with me every day. I wish for him to leave for his work and return at the same time each day. I wish to be with him at every holiday and every event. I love falling asleep in his arms and I love waking with him next to me. I love talking about unimportant things with him and I love sitting in silence with him.

My intellect is becoming better able to convince my heart of the necessity of how we must live. I tell myself it only makes our time together better. Without his leaving, there would be no homecomings. Anyone who has been to a homecoming knows how special they are. I am becoming better at telling myself it is ok.

A major change came on February 21st when our son, Chao lei, was born. Unfortunately, Lt was not present. And when he did return, I was nearly ignored. I do not blame Lt for it though since I had been with Little One since his birth and Lt had not.

Since then, I have been thrilled as Chao lei reached milestones in his growth and frightened by his bumps and bruises caused by exploring and learning. I have also sat terrified by his bed when he had a cold thinking his breathing would stop.

It is surprising that our minimum tour here in Japan is half gone. I find myself beginning to wonder if we will remain in this place or if Lt be moved elsewhere. If we were to change I would hope for a return to the US. Where in the US is not important. Japan has been a beautiful place to live but I have grown up in Asia. I want to experience more of my new country.

I have been learning, researching, and teaching. Learning and researching has been the easiest for me. Teach has been difficult. It is not giving of information that is difficult. It is interacting with students. Sometimes it is easy to forget what is simple for me may not be for them since they are only beginning to learn. I am pursuing a doctorate while they are pursuing their associate or bachelor degrees. I have experience working in my field of study while they have experience only in studying the field. I believe I am becoming a better teacher but there are still those moments of impatience I still require more work to eliminate.

This past year has been a busy one. You need only see the few posts to confirm my time has been limited. I hope to do better in this new year.