Blasted Cold

And I don't mean the weather -- although irony of ironies, after constantly telling people how it is warmer in Vancouver than some of the places I have lived in Japan, this week they were decimated by a blizzard. And this following a week after a massive rainstorm that the city didn't quite recover from... And this is where I am going to spend Christmas?? Hmmmm...

I have been attempting to get over my cold for nearly 2 weeks now, and almost had it in the bag Monday. And if I had taken the day off Monday and spent one more day in bed, I have no doubt it would be a thing of the past. However I didn't and it isn't. And I am wishing I had some more of that yummy nabe right now. -C, I'll see if maybe I can't bring you some?

Helter Skelter

... but without the summer swelter. With the winter freeze doesn't sound nearly as good though.

Once again, back to being wanted as a mail came hither today informing me that a neighboring town next to where I used to live is interested in having me work there. It's always nice when people give you good press.

Multiple nabe parties in the here and then, as three weeks straight have been occupied by parties devoted to this ubiquitous and comfort-food style dish, the most recent being Sunday night just past. After a semi-disastrous bowling outing -- no, I didn't accidentally toss the ball backwards like I have done in the past, I merely sucked horrendously in the first game (57!?!) but made up for it a bit by the second (102, not great but whatever), only to walk away with a set of garbage bags and a 500 yen certificate for anything I want. A crew of volleyballers primarily, we managed to make more than our share of gutterballs, single pin knockdowns and the occasional spares and even more elusive strikes. Followed by a quality meal at Tomato Onion, paid for by Niimi Wellness (I truly don't understand how they can afford to do this, as the whole day only cost me 500 yen, and I got my bowling paid for, a 500 yen set of trash bags, a 500 yen certificate, and a free lunch out of the deal), we headed back to Niimi for a nabe party at Datte's that night. Originally intended as a night out drinking, they shifted gears and decided to do nabe and beer instead when I informed them I was short of funding. Seriously, it is great when people love you. Especially when they go into the grocery store, and knowing that you don't drink beer, buy several of your faourite "Cocktail Partner" -- can you have a favourite cocktail partner? -- as well as one of every other flavour on the shelf. I would put money on one of these guys having a crush on me.

Conversation devolved into playing and drawing at the party as we all started messing around with Datte's 1 year old daughter's toys. It also lead into discussions of blood type's, which as we all know is used and believed in more than horoscopes and star signs are at home. Being a B myself, apparently quasi-rare in Japan, seems to mean that I am prone to being lost in myself, or self-centred if you want to go with the negative spin on it. I'm not sure how accurate I would say that is, however I seemed to prove their point when every once in a while when conversation flowed too rapidly or came from too many directions, I stopped paying attention. I tried to explain that it can make a person tired, focussing and thinking in another language constantly, but I don't think they believed me. Way to help perpetuate a stereotype, Nico. Or I just don't want to cop to it.

If you are curious, I get the feeling Type B is considered the worst to have. According to the Wiki (bow down before the all-knowing and sometimes erroneous Wiki!!), I am:

Best Traits: Creative and passionate. Animal loving. Optimistic and flexible. Individualist.
Worst Traits: Forgetful, irresponsible, and self-centered.

I will definitely give them the forgetful... The other ones, who knows.

And if this has whetted your curiosity, here is what the Wiki says about you...

Type A
Best Traits: Conservative, introverted, reserved, patient, punctual, and perfectionist.
Worst Traits: Obsessive, stubborn, self conscious, and uptight.

Type AB
Best Traits: Cool, controlled, rational. Sociable and popular. Empathic.
Worst Traits: Aloof, critical, indecisive and unforgiving.

Type O
Best Traits: Ambitious, athletic, robust and self-confident. Natural leaders
Worst Traits: Arrogant, vain and insensitive. Ruthless

Nabe Party Extraordinaire

Yes, Friday night, I had a nabe party for 6 in my lovely little living room. Elly and Noriyuki made the trek from Tottori City, and Datte, Kishi and Kuma made up the local colour.

It all started 3 weeks ago at the takoyaki party when a consensus of drunkards decided that I should hostess the next party, and it would be nabe. I foolishly said yes, or some slurred version of yes, forgetting that despite the delicious simplicity of nabe, I don't really remember or know what it takes to make nabe. Recall my first ever nabe party in J-land...

Having invited over all the kids in my county, and a little farther down the train line, I purchased a wide assortment of veggies and meat, the required burner and pot and got sorted to have a party. Only to have Henley ask, where's the sauce or flavouring. With a blank stare, I asked, what on earth are you on about. Apparently it takes more than just plain water to successfully navigate the world of nabe.

And so, Friday afternoon I called Elly from the supermarket, saying that although I know nabe is a very random and easy meal, I am not entirely sure what I should be doing or buying or trying not to poison people with. And Elly, well, Elly nodded and smiled -- rather, did the verbal equivalent of it -- and hung up on me. I get that a lot, both in person and on the phone.

I managed to buy a variety of foods, which ended being too much in the end, but was certainly better than running short in the middle of the feast. And I got the beer right. The beer was no problem, but the wine did turn out to be one. Definitely unwise to play a drinking game with wine. But that's for later.

Guests arrived and assessed that I was in a weirder and giddier mood than normal, which lead to much laughter and an agreement amongst everyone that the craziness runs through the women in my family. Sorry mom, but Elly saw the canned ham and when I told her where it came from she cried from laughing so hard. Which lead to me having to explain it again later after everyone had arrived, and minor convulsions from Elly again.

Datte and Kishi were both partaking of the beerage, whilst Kuma chan stuck to tea -- which I have no doubt ended up working out in his favour come Saturday morning as he kept losing in the card games, while I was hungover as all get out from chugging wine. Second time I have done this, and have yet to achieve favourable results. The beer probably helped Kishi and Datte not go into shock when Elly got going. Invariably the conversation turned to sex, which is entertaining but shocking for a bunch of boys who have never met her before. Me, well I have had 5 years plus to adjust. And they have no idea how restrained Elly really was, which made it so much more entertaining for me. Conversation delved into love hotels, homosexuality, marriage, finding poor Kuma-chan a wife (I swear, everytime I have been out with Datte and Kishi the conversation has turned to poor Kuma-chan's inability to find a wife, regardless of whether or not he is there. You have to wonder what they are going to do for conversation should he ever marry.), and other reasonably tame, although still nonetheless shocking to the unindoctrinated.

Devolving into drinking games at Elly's suggestion, we taught everyone how to play shithead, and much like in August when Elly suggested it then, Elly proceeded to lose. And I, I once again won without having to take a single sip. However this was before we ventured on to daifugou, which is a lot like Big 2. Shit. Never again. And poor Kuma-chan who, in lieu of drinking, was made to perform a variety of songs, dances and stripteases, all the while wearing my leopard print cowboy hat. I have some very charming photos.

Fortunately the boys all took pity on me and went home around one, as there was no way I was going to last longer than that, or it could have been due to them all having to work Saturday morning at 8:30. Either way, definitely a good thing they left when they did as all that wine -- once again, I chugged nearly an entire bottle in the space of an hour -- hit very quickly after that. Fortunately nothing was going to dampen my mood; or at least not until I tried to get up Saturday morning and I deperately wished my head and I could experience a temporary separation...

I am still alive though, and with plenty of laughing memories and blurry photos of Friday to last to the next party.