Interview

Check out the AWESOME new set for our interview series!

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature201012031615.html

Christmas!

Another year I am in Tokyo for the Holidays. Every December on the 26th, I regret staying in town... 

But this year might be different. We already have a tree in the living room, a wreath  on our door (they are both REAL! Over budget, but anyway...), friends inviting us for Christmas dinner with turkey and gravy, and beautiful illuminations around Tokyo like this one--my favorite so far, a magic carpet in the air at Akasaka Sakas! 

And last but not least, I have my family. And I'm starting my own , too (no kids, but you know what I mean.) Some is better than none, so thank goodness for that!

(Oh and I'm also doing a GNO for the first time in ... in probably the same time I've dated the boy! Oops. Can't wait for that too. xo)

Tokyo Markets

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature201011301600.html

Tokyo Markets

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature201011291600.html

I like this outfit in the closet, but I'm not sure I like it so much on me.

If wedding dress shopping is going to be like this, it is going to be a loooong process. >_<

Tokyo Markets

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature201011181605.html

Nikkei settles above 10,000 for the first time in nearly 5 months.

Ozenji

The mister and I took an impromptu trip to my hometown last month. We walked through Ozenji, a shrine about 5 minutes from our old house.
It was just the same as I remembered.

Tokyo Markets

Back at (regular) work!

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature201011151604.html

APEC

Learned a lot working on my first international conference at this year's APEC!

Hello

We got cleaned up!

Good Things

Good things come in gigantic packages wrapped in wired ribbon and stacked ten feet high!

This weekend we found a beautiful chapel (at his alma mater) and a boisterous Italian restaurant all in Tokyo. Ceremony, check. Venue, check.

And then we found wedding bands.

And then he got encouraging news from work.

And then I got encouraging news from work.

No New York for me this winter--something I was looking forward to--but I can keep myself happily busy with what's on my plate now.

Now we wait to hear from the venue and Priest!

Photo is of room service brunch in Singapore a while back, another good thing!

Address

Anyone have a change in address? Please send me an update because we're making real Christmas cards this year!
YESSSSSS!!!

Time Flies!

The Mister and I now in our third month of living at this adorable first home of ours! Still rental of course...

The boys are with us and as far as I can tell they are really enjoying this lifestyle--a 15 minute walk in the morning, a 30+ minute in the evening, two meals a day, and fresh water at all times. Poppo can even walk without a leash on more quiet streets!



My dear friend Elena came to visit from LA last month. It was amazing. We are the same after 7+ years. Like she said, the reunion could have been anywhere and it would have been just as great. Loved seeing the mister and she get along so well. (Pics to come...)

We still have no dates set for wedding or engagement parties but I think we'll have some loose plans relatively soon!

Tokyo Markets

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature45.html

Tokyo Markets

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature24.html

Tokyo Markets

A few reports from this week.
Changed hair cut/color.

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature13.html

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature03.html

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature91.html

Screwdriver Dog

Kowai!!

Analyst Interview, FED Quantitative Easing?

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature77.html

Nikkei 15 month low

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature59.html

Vacation!

Nothing says vacation likebright toepolish!

R & R

My trip begins!
Off to sun and fun in Thailand for a few days. Fiancé is at home
("somebody has to work," he says) and the boys as well. Sumimasen!!
Ittekimasu!!!

Dog Bar

A morning stop at our favorite dog bar!

Analyst Interview, 6 month outlook on Japanese Economy

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature19.html

Aaaah!

There he is!!

Home Alone?

Emcee'ing again

Same event from last time this year.
Was fun too this time.

Life of Pi

Aaaahh!!

Shinonome Skies

Gonna miss this.

Shinonome Hills

ひさしぶりに来たけどやっぱり大好き！

Home sweet home

Stairs

Still figuring out the stairs...

By the way, we've moved! Announcements are going out soon. Soon as in
next few months.

Gonna miss The Hillz though. Great shack for 4 years. Good ol' days...

Engaged!

Many of you know already, but here it goes: I'm engaged!! He's sweet,
smart, funny, generous, bicultural, handsome and 'with it.' Um, Yes,
please! Thank you for your well-wishes and congratulations--I've
received so many already and they mean so, so much. I wish we could
'drop by' more easily so I can introduce you to him--for those who
don't know, yes, it's The Boy ;)-- and vice versa, but alas most of
you reading this live in lands far, far away... Hopefully this new
nudges you to plan a trip out here for a visit?!

Thank you for letting me share this with you. June was a great, great
month--engagement, dream job (for The Boy) and even a dream house for
the Mr and (soon-to-be) Mrs! Engagement rocks!!

Tokyo Markets

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature40.html

Tokyo Markets

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature24.html

Metropolis

I was interviewed.

http://metropolis.co.jp/dining/table-talk/ai-uchida/

Sense

Brunch on the 34th floor.

Shoes!

Party!

Private

Private Bar in Aoyama.

I can almost hear the 'beach' outside, between the skyscrapers.

Love.

This.

Tokyo Markets

Looking at the cam for longer than 5 seconds!!
My short term goal.

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature11.html

Cloudy Skies

Future Vision

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature80.html

The Ministry's Science and Technology Labs

Researching the future, in good ol' Setagaya.

Tokyo Markets

Oops I said "pared back gains".
... But ya get my drift???

Gotta be careful.

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature49.html

Tokyko Markets

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature42.html

Golden Week

Phew! Golden Week was beautiful weather in Tokyo and I'm lucky I was
here to enjoy it. It was busy though, as I knew it would be, and I'm
glad I've come out of it rested--- and as a bonus, sun-kissed! What
was I doing? Most time-consuming getting taxes done--soooo
late, but earlier than *my* normal...Teehee!! Working while it's sunny
outside was surpringly motivational.

Two more sleeps til I'm off to a little vacay, first to see Mom and
then to look for business opportunities in a tall little Asian
country... Kudos to anyone who guesses correctly.

Photo is my new favorite tea house in Nihonbashi, Yamamotoyama. 350 yen!

初海

Beach debut!

Report: Plugging for Purses

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature36.html

Rugby Day!

Split eyelid
Cracked ribs
Popped ankle
Opened-wound chin

That was just his team.

On the opposing: a concussion, and a broken bone sticking out of a
leg. With screams and everything.

It snowed today.

HEH-LLO!

In your head, if you heard the above said a la Mike Myers in Wayne's
World, I love you.

This is what happens post-lent weeknight when one gives up alcohol for
lent.

(Was certainly not me. The giving up alcohol part that is!!)

What A Building

The Merril Lynch bldg.

Dawghouse

I am in the doghouse.

I even have my dogs by my side for emphasis.

How do you say "sorry" so that you are forgiven?

Shinonome Sakura

Things the Boy Says

After hearing he and his colleagues sent an aggressive complaint letter to a burritos restaurant upon a smaller-thank-usual lunch delivery, I said, sounds like a jerky thing to do over burritos. His response:

"Jerks, aka brokers, do things like that."

(Then I asked if he was proud of his profession, to which he replied, No.)

After I told him I was getting tired of working with Japanese people because they are weird and didn't make any sense.

"So they are exactly like you."

Am I making him sound like a jerk?? Maybe I'll post some sweet stories soon, to balance...

Career Rockstar

仕事しながらネイルの手入れ。
キャリアウーマンなんてつまんなーい。
どうせ目指すならキャリア・ロックスター☆

Filming

From the Dai-ichi Life report.

Festivities continue!

My GF Mercy treated me to a very special dinner at her own restaurant
last week!!

Bad!

Who thought this would work?
Time for a new event management company...

Debut on TSE

Dai-ichi Life goes public.

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature_business.html

Yoyogi Sakura

I just realized, looking at these Yoyogi sakura, I am finally not sad
anymore.

Tokyo Markets

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature45.html

Tokyko Markets

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature35.html

Chinese food at Cafe 8 Ebisu

And it's signature decor.

Chinzanso

A walk in the clouds.

Tokyko Markets

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature28.html

Birthday Week

Put your hands together so that your thumbs overlap--your thumbs are your actual birthday, and the other fingers the rest of the days in "birthday week."

Thursday was oysters and bubbles, yesterday sushi, today is rugby in Yokohama (beautiful day!) then dinner at one of my favorite
restaurants in Tokyo.

Tomorrow, is our "off" day and he is roasting a bird.

I can definitely get used to this! And I can't *wait* for all the other days to unfold.

Exhausted

I'm exhausted post-noon.

I can barely make myself do one task in the PM, if at all any.

Today I finally figured out bills, and made a separate online payment.

Mom I know we have a date to talk. I just don't think I can do it.

Why. The. Exhaustion.

Special Delivery

From you-know-who.

CALL

The boy and I got in a fight.
He is at fault.
12 hours later, he called a couple times, texted a couple times, then since 5pm, stopped.

No no no. You are supposed to apologize profusely.
Send over roses and trinkets.
DK said, he better build me a freaking Taj Mahal (sans dead-connotation).
At least he should be calling 5 times an hour.

This is the fight that will set the tone for the future (if we have one), and he isn't giving me enough.

Tokyo Markets

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature42.html

Tokyo Markets

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature35.html

Tokyo Markets

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature28.html

Tokyo Markets

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature17.html

BRAIN FREEEEEEEZE!!!!!!

Olympics

Passerbys watching on a giant tv, the figure skating battle between
Japan and Korea.

That's Dave to the right. His title is 'Vice President!' I love having
him and the Mrs back in Tokyo. Plus, we now work down the street from
each other. Dangerous!!

咲いた！

Tokyko Markets

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature29.html

Tokyo Markets

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature21.html

Tokyo Markets

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature14.html

Be Mine

I made these for my work people. I had a few left over so I brought them over to the 26-year old's. He said "You made these?? Nooo... You MADE these??" I lapped up every second of glory of course.

(FYI for him I made him a pretty good dinner, if I may say so myself, so I think it was OK that I did not originally make the tuxedo strawberries for him.) (I made vongole bianco w/ linguini, seared peppered tuna with basil, fresh mozzarella, and tomato, seared scallops wrapped in bacon, and roasted vegetables.) (Did I tell you he eats leftovers with a HUGE grin on his face??)

At 12:05, he said, "It's officially Valentine's Day, so I guess we can exchange cards now."

... Um, WHAT?! Did you just say exchange cards??

Oh, maaaannn...

It was a sweet card. It included keys to his apartment. That's funny because I'm never over at his place. Hi grandmom.

And FYI, I got him a card the next chance I could. I attempted to redeemed myself with mad word count. My card, however, did not include keys... except those to my heart!!

Hee hee no it included no keys whatsoever. Lucky for me, apparently he kinda likes me anyway.

Tokyo Markets

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature08.html

May Be Peace Be With Me (And You)

Earlier this month I received a Shinto blessing to ask that evil
spirits be kept away during this 'yakudoshi year (unlucky year)' for
me. It's said to be at 32 years of age for women. Yup, that's me!

A few days later Nina and I reenacted our own Setsubun 'oni ha soto,
fuku ha uchi! (devils out, fortune in!)' moves. I even bit into a
ginormous futomaki sushi roll whilst facing south-west, all part of
the 'moves.'

I ain't takin no chances this year.

Dinner

What in the hell am I going to make for dinner??

Tokyo Markets

http://www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/english/movie/feature82.html

Hi! Bye!

It's a small Tokyo moment: passed by and said hi n bye to a GNOer, who was going to meet another GNOer down the street. This is as I rush to meet *my* two lovely GNOers!! Gotta love this town...

M♥M

Early St Valentine's card from Mom, on my office windowsill.