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!!

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?

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...

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.

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.

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.

So Far, So Good

First day we met, at a friend's wedding reception.
"Are you married? Do you have a boyfriend? Can I ask you out for a drink sometime?"

On suggestions for our first date.
"I had some ideas. How about hitting up a couple of funky bars in Naka Meguro? Or a nice dinner in Aoyama--your choice!"

When he didn't pick up my call, he texted:
"Bit jammed today as we're shortstaffed. Phone date tonight?"

Every morning between 7:30 and 8am while he's on his way to work, and usually I'm already at the office.
"Have a good day gorgeous."

After I told him I was nervous about meeting his friends and therefore I might be acting funny at dinner:
"What do you mean, you're acting funny all the time!"

followed by:
"And of course, I will make sure you're comfortable... I kinda like ya!"

After we met up with my friends one night; and also on another occasion, before going out to a party with a group of colleagues and friends.
"I love watching you with your friends. The way you laugh around them."

The other day when I asked him what he would have done if I was indeed married, or had a boyfriend, the first time we met.
"I probably would have asked you out anyway."

Men! I'm falling in love with one.

Picture Perfect

The 26-year old is a funny one. He is a regular at banker hangouts, but at the same time he doesn't like crowds and so when he can, he goes on day trips to 'get away'. Last Sunday we went into a small bakery near Enoshima where we discovered the World's Best Muffins (apricot-rasberry-cream cheese for me. Holy Jesus.) As I got in line to get some omiyage (apricot/raspberry/cream cheese for the pod as well), he asked if he could take a llittle walk around the corner while I checked out. We were at a small, mom n pop bakery, down an almost nonexistant alley, all of which was off a minor station on the Eno-Den line. And apparently the excitement rivaled that of Disneyland.

Later on, after dinner with him and a friend at his house, I was taking my time putting on my shoes etc before going home when he turned to me and said "are you STILL here?" I'll let you decide if you think he was kidding or not...

Told ya, he's a funny one!

Lady Gaga

I'm going gaga over this boy... And lovin' it.

PS he doesn't know I'm feeling this way of course. I may be gaga but
I'm still a lady about it!

2009

Things I am grateful for this year.

Nina
Sister.

Boys
Love never dies. Coppola was talking about Chu Chu and Poppo.

Facebook
WTF is this. It's free?! And all people I care about ever are on it?! Duuuude.

Ministry
Chances. Paychecks. Schedule. Camaraderie.

26 year old boys
That ask me if I'm married? Can I take you out for a drink sometime? Cuz it's flattering.

GNO
Always and forever. Worth it on so many levels.

My House
Home.

There are many more, but for now.

Happy New Year.
xoxo