Surprise!

I walked right into it. Saturday, the night before my birthday, I unsuspectingly and quite drunkenly walked into a new bar with three of my friends, totally unaware that a gaggle of gaijin (and gaijin-lovers) were waiting inside to wish me a happy birthday.

Saturday night began with a meal at an organic restaurant in Yamaguchi city. It was really good and I was happy to be able to eat an entire meal at a restaurant! They had this carrot tempura that looked like shrimp tempura. おいしい！

Then we battled the rain and drove back to Tokuyama. The driver was from Yamaguchi, so I figured she was making this dangerous, dark 1 hour trip because she really really needed to get out of the house. I could have took the train home (and she obviously wasnt drinking that night).

We get to the gaijin-bar, Ell's Ditch and I start in on my cranberry-vodka nomihodai (all you can drink). I'm blabbing my life story or something pointless like that when Ashley shows up (late!) at 12:30 and says we have to go to this other bar, because her boyfriend is there and she promised to meet him.

We get there and my friend's name is on the flyer as the DJ. Him not telling me he's DJing didnt set off any suspicions. Ashley pays my 1000円　cover, and Im still not suspicious. We go inside and see my coworker inside and I still think nothing of it. I open the door to the thump-thump-thump-techno room and see *someone* who ten minutes earlier said he was too tired to come out, and I still don't get it and brush past him a little pissed off.

When I look in the room and see nearly half the people Ive met since coming to Japan sitting around and not enjoying the thumping I start to kind of get it (remember, I was half in nomihodai at that point). Finally, when my friend came up to me and said, "You realize everyone's here for you?" I replied, "Yeah, I know. I get it."

So I was standing on a dance floor with everyone staring at me laughing. People start coming up and saying "Happy Birthday" and giving me gifts. And I want to die. I then demand someone bring me a cranberry-vodka.

The rest of the night was fun and blurry. I remember I may have danced (or jumped). And my feet hurt because I wore heels that day (and a dress, OMG).

Then I spent my real birthday, Sunday, hungover and mostly in my birthday suit. Later, I went to an Indian restaurant with a boy who has such a HUGE crush on me he doesnt even know it (or what "crush" means, or where my blog is).

And my mom got me a Nintendo DS and Lauren got me the New Super Mario Brothers and Im in World 8 and about to beat the game.

いいたい

I'm freaking out a little. Like a lot a little. Today I had my second trip to the dentist. My first visit was fine. It was all surprises, I didnt know what they were doing, but it was nothing too bad. They took some photos, x-rays, scraped around a little. Gave me a print out of all my teeth with cute little kanji next to some of them.

Today when I went the dentist tried to explain what was going to happen. It took five minutes for him to translate "tartar." He spent a lot of time explaining that the dental technician would be teaching me to brush, putting dye in my mouth, blah blah. Then he told me they'd fixing my three cavities. He drew pictures, I had no idea what he was talking about, but Im starting to put the pieces together.

The plump little technician did teach me to brush, dyed my teeth pink, and scraped all the bottom ones (I guess the top ones will be cleaned next week?). Then she took five minutes explaining that we'd be moving chairs.

I followed her.

Then the freak out began. Little drill bits sitting on a table beside my chair, waiting to go in my mouth. They sat me down and poked at a few teeth. She asked, "kore? kore?" She was asking which tooth to fill! I hesitantly agreed on one where I thought I must have a cavity, you know, a tooth in the back that's hard to brush thoroughly.

They injected me with one of those big ass needles, which was fine except, in America I used to get three needles for a filling. I would ask the dentist back home to keep shooting me up until I couldnt feel my fingers. Here, I didnt really know what to do. I felt like I should trust the dentist and I can't say to her, "Do you think that's enough or should you give me a bit more?" It would have to be a big gesture of me shouting, "DRUG MORE DRUG NEEDLE MORE MORE MORE" and pointing to my mouth while mimicking a needle. I didnt feel like going through the theatrics. So, I trusted the dentist and the single shot of Novocaine.

Fuck, it hurt. I could feel the drill digging around in my nerves. I kept stopping the dentist, sitting up at taking breaks, but she never shot me up again, just spread some more oral numbing crap on me.

I started crying a little. Imagine someone digging around in your mouth and you have absolutely no way to communicate with them. It was like a nightmare.

There's a chance I have a root canal next week. That's what I've deciphered from the memory of the drawing the dentist did for me. He explained they'll "cut" my tooth (and drew a picture of them chopping off the top) and then "reform" it with metal. I asked if I'd have a big ugly metal tooth, he said "no" just a dot. I'm confused. My tooth isnt in that bad of shape, it's not green or anything. But he pointed to a cloud in an x-ray and said that needed to be fixed.

I may die. Just a heads up.

TofuSquirrel Rides

Yamada Denki, electronics store. From's Liz's visit in April. I promise, they think this is an exercise machine, here.

Sway

There was a little earthquake today. Around 15:00. Made me nauseous.

Oh, Sweet Internet!

The question we're all wondering but were afraid to ask, am I depressed? Well, despite my total lack of understanding of what that means, I just found a test that promised answers. Thank God. And it was as close as the Yahoo! homepage. Obviously Yahoo! has been doing their job in collecting my personal data, because an ad for a test that promised instant results (but you know, no actual answers) was too tempting to resist.

Some of the questions included, "I was bothered by things that usually dont bother me." I answered a big, "Hell Yes!" I have the perfect example. This week two really cute Japanese guys came over my house. Normally, Id be extactic about that. But, this Saturday it really pissed me off. It was 11am, I hadnt showered, was wearing a pair of pajamas my mom gave me, and all they wanted to do was setup my internet!

I was actually shocked to find out that the Yahoo! test has decided that I am indeed, depressed! I mean, Ive been sitting around all day, curtains drawn, eating everything in sight, watching disc after disc of Sex and the City, avoiding housework, skipping Japanese class to take naps, and staring at my cell phone, while unknowingly suffering from this terrible disease! Did you know it strikes 99.75% of the population? The other .25% enjoy rock climbing.

And I even answered the question, "I feel that I am just as good as other people" with 5-7 days (this week). I'd have answered "actually, better than most people" but it was multiple choice. C'mon, me? Depressed?

Next test, Anxiety Problems, or Just Worried? Im dying to find out!

But seriously, who cares if we're all depressed? What are we expecting?

In other words. I have the internet now! Wooot!

hiniku ne?

Im really sad that neither my scanner nor my digital camera picked up the green and brown tones. Im also sad that Blogger isnt communicating with my domain, making uploading and publishing on my sketchblog impossible. Im especially sad because Ive left myself wide open lately, coming off as really desperate.

But Im happy because sadness helps me draw!

Things Ive Learned Since Coming to Japan (1-25)

My friend Ashley and I have decided to cumulate lists of things we've learned (that we never expected to) since coming to Japanamation. Here are the first 25.

25. The inside of a kitchen sink can/should be cleaned.
24. American TV dramas can be entertaining.
23. I can get naked in a bath with a dozen naked Asian women.
22. I like Mariah Carey songs... a lot.
21. How to make (really good) chili.
20. How to wear a skirt and heels and not feel ridiculous.
19. I'll never smoke again.
18. I'm adaptable.
17. Some say "coming," some say "going."
16. I will pay $6 for 12 grapes.
15. I can "do my business" squatting.
14. I dont need a car.
13. How to wake up at the exact moment you enter your train stop.
12. I can go three months without a job in a foreign country.
11. I can go on interviews and find a new job in a foreign country!
10. Anything can be communicated with gestures.
9. Something dirty I cant write here.
8. People live in Hiroshima.
7. What's in John's hatch.
6. How to make a White Russian.
5. I have amazing friends (cheesy, I know).
4. Tanuki!
3. I can go weeks without the internet.
2. I'll bike up steep hills daily, to get my shit done.
1. Japanese.

Work Work Work

Something I was asked to do for work, as a 'goodbye' to two of my best students. I have a gimmick. It must be exploited.

My Cinco de Mayo Party

We all learned something valuable.

So Much for Vision

Earlier tonight I squeezed what I thought were eye drops into my left eye. Although the package looked nearly identical to the contact rewetting drops I used in America, they were not. It felt like someone pushed a hot light bulb onto my eyeball. For three hours.

I think it was contact lens case cleaner or something.