Wicked by Gregory Maguire

I would like to begin this post by letting you know that I also finished Love As A Foreign Language Vol. 3, but I have decided to stop reporting on the series. Suffice it to say, I really love the series and it really hits home with me. Thanks, DC for bringing it into my life.

Now, as for Wicked - I finally read the whole thing!!! If people think Baum's OZ book was political, wait until you read Maguire's take on the fateful country! He is an incredibly intricate writer with a strong voice and intense characters. I will say that for those of you who have seen the musical, they are hardly similar. In my opinion, the musical is very pointed and cohesive, the book is more realistic - as realistic as a magical land with witches and dragons can be. He speaks in a very real tone of political turmoil and misguided leaders turned dictators.

The story is of the life of Elphaba, the future Wicked Witch of the West. Maguire delves into the reason as to why she is green-skinned, but also her aversion to water, and her aptitude toward "evil." I found it quite interesting actually that Maguire explores the definition of the word evil and the role it plays in society - this bit of the novel can be extrapolated and set against modern society and the behavior of those considered "good" versus those considered "evil." One opinion of the debate I found extremely thought-provoking was the statement, "Evil is an act, not an appetite." It goes on to discuss how evil can only be seen, and that our private thoughts or appetites, no matter how dark, cannot be considered evil because no one knows to judge them. It is only when an appetite is acted upon that evil exists because of the real consequences of physical action. What do you think?

"What is the difference between science and sorcery?"
My thought is that what is considered sorcery (or magic) tends to become science. Instances of nature that at one time were inexplicable, were considered of the Gods or magic. Eventually all of those mystic events were to be explained by science. Without detailed examination of sorcery, science would cease to exist.

"It is not for a girl, or a student, or a citizen to assess what is wrong. This is the job of leaders, and why we exist."
This statement is rather nerve racking and I fear speaks of the tyranny of big government. In my opinion, it should always be for the common person to contemplate and have an opinion on how he is governed. When the population grows to significant numbers, it is unrealistic for each person to have a clear vote on every national issue. However, I think sometimes governments are elected to office and then have quite a lot of free reign until the next public vote - which is never soon enough to stop the mess from being made.

I think this book is really phenomenal and is worth reading. It took me a while to get through because of the intricate language and so many created words. I surely recommend it though.

Love as a Foreign Language - Vol. 2 by J. Torres and Eric Kim

I just finished the second installment of this comic series and I am really enjoying it. The character is struggling with his desire to be back home and his new found energy and motivation to stay in Korea and keep teaching English. The job is frustrating, but he wonders if that is reason enough to leave his new life and go back to the old one. I really like the mirror effect this series has for me. In the dialogue I can see my own situation somewhat and it helps to have that reflected back. There was an unexpected twist at the end of this book, and now I am on the edge of my seat for the third!

Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates

Many of you may recognize this title as being a recent movie. Well it is pretty recent in Japan - I actually don't know when it was out at home. I saw this movie with Lauren over Valentine's Day weekend and albeit depressing, the movie is very well done. And the movie is alarmingly, wonderfully, very close to the book in it's portrayal - much of the dialogue for the film is actually taken directly from the pages of the novel. As with any 460 page book, it is hard to turn that into a two hour film and not leave out some details. They did a great job with hitting all the major points and showing the deep insecurities of the couple and the destructive relationship they had created, but I wanted to know WHY?!?! So that afternoon, Lauren and I went to a book store and I picked up the book. The book definitely tells you why.

I found that it was very well written and easy to fly through the pages. The story flowed nicely and gave so much background information on Frank and April Wheeler that just doesn't fit into a movie. Their neuroses and poor communication come from an extraordinarily dysfunctional childhood for April. Frank's childhood was much more conventional, except that his parents never planned to have him and he knew it from the start. Frank always felt like he was playing catch up and never quite became an adult in the eyes of his parents, which stunted his self-esteem and caused him to become a pathological liar and story teller.

The book is just as depressing, if not more so than the film, but such a dark look into the dysfunctionality of relationships that I was hooked. Anything that delves into the question of human nature and how we communicate with one another is fascinating to me on a level I cannot quite articulate. I feel like the more I know about all the ways people go wrong, the better I can be at foraging close friendships and more honest relationships.

"Our ability to measure and apportion time affords an almost endless source of comfort." I have been chewing on this sentence for a while. It's all about control; and I really wish it wasn't.

Knit Two by Kate Jacobs

Yes, another book report. My life should pick up and be more exciting next week.

This book is a sequel to one I read early during my stay here in Japan. I am delighted to report that I am very happy with the direction the story moved in this book. Of course there is a somewhat troubled, but happy ending none the less.

Knit Two is set five years after Friday Night Knitting Club. Since that time these women have grown, but have not yet learned how to deal with their sadness and loss. I especially like the character of Dakota because I can identify a bit with her. She is a young girl, still in college but going through some rough debates with herself and with her father about her life's plan. Dakota is trying to really figure out where she fits between gutsy adventurer and stable working woman. I can commiserate with this struggle a bit. I think by the end she, with the help of everyone around her, has come up with a solid plan for incorporating dreams and reality.

Reading this kind of book makes me hope to find this kind of friendship and female companions some day. It is such a story of truth and friendship that I can understand, but have never experienced the way it is portrayed in this book.

EPL - Indonesia

By far, my favorite part of the book (Lauren's too!) and perfect for getting me out of my weekend funk. The life that Elizabeth Gilbert has chosen to live and her year-long journey described in this book is unbelievable. I admire her gumption and will power, but I would never choose such a life for myself. I think Indonesia is a beautiful culmination of her hardship and struggles the rest of the year and her ability to commit herself so deeply to God. I am inspired by her spiritual journey and her power to love - herself.

I think more often than not we don't regard ourselves at all. Most of us are not self-loathing, but I would bet that most of us are not self-loving either. I want to be self-loving because at that point it is so much easier to love others and to focus your attention on thinking of someone else first. Good book. Read it. India is tough to get through.

EPL - India

I gave this book to my dear friend Amy for her birthday in December. I had heard wonderful things about the book and thought that it was just the type of story to help any woman with a bit of introspection and self-assessment. Well, for my birthday, my lovely friend Amy returned the favor and sent me this book. How intuitive she is to know that I needed to read this and really evaluate the way it made me feel. Her one caveat upon giving it to me was, "India was tough to get through." Amy, I couldn't agree more.

So, here I find myself in India and all I can think about Elizabeth Gilbert is how intensely whiny she is and how I cannot stand to hear her obsess any more about the same thing over and over. And then I get hit with a stick and the stark realization that obsession and over thinking is my most loathed and loyal companion.

"the problem is the emotional attachment that goes along with the thinking."
Story of my life. I attach an emotional value to every aspect of my life. Emotional capital is something I have in abundance and I would share, but frankly I don't think the people around me want that kind of gift. I dwell on things and just the thoughts are not so dangerous - however my unnatural attachment to my emotions is what causes me to sometimes spin into a dark and sad place for absolutely no reason. Because I think with my heart, my heart assumes everyone else does as well. This is a problem because the things I most often obsess over are issues that don't actually matter to anyone else nearly as much as they matter to me and I NEED to realize that. I never let myself off the hook - I need to work on that.

"You gotta stop wearing your wishbone where your backbone oughtta be."
Self explanatory? Yes.

"In your service to your nephew, you are serving God."
This is a sentiment I have believed deeply since I was in high school. When I was younger, I found myself always in a big fight with religion and God. I had a hard time with the concept of a vengeful God and fire and brimstone. I was convinced that the only support and love I needed in this life was the incredibly deep and unconditional love my family had for me and I for them. They are the only thing I need to get through this life - and love is so much more powerful than fear. Since I began college, I have recanted a bit and I have a new respect for my religious upbringing - especially the Priest in my Parish that has never made me feel like an awful sinner. I still have much disdain for the idea that God should be feared, and I think God might too. I know now that by counting on the love and support of my family and giving all my love and support to my family I am depending upon and living through God. "God dwells within you as you yourself, exactly the way you are." What a beautiful and incredibly easy to believe thought.

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert - Italy

Okay, so I have joined the masses of women who have read this book and now I wish to comment. As I zoomed through the pages, I made many notes and underlined words I found to be significant. There is far too much emotion and thought in this book to put it all into one blog post. I have decided to split it as the author did into three sections and give my commentary. Not quite a normal book review seeing how thought provoking this book was.

"as Lily Tomlin once said - 'things were going to get a whole lot worse before they got worse.'"
I have huge admiration for Lily Tomlin and her immense talent. And that talent, I sincerely believe, comes from a place of such sound observation of life and human interaction with the world around us. What I think many of us fail to remember sometimes is that just because things are bad doesn't mean there is a light quickly around the corner. Wallowing is good for no one, but blind optimism for an end that is not so near will eventually kill that optimism. Optimism should be used wisely so as to preserve it and keep it for our whole lives. We need to be open to the fact that realism is not pessimism in a pretty dress and that sometimes optimism needs a break to be a little depressed sometimes.

Something not for my own comment, but for you to ponder as I have. "'To find the balance you want, 'Ketut spoke through his translator, 'this is what you must become. You must keep your feet grounded so firmly on the earth that it's like you have four legs, instead of two. That way, you can stay in the world. But you must stop looking at the world through your head. You must look through your heart, instead. That way, you will know God.'"

"not to get too attached to any obsolete ideas about who I am."
This is something I struggle with from time to time. As a young person, I am changing even more than I can realize right now while I am living in the thick of it. I find though, that when I do notice something different about myself I tend to latch onto that new aspect of my personality and grip as tightly as I can. I take on this one aspect as my whole personality and before I know it, I have changed again and all I am gripping is air where my personality fad used to be. I am trying to teach myself - as I have been ever since I watched our home videos for the first time - to be less controlling. And to a large extent I have succeeded in this endeavor when it comes to others or group situations that I cannot possibly control. However, I still have some major control issues with myself and what I deem to be my world. I am trying to learn that not even I want to be controlled by me. This is a work in progress.

griefquake - a staggering amount of emotions colliding along a fault line causing mass emotional casualties and potential physical injuries to anyone standing too close to the epicenter of the disaster.

Love as a Foreign Language - Vol. 1 by J. Torres and Eric Kim

My first ever comic book. I found it to be really entertaining for the ten minutes it took me to read this first volume. My dear friend DC sent this to me because it reminded him of me and boy did he ever hit the nail on the head! I am excited to read more in this series when I get back home and can pick some up.

Essentially this comic is set in Korea with a guy from Canada who lives there to teach English. This first installment is about his struggles with life in Korea, even after ten months and how much he cannot stand being there any more. Everyone around him seems to be in a perpetual "honeymoon" phase and he cannot get out of this grand master funk. Please laugh at that. Please.

His students are complacent, he is a crappy teacher to boot and he doesn't the like Korean food. I find this such an interesting read because the impression they give of the Korean people is my impression of the Japanese. However, I don't have so much disdain for my life here that this character does. I enjoy my life here a huge amount, so even though I am not recontacting, I am not rushing to break my contract and go home early either. I want to read more of, "Love as a Foreign Language."

Maskerade by Terry Pratchett

Another one to add to the fantasy collection. Quite a nice book and really appeals to my theatrical side. I don't know much about Pratchett because this is the first of his books I have read, but he has a quippy writing style that makes the reader think they are in on a huge inside joke. It always feels great to be in the in-crowd.

This book is about murders in an opera house, but it really mocks the whole idea of theatre in general and the supreme diva-ness of performers. I found it to be a perfect example of the concept of, "it's funny because it's true!" In one section of the book he outlines some of the silly superstitions of theatre. He even goes so far as to explain some of them. Silly things that cause bad luck in theatre...giving live flowers, real jewelry worn on stage, real mirrors on stage, whistling, peaking through the curtains at the audience, using a brand new pallet of cake make-up on opening night, knitting on stage, and stopping a performance prematurely. All of these are unlucky for good reason, but rarely do people actually know the reasons. For example whistling in the theatre is bad luck because before headsets, grips and stage hands used to use whistling cues to know when to raise and lower drops and different fly-ins as well as change whole scenes. If you whistle, you might just find a heavy drop bar on your head!

"I don't feel down. I felt fine until you told me I was down,"
I think this speaks to quite a phenomenon of the human psyche. People are very susceptible to the opinions of those around them. When one person projects they create a self-fulfilling prophecy because the person being projected upon is going to wear whatever emotion is being thrown at them and not know what hit them.

Just a quick example of how funny Pratchett can be and how well-informed he is about his subject matter.... The Ghost in the story is writing new, modern "operas" and has titled them the following - Guys and Trolls, Hubwards Side Story, and (my personal favorite) Miserable Les. I really get a kick out of witty and topical humor!

Quite a nice read, and definitely caters to the artist in me. Yes, I probably can be a bit of a Diva, just like everyone else. ;)

Deluxe: How Luxury Lost its Luster by Dana Thomas

I took a dive into non-fiction with this incredibly informative and witty book. If you don't buy into the whole luxury industry and their exorbitant pricing, this book will help to further justify your disdain for $2000+ handbags. If you happen to be into the whole luxury thing, this book will hopefully steer you in the direction of luxury companies that are worth your money as opposed to Louis Vuitton and the crap they try to sell you.

Thomas delves into a world of obscene wealth (consumers) and an industry born of true craftsmanship and elegance and mutated into greed and sweatshops. There are very few true luxury brands left that adhere to the principles of ultimate quality and integrity, such as Hermes. For me, this book was fascinating to discover how the industry is divided among conglomerates and which companies own certain brand names; my business nerd was in heaven.

Another fascinating point of the book was how societies of people buy-in to the image brand names provide - the shallowness of it all was astounding. There were many sections of the book dedicated solely to the Japanese and their buying habits. Often these brands will open stores in locations specifically targeted to the Japanese. For example, Hawaii has exploded with luxury shopping strips in the past 10 years due entirely to the high volume of Japanese tourism on the US islands. Japanese travel agencies have taken their cue and now offer travel primarily for shopping. There are weekend excursions to Hawaii from Japan that are two or three days long, have a shuttle from the airport in Hawaii to the luxury one-stop shopping, and back on the shuttle to catch your plane back home.

This book was a great lesson in marketing and the ability of something shiny to woo the masses and get them to dump all their money into a big vat of greed.

The Bro Code by Barney Stinson

I know what you're thinking, "Barney Stinson, he's not a real person. He's just an egotistical, womanizing character on TV." Well I've got news for you, you're perfectly correct. But this book is merely the mantra of womanizing men everywhere. Thanks to Michael, I got hooked on "How I Met Your Mother" and humor in this book is every bit as witty and ridiculous. Uber quick read - I read it in an hour on the train to Tokyo yesterday! And just good for a short chuckle; they even have some interactive puzzles you can do like logic puzzles and word search. However, there is some math involved, so you might want to bring a calculator. And FYI, I would make an excellent wingwoman - keep that in mind. ;)

South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami

This is a very special story to my heart, and I think the author houses some of my very deepest secrets in his soul. The beautifully complicated struggle of the character in the book both clarifies and clouds my thoughts in a profound way. I very much want to read more by this author because of his enticing prose with a depth to his story telling that is indicative of someone who has actively complicated his own life, yet would not change a thing just for the sake of simplicity.

In this story, we follow the character from his young life all the way through his adult married life. We encounter his very real struggles with certain personal morality and business ethics. The story shows the very real scenario of a person so morally conflicted, yet extremely ethically sound. This story speaks not only to the plight of this one man, but is also a commentary on Japanese social practices that many parts of the western world would find appalling. I feel special sympathy for this character, and am not ashamed to say so despite his behavior. In addition I have great respect and true admiration for his wife in the story. She is a woman with strength to be recognized and understood as nothing but maturity and true love.

I would suggest this book to anyone. With a story like this, it is easy to be judgmental, my challenge to you is to see the characters with an open heart and a mind that seeks to understand the reality and devastation of the heart versus the mind.

Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weisberger

And on the coat tails of a 150 page book that took me weeks, I read a 300 page book in 4 days. This was just a fun, mindless read. Three friends living in New York City make a pact to change their lives. Lauren Weisberger is the same woman who wrote The Devil Wears Prada. Essentially it is a flitty romantic comedy written to make you feel excited and sexy.

Every little girl wishes for friends as they are portrayed in this book - successful, rich, independent, living in the big city, honest, and with plenty of boyfriends and love to go around. This is one of the greatest reasons I read books, because I want to (just for a moment) lose myself in someone else's story of perfect romance and love or big city living and spending. A quick read, lots of fun, pretty witty if you just need to free your mind.

The Old Man and the Sea By Ernest Hemingway

As tiny as this book is, it definitely took me a while to get through. I was not so driven to read it as I have been with other books in the past. Hemingway has a way of writing that is so unimaginative. The whole story was supremely mundane and felt as though it was repeating itself over and over. If I had to guess however (since Hemingway is famous, and his work is award-winning) I would say he wrote this book in that fashion on purpose. My theory:

Perhaps he wanted his audience to understand and experience this struggle through the eye of the old man. The story kept repeating itself, because the man's mind was stuck repeating itself as well. The plight of this old man was to be lonely and even through a glimmer of hope be ultimately unsuccessful. By the end when the story has finished, your heart really extends to the old man and his life of bitter misfortune. However, you have to respect the character of the old man for continuing to have not only the will, but the optimism to continue fishing and living his life in utter poverty.

I would like to read more by Hemingway, hopefully with more exciting characters next time in the hope that my theory is correct and Hemingway writes through the eyes and plight of his characters rather than in a narrative sense.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Over the past week I have reread this classic book. I found a fun little website run by the University of Pennsylvania and they put transcripts of classic books online for some easy reading. As with watching movies over and over again, every time I read this book it speaks to me in a different way. That is the joy of reading; because our lives are constantly changing, the stories we read change with us because we need them to.

If you have never read this book, please, please, pick it up. It is an easy read and I think you will find some surprises along the way as well - especially if you have only ever seen the movie. The premise is the same and Dorothy is simply trying to find her way back home to Kansas and in order to do so, she must venture through the land of Oz, meeting new friends and facing new obstacles along the way.

The friends she makes are sincere and loyal companions. She encounters people who do not like her, she encounters people who expect great things of her and she must find within herself the will to complete her journey. The story tells that great goals have great paths to follow and actions have consequences. It speaks of perseverance and dedication to a goal. Failure is part of life, but in the end success is the finish line. It also assures us that while we are away people will miss us, but life must always go on because we all have responsibilities. It is a beautiful marriage of a story of an individual struggle, but the effort of many in order to achieve big goals. And in the end we all must realize that not only can we always go back home, but there is no place like home in all the world (both real and imaginary).

Lures by Sue Goyette

This book hit hard and fast and before I knew it, the story was over. The only problem is that I felt like it ended horribly with about a thousand questions and with none of the problems being resolved. She spends a ton of time at the beginning of the book giving insignificant details and concentrating on events that disappear later. For example, she gives the main character a part time job in the beginning and she has to start learning French, after the introduction of that job, it disappears and she never mentions the job or learning French again.

There were some exciting parts of the story, but right at the peak of the event, she leaves you hanging and then doesn't resolve the conflict later. Some parts are disturbing and some characters are infuriating and disgusting. There is a slight love story underlying the whole thing, but again you don't know what happens to the characters.

I did some research on the author, and found out she is a Canadian poet. I think this is where some of the continuity problems come in. Poems have subtext and vague meanings and never quite get to the point. This book began as a series of poems and my guess is she never figured out how to effectively change mediums. Interesting book, but if you read it be prepared to make up your own ending. Mine was happy - because I like happy in my life.

Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Thank you Serendipity for opening my eyes to this incredible book. It took me a while to finish, but I was sincerely hooked the whole time; it wasn't a struggle. It is a pure love story with a wonderful dose of reality built right in. Simply put, love is strained, love is unpredictable, and even when they are in love people seek affection and intimacy elsewhere.

It is the infuriating and invigorating story of a childhood love pulled apart and destroyed by preconceptions and the pursuit of social standing. The main characters merely exchange letters and admire one another from afar during their youth. As the girl is pushed to advance her social status by her father, she is forced to forgo her heart's true love. For over 50 years the main characters continue to live in the same city, and live completely separate lives. The woman goes on to marry into a higher social class and the man climbs the social ladder by way of hard work and business acumen.

The man is hopelessly in love with the main female character, but her rejection sends him into a tailspin of illicit sexual relationships in which he refuses to feel emotional love. He attempts throughout his whole life to seek solace through the warmth of a body next to him. Of course this cannot cure his love sick heart and his soul continues to belong to the female lead. Every accomplishment he has in his life is gained consciously in honor of his heart's true love. He plans his whole life for and around her in the hope and anticipation of the day she will become a widow.

This day finally happens, and they are true to their love from the days of ol'. They acknowledge the passage of time and the changes they have each endured and in spite of everything, their love and affection for one another is steadfast. I highly recommend this book to anyone. Yes, it is a love story, but not so sappy actually. There are some incredibly smart and perceptive commentaries on human nature and society. Wonderful book!

Learning to Bow by Bruce Feiler

This book is really a great read and a testament to the fact that reading can be enjoyable after college! To confess I have owned this book for years, but this is the first time I have actually been able to read all the way through it. My sister, Christina, has this way of giving gifts that is simply spectacular! She is the person who gave me my first Cranberries CD before they were popular - I loved them first; and she gave me Macy Gray before she was popular. Among other fun and insightful gifts, she gave me this book, Learning to Bow: Inside the Heart of Japan. Giving the subject matter, it clearly has helped me to be more understanding of Japanese culture in regards to academia. When I read this book, I feel as though I am having a conversation and I am able to ask questions and bounce ideas and he does a pretty great job of delving into some common frustrations, but also playing devil's advocate and shedding light upon the beauty in indirect speech and the undying commitment to the group above oneself.

Some excerpts I would like to comment upon:

"I didn't know cotton grows in Japan," I said.
"It doesn't," he said, "We don't have the right soil. Plus we don't have any slaves..." He paused as if to consider his next line. Then slowly a smile crept across his face. "All we have is our wives."

This is a piece from early in the book and I think it speaks directly to how the Japanese view Americans through an odd scope filled with misplaced reverie and disdain. I have experienced such instances when the Japanese are so proud to display a very tangible similarity between America and Japan. They want me to know that we are not so different, that they can adapt to my culture and appreciate the oddities of America. This of course is all for show and most Japanese, given the way of their society, do not appreciate American culture because they view it as individualistic and often lacking manners. This has caused me to think deeply about how societies form and how politesse is defined across cultural lines. For example, the Japanese view Americans (and most Western cultures for that matter) as rude and out-spoken. They believe they are lesser than the Japanese because we discuss private thoughts out loud, have little regard for the well-being of the group above our individual goals and the fact that we embrace differences and individuality and frown upon conformity. However, the Japanese can be seen as rude despite their togetherness attitude. For instance, when I am walking down the sidewalk, and the little lady, or the young kid, or the old man almost hit me with their bicycle because they have no concept of personal space and the fact that bicycles can inflict bodily harm. In a moving crowd, (like coming on or off the train) there is no thought of pushing and shoving and stepping on toes as acceptable, impatient methods of boarding the train. The Japanese do not hold doors for one another. They think we are rude for looking them in the eye when we speak or listen to them, we think they are rude for always avoiding eye contact. All of these things are just basic socially accepted behaviors that each culture has established and it is fair to call them wrong or rude. We are making that judgment based solely upon what we have learned - it is a bit like the religion debate - why does anyone have to be wrong - why can't we just be different and move on?

"Shinjinrui are people who cannot think for themselves," Komaba said. "I went to buy a coat the other day in Tokyo, and all I could find were leather jackets. Two years ago it was football jackets from America; then it was navy pea coats. This year it's leather. The people who buy these coats are shinjinrui."
"The problem," Komba said with a tone of authority, "is that with all the American movies and fashion clothes, students have forgotten what it means to be Japanese."

This is a classic Catch-22 the Japanese perpetuate all by themselves! Frankly the Japanese are not taught to think for themselves, they are taught to think for the commonwealth, the whole group. That group can be their homeroom class at school, their co-workers in a company, sometimes the family, but often the whole community makes decisions as one. So this passage is not complaining that the Japanese cannot think for themselves, it is rather lamenting that the effects of internationalization cause the Japanese to become more judgmental toward the outside world. The Japanese want all products to be Japanese, they want all people to look and dress and like Japanese culture and set aside the products and fashions from the Western world. As the Western world infiltrates, the Japanese recoil. They seem to go through this cycle every several years or so - "We need a policy of internationalization so Japan can grow and show the world our greatness" "Wait, this means that the Western world will come here, I thought it just meant that Japan exported our products to the world....oh no, this won't work at all!" This is perpetuated much by the government of Japan, but the cyclical nature of Japan's homogeneous society is performed by the Japanese all together. They are deathly afraid of losing what it means to be Japanese and the only way they can think to preserve what they have is to isolate themselves. Of course this mentality is much more prevalent in the more rural parts of Japan - but much of Japan is rural; less than 20 minutes outside of Tokyo is open countryside and a wildly different way of living than in the metropolis Tokyo. You'd think, "Oh, well Tokyo must be proof that the Japanese are changing and learning to accept difference." Wrong. It is a common occurrence that when a student or really any person migrates to Tokyo for college or work, they can never return home (metaphorically speaking). They are then considered Westernized and not true Japanese. They become loud and rude and are always kept on the outside circles of their home communities - ostracized by the ones who knew them best.

Living with the Japanese is a very fascinating and often rewarding experience. I have been able to learn very much about their culture and acceptable ways of communicating and simply living. As I said before, they are different, often frustrating, but not necessarily wrong. I am here to learn something new and accept change - that is my job, not theirs. Just as I wouldn't expect people from America to change their culture or life simply because they have a Japanese neighbor - I cannot expect to (nor do I want to) change the community in which I live. I merely want to live here for a short time, display my own personal culture of openness and acceptance with the desire to learn. I hope I am remembered fondly and as a friend when my time here is complete. But personally I want to see the differences I want to allow things to frustrate me or make me happy and really delve into what that means in contrast with where I am from and how I have been raised.

The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs

I just blasted through this book. I am a girl and this is a true girl book. It is all about love and friendship and mentoring, etc. And of course if it doesn't make you cry just a little then it's no good! I would suggest it if you want to feel part of a little club for a while. I am so happy to live in the era I do with such wonderful technology that the people I care about never seem too far away. But I will say that reading this book made me feel like I had my own little friends here at my apartment, talking me through my loneliness or my frustration with teaching.

It has been a really long time since I have been able to just lose myself in a book and feel involved in the story that is happening. I know a book is really good for me when I start dreaming about the characters in the book. And when I miss the characters during the day when I am at work and I just can't wait to get home and open the book back up, smell the pages, and share some emotion. I wouldn't call reading so much an escape from real life, as the ability to embrace real life and real emotions without having to tell your secrets out loud. So yes, I have secrets - don't ask, because I won't tell. ;)

Americana by Don DeLillo

I have just finished this book and I found it to be very enjoyable. It had a really great method of diving into the mind of the main character. From the first page to the last page, you never know what's going to happen next, however everything flows very well. Essentially the author attempts to highlight the stereotypes and hypocrisy in American culture through the perspective of a successful television network executive.

After I started reading I found some of the topics discussed to be surprisingly poignant to modern day social and political news. I checked out the copyright date and it is 1971; just goes to show the same concerns are ever present in society. DeLillo discusses Global Warming, China as a pending economic super power, and the fear that those supposed to be in charge are nearly incompetent.

I think the author really touched on some interesting social issues, but also had a talent for exploring issues of the human psyche and coping behaviors. I would suggest this book for anyone wanting a really heady somewhat philosophical read. A good piece if you want to think and reflect.