A Day of New Stuff

A Day of New Stuff
Originally uploaded by nekocon.

I am dining lite at a new italian place while taking pictures on my me new phone!

Toys!

Toys!
Originally uploaded by nekocon.

They come attatched to bottled tea!

Toys!

Toys!
Originally uploaded by nekocon.

They come attatched to bottled tea!

Tigers Game!!

Tigers Game!!
Originally uploaded by nekocon.

Live from the Osaka Dome, via the vista room!

New Ring!!!

New Ring!!!
Originally uploaded by nekocon.

Today I made bead rings with people from my english class. Tonight we have a party!

Ta-Da!!!

Ta-Da!!!
Originally uploaded by nekocon.

Students going to Australia.

Another Student

Another Student
Originally uploaded by nekocon.

My Students

My Students
Originally uploaded by nekocon.

Gym Time in Habikino City

One of the best parts of my day is going to the gym. I really like the feeling after working out, plus it's getting me in shape for judo. But in addition to that the gym is like my own little forigner social club. I have met a bunch of other statesiders, canadians, englanders, and a couple of cool guys from italy. It's good to be able to get a little bit of native conversation once and a while. Plus, the guys are hot. Even the Japanese ones are buff (and that's something impressive).

Many of the people from my English classes also go there. I've become good friends with one of my adult students. She's really fashionable even though she's older and I feel like I understand her a lot better than some of the people i've met here. We are going to hang out this month with some of our other convo class peeps and make beaded rings. My friend is a beading expert (and she makes great taco yaki!!). I'm going to make some right hand bling.

There are lots of cool random people at the gym, too. One of my favorites is the genki older guy who always wears a neon orange shirt and black basketball shorts. The real kicker is that his shirt says "run around naked" in small black letters. It cracks me up everytime I see it. Then there is the guy-in-blue-shirt who helps me out with my weights. He knows about the machines and corrects me when he sees something going wrong. I appreciate it because I've gotten stronger since I've followed his advice. Then, naturally, there are the extremely muscular (albeit short) cardio-martial arts instructors. They also do the cardio-weight lifting class ... I think they've finally noticed me watching classes...

One of the best parts of going to the gym is all the pampering that goes on with it. They have all kinds of soaps, shampoos, and makeup removers-and being a big fan of the product I really enjoy using those. They have massage chairs that you can use after a workout that are located inside the changing rooms. They also have the old fashioned belt-massagers outside. They are both useful when I throw my back out in Judo. But I think my favorite aspect of the pampering is the sento.

I don't know if what we have at the gym is strictly a sento. The sento is a public bath-the kind you go to if you want to take one of those long, hot Japanese style baths but are too cheap (or thrifty, as I prefer) to pay the water bill that will inevitably go with it. Usually there is a shower facility and then a variety of hot and cold baths and likely a sauna. At my gym we have the shower places and we have a hot bath and a cold bath. The hot bath is twice as big as the cold bath, but only half as deep. The cold bath is best after a steam in the sauna. Submerse yourself in the cold water and, according to my naked-bathing-at-the-gym friends, you will get slimmer. You have to do it for a week, but still...

I've always liked the water, so I am a regular user of the hot bath. But recently I've started to do the sauna/cold bath combo that I see all the Japanese ladies do. For those of us of the pale, thin skinned persuasion I think the temperature changes are doubly shocking. However, once you get used to it you really start to enjoy it. I never feel as clean as when I've had three or so sweat sessions in the sauna and I never feel as genki as when I've finished up my gym time with a cold bath. Since I've started doing that, a lot of the Japanese obaachans (older ladies) have been really interested in talking to me. Japanese, English, we do our best to get along. Not everything is understood, but this is one of the best things about Japan for me.

More Haircut

More Haircut
Originally uploaded by nekocon.

My stylist, Yoshiko, is moving to london :(

New Haircut

New Haircut
Originally uploaded by nekocon.

It's short and sweet!

Solamame

Solamame
Originally uploaded by nekocon.

Miyako's puppy!

Post-Gym

Nice bangs...

Another Eye Picture

I went out saturday night...