Gomez Diaries: Week of October 10th, 2014

Mercy. The weather finally broke this week. Last few days have been upper 70's/low 80's. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. That heat made Johnny an angry boy. Don't have to take a shower with the water on the coldest setting anymore, need a light blanket to sleep at night and even wore a long sleeve shirt (albeit with cuffs rolled up) yesterday. What's funny is that as soon as the stifling heat ended, the mosquitoes have been on a feeding frenzy. I have to assume that it was too hot for them too, but aren't they one of the oldest living creatures on the planet and were sucking dino blood in the stifling heat of the Jurassic era? I know I saw it in a movie somewhere. Regardless, I'll take mozzie bites over brutal heat anyday

A quick call back to the September 5th, 2012 entry where the outfits worn by the concierge ladies at the three local Japanese department stores were detailed and rated. The one across the street (Takeshimaya) is 20 years old this week, and they have been refurbishing to celebrate the occasion. It was "Reborn" last weekend and looks pretty good. They added a Gap (still with no sizes big enough for yours truly), and the food court has some new options we are looking forward to trying. The bad news is that the concierge girls changed their uniforms for the worse. Kinda looks like a Lady Beefeater. Heh heh...Lady Beefeater.

Carolyn participated in the local gymnastics competition. After watching the program, can tell that the members of the Olympic team are safe. Included on this team would be potential members of Israel, US, Canadian and Chinese Taipei teams. She loves it and it is motivating her to get in great shape...she does crunches and push-ups for fun. Saw her abs the other day and she is ripped. Here was her team...obviously, with that many white girls on it, they had little chance.

These are some of Carolyn's best friends, and the Chinese girl to her left (Jade) is probably her tightest. I've met the mom before, but we don't talk a lot as her English (while way better than my Chinese), is not good enough for us to have a long conversation. At the competition yesterday, I see the mom and she introduces me to the dad who I had never met. She introduces him as Jimmy. I find it interesting that every Chinese person has a Western name and think they do it as they feel we Westerners are too stupid to pronounce or comprehend their Chinese name. I am totally insulted...it is absolutely true, but still.

Along those lines, I've been working on turning the tables and think I have finally come up with my Chinese name. Da La, which is Mandarin for 'Big Spice'. For my budding career as a rave impresario, am going to bill myself as MC Da La. I like it, but the locals that I have tried it out on so far are not amused. Let me know what you think?

Can't remember who, but someone told me this summer about a visceral reaction we all do when nodding our heads to people. If we know the person or do not feel threatened by them, we will nod our head in an upwards fashion, while if it is someone we do not know or view suspiciously, we will tilt our heads in a downwards fashion. It was said that we do that so as to indicate our comfort level...exposing our vulnerable neck to friends and allies while protecting ourselves from danger. Fascinated me and have seen it be absolutely true in myself and others since.

This got me thinking about or trip to Japan and their penchant for bowing and wonder what that says about their culture. Also, that I never finished off sharing about our trip there this summer that I started on August 22nd.. Am going to pass on the long narrative and just share some snaps with a quip or two. Up first...Kyoto. Kyoto is the temple capital of Japan, it has some 1200 of them and we visited a few. Another interesting fact we learned later was that it was spared from Allied bombing during WWII as it was on the list to be the city where the first atomic bomb was to be dropped. Ultimately, Hiroshima was chosen, which preserved this holy and ancient city.

The most famous zen garden in the world at Ryoan-Ji Temple. There are 15 rocks but you cannot see all of them at one time from any angle. My moment of Zen.

Unsurprisingly, this was not the only one of these made up pooches we saw

At the (very cool) Nishiki Market. The sign says 'A quail egg is in the head of the octopus...let's try'

The most beautiful of the temples was Kinkafuji (Golden Temple). We saw this one first and all subsequent ones paled. If you go, suggest you save it for last.

At every temple and shrine, they had these fountains where you are encouraged to perform the Shinto ritual of Temizu. We never missed an opportunity.

Along with us on the trip was the 15 year-old daughter of Betty's sister, so our kids cousin. She shared a a hotel room with Paul and Carolyn and they quickly became familiar with each other's quirks...and bodily functions One of the cousins habits was that she would go into the bathroom with her computer and be in there for 45 minutes to an hour. As we Imbros are all very efficient about our BM's, we found this curious. And being a family that discusses the potty openly, the grilling began immediately. She was not as open about it as we are, but we ultimately discerned that she stayed in there for two reasons. First, with three (annoying)siblings, it is a place she can be alone for some peace and quiet. Secondly, her diet was not the best...she wanted ice cream for breakfast every day for instance...and that caused her to be quite constipated. So when she ultimately had to go, she had to go.