What good does it do to even take showers in the morning, since you just become sweaty as soon as you walk out the door. I fear my every-other-day hair washing routine may come to an end quite quickly. We won't even talk about humidity and acne.
Does it rain every day? Of course not. Although one would probably assume that. I certainly did. Many pleasant, sunny days abound, albeit hot and humid. In fact, just this past weekend was one of those
So back to our visit. On our way we stopped to purchase some drugs that I was in desparate need of. My nose took a turn for the worse Saturday and thus left me exclaiming at 10 minute intervals: "DRUGS! I need DRUGS!" Usually, I try to go the natural way as much as possible, but I do have a couple weaknesses, my nose and "that time of the month." Back to the drug store: David, the fluent one, asks for what I need, and then tells me they have no non-drowsy kind. Apparently those are prescription only. Ok, well, something is better than nothing right? My reasoning somewhat far-fetched, especially since drowsy meds in the U.S. act like some kind of tranquilizer for me. We won't even talk about the effects of Benadryl. So I tend to stay far away from drowsy medication unless I just want to be put out at night. David reassures me that he has taken the same kind and he did not get drowsy. Again, my reasoning believes this must all be true, even for my particular body, and pop one of the sugary, M&M looking pills.
Shimada was quite lovely, seemingly quaint, and reminding us very much of Bellingham. We explored some and then went looking for a cell phone store (my provider) to ask some questions. Not long after this, walking back towards the main city area in the heat, I started getting a little dizzy. Not long after that, I started experiencing all kinds of strange symptoms, very akin to that high feeling I got after running in high school... It wasn't long until I was stumbling around and laughing hysterically at things that probably were not that funny. David speculated, out loud, if I would be similar drunk. That concluded our Shimada excursion, since I was too "high" to do anything... I resolved never to take any of these droswy meds during the day again. Unless I want to sleep.
The rainy season also seems to be forcing bugs to find shelter. That shelter seems to be my apartment. Oh yes of course, large spiders, centipedes, mosquitoes, etc. However, just this morning a large wasp was sitting on my living room ceiling. Probably one of the scariest things ever. I nearly had a heart attack trying to suck it up the vacuum. It did not go up the vacuum.... it kept flying out and I kept trying to suck it back up. Finally I got some wide tape, got the wasp just in the vacuum hose and pressed it to the tape. Then I shoved the end of the hose out the door and ripped off the tape so it could fly away. That is when I discovered a wasp nest under my kitchen fan vent overhang. So I then poked my mop handle out the vent and knocked it down. Of course now I keep walking around my apartment like a bear or something is going to attack me at any moment. Oh how much nicer it was to have a guy here this weekend to take care of these silly bugs...
Finally, I thought I might touch on the "uniqueness" of Japanese candy. From my perspective, it appears to be a reflection of the constant "want something new" trend in modern Japan. They come out with special seasonal flavors for so many things and they aren't just things like "mint" for Christmas or "berry" for the 4th of July or things like that in the States (though of course the past few years in the States some candy did seem to go overboard some... like M&Ms and Peeps...
Yet just today at a konbini (convenience store), I kid you not, but there were Apple Vinegar Kit Kats. Yes, Apple Vinegar. Did I buy them? I heavily considered it, but then decided I would probably deeply reject my actions. I now what Apple Vinegar tastes like... would I want to taste it in candy? A Kit Kat? I've tasted watermelon and grape Kit Kats (the former tastes delicious but the grape just tastes like Pepto-bismal) and various kinds of additional textures (of course haven't seen my favorites, mint and dark chocolate *Wikipedia says otherwise*, anywhere here in Japan). They also had ramune, which is the same flavor as that horrible soft cream I had awhile back... the one that tasted like toothpaste or something. So I did not try for any of these odd-flavored Kit Kats this time around. It just made me think about the Japanese obsession with new and different, on a very regular and very constant basis... because once something gets old, it either becomes classic (or tradition) or it just is, old. No longer favored, no longer interesting, just... old. Of course, the U.S. also does this in various settings and ways, but it seems that fads tend to last a little bit longer than they do here... of course, I may be slightly wrong, and again this is just my perception.
Well, my second sick day is almost over, and I need to shower (again), even if it is futile. Till next time... which may or may not be until after we move the end of July and then disappear for a couple weeks...
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