Everything you need in life could fit in one of these.

My body thinks it's the future still

I am back from wandering east Asia. Left a trail of chopstick wrappers, subway tickets, leaky/dried-up pens and good-bye hugs in my wake. Some sort of summary or collection of anecdotes or observations or 4 of 500 photographs will appear at some point.

A room of tatami mats and sore knees, a table crammed with fried pork and tofu and horse meat (the kind of thing a person has to try if she is only 85% vegetarian and which is, admittedly, delicious) and super chocolate brownies, four Japanese conversationalists, two American teachers, two gawk-eyed tourists, lots of laughter, rain on a tin roof. Robin and I teach the Japanese "party foul" and "jail bait," after they tell us Hal has already taught them "cougar," and "sugar mama." 24 hours in the country, and she still has not knocked anything over. I have knocked over wineglasses (party foul), and several small old people who just bow and say the Japanese or Korean equivalent of "no problem." At least I think this is what they said. I have a photo of me next to a woman who is way shorter than me. I am big and klutzy and I keep forgetting that it's rude to yawn.

I'm (going to be) big in Japan

I am a famous reporter from America!

私はアメリカから来た有名な記者です。

I have mafia connections.

私はやくざの伝手あるよ！

Hold the mayo

マヨネーズなし

Google Talk excerpts: planning your vacation to Japan

Hal: I'll send you a cheat sheet for airport signage, how to get to train stations, etc.

me: I just want to minimize stress once I'm out of the country

k

cool!

I am excited to have this cheat sheet

just for having it

Hal: that sounds like a solid plan to me

me: "hello, I am a tourist, dur dur dur"

Hal: watch as my seemingly innocuous phrasebook nets you a sudden career change as a mail order bride

me: haha!

as long as you teach me how to say "pay only in dollars"

Hal: ドルだけで払える

8 months and no vaycay

The trip in March is fleshing out, fleshing out. The 4 days in Korea is going to be radically different from the 4 days in Japan. Think, "Three writers muse through the Wyoming of Asia" versus, "Three mad rascals take on Tokyo." I like it both ways.

This photo borrowed from one of the Korea writers.