Some people ignore the astrological phenomenon when the messenger planet of communication, travel, and electricity seems to move backward. Some laugh it off, some dread it as a time of disruption. Me? I welcome it. When Mercury goes retro, I embrace activities with the prefix “re-“ like rethink, revise, remember, and— REFLECT It’s the one-year […]
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Don’t do this in Japan!
“The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.” — a Japanese proverb Japanese society is full of rules. Rules explicitly stated, and rules that are just in the air. When I moved to Japan, I unknowingly broke every rule. At first, people cut me some slack — I was a foreigner, fresh off the plane. […]
Binge-watch Japanese TV with Me!
I wish I were in Japan right now, in the countryside, enjoying the summer evening in a crisp cotton yukata robe. I’d fan myself as I clomp around in wooden geta sandals. The chirp of crickets pervades the air… {{Snapping out of it}} Back to reality. I’m still in Philly. It’s still hot and humid […]
I met Michael Jackson because of a McDonald’s Cheeseburger
I eat clean — vegetarian, organic — but once a year I have to have — I MUST HAVE — a McDonald’s cheeseburger with a small order of fries. The craving is an unstoppable force, a primal urge. The junk food arches of gold. But it’s also how I met Michael Jackson. Years ago when […]