Lake Towada Fireworks

In my previous post, we visited the Oirase Gorge and fell in love with all the lush green beauty.

After we got our fill of waterfalls and greenery, we continued on our journey to Lake Towada to see their fireworks show.



In the lower right picture, A is Misawa and B is Lake Towada. It's not too far from us. The zoomed out picture is just to situate Lake Towada in the larger image of Japan. (Geography is my worst subject, so my knowledge of where things are in relation to the rest of the world is minimal. Maps are my best friend.)


We got to Lake Towada relatively early for the show, so we set up camp and relaxed in the sunshine. It was a perfect day, with sunshine but not so hot that we were sweaty and uncomfortable. We almost nixed the plans due to rain and fog in the morning, but we were so glad we tried anyways. The weather cleared up and it was a gorgeous day.



Lake Towada also happens to be beautiful. It was a windy day so we got to sit and listen to the sound of the waves hitting the shore. It's such a relaxing sound; all my stress melts away when I'm just sitting by the water.



There was a small creek, and lots of Japanese and American children were playing in the water. The lake itself was rocky, so a little tough for little feet to play in. I walked to the edge just to put my feet in the water and quickly walked back from the wet and slippery rocks.



Even without the water play, the place was gorgeous. It looked like they had canoes and small paddle boats to rent, but it was so windy we didn't look into it. We were all amused by this hill that looked remarkably like a pyramid.



I didn't get any pictures, but there was a small festival going on as well. There were some Japanese bands and singers, and all sorts of foods available. Jeff and I tried some noodles, beef on a stick, spicy hot dogs (I think), chocolate covered bananas, and apple shortbread. (Aomori, the capital of the prefecture, is known for its apple orchards, so there were all sorts of apple products available). It was all delicious and fresh. The noodles and beef were so filling that I didn't have room to try anything more, but there were so many different kinds of food to try.



We sat, relaxed, and filled our stomachs while we watched the sunset. It started to get more crowded as the sun went down. We set up camp a little bit away from the festival, so it was much more quiet down by us. But as the sun went down, more and more people continued to come our way.



Impatiently waiting for the fireworks show!



We were generally underwhelmed by the fireworks show. It was slow. They'd set off a handful of fireworks, then there'd be a delay of 3-5 minutes until the next handful went off, and then the process repeated. It was pretty anti-climatic. We were all waiting for the deafening booms and lights filling up the sky, but it really didn't happen. The show did go on for quite some time, especially since it was moving at such a slow pace, but it just wasn't as exciting as we expected. One thing I didn't expect is fireworks on the water. They had a boat out in the middle of the lake where they were setting off fireworks, but another boat kept driving back and forth between the pier and the boat. As it went across the lake, fireworks would shoot out of the water. It looked like they were tossing the fireworks off the back of the boat. I didn't find it as appealing as the huge sparkles in the sky, but maybe I'm just picky?



Even with an anti-climatic fireworks show, it was a wonderful day full of laughter and sunshine. We had so much fun and it was just refreshing to get out and away without running nonstop or having one hundred things to accomplish.

I can't wait to get back out and explore!

Oirase Gorge

Last weekend, we went exploring with some friends. We were in search of some sunshine and fireworks and we found a lot more. We started our day with lunch and a quick stop at a Japanese thrift store. Then we made our way towards the Oirase Gorge. (For a short description, see Wikipedia's Oirase River.)

It's about an hour, hour and a half drive from base. It wasn't a bad drive at all, but I also wasn't driving! We were carpooling, so Jeff and I had the luxury of just riding along.



I was blown away by how gorgeous and GREEN everything was.



We drove through the majority of the area. I would've loved to get out of the car and walk for miles, but we had small children in tow. As we drove we'd get quick peeks of the streams and waterfalls that make it so beautiful.



It was a Saturday afternoon, so the place was somewhat crowded. Parking spots were tight and there were small crowds along the paths. Luckily, the Japanese are so respectful and considerate their crowds are nothing like a group of Americans. It was still quiet and serene.



We stopped at a couple different spots along the way. Mostly the most picturesque waterfalls. A lot of the path seemed to wind right alongside the road, which neither of us were huge fans of. It isn't all that fun to walk alongside cars when you want to get into nature. We're both assuming (and hoping) there are additional paths that wind deeper into the woods and away from the cars.



I wasn't aware of it at the time, but apparently the gorge is a piece of the Towada-Hachimantai National Park. It certainly is beautiful enough to deserve preserving for years and years.



Jeff is a nature lover completely. He loves being outdoors, especially in woods and mountains. Give him a backpack of supplies and he'll happily trek into the forest.



I'm working on my outdoors love, but it's hard not to love it when it looks like this.



It was such a unique experience. I grew up in the Midwest, and while it's certainly not the desert, the trees there aren't as lush and numerous as they are here in northern Japan. Especially in the Oirase Gorge. It was like being wrapped in green. If you looked up, you saw green instead of blue.



I can't wait to go back and explore some more. I've heard that it's beautiful in all four seasons. In the winter, the waterfalls apparently freeze in beautiful sculptures. I can only imagine how beautiful all this green will be when fall comes around and the colors start changing. Jeff and I have plans to experience every season in this little slice of beauty.

The Difference a Year Makes

Last summer, we had views like this:







This summer, we have views like this:







California doesn't hold a candle to northern Japan.

Mil-Spouse Friday Fill-In

1. If you could have a private concert with any singer, who would it be?

Hmm, Aaron Lewis from Staind, his voice is ah-mazing. His lyrics are beautiful and anything he puts his voice to is magic.


2. Is there anything you do to supplement your family’s income?

I work. We're dual income at the moment, which is nice. I also completed my degree and intend to use it for pretty much the rest of my life. The only time I see myself not supplementing our finances is when I'm popping out kids.


3. During your pregnancy (whether past, present, or future), what did you nickname your unborn baby before you knew the sex?

Hm, no idea. Haven't thought about pregnancy too much, but more about what happens after the little bean pops out. Jeff jokes a lot about "junior", as in "I bet junior's getting hungry!" when I say I need to find something to eat. It's not as funny as he thinks it is.


4. Have you ever won a blog giveaway? If so what did you win?

I think I've only done one. Teresa @ Army Wife Post gave away hair products at one point, so I commented. Never won though, but never really tried.


5. If I looked into your refrigerator right now, what would I find?

Beer and leftovers. Which is all that's really left at the end of the week. Maybe some stale bread and some questionable fruits. I go grocery shopping on Sundays usually, one week at a time, so things are looking scarce by Friday morning.

"Think I'm Just Too White and Nerdy"

Yes, Weird Al Yankovic is amazing. Always has been, probably always will be.


Anyways, to continue my 'syllabus free' dilemma from yesterday.

I decided to count up how many units and individual lessons there were in my Rosetta Stone Japanese Level 1. There are 4 units total, from things like basics to shopping. There are 4 core lessons at about 30 minutes each, then a selection of 5-15 minute lessons on grammar, speaking, reading, etc.

It ends up being 41 lessons in each of the 4 units.

I decided I could handle 10 lessons a week, since the majority are fairly short and would probably only total a few hours a week.

I got super nerdy when I sat down to write a pseudo-syllabus. Picture dates and lessons written up on a Word document. Yes, I'm that kind of nerd.

Anyways, I thought it must be some kind of sign that the schedule I followed will finish on Saturday October 29th, just one short day before my birthday! Coincidence? Maybe, but I figured it was a good end point and dove right in. Now all I have to do is print up my nerdy syllabus (even my husband laughed when he found out what I was doing, then we spent a good chunk of time comparing nerdy tendencies and making fun of each other). Then get crackin' on my Japanese skillz! It's far past time I learned more than the basic "hello" "goodbye" "excuse me" and "thank you".

I'm putting off the literature dilemma for a while longer while I focus on Rosetta Stone. I figured if I piled too much on at once I'd be more likely to dump it all off my plate.

Off to work on my Japanese!

Hitting the Books...Not

It's been about 6 months since I graduated with my B.A. in English. (Trust me, I just paid the first payment on my student loans.) It's been wonderful not stressing out about the exams, papers, and projects due each month. It's been nice taking my time reading what books I choose and at what pace I prefer. I don't miss the long commute of my last university, an hour each way, or the long nights of burying my head in a book so I'd be prepared for discussion the next day.





I do miss the discussion though. And the challenge. And the ability to look at a book and see it a different way than someone else, then prove my point using words or letters on a page. Obviously learning doesn't end the moment you leave the classroom, especially for someone who enjoys learning everything she can about the world.

I finished school with gaps in my literature experience. I'm fairly well read in British literature through the Victorian Era and American literature up to WWI. But after that, everything's fairly unknown. The obvious solution is to continue reading "the classics" on my own until I'm comfortable with my knowledge of American and British literature. (I'm not even going to get started on World Literature, although those were some of my favorites in college. It's a little more of an overwhelming topic to cover.)





But I've found one big problem in my quest to fill in the gaps of my education: there's no syllabus after graduation. Meaning even though I intend to read that classic book, there's nothing stopping me from picking up the fluff love story right next to it and putting it off for another day. It's not like I have an exam or paper to prepare for; there's nothing stopping me from putting it off. And put it off I have. I was unemployed for 4 months, unless you call 'housewife' a job (which I don't), and could have easily read through a good chunk of literature. I did read a good amount, but it was all romantic fluff and murder suspense.

So my knowledge of literature has not grown much since I graduated. I'd really like to change that situation at some point.




There's also another subject I've neglected to study as I had intended to when I moved to Japan. I'll let you guess. Now, if you were moving to another country, where you've never been and are relatively unfamiliar with, what's the first thing you'd want to do? Study the language? Yeah, probably.





My wonderful parents gifted me with Rosetta Stone for Japanese Level 1, knowing I'd want to learn some of the language of the country I'd be living in. I eagerly dove into the first couple lessons, excited about my new adventure. Then I put it aside to finish my degree and get myself moved over here. Then...it sat. And sat. I pulled it out once with all the intentions of using it daily while I was being a boring housewife, but that lasted all of a day or two. Why?!? I have this great tool to learn some of the language all around me and I let it sit.

What's the problem? Oh yeah, no syllabus, no structure, no exam staring me down.





I haven't figured out a solution to my problem, I'm just sharing.

I'm toying with the idea of being a total nerd and making out a self-imposed "syllabus" complete with some kind of reward at the end of the list. But I'd need to find a suitable reward to motivate me, and find a reason not to give in to all my excuses "I'm too tired from work, it's not like I'm getting GRADED here."

I'm thinking it over. I'm thinking being a nerd and giving myself some structure would be the solution to my problem, if I can find the determination to stick with it. (Maybe I should add working out into that syllabus, since my motivation has been failing me in that department as well!) I'm also thinking some reflective or persuasive writing could help, since the discussion and paper writing is what I miss most about studying literature. I suppose I could share that here, which would hold me accountable somewhat, but it'd be pretty boring unless you've read the material. Hm.

I'll let you know when I've decided what to do. Maybe posting my self-imposed structure all over the world wide web will make me feel like I need to do it. Maybe.

I know before I begin my quest to fill in the gaps of my literature, I need to figure out what authors and works should be included in each era. I have some anthologies on hand and some professors available by email that would make quick work of that though. One decision I'm still debating is whether I want to study one time period at a time, in a similar fashion to a course. Like when I took Victorian Literature and studied the authors, works, history, culture, and emerging science of the period all in one big chunk. Or if it'd be more entertaining to jump around a bit, say read one contemporary American novel, then jump back in time to a British novel from the 1900's, then to another time period, etc. This dilemma probably doesn't interest anyone but me, but it is something I'm still trying to work out before I decide to invent some type of syllabus for myself.




Clearly I have some thinking and planning to do. Luckily organizing is a favorite past time of mine...

Going Green.

One thing I've always wanted in our home is flowers/plants/greeeen. I never planted or grew anything in Lemoore because our backyard was miniscule with zero sunlight, and inside had two curious cats roaming free. I could have looked up what plants are and aren't toxic to cats, but you know how those things go.

So when summer hit here (yes, I procrastinated right past spring), I jumped at the chance to get some pots and fill them with pretty green things, confident that they wouldn't be terrorized with kitty teeth marks every day.



We went to a local home improvement store and I picked out a plant you can't kill unless you try and some pretty and cheap flowers. I potted them in blue ceramic pots I found on clearance at the BX months ago, and they brighten up the balcony every day.



On another trip, I picked up another sturdy plant to put in our living room, to bring some green inside.


I also bought a starter pack for basil. Mind you, all the directions were in Japanese so I guestimated how to plant the basil. Luckily it's a pretty basic procedure (I had soil, plant food I think, and some seed clusters). I'm seeing little sprouts this week! From what I can understand, full basil is expected in 60 days, so we'll see! I grew basil for about a month in Lemoore before it died from neglect, so this is my second try. We keep calling it "junior", or "baby basil II".





This has absolutely nothing to do with greenery but I had to share.

The BX has sellers from Japan come in with their products for a few weeks at a time. Everything from kanji decorations, fabrics, kimonos, and Japanese crafts. They've had these little wooden dolls up for about two weeks and every time I walk by them, I think I should pick one up. I mentioned that to Jeff today and he made me stop and pick one out. I found a cute little girl in a red kimono that I loved. So now we have our first authentic Japanese craft to add to his small collection from Italy and Germany. I have a handful of things from Southern Japan from previous deployments, but not from up here! She came with a little printout about the craft: Kokeshi.



She looks so pretty and bright up on top of the entertainment center.

Fitness Lately

I've been working at making some changes to my fitness, and I thought actually writing them down to share would be beneficial. I'm hoping to push myself to a healthy lifestyle, so the support of blogland will be helpful :)


Since I started work, my goal was to tackle a regular schedule of working out. I took my time at it, since the first couple weeks of working with kids was exhausting. Not to mention adjusting to the early mornings, when I'm anything but a morning person. But now I'm feeling more adjusted and comfortable, although the days are rough since the kids are out of school and full of energy all.day.long.

Because I work early, I've been trying to fit my workouts in after work. Which is proving challenging, because I'm tired and just want to get home and put my feet up. But to work out in the morning, I'd have to wake up at 0430 or some ridiculous hour like it, which is too tough to stomach. I'm still working on the schedule, but I'm getting to the gym at least a couple times a week.



I've been slowly working my way through the Couch to 5k Running Program. I have long-standing foot injuries and problems, so running is problematic and I've tried and failed to start running a handful of times already. I'm taking this try slow, and trying to focus more on my feet and my strength than the weekly schedule and deadlines. I'm hoping to start Week 3 on Wednesday, even though I've been at it for 4 weeks. My feet were more sore than normal last week, so I took a break from running in favor of the bike and a couple days of rest. (Probably more than I needed, but it was nice!)

I've been getting up to about 1.3 miles each run, which is pretty amazing for me. I've never been a runner, so even just 1 mile is a looong way for me to jog. It's a little disheartening to do my measly mile next to all these military members who run miles daily, but I'm trying to focus on my own body and not compare.



I've also entered the world of lifting at the gym! I have some DVD's for weight training at home and using my own body for resistance, but I've always been intimidated by all the machines and weights at the gym. I went to the gym with some friends from work a handful of times, and they helped push me to try some new machines and learn how to use them correctly. It worked perfectly, because now that I'm going on my own I actually know how to use the machines and can get over my anxiety about looking like an idiot and just lift the weights.

I prefer it to cardio, hands down. I'm feeling a little discouraged by how weak my muscles are, but I'm hoping to see some progress soon. Even if I'm not lifting bulky weights, I have to admit it makes me feel pretty strong to be doing pull-ups, even if they are assisted. Luckily my legs are much, much stronger than my arms and back (I did Irish dance for 10 years), so putting some weights in the triple digits is a mood boost when I'm feeling wimpy.



I'm planning to get back to some of my workout DVD's, because the gym can be monotonous. It's also crowded and sticky after work, when everyone is trying to get their sweat on. It's harder to come into my own comfortable home and get sweaty instead of comfy, but I'm going to work on it.

My goal is to get into a routine of working out 4-5x a week. I'm not there yet, but I'm hoping to be.

I'm finding food much more challenging, since all my energy is currently being spent on playing with cute kids and then working my a$s off in the gym. Cooking is less than appealing at the end of the day, especially when it's been hot and humid and sticky. I'm hoping to work on that more soon to, since our quick fixes and picking up food are anything but healthy. I feel so much better when I take the time to cook a healthy meal, I just can't find the motivation to get there right now. Something to work on. Luckily my handsome husband has been grilling out all weekend long so I've gotten a free pass out of the kitchen!

So that's my fitness update. Not much, but a little progress. I've got a long way to go to get where I want to be, but that won't happen overnight. A little is better than nothing, right?

Round 8 -- 60 Pictures

First up,
Happy Fourth of July!!


Now onto my 60 Pictures post...

Trying to finish this list! I've been at it for a while, I need to get it over with.

The Original List.



36. A picture of your ‘other half'.



He's handsome. One of my favorite pictures of this guy.



37. A picture of the people you spend most of your time with.



It's usually my husband. We like each other, so we like to spend time together. I also spend a lot of time with the kids at work, but I have no pictures of them obviously.



38. A picture of the best part of your day.


_{(Without the kiddos and usually on the couch...)}

Coming home to dinner with my handsome husband is a great way to end the day. We unwind and de-stress together, we laugh about funny things, we bitch about stupid things, and then we relax and watch a movie.



39. A picture of your favorite movie.



You seriously want me to choose? Have you met my husband's collection? (Note: it's gotten bigger since this picture was taken in April)

I'm not a favorites person. I'm indecisive, and I actually don't love movies as much as my husband. I'll take one or leave one in most instances. I prefer watching TV shows on DVD. We've been marathoning it through all the Burn Notice seasons, and it's one of my favorite TV shows...





40. A picture of your favorite Disney character.



When I was growing up, it was Sleeping Beauty. I loved the princesses, but wanted to pick a less common one than Belle or Cinderella. So I picked the one that spends her days sleeping...I don't think that was a coincidence.

Now I don't really have favorites. Indecisive!



41. A picture of your pet.



My two furballs, Guinness and Fiona. (Guinness is gray and male, Fiona is striped and female.) They couldn't make it to Japan with us, so they're getting spoiled rotten at my parents' house while they gang up on my parents' dog. I miss them every single day.



42. A picture of your dream house.



I'm not too picky about my dream house. Or maybe I'm not too picky about having a visual picked out?

I want
-A house with tons of windows/natural light.
-A house in a more wooded area, but close enough to take day trips into a large city and not have to drive hours for a grocery store.
-A house big enough to fill with all of our family, but small enough that I don't slave my life away trying to keep it clean.
-A house with a big kitchen, preferably with an island.
-A house with a backyard big enough to grill and enjoy the sunshine, and maybe install a pool. Or at least have some sprinklers outside.

If we were going absolute dream world, I'd want a huge house (because I certainly wouldn't clean if I could afford to hire someone), big enough for a library, man cave basement, backyard pool and grilling oasis, huge kitchen and living room made for gatherings, and lots of beautiful wood, moldings, stone counters, etc. In reality, though, I'm willing to give on a lot of my wants. Even some of the ones listed above are negotiable. Good thing we're not planning on buying a house for a while yet.



43. A picture of something you can’t function without.



I've tried to give it up. It doesn't work. I'm addicted and I'm sticking with it.



44. A picture of someone you’re told you look like.



See the resemblance? That's my mom. I look like a lot of my family on both sides. My mom, dad, and brother most definitely. But I've also heard aunts and uncles pretty frequently too. I don't hear celebrities or anything much, but I hear about family resemblances every time I'm anywhere with family.



45. A picture of your room.



I'll do my bedroom, since I have a whole apartment. I love my big, comfy bed.



46. A picture of where you wish you were right now.



It's been rainy and foggy all weekend, so I've been craving some sunshine on this holiday weekend. Somewhere sunny and with some water sounds fabulous. If it could include a hammock, I'd happily sit and read some fluff all day long.



47. A picture of your favorite place to shop.



It has everything, and its shipping cost and time is unbeatable. With the limited selection and stock at the BX, Amazon is a lifesaver. Its prices on books also keeps my husband from bitching about my need to buy a new book every other day.



48. A picture of your favorite actress/actor.



Again with the favorites and the indecisiveness. I do love Meryl Streep though.



49. A picture of where you live.



Here's our apartment building. It's summer now and those trees are green.
If you want to get specific, here's where we are on a map.





50. A picture of your most frequented place.



I'm a homebody, so I like spending a lot of time at my own place. I also spend a good chunk of time at work. But home is so much better than work.