Friday Follow-Through

Thanks for responding, you guys. Good to know who's out there. I will try and tailor some posts to your interests. Look forward to posts about poker, biking trails, art, public health, baseball, and the movie industry here. The only wild cards are the Katies from DC; not sure what they would like to hear about.

Here's a round-up of my week.

Monday, March 8: It was International Women's Day, which we don't celebrate in America due to its communist roots. But it's a huge deal in Europe. It's now all about celebrating women, mothers, etc. In Italy men give women yellow mimosas (the flower, not the drink). In Russia, too, along with chocolate. My Russian friend had already given me a present for Boy's Day last month (another Russian holiday), and she told me she was upset that nobody here knew about Women's Day. So I got her flowers and Ferro Rocher chocolates, and she was overjoyed. I also picked up flowers for two other women in my dorm who were having a birthday soon. We threw a little party for them, even though one of them was feeling too sick to make it there.

Tuesday, March 9: I spent the day with one of my best friends here and her boyfriend, going around to see ume (plum) blossoms at a shrine (picture above). Then we went to karaoke. Then it was poker night, and I lost. I have to resist the temptation to be flashy with my betting. It has not worked out for me this month.

Wednesday, March 10: It was a get-things-done kind of a day. I even made a to-do list. I cleaned my room after months of neglecting to do so, sent emails I really had to send, did laundry, made up my calendar for the month, and worked on my Japanese. Then in the evening I went for dinner at Eat More Greens, a fantastic vegetarian restaurant in Azabu-Juuban.

Thursday, March 11: It was supposed to be a get-things-done kind of day, too, but I didn't cross off all the things on my list. Gym in the morning, then cleaned my bathroom (also after months of neglect), then went to the school office for info about registration, then the doctor's office to schedule another appointment, and then I met up with a classmate to play Go. Then I chatted online for 6 hours, which really ate up my plans.

Today (March 12) I'm going to a museum in Roppongi that is supposedly pretty cool, and you can go up to the top at sunset and see Tokyo in all its splendor. Then I'm going to read more of the Japanese novel I'm reading for our little book club.

By the way, is it normal to lose 6 pounds in 3 days? Because um, that's kind of what happened. I'm working out most of the week, and skipping breakfast when I do, so that means I have been eating my first meal at around 1 or 2. I'm doing this because I don't like working out right after eating and because I read somewhere that the digestive process hinders fat burn. But 6 pounds in three days is kind of shocking. It can't all be fat; it must be some muscle loss, too.