I have an on-again / off-again relationship with the Japanese language. That is to say, I study in spurts. I try to study at least 5 minutes a day. I know this is shockingly low and still struggle to manage it. My Japanese was decent at one point, but then Chad went to a...
When people ask, “What do you do?”, it’s always a little odd to answer “I’m a writer.” After all, many people do some writing as part of their job, even if it’s just signing an acknowledgement that they received their schedule. From my first jobs in fast food and warehouse work, I’ve never not...
Letting go of the past allows you to let go of a lot of resentment and excess baggage. Read more at Adjustment Guidance.
The biggest standout about going to the doctor in Japan is (far and away) the price. A doctor visit usually costs me around $5. There are other cultural differences. I am on my fifth doctor since moving to Japan. My first doctor moved to Tokyo. He was American, so no real change there. My...
Writing can be a lonely endeavor. With the obligatory cliche out of the way, let’s look at some methods of making it less lonely. At heart, all of these involve either finding a community of writers or finding a community of readers. Sometimes you can find both in the same place. A quick search...
While doing the work of letting go of resentment, it is also important to reflect on ourselves and give ourselves love and forgiveness. (Read more at Adjustment Guidance.)
Some things are just better in Japan, and buying a used car is one of them. It was a bit daunting at first because there is a warranty called the “shaken” that can be costly. Typically, the older the car, the more expensive the shaken. I was really relieved when the dealership was able...
Most of us probably encountered poetry even before we began school. Picture books are often based around poems, and some of the best loved Children’s authors write with rhyme and rhythm. Many of us were probably asked–somewhere between forced and strongly encouraged–to write a poem during our first few years of schooling. A few...