Fall is my favorite time year of Japan. If feels like a time of hope, happiness and romance. At least, that’s my perception of the season. To be totally honest fall, winter, and spring are all fairly romantic. I think Nagoya, and probably all of Japan, is a very romantic place focused on love, romance, and couples. Japan is very “children wanted” due to the aging population and child shortage.  But I digress. Although I am still sick in fall, it is still my favorite time year. Winter is a bit too dry. Fall weather is cool and the turning of leaves is gorgeous. Just like the blooming of spring, I am very lucky and can view the turning of the leaves on my way to work. There are two turning of leaves in Japan. There are yellow leaves and red leaves. The red leaves have already begun to turn even though the Japan foliage forecast has Nagoya down for turning in late November. My office is in a microclimate that usually turns and blooms about a week early. This past week I have not truly been able to enjoy the fall foliage because I have been focused on closing out my finally residency for my PhD and reading all the articles I collected for my literature review. I hope to finish them this week.

Back to focusing on fall in Japan. I have had a history of really good things happening for our family in fall. For example, this year Chad landed a job that is in his field. That is really exciting. Rasta leveled up in his ability to function as an adult otherwise known as “adulting”. I will be completing my fourth and final residency for my PhD and beginning to write my chapter two. Completing the majority of the reading is an amazing feat in and of itself. Every year Rasta and I take a drive to see the leaves. I like driving around to see the foliage. I like viewing it from my office window or from a car. I find it soothing to look at. I like to see a mix of red green and yellow leaves.  I am not sure we will have time this year because I was quite ill and am not fully recovered and work is full-on for me. I do not know when my next day off will be and think when I finally do get a day off I will most likely spend it sleeping. I think I could use about 24 hours of deep uninterrupted sleep. I have six weeks until my winter break and I plan to spend at least one of the days sleeping.