Making a Home (Theater!)

    I've never really had a home in Japan, for whatever reason. I've had apartments, but they were generally just places to dump my stuff and sleep. My last apartment was really big, but I only ever really used the corner of it -- that's where I put my futon. I always sat/laid there while I used my computer and that was all I needed.

    Sure, I got a sofa bed and put it in the other room of my old apartment, but that was more of a concession to impending visitors from America and Britain than anything else -- just like the table I bought. When I wasn't expecting visitors, my apartment turned into a giant dump.

    Literally.

    I'm not kidding. I would just dump my stuff on an empty space on the floor, lacking the furniture or some other more organized place to store it. As far as I was concerned, the apartment was just a giant storage shed because I never did anything else that warranted... well, anything else.

    That changed this year.

   Read on!

School Introductions

   I haven't slept well for a single night since I moved here and it's been frustrating me, especially since I can't figure out why. It's not doing my mood any good that I'm always tired, either. It could be the light streaming in through the giant glass doors right next to my pillows -- if it is that, I need to get ANOTHER expensive curtain because the one I bought just isn't up to the job. I guess I can't just get by with only one layer of fabric.

   Another thing it could be is the neighbors; they tend to bang around a lot from five to six -- if that's what it is, I can just try going to bed earlier. I tried a few nights ago and woke up around three in the morning, though, so I don't know if that's it. I kind of wish it were that simple so I could just fix it, because I'm really tired in general; I just feel like I need one good night's sleep to get my mood back on track.

   Yesterday was probably the most eventful day I've had here since I moved, and I was actually kind of excited about it. Was.

   Read on!

First Night in Fujimi

I'm in the new apartment and a bit sore after my first night of sleep here; I don't know if it's because of the harder floor, the moving, or the kendo last night. It was a very long day.

I ended up waking up around 8 yesterday morning, after about 5 hours of sleep. I spent all morning packing and cleaning, and cleaning, and cleaning. My Japanese teacher, an older woman, very kindly said she'd help me move, since everyone else ditched me. I was skeptical about our ability to put everything in her car, but somehow it worked out with two trips.

   Read on!