Wednesday, 30 January 2013

Thank you for asking

Kenju, you are a darling for gently reminding me in comments that I have not written for a long time. I really do want to start blogging again, but the longer I don't the harder it gets. It is encouraging to know that at least one person will notice when I start again properly.

I am keeping well, just very, very busy, especially now. (It is exam time.) Life in Japan, I am discovering, is not quite as comfortable without The Man, and blogging in particular is not as much fun when I don't have the knowledge that at some point he will read what I wrote and snort.

Being snorted at was one of my favorite things, I have learned, and I still miss it. Not nearly enough people snort at me these days. Being snorted at kept me on my toes, and I suspect the lack of snorting is causing me to take myself too seriously.

What I have been up to recently: work, work, and more work. Also, last month I visited Nagasaki with a couple of friends.  l loved Nagasaki. I did not visit the atom bomb museum (because it was New Year and and I did not want to dwell on sad things, and besides, I've already visited the Hiroshima one) – but I did visit Dejima, which turned out to be my favorite place in Nagasaki. I totally recommend it. The reconstruction is coming along nicely and it is fascinating to think, as you wander around and check out the exhibits, that this tiny place was Japan's only point of contact (almost) with the outside world for 250 years. Especially interesting, for me at least, was looking at the photographs and realizing PROPERLY how recently Japan  opened up to the world. I have a photograph somewhere of my grandmother's father, which looks of the same era. It was really very, very recent, and understanding that explains a lot about Japan.

We also visited Gunkanjima. That was interesting, too, but resulted in some fairly wild conspiracy theories due to the extremely controlled tour we were forced to take. I THINK the controlled and very carefully watched-over nature of the tour was actually because the buildings on the island are in a dangerous state of disrepair, but it was hard to hold back on the conspiracy theories when one of us (not me) noticed that one of the guides had a Mitsubishi logo on his cap.

From the week after next I will be visiting Bali for a week (to stay with a friend there) and then NZ for a month or so, then I will be back here for another year. One of the things I plan to do before classes start again is to photograph and catalog The Man's extensive record collection. I want to sell it, but it's hard when I don't even know what is in all those boxes. There are HUNDREDS of records.

What I am reading these days: Non-fiction, mostly. The only novel I've read in the last couple of years is The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, and that was before and during my visit to Nagasaki. I enjoyed it very much. Right now I am reading a history book about the Black Death, and finding it far more interesting than is healthy, probably. I found this book at a second hand bookstore recently, and then on Monday noticed that one of the professors at a university I work at had added a bunch of books to the collection we gaijin teachers keep on a shelf outside the teachers' room, and one of these books was Daniel Defoe's A Journal of the Plague Year. Naturally I picked it up, and that will be my next book. (Tomorrow I will go through the other books the Japanese professor left behind. There are a lot of good ones there, and they are in pristine condition, having clearly never been opened. I bet they looked impressively academic on his office shelves, though!)

Right, that's it. Much longer than I intended, and unedited because I'm in a hurry, but it will have to do. 

Good night Kenju! This one was for you.



24 comments:

Kay said...

Oh goodness, what a happy gray rainy morning in Seattle when Badaunt posts after eons of silence! And tells us she went to Dejima which I never did in 35 years of living in Kobe, but Jacob de Zoet helped and isn't it the BEST book ever! Badaunt is one of only two people in the universe who shares a deeply hurt life with a wit and flair that never ever drag and always pull a new curtain back from a corner of world. I recommend she go see Silver Linings Playbook, stop in "that" coffee shop, and brighten her faithful readers' days more often....you see, I want to blog so bad, all 4 of mine languish, and I feel so much encouragement today. Be back soon, Badaunt!!!

Doris said...

Woderful! So lovely to hear you are around and tentatively writing. I can't imagine a life without my beloved so my heart goes out to you. I always remember my grandmother saying a couple of years after my grandfather died when asked how she was managing without him and she said "I just cry less". I guess one just as to get on with living and keep going until it gets a bit better.

It is great to hear about the places you go to - I look forward to your delightful photographs when you can.

Enjoy the blogging when you can. I've been away and have come back to it. Most therapeutic.

Doris said...

WoNderful even!!!

Carrie said...

I'm so glad to see a post from you! I was just thinking about you the other day and wondering if we would ever hear from you again. I guess I should have commented! I imagine life in Japan would be hard without the Man. Life anywhere, without him must be so, so difficult.

Glad to hear you are still having adventures and have another one coming up. Please share! I love to hear your take on things.

fallensnow said...

I'm reading too. =)

Keera Ann Fox said...

I read, too! Nice to see something from you again, badaunt!

tinyhands said...

The longer one goes without leaving a comment to let another know he's thinking of her, the harder it gets.

I saw the pictures of Hashima here and thought of you-
http://twistedsifter.com/2013/02/urban-exploration-with-chris-luckhardt

Cheryl said...

Dearest Badaunt I am so happy to rediscover you. I asked around the bloggy friends who transferred to facebook when I did (Zilla, Lori etc) whether anyone knew where you were, after the other blog just stopped. I have so much to catch up on. ((((Hugs))))

melinama said...

You are such a wonderful writer and observer, it's lovely when you have the energy to share your life with your admirers. I'm glad for you that you had an excellent marriage and good memories and that you are trying to make a new life that can also be good. Love from North Carolina. Jane

kenju said...

And now it has been 8 more months since this post. For some odd reason, I didn't see it when you posted it, but I thank you for keeping us up to date (sort of). time for a new one, don't you think?

I used to love your photos and commentary on them.

kenju said...

And now it has been even longer since you posted and I am bereft. Please come back!

Anonymous said...

Badaunt, where ARRRRE you, wummun? I have been inundated with taking care of my very elderly, severely ill mother, so not much time to so much as "come up for air" (tho my passion these days is crocheting butterflies, whenever I get a few minutes here or there, LOL!), but I have often thought about you, and hope you are well.

Missing your posts,

The German Gal (Well, the one who wrote about growing up German in the U.S., if you happen to recall that comment.)

Hana said...

Dotto to the last few comments, but hope you are going well : )

kenju said...

AND HERE I AM AGAIN.......Where are you???

Sarah Maline said...

Ditto Kenju--hope you are well! Miss your voice very very much. I found so many wonderful people and thoughts through your writing. Please just check in, even to say goodbye. Wishing you the very best of everything, Sarah M.

Anonymous said...

Feeling more and more bereft w/no blog posts from my favorite blogger! Hope you will pick up the "pen" again soon.

Lynn G.

kenju said...

Here I am again - still asking!!

Please post something.

kenju said...

Still asking - pleas write something - if only to let us know you are alive and well.

kenju said...

And once again, futile though it may be....Are you out there?

Anonymous said...

Yes, I am! And feeling terrible for not answering your earlier comments. Quick update: Came back to NZ, things turned to custard very quickly, then mother died, then ... things started looking up again, at least a bit. Now reasonably settled, have interesting job, but spend a LOT of time at computer for work. Also a lot of my job is writing , so when I get home sitting at the computer and writing is not as appealing as it used to be. It will happen again, though, I promise - this particular project won't last forever and hopefully I'll be back with the blogging itch when it's over.

Meanwhile, the US has descended into dystopian madness. WHAT HAPPENED?

kenju said...

Once more into the breach! - LOL

Where are you? What is going on? If I promise to snort will you write a post?

sarahmaline said...

Sitting here in dystopian hell and looking forward to your return to writing! Happy New Year!

Sarah M.

Nil Zed said...

I was cleaning up bookmarks, and came across a link to your OLD blog, which led me here. My goodness, I recall when reading blogs via my RSS feed on google was my main online entertainment. Why did they take that away? I remember trying to use facebook to follow things, but that somehow didn't work. at best I would 'open in another tab' and then never get around to going to read all this other tabs.

I do think about you though, that English teacher in Japan who is not Chatty (my American friend who teaches English in Japan) (her real name is Jayne, she married a Japanese man about 36 years ago when she was only supposed to teach in Tokyo for a year or two. so, she is still there.).

I. thought I would ask how you were doing? still teaching in Japan? but reading the books you had just acquired that day in 2013 prompts me to ask if what you read in this books has been on your mind at all this year?

kenju said...

I'm still here - still waiting for another post. Are you still with us?