Loading...

Mar 9, 2020

Share your good news from recently!

I think all of us are probably feeling a bit down/stressed/worried about the unknown that the current C word situation is bringing us! I am a firm believer in "if you can't see the joy, be the joy", so I want to hear all about the positive stuff in your life in the last few weeks! Doesn't matter how minor or trivial it seems...share away.

Living
1 12
Report as spam
genkidesu

genkidesu

Love to travel, interested in J-beauty products and consider myself a convenience store snack aficionado. Navigating the ever-present challenges of expat life, particularly about my TCK's (third culture kids).

Follow

12 Answers

Best Answer

  • BlueButterfly

    BlueButterfly

    on Mar 12

    Actually I´m using the situation to get many things at home done like cleaning up the whole house and getting rid of many stuff. It feels very good! Also I´m using the time to finish many sewing projects, which were laying way to long in the box. I´m very used to stay long time at home, since the winter in my home town is very dark and cold, which forces you to spend most of your time at home. On the other side my little boy will start soon to crawl around, which will keep me very busy then haha.

    1
  • BigfamJapan

    BigfamJapan

    on Mar 9

    Well... what I am grateful for this very second is that the younger two have piano right now and the older two are outside playing and I have FORTY FIVE minutes to myself... TO MYSELF!!!! Hahaha. Small mercies!

    1
  • genkidesu

    genkidesu

    on Mar 9

    @Saitama that is definitely worth celebrating! Those moments of quiet are few and far between so I am going to celebrate vicariously through you!

    0
  • KamaT

    KamaT

    on Mar 9

    Well, the staggering of working hours these days means that I can get a seat on the train into work each morning. Yesterday I went to Takashimaya in Nihombashi on an errand and came away with a super moreish chocolate cake from Gramercy New York -- a bit of an indulgence at 500 yen (but I'm definitely going there again)! Watched a decent comedy special on Netflix by Athony Jeselnik -- dark humor but it made me chuckle. Finished a book -- Travels With Charlie (John Steinbeck) -- and started another good book -- People Who Eat Darkness (Richard Lloyd Parry) Leeds United have moved to the top of the Championship and look good for promotion to the Premier League next season. (Football talk, and I've got a soft spot for Leeds due to going to uni in the city.)

    1
  • ReishiiTravels

    ReishiiTravels

    on Mar 10

    First of all, I love this idea!! A few of the good things from recently: I was invited to perform my first dance solo at a performance!! It isn't until May, but I was informed about it two weeks ago!! I made cream puffs successfully! And I have plans to see my best friend from the States soon!!

    0
  • genkidesu

    genkidesu

    on Mar 10

    @Tomuu always love a good choccy cake recommendation...and you know it's good if it sets you back 500 yen and still warrants a repeat trip! @ReishiiTravels I am catching up on blogs and just saw your cream puffs! They look amazing!!

    0
  • TonetoEdo

    TonetoEdo

    on Mar 13

    Working from home in my pjs with music on is great. Very near my house is a bird sanctuary. In the last few days, I’ve seen kingfishers, hawks, and heard uguisu calling.

    0
  • JapanRamen

    JapanRamen

    on Mar 17

    In midst of all this, I got a new job, one that I have been working hard towards!!! Going to move in April :D

    2
  • edthethe

    edthethe

    on Mar 23

    So I finally finished constructing my shed! I haven't started painting or trimmings but it is usable. that means i can move things out of the house and hopefully have some spring cleaning and gardening. There is so much terrible going on I am glad to be productive.

    0
  • ConeHead

    ConeHead

    on Apr 1

    I’m just excited that it’s warm enough so my family can go across the street to our ‘private’ park. I say private because no one else uses it and it’s right in front of the house. I take their tents and toys along with snacks and just stay until dust. I’m so thanks we can get out the house and enjoy the warmth of the sun.

    0
  • Kanuba

    Kanuba

    on Apr 7

    I got a new job at a sushi restaurant, even though I bare speak any Japanese. So I am very grateful that the manager is giving me a chance to work there, even if it still a little hard to communicate.

    0
  • Bella

    Bella

    on May 22

    I'm attending an online class. I was planning on going home to study, but because of COVID, the school I've been interested in has switched their classes to online. So, I was able to join the lessons even though I'm in Japan :) Also, I'm busy tending my garden and baking. Plus, my husband works home sometimes, so I spend more time with him and do some of our projects together.

    0

Awaiting More Answers

8 Answers

Do you still have a landline?

In the wake of worldwide electricity and Internet problems, I found myself sharing my landline number with friends today! I am just curious; do you still have a landline in 2026? And any thoughts about it - if you got rid of your landline, do you regret it? Does your area use VoIP, making it pointless anyway?

BigfamJapan

BigfamJapan

on Oct 23

7 Answers

Anime Pilgrimage Spots in Japan?

Tomorrow, October 22nd, is Anime Day in Japan and I will be writing a few posts about it. Probably, including one about the pilgrimage spots in Saitama (photo of a Lucky Star spot). But what about in your prefecture, what famous real-life locations are there that inspired anime settings? Shout out to TonetoEdo who asked a similar question about movie locations earlier in the year. I wasn't much good at answering that, but - despite not being an anime fan - I know more about the anime spots than the movie spots!

BigfamJapan

BigfamJapan

on Oct 21

7 Answers

Do you have a very good breakfast!?

Today is "Very Good Breakfast Day" in Japan. Do you eat breakfast every day? Japanese or Western? The day also encourages families to eat together, which unfortunately just isn't practical in my home due to all 6 of us having very different schedules. Do you get to eat breakfast with someone or do you eat alone?

BigfamJapan

BigfamJapan

on Oct 11

10 Answers

What Traditional Japanese Culture Would You Like to Learn?

I'd love to be part of a club where I could learn some traditional plant growing, harvesting, and cooking. Learning Japanese calligraphy (shodo) and previously flower arranging (Ikebana) is great too. I've always thought it would be awesome to learn bamboo crafts, more than a short experience making a small already prepared basket. I'm wondering what you'd be interested to learn that is in danger of disappearing if young people (including foreign residents) don't learn it. There are small local efforts to teach students how to grow and harvest rice for a seasonal example. It's a tiny experience that could influence the future supply of an important staple food. I've never had the chance but that would be great and potentially helpful to local farmers.

helloalissa

helloalissa

on Oct 8

10 Answers

What do you most associate with Shizuoka?

Today, is also Shizuoka Citizen's Day, so - the same as Fukushima - what first comes to mind / do you most associate with Shizuoka Prefecture?

BigfamJapan

BigfamJapan

on Aug 21

10 Answers

Car Essentials for a Road Trip?

I feel like this may have been asked before, but I can't find it through a search. Or maybe I thought of asking it and never did! Either way, tell us what things you like to have in your car when you are going on a road trip?

BigfamJapan

BigfamJapan

on Aug 21

6 Answers

What do you MOST associate with Fukushima Prefecture?

Given that today is Fukushima Prefecture Citizen's Day; what is the FIRST thing that comes to mind when you hear Fukushima? And / or what do you most associate with the prefecture?

BigfamJapan

BigfamJapan

on Aug 21

6 Answers

Summer Festival Changes - Yay or Nay?

Earlier I wrote about how my neighborhood's "summer" festival has been moved to autumn. I also wrote a separate post about a summer festival in Kasukabe that has been moved indoors. I know there is a bittersweetness about these changes, but some would argue that something needs to change in the face of rising temperatures. So, I am curious, what would you vote for: 1) Leaving Summer Festivals exactly as they are - same date, same set up etc. 2) Shifting the time of day the festival is on, say for example, from afternoon until after dark 3) Moving the festival from summer to another season or at least to earlier in summer, such as June 4) Moving summer festivals indoors - not really possible for the larger festivals especially those with large floats etc. but maybe they could shift some elements indoors

BigfamJapan

BigfamJapan

on Aug 3

7 Answers

Which movie will you see this summer?

I am not a movie-goer at all, but every year I bring the kids to see a film (and they often go with their friends too) during the summer holidays. There seems to be a good choice this year, including Toy Story 5, the Chiikawa movie, the real live action adaption of Moana and the usual annual Crayon Shinchan movie among others. Which movie are you planning to see this summer? Or have you already been to see one (or more)? If so, which one?

BigfamJapan

BigfamJapan

on Jul 30

5 Answers

What are our consumer rights in Japan?

Do you know your consumer rights in Japan? And if so, would you be willing to share anything about them? For example, what is the policy on returns? I am very familiar with my consumer rights in my home country, and they are very widely publicized back home, but information doesn't seem to be as transparent or readily available here. Or is that just me?

BigfamJapan

BigfamJapan

on Mar 15

18 Answers

What do you most associate with Ehime Prefecture?

Today, February 20th, is Ehime Prefecture Day. What do you most associate with Ehime Prefecture, what is the very first thing that comes to mind when I say "Ehime Prefecture"!?

BigfamJapan

BigfamJapan

on Feb 20

8 Answers

Do you have a favorite mascot?

The other day, on "Strawberry Day" I wrote about "Yoshimin", the strawberry mascot of Yoshimi. I thought it might be fun to introduce a few others, so I've just written about "Tokimo" the mascot of Kawagoe. And I plan to introduce a couple of my favorites. It begs the question, do you have a favorite mascot? And how about writing a post on City-cost about your favorite or a local mascot? Pictured "Umerin" who I plan to write about next!

BigfamJapan

BigfamJapan

on Jan 17