Apartment Lust
Posted by M Sinclair Stevens.
Monday, May 21, 1990
I saw LW's apartment for the first time. It's in a modern highrise (well, 7 storeys is tall for Beppu-shi). Although it's only half the size of my apartment, and has no closets, I'd trade with her in a second because of the view. Her apartment is a block from the sea, on the sixth floor with an unobstructed vie of the entire bay. If I lived there, I'd spend all my days staring out the window.
Emiko Ishimoto
Posted by M Sinclair Stevens.
Tuesday May 21, 1991
Emiko Ishimoto takes me, with her daughters Yoshika and Miho whom I tutor, to a classical concert in Oita-shi. I look around the hall and see that I am the only foreigner. The audience is made up mostly of friends, family members, and students of the members of the orchestra. But it is difficult to feel foreign bathed in the music of Mozart, Litzt, and Rachmoninoff.
A Death in the Family
Posted by M Sinclair Stevens.
Having just gone through a death in my own family, I was particularly moved to read Amy Chavez's account of the death of her next door neighbor, Ueda-san.
The Princess of Beppu
Posted by M Sinclair Stevens.
January 28, 1990
I met this woman named Martha who has started an English school for children for this man who owns a chain of video rental stores. Yes! It's Screen and Boo's video rental, ramen shop, and English-language school. The "screen" in the title comes from "TV screen" and the "boo" comes from the Japanese word for pig (buta). The company trademark is a pig holding a 500 yen coin. I don't know why; maybe, that's what they charge for a bowl of ramen. I laughed at the whole concept until last night.
Twin Peaks Party
Posted by M Sinclair Stevens.
Saturday September 8, 1990
I had my first "Saturday Video" party and invited some of the new teachers. I met the other Melissa from Austin. She's so young. And I invited Jeanne from Beppu University (she's getting married next month and moving to Tokyo) and she brought her replacement, Jenny. Jenny is the same age (25) as my sister Jenny, and I think they look a lot alike. I really like her -- she's so exuberant. She's half Iranian and thus a wonderfully exotic beauty and yet completely unselfconscious. Like GG, she says the funniest things because she doesn't edit herself. She says stuff like, "God, when I'm your and Jeanne's age, I hope I'm just like you guys." She makes great guacamole, too.
We had Texas chili, nachos (with tortilla chips that ERS mailed). I made flour tortillas (my Mom taught me) and we had crackers, cream cheese, and jalapeno jelly. We watched Twin Peaks and I think the party was a smash. Anyway, I had a great time.
