Business as Usual (?)

Well, well, well, guess who hasn't been keeping a regular blog.... ME, it's me, you don't really have to guess, do you?!

Time HAS gone by and things have happened... at this very moment I am recovering from swimming 1700 yards in open sea water AND getting burned by the sneaky overcast Tokyo sun!

BUT, as the title of this post might suggest, I want to talk about "business as usual". Or, rather, how things are becoming "business as usual".

Case in point, I no longer walk around every Tokyo subway station, running into people and things, while craning my neck in order to take in every single neon ad. It seems that the intense Tokyo, light-bright, nightlife is starting to become commonplace to my previously forest accustomed, hippy-dippy mind.

Likewise, when someone rams into me from behind on the metro, or practically runs me over on the street with their multi basket/children laden bicycle, I no longer see flashes of angry red. I instead, simply feel the blow as a zombie would, without emotion but with the slightest twinge of hunger...Perhaps the drone mentality is beginning to catch on...


Business NOT as Usual

Here's the giant group I got hooked up with to do the swimming portion of a triathlon. My coworker, Hiro, is a BEAST at it and asked me to help out the older ladies by being a mediocre swimmer. ALSO not "business as usual" getting gulps of briny sea water when I'm meant to be breathing and brushing JELLYFISH while kicking!

My coworker is the shirtless dude.... I'm the white girl

Area of industrial runoff or site for athletic competition? It's an AND world here in Japan!

Also, my cousin Chris (bless his heart) had a wedding in Hawaii and it was the absolute best! I feel truly grateful for the friends, family, and opportunities I've been afforded so far in my life!

My mom and I in Maui!

Me and my cousin's beautiful new wife, Payton Jay Balph!

What else? What else? It's definitely BUSINESS AS USUAL at work now, however, test week and some kind of grading... It's loads of fun though and my coworkers are delightful.

Also went to see Sumo wrestling and they picked me up!

Possible upcoming events: staying out until the first train, a visit from the sister, and moving to a slightly larger room in my shared house!

Thinking of you all at home!

Jenn