Routines

My routines are all messed up with Chrissy gone, but anyone who knows me well, knows that I can’t sleep without her around. In Japan, it is the same problem with a slight variation. I fall asleep easily, but I wake up about three or four in the morning and find it difficult to fall back asleep. One thing about getting up early is that it is a great time to call, Five am here is one pm there.

Also, with our internet down. I have to sit in the kitchen to skype, read, and write quick emails. If I want to write something longer, I have to move the entire operation to the living room where I can plug the speakers into I-tunes. When I have the computer in the kitchen, I don’t play any music, because I don’t want to disrupt the neighborhood with my computer in the window. My closest neighbor is about five feet from my kitchen window. There is a little open area out the back with four five apartment buildings surrounding it.

Last night, I was reading on the couch, passing the time until the first game of the world series came on TV, and I dozed off. I didn’t sleep long, fifteen minutes maybe. When I awoke, I would have sworn Chrissy was just in the other room. I looked at the room. The light was on. I assumed that she was reading, I even asked out loud, ‘what are you doing?’ expecting her to answer. It took me a couple of seconds to realize that she wasn’t here. Fortunately the game came on shortly after that.

Tonight, I already know the results of the game, but it is a chance to listen to some American voices. Like last night, I will probably read through the game. I just need to find another book. I just finished one book. I thought that I had the sequel here at home. It turns out, I have books three and four. I am missing book two, the Lord of the Rings. I will find it this weekend.

Don’t get jealous, but I have read more books in the last two months than I have in last two years. I think I have put away six books since landing in Japan, and I didn’t read a lot the first month.

I take a book to work, but I only get about a half an hour of reading in during the day. I get much of my reading done at night. Even thought I really enjoy watching TV I am glad that we don’t have regular programs that I am compelled to watch. I only watch the occasional sports program, but I cant read the schedules, so I have to hunt them out. The Red Sox should come on at seven tonight.

This weekend, I don’t have much planned. There is a typhoon skirting the Ki peninsula. It may reach as far north as Osaka tomorrow, so I don’t have any definite plans. If the weather window is good enough, I will dash to Costco on my bike. Other than that, I need to catch up on emails and blog posts. Sunday, I am going to meet Katsumoto and his family in downtown Osaka. We will stroll down a shopping street and then his wife and kids will head home and he and I will walk the street that houses all of the electronics stores. I also need to make plans for next weekend. The superintendent from Pullman will be in town and I will be his guide for a day trip to Kyoto.