10

Eight years ago, I was living and working in Japan. I decided to save money and not travel during the holidays. My Japanese Christmas was an interesting experience.





Since Japan is not a Christian-based country, Christmas is not an official holiday. I worked a full day on the 24th and then had Christmas Day off only because it fell on a Saturday. Many businesses had Christmas trees and lights set up, and many also were selling Christmas merchandise, but the approach was distinctly different from my experience here in the U.S. (If you think Christmas is a totally commercial affair here, you really should see what it is in Japan. It will probably make you sick.) Just like here, there were many Christmas specials on TV, but again, with a distinctive twist...no, let's call it an outright WARP on what I consider to be the original in this country. This is what I wish to tell you about today.







Spending Christmas Eve and Day alone, I had decided to treat myself and had a decadent dinner of seafood and other luxuries at home, in front of my TV. I cranked the little heater to blast as high as it could, covered my legs in blankets, and turned on another space heater. My apartment in Gifu was built right after the war (that's my estimate, anyway), was not insulated, had no central heating system, and the wind would blow through the apartment because the windows weren't really sealed. Since I was splurging, I took all measured to get comfy.







Then I turned on the TV. I'm sure that I had rented a stack of videos (past seasons of X-files and Ally McBeal), but I am a huge fan of Japanese TV. Entertainment to the utmost level, y'all. I settled on a Christmas special featuring the biggest pop stars in the country singing Christmas carols. My two favorite were:





1. An oversized girl group called "Morning Musume" singing "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" in English. For you non-Japanese speakers out there, the hard "y" sound us a bit tricky for the native Japanese speaker. Here's how the song went: "We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Ear! And a Happy New Ear! New Ear!" They kept singing "New Ear" over and over again. My ears were overjoyed with the unintended comedy. Thank you Morning Musume.








2. A very popular pop singer, singing in what appeared to be a chapel with a gospel choir as back-up. And not just any old gospel choir, a very distinctly Southern Baptist-looking choir. The music started, slowly--organ music. Very fitting for the scene and I was pleasantly surprised to see a religious take on this program. Then the pop singer started in--a lively rendition, in English, of "Jingle Bell Rock." I'm sure my neighbors thought the American in A405 had gone nuts. I was laughing uncontrollably.





Even though I was on my own that year, it remains one of my favorite Christmases. It was most certainly a different take on the holiday. Merry Christmas and Happy New Ear!

11

What is the appropriate response to a gift you instantly dislike? If you are like my mom, no matter how thoughtful or expensive, you will act graciously after opening the present and immediately return or exchange said gift the next day. What were we thinking buying that Donna Karan suit for her, when we knew she would just take it back to Nordstrom's and exchange it for sheets and Christmas ornaments that were on clearance?

I guess my mom rubbed off on me a little bit.

Speaking from experience, no matter how ugly or impractical the gift is, you should never tell your fiance after opening the present, "I'm sorry, but I can't wear it." Such was my mistake while spending Christmas in London with my former fiance.

I remember that she was excited all week and kept making phone calls to see if it was ready. I had an inkling of what she bought me, and I was hoping that I was wrong. . . I wasn't.

I'm lousy at hiding my emotions, and unfortunately for me I was staying with her family, so there was no escape. I remember her sisters crowding around me to take a closer look as I opened the present. I must have had the look of someone who had just received a turd sandwich instead of a gift from a loved one because everyone sat in stunned silence as they watched me open and try on the gift.

In my defense, other than in high school when I wore an earring (gold hoop like many of the other soccer players), I don't do man jewelry. So, the loose fitting silver bracelet engraved with a special message to me was wrong in so many ways. I tried it on, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't bring myself to lie to her and tell her that I'd wear it everyday while I was in Utah and she was back in London. I told her that I would proudly display it at my desk, but under no circumstances could I wear it. Needless to say, it was not the reaction she was hoping for. Unfortunately, there is no way to exchange a personalized engraved bracelet. Merry Christmas!

12

Three years ago, Jake and I lived in Albuquerque and I was pregnant with Ellie. Jake was a counselor in the Branch Presidency of the Albuquerque University Singles Branch. It was a tiny branch, so Branch activities tended to be major affairs--for example, full dinners at many holidays and fast Sundays. For Christmas, each member of the branch presidency was supposed to put on a musical number for the special Christmas sacrament meeting program.

This arrangement was fine for the Branch President, whose family is very musically inclined and all are singers. No problem for the other counselor, either, who had children in the Branch and who were also singers. They just had their kids sing. Not so easy for Jake and me. I play the piano, but as I recall, we had been specifically requested to SING. Jake loves to sing, and he sings to our kids all the time. But he is not a "singer." OK, let's be honest, there is no tune carrying going on with my awesomely capable and perfect husband. I can carry a tune and read music, but that is as far as I go. Jake informed me that Prez Jimenez (or PJ, as we liked to call him) was not going to budge on this one. As Christmas got closer and closer, we were still at a loss.

Finally, the day before the program, I decided to take one for the team. I went to Deseret Book and found a children's Nativity book with big Nativity scenes and stick-on characters. Then I showed Jake how it worked. I had Jake call Sister PJ and ask her to play the piano for us.

This is how it went down. I sang the song "The Nativity" from the Children's Songbook. (That's the song that starts "This is the season beloved of the year, Sing a rhyme Christmas time soon will be here..." and goes through all the scenes of the Nativity.) Sister PJ accompanied me. Jake had the Nativity book on a big easel and went through each scene that I sang and added characters to the scenes.

So, I know this sounds kind of dumb, but still understandable considering the circumstances, right? Well this is how you should picture it. I was very pregnant (see photo below). I am not a singer and my voice doesn't carry. And the best part was Jake, who was (1) unfamiliar with the song and (2) unfamiliar with children's books with stick-on characters, was frantically turning pages, finding the right scene, and then finding the right stick-on to go with the scene. I saw him breathe a huge sigh of relief at the end.

Our part of the production ended, and I saw more than one raised eyebrow, including someone from Stake leadership. I remember Jake was slightly concerned about that particular raised eyebrow.

Aah...the good old days of Albuquerque, where we always had to do things a little bit differently! Merry Christmas!

Teriyaki Busters

Last year, Jake and I tried out a new Japanese restaurant. The Japanese restaurant search is quite important in our family. Surprisingly, we have not found very many Japanese joints in the Denver area that we would recommend. I don't remember the name of this place, but it was in Parker and it was not a close drive. The one thing I remember about this place was that we ordered the gyoza (or potstickers). I remember telling Jake, "they should really stop serving these here."

For my birthday today, Jake surprised me. This is a shocker because Jake can't keep a secret. He tells me everything. The last time he surprised me was when he proposed to me--that was a real shocker because I really didn't see it coming. (But that's another story for another blog...) He told me he was going to surprise me with our honeymoon, but he told me where we were going as soon as he had the tickets purchased. Each birthday since we've been married, I believe, has been an intended surprise, but he has told me as soon as the reservations were made each time.

This time, no spilled beans. This never happens. If you look to the right of this posting, you will see a new addition to my favorite restaurants list. Sushi Sasa. (Just so you know, when it comes to Japanese cuisine, if it isn't on my list, you really shouldn't go there. Trust me on this one.) My pet peeve with many East Asian style restaurants is the amount of sugar in everything. All the sauces are teriyaki, the sushi rice could double for a Quaker caramel rice cake, and the salad dressing is really sesame flavored syrup. Also, stay away from any place that claims to be an "Asian" restaurant. Do you know how big Asia is? Pakistan is Asia. India is Asia. The Philippines is Asia. Parts of Russia are considered Asia. Then there's your run-of-the-mill Asia of China, Japan, Korea, and etc. Or here's the real kicker: a Chinese buffet and sushi bar. And it's probably called something like "East Sea Asian Bistro." You should never eat at a place like this. Or, at least, if you do, don't tell me you ate there. Actually, don't tell me you ate there and liked it. I'm tearing my hair out just thinking about it!

I am always pleased to see an absence of the word "teriyaki" on a Japanese menu. Such was the case at Sushi Sasa. I can also report with elation that there was no sugar in the sauces in any of the dishes we ordered. The sushi rice, in Jake's words, "tasted clean." It was wonderful. Here's the rundown of our dinner:

Beef Tataki (rare seared beef): absolutely delicious

Chicken Skewers: ok, I wouldn't order it again, but great for a "beginner"

Monkfish Liver, a.k.a. foi gras of the sea: heavenly--silky, smooth, like butta. We ended up ordering a second serving of this...

"Gourmet" Sushi Plate (variety of sushi): rice flavored just right and fresh wasabi. There was no skimping on quality or quantity here. (also very reasonably priced)

Dessert: even the dessert was remarkable. Beautifully presented and certainly delicious. We had the Chocolate Mousse Cake and the Lemon Cheesecake Mousse.

I highly recommend Sushi Sasa. It's definitely up there with Sushi Den. (Izakaya Den would be up there, too, but the waiter there didn't know what he was talking about (fyi, Tamari is soy sauce), so that place gets lower marks.)

Digging in the Snow

We woke up to this treat this morning. Lots of snow! Snow is still a novelty to Ellie. I don't think she knows what to do with it, but she knows that she definitely wants to be in it. Here she is trying to figure out how to play with the snow.

Two Fours

Disclaimer: a week ago, I had minor hand surgery which has been a total thorn in the side of my life in general. I have stitches in my palm which hurt and the anesthetic appears to have NOT worn off. I have a numb middle finger. (You may laugh now if you like. I would if it wasn't me.) Typing is quite difficult when you have a a tender palm and a numb finger. Any typos may be attributed to the finger issue.

Here is the fourth photo from my fourth folder.
Logan Canyon, my mom, and my niece, Erika. I believe this was taken in 2006 shortly after my mom was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer, metasticized to her liver, 6 months to live. (In case you are new to my blog, my mom has survived nearly 2 1/2 years and is in terrific health today.) See the hat she's wearing? There's no hair under it. She was very sick then. No one knows how she got so healthy. Here's my hypothesis:

1. Lots of prayer, fasting, blessings, temple attendance
2. Reduction of big, out of control stresses
3. Changing to an intensely healthy diet (all vegetables, yo!) and adding exercise
4. Maybe the green stuff helped? (Fletchers, if you're reading this, you know what I'm talkin' about)
5. Competent medical care

Here's the bottom line: maybe you can't control all your health issues. None of us knows when our time will come. But, you know, if my mom can get to the brink of death and then come...no, bounce back, I think that we're at least partially in control of our health and possibly our mortality. SO TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODIES!