So for the past 2 days, I have had the Katy Perry lyric running through my head: “You’re Hot then You’re Cold…” The Tokyo flu finally put me down and I was forced to not work out Tuesday (I was going to do Ashtanga) AND turn on the heat in the apartment. There is nothing I hate more than being told to breathe deeply when there is someone in the room who sounds like they have respiratory disease. Luckily, Cliff was off work for the March 20th National holiday known as Shunbun no Hi. This is the holiday to celebrate love of nature and living things. We celebrated by staying indoors in our underwear and robes.

TURNING JAPANESE

I have heard other wives sometimes express concern over their husbands “turning Japanese” or expecting them to be more “Japanese-y”. I was not too worried about such things because I truly believe I have married the  “Whitest Man on Earth.” However, given the fact that Cliff himself will admit to being somewhat of a dandy (as anyone who has seen him would figure out quickly), I was a bit concerned when he came home after a recent trip excited about his new underwear. Normally he wears boxer-briefs that reach to above the knee. When he tried on his new undergarments, I nearly fell over. They looked like the hot pants I wear to my workouts! It’s amazing what a few inches can do for you. I told him he looked like one of Madonna’s backup dancers:

I will hold off on worrying too much until Cliff tells me he wants to be a vegetarian and starts carrying a designer man bag. Until then, I’ll just put on my bustier and strike a pose.

GOING TO THE DENTIST

Dentist office

Sometimes, I get so caught up in the comedy that is my life that I forget this blog is supposed to be somewhat useful and informative. So today I biked my recovering ass to my dentist at the Tokyo Clinical Dental Office. Dr. Drennan happens to be a graduate from St. Mary’s International School and around my age. Ours must be the age of reminiscing because every time we get together I feel like we end up talking about Thompson Twins and parachute pants. Today, I was in for a regular cleaning and check-up. Given my experiences in the States, I have always assumed Dental Hygiene schools must recruit students from lumber yards the way they have always sawed back and forth over my gums with their floss. Not to mention they always seem to have the biggest man-hands that require the intermittent “open wider please”. I have to admit, today was so different! I swear, I could have napped through my cleaning! She was so gentle at one point I began to wonder if I was getting a proper cleaning. Let me also say, those small Asian hands aren’t just good for sweat shops. Not once did I feel like gagging or get asked to open wider. The other thing I need to mention is, I was very happy to retain some of my dignity during my visit. I have always thought it gross and weird how in America, they will remove the tartar/plaque off your teeth and then shmear it across your paper bib. It’s so humiliating. Here, she removed the plaque/tartar off my teeth and then put it into a tissue on the tray next to her. So civilised.

Until next time…