Snow Fall in Saitama

Close your eyes....... Wait, actually keep them open. Otherwise you won't be able to read along! Pretend your eyes are closed. What do you think of first? I think of presents.

You know how as a kid, someone telling you to close your eyes and keep them closed is just the best (or worst) form of cruelty? It's nearly impossible to do simply because you know there is going to be something amazing in a few seconds and you fear your body might explooooddee with anticipation! Well, keep pretending your eyes are closed, and at the end of this sentence... open them:

Cool huh? You're in another world now, a snowy wonderland! My friend Shiho took this picture from her balcony in Japan! She lives in the Saitama region, about 1 hour bullet train ride inland from Tokyo City. We have been e-mailing eachother since her return home and often talk about our weather woes. For example, I tell her about the Cairns cyclone, Brisbane flooding, Perth fires, Victoria Flooding etc etc and she unfailingly types "chooo sammuuiiiii" Meaning it is SOOOOO COOOLLLDDDD!!!! I didn't quite realise HOW cold until she sent me this picture! She doesn't have her driver's licence yet so naturally she has to ride a bike or walk to school each day. In that. Poor Shiho :(

I felt inspired to write this because I think I am getting sick *dun dun DUNNNN* Josh has being doing placement at another Primary School and picked something up, which may have spread to me, nooo! I have felt very poopy these last few days and feel like I am on another level than usual. Kate at work asked me how I felt yesterday morning and I eventually managed to blurt out my half-hatched thoughts of how I actually feel. I told her "You know when you're sick... and you're like surprised?..... By life?" she just laughed and asked me to elaborate. It was so hard, I should have just said "Meh." I think I meant.. I felt as though I were in a dream state and possibly still half-asleep therefore surprised to feel that way and still be living your daily life. Maybe. I'm still a big congested in the ole' brain box up there! When I try to talk it comes out sounding like that scene from the movie "Tomorrow When the War Began" when they find Chris and he is baked and starts philosophising. Picture a guy who did character research for a stoner by watching an overacter play the role of a stoner. You know what I mean. You should watch it, it's painful!

Also, speaking of Japan and Subarashii... I watched AKIRA the other night - a classic Anime movie. I thought I knew what was going on for most of it, but then I got really confused really quickly. I watched it with my housemate Maki and we were just laughing and giving audience commentary by the end. It was visually amazing, and the first few songs blew my mind, but yes... no idea. I should look up an explanation for the reasons any of it was happening. Oh yeah, i forgot to explain my segway! "Subarashii" means Marvelous or Wonderful, and in the movie one character kept saying it and I got really excited! It was subarashii, much unlike my segways today. ACHOO!