Movies, Laundry, Food, Fear and Love
...written on 07.13.05, @ 9:06 a.m.
Yesterday Min and I went to the movies to watch Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. It just hit the theatres in Japan Sat July 9th. On what started out as a rainy Tuesday, and after we paid $18 for a ticket and $6.50 for a medium popcorn and a large coke, we encountered about 20 adults at 12:20 in the afternoon in the only theatre that was showing the English version of the movie. By the time you hit the 8 & 9 p.m. showings there are four theatres showing the Star Wars flick, two in English with Japanese subtitles and the other two with the movie dubbed in Japanese with no subtitles.
The movie was so-so. I slept through some of it and after drinking that large coke, decided to take a pee break during the final dual duels, figuring that Obi-Wan and Yoda would still be fighting by the time I got back and they were.
After the movie we went out into the lobby and got some info on movies that will be “coming soon”. Cinderella Man will be here in August, Bewitched will be here in September and Mr. & Mrs. Smith will be here in December. So you see there can be a little lag time between the US debut and the Japan arrival date.
I was surprised not to see any posters up yet of Harry Potter, which is due out in November, shock of all shocks, perhaps on the same day as it appears in the States, which in actuality would be the day before because of the international date line thingee. Anyone know why it might be appearing in Belgium, Germany, Malaysia, Russia, Switzerland (German region) and Thailand a day earlier? (The book, the Half Blood Prince is due to arrive on my doorstep from Amazon-Japan this Saturday.) I like to stay abreast of the H.P. happenings since he is so popular with my students. I’ll throw in quiz questions about him and the other Hogwarts hellions in our activities every once in a while.
After our foray at the movies, Min and I went shopping for food. I encountered some huge green plaintains (platanos, in Spanish) or green cooking bananas which are popular in Latin American dishes. I am having some for breakfast now that I boiled in hot water with a little salt. Later I will fry them, then squish them flat with the bottom of a glass and fry them again, put salt on them and then succumb to the ecstasy of linking taste with memory. Hands down for me, the food in the Dominican Republic was the best anywhere. I loved the herbs (cilantro, oregano) and veggies (tomato, onions, small light green peppers-aji gustosos) etc. that they used in cooking.
Oh, the washing machine is calling me. I must take a break to hang out my clothes as the saying goes “Wake up with the sun, get your laundry done.” Back in a flash. . .
Ok, I’m back. The weather here is so changeable that when it appears the least bit favorable, you have to do the washing. I don’t have to check the weather report, I just look and see what my neighbors are doing. If their wash is out, mine goes out. If theirs comes in, I bring mine in (of course that little bit is more obvious).
I share the 2nd floor laundry landing with the landlords and the Takadas . Mrs. Takada likes to hang her clothes right off the catwalk, which means I usually have to hunker down, around and under her clothes to put mine up. She isn’t picking the primo location to hang her wash I might add. You see, there are big buildings on one side of us that block the sun during the best drying hours of the day and her clothes remain in shadow at those times. Plus if she would just walk a few more steps she could avoid having her laundry slap my greasy face when I walk by (how’s that for passive-aggressiveness?). Enough of the laundry war stories for now.
Anyway, at the market, I also bought some meat for spaghetti sauce. It is rare in Japan to find hamburger meat that is 100% beef. Usually, it is a mixture of beef and pork. I got a 70% (beef) 30% (pork) mix for dinner. Where I often shop I can only get 60/40. They also had a 100% pork mince.
So I made some yummy spaghetti sauce last night. As I was making it, Min was in the studio with the window open so we could see each other as I prepared dinner. We talked about many things. I often caught him staring at me as I worked and various times he proclaimed how thankful he was that I am in his life. At night, nestled into each other, my head on the brink of sweet slumber, he hugged me tightly and said “I don’t ever want to lose you.”
And in my grogginess, a small figure with long green ears appeared . . .
YODA: Careful you must be when sensing the future, Anakin. The fear of loss is a path to the dark side.
ANAKIN: I won't let these visions come true, Master Yoda.
YODA: Death is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those around you who transform into the Force. Mourn them, do not. Miss them, do not. Attachment leads to jealousy. The shadow of greed, that is.
ANAKIN: What must I do, Master Yoda?
YODA: Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose.
(Thanks to Supershadow.com for the script source)