The Other Pond

Why do we call the Atlantic Ocean "the Pond"? Why not the Pacific Ocean? Just curious. The Pacific Ocean is really, really large. If only the distance between Tokyo & Cali was as close as NY to London....10-12 hour flights each way are rough.

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L & E's wedding this past weekend was wonderful. I felt so jubilant and blessed to be a part of the happy day and I can honestly say I've never seen a lovelier bride than L! It's funny how after they were married, it really hit me that they are so made for each other. I think having love and respect for each other is the baseline in a healthy relationship, which of course L & E have in abundance. Clearly, they adore each other. But what makes them so perfect for each other is that they understand each other's quirks and goofiness and everything just kind of fits.

The minister who married them referred to Genesis - how God took a rib from Adam to form Eve - this was such an apt story to use because when you look at E and L, it really is as if she was created to be his perfect mate - they are that compatible when it comes to values, preppiness, humor, fun, ability to make those around them feel at ease (aka diplomacy).

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I finally watched The Time Traveler's Wife and I was so disappointed. The movie does not do the book justice. Too many details were left out or changed and the chemistry between Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana was totally missing. Sad, sad, sad, that is not how the book played out in my head at all. Although I did think the child actress who played young Clare was really good.

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When I arrived in LA, I actually felt this tangible feeling of freedom. The freedom to say what I want, act how I want, to not be constricted by any rules. It was really kind of great and liberating. It felt so alive to hear the buzzing of conversation and traffic. But then it was also annoying. On the shuttle bus to the rental cars, there were these two women who were talking extremely loudly about "oh no she didn't" and "giiiiirl," etc. And I thought: hmm, there's something about the US that is so different from Tokyo...what is it?

Oh yes. Ghettoness. There are no ghetto people in Tokyo, not that I can tell at least. But ghettoness is such an everyday part of life in the US.

But like the unique qualities of Tokyo, the ghettoness of the US is not better or worse, good or bad. It just is. I suppose it's a natural byproduct of the freedom of expression you get in the States, whereas the extreme politeness in Tokyo is a byproduct of the unspoken yet strict societal rules in Japan. On the one hand, I treasure freedom of expression, whatever the consequences and byproducts of that may be. On the other hand, I adore the politeness and orderliness of Tokyo. I now feel equally comfortable in both settings.

I adored being in LA - catching up with friends, speaking my mind freely without worrying about being misunderstood, a general sense of freedom, the access to good non-Japanese food, even the gaudiness and the LA-ness (which I don't know how to really explain but it's the way people carry themselves in LA - blond hair, big sunglasses and a walk/facial expression that says "look at me").

But I was equally elated to return to Tokyo where everything is just so clean, orderly, pleasant, pristine and I can have yummy Japanese food whenever I want.

I don't think there is a "grass is greener" feeling for me when it comes to the US v. Tokyo. It's more like...the grass is equally green but in one place it's real grass and in the other it's artificial. But neither is better, just different. On the one hand, I love the smell of real grass. But artifical grass has its advantages too - you don't have to cut it and it always maintains its spectacular greenness whether you remember to water it or not.