Hanami

I went to my first official hanami today. "Hanami" literally means "flower viewing" (cherry blossoms, specifically), which I've done a lot of since it's been hanami season for about 2.5 weeks now and the Japanese are obsessed with cherry blossoms. But today, I went to Yoyogi Park, sat around with food and drinks under the trees, and whiled away the afternoon, which is what one is "supposed" to do for hanami. It was actually great fun because one girl brought her two adorable sons who were beyond cute and the most well-behaved children I've ever seen in my life.

Afterwards I ended up having dinner with J and S and their hubbies at a Nepalese/Tibetan restaurant (which is now giving me heartburn and keeping me awake).

Thank goodness for friends, because last evening, I was SO close to blowing up and quitting my job. What really did it for me at work was that I work with some people who have some gigantic egos/chips on their shoulders (same thing) and putting up with them (for 3.5 hours straight) in the same room listening to them drone on and on about the most inane, idiotic things over and over again (and then say the most ridiculous things like "the French just have it out for the Japanese. That's why this deal isn't getting done" when in reality this deal isn't getting done because WE have not sent out drafts of the initial documents because deleting a comma basically takes a 3 hour all-hands meeting followed by 10 revisions) almost drove me to pull out my hair.

But after a delicious girls' dinner at my favorite Peruvian last night, followed by hanami in the park, followed by more good times at dinner with the J and S couples, I feel infinitely better. Meaning simply that I feel that I will be able to make it through another week in Tokyo without going insane. One week at a time - anything longer and I feel unbearably stifled.