new year, new start!

hello all,
I am very happy to say that i just bought my ticket to vancouver for Tom and Crystal's wedding :)
I'm going to depart from Kansai International on the 17th and I'll arrive the same day at 11:40. it's a 9-hour flight. I'm flying with JAL because I love JAL so very much (seriously they are the best. I was not paid to say that)
I'm flying back on the 22nd so I'll be back in Japan on the 23rd at around 4 pm. but I get back to KIX around 10 pm... ooh. D: I think it'll be worth it to not spend my birthday on a plane or at work, though :)
A special shoutout to Tom and Crystal, I hope you guys are taking it easy even with all the preparations! and I seriously can't wait to see everyone. I can't believe it's been exactly a year and 3 months now.

as for my new life in wakayama, things are going okay so far. I finally have my coveted "kotatsu" (pictured right) which is a blanketed table with a heater underneath. it feels so good... most japanese people say they fall asleep sitting in the kotatsu... but I never fall asleep in it, because I'm super awesome. too bad canadians can't have kotatsu in their houses... there's nothing better on a cold day than to sit down to hotpot and a nice toasty kotatsu! and to top it all off, in the summer it turns into a regular table by the power of love and pure magic.

I am also enjoying cooking for myself a lot! I make a lot of hotpot lately since it's winter but I have also been experimenting, for instance, kabocha squash tofu scramble made with nutritional yeast and black salt (I got those from my internet vegan food exchange friend... black salt has the taste of eggs so it's perfect to put in tofu scramble!)

my job is also going pretty well. a bit slowly though. I have various types of classes I'm teaching, and on thursdays or fridays I go to the elementary schools to teach the english teachers there. mostly though, I've been making teaching materials. it's a pretty good time, and I think lessons will start to pick up in April-may (when the school year starts).

I have also gotten back into calligraphy a bit more. I'm trying to make my writing better for next year's new year's cards... I'm also looking for a place to learn judo in wakayama... but most dojos are only for children. I think there must be at least one place that can teach me, though :) if not maybe i will try karate!