JAWing On – Life on Okinawa

Even after all these years on island, sometimes things happen that are just too funny. I recently went to get new reading glasses. During the eye exam, I was asked to read a chart. The selected item looked like something that might be written in Japanese, but wasn’t clear. So I explained that I didn’t read Kanji very well. The local eye examiner replied in Japanese language, “This isn’t Japanese it’s an alphabet letter.” We both giggled, then she adjusted the lens and asked again. It still wasn’t completely clear, but I could faintly make out a “P”. Giggling I told her it still looked more like a Katakana ”?” to me. We both laughed some more and continued the exam.

Monday November 28, 2005 [S(2/365) LW(14/365)]

November 2005 Total:
S-sunny (2/365) C-cloudy (12/365) PC-partly cloudy (14/365)
D-drizzle (3/365) SR-scattered rain showers (5/365)
W-windy (8/365) LW-light winds (14/365)
H-humid (2/365) SH-slightly humid (8/365)

This Year�s (June 3, 2005 – June 2, 2006) Total:
S- sunny (30/365) C-cloudy (50/365) PC-partly cloudy (99/365)
D-drizzle (12/365) R-rainy (5/365) SR-scattered rain showers (21/365)
W-windy (55/365) LW-light winds (92/365) VW-very windy (5/365)
H-humid (68/365) SH-slightly humid (82/365)

Sunday November 27, 2005 [S(1/365) LW(13/365)]

November 2005 Total:
S-sunny (1/365) C-cloudy (12/365) PC-partly cloudy (14/365)
D-drizzle (3/365) SR-scattered rain showers (5/365)
W-windy (8/365) LW-light winds (13/365)
H-humid (2/365) SH-slightly humid (8/365)

This Year�s (June 3, 2005 – June 2, 2006) Total:
S- sunny (29/365) C-cloudy (50/365) PC-partly cloudy (99/365)
D-drizzle (12/365) R-rainy (5/365) SR-scattered rain showers (21/365)
W-windy (55/365) LW-light winds (91/365) VW-very windy (5/365)
H-humid (68/365) SH-slightly humid (82/365)

Saturday November 26, 2005 [C(12/365)]

November 2005 Total:
C-cloudy (12/365) PC-partly cloudy (14/365)
D-drizzle (3/365) SR-scattered rain showers (5/365)
W-windy (8/365) LW-light winds (12/365)
H-humid (2/365) SH-slightly humid (8/365)

This Year�s (June 3, 2005 – June 2, 2006) Total:
S- sunny (28/365) C-cloudy (50/365) PC-partly cloudy (99/365)
D-drizzle (12/365) R-rainy (5/365) SR-scattered rain showers (21/365)
W-windy (55/365) LW-light winds (90/365) VW-very windy (5/365)
H-humid (68/365) SH-slightly humid (82/365)

Friday November 25, 2005 [PC(14/365) LW(12/365)]

November 2005 Total:
C-cloudy (11/365) PC-partly cloudy (14/365)
D-drizzle (3/365) SR-scattered rain showers (5/365)
W-windy (8/365) LW-light winds (12/365)
H-humid (2/365) SH-slightly humid (8/365)

This Year�s (June 3, 2005 – June 2, 2006) Total:
S- sunny (28/365) C-cloudy (49/365) PC-partly cloudy (99/365)
D-drizzle (12/365) R-rainy (5/365) SR-scattered rain showers (21/365)
W-windy (55/365) LW-light winds (90/365) VW-very windy (5/365)
H-humid (68/365) SH-slightly humid (82/365)

Well another Turkey Day is over. Although many locals have picked-up on the Halloween fun, Okinawans don’t celebrate Turkey Day. It remains one of the few strictly American holidays. For weeks now the Christmas glitter has lined the windows and pathways of local stores, as retailers jump from one celebrated party time to the next. And eager celebrators quickly jump in and begin dressing their homes and businesses with the ever increasing array of decorations. When I was growing-up, our family tradition was to decorate the home the first weekend of December and leave the decorations up until the day after New Years, thereby providing for a month of holiday cheer. The locals however have two months of partying (otherwise known as cheers) in which they bid farewell to this year (in December) and welcome the new year (in January). In effect, one ends up with close to one-fourth of the year surrounded by Christmas decorations.

Thursday November 24, 2005 [PC(13/365) LW(11/365)]

November 2005 Total:
C-cloudy (11/365) PC-partly cloudy (13/365)
D-drizzle (3/365) SR-scattered rain showers (5/365)
W-windy (8/365) LW-light winds (11/365)
H-humid (2/365) SH-slightly humid (8/365)

This Year�s (June 3, 2005 – June 2, 2006) Total:
S- sunny (28/365) C-cloudy (49/365) PC-partly cloudy (98/365)
D-drizzle (12/365) R-rainy (5/365) SR-scattered rain showers (21/365)
W-windy (55/365) LW-light winds (89/365) VW-very windy (5/365)
H-humid (68/365) SH-slightly humid (82/365)

Normal vs. Nerd

If a “normal” person submits their brain to “outside influences” they hope to gain the insights of a nerd, but if a nerd submits their brain to outside influences what do they gain, normality?

Wednesday November 23, 2005 [C(11/365) SR(5/365) LW(10/365)]

November 2005 Total:
C-cloudy (11/365) PC-partly cloudy (12/365)
D-drizzle (3/365) SR-scattered rain showers (5/365)
W-windy (8/365) LW-light winds (10/365)
H-humid (2/365) SH-slightly humid (8/365)

This Year�s (June 3, 2005 – June 2, 2006) Total:
S- sunny (28/365) C-cloudy (49/365) PC-partly cloudy (97/365)
D-drizzle (12/365) R-rainy (5/365) SR-scattered rain showers (21/365)
W-windy (55/365) LW-light winds (88/365) VW-very windy (5/365)
H-humid (68/365) SH-slightly humid (82/365)