Shenanigans

I find that writing ideas flowed much more freely when I was an unemployed college student.

Now that I don’t play Nintendo games on weekday afternoons, or B&E into institutional buildings, for fun my textual musings seem a little more serious and a little less shenanigan filled.

As such, I should probably start plotting more shenanigans. However, I have two reservations. 1) making my employers look bad and 2) being deported.

I can’t imagine being deported is a one time event.

This is probably how it would go trying to return to Japan, after having been deported:

Japanese Immigration Officer: “Um…sir, you were deported, I can’t let you back into the country”.

Me: “Oh…”

Japanese Immigration Officer: “Sir…um…Sir, are those ninja stars in your hand?”

Me: “….maybe”

Japanese Immigration Officer: “……”

Me: “Sooo….can you at least send me somewhere else in Asia?”

Japanese Immigration Officer: “No, sir, I cannot. And  I’m afraid you’re going to have to come with me.””

-end scene-

So, based on my fears I’ve devised a few rules for my hijinks.

Rule #632 for Shenanigans: Don’t get caught.

Rule #633 for Shenanigans: Do no (permenent) harm.

Rule #634 for Shenanigans: Always have accomplice.

Rule #635 for Shenanigans: If caught, blame accomplice.

That’s all for now.

Personal Correspondence

Well, well, well, it’s been quite a while. Again.

I’ve become rather consistent at being inconsistant.

I couldn’t say if it’s the general busyness of life or some manifestation of my innate procrastination habits.

I’m banking on a hybrid of both.

That being said, let’s get to the meat and potatoes of this posting. (Although, they often say “one man’s meat is another man’s poison”. I promise I won’t poison anyone on purpose.)

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Since moving to Japan, I have found that I get the most hand written, personal correspondence from two sources:

1) Older relatives and friends of the family.

2) Friends in America (in spite of my neglect and overall terribleness at keeping in touch.)

In this post, I’m mostly going to focus on the older relatives and friends of the family.

The two main culprits in this category are my grandma and the pastor’s wife from the church that I grew up in and called subsequently called grandma.

Now, I’ve done a pretty good job keeping in touch with (biological) Grandma (and Grandpa.)

I call them at least once a month. My reasons aren’t complicated. It’s mostly because I love my Grandparents. But I have to say, a close second is excited Grandma is to talk to me. Living in Japan has become business as usual to me, but apparently still looks pretty awesome on the outside.

Don’t even get me started on the street cred that Grandma gets at her quilting guild because I live in Japan. The crazy “Japanese” fabric [made in China] that I got her last Christmas must have been very envy inducing.

I see it as a “My grandson is a DOCTOR” sort of phenomenon. Apparently, there aren’t any grandson Doctors represented in the guild. To me, that seems to be a little bit more of an accomplishment than simply living somewhere far away.

But, per usual, I have digressed.

The second Grandma, the pastor’s wife, I see very irregularly. Only once or twice in the past few years. And yet, she continues to sent me letters, with updates and encouragement.

So, this got me to thinking.

I kind of just take these letters in and appreciate that people are thinking of me. But shy of the phone calls to Grandma, I haven’t really been reciprocating. I think this is childish behavior. That sort of receptive mode that is acceptable for children, is in turn, irresponsible for adults. I think it is prudent to give in addition to receiving.

They don’t have to be full of feelings, and gooey what nots like the Grandmas letters are admittedly famous for. In this case, I think it really is the thought that counts.

Real adults, real men, send letters when they need to. Because it is important to value people in a way that they will understand and appreciate.

(and Grandma doesn’t have e-mail)