Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Nerdlass on October 31, 2011 at 11:34pm

Friday was a friend's birthday, so we went to Disneyland in Tokyo. I spent the weekend sick, but I enjoyed Tokyo nonetheless. I even stayed at a capsule hotel! :D Got some winter shopping done and yesterday, I had a busy day full of Halloween-themed lessons, followed up with a Halloween party for our exchange students and my English club. After, I went to a friend's house and had Halloween-themed food, like vegetarian dirty rice with konyaku "worms" and a toast tombstone... Good conversation was had, as well. I have to say, it was a pleasant and enjoyable Halloween weekend, despite my cold. One of the best I've had, since being a kid.

Permalink Reply by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on November 1, 2011 at 12:07pm

I read about capsule hotels. Was it comfortable enough? Did you feel claustrophobic?

Permalink Reply by Joy Cody on November 1, 2011 at 1:21am

Halloween was fun with my little pirate, and I didn't get chosen for jury duty! And we're still waiting to be chosen for our second adoption, which is kind of bumming me out. All in good time, though, I suppose.

Permalink Reply by Lary9 on November 1, 2011 at 5:50am

I'm enjoying my recent retirement more than anyone ought to particularly because I never really planned for it other than pursuing knowledge and understanding relentlessly all my life, which led me to being engaged in many different things in life...all my life. This seems to be the crux of the matter of happiness in the "golden years". It has paid off more than lots of money, just as I suspected it would...although I'm not discounting the importance of income independence. I do have a modest but ample retirement income but in terms of being a happy guy, knowing that you've "run the good race" and, in a manner of speaking, "kept the faith", is about as good as it gets. I guess the bottom line is---self-knowledge and outward knowledge merge at some point and you arrive back home where it all started 65 years ago but a wiser, better man for the journey. And, of course, the journey continues. I have no end of projects. My daughter says..."My Dad never gets bored...you could lock him in a dark closet for hours and when he comes out he'll have something new to tell you that he just discovered and that he's excited about." LOL.

Permalink Reply by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on November 1, 2011 at 12:09pm

Yeah, as a lifelong learner I never "got" it when friends complained of boredom after retirement.

Permalink Reply by Steph S. on November 1, 2011 at 8:07am

Halloween was wonderful! My favorite holiday! Also celebrated my mom's birthday and went out to eat. Got to watch Captain America on Blu-Ray. Great movie! I plan on getting the Jurassic Park trilogy on Blu-Ray - it just came out.

Permalink Reply by Paula T. on November 1, 2011 at 4:58pm

I now have 6 weeks under my belt in my new position as a reference/Interlibrary Loan librarian!  I'm in the same library I worked in while working on my Master's Degree and was SO hoping I would get a job there!!  Right now, it's only considered part-time, but I'm hoping for something full-time down the road {fingers crossed}.  It can be a bit tiring working on a computer for 7 hours a day, but there is enough variety that I can deal with it....and the pay is much more than I ever anticipated.

I have 2 babies in the house - my 4 month old granddaughter and my 3 month old Rottweiler puppy.  Life is busy, to say the least!  Not looking forward to the time change - I usually end up with SAD and anticipating it doesn't help.  I'll have to make time to get on the treadmill everyday, if possible.  That has helped in the past and I feel sluggish for not getting in my exercise since being back to work full-time.  Still, I'm looking forward to Christmas with my granddaughter :)

Permalink Reply by Lary9 on November 1, 2011 at 5:43pm

Sounds like a great journey. I saw a funny bumper sticker---"Librarians do it carefully with cross-references!"
I get SAD too...in fact, I just got over a week or so of initial adjustment to the changing weather and the chillier, darker days that hit us here a little early. It's weird because I get lethargic and sometimes even drowsy---thank the gods I discovered the natural medicinal charm of tea! Of course, when spring comes I go back the other way...it's a briefer transitional "fever" in spring and much less stressful because I've always had baseball to counteract the 'springtime wobblies'.

Permalink Reply by Paula T. on November 2, 2011 at 6:46pm

I'm not a coffee nor a tea drinker, but willing to give tea a chance!  Do you use any one type or flavor in particular for its effects?  or just whatever your favorite is?

 

Permalink Reply by Lary9 on November 3, 2011 at 3:52am

Paula T....OK, here goes~
Usually any unprocessed (not ready made) reputable black tea contains about as 1/2 as much caffeine as comparable amounts of coffee. Green teas are about 1/2 again that strong. I like the flavor of black tea infinitely better than its green cousin, especially my favorite, Darjeeling tea variants...(what do you think kept the British in India so long?).

Here's the thing:   I suspect that tea's curious, enduring appeal down through 
history lies in its overall molecular formulation, not just in the caffeine plus tea-ish flavorings. Tea strikes me consistently as having magical"brightening" properties that seem to exceed its spectrographic chemistry on paper.  I've heard that there are alkaloidal substances in tea, besides caffeine, that are particularly congenial to human brain cells. There is undoubtedly supportive documentation for tea's efficacy of which I, as a converted Yank, am unaware. 

Bottom line is that tea, once one makes friends with it**, is subtly stimulating and it focuses ones attention in a soft, calm way. Yet it's unmistakable just the same...and it doesn't seem to let you down.  Look at all the cultures that have woven into their routines historically---China, India, Japan, Russia, and so on. Why else do you think the British Empire fought all over the globe for tea? Some have suggested that the modern British soul was wrought from tea and the obstinacy of character of Elizabeth I.  I'm for it, old chap. I love tea...and contrary to current American ethology, it's a real man's drink. ~LOL~

(**i.e; grows familiar with it like gaining an elevated sensitivity toward a good friend over time...know what I mean?)

Permalink Reply by Lary9 on November 3, 2011 at 4:11am

I meant to add a bit of advice. If you get an upset stomach from your initial tea experience, don't fret. It's common. Just experiment with milk (never cream) and sugar---or better still, honey. That will nullify that problem nicely.

Permalink Reply by Ruth Anthony-Gardner on November 1, 2011 at 6:14pm

I tend to get SAD when the days shorten, about this time of year. I now use a therapy light, in addition to eating breakfast in my sunroom, our only room with adequate windows.

Have you considered a non Xian alternative celebration such as the Winter solstice or HumanLight?

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