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Friday, May 25, 2018

Social Media Experiement

I have an interesting relationship with social media.  I am not on any platforms except Facebook and Pinterest so I think I am a bit of a dinosaur.  I fully know that social media sets an unrealistic standard because we tend to post the most amazing things, not the mundane things, or the millions of little mistakes that we make throughout the day.  I fall right into this because I post so rarely that when I do, it seems to be something "of note."  I don't like to feel like I am bragging but then I link this blog to Facebook, so for what purpose?  To share what I am doing.  I feel that most of the time, people do not really care what I am doing but then I portray this image that all we do is travel around Japan because those things are, again, "of note."

On Tuesday, May 22nd, I conducted a Social Media Experiment.  Beginning at 5:00am when I woke up, I stopped whatever I was doing on the hour and took a picture. This was in efforts to catch what I was doing on what was actually a really busy day and to show all the mundane things that fill my days.  Sometimes I wished that my hour would have shown a different moment or image but that would not have been true to the experiment.  So here it is, whether you care or not!
5:00am- wake up and sort the laundry.  It is sheets day so that means three extra loads on top of my regular four

6:00am- Showered and getting ready for the day

7:00am- Preparing breakfast for the kids (Josh and I made all our meals the day before or we would never eat.)

8:00am- Almost time for school for the kids

9:00am- Attempting to purchase Shinkansen tickets online to avoid an errand

10:00am- Loading the car early in preparation for the busy afternoon.  Contents- five dance costumes, dance duffel bag, hair supplies, makeup, guitar, cello, yoga clothes, snacks 

11:00am- walking out the main gate into Misawa

12:00pm- The most enjoyable part of the day, a barbecue with O'Misawa.  The Misawa Officer's Spouses Club and O'Misawa take turns hosting social exchanges.  

1:00pm- Getting back to laundry

2:00pm- taking out a few bags of garbage
3:00pm- Sollars Elementary Talent show rehearsal for Bear and Bub


4:00pm- Suzuki Cello Lesson off base for Bear

5:00pm- Recital picture retakes for Bear and Pants

6:00pm- The aftermath of the afternoon in the hall.  Someone will put it all away right?

7:00pm- Teaching a yoga class.  This is not me!  I just could not take a picture during my class.
8:00pm- Finishing up homework, later than we like on a less crazy day

9:00pm- One last load of laundry to fold

10:00pm- Practicing for Misawa Stars competition on June 1st

11:00pm- Finally going to bed and trying to read to unwind but I am just too tired!
Here are a few more pictures of things that we have been doing "of note." Shown below: dance recitals for Bear and Pants, and ITT trip to Matsushima Bay, Japan, one of our favorite places to visit here.
















Friday, May 11, 2018

Coo-coo for Cherry Blossoms

Everyone in Japan goes nuts for cherry blossoms. The blooming season is only three weeks so perhaps that is why they appreciate them so much, as they are fleeting.  We have some beautiful trees that the line the streets on base, but many travel to Hirosaki for the Cherry Blossom Festival there.  We traveled with ITT to the festival so that we would not have to bother with parking at the busy location. 

The blossoms were simply beautiful.  I think it is because there were so many in such a condensed area.  It looked like it was snowing all over again; the trees were so white.  We were at the festival into the night so we enjoyed the lights on the blossoms as well. 

Is that snow in the water?  No, just thousands of cherry blossoms!
There is some variation in the colors of the blossoms.  Most of the trees were white though.






The park in Hirosaki has a path they have named the Cherry Blossom Tunnel.  This year marked the 100th Anniversary of the Festival.





Cherry Blossom Tunnel