five most important

the five most important things i learned about Japan while i was there:

1) go front to hump


there's still some debate over this issue, however, i believe the best method of approach is front to hump. maybe it's different for guys. what do i know?

2) to get your waiter or waitress's attention, look for the button on the table, and press it


look closely, there's a big blue button hiding behind that salt shaker.

3) seven eleven equals cash


seven eleven is the only place your atm card will work other than the airport or post offices.

4)there are beans in everything


that may be an innocent looking matcha muffin thing there on that table, but look out, there are loads of sweetened beans in side. blagh.

5)deer biscuits taste like wafer ice cream cones


they really do. i tried some. and i had a wafer cone that day.

katy at Nijo-jo Castle in Kyoto

ryan and i on a train

the few times we gave al the camera to take pictures of us together, this sort of thing happened:

ryan and i in Kobe

osaka night vision spin

osaka night vision

ryan and i spent the majority of our trip to Japan in the city of Osaka. we did everything there was to do in Osaka with the exception of the Tennoju Zoo (which had all the standard zoo animals anyway).

one of my favorite nights in Osaka was when we went with our tomodachi Al to the floating observation deck suspended between two of Osaka's tallest sky scrapers.

the sight was absolutely breathtaking.

sakura

sakura is the japanese name for cherry blossoms. here are a few pretty pics of cherry blossoms ^_^


this was our first view of the blossoms in daylight:


from a taxi on our way to the Nijo-jo Castle in Kyoto:


it was very very sunny out, which is why ryan and i appear to be squinting here:


blossoms along the river (on our way to the wedding):


the blossoms on the water made the wedding all the more special:

from left to right: Adam's Dad (David Barker), Adam's Mum (can't remember her name, I'm sorry!), Adam Barker, and Nana (now Mrs.) Barker. Nana looked adorable and beautiful in her wedding kimono.

there really were blossoms all over Kyoto. this is on a little back road:


there weren't as many blossoms in Osaka (further south), but we did see this other type of cherry blossom at the Osaka Castle:


by the time we went to Nara, there didn't seem to many blossoms left at all:

(but there were plenty of dear to make up for the lack of pink in the trees!)

the Japan trip

Hello! Ryan and I just spent two full, stimulating weeks in the super colorful and exquisitely bizarre Japan. 

I took over 1,800 pictures on the trip, and though not all of them will make it up here, I promise to share lots and lots of them. So, the next few (many few) posts are going to be photographic detailings of my recent adventures in Japan. 

I hope you enjoy ^_^ 

and finally

i'm off to bed for a few hours before the long long long day of traveling to the land of the rising sun.

yellow lemons

i can't write poetry right now. i'm too excited! we're leaving for japan in less than two days. we're going out tonight to get the few last needed items and to see my mom and dad before we leave. hugs and stuff, necessary.

so i can't write a colorful poem for these colorful fruits:




but i'll be thinking of them, and maybe i'll write one later.

in the mean time, maybe you could write one. go on, have at it. then leave it in my comments so i can read it ^_^

the list

ryan and i are leaving for japan on thursday morning!

i have so much to do before we go, it's kind of silly. i don't really have time to blog at the moment, but then, blogging is way more fun than writing about blogging. so here's the to do list i told jenni i might put up...

• laundry - there's just one load left in the washer. everything else is hung to dry. given the next 24 hours everything should be dry and ready to be packed up for the trip.


• dishes - always need to do these...


• kitty medicine training - taylor and josh are coming over tomorrow afternoon for their kitty medicine training (sort of like mini med school)


• bank - my bank is good, they always look out for me. sometimes, though, they look out a little too much. i have to let them know i'm going to japan and all the cities i'm going to so they don't stop my card while i'm in a far far away place. fancy this, i also have a check to deposit ^_^


• itinerary - need to print this out at school, but keep forgetting. must remember.


• science class article - ughe.


• dump - am planning on doing this tomorrow am, but if it's pouring out again, then no way. it can wait until ryan's home to help.


• see mom and dad - so guess what... my dad's on facebook now ^_^ the whole family is there. anyway, ryan and i are going to stop by to see the rents before the big trip (need hugs and that).


• bills - make sure all the bills that are in, are paid.


• learn japanese - well, at least relearn some of what i used to know. like the alphabet (two of the three that is).


• purchase goodies - my cousin Andy wants oatmeal cream pies, and my tomodachi Al wants chunky peanut butter. i should also get ryan something to eat in case the plane food is yuckzors.


• passports - where are they?


• cleaning spree - i like to vacuum and clean the bathrooms before i leave. i don't know why. i just do. i guess so that i have a nice clean house to come home to after a long travel back.


• kitty little box extravaganza - both boxes need to be super clean so erin doesn't have that hard a time with them while we're away.


• buy more kitty litter - and kitty milk.


• shark socks - buy ryan shark socks to wear at the wedding.


• wedding card - gotta get one of these


• masha - buy and ship wedding shower gift for bunny. this might have to wait. she could always hold off for a japanese-y wedding shower gift i guess.

gosh, i think that'll do it for now. i think i'll go tackle some of these. like that silly science article.

hey jenni

check out my new superhero costume. and my husband's goofy face.

i just need an awesome name now.







p.s. this is currently a somethingkaty exclusive; not yet available on facebook.

katy

hair cut(e)

we both got one

next to human - another way

playing at

a friend of a friend's blog.

science of blogs

i have to write an article about blogs. i don't want to. i'd rather blog.