It seemed like for a while my move to Japan was always 5 or 6 months away and still just the beginnings of a swell headed my way from a distant sea. Those days are over. While I wasn't paying attention, a few months went by unnoticed and now my departure (and everything that needs to be done ahead of time) have matured into a giant wave looming over me and about to crash on top of my head. My well loved strategy of holding my ears and humming is no longer working and it is time to face the great wave. However, just in the nick of time, my attitude has changed. My little world seems to have adjusted itself to ease me into the next phase of my life. Things that were very important to me just a short time ago have lost their sheen and I am ready to say some not so tearful goodbyes to Philadelphia.
In my selfish teenage years, my Mom would try to convince me that the world did not revolve around me. For a while I believed her. To my shock and dismay, I did not turn out to be the first person in history not to age; I still haven't discovered my secret ability to levitate or bend spoons, and the heartbreak bullet is one I wasn't destined to dodge. However, throughout the disappointments, the universe is still circling, dropping hints as to my importance. Most of these I will keep to myself so as not to discourage the rest of you mortals, but here are a few little ones that crack me up.
- First, thank you to Philadelphia for showing me a little of your seedy underbelly, just when I was getting sentimental about leaving your filthy, crime ridden streets.
- Second, thanks to those who try to make me question my gut instincts and moral compass just in time to reveal your true character and thereby easing my severance from my circle of friends.
- Thanks to the US economy for going into a flat spin in both the value of the dollar and the cost of living, again, just in time to prevent me from noticing how expensive Japan is.
- And finally, thanks to Saturday Night Live for creating a basic Japanese version of my favorite TV show. It boosts my confidence to understand the dialog, to be able to read the coffee mug, and to understand the more subtle of the digs on Japanese culture that I'm sure I'll be making fun of in no time at all.
This little video makes me so happy.
Thanks Universe, for these small adjustments and so much more. Now I feel ready to turn and face the incoming wave and surf that bitch all the way to the Asian Pacific. Banzai!
