what is in a date?

I love 7.7
It's the star lovers day in Japan.  How great of a celebration is that?  All about star-crossed lovers that can meet only one day out of the year; weather permitting.   I have to say it is one of my favorite days of the year.  Not that I am star-crossed.  Nor do I have a lover.  But if I did, we would be star-crossed. 

However on this day (7.7), I have to admit, I look quite silly running around the yard with sparklers and poppers shouting my wishes and dreams upward into the waning blue sky. 

"I wish for 75 degrees year round"
"I dream of landing myself as an extra on NCIS"
"I wish for a sign... any damn sign"
"I dream of singing backup with Jimmy Buffett"
"I am wishing for edamame flavored popcorn to arrive in America!"

One year, my neighbor called my husband at work the following day to let him know that they are still working from home and that they could keep a closer eye on me if needed.  He told them something about my fascination with Asia.  So now every time I see neighbors A and B, they bow to me and speak very slowly and loudly. 

Or the time Neighbor C returned our RIP tombstone sign from Halloween.

Or the time a passerby circled around the block and reminded me that it's the seventh not the fourth.

Hey, thanks!!

I celebrate 7.7!  Alone. 

It's the sumo day that my neighbors should worry about.

she's gone country

like twenty years ago.  to be exact.  before country was IN.  before country was cool.  [small disclaimer to the world of country: i do wish to declare that there has never been anything remotely cool about women's wranglers.] 

i went country in tokyo.  as in japan, the country.  every afternoon, armed air force radio was on - for two hours.  at first the two hours were extremely long.  then they got shorter.  armed air force radio was the ONLY english radio station aired.  its reception was finicky.  unpredictable.  highly anticipated.  yet, why country in tokyo?  why not hip hop? or oldies (have you been to harajuku)?

i began to listen at noon because i craved hearing the english language from english speaking natives.  and calling america, just to hear english, every day was getting a bit expensive.  especially to those of you to whom i called collect.  oops. 

i first realized i went country when:

*i was singing along
*i knew the lyrics
*i was humming a song (that was ultimately stuck in my head) and i hadn't forgotten the tune
*i went to karaoke and requested "achy breaky heart"
*i learned to line dance at the western saloon in tokyo  
*i had plans to move to tennessee or texas upon my return to the states and country music was the only reason for this move

i was walking down sakuragaoka street, heading to the train station and realized my head was singing john anderson's "straight tequila night".  it is my first memory of placing a country song with an event.  not a monumental event.  but definitely an event.  K13 became my favorite song.  I still play it in juke boxes wherever I may be.  K13 is not always my favorite song... like it's the beastie boys at the red cow.  or it's some rap song at flannagans.  or it's some new age tune at the cellar.