Back At It for 2011

So...

Here we are. Back in Japan. And I've decided that for 2011 I am going to start blogging again. I took a bit of a break (a very VERY Long break) from blogging because ...hmmmm.... how shall I put this...I didn't realize so many folks were reading my blog. Anyway, my husband tells me that I actually never stopped blogging, but used Facebook to blog in my Facebook notes and status updates. What can I say? I like to express myself.

It's January 1, 2011 and a whole lot has changed since the last time I posted on here. We've lived in Australia, Ukraine, Tokyo, and are back in Tokyo again. Oh yeah... and we had another baby! (more on THAT later lol)

Everyday's Like Christmas I Guess

My husband went buckwild in ToysRUs yesterday...and spent the evening putting toys together. I swear Isaiah must have woke up and thought it was Christmas as he saw his brand new blow up ball tosser thing that is similar to the things you see at birthday parties where kids take off their shoes and jump around.

Needless to say he is very happy today.

He is ridind his new tricycle like a champ as well!

Matane,
Mai

We Are In The Adelaide Advertiser Newspaper!

Sixers' Chappell steps upArticle from: Font size: Decrease Increase Email article: Email Print article: Print Submit comment: Submit comment BOTI NAGY, BASKETBALL WRITER
August 03, 2007 02:15am
MIKE Chappell felt as if Christmas had arrived early when his agent told him the Adelaide 36ers had come calling.



One of the finest imports to play in the NBL, he had never been in a program which properly suited or showcased his silky skills, breath-taking athleticism or commitment to winning.

Fresh from a season in Japan with the Sendai 89ers where he was an AllStar averaging 23 points per game and eight rebounds in the BJ (Japanese) League, finally the right NBL club was on the line.

"I was excited when my agent told me they'd been in contact because I thought the 36ers would be a good fit for me," Chappell said yesterday when he arrived from Detroit with wife Maisha and two-year-old son Isaiah.

"The 36ers have always been a club rich in basketball tradition and I've always enjoyed the way they play the game. In the times I've spent here (in Australia), they're always a top-four side and always find a way to get there.

"The style they play under (coach) Phil (Smyth) always looks like they're having fun along the way too."

Well yes, that used to be the case. But last season's 11th-placed finish was a record club low, anything but fun and meant some very dramatic changes were in order.

Out went most of the team, with Brett Maher, David Cooper, Lanard Copeland, Matt Sutton and Darren Ng retained while Brad Newley, Brad Davidson, Axel Dench, Adam Ballinger and Chappell brought in.

Ballinger and Chappell were college team-mates at storied Michigan State University.

"I'm looking forward to catching up with Adam," Chappell said. "We've never played on the same team since college, although we've played against each other when I was with Canberra and he was at Victoria."

Chappell, 29 and a 203cm small forward, already has chalked up 88 NBL games with the Cannons, Wollongong Hawks and New Zealand Breakers since 2002, averaging 19.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists.

Since last suiting with the Breakers in 2005 - where he was club MVP in 2004 - he has played in Portugal, Lebanon and Japan.

His arrival means the Sixers finally will have a foil for star small forwards such as Sam Mackinnon (Brisbane), Martin Cattalini (Cairns), and Glen Saville (Sydney) who, along with departed Breakers import Carlos Powell, in 2007 consistently exposed Adelaide's deficiency in that area.

On a one-year deal, Chappell - pronounced Shap-pell - said he had "the highest respect for Phil Smyth and Brett Maher."

Smyth spoke with his former longtime Canberra Cannons team-mate, Hall of Famer Herb McEachin, before signing Chappell.

"Herb's only ever recommended one other player to me and that was Darnell Mee," Smyth said. "When he recommended Mike, I knew he was the right man for us.

"And that's without taking into account the fact he's very talented, versatile and all the other tangibles he brings."

Adelaide opens its season against Wollongong on September 21 but will only know if Newley is staying after he fields European offers.

Baked Beans for Breakfast

In Australia baked beans are a commonly served with breakfast. Being the culture craver that I am, I have taken this "full on" as they say down here and my husband smiles and shakes his head at me. He thinks its funny that I take on the cultures around us (well, certainly not all of the customs cause that could be detrimental to your relationships).



Apparently, baked beans are very high in protein and are quite tasty with sunny side up eggs and toast. My toddler doesn't seem to think so as he has requested Fruit Loops each morning. The orange juice has a bit of a tart kickback here... more of a lemony taste to it. But, lemons taste like lemons.

Speaking of Lemons, if you request "lemonade" down here in Australia (and in New Zealand) you will be served a proper Sprite. There is no such thing as our form of lemonade down this way. (Apologies to Arnold Palmer).

Of course, I've taken on some of the Aussie lingo. My next post is sure to include some.

Yours Truly,
CreativeMaiDownUnder

CREATIVE MAI SAYS GOODBYE TO JAPAN AND HELLO TO AUSTRALIA

I will be changing the name of this post from "Creative Mai Takes On Japan" to "Creative Mai Takes on Australia". All previous posts will remain archived... I may even make the blog public again...

Whirlwind Travel _ Around The World in 30 Days

In April we moved from Sendai Japan to Detroit Michigan... Our wedding was at the end of June... The next week we went to a family reunion in Alabama... Went back to Michigan... The next week to a family reunion in Washington D.C. ... Then the next took 4 flights to move to South Australia.

Now... that may not seem like much to you but MAN did we have jetlag!!!

So glad to be settled in Australia... for now.

I will continue from this point with blogs about our life here in Aussie.

Mom and Son

I felt so strange without Isaiah in South Korea with me. It makes my day to see him smile...to read a book to him. I am so happy to have such a beautiful, loving child. It's amazing to be able to sit back and watch his personality develop. His sense of humor is more apparant these days...and anytime he hears music he starts dancing.

Squat Like A Tiger

Does a Tiger actually squat?? If not, which animal does?

Well, you have to in Japan if you want to use a public toilet. This was one of the first cultural difficulties I had to face:

How on Earth am I supposed to pee all the way down there and not wet my clothes??



So, thank goodness, the toilet in our apartment is just the opposite. It's this super high-tech butt warmer, butt sprayer, along with a host of other butt luxuries that you can't possibly imagine. And it's eco-friendly. It was made so that you can wash your hands in the water that will refill the toilet in a tiny sink above the tank! Now, I never do this... but it's kinda of cool to see the water squirting out of the spout ready for me to use:

Mike's Subway Shout Out

There was the coolest poster of Mike on all the subway cars in Sendai about a month ago. It looked like this (minus the yellow blanket in the background):



Everytime Isaiah saw it on the train he'd yell out "DAH-Dee" "DAH-Dee" while pointing frantically non-stop. Needless to say... it attracted lots of attention since the subway cars are always so quiet. How this child knew this was his Daddy's back I have no idea.... but he knew. LOL

Photos of Our Trip to Sendai Zoo

We had such a great time with Iku's family last month at Sendai Zoo. Here are some photos from our first Japanese Zoo Trip! Simply click on the photo to view the entire slideshow. Enjoy :)

Sendai Zoo

Our Japanese Halloween (Intended for posting on October 27, 2006)

Japanese Halloween

Here are some photos from our Halloween Party in October. We had Soooooooo much fun! :) Click on the photo below to view the entire set.

Our Neighborhood in Sendai

Japanese Autumn

Join Isaiah as he takes you on a tour of our neighborhood in Izumi Chuo, Sendai City, Japan. You will see the same things we see each day. Click on the picture below to view the set. Enjoy the slideshow!

Black Hair Care in Japan

I've recently receive a lot of emails from other black women asking me about my experience in Japan. They especially want to know how I manage my hair here. Here are some of the things I've said:

I've personally have had wonderful experiences here in Japan as a black woman... now, South Korea... that was a whole nother story.

In terms of hair care, I am on the lucky side. I learned how to do my own hair (perms, styling, the works) while I was in college... so I always am able to still look like I am getting my hair done while we are abroad. Plus, half the time when you go to the beauty shop people don't style your hair like you want it. I usually bring a 4-pack of Vitale perm and large bottles of Creme of Nature Moisturizing Shampoo from the beauty supply store and that will last me several months. If I run out, I just ask someone who is coming over to bring more.



My flat-irons (Helen of Troy) are absolutely wonderful. Luckily the electrical ports are the same as the U.S. here... in Portugal I ended up frying my flat irons in an outlet!

I am very afraid to get my hair done in the salons here. In Lebanon and Portugal I could go to the salons... they have thicker hair and know how to blow dry so good it looks like your hair has been pressed :)

I had one horrible beauty salon experience in New Zealand... enough said. I don't even want to revisit what happened.

Maybe I will try to go get a wet set soon... I will keep you all posted on how that turns out. Hopefully I won't come home with a jeri-curl instead!! If someone reading this knows where a good salon for Black women in Japan is located, please shoot me an email or a post.

I'm still not mentally ready to write about my trip to South Korea. All I can say is boy is it good to be back in Japan!!

Mai

Cross Cultural Contamination

I just returned from S.Korea yesterday. I am still in such cultural shock that I don't even know where to begin in describing my trip.




I need a minute...

I have to figure out how to write on this without seeming completely jaded and offensive.


I'll be back...

Freezing My Buns Off in Japan

Okay. It's so freakin COLD in our apartment in Japan!!!

Now... I must say that I have experienced different types of cold in various countries on different continents but the cold that i experience here in Japan is the kind that can make you go crazy!!

It's not that it's so cold outside... but it is so freaking cold inside of our apartment. We have an air conditioning unit that is supposed to function sufficiently as a heating system... but it only stays on for 5 minutes at a time.. in which it turns off. And you have to go walk over to it and double click in order for it to come back on again.

So, if you can imagine. This gets to be very cumbersome when you are trying to go to sleep. But, if you don't continue to get up and double click you run the risk of waking up with a cold!

Poor Mike, he has to wear super warm socks to bed because his feet and legs hang off the edge of our Japanese bed.

Shoot... I wish I could find one of those pajamas like Isaiah's. You know the one-piece pajamas with the enclosed feet that are made of fleece.

Hold please. I must double-click now.

What are we going to do when it begins snowing outside??

Tonight it's 39 degrees.... but I swear I can see my breath and I don't mean it stinks either.

Someone please email me an electric heater!!!

Freezin My Buns Off In Japan,

Mai

Crazy 88's Thanksgiving

Were you a Kill Bill fan?

Wait till you get a load of these photos.

The restaurant where we ate Thanksgiving was like the scene from Kill Bill Vol1 Crazy 88's. When we arrived it was liked walking onto a movie set! There was a river running throughout the bottom of the restaurant with bridges and fish swimming in it.

We ate upstairs in a private room... with about 25 of Mike's teammates and wives/girlfriends. The woman sat together and all of the men sat at the other tables.

When we first got there Isaiah screamed when he saw Andrew Ecker's coat because it has fur all around the hood like a polar bear. It took a while for Mike to calm him down. But... once he was calm he was very happy to see everyone.

We ate Sukiyaki and Syabu Syabu together... and it was very VERY Oishii de su ne! (Delicious)

It was all you can eat and we were stuffed by the time we left there.

We are very grateful to have such an amazing group of friends around us here in Sendai.

Domo Arigato!

Mai

Free Gmail Invites

Hi,

I have about 90 Gmail invites, for anyone who wants a Google email account. Most of my friends already have gmail accounts.... so if you need one send me a message!

The Taxi From Hell

Today I had to go to the mall to pick up some things for Isaiah. Before I knew it... it was 2:55, and Mike's game started at 3pm online. So, I decided to take a taxi home.

Bad move.

I put the bags and Isaiah into the taxt... then the stroller...then finally I sat down. Before I could get in all the way "BAMMMMM"! I could feel the tears begin to well up in my eyes as the pain radiated in my ankle. I told myself "Don't cry... Don't cry. Be strong." The driver looked at me with his mouth dropped open. He began to speak in Japanese. I just put my hand up and politely asked him to stop. I needed a moment. I looked at my ankle... already beginning to bruise and swell.

I said, "Please... take me home" (in Japanese)

If you see an American limping down the street pushing a stroller in the freezing cold thats me.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR KHARI

Dear Khari,

We wanted to wish you a VERY Happy Birthday on Skype earlier today... but I think you were still at school when we called and talked to your mom. So, this is our official Japanese shout out to a very special "young man" who is celebrating his birthday (with class) in China this year.

We love you Khari. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Love,

Auntie Mai & Zaiah too!

What the CRAP??!?! Everything is in Japanese

Okay... this is SO not funny.

Somehow I have triggered our computer to only show webpages in Japanese... which of course creates a heck of a problem for me when I am trying to write a new blog post and can figure out which buttons mean what and the website.

I must figure this out soon..

Yes, I am a habitual blog neglecter. I have had my hands full with lots of work (The Gift and The Curse Pt.2). And Mike's season officially began this week so we had events to attend here in Sendai.

Crazy stalker person is sending me crazy messages to my cellphone once again... even more out of control than before.

And I made the nastiest Udon ever... and I mean EVER. I tried everything to make it taste better... miso paste, seasonings... nothing worked. I will stick to making things I know how to cook... like chicken and okra.

~Mai