What I miss...

My perfect way to celebrate, back in my LA-living days, was to drink and go shopping. In that order. Some of my favorite memories are of times spent skipping out on school/work on Friday afternoons. My friends and I would order margaritas, or in later years, dirty martinis, at lunchtime, and then go shopping while tipsy/drunk.

Two problems with doing that in my current situation. (1) No margaritas or dirty martinis, and (2) no shopping.

The thing is, if I lived in a normal metropolitan area of Japan, this would not be a problem. There must be nearly as many GAPs per capita in Japan as in the US, as well as Zaras and Banana Republics,* and I have seen some pretty cool local stores in both Tokyo and Osaka. In those areas, there are also Mexican food places and western bars that serve decent dirty martinis.

However, I live in bum-f$%& Japan, or as the Japanese call it, "inaka." You can't even get here by bullet train - It is a good 3 hours from a major metropolitan area, and doesn't even have a Starbucks or Peets Coffee.

Now, there are good things about this. Like how I can experience "the real" Japan, how I am forced to actually speak Japanese when I go out, and the great opportunities for hiking, camping, skiing, and even surfing. And how Starbucks has not completely taken over the world quite yet.

BUT, as much as all those outdoor things are great, I MISS SHOPPING! Yes, there are shops, but honestly not with anything that suits me. The clothes are styled for 5 ft. 2 in., 100 lb. country women with no curves. I am no giant, but that does not describe me.

And even worse, I can't wear the shoes here! They generally go up to a size 8 US, and I am a size 9. I actually had to buy MENS golf shoes the other day. Ugh. For a woman who once had a shoe calender on her office wall, this is a Very Bad Thing.

It is good for my wallet, I am sure. But definately something that I miss. Of course, it means that when I do go to a big city, or even better, go to Europe/US, I tend to go a little crazy shopping.

*Banana Republic sucks here, though - they only carry up to a US size 4. Boo.