Random Thoughts and Halloween Madness

Some random things I've had on my mind:

- The exchange rates have been the financial equivilent of a soap opera lately. I exchanged money for 94 yen to the dollar last week (published rate was less, maybe 92) and the next day it was 98. Score. Then, I checked the rate today and it's back up to 100, but they say it could go down. I was talking to an Indian guy I know who's been living here for 18 years about it and he was telling me that the rate was 120 when he came (same as when I did, actually), then dropped to the mid-80s (you can almost hear the pop of the Bubble...). He's waiting for the rates to drop again now before he transfers money. Optimistic, I know, but the difference can mean making or losing money if you're tranfering even slightly large sums. This is definitely a hot topic in the expat communty lately.

- I went hiking again this weekend, and the leaves STILL haven't really changed. There's a few little plashes of red here and there (the word for changing leaves here is "koyo", meaning red leaves, because RED they are *supposed* to get). It snowed in Minnesota last week, so I guess I should be grateful for the temperate weather

- We got ANOTHER young, cute, English speaking girl in my apartment building this week!! She's 23 and she works at my school (starts tomorrow). Now there are three foreigners and three young Japanese women I'm friends with. Kind of crazy when there are only 8 apartments in the building... I felt like Rupunzel up here for the longest time and now I feel more like I'm in a dorm again.

- Running. It's going slow (no pun intended). I am sort of keeping up with training, but I really need a running buddy. There's a couple that always invites me to go with them on the weekends in Amagasaki, but they live kind of far away and like to go early. Then again, it might not be bad to get into the routine of doing longer runs... and if I go there for that purpose, I'll actually do it.

And onto the good stuff... HALLOWEEN WEEKEND!

Halloween is and has always been one of my favorite holidays. It's especially fun outside of America, however, where people seem to be extra (and genuinely) interested in and eager to celebrate in style. (ok, maybe I lie... American Halloween is pretty awesome, too, but you get the idea).

This year, I made the decision to go as sexy Sarah Palin, inspired by the fact that everyone thinks I do a pretty good impression of her (the YOU BETCHA's are close enough to home for a Minnesota girl... even one who's not exactly 'real American').  Cut my hair for the bangs, found the perfect red jacket (and had a certain price tag put on it at a local boutique), held a campaign night at my apartment where my friends helped me make McCain/Palin buttons and stickers and a rogue "Palin in 2012" t-shirt with a big polar bear on it.  It was awesome!

We spent the night in Osaka, hitting up the clubs, which is really where the big Halloween events are held.  While there were a few places in Shinsaibashi holding parties, we ended up at Pure, mostly me, Dave, Yoohee & friends, my friends from the apartment building and area and a few hundred other costume-clad foreigners and open-minded Japanese people.  Danced a lot.  Got sprayed down in my Palin t-shirt. Stayed out all night.  Tired, but a ton of fun!!  This is my last Halloween in Japan, but had a lot of fun.  Looking forward to the real thing in America... but yeah, still going to miss this :-p