Resurrection of the Dead (and other Halloween themes)

I don't know if anyone still actually reads this thing-- even Uncle B's patience might have worn thin after all these months-- but here's to taking another stab at being a regular blogger.

Things that have happened since last May (in no particular order):

--Halloween has come again, and instead of terrifying the kids (a la last year and the pirate costume), I'm opting for laughter. I've never seen anyone Japanese laugh so honestly as when some of my co-workers stroll into the staff room and see my brightly-painted clown face, replete with red foam nose and curly wig (thanks a ton, Aunt B!). It was worth every minute of hand-stitching the costume to see them literally double over with laughter. And a police officer came out of his police box to ask if he could take a picture with me (on the way to pay for my internet bill after a morning of elementary classes).

--I visited Korea, twice. Once to see M. in Seoul and get hideously drunk; I have so much more sympathy for all those poor souls I saw on the floor of Chapin's 4th floor bathroom and even a little understanding for the girl who scared the wits out of me once when I went in for a Monday early-morning shower. The second time was an almost completely sober trip for scuba diving on the southern island of Jeju (hey, a girl's got to have a post-dive beer once in awhile). Great nudibranches and the most amazing soft coral ever. Also an abundance of pro divers who can tell a frog fish from a stone fish at first glance (really, they look the same to me) but occasionally mistake a tube fish for a sea horse (which even I can tell apart... and it was a disappointment, too, because I really wanted to see a sea horse). Great dives, great people, but I did miss my former dive buddies. Ya'll rocked.

--I've tried to be consistent with getting back into running, or at least making myself sign up for races and then train for them. I ran a 5K in early July and then took a long hiatus during the insane heat (well, it wasn't so terribly hot this year compared with last year, but if you're talking about running it was still really hot). I've signed up for a 10K, running-shoe-gods help me, in late November and hope to sign up for either a 10K or half-marathon in mid-January. I recently discovered that running is infinetely easier to get hyped up for when motivated by good music and have been more diligent since starting to run with my iPod. And races exist even in backwards rural-ass Japan if you look for them (and insist that if there's going to be a race, it should be open to women as well as men). ....also, as a side-note, I think running has significantly increased my lung capacity and, subsequently, scuba diving ability. I did some pretty deep dives in Jeju (compared with Key Largo... average usually went to 30 meters, or around 90 feet deep) and still managed to make my air last for at least an hour and up to over 70 mins.

--I've become good friends with a cooking-buddy and have been getting lessons on Japanese cuisine in exchange for American recipies. We've been cooking together since about June, and so far I can make chawan-mushi (oh-delicious-eggy-custard-with-hidden-shiitake-and-other-treats-inside), namban chicken, Japanese-style mixed veggies, loads of sauces, sushi, different kinds of rice, gyoza, and something that greatly resembles American-style Chinese crab rangoons (which don't appear to exist outside of America and, as such, I have had immense cravings for). We've in turn made American staples like meatloaf (plus mashed potatoes and frozen peas... god it was a meal straight out of my childhood), yeast-based bread (challah!), mexican food (tortillas made from scratch and then used to make quesadillas, burritos, and enchiladas). We shall be moving on to sloppy joes next week followed sometime in the future by pizza and meatballs. On the Japanese side, I want to learn how to cook fish-- yeah, it's kind of ironic, I've lived in Japan for over a year and have yet to cook fish... I could say it comes up often enough in school lunch that I get my decent share, but honestly I'm a little scared. In general, fresh fish in the supermarkets don't come pre-beheaded and gutted, and I didn't want to take that plunge by myself.

--While still on the subject of food.... porridge. Oh my god, porridge. Never could I have ever imagined that adding milk to oatmeal could be so delicious. This is also the result of making stuff with my cooking-buddy (who wanted to see what all of the fuss was about in all those British books she's read). Here's a quick recipe that I've made frequently of late (1 serving):

3/4 cup water
1/4 cup powdered milk
1/4 cup plus 2 t oatmeal
1/8 t cinnamon
2 T raisins
1 egg
1/8 t vanilla
1/4 c milk
1 T brown sugar (or honey)

Basically, boil the water. Add in oatmeal, powdered milk, cinnamon, raisins, and stir. If using instant oatmeal, it's done in a few minutes. For the real stuff, it's 8-10 mins. When done, turn off heat. Mix in egg well (stir briskly immediately after dropping egg in), then add in vanilla. Put the oatmeal in a bowl and top with brown sugar (or honey) and milk.

..I found this recipe (with a few minor modifications) from a website that would get more credit if I could remember which one it came from. Also, Japanese cups are slightly smaller than American ones, so if you're state-side you can probably not worry about the extra 2 teaspoons of oatmeal.

--I've discovered many new beautiful scenic points on the island, including one today that was just up a path that I've been running by since last May. I also found an absolutely fabulous snorkeling spot; no need to pay the hefty local diving fees if I can get an experience as good by myself with a snorkel. Pictures to come.