Saturday's usual hodgepodge of activities

What have I done today?

Got up at 7am to go and see my 11 y.o. run in another cross-country meet. A bit of a challenge because it was drizzling with promise to deteriorate over the morning. Unfortunately I didn't wear enough clothes. All week it has been warm enough to wear long pants with simply a t-shirt. Not today. By the end of our 1 1/2 hours in the park, we were damp and chilly. It was fun to see him run, however. He has such a spring in his step. Ever since he began walking at 10 months of age he's been on the move, sometimes driving us up the wall. It is good to see that energy channelled into a sport like this.

Because we were damp and shivering we didn't stay to see the high schoolers run, but there was a hitch. The park we were in (Koganei) is an old favourite and close to a favourite restaurant of ours. We'd planned to go there for lunch, but at 10.30 it was too early to have lunch. Thankfully my husband remembered a large toy store just up the road, so we went there and the boys spent a happy hour roaming through possible Christmas presents. We got some ideas too! And dried off a bit.


Then we motored off down the road to my favourite Japanese restaurant. Yamada udon Not a flash restaurant, in fact quite cheap, but they have great noodles, nice atmosphere and get the food out there quick. They also don't pretend to do any Western food like other family restaurants in this country. They've even banned smoking over the lunch period, so it is even more pleasant.


After our tummies were warm and full we headed home. Crashed for a little while and then got back into the afternoon activities:

• Swimming lessons, several doors down the road, for the two younger boys (bribed the middle one who refused to go last week). 
• Maths Presentation Practise for the older one. Corrected his logic regarding people's concerns about the Aging Population of Japan. People are most concerned about not having enough money as opposed to not being able to work!
• Calling our Australian bank to try, once again, to get my credit card activated. It is now nearly three months since it was posted to us. Failed again. Three phone calls and two letters to the bank later and we are still no closer to getting a functional credit card!
• Had a quick Skype call with my Dad and convinced him that even though he didn't have any photos of his new grandson, he could forward on an email from my brother-in-law with those photos.
• Replied to an email from a man in the US who is interested in serving with our mission in Japan. This is a new job I've taken on this week - responding to emails from OMF's website. It is proving to be interesting.
• My husband is currently sorting through wardrobes to decide on what clothes are needed for our boys in the coming winter season. Thrift Shop (CAJ's twice-yearly massive bazaar) is coming up in a couple of weeks and we're making a list. Periodically the boys are rushing down the stairs to show me the 'new' clothes they've discovered in the 'to grow into' boxes.
• Soon I need to get up and make dinner. We're having eggs and bacon and damper (like yeast-less bread). Yum!

 So that is this Saturday. Sound something like a normal household? 

Is saying "No" hard?

I've been thinking about saying "yes" and "no" recently. Mostly because I've just moved into a new phase, all my children at school. And I've had a lot of people asking me to do stuff - not just one-off stuff, but also bigger, longer jobs.

For me it isn't that I find saying either "yes" or "no" that hard. The harder thing is determining much time something will take up. There are so many good things out there. Determining which is the best for me as well as how much those "best things" will take up is hard.

I don't really understand people who say they don't know how to say "no". I'm not sure why I don't understand. But if I look back I've had to say it a lot of times. But then I'm sure most people have.

The first big "no" I remember was having to say was in high school. I had to decide between devoting a lot of time to piano or athletics. I had to say "no" to one of them and the personality attached to each - one a long-term teacher the other a passionate coach. It was athletics that got the flick. And saying "no" has gone on since there. Life I guess, really.

From teenage years on you're always having to decide stuff.  For me that was: What extra-curricular activities to do at Uni. What church activities to be involved in. What time to go home from events. I had to say "no" to my mum in order to become my own person. Then I graduated and had to decide more serious things at work like; which referral to attend to first, which boss to pledge allegiance to (I had two in my first year out and it was cumbersome), when to stop work and go home (not always easy).

I had to say "no" to men chasing me. "No" to having Christmas with my family so I could build a relationship with the man who is now my husband. I had to say "no" to a job I loved so I could be with my fiancée. "No" to financial security when we were preparing to come to Japan so that we could raise the support we needed. "No" to being there for important events with significant people in our lives when we left for Japan.

Some of the harder "no"s related to interpersonal things. The ones where I really didn't want to tell someone I couldn't work with them or that I didn't like the direction what they are doing had gone. Or really feeling like I would let someone down by saying "no". But most of the time I've been secure enough in myself and set enough in my goals to say "no" comfortably.

We all make decisions and when we say "yes" to one thing is it "no" to another. I think the key is knowing yourself - what your gifts and preferences are as well as having an idea of your goals for the future.

This is ramble's gone deeper than I intended. What do you think about saying "no"? Why do you find it easy or hard?

New Baby

My sister had a baby this morning. Her third. This is my mum and dad's seventh grandchild, sixth grandson! Mum was so happy on Skype this morning. My sons were leaping around. I felt happy, and sad.

This is the fourth baby my sisters have had (with one more due in January). I have not been in Australia to enjoy any of them until they were well past the newborn stage.

I'm looking forward to some photos. Unfortunately I cannot look forward to any baby cuddles. Sad. But not as sad as I was a few years ago when my first nephew was born. I must be getting used to not being there.

Japanese women: the solution to Japan's economic woes?

This is an interesting article about Japanese women in the workforce, especially in the light of this previous post of mine.

Japan photo #6 solved

No one correctly guessed what this useful item is.

Can you guess from the other photos?

That's right. It is a hanging thingy (can't think of a better name). Something that enables you to hang stuff in a doorway. I use it when I'm hanging up the laundry before I take those wonderful plastic hanger things outside. And then I can remove it to shut the door while I have a shower. Amazing. And all for 100 yen ($AU 1.22). I saw a different version today that was a bit more expensive. It looked like the top part of a stethoscope.

When space is an issue, it is amazing how inventive you can become. Japanese are fantastic in this regard.

Launching Occupational Therapy in Higashi Kurume, Tokyo

There are so many things I could blog on today. Hard to choose...but I just have to tell you about the most exciting thing that is happening for me. I'm slowly, but surely getting back into the profession of my youth.

Today I took possession of these:

Brochures telling people about my volunteer service as an Occupational Therapist in our school.

Today I also spent a good portion of my children-at-school hours preparing a form for assessment. I have a 'referral' on hand and am preparing to see my first client late next week.

It does occur to me that there might be easier ways to get back into it. Setting up a new service with few resources or professional supports after more than 10 years out of the profession is not an easy job. I am grateful for the year I spent in Australia, brushing up on my knowledge and skills and collecting resources.

That time of preparation has given me a bit of a professional dilemma too. While I've been 'away', new methods of treatment have been developed and the research is showing them to be more effective than the way I was trained and worked. My observation is that most practising OTs in Australia haven't yet changed their ways much. It is all too new. However, as that is the way the research is pointing, I feel obliged to not just cling to what is familiar, especially as I am setting up something new here, I have the freedom to go in a different direction.

So, to add another variable to the pile that included a lack of resources, precedent in service provision and professional support; I have a change in methodology. Add to that the fact that I am a volunteer who is not intending to develop a time-intensive treatment-delivery service, I'm taking a journey into unknown territory (for me).

That is all probably nonsense to you. Can I try an analogy?

Let's see. You used to be a chef. But then you took a decade off to teach English in another country.  While you were away from the profession there were many changes. Changes in recipes, changes in technology, changes in what was seen as healthy eating etc. When you came back, you did so in another country. Your work and all your training before was in restaurants. Your new position is as a mobile caterer. Actually you are starting up a new business as a consultant.

Can you see some challenges? I'm seeing quite a pile

On the positive side. I have a supportive school staff, several of whom I know personally. My first client family are friends who don't mind that they are a little bit like guinea pigs. I don't have a boss breathing down my neck. I don't have a salary that obliges me to produce results in certain time frames. I am free to make most of my own decisions.

I'm excited.

Disclaimer: I am not employed by CAJ, I am volunteering my professional skills, seeing CAJ and CAJ-related children. CAJ is, however, kindly allowing me to use their facilities. 

Chocolate Cheesecake recipe

I have a request for the recipe I mention yesterday, so here it is. Indulge yourself this weekend:

Crumb Crust
4 oz / 110g plain chocolate biscuits (cookies)
2 oz / 55g butter (or margarine)

Combine crushed biscuits and melted butter. Mix well. Press onto base of spring form pan.

Filling

8 oz / 225g packet of cream cheese at room temperature
1/2 cup / 125g sugar
1 teaspoon / 5ml vanilla essence
2 eggs - separated
1 cup / 250ml (actually I used 200ml) cream, whipped
4 oz / 110g chocolate, melted over hot water or very slowly in the microwave
2 teaspoons / 10g gelatine
100 ml hot water

1. Melt the chocolate over hot water or very slowly in the microwave. Add lightly beaten egg yolks.
2. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until peaks form, gradually beating in remaining sugar.
3. In a larger bowl beat cheese until smooth, add vanilla essence plus half of the sugar, beat well.
4. Add chocolate and egg yolk mixture to the cheese mixture. 
5. Dissolve gelatine in hot water. Add to mixture.
6. Fold beaten egg whites into mixture. 
7. Fold whipped cream through the mixture.
8. Pour gently on top of the crumb base.

It takes a while to set. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

                                           

Actually I've modified the recipe I used. I've added the gelatine because, in places, we felt like we were eating mousse. Now you might like that idea. Then leave the gelatine out!

Happy eating.