I'm doing it. For the next week, for the start of 2008 I will NOT read or watch any news. This morning's news made me decide for good. In the international news--all the pictures of the violence and brutality of the assassination itself and aftermath of Buttoh's death. In U.S. news the story of the daughter and her boyfriend who killed her family on Christmas eve, including shooting a six-year-old and a three-year-old in the head. In Japan the stories, back to back, of the elementary school vice principal who was handed a suspended sentence for paying 16-17 year-old-girls for sex and the 12 year jail sentence handed to a man for raping his own two daughters. So. This morning, after reading the news I feel sick, sick, sick.
Lets see how a news fast affects my psyche. I know that you can't just bury your head in the sand and expect anything to change. But overdosing on all the news has me down on my knees thinking about puking up the last bits of hope in my system. So. News fast for the new years it is. I'll let you know how it works out.
It might not be the life I planned to star in but it is mine and it is mid-act! What's posted here isn't a daily diary type blog. . . more of a collection of essays about life as it happens to me. Or about me as I live life? Depends on my mood--sometimes I'm passive and sometimes I'm active, but I'm always in the play!
Writer's quote
"I thought it. I said it. I wrote it. I read it. It's fact."
About Me: I'm an American living in Fukui, Japan (still) with my Japanese husband and 2 daughters.
Blogs I Read
- 7:10 to TOKYO
- BabyMoon
- Blooming
- Cafe Yamashita
- Gaijin Fujin
- Gaijin Mama
- GirlJapan
- Home
- Homesick Home
- Hyotenka
- Illahee's Blog
- International Marriage
- Liberal Japan
- Life of an American Mommy in Japan
- Medeafication
- Mikan Days
- Mommy Colored Glasses
- Mommy in Japan
- Mothers Who Write
- Ramblings of a 30 Something
- Re-Entry Japan
- Sakura Family
- Tiger Mama Talks
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Rehearsal Times Over
I was on the phone with a friend the other day, following the same loop of conversation that our weekly chats do: touch on family, marital relationships, child rearing issues, general malaise and frustration with waking up every day in the same old rut. . .and she cut me off mid-sentence with, "This isn't a dress rehearsal you know. This is it."
She got me to thinking and you know what? She's right. This is it. Lot's of parts of the picture may not be from "The Life I Am Supposed to be Living" or even many from "The Life I Imagined I would be Living" but this IS the Life I am Living! So. Rehearsal Times Over and we're already mid act!
Why I Choose to Blog (semi) Anonymously
Because I write creative non-fiction prose. And because I always write from only one perspective: mine. So think of the poor helpless material--er, I mean my family. My eldest daughter is 9, my youngest 4. Neither one can read English, so they presently haven't got even the slightest chance of logging on and setting the record straight. You know, the youngest can't write a stinging retort to my description of her as a "crying worm", the eldest can't sneak up and after reading quickly over my shoulder say, "hey, Mom, that's kinda personal isn't it? Do you have to tell people everything? About me?"
Then there is my husband. Albeit I never worry for even a fraction of a second that he might log on and read my blog. Why? Well, he considers reading my writing torture, because I write in English. This as opposed to reading my writing in Japanese which he finds amusing because of the mistakes I make, like using the word "carrot" (ninjin) for "person"(ningen). Reading English is part of his job, not part of his down time. So unless my blog's URL ever ends up on an interdepartmental memo as prioritized reading. . .
However, I will use my own name, Laura. I'm the one behind the words, me, Laura. But my husband, here he is Masa because I love the sound of that particular Japanese man's name, but not because it is his. And my daughters are Reno (for the American city in which she was born) and Saki Because that is actually the name I wanted to name her. Except Americans pronounce sake (Japanese rice wine)--"saw-key"-- which is the same pronounciation as the Japanese girl's name "Saki". And I didn't want people thinking that I was naming my kids after alcoholic beverages, but I still really like the name.
Then there is my husband. Albeit I never worry for even a fraction of a second that he might log on and read my blog. Why? Well, he considers reading my writing torture, because I write in English. This as opposed to reading my writing in Japanese which he finds amusing because of the mistakes I make, like using the word "carrot" (ninjin) for "person"(ningen). Reading English is part of his job, not part of his down time. So unless my blog's URL ever ends up on an interdepartmental memo as prioritized reading. . .
However, I will use my own name, Laura. I'm the one behind the words, me, Laura. But my husband, here he is Masa because I love the sound of that particular Japanese man's name, but not because it is his. And my daughters are Reno (for the American city in which she was born) and Saki Because that is actually the name I wanted to name her. Except Americans pronounce sake (Japanese rice wine)--"saw-key"-- which is the same pronounciation as the Japanese girl's name "Saki". And I didn't want people thinking that I was naming my kids after alcoholic beverages, but I still really like the name.
3 comments:
I think your News Fast will result in an even happier Happy New Year! I am a bit of an ostrich myself when it comes to news. Living in Japan and having less access to English news has helped me immensely. I find local news from home the most disturbing- they always focus on rapes, attacks, murders etc. There are so many more random acts of kindness that don't make it in the news- I truly believe that. (I love the local Japanese news that features rice planting or the opening day of pool season). With my baby coming in 2008, I'd really like to believe that the world is not going to hell in a handbasket!
I hear you. Maybe I will join you on the news fast....it does affect your psyche.
I totally agree. I avoid the local news at all costs and feel so much happier when I don't read the violence in the paper. I tune in to public radio in the car and that's enough to keep me connected but not stressed and full of fear.
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