Las Vegas: 2015-04-25 Holi Festival of Color 2015

 

     Are you a fan of color? If, like me, you find the idea of antiquing complete strangers with fistfuls of colored powder appealing, then boy do I have an event for you! 

     The Holi Festival of Color! It's a traveling event celebrating an Indian tradition that largely involves satchels of colored cornstarch powder; animal safe, people safe (though mildly irritating to get in your eyes). People of all ages, shapes, styles, and sizes gathered for live group yoga sessions, live music, raffles, food, dancing, and the all important tossing of colors. 

Thoughts: Samishikunai: I don't miss.

     Though there are a lot of things I do miss about home, there are many I am happy to be away from. Among them:

     The religiosity. While some Japanese still hold to Buddhist, Daoist, Shinto or various animist religions/spiritualities, and some have even embraced Western religions, they are far less important here. Perhaps the long duration of Japanese culture through a multitude of enforced religions and influences has led to the inevitable maturation of the group mentality and minimization of such superstition and dogma. Some people believe, whatever it is they wish to, while other's don't and it simply isn't that important. Everyone can be friends, more or less (other societal factors, like douchebaggery, aside). I've read a statistic that something like 76% of Japanese consider themselves atheists (and/or agnostic). Generally it would seem that they believe there are more important things to concern themselves with, such as space technologies, efficiency, customer service, facilitating a cohesive communal society and national healthcare. I agree with this whole heartedly. The sheer number of the religious right in the US is something I find deeply unnerving.

Thoughts: Samishi: I miss.

     Being away from home for so long, I was curious to learn what things I would miss. Some I expected, like missing my friends, family and various cohorts, while other things were more surprising.

    Some of the things I miss, in no particular order: 

Chilling with my friends, drinking any random microbrew, distinctive...or just plain cheap beer we happened upon.

Fluffy, spicy percolated clouds and the good company. Some cozy, some cute, all enjoyable. 

Pizza nights! Taco nights! Any excuse to gather, grub, and socialize was fun. Not that we don't do that here, but my jokes don't go over as well.

People getting my sarcasm...the easy comfort of joking with old friends, nothing lost in translation.

Good beer and the huge varieties readily available at a wide array of locations and all so cheap compared to Japan! Beer is sold by the can/bottle here and is usually about $2US for one, large, can. No 40s in sight. I don't miss 40s, but buying a 6-pack of bottles for $8US sure was nice.

So far so good...

I've been quite the busy lady... As such, I've neglected this little blog of mine. 

However, I feel it is a good time to remedy this... I now have blogger on my iPhone, thus rendering me capable of collecting my thoughts into drafts while I'm at my most active and creative...

More to come very soon. 

Japan: The ふね (boat) party

      Every so often my fortunes align in such a way as to facilitate my being able to indulge in an experience that I had been curious about. When I'm exceptionally lucky some of the people I like will join me for the adventure. The stars aligned appropriately enough and I found myself rushing through stations in heels hoping to catch THE train I needed. Never one to over budget my time, I am perpetually running for highly-anticipated events at the last possible moment.