Ha, ha…right? *gulp*

Your original article was funny, but this one – and the reaction to ‘Call of the Styled’ – makes me very, very happy. Keep doing what you’re doing, Swedish lady.

Hopefully will be able to purchase one really soon!

Most Macdonald’s outlets here in JP are still not “smoke-free”.
It is common to have “non-smoking sections” that allow the smoke to float over from the smoking area. Even when there is a smoking room, smoke will get into the non-smoking area, each time the door to the smoking room is opened.

There is total disregard for the health of the many kids, who go there for their meals.
If Macdonald’s really cares about the health of children, it should start by getting all of its outlets totally smoke-free.

The misses and I found this incredible 3 storey “Sekisui” house that was on sale for a ridiculously cheap price, but it had been empty for years and was smelly and needed a massive clean and re-painting inside.
I was happy to take up the challenge, and asked my in-laws if we could ask the banks to add a bit to the mortgage (house-loan really) to pay for renovation.
“We don’t do that in Japan, you can’t ask for that kind of money” was the answer.

If that’s how people think here, no wonder these kind of deals exist!

I just hope I can do it one day…… before I’m 60!

If that means boycotting anything from Fukushima, and possibly even it’s neighbouring prefectures – then so be it.

Sure it’s sad that people’s livelihoods are being affected by the lack of trade from the region, but I don’t want to use my 8-month old son as a testbed for seeing how much radioactive material a human body can take without being affected by it.

Just the fact that I’ve decided to stay in Japan with my family and contribute to the economy as a whole should be enough, just the thought that I may have consumed the tiniest fraction of harmful material sickens me to my stomach, being an organic vegetarian for so long, being so careful with what I eat, then suddenly even veggies aren’t safe, is very disturbing to me.
Just the other day I saw a bag of Organic Genmai (brown rice) from Fukushima, who in their right mind would choose that over the bag next to it which was from Kyushuu, down south?

Fact is, ever sine the Japanese government upped the levels considered to be “safe”, I haven’t trusted a single thing they say. I’m going by my own “furthest away from the affected area as humanely possible” guideline.

P.s – I’ve been living as an ex-pat wife for almost two years and have NEVER heard of the ‘Tokyo American Club’ until I read this article… does this mean I’m there for excluded from the stereotype?

Also cigarettes and petrol/gasoline are still way too cheap here.
Every time I see a taxi driver chain smoking while laid back in his car with the engine on, I just want to open his door and throw his keys down the nearest drain!