soccer and good news

F.C. Tokyo vs Kawasaki Frontale - fans showing their colours...

The last few days have been on the busy side (but not too busy), a little chilly (not so much by Canadian standards), and full of good news. We woke up to sunny skies on Tuesday morning for the national holiday: Culture Day. After Steve's early morning commute and practice we met up at the Olympic Stadium to watch the Nabisco Cup Soccer Final between F.C. Tokyo (same club as Steve's vball team - go team go) and Kawasaki Frontale. And once again, in front of a sold-out crowd some 48,ooo strong - we were entertained... AND, WE WON! The other team (boooo) was favoured to take home the gold, but the home team prevailed winning two goals to nil in front of some decked out - but not crazy a la Italy or Greece or Spain or UK - fan clubs. That was our culture for the day; there were many events going on in and around the city (and country for that matter), but we only really had the time and energy for the one. Okay sure, we didn't support the arts or academic endeavor (does reading my book count?) but we did support sport, and that is definitely part of culture.

Today was good and blah. I went for a run this morning and felt like I was lugging around a sack of bricks (me) at high altitude (lungs burning) - blah. Why is it that even with a solid handful of workouts under this week's belt, I feel like I've never ever EVER exercised before in my life? Horrible. Anyways, moving on. I had an interview this afternoon that went comme ci comme ça - fingers are crossed that I get the job, but my hopes will stay between up and down, so as to not disappoint.

Other hopes are that we soon meet some friends. One of the negatives of this itinerant life is that we are away from friends and family for a good part of the year, and I sometimes wish that I could snap my fingers or click my heels and instantaneously be back for holidays and birthdays and births. Because, the best news of the week of the month is this: my very very good friend Lindsay and her husband Marcus welcomed their first bébé into the world early this week - Elsa Elizabeth Nilsson. I am so so so happy for them, but also a little sad that I can't be there to see Lindsay and Marcus and meet Elsa. Oh well - I'm thankful that I have such wonderful people to come home to - after all, it's the people that make home home, and there's no place like it....