Monthly Archives: March 2011

The New Normal

The Offspring headed off for school an hour earlier with a drag in their step and cacophony of complaints on their lips as I merrily pushed them out the door to catch the bus for the first day back. Having … Continue reading

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“There’s no Excuse for Rudeness. Period.” Big Patti

One of the values every child raised in the South learns at the foot of the family matriarch is good manners. Of particular importance to my mother, referred to in this blog as “Big Patti,” is the value of being … Continue reading

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Posted in Moving to Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 38 Comments

Miss Hathoway- Please Circulate an “Out of Office” Memo

Miss Hathoway, please circulate an “Out of Office” memo as I’ll be out for a couple of days. It’s time for the Clampitts to return to Tokyo as we have over stayed our welcome in Hawaii. My mother in law fled … Continue reading

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Posted in Moving to Japan, We're Being Shaken and Stirred in Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 32 Comments

Is My Muffin Top More Deadly Than Radiation?

Another day spent in Hawaii, jumping from one hazardous activity to the next entertaining the urchins, the ultimate goal being to “ride em hard and put em away wet.”  Unfortunately, Spouse and I are the only two who suffer during … Continue reading

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Can Ouiser Walk the Walk? Culture Lesson #13

My view of the beach. I lie loose limbed on the beach. Hammered. Spouse patiently pushes Offspring #2 to the start position surfing while Offspring #1 tests various versions of surfboards in order to find the one which will guarantee … Continue reading

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Posted in Culture Lessons, Moving to Japan, We're Being Shaken and Stirred in Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

Evacuate, Vacate, Inebriate, Marinate, Ruminate- The Clampitts’ Evacuation Vacation from Japan

Foreigners hit the skies while ever-increasing numbers of Tokyo-ites hit the highway in order to avoid the radiation poisoning looming overhead. I am handling this disaster the old-fashioned way- with my head in the sand and a drink in my … Continue reading

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Posted in Moving to Japan, We're Being Shaken and Stirred in Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 38 Comments

Why is There No Crime in Japan?- Insider vs. Outsider: Culture Lesson # 12

Have you noticed that throughout all the turmoil in Japan, where after the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear plant debacles, the media stories bombard us with news of black outs, curtailed train schedules and empty grocery store shelves but fail to mention riots, … Continue reading

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Posted in Culture Lessons, Moving to Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 86 Comments

Evacuation Vacation: Do We Stay or Do We Go?

First came the earthquake, next the tsunamis, then the nuclear power plant issues. By Saturday morning, Spouse and I had become this as we dumped in all the rumors, news headings, tweets, and news casts attempting to separate lies from … Continue reading

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Posted in Moving to Japan, We're Being Shaken and Stirred in Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 63 Comments

The Offsprings’ Perspective.. Not Quite What I Imagined

As any parent would, Spouse and I have been talking with the Offspring regarding their experience of the earthquake. Since many of our family members are physicians, I feel that I too am qualified to make not only medical but … Continue reading

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We’re Being Shaken and Stirred in Japan

First- thanks to all of you for checking in to see how the Clampitts are faring in the face of this Earthquake. I’m certainly not CNN, however, here’s the situation from Shibuya-ku. Spouse is in Osaka- he’s usually gone for … Continue reading

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Posted in Moving to Japan, We're Being Shaken and Stirred in Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , | 418 Comments