Author Archives: Emily Cannell

The Office- Every Sunday was Halloween. And then…..

Every family has unique rituals. Our`s is no different- except our rituals might be unusual  compared to others. A long-established ritual for the Clampitts is the weekend trip to Spouse`s office. Spouse catches up on work while the Offspring catch … Continue reading

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Posted in Food, Moving to Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 25 Comments

Wedding Stalkers Anonymous Welcomes Two New Members

Hi, my name is Ouisar-san and I`m a wedding stalker. I have a fetish for Japanese Shinto weddings. The urge to ambush elated couples during their nuptial celebration stems from experiences as a child. I don`t recall which ones exactly. … Continue reading

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Posted in Moving to Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 37 Comments

The Nose Visits Japan- A Guest`s Reaction

Many of you are familiar with my younger sister, the Nose, so nicknamed for her savant type recall of maps, ability to identify geographical landmarks, and unsurpassed skill at navigating around a place with which she has no familiarity. In … Continue reading

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Posted in Moving to Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 36 Comments

Only in Japan

No matter what the country of origin, religious preference or family upbringing, there are certain irrefutable facts about boys. 1) They always take unnecessary risks, 2) stay dirty until the age of 18 3) prefer eating with fingers and using … Continue reading

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

Please- Don`t Make Me Eat That- Monjayaki

As I slowly and deliberately eat my way through Japan, I`ve discovered two certainties regarding the food- first, Japanese food does not include chicken teriyaki, and second, sample even the most repulsive in appearance- it could rank as one of … Continue reading

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Posted in Food, Moving to Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 61 Comments

Miss Hathoway- Please Circulate this Announcement

The Clampitts regret to inform all family and friends about the passing of our beloved family member- the Hurricane, so named for her ability to wreak havoc and infuse destruction in to all situations. A backyard service was held where … Continue reading

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Posted in Moving to Japan | Tagged , , , , , | 35 Comments

Harassing the Nose….

My younger sister, the Nose, is coming in town. Never let it be said that I passed an opportunity to harass a younger sister when the situation presented itself. One is never too old, or too mature, to practice this … Continue reading

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Posted in Moving to Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 29 Comments

Backstage in Borneo- Adventures with Bear Grylls

Not wanting to appear a name dropper, I purposely avoided using Bear Grylls` name (Man vs Wild- the Discovery Channel) while recounting the adventures of Borneo. Certainly Bear would show Offspring #2 and me in several shots from “Man vs … Continue reading

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

The Making of a Tree Hugger

Thanks to a liberal education and a couple of teachers militant about saving the rain forest, Offspring #2 embraced the concept of the “Eco Friendly” vacation with arms, legs and soul. I feebly cooperated in a futile attempt at bonding … Continue reading

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Posted in Moving to Japan, Offspring | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 48 Comments

Even the Plants in the Rain Forest of Borneo will Eat You….

Several years ago, Offspring #1 experienced a “Save the Rain Forest” unit in school which lasted several weeks and culminated in an epic- and by that I mean long and painful- Broadway show highlighting the students` learnings. He was as … Continue reading

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Posted in Moving to Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 12 Comments