beulahbondo's Diaryland Diary
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Buuuck-buck-buck-buck
My dear former work spouse, MPC, has moved back to the US after eight years in Japan. Shortly after MPC moved to Kobe with his then-home spouse, Larry, they learned that while they loved each other, they were just mad for Japanese guys. They each got one, and MPC's guy, Tomo, has just begun a PhD program in southern California, so there they are.
Naturally, after eight years of being a gaijin (sp? Japanese for foreigner), MPC is especially sensitive to cultural differences. He writes:
"Things that surprise me now that I'm back:
1. people swear a LOT in public! even people who you wouldn't expect to. and, related to this, people are very quick to lose their temper in public. in japan, people almost never raise their voice; to do so is to be branded as childish (or a gangster). but here, people seem almost eager to do it.
2. everyone has tattoos. when did this become mainstream? at my gym, it's amazing, the tattoos. of course this is a big social marker in japan. my gym there refused membership to anyone with a tattoo.
3. it's a cliche, but the food portions are enormous. one starbucks scone could feed five college girls in japan. and about food: can you get various kinds of fish in boston? here, there's no blue-flesh fish. and the fish they sell is so old, even at whole foods. and restaurants serve so much chicken! menus are: chicken, chicken, chicken, beef, chicken, salmon. it is nice, though, to be able to get cheap italian, greek, mexican food. tomo loves the food bar at whole foods.
4. OK, something positive. life is much more relaxed here."
Man, right on to YOU, I say, MPC! The chicken! Geezus chrise on a crutch, the chicken! When did chicken become a staple? Nancy Drew says it's because everyone's "quit" eating meat. I was ranting about this the other night at ping-pong to the taller of the two tall architects, about the horrible chicken industry, and he gave me that quiet tall architect look and said simply, "You've read Fast Food Nation, haven't you?"
Well, yes, but I've always been grossed out by chicken and all kinds of poultry. When MPC and I worked at a certain breathless business magazine, all about the drama of entrepreneurism, there was an unforgettable story about a guy who was selling red contact lenses for chickens. When they can't see the blood on each other, they won't peck each other to bits. It also helps them play the home version of "Password" and other games that have the red see-through thingie over the answers.
6:05 p.m. - 2003-02-23
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