Close to midnight in Kyoto. Can still hear some faint cicada sounds. We are staying in the northern part of Kyoto, Kitaoji, within 300 meters from the famous temple, Daitoku-ji. We`re staying in a unit of a modern apartment building. But because this is Kyoto, the building has only 7 storeys (building height restrictions). So being on the third floor, from the balcony we have the view of some extremely ugly electricity poles (which are supposedly bad for you in terms of both health and feng shui); the tiles of the roof of the house across the road, and further across ahead the view of a part of a mountain top. The other consolation is that we have a full view too of a cherry blossom tree. Many mornings we have a friendly crow neighbour dropping by and sharing his cracking comments on his views of the world - from his loud objections during certain strategic portions of the morning news I tend to think he`s not a Bush supporter.
I left my job exactly two months ago, moved home (moved from Hong Kong to Toronto) without any idea what exactly I will be doing in Toronto when I get back. I have never worked in Toronto, and will be starting off on a blank page. Some friends say I`m brave; some think and say I`m whacked (well they knew all along, this was just the final proof). Yeah, the logical explanation I can offer to the world at large is `this was always `in the works``; my husband used to live in Toronto (he emigrated there years ago) and he always reckon he would go back. But he moved back to Hong Kong when we got married; so I can`t exactly use him as the alibi. That would only be part of the truth.
Have you ever felt you wanted to run away? From everything that seem to be weighing you down; all the obligations and the responsibilities and the expectations. Have you ever wondered whether there was an alternative to the job you are currently doing? Not so much because you made a wrong turn or wrong decision in life. Just that whether you could also do something else. Something entirely different from what you are currently qualified to do; and what the world recognizes you for. Is this what they call midlife crisis?
Maybe I just need a reprieve, or a long vacation. Last year, the 3 days I spent in the Wadi Rum (desert in Jordan) with a friend and a guide who kept giving me the `woman - what the hell are you doing here` look were 3 of the most relaxing days of any holiday I had. I always knew I had a thing for ruins and deserted towns. But after that trip I had to acknowledge that it was time to look into the void, jump off the train and plan the next route. I know I am lucky to have this option, at least for now.
So here I am, in Kyoto, for the first leg of the year off. Will stay in Japan (primarily Kyoto) until the beginning of January.
I gotta admit, this is a tester case, my first adventure into the world of blog. I never thought about doing a blog, it would be like talking to myself (which I have done from the start of having memory). But creating a blog would be like admitting it and filing evidence for it, if you know what I mean.
But we live in strange times. And I never thought I would be spending a part of a year (or two) off in Kyoto; and watching Clint Eastwood movies as part of the ride. `Two Mules for Sister Sara` is a Clint Eastwood film starring guess who and Shirley Maclaine. It`s one of these B grade weekend foreign films they show on the Japanese channels. Of coz I didn`t know the lady playing Sister Sara was Shirley Maclaine until the last 15 minutes of the film. Though she did look strangely familiar. The minute she took off the hood of the sister costume; out with the red .hair came immediate recognition. See, I`ve always said hair is very important. And since I did not start watching from the beginning of the film, I didn`t know the title of the film even after watching the end. Assuming there could not have been too many Eastwood/Maclaine combos; and trusting the omnipowers of internet, Amazon.com gave me the answer.
