Reasons why I could and couldn't live in Japan

Could:

• First and foremost, because Ugg boots are completely acceptable footwear anywhere, anytime - yes please! And there's a truly dazzling array of styles for every occasion. Gold sequins anyone?
• The people are so polite - even when they're asking you not to park
• The people are honest - look at this lost baby shoes on The Philosopher's Walk in Kyoto
• Art - especially the contemporary stuff (more to come on that)
• Hot coffee in vending machines - everywhere
• The food - yum!
• The interesting stuff you stumble upon - like a wedding 
• The gardens and temples
• Skiing and powder

Couldn't:

• I can't speak Japanese. But having said that, unlike languages that require you to talk with a funny accent, I reckon I could give it a red hot go. Although Eleanor spend seven years learning Japanese in primary school and all she could say was 'Sit down' (apparently what the teacher constantly requested of the class), hello, goodbye and thank you (I can manage that) and count to ten....hmmm
• I can't drive for nuts - let alone in very small spaces. Check this park in someone's front yard - again in Kyoto! How to you get out? Through the boot??

So - nine to two - yep, that feels about right!

Gracious

I saw this quote recently on Pintrest (you can follow me there too! Just click here) and immediately thought to print and laminate it for Eleanor as her mantra for life.

But who am I kidding??

This should be MY mantra for life! Having had my face fried in the quest for 'pretty', achieved or not, it'd have to be said I give it a red hot go. And 'witty', well again, I'll let you be your own judge, but I am inclined to make myself laugh a fair bit (leading the kids to comment that I do find myself hilarious).

So that leaves 'gracious'. And that's an ambition I could do well to be more conscious of every day with every interaction (family and close friends excluded!) But imagine truly always being gracious. The dictionary says it's polite, affable, courteous, amiable, congenial, social, well-mannered, civil, tactful, kind, diplomatic and genial. I suspect my language (fuck!) might let me down a tad.... and a tendency to smart-arsed-ness.

I have a long way to go, in fact in honesty, it's unlikely I'll ever achieve it, but I am going to try and think about it more. But I'm promising nothing!