Okaeri (Welcome home)

M's home. I'm so happy, I kept playing Ayaka's song, Okaeri, in my head all day long.

Okaeri by Ayaka is the theme song for the J-drama Zettai kareshi.

I spent all of Wednesday cleaning the house, but I guess I had let the house go too long unattended. I didn't pass the white glove test. But I don't care. I'm still happy.

Here's a list of stuff she got me.

• 5 volumes of the Genji monogatari (Tale of Genji) plus a comprehensive index by Iwanami.
  
• 3 packs of 3 skinny Post-its so I can flag pages in my books when I do research and lecture in class. I'll never figure out why they don't have these in the US. It's even made by 3M....
• 14 volumes of the comic book Rookies. This is the comic book on which the current J-drama Rookies is based.
  
• 5 volumes of the Japanese history, Nihon shoki (Japan Documented)
• 3 cooking spatulas made of bamboo. For some reason, I can never find these here in Virginia. They are light, perfectly shaped for sir-fry and they never scratch non-stick pots and pans.
  
• 3 bags of karinto, the deep fried rice cracker smothered in melted black sugar. Yum!
  

As you can imagine, the books were heavy, but she actually sent most of them by mail and they arrived a few days ago. Also, it should be apparent that my idea of presents is usually related to work--although I have yet to figure out a good angle for the comic books. But then, that actually shows you that I'm one of those lucky guys who has a job he actually enjoys. I mean, I read literature-novels, stories, historical pieces--and discuss it with other people, and I get paid for it. Granted, I don't get paid a lot, but still, you get my drift.

In any event, M's home and I couldn't be happier, presents or not.