Mountains out of Radioactive Molehills

Well, according to my father, who knows a lot about radiation physics and a decent amount about Japanese geography, and also has The Google at his fingertips, Team 3 can expect about a 10-20 mrem dose of radiation during our two week stay in Japan.

For those (like me) who didn't know previously what that meant... that's roughly equivalent to getting an x-ray at the dentist, and won't even be as much radiation as we'll pick up just on the flight over.

Everyone can safely put away their Geiger counters and hang out with us without fear once we return.

Regarding tainted food and water, the Pater said he'd be more worried about E coli and exciting squirmy little things like that than any radiation poisoning. Hurrah!

8-25-11

I've successfully acquired an International Driver's Permit and am wading in a shallow pool of trepidation based on the fact it only took 15 minutes, a picture, and my signature, and for some reason the Japanese are going to let me drive in their country--no questions asked.

Tomorrow I'm getting a tetanus shot. Panic attack scheduled for 2:15pm.

I also need to purchase socks, work gloves, and something else important that I'm forgetting right now.

Besides reading bios, I haven't corresponded with anybody on Japan Team 3 yet. I suppose there will be time enough for that during our flight. We'll all have to amuse each other once books, sleeping, and music run out. I was able to spend quite some time meditating over the design on the plastic lining of the cabin of my plane from New Mexico... it consisted of various grey squiggles on a water-stain-beige background that reminded one of a happy culture of amoebas wriggling merrily in their watery home. It reminded me of that, anyway; I don't know what it reminded the other passengers of. Whether our flight to Japan will supply us with similarly stimulating scenery, I don't know.

It's past my bedtime.

Prep for Japan

I'm back, everyone.

I was told to blog about my upcoming trip to Japan, and in the spirit of economy, I decided to use this blog instead of creating a new one. I hope that doesn't tear a hole in anyone's universe. 

Anyhow, this week I need to get a tetanus shot (that is my least favourite thing to do), get an international driver's license, and buy a boatload of things like work gloves and wellies and also a sleeping bag that doesn't require its own suitcase to contain it. 

I'm a little stressed about all the things I need to do before next Monday.

I've been brushing up on my Japanese (this is going fairly well) and also practicing staying up later so jetlag doesn't completely incapacitate me once I get to Japan. 

This whole summer I've been looking forward to New Mexico and Japan. New Mexico is done as of today (trying not to dwell), and I think I'll have a small personal crisis once I get back from Japan when I must get down to finding real, big girl work. 

Currently I am at an interesting point in life where God whalloped me over the head hard enough I finally gave up trying to be in control of everything and am instead surfing passively along through life, blinking a little in a perplexed way at a few circumstances he's put me in. This trip to Japan is one of them. These circumstances are along the lines of "things I never would have thought would happen." They've happened, though, and I have no human explanation as to why. "What on earth are you thinking, here?" is my default thought right now. I really am curious. 

I also hope this will be made clear sooner rather than later; that would be excellent. 

I know there's a T.S. Eliot quote for this, but I'm too lazy right now to go upstairs and find my book of his poetry. . . 

Ah, I ashamed myself, saying that, so I went and got my book anyway. I couldn't find that quote I was thinking of, but these two from Ash Wednesday work well, too: 

1.This is the time of tension between dying and birth. 

2. Consequently I rejoice, having to construct something

Upon which to rejoice

And pray to God to have mercy upon us

And I pray that I may forget

These matters that with myself I too much discuss

Too much explain

Because I do not hope to turn again

Let these words answer

For what is done, not to be done again

May the judgement not be too heavy upon us

. . . 

Teach us to care and not to care

Teach us to sit still