Tokyo Gomi

I know, not exactly a pretty image to have on the top of my page. This, my friends, is what Tokyo garbage (gomi) looks like. I specify Tokyo as opposed to "Japanese" because even in the inaka (countryside), our nit-picky garbage ladies still piled it in a big heap. None of that here noooooo-no. Not only do we all need to have our garbage in matching clear Tokyo Municiple Garbage Bags (can you imagine the city hall back home demanding you buy their garbage bags and not allowing the garbage trucks to pick up the stuff in the black Hefty bags?!), but they are also always stacked evenly and neatly. Ok, not every corner is like this but it is prevelant enough that I need to be pretty careful where I dump mine. The bags on my block get picked up so early in the morning that I'm left sneaking down the street for a different pile to which I can add my bag. Last week the guy who must be in charge of the gomi for the building next door actually yelled down the street as I tried to add mine to his pile! Oh the Horror! Yes, before I allowed myself to upset I giggled that if all he has in his life is that garbage pile then, well.... Whatever You Say Mister. I then walked the next half a block to this pretty pile pictured above. Got to love it or it would drive you completely nutty!

Speaking of completely nutty... I must be because I've signed up to write a novel in a month. Yes, just seeing it there in type reminds me of my insanity. Unless I get even more loony by November I will be attempting to complete a 50,000 word novel during National Novel Writing Month. You can join me (please? someone? anyone?), too! They thankfully don't need to be good and you aren't required to show it to anyone else, so... I figure I'm up to the challenge. You are all hearby recruited to hold me accountable for this daring personal mission. You may poke, push, and harass me through the entire month until I finish. More when it gets rolling, I am sure (blogging as procrastination coming up in one month!).