Better than nothing

I've just got back from Pilates. I've been taking 8 sessions of "Pilates Reformer" class which uses some equipments to build your core muscles. An instructor recommended me to take this class because I don't have some necessary muscle and if I keep doing Pilates without those muscles I may hurt my back. Well, she might just have wanted me to spend more money, but I've decided to take her advice because my back actually hurts after Pilates. I forewent buying a pair of shoes for this. I think it was a good decision. Class is 8AM every Saturday. It's not easy to get my ass up early in Saturday morning, especially after Happy Hour on Friday....but I can feel the day longer. So I'm blogging:-)

My company has imposed more strict regulations for employees' internet use at the office. So I can't update my blog as frequently as before....it sucks. I may also need to cut my internet shopping....this is good for me.

I remember one thing I need to note for my own record. "I don't like seafood salad at Alero." Ok, my SAM (Saturday Afternoon Margarita) comrades, please remind me this when I try to order it again. This is one reason why I need to blog. I don't remember many things. Last weekend, me, Steven, Roberto, Terry and Jake---Steven's friend who was visiting DC from NYC---had SAM at Alero Dupont Circle. I was going to order seafood salad. Steven: "Didn't you order it before?" Me: "Yeah, I think so...but I don't remember if I liked it or not...." I ordered it, and when it appeared in front of me, my memory suddenly flashed back.....I had it before, at the same Alero, at the same table, and I didn't like it!!! I guess I'm officially getting old.

I was talking to my mom in Japan on the phone the other day. She lamented how reckless and brutal Japanese, especially young people, have become these days. Teenagers or sometimes even primary school kids kill homeless people or elderly just for fun. Young parents abuse, neglect or kill their babies just because the babies "cry" or "poop." My mom said maybe a part of the reason is the fact that the majority of Japanese don' have any faith/religion. No moral values based on religion exists for them. Hmmm. Maybe. But how about Aum cult? They killed bunch of people with Salin gas for their faith. Certainly faith could sometimes be a brake to keep people away from some wrong doing. But it could also be a trigger for some fanatic act. It is true that Japanese don't have the core "value" they can originate with or they can use a guidance. Some conservatives are trying to find it in nationalism. In my opinion, that's very dangerous. Nationalism can lead Japanese into "state of denial." Denial of anything bad about us. I feel that "bad old days" are coming back to Japan.....well, maye not only in Japan.

BTW, my photo is on "Metroweekly." I'm famous! Woo hoo! We look so cute, don't we??

I bought this shoes . When you buy a pair, another pair goes to a child in Argentina. I get cool shoes, and an Argentine kid become a little happy. A little bit. I'm not that naive to believe that it can change something dramatically. But well, it's always better than nothing.

The photo is my spoiled and the cutest nieces.