Let's kick things off shall we?

Do you remember, Brandy, the singer? Not sure what she's doing these days, but a few years back, she recorded a track entitled, 'ALMOST DOESN'T COUNT'.  A little, obscure song about lucking out on love.  The song's kind of depressing actually but it was the title that really bothered me.  I pictured a scene, years from now (I hope) of my final resting place.  A cold, grey slab of rock, sticking out of the ground at an awkwardly disrespectful angle, with the words, 'Here lies Miss Slacker Extraordinaire.  Almost doesn't count for much now does it?'.   
Having the attention span of a paperclip, nothing seems to hold my interest for very long.  I've always been like that.  Don't know why and quite frankly I never really cared enough to find out.  Until now.  I'm hoping to reverse my fortune, starting here.  

So, I've been living in Japan for almost two years and in a few months' time, I won't be anymore.  At the beginning I was completely and hopelessly lost.  I couldn't speak Japanese and the locals, although very friendly and obliging couldn't speak English.  And of course my accent, while novel, was not American so it took some getting used to.  For the first few weeks, I felt like a Rock Star.  After the first month, I felt like a Freak.  And after the first three months, I felt like a Leper.  Since that time, the roles have tended to interchange quite amicably depending on moon phases.  But that's hardly Japan's fault.  Who wouldn't get a little cranky, upon discovering that they're not the Centre of the Universe?  It's a core lesson when venturing into a society, a culture, a nation that is not your own.  It's been a difficult journey, but also a very humbling one.  To be honest, I think I'll be quite sad, when I finally board that plane .  I've been privileged to enjoy a rare glimpse into this rich and fiercely proud culture that I would not have acquired had I not come. And for that alone, I am grateful.  Lonely Planet can only take you so far. 
When I first arrived, I was determined to blog my experiences of living and working here. Unfortunately, the blueprints lay spread out on the workbench only to be promptly rolled up again, popped back into the cylinder, and left to lean on a wall next to the other half-finished projects. You see, I foolishly forgot that in order for something to become something, you've actually got to get off your arse and do some work!  Hence, the blog currently being all bones and no meat (and pathetically brittle bones at that!).  I've got a few months left to redeem myself.  Thanks Brandy for the heads up.  To Miss Slacker, get lost.  Here's hoping, that procrastination doesn't make off with my time...again.