Intermission....

Hi Folks!

Just wanted to let everyone know that I will be taking a weeks intermission from posting on Vent.

I’d like to spend this time focusing on researching and reading blogs for future interview posts.

Ever since I started hosting these interviews, I’ve been delightfully surprised at how much I’ve enjoyed putting them together and highlighting other bloggers. So, my desire is to share more of them sporadically throughout the months.

Also, I’ve been neglecting my review blog for the past month, so I want to spend some time this week; giving it needed attention.

Have a wonderful week blogging, everyone!

I'll miss ya, and will see you all again next Monday…..

X

I Think I'm Turning Japanese

One of the most wonderful highlights of my life has been the two months I spent working in Japan.

Now mind you, Japan was not a place I thought I would ever visit or even enjoy. However, I was delightfully surprised at how much I felt connected to this country.

And what amazed me the most was the fact that for as hard as the Japanese people work, they know how to balance their lives with fun and relaxation.

And let me tell you….the Japanese know how to PARTY.

Another thing that impressed me was how much spirituality plays a part of their everyday lives, because it's obvious in how they live confidently, yet quietly from their souls.

I never felt more peaceful and calm than the time I lived there.

I would like to share with you some of the things that Japan has taught me…

Waste not, want not

I never realize just how wasteful I was, because the Japanese are extremely conscious of waste.

Food portions in restaurants are far smaller than here in the U.S. Paper napkin usage is minimal. I never realized how many napkins I habitually used when I ate.

Beverage refills are not automatically given when your glass is emptied - you must ask.

Service

As far as I’m concerned, no one gives customer service like the Japanese. The service in department stores, restaurants, hotels, and public transportation is mind-blowing.

The Japanese have service down to an art.

I paid 45 USD for a mans haircut that I would have gladly paid more, because of the care and attention I received. The hotel I lived in for two months took care of my comfort as if I was staying at the Plaza Hotel in New York City.

Everything in Japan is about service.

And tipping is not allowed.

Cleanliness

OMG…..I would have been honored to eat off their city streets because of how immaculate everything is. I don’t think I ever saw a single piece of litter during the entire time I was there.

The subway system looks as though they had just built it brand new. There is no such thing as graffiti in Japan.

Respect for the Elderly

The manor in which the Japanese culture values their elderly is to be commended. They believe that as someone grows older…they become more valuable.

As well it should be all over the world.

Thank you Japan…..for all that you showed me.

Domo arigatou.

*thank you very much.




Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

X

Toot-toot...hey...beep-beep!

If hearing about flatulence either embarrasses or grosses you out, you may want to close your eyes while reading this post….

I just recently started taking the antioxidant supplement Alpha Lipoic Acid.

Actually, I have no earthly idea if it’s working, but it’s suppose to be an excellent overall antioxidant which also assists in keeping your skin looking as smooth and firm as a baby’s bottom.

I’ll let you know in a few weeks if I start getting carded while buying a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, because the liquor store cashier mistakes my youthful skin for a 6 year olds.

Anyway…..

I’ve noticed that one of the side effects in taking this antioxidant is that it sometimes makes me VERY gassy.

OMG….all day yesterday I felt like a fart machine.

And if my farts were bubbles, I would have looked like the grand finale in The Lawrence Welk Show.

“A one….and a two….”

It all started in the morning about 30 minutes after I ate my breakfast; having taken two capsules while eating.

One of the greatest perks about living in a noisy city is that you can freely toot while walking down the street and no one ever notices, because if you time it just perfectly you can coordinate them with the sound of a taxi horn. And you don’t have to worry about the odor because the retched smell of the subway which permeates the grates in the sidewalk, covers it up flawlessly.

The only problem I had was while I was at work. But, I figured out a brilliant way to take care of that because I didn't want my fellow salespeople to suddenly start dropping like flies from my toxic air biscuits.

I cleverly held a bottle of cologne in my hand, so that whenever I let one loose...I simply sprayed the area around my derriere so that it smelled like a mixture of green tea and grapefruit.

All afternoon people were asking me, “Ron…you smell so good. What kind of cologne are you wearing?”

I felt like saying, “It’s called, Eau de Fart.”

And thank god I was blowin' out the "silent but deadly type" because there would have been no way in hell I could have camouflage the sound without personally handing out ear plugs.

Like an idiot, I took another two capsules with my dinner that evening, which later made taking my bath rather festive.

Let’s just put it this way....

After about 5 minutes of soaking in a nice hot bath, I suddenly discovered a way to turn my bathtub into a bubbling Jacuzzi….