Kasi Jones

So today, was my second full day of flu house arrest.

And the big event was going to the grocery store for supplies, and watching 16 episodes of Heroes.

16

Why did I stop at 16 you ask? well obviously any more than that might seem excessive…I wouldn’t want to look obsessed, its unbecoming.

Besides watching Heroes, there has been a lot of staring at myself in the mirror, improv’ing full dramatic Oscar worthy scenes, private rock concerts, full musical productions, and just some good old fashioned face making.

I have been doing a lot of imagining in general, lets call it visualization, Oprah’s a big one, and me being a ninja, like full on ninja assasin, in the past though, Feudal Japan, maybe because I’ve been reading Shogun, or maybe because I have a secret that lies dormant waiting for the perfect moment….BOOM!

Don’t be intimidated, I’m here to protect .

My enemies must have infected me with this flu! OMG its all making sense now, here I was thinking I got sick because no one at work washes their hands…how could I be so obtuse!?  Its so clear. OF COURSE! They are trying to hamper my moves…impossible.

Oh my Gosh, do you know what this means? If I am a ninja, then Oprah is definitely going to happen, I can feel it deep in my throwing stars.

I don’t think I’ve really had a proper flu since elementary school. You know the kind that hits you hard. Fever chills,  cold sweats, and all the other gross stuff we won’t get into. And let me tell you, its not fun, it makes me feel like I’m in second grade only without my mom to take care of me.

Although there is one positive to all this fluness, this morning at the doctor, they gave me a flu test…yeah… I didn’t know this existed either, It involves a translator telling you to sit very still and breathe through  your mouth and a dainty Japanese doctor man sticking a swab way up your nose and into your sinuses. For a moment I felt like I was in Ancient Egypt about to be mummified.   It sounds gross, but it kinda felt good in that gross way, you know when you have a sinus infection or are really stuffy, and all you want to do is just get in there and shake things up, thats what it felt like.  And then they sent me out to the waiting room About 5 minutes later I was called back in, and he shows me this little thing that looks like a pregnancy test, and it has one pink line growing darker and darker, and then the translators telling me that i have flu, the doctor points to the line and explains that its Influenza A, that it could be swine flu but there is no way to really differentiate at this point. All I could do was look at the test and say “Sugoi!” (cool) and you know what, I think I saw a smug sort of a smirk from ol’Doc, because he knows,  like I know, that this flu test is awesome.

So they gave me a ton of medication, which I’ve started and which is helping.

The bummer is I’m out of work for 5 days, and since I love work this is no bueno.

The plus side is that I get to do some hardcore TV watching, I’m catching up on Heroes to start, who knows whats next.

Okay, still a little delirious from the 12 hours of napping I’ve done today.

Jones, Out.

or 86 days

or

2064 hours

or

123,840 minutes

or

74,30,400

Left of my contract with Tokyo Disney.

K, Now I haven’t seen this movie in years, or at least I haven’t really watched  it, but its on right now and I just have to ask…is this ridiculous, or is it just me?  I mean, the shark just took out a helicopter…the shark just took out a helicopter.

A HELICOPTER!

This shark hates all mankind…

I probably shouldn’t be watching this as my boyfriend is presently in Florida and has been spending a great deal of time shark fishing…yeah…SHARK FISHING. People actually do this. Regular intelligent people will wade through dark sharky water and catch fish, tie them to their bodies and then wade out and use the fish to catch sharks…here’s the question…what if the shark catches you? duh duh duh duh…

And you know what the worst part is? I want to do it!  I don’t think I have the courage, for as much as I talk a big game, I am a huge sissy.

Oh My God The shark is after the Police Boat!

Yikes he crashed!

I wonder if the hysterical girl in this movie got nodules from all the screaming?

The other really incredible thing about the movie JAWS! is the Police Chiefs sexy man cut offs….HOT.

So anyway, yeah, I don’t think I could do the whole standing waist deep in the ocean with dead fish tied to me and Bull sharks swimming at me…But then again, I can stand on a stage and sing for 2000 people no problem, and that might scare some people.

OH MY GOD THE SHARK GOT THE CHAIR!

This is the best movie I have ever seen in my LIFE.

For just a second there he just looked like a it breathed fire which as we all know would make it a dragon shark which haven’t been around since the days of Bilbo Baggins.

The end credits have some really pleasant music

I have made a terrible mistake…I was wondering why nothing looked familiar…That was Jaws 2!

well this is just a travesty.

The best part of all is that I’m still going to post this blog.

Boom.

Jones. Out.

Since I’ve blogged?! Really? That seems crazy!

Been really busy at work with Christmas rehearsals and then finally opening the Christmas show (which is absolutely Magical by the by) in which I get to speak JAPANESE or Nihongo (Japanese in Japanese) which I have been studying more and more, and I actually made a reservation ON THE PHONE using my skills! Probably it was mostly using the guys patience and my dictionary, but still! Ha! Have you ever made a reservation at a Japanese restaurant in Japan? (if you have don’t respond, I need this right now) because I have!  Speaking of things that I have and you probably don’t;.

Yes. It is exactly what it looks like.

A Gizmo Onesie.

Yeah, you heard me right.

A GIZMO. ONESIE.

Feeling a little green? Choto jealous?

Well then you’re feelin’ about right hermano.

Cause this thing is good.

So good in fact that I”m wearing it as I type.

Why you ask? Because its a Gizmo Onesie, thats why.

And its cold here in Japan, some might call it ass cold. And this fleecy suit of love is keeping me warm, and cozier than a snuggy.  So as you go about your day today and ponder life and the world as we know it, remember this…someone out there is in a Gizmo Onesie…It can’t be all bad.

So, I have officially completed my first month of shows and all is well…actually, that’s an understatement. Everything is pretty great. The new cast and veteran cast are settling in nicely. I’ve learned a few more Japanese words (one or two that should not be repeated). And my apartment is finally starting to take shape.

I got really excited last week when not only did Asahi (my favorite checker at the grocery store who kind of speaks English) remember my name, BUT also, the girls at Pan Jewel (the little bakery across the street that gives you free espresso with purchase and where I have eaten about 3 lifetimes worth of cheeseballs) greeted me when I came in for the first time in a week, of course I had no idea what they were saying really, but I could tell they noticed that I hadn’t been in…I’m not gonna lie…it made me want to cry a little bit.

Here’s the thing, I never realized how much time I spend alone at home in LA, and because of this how much of my interaction is with strangers, or people who work at the places I regular.

For example, I spent more time with the Ladies at Curves then I did with my best friends, or Nick and Cody at the Healthy Bean (where I would go for the worlds best coffee and smoothies), or Jesus from El Pollo Loco, or that one really hot delivery guy who works at Bossa Nova and who’s name I can never remember making it really awkward every time I go in…in fact all the beautiful men and women of Bossa Nova, and their delicious, delicious Cheesecake! (I probably spent more time with Bossa Nova cheescake than anyone or anything else…this is true.)

What was I talking about?

Oh yeah.

So I found myself on one of my days off in the grocery store feeling really lonely.  I just hate not being able to ask someone how their day has been, or,  tell them how much I love their earrings, or ask where I can find the cheescake.  I was fine before I realized this, but you know when you’re aware of something how it becomes all consuming? Suddenly I could feel the walls closing in…everything was in Japanese, I couldn’t figure out which was the milk and which was the drink yogurt, I bit into what I thought was beef yakitori and it was liver…Yes. The world was falling apart.

Then something happened. I saw a sample cart set up and this adorable woman peddling her gyoza, so I did what I always do when there is free food involved, I partook, and it was delicious, and the look on my face must have said so, because she then did something  that turned my life around, she looked me dead in the eye, touched my arm and said, “Good.”

Good. GOOD. Good never felt so good.

I responded, “Sugoi!” (great), “Oishii!” (delicious).t

And then we both just grinned at each other really hard, knowing that we had gone as far as we could with words, but that our vigorous smiling and nodding  for the  7 seconds that followed solidified our relationship…Best friends forever.

The word good on its own has never brought tears to my eyes before, but it did that night.  When you feel small and alone its amazing what a friendly face can do.

I finished my shopping and went to the checkout, Asahi had a line, and there were other checkers with no wait, but I went to my girl, she noticed that I had gotten a tan .

On the way out of the shop I ran into my friend Michael who said, “Its so good to see you, I had the day off and, I don’t know, it was depressing, I didn’t know what to do with myself.”

I know exactly what you mean Michael.

Isn’t it funny how in the moment our feelings seem so unique, but in reality, we are all just people negotiating our way through life?

Trying to figure it out.

sigh.

In conclusion, I live in Japan.

I have a checker who knows my name, I eat too many cheese balls, I naturally say Kawaii instead of cute, and Sugoi instead of awesome.  Its normal to see people walking around in Yukata’s (soon to be Kimono’s), and I know exactly where Gwen Stefani is singing about when she says Harajuku (or her bastardized version of the word “Hairajuku”… so very wrong) and I could even tell you a great cafe to try if you ever happen to be in the neighborhood.

I love it here, or at least I really, really, really, really like it so far. And it will only get better.

ps. Did I mention that the shopping is amazing? cause its amazing

pps. I ended up buying a package of gyoza, and they were oishii, so oishii in fact that I ate the package of ten before I’d even unpacked the rest of the groceries.

ppps. Is it possible to air mail cheesecake?

Is this amazing street festival  that Katie and I went to last night. And is another example of how alive and vibrant this city is.  There seems to be something amazing happening around every corner. I’m not sure what the point of the festival is, and I’m going to be honest,  it doesn’t really matter to me,  I’m pretty sure its nothing historical, it seems to be just a big summer celebration, with tons of local delicacies and international foods. Vendors of all things…Just lovely!

My favorite part (besides the food of course) is the clothing, so many women were in their traditional summer Yutakas, which I have been calling kimono’s which is WRONG, as I have been informed on several occasions lol.

There were amazing street performances, traditional Japanese Drums, Dancing girls wearing nothing but feathers and pasties!!! It was stimulation overload and I loved every second of it.

I ate some amazing Yakitori, and also tried a traditional Japanese dish, Okonomiyaki, which is basically a pancake with a potatoey egg base, covered in shredded cabbage, and then some type of protien, every stand made it differently, mine had a huge piece of bacon, and squid(which is quickly becoming my favorite seafood) then its covered in this sauce (kind of a less sweet teriyaki sauce),( there was a hint of ginger too) and all grilled together, then covered in this mayoey stuff, and then eaten by me in about 30 seconds because it was so good!

Its going on all weekend, so if you happen to be in Tokyo, Don’t miss it! If not, live vicariously lol…Trust me, I’ll eat enough for all of us.

http://www.timeout.jp/tokyo/aroundtown/article/maximum-matsuri

SO…I had my first real train/subway venture into Tokyo yesterday by accident, we were trying to go to Chiba (we being myself Michael and Katie, castmates) to wire transfer money home to pay our bills. Which apparently is the most difficult thing in the history of mankind to do.

I am going to make an agonizingly long story short by saying this…

1)we got on the wrong train… twice.

2)A 20 minute trip took about 2.5 hours.

3)I forgot my papers.

4)The American woman at Citibank pretended not to speak English,

5)The money never got wired,

6)We were hungry.

7)Kasi was angry at everyone in the world including you probably.

BUT there is always a light…

1)I now know SEVERAL ways to get to Chiba no matter where I’m starting from.

2)Trains in Japan play a song everytime they stop which might be the greatest thing ever, not quite sure yet.

3)We ended up in SHIBUYA!

Now I’ve had a shirt for a few years thats one of my faves, and it says, Shibuya by night. I should have known that it would be one of my favorite places too! Its beautiful and colorful and WONDERFUL, and I can’t wait to go back.

We were literally there long enough for one drink, then, exhausted, we got on a train home. But even the one drink was cooler than a drink anywhere else I’ve had a drink…so there.

The moral of this story is, when someone asks you “How many Americans does it take to wire transfer money?” you answer “more than 3….and don’t forget your Visa.”

PS. How great are the Japanese? in America if we don’t have something we just get annoyed with you for asking. In Japan, they mix ingredients until they have what you need. Soda Water and Syrup?! and you know what? it was way better than 7up. HA!

The new cast I have arrived with is amazing. Even before I heard everyone sing I was smitten.  There are 7 of us newbies altogether, 4 boys, 3 girls and each and every one of us is a darling if I do say so myself.  All of us seem to be on the same page, we all realize that we are going to be each others family for the next 8 months so we better learn to love each other early! lol, which is easy with this group.

Sunday, we had a chance to see the show that we will be performing  5days a week 5shows a  day, beginning 9/1, and I was a bit…shall we say…anxious. I mean, this is going to be my life until April…what if I didn’t like it?!

That wouldn’t have mattered, I’m a professional, and its a job. But how much better are jobs when you absolutely LOVE them? Am I right? No need to answer that. We both know the answer.

So we sit down in the theatre, which seats about 1500, and is BEAUTIFUL, it has a very intimate feeling, it reminded me and Katie (one of my fellow singers) of The Pasadena Playhouse, not the look, just the feel.

Anyway, the theatre was PACKED, totally and completely, and they told us that it is like that every show! There are patrons who have annual passes and are just fans of Big Band Beat (that’s the name of my show) and will queue up for every show. They come to the park and thats all they do!

SO, the lights dim, and  I start getting excited, it goes to black and then the music starts and the lights start dancing all over the curtain, the curtain rises and there is the Band! I totally got chills and started giggling like a school girl.  The show opens with  It Don’t Mean a Thing, which as we all know is one of the greatest toe-tapping songs of all time.

I don’t need to do a full play by play, lets just say the show was AMAZING, and  I can’t wait to be in it!