On my way into the office today I stopped to do that interview with the doctor from the birthing clinic for BAB. She was very sweet and explained to me the benefits of having your baby at a small clinic or at a big hospital depending on your pregnancy. The clinic was really nice (and separate enough from any reason I might be going to the doctor that I didn't even freak out visiting!). She showed me some of the private rooms you stay in after you give birth which are absolutely massive - there is the bed for mum with a bassinet beside it, a flat screen TV, microwave, etc. and then a separate, curtained, area for other members of the family to stay in if they wish. There's also a bath/shower and separate toilet. The room I was looking at was lovely and sunny and overlooks the river. In 'space at a serious premium' Japan, the room seemed absolutely palatial!

I got back to BAB at about 12:30, wrote up the article based on the interview, did some proofreading for BAB, and then had a really interesting chat with a woman from Australia who works with special needs children and children on the autism spectrum here in Tokyo. It was kind of a last minute thing, so I didn't have a chance to pre-research, which I generally like to do, but she was really interesting and had lots to tell me! Japan seems to drop the ball a bit with integration, therapy, and support for special needs kids, especially, I suppose, when you compare it to the US and Canada where it is such a priority in the education system. Here, many kids actually have to go to the states to get diagnosed, and if they can get a place in an international school, the family is left to pay for the teaching assistant for their child (a TA would be provided by the school system in North America). I'm looking forward to researching more for this - I think it's going to be really interesting!

I also did some research for an upcoming style article for BAB, and came across this website - www.iattire.net, where you can buy apparel and costumes for your ipods. It's hilarious!!! Some of these costumes are soo detailed, it's quite amazing! The website is definitely worth a poke about on, as they have loads of great costumes which will definitely put a smile on your face!!
(I think this one is quite amazing! You can also buy the tiaras seperately, if you wish)\
(Valentine's 2007 collection)
(Holiday 2006 collection).

They also have great descriptions about their 'clothing' on the website (incidentally, they pay their Californian workers living wages to hand create the costumes, and use 'couture techniques' in the process). Anyway, about these boxers:
They say: "Tradition has its place. So do these. Generously cut for freedom of movement, with a wide elastic waist that won’t bind or chafe. Hand-made of cotton, featuring red hearts on white cloth, an elastic waistband, and easy access crotch." <--All, I think you'll agree, features that any self-respecting ipod looks for when purchasing skivvies!

I was showing the website to people in the office, and we were talking about how you maybe couldn't use your ipod when it was dressed up like this, and then the boxer page happened to be up, so I was like 'well, maybe you get ones like these, and just put your finger up the leg (easy access crotch, and all that), and kind of move it around like this (as in to turn the click wheel). Wait...that sounds really dirty!' Think before you speak Dani; think!

At about 6:20, I left work and headed down to Suji's to meet up with Peter and Kong, who were having dinner on the new patio. I joined them there and had some tasty beef stroganoff... We had a nice dinner/chat; it was good to see Kong again and we talked about the metpod and Joss Stone, who is coming to Tokyo soon - she has such an amazing voice!

We all hung out there for a couple of hours and then Peter and I headed home - he's watching American Idol while I do this, and then I plan to blog and read before I go to bed fairly early... I think I'm meeting Jordon for breakfast tomorrow (well at eleven, so maybe brunch?) At where else? Suji's of course. Not sure what else I'm going to do tomorrow - since I'm right there, I might pop up to the office for a couple of hours after, or I might write some stuff for myself, crack open ye olde nihongo textbooks again, or do something completely unexpected. (It could happen!)

mata ne!
D