Ok, so it is Dec. 22^nd. Only about a week to go before the new year. I know that New Year’s resolutions are supposed to start with the New Year, but this time around I thought I would start a bit early. And I am making mine now.

Every year as the year comes to a close, we (or at least I do) tend to reflect. We reflect over what has gone on throughout the year, and maybe I am just speaking for myself on this one, but I also tend to look back the past couple years as well and see how far I have come.

I look back to when I was getting ready to move from Tokyo to the U.S. It has been almost five years (WOW! I can’t believe it has already been half a decade!) since I moved to the U.S. So much progress has been made, and yet so much still has to be done.

About two months before I was leaving Japan, I went to a well-known palmreader. Now I am probably the LAST person to ever go to something like that. I just don’t like feeling that I can’t have any say over my fate… and I feel that sometimes people who rely on palmreaders, psychics, etc tend to hand over the responsibility of their lives to these people that they don’t even really know that well.

However this time a very good friend of mine in Tokyo (who is also a skeptic) told me that she wanted to introduce me to this wonderful palmreader and she wanted me to get my palm read before I left on my new journey.

So I made an appt and went. It was interesting to say the least. When I arrived in her cramped apt, I took my shoes off and came in. She told me to sit down and press my palms together until she told me to stop. So I did. And then she took my right hand and started reading.

She told me that until now I had been on the express train and had been going nonstop. But for the next four or five years I would be on the "local train" in my life. (I chuckled at the “local/express train” references…guess it makes sense though. It’s a cultural thing. For Japanese, trains are a BIG part of their everyday life, so something that they can all relate to) She went on to tell me that it would be a rough and frustrating period, because I was so used to being on the “express train". But it would be a very important time as well. She said that during this time, I would be sowing all kinds of seeds, and it would take the four or five years for me to see any results from my planting. She also warned me that there would be quite a few opportunities that would come my way, that ordinarily I would not even give a second look, but she said that I needed to really examine and think about all the chances that were part in front of me, because some of these would turn out to be blessings in disguise.

And sure enough…I have been on that doggone local ever since leaving Japan.

Has it been frustrating? Ummm, YEP! 

Has it been character building? Ummmm....YEP, MOST of the time.

Am I ready to hop back onto the express train again?  HECK YEAH!

The past four/five years has probably been one of the toughest (and yet in many ways awarding) times I have ever had. It has been all about rebuidling, and YES, there HAS been a lot of seed planting.

It has been a time of living hand to mouth pretty much. Barely making it past the rent and bills every month. And there have been times, I won't lie, I have had to rely on the goodness of family and friends.

But I feel the winds of the express. Bought my ticket and I am standing at the platform and waiting. And I feel that train a-comin.

So I geuss the question is...do I believe in what the palmreader said? Well, honestly, palmreader or not, I think that this slow period in my life was bound to happen. 

I have been adjusting to a new country, city, lifestyle, job situation. So the first couple years are always a bit slow.

So I will admit, I take most of what she said with a grain of salt. 

However this part of the reading I DO agree with. And like I said, I am so very ready for my ride on the express train.

SO 2013...here I COME!

see if I can't

so i haven't been writing...I know. i have been planning...big things. 2011 is the start of "see if I can't" for this 6ft blonde geisha. I hate being told that that I can't do something. When someone says something like that to me, I take it as a challenge. When I was in 4th grade and had moved to a new school in the middle of the year in Tokyo, I remember hearing someone saying "I don't like that new girl" when we were on a fieldtrip. Of course talking about me...now WHY they didn't like me? WHO KNOWS? But I took it as a personal challenge to get EVERYONE in the class to like me. And what do you know... by the end of the school year, I received the award for "most liked"person in the class. Even though I came half way through the year.

So...DON'T TELL ME WHAT I CAN AND CAN'T DO. That just doesn't really compute in this brain of mine. THANK GOD!

I remember being a roly poly junior high schooler in Japan...being taller than everyone and sometimes depending on my "growth spurt schedule" being a bit bigger than lots of the kids in my class.

Then I was one of the few 7th graders that got picked for the A-team of the volleyball team. And that was the beginning of showing everyone that I CAN play and I AM GOOD. I would stay after practice to practice a bit more when I could. I was dedicated and would push myself to be the best that I could be.

Everytime I would find something I was passionate about...or someone would tell me "I just don't think you are cut out for this" I would work overtime to prove them wrong.

And YES, I DID prove them wrong most everytime.

They just don't know who or what they are dealing with when they deal with me.

And that's ok. Cuz soon enough they WILL know.

Another incident was when I first starting doing radio work, and someone that I worked with pretty closely who had been in radio for a long time told me "LIsle, if you really want people to respect you, maybe you have to be a bit more serious. Maybe you shouldn't play up that whole "lisle weapon" thing..."

Now I absolutely understand that he was telling me that because he was a good friend.

But I remember thinking to myself..."WHY?? Why do I have to cow-two to other people's ideas and definitions of "serious" in order to get ahead? Once I start doing that, it can become a slippery slope".

And I know I touched on this in a previous blog, but there were people (supposedly friends) who were betting against me actually staying in the US when I left my comfort zone of Tokyo about three years ago.

Yeah, look who's laughing now.

All this to say...I am absolutely not bitter. Having to prove yourself sometimes just comes with the territory.

Use people's disbelief in you to fuel the belief in yourself.

And I guarantee you it will get you places. As long as you stay focused and work hard.

SO all this is really to say that this is the year that I bring the heat.

It is time to dream big and do it up.

cuz I know that I am here to make some big dents along the way in this crazy journey that we all call life.

But I know that some of the things that I am about to do seem a bit out of my league for people that don't know me that well. Who knows...maybe even some of those I DO know well.

But that's ok. It's a brand new day.

and I will live up to the challenge.

See if I can't.

"Engrish" Part I

So I am sure it isn't news to you that when you enter the Land of the Rising Sun, you also enter the world of very bad "Engrish"...everywhere you look you can find signs that have the strangest English phrases such as "hair & Make"...instead of "hair and makeup" or "spaghetti meet sauce" ...instead of "spaghetti meat sauce". Some of the phrases just make you shake your head in bafflement, others just make you laugh out loud. Needless to say, growing up in Japan, I have had my share of "Engrish"moments. Here is one of my favorite "Engrish" experiences...

The first one was probably about 18 years ago, when I was working as an extra for a very popular tv show for FUJI television, the biggest terrestrial network in Japan. Back in the days of the bubble economy in Japan (late 80's/early 90's), there was a group of about 50 foreigners living and working in Tokyo who regularly worked the "tv extra" circuit...and it was really a wonderful time. We would meet up at these various tv jobs about two times a week, and would always enjoy getting caught up on each other's lives as we would patiently be waiting for the director to tell us what to do. So it almost became this little family unit...we would share our victories, disappointments, frustrations, and various "gaijin" ("foreigner" in Japanese) with each other. It turned into a wonderful support system. In fact, to this day, I still keep in touch with quite a few of my "extra peeps". Of course many of us have since moved on and are doing totally different things, but my first "Engrish" moment comes from that period of my life.

On this particular job, it was a group of about 70 of us who had been hired to be in an audience scene by Fuji TV for one of their most popular show, hosted by two of the top comedians, known collectively as "Tunnels".

We were doing the usual, just hanging out and keeping ourselves entertained. About an hour or two later, one of the production assistants came into the big waiting room, asking us in Japanese to follow him. So we all shuffled our way into the studio where the show was being shot.

The director, who was explaining the scene to the guys of the Tunnels, turned to us as we entered the room, pointing to the lines of chairs, and asking us to all find a seat.

So we did, and patiently waited.

When the director finally graced us with his presence, he started rattling off in Japanese about the scene and what he expected from us. As he spoke, I thought to myself "Hmm, I wonder what's going to happen with all the gaijin who don't speak/understand Japanese." Usually, when there is a smaller group of us, a few of us who speak fluent Japanese help out, by interpreting everything for everyone else that DOESN'T understand. But for this job, the group was too big...and there was no way that we would be able to do that.

My question was quickly answered when the director introduced this small man standing next to him, saying in Japanese " this is Hiro, my assistant, and he will be your interpreter for the day. So please listen as he explains everything to you in English."

Then Hiro timidly stepped forward, saying "HI everyone. My Engrish is not so good. But I try.."

Awwww, I thought. How cute. And how brave...I knew that poor little HIro must have been terrified to have to do the interpreting for a group of 70 gaijin...AND in front of all his co-workers, none the less. I am sure that he didn't wake up today knowing he would get thrown in the lion's den today at work. Otherwise I am sure he would have stayed home...lol. I know I would have...

Hiro then continued to explain to the group that the director wanted to film various scenes of us as part of an audience, and he wanted us to "crap and enjoy ourselves".

OH DEAR...

Poor Hiro...he meant to say "clap" of course, but...well, sometimes those l's and r's can be a tricky thing for the Japanese.

I started giggling, and next thing I knew the room was full of giggling gaijin.

But to our credit, we DID try to to restrain from being TOO obvious, out of respect for our new friend.

However it was like watching a train wreck...

"When you crap, director wants you to crap together...I will count 1,2,3, and then we will crap. and we will crap again and again. we will do this crapping scene many times to get many version."

OH LORD...headed for disaster.

By the 5th "crap" all of us were laughing uncontrollably, some of us (that would be me) had tears in our eyes from laughing so loud.

Meanwhile the director is looking around, totally miffed...not understanding why, all of a sudden, his quiet studio audience had gotten out of control.

And poor Hiro...he knew that this group of gaijin was, unfortunately, laughing AT him, and not WITH him. And he started getting flustered...pleading "I know, I know... my Engrish not good. but please listen"

So we tried to stop laughing and listen...

"Ok, now we do rehersal...when I say "crap" please crap". let's try..."

We were all still giggling, but went along with Hiro...

We practiced a few times, and then the director took Hiro aside and gave him some more isntructions.

"Ok everybody...director will crap first, then point to you and you crap. keep crapping loud and strong until he says so. and everyone please remember- crap together".

lol...it just really WASN'T getting any easier...

By the end of the filming, poor Hiro was pointing to us everytime we were supposed to crap together, and then he would give us a cue when we were supposed to stop crapping.

I think after about 40 min of this crap nonsense, Hiro had pretty much just given up and focused on ignoring all the giggling around him. And us giggling gaijin were just all laughed out.

In fact, to this day, I don't think there was a job where I have ever laughed so hard and for so long.

Now I walked away from that day with a great story, which to this day I love telling people. And it usually garners quite response from people.

BUT my poor friend Hiro...he must have been so eager to just go home and bury his head under the covers and forget that experience ever happened.

And I am sure that after that unfortunate experience, Hiro never offered up his interpreting services again. I just hope that he didn't walk away totally emotionally scarred from working with us giggling gaijin.

Blonde Geisha looks back...and homecoming

Well, here I am on the plane headed to Tokyo, Japan...Oct. 23, 2010. I guess if you go by "Tokyo time" it would really be Oct. 24. Which brings me to a small victory anniversary. Exactly two years ago, I was headed on a plane from LAX as well...only I was pretty much running for my life. To save myself from an incredibly unhealthy relationship. I was losing myself and all my confidence. And during a nightmare trip to Miami, Paris, and London (yeah, go figure) I decided I wouldn't take it anymore. NO ONE was going to tear me apart and treat me like a second rate citizen. So I started planning my getaway during the trip. And once we got back to LA, and HE left for New York and Tokyo, I watched him leave partly with relief and partly with disgust, thinking to myself " thank GOD! I will never be slave to your darkness again..." and so my new life began. I packed all my stuff, put everything in storage, and on Oct. 24th (one day before my bday) I gave myself the best present I could have ever given myself...myself. And my freedom.

Once I got on the plane and we were ready to take off, I sent off an email from my iPhone that I had composed while I was at the gate, waiting for my flight...which basically said "I am done with you. And right now, I am done with LA. So don't try to come find me. I want nothing to do with you ever again." Of course within a few min I got a few calls and a couple emails, but I didn't care. We were taking off, and I was free. I first went Boston to visit a very good friend of mine and her family, and stayed with them for a few days. Yes, it was rough...I kept getting emails and phone calls from HIM, but I had already made up my mind, and I needed to follow through. The emails were just as expected...professing love, pretending to be remorseful...but I knew better. After all, how could someone who "loves you" treat you with such disrespect, and be so full of pure anger and project that on you? Telling you that EVERYTHING is your fault...always so quick to criticize that you feel like you are constantly on eggshells because you never know when he is going to explode on you... Yep, I had enough of the drama.

Well, since that day exactly two years ago, I have taken quite the journey...and I thank God everyday that I left that relationship. Granted the scars aren't all totally healed...probably far from it, but I am SO MUCH stronger. And at the end of the day, my spirit was not defeated. I am still the outgoing, positive person that I have always prided myself on being. My light still shines brightly.

And as I sit here on the long plane ride to Tokyo, I remember two and a half years ago, (in fact, it will be three years on Jan. 21, 2011) when I left my life in Japan and was coming back to the U.S. Hmmm, ok, so I don't know if someone who has spent her whole life in Tokyo would say " coming back to the U.S." but anyway, I was coming to the country where I was going to make a new home.

I hadn't even been to visit the States in over 14 years...crazy, right?

When I was on that flight, I was traveling with HIM...but I was broken, and miserable.

And now, fast foward almost three years later and I am going back to Tokyo to visit the friends, the city that I know so well.

I still am not quite adjusted to life in the U.S....and I am still trying to figure out my life work wise...but I have come a loooong way. I have had some hilarious and incredible experiences over the past few years in the States. And I have also had some truly frustrating and disappointing experiences as well. But it's ok. I am stronger for it.

I have no idea what the next two weeks will hold for me, but I can tell you this...it will be one heck of a homecoming.

The Blond geisha mourns

So I woke up on Thurs, June 25th to the sad news of the passing of Farrah Fawcett. Damn...it finally happened. FF put up an amazing battle against cancer for about 3 years..but I guess it was just getting to be too much. She had officially decided to no longer continue with any more treatments. Her family and loved ones all said it was only a matter of time. I watched the documentary on Farrah a few weeks back and was extremely moved by her courage and positive attitude, even though she was undergoing such aggressive and excrutiating treatments for her cancer. It was a really well done documentary...and it was no holds barred. She let the cameras into her life and let them see what she was going through and what this ugly disease was doing to her. I was really moved.

We were all expecting the news of her death. But yet when it actually came out that she had died, it was a sad, sad moment.

So when I got a press release from a good girlfriend of mine who is in media around 1:30 saying that Michael Jackson had just had a cardiac arrest and things weren't looking good, I just knew that something wasn't right. I searched tmz and they also reported Joe Jackson as saying "things are not looking good". They also reported that the whole Jackson family was hurrying to be by the side of their beloved Michael. And a little before 2:30, they called it. Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, was dead. I couldn't believe it. How could this be true? From what I read in all the news/gossip sites, Michael Jackson had just been practicing for his upcoming tour LAST NIGHT! He was only 50 years old. NOT MICHAEL. MJ has been through a lot in his life....he will make it through this. They can'T be right. He CAN'T BE DEAD. He still has so much music to share with us!

I looked at all the websites...CNN, BBC, NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX...they alll said the same thing.

Michael Jackson is in critical condition and is in a coma. BUT NOT THAT HE WAS DEAD.

So maybe there IS hope?

Then my phone rang. It was J-wave....the radio station that I do some work for in Tokyo, Japan.

"Lisle, we hear that Michael Jackson is dead. what is the situation over there? do you know?"

I explained to the director that it is total chaos. No one knew what or who to believe. All the "respectable" news stations weren't calling him as dead. But now a few of the other sources...such as tmz, OK magazine were the first to call it. The world of the internet was a flurry of people trying to find out THE TRUTH. For about an hour I felt this sense of despair...not knowing what was right and what wasn't right.

When Elvis died in 1977, they didn't have this kind of problem. The news came from either the television or the radio...and then of course from newspapers. OUr generation had the internet... one of the most powerful tools to have ever been invented. A weath of knowledge which gave us everything we needed to know....except the truth about what was going on at the moment.

I was getting text messages from people all over the place...are you SURE he is dead? WHAT is GOING ON? Can someone please TELL ME?

I looked on twitter and it was ablaze with rumors about what was going on...

Then my phone rang. It was a little after 3p.m. My friend who works at UCLA called to tell me the news. They called the death. Now they are going to be making an official announcement in about 15 or 20 min.

Sure enough...after about 15 min, there was an announcment from UCLA Medical Center...all of a sudden, it was like a ripple effect... all the news stations changed their website front page to read "Michael Jackson- dead at 50" or some other title...

WOW...it was such a surreal moment.

For those 40 min or so, before I got the call, I felt this helplessness. IT was like being caught in a new media tidal wave...all the information was engulfing me and I didn't know what to do with it.

I will never forget that feeling I had that day. And the impact that the series of events had on me.

The first time I heard the announcement that he had had a cardiac arrest and things weren't looking good, I knew the news was not going to be good.

I am sad that we have lost one of the biggest minds in music. One of the most brilliant entertainers to ever have walked this earth.

yes, there was a lot of "stuff" that was said about him....who knows what is true and what isn't.

I can't even imagine being in his shoes.

But I DO remember the day I first heard his solo debut album "Off the Wall". I was floored by the incredible passion and energy in the songs. And the purity of his voice. That album will always be my favorite album of his. And will always have an impact on me musically.

Michael Jackson, you will be sorely missed. RIP

COMING TO AMERICA!

Rememer all those years ago when Eddie Murphy/Arsenio Hall came out with the movie "Coming to America"? IT was a 1988 comedy about an African prince, Prince Akeem, who came to discover America, the "promised land" to find a wife. The movie deals with his culture shock, expectations of the U.S., misunderstandings with American culture and its people, and all the funny experiences he has.

I remember watching that movie thinking "wow...I can't even imagine going through that." LOL...

then fast forward about 15 years later and guess who is headed to the promised land? YEP, ME!

In fact, the last time I had spent any time in the US was when I was a freshman in college...all those years ago. And that was give or take about 20 years ago! So I decided to enter this new chapter of my life knowing that there would be all kinds of twists and turns. And I knew I would have to have my sense of humor close by, cuz I was going to be relying on it A LOT.

About 2 months before my "coming to america", I decided to start telling various agents and clients that I was working with about my big move. But Tokyo is a small town...the word started spreading around that I was leaving Japan before I could leak it myself. I started getting people coming up to me- some in my line of work, some totally unrelated. But they were all in disbelief that I was actually going to be leaving my home of about 30 years. " Lisle, IS IT TRUE? Are you going to the US? For how long?" Unfortunately, Tokyo can also be quite the unsupportive town as well. Many of those "friends" also said " Oh, I give you six months and then you will be back here. You won't make it." Hmmm....ok. Interesting.

I always found it quite bizarre...in Japan/Tokyo, as a minority (and if you aren't born and raised in Japan as a Japanese, you ARE a minority. Even spending a few years in a foreign country as a Japanese national makes you "tainted" in the eyes of the Japanese) Anyway, the gaijin (which means "outsider" literally, but is used to mean "foreigner") community is incredibly backstabbing and just not very supportive. OF COURSE there are wonderful people and relationships that you make there, but for whatever reason, I have always found it pretty tough to find good, healthy, supportive adult relationships in one of the biggest cities in the world. And of course it doesn't help that it is a very transient city...especially with the gaijin community. People come and go all the time.

And it really is too bad, because Tokyo can also be a very lonely city. It seems that many times the gajin look at each other as competition, instead of trying to uplift each other. All that being said, by the time my "coming to america" date was approaching, I found out that some of those "friends" I had known for so many years were making bets on "how long will it take before Lisle cracks and comes back to Japan?

When I heard that this whole thing was going on, I was really quite baffled. Because in all honesty, my situation was/is very different from a "gaijin" who heads to Japan as an adult. I GREW UP THERE. So it was really all I knew, yes. But to me, that in no way meant that I couldn't find my way in another culture/country....and I thought that those around me would know that about me. But nope, guess not.

It was a bitter/sweet time for me. I loved Japan and Tokyo for all it had been for me. But I was also ready for a new chapter in my life and after hearing about the "lisle bets" going on, I was even more determined to make things work, no matter what.

So the big day came..jan 19th, 2008.

It was a 9 hour flight. Very long. And the whole time I was worried about my poor little kitty making it through the flight in one piece.

I was told at the American Airlines counter in Narita when I checked in that because it was such cold weather, it was a risk to put the animals in cargo. "In fact",the woman at the counter said, "if the temperature drops 1 more degree then we will have to refuse your pet." WHAT???? Oh great! Thanks for telling me IN ADVANCE! What am I supposed to do now...! But Genki ( my kitty's name) made it on the flight. And we were off! COMING TO AMERICA!

Once I arrived in LA I just looked all around me and was trying to soak it all in. WOW...I hadn't even been to VISIT the US for about 15 years! I felt like Rip Van Wrinkle just waking up...

Everything was so much more fast moving. People everywhere were in a hurry, pushing through the crowd to get ahead of someone. Definitely much more aggressive than Japan. or Tokyo ( most of the times)

First thing I looked for was a Starbucks. yes...my place of comfort. I went to Starbucks ALL the time in Japan. So this would somewhere that I was familiar with and I was sure I would be able to hold my own against all the US Starbuck-ers. I mean I even had a "Starbucks friendly" high maintenance drink...grande nonfat wet cappacino. So I would be fine...WRONG! LOL...

I get up there to the counter and the woman at the register starts rattling away at me...

I stood there watching her lips moving...knowing it WAS English. but also knowing that it was 5 times as fast as I was used to.

Sigh...Ok, let's do this Lisle.

So I ordered my drink and then she quickly told me how much it cost. I opened my wallet and started counting out coins to give to her. She looked at me a bit annoyed like "what the heck? is she going to be paying with pennies or something??!!!?"

I didn't realize until I was waiting in line for my drink that everyone else in the line was paying with card.

WHAT????!!?!? They pay for a coffee with their card?

Hmmm....ok, well, wasn't expecting THAT one.

Sigh...ok. this is going to be a VERY interesting transition....

It was at that moment that I remembered the Eddie Murphy movie and thought to myself as I chuckled to myself "guess I know how Prince Akeem felt..."

More memoirs from a 6ft blond geisha to come...

6ft blond geisha on the road pt2

so the day rolls around for my driving test. (First of all, let me say...that written test is NOT EASY! or is it just me...it took me FOUR times before I could pass it. lol...In fact I started having nightmares about taking the test) Anyway, SO I talk to Camillo,my driving teacher, the afternoon before. He gives me my VERY NECESSARY pep talk...telling me that I am ready. telling me that some teachers all throughout the test to see if they can throw you off. Camillo then went on to tell me that he will come and get me bright and early at 8a.m. Then we would go together to the Hollywood DMV, where I would sign up and get ready for my test. So I went home and started mentally preparing myself for tomorrow's adventure. After a big of a sleepless night, I woke up to rain!!! WTF!!???! WHAT DO YOU MEAN RAIN? I started to have a mini panic attack..."hmmm, ok. windshield wipers...have I used them ever before? NO!!! well, at least I know where they ARE...but yikes, I have never driven in the rain before. Will I make it out ok?" I run out to the nearby Starbucks to get some coffee because I would need it to keep alert. 30 min later Camillo shows up with the little Prius hybrid from driving school. When I got in the car, I started freaking out to Camillo that I was going to flunk the test because I wasn't prepared for a rainy LA day. I mean....do they even really HAVE any of those in LA??

Wasn't there a song that's called "It never Rains in Southern California"???? Am I missing something?

Camillo starts laughing, and says "Don't worry. You are Lisle Weapon. you will be fine."

LOL...yeah, right.

So we head to the DMV. I get in line and sign up.

Then my DMV tester comes up to me. Hmmm...I look him up and down. If there were a token "smoove pimp daddy" at the Hollywood DMV, I am sure it would be him.

He was a tall, good looking older Hispanic man with a mustache. Quite the distinguished looking man.

He looked at me and introduced himself. ( darn, I forget his name. but I will call him Mr. Smoove) We did our "parts test" and I kept giving him a BIG smile to see if I could get a smile back or SOME kind of reaction. but NOTHING!

Oh boy...I knew this was going to be a tough one.

Then he gets in and starts guiding me towards the course he is going to test me on.

(there are two courses they use to test people in the Hollywood DMV)

Whew...it's the one that I am more comfortable with...

We get out of the DMV parking lot and I start driving away.

Then as I am getting more comfortable with the whol scenario, i say to him ( with my eyes on the road at all times OF COURSE!) " you must test a lot of nervous people everyday, huh?" as I start laughing nervously.

Silence... hmmm...ok, well, what do I do now...

"yes, I do" he answers.

Ok, Mr. Smoove. Short but sweet. I see how this game is being played.

But I don't give up.

"how long have you been testing at the DMV?"

"for a long time"

LOL...OK, Mr. Smoove. I get the hint.

So I just keep my eyes on the road and the task at hand and just keep driving.

I must admit...since Camillo was such the chatty kathy kinda teacher, I wasn't at all accustomed to driving in silence.

But I got over it.

I kept noticing Mr. Smoove scribble things on his notepad. Everytime he did, I kept saying to myself "oh no...I wonder if I did that wrong?"

Needless to say by the time I finally made it back to the DMV, I was a mess.

But there in the parking lot I saw Camillo wave to me with a big smile on his face.

YAY! I finally FINISHED!

Just as I am pulling into the parking lot, Mr. Smoove says "you can park right over there" and points his finger to a parking spot right near the DMV building.

"OK!" I say to him in an upbeat, confident voice.

"OH SHIT! I haven't really practiced my parking that much!!!! I am going to BOMB this one!"

And YES, bomb it I did.

After parking half in one space and half in another...LOL....he chuckles for the first time since I met him earlier that morning and says "It's a good thing that this doesn't really count on your test. You should probably practice your parking a bit more."

I laugh and say "yeah, I will".

Whew! that was close!

Then Mr. Smoove says "well, you passed"

YIPPEE!!!!!! Now I am officially an adult in the eyes in the U.S.! LOL...

Camillo comes up to the car laughing and asks me how I did. I told him about my ride of silence and how Mr. Smoove told me I should practice parking. Then I went on to tell him the good news of me passing. He gives me a big hug and tells me he is very proud of me. We both laugh and head into the DMV. Now the 6ft blond geisha is READY to terrorize the streets of the US!

More memoirs of a 6ft blond geisha to come....