Turning Japanese

...I really think so!

Hi All,
That's from 80's one-hit-wonders The Vapors. I never have really paid much attention to the lyrics on that one, other than the famous 'Turning Japanese' chorus. I hope it's not offensive to Japanese the way 'One Night in Bangkok' (another one hit wonder!) was to its residents. But I'm not here to talk about one hit wonders from the 80's...although that's always a great topic!
I finished reading 'Memoirs of a Geisha' finally. If you have any interest in history, especially a history of something you know nothing about, this book's for you. There's a lot to it-drama, sex, obsession, 'love...' maybe. Even though it was stated twice in the novel that 'Geisha are not prostitutes,' I have to ask: Are they kidding themselves? In Japan there was quite a difference: prostitutes were paid just for sex, and that was it. Geisha, on the other hand, were paid much more to 'entertain' the men; they had to learn dance as well as the art of conversation. Their virginity was lost to the highest bidder at fifteen. And in order to truly survive in this lifestyle, they had to have a man who paid for them to live, in return gaining them as a mistress. There might be more involved, but anytime someone pays for a woman's services, unless they're legit services like cleaning or some such, well, I call that prostitution.
The author made an interesting comparison between the 'kept women' in New York (women who were mistresses of rich businessmen) and the Geisha, intimating that there really was no difference in them. That's actually a good point, but at least women in America are free to leave at any time. Geisha were bound to this lifestyle, and why? Because their parents sold them into this slavery. You feel so bad for the main character, Sayuri, that by the end, (spoiler alert!) when she gets what she wants, you're happy for her. But then you realize, she's still not free. And that's the saddest thing of all. So it was a bittersweet ending. It was a wonderful novel, though, full of incredible metaphors and vivid detail. And you really couldn't put it down.
Finally back from vacation, I'm trying to readjust. It's paradise when you spend a few days in the country where it's all green and clean and birds and flowers are all around, and it's so..quiet. That's my parents' home. I told them, "You all have it made!!" And they do. I'm considering moving back up that way myself at some point. You can take the girl out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the girl, as the saying goes. But lest you think I'm a Kellie Pickler type, be advised: I might have a twang but at least I know what a minx is. haha
Hope all are well.

Things I'd Say to a Geisha
1) Break those chains, woman! We are women, hear us roar!
2) I said roar, not pour. If you pour one more cup of tea for some old businessman, I may have to break your fingers.
3) Well, the clothes look nice, at least. But I have to ask: Do you get thigh burn in a kamino?
4) If I ever auctioned off my virginity, it had better fetch billions. Hmm. Ways to get rich?
5) They actually had to teach you how to chat about the weather and make small talk? You obviously have never met an American woman. Ever.

:)

Have a great day!