Racist, Nationalist, or …? Japanese Style!

One evening Noriko was telling me about a visit with her therapist. “While we talking, I referred to Chinese puhson as ‘chink’. Susan tink dat funny. She laugh and laugh and she say “‘Chink! Noriko, you are so funny!” Noriko looked to me for approval. “Of course, I use [...]

Do Americans Romanticize Japanese Culture?

One early spring evening Noriko said “We go to Japanese Cultural Festival” dis Saturday…” This announcement surprised me a bit, since Noriko usually disdains events featuring Japanese culture. Her point of view is that Americans tend to romanticize Japanese culture in a way that distorts their perception of the culture. But I [...]

Noriko’s Revenge: An Evening at Whole Foods

We had dinner with a young friend named Zach. Once Noriko had a bit of wine and entered top form, we were all laughing. Then I cautioned Zach. “Be careful there son; you never know when you might find yourself suddenly residing within the interior of a Noriko’s Tale…. Zach gave [...]

Noriko Talks Politics

We arrived at Chow’s, our favorite Chinese restaurant in Santa Fe. Although we had just been seated, Noriko was ready to go. “We takuh two Melut, please,” she instructed a waiter who had just happened to walk by. After I clarified for him that Noriko meant “merlots”, the waiter still looked disoriented. [...]

Bad Japanese Wife! (Domestic Enlightenment?)

Noriko and I were driving home after visiting with a friend. I had to tell her that, after one glass of wine, she had gone a bit into “auto-pilot” verbally, leaving our head’s friend spinning. Sure, a lot of it was charming, but my honest impression was that some of it was a [...]

Japanese Health Food….?

Regular Tales readers know that Noriko loves to eat, and they should know that she is a great cook as well. Although she prepares all kinds of dishes, her main style is sort of a “Californian-Asian” thing, blending various elements of Japanese, Chinese, and Thai with a “health food” mentality. Noriko has a [...]

Media Madness: Noriko Watches Nancy Grace

Noriko and I were lounging on the futon together. I flicked on the TV, in an exploratory mood, and up came the celebrated commentator Nancy Grace. As usual, Nancy was foaming with rage and hatred. “Oh, no, NO NANCY GRACE!” Noriko declared. “She too much!” My feelings exactly, but [...]

My Shameless Japanese Wife

Noriko and I had a light dinner and took our three dogs to the plaza, the heart of Santa Fe’s tourist district. We parked at our usual spot on Galisteo Street, just outside of the old town area, in front of some very official looking government buildings. As the dogs piled eagerly out [...]

A Japanese Girl Sings for Doughnuts

Noriko and I had gone out for dinner to a restaurant called Jinja, one of the few good Asian restaurants here in Santa Fe. Noriko was very happy with the meal, although there was one moment of drama between her and the server: “Uh, excuse me, dis all veddy good, but it [...]

Japanese Girls Like Horror Movies…?

Noriko is great to watch horror movies with. I tend to be a jaded viewer of such products, but Noriko becomes so engrossed in them that watching HER entertains me. Therefore it was with great pleasure that I pulled up a show from the Chiller channel called “Scariest Places on Earth”. [...]