Tying Up Loose Ends
I’m really not sure what our access will be to American anything when we are in Japan. Given my recent shopping spree at Target (yes, $370 were spent on TOILETRIES, i know it is crazy), you would think I was about to embark on adventure to a strange and isolated island where they have absolutely NOTHING. Somehow, I am so scared and nervous about this upcoming change that I feel if I just take enough stuff with me, to try and recreate my life as it is here in the states, I will be ok. But, let’s face it, no amount of shampoo, deodorant, english books, or properly sized shoes will do that. So, really I don’t even know why I bother trying.
Besides buying crap, and wrapping up paperwork (changing addresses, paying off bills, etc), I have been attempting to satiate some of my American desires before hitting the road. One thing that Aaron and I have done more of in the past few days than in the past six months, is go to see movies. On the big screen!
I’m really not sure what our access will be to American movies when we are in Japan. But there were a few that I wanted to see before departing. I’m so glad that we have had a chance to go see some of them, in addition to help fill my craving for movies, it has also been nice to sit, in a cool dark room, being entertained. Somehow, it has helped me take my mind off of all that is going on in our lives right now.
In the past two days, we have seen two movies, and there are still a couple on our list that we would like to see before departing. The first movie we went to see was a must, Harry Potter. I won’t say much about this, as I know that people understand the phenomenon, whether or not they enjoy or respect it themselves.
The other movie we saw yesterday, with Aaron’s parents. It was Michael Moore’s latest flick, SiCKO. I have to say that I have seen most of MM’s films, and I am enough of a fan (or perhaps curious observer) that I have seen the last three in the theater. I have enjoyed the previous films, they have all made me think, question and explore the issues presented. But they have always left me wanting more. They have always left me feeling hopeless, without an idea of what the solution might be, or what I could do.
Now, this most recent movie seemed different. Not only did he present a compelling argument that a serious problem does exist in our country, although I think most of us already knew that. He also presents, a viable solution. And no, contrary to most of the criticism he has received, that solution is not move to __________ (Canada, France, U.K., etc.). He shows that these other countries, that have made nationalized health care a priority, are not extraordinary in any way other than that they value the health and well being of all of their citizens.
The footage in the movie did not convince me that we have a problem here it simply gave me more examples. I have already had enough experience knowing health care issues and costs, and the tough choices that those costs create. A country that does not make affordable health care a priority for ALL citizens, forces people to make tough choices about their own life, and thereby they jeopardize their health, happiness and well being. No one should have to make the tough choices that so many people living in this country have to make each day. Hmmm….will I feed my children and have a roof over my head today? Or will I pay for my chemotherapy treatments that could save my life?
Um… not to be a pesk but what was the viable solution again? A good half of the movie was dedicated to exposing how fubar our political system is and no matter how hard we try we will probably not get nationalized health care in the US. So where is the solution? The movie makes me want to revolt and rebuild (like the constitution allows for).
Is there such a thing as a “pesk”? It might be a word in the official scrabble dictionary since “git” is.
How can you spend $300.00 + on toiletries? It won’t all fit on the plane.
No, pesk isn’t in the OSPD.
Before I went to live in both Munich and Vienna, I stocked up on toiletries too. (1) It took up room in my bag that I could replace with things I’d acquire over there, and (2) I tend to freak out about getting proper saline for my contacts, and I was worried I wouldn’t get what I needed over there. Heck, even my expat office mate in Munich stocked up on saline whenever she went back to America. I thought that was kind of funny.
By my calculations, a few bottles of saline, some tampons, a couple of things of deodorant, and a decent toothbrush or two will run you $300, right?
[…] before coming to Japan I saw Michael Moore’s latest movie, Sicko. I even wrote two posts about it. I was pretty sold on the universal health care system before even living with it, […]