Our Insurance Lady

“How much do you weigh?” the insurance lady asks me. I give her a number in kilograms. She waves the number away and proceeds to give me advice on how I can approach this application with the best way to lower my monthly rates. If you do X, your rates will increase next year. If you do what I tell you instead (Y), then you … Continue reading Our Insurance Lady

Shuukatsu: End of Life Activities

I went a funeral this weekend. My husband’s 86-year-old uncle passed away. We heard the news on Sunday and spent the weekend with family. While the funeral itself was somber, it wasn’t as tearful as I’d expected. Pretty much everyone knew he’d been at the hospital being treated for cancer. Everyone was emotionally prepared for his death, had made their peace with him before he … Continue reading Shuukatsu: End of Life Activities

More Coronavirus Woes: Lessons I’m Learning

I’m struggling to keep balance. Things are happening at a rate that I can’t keep up. But I’m attempting to keep a level head with all the panic happening around me. The best way to do this is to list what I can learn from this experience: Having multiple sources of income is important I’ve lost two weeks of work. On Friday, around 6pm the … Continue reading More Coronavirus Woes: Lessons I’m Learning

Do I Really Need Life Insurance?

Okay, I’ll admit, I don’t have life or disability insurance. Somehow, I seem to be okay with it. I know, however, that as an adult, it’s one of those things that I need to take care of. The thing is, my husband and I have no children. I am also not the main breadwinner in our relationship so I feel like I don’t really need … Continue reading Do I Really Need Life Insurance?

Disaster Preparedness

It’s been a few weeks since the earthquake, but I feel like I’m still in survival mode. I feel like I’ve got to keep stocking up on supplies–just in case an earthquake strikes again. To be fair, there are still aftershocks rocking us here in Hokkaido, but none of them has reached the same magnitude as the major quake earlier this month. Every time I … Continue reading Disaster Preparedness