Woke up to this... (Patreon)

Good, erm, morning 😱 !

I woke up to this. I actually gasped. There are no windows open upstairs, I haven't even gone upstairs for a week, no one but me in the house, no pets, no visitors in over a week. The stack wasn't leaning and I even anchored some of the lower cushions under that bar to keep them in place.

Last night I took a OTC sleeping pill and slept well, but the night before I had to sleep in another room because "something" was crackling and munching on something in the rafters of my bedroom so loud it woke me at 1am (rat? c%ckro&ch?...gawd😭...). It wouldn't stop. Or it would stop for a few minutes, until I aaaalmost fell asleep again, and then it would start up again. I wasn't going to investigate. There is one other room that isn't a garbage heap and has an air conditioner, so I slept on the couch. I also had a very vivid and terrible "intruder" dream that night.Obon is close. So maybe...that? I've never studied "things" that pass through. But looking back there have been times in my life where really creepy and unsettling things have happened and sometimes it does have a "passing through" feeling, not like it's attached to the place. Whatever this is it feels like it's passing through. Or jeez, I hope so. Keep on going malevolent spirits. Pass on through. There you go, keep on going.

The vibe from the old house itself is so, so chill and good. I've never had a bad feeling about or from this house. As a matter of fact, I talk to it. Good morning. I'll be right back (Itte kimasu!)! I'm back (tadaima!)! It's hot today, isn't it? What's that smell?

Another culprit could be that I have Ojiichan's (father-in-law's) butsudan (family altar) now and his ihai there, which means his "spirit" is officially living there, and to a greater extent the house. I offer incense and food/snacks daily there. No bad vibes. But could it be a nudge to "clean the damned house already." ? Although, again, that doesn't feel like something he'd say or do.

Obon, almost feels like an answer. I've been here six months and nothing out of the ordinary. But this is obon season, the Festival of the Dead. My mother-in-law used to tell me about how around this time all the ancestors and spirits start coming back and some of them get lost and end up in the wrong houses, etc. Shoo them on, she said. Politely, she said. Protect yourself.

Another big Obon thing I was told: Don't kill bugs because they might be one of your ancestors. <-- heard that one a lot. Sorry, great, great, great, great grandpa who came back as a cockroach in my room three days ago...you got killed again. No freaking way...gokiburi 😭

Digression into cockroach story: I was working from early in the morning, hot, tired, took off my glasses and laid down on my bed to read and take a possible nap for ten minutes. Felt ... eyes. Looked up to see a big dark spot on the wall. Please be a spider. Please be a spider. Please be a spider. Slowly reach for glasses. Not a spider.

If you're ever in Japan killing c%ckro&ches is an art form. They are faster than holy crap, fly, and vengeful. They'll fly right AT you. I have stories. Several that are insane and I still shiver to think about them. They. Are. Not. Normal bugs. But anyway, it took a lot of mustering up strength and calming down, but I deaded it again. Note: This happened the day BEFORE the crackling munching sounds. So my guess was it had a buddy. It is so hot out there that, yes, critters try to find relief inside. Why not cute critters? Why can't I wake up to dragonflies and butterflies?Back to story. Where was I?

So something has been off this past week. I think I mentioned it on Bluesky, but the last time I was upstairs (a week ago?) I just went to open windows and air it out. When I went to close them later in the day all the closet doors and the door to my brother-in-law's bedroom were wide open. They are old and sticky doors that were absolutely closed earlier, so that was super weird and very "a scene from the Poltergeist movie.😩"

But...I don't know...air pressure? That was officially the first weird thing that happened. But the next day I shut the doors, opened windows again and nothing happened. Aaaand that was the last time I was upstairs. Still leaning toward Obon being the answer. Thinking of all the weird stories my relatives would chat about, unexpected and unexplainable things that happened during the festival of the dead season. And what's really funny is if (or when) I tell my Japanese friends about these happenings I can guarantee none will bat an eye. They'll be like, well, of course. And maybe share some of their stories. Which makes me wonder is it cool to white sage the shit out of the house then? I mean, am I shooing away the "good" ancestors, too?

It's like I need a Japanese spiritual advisor on this. Okay. I just remembered of all my friends, I do have a very good Japanese friend who is much more knowledgable and experienced in this kind of thing. I think I'll consult with her. I'll let you know what she says. In other news: Patreon postcards were just sent out, new Bedtime Story going up next week, and, um, I think that's all for now.

Here, have a pretty photo from my day trip the other day.