bring on the kitty-chans: or how i'm finally living up to the title of this blog by becoming unusually obsessed with keitai charms featuring kittychan

It's true. I have a problem. And its only getting worse. For 9 long months i looked down upon all adornments (and adorners) of cell phones. Which means i disapproved of nearly 99.99% of Japanese people as practically everyone i see has accessories dangling from their phones - old men and teenaged girls alike. I, on the other hand, saw my cell phone as a convenient appliance, and at times a life-saver, but as something that should be kept plain, simple, and small enough to fit in my pocket. My cell phone did what i needed it to do and i appreciated that. But i wouldn't really say we had a loving relationship. Then one day, during golden week, i felt my heart leap at the sight of a Nara cell phone charm... Hello Kitty sitting on the lap of the famous daibutsu (buddha) statue. And i just had to give in.

For about a month i lived quite satisfied with my kitty and the subtle but classy touch it gave my pink phone with its coordinating pink/silver strap and shiny, lavender (and loud) bell. But then i broke down again. While convincing some friendly visiting Oles that keitai straps were a) the RAGE in Japan and b) the most convenient, affordable, and unique yet usable gift to bring home i discovered i needed a new one. In honor of our visit to Kobe (though we never actually went to the weather cock house), and the fact that i love the phrase 'weather cock' i got Weather Cock Kitty. For a few weeks, Daibutsu Kitty and Weather Cock Kitty lived in harmony (though the noises from two bells were beginning to get to me and probably everyone in my staff room at school). And then it happened again.

I had long since been a fan of Hikonyan, created, in the great japanese tradition of creating a character for every possible situation, advertising need or holiday, in commemoration of the 400th anniversary of Hikone castle. I enjoyed Hikonyan's simultaneous resemblance to vikings and the pillsbury dough boy. SO much so that i began fantasizing about the PERFECT keitai charm - Hello Kitty in Hikonyan's hat. And lo-and-behold, such a charm exists! So a week ago i picked up my very own Hikonyan Kitty (thankfully no bell to speak of, only a little thing that says Hikone) and just for good measure, a Biwako Kitty (Kitt-chan dressed in a pink catfish suit laying on a puddle of water) key chain clip, so again, no bell.




And you think that would be about enough. But no. Once Shannon discovered my growing (and, yes, mildly unhealthy) obsession, she jumped on the bandwagon. Last Sunday, while shopping in Kyoto, she picked us up matching Tanuki Kitties (Kitty-chan in the suit of a Japanese racoon - sadly without the famously oversized testicles). So, after 9 months of a life sans accessory or adornment, my cellphone has become an entity onto itself - a pink striped phone carrying 5 Hello Kitty charms with 3 bells and many different colors.

But now i just dont know what to do. What if i can't stop myself? There are just too many more adorable charms out there for the buying! What will i do when i come back to America, a country where, despite my best efforts to spread the trend among friends and family, my behavior and over-excessive over-accessorizing will not be acceptable? I am doomed. Me, my cell phone and all my kitty-chans are doomed.