November 8: Japanese Stamp

Thursday, November 8, 2012 - Posted by 366 White Elephants at 11:38 PM
Given to Catherine from Curtis.

On the outside, it looks like a lipstick container.  When you open it and press it down on a piece of paper, a small circular stamp with Japanese letters inside that spell "Curtis" is revealed.  As you could probably surmise, this was one of the stamps Curtis used when he was teaching English in Japan.  And, as he relayed the story to me, he would also use this stamp in place of a signature for an apartment rental agreement, opening a bank account, etc as many Japanese do.  Instead of places for signatures on applications, there is a place for your stamp.  Ironically, the Japanese have not figured out the role and place of tramp stamps in their society.

Canadians everywhere just sighed
Catherine
-Profession: College Student

-Favorite nut to cover in chocolate: Almond

-How would you leave your mark?:  I'd probably leave a rose in a orange-colored wax seal.  Rose is my middle name, but I can also be prickly at times.

-You're Canadian and I presume you have an affection toward maple syrup.  Please rank the following sweeteners in order of preference: white sugar; family of artificial sweeteners; maple syrup; sugar-in-the-raw; honey; molasses; agave nectar.
1) honey; 2) Sugar-in-the-Raw; 3) maple syrup [gasp!]; 4) white sugar; 5) agave nectar; 6) molasses; 7) family of artificial sweeteners

-Many people joke about water polo being an aristocratic sport.  Since you've played water polo and do not think it is elitist, what sport do you think is aristocratic?:  Tennis.  I didn't even think about it.  I remember there was a protest of people standing on tennis courts in a palace during the French Revolution.