I'm going to be a millionaire...

Well, we've been in Okinawa for a little over a month. We have moved into our new home. It's 1600 square feet of apartment RIGHT ON THE BEACH. It doesn't have a dishwasher, but if I look out my sliding glass doors, I see a breathtaking view of turquoise waters, so I refuse to complain. I've become a little more acquainted with driving on the left side of the road, although I still prefer to hug the right. Needless to say, people fear me and my husband drives most of the time. Our favorite foods have so far been the bento boxes we get at Family Mart, a kind of Japanese convenience store. If you balk at that you're missing out on some really good food. They'll even heat it up for you right there. My favorite is the rice with shrimp tempura and a small bit of salmon. Yes, this is convenience store food. This post, however, is not about my posh digs, my bad driving, or my addiction to Japanese fast food. It's about how I will come back to the U.S. and make a gazillion bucks from things that make so much sense, that would do so well in the States, but just haven't made it there. Or it has and I've just been living under a rock.

1. Public Toliet Seat Sanitizing Spray

The Japanese are VERY clean people. Proof of this is this FABULOUS spray that comes in nearly ALL of the public restrooms I have used. You simply stick your toliet paper under the nozzle of the device on the right, spray a sanitizer onto the paper and wipe your seat clean. It just makes me feel better. There are also SEVERAL automatic toliets that have heated the seats on cold days, and will clean your nether regions, but I'm just not down with that, so I haven't included it as something I will make a gazillion dollars on. Next...

2. Some Like it Hot

My entire family used this yesterday as it was a bit chilly. You want a coffee? You want it hot?? You want it now?? Or tea?? Or hot chocolate?? Simply jaunt over to one of the MANY (I am not exaggerating, they're everywhere) vending machines and pop one out. It will come out hot in a can. So not only will you have a lovely hot coffee at your disposal, you will also warm your hands in the process. It's so ingenious I tell you! Starbucks would not approve.

3. Bathroom Bliss

Yes, this is another bathroom invention that has made me very happy. I have a child with a COPIOUS amount of hair. My genes are responsible for her beautiful locks, and the vast majority of duties involving said hair is also mine. Her hair is best done wet, and allowed to dry naturally. I know this from LOTS of trial and error with my own hair. That being said, it's not always easy to wet her hair in the morning unless she takes a bath or shower in the morning. So when we moved into our house and I discovered quite by accident that the faucet extends like a sprayer IN THE BATHROOM, I nearly knelt down and kissed the vanity. It makes my life so much easier & why didn't I think of installing one before?!

I'm sure I'll remember many more for later posts, but I am just in awe with these for the time being, along with many things about my new home. Happy 2012!!!