May 2005 Archives

We were all waiting for something that day. Everyone was glancing at their watches, their cell phones, the clock on the office wall. Everywhere people were shifting in their seats, looking up at the slightest noise, checking their makeup and hair.

11:30 am, EVERYWHERE:

Pink light suffused the world. Streaming in through the windows of the tallest skyscrapers and the smallest huts. Buildings without windows through which the pink light could stream were quickly abandoned by their inhabitants who had all secretly thought that windowless buildings were a pretty stupid idea in the first place.

11:35 am, THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE WORLD AT ONCE:

A salmony, slightly pink and smoky voice thundered throughout our midst. "I am Salmon, I think cats are great, except when they fight...that's just not cool guys."

People looked at each other and nodded. All humanity was united in our confusion. Why would a salmon not like cat fighting? Why would a salmon sound smoky when it was alive? Would we ever have enough eggs to make this monstrous wise-fish into the greatest Benedict known to man? All humanity wondered if it should have maybe not done so much drugs in the sixties.

11:40 am, ON THIS PLANET:

The SALMON spoke again:

"I see that you are confused."

We nodded.

"My voice is smoky because I spent my last summer swimming the oceans of the sun."

We ooohed.

"And the cat thing, well mostly it's because they always scare the crap out of me when they start fighting at three in the morning."

We closed our eyes and did that tiny head nod thing the people do when they really agree with something and want you to know it. Though if everyone in a room agreed with something that much, then no one else would know, since they all have their eyes closed. I once suggested the one-eye-half-open tiny head nod as a compromise, but I agreed with myself too much to remember my own advice and never knew if anyone else thought it was a good idea.

"The eggs? Hmmm, tough one. Maybe Eggulon-8, that place has quite a few eggs, enough even to make a decent Eggs Benedict with Smoked Galatic Salmon."

'Eggulon-8?', we thought. 'Where the crap's that?'

11:50 am, THIS ISLAND EARTH:

Somehow, in the space of four minutes, we killed THE GALACTIC SALMON, managed to make an order to Eggulon-8 and build a space frying pan. We feasted and then got back to Taking Care of Business (Thenceforth known simply as TCB).

Each salmon day, we now give each other a salmon. To remember the great salmon that we ate without really considering the possible consequences.

The end.

(A note: this was written in reaction to Lindsay's most recent post about Salmon day, I thought maybe some back-story could help flesh out the myth.)

I missed Eurovision.

I am Jack's utter depression.

I worked yesterday as a result of an earlier shift-swap. Next time, I'll try to work the extra day first, then take my free day afterwards. Three-day weekends are nice and all, but coming in to work on a Sunday with no super long weekend to look forward to is not so fun.

However, after work there was fun to be had. I met some friends in Shimokita, we ate at a very excellent and most recommended restaurant named TRIP. What a great place, the food was obviously prepared by someone who had sold their soul for the skills-of-an-artist, the decor was dark and full of browns and earthy greens and something about the music should be written here.

From TRIP, we travelled a coupla meters to the nearest karaoke room and sang and sang. Well, I mostly did spoken-word renditions of pieces much too difficult for me to actually attack with my not-so-angelic singing-voice.

A good night, and I even learnt some Japanese. I am pleased.

Our doors have returned.

With new 'covers'.

Look nice.

Feel nice.

Make me happy.

You know how Helen and I went to Meiji shrine the other day?

PTHOOS!!1!

The intarwebinets have returned to within my grip. I am once again able to download and watch crappy American telly and all the podcasts to which I have become addicted. The first week in the new apartment/house has been good. We've had a few guests over already, and there is definitely a good atmosphere here.

One major problem at the moment...doors...or rather, our lack thereof...

So, on the second day after we have moved in, sometime during the day, all of the sliding doors in the house were stolen. Or removed. I prefer to say stolen. My laptop and super cool speakers were left intact. As was Stan's, so either it was further renovations on the house, or a very specific thief.

I would like to believe it's a very specific thief. Maybe he's building a house bit-by-bit. Nicking gear from all around Meidaimae, and slowly, slowly constructing his dream mansion. Tee hee, silly thief.

I'm too lazy to check the archives to see if I've already written this, but I live literally thirty five minutes walk from work. Four minutes train ride, or thirty five minutes walk. I think I'll be taking the walk option as long as it's not too hot and humid. I have hours of podcasting to listen to at the moment, and the walk to work is pleasant.

Must now make haste, work does start soon, and prepared I am not. Hope all of you in English speaking countries enjoyed Star Wars, I know I might...in several freakin' months.

So, the move yesterday went well. I managed to do it all in one go, lugging three huge suitcases to and from the train station and mostly unpacking them. The new location is excellent, about seven minutes from the station, with a bunch of convenience stores between us for post-work purchasing.

After the move, I met up with Mark and Helen (and their other halves) at TGI's in Shimokita, we ate food, lots of food. Then we played some pool. The whole 'look where you're shooting' trick works every time. Awesome.

Got back home, Stan and Thad and a mutual friend celebrated our house warming, converting a sterile and cold house into a smelly and warm home. Mmmm.

Today was an excellent day. I met up with Helen in Shibuya and we walked to a great organic restaurant in Harajuku, tasty, tasty food - and super healthy too! From there we continued on the a massive shrine in Harajuku (curses, I cannae remember the name), and walked about the grounds. It was lovely.

Okay, so there was one problem today. My phone died, in a bad, bad way. It kept turning itself on and off continuously with no time in-between for me to try to intervene in any way. Damn. So I took it to Vodafone in Shibuya, they couldn't fix it, nor retrieve my data, so I have a loaner for the next coupla weeks. I still have my old number, but I have lost my address book data, and may never get it back. So - a note to all my friends in Japan whose email address/phone number I had - I no longer have it. Please resend me your details as soon as you can, or I might be rude and totally not email you or something. Totally.

(So you see mum and dad, not only am I eating well, I'm also doing cultural things and being productive!)

Tomorrow is the day. I will move from Horinouchi forever and find myself in Meidaimae, several steps closer to my ultimate goal of living in Shimokitazawa. Today I took two suitcases full of clothes to my new residence, dumped out their contents on the floor and brought the cases back after work.

I want to finish my move tomorrow in one train trip. But I have my chair, my futon, my set of speakers, my remaining tech gear and some clothes. I really want to do it in one trip, it costs ¥350 for each trip to Meidaimae from here, and though that's not too much, it certainly does add-up. I am going to be paying the rent tomorrow, so any expenses spared will make life a little easier.

Now, there is an important announcement to be made. Though we have made provisions for internet access at our new flat, we are not going to have any connection until the 20th of this month. Which means five days of netlessness. No or little blogging. No or little email (hey, I heard that 'ha!'). No or little photo updates. What will I do? What will you do? I don't know, and to be honest, I'd rather not find out. Let's just pretend we never talked about this. Okay?

So, mum, dad, I won't be able to email you guys for a week. Since I usually forget to email you guys for weeks at a time, you may not notice, but this time it's not me just being slack. I blame NTT. Stupid telecommunications provider...

Speaking of NTT, guess what? No, not that. No, definitely not that. Oooh, surprisingly close, but no cigar. NTT, Japan's premier telecom provider needs us to fax them a 'landmarked' map to our house so that they can find it in order to 'turn on' our net access. We have a street address, so why do they need a map? Well, it's because finding places in Japan using the street address alone is sometimes nigh on impossible. It's so freakin' difficult that people who control most of the infrastructure for Japan's networking can't actually find a house in the middle of Tokyo. Yeah, it's pretty hard.

Anyhoo, I should be tired and would like to get up early tomorrow to get moved out and in as soon as possible, so good night, I'll see all y'all in a week.

The following suitcases are amazing: crocodile, samsonite, ...

Yawn, I just got home then.

After work, I met up with Heath and Mark for pool and drinks. With pool, we bought bottles of beer from which we poured our glasses. Makes sense? Good.

So, we played pool, my skill level improved dramatically when someone (Mark?) suggested I actually 'look' in the direction I was shooting, and eventually I was doing okay (I claim the last game as mine!). So, we get through a few games (Heath's granddad was a pool shark, and it seems to be genetic), and have a lot of fun, when we decide (it could have been the beer) that we need food...and now!

So, we leave the pool hall and walk across the street to TGI Fridays. All good, right? Well, almost. We didn't actually start our last (big) bottle of beer, so I had asked for a lid and was given some saran wrap (glad wrap) and an elastic band. I tried to seal the bottle, and I think I succeeded. So we go to TGI Fridays, eat buffalo wings, another fatty meat dish and some kind of meat-based fat dish. All is good.

And then.

Heath looks at his watch, I look at Heath's watch and we realise the last train is either already gone (in my case), or about to go (in Heath's). So we run. I check the train timetable from my phone, it says to catch the 12:04 from Shimokitazawa all the way to Horinouchi via the Odakyu line. I say thank you very much phone-based-timetable. I step onto train. I check next step in itinerary, phone says "300 min wait at Shinyurigaoka", I cry, look in bag, realise beer has spilled all throughout my gear, $50 tie ruined, iPod maybe destroyed, pack of mints heavily soaked. I cry. Check iPod - it works, cry less.

So, my timetable says I have to wait at Shinyurigaoka until after 5am, but I am courageous and strong. Also, I realise that the timetable must be wrong. So, after recheck, I realise I can catch train to Tama Center station and walk the one-hour-walk home. I walk it. I am home. I am relieved. Thus ends my tale.

So, the moral? Don't live in freakin' Horinouchi. Seriously, it's just a all-out bad idea. Move to Meidaimae as soon as possible. I know I will.

There are many reasons I love Shimokitazawa, not least of which is the prevalence of bright things. People, buildings, dogs wearing clothes, it's all very bright. And so are the bikes.

Also, there's the coffee.

I don't have to work tonight until 19:30. Which means that I have yet another day off.

My feet are cold, and I would like to wear some socks, but my laziness knows few bounds. My socks are literally a meter and a half away from me - right there on my left - I can see them - all warm and grey and socky...I'll get them later.

So, how will I spend my time? Learning Japanese? Watching bad telly? Listening to podcasts? Playing around with Tiger (OS X 10.4)? All good suggestions, but instead I will play nethack.

NET-FREAKIN-HACK-BABY!

Last night went for a long time. Another example of why living in Meidaimae will roXX0r5, and why living in Horinouchi is t3h suXX0r5. I am looking forward to being able to catch a taxi home for less money than it costs to sleep in a internet cafe.

So, today is a slow day, the last day of my three day weekend, I am listening to a bunch of podcasts and watching bad tv. I should do some washing and maybe clean up the house, but I know I won't.

I might even tidy my room and prepare for the move - only five days until we are officially moved in. I will be dropping off bits and pieces at the new house this week, one day a box of coke cans (empty), another day half of my socks. I plan to be outta here as soon as I can.

Time to eat some more peasant food. Robin, if you're reading this: I did it again. But this time I will finish it! And this time there is meat.

Quick entry, on my way out:

Yesternight was spent going to a caffe in Tobitakyu with Mark. We met a friend of his there (though her name eludes me at present), and ate incredibly excellent paninis. Pictures of the coffee and beer can be found in my flickr stream, though I forgot to photograph the tasty sanga.

Post caffe, drove to Chofu (first car trip in Japan) in Mark's friend's convertible Peugot with her son and Mark riding in back. Convertibles mean head room.

Got to Shimokita, played pool, then people watched at Segafredo for a coupla hours. Most enjoyable night.

Tonight I am meeting up with flatmates and friends in Shinjuku, should be good. Might post about it even. If I am awake when I get home.

1) You start eating peanut butter from the jar

2) You decide that smearing vegemite onto a block of gouda and then gnawing on it while watching E.R. is a good idea

3) After doing this for a while, you start nodding and thinking 'this is really freaking awesome'

4) You write a blog entry about how tired hungry you are and the crazy stuff you are doing to assuage this great pain

Good news: I am really freakin' tired
Bad news: Three day weekend!
.
.
.
Erm.

Good news: Three day weekend!
Bad news: I am really freakin' tired

Good news: I have discovered a new series which seems to be t3h awesome (Carnivale)
Bad news: There are two seasons to get through

Good news: I prepared dinner earlier today
Bad news: It was two boiled eggs

Good news: I have started blogging again
Bad news: This is it.

But, I have some photos of my recent activities uploaded.

Check'em

Wow, Jessie, eighteen! All I can say is w00t, and it's about bloody time.

Seriously, how long has it taken you? Something in the order of twenty years?!? Still, glad you could finally make it here, look forward to seeing what you do in the next eighteen.

Ahem.

Happy Birthday Lil' Sis!

I know, I know, I have been slack.

Mostly, I just haven't been home.

Key details: Movies, dinners, izakayas, karaoke until dawn, more training, more dinners, seeing Tokyo bay at night, and just hangin' out.

I have been really slack over the last few days with blog updates and emails. I am well, having fun, moving house soon and going out now.

Will finish transcribing super update tonight or tomorrow.

Until then: eat a banana and wait.