Saturday, August 11, 2007
I Live. Again.
The connection is live and I am back online again. Feel free to read all the posts I've been writing alone in the dark here in Japan over the past week.
Mako and I spent the day at my mansion yesterday, sitting and waiting for someone from NTT to arrive and get me hooked up. As the clock approached 5 PM, I got more than a little nervous. After all the trouble I've had with the cable company this week (you don't want to hear about it, honestly) I was genuinely afraid that the guy would simply not show up. Mako started calling people on my behalf to try and locate this guy, all with the quiet fear in the back of my mind that the appointment which Gary had arranged might somehow fall through.
Three or four calls later, including one to Gary, the guy showed up, sweating and apologizing profusely. Being a phone company guy, his first stop was the phone jack which is when the logistical peculiarity of my connection suddenly hit me. My only phone jack is in the kitchen near the floor next to a doorway. My computer is sitting in the air-conditioned room next to the kitchen where I sleep and watch TV. So all the wires he brought, along with a modem and a router, were set up right down there between a doorway and the kitchen sink. This is not the ideal position to place cables and electronic equipment! Still, it all works and my predecessor luckily left me a cable long enough to connect to the wall from the A/C comfort zone.
Other than that, Mako and I didn't get up to much yesterday. She cooked more food for me, some of which I'll be eating immediately after typing this message. We rented a couple DVDs to watch while we waited: the second Pirates of the Carribean flick and one disc of The Simple Life. It is my sad duty to inform you that Paris and Nicole are just as famous in Japan as they are in America. Thankfully, Mako wanted to see them just so she could understand exactly how vapid they are, so it's not like she finds them particularly interesting, amusing or even attractive. Personally, I find the whole thing hard to watch at all because it is painfully obvious that the entire program is an arrogant, calculated move to maintain their celebrity status. All of their "outrageous" behavior is so deliberate there's just no point. Surely all of the people who "hire" them know exactly what to expect, so how can they be angry when the girls goof off?
Oh, but the Pirates movie was a lot more fun than I expected. I guess I have to see that third one now? We'll have to see when our schedules match up again. Sadly, Mako is working through the weekend at her hotel's Bridal Fair (I told her to take notes) but it looks like we might have some free time during the week. She is very excited about the brand-new (to Japan, as of today) Ocean's Thirteen film which has plastered billboards all over the Hankyu Umeda station. Based on the art they've chosen to sell this picture, I would have called the movie simply "Handsome."
Mako and I spent the day at my mansion yesterday, sitting and waiting for someone from NTT to arrive and get me hooked up. As the clock approached 5 PM, I got more than a little nervous. After all the trouble I've had with the cable company this week (you don't want to hear about it, honestly) I was genuinely afraid that the guy would simply not show up. Mako started calling people on my behalf to try and locate this guy, all with the quiet fear in the back of my mind that the appointment which Gary had arranged might somehow fall through.
Three or four calls later, including one to Gary, the guy showed up, sweating and apologizing profusely. Being a phone company guy, his first stop was the phone jack which is when the logistical peculiarity of my connection suddenly hit me. My only phone jack is in the kitchen near the floor next to a doorway. My computer is sitting in the air-conditioned room next to the kitchen where I sleep and watch TV. So all the wires he brought, along with a modem and a router, were set up right down there between a doorway and the kitchen sink. This is not the ideal position to place cables and electronic equipment! Still, it all works and my predecessor luckily left me a cable long enough to connect to the wall from the A/C comfort zone.
Other than that, Mako and I didn't get up to much yesterday. She cooked more food for me, some of which I'll be eating immediately after typing this message. We rented a couple DVDs to watch while we waited: the second Pirates of the Carribean flick and one disc of The Simple Life. It is my sad duty to inform you that Paris and Nicole are just as famous in Japan as they are in America. Thankfully, Mako wanted to see them just so she could understand exactly how vapid they are, so it's not like she finds them particularly interesting, amusing or even attractive. Personally, I find the whole thing hard to watch at all because it is painfully obvious that the entire program is an arrogant, calculated move to maintain their celebrity status. All of their "outrageous" behavior is so deliberate there's just no point. Surely all of the people who "hire" them know exactly what to expect, so how can they be angry when the girls goof off?
Oh, but the Pirates movie was a lot more fun than I expected. I guess I have to see that third one now? We'll have to see when our schedules match up again. Sadly, Mako is working through the weekend at her hotel's Bridal Fair (I told her to take notes) but it looks like we might have some free time during the week. She is very excited about the brand-new (to Japan, as of today) Ocean's Thirteen film which has plastered billboards all over the Hankyu Umeda station. Based on the art they've chosen to sell this picture, I would have called the movie simply "Handsome."
Feedback:
When leaving comments, please don't remain Anonymous. Click on "Other" and pick a name!
Be sociable! No sign-up is required!
Glad you've been writing so much! It sounds like once you get going with the teaching and get all of the transition ironed out, you'll be okay. You're missed over here!
:)
love,
h
:)
love,
h
Ion the Lava Jumperrr.rr....
Hey man. I saw Ocean's 13 on the Plane and def felt the Handsome tone throughout. I saw you mentioned Presidential candidates before.
check this... Ron Paul is a Republican who is badasssss but not sure he can win
http://youtube.com/watch?v=R7JPvbVsDdY
sorry for the foxxxx
Barack Obama
http://youtube.com/watch?v=sXzmXy226po
check em
Hey man. I saw Ocean's 13 on the Plane and def felt the Handsome tone throughout. I saw you mentioned Presidential candidates before.
check this... Ron Paul is a Republican who is badasssss but not sure he can win
http://youtube.com/watch?v=R7JPvbVsDdY
sorry for the foxxxx
Barack Obama
http://youtube.com/watch?v=sXzmXy226po
check em
Now that you're in Japan, can you tell me if this model Lena Fujii is really that famous Japan?
http://japansugoi.com/wordpress/dj-kawasakis-groovy-bright-like-light-video/
コメントがあります? Type something, please. It's less work for me.http://japansugoi.com/wordpress/dj-kawasakis-groovy-bright-like-light-video/
When leaving comments, please don't remain Anonymous. Click on "Other" and pick a name!
Be sociable! No sign-up is required!
unpaid advertising...I'm no sell out!





