Another Day of Memories

Here are today's pictures.

On my way to the station, I was amused to see a little boy waving a tiny bug net around. I couldn't imagine him managing to catch anything with it. Then I noticed his little brother walking along behind him, carefully carrying a green slotted box with a large white moth flying around inside. Little kids are so frickin' adorable.

Oh, the cleverness. Why is nobody laughing?

These fish are always there, and they always look dead. But for some reason, in this picture, they are looking a little bit less dead than usual. And OMAG, you can see my reflection in the fishtank. I'm wearing my 1UP shirt, obviously.

This town isn't big enough for TWO hair salons!

This guy's legs, claws, and eyes move! It was especially amusing because the same thing shows up in Samurai Champloo, and I saw it just the other night.

Went to Kinokuniya - a huge, huge bookstore. Spent a good deal of time in the foreign books section, almost got a Steven King book, but couldn't justify the $10 pricetag for something that I can get back home for $7. I figure that for now, I can still rely on my iPod to keep me entertained. Ended up going back later and grabbing the first book of Spiral. I think I'm going to be very confused by it, but the main character is a cutie, so it's all good. Manga can be cheap, but it can also be pricey. I hate how all the interesting-looking books are the expensive ones. ._. Oh, has anyone read My Father's Dragon? I loved those books as a kid - here's the Japanese rendition.

Wandered into Yoyogi a bit, but couldn't find the park. Instead, I found a guy and his laptop. I had to wonder if he was getting wireless reception there...

Spent an hour in a manga/internet cafe while waiting to wait the MIT folks. So much cheaper than the Kokubunji cafe, and the chairs are more comfortable! Plus, drinks are unlimited.

Waited for people in the designated meeting spot, but disappeared for 20 minutes or so to get the manga, since we were meeting right by Kinokuniya. Showed up, and no one was around. I feel like I went to the wrong spot. Tried calling Miles, since he was in charge, but I could only reach his voicemail. Sent him an email and left a message, but never got a reply. Eventually got tired of waiting, and went to a ramen restaurant in a nearby department store. Had a very lovely, but lonesome dinner. Considered dessert, decided against it.

I used the funniest bathroom ever in the department store. As soon as you sit down on the toilet, this machine starts playing gushing water noises... I guess to hide any embarrassing sounds of your own. Flushing is cool though - you put your palm up to an infrared reader, and it flushes. Soap and water at the sink use infrared - more reliable that in the States too. The dryer was scary. You stick your hands in this box, and some really strong air blows onto them and that supposedly gets most of the water off. Actually, it worked pretty well.

Went to the ONE arcade in Shinjuku that has a DDR machine. Watched a guy doing crazy doubles on Heavy, wandered a bit and watched a guy playing one of those weird card/video games, then went back and tried the DDR machine out for myself. I haven't played in several weeks, and I am fully aware that I suck at playing on an arcade machine, but I thought that I ought to be able to pass A. I tried it, after barely passing Air (which should have indicated that I need to play some easier songs to get used to the arcade machine), but I failed miserably! Then I turned to leave, and saw this huge queue of guys waiting for the machine, all staring at me. Soooooooo embarrassing! I felt like such a moron. No more going to the arcade on a Saturday night, when it is all crowded. Where did they all come from anyway? >_<

Spent the train ride back typing an email to Sarah on my cell phone. Typing via cell phone sucks, but at least it kept me entertained for the whole train ride back. Accidentally went through the wrong gate at Kokubunji station, and had the exit gates attack me. I fled out the south exit in shame, and then spent fifteen minutes walking around the station instead of turning around and passing through the station to go back out the north exit like any sane person would.

It is far too easy to spend money in Japan. Usually, I cook myself dinner so I can splurge on weekends. Current exchange is about 104 yen to the dollar, so you can approximate prices by dividing any Japanese price by 100. Today's expenses:

Train fare to Shinjuku: 380 yen
One hour in the internet cafe: 380 yen
Manga: 390 yen
Dinner: 680 yen
One round of DDR: 100 yen
Train fare to Kokubunji: 380 yen
Bottle of water for the walk back: 100 yen
Total: 2410 yen

In the end, transportation is expensive. Groceries are expensive too - I think I spent about 3000 yen on groceries this week. My goal was originally to get by on $10 per day, which was a stupid goal, considering that lunch alone always costs me about 500 yen, and if I go anywhere, that takes at least 600 yen. The goal has since been revised. <_< I think I still have enough cash on me to last me 'til I get paid at the end of the month. Hooray for getting paid in cash. Japan revolves around cash.

- Flykyr Skysong

Current song: Vincent de Moor - Flowtation 2002 (From my 105-yen Cyber Trance 4 CD ^_^)
Current mood: Still feeling stupid