And So It Begins...

Current state: going through an emotional rollercoaster (jetcoaster, if you're Japanese).

I'm nearing the end of my life in Japan. (I told myself I wouldn't start counting again. Last time I did, I broke my leg. Superstitious? A bit.) I have my love/hate relationship with Japan. I love meeting people from all over the world. I hate having to say goodbye to my friends when they leave for good. I love the freedom and lack of responsibility that I have here. I hate working for a Japanese company. (I could go on and on but I won't.)

The future is a bit unknown at the moment, thus exacerbating my current mental state. I have these master plans but if it will ever make it into fruition remains to be seen.

Anywho... happy topic now. I'm off to Vietnam and Hong Kong on Thursday for 11 days. If anyone wants anything, please let me know. Can't wait to wear the pointy hat!!!

Thoughts...

It was a beautiful day today (or yesterday... technically). Did a lot of thinking and would like to share some thoughts.

• It sucks having only one day off. (But I can't really complain. Come December, I'll probably be begging someone to give me work.)
  
• Taking the Japanese Proficiency test is looking like a really bad idea now.
• For the first time in a really long time, I'm starting to feel normal again. (i.e. The leg is starting to feel normal again!!! YA-TA!!!)
• Holy moley!!! The exchange rate from yens to USD is horrible!!! I wanted to cry. ($1=¥121)
  
• It's been so long since I've seen US money. It looks like Monopoly money. I stared at it for a good 10 minutes.
  
• I really miss buying airplane tickets over the Internet. It's been a week now since I paid for my ticket to Vietnam, and it still hasn't come. (The travel agent has to call the airline for them to confirm that there is a seat available even though the computer said there is a seat. Then, once the airline receives payment for the said seat, a paper ticket is issued. [Apparently, the printer prints really slowly there.] Finally, after the ticket has been checked and rechecked, it is sent off to the travel agent, and given to an impatient customer.)
  
• I should probably stop buying vegetables since the only thing I do to it is let it rot in my refrigerator.
• I love discount stickers at the grocery store!
  
• Bic Camera can be an evil place. I want everything in there.
• My guilty pleasures: America's Top Model and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.
  
• I will never be a professional scrapbooker. (I just put lots of pictures to compensate the lack of creativity. Sorry Naomi... Have fun in Namibia!)
• I finally saw The Last Samurai. It was good. Had Tom Cruise not been it, it would've been better.
  
• I suck at poker. (Enjoy my money, Voan!)
  
• There was an attack of the Charisma Men and it wasn't pretty. (gag... gag... But there was a cheering section for the good side.)
• Nothing beats a woman's intuition.
  
• I really should sleep instead of write in my blog. (Why did the wireless have to work so well?!?!?!)
  

My morning routine

A friend asked me today what is it that I do in physical therapy everyday. So, here goes.

I'm only allowed to go to PT from 9a-12p. (Their rules... So, I go as soon as I wake up to beat the rush.) I ride on the subway for about 13 minutes. (Yes, I've timed it before.) Then, from the station to the hospital is about a 15 minute walk. Along the way, I stop by the QQ and get me a yogurt drink (for the calcium) and coffee (for my sanity). Once I enter the hospital, I check in and am greeted by the receptionist who usually makes a comment about my appearance that day. (I go so often that they recognized when my hair is up or down or when my days off are based on my clothes. It's a little scary.) Then, I go to triage and count how many people are on IV drips. (They love IV drips here. Have a hangnail? Get an IV drip.) I also have my blood pressure taken. Then, I walk into the rehabilitation room where all the therapists yell in union "Ohaiyo gozaimasu!!!" (Good morning!). I sit down and take off my knee brace while they prepare the electrodes. (Who needs coffee when you can have your leg zapped with electricity at 9 in the morning?! Mr. Itou, my therapist, has been upping the voltage too. Crazy man...) During my 15 minute zapping session, I usually attempt to study for the Japanese Proficiency test (the studying is not going so well), watch the other patients and give them all the polite head nods, and listen to the carnival music that the voltage machine plays. Afterwards, Mr. Itou usually readjusts my knee cap for 10 minutes while trying to make conversation. (I do appreciate how hard he tries to communicate with me. He told me he studies English when he's at home now but he always forgets what he had studied. So, we talk by making sound effects and hand motions.) Then, it becomes a mish-mash of exercises for another 30-40 minutes. And that's the end.

That's my typical morning now. I can't sleep in anymore but I'm OK with it. It's for a good cause... I hope.

The evil corporation they call Nova

I keep asking myself... Why the heck am I still working for Nova?!?! Oh yeah, I broke my leg and need the health insurance. Damn...

Two Mondays ago, I walked into work and accidentally saw the new schedule for November. I looked at my name wanting to know how many times will I not be at my branch when I discovered something interesting. My days off magically changed from Wednesday/Thursday to Saturday/Sunday, the coveted schedule that everyone wants (but me). It wouldn't have been such a big deal if the boss, who we will call The Tool, gave me a little more notice. And also, just by random luck, I would have to work 8 days straight before I get a day off. Anywho, as I was staring at the paper wondering if The Tool smoked some crack while writing the schedule, guess who calls and guess who he wants to speak to??? This was the basic gist of the conversation:

The Tool: I'm going to have to change your days off to Saturday/Sunday. A teacher will be transferring into the branch and she must have your days off.
Me: Yeah, I just saw the November schedule. Why must she have my days off?
The Tool: Oh, you weren't suppose to see that. [10 second pause] So, will it be a problem your days off change? [The Tool never answered my question.]
Me: Yes, it will be.
The Tool: Well, it's the same schedule as Mr. Plastic [the Nova spy who use to work at my branch but has since moved to be closer to The Tool]. Everyone wants Saturday/Sunday off.
Me: Hmmm... Not me. I already have plans in November based on my current schedule now. I have non-refundable plane tickets.
The Tool: Oh. Well, you can put in a vacation request and I will approve it even though it's less than a month away.
Me: Gee, thanks. I have to go prepare for class now. Bye.

I hung up the phone and was fuming. I couldn't wait until my 5 lessons were over. During the in-between time, I filled out several vacation requests and most important of all, the resignation form. It's now been more than a week since that last conversation. I still haven't turned in the resignation form. Strategic planning to create maximum damage.

Bitter? Possibly. I'm done now. Please excuse me.

As seen in Tokyo

In Shinjuku... It said to look, so I did. I saw train tracks.

Inside Jimbocho Station... It's Jack Bauer hawking a diet supplement! Good old Jack...


In Ueno Park... Duck hunting.


In Harajuku... In front of Condomania.


In Yoyogi... Dancing wannabe Japanese Elvises... I think.


Near Tokyo Station... A pretty rainbow.