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08/11/2008: "HAR! Summer vacation!"
Current Sounds: The sound of my fan going back and forth
It's been about a week since I've last written, so I should probably write something again, huh? Unfortunately, life hasn't been insanely interesting this past week, so I don't really have any tales to regale you with or much of note to say.. but that's never stopped me before, huh?
I do have to say, though, that there's something oddly amusing about watching someone get carded and fail when trying to buy alcohol. It doesn't matter what language it's happening in.. it's just awesome. This is probably related to my not buying alcohol and being of age, but.. whatever. I watched the kid in line ahead of me go through that experience at the grocery store around 11pm at night (he looked maybe 18. The legal age is 20 here). The cashier asked if he was old enough, and he said yes. She asked for his ID and he showed it (.. if you're lying, why would you show your ID?) and obviously didn't pass. She didn't lecture him. She didn't get upset over him clearly lying. She simply said "Well, why don't you wait and grow up a bit more, okay?" With all sincerity and politeness. That, I assure you, is far worse than anything else she could've said. I wanted to laugh, because it was pure awesome.
I'm officially on vacation now, though I really don't have any plans what-so-ever. On Wednesday, I'll go out with a coworker (one of the Japanese teachers) to a city she lived in for 3 years, and play tourist for the day with her. That'll be fun, at least. And on Friday I'm meeting the daughter of a woman who works at a university I teach at.. and said daughter takes classes with a current coworker and was close to a former teacher. Yay for strange ties! Otherwise.. I was considering going to Hiroshima, but it's so busy and hot right now.. it's a day trip, so I can go any time. I'll probably give it another month or so and go later. 2 hours by bus each way, it's hot and humid, and all the school kids are out.. umm.. I can wait.
I was going to run around and look at the used book store today, but on my way there I ran across a wallet on the ground. Unfortunately, my strong sense of responsibility gripped me and demanded that I immediately find a payphone, call the owner, and return the wallet if at all possible. Yes kids, I have now officially returned a wallet in Japan. Yay! I didn't exactly want to call from my cell phone (did I mention I'm paranoid?), so I did it from a pay phone, and they asked me to wait there for 10-15 minutes. When the guy showed up we did the standard "so.. uh.. I have your wallet" routine, he tried to pay me, I refused, and we all went on our merry way.
The upshot to this is that I think I've increased my karmic rating (though still not quite enough, I think.. gar), AND I finally found "Pepsi Blue Hawaii" (which I thought was phased out).
Now, I want you to stop and think about all the flavors you'd associate with a soda that's blue, and called "Blue Hawaii".
... don't worry, I'll give you a second.
..... ready?
All right. Well, apparently the flavors JAPAN associates with "Blue Hawaii" are Pineapple & Lemon (as written on the bottle). It tastes.. well.. really disgusting. But after drinking a bottle of it (and only AFTER consuming the whole bottle), I guess I can kinda see the appeal. I don't like it, but I'm willing to grant that other people could.
It's kinda weird being off and having nothing to do. To be honest.. I really don't care for vacation if I don't have plans, and I'm not really one to go run around on my own. Traveling by myself is akin to playing checkers against yourself; if you have no one to play off of, why do it? If I'm the only one who remembers.. who cares? I don't know.. it just doesn't interest me. It's sad, but I'd kinda rather work. It gives me something to do, and it makes the free time more valuable. Funny.. but true.
I'll probably watch a movie tonight before heading out to the supermarket at some god-forsaken hour. Maybe head to the electronics store tomorrow and stare at stuff I know i won't buy (but it's also near the movie theater.. BATMAN!!).
Enjoy.. and I'll write soon! I actually have pictures of random stuff to upload!
Jason
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