Entries this day: Dream_Apple_iPhone Hilarious_Hair!! Make Work emilio!! packing_list

Dream Apple iPhone

7:46am JST Saturday 3 February 2007 (day 13464)

Playing a pinball game on the new Apple iPhone was prett cool. in vertical mode we could see the whole board; in horizontal mode, it filled the width of the phone and scrolled up and down to follow the ball. Worked really nicely.

Hilarious Hair!!

8:22am JST Saturday 3 February 2007 (day 13464)

Peter Berdovsky, Sean Stevens

I'm sorry, that's not a hair question

Oh mate these guys are great! They orchestrated a big joke set up signs (as part of an ad campaign) that triggered memories of all the scare tactics the media has been pounding into our heads about TERROR and OH NO and ORANGE ALERT and all the BS designed to pacify people. The government and media should be sued for having made the whole country Boston scared. These guys are heroes for screwing the media's feeding frenzy.

CNN on the hair scare Adult Swim ad campaign

Make

9:21am JST Saturday 3 February 2007 (day 13464)

What is called "makeup" in US English is called "make" in Japanese. The girl standing next to me on the train to Shibuya had interesting eye makeup. Gold and green glitter eye shadow and dark mascara. I liked the gold and green. And the glitter. I was gazing at her eyes when she made eye contact with me. Instead of looking away, I held my gaze. And my poker face. I should have smiled. Ah well.

Work

11:58am JST Saturday 3 February 2007 (day 13464)

Just had a fun lesson with a woman named °¦, who is a vet. She's currently in pro-biotic sales, but we had quite a fun time talking about dogs who eat only soft food (it destroys their teeth with plaque), and iguanas. °¦ had an iguana named ¥¤¥° and she used to fall asleep in the bath water and then make quite a splash when her nostrils dipped below water level. Funny times. Oh, and also about the time ¥¤¥° layed 20 eggs in °¦'s bed. I told °¦about Christine's iguana Ziggy a bit. I wonder how they are doing.

1:05pm JST

Haha oops. I went out to get my next student, but she's not here yet. Turns out I had inadvertently cut the previous lesson short by 20 minutes. It was so boring that I couldn't wait for it to end. (so I (accidentally (?)) didn't)

6:14pm JST

Right now in my first lesson with ¾°Î¤ who is very genki and funny. :-) Today she is 8308 days old. She'll be 8500 on 14 August of this year. However, she does not yet see the value of counting days instead of years.

10:26pm JST

We rode the same train together as far as her station as I headed on to Shibuya to meet Shimpei. She grabbed my arm a couple times for balance, but generally it was hands off.

emilio!!

3:09am JST Sunday 4 February 2007 (day 13465)

Eeek. I've got to be on the train in less than 4.5 hours, and I'm running out of energy to get ready. I've been cleaning my desk for the past few hours, and downloading some Japanese study materials, and got an email from Emilio:

Dear Robert,

How have you been my old friend? It has been four years since I talked with you. I pray that all is
well with you and the people in your life. The last time I heard your voice was on my answering
machine. I did not know you had called until much later. My mom thought she had saved the message
but mistakenly erased it. I did not have your home number so I called your job. It was too late they
said you had already left the country. I want to apologize for not attending your going away
party. It would have been nice to see you before you left. I believe true friends should always
impart a blessing upon one another as they part. I have missed our friendship these last few years
and prayed we would someday cross paths once more.

I am using my sister's computer and email address because I do not have my own. You heard me
correctly no computer, no cell phone, no email, no nada! I am a dinosaur when it comes to modern
technology. So remember I will try to respond to your email as soon as possible. So give me a call
here in Houston, or write me by email I guess.  I will be waiting to hear from you soon! 
God Bless You Robert!

I replied:

Emilio!

I understand this is not your email address, so I give special thanks
to Arthur for relaying the message to you.

I am enjoying Tokyo, and plan to stay here for the foreseeable future.
 However I do plan to come back to Houston this summer, and surprise
my family (so don't tell them!)

I'm still single, still a bit crazy, still wondering what I will do
this lifetime.

I've been teaching English as my basic work in Japan.  Fortunately,
that has taken me around the world (twice!) and even funded some
wonderful(?) vacation time in Jerusalem to boot.

I broke my shoulder near the end of a 1400km bicycle ride (solo)
around the center of Japan.  (I was 100km from home).  I didn't have
insurance, so I've been working hard to pay for the surgery.  US$4500.
 With blessings from God, I've got 100% mobility and strength in my
shoulder, and no pain.

Thank you for getting in touch with me!  I've thought about you more
than once during my adventures here.  I have many

many

many

many stories.  And I always love answering your questions.

I send love and blessings for your sister.  I'm glad you were able to
speak with her just before her transition to God's house.

   With Love Love Love
    - Rob!

packing list

3:17am JST Sunday 4 February 2007 (day 13465)

Okay, I'm going to write a list of things to pack, then sleep for a bit. Crap; I need to do dishes, too. I'm not sure if Michael will get back before I do.

1. X batteries

2. computer and parts

3. X contacts and juice

4. X flash materials

5. X two map books

6. X clothes

7. X Francois

8. X camera

9. X dictionary

10. X mouthguard

11. X towel out of washer

12. X sleeping bag