{"id":904,"date":"2008-06-06T00:26:19","date_gmt":"2008-06-06T10:26:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.studionewmedia.com\/blog\/?page_id=904"},"modified":"2008-06-06T00:26:19","modified_gmt":"2008-06-06T10:26:19","slug":"november-9-2000","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/studionewmedia.com\/blog\/index.php\/man-in-japan\/november-9-2000\/","title":{"rendered":"November 9 2000"},"content":{"rendered":"

Date: Thursday, November 09, 2000 4:27 AM<\/strong><\/p>\n

Subject: The Never Ending Story<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Something woke me up this morning. Wasn’t the alarm clock, wasn’t the stereo, wasn’t the political trucks driving around the neighborhood, touting the benefit of one candidate over another one. It sounded like someone knocking at my door? After waking up and listening, that’s what it was. So I get up, and stumble to the door. I open it, and it’s my landlords. Both of them. They proceed to give me the key to their apartment on the third floor (remember I live on the fifth floor). I mutter something (probably “arigato”, then close the door, I don’t lock it, as closing and locking the door is a little beyond me at this point). I look at it my watch, it’s four AM, good morning Mr. Halsall.<\/p>\n

I have the key to the landlords apartment because I get to use their toilet and shower now. Yup, it’s gotten worse. The temporary bathroom I’ve been using is now demolished. I mean fixtures are outside in the hallway, tile is gone! and floor is a churned up wet sandy mixture. I demolished pretty much covers it, don’t you?<\/p>\n

I’m finding out that my capacity to undergo pain and suffering is enormous. BRING IT ON! At some point, I will be able to use my bathroom (I’ve been told next weekend!!!!!!!!!), and then it will be all good. Supposedly, they will fix the temporary bathroom by this weekend. Might be nice, as I really didn’t like the sewer aspect of it.<\/p>\n

Last night I cooked and used the water in the kitchen sink, but it’s since been cut off. So, I get to do everything at their place tomorrow.<\/p>\n

Next time my boss talks to the landlords, he’s going to mention how patient I have been and how difficult it’s been, and that my Novembers rent should be adjusted accordingly.<\/p>\n

Next time someone knocks on my door at 0400…………. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

Other then that, it’s been a good week. Friday I get to “interpret” at the opening of an exhibit entitled “From Bento to Mixed Plate”. It’s about Okinawans that gone abroad. I get to hobnob with Lt. Guv Maize Hirono (hey, you live near me!), Senator Inoue (I know Jason Wong!), and the American Ambassador to Japan (get me some Taco Bell, jerky!) The only thing I can think of that I’m going to be doing is standing around, showing how “international” Okinawa is. “Look Mom, they have really hairy and pale Okinawans”. Certainly not going to be doing any “translating”, unless it’s from pidgin to “proper” English. I wrote the speech for the Master of Ceremony tomorrow, which should be amusing, as there are some obvious Hawaii touches in it. My words, being spoken aloud. Wow.<\/p>\n

All you Hawaii people, watch the nightly news. I bet cold cash that some Hawaii TV stations will be there. I’ll be the haole guy in black slacks and a brown sport coat, wearing a hula tie. I’ll do “shaka”.<\/p>\n

Going to be very funny, as it’s been raining a little bit here. Like four inches of water on the roads, like I went out and bought a pair of surplus Gore Tex pants for Y 4900 and proceeded to walk around in a DRIVING rain in pants, orange Nike jacket (you guys know which one), and Teva’s. Taro, the pants work well, you and the rest of Team EBR will have no problems when you go ‘boarding. Plus they are that nice camo color.<\/p>\n

Finally got a decent hair cut. Went to some hole in my neighborhoods wall and Mama-San did an excellent job. Short, but not where I look like a gunjin. Excellent.<\/p>\n

I’m hip deep in planning a conference for the end of the month. A three day conference for all the foreign English teachers and their Japanese counterparts (ha, don’t make me laugh). It’s getting evil. I’m fielding phone calls at home about it, which is never good. I expect to have a mountain of faxes tomorrow when I go it. That’s okay, as it’s Friday, and I can do nothing over the weekend.<\/p>\n

Okay, I think I have to shi-shi. Off the lanai looks good. But wait, am I kidding? Or am I really going to pee of the side of my building???? Hummmmmmmm<\/p>\n

Chris<\/p>\n

Subject: C-A-N-A-D-A!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

After listening to this guy tell me how manly Canadians were, because they ride in the freezing winter and his opinion of my masculinity for not riding my bike, I simply reminded him that Canada was responsible for Celine Dion. I then said “good-bye”, then hung up.<\/p>\n

Please feel free to use this at any and all possible opportunities.<\/p>\n

With special thanks to Dave, guru bike mechanic, as this was discussed<\/p>\n

over many a Saturday, eh? \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

Chris<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Date: Thursday, November 09, 2000 4:27 AM Subject: The Never Ending Story Something woke me up this morning. Wasn’t the alarm clock, wasn’t the stereo, wasn’t the political trucks driving around the neighborhood, touting the benefit of one candidate over another one. It sounded like someone knocking at my door? After waking up and listening, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"parent":31,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/PaJYlx-eA","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/studionewmedia.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/904"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/studionewmedia.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/studionewmedia.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/studionewmedia.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/studionewmedia.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=904"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/studionewmedia.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/904\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/studionewmedia.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/31"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/studionewmedia.com\/blog\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=904"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}