December 14th, 2007
A Less-Than-Stellar Day
I got up and out at the usual time. Today is Friday, so I was off to the library for some Internet playtime. I did McBreakfast without a problem, and left there just in time to be the library when they opened the doors. Since I was there early, I great little desk. I plug everything in, turn on the power, and … error message “Your computer is not plugged into a network.” I look behind my screen at the cable that most certainly IS plugged into the network. I unplug the cable, switch the two ends, and then plug it back in. Nothing changes. I cross my fingers and turn on both Wifi and Bluetooth, hoping for a signal, but the library just doesn’t do wireless.
I shut everything down unplug everything, and then start over from the beginning. I figure maybe there is a chance (a small one) that there might be something wrong with the wiring for this desk, so I move to another and try again, with the same results. About this time, Y-San called me and said I had another package waiting for me at the office. Not only does the computer not work, but now the phone is ringing in the library. Argh! I get up and walk around, seeing others using the Internet, so I can assume there is not a building-wide problem; it’s just me. I shake and wiggle my LAN cable, but nothing new happens. At this point, I pack up my stuff and head back home to go to the office.
I still don’t know what the problem was. I hope it was just a faulty cable; I bought another this afternoon. If there is a problem with the network jack in this nearly NEW computer, I am not going to be happy. Apple has a great service plan, but I do not want to go without a computer over the holidays. I won’t be able to try the library again until Wednesday.
But Wait, It Gets Worse.
So I walk back to Tenmay and wait for the bus. It’s a long wait this time, 20 minutes in the cold. Yeah, I’m whining a bit. The bus eventually shows up and takes me to the little station, where I pick up my bike and head back to the apartment. Bout halfway home, the bike-pedals start to feel mushy. Uh-Oh. Just a few hundred meters later, I have to get off and start pushing. Flat Tire. Not just a flat tire, but the same tire I replaced right after arriving here. There’s a big obvious hole in the side of the tire. I know I didn’t hit anything, so it must have just popped. I’m a big guy, but I a not THAT big. The funny thing is, that Marc called in to Japanese class last night saying he’d be late due to a flat tire, and I didn’t believe him. Today we’re BOTH getting flats fixed.
I walked the bike home the rest of the way and put away the computer. I walked up the hill to get my box and play on the computer a bit. I was all set for an “Internet Afternoon,” but I can’t spend all day on the office computer. The box turned out to be quite large, but surprisingly light. There’s no card or name on it, but I know my Brother and/or Sister-in-law said something was on the way, so unless I hear otherwise, I will assume it’s from them. I updated the blogs, did emails, and chatted a bit, but there was nothing special to report here.
Something That Did Go Well
While I was in the office, I finally bought a ticket home for mid-march. Since I now know my “official” last day, I decided I had better buy a ticket while I still could. I used a student travel discount service for my ticket over here, and I wanted to use the same people for my trip back. The problem is that I am no longer a student since I graduated last month. I know the school leaves your account in the computer for a certain amount of time, but I don’t know how long. I also know that the service did indeed check that I was a student last time. I want to buy a cheap ticket while I still show up as a “verifiable” student.
I’m still not entirely sure what I will be doing in the Spring. I still plan on sending out at least some resumes and see where that leads. But I figure it’s better to lock in the cheap price now and change or cancel it later than wait until I am unable to buy the cheap ticket at all. If anyone is interested, the one-way ticket including all taxes and stuff, came to $575. I think that’s pretty good; if anyone knows any cheaper way, send me a note.
They Killed Many Trees To Make This Forest
Then it was back down the hill. Immediately upon getting to the apartment, I open up the big box to see what was inside. Bwahahahahaa! It’s another Christmas Tree In A Box, exactly like the one I got yesterday. Yesterday I thought it was a neat, really unique gift, but now I wonder if they aren’t hawking these on every street corner in the western hemisphere. The price tag was still on this one, and apparently the shipping cost twice as much as the “tree” itself, so I know this was not a cheap gift. I do appreciate the thought from both Ptuny and (I assume) my Sister-In-Law, but gosh, we now I have a dilemma: What to do with the second tree? It cost enough I am not going to ignore it, but really, I don’t need two Christmas Trees. As I said, shipping cost twice what the item is worth to begin with, so shipping it back would be just plain stupid .The obvious solution would be to re-gift it to someone, but the only person I know over here who might appreciate it is Marc, and he can already share my first tree, which is in the living room. I could start my own “Paper Jungle” now.
I’m ReTired
OK, so once I knew the mystery inside the box, it was time to deal with the tire. I put on my coat and gloves and walk the bicycle all the way to Happy Town, about 20 minutes away. The bicycle shop I went to on my first day here is behind Happy Town, and I figure that’s as good a place as any. I am assuming that the blowout was a fluke, and not just a crappy tire to begin with. I still don’t know how to ask for a repair, so when I went in, I made “deflated tire” signals with my fingers and a “Pshhhhht” sound effect. They asked “panku?” I looked up panku in my electronic dictionary and it does indeed mean “blowout.”
I stood there about 15 minutes while the guy put on a new tire. This time it cost me 2600Y. I’m not sure, but I think I paid 3500Y or so for the replacement last time. Did I get a deal or just a cheaper replacement? Time will tell.
You Say Tomato, I say Tomago
Since I was right there at Happy Town and it was now mid-afternoon, I figured it was as good a time for lunch as any. I went in and did McDonalds. They have something new there now; two new burgers. They look mostly like the “Mega Mac,” the Big Mac with four patties instead of two. One is the Mega Tomato, which is a Mega Mac with a big fat slice of tomato on it. The other is the Mega Tomago, which is a Mega Mac with an egg on it. An egg is called “tomago” in Japanese. The egg is just like one of the round McMuffin eggs you get in the morning. I’d like to try one of the egg-burgers once, but they are just so insanely huge that I am going to have to wait for just the right level of starvation first. Besides, if I changed my regular order, the lady at the counter would be so disappointed in me!
Afterwards, I went up to the third floor for the 100Y store and bought some Origami paper and books. I figure if I am going to have to assemble a tree or two, I may as well learn to make some animals while I’m at it. Actually, I went up there to buy another pair of cheap gloves before they discontinue them, but the origami looks like fun too. Then I went to the second floor and picked up a new LAN cable, just so I can rule that our as a problem at the library next time. It’s a one-meter cable that cost about 260Y. It was cheap enough that a spare can’t hurt anyway. Then of course, I bought the usual groceries on the first floor and then rode home.
What Next?
Tomorrow is the Santa Claus party in Hiroshima, so I have to get up really early for that, like 6:30. I expect it’ll be done around noon, but no one has said for certain yet. I’m going to take my folding umbrella and my Miyajima map jut in case that seems like a good idea. Miyajima Island is huge, and I know there will be a lot of walking involved. Probably what I should have done would have been to go today, spend the night there, and come back after the party tomorrow, but I didn’t think of that until this afternoon. I can’t stay over tomorrow night because I have to be in Takahashi for the Rotary Club on Sunday. Busy Busy Busy!
It’s just now 5:00, and I’m about to start putting together the first of the Christmas trees. I’ll post pictures when I get the opportunity to do so. I doubt that will take very long, since I won’t have anyone telling me how to put tinsel on one piece at a time. Actually, it doesn’t even have tinsel, so that problem is solved already!
No related posts.
Entries (RSS)