danieru in tokyo
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Naked Men
In Japan, nudity really isn't an issue. And I've gotten used to it now. So I'm wandering across the changing rooms, butt naked, and I see something I'm not expecting... A Tattoed Man. Huge tattooes across his back. I think, in sequence: "Oh my god, he's Yakuza. Oh my god, i'm naked too. And I'm staring at another man." Scurry off to shower.
Later that evening, bad mood, as I screwed up an interview with KBC. A couple of days later, good mood, as Merrill Lynch offer me a job. Then a better mood still, as I dream about heading off to an island. Just me and my [current] best friend. She brings me clarity. She's fantastic at making conversation. She's Scottish.
Took Friday and Monday off, wrestled with some bureaucracy during the day on Friday, met Paul at Toki in the evening, had a few for the road. Jumped on an overnight ferry down to Shikinejima. The island that nobody has heard of.
Woke up, fell off the ferry, and got hailed by a man who called me "Wendy-san". He had a T-shirt which had a kanji which matched the one on my map, and he looked friendly, so I followed him. First day, rented a bicycle, toured the entire 4km2 island, snapping Canon happy. Look mum, nooooo hands! I survived dropping the bike a couple of times, and fell asleep on the beach. There are 600 people on the island in total, and I came across hardly anyone. I cycled out for a couple of hours at a time without even hearing another person. Quite a world away from Shinjuku. Later, met a couple of Japanese girls who told me that the onsen was open at night. Do you want to go? {pause whilst i pondered carefully....}. It was amazing. Imagine being outdoors, in a boiling hot natural spring, staring out at the ocean, and up at the stars on a secluded tiny island. And nobody else around. Went back the next morning for photos. This was the detox I needed from too many hours spent working for megacorp in the megaopolis. No internet and no keitai.
Had a couple of wierd dreams:
- That I was in someway connected with the guarding of Saddam Hussein around the time when he is facing death by electrocution.
- That I was sentenced to death myself, and just remember being so incredibly irritated by the pressure of closing out all the loose ends. Like moving house, country, job, all at the same time. At the end of the tax year. God, I hate taxes. More than death.
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Close encounters of the Yamanote kind
went to roppongi yesterday for a few minutes to meet the ricky gang. they're a disparate bunch of soldiers...socially, i dont know where it's at. got a email from john on the way there saying he was in roppongi, so after a couple of hours, i shooted mori side and went to meet him. ran into spence. left the bar when john arrived, and then spent the next 20mins feeling guilty about leaving spence behind at the bar. so had a drink with john and derek instead, in what is possibly the only japanese bar in roppongi. a lucky find. stories of: wanting to do a japanese version of trigger happy tv and dimishing returns on japanese girls when your language skills improve (a risk i'm willing to take).
took the yamanote home and saw a girl and thought: "I want you to notice". Had a 120 second conversation with a her before her stop. She noticed. Then thought: "I wish I had a meishi". Jumped off the train, found Matt in the station, walked around trying to find some place to drink. Saw some cats eating from the rubbish bags, and thought of romeo. tried to send the MMS to romina, failed to remember her address, and sent it to heather instead, along with a garbled note about the phone keypad being rubbish, or something.
Complained about the all kinds of stuff, and all kinds of people, and came up with the phrase "Terrible Exciting".
Got home and called Bell. He's coming over. So is Maund. Neither of them are so keen to bring the Cannondale. Mergh. Finally got to bed around 3am, so late for work :-|
Then got news - need to see a Man about a Dog. Two different dogs. Both next week. Scared. But should be cool. Quote Scully:
"A 10 hour interview sounds a bit grim -- I guess we have to remember that giving someone a permie job is exactly that -- a license to collect a salary til retirement..."
Decadence: Felt too scabby to run at lunctime, so just printed out the newspaper and read it in the Sauna instead. Had a shave too. What kind of world do i live in, whereby I pull into an executive gym, and read the paper in the Sauna in the middle of the day?
Friday evening: Now, i'm not really in the Equities team, but for some reason, I got invited out to a Equities party. No information given as to why/what/who. So, in spirit of Never Say No, i indulged, and followed a couple of guys to a restaurant, to be presented with The Vendor. Cherching. He was a Japanese sales guy working for Sun. He studied in Reading. I ask: Purple Turtle? And snap, we've bonded. After dinner and drinks, Nathan and I dragged him to Roppongi, and then Nathan gave up. So, it was left to me, to break both him and his expense account. Got a call Sachin who happened to be across the road. Introduced him to Sun Microsystems: "Sachin, this is Yogi. He wants a gaijin girlfriend." At about 2am, he was looking wasted, at 3am I couldn't find him anymore. Success - I BROKE THE SALESMAN. Went to Vanilla with John and had a sub-mediocre time. Yoshinoya at 6am, and the train home. Got a tune in my head which I can't sing, and need to find the name of. Gargh.
Woke up on Saturday and felt like death. No time to go out for food, looked in the fridge and found a few cans of beer. Ick. Did some cursory cleaning, and then headed out to Makuhari, for Jack Johnson. Took the wrong train, but so did Renata, so strangely enough it worked out. Going to concerts in Japan is fantastic because:
- Not many people are much taller than me.
- Guys like JJ would ordinarily sell out in Europe, but are not so busy over here. Smaller crowd, better gig.
- It gives me something to do which isn't just drinking beer.
Concert was very good. He even spoke more Japanese than me. But no Holes To Heaven. Then, finally, at 11pm, and after many Lowenbrau's, I had my first meal of the day. This is not going to last...
Sunday, and i'm back at work. Blogging. Got some Lebanese dinner thingy for Easter dinner for tonight.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Success
Or failure.
A recurring theme in my life. Which is odd that it should come up today, since i woke up this morning dreaming of people i used to know. I never quite understand those dreams.
Anyway, went to some lecture today by a guy from GS who was talking about retail banking in Japan (feel free to judge me on the fact that i found it interesting, and worthy of 3000 yen) and went on to have a beer with James/Gerald/Rimiko. Money. Probably the only thing that i have in my life to define success by. I am not, in my own eyes, a successful person. I have never been in the top 50% for academia (school results were awful, university gave me a sympathy degree). I have never been in the top 50% for sports (this requires no further explanation, i am utterly useless at all sports, whether solo or team). I am quite extraordinarily skilled at repelling women (again, requires no examples). I have never been 'the cool guy'. And when you are young, these failures, and the insecurities they breed, bug you. Because, what is left to separate you from the masses? Why should you have any self esteem?
As you get older, you get comfortable. Comforable with yourself, and how you fit in, and your self confidence grows. This is largely because, you find your niche. Something to separate you from the masses. Something to excel at.
I dont see why it is so shallow that I should deem earnings and net wealth as a signal of my own accomplishments. Not that i'm there. I just dont see:
a. A change in any of the 4 criterion above. I cannot imagine becoming either intelligent, athletic, a Cassonova, or charismatic, above the median average of society.
b. what is so wrong in being shallow. What is so wrong, or shameful, about Soros?
And so, what is on my mind, is now on paper.....
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Saturday, April 08, 2006
Inflation
I've spent a lot of time recently getting over-concerned with inflation, and how the commodity price correction is going to lead to inflation of paper money. This means rate rises, and i'm scared that the price of my mortgage will go up. Especially bad, given the fact that i'm not earning enough money. Fear has subsided, i've worked out how to hedge. Just got to get it done now. Made a wiki to jot down insane ideas. Why didn't I do an economics degree? I'm sure that i'm a PPE type character now.
I've spent a whole three days away from the sauce, and it's done me some good, and some bad. The flat is irritating me now. Perhaps i need more sauce.
John looks like he'll be getting a job with Azora. Good money - closing in on Euro levels - so it's made me confident that i'll get something halfway decent here.
I needed to email a scanned copy of my passport to some guy, and so i walked around with it on Friday. Got it scanned, left the building, dropped it out of my bag, and walked 300m down the road. Got chased by some Japanese dude who returned it to me. Phew. Went out in Ebisu later that day, found a bar that looked like a charcuterie. Stopped for a beer, and left my bag (inc passport) behind. Realised it was missing, strolled back to the place, and picked it up 10minutes later. Japan has no crime.
'Copying the floppy' is turning out to be a disaster. A few mistakes that became a series, that became a catalogue, has now plagued it. I've been in the office every single day for 30 days - apart from a public holiday. I might take tomorrow (Sunday) off. I've become all serious about work. I dont want to give up Oracle, but it doesn't really exist out here. I still want to head towards architecture. how am i going to do it now? CSJ? Need to consult the Brazilian guru.
Thought of a venture. Emailed Dipesh. Got a reply. First sentence:
Hi Dan - Money and Friends don't mix.
He's right, and he knows I know it. I'm going to have to do this one on my own. I guess that just means I am going to have to want it more.
PK turned out to be gay. Yet another homosexual. Anyone that claims the ratio is less than 50% is lying. In other news, Gerald, Rimiko and Renata are all fleeing the country. Am I going to miss them?
GOT TO LEARN JAPANESE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
bought a small dictionary, carrying it around with me, and now looking up words slowly and painfully. need to join a class as well. at least it will give me something productive to do in the evening.
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Wide Face
Karena has written up an excellent summary of everything happened whilst she and Anthea were here, thus obviating the necessity for me to write anything. It would be duplication. Poor duplication.
so, of late, i have been utterly useless with regard to posting blog entries. some excuses include being busy, not having specific things to post on, and not having things that i am allowed to post on. it's a combination of all of these things. time has been scarce of late, it is true. since anthea and karena flew off, i've been out every single day, doing different things, from going to yoyogi park to picnic - hanami, to going up to kawagoe to look at old buildings. it's all good.
work has been crazy busy as well. i'm working with micromanagers and macroasses. the load has increased substantially, and i'm beginning to think that, perhaps, this company does actually do something for a living. it doesn't just grow on trees.
although, i think japan is back, and it's grow grow grow from hereon. thinking of buying platinum coins as well now. stopped thinking of equities so much. the run's not over, but it's just points from hereon, not real cash. maybe.
i've been listening to pop - like Beck's more recent album, and running at the gym during lunchtime, and going out with randoms who i neither care about or even remember the faces of. so a bit closer to the Patrick Bateman lifestyle that i always wanted. the Ginko is treating me well, and i'm even contemplating going permie. Well, it's not a contemplation, it's a deal. if i can make X, i will. if i can't, i'll try elsewhere. if i can't get it elsewhere, i'll cry, fly back to the smaller, smellier, soaking wet island and work there instead. not looking forward to it. expect me to whine like an aussie. the holiday is over. now it's all about the mullah.
trying to learn more japanese, and got the whole flash card thing going at work, so at least the alphabet is getting under control.
something that happened in the park. Japanese kid drops his kegs and runs around shaking his stuff in front of everyone, pointing and shouting "my favourite person" in english, for my benefit. but, i guess because i was drunk too, it wasn't quite as "for god's sake" as when it happened back on the other island
tried to explain to gerald why i had to work the weekend "to migrate storage".
withdrew 320,000 yen from the ATM yesterday, to pay for a couple of months rent, and some other stuff. I was going to make it my first night in, for two weeks. Got a call from Masa asking for drinks instead. Had to oblige. Imagine going out, getting horrendously drunk, and taking a ram packed late train home, in London, with 1600squid in your back pocket? Japan is safe. Super safe. Withdrew another 200,000 today. Going to Tanaka, seeking Ag and Pt.
Question: Should I sell the flat in Edinburgh?
Question: Do i want to go back to bad weather, crime, filthy streets, late trains, VAT, yobs, cultural devoid arrogant obese imbeciles?
Dom reckons i've stopped posting because i've taken the http stats off. I'm going to try and prove him wrong.
| 10 Mar 2006 | D/D | STUDENT LOANS CO , FINAL PAYMENT | - | 63.79 |
Sunday. Got a call from The Maund at about 7am, and yabbered about nothing and everything for an hour. Felt a little nostalgic for old times and youth.
Went to work for a short time, and had lunch with Venkat. He's quiet, and I reckoned that he would have an opinion worth listening to, because he mentioned an obscure current affairs fact the other day. So I listened - which is incredibly unusual for me. Japanese education is rubbish. Even private schools. His wife doesn't work, and has made Japanese friends here, and speaks decent Japanese. In my book, that's admirable. Too many people move to another country, with their wives, and watch their wives sit indoors and do nothing other than raise the children. The thought of it irks me.
Went to see a photo exhibition afterwards in Ebisu. Some interesting ideas. But then when I was walking outside, i noticed how European Ebisu feels. Big open spaces, stately looking buildings. I actually though, for a brief moment, maybe London aint so bad. Renata was laughing. She is fed up to the teeth with Japan. But I (officially) love it - I just reminisced. Breifly.
Trying to figure out what to do in Golden Week. Shikoku sounds good.
Way behind on emailing people. Feeling excessively guilty about it, but attacking it one per day. slowly but surely.
Damn. Golden week just got cancelled on me. Oncall. So i've taken a few days off before, and am going to Shikoku anyway. 4 days. Hmmm...
Rimiko used an expression on Sunday which was a literal Japanese translation:
"Danieru. You have a wide face". which isn't quite the insult that it immediately appears. A wide face is an expression to describe someone who knows a lot of people.
- July 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- October 2009
- July 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- December 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- July 2006
- June 2006
- May 2006
- April 2006
- March 2006
- February 2006
- January 2006
- December 2005
- November 2005
- October 2005
- September 2005
- August 2005
- July 2005
- June 2005
- May 2005
- April 2005
- March 2005
- February 2005
- January 2005
- December 2004
- November 2004
- October 2004
- September 2004
- August 2004
- July 2004
- June 2004
- May 2004
- April 2004
- March 2004