Entries this day: Colleen! My_bike_status day zz_goodness

Colleen!

7:57am JST Monday 28 April 2003

I received a package in the mail yesterday... well, no I didn't receive a package in the mail yesterday, but I would have if I had been home at the time the delivery was attempted.

Instead, I have a notice written in all Japanese indicating, I believe/hope, how I can pick up this package. I'm gonna call the number on the notice and see what happens.

- - - -

Also, as I looked more closely at the sheet I received from the cops about how I can pick up my bike (if it in fact was towed and not jacked), I noticed that I could have called them yesterday (Sunday). The kanji for Sunday looks very similar to Monday, and I figured that, like in US, Sunday would be a day for sleeping for the Foreigner's Bikes Towing Society, especially since they had such limited hours and Saturday was indicated as the day they work least. But no, that other line says "Sunday through Friday" not "Monday through Friday"

8:10am

Hmm. I called the number for the package but got a recorded message. I could understand she said "phone number" at one point in the message. I'll go to work early and ask the staff, whose names I will remember can help me.

9:11am

Whoohooo!

Using the cryptography on the notice I received in the mail, I have successfully navigated my way to the post office in Kikuna to pick up a package. And it's from Colleen!! Thanks, Colleenie Beanie!!

I haven't opened it; it'll take me

- - - -

Oh so cute! A dad playing running with his son out of the post office, and holding out his arms to pick him up. Such a big happy father smile on his face. I don't see a lot of kid coddling in Japan... lots of kids carried around or in little bike seats, but that's the first I-love-my-kid-more-than-the-world smile I've seen here.

- - - -

I haven't opened the package; it'll take me several minutes walk and a crowded train ride before I get home. And I'll still probably get to work before 11am, when the staff can call this mysterious bicycle place.

9:54am

Whoohooo!!! I'm the luckiest cat in the world!! An easter basket, a cute little witty bitty stuffed rabbit and CHOCOLATE!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you thank you Colleen!!!!!

Crud. I don't have her phone number in Corpus to call her to say thanksomuch; I'll call Bibby's and have them IM her or something.

My bike status

11:04am JST Monday 28 April 2003

Weird.

The staff says the bike-recovery-directions say something like, "to get your bike back, start at ‚‚Ȃµ‚Ü station and follow these directions."

But, they were not able to find Tsunashima station on the map on said piece of paper.

They were able to find the destination on the map, near a high school.

Apparently the directions include taking a bus, which will be a first for me in Japan.

day

12:02am JST Tuesday 29 April 2003

At work, at one point I felt completely devastatingly sad for no apparent reason, except that I haven't been hugged in over a month and I'm living in a foreign country with no close friends.. so when I had my three week evaluation, and Steve said, "you're getting better" regarding my overall performance, I was nearly like, "dear god oh thank you thank you," even though under the table I had been giving him the finger with both hands while listening to him carry on.

God I'm immature for doing that, and a wuss for not telling him what I think.

Or maybe I'm just coping any way I know how without making too many waves.

sigh.

- - - -

During work, after my evaluation, Carla asked me about it. And she seemed truly interested. Like.. wow. Really? you care? I thought. I didn't really tell her everything cause 10 other teachers were in the room and I might have blurted how much I think Steve is a big weird Nova freak, but I did say that I was told that I'm getting better, something I didn't expect to hear.

- - - -

After that, at some point I was just.... ready to scream or implode cause I couldn't think of anything helpful to say about the students I just had; I couldn't even remember anything from the lesson and I was just like in a brain overload freakout state and Carla asked if I was okay or something.. oh I know what it was; I had the files she needed for her next class and she was like, "are you done with them yet?" and I'm like "no; I'm dying here," or something like that, and she was like, "can I help you get your next files?"

"Oh my god that would be great" and in about 2 seconds, magically she had gotten all my files *and* noted that I had already chosen lesson 18 for that class, and she put the folders into an appropriate lesson binder on page 18.

"Here you go; here's your files."

On the way out of the office, I walked out with Carla and told her about having successfully navigated to my post office to get a package from "one of my ex-youth" and I told her about YRUU and how I supported them so long and how they still love me and send packages and I'm the luckiest cat in Japan, etc.

As we parted I was like, "really thank you so much for helping me today" and she was like, "oh no that was easy; it's just cause I've been doing it for so many years."

(We joke in the office that Carla is turning Japanese, cause she does a lot of the same mannerisms as the Japanese women do in classes when they are thinking. They do a Scooby Doo sounding "rooaeh?" and now she does too, anytime she hears something confusing or surprising.)

- - - -

Then I was like, "bye" and went through a little fantasy scenario where I turn her down for any romantic interests because of janette (and it would be just far too messy to date anyone at work, or even in Nova at all) even though Carla hasn't done anything vaguely romantic toward me whatsoever.

- - - -

Lonely anonymous ride on the way home and found the bus stop where I'm encouraged to get the bus to get my bike but was too afraid to get on and talk to the driver and Annie's email in my head "I was afraid" etc until she just realized it was silly to be afraid and even with her cheerleading, I couldn't get myself to get on that bus, even though I knew it was the right bus. Part of my head argued that it was a pretty cheap fare and I'd get to expand my horizons and maybe make a friend, but another part of my head was all, "aw c'mon man it's late and them fuckers probably aren't open and what if you get lost on the way home and it's pretty late after a long day at work." The second part of my brain won and I went home.

Ate chocolate and orange juice and crab salad.

zz goodness

12:28am JST Tuesday 29 April 2003

FOUND on the map where my bike is being held hostage. It's not exactly walking distance away, but now at least I'll know where the fuck I am after I get it and will be able to ride home. I had to do some kanji pattern matching to figure out where it was, but I did it. Alright.

Got a notice of a package from janette!

bed bed bed bed bedtime.