Entries this day: Debate Taifoon hitomi

Debate

10:21am JST Saturday 9 October 2004

Sigh.

Taifoon

5:25pm JST Saturday 9 October 2004

Taifoon is how Yasuko spelled the type of storm that is here now.

It's pretty impressive. I've not been directly in a typhoon before. Hurricanes, yeah, but not a typhoon.

Hitomi and I met at Sakuragicho station, which used to be the last station of my line (Tokyu Toyoko) before it was diverted starting 1 February of this year, I think. The typhoon had just begun to rock in when I arrived. Hitomi's hair was mussed up when I saw her. Pretty cute and funny.

I was pleased with the wind; it would loft my umbrella, and I had to (keep it balanced and) actually hold it down. Then it flipped backwards and broke. Oops. Oh well; it's only the second umbrella I've had to toss in two days.

I am wearing Morag's purple grape suit (gotta send her an email to let her know) so I was happily at the edge of the train station, looking out into the incoming gale. I made sure to keep an eye out for things blowing around, and sure enough a rather large kiosk on wheels started to roll. It was closed, but not locked in place. It began rolling toward me and it fit neatly between the large concrete columns of the train station. It kept rolling and picking up a bit of speed, and I noticed the train station employee wasn't noticing the oncoming kiosk. He was fiddling with something on the wall. I was like, [excuse me!!] and bonked him with my umbrella to get his attention. He turned around and got out of the way as it crunked into the corner of the column at which he had been standing. The air conditioner on the kiosk took the brunt of the blow, but didn't seem damaged beyond having its shell dented. (given that the kiosk has an air conditioner is an indication of its size)

The guy held the kiosk at bay with one foot while he continued to fiddle with the wall. Ah, he was lowering the gate to the station, to block about 1/2 the wind that was blowing through. This kept the hanging signs from swinging so much, presumably making things safer. Afterward, he and a bud wheeled the kiosk to a less windy location.

6:10pm

Wow; it's already over. People are walking around outside without umbrellas. I wonder if it's actually over or just the eye of the storm. That would be cool.

11:31am JST Sunday 10 October 2004

On the way home we stopped by ghetto river in Tsunashima. It was ten feet deeper than usual. Usually the water is this far from the upper sidewalk:

                                         upper sidewalk       __________________
                                                             /    ^            
                                                            /     |            
                                                           /      |            
                                                          /       |            
                                                         /      15 ft          
                                                        /         |            
                                                       /          |            
                                                      /           |
                         sidewalk     _______________/            v   
                                     /    ^  
                                    /     |   
                                   /      |   
                                  /       |   
                                 /      15 ft 
                                /         |   
                               /          |   
                              /           |   
   shrubbery   **************/            v   
               |
               |
water   ~~~~~~~|

Previously, the deepest I had seen the water was here:

                                         upper sidewalk       __________________
                                                             /    ^            
                                                            /     |            
                                                           /      |            
                                                          /       |            
                                                         /      15 ft          
                                                        /         |            
                                                       /          |            
                                                      /           |
                         sidewalk     _______________/            v   
                                     /    ^  
                                    /     |   
                                   /      |   
                                  /       |   
                                 /      10 ft 
                                /         |   
water   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/          v

Last night when we visited the area, the water was here:

                                         upper sidewalk       __________________
                                                             /    ^            
                                                            /     |            
                                                           /      |            
                                                          /       |            
                                                         /      15 ft          
                                                        /         |            
                                                       /          |            
                                                      /           |
                         sidewalk     _______________/            v   
water   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/    1 ft  

Stupidly, I did not bring my good camera on a typhoon day.

Here are pictures taken with Hitomi's phone camera. My phone camera is crap compared to hers.

According to the grass, the water had been this deep:

                                         upper sidewalk       __________________
                                                             /    ^            
                                                            /     |            
                                                           /      |            
                                                          /       |            
                                                         /      13 ft          
                                                        /         |            
                                                       /          |            
water   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~/           v

hitomi

11:22am JST Sunday 10 October 2004

Last night after typhoon entertainment, Hitomi came to my house to give me a massage (officially payment for me teaching her English) and we talked. I was really far more talkative than before, telling her funny shit and making up funny shit and telling her in Japanese. Like how all the buildings go climb Mt Fuji when all the people, animals and carrots are at work or at school.

I encouraged her to go to massage school, and I think she appreciated the support. I'd love to see her get out of the job she hates and do something she loves.