Entries this day: Work akiko hitomi ikumi

Work

6:52pm JST Sunday 31 October 2004

Work was interesting today: the internet connection went down due to being cancelled via cancelling a different phone number that was linked to the same account. Crisis. OM is going out of town tomorrow so he is not able to fix it. I offered to do it tomorrow, on the assumption that I'll get paid a little bonus.

Jen was asked to come in as well and basically learn how to do what I was about to do so that she could manage the company sometime down the line, but that is not how it was presented at first, so she didn't understand why she was being asked to come in, and she felt a bit hot about it. I remained cool like a cucumber though she was a fireball on the inside, playing it cool on the outside, and biting her tongue in the middle.

On our way home, Jen asked me how I was able to remain calm, and I just had to credit my mens' group for such fantastic mental tools to handle this kinda thing. I told her about the time I got bitched out at Telecheck by _____ (I can't remember her name yet) for insubordination after I claimed that her morning rounds of "good mornings" sprinkled around the office were a poor attempt at disguising a head count, and how I remained calm during that to the point that she was totally flustered by my demeanor.

Jen was still feeling bad when we got home, so I egged her on to tell the full story to people in the living room so she could get it out of her system.

Shoko and Ikumi were on the couch, and, per my touchy-feely nature, I began to give Shoko a shoulder/upper back massage to which she responded in moans and utterances that could have been mistaken for gentle but nonetheless pleasant sex. Ikumi was like, "me too, me too," and I was happy to spread the fascia (sp) relaxation to her as well.

While I massaged Ikumi, Jeff tried his hands on Shoko and got similar results. Ikumi then gave me a hand massage, and I returned the favor until it was time to chow nabe, and we all had a nabe feast (basically a fondue-style soup/stew where the pot is heated on the table and we just throw stuff in until it's cooked and then chow, but there's no concept of who has dibs on what food.

I corrected Ikumi's English (at her previous (and continued) request) a few times, and we talked about the difficulties and differences of different languages. I was nearly moved to study, but I have a private student tonight (Akiko at St Mark Cafe) at 7pm.

She's always late, which is convenient for me to know; it gave me time to write this entry.

I really like Ikumi.

akiko

7:47pm JST Sunday 31 October 2004

Laid back; got my mind on my money and my money on my mind.

I need to send this to Akiko.

hitomi

10:07pm JST Sunday 31 October 2004

Hitomi texted me during Akiko's lesson; she wanted to hang out with me tonight and I was like, "why?" and she was like, [I don't want to talk about yesterday, but I want to talk about new stuff.] and I'm like, argh fine, with the understanding that she would go home tonight cause I have to be up in the morning.

Jeff and Ikumi came to St Mark's to eavesdrop on my lesson, which was fun, so Ikumi was still there while I was talking to Hitomi, and she had a sense of the situation, and the conversation, and gave me emotional support and hand squeeze.

Before we walked home I told her the situation and she was quite understanding of my side.

Interestingly, Ikumi said she wanted to chat with me as well, but we didn't get a chance.

- - - -

Hitomi arrived home and we were talking, and I was surprised and just like, aw jeez; can't we communicate anything? but when we finally bashed through the conversation, she was like, [I want to help you learn Japanese cause you're in Japan.] and I'm like, [okay; hook it up; no more English.]

ikumi

11:29pm JST Sunday 31 October 2004

Talked to Ikumi for about an hour. Was able to give her my take on her situation and she said she felt a lot better. Said that my advice was much different from her girlfriends' advice of "gambatte." Yeah; I can imagine.

I'm no longer jealous of John, with whom Ikumi spent some time when she first moved into the building.