Entries this day: GPS Programming This_morning Weaving hitomi_movie phantom_of_the_opera

GPS

8:50pm JST Wednesday 23 February 2005

Today while waiting to meet Michael at Harajuku, I set up my first waypoint right on the tile mosaic bridge over the Yamanote line. I understand that in nice weather on weekends a lot of people dressed in various コスプレ costumes gather. I'd like to see that sometime.

I marked the waypoint and then used my GPS to navigate back to that point. Pretty amazing.

Programming

2:15pm JST Wednesday 23 February 2005

Interesting to see how my knowledge of perl has increased over the time that I've used it. Not that I'm a ghod by any measure, but, I found some code that I had written as

foreach $n (0..$#array) {
  &do_something_with($array[$n]);
}

Instead of

foreach $line (@array) {
  &do_something_with($line);
}

Further, I was able to retool my old code to do in one page what I had been doing with frames. I even used CGI:: stuff to draw the forms.

Unfortunately, all this time was spent in the pursuit of online porn.

This morning

2:21pm JST Wednesday 23 February 2005

I put together the Makiko Party entry this morning, including figuring out how to make ImageMagick draw that white circle over Katsu's hanko. I don't know how sensitive an issue hankos are; I just didn't want to post his on the web in case it's a big deal.

Headed now to Harajuku to meet Michael Hetherton and Yumi ???? from work to see Kevin's art show. I don't know which Kevin it is, and Michael answered "the other Kevin is gone." While I do know which two Kevin-named people are in question, I didn't know one of them left. And I still don't know which one we're visiting today.

Weaving

5:52pm JST Wednesday 23 February 2005

Joined Michael and Misato and Yumi for lunch at a restaurant owned by a guy who lives in Michael's building. The food was okay, but not great, but definitely better than any restaurant I have ever owned.

Afterward we went to an art studio to scope Kevin Olivet's art. I know which Kevin it is now. He used a technique of scibbling to create images of people as God sees them; all connected but separate. Pretty cool; I hope he makes made cash with them.

In another room a woman was sitting amongst a lot of hand woven fabric jackets and skirts and stuff. She was like, "konnichiwa" and I said HI and looked around a bit. I scoped the loom and she asked me if I wanted to try it.

Blink.

Yeah!

And it was really fun! She saw that I planned to do more than just a single row, so she showed me how to insert the little bit of light blue thread that someone had started. Then she showed me I could basically insert any random thread for an accent.

In not too much time it seemed, I had finished the first shuttle of color. and she offered to let me choose the next color, and taught me that they could be blended, and I began to see even more possibilities. Chose three colors and she showed me how to load them onto the shuttle and gave me some more random ideas with a pile of scraps of string on the side.

I got into a rhythm of sorts and soon enough I got an idea for a litle pattern of sorts that I could make with the skillset I had so far. Not much, but it was something. Diagonal lines and then turning the turquoize blue into the main string instead of the accent string.

I felt pretty content while weaving/looming/creating whatever it was I was doing. I finished probably 10 inches worth in what seemed like 10 minutes, but whas probably more like 30. Fun stuff.

Here's me and Misato and then the results of my shuttling. Mine starts about where the inner edge of the left hand loom leg is hidden behind the fabric.

hitomi movie

8:43pm JST Wednesday 23 February 2005

Met Hitomi to see Phantom of the Opera, which I didn't really care about seeing until I saw the Making Of and was intrigued by the behind the scenes story.

We just saw Kaori outside Cinecitta; she is going to see the movie as well but at a different screening.

Tonight Hitomi and I are tickling each other as punishment for any spoken English.

I haven't seen Kaori in quite some days; maybe I'll email her soon.

- - -

Oh, we also bought (or ordered) a waterproof compressable jacket that matches the pants Hitomi bought me before we went to Hokkaido.

phantom of the opera

11:57pm JST Wednesday 23 February 2005

The music still resonates through my brain. I thought of Chez a lot during the movie; the symbolism seemed to be something she would appreciate. I was a bit scared throughout th emovie that the phantom would flip and pull a Hannibal and disfigure someone to death. I'm glad he didn't.

Showed Hitomi my GPS on the way to drop her off at her station and upon saying bye to her, I was immediately approached by a woman offering me a massage.

Uh, no.

On the way out of the theater, we got some funny pictures.

Last year sometime before Olivia left Japan (she has since returned), she and Jen were out having a few drinks, as they do. A woman came up to them randomly and was apparently inspired by the music: "shall we dancing?"

They were like, "what?"

"Shall we dancing?"

"Oh, oh, *dancing*.." of course!

They were entertained by this for a few days. I saw this sign and covered up the e in case it would make it seem possible the sign says "Shall we dancing?" but it really doesn't.

On the way down the escalator, I thought of a new way to ride it. Hitomi pointed out we should get a picture, so I went back up (the up escalator, of all ways) and then came back down, just in front of some people. I ran down the escalator a bit to set up for the photo, and the man came down as well! Hitomi was like, [there's someone behind you!] and I was like, [I know! hurry and take the picture!] and then apologized to the guy over my shoulder.

He stared (glared?) at me after he got off the escalator and went on his way.

Though his legs look funny below my legs (it would be great if we had the same color pants on), I ran up again for another shot.