Entries this day: Akihabara_trip Evening Star interview!

Akihabara trip

10:41am JST Wednesday 09 March 2005

This is my first trip to Akihabara on TJ Bike. I'll be leaving shortly. The goals today are to

1) arrive

2) get a solar panel for my GPS receiver

3) get a way to mount the GPS thing on TJ Bike

4) meet my friends in Hamamatsucho

1:48pm

Wow; three hours. Number 1 accomplished, though I haven't actually found the station yet. I have parked TJ Bike between a rail and a big transformer box; double-locked to the rail. Thanks for being safe, TJ Bike!

Cool things about the trip: I rode past two places I recognized I had been via train: Tokyo American club (where Louise's plays have been), and Ginza: Apple Store and Ginza Lion restaurant. Nice.

Next: step 2.

4:37pm

Step 2 was aborted around 3pm. I found one guy who had a solar panel, and it would probably work, but I'd like to shop around a bit. It was 2000 yen for 3 / 4.5 / 9 / 12 volt output and a battery charger to boot. So conceivably I could just keep swapping batteries and charging them with the solar thing, instead of connecting it directly to the GPS.

Step 3 will happen later or so, though the GPS seemed to work pretty well in my pocket, and I referred to my map more often than to the GPS. Maybe a way to mount the map would be preferable.

- - - -

I overshot Hamamatsucho station on the way back. I turned around and asked for directions which sent me right past a police station where I had specifically considered asking, but didn't ask for directions. It was right at that station that I needed turn where I hadn't before.

Getting back on TJ Bike after walking around Akihabara was like "ouch; my legs are tight." Maybe I should stretch after long rides.

While riding, I was often humming or singing or otherwise being happy. Awesome.

TJ Bike is near Hamamamammamatsucho station, locked to a thing and I am across the street chowing a bit of a snack at a coffee shop with a separate room for smoking.

Holy cats. I just saw a woman on a nice mountain bike and she parked it but didn't lock it at all. Just left it near a post.

Ah. Only for about 1 minute. She's back now.

It's colder now than it was during the day. And windy. I'm not sure how happy I'll be on the way home tonight.

Evening

7:55pm JST Wednesday 09 March 2005

Met Tomoko, Sumidasan and Hitomi for monjyayaki and okonomiyaki dinner at a restaurant called Kura in Tsukishima (Hitomi met us at Kura). Hitomi's choice (pork and cheese) was my definite favorite! For some reason the pork tasted like tuna.

Sumidasan gave Hitomi and me two bags of rolls (triangular dough rolled up so they look kinda like croissants)

We are going to karaoke now.

12:34am

Home. Showered. Eating a few of the rolls cause officially it's tomorrow and this can be considered breakfast. Kinda.

Karaoke was fun. I always feel honored by Sumidasan and Tomoko when I go cause they always ask me to do Eminem and always say I do a good job at it.

*

Hitomi and Tomoko were really funny doing a set of songs by Pink Lady or some such. Peppaaaaaa kebu! with hand motions, but no apparent meaning to the words.

Star

12:51am JST Thursday 10 March 2005

The * astrisk above was when Hitomi informed me again that she would like to live with me. I told her I could not, and she said something that was like bargaining, and I just was like, _______ and couldn't say anything. If I say no; that's it; done; I don't want to slash can't live with you. Done.

Why do I feel this way, and why do I feel like such a heel for feeling this way?

interview!

1:13am JST Thursday 10 March 2005

Yarg; I shoulda included a request to do the interview on Friday, a day I have free instead of Sunday, a day I am scheduled to work. Oh well.

In other news, WHOOHOOOOO!

Dear Robert Nugen,

Thank you for your interest in the 49th P To Da B cruise.  We are
very happy to invite you to interview for the position of Volunteer
English Teacher on P To Da B 49th Voyage.

Interviews will be held at the Takanadobaba office on March 18th, 19th
and 20th 2005.

Your interview has been scheduled for Sunday March 20th 2005.  Please
be aware that it is very difficult for us to change the day that you
are scheduled for.  We can accommodate only a certain number of
candidates per day.  We ask that you take this into consideration and
be here on the day we have allotted for you.

We will start promptly at 10:00 and should be finished by around 18:00.
Please arrive by 09:50.  It is very important that you come on time.
 

The interview will be conducted in three sections:

1.  An explanation of P To Da B and the GET Program.
2.  A 15-minute individual interview.
3.  We ask that all candidates teach a 10-minute model lesson showing
your own method of teaching.  This should exhibit some of your
personal style and flair in the classroom.  The lesson will be taught
to a group of around eight volunteer staff members and they will all !
be beginners.  Please plan your communicative lessons around one of
the following structures/topics:

    * Present Continuous
    * Shopping
    * Adverbs of Frequency
    * Comparatives
    * Travel

Bear in mind that GET is a communication-based program.
Correspondingly, your model lesson should reflect this philosophy.

In between your model lesson and your interview, you are not required
to be in the office.  There are plenty of places to get lunch or
coffee within the Takanadobaba area.

Please reply by Friday March 11th to confirm your receipt of this
message and include the following in your reply:

1. Which of the above lesson topics you will be teaching 
2. Where you will be coming from on the interview day (we will take
this into consideration when scheduling interviews within the day)

We look forward to hearing from you soon and also meeting you in person!