Entries this day: Dream_Dot Met_my_neighbor_Tani Video_game funny_card_to_Akiko itchy_eye_ramen zzz_reasons_to_love_Ami

Dream Dot

7:51am JST Tuesday 21 August 2007 (day 13663)

At some sort of renaming ceremony for UFOs that all looked the same to me; they had no serial numbers, no identifying markings that I ocould see. It was part of a weekend experiential training and we had some new guys there as well, and as part of a silly hazing, we changed their names as well. The last guy was a tall man from Germany or Denmark, and he was asked what name he'd like.

He chose to be named after an aspect of another guy in the group. The man had on a white shirt except that it was splattered with colorful tie dye (*) He was like, "what color is this shirt?"

We were silent for a bit, and then he was all, "is it white? Certainly not. Is it a single color? Certainly not." Someone suggested it was spotted, and from that the guy decided it was dotted, and that his new name might be Dot. He was like, "wait a second; let me see if I like it." and then proceeded to make mock telephone calls. "Hey, this is Dot calling from France! This is Dot calling from Ukraine!"

We helped him out by calling him Dot a few times, and I said, "Americans will say it like "DAHT" and British will say it like "DOTE"

He was like, "ah; that's a good consideration.." and continued to taste the name in his ears and tongue.

"Okay, I like it! I'm Dot!"

We all cheered and I woke up.

(*) I could see red, orange and yellow on that shirt in this dream

Met my neighbor Tani

8:28am JST Tuesday 21 August 2007 (day 13663)

I just took some boxes (and shirts) out to the trash. On the way to the collection spot, I saw a woman who I had seen yesterday. We traded "good mornings," and I thought I bet she's my neighbor; I should introduce myself but I didn't want to do it while carrying trash.

On my way back, she was still there, and we ignored each other as is the custom in Japan, and I could have done as expected and just walked right past her and inside and gone.

I was like, fuckit; and turned around and went up to her

who: actually spoken            translation            commentary

 me: ロブともします　　　　　　　　　my name is Rob         using polite verb form
she: はい？                      what?
 me: ロブともします               my name is Rob                  "
she: [blank stare]                                      
 me: My name is Rob             My name is Rob          desperation
she: あたし、English..           I, English ...          (*)
 me: ロブとおもします　　　　　　　 my name is Rob          different pronunciation; perhaps the first way had been wrong
she: Tom?                       Tom?                    (**)
 me: ロブともします　　　　　  　　 my name is Rob          first pronunciation; perhaps the second way had been wrong
she: Tom?                       Tom?                    (**)
 me: ろ　ぶ                      RO BU                   the pronunciation of my name in Japanese is Robu
she: ろぶ。よろしくおねがします     Rob, nice to meet you   Holy shit, she got it!
 me: よろしくおねがします。　　　　　nice to meet you　　　　　and your name is .....???
she: [blank stare]                                      
 me: お名前は？                  [your] name is?
she: あたし？　　　　　　　　　　　 me?                      she used the demure/cute form for "I"
 me: ん。                        yes.                    How many other people are out here? (***)
she: た　に　　　　　　　　　　　　　TA NI
 me: たに                        Tani
she: [finger spelling her name in the air as I was repeating her name]              Yes, I fucking got it.
 me: よろしくおねがします          nice to meet you        I'm so glad this is over

She started talking to her neighbor as I went inside, flushed with astonishment and success.

(*) "I, English ..." I'll describe this as an example of not wanting to say NO, just leaving the unspoken NO hovering in the back of her mind. Unspoken in the back of my mind, "I wasn't speaking English until it seemed apparent you couldn't understand Japanese."

(**) とおもします [to-omoshimas] or perhaps ともします [tomoshimas] is the polite verb that I only know to use in self introductions in polite situations. The first sound is basically the same as the name Tom, in English. I'm not sure if my (mis)pronunciation of と（お）もします is where she got "Tom" (in which case I would have been saying "do Tom" which an extra "Rob" in there for good measure) or if she was confusing the second sound "tom" for the first sound "rob" (in which case, "hello, wtf?")

(***) Strictly speaking, during the preceding "conversation," another neighbor had stepped out.

Can someone who knows what I did wrong tell me what I did wrong?

Video game

12:45am JST Wednesday 22 August 2007 (day 13664)

Played a simple yet adictive strategy game today. I played it enough times until I won the game with only 4 of 40 lives lost.

Bloons Tower Defense

funny card to Akiko

12:50am JST Wednesday 22 August 2007 (day 13664)

I forgot to take a picture of it before sending, but I remember being pretty pleased with the card I wrote for Akiko. It went something like this:

Since you asked me for my address, I thought it would make more sense to send it to you my snail
mail than by email since you are an analog girl in a digital world.  Since my absence, I've gotten
you no presents, not even incense.  Don't be incesed, I've had very few cents.  Since I can't clean
your residence, nor mend my neighbor's fence, I'm pleased to report we don't live in tents.  This is
the address where I pay my rents:

〒211-0016川崎市中原区市ノ坪510#203
                              ^
                            no offense!

The prevalence of "sense" variants was precipitated by the card I sent, which featured the words "Perfect Sence" with 'sense' misspelled. I thought it was pretty funny, and hoped Akiko would like it, especially because her English is darn good.

I met Ami at Motosumiysohi station and she read while I finished Akiko's card. I had her read it, and then I read it and she commented that it sounded like a rap. I was like, "aight; then you beatbox, and I'll rap it."

At first she was like, "impossible" but after some encouragement slash chiding, gave it a good go, and I realized that's why I love this girl.

itchy eye ramen

1:05am JST Wednesday 22 August 2007 (day 13664)

My eye felt much better after that, but even now as I write this, it's still red (I took my contact out around 7:35pm).

zzz reasons to love Ami

1:25am JST Wednesday 22 August 2007 (day 13664)

On the way home, Ami tried some more beat boxing.

I led her along some tricky walkways, like on the curb between signs and the street, and between walls and lamp posts, and over some boxes and a metal mesh cylinder (empty trash can)

She enjoyed the video game and played it until she won.