Birthday, Baldness, Bicycles, Buses, Beer

Yesterday was my half-birthday. I turned 30.5. Since my birthday is in August, I was never able to celebrate with my friends while in school, so I started commemorating my half-birthday in college. I think some people who remember my half-birthday actually don't know when my real birthday is unless they do the math. Others, including most of my family, don't know either but they can get the month right, usually. That's good enough for me.

In other news, I have no hair.

Except on my face. And my chest, arms, legs.... I mean I have no hair on my head. I shaved it. And just for the record I would like to say that I did it before Brittney.

Last Friday I began my new fitness club membership with a vigorous workout before going to teach in the morning. I was feeling energized and admittedly a bit proud of myself when I walked outside. But those feelings were soon replaced with irritation and disappointment. My bicycle was gone. Either stolen or impounded by the city for parking on the sidewalk. I don't know yet which one. This is probably the fourth time Japan has taken one of my bicycles. But it will be the first time I pay the $25 U.S. to get one back. That is, if in fact it was the city that took it. And yes, it was locked. So I had to walk to work and then back home, but oh well.

Then on Saturday night I did the almost unthinkable. I stayed home. I wanted to get up early and try a new church on Sunday. It was really hard for me, but somehow I managed. I stepped out into the frigid morning at about the same time I would usually be coming home on a Sunday. I rode my mountain bike, since my other bicycle is M.I.A., and proceeded promptly to wreck it. To add to the fun, I was almost hit by a taxi in the process. The rain had made the streets really slick--a fact that I did not notice until I tried to make a fast left turn against traffic onto a one-way street. The taxi driver and passengers were not amused, even though I tried to be, uh, funny about it. Cold, hard stares of derision. Anyway, the chain was off my bike so I had to push it the rest of the way. I parked at the place where I work in order to avoid losing another two-wheeled friend to bureaucracy. I finally got to the train station, rode to the stop nearest the church, and then walked to the place where the shuttle buses come. I was two minutes late. No bus came. So I went to a coffee shop and read for an hour or so and then walked back down the hill to wait for either of two shuttles to the next service. I was 15 minutes early and waited an extra 15 minutes after the scheduled arrival time, but no bus came. So I went back home. Fortunately I made it to another church in the afternoon. But that's not really the point of this story. The point is: Grrrr.

But some good news is that, thanks to Valentine's Day, I now have lots of chocolate, my iPod still works after all (I was worried it might be broken), and bald is beautiful.

Sometime in the next few days I suppose I will write about the rest of Sunday, and how spilling beer all over a girl is a good way to start a conversation.

Really, it works. If she still talks to you, she is probably really worth getting to know. If she doesn't, well you probably just saved yourself a lot of time.

Spelunking at Home

today i found a whole other room in my apartment. i had thought it was just an empty space to throw my clothes and luggage into, but as it turns out there is flooring, a desk, a closet, entertainment system, a phone, an exercise bike, shelves... even a bed! i am going to try sleeping in it tonight. this is very exciting. i have moved my computer to the desk. perhaps this new location will foster more frequent internet use....

Hello Billy

2 minute morning

OK so i have to take a shower and get to work but i thought i would take just two minutes to let people know that i am still alive. though i probably look half-dead now since i just got out of bed. for some reason unknown even to me, i have been avoiding the internet. or at least i haven't missed it. since i got back from taiwan, where i would go out of my way to find a computer nearly every day so i could check my email, etc., i have been strangely unmotivated to touch my keyboard, even though it is conveniently located in the comfort of my apartment. i am pretty sure i need counselling, but then, i am pretty sure you do too. some more than others. right... so my two minutes has elapsed more than two times. perhaps i will post more than two times in january. but don't hold your breath. thanks for your comments. it is nice to know my absence was noticed. have a great weekend.

My Neighborhood

This picture was taken from the train station nearest my apartment. Not a bad place to live. Too quiet, though! And it would be nice if the river actually had water in it, but I guess I can't have everything. The ocean is just a few minutes' walk away, so I can manage.

Geek Week

I am turning into an internet geek. But probably just for a little while. In the last few days I have created myspace and ringo accounts, and joined a Japanese online community, where I post just like I do here but not in English. Good way to study the language and culture, I thought. And I was correct. But now things have gotten really out of hand. I actually took the time to write a review of a product on Yahoo! I bought a new digital camera at Costco the other day and I have been very happy with it. I don't know what possessed me to go to the trouble, but I did. You can see it, I think, if you click on the title of this post. This nerdiness can't last, so if any of you are concerned about me, don't be. It is a welcome distraction from other mental meanderings that are less edifying.