Why doesn't anyone leave comments? There's a button down there so I can hear your thoughts. Put some comments on your favorite posts? What is your favorite post? Why? What? WHAT?! I can't hear you!
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So on May 7th (its May 8th and I'm in the future. Robot oppression is up 32%) Corey had no work and the night before we played Might and Magic Quest for the Dragonbone Staff until 3am. I then went upstairs and passed out.
But that's me getting off topic. I woke up at 10ish (I'm getting good at waking up without an alarm) and Corey and I went off to find PS3 and PSP prices. We went to Toys 'r' Us and found prices 1yen under standard price (omg the savings) and we some weirdo Dragon Warrior II arcade game. It was confusing and time consuming for a 100yen arcade game. Games should be pick up and play not spending years formulating the best strategy. But it spat out some Japanese playing card so I got that in my wallet.
Next was the JPN mall! After getting lost in the parking garage and finding a small room with 3 elevators, we made it up to Floor 2. This was evidently the clothes floor. Stores were not well defined like in America, I remember (it was that traumatic) stores blurring together with wide entrances.
Floor 3 . . .
Now I've never said anything about escalators in Japan but it essentially goes "Keep left if standing, right if walking up/down" and the up escalator goes next to the down escalator. So if you wanted to go up, you'd have to walk a half circle around the mall to get to the other up escalator. Floor 3 was weirdo stores (fertility shops and stuff) and also the food court. Did I mention I've seen no obese people...at all...ever?
Floor 4 . . .
Arcade (I learned that they call these Game Centers in Japan) and electronics. After Corey downed 1500 yen trying to win some rigged snoopy doll machine (and me losing 700yen on random games) we actually found the PS3s and PSPs. PSP was still expensive (so far the electronic store near the house is cheapest) and the PS3 had some 30,000yen deal (opposed to 40,000) but only if you bought it with internet. So if I ever need a PS3 and internet, I'm going to the mall. But we didn't need internet (Corey has blazin' speeds) and the PS3 was still just 40,000 yen. So we left. I also looked at notebooks and stickers for Andrew but apparently only girls use notebooks because there were no manly ones (or maybe I couldn't find the boy section).
Floor 1 . . .
This floor looked like Albertsons'. We picked up some flowers for Yukiko for Mother's Day and escaped into the parking garage...where we had no idea where we were...So after a bit of searching and looking around I spotted (or at least thought I spotted) the 3 elevator waiting room and from there we found the car.
Scooter Race!
It was a nice misty rain when we set out to pick up Marika from school. People gave us strange looks and sometimes jumped out of the way but it wasn't because we were forieners, it was because we were shooting down the sidewalk at 30mph on scooters. Oh man, it was the best fun I've had in forever, the embarressment of riding a child's scooter in public mixed with the exitement of possibly dying from sudden asphalt head trauma made this the best scooter ride ever.
I didn't even get mad when it turned out we went waaaaay off course. And I mean way off course. We had to backtrack and finally made it to Marika's school and then we were off to home. There Corey and I ate some corn chowder and played some Might n Magic. Eventually the game got too difficult and cheap, though, and we were forced to bail on it.
The rest of the day was pretty much normal. I stayed home and played with the kids before heading off to bed. Did you know they are making a Phantasy Star Portable (rippin' Monster Hunter off). I got the demo and the graphics and gameplay are bad and uninspiring, if you want Phantasy Star, go play it for free on your computer using SCHTHACK which is the best free PSO thing I've ever played.
Zebrahead - Anthem
"Feel like everybody else
just needs to see through different eyes
From the outside looking in
we shout the anthem of our lives
Come on and let me go
and just like everybody else
I feel the pain each time I try
But I'll fight the bitter end
to shout the anthem
the anthem of our lives
This is the Anthem
Out to all the misfits
If you feel you don't belong
If you don't give a $#!T
About authority
About majority
About conformity
Shout it out
Let us go!"
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
May 6th
Today I went to Akihabara and had a bunch of fun. I bought gifts for Khayman, Kristian, and myself. (Sorry Kristin, I haven't found anything for you). Also bought Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G because it is half the price of Persona. Also thinking about buying a new PSP and selling my old one in the States (because its only worth $20 here D:).
My JPN GF PLZ shirt
I noticed at least 4 girls giggle when they saw it
Many couples starting holding hands when they saw it
A lot of adults had a very very vague look of "Not another Gaijin lookin' to score"
I thought it was hilarious how many couples starting holding on to each other though, most was started by the boys too XD ("oh no, this kid's out to steal my girl...and the worst part is...HE HAS A CHANCE!")
At Akihabara, the trip there was easy and uneventful. I found true love once while riding the trains though I was paralyzed by being 4 inches away from 40 strangers in a tin can travelling 100kilo/s.
I met up with Yukiko's brother and wife(?) who spoke almost no English. Thank god I barely remember my high school Japanese. He asked if I wanted to see some game stores to find Persona and off we went!
It sprinkled off and on before dumping buckets later on and let me tell you, Japan has a ton of porn just sitting around. Its like thats how most games sell. After doing some searching for the cheapest prices (I don't know if I told you but Japan sells its games based on popularity, thusly epic games start out at nearly 7,000 yen). I found MHP2ndG for 2,200 yen which was a steal! We also went to a book store and I found Claymore 17 (didn't buy) and some massive boobs manga porn (almost bought...for Kman. Though I tried to get the name but I couldn't read it fast enough XD). At the bookstore I bought a 20 year anniversery Mega Man art book for 3,200.
Later I found out Monster Hunter is the shit in Japan. More on that when I get home (or whenever). We stopped off for a coffee drink and we talked about when I'm going home to America and what occupation I had (don't ask me how I knew Gakusee was Student). It was fun. There was some promo for Babylon A.D. going on. After seeing those pop stars, I half expected Vin Deisel to popout and give some deepthroat speach.
Time passed and we found some weirdo hobby/antique/porn shop (not that that is a bad thing) where they had nudity shown on every disc and pretty much every magazine but its only offensive if you actually think nudity corrodes the brain. I saw some awesome gundam figures that are older than me (and 100,000 yen [1000.00 dollars]). It was pretty awesome.
We then headed off to an arcade where we played some Half-Life 2 arcade game with pedals and joysticks. It was an FPS and played like it, it was just weirdo controls. Afterwards I tried my skillz at Street Fighter IV and found out I am pretty good with Ken. I also learned that they have cards that keep track of your rank and skills so you know how many wins/losses you have.
After escaping the arcade I asked to see an old game shop. I found out that old, rare games (in the USA) are dirt cheap (and in Japanese). I bought the original Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei I & II. I also found a couple things Kristian might love.
Remember how I said Japan rates its prices by popularity? I found Digital Devil Saga 1 & 2 and Shin Megami Tensei III:Nocturne AND Final Fantasy VII BRAND NEW and cheap. Unlike their American counterparts which are over $50 each, the Japanese ones are less than 20 (no freakin' lie). Not only that but FFVII works on every Playstation, USA and JPN. What was the coolest thing, though, was how not only were these games new, they were for the original console. They still sell PS1 games. So awesome (geekin' out here).
Also saw Monster Hunter G for Wii (which I would buy but Wii is not Region Free) which has a Monster Hunter Tri (3) demo in it. Can't wait for that little #*$&er to come out in the States.
Right about here we did a bit more exploring and finally headed home. I took the right train the Shinjuku and the wrong train to Home but Yukiko helped me on the phone so I didn't get raped (shirt doesn't help) or mugged (being American doesn't help).
We picked up Corey from work (after I got home) and I played some MH only to learn my game saves (USA) can't be ported over to a new game (JPN). Which is fine, I wonder if the JPN version can play online with the USA versions. We'll find out when I get home. After Corey got home, him and I immediatly left to the electronic store to look at PS3 and PSP stuff. PSP is 18,000 (great price) and comes in MH colors and I think with a free shirt. If I buy that and sell my PSP at home for $50, I'll be happy. Japanese PSP > USA PSP.
So now I'm sitting here thinking about PSPs and Monster Hunter and Corey wants a PS3 so I'm helping with that. All in all everyone at home can suck it because Japan is WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY better than America X10 (maybe not 100).
Phew, thats enough text.
My JPN GF PLZ shirt
I noticed at least 4 girls giggle when they saw it
Many couples starting holding hands when they saw it
A lot of adults had a very very vague look of "Not another Gaijin lookin' to score"
I thought it was hilarious how many couples starting holding on to each other though, most was started by the boys too XD ("oh no, this kid's out to steal my girl...and the worst part is...HE HAS A CHANCE!")
At Akihabara, the trip there was easy and uneventful. I found true love once while riding the trains though I was paralyzed by being 4 inches away from 40 strangers in a tin can travelling 100kilo/s.
I met up with Yukiko's brother and wife(?) who spoke almost no English. Thank god I barely remember my high school Japanese. He asked if I wanted to see some game stores to find Persona and off we went!
It sprinkled off and on before dumping buckets later on and let me tell you, Japan has a ton of porn just sitting around. Its like thats how most games sell. After doing some searching for the cheapest prices (I don't know if I told you but Japan sells its games based on popularity, thusly epic games start out at nearly 7,000 yen). I found MHP2ndG for 2,200 yen which was a steal! We also went to a book store and I found Claymore 17 (didn't buy) and some massive boobs manga porn (almost bought...for Kman. Though I tried to get the name but I couldn't read it fast enough XD). At the bookstore I bought a 20 year anniversery Mega Man art book for 3,200.
Later I found out Monster Hunter is the shit in Japan. More on that when I get home (or whenever). We stopped off for a coffee drink and we talked about when I'm going home to America and what occupation I had (don't ask me how I knew Gakusee was Student). It was fun. There was some promo for Babylon A.D. going on. After seeing those pop stars, I half expected Vin Deisel to popout and give some deepthroat speach.
Time passed and we found some weirdo hobby/antique/porn shop (not that that is a bad thing) where they had nudity shown on every disc and pretty much every magazine but its only offensive if you actually think nudity corrodes the brain. I saw some awesome gundam figures that are older than me (and 100,000 yen [1000.00 dollars]). It was pretty awesome.
We then headed off to an arcade where we played some Half-Life 2 arcade game with pedals and joysticks. It was an FPS and played like it, it was just weirdo controls. Afterwards I tried my skillz at Street Fighter IV and found out I am pretty good with Ken. I also learned that they have cards that keep track of your rank and skills so you know how many wins/losses you have.
After escaping the arcade I asked to see an old game shop. I found out that old, rare games (in the USA) are dirt cheap (and in Japanese). I bought the original Megami Tensei and Shin Megami Tensei I & II. I also found a couple things Kristian might love.
Remember how I said Japan rates its prices by popularity? I found Digital Devil Saga 1 & 2 and Shin Megami Tensei III:Nocturne AND Final Fantasy VII BRAND NEW and cheap. Unlike their American counterparts which are over $50 each, the Japanese ones are less than 20 (no freakin' lie). Not only that but FFVII works on every Playstation, USA and JPN. What was the coolest thing, though, was how not only were these games new, they were for the original console. They still sell PS1 games. So awesome (geekin' out here).
Also saw Monster Hunter G for Wii (which I would buy but Wii is not Region Free) which has a Monster Hunter Tri (3) demo in it. Can't wait for that little #*$&er to come out in the States.
Right about here we did a bit more exploring and finally headed home. I took the right train the Shinjuku and the wrong train to Home but Yukiko helped me on the phone so I didn't get raped (shirt doesn't help) or mugged (being American doesn't help).
We picked up Corey from work (after I got home) and I played some MH only to learn my game saves (USA) can't be ported over to a new game (JPN). Which is fine, I wonder if the JPN version can play online with the USA versions. We'll find out when I get home. After Corey got home, him and I immediatly left to the electronic store to look at PS3 and PSP stuff. PSP is 18,000 (great price) and comes in MH colors and I think with a free shirt. If I buy that and sell my PSP at home for $50, I'll be happy. Japanese PSP > USA PSP.
So now I'm sitting here thinking about PSPs and Monster Hunter and Corey wants a PS3 so I'm helping with that. All in all everyone at home can suck it because Japan is WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY better than America X10 (maybe not 100).
Phew, thats enough text.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
May 5th
Finished my biology today...hopefully forever. It also rained today. I polished up on my Japanese and built a giant lego tower barely taller than Marc. I also drank some sake/juice stuff and found out alchohol gives me a headache. Which is good, maybe this will be a deterrant from drinking. Looked at a map and found that Japan uses manji (aka the swastika) to mark national parks and such so all you WWII buffs can suck it, the swastika hasn't lost any face here.
Tomorrow I am going to Akihabara all alone...From the house all the way there. I'll meet Yukiko's brother (which now that I think about it, I don't know his name...). Tough parts going alone but at least I'll have my fractured Japanese and a cellphone to guide me. Also gonna wear my Japanese GF shirt so if I don't come back from my adventure, at least hope that I didn't go missing because I couldn't find a train.
Also I'm freakin' out because I have 2 awesome games I want to buy (in Japanese :D) and I don't know which one to go for. There's Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G (hohoho written all in English too) and Persona. I can't decide whether to buy them here and have 'em as collectables (and buy them again...in the states) or only buy one. The real question is can MHP2ndG work with US versions or is there gonna be some trouble.
My money is on trubble so I'm going to probably buy Persona and get some EPIC MONSTER HUNTER STUFFED ANIMALS! Omigosh now where am I gonna find those? I saw an arcade machine with them in there...could I really blow 1000 yen trying to pull 1 stuffed toy out? Meh, I'll figure out something with this Monster Hunter thing. I'm a Monster Hunter fan to the CORE! Which means I'm crazy.
Tomorrow I am going to Akihabara all alone...From the house all the way there. I'll meet Yukiko's brother (which now that I think about it, I don't know his name...). Tough parts going alone but at least I'll have my fractured Japanese and a cellphone to guide me. Also gonna wear my Japanese GF shirt so if I don't come back from my adventure, at least hope that I didn't go missing because I couldn't find a train.
Also I'm freakin' out because I have 2 awesome games I want to buy (in Japanese :D) and I don't know which one to go for. There's Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G (hohoho written all in English too) and Persona. I can't decide whether to buy them here and have 'em as collectables (and buy them again...in the states) or only buy one. The real question is can MHP2ndG work with US versions or is there gonna be some trouble.
My money is on trubble so I'm going to probably buy Persona and get some EPIC MONSTER HUNTER STUFFED ANIMALS! Omigosh now where am I gonna find those? I saw an arcade machine with them in there...could I really blow 1000 yen trying to pull 1 stuffed toy out? Meh, I'll figure out something with this Monster Hunter thing. I'm a Monster Hunter fan to the CORE! Which means I'm crazy.
Monday, May 4, 2009
May 4th
Went to Navy base where Corey works. Discovered that the car GPS greys out all the roads in the base. Then went to some 150 year anniversery thingy and saw a giant robotic spider move around. I then wished I was wearing my "Wanted: Japanese Girlfriend" shirt. Lots of cuties around.
Afterwards we went to a convience store and I talked to the clerk. It went something like this. "????????" I look at the touch screen and pull out the right amount. He says. "O! Hai! ????????" And then asks me a question and won't give me the ice cream. "Ehhh...Hai?" I stutter back. And he looks at me knowing I don't understand. I then wave Yukiko over and she says something and the guy puts a sticker on my ice cream and hands it back. "Arigatou Gozaimashita." I reply bowing a little. I asked what he wanted and Yukiko said he asked if I wanted a bag.
Watched Cinderella III and afterwards built some train armor with Marc before Yukiko handed him the phone. He talked a bit and then said to me "Here, she'll teach you Japanese." I was all like "...ummm..." and he thrusted the phone to me.
"Mushi mushi?" I asked.
"Marku?" A woman replied.
"IIe. Nicholas."
"Oh! Nihon wa dou desu ka?"
"errrr...dou ka?" I replied uncertain.
"Hai."
"I'm sorry, my Japanese is pretty bad."
"Oh! I don't speak English." She replied back.
"Sou desu...Yukiko ka?"
"Hai."
and I handed the phone off. These situations are pretty awkward and not good on the phone at all. Marc said she would teach me Japanese but I don't think he understands that, on the phone, there needs to be a common language. If it was in person, you can just point to stuff and say it but on the phone, that doesn't work too well.
I also got an email today from my bank. They charge 1% fee on all transactions with equals $7.70 if I spend all my money using VISA.
Afterwards we went to a convience store and I talked to the clerk. It went something like this. "????????" I look at the touch screen and pull out the right amount. He says. "O! Hai! ????????" And then asks me a question and won't give me the ice cream. "Ehhh...Hai?" I stutter back. And he looks at me knowing I don't understand. I then wave Yukiko over and she says something and the guy puts a sticker on my ice cream and hands it back. "Arigatou Gozaimashita." I reply bowing a little. I asked what he wanted and Yukiko said he asked if I wanted a bag.
Watched Cinderella III and afterwards built some train armor with Marc before Yukiko handed him the phone. He talked a bit and then said to me "Here, she'll teach you Japanese." I was all like "...ummm..." and he thrusted the phone to me.
"Mushi mushi?" I asked.
"Marku?" A woman replied.
"IIe. Nicholas."
"Oh! Nihon wa dou desu ka?"
"errrr...dou ka?" I replied uncertain.
"Hai."
"I'm sorry, my Japanese is pretty bad."
"Oh! I don't speak English." She replied back.
"Sou desu...Yukiko ka?"
"Hai."
and I handed the phone off. These situations are pretty awkward and not good on the phone at all. Marc said she would teach me Japanese but I don't think he understands that, on the phone, there needs to be a common language. If it was in person, you can just point to stuff and say it but on the phone, that doesn't work too well.
I also got an email today from my bank. They charge 1% fee on all transactions with equals $7.70 if I spend all my money using VISA.
May 3rd
Marc, Marika, and I took Ku on a walk around and explored some of the nearby parks and stuff. We then went to the 100 yen shop (aka Dollar Store) where I found some cool looking cards. Yukiko bought some gelatin/juice hybrid drink that tasted strange but was okay (later saw a commercial for it) and got Corey's computer working all the way.
On the computer, I wrestled with Jonah over Steam so I could talk to my friends and made Casey and Jonah think I was an Account Jacker. Finally got on and let everyone know that I'm alive and Japan is pretty cool.
Went to Marc's swimming lessons at some Army base and realized I needed to wear underwear with my swim trunks, then discovered I need underwear with my shorts. So I held onto my pants a whole lot. Yukiko let me use one of Corey's belts which it turns out a lot of my shorts are too big.
I finally realized that I've seen no Anime but Dragon Ball. Not even Dragon Ball Z, the original Dragon Ball.
-Wrote notes down in notebook
On the computer, I wrestled with Jonah over Steam so I could talk to my friends and made Casey and Jonah think I was an Account Jacker. Finally got on and let everyone know that I'm alive and Japan is pretty cool.
Went to Marc's swimming lessons at some Army base and realized I needed to wear underwear with my swim trunks, then discovered I need underwear with my shorts. So I held onto my pants a whole lot. Yukiko let me use one of Corey's belts which it turns out a lot of my shorts are too big.
I finally realized that I've seen no Anime but Dragon Ball. Not even Dragon Ball Z, the original Dragon Ball.
-Wrote notes down in notebook
Saturday, May 2, 2009
May 3rd 5:54pm; 8:54am
So yesterday we went to Shibuya. We we went on a little walk and I put 5000 yen on a pass card. We then rode a train for a while and the train went from a few people to a whole bunch of people. Finally we got there.
=Sorry if this is sounding lame compared to my other writings, I'm awake at the right times but my mind needs time to get used to the time change=
At Shibuya, we escaped into a huge crowd and had to hold hands so I didn't get lost. We walked around and went to a store called Tokyu Hands and there I found some awesome toys I think Jonah and Andrew would like, but I'll wait til later to see if I want to get them the toys or find something better.
There were arcade shops all over. All the games were fighting games though. They had Street Fighter IV, the arcade game in HD. All we have in America is the first Soul Calibur game running Dreamcast graphics.
Along with the fighting games were the claw games that cost 100 yen. I looked around for some stuff I would like and found a Monster Hunter stuffed cat machine. I was all like "Nooo flippin' waaaaay..." Aparantly Monster Hunter is cool enough to have their own stuffed toy machines in Japan but not cool enough to release Monster Hunter 2 for Playstation 2 in America.
We also went to a music store called HMV and looked around. They had a ton of songs, I found Offspring, Fallout Boy, and a ton of Western albums. We went up to the 2nd floor and I saw the manga. Scanning the shelves I found the one I wanted, "Claymore 1". I already own it in English but having it in Japanese is so much better.
This is the first time I had to test my Japanese too. I asked Corey what to say (and mentally compared it to mine). "Mahn-Stah Huhn-Tah are-e-mas kah?" (not sure if I should type it how it sounds or type how it is in romaji). He was a little confused and went and searched google. After some searching and a phone call he held up two fingers in an X. I said "O, hai. Arigatou Gozaimasu." Did a little head bow and went to pay for my Claymore book.
There I paid with my VISA card (and I need to email or call my bank to see how much they charge to convert currency) and was talking with Corey when he said "She [the clerk] is waiting for you." I looked over and she was politely waiting for me to hand me my bag. I thank you and we walked away. Corey said it was because it is impolite to interrupt people talking. Thats way better than most people in America who just want you to pay and get out.
We then walked towards the 1st floor when Corey asked if I wanted to go up. What could it hurt? I thought and we went upstairs. There I saw some Green Day magazines and decyphered them to say Green Day was coming back after 5 years (or something like that). There was also a semi-big crowd pushing around some stage.
Aparently some Japanese pop idols were doing a promo. After a bit of waiting (and the security guards eyeing us for not hanging out in the crowd) the 3 Japanese girls jump on stage and started singing. They did two songs with a full routine. This is when I noticed the crowd was only guys and about half were mirroring the routine. I couldn't help but laugh when they would raise one arm and wave a finger before pulling back in a fist, their lips mouthing the lyrics.
It was pretty funny and I wouldn't have gotten a free concert if it wasn't for Corey asking if I wanted to see more. Yukiko and the kids came up and we left to explore more.
We ate at some curry shop and then headed back home. I learned about express trains versus local trains and Japanese customer service when asking about the bathrooms and that Japanese people won't crowd Gaijin if they have a choice.
Finally we got home to rest. After some computer problems and fixes we went to a electronic store where I found Persona for PSP at 4600ish yen. Too much for me, I'll find better prices later. We also explored and found USB 1 GB Flash drives for 3500 yen but they also came with software and games, so you get a storage device and software. I also learned that Japan makes prices based on demand. We found a PSP for 6000 yen! (thats ~$60).
Afterwards we went to a book store where we asked for "Mahn-stah hahn-tah hone." (spelt Monster Hunter Hon). The clerk was like. "Gamu ka?" And Corey said. "Iie, hon, hon." After a bit of searching they found my Monster Hunter Manga that I can read but not understand!
So Today I bought 3 books for 1000 yen. Waaaay cheaper than in America. The Monster Hunter manga was 250 a piece where it would have been $8 in the USA.
Afterwards I went home and thought about how odd their house design was. They have locks on a gate you can lean over and unlock, two locks on the front door, a lock on the living room door (when there is another sliding door that cannot be locked), a lock on the toilet door but no lock on the washroom door.
I took my little sitdown shower and then the hottub soak and Mark and Marika kept knocking on the door and opening it then giggling. After they went away, I tried to open the door but it was locked! I didn't wanna break anything so I didn't pull too hard but after looking at the door up and down, I found there to be a tiny lock at the bottom. I unlocked it and looked back at the door and it wasn't available on the outside. I must have pushed it or something by accident.
So all I gotta do now is Email my bank and asked about currency conversion fees.
=Sorry if this is sounding lame compared to my other writings, I'm awake at the right times but my mind needs time to get used to the time change=
At Shibuya, we escaped into a huge crowd and had to hold hands so I didn't get lost. We walked around and went to a store called Tokyu Hands and there I found some awesome toys I think Jonah and Andrew would like, but I'll wait til later to see if I want to get them the toys or find something better.
There were arcade shops all over. All the games were fighting games though. They had Street Fighter IV, the arcade game in HD. All we have in America is the first Soul Calibur game running Dreamcast graphics.
Along with the fighting games were the claw games that cost 100 yen. I looked around for some stuff I would like and found a Monster Hunter stuffed cat machine. I was all like "Nooo flippin' waaaaay..." Aparantly Monster Hunter is cool enough to have their own stuffed toy machines in Japan but not cool enough to release Monster Hunter 2 for Playstation 2 in America.
We also went to a music store called HMV and looked around. They had a ton of songs, I found Offspring, Fallout Boy, and a ton of Western albums. We went up to the 2nd floor and I saw the manga. Scanning the shelves I found the one I wanted, "Claymore 1". I already own it in English but having it in Japanese is so much better.
This is the first time I had to test my Japanese too. I asked Corey what to say (and mentally compared it to mine). "Mahn-Stah Huhn-Tah are-e-mas kah?" (not sure if I should type it how it sounds or type how it is in romaji). He was a little confused and went and searched google. After some searching and a phone call he held up two fingers in an X. I said "O, hai. Arigatou Gozaimasu." Did a little head bow and went to pay for my Claymore book.
There I paid with my VISA card (and I need to email or call my bank to see how much they charge to convert currency) and was talking with Corey when he said "She [the clerk] is waiting for you." I looked over and she was politely waiting for me to hand me my bag. I thank you and we walked away. Corey said it was because it is impolite to interrupt people talking. Thats way better than most people in America who just want you to pay and get out.
We then walked towards the 1st floor when Corey asked if I wanted to go up. What could it hurt? I thought and we went upstairs. There I saw some Green Day magazines and decyphered them to say Green Day was coming back after 5 years (or something like that). There was also a semi-big crowd pushing around some stage.
Aparently some Japanese pop idols were doing a promo. After a bit of waiting (and the security guards eyeing us for not hanging out in the crowd) the 3 Japanese girls jump on stage and started singing. They did two songs with a full routine. This is when I noticed the crowd was only guys and about half were mirroring the routine. I couldn't help but laugh when they would raise one arm and wave a finger before pulling back in a fist, their lips mouthing the lyrics.
It was pretty funny and I wouldn't have gotten a free concert if it wasn't for Corey asking if I wanted to see more. Yukiko and the kids came up and we left to explore more.
We ate at some curry shop and then headed back home. I learned about express trains versus local trains and Japanese customer service when asking about the bathrooms and that Japanese people won't crowd Gaijin if they have a choice.
Finally we got home to rest. After some computer problems and fixes we went to a electronic store where I found Persona for PSP at 4600ish yen. Too much for me, I'll find better prices later. We also explored and found USB 1 GB Flash drives for 3500 yen but they also came with software and games, so you get a storage device and software. I also learned that Japan makes prices based on demand. We found a PSP for 6000 yen! (thats ~$60).
Afterwards we went to a book store where we asked for "Mahn-stah hahn-tah hone." (spelt Monster Hunter Hon). The clerk was like. "Gamu ka?" And Corey said. "Iie, hon, hon." After a bit of searching they found my Monster Hunter Manga that I can read but not understand!
So Today I bought 3 books for 1000 yen. Waaaay cheaper than in America. The Monster Hunter manga was 250 a piece where it would have been $8 in the USA.
Afterwards I went home and thought about how odd their house design was. They have locks on a gate you can lean over and unlock, two locks on the front door, a lock on the living room door (when there is another sliding door that cannot be locked), a lock on the toilet door but no lock on the washroom door.
I took my little sitdown shower and then the hottub soak and Mark and Marika kept knocking on the door and opening it then giggling. After they went away, I tried to open the door but it was locked! I didn't wanna break anything so I didn't pull too hard but after looking at the door up and down, I found there to be a tiny lock at the bottom. I unlocked it and looked back at the door and it wasn't available on the outside. I must have pushed it or something by accident.
So all I gotta do now is Email my bank and asked about currency conversion fees.
Friday, May 1, 2009
May 2nd 6:08pm; 9:08am
So it all went alright. I beat the timechange monster in one day and met some very nice people on the trip here. First I met a BSU basketball player visiting her mother in Orange County. After the first flight to SFO (San Francisco Airport) I tried to look up my flight and met a Navy Officer who was also flying to Narita. He and I found out flights (turned out to be seperate) and kept each other company during the 5 hour layover. We talked about a lot of stuff and it turns out he was from McCall and was visiting his dying mother and now returning to Japan for his wife. During the huge 12 hour flight, I met a nice man and we talked about stuff but nothing really big or long. Eventually I slept for 1 or 2 hours and then watched 2 and 1/2 movies.
I caught the ending of "When the Earth Stood Still", some rugby movie, and "Marley and Me". I almost cried during most of these movies because they all focused on love and friendship, which everyone at home (and Cory and Yukiko) had given me more than I could ever use.
But before we left the plane, a quarintine thing happened where they heat scanned us for Swine Flu and we had to fill out 3 papers. They asked us to not film or take pictures after the quarintine people left. One guy was filming it all along :P.
Then I arrived and had to weave my way through customs and such. I finally made it out to find Cory right there waiting for me. We changed some dollars to yen and then left for the long car ride back.
During my flight I saw Japan as a patchwork of prepared land for development but down on the ground everything looked insane. The roads weave and dodge around, its no wonder all cars (or at least Cory's) had a GPS. All the buildings and architecture reminded me of junkyard towns. Where stuff is build all weirdly and the buildings look old. In a tunnel they had different bathroom tile sets running along the wall. But I was awesome. I found myself thinking "They just built and then said 'Oh snap! We gotta build roads too'". The house is very nice and I used the toilet with a seatwarmer and anus squirter. I then took a Japanese shower thingy.
You sit on a stool with a shower and a facet and just wash, then you uncover a deep tub and take a mini hottub. Screw spending thousands on a hottub, you can soak anytime in the house. No chemicles, no wasted water.
The Japanese are also big on energy saving, so even though Yukiko has a drier, she dries them outside. Oh! And all the cars are super skinny but so are the roads. Like those square scion cars are very skinny. Today I'm going to Shibuya with Cory (I think). Eventually I can just ride a train to Shibuya on my own but its waaaaaay too soon for that stuff.
I called my family told them I didn't die in a firey explosion. So alls good there.
I love you guys, now I'm going to eat breakfast.
I caught the ending of "When the Earth Stood Still", some rugby movie, and "Marley and Me". I almost cried during most of these movies because they all focused on love and friendship, which everyone at home (and Cory and Yukiko) had given me more than I could ever use.
But before we left the plane, a quarintine thing happened where they heat scanned us for Swine Flu and we had to fill out 3 papers. They asked us to not film or take pictures after the quarintine people left. One guy was filming it all along :P.
Then I arrived and had to weave my way through customs and such. I finally made it out to find Cory right there waiting for me. We changed some dollars to yen and then left for the long car ride back.
During my flight I saw Japan as a patchwork of prepared land for development but down on the ground everything looked insane. The roads weave and dodge around, its no wonder all cars (or at least Cory's) had a GPS. All the buildings and architecture reminded me of junkyard towns. Where stuff is build all weirdly and the buildings look old. In a tunnel they had different bathroom tile sets running along the wall. But I was awesome. I found myself thinking "They just built and then said 'Oh snap! We gotta build roads too'". The house is very nice and I used the toilet with a seatwarmer and anus squirter. I then took a Japanese shower thingy.
You sit on a stool with a shower and a facet and just wash, then you uncover a deep tub and take a mini hottub. Screw spending thousands on a hottub, you can soak anytime in the house. No chemicles, no wasted water.
The Japanese are also big on energy saving, so even though Yukiko has a drier, she dries them outside. Oh! And all the cars are super skinny but so are the roads. Like those square scion cars are very skinny. Today I'm going to Shibuya with Cory (I think). Eventually I can just ride a train to Shibuya on my own but its waaaaaay too soon for that stuff.
I called my family told them I didn't die in a firey explosion. So alls good there.
I love you guys, now I'm going to eat breakfast.
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