After being deprived of my weekend last week, in favor of the school sports day, an enkai and a speech contest (not to mention helping out my little visitors), I finally get repaid this weekend, with an extra day off. Today, in fact! Happy Sports and Health Day, Japan! You know what I did to celebrate? I certainly didn't do anything healthy or sporty, and I spent a lot of time indoors. Thanks, internet!
I actually spent a considerable amount of time this weekend on the videophone talking to people back home. It's awesome the Skype is free, from computer to computer. Imagine if I had tried this trip 15 years ago. I'd probably have been sending letters and buying phonecards. You certainly wouldn't be able to read this blog right now. Instead, I can have instantaneous communication from one side of the world with another. I guess technology does have it's ups, as well as its downs.
The only kind of sporty thing I did today was help Nigel fix his bike up a little bike. Japanese bikes are different in a lot of ways. Like I have said before, we ride mama-cherries here, and it seems like everyone else does, too. But, there are a couple of things that make a lot more sense than the bikes at home. For instance, just about every bike has a tiny headlight on it, with an attached dynamo, powered by the rotating front wheel. No batteries, nothing. Just a tiny electrical engine that hardly takes any energy at all while pedaling. Also, almost all bike locks are attached directly to the frame, making it impossible to forget your lock at home (like I always did in the states). Anyway, Nigel and I figured out what Japanese degreaser looked like, got some lubricant and I cleaned up his chain and cogs, worked out a simple electrical problem with his lamp, and put on a new lock. Tiny maintainance, but it reminds me of how good it feels to work, even just a little bit, to better something right in front of you in a finite amount of time. Two hours later, Nigel's riding a lot better than he was, and it cost about 10 bucks.
I'd almost like to be a bike mechanic when I get back to America. But, that's only if my career as busboy/dishwasher doesn't pan out. Oh, boy!
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3 comments:
Busboy?? I thought you were set on being a Cowboy Millionaire Hacker Cartoonist Stuntman?
Hey man! I left you a message on your AIM earlier. If you didn't get it, just shoot me an e-mail (marcus.degen@gmail.com) and I'll respond back with what I'd originally sent you.
hey, been a while, but I just caught up with your blog. It's good to hear you're picking up the lingo. Let me know if you have any questions. Remember that you have to help me get through the application for that whole rigamarole.
cousin hector.
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