I'm at the gym and just finished my workout and bath with comprehensive shave. Ahhhhhhh it feels good. I have to go home and cook tonight because I forgot my wallet in my work bag and didn't grab it on the way out.
There is a really hairy, obese naked Japanese guy standing right next to me here in the change rooms. I am sitting down and just cooling off a bit from the bath so his not unsubstantial oshiri is face height. I've never had that much blubber a mere foot from my face before. It is not the most pleasant experience. Well at least he was clean...
I wonder if I'll get my appetite back by the time I get home?
Itadakimasu!
Cam
Monday, September 28, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Storage King
Thats the name of the 1mX1mX2m high space I just rented for about $30/mo to store all theboxes of books etc., business document archives, suitcases, coolers, sports gear, Etsy obi I haven't sold yet and two bicycles: Storage Oo or Storage King.
It all fit. But I had to do some creative puzzling.
Well it hasn't all gone in yet. I still couldn't pick up my orange mtn bike from my friend's balcony. That will be a challenge.
I waited for the key to come today then caught the trains to Mayu's. We drove to Shinjuku together, I dropped her off about 18:30 Nd drove home. It took me over an hour to get her as traffic was slow going.
Then I loaded up the hallway then the elevator then the inner libby then the oute lobby then Mayu's car, brught everything here and unloaded it. I then carried box by box up to my trunk room (what they call storage here in Japan) and loaded it in. Each box was probably about 50lbs each Nd there were about 12 of those plus smaller ones.
Then I drove back and repeated the entire process over again with a second car load!
Well now I have some white space in my tiny apt and after I move some of the necessary-to-keep boxes out of the den I'll be able to set that up in a semi-finished fashion.
Then all I need to do is get my boxed up workout machine shipped off to NZ! Since I only have weekends and no internet the logistics aspects of this transaction suck. We are getting there. Maybe by November my apt will be completely done. That. would. be. grand.
For now I guess I will go and park Mayu's car for the night then go and create some white space in the fridge where the beer rests. And I. need. meat. I haven't eaten anything since lunch at May's at 3:00 this afternoon.
It's a good thing I don't have skinny legs otherwise I may not have been able to haul all this stuff on my own. Oh... wait a minute...
Thumbing from Mayu's car in the Storage King's unloading space...
Cam
It all fit. But I had to do some creative puzzling.
Well it hasn't all gone in yet. I still couldn't pick up my orange mtn bike from my friend's balcony. That will be a challenge.
I waited for the key to come today then caught the trains to Mayu's. We drove to Shinjuku together, I dropped her off about 18:30 Nd drove home. It took me over an hour to get her as traffic was slow going.
Then I loaded up the hallway then the elevator then the inner libby then the oute lobby then Mayu's car, brught everything here and unloaded it. I then carried box by box up to my trunk room (what they call storage here in Japan) and loaded it in. Each box was probably about 50lbs each Nd there were about 12 of those plus smaller ones.
Then I drove back and repeated the entire process over again with a second car load!
Well now I have some white space in my tiny apt and after I move some of the necessary-to-keep boxes out of the den I'll be able to set that up in a semi-finished fashion.
Then all I need to do is get my boxed up workout machine shipped off to NZ! Since I only have weekends and no internet the logistics aspects of this transaction suck. We are getting there. Maybe by November my apt will be completely done. That. would. be. grand.
For now I guess I will go and park Mayu's car for the night then go and create some white space in the fridge where the beer rests. And I. need. meat. I haven't eaten anything since lunch at May's at 3:00 this afternoon.
It's a good thing I don't have skinny legs otherwise I may not have been able to haul all this stuff on my own. Oh... wait a minute...
Thumbing from Mayu's car in the Storage King's unloading space...
Cam
Friday, September 25, 2009
Parchedment & Weed-less
You know it just occured to me that I have been living in Tokyo for almost a month and I honestly don't recall more than two ... maybe three days at the VERY most of rain!!! For the past 20 years (in Fukui) it has been raining about three fays a week! And I don't mean, "Was that a raindrop or did you just spit on me, Mayu?" kind of rain either. That is, I must admit, ... nice.
And...
I have not pulled (or seen) a single weed for an entire month! That gives me mixed emoticons.
And...
I have not pulled (or seen) a single weed for an entire month! That gives me mixed emoticons.
Ferret Mode
Ahhhh... IAm sure glad I didn't have to give up the sento. There is one here at the gym...
I just finished my workout and bath. Actually the workout only took about 90 minutes including my floor work but after that I did some deep breathing... and fell asleep for about 40 minutes! That's how heavy my weights are;as soon as I slow down my body goes into "ferret mode." Good thing there are numerous mats.
Now Im cooling down the core after the hot soak so I don't sweat all the way home.
I like being naked...
See ya later!
I just finished my workout and bath. Actually the workout only took about 90 minutes including my floor work but after that I did some deep breathing... and fell asleep for about 40 minutes! That's how heavy my weights are;as soon as I slow down my body goes into "ferret mode." Good thing there are numerous mats.
Now Im cooling down the core after the hot soak so I don't sweat all the way home.
I like being naked...
See ya later!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Zzzzzapped!
Wow... the sensory overload of The Big Rice Bowl must have caught up with me.
I really wanted to go to the gym tonight but by the time I was ready to leave work I was already starting to feel extremely tired. I got home about 19:30 and had a quick shower because I was sweaty from the office heat. Japanesev people have a lower body temp than white people so the office is always too hot for me.I thought I'd lY down for just a bit but the next thing I knew it was 10pm.
I guess that for people who live here it is nothing unususl but for me the constant barrage of... everything has my senses overloaded.
There is no moment when it is quiet; cars and people are everywhere. All the time. I live near an expressway so the background noise really is exactly that.
There is no moment when it is dark; lights everywhere give the city a constant glow all night.
There is no moment when it is "empty"; people are in constant motion, all day all night.
There is no moment of "native familiarity"; my work environment is 100% Japanese so my mind is on high alert working in a second language with unfamiliar words and phrases in an industry I have no former history.
In Fukui, though it was time for me to move on, I worked out of MY SPACE so was in control of the atmosphere. The nights were pitch black being surrounded by mountains and rice paddies. People closed rhemselves into their homes at 9pm and rarely used the night air. The crickets and frogs would go to sleep so nothing would be left but the breeze in the trees and my chimes quietly releasing their soothing cosmicmelodies that relaxed rather than jarred the soul (though The Dickheads may have thought differently).
For 20 years I have been coming to Tokyo... but for three or four days at most. I would always go home jittery and stressed from the "life here".
Even though it is a short week due to the previous few holidays I feel like I have been working forever (sitting at one's desk and pouringminutely over edited documents for hours on end looking at every piece of punctuation doesn't help either.) And throw into the pile that my global network has been unreachable since moving here due ro the lack of internet in my place and you get a fairly good idea of the current challenges I face that other Japanese here in Tokyo/my office may not be able to comprehend.
I wonder how long it will take before my ... me doesn't get zapped from this sensory overload and deprivation from my natural surroundings?
Have a good day.
Cam
I really wanted to go to the gym tonight but by the time I was ready to leave work I was already starting to feel extremely tired. I got home about 19:30 and had a quick shower because I was sweaty from the office heat. Japanesev people have a lower body temp than white people so the office is always too hot for me.I thought I'd lY down for just a bit but the next thing I knew it was 10pm.
I guess that for people who live here it is nothing unususl but for me the constant barrage of... everything has my senses overloaded.
There is no moment when it is quiet; cars and people are everywhere. All the time. I live near an expressway so the background noise really is exactly that.
There is no moment when it is dark; lights everywhere give the city a constant glow all night.
There is no moment when it is "empty"; people are in constant motion, all day all night.
There is no moment of "native familiarity"; my work environment is 100% Japanese so my mind is on high alert working in a second language with unfamiliar words and phrases in an industry I have no former history.
In Fukui, though it was time for me to move on, I worked out of MY SPACE so was in control of the atmosphere. The nights were pitch black being surrounded by mountains and rice paddies. People closed rhemselves into their homes at 9pm and rarely used the night air. The crickets and frogs would go to sleep so nothing would be left but the breeze in the trees and my chimes quietly releasing their soothing cosmicmelodies that relaxed rather than jarred the soul (though The Dickheads may have thought differently).
For 20 years I have been coming to Tokyo... but for three or four days at most. I would always go home jittery and stressed from the "life here".
Even though it is a short week due to the previous few holidays I feel like I have been working forever (sitting at one's desk and pouringminutely over edited documents for hours on end looking at every piece of punctuation doesn't help either.) And throw into the pile that my global network has been unreachable since moving here due ro the lack of internet in my place and you get a fairly good idea of the current challenges I face that other Japanese here in Tokyo/my office may not be able to comprehend.
I wonder how long it will take before my ... me doesn't get zapped from this sensory overload and deprivation from my natural surroundings?
Have a good day.
Cam
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Not so balmy in Bamiyan
Good evening,
Well I did actually get to work today for about 3.33333 hrs. I got one document hand-edited and helped one of the others with their J --> E work. I caught the train back to my station and decided to have dinner at one of the cheap chinese chow chains called Bamiyan. Ill have msguts tomorrow but thats life.
So what kept me from going in earlier as initially planned, you ask? I dont like the idea of my walk in closet being jam paced full of boxes. I like white space and air circulation. Moving to a new place with no possibility of expanding in any way is not pleasant to me. So I spent time looking at storage containers in the hood. Id rather pay to put my extara bikes and unused but essential IMS (my company) archived accounting and books I don't need around etc. away and out of my constant sight.
Then I went for a bike ride to Tokyo Bay at low tide and chatted with some homeless homies under the expressway who live in handmade shanties that are probably warmer than the first house I lived in when I was in Ono City.
I rode around a bit more then headed home. I ate some food, did a load of laundry and opened up all my boxes to find my english-related books (dictionaries etc.) and take them to work (which I did). Then it was 17:00 and I caught the 17:12 train to work. It was quiet so I enjoyed my train reading while sitting down for the 20 min trip.
The bad thing about today is that my hippydippy bag caught on my bike seat and tore the strap/bag stitching almost clear through so now the strap is "hanging by a thread"... Im not going to be able to use it for commuting until I get it fixed *sigh*. I'll miss it as I use it every day wherever I go. It is the only bag in my history that I have never gotten tired of. And the best thing is that it gets better as it "rats out" with age.
Time to give my thumbs a rest and finish my dinner then go home, bring in the laundry, have a shower and get ready for a full day at work tomorrow on the holiday. Too bad we don't get time and a half or double time for working overtime or on holidays. We just get time. Thats OK as I have already amassed an extra day off that I have to take this month.
I love you!
Cam
Well I did actually get to work today for about 3.33333 hrs. I got one document hand-edited and helped one of the others with their J --> E work. I caught the train back to my station and decided to have dinner at one of the cheap chinese chow chains called Bamiyan. Ill have msguts tomorrow but thats life.
So what kept me from going in earlier as initially planned, you ask? I dont like the idea of my walk in closet being jam paced full of boxes. I like white space and air circulation. Moving to a new place with no possibility of expanding in any way is not pleasant to me. So I spent time looking at storage containers in the hood. Id rather pay to put my extara bikes and unused but essential IMS (my company) archived accounting and books I don't need around etc. away and out of my constant sight.
Then I went for a bike ride to Tokyo Bay at low tide and chatted with some homeless homies under the expressway who live in handmade shanties that are probably warmer than the first house I lived in when I was in Ono City.
I rode around a bit more then headed home. I ate some food, did a load of laundry and opened up all my boxes to find my english-related books (dictionaries etc.) and take them to work (which I did). Then it was 17:00 and I caught the 17:12 train to work. It was quiet so I enjoyed my train reading while sitting down for the 20 min trip.
The bad thing about today is that my hippydippy bag caught on my bike seat and tore the strap/bag stitching almost clear through so now the strap is "hanging by a thread"... Im not going to be able to use it for commuting until I get it fixed *sigh*. I'll miss it as I use it every day wherever I go. It is the only bag in my history that I have never gotten tired of. And the best thing is that it gets better as it "rats out" with age.
Time to give my thumbs a rest and finish my dinner then go home, bring in the laundry, have a shower and get ready for a full day at work tomorrow on the holiday. Too bad we don't get time and a half or double time for working overtime or on holidays. We just get time. Thats OK as I have already amassed an extra day off that I have to take this month.
I love you!
Cam
Monday, September 21, 2009
I had a THN... and a THD!
My neighbour is moving today and I only got to say hi to her and her gorgeous french bulldog Moosh twice. *tears* But today I caught her having a smoke on the balcony so we got to chat as the movers are taking her stuff away. She even showed me what her apt looks like so I got to see how different it is from mine. (And then I showed her my apt under the auspices of layout comparison... but really I wanted her to see my metrosexual decorating ability. She was impressed! Yaaay!!)
Moosh just recently started to be a bit more vocal so she was worried it would bother me. However she was relieved to know I love dogs and it didnt bother me at all.
THN is a PR marketing manager for Givenchy (so you can imagine why I call her "THN") and when she told me that I just had to do a bit of name dropping and tell her my all-time favourite perfume for me is my PI. She was impressed (again). I can't complain. It's kind of nice when a country bumpkin like me can impress a gorgeous big city woman...
I'll miss my THN (The Hot Neighbour) and THD (..Dog). She is a welcomei (and great conversationalist as I discovered today) sight compared to my previous six years of living next door to The Dickheads and 12 years before that living surrounded by lovely chatty geriatrics who dont bother putting their teeth in in the morning because they are just going out to work in their gardens and the plants don't give two shakes of a wildboar's tail. It was a good 30 minute or so chat. (She was impressed by my Japanese... woohoo! Third time lucky!!)
I think Ill go for a short ride to the river to test out the new slick tires Max sent me for my birthday then head into work. Even though it's a holiday I have some major editing to do by friday and might as well clock in for my time. At least the company will know I'm working. Tomorrow is the last day of a very long weekend and the first day of autumn but we have to work anyway. This kind of ELW (extra long weekend) is a great way for the government to make people happy but it is really not sustainable in the business world so many people will be working tomorrow in spite of the official holiday.
Have a great day!
Cam
P.S. Don't forget we/you are moving into winter time now so you will all go one hour further into the past while we in Japanese stay firmly fixed in the future. So if you were "two" back you will now be "three". And if you were only "one" for the next six months you'll be "two".
P.S. My thumbs are tired!
Moosh just recently started to be a bit more vocal so she was worried it would bother me. However she was relieved to know I love dogs and it didnt bother me at all.
THN is a PR marketing manager for Givenchy (so you can imagine why I call her "THN") and when she told me that I just had to do a bit of name dropping and tell her my all-time favourite perfume for me is my PI. She was impressed (again). I can't complain. It's kind of nice when a country bumpkin like me can impress a gorgeous big city woman...
I'll miss my THN (The Hot Neighbour) and THD (..Dog). She is a welcomei (and great conversationalist as I discovered today) sight compared to my previous six years of living next door to The Dickheads and 12 years before that living surrounded by lovely chatty geriatrics who dont bother putting their teeth in in the morning because they are just going out to work in their gardens and the plants don't give two shakes of a wildboar's tail. It was a good 30 minute or so chat. (She was
I think Ill go for a short ride to the river to test out the new slick tires Max sent me for my birthday then head into work. Even though it's a holiday I have some major editing to do by friday and might as well clock in for my time. At least the company will know I'm working. Tomorrow is the last day of a very long weekend and the first day of autumn but we have to work anyway. This kind of ELW (extra long weekend) is a great way for the government to make people happy but it is really not sustainable in the business world so many people will be working tomorrow in spite of the official holiday.
Have a great day!
Cam
P.S. Don't forget we/you are moving into winter time now so you will all go one hour further into the past while we in Japanese stay firmly fixed in the future. So if you were "two" back you will now be "three". And if you were only "one" for the next six months you'll be "two".
P.S. My thumbs are tired!
A Good Day in the Big Rice Bowl
It's 22:30 and I just finished a second glass of wine. Going to jump in the shower and wash away the grime of the concrete jungle. I won't be able to get my soul clean as only the dirt of nature which is Mother Nature's soap can cleanse that well.
Mayu and I went to Shinjuku today in the late afternoon after the courier came and picked up my desktop to send to my friend Rob. We had dinner at the American Grill near Takashimaya at Shinjuku minami guchi (south exit) and then Starbucks below. I sent Mayu off to work and walked around the station to Bic Camera. It was perfect autumn weather.
I bought the smallest 8GB USB memory stick they had (the size of a chicklet) and a docking station for my keitai because they don't come with keitai anymore.
Then I caught the train back and enjoyed reading for the 30min ride.
Tomorrow is a holiday but I think I will go in for a few hours and do some editing that needs to be done by Friday. We have to work on Wedthe other national holiday (First day of autumn).
In Bic Camera I saw a tiny GPS system that is designed to be hand portable but also has an after-market adaptor to mount the gpsvto your bike!! I want it!
And that's about it from me today.
Have a great day!!!
Cam
Mayu and I went to Shinjuku today in the late afternoon after the courier came and picked up my desktop to send to my friend Rob. We had dinner at the American Grill near Takashimaya at Shinjuku minami guchi (south exit) and then Starbucks below. I sent Mayu off to work and walked around the station to Bic Camera. It was perfect autumn weather.
I bought the smallest 8GB USB memory stick they had (the size of a chicklet) and a docking station for my keitai because they don't come with keitai anymore.
Then I caught the train back and enjoyed reading for the 30min ride.
Tomorrow is a holiday but I think I will go in for a few hours and do some editing that needs to be done by Friday. We have to work on Wedthe other national holiday (First day of autumn).
In Bic Camera I saw a tiny GPS system that is designed to be hand portable but also has an after-market adaptor to mount the gpsvto your bike!! I want it!
And that's about it from me today.
Have a great day!!!
Cam
Sunday, September 20, 2009
A Harmatastic Day!
I met Matt in Tokyo today. We wandered around GinzaAnd were amazed @ all the rich Chinese people we saw. That country has made leaps and bounds over the past few years. It helps that Japan relaxed the restrictions on Chinese tourists. Before they could only come in a tour group but now they can come if they have lots of money.
We went to UniQlo, Geox Shoes, Starbucks, Lacoste and then headed back to The Harmacy where we kicked back with a few beer, no socks and some amazing BlueRay video on hi-Def TV. The detail wasvmind blowing!!
We got hungry and walked down the street to The Monsoon Cafe which is next door and had a great dinner. Then Matt took me up to the rooftop and we made out... I mean he showed ne all the tall buildings and where the various areas of Tokyo are.
Always the gentleman he walked me back to the stn and I headed home. It's coffee time so have a great day!
Thanks for an awesome lazy no-plan kick-back Sunday, Matt!
I love you!
Cam
We went to UniQlo, Geox Shoes, Starbucks, Lacoste and then headed back to The Harmacy where we kicked back with a few beer, no socks and some amazing BlueRay video on hi-Def TV. The detail wasvmind blowing!!
We got hungry and walked down the street to The Monsoon Cafe which is next door and had a great dinner. Then Matt took me up to the rooftop and we made out... I mean he showed ne all the tall buildings and where the various areas of Tokyo are.
Always the gentleman he walked me back to the stn and I headed home. It's coffee time so have a great day!
Thanks for an awesome lazy no-plan kick-back Sunday, Matt!
I love you!
Cam
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Passing up...
on the 8:14 train to catch the 8:19 one because it gets me to work five minutes later which is better.
This morning I chatted with one of the guys living in my complex on the way down in the elevator and to the station. I wanted to know the layout of his apt to see how different it is from mine. His apt has two rooms while mine has one bedroom only but the area is the same which means hislivingroom is half my size. I like my big LR better. His other room is a tatami room while mine is all flooring.
I got my special spot on the train now. I wonder if the woman I see every morning who gets on at the next stop and stands here behind me will be here...?
Nope. Not today. Maybe she caught one earlier. Time to read so...
Have a great day!
Cam
This morning I chatted with one of the guys living in my complex on the way down in the elevator and to the station. I wanted to know the layout of his apt to see how different it is from mine. His apt has two rooms while mine has one bedroom only but the area is the same which means hislivingroom is half my size. I like my big LR better. His other room is a tatami room while mine is all flooring.
I got my special spot on the train now. I wonder if the woman I see every morning who gets on at the next stop and stands here behind me will be here...?
Nope. Not today. Maybe she caught one earlier. Time to read so...
Have a great day!
Cam
Chilly Night & Computer Maintenance
I'm sitting on my balcony sipping my bedtime triple espresso...
I decided not to go to the gym tonight as I definitely have the cold that seems to be running through the company. Since there is nothing that can be done about colds and flus other than to let them run their course I figured I might as well get it over with now.
I spent the evening backing up all my data on my desktop then deleting them from the computer sand deleting a lot of programs. I decided to send my computer to my friend Rob and his wife. They were kind enough to offer me a little compensation for it as well. From now on I will live off my notebook and make that my at-home computer. after all I really don't need three. I lan to travel with my mini notebook and this hone from now on.
It's after 11pm so I stopped doing all the maintenance for the night. I'll continue another day. As anyone who has ever been a power user knows working on altering your computer after 11pm is rather dangerous as weird stuff starts to happen at that time. Who knows why but it just seems to be the case.
Have a great day!
Cam
I decided not to go to the gym tonight as I definitely have the cold that seems to be running through the company. Since there is nothing that can be done about colds and flus other than to let them run their course I figured I might as well get it over with now.
I spent the evening backing up all my data on my desktop then deleting them from the computer sand deleting a lot of programs. I decided to send my computer to my friend Rob and his wife. They were kind enough to offer me a little compensation for it as well. From now on I will live off my notebook and make that my at-home computer. after all I really don't need three. I lan to travel with my mini notebook and this hone from now on.
It's after 11pm so I stopped doing all the maintenance for the night. I'll continue another day. As anyone who has ever been a power user knows working on altering your computer after 11pm is rather dangerous as weird stuff starts to happen at that time. Who knows why but it just seems to be the case.
Have a great day!
Cam
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Mask Usage in Japan
Today on the way to work I was thinking about all the people wearing masks in Japan...
In the past people wore them to prevent others from catching their colds.
These days, with the huge talk about the H1N1 (swine) flu virus, the WHO has created a global panic by talking about how dangerous and deadly it is.
Now we can see many more people wearing masks in Tokyo than ever before. When I asked someone why they wear a mask, they told me that it is because they are afraid of the new flu virus and do not want to catch it.
So... this means that the use of masks has shifted from not wanting to give away one's cold to not wanting to get another's cold.
Globally this is a very "hot" topic and there is much controversy about this "new" flu virus. No matter which side of the fence your opinion lies, the mask manufacturers are making a LOT of money these days!
Have a great day.
Cam
Exercise Levels Vary Dramatically
Im on the train home. My cold is getting worse but Im getting the hang of the best place to get on and off the train, which cars to ride, where to stand so the rushcrush is minimized and what train to take in the morning as well aas what time to leave home so I arrive moments before my train does.
I realized today that every day I go up and down a total of about 10 flights of stairs to get to and from my office and then another 30 flights during the day going up and down to the various departments. When I think back to my daily life in Fukui I might have done the equivalent amount of... maybe four?
My situation here is not particularly unusual as a good number of people here are always taking the stairs instead of elevators and escalators during their commuting time. And if they do take escalators probably more than half of them walk up the escalators rather than just standing there like a pole.
This brings me to an interesting difference between Kanto i.e. Tokyo people and Kansai region i.e. Osaka people. Through the ages they have always vied for supremacy in all aspects like business, fashion, etc. and do things quite differently.
In Tokyo people stand on the left of the escalator and walk up the right half but in Osaka they stand on the right and keep the left open for walkers! How interesting. In Fukui they just stand there taking up the entire space and don't care about walkers. What slugs!
Well I am almost at my station so this post took me about 20 minutes to thumb out on my phone.
Have a great day and try to fit some fitness into your daily routine. I don't mean go to a gym every day but rather everyday activities. If you can walk then walk.If you can do something manually or use a machine pick the manual way. Your body will thank you!
I'm at my station now so time to walk up three flights of stairs to get to the street level and walk home. I take an elevator up to my 11th storey flat. I'm not dumb!
I love you!
Cam
I realized today that every day I go up and down a total of about 10 flights of stairs to get to and from my office and then another 30 flights during the day going up and down to the various departments. When I think back to my daily life in Fukui I might have done the equivalent amount of... maybe four?
My situation here is not particularly unusual as a good number of people here are always taking the stairs instead of elevators and escalators during their commuting time. And if they do take escalators probably more than half of them walk up the escalators rather than just standing there like a pole.
This brings me to an interesting difference between Kanto i.e. Tokyo people and Kansai region i.e. Osaka people. Through the ages they have always vied for supremacy in all aspects like business, fashion, etc. and do things quite differently.
In Tokyo people stand on the left of the escalator and walk up the right half but in Osaka they stand on the right and keep the left open for walkers! How interesting. In Fukui they just stand there taking up the entire space and don't care about walkers. What slugs!
Well I am almost at my station so this post took me about 20 minutes to thumb out on my phone.
Have a great day and try to fit some fitness into your daily routine. I don't mean go to a gym every day but rather everyday activities. If you can walk then walk.If you can do something manually or use a machine pick the manual way. Your body will thank you!
I'm at my station now so time to walk up three flights of stairs to get to the street level and walk home. I take an elevator up to my 11th storey flat. I'm not dumb!
I love you!
Cam
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Update from the Land of No Internet
I am on a computer at the moment... yes, my Toshiba baby that I love so much! And since I am writing this, you may assume that I am connected to the internet. But it's not my apartmet, nope. I'm out at the library....
The library has free wifi so I got a library card and brought my computer over here after shopping at the supermarket below the library. The library is next door. The supermarkets (three of them) are next door. The book store is next door. The DVD shop is next door. The drug store is next door. The dry cleaner is next door. The station is next door. The cheapest parkade in Japan is next door (JPY 100 / hr or JPY 500 for 12hrs). There is a great curry restaurant next door. McDonald's is next door. There are several pachinkos next door. The pharmacy is next door. The dentist is next door. I have seen over 10 hairstylists now... all next door! This is a pretty convenient spot!
If only my home were as convenient....
I went to Mayu's yesterday to pick up her folding sofa bed (I bought her a new bed so the sofa isn't free.. essentially I paid for it). We were going to come back on Saturday, then she would leave the car and go to work. But instead, we did home center shopping in her neighbourhood (because there is no home center next door!!!!! how inconvenient!!!!) and then she went to work. I stayed at her place over night. She came home at 6:30am, and we left her place around 8am. We got here about 9 or 9:30, and she slept for a couple hours. While she slept I put together the sofa bed and organized more things. I started to cook us brunch.
We ate about noon, finished about 1pm, and left the house about 2:30 for a bike ride. We rode 20kg round trip along Edo River. It was fabulous! Then we came back and hung around for a bit, had a beer, and such. Mayu left a couple hours ago, and I did my grocery shopping. Now I am here. The library closes at 9:30 but I will probably be gone before that as I have to eat dinner, and have a shower. I am still sweaty and sticky from the 30C bike ride today.
It was a very good day (except for no internet connection!!!). It will be even better once my tummy is full, and I get myself showered and shaved for work tomorrow. Oh... I ironed 5 shirts.
I love you!
Cam
P.S. Hang in there... I'll get internet eventually!
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
09/09/09 - Nothing Special Here
I just popped in at the office for a few minutes to try and catch up with some news. There was a bit of info on the ""specialness" of today, Wednesday, September Ninth, Two Thousand and Nine, or 09/09/09.
Well, I didn't win a million dollars, I didn't get a raise, I didn't get laid, but I didn't get yelled at either.... so was it special? Nothing out of the ordinary here.
How about where you are?
I love you!
Cam
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
I've been waiting over an hour for the city hall to register my address change and my inkan. For some reason they are having trouble with my inkan (official stamp that is used in place of signatures in Japan). I think 50 people have come and gone as I sit and wait... Then it is off to another place by train and bus to go to the cop shop to register my address change on my driver's licence. At least I can do overtime to make up for this lost time @ work. Sigh... I miss my Bumfuck Japan!
Friday, September 4, 2009
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
This is my New Industry
Contract Research Organization, also called a Clinical Research Organization, (CRO) is a service organization that provides support to the pharmaceutical/biotech industry. CROs offer clients a wide range of "outsourced" pharmaceutical research services to aid in the drug and medical device research & development process.
Services offered by CROs include: product development, formulation and manufacturing; clinical trial management (preclinical through phase IV); clinical, medical and safety monitoring; preclinical, toxicology, and clinical laboratory services for processing trial samples; data management, biostatistics and medical writing services for preparation of an FDA New Drug Application (NDA), Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA), or Biologics License Application (BLA); regulatory affairs support; and many other complementary services. CROs range from large, international full service organizations to small, niche specialty groups and can offer their clients the experience of moving a new drug or device from its conception to FDA marketing approval without the drug sponsor having to maintain a staff for these services.
The CRO industry developed mostly in the late 1990s when pharmaceutical R&D efforts became more complex and competition in rapidly-growing therapeutic areas increased. Particularly over the last few years, this forced the pharmaceutical industry to utilize ‘downsizing’ strategies more to concentrate resources on core skills. As industry margins come under increasing pressure, companies could begin outsourcing aspects of their development, manufacturing or marketing processes so as to concentrate on their core specialties.
Outsourcing has been particularly influential in the pharmaceutical industry as the success of a large pharmaceutical company depends on competence in fields as diverse as combinatorial chemistry, computer integrated manufacturing and marketing medicines directly to consumers.
External cost pressures have acted as a major driver for the pharmaceutical outsourcing market. At bottom, the outsourcing market has developed in response to the downward and upward cost pressures exerted on pharmaceutical manufacturers’ profit margins. Given that such pressures are likely to increase in the future, CROs will become more and more important strategic partners for pharmaceutical companies. It is, therefore, in the latter’s interest to consider probable developments in the CRO market and its major players.
This is the industry in which I am about to immerse myself in (if I can stay awake!!!)
I love you!
Cam
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