Toriaezu...

Japanese Lesson # 17:

1) Toriaezu - for now, in the meantime

I am still working on the Tokyo blogs - I write too much so stuff that happened in on day is splitting into two or three posts. So when I am done, I will let you know, but you have to backtrack, since I am going to put them under their respective dates.

So...toriaezu...

Karma can really bite you in the ass. I go to the Apple Store in Ginza to get the VGA adapter to do powerpoints so that I don't have to schlep to Apple Osaka and look what happens. A piece of my keyboard where the palms rest broke off for some reason and now I have to schlep to Osaka. Good thing my worldwide Apple Care hasn't expired yet.Which means that I can hopefully get this minor thing fixed for free and I just looked up the word for "replace" (torikaeru" - 取り替える) so I am ready to tackle this next big adventure - repairing your computer, in a foreign country. Now that is blogworthy, especially if something wacky happens, which I hope won't be the case. Wacky = frustrating here.

I am so glad that I have a Mac because of the Apple stores - my friend spilled coffee on her PC and trying to get someone to repair it in Japan was so much hell that she decided to fix it when she was back home in Spain.

Unless I blog from the computers at school (which will be unlikely because I really have to prepare for my presentation in two weeks) I will be on blogging silence. Pray that not only will I get my laptop through its cosmetic surgery but quickly and will little loss of data, which is why I am trying frantically to back up as much as possible. Docs and photos are more important than my movies and music at this point (though I do have all my music on my older iPod). My poor Ringo...has to go in for surgery...in a place far, far from home...(^_~).

The plastic piece that was sorta popping up just broke off so I am somewhat pissed.

It was kinda funny when I spoke to my mother:

Me: Ma, my laptop is broken.
Mom: What? But you are still on Skype.
Me: It has to go for cosmetic surgery in Osaka. Karma can really bite you in the ass.
Mom: Ohh...

Toriaezu...

I have been tagged for a Meme: Why I Blog. My first tag!!!

5 reasons:

1) I am living in a foreign country so blogging is a good way to keep in touch with people hack home (and in other countries that I know people in, i.e. England) - I don't have to repeat myself a million times and I prevent carpel tunnel, as I just tell everyone to refer to the blog.

2) I think I have become a bit of a better writer since blogging entails writing and processing and thinking and trying to get it all down as concise as possible, especially since I write too much. Doesn't mean my typing skills are much better.

3) Meeting fellow bloggers is fun. My blogger buddies are mega cool.

4) It's a good memory to have of my time in Japan - for all the souveneirs and the umbrellas and the bento boxes, I think I am going to cherish my blog the most; in fact I am going to print it and bind it when I get back home.

5) It's really addicting. I first started blogging just before I left for London, but I stopped because I was having a miserable time. However, blogging provides you the opportunity to reflect a bit on your life and how you want to present yourself so that is also a good exercise - I do regret not blogging my time in London, however there wasn't much to blog at the time. But I have learned some lessons and as such making the most of my time (and my life overall) while here, and do plan to continue to blog (though this particular link will be shut down in March 2008) when I return home.

Ok, since I do not have too much time since I am trying to back up my data before I schlep to Osaka to put the links in here are my tags:

1) Libby - A Study of Schoolbooks and Shoes
2) Midge - Lipstick and Legalese
3) Britt - Tickled Pink
4) Tulip Mom
5) Chen - Rambling Chicken
5) Colleen - Scribbles

Domo, Makku Desu. Konnichiwa, Pasokon Desu. Bye-bye, iPoddo Desu.

I have just about had it.

My iPod is totally shot from here to kindgom come. I can`t put it on hold anymore because the hold button will freeze my iPod (harks back to the time when I did not use my case and just tossed it into the depths of my bag) and the battery is so gone that I have to carry my charger with me now so that I don`t have a dead iPod for my 2 minute bike ride home.

Just goes to show how dependent on my iPod I am. I am using it again at night to help me fall asleep since I haven`t been sleeping well lately.

This re-emergence of the loathing that I have for my dear iPod was triggered once again by an email I got from Apple, announcing that their nifty clip-on iPod shuffles now come in color a la iPod Nano. About time. They are also very affordable to - $79 or 9800yen. Before everyone goes aghast at the difference in price, I did the math: when you configure the NYC taxes (as the 9800yen list price includes the tax) and convert 9800yen into USD, its actually $80 - 5 dollars less than the $79 iPod shuffle after taxes (which comes to about $85). And besides, my income is in yen - best get things on this side of the world. I WOULD get an iPod video, but I want to wait for the latest generation (or the iPhone!). Furthermore, the iPod shuffle is good for the gym, which I plan to join in March.

On another note, when I was on the Japanese site, I came across the Japanese versions of the Mac vs. PC commercials. Not only did I understand them but they were HILARIOUS. There is this one where the Pasokon (PC - as represented by a salaryman) is decked out in all protective gear with the katakana for `Pa` (as in `pa-so-ko-n`) emblazoned on the front. He tells the Mac (hipster) that it`s for protection against viruses, and they are all the spyware and firewalls. Mac doesn`t wear anything (obviously!) but here is the kicker: unlike the American commercials, where Mac and PC keep chatting till the end, Japan Mac tells Pasokon that there is a virus (off screen) and then Pasokon slowly meanders behind Mac. Mac just looks at Pasokon, who has this look of fear on his face.

For some strange reason, the Japanese Mac ads are much more hilarious than the American ones. I noticed that Mac uses informal language, while PC uses formal language. That surely drives the point home, ne?