And so, I will have to read this book that I've signed out and was sent from a library in Katsushika ward, with extreme care. Although there seem to be nearly 300 pages in this book... Moreover, I can't extend it.

Now, how am I supposed to do that, when the only time I can squeeze out for reading is onthe train to and back from work? And the time limit, counting from today, is less than 2 weeks left already. Will I be able to finish this book in time? It's a little shaky start of the week.

The End

Caterpillar

Last week I dropped by my regular 100 yen shop 2 as usual. There I came by this young foreign girl near the paper rack who looked like having trouble choosing the kind of paper she wanted. Aha, she must be having trouble because all the descriptions on the packages are in Japanese, I thought. So I offered some help. Apparently, she was looking for some Jpanese style watermarked paper.

She said she wanted some thickness, too, so I started searching for such paper right away. I picked out one and handed her saying, "How about this?" with that I-know-it-all kind of look, but then she fed me in a split second. "That's cleaning paper." O..Oh. I think she probabaly wanted to add "you idiot" though she turned out to have enough common sense to swallow those words.

The End

A pair of Teva sports sandals that I've bought a few years ago have really appealed to me, and I've loved wearing them regularly from spring to autumn. Though spending about two seasons in them, it's become pretty much worn out and I've come to a conclusion that I should get a new pair this year. However. The problem is that I can't find the same model anywhere... I admit that sports sandals must be already out-of-date here in Tokyo, so I know that I'm not in the position to complain about it, but...

Still, I think such changes in style are coming and going too quick in Tokyo. After all, I can't get the same article after only a couple of years. I wish I could buy them somewhere, hopefully within 4000 yen...

The End

Caterpillar

It was completely dark already when I reached near my house yesterday. Right in front of my house, I spotted an old lady riding her bike with two Irish setters and what was that? A Dalmatian? I couldn't see well because it was dark. Anyway, she had three big dogs on the leash. The lady was waddling with the basket of her bike loaded with groceries, and when one of her Irish setter had suddenly stopped, she rolled off her bike.

The lady yelled at the dog spitting out abusing words. But that's not the dog's fault...

The End

Caterpillar

A client walked into our office this morning. And when she did, I don't know why, but Cow said in greeting, "Irasshai-mase!" literally meaning, "welcome" in Japanese. Well, it's not actually inappropriate as a greeting since we are welcoming somone in to our office, but the phrase is usually used in restaurants.

We're not a restaurant, definitely not. That means he's goofed, and perhaps he noticed it himself after having said it. Cow shuffled away into the back room, leaving me to take care of the aftermath. Oh, boy.

The End

Caterpillar

I was exhausted yesterday, and I fell asleep much earlier than usual. Oh however, however. I couldn't get up on time this morning. I was sleeping until JoOusama asked me if I didn't have to go to work today... What?! I thought, and took a quick glance at my alarm clock. God, I should be on the train by this time! I barely had time to get dressed, grab my bag, and run.

I'm grateful for what JoOusama has done, honestly, I am. But if she'd woken me up just 5 minutes earlier, I could have been able to at least wash my face...

The End

Caterpillar

I've been pretty busy for some time. On Sundays, which were my only days off, I've been going out with Mr. N-jima every week, since that grade one races had been held every weekend for six consecutive weeks. So I haven't had enough time to take a good rest at home, and Sundays have been making me feel blue, having to wake up early to finish washing my clothes before I leave my house. And it's become sort of a routine to leave for work on Mondays with a tired body and mind. Especially when I've lost the race... But.. surprise! This week I got two meetings canceled on Monday!

What a happy surprise! Oh thank you, God!!

The End

Caterpillar

OK, I give up. I knew it, of course I knew that she was a tough horse. Good! I grinned secretly when she's been boxed in at the final stretch, but the next second somehow a space opened in front of her, and then no other horse was able to stop her... Vodka, oh yes, you were the toughest. I admit that.

Buena Vista, Vodka, looks like it's a female dominated world these days. Come on, Deep Sky... show them what you've got, please.

The End

Caterpillar

This morning, I saw a gentleman with a guide dog. I found them waiting for the train on the platform and boy, I can't tell you how intelligent and well-behaved that dog was! Though he should be, after all he's a guide dog. When the train arrived, he led his master to the door with less passengers getting on and off. After getting on, he quickly spotted an empty priority seat and guided his master there, softly nudging with his nose to tell that they've arrived at the seat. What a smart animal, really. Compared to that, humans these days...

An old lady shoving her way into the escalator line, a young couple walking slowly as ever, not knowing that they're creating a human traffic jam behind them, or the man who bumps into me from behind clicking his tongue. They're practically helpless. Why don't they learn a bit from guide dogs, huh?

The End

Caterpillar

Today was supposed to be my lucky day, according to the horoscope on yesterday's evening edition. Compared to that of yesterday's which said that my luck was terrible, it was supposed to rapidly go up today. Though actually it didn't... I've felt pain in my throat since when I woke up, my body felt heavy, that simply adds up to another terrible day. Well, I guess I should be that way. After all, I hadn't had much of a day-off this past month. So I must have gotten too relaxed after I had been released from the tension. Still I'll have to keep on working since there's no one else to replace me.

That must be how people get closer to overwork deaths not to mention, that's exaggerating. I wish it was Sunday tomorrow.

The End

Seems like the rainy season has set in. It was announced by the Meteorological Agency yesterday. No wonder there were so many rainy days recently. And on that beginning day of the rainy season, I caught a cold.... But I can't take a day off, there's no one to replace me. I'll have to recover in just one night so that I'm able to at least handle the work I need to do. So here are some quick cold recovery methods.

1. Do not take cold medicine after your fever's gone up. 2. Make sure to take in a lot of liquid and vitamin C. 3. Take a bath. 4. Take cold medicine after your fever has hit the peak and is starting to drop. 5. Eat food that are easily digested. 6. Get enough sleep. I've followed this method and am not completely, but doing well enough at work today.

The End

Caterpillar

About the quick cold recovery method I introduced yesterday. Why does it work? That's because your fever goes up when your immune cells raise your body temperature to make it easier for them to drive out the cold viruses. If you take those over-the-counter drugs while your fever is running up, it would lower your body temperature, consequently making it difficult for your immune cells to do their job, since those drugs usually contain some sort of antipyretic. So it would be better to refrain from taking medicine when you've got fever already. Taking vitamin C or easily digested food with enough sleep or taking baths also help to make the optimal environment for your immune cells.

However, you must be careful after taking a bath since your temperture could easily drop down after some time. Be sure to get in bed while your body is still warm enough.

The End

Caterpillar

I signed out this famous Japanese magazine at the library, because they had a featuring story titled "Let's master English this time!" There were several pages spent to introduce some travel English in dialogues, based on a concept that a famous Japanese idol has visited LA. And in one of the dialogues where the idol was supposed to be talking with a restaurant staff, I've noticed that their role names in it had been printed opposite. Excuse me editors, you seem to have got that wrong.. Well, I guess it doesn't matter anyway, since the magazine had been sold more than two weeks ago, and now there's the next next issues displayed on the bookstore racks.

They should have let me check before they sent it to the printers'. I must have been able to point it out for them in no time, I'm a mistake finding master.

The End

Caterpillar

I've had a relaxing day in a while today, at home. Well, I need to rest sometimes. As a matter of fact, I'm not that young any more. The other day, I had a chance to drink with my kindergarten teacher (amazing, isn't it?!) and some friends from that time, and there I was told that one of our friends K, had suffered a disease and passed away several years ago. I was pretty shocked to hear that, but my friend J who sat beside me said quietly, "Well, we've reached the age to worry about tomorrow."

And he was right. Actually, I've been feeling my body getting rickety these days. The old saying was right. As they say, you can't beat time.

The End

Caterpillar

Althoug I had a cold last week and my fever went up, thanks to my quick cold recovery method, the fever's gone down in one night. However, I've been suffering from symptoms such as stuffed nose and coughs up till today. In fact, my stuffed ears? has been troubling me the most these past couple of days. Apparently, what's called the auditory tube seems to be stuffed or blocked and I can't hear very clearly. They say it leads to otitis media when it gets worse. Difficult word, otitis media. Speaking of it, I remembered I've suffered from it once when I aggravated cold in my childhood.

I think I'm getting better than yesterday, but these stuffed noses and stuffed ears seem to throw my concentrations off, and I've been having a hard time focusing on whatever I have to do. If there's anyone who knows how to get rid of these stuffed ears, I'll be grateful if you let me know.

The End

Caterpillar

A while ago, one of our clients gave us a laser beam printer that he wasn't using. I was using the printer in the office since then, but unfortunately I ran out of toner after some time and I've been urging Cow to get a new one all this time. However, that Cow who is always slow to act seemed to be in no hurry to buy a new cartridge, saying something like the prices were too high. It was only recently that he had ordered a new article called recycled cartridge, at a quarter of the listed price. Good, good.

To be honest, I freaked out when I first saw the listed price of 20,000 yen, but it was worth all the searching.

The End

Caterpillar

As I was walking to the station this morning, I unexpectedly (and unwillingly) bumped into Hime. At first she didn't seem to notice me, so I tried to walk right by pretending that I didn't see her, but in vain. She's got me, and I was made to go the long way around keeping her company. And then, out of the blue, she pops up this ridiculous request that she wants me to teach English to her first kid, since they started teaching English as a second language in elementary schools. Moreover, she wanted me to take care of the second kid too, who was still not even in school. What, am I a babysitter or something?

Besides, you've got English skills. Why don't you teach them yourself? Don't be stupid.

The End

Caterpillar

Though my fever's dropped down to normal, I've been taking over-the-counter cold medicine for the past several days, in order to recover from the symptoms such as coughs and stuffed noses. But since I've started taking those tablets, somehow I get so thirsty. In fact, I get too thirsty that I can't supply enough. Added to this terrible thirst, I'm also suffering from constipation, which I rarely experience.

Could it be the side-effects of cold medicine?

The End

Caterpillar

I've never imagined even in my wildest dreams, that those over-the-counter cold medicine would cause constipation. I was so surprised and shocked that I quit taking them. Well, I couldn't come up with any other causes besides them. Additionally, it had stopped and my laxation went back into normal after I've stopped taking them.

I wonder if it said anything about having constipation as a side-effect in the precautions list.

The End

Caterpillar

A broadcasting of a new Korean drama has started on NHK since yesterday. From the trailer, I think it's a success story of a cub reporter girl growing up to become a real journalist. The actor who was playing opposite to the leading act in this drama, turned out to be the same guy who performed Min Jung-ho in the much loved historical Korean drama, "Dae Jang Geum". Added to this, the Japanese voice actor of this character was Rikiya Koyama, who now came to be known as the voice of Jack Bauer of the smash hit American TV series, "24". Well, Mr. Koyama must be real busy since he sure is in high demand these days.

Even so, I wonder whether it's all right to have him perform the following three characters; Oh Tae Suk(Spotlight) = Jack Bauer(24) = Mamoru Takamura(Hajime-no Ippo).

The End

Caterpillar

I received a Teigaku Kyufukin(Fixed-Sum Benefit) note in one of those personal information protected post card(you know, the ones that are sticked together like stickers and you peel it off to open). I knew what it was about, but peeled open to check what it said. And it said, "This note is sent to inform you that we have decided the distribution of your fixed-sum benefit based on the XX ward implementation outline."

I think that should be "Your fixed-sum benefit application form has been successfully accepted on Date A. We are sending this note to inform you that the payment (amount of payment shown below) is due to be transfered to your bank account on Date B. Please confirm if the payment transfer is completed." I mean, isn't that former expression pretty inaccurate?

The End

Caterpillar

After all, it's a public notice. Wouldn't it be better to use accurate Japanese expressions on them? Some of you might take me for a nitpicker, though I still think expressions that could cause misunderstandings should be avoided. Especially, when it's a notice delivered to the general public. It should be accurate and easy-to-understand to everybody.

It would be even better if they also had Hiragana assistance printed. That way, it would not only help foreigners who can't read Japanese except Hiragana, but also the prime minister of some country who often misreads Kanji characters.

The End

Caterpillar

Although we had overcast skies in the morning, the sun started to shine from around noon and now it's clear and bright, pretty hot with a gentle breeze. In the forecast thatI caught a glimpse of when leaving home they said, "No worries for rain today, looks like it's going to be a perfect day to do your laundry." They said the chance of rain was 60 percent last night! Geez, if they had told me earlier, I could've been able to finish up my piled laundry...

Well, as a matter of fact, even those experts must be unable to predict the next day's weather during this rainy season around this time of year.

The End

Caterpillar

One of our client Ms. S somehow seems to get tensed up so easily. She is usually all right when we are simply chatting about small things, but once we start talking business she loses control of herself completely and goes like, "Um..er, I think I'll make it XX...oh sorry, not XX, YY. Oops, did I say YY? Sorry, I meant to say ZZ...I think..? Ah, no. I think that should be XX probably.. err, to tell you the truth, I'm not sure. I've got all comfused. Oh, dear, now I don't know what I wanted to say..." I'm troubled with it because it's getting in the way of our work.

If there's anyone who could come up with an icebreaker for Ms. S, I wish that person would let her know.

The End

Caterpillar

Some time ago, I think I wrote here about going for a drink with my kindergarten teacher and some of my friends from back then. Among those friends who came, were J. And I've learned at that gathering, that J's mom was running a Spanish restaurant and was also teaching Spanish cooking in her spare time. Last night as I got home, JoOusama came up to me and reported, "I saw J's mom on TV." What? Really?! I haven't seen her in decades, but still the news of someone I know going on air somehow made me feel happy.

Though unfortunately, the program had been over by the time I reached home... That must have been on NHK. I wonder when they're going to do the rerun.

The End

Caterpillar

It was this morning when I was at the drug store to pick up Obaba's medicine. The news in the TV wide show told that Michael Jackson has passed away. I thought I've heard he was going to hold a concert in London this July...

I am not actually a fan of his, but personally I feel sorry for him. I mean, he's been in the hard cold show business world before he was able to understand things. Maybe he just wanted to live in Neverland, a paradise for all children because he couldn't experience the happiness most ordinary children do in their early days. Let's hope he would be able to meet Bubbles again in heaven. R.I.P.

The End

Caterpillar

From a couple of years ago, there's this hot dog and ice cream moving stall that comes around our office. The prices seem pretty reasonable and since there aren't so many hot dog shops in Japan, I've been wanting to try it some time. However, somehow it always comes at a bad time when I'm with a client. Today, cow was having a meeting with his client and our lunch happened to get later than usual. But the hot dog stall didn't come around on this particular day.

If it had come, I would have bought some hot dogs. Too bad.

The End

Caterpillar

We hit the off-track betting booth as usual, lost the race as usual, and holed up in the usual Izakaya(Japanese pub). Since we were on our regular course, our orders were also same as usual. Needless to say, my usual last dish Ochazuke(tea poured rice), had to be chosen from 3 different flavors as usual. When I was thinking that I was getting pretty tired of these same old choices, Mr. N-jima found a new flavor, Aji-Chazuke(tea poured rice with Japanese horse mackerel) on the "Today's Special" menu. I followed him and ordered it right away, but then they tell us that they've run out of Aji(Japanese horse mackerel)...

Eventually, I settled for the usual Mentai-Chazuke(tea poured rice with salted cod roe marinated in cayenne pepper). That was how my spring G1 horse race season went by.

The End

Caterpillar

Perhaps because there's an elementary school near our office, many kids pass by our entrance glass door on their way home from school. It's all right as long as they just pass by. The problem is that some of them taps pretty hard on the glass door. It happened again today, while I was with my client. And that went past Cow's tolerance. Cow went running after the kid in a flash yelling wildly at him. Cow barked at the kid in fury.

Gosh, for yelling out loud. I almost freaked out.

The End

Caterpillar

Unlike most Japanese my age, I don't care much about clothes. It's not that I'm not interested in fashion, but since I can't afford neither the money to buy a new set of clothes nor the time to go and choose them, I usually end up wearing whatever I already have. And it happened that I was wearing a worn-out Metallica T-shirt today. Then one of my clients in her 20s told me, "Oh, I like your T-shirt. It's cute." Excuse me? Wow -- that was unexpected.

I've never thought even in my wildest dreams that a girl in her 20s, would possibly call this design with a clunched fist breaking through a skull, cute.

The End

Caterpillar