Midway to Gundam

AM

Least: Thinking it was Thursday, I was mentally preparing to take the 'bottles and cans' downstairs at about 10:25am. I was crestfallen when I discovered what I already knew - that it was still Tuesday. When each day is characterised by strict timetables, it seems very easy to forget what day or week it is.

Most: I woke this morning to my vibrating phone at 9:32am. Thankfully it was just the alarm. Even more thankfully, was that I had apparently slept through the hottest part of the day. According to the hourly weather forcast, it was to be a sweet 29C at 9am then dipping below 27C from there. There is a 100% chance of rain today.

PM

Least: Standing for numerous minutes in a queue at the UFJ ATM at about 12:10pm today, it dawned on me that Japenese ATMs are far too useful. Often, a person will insert and withdraw numerous pieces of paper and currency, apparently to pay bills or squirrel away their 1yen coin collection. This can take many many minutes. The least interesting minutes of any day.

Most: Between about 1:20pm and 3:00pm then 10:25pm and 11:00pm, I sat and watched two swathes of quality TV. The first was the movie 'Midway'and the second was a Gundam episode. Both involved war and romance, both involved naval-esque strategy and both involved fighter pilot heroes and clumsy commanders. I began to wonder if Japanese cartoons served to relive and rewrite Japanese military history. I don't have any idea, but it's an interesting thought.

Mandai Ike to Nakamozu

AM

Least: At about 8.15 I took the bottles and cans downstairs and left them on the road. The rubbish collection process in Japan is complicated - plastics on Monday, combustibles on Tuesdays and Fridays and bottles and cans on the second and forth Thursday of the month. Most of the rubbish is incinerated.

Most: Between 8:35 and 9:10 I waded through the humidity around Mandai Ike. I walked 5 or 6 laps. I saw visored Tezukayama Queens warming up for and performing their fan-yoga - the opening fans sound like the crackle of carbines in a firing squad. I saw birds waiting for a luckless fish, a large bee, turtles loafing about, dragon flies patrolling, sparrows and starlings scavenging and crows waiting for a scrap. The old men were either fishing or simply wasting time - all were smoking.

PM

Least: I went to the ATM at our local UFJ bank. I called on the machine to give me instructions in English. It responded favourably to my request, however at a volume too high for comfort. People turned their heads.
Most: At Nakamozu, I had just finished reading a very strange letter from an obsessed student when I was summoned to the window to look at fire-engines. The fire-engines and police were attending an apparent suicide at Nakamozu Nankai station. I saw the sheet and the body bag being carried away from the tracks. Withing 20mins the trains were up and running again.