Internet vs Television

Thursday 24th September

AM

Least: At about 9:00am, I woke an realised that I still didn't have the internet and that I had to go to work. The short break, while nice, was hardly relaxing. The internet problem consumed the whole boring morning, first with a call to our service provider, then a call by Rosie  to NTT. NTT had an English line, however each painful and useless step had to be translated into in Japanese the back into English with a reply. The incredible lack of imagination of the people at NNT meant that even when we had discovered a possible solution, they continued on their same robotic path. They organised to send a team around to help, which we later cancelled.

Most: At close to 11:00am, our internet connection came back to life. It is amazing how much the world turns on the internet when you're not connected. Messages were piled up and AMPM was three days in arrears. I also noticed that Sydney had suffered the indignity of a dust storm and that 33% of Japanese men sit down while urinating. What a wonderful age we live in.

PM

Least: At about 6:30pm, I once again found myself being harangued into attending a workplace function at Nakamozu. The aggressive pitch of the boss, left little room to refuse and demanded a phone call if I couldn't attend. It is particularly galling, considering if I went I would probably have to pay for food and drinks, while acting as a caucasian English test dummy for creepy students. Further, to attend, I would have to make a detour on my way home from Wakayama on Saturday. That is not going to happen and there will be no phone call.

Most: At close to 9:30pm, I arrived home and unlike most nights, I did not turn on the TV. Having traded the crappy TV in for a HDD LCD monitor, I no longer have the tempation to watch the complete drivel that is Japanese TV. If I don't get sucked into the crazy world of online gaming, I should have much more time on my hands to read or actually go outside. I've almost forgotten already what I used to watch, and that was only days ago - and I think that speaks volumes about the rock bottom quality of television in Japan - they don't even have a sticom.

The Market

Monday 21st September 2009


AM

Least: At about 10:45am, Rosie and I parked our bikes illegally at a Family Mart in Tennoji. As we walked towards the Shi-Tennoji market at the shrine, it seemed that thousands, perhaps tens of thousands of people had the same idea. The crowd was as thick and rude as it was old. I was elbowed and pushed several times as old crones desparately tried to reach the shrine where they could combine shopping for junk with a religious experience. The dirty looks I got as I waited at the entrance for friends was almost as surprising as the pornography for sale inside.

Most: By 11:25am, I had walked around perhaps fifty stalls selling incredible amounts of Japanese cultural refuse, including millions of figurines and endless pottery. The most interesting items, though included and ancient bear skin rug, carved ivory, fossils and medical equipment from long enough ago to make it terrifying. The surgical stall, included horrifying syringes, bone saws, pokers of some kind, and two bronze gynaecological devices - I wonder if anyone bought them. The thousand and something year-old shrine was kind of interesting too.

PM

Least: By 7:00pm, it was becoming clear that during my several attempts to install a wireless router, I had destroyed our computers ability to connect to the internet. Apart from trying to read Japanese instructions, I had lost some crucial papers that included a precious password. Being a public holiday, it was impossible to contact the service provider and therefore impossible to reconnect to the lifeline of the interet. On unexpected side effect was that it further reduced the certainty of our impending trip to the Hokage festival at Tamagawa by preventing us from checking train times. Boring times.

Most: Sometime after 3:00pm, I was escorted into Den Den town by our neighbour in search of electronics. Within minutes, we had bought a new high definition monitor and various cables. It was incredible to see the number of shops selling items to allow people to construct their own computers. Other shops sold thousands of figurines, swap cards and computer games, while others had girls dressed as maids trying to entice lonely customers. Within an hour the spending spree had ended, but it was interesting to see how massive choice, flashing lights and placards could put me into a ruinous fianancial frenzy. Fun.