I was supposed to return on this day, but the airline cancelled the flight on this day and rescheduled me to the following day, so I had an extra day in Tokyo. Not really wanting to research and plan much, I decided to join a local tour. Meeting point was at Tokyo Station.
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Honestly, nothing around there caught my eye (I've got self-control lol). It rained this evening and I didn't feel like searching for new food, so I went back to some good old conveyor belt sushi near my hotel.
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Honestly, nothing around there caught my eye (I've got self-control lol). It rained this evening and I didn't feel like searching for new food, so I went back to some good old conveyor belt sushi near my hotel.
On this fine day, I went eastwards. My actual destination was Sawara 佐原 but after checking the routing, it would pass by Narita anyway, so I re-visited Narita. When I went with my bestie a couple years ago, she did the silly thing of locking her Goshuin-book with her luggage at the coin locker, and apparently the Temple there gave out hand-drawn stamps. She has a super special Goshuin-Cho. Hers is made of wood, so only the hand-drawn Goshuins would look nice, if she had to stick a paper onto it, it would ruin the aesthetics. Anyway, since I commenced my Goshuin journey as well, I decided to go there.
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Tomorrow is my last full-day here in Japan, I have a local tour planned, so hopefully it's going to be easygoing than the past few days.
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Tomorrow is my last full-day here in Japan, I have a local tour planned, so hopefully it's going to be easygoing than the past few days.
I keep telling myself, I'm on a holiday, I'll sleep in tomorrow. But then I have my itineraries and then I have to wake up earlier than even when I'm going to work. I had to forego my hotel's breakfast (I've come to enjoy my hotel's breakfasts) and got myself on-the-go food as I was on the Shinkansen at 6:33am already. Once at Nagoya I had to go search for the bus stop - not too far away but a little complicated to get into the building.
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Made my way back to Tokyo and then went to hunt for dinner. As I was sitting at the waiting area of a restaurant, what do you know, it's a small world after all. I saw an alumni from my university. I didn't think he'd know me since he's like 3 years before me, but apparently he did. He came over to greet and we exchanged pleasantries. We don't even chance encounter in Macau, yet we chance-met in a random restaurant in Tokyo.
By now I've sort of run out of places to go. I planned another excursion tomorrow and decided to join a day trip on Wednesday, so at least there's stuff to look forward to.
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Made my way back to Tokyo and then went to hunt for dinner. As I was sitting at the waiting area of a restaurant, what do you know, it's a small world after all. I saw an alumni from my university. I didn't think he'd know me since he's like 3 years before me, but apparently he did. He came over to greet and we exchanged pleasantries. We don't even chance encounter in Macau, yet we chance-met in a random restaurant in Tokyo.
By now I've sort of run out of places to go. I planned another excursion tomorrow and decided to join a day trip on Wednesday, so at least there's stuff to look forward to.
It being Sunday today, I decided I'd go visit the Tokyo Flea Market! You have to check the website and see which weekends they open. Mostly they are running on Saturday and Sunday, but as they're using the Horse Racetrack car park for that, I guess when it's race day they will not hold the flea market.
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After this, I made my way back to the hotel so i can start the laundry, and since it took 1.5hours, I made a quick trip to Loft and got a handy mini glue so that I could glue that paper Goshuin into my Goshuin-cho. Oh, and since i was stuffed, I went to buy some fruits with a stall guy that I know is actually Chinese. So when I asked him in Chinese (Mandarin too!) "Guaranteed sweet?" He was a little shocked and said yes. Then tried to reply in English. I just kept speaking in Mandarin to him lol.
Laundry done by the time I got back, so I'm all washed up. Just need to put my skincare stuff and I'll turn in earlier tonight. I have a very early train to catch tomorrow! Will need to skip breakfast but already bought something. Yay!
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After this, I made my way back to the hotel so i can start the laundry, and since it took 1.5hours, I made a quick trip to Loft and got a handy mini glue so that I could glue that paper Goshuin into my Goshuin-cho. Oh, and since i was stuffed, I went to buy some fruits with a stall guy that I know is actually Chinese. So when I asked him in Chinese (Mandarin too!) "Guaranteed sweet?" He was a little shocked and said yes. Then tried to reply in English. I just kept speaking in Mandarin to him lol.
Laundry done by the time I got back, so I'm all washed up. Just need to put my skincare stuff and I'll turn in earlier tonight. I have a very early train to catch tomorrow! Will need to skip breakfast but already bought something. Yay!
Day 2 - Ashikagawa Flower Park
This place was on my go-to list all along. In fact, it was because of this place that I decided to go to Tokyo last year and then didn't (the whole Dad business). I did not expect for it to be this small, and as it was pretty far away I had planned a full day trip, but apparently just a morning was enough.
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This place was on my go-to list all along. In fact, it was because of this place that I decided to go to Tokyo last year and then didn't (the whole Dad business). I did not expect for it to be this small, and as it was pretty far away I had planned a full day trip, but apparently just a morning was enough.
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Hello from Tokyo!
OMG! This feels so good! I'm traveling... alone! This feels wonderful. I told the Boss and a few people that I'm actually flying out for a holiday and while the people are being nice about it, the Boss still did a thing this morning. He asked the driver to call me while I was in flight so that I can help him arrange something, but I was in-flight. The Boss confidently said "there's Wi-Fi in the plane! She can work!" The driver was helpless, and when it was confirmed I wasn't online at all, the Boss sorted it out himself. When I landed, the driver told me all that. So i left a message to the Boss. "Give me a pay rise so I can pay for extra services or go on a fancier flight with Wi-Fi." He did not respond lol.
The flight was mostly uneventful except the lady behind me kept moving and kicking my seat and putting stuff in the seat pocket, and taking stuff out. The one thing she did that I did turn around and glared at her: she flicked her jacket or shawl (or whatever) and managed to whack me right on the top of the head.
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OMG! This feels so good! I'm traveling... alone! This feels wonderful. I told the Boss and a few people that I'm actually flying out for a holiday and while the people are being nice about it, the Boss still did a thing this morning. He asked the driver to call me while I was in flight so that I can help him arrange something, but I was in-flight. The Boss confidently said "there's Wi-Fi in the plane! She can work!" The driver was helpless, and when it was confirmed I wasn't online at all, the Boss sorted it out himself. When I landed, the driver told me all that. So i left a message to the Boss. "Give me a pay rise so I can pay for extra services or go on a fancier flight with Wi-Fi." He did not respond lol.
The flight was mostly uneventful except the lady behind me kept moving and kicking my seat and putting stuff in the seat pocket, and taking stuff out. The one thing she did that I did turn around and glared at her: she flicked her jacket or shawl (or whatever) and managed to whack me right on the top of the head.
The local government has implemented numerous incentives to boost spending locally and they've started the Commnity Consumption scheme again. I liked it a little better in the previous times than they are doing it now.
Now the scheme goes as follows:
for whatever mobile payment platform you have (I have three, but most people have 1).
Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, any spending over $50 and you get 3 lucky draw chances. Once for each mobile payment platform.
From these lucky draw chances, you get either, no prize, $10, $20, $50, $100, or $200 coupons. Basically, for every $30 you spend, you can use $10 coupon. To use the $200 coupon, you need to do a purchase/spending of $600 in one bill in order to use the $200. You can only use the coupons Mondays through Thursdays, and only in small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
These are counted weekly. So say, I got a coupon on Sunday, the last day I could use it was yesterday Thursday. Today Friday, a new week starts and the whole lucky draw chances start again.
A friend laughed and said only people good at mathematics would know how to spend the coupons. I simply have an easy way to think about it. If, from all the 3 platforms I've got, and I got altogether $40 in coupons, all I have to do is times that by three, and I know I need to spend at least $120 in order to fully use the $40 coupons I've got.
In the past, it was Mondays-Fridays for the $50 and get a lucky draw chance, and shopping on Saturday Sunday. Which was good for me. My company has a huge supermarket that I can easily find a $50 item to buy, get a lucky draw chance, and any coupons I get, I could do my main shopping at the small supermarket near my home in the weekend.
Now, if I get any coupons, I can't use them at my work's supermarket because it's not an SME. I'd need to go home and do my weekly shopping on a weekday.
Anyway, the inconvenience is just for me, so no use complaining about it.
Now the scheme goes as follows:
for whatever mobile payment platform you have (I have three, but most people have 1).
Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, any spending over $50 and you get 3 lucky draw chances. Once for each mobile payment platform.
From these lucky draw chances, you get either, no prize, $10, $20, $50, $100, or $200 coupons. Basically, for every $30 you spend, you can use $10 coupon. To use the $200 coupon, you need to do a purchase/spending of $600 in one bill in order to use the $200. You can only use the coupons Mondays through Thursdays, and only in small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
These are counted weekly. So say, I got a coupon on Sunday, the last day I could use it was yesterday Thursday. Today Friday, a new week starts and the whole lucky draw chances start again.
A friend laughed and said only people good at mathematics would know how to spend the coupons. I simply have an easy way to think about it. If, from all the 3 platforms I've got, and I got altogether $40 in coupons, all I have to do is times that by three, and I know I need to spend at least $120 in order to fully use the $40 coupons I've got.
In the past, it was Mondays-Fridays for the $50 and get a lucky draw chance, and shopping on Saturday Sunday. Which was good for me. My company has a huge supermarket that I can easily find a $50 item to buy, get a lucky draw chance, and any coupons I get, I could do my main shopping at the small supermarket near my home in the weekend.
Now, if I get any coupons, I can't use them at my work's supermarket because it's not an SME. I'd need to go home and do my weekly shopping on a weekday.
Anyway, the inconvenience is just for me, so no use complaining about it.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and TomorrowGabrielle Zevin
Amazon.com Product Link
From the best-selling author of The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry: On a bitter-cold day, in the December of his junior year at Harvard, Sam Masur exits a subway car and sees, amid the hordes of people waiting on the platform, Sadie Green. He calls her name. For a moment, she pretends she hasn’t heard him, but then, she turns, and a game begins: a legendary collaboration that will launch them to stardom.
These friends, intimates since childhood, borrow money, beg favors, and, before even graduating college, they have created their first blockbuster, Ichigo. Overnight, the world is theirs. Not even twenty-five years old, Sam and Sadie are brilliant, successful, and rich, but these qualities won’t protect them from their own creative ambitions or the betrayals of their hearts.
Spanning thirty years, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, to Venice Beach, California, and lands in between and far beyond, Gabrielle Zevin’s Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow examines the multifarious nature of identity, disability, failure, the redemptive possibilities in play, and above all, our need to connect: to be loved and to love.
= + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = + = +
I didn’t really like the book, but neither did I dislike the book. The storyline in itself is very sweet. But the characters, I don’t know why, I especially disliked Sadie. In a way I thought I should side with her, girls unite and all that, but I just thought she was a bully. A great big bully that didn’t really know what she wanted. I do concede that there were parts that Sam was being unfair too. Marx was mystifying in the “he’s supposed to be full of flaws but you can’t put a finger on it and turns out he’s great.”
This multiple POV and with jumps in timelines (sometimes the past, sometimes referring to the future, then changing POVs) was a little dizzying, but it also made the entire book more interesting.
Wow, this weekend has been productive. I'm now in bed, post-shower, and using some freebie mask gift thing from Korea, the car rental place said "if you write us a 5-star review on google we will gift you a gift," so, google reviews there are mostly fake. How can I review a service if I didn't use it yet? But anyway. I worded it in such a way that i didn't drive yet, but the initial service was quick and efficient, got the gift (you'd think it's just 1 mask, but now, it's a packet of stuff).
First things first, Friday after work I went to break in my new running shoes. This Orange theme is getting ridiculous, even I think so LOL. Friday's run was a bit slower but today I went running again and I actually broke my PR (personal record) so these shoes are proving to be good. But I noticed the tongues would scrap my feet, so it's time to go hunt for longer socks!
I recently got this spiffy... grinder? Mixer? Cup thing from Pingduoduo (your Temu), and it's been a godsend. I just need a little bit of soy beans and water and the knives or cutters in this thing are strong enough and simply obliterates the soy beans and cooks it up and I get a fresh cup of unsweetened soy milk every morning now. Bit of a game changer. I'm not trying to turn vegan, though I agree with some vegan concepts... but I hate those vegan extremists. But anyway. I don't need to go buy milk now.
The newest toy I got was this XTeink's X3 ereader. It's so tiny! I do remember I had that other small ereader, but I think the company shut down, so the back-end system doesn't work. Can't connect to internet, can't use any of the ways to transfer books. So I can still read whatever's already in it. But this X3 is another level. It's way slimmer and lighter, and has MagSafe and I just stick it to the back of my phone. It's so small that when I'm in the office people don't notice I'm reading from it lol. I still like my 2 other larger ereaders, but this one is proving to be very useful and handy.
Random Frankie photos during his walks. Apparently the night show at Nam Van Lake is still going on (it has a schedule of a couple nights a week, but I don't have the particulars)
Currently there's some festival/fair going on and that thing apparently is a Kangaroo. I have no idea why and what relation it has, but.... whatever...
You can see the tail on this last photo, it's a Kangaroo.
So, the weekend has been busy. First order of business.... hairdresser! Then hopped over to China for a manicure!
I also went to the workshop.... bad luck comes in 3s right? I had 3 accidents and it seems... yeah, nothing else happened.
I wanted to get my car washed by then Dad called and asked me to do something, so I coudln't do it on Saturday. This morning, I went for yoga again. This time they did a wheel yoga thing. It started off easy enough, but the last few poses were really tough!
Sis suddenly decided to get Starbucks today - it was the last day for getting double points. I didn't really want to bother but since Sis asked me to come with, I went.
Weather's been really tricky with high humidity but not yet raining. Decided to give him a wash. Need to go get the de-flea stuff (Frontline) from the vet in the next couple of days, since we can't apply it immediately after wash anyway.
First things first, Friday after work I went to break in my new running shoes. This Orange theme is getting ridiculous, even I think so LOL. Friday's run was a bit slower but today I went running again and I actually broke my PR (personal record) so these shoes are proving to be good. But I noticed the tongues would scrap my feet, so it's time to go hunt for longer socks!
I recently got this spiffy... grinder? Mixer? Cup thing from Pingduoduo (your Temu), and it's been a godsend. I just need a little bit of soy beans and water and the knives or cutters in this thing are strong enough and simply obliterates the soy beans and cooks it up and I get a fresh cup of unsweetened soy milk every morning now. Bit of a game changer. I'm not trying to turn vegan, though I agree with some vegan concepts... but I hate those vegan extremists. But anyway. I don't need to go buy milk now.
The newest toy I got was this XTeink's X3 ereader. It's so tiny! I do remember I had that other small ereader, but I think the company shut down, so the back-end system doesn't work. Can't connect to internet, can't use any of the ways to transfer books. So I can still read whatever's already in it. But this X3 is another level. It's way slimmer and lighter, and has MagSafe and I just stick it to the back of my phone. It's so small that when I'm in the office people don't notice I'm reading from it lol. I still like my 2 other larger ereaders, but this one is proving to be very useful and handy.
Random Frankie photos during his walks. Apparently the night show at Nam Van Lake is still going on (it has a schedule of a couple nights a week, but I don't have the particulars)
Currently there's some festival/fair going on and that thing apparently is a Kangaroo. I have no idea why and what relation it has, but.... whatever...
You can see the tail on this last photo, it's a Kangaroo.
So, the weekend has been busy. First order of business.... hairdresser! Then hopped over to China for a manicure!
I also went to the workshop.... bad luck comes in 3s right? I had 3 accidents and it seems... yeah, nothing else happened.
I wanted to get my car washed by then Dad called and asked me to do something, so I coudln't do it on Saturday. This morning, I went for yoga again. This time they did a wheel yoga thing. It started off easy enough, but the last few poses were really tough!
Sis suddenly decided to get Starbucks today - it was the last day for getting double points. I didn't really want to bother but since Sis asked me to come with, I went.
Weather's been really tricky with high humidity but not yet raining. Decided to give him a wash. Need to go get the de-flea stuff (Frontline) from the vet in the next couple of days, since we can't apply it immediately after wash anyway.
Oh boy, I promise it’s just the timing that made it just seem so. I’m hardly a globetrotter.
Singapore was uneventful - got what I went there for work for done, also made some miracles happen for the boss, and so seriously thinking about asking for a raise, lol.
Back in town, then I’m just so busy every day. Day in the office, night Chinese class, then now Tuesdays I have a new class, Korean. I can introduce myself now! lol
안녕하세요! 저는 카테리나예요, 마카오사람이에요.
I am still amazed at how the grammar pattern is similar to Japanese grammar, and this specifically is really helpful in my understanding of the language.
But, I know for a fact it’s not at all helpful for my trip to Gyeongju this weekend. I don’t know enough. Am going to have to rely on Google Translate.
We’ve finally decided to drive there as well, since our international licenses are still valid, so, might as well. The run is on Saturday, then we will have Sunday and Monday free for our own plans. Tuesday is for flying back. I was originally a little worried that after I flew back I’d have to rush to my Tuesday class, but apparently the course considers Tuesday as holiday as well, so I’m lucky I’m not missing any classes.
Next thing I’ll be sorting out is my trip to Japan in May. I’m a bit saddened that the next Fuji Marathon Online run is right smack in my travel days. I may have to forego this Spring session. (I’m collecting the medals because apparently 6 medals can be put together to make a big medal lol). I did think about just go running in Japan as well, but then I usually run at night (in the dark) and while I know Japan is a safe place, but it’s an unfamiliar place, so I figure I better not risk it.
No more planned trips after Japan, but I do have my eyes on a few restaurants in Zhuhai, Shenzhen and Taipei that I miiiiigggghhhtttt be convinced to make quick weekend trips for.
I’m making something that I hope will be impressive in my ceramics workshop and I just can’t wait to get it in the kiln. The administration there is… I have no comment. I sent them a photo of the sign in sheet and apparently nobody from the administration has ever asked to see or go get the sign in sheet themselves.
I’ve said it so many times, yes, it’s all fun and games to joke that “nobody’s checking, I can come here and use the facilities for free!” But I also don’t want that in 6 months they say “the workshop is not making money, we’ll just have to close it down.” It’s not out of the goodness of my heart, but simply because I like investigating excel functions and formulas, that I actually wrote a speadsheet for them, but I’m not going to send it to them yet. I’m going to trial run it myself for a few months. If it actually works as I imagine it to work then I’ll send it over to them.
On the other hand, I’m now at the workshop almost more than 20 hours a month, I can actually skip the hourly payment and just pay for the monthly plan. But I also know myself, if I start paying for the monthly plan, then my hours there will dwindle and then I’ll want to pay by the hour again (it’s $900 a month, or $50 an hour, so I “break even” at 18 hours. If I’m putting in 20+ hours then the monthly payment is cheaper). I’ll see the next 2 months, if I consistently exceed the 18 hours then I will change to the monthly plan.
Singapore was uneventful - got what I went there for work for done, also made some miracles happen for the boss, and so seriously thinking about asking for a raise, lol.
Back in town, then I’m just so busy every day. Day in the office, night Chinese class, then now Tuesdays I have a new class, Korean. I can introduce myself now! lol
안녕하세요! 저는 카테리나예요, 마카오사람이에요.
I am still amazed at how the grammar pattern is similar to Japanese grammar, and this specifically is really helpful in my understanding of the language.
But, I know for a fact it’s not at all helpful for my trip to Gyeongju this weekend. I don’t know enough. Am going to have to rely on Google Translate.
We’ve finally decided to drive there as well, since our international licenses are still valid, so, might as well. The run is on Saturday, then we will have Sunday and Monday free for our own plans. Tuesday is for flying back. I was originally a little worried that after I flew back I’d have to rush to my Tuesday class, but apparently the course considers Tuesday as holiday as well, so I’m lucky I’m not missing any classes.
Next thing I’ll be sorting out is my trip to Japan in May. I’m a bit saddened that the next Fuji Marathon Online run is right smack in my travel days. I may have to forego this Spring session. (I’m collecting the medals because apparently 6 medals can be put together to make a big medal lol). I did think about just go running in Japan as well, but then I usually run at night (in the dark) and while I know Japan is a safe place, but it’s an unfamiliar place, so I figure I better not risk it.
No more planned trips after Japan, but I do have my eyes on a few restaurants in Zhuhai, Shenzhen and Taipei that I miiiiigggghhhtttt be convinced to make quick weekend trips for.
I’m making something that I hope will be impressive in my ceramics workshop and I just can’t wait to get it in the kiln. The administration there is… I have no comment. I sent them a photo of the sign in sheet and apparently nobody from the administration has ever asked to see or go get the sign in sheet themselves.
I’ve said it so many times, yes, it’s all fun and games to joke that “nobody’s checking, I can come here and use the facilities for free!” But I also don’t want that in 6 months they say “the workshop is not making money, we’ll just have to close it down.” It’s not out of the goodness of my heart, but simply because I like investigating excel functions and formulas, that I actually wrote a speadsheet for them, but I’m not going to send it to them yet. I’m going to trial run it myself for a few months. If it actually works as I imagine it to work then I’ll send it over to them.
On the other hand, I’m now at the workshop almost more than 20 hours a month, I can actually skip the hourly payment and just pay for the monthly plan. But I also know myself, if I start paying for the monthly plan, then my hours there will dwindle and then I’ll want to pay by the hour again (it’s $900 a month, or $50 an hour, so I “break even” at 18 hours. If I’m putting in 20+ hours then the monthly payment is cheaper). I’ll see the next 2 months, if I consistently exceed the 18 hours then I will change to the monthly plan.
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