|
|
12.13.01
click to enlarge
I'm leaving work this afternoon to go to
a doctor's appointment in Harajuku -- at
the King Clinic.
Don't worry it's nothing serious. A few weeks
ago I took a requisite employee health check
and one of the test results, something to
do with my kidneys, came back higher than
the normal range, so now I'm going to a doctor
to find out what it means.
The mandatory company health check is an
interesting thing. We should probably adopt
it in the West. You get a series of standardized
tests that basically amount to a check for
cancer, heart disease, and any obvious signs
of ill health. Interestingly, a small industry
has sprung up around this government mandated
health check. They have special clinics specializing
in just these tests. These clinics process
people like cattle -- you're herded from
test room to test room with a minimum of
human interaction. In all fairness though,
it's not meant to be a regular kind of check-up,
and if it wasn't for my company making me
go, I probably would never end up in front
of a doctor unless I really felt ill.
Well, I've got to end this here because
I
have to leave for the doctor's office
right
now.
Wish my kidney's luck.
12.11.01
click to enlarge
Some big site news today: I now have
a comments
system.
Using the link at the bottom of each posting,
aptly named "comments", you can
open up a new window, read other people's
messages, and post your own messages. You
can comment on what I said in my posting,
on my pictures, or leave messages to other
hunkabutta visitors. Feel free to go nuts.
Now I need a favour. I'd like you to test
the new system for me. Please go ahead and
post a comment, say anything you'd like,
and then let me know if you encountered any
problems. I'd also appreciate any suggestions
on the general usability: i.e., does it look
good? Is it easy to use? Is it obvious what
the 'comments' link leads to, or should it
have a more descriptive label? etc., etc.
Now that you have the ability to talk back
to me, and hopefully to each other, I think
that I'll have to make sure that my postings
have a bit of meat on them for people to
chew on. Consequently, we might start to
see a little controversy once in a while
here on hunkabutta.
So, in the spirit of commentability, today's
photos are of the sex-centric 'entertainment'
district in Shinjuku, Tokyo.
I'm looking forward to hearing from you.
----------------------------
Also, I'd like to give a big thanks to Katherine
for putting me on her list of top 5 journals at Suite101.com.
12.07.01
click to enlarge
Tonight it's pizza and a movie, and you know
what? I'm excited about it.
It's strange how living in Tokyo, arguably
one of the most fast-paced and exciting cities
in the world, generally makes people want
to hide-out in-doors.
I think it's the crowds. And the noise. And
the people. I guess it's just everything.
The Tokyo experience can be totally over-whelming
unless you tune most of it out. I mean, lets
face it, our brains weren't made to live
in an environment where you interact with
tens of thousands of strangers in a given
day, all in a field of whirling lights and
honking horns. In many ways we're still physiologically
small-band primates.
When you first come to Tokyo it feels like
you're on acid for about three days. Then
eventually you learn to block things out
subconsciously. You stop looking people in
the eye. You don't try to understand what
everyone around you is saying. Essentially,
you erect a little zone of control around
yourself and get into your own head.
This situation probably occurs in most big
cities around the world. However, in Tokyo,
at least from my perspective, we have a bit
of an advantage.
When you stay home on a Friday night in Tokyo
to eat pizza and watch movies you don't have
to feel like such a loser because, hey, you're
do'n it in Tokyo-friggin-Japan man, and that's
pretty cool in and of itself.
-------------------------
Today's pictures, and those from Wednesday,
are some of the ones that I took for Wired
magazine back in July and August. The magazine
paid for a great rental camera and that's
why the pictures look a little better than
usual.
12.05.01
click to enlarge
If you can believe it, the saga of the never-coming
camera is still not at an end.
The latest news is that the guy who allegedly
sent us the G2 camera that later got returned
to him (because of an illegible address),
in a damaged condition, is now telling us
that he can't get anymore cameras until next
year. So, he gave us our money back. Now
we have to start from scratch all over again.
Karen is already fishing around on eBay for a new dealer, but my patience is reaching
its limit. If I don't get the camera by the
time we return to Ontario for Christmas,
then I'm just going to buy it there at the
first store that I find.
|
|
|
|
5 comments so far