Isn’t it nice coming home to your own shower? You stay at other peoples houses and use their showers, and you’re greatfull for that. A persons bathroom is one of those sacred places… you don’t go in there because it’s one of two places you’re most likely to find things you don’t want to see. But the showers are always too soft, or too short, or it doesn’t get hot enough. My shower has a nosle that turns it into a pressure washer, going from that to just about anything seems like you’re rinsing under a dripping fosset.
Anyway, back to it. I got up to goto church the next morning. Made a quick stop at Freddy’s to pick up a belt and a t-shirt to go under my button up white shirt. I arrive in such a manner that I can see anyone leaving first service, and get to meet with people coming the the second. It was an interesting event. All of my old friends were a little busy. I didn’t plan with them like I did with Justin, and I don’t expect them to stop their lifes for me. I had some fun chats, eventually gave up trying to reconnect with some and went back to Justin’s. We went to a place called Tin Tin Chinese. It’s a Chinese buffette, and was really good and awsome. They even had crab and shrimp on the buffette tables. There was a sushi bar in one part, Justin told me about it after I was already full though 
I was in the mood for trying new things. Oisters aren’t very good… they have a odd texture too.
Then we went to the mall. Visited Spencers, Software Ect., and joked and laughed. It happens that I saw Makiko there, but I didn’t know if it was her, she looked too different from how I saw her 3 years ago so I didn’t approach her. After that we went to the bowling ally and threw a round… bowling is a strange ‘sport’ for me. I start of, not good, but my aim isn’t that bad either. As I bowl I get worse and worse until I’m throwing gutter balls. After the round we went to talk Bob in the Bowling Bar. Talked and had good times. Justin had a brew, Sara a Mike’s lite. I had Sprite. Then I introduced Justin to a version of DDR that the bowling place had that didn’t let you pick what skill set you wanted! We lasted about 15 seconds before it said “YOU SUCK, GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE L00ZERZ!” Or something like that. Then we went back to the apartment and played Soul Caliber II until band practice. Loud and much better than I heard them before I got an exclusive concert as they played their line up all the way through to work some of the bugs out. 3 Day Girlfri3nd is the name of the band, check the the web site if you wanna hear. I’ll warn you that their sound files don’t do them justice, they sound awsome live.
Go home, goto sleep… not much else happened that day.
Next day I picked up Makiko Watanabe from her host familied house. As soon as I saw her I knew that she was who I saw at the mall. It’s really interesting to hang out with someone of a completely different culture. She was amazed how I chatted with strangers as they rung up items or prepaired my food. Apparently they don’t do anything like that in Japan. Of course that just made me want to show off and do it more, and sometimes get her to chip into the conversation. But they don’t say, “What’s up?” or “How’re you today?” or anything, when they see their friends they say there names and ask what they’re doing there. The only time they meet new people is in class or fellow co-workers. I think it would be fun to visit Japan and drive them all nuts with my crazy extrovertous head nods, smiles and good mornings!
Hmm… first we went to South High and walked the halls, she took pictures with her nifty little high technology camara. I don’t think we have that model in the US yet. Then we took a drive over to the park and walked around. I was worried cuz she had these little high heel shoes, I inquired about them a number of times, but she said they were quite comfortibal to her. I still don’t believe her. Then we went to the mall and ate food. She asked to goto Spencers, and I got to explain a few crude American jokes to her. Like what the difference between “a bitch” and “THE bitch”. What “Tits” mean. And other various things I never expected I would explaining to her. She was laughing the entire time, at me as much as at the witty bottle openers. I don’t think she’s as much of a good girl as her inocent Japanese persona makes her out to be.
After that I tried to make her my stylist and pick out what color shirt I should wear with the jeans I had on. I was wearing a long sleeve shirt on a hot day, and everything else I brought was dirty. Eventually she picked a plain black shirt, I think it was too much pressure for her. It was fun though. Then we went to Circuit City, she got a CD and a sun visor CD holder like the ones I have in my car. We went to see Starsky and Hutch. She said she thought it was funny, but I never saw her laugh except for the part where an oriental guy was saying that all americans look the same to him, then Owen Wilson said all orientals look the same to HIM. Not a very good movie, but it passed time by a little.
Finally we had coffee… well, she had hot chocolet and I had a large carmel mocha freeze for the drive home. We sat and talked. I learned Japanese words and asked about how she talks when she’s with her friends in Japan. All in all, that day alone would have made the three day trip worth it, but luckely I had a blast the entire time I was down there. I needed that break, it’s refueled a side of me that living in Portland dranes away and contenues to suck at ever after you’re dry. Anyway, time to goto work.
Geek of all trades (GOAT) 