Tsurezure Gusa (Essays In Idleness)

For the third time in my life I actually turned up late to work today. However nobody really realises I'm here anyway until lunchtime or for those who leave for lunch, I'm not noticed until I go home, as I work until 4pm while everyone else works until 6pm. When the clock strikes four I get up and say my “otsukaresama deshitas” (thank you for you hard work) and go off home, while several bewildered workers look up in surprise that I was even there in the first place. So as I expected, nobody but my supervisor Nishihara-san registered that I wasn't here at 8.30am, and even when I stumbled into the office at 9.10am, mused, with aching legs many still didn't realise. Nishihara-san said she thought I was dead. I could be. I certainly feel like a zombie being dragged about by a will which is not my own.

So last night was the soft volleyball team's practice and I unleashed the awesome power of the awkward foreigner as I knew I would. Most of my team-mates are my age but there are a few high school students and one old lady who moves like someone half her age. Practice was pretty full on and we had several matches in the unairconditioned sports gym, while I sweated from every pore in my body. Seriously. And turned temporarily red for the duration of the practice. Japanese people can't get over the fact my face goes completely red with a bit of physical exercise. The same used to happen at Matsue North High were I picked up such nicknames as 'tomato'. My only credit in my unfit and untrained condition, was the fact I can do a powerful and precise serve, that usually got us a point in one move. This came from my old P.E. teacher Scratchy Haig only wanting to do volleyball with us at Rock College, and drilling us in endless serves, but naught else. During practice however, I landed funny (as I usually do with my crooked feet) and twisted my ankle a bit and had to sit out the last game in the practice. It still hurts a bit today but only if I bend it. Afterwards though, we all went to MacDonald's for drinks, then headed home just after 11pm. Probably the reason why I was late today.

While I was in Wellington and Auckland I was supposed to pick up a power adapter to use here in Japan, but unfortunately I had no time at Auckland Airport to do so (even with the hours we were there before the plane took off). So yesterday I began the search, or rather I mentioned it to Nishihara-san and she has determined to set out on a journey to all four corners of Tango find one, lest she feel failed as a supervisor. The search began when I mentioned it at 4pm yesterday where she immediately made some calls to local electronics stores and got a 'maybe' from one in the next town. So after her work at about 6.30pm we headed out to K's Electronics at Yosano-cho. This place was pretty unbelievable. It is massive, like Mitre 10 Mega massive, and all around the building for miles were endless rice paddies. It was pretty much in the middle of nowhere. Unfortunately, the search was all in vain, as it's easy to get Japanese to NZ plugs but almost impossible to get the other way around, so we headed back to Miyazu's Mipple as they said on the phone they could order one in for me. But when we rocked up to Mipple they said no we can't. Arrrgh! So hopefully the saga will concluded when we call K's again and get them to order one in. Talk about drama! Welcome to my exciting life. But it's a big thing for me as my external HDD is an impenetrable fortress that contains all that I hold dear, with an adapter being the only key. One thing that did stick in my mind that evening was something Nishihara-san said to me during a conversation we had in the car about drinking. She asked me what I was like when I drink. Talkative? Angry? Sleepy? I said I was overly nice and overly empathetic to those whom I respected and a little mean to those I don't really have much respect for. Then I fall asleep. Her reply was, “Do-esu Arii no sugata, mitai yo!” (or “I want to see Ali in super-sadistic mode!”). I wouldn't be surprised if she tries to get me to sit next to someone I don't like, like Evil-glare Guy at the upcoming office enkai (drinking party) just to see what will happen. I think she is more of a sadist than myself.

I think the tea and lollies I left at everyone's (but one) desk yesterday was a good idea. This morning I've had people I haven't ever talked to from the other side of the room come over and share okashi (sweets) from their hometowns, the best being one from Hokkaido called Shiroi Koibito (white lover), a biscuit with a white chocolate filling. On a similar note, Evil-glare Guy isn't here today. I must have affected him more than I had thought.


Well that's me for a night. I'll go back to doing my new-found hobby of making paper dolls of Hetalia characters until I get tired. Nigh-nighs!

"What a strange, demented feeling it gives me when I realise I have spent whole days before this inkstone, with nothing better to do, jotting down at random whatever nonsensical thoughts that have entered my head."

-  Yoshida Kenkō (1283 – 1350), Tsurezure Gusa, 

trans. Donald Keene (1967).