What do You Do When Riding a Bicycle

I listen to Pimsleur's Japanese language lessons while biking to Shinagawa, good duration of 45 mintues. It is just too much fun to stop doing it, especially when the weather is good. I picked up Japanese through it more than the formal class.

This morning I saw a guy, stopping in front of red light, moving a small electronic device in his chin. Oh my god, he is saving while riding a bicycle.

Scared the Dog

I do not quite like the traditional Japanese soba, with 100% wheat. The texture is soggy and floury. The good soba should break when your chopsticks pick it up. I do prefer the chowy version, which mixed in higher percentage of flower. With dashi, it is a good meal on its own. If keep eating soba and tofu in Japan, I guess you can easily live up to 100 years old. But why do you want to live that long?
____________________________________

The spring equinox holiday, I spared myself to enjoy the extra-long swim session in the pool. Really feeling good, but the allergy reaction toward chlorine was keeping me looking sick and ill for almost one day afterward.

Visiting a friend near Yoyogi park, walking past the the narrow street to a pub. My sudden burst of violent sneezes scared a dog, which was held in his master's arms. The dog barked, I hope the dog didn't pee on his master.

After Death

The famous Budda monk in Taiwan passed way a couple weeks ago. He could have prolong his life by kidney transplate but he refused. His arguement was "I have lived long enough, it is meaningless to take a young healthy kidney from a person who can live with it". He could definitely afford it but his value system stopped him from doing so. He also mention "Death is like transfering to another bus, a ner journey begins". I wish I could do so if the inevitable occurs to me.

Gero Onsen

Went to onsen with Irene, Gero is supposed to be one of the top 3 onsens in Japan.
________________________________
It is very nice to travel with Irene, feeling that we are easily excited high school girls again. We spent some time in Nagoya, had the nice Taiwanese style bubble tea with topioca, walked around the flea market, then heading toward Gero, staying in a small ryokan. Food, bath, breakfast, bath, walk around, then bath. It is very relaxing in the mountains....

Landmine Explode

I think this frog like thing might be more interesting than my Italian food experience in House Bee Crystal
___________________________________________________
I went to a very bad Italian restaurant in Shibuya last night. It is not easy to get that but we managed to have a bad meal. The carpaccio was made from the cheap Salmon, not the good cut (I am expecting some clean tasted, greasy white fish such as Aji). I ordered the Avocado shrimp salad, the shrimps were cleaned fine (the discussing black intestines were gone), however, I am just afraid they were processed with some chemical, such that the meat textures are firm. But there is no flavor left. The dressing is too sweet, worse than most bottled dressing in the supermarket. The worst part of it is it doesn't go well with anything in the bowl of salad. The only eatible thing is the bowl is the avocado, if you carefully remove the dressing.

The pasta is alright noodles were cooked al dante, but my tomato sauce is still on the sweet side, there is no fresh tomato smell, nor oliver oil, it is just canned sauce. The seafoods were coming from the frozen package. My friend's cream sauce pasta is also a disaster, the cream is too rich and salty, unfortunately the smoke han didn't help a bit. I cannot believe I had this type of Italian in Japan, I was so angry that I almost wanted to talk to the chef. I wish this restaurant go belly up soon so that to poison any other innocent patrons.

Who's Got the UpperHand?

The hat is amazingly warm.
___________________________________

I have a friend who is amazingly talented in dealing with complicated relations in everyday life. When we grew older, of course, she handles office politics. She observes, protects her turf, no one can really take advantage of her. Marriage to her is just like another power play.

Observing from my friends, marriage is never a matter of 2 people. The girl is marrying into a family, being fed/imposed a complete different sets of values. How laundries should be handled, how money should be spent, and how foods should be prepared are all different from the way she was brought up. It is a game between 2 parties, who should conform and who should take the upperhand?

The subtilty of overthrowing the master of the household (normally the mother in law) was staged. She lost the first war because the newly wed didn't get to live in her choice of location. I guess she knew it is time to fight back. She insisted on redoing all interior to her standard. This is like a big bomb in her husband's household. Though very rich, they live very frugal and simple life. She didn't give in, continuously debate/negotiate/install her thinkings. Her family is also supporting her, paying for the renovation cost... Oh well, the mother in law had nothing to say, though unhappy. She successfully won the second battle. Though still many value concept clashes, She is left alone.

I guess it is true for everything, you need to set the tone right (what is right? In favor of yourself is right) at the beginning. No matter it is the first time you step into the project room, meet a new friend, or walk into the restaurant.