Thundery in the night, gorgeous during the day.
Well, today is over, and that's almost the best that can be said about it.
I got up late and of course there wasn't any news on. However, there was a Jason Statham movie on, so I watched that. I had missed the beginning so I didn't understand a lot, but any chance to gaze at Jason Statham (especially with hair) shouldn't be missed!
The film was halfway through when I got an email from my husband. He was going to take the afternoon off. On my day off. Sigh. I wasn't best pleased. With our visitors last week, I hadn't really had much time to myself in days and was looking forward to a bit.
When he came home, he didn't really have any plans beyond going to see his doctor later on, so I grabbed my purse and told him I was going to the bank and I'd see him later. He was a bit surprised and offered to drive me. He took me to two banks to do school business and then personal stuff. In both he stayed in the car, which was basically what I hoped he'd do! I got through the first banking experience easily, it just took a long time. The second one was in a brand new, spacey building. It had a touch screen to check in and get your number. Yet another "don't want foreigners as customers" feature. It was all in kanji. Why not more katakana? I asked a bank worker for help and she did, but I had to wait for a while. I needed to update my passbook and get a new one. I had tried to update my passbook at the machine, but it didn't work. I had no idea how to say that in Nihongo.
Anyway, after I finished, Fumihiko said, "Maybe I should have come in with you?" Mmm. Maybe. But I managed.
We had a quick Gusto lunch, then DH dropped me off at S-Mall while he went to the doctor. I hacked around. I bought coat hangers in the hundred yen shop and nothing in the dvd shop. When Fumihiko made it back to the mall, we had tea in Doutors.
Home again, Fumihiko had a nap and then after 7 we went out for dinner. We went to Kintaro Sushi, the revolving sushi place that we like. It wasn't busy so we were able to seat ourselves anywhere we liked and got down to the serious business of eating. After a couple plates of sushi, the family that had been sitting near me left and then a man came and sat down next to me. I was a bit surprised, but because it often happens there didn't think much of it. I tried to move my "stuff" out of his way, but was a bit surprised when he reached over in front of me to grab the soy sauce (which he didn't return). There was a bottle of soy sauce on his other side that wasn't near anyone at all. He leaned over in front of me to grab a plate of sushi. I was a bit put out, but know that a lot of older Japanese men think they are entitled so didn't say too much. I was watching the belt for interesting sushi when I heard, "Where do you from?"(sic). I asked why, but he didn't understand that. Finally I said "Canada." Then he started talking about The Toronto Blue Eyes. I said, "The Toronto Blue Jays?" Apparently he liked them. I just nodded and looked away.
Obviously this person had no idea where I'm from. I've only ever been in the Toronto airport. I'm from the west part of Canada, the part that doesn't like Toronto, and I DO NOT LIKE BASEBALL. So, he managed to put me on edge, make me angry and insult me, all in one go. Great stuff.
I told my husband that I had lost my appetite and that I was ready to go anytime he was. However, the strange guy left first. I think he might only have had one plate of sushi! Perhaps he thought I insulted him? Aww, too bad, so sad. The people at Kintaro don't even think anything about hubby and I going there. I know when I used to go there alone when I first came to Japan they were nervous because they didn't know if I could order sushi by myself (I could), but I'm a fairly regular customer now and they don't single me out. I've always felt comfortable there. Now, who knows. I really don't understand why people feel it's okay to come up to me and just start talking to me. They don't do it with other Japanese people....foreigners are somehow special? The rules don't apply?
We came home via the grocery store. I found a rather large pork roast, so I'll set it up in my slow cooker before work tomorrow.
At home Fumihiko found America's Sweethearts on TV so we watched that. John Cusack is always fun, so I enjoyed it. Afterwards, we nestled in on the couch to watch American Idol. I think Fumihiko watches it just to hear what Simon has to say. We're still at the beginning on the channel that we watch. I finished making my clapochet while I was watching. The only thing I was wondering was if I should rip it out and re-do it. But, I think I'll leave it for now. I'll have to start darning in the ends soon.
And that's it. My day. Glad it's over. Night.
5 comments:
I'm surprised you didn't move to the other side of Fumihiko? I wouldn't have put up with that.
Alot of times I've had people come up to me in Japan and just say "america?" and it's so annoying, if only for the fact they think every white person is American.
Oh, I hate that so much. It is annoying when women do it, but I find it so much more annoying coming from old men. If they find out I am from Texas they immediately want to talk about Kennedy being killed, which happened many years before I was born; and then they want to talk about John Wayne and cowboys and indians.
Now that I have kids it doesn't happen as often - who wants to come talk to the screaming lunatic trying to pull kids down off the ceiling? Now I get more older women wanting to talk to me about my cute "hafu" kids. They always tell me that they speak Japanese very well. I am tempted to say, "They should. They are Japanese too you dumb@ss!" I manage to control myself though.
Unlike Kelly, I've never had an experience where someone asked if I was American, despite actually being American. I was once asked if I was French! Though I was asked "furansu-jin, desu-ka?". I wasn't asked in English, so not every Japanese person assumes you're from the U.S.
At any rate, I am sort of torn about the strangers talking to me in English thing. Most of the time, I think they are trying for free English practice or to strike up a relationship with a foreigner so they can have it for the "unusual" experience. On the other hand, I think some of them are trying to make us feel welcome by approaching us in a manner which we might possibly understand. The little cliched topics they bring up are them trying to find common ground. They don't realize how little overlap there may be between their interests and ours because they don't really comprehend that our culture and interests are just as complex as theirs.
I must say though, if I were in Sherry's shoes, I'd be really angry about the "hafu" kids stuff. It's more insulting than anything I've ever encountered because it's so overtly racist.
Thanks everyone for your comments.
I just felt that I was trying to have a fun dinner with my husband, not give free English lessons to strangers.
It's ironic Orchid that you've been asked if you're French....I've never been asked that. It usually is "America-jin desu ka?" for me. (don't mean to offend you, but it really bugs me! ) There are so many other countries that speak English.
I usually feel like the speaker is "counting coup" if you get my drift. I'm a trophy, rather than a person to meet and converse with.
Have to run! Thanks to all for the comments.
I was once asked if I was French too. Just the one time though. I think it might depend on the area you are in and the area where the people approaching you are from. I rarely get asked if I am American around the Tokyo and suburbs area, although the first question is almost always "where are you from?"
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