Worked on Saturday, played Kirby on Sunday. Also tried Vietnamese food for the first time in my life at a really cute/colourful restaurant in Shinjuku on Sunday. Loved it!
Bad decisions.
Tried learning about AI art and Stable Diffusion/DALL-E just because I want to be able to create cool images, too. My stupid ass brain couldn’t understand most of what I was reading so it’s gonna take a while for me to start producing things.
Sking with the family, so close, so convenient why haven’t I gone sooner.
Walked/dragged/carried my little one to the city play place on Saturday. That place is so nice when they saw me and my daughter, they asked where my son was by name.
Sunday, family lunch out, apparently new Hama Sushi restaurants had the brainwave to store cutlery and sauces in hatches inside the table, very nice.
Since the boy can read quite well and use a tablet, decided to invest in allowing him to make poor ordering choices/quantities. Like a controlled demolition, bad, but controlled and educational.
Ran wild together in a park that makes you climb a mountain for a big slide ride. He kept asking for breaks to win our races to the top, I just laughed and said, “Your choice” (while injecting adrenaline-fused oxygen in my heart, damn son).
Ended the day with digging a copy of the original DS Animal Crossing from a junk bin while looking for used story books and the like at a store. Works fine, and it’s a reading heavy game that he loves so far, while teaching basic game mechanics. Contender for best 100 yen ever spent.
Did a pottery class with my S.O. and went to a curry restaurant on Saturday and then on Sunday went for a hike in the woods with a friend and got ice cream.
Went to my weekly free Japanese lesson. Kinda sad because I am going to be moving soon. Gonna miss all my teacher friends… they are all so positive and supportive. We would even go out to cafes or go out to eat when lessons were shut down due to COVID. Next town is too small to have a free Japanese class.
A local hamburger place got destroyed in a fire a few weeks ago. When I passed by this weekend they were holding a yard sale of more or less undamaged stuff to help recoup some money for rebuilding. As it happens, they also ran a fitness gym in the rear of the building, and one thing they sold was a decent collection of good quality climbing holds.
I managed to grab ~35 larger holds for a good price. These are going to the climbing wall at work. More and better holds == more and better routes for us to climb.
Visited a friend who I hadn’t seen since they had their baby last year. Baby was adorable, and then we ate a bunch of wonderful Taiwanese takeout.
Came home and watched the Arsenal game at midnight, might have woken up my neighbors screaming at the 2AM game-winner.
Went shopping with the wife yesterday, found her a cool G-Shock, then ate some chahan and gyoza.
Made lemonade scones with a new recipe. Way too wet, so I think the Japanese style cream was not thick enough. Round 2 with less wet ingredients later this week.
The good thing is, no matter what they look like, scones with jam and whipped cream are bloomin’ delicious.
Made another friend at Konami sports club yesterday, which I’m stoked about. After a 15 minute chat with her in the onsen, I’ve realised my Japanese is much better when I’m naked. 🫣🤭
Tried to go to a local plum festival both days but each time we went the line of cars waiting to park was ridiculous. We’ve been every year since I have lived here and never experienced that. Such a shame.
So after yesterday’s failed attempt, we went to a nearby nature area and we let my little girl run around. That finished with her eating lunch out of and making donuts in my cap and while sitting on the ground next to our car.
Daughter also kicked me out of my bed twice so I had to sleep on her futon. My body is paying for that.
Went to Shinagawa to meet a family friend that visit for a holiday.
Never thought the hotel was full of international athletes that want to join Tokyo Marathon.
Also spend all days thinking what “self goals” to set for the next work quarter.
All of the charging stands at Nitori were occupied for the first time ever when we arrived there Saturday afternoon. We couldn’t charge the car while we ate lunch nearby as we usually do on our Saturday afternoon shopping trips. We were shocked.
So I found out you can’t use the English settings on the Yuchou ATMs to send cash to a different bank, but you can in Japanese. It took me quite a while to realize that and figure it out in Japanese. While I’m willing to try new things in Japanese, I’m not keen on sending money to the wrong account or something.
Is this the case for folk in Tokyo as well? Or is it just a feature of living away from foreigner infested cities? 😉
Friend recommended me so I went to eat peri-peri chicken in a store called [Fire Chicken near Ueno/Iriya](https://goo.gl/maps/9iP8n5hKWp68H82U7). 1,090 yen for half chicken set (half chicken, turmeric rice, salad). Portion were HUGE and the chicken, sauce is amazing I could not believe it is only 1,090 yen. Best cospa in Ueno area hands down. Definitely will come back to try their other menus.
P.S. I almost regretted ordering the Extra Hot sauce because it was *actually* hot, even for my SE Asia standards. Will order Hot next time.
Finally realized that the strange thumps on my stomach wasn’t due to gas; its the adorable baby kicks and he’s being so active in the weekend, maybe because he knows we were going shopping for baby goods haha.
So I checked both babies r us and akachan honpo and both of them have spring sale going till end of march, surveyed the big things we plan to buy new (stroller, car seat, and carrier) but still confuse on which store give us the most otoku offer with the points and discounts.
Thru sunday we did a bigger than usual katazuke and cleaning up for the house then discuss about any furniture we have to move to make baby space.
I’ve gotten really into colognes and fragrances and went on a big shopping spree this weekend..but they smell so good and the bottles look cool! I also incorporated my crippling Mercari deal hunting addiction so it’s a win win!
I traveled to Nagoya on Saturday afternoon as a half way point to meet with a close friend of mine from Shizuoka. I cooked her one of my American breakfast sandwiches and she LOVED it. Then we went to the port aquarium to see everything and I bought her a small stuffed penguin. Later we went to Osu to walk around and get dinner. We both had a great day and I was sad that it went by so quickly. We plan to meet again for hanami at the begining of April, so I’m excited for that.
Took a solo trip to osaka. A two night trip shortened to 1 because the hoikuen had a saturday morning meeting. Anyways got to feel young and free again for 1 night, did so much bar hopping. Something about osaka’s long shopping arcades that makes it so fun and easy.
Felt my baby move for the first time on Sunday during yakiniku with my husband! It felt like a little butterfly flutter or a goldfish swimming in my stomach. The moment I felt it, I started to tear up. Told my husband what was happening, and he said “ah, I’m glad he likes yakiniku!” Made me smile.
Only 20 weeks to go until I meet him 💕
***Sorry for hijacking***, I just want to double check:
If I go abroad for a week (just to visit family) I **don’t need to go to immigration to get some special re-entry permit,** I can just fill it in the re-entry card at the airport, **right**?
(work visa valid for at least another year)
(p.s. I tried to calling the immigration phone number but it’s busy so… trying here).
(also I bought some gifts for family I’ll be visiting back home… pretty much my weekend).
SO and I did a belated valentines in Minatomirai, went to church, went to onsen. It was a nice weekend of uninterrupted quality time after work has been so crazy for both of us.
23 comments
Worked on Saturday, played Kirby on Sunday. Also tried Vietnamese food for the first time in my life at a really cute/colourful restaurant in Shinjuku on Sunday. Loved it!
Bad decisions.
Tried learning about AI art and Stable Diffusion/DALL-E just because I want to be able to create cool images, too. My stupid ass brain couldn’t understand most of what I was reading so it’s gonna take a while for me to start producing things.
Sking with the family, so close, so convenient why haven’t I gone sooner.
Walked/dragged/carried my little one to the city play place on Saturday. That place is so nice when they saw me and my daughter, they asked where my son was by name.
Sunday, family lunch out, apparently new Hama Sushi restaurants had the brainwave to store cutlery and sauces in hatches inside the table, very nice.
Since the boy can read quite well and use a tablet, decided to invest in allowing him to make poor ordering choices/quantities. Like a controlled demolition, bad, but controlled and educational.
Ran wild together in a park that makes you climb a mountain for a big slide ride. He kept asking for breaks to win our races to the top, I just laughed and said, “Your choice” (while injecting adrenaline-fused oxygen in my heart, damn son).
Ended the day with digging a copy of the original DS Animal Crossing from a junk bin while looking for used story books and the like at a store. Works fine, and it’s a reading heavy game that he loves so far, while teaching basic game mechanics. Contender for best 100 yen ever spent.
Did a pottery class with my S.O. and went to a curry restaurant on Saturday and then on Sunday went for a hike in the woods with a friend and got ice cream.
Went to my weekly free Japanese lesson. Kinda sad because I am going to be moving soon. Gonna miss all my teacher friends… they are all so positive and supportive. We would even go out to cafes or go out to eat when lessons were shut down due to COVID. Next town is too small to have a free Japanese class.
A local hamburger place got destroyed in a fire a few weeks ago. When I passed by this weekend they were holding a yard sale of more or less undamaged stuff to help recoup some money for rebuilding. As it happens, they also ran a fitness gym in the rear of the building, and one thing they sold was a decent collection of good quality climbing holds.
I managed to grab ~35 larger holds for a good price. These are going to the climbing wall at work. More and better holds == more and better routes for us to climb.
Visited a friend who I hadn’t seen since they had their baby last year. Baby was adorable, and then we ate a bunch of wonderful Taiwanese takeout.
Came home and watched the Arsenal game at midnight, might have woken up my neighbors screaming at the 2AM game-winner.
Went shopping with the wife yesterday, found her a cool G-Shock, then ate some chahan and gyoza.
Made lemonade scones with a new recipe. Way too wet, so I think the Japanese style cream was not thick enough. Round 2 with less wet ingredients later this week.
The good thing is, no matter what they look like, scones with jam and whipped cream are bloomin’ delicious.
Made another friend at Konami sports club yesterday, which I’m stoked about. After a 15 minute chat with her in the onsen, I’ve realised my Japanese is much better when I’m naked. 🫣🤭
Tried to go to a local plum festival both days but each time we went the line of cars waiting to park was ridiculous. We’ve been every year since I have lived here and never experienced that. Such a shame.
So after yesterday’s failed attempt, we went to a nearby nature area and we let my little girl run around. That finished with her eating lunch out of and making donuts in my cap and while sitting on the ground next to our car.
Daughter also kicked me out of my bed twice so I had to sleep on her futon. My body is paying for that.
Went to Shinagawa to meet a family friend that visit for a holiday.
Never thought the hotel was full of international athletes that want to join Tokyo Marathon.
Also spend all days thinking what “self goals” to set for the next work quarter.
All of the charging stands at Nitori were occupied for the first time ever when we arrived there Saturday afternoon. We couldn’t charge the car while we ate lunch nearby as we usually do on our Saturday afternoon shopping trips. We were shocked.
So I found out you can’t use the English settings on the Yuchou ATMs to send cash to a different bank, but you can in Japanese. It took me quite a while to realize that and figure it out in Japanese. While I’m willing to try new things in Japanese, I’m not keen on sending money to the wrong account or something.
Is this the case for folk in Tokyo as well? Or is it just a feature of living away from foreigner infested cities? 😉
Friend recommended me so I went to eat peri-peri chicken in a store called [Fire Chicken near Ueno/Iriya](https://goo.gl/maps/9iP8n5hKWp68H82U7). 1,090 yen for half chicken set (half chicken, turmeric rice, salad). Portion were HUGE and the chicken, sauce is amazing I could not believe it is only 1,090 yen. Best cospa in Ueno area hands down. Definitely will come back to try their other menus.
P.S. I almost regretted ordering the Extra Hot sauce because it was *actually* hot, even for my SE Asia standards. Will order Hot next time.
Finally realized that the strange thumps on my stomach wasn’t due to gas; its the adorable baby kicks and he’s being so active in the weekend, maybe because he knows we were going shopping for baby goods haha.
So I checked both babies r us and akachan honpo and both of them have spring sale going till end of march, surveyed the big things we plan to buy new (stroller, car seat, and carrier) but still confuse on which store give us the most otoku offer with the points and discounts.
Thru sunday we did a bigger than usual katazuke and cleaning up for the house then discuss about any furniture we have to move to make baby space.
While at it, I feel I’m getting tired mopping floor with just quickle wipe sheet (my back is killing me) especially 2nd floor is full with oily and food stances (kitchen and dining area) that I have to put pressure on the mop, do you think changing to electric mop like [this](https://www.amazon.co.jp/CCP-%E3%82%B3%E3%83%BC%E3%83%89%E3%83%AC%E3%82%B9%E5%9B%9E%E8%BB%A2%E3%83%A2%E3%83%83%E3%83%97%E3%82%AF%E3%83%AA%E3%83%BC%E3%83%8A%E3%83%BCNeo-%E9%80%9A%E8%B2%A9%E9%99%90%E5%AE%9A%E3%83%A2%E3%83%87%E3%83%AB-%E3%83%9B%E3%83%AF%E3%82%A4%E3%83%88-TZJ-MA221-WH/dp/B095JV4TKQ/ref=m_pd_aw_vtp_sccl_1/356-3269084-2990254?pd_rd_w=xPJVy&content-id=amzn1.sym.bd89fbf0-6f1e-40cc-854e-b98448a8df82&pf_rd_p=bd89fbf0-6f1e-40cc-854e-b98448a8df82&pf_rd_r=EM9TB9G1QV4DHPBDQYNR&pd_rd_wg=NflGM&pd_rd_r=6a147593-43f4-4ec7-bbcc-aafc21ea4564&pd_rd_i=B095JV4TKQ&psc=1) worth?
I’ve gotten really into colognes and fragrances and went on a big shopping spree this weekend..but they smell so good and the bottles look cool! I also incorporated my crippling Mercari deal hunting addiction so it’s a win win!
I traveled to Nagoya on Saturday afternoon as a half way point to meet with a close friend of mine from Shizuoka. I cooked her one of my American breakfast sandwiches and she LOVED it. Then we went to the port aquarium to see everything and I bought her a small stuffed penguin. Later we went to Osu to walk around and get dinner. We both had a great day and I was sad that it went by so quickly. We plan to meet again for hanami at the begining of April, so I’m excited for that.
Took a solo trip to osaka. A two night trip shortened to 1 because the hoikuen had a saturday morning meeting. Anyways got to feel young and free again for 1 night, did so much bar hopping. Something about osaka’s long shopping arcades that makes it so fun and easy.
Felt my baby move for the first time on Sunday during yakiniku with my husband! It felt like a little butterfly flutter or a goldfish swimming in my stomach. The moment I felt it, I started to tear up. Told my husband what was happening, and he said “ah, I’m glad he likes yakiniku!” Made me smile.
Only 20 weeks to go until I meet him 💕
***Sorry for hijacking***, I just want to double check:
If I go abroad for a week (just to visit family) I **don’t need to go to immigration to get some special re-entry permit,** I can just fill it in the re-entry card at the airport, **right**?
(work visa valid for at least another year)
(p.s. I tried to calling the immigration phone number but it’s busy so… trying here).
(also I bought some gifts for family I’ll be visiting back home… pretty much my weekend).
SO and I did a belated valentines in Minatomirai, went to church, went to onsen. It was a nice weekend of uninterrupted quality time after work has been so crazy for both of us.