I know I've blogged about my trip to Tokyo early this month when I was there and posted some pictures, but I've now uploaded all of them into a public album on photobucket if anyone would like to see them, haha. If you have any questions about them, feel free to ask :)
www.photobucket.com\cnaitotokyo2012
On another note, I love Japanese TV. It's hilarious, and they air a lot of things that just wouldn't fly anywhere else. A friend sent me a link last night to an episode of Arashi no Shukudai-kun (download it here http://dvampyrlestat.livejournal.com/46838.html), which is of course a variety show hosted by Japanese boy-band, Arashi, which I was never a huge fan of, for no reason in particular, but I don't mind seeing them on TV. Anyways, the reason she sent me the link was because she remembered their special guest that episode was Daigo Naito of BREAKERZ. In short, he's a rock star, who happens to share my last name, and whose grandpa was once the prime minister of Japan. Also, he's smokin' hot. So, if I just go ahead and marry him, we don't have to deal with the name changie thing. LOL. Anyways, the show is just some funny Japanese nonsense hosted by Arashi and Daigo, and it`s making me want to watch some more recent shows that Arashi has, so I'll check out www.dramacrazy.net because I think I saw some links to one lately.
Speaking of Arashi, I just started watching Masaki Aiba's new drama, Mikeneko Holmes no Suiri. Aiba plays a young detective with the police who unfortunately is afraid of blood and talking to women. He also takes home a stray calico who turns into Matsuko Deluxe and helps him solve his crimes. If you don't know who Matsuko Deluxe is, check out gakifiles.blogspot.ca, and watch some of Downtown's batsu games, more specifically the most recent Airport one. It's hilarious, especially if you're doS like me LOL.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Learn Japanese!
http://jisho.org/ is a lifesaver for me. I'm so bad at reading and writing Japanese! I obviously didn't and haven't been studying enough at all when I was in school! Mostly, I just have to look up kanji :/
I don't really want to take Japanese at university anymore, because it takes up such a huge time slot, and it's hard to work around having to fit in a language lab section as well. Plus it could be at a whole different campus, and I just don't have the motivation or energy I did when I was a kid! Haha...
My oral Japanese is okay. Not as good as it could be, I admit, and sometimes it's just easier to pretend I don't speak Japanese at all. I'm thinking about doing cultural exchange to Japan with school, or some teach ESL there if I can. I'm really in need of the nice fresh start. 子供のときから、「いい日本人の男性と結婚することがいいなあ」と思ったんだよ。(笑）
I don't really want to take Japanese at university anymore, because it takes up such a huge time slot, and it's hard to work around having to fit in a language lab section as well. Plus it could be at a whole different campus, and I just don't have the motivation or energy I did when I was a kid! Haha...
My oral Japanese is okay. Not as good as it could be, I admit, and sometimes it's just easier to pretend I don't speak Japanese at all. I'm thinking about doing cultural exchange to Japan with school, or some teach ESL there if I can. I'm really in need of the nice fresh start. 子供のときから、「いい日本人の男性と結婚することがいいなあ」と思ったんだよ。(笑）
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Back to the Everyday
*sigh* I went back to work last week, though not the whole week. It's been boring, really, nothing much important happening.
On Wednesday morning I believe I was rudely awakened by my phone as my boss called me, and as soon as I answered it was like, "COURTNAY, YOU WORK NAO?". Sheesh. But at least I didn't have to go bearing gifts and beg for my job back for the summer. And I only have to work weekends which is where the real money is at. Did I mention I work as a nail technician? Well, I do, part-time and on call. We don't get hourly pay, just commission, so there have been lots of days I sat there for an 8-10 hour day and made like $20. It's kind of ridiculous, so it's a good thing I don't have to pay like a million bills every month. Then there are days like last Sunday, which was Mother's Day. We were booked solid from 9:30AM til the end of the day. I just laughed when people walked in thinking there'd be space for them. I heard from a lot of clients that their regular salons were closed on Sunday, and I guess it was because, from what I've heard, they don't celebrate Mother's Day in Vietnam, so salon owners were unaware of the business opportunity. Not my boss though. Nope. He would never in ever pass up a chance like this, to stand over us and crack the whip as his cash rolled in.
Honestly, when I work, he is a major source of stress. He's ALWAYS on my back about being too slow. The problem is not me being too slow, it's his overbooking appointments and never refusing anyone's business. Yes, the clients get lined up quickly sometimes, but it is my responsibility to do a good job and spend an adequate amount of times on my clients. A nail salon is not an assembly line where people should be shoved in and shoved out. He's said that new clients cannot wait even one minute over time, because then they'd leave and he'd lose business, and that if it's busy, current clients will understand if you're fast. That is simply not true, and contradicts everything he wants.
I DID manage to get my speed up eventually and then guess what? He shat on me because he thought I was going too fast. Any attempts to explain to him what I was/am doing go nowhere, because he cuts me off and overrides me. No respect at all. He's also said some very unprofessional things to me in the process, most specifically about the long work hours he's had to endure since becoming a new immigrant and that I could never work that much because I'm Canadian-born and that I "would just die".
I have, however, heard from his wife that I'm not the only one he does this to, and that he just does it to everyone else in Vietnamese, in front of the customers and all the employees. I think he has little-man-syndrome and just likes to have control over all the women that work in the salon.
That being said, working at the salon is the only job I have, and a flexible one at that, with the potential to make lots of tips from all the lovely regular clients that we get; all the ones that make this job worth while. Also, sometimes I get to do leopard print nails on people's toes, and that's legit.
On Wednesday morning I believe I was rudely awakened by my phone as my boss called me, and as soon as I answered it was like, "COURTNAY, YOU WORK NAO?". Sheesh. But at least I didn't have to go bearing gifts and beg for my job back for the summer. And I only have to work weekends which is where the real money is at. Did I mention I work as a nail technician? Well, I do, part-time and on call. We don't get hourly pay, just commission, so there have been lots of days I sat there for an 8-10 hour day and made like $20. It's kind of ridiculous, so it's a good thing I don't have to pay like a million bills every month. Then there are days like last Sunday, which was Mother's Day. We were booked solid from 9:30AM til the end of the day. I just laughed when people walked in thinking there'd be space for them. I heard from a lot of clients that their regular salons were closed on Sunday, and I guess it was because, from what I've heard, they don't celebrate Mother's Day in Vietnam, so salon owners were unaware of the business opportunity. Not my boss though. Nope. He would never in ever pass up a chance like this, to stand over us and crack the whip as his cash rolled in.
Honestly, when I work, he is a major source of stress. He's ALWAYS on my back about being too slow. The problem is not me being too slow, it's his overbooking appointments and never refusing anyone's business. Yes, the clients get lined up quickly sometimes, but it is my responsibility to do a good job and spend an adequate amount of times on my clients. A nail salon is not an assembly line where people should be shoved in and shoved out. He's said that new clients cannot wait even one minute over time, because then they'd leave and he'd lose business, and that if it's busy, current clients will understand if you're fast. That is simply not true, and contradicts everything he wants.
I DID manage to get my speed up eventually and then guess what? He shat on me because he thought I was going too fast. Any attempts to explain to him what I was/am doing go nowhere, because he cuts me off and overrides me. No respect at all. He's also said some very unprofessional things to me in the process, most specifically about the long work hours he's had to endure since becoming a new immigrant and that I could never work that much because I'm Canadian-born and that I "would just die".
I have, however, heard from his wife that I'm not the only one he does this to, and that he just does it to everyone else in Vietnamese, in front of the customers and all the employees. I think he has little-man-syndrome and just likes to have control over all the women that work in the salon.
That being said, working at the salon is the only job I have, and a flexible one at that, with the potential to make lots of tips from all the lovely regular clients that we get; all the ones that make this job worth while. Also, sometimes I get to do leopard print nails on people's toes, and that's legit.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Jetlaggy-lag
I am still jetlagged so badly! Nothing interesting has been happening, so no posts, really. I've just been awake all night and asleep during the day...Well actually, one kind of exciting thing happened today. I had been planning to send some noodles to The Ramen Rater because I was sure I could find something he's never tried before while I was in Japan, so I put a package together and had my dad send it when he went shopping in the states yesterday, and low and behold, he received them today!
http://ramenrater.wordpress.com/2012/05/09/a-donation-from-japan/
I have really been meaning to participate in his Show Your Noodles segment each week, but my noodles have been so ugly lately lol. Delicious, just ugly. If you get a chance, visit his blog and send him your instant noodle creation pictures!
http://ramenrater.wordpress.com/2012/05/09/a-donation-from-japan/
I have really been meaning to participate in his Show Your Noodles segment each week, but my noodles have been so ugly lately lol. Delicious, just ugly. If you get a chance, visit his blog and send him your instant noodle creation pictures!
Saturday, May 5, 2012
I Guess That's All, Folks
Well, today's our last night in Tokyo, so sad. I have to say, we've had some good times. From rain at Tokyo Disney Sea, to the unbearable crowds in Shibuya, it was all exciting.
By the way, I found my watch. For some reason it was INSIDE the duvet cover, what the heck.
Last night we all met up with a friend of ours who lives in Yokohama! It was a blast, and we started the night off with karaoke at a place nearby. For 3 hours LOL, could have even done more.
By the way, I found my watch. For some reason it was INSIDE the duvet cover, what the heck.
Last night we all met up with a friend of ours who lives in Yokohama! It was a blast, and we started the night off with karaoke at a place nearby. For 3 hours LOL, could have even done more.
After that, our friend Hisako had to charge her phone, so we made an unplanned trip to the local Bic Camera, where she bought a charger with a battery pack, that could immediately charge her phone, then she could take it home and recharge it in case she needed it again! So cool!
Now, Bic Camera is a huge electronics department store. It's like...London Drugs on crack maybe. But they also sell booze, apparently. Cindy and I went upstairs, and were convinced to sample a wine, haha. Then another wine. Then another wine. And by the end we probably had a glass each, holy. Of course we had to buy a bottle. I can't believe we got suckered into buying a bottle of sparkling wine in Bic Camera of all places.
After Bic, we made our way to Beersaurus, a bar I had been eyeing since I was like 16. Now 21, I'm actually allowed to go in lol! It's actually a pretty fancy pants place.
We just had a few drinks and some fancy pants food, and after Hisako had to leave for the night. It was nice seeing her again, after I met her about 2 or 3 years ago.
Today, we decided to go to Harajuku one last time, even though it was hot and sunny, and really really crowded. I filled my boots at the idol shops. I'm going to really miss Tokyo, and I hope I can come again in 2 years.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Where the hell is my watch!?
Last night, in preparation of my friend Cindy coming to spend the rest of the week with me in Tokyo from Osaka, I started tidying things up and doing whatever I could to make sure I woke up in time to meet her in the lobby. One of those things was take my watch off and put it on the floor next to the bed (It's a bunk, so super low) right next to the remote. Then I showered and took a bath, in the Japanese-style bath so I was sitting down, and relaxing in the hot water as one does in such a bath, when it felt like someone put their hand on my head. It gave me the creeps, needless to say. I'm not really a believer in such things, (anything really), but when you feel like you're being touched, it's super fucking weird. It's after 3:30am right now, because I've woken up due to my anxiety about waking up on time without a reliable alarm, only to try and feel around for my watch beside me, except it's no where to be found. I thought I might have pushed it under the bed looking for the remote, but I can clearly see all the way to the wall under the bunk and it's empty. I don't have pockets in my pajamas and the watch isn't in the bed with me. It's a small room, there are only so many places it could be and I've checked them all! What the hell, where is my god damned watch!? Tripping balls.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Tokyo Disney Sea
First off, I have to say, I hate Disneyland. The first time I ever went, was when I was nine, to the one in California. I hated it then too, so it's not even a matter of being too old now. I don't do rides very well because I get motion sickness, so what's left is the crappy rides, the long walk, often the heat and really expensive food. Also some bad shows. But this is mom's first time in Tokyo, and she loves Disneyland, so we opted to go to Tokyo Disney Sea, which their sea themed Disney park. That meant lots of Little Mermaid stuff, ships and boat rides and what not. It was okay, as this was my second time going, but it rained really hard for a while, so we had to buy some ridiculous ponchos. Yay.
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