Was That a Fart My Brain Just Expelled?

You know, I thought I had mentioned what I was forgetting when I talked about the Australians and the bar. No. No, no, no. I really, honestly remember it now. The thing that has been nagging at the back of my head like a flea wriggling its way into a dog's skin under its collar.

I bought a bike a few weeks ago.

I held off on buying a bike that long because well hell, only a couple of months till going home. But with how often I was going to the other college, I sat and figured up the amount of time it would take to get there if I only walked, versus the cost of taking the bus one-way (we finish drama club after the busses stop running, so I would still have to walk one way) and walking the other way. Just walking was too time consuming; the amount of time I have left in Japan is small enough as-is, and that doesn't help. Taking the bus one-way all the time would cost half as much as a used bike. And a bike has many uses, just like the sheep in Black & White.

So I bought one. It was 9800 yen, plus a 500 yen fee to register the bike with the government. There are far more bikes in Japan than cars, and as such stealing a bike is just as heavy a crime. There are more bike parking lots than car parking lots around here. In fact, you have to prove you have a place to park your car off the street before you can even buy one. Even so, some of the "driveways" people put their cars in really drive home just why their cars are so tiny.

Having not ridden a bike for some 10-11 years now, I expected my leg muscles to complain a lot for the first few days. That actually wasn't a problem. It was my hand muscles, my knees, and my tailbone. On the other hand, I had forgotten just how much I love having the wind in my face. I am probably gonna get a bike at the beginning of next summer.

I have also been listening to System of a Down on the way to and from drama club for the past few days. It's really good biking music. The songs' beats are good for pedaling too, and vary some so that you get a fun work out. It's also fun to veer around and do tricks to the music. Unfortunately, I still have the urge to veer and do tricks to the music when it's raining and I have taken my glasses off because they are useless anyway. That part kinda sucks.

The issue with Haruki has been taken care of. I finally got someone to listen to the fact that I don't do well with people breathing down my neck, and I think he talked to Haruki about it. I have exchanged only the barest amount of words with him since, but I no longer have problems getting my job done. Huzzah!