who cares if they speak English so long as they kick really high…

Got another package from the land of the rising sun today. The postman wanted to know if I had ordered a hello kitty umbrella. Seriously, he asked. But no, ’tis only a decorative sword for “the Bruce”. So, after talking to the boi in Tokyo via MSN from some sidewalk cafe-ish terminal, it seems I am merely “She who signs for gifts that are actually for other people.” Which is to say, JT is enjoying his Japanese Playstation, which he was lucky enough to already have an import game to play on it. (Guess which one, eh?) Bruce is already calling making arrangements to pick up his hello kitty umbrella, and I have the duty to inform Magoo that she also has a gift waiting, which I very nearly stole for myself, dear one.

Anywho, so we chatted at last. He finally figured out the 11 hour time difference to catch somebody awake and online. He’s been shopping, and since he’s backpacking, he’s having to ship everything he buys back immediately. He informs me that all other gifts will have to be reserved for his last days there, when he’s back in Tokyo, and can just take stuff home with him on the plane. So far, he’s toured Tokyo with a group of Mexicans, got drunk off sake from a vending machine, and made friends with a Canadian chick. Tomorrow he meets up with another Canadian for their team trek up Mount Fuji. On the upside, he’s picking up the language and thankfully essentials like toire wa, doko desu ka (where is the toilet?) were available in the handy guide-book he has.

Of course, that led to:
[22:29] Flerly: is the toilet weird there?
[22:29] Flerly: i mean.. what do you do with the three seashells?
[22:30] Shoeman: some are…with their little ass sprayers and buttons labelled “charm”
[22:30] Flerly: so… what is “charm”?
[22:30] Shoeman: I was too skeert to try it

He’s already got hundreds of pictures and pages of his journal filled in, and is looking forward to putting up the whole illlustrated story on a website when he gets back.

But.. none of that matters now. For now, all that matters is that I finally figured out a beverage that the cognac-based orange liqueur is tolerable in: hot Mandarin Orange tea and I finally managed to get these Young Ones episodes to play. All is well.