Please remove your crotch from my face.

If that title didn't make you do a double-take, then I don't know what else would. Also, sorry to disappoint as for what this post is actually all about. Considering the rather vast and mysterious sex scene and industry in Tokyo, you might have expected something a little more titillating. Today, we're discussing public transportation.

The seating in the trains in Tokyo are set up so that the seats line the sides of the car and you sit facing the other side of the train. This allows for a maximum amount of standing room down the center of the car and at each of the set of doors. If you're one of the many standing passengers, you stake your place out in front of some, more fortunate seated person and grab hold of the hand strap that hangs from overhead. Once you've assumed your position, it is your responsibility to stay as upright as possible and not allow the sudden movements or soft sways of the train to topple you onto said seated person's lap. Seems fair enough, right?

But, as with any rule of etiquette, there are certainly those who are either unlearned in the ways of the sways or who just don't give a damn/are socially inept. In the case of The Bad Hand Strap Holder, these people are almost exclusively men. (I have, in fact, never seen a woman so blatantly and offensively violate these rules, but since I can't say anything is 100%, I qualify with "almost.")

So precisely what (double-entendre here) gross violation am I speaking of? It usually happens like this: Some rather lonely, unshowered-looking guy gets on the train late at night. So, the excuse is that he's tired, I guess. He takes position in front of some innocent bystander. Of course, in my case, I happen to be a girl. I don't know if the guy intentionally picks girls because he's a perv or if he's genuinely so inept and is just randomly picking a spot on the train to hang. Anyway, he takes hold of the strap and proceeds to not try to hold himself upright and basically goes with the sways of the train. Meaning, he's swaying his eye-level crotch back and forth right in front of the seated passenger's face!! And he definitely gets inside the personal space zone that is unwritten but definitely known about on the train. I swear, the last time this happened, I was tempted to punch the loser in his huevos!

Anyway, city living, huh?

Under construction

I'm messing around with the colors, etc. on the blog, so please excuse any offensive color combinations and font choice. :)

Adsense

Adsense makes NO sense. I've made pennies since putting it on my page in February, so I've decided to do away with the cluttering ads for Japanese brides/escorts.

Enjoy the improved, more reader-friendly "here we go: Tokyo" look!

Imaginary polygamy

Okay, so a newest addition to my ever-growing list of soulmates:

Pasha, from the current season of "So You Think You Can Dance."

Why he's on the list:

1) He can dance - really well.

2) He's cute in a goofy and full-head-of-hair kind of way.

3) He's got a sexy Russian accent but doesn't sound like he's hunting Bullwinkle.

4) He's straight - though I guess that goes without saying if he's on this list. (I'm sure I should be making a separate "Gay Boyfriend Soulmate" List.)

My favorite Pasha dances so far:

1) This JazzHandstastic piece he did with Sara a few weeks ago:


2) AfroJazz piece he did with Jessie way back toward the beginning of the season. I really didn't think he'd be able to pull Jazz off, but he did really, really well.


3) Hip hop with Lauren - choreographed by Shane Sparks, so, of course, that's an advantage from the get go. The Russian Latin ballroom dancer pulled off hip hop!


Japan-ish posts coming soon. But wanted to share these great dances with you!

It's raining, it's pouring, the old man...

Decided to take this year off. This has been one of the driest rainy seasons Japan has seen in a while. It's also been one of the coolest - which was good for me, but maybe not such a great sign for Mother Earth.

Traditionally, rainy season is officially announced by the national weather people and lasts for about a month to a month-and-a-half. This year, the service jumped the gun and, after one particularly dramatic rain storm, declared June 14 the start of Rainy Season 2007. But that one storm was followed by several days of beautiful summer weather. The weather agency was flooded (hee hee, pun intended) with complaints about the miscalculated start date for rainy season. The official re-start came about a week later. Since then, we've had a couple of days of drizzle and a few really good torrential storms, but it's otherwise been pretty dry - also good for me, because I've been able to hang-dry my laundry without any problem.

During rainy season, kids make little ghost-looking things and hang them up on the balcony or in the windows of their houses in an effort to make the rain stop. I can't imagine how many they must have put up this year.

Anyway, rainy season is officially over now and the next season has started. It's called, "Oh my god, it's so &^%*^%$ hot and ^%$&*$@ humid!!" season. I think my hair will be in a ponytail for the next 6 weeks.

If you like paying very low prices for health insurance, you might be a Socialist.

This is why universal health care/national health insurance is AWESOME!

1) Last week I paid for my whole next year's health insurance, the total amount was based on what I earned last year (0 yen). Total: Approximately $300.00. 300 dollars!!! That's it!!

2) I just got back from the doctor. Since this was not my first visit (at which time I paid about 30 bucks), today I paid about $3. THREE US DOLLARS!! My doc is no hack, either. He's the approved doc for the UN here in Tokyo, speaks English like a native, and referred me to a dentist who's office is like a spaceship spa (that's the best way to describe it, oh, and he's also awesome!).