My fourth...

...iPod, that is.
Without any intention to do so, I had to pick up my 4th iPod last night.

A true Mac convert, I have been very loyally following every new movements Apple comes up with.

At work, I use a PowerBook G4 15", zero complain. The performance is great, the look is sleek, the capacity is applaudable. I am into my 3rd year of using it and it still outdoes my colleague's other platform-based computers.

At home, I use a black MacBook Intel Core 2 Duo 13", except with a battery drainage incident that occurred in January, zero complain. Granted it is still less than 1 year since I bought Tony Mac, I sure hope that I don't have any complains yet.

And the ever-growing peripheral collection at my house is slowly turning it into a Apple Store look a like.

And I carry my iPod everywhere... or at least on the days that it's working.


... my iPod sad stories

I bought my 60 GB Photo iPod a couple of years ago. Back then, the 60 GB iPod Photo was the IT thing to have. It's got the color display, it has photo slide shows, it's definitely the thing to have.
The shop dude told me that I could keep 20,000 songs in it (at the moment I have uploaded only 4,000 songs) and although a little bulky compared to the now ultra-slim iPod Video, I am completely happy with the purchase.

Until September 2007 when it suddenly exploded.
I kid you not, it really exploded. *PHUFF* like that.
In the middle of pedaling over to DiviDong's apartment for drinks, I was listening to Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder's "Just good friends". They went, "We've got a problem here, I....." then suddenly the song stopped playing. I reached over to my iPod to replay it only to realize the machine was HOT. It was burning, and it was making a very funny buzzing noise. "Weird!" I thought. I couldn't turn it off and it kept on making that buzzing noise, until suddenly it went *PHUFF*.

This then generated a subsequent trip to Shibuya's Apple Store. The Genius Bar dude checked my warranty and then asked me to sign a few forms and then gave me a new one, the exact same model.

The iPod was OK for a couple of weeks until suddenly the dream machine only piped the sound to my left earphone. Initially I thought the earphone was the problem, so I bought a new one. And then the new one also still had the same problem, so then I thought that maybe my right ear is having a problem. Nah.
What bothered me was because the problem occurred 2 weeks after the iPod got replaced, surely there was something wrong with how I operate the iPod. But then, it was really puzzling, I mean... how hard is it to operate an iPod, you know what I mean?
Later that day, I discovered that the earphone jack was having some contact problem. So my solution was to tape a scotch tape to hold the connection. But this also didn't solve the problem since the taping got lose every time I went jogging with my iPod on.

So, I went back to the Apple Store. They took some measures to it and discovered (and apologized profusely) that the earphone jack was not in a prime condition. Hellooooo?!
They gave me another new one.

Now, that was back in October. Since then I've been using it, with only some minor problems. Namely, it froze every now and then or it skipped songs and stuff. Until last Friday, I was listening to Carlos Nuñez's Polka de Karnoëd.

It felt like a déjà vu .

The song stopped in the middle of the first verse.

The buzzing started.

The buzzing continued for some time, and then...

It exploded.

Again.

*PHUFF*.

Again.

I had always thought that maybe the machine didn't like my Michael Jackson songs, but when this happened to my cherished Carlos Nuñez's collection (I have nearly 100 songs by him and I play 32 of the works at least 1,000 times already), I realized that maybe whatever is wrong is in the iPod Photo 60 GB series, not in the songs. There must be a bug or something that gave problems ONLY to this particular series.

Last night I brought the fated iPod to the Apple Store, again. And they did the one thing they know best: gave me yet another replacement.
When I brought my concerns up to them, they refuse to believe my suspicion. Although agreeing that for one person to have gone through 4 iPod changes in less than 2 years is plenty, they can't offer anything beyond this service.

Maybe the 4th is the charmed one. I only hope if anything is going to happen to this 4th one that it should happen before September 1, 2007 - that's when my warranty expires. Amen.

For the sisters in my life

You pick me up - effortless,

You tell me stories,

You make me laugh

You listen,

Or you just be.


Sisters in blood,

Sisters in mind,

I thank you for the eternal togetherness.


Dedicated to the sisters in my life, in blood and in mind. I love you and I thank you.

==
(Thank you for sister C-Genilimaa, I edited the 'tense' in this post, I was concentrating to what had happened, failing to realize there are more and more to come!)

Photo of the week

So, I bought a new super cool camera on Sunday. Really slick and slim and cool!

In attempt to cheer MirPir - the birthday girl who had to call in sick on her own impromptu surprise birthday party- we created this masterpiece.

We had to take this picture over and over, since at any random moment one of us would say "HHHaaa(ppy) Birthday!" and blew her candle and turned out non visible to the naked eye.

I love this picture.

Yin and Yang

Yesterday was a very interesting day. I had a very elatedly happy morning but shattered by a mere twist of fate.

As I sometimes do, yesterday morning I took a few hours off work for a bit of 'treatment' from the Doctor.
Partly because I will be away this Sunday - so I can't go, and because I am not so busy at work - thus this presents as good a time as any to pull a flex time, and most importantly because it was going to be my friend MirPir's first class at the taiko drumming. I always like to be in a newbie's first class, particularly when I brought the newbie into the troupe. I somewhat feel the responsibility to keep them entertained with the class, so they would come back for more.

Anyways, the class was excellent. An unusual Thursday class indeed. We had me, the great Tazawa-san, the chirpy Sato-san, Kiyomi, lovely Lena, Arianne, Hattori-san and of course the eager MirPir.
The class was divided into two shifts, the beginner and the advance. Sensei put me on both, so I could help MirPir out with some of the tricky pieces. Let me tell you, drumming for 2 solid hours with no break was quite a workout.
We played so many arrangements and spent sometime with MirPir so she could pick up the rythm and join in with the pieces. Such a happy morning, everybody was actually taking the time to re-study some of the pieces that we have taken for granted. Very energizing.

A professional musician, MirPir* picked up really quickly, she remembered the pieces very quickly and absorbed everything in, even the tricky movement. Normally sensei does not teach the movement so early in the class, but he did yesterday.
It was amazing to experience the energy, she was so happy to be banging on the drums, and I was so happy because she was so happy, and our teacher was so happy because everyone were giving their everything. Given the variety of levels in the players yesterday, the pieces were not perfect, but it did not matter. The class was so alive, the taiko drums even seemed to be giving out more energy than usual. And I couldn't stop laughing because I was ecstatic. This is one of the best class that I've ever attended.

Everybody stayed back, while I had to leave at noon and go back to my corporate live. I took the train to Yoyogi station and was ready to hop on my bicycle and discovered that my bicycle disappeared.
It was gone. Missing. GONE.

I thought... WHAT? Did some jerk steal my bicycle?

I was about to stomp my feet to the nearby police box, when I took a deep breath and looked around and I saw something really strange. There was no bicycle in sight. Not a single one. Only then it downed on me, I guess they're really doing it now. On that fateful morning, my beautiful bicycle was swept and being discarded at the bicycle graveyard because it was considered to be illegally parked.

Damn.

Not in the mood for the police to be preaching me about bicycle parking, I decided to just go ahead to work anyway and deal with it in the evening after work.

The bicycle was finally collected at the bicycle 'graveyard' not so far from my house. I had to pay 2,000 yen (about 20 USD) to bail it. At the graveyard I saw at least 300 other bicycle, which means if all owners go and collect their bicycles and pay the bail fee, in just one day's work, the government of Shibuya district has just made 600,000 yen (approx 6,000 USD) in one go.

Maybe I should consider a service I could provide for the district administration. hehehe. It seems like easy money.

All that happened yesterday made me wonder though... I think I was scarily happy yesterday morning at drumming, it almost consumed me. Then I got to the station and had the disastrous experience with the bicycle.
Something tells me it might have something to do with the universe trying to keep my feet on the ground. Do you belive in this kind of stuff? I'm beginning to.



---
*MirPir is a musician performing for the much celebrated Cirque du Soleil. Throughout 2007 and 2008, Dralion will be performing in various locations in Japan.

Documentary Film Screening: 'Cinadkeran' & 'Song of the Arayo'

Extending the words: should you find yourself in Tokyo on March 2, 2007 and would like to find a very interesting to do, you need not look for more.

One of the Tuesdays, a documentary filmmaker, will have a film screening right on that day.

Below is the complete information:

‘Cinadkeran’ & ‘Song of the Arayo’

18:15-19:00 Symposium: ‘The World of the Cinadkeran and the Yami Tribe’

Hosted by: Jin Akira (film-maker), with:
- Professor Inui Naohiko (of Gakushuin Women’s College), who specialises in the life and culture of the Yami;
- Professor Minagawa Ryuichi (of Keio Senior High School), who specialises in the spiritual culture of the Yami;
- Andrew Limond (director); and
- Kitamura Minao (producer).

Programme

19:10-19:27 ‘Song of the Arayo’
[17 mins, in Japanese with English script provided]


The ‘arayo’ (dorado) is a sacred fish. An old man fishes far out to sea in his traditional hand-made boat on the first day of the fishing season. This film is a window into the unique worldview of the oceanic Yami. It has already been shown in Germany and Japan to critical acclaim.

Directed, filmed and edited by: Andrew Limond

19:32-21:05 PREMIERE: ‘Cinadkeran’
[93 mins, in Japanese with English script provided]


Some say that the ‘cinadkeran’ is the most beautiful boat in the world. The Yami tribe has been building such boats for centuries. This documentary is a complete record of the construction of a cinadkeran, from the felling of the first tree, to the boat’s maiden voyage to catch flying fish almost one year later.

Directed and filmed by: Andrew Limond Cameramen: Goto Ippei; Kanazawa Yuji 2nd Unit Director: Jin Akira Sound effects: Saito Tsuneo Audio mixing: Imori Masanobu Narration: Kobayashi Katsuya Academic Cooperation: The Taiwan Yami Culture Research Forum: Inui Naohiko, Minagawa Ryuichi Translation: Siyapen Monod, Siyapen Jazikna (Siyapen Kotan) Produced by: Kitamura Minao, Miura Yoko

TIME: Friday 2nd March 2007 from 18:00

VENUE: ‘Kyurian’ (きゅりあん) The Shinagawa Culture Foundation, 1st floor Hall
Keihin Tohoku Line, Oimachi Station . One minute’s walk after turning left out of the central exit; located in the same building as Marui.

MAP: http://www.shinagawa-culture.or.jp/curian/cumap.html

TICKETS: On the door: 1,500 yen In advance*: 1,300 yen

INQUIRIES: (Japanese) 03-3352-2291, e: info@vfo.co.jp
(English) 080-5672-9920, e: andylimond@hotmail.com

*Advance tickets can either be booked with by Andrew Limond in person, at the contact number or email address above, or, they can be bought directly by using fund transfer facilities at any post-office (please mark the fund transfer slip ‘cinadkeran’, or ‘チヌリクラン’):　郵便振替 00120-2-556390 (ヴィジュアルフォークロア).

I should've called it a day

I am bored,

All workload for the day is completed.

I am bored,

So very bored,

So I went shopping,

"Cirque du Soleil: Quidam/ Dralion/ Journey of Man",

"Before These Crowded Streets",

"Busted Stuff",

"Live at the Gorge", and

"Live at Fenway Park, Boston MA",

Quickly became my posessions over a few clicks at Amazon.com,

I have become broke,

But I am content,

Maybe I should call it a day.

Rosemary Bush V

I have this thing with rosemary, I use them a lot for cooking. They smell nice and they look great as a plant.
However, I have very little luck with them.

Why, you say?

In Tokyo, buying a few sprigs of rosemary is pretty costly. The cheapest would be 198 Yen (almost 2 USD) for 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary. That applies to all cooking herbs. Now imagine you want to cook a grilled herb chicken and the recipe called for a few sprigs of rosemary, bay leaves, parsley, sweet basil and fennel. We are looking at spending close to 10 USD on the herbs alone! That is just stupid spending. I mean, that's almost making you think that cooking at home holds no meaning.
So, the notorious Naked Chef suggested fellow cooks who cook at home a lot to start a small herb garden. He made it sound, oh, so easy.
Thus, I joined his footstep. I made my way to the plant store and bought a collection of herbs: rosemary, basil, parsley and Japanese aojiso.
They grew happily all throughout Summer to Fall, and Tari the chef is ever so happy because the herbs are free, all was joyful except the ever unsuccessful rosemary bush.

My first rosemary bush died because of over-watering.

So I bought another plant, it also died because of too little water.

And then the third one suddenly died because even though the water amount was perfect - it was exposed too much to the sun.

Finally, determined to have a rosemary bush, I bought a book on urban herb gardening and I followed the instructions to the letter. And disregarded the plant store-man's "WHAT? it died... AGAIN?" while persisted in consulting what the best treatment should be for a rosemary bush. I'm sorry to say that after 3 months... it died. Again.

Broken hearted, I've decided that rosemary and I just don't mix. Everyday on my way to work, I pass this bridal shop which has a giant bush of rosemary in front of their store, also Esperia my favorite Italian restaurant, has two giant bushes in front of the restaurant... and I'd shake my head while thinking... I'll just pick a few sprigs when I'm going to use it.
But yesterday, the inevitable happened. I passed the plant store by my house and saw that they have started potting the rosemary bush and they are for sale. I stopped my bicycle and walked in and bought two small pots of it.

OK... this is a big leap.
Always a city girl, I have absolutely no idea what to do when it comes to plants. Truthfully, I'm not much into gardening. If people have green thumbs, then I would be having red and yellow thumbs, no green tint anywhere in my thumb.
This is my fifth rosemary bush. I am going to see how long I can keep them alive this time.

Rosemary Bush Baby, I would not, should not, could not give up on you. Please stay with me...

Another visa story...

Just for fun I decided to renew my tourist visa to the United States. You know, just in case I want to jump into a plane and visit my kin there. I have been out of the multiple entry visa for nearly a year, so it's time to make a new one.

My first stop was here. The US embassy in Tokyo make a good check list on what documents you need and suggested you to make an appointment prior to coming to meet the consulate officer. In a nutshell the steps that need to be taken are as follows:

1. Prepare your documents, take photos, make copies, fill in the electronic form and finally make an appointment for an interview. For Tokyo you can usually get yourself an appointment within 1 day, everything done best electronically.

A tip from an insider: the US consulate officers prefer pictures with no teeth showing. I think this is the most ridiculous tip ever, but better safe than sorry. Smile, but no teeth. It might also help if you take black and white picture if your hair is blue.

2. Go and actually attend your interview. The embassy gate will open at 8 AM, but the line is long and the security system is a bit like those in an airport. Don't bring liquid or electronics. If you do, the guard will keep your stuff for you in a booth like thing, with numbers and all. Oh, and don't forget to pick them all up after you're done.

...my story

My interview was stated to be at 8:15 am. I got up at 6 am, took a shower, got ready and pedaled over to my office, leaving my house at 7 am. I then discard my bike at the office and then hailed a cab, which brought me over to the embassy gate at 7:40 am. There were 4 other people before me, so I was number 5 in line.
The gate opened and I was finally inside the consulate's waiting room at 8:12 AM.

I waited. 8:45 am.

I waited some more. 9:00 am.

I waited and waited. 9:15 am.

By then there were at least 30 other Japanese people who were being called, and since I was number 5 in line, I knew for a fact that they arrived WAY after I did. Then I began to worry that they must have cancelled my application somehow.
So I was annoyed at 9:20 am, since:
a) my name was still not called upon, and
b) since I already paid the said JPY 11,600 fee (supposed to be the equivalent of US$100).

Finally my name was called at 9:25 am.

The interview was another story. For the first time in my visa application history, I met with an American officer who insisted to speak to me in Japanese. Yes, Japanese, Nihongo.
He asked me 4 questions. How long I've been in my job; what my company does; what service my company provides; why I'm thinking to visit the US. And then he declared my visa application approved. YEAH!
The entire interview took 2 to 3 minutes.

So the entire process is basically pretty simple. I have heard that visa officers are making things difficult to applicants to get their visa approved, but fortunately I have never encountered such problems. In my life I've applied for the US visitor visa 3 times and I've always been approved. I hope my visa luck will never change.
Now let's see if I can win a ticket lottery that will take me back to the US.

ps. I got home just now to find my passport with my new B1/B2 visa in it. 5 YEARS, BABY!! (multiple entry, too!) YEAH!!!

And she is BACK!!!!!

Ella is here!!! Ella is here!!! Ella is here!!!

I am so happy that one of my favorite baby is back in Tokyo!!!

Oh, the little smurf who (now) can walk is here!

Yes, you heard it right. The Swedish trio are back!

Now my life is complete again.

:))

Oj!