On new nicknames and backburner dreams

Having colds in Japan is something else. I've had one brewing for the past few days, and after a complete zombie day on Tuesday where there was snot coming out of my nose at a near faucet-like capacity. Shit was nasty. I don't know if it just made me seem like a more engaged teacher, like 'Hey, I care so much about my students that I'm at work even when I look like I should be six feet under', or if they were all just nice people, but no one gave me shit about it. On the contrary, the last two people I had that day when I was at my most Night-of-the-Living-Dead-esque were super friendly. That being said, I still managed to get Wednesday off and spent nearly all of it sleeping and binge-watching Orange Is the New Black. I'm still pretty out of it, and I don't feel like eating much of anything at all, but I still make myself. Anything to get away from feeling like a truck ran me over.

Japanese people are funny when it comes to sickness though. Whenever I've told people I have a bit of a cold, they've all kinda freaked out. "You should go to the hospital! Things could be serious!" Like yeah, a degree or two of fever and some mucus is totally enough to warrant a visit to the doctor, wasting the doctor's (and more importantly, my) time when I could just be chilling and waiting for this to blow over on its own. I've noticed it in lessons as well, like when I'm practicing what they should say in emergencies with them. When I pretend to be a little kid who's fallen and scraped their knee, making a lot of noise like kids do, they all freak out and go "Don't worry! I'll call an ambulance!". Really people? For a scraped knee? It's adorable, but ultimately more than a little silly.

Tim Gunn agrees with me.

Last night, I had another one of my Friend Auditions. I've gotten so many replies through the ad I placed on Japan-guide that the people I find interesting are 'tested', first through conversations on social media and then through meeting in what I've grown to call Auditions. If they pass that one, it's just down to see if they'll pass the test of time, and then maybe they'll be real friends. Some people have potential. Anywho, the guy was pretty cool - a web designer by trade who used to be a DJ and now works as a buyer for women's shoes, imported from Korea. His dad used to draft patterns. For Comme des fucking Garçons. Shit. Fan-girling away. During dinner (and copious amounts of alcohol), he kinda made me remember that fashion is something I'm truly passionate about. I miss my sewing machine. I miss it something fierce. I told him that I'd been harboring a secret dream - to attend Bunka Fashion College here in Tokyo. Architecture is great, but if given the choice between doing architecture at Tokyo U and getting a spot at Bunka, I've gotta say that I'd pick Bunka. Every. Damn. Time.

I want the life of this snazzy dog.

I want to dress this guy, and all his friends.

It's like Japan is this magical place that keeps giving me direction in life. Last time I was here I figured out a life strategy for the next few years - work hard, finish school, come to Tokyo to work as an English teacher. I came back from my trip and everything was crystal clear. Now? Maybe I'll reach some new ideas for life goals besides 'Being able to afford my own taste' (although I do think it's a valid point. I like nice things). For now, I'll be getting back on the garment planning horse and look into how much a sewing machine is. Sketching, planning, eventually getting back to sewing again... It really would be a dream.

Speaking of Friend Auditions, my Akihabara boss, who from now on will be called Peewee, has become a good friend of mine. As such he's trying to figure out a nickname for me. Right now it's a three-way tie between the ironic 'Shorty', 'Bambi' for my big eyes, and 'Pancakes'. I have a hard time deciding my favorite, as I find all three to be pretty adorable. Today we went to Kichijoji to hang out at a hammock café (no pun intended). We mostly talk about work, grazing occasionally on private life, but he gives me tips for how to the play the game that is working for Gaba. So far I seem to be doing alright, and with the secret support of someone in a position of authority, I see myself potentially rising through the ranks on less of an effort than it would've taken otherwise. I guess I'm lucky that way. Occasionally it's nice to have a conversation where you don't need to think before speaking either, the way I need to when I'm speaking Japanese. Due to my cold, I was pretty out of it today, which made it all the better to just have my brain on slow mode. It feels good to have backing in this whole work racket, even if it's in another LS. And word around the water cooler, according to Peewee, is that my Ikebukuro bosses like me to. "Whenever I need help, and I ask for someone, I know how vital they are to the Ikebukuro studio by how happy they are to lend them to me," he told me. "'Sure, take him!' generally means that 'Meh, we can live without him'. More dancing around the issue means that they don't want you to go. You're becoming a powerful piece that they don't want to share. You'll be able to use that to your advantage."

This whole game-playing is appealing to me. I don't know if that's a good thing or not, but I do truly enjoy the little schemes that need to be deployed to make yourself invaluable.