On anger issues and luxury work bathrooms

Parental grievances were no less today than yesterday, and today I'm beginning to really feel pissed. We were going to meet to go to Ikea in Tachikawa, because why deny the Swedish stereotype? Anywho, I left early to go pay the rent and then go to work, and my parents told me to call if there were any snags, and that we would meet up later in Shinjuku to take the train together. They couldn't do my practice lesson today at the Learning Studio in Ikebukuro, so I got off about an hour and a half earlier than predicted. I tried calling them to no avail, but texted to tell them to call me back before heading to a cafe for some lunch.

Now, two and a half hours, 3 more texts and a thousand unanswered phone calls later, I'm still alone at a cafe in Shinjuku, waiting to hear from them. At this point there's not even much of a point of even going all the way to Tachikawa, as that will take half an hour, and Ikea closes at seven. Ikea trips are never fast. This is going to be a long night.

I'm pretty livid, actually. I've been hurrying around and trying to get everything in order, while they've been taking their sweet time doing whatever touristy crap they're doing, effectively wasting the hell out of my time. I don't have the keys to where we're staying either, so I can't go home to rest. I'm completely at their mercy and they're just shitting all over me. I probably won't hear a single word of apology either. Swear to god, somehow this will all magically be my fault. It's like they can treat me any which way because they're lending me money to get me on my feet here. Had I known this is what would happen it might've just been easier to get a proper loan somewhere and go at it alone. This is bullshit.

Not everything about today sucked though, thankfully. The Learning Studio is gorgeous. It's on the 20th floor, with an amazing view. Hell, even the toilets were luxorious.

Seriously, like with tasteful classical music and toilets that made noises to hide whatever it was you were doing in there like the moment you entered the stall. This country is magical.

The guy in charge was super nice, and I felt at ease from the start, so I'm thinking that this job might actually be kinda cool. They asked me to work in Akihabara two days a week too, so I think my hours will fill up pretty effectively. I was nervous as fuck going in, but just tried to go with what the instructors told me in hiding my nerves and not being so fidgety, and it would seem like I made a good impression. Even the coffee was cheering me on before the interview!

The writing above Cafe au Lait says "Forward, forward, to dreams!" and I found that strangely comforting.

I don't know if it technically counts as an interview when I've already gotten the job, but whatever. I feel good about this. I think this might actually work out.

The rainy season has started in Tokyo, with rain pouring all day and my feet being constantly wet. While wondering if I would get trench foot and eventually have to amputate it as I walked the streets of Shinjuku with a gentle 'squish squish', I came across this at almost every single store - what I like to call an 'umbrella condom'. It's a thin plastic bag that you slip over your umbrella to keep it from dripping all over the place in stores and coffee shops, and it's fucking brilliant.

Oh umbrella condom, where have you been all my life?

That's the thing with Japan. There are so many things I really like about it. So much of the small stuff that's just amazing. I feel really at home here, which is funny, seeing as I don't technically even have my home yet. It's like time passes differently when I'm here. It's like I've been here forever, even if it hasn't even been two weeks. Not in the sorta wanting-to-settle-down-and-grow-old-here way, but I feel that right now, even with the circumstances being what they are with the Philosopher and it sucking really bad that we can't be near each other anymore, this is the place I belong in right now. Today, on this day of June 6th, I'm exactly where I should be. I feel good about that. Of course not as good as I would if he were here with me, but just being in this city makes me feel alive.