tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33409496.post5691051297828217416..comments2008-08-04T16:07:45.247+09:00Comments on My So-Called Japanese Life: Let's PretendUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33409496.post-52705618235943632772007-08-05T17:27:00.000+09:002007-08-05T17:27:00.000+09:00A windy day a while ago, when on an international ...A windy day a while ago, when on an international call from my local "town square" (let's pretend it is one!), a man played let's pretend there's not someone standing right behind me while I stub this cigarette out. That was nice!Emskhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01695482838326498180noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33409496.post-38425874195448459122007-04-13T10:05:00.000+09:002007-04-13T10:05:00.000+09:00I think it was mostly the "OMG this is DETROIT!! Y...I think it was mostly the "OMG this is DETROIT!! You'll get MUGGED!" factor. Which had about ZERO basis in reality, but that is what almost everyone I talked to felt was bound to happen if "the locals" find out you have money. Even "the locals" would express such sentiments, despite them living in Detroit for 30-40 years without ever being mugged. (And when I say Detroit, I mean Detroit proper, not the suburbs.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33409496.post-67556676097141838342007-04-13T09:52:00.000+09:002007-04-13T09:52:00.000+09:00That's very curious. Did they think it was odd bec...That's very curious. Did they think it was odd because you didn't want to flash your money or because no one ever prepared to pay before they had to?Sharihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17419851636570519145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33409496.post-50329021854485408542007-04-13T03:43:00.000+09:002007-04-13T03:43:00.000+09:00When I was living in Detroit, getting your wallet ...When I was living in Detroit, getting your wallet out while you were waiting in line was a sure way to get people to look at you like you were crazy. I had to force myself to do the "Let's pretend we don't need money" thing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33409496.post-11395468446723208832007-04-12T13:41:00.000+09:002007-04-12T13:41:00.000+09:00Helen: Usually, I see old ladies doing the absent-...Helen: Usually, I see old ladies doing the absent-minded act. In general, men seem to be a bit more on the ball. Women also have this bad habit having long conversations with the clerk and holding up the line. I think you need a little cattle prod for your hubby. You could condition him to whip out his wallet and be at the ready with change through time. You could probably use it for other types of training as well. ;-)<BR/><BR/>Elec: I think you were the victim of the dreaded "if I don't look at you directly, you don't exist" syndrome that is so common in Tokyo. In Shinjuku station, this happens all the time. People will look anywhere but where they are going so they can meander around and not be responsible. It's one of the reasons walking around stations is so stressful.<BR/><BR/>My husband just bashes into those people. You probably could have done some damage (with your equipment) that would have made a lasting impression that may have scared a few people into looking where they are going. ;-)<BR/><BR/>As a little cherry on the icing on the cake of my grand Mexican food gathering experience, the avocados I bought were half rotten. :-)Sharihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17419851636570519145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33409496.post-17527589859824783772007-04-11T21:21:00.000+09:002007-04-11T21:21:00.000+09:00You've put my at ease; I thought I was the only on...You've put my at ease; I thought I was the only one that was wearing a cloak of invisibility that I didn't know about (on account of it being invisible!). I notice this is exacerbated when I'm already not in the best of moods. :-P<BR/><BR/>Case in point: I had an audition last night and was lugging equipment around. It was like people locked onto me as a target to run full-force into. You can imagine that my agility had been greatly reduced, so I don't know why everyone decided that I had to be an acrobat. <BR/><BR/>On another note, I salute you for having the resolve to hunker down and do all that work to make Mexican food! I sadly gave up on that quest, and there is perpetually a tear in my eye and an empty space in my soul because of it. <BR/><BR/>I laughed aloud at the "strange-looking person gives ME funny looks?!" bit. So common.Elechttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14147224396887035942noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33409496.post-21813178061840639812007-04-11T18:32:00.000+09:002007-04-11T18:32:00.000+09:00I hate to say this, but my husband always does the...I hate to say this, but my husband always does the "Let's pretend we don't need money" thing too. It drives me up the wall. I think it might be a Japanese thing! I can have the exact change ready for the clerk before he's got his wallet out of his pocket. <BR/><BR/>At least you only have to deal with it sometimes, I have to deal with it every time I go shopping.Helenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00476943539943172099noreply@blogger.com