Million-dollar Baby Back Ribs

Here I am, after two weeks of stay in ShinKawasaki. Well, what do I get? First a comfortable place; no more wholes-on-my-door door but a solid but seemingly unbreakable one,cozy bathroom and kitchen, and well-ventilated living room(did I mention, internet connection?). But of course, its not the best room in Japan, because only the best things are free. It costs me 8Kyen for its monthly commodity fee. And I just had with me a phone line for a 4Kyen per month, a 22Kyen bicycle, an Ipod, shoes, clothes, watches, sunglasses, and etc (I think I have been so extravagant for buying all of these things). Anyway, I wont be buying all of these things again in the coming months (promise). It is what I call "buying happiness to temporarily suppress homesickness" thing. I think I just had my million-dollar baby back ribs with special sauce, lemon, wine, and a little bit of peppermint tingling on it when I really crave for "humba tagalog" and "tinono-an" (Dont ask, they are filipino cuisines).

One-centavo Soup

May 13. The dreaded day of transfer from the "rotten" NishimachiHouse to my permanent bachelor type apartment in ShinKawasaki. Dreaded? Hell yeah. I hate things like packing things up, making up my mind for another routine, and adjustments to a new place. I know I am looking forward for this transfer but somehow the thought of packing, then talking to a Japanese taxi driver to go head for the transfer place (saying "hai hai" when you really do not know what he means), updating my ARC (Alien Registration Card), losing my Nishimachi house daily cash allowance, losing my free commodities in Nishimachi house (and actually paying for them with my own budget when living in ShinKawasaki).

You may wonder(if you are witty enough huh) that I used the word "rotten" with Nishimachi house. Well, it may be an overstatement, but guess what, having a door in my room with two wholes on it (one is covered with an F4 boyband poster), staying at the fifth floor on a no-elevator building (even hostels now have one), and a shower room in the basement(it would take years for me to get up and have a shower), could somehow justify my situation. To top all that, my air conditioner is just nothing but a thing sticking at the wall(If you know what I mean). Well, what would I expect on a one-centavo soup anyway?