Son?!

I went on my bus adventure which has become a routine since my student ID was issued. Today’s bus driver was a talkative, merry lady. When I asked her to drop me off close to somewhere, she willingly accepted. On the way, she kept talking to me like, “Well, if you live in Eugene, blah-blah-blah,” “Take so-and-so bus to get there, blah-blah-blah” and blah-blah-blah. After a while, she said, “Son, here’s your stop.” In the first place, I didn’t realize that she was talking to me. So, I ignored. Then, she turned around, peeped out of the driver’s seat to face to me and said again, “Son, here’s your stop.” Oh, well, she thought I was a boy. Yeah, I was wearing a cap with which you might think I am a boy and I acknowledge my breasts are quite flat. But because I chatted with her for a while, it seems to have been obvious I’m a girl (a little older, though) with a tone of voice. Or, I may misunderstand the definition of “son,” and the word might be applied for a female child?! Amazing American English.

Mormons

Wow, Mormons are so conspicuous in this hippie town because there’s no one else wearing a tie and white shirt.

When I was waiting the traffic lights to change, two Mormons approached me and said something like, “We are from The Church of Jesus Christ blah-blah-blah.” They didn’t say they were Mormons, but it was obvious. I explained them that I was namely a Buddhist and didn’t have any interests in religions.” Then they gave up persuading me and left, giving me a flyer. I saw through it and found http://www.mormon.org/ down in the flyer. See, they were Mormons.

Three Classes for the First Quarter

I visited PH at her office today to ask about registration. Because DG asked me yesterday if I have already registered classes and my answer was no, I was a little upset. I asked P if I register before the orientations start and can see the list of classes and syllabuses online or somewhere else. She said yes. Come on, PH, tell me much earlier. I’d been curious what classes I would have this quarter.

So, I went online to see what classes I would take this quarter and register them. Actually, I don’t have any choice. There are three classes designated for new Ph.D. students. Well, it’s gonna be hard. Yeah, of course, you are a Ph.D. student, what else do you expect? But there’s one good thing: One of the three classes is Wasko’s! Oh, my, I didn’t expect I would join her as early as the first quarter.

Globalization

Running a bike shop chain next to universities could be a big business because universities have new students every year and those students tend to have a bike. Probably they buy secondhand at other places, but still you can sell fenders and baskets and maintenance services which secondhand dealers and nationwide discount stores are not likely to provide. If the bike shop chain is nationwide or global, it is easy to buy and stock things massively and cheaply. Then it could provide cheaper services which local businesses cannot compete. And you would end up being rich, destroying local businesses.

I myself went to a bike shop next to the campus today to have my bike equipped with fenders. It cost me $28 for fenders and $4 for putting them on. The shopkeeper didn’t tell me he would charge me extra $4 when I asked him to put them on. He’s not honest very much L

I might be pro-globalization even though I know it’s not good to environment, small businesses, localness or whatever. Globalization is good for people with lower income like me. In this case today, if you go to Wal-Mart, and you could find cheaper fenders, maybe around $10, though you need to put them on by yourself. If you are rich, you may stand against globalization because you can afford to buy local things by paying more money. Mm, I seem to have reached a conspiracy theory. Globalization occurs to keep poor people poor or poorer. Who control globalization are influential rich people or influential rich corporations, right? So, as long as they make people with lower income happy with globalization, they can keep making things globalized by expanding their business. By writing this, I’m getting confused. It should be stopped here.

Driver's License

To tell the result first, I failed in the written test. Stupid me. I remember I passed the written test and drive test in the same day for one time in the Washington state. I’m sure. Well, it was more than 10 years ago, and my brain might have been softer and more flexible that time.

But I was close. I made up 77%. In order to pass the written test, you have to mark 80% or more. See, I was close, and so what? I failed because I failed.

After I failed – Gee, I don’t want to say “failed” so many times, I asked someone at the counter to give me a guidebook to learn traffic rules and everything. Then, she didn’t hesitate to hide her surprise, almost saying like, “You took a test without preparing?!” Yeah, because I thought it was really easy. Sorry, I will take it more seriously from now on.

Anyhow, I may take a test again as soon as tomorrow, but I don’t think now that getting a driver’s license for my secondary ID because I won’t drive here and it costs me $5 (written test) + $9 (drive test) + $54.50 (license) more. It was around $20 10 years ago, well, it was in the Washington state though. This amount of money is ridiculous to me.

Trampoline

Someone upstairs was making a loud noise in the living room area. It seemed to last forever, so it might not be sex noise. And if it was heard from the bedroom area, it might be sex noise, but it was not. I couldn’t stand that noise, I went to the second floor and was surprised. The curtains were wide open and there were lights inside. So I could see clearly inside. A guy was jumping up and down on a trampoline. Trampolining in a room?! I never understand American senses.
Anyhow, I knocked on the door. As soon as the guy peeped out, I said, “Will you stop jumping up and down.” And the guy apologized and excused, saying like, “I didn’t know I was making noise.” What?! Of course you make noise if you jump up and down in a room. Your mom didn’t tell you when you were a kid?! Well, I never understand American senses.

Black Cat

I’ve become nervous about my boxes because Kuroneko-(Black Cat-)Yamato hasn’t called me since I got a call from them several days ago. They are supposed to call me again after my boxes goes through and before they go to FedEx. So, I sent an email to the Tokyo office asking what’s going on. The worst case would be that my boxes couldn’t go through the customs. Oh, I don’t want to think in the way. But you know, I filled out the forms in a very improper way because I didn’t send drugs or other offensive stuff at all. Come on, my boxes, come to me as soon as possible, otherwise, I’m getting stressed out because I can’t cook properly.