Tinga's is a dive. Stevie, do you remember going there? It's owned by Toshi, a dropout who loves reggae and getting baked. He's a nice guy. When I lived in Toyokawa we used to go there a lot, maybe once or twice a week, and he very occasionally offered us a joint. But Friday we had only been there for about half an hour when he came up and gave us one. Toshi's stuff has put both of us on our asses more than once, so we respect it enormously. I remember one night I couldn't climb the two steps to the door. I made it eventually, but I had forgotten to pay the bill, and I only made it as far as the gutter, where I sat for an hour and breathed. So we shared the joint with Toshi and caught up, and he said he had bought a big new house, and he seemed really happy. Then he left us to tend to the bar and the place started to fill up with Brazilians. There are a lot of Brazilians around that area, and Tinga's seems to have become one of their favourite bars. They were in and out all night, and Toshi is obviously dealing, which he wasn't doing before. Before, his only customers were us English teachers and a few Japanese deadbeats, but now it's all Brazilians. We never asked him if we could buy some for fear of him getting angry and never offering us any ever again. We were sitting there Friday night and the Brazilians were popping in and out and I was thinking Damn Toshi, I hope you don't get raided by the cops. If they don't know what's going on, then all they have to do is pick up a Brazilian, find some dope on him and then they'll work it out. Toshi seems happy enough though. I'm sure he's making a shitload of money, not just from the dope, but the Brazilians like a drink too. Anyway, a great night. Johnny and I chatted till midnight.
Had a little insight on the way home that is so true, though nothing earth-shattering. I have to stop trying to control everything. I want Will to be a certain way, and when he isn't, I get upset. I want Junko to be a certain way, or act a certain way, and when she doesn't, I get upset. I want Japanese people and things to be different, and they aren't. So basically I realized I have to behave like a Tellytubby. I was watching it the other day (Will went a little retro) and when the Tubby custard machine broke, they laughed! It's such a different reaction to the one I would have had. I would be kicking the fucking thing and screaming. My Tellytubby is black, and it's name is Scunt or something. Tinky Winky, Dipsy, Lala, Po, and Scunt. Another way I can think about myself is as like nerf-ball, and there are always things exerting their pressure on me, like work, or Will, or Junko, or the rain, or the guy near me who keeps sniffing. I must absorb the pressure. Does a nerf ball get upset every time it is put under pressure? If it did it would always be upset. But it can bend and move and take different shapes, so the pressure is not really dangerous to the material. Nerf cannot feel anything. So if I imagine myself expanding and changing shape to accommodate these stresses, which change but are always there, then I can get my behaviors into some kind of perspective and change them. And then if I imagine a silly thing like a nerf ball thinking "oh poor me, it's not fair" or swearing, then I can see that I am behaving silly and I can stop it.
I think it's a very Japanese concept too. Anytime you try to control anything, the universe will show you up for the fool you are. Example. A while ago I was waiting for a train. A train came, but it was not the one I wanted to catch, so I didn't get on. But just as the doors were about to close, I watched a woman running up the steps. She bolted to the train, but the doors closed just in time to stop her getting on. This has happened to me a few times, and each and every time I have yelled "Fuck!" But this woman laughed. They always laugh when this kind of thing happens to them. When they see me scream "Fuck!" do they think of me like I think of a child who is throwing a tantrum at a toy store? Probably. But how do you change that instant reaction of "Fuck!" to "Ha! Aren't I the idiot!" I don't know. But I have to get rid of this stupid pride or ego or whatever it is that is making me react to pressure in the wrong way.
P90X is awesome. I'm into my second week, and it just messes me up every day. Plyometrics on Friday. Holy hell, as Shaun on Biggest Loser would say. I have never sweated so much in my life. The protein shake after that was like heaven. I nearly did all of the Ab Ripper X on Saturday. The whole time I was thinking, I'll just keep going until I have to stop, and I was getting further and further into it until the time came. I still did about 95% percent of it. A good day, and if I get close to that again today I'll be very happy. I'm going to have to do the workouts in the evening because they are just too long and strenuous to do in the mornings, but only for the three days a week I am working.
I watched the Swans Geelong match yesterday. They are just too good. It's frustrating. But I was surprised to see the Barry Hall hating that's going on in the papers today. It's like they choose a different target every week. First it was Richmond, but now they are ok. Then it was Josh Fraser. Then Fev. This week it's Barry Hall. The Bulldogs would take Barry Hall in a heartbeat. So would Geelong, for that matter. This is probably his last year anyway. It's weird how full-forwards are always seemingly forced out of the game. It's like people can't wait to see them leave. Matthew Richardson is a good example. People have been calling for his retirement for years, and it's only the Richmond people who have been saying, hang on, he's actually still very good. And he is! Matthew Lloyd same. God, I remember last time I was down in Oz and people were demanding Ross Lyon's head and saying St. Kilda were a disgrace. They were 5 and 5 at the time, went on to finish 4th! Now they are up there with Geelong as the best in the comp. People don't know what they are talking about half the time.
So to wrap it up, I've got Legs & Back, and then Ab Ripper X tonight. I think this is the most difficult workout of the bunch for me. Lots of squats and lots of pull-ups, followed by lots of sit-ups. I am going to be a mess tomorrow. I'm already looking forward to X Stretch on Wednesday. I might get up early and do that one in the morning.
One of the Chinese guys here went home for Golden Week, and brought back some beef jerky for the office staff. I wouldn't eat it in a nuclear winter, and that's even with this assurance on the packaging.
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