PROTECTION
Last week I was temporarily devastated by the accidental unpeeling of my factory issued iPhone skin (Yes, it made it 7 months). Some of you know about my weird fetish for leaving the smooth plastic skin on things like, my computer, phones, TVs, etc… I don’t know if it stems from childhood or from my germ obsession. I have disgusted many who have looked at the remnants of the skin on my phones wondering what the hell that dusty, face-schmeared, flapping plastic on my phone ever was. The nice thing about getting older is you don’t give a damn. You don’t feel compelled to make excuses for your weirdness anymore. Like Howard Hughes, your weirdness evolves to eccentricity. Another benefit to all this plastic is I am setting an example for Chase. I know at some point we are going to have “The Talk“. During said “Talk“, the use of condoms or rubbers (if you prefer) will inevitably arise (pun intended) and I feel so vindicated knowing that I will be no hypocrite. I will merely point out my shiny, intact, items and explain how I have protected everything important to me with protective plastic skin. Still looks new.
I had tried replacing it with Saran wrap but the touch screen interface suffered. Tomorrow will have to go to the store and see if I can find something to replace the old skin. No glove, no love.
STAYCATION
This past week was Chase’s Spring Break and we were in Staycation Mode. It was so nice to wake up and have a new adventure with him everyday. He’s at that great age where we can really just hang and enjoy one another. Of course, by the end of each day, I was telling him to “get out of my face”. Chase asked if we could go to Hakuhinkan. I have mentioned in previous blogs how this place is in the Ginza district and is the Japanese version of FAO Schwartz. I take Hibiya train to Ginza Station and go out exit A3 and walk straight ahead. It is on the right side of the street a few blocks down. Chase has revived his obsession with Dragon Ball Z Kai. He has ordered collectors cards online and discovered that there is an actual game you can play with the cards:
Videogaming 2012
In front of Chase, there is a flat surface where you place your Player cards and it somehow interfaces with the video monitor and you battle different opponents. It costs 100 yen per game $1.21. Many of the “veterans” have portfolios full of player cards and come prepared. It’s really wild to watch. The kids love it. Every time we were there, there was always a line with at least 2-3 kids waiting their turn. The nice thing about Japan is everyone really understands how to wait their turn. I see how Chase has come to understand this and it really impresses me how the kids here don’t need to be reminded to “give someone else a turn”. They wait, they play, they get back in line. One time we arrived and I saw some guy who looked to be in his 20′s in line waiting to play. There was another kid who Chase and I have nicknamed “Vegas” because he shows up with a plastic case for his 100 yen coins.
So while Chase is in line or playing, I walked around the shop and Ginza. At the store, I came across the coolest sponges that made me feel like I was back in Atlanta:
Politically Incorrect?
I wanted to buy these sponges so badly but I’m waiting to hear comments from my readers. I really don’t want to be in The Help sequel. It wouldn’t bother me to wash fried egg off a plate with a geisha doll but hell, what do I know. I don’t wash dishes.
The last “adventure” on our staycation included going to the aquarium with our Russian friends Svetlana and Nikita. That day turned out to be very typhoonie, so when they suggested an aquarium visit we jumped.
Tokyo Aquarium
The aquarium was terrific. Not too crowded. It obviously showcased an aquarium with lots ofsea creatures, but also indoor amusment park style rides and shows. They actually had one of those pirateboat rides inside! We were also able to catch one of the shows:
Dolphin Feeding Show
When we looked for seats of course the only seats available were in the primary “Splash-Zone”. Svetlana kindly went to the vendor and purchased plastic ponchos for 100 yen each for all four of us. The boys of course wanted to sit up front. Every time we got doused with nasty aquarium water, Svetlana and I would just look at each other and laugh thinking how ironical the whole situation was. We came here to do something out of the rain and end up getting drenched by dolphins.
Good thing we came here on a rainy day
The good thing is, I found plastic to cover me from head to toe!
UPDATES:
April 2nd School Starts for Chase
April 7 Amoroso Dinner with Cliff Friends
April 13th Opening Night for Joseph & The Amazing Technicolor Jacket AND Cliff & Chase go to Cub Scout Camp out
April 20th Room to Read Charity Gala
Until next time…
