When it all comes down to it...

Um, okay.

Anyway, spent the day out and about; went to the British Consulate in Nagoya to ask about visas for moving to England (!!!), only to be told - through the intercom - that the Nagoya office doesn't handle visas, and that I'd need to talk to the British Embassy in Tokyo. Right. That helps. Thank you little black intercom box on the wall on the fifteenth floor; you're so much better than a real, live human being. I hate people. *sigh*

Next, called Iain to see if he wanted to hang out, which he did, and so I went to Dotour Coffee to wait for him. Advice: if you are going to spend a considerable amount of time reading Murakami in a coffee shop, drinking a considerable amount of coffee, eat some lunch first: walking back out into the veritable soup that is Nagoya summer becomes a strange, disconnected fantasy. The slight paranoia and unease at the sight of the people around you, yeah, that's the coffee and Murakami interacting in your brain...

"Hardboiled Wonderland and the End of the World" is a fabulous read though.

Met Iain at Maruzen bookstore, which is wonderful. (The bookstore, not Iain; though Iain is really a very nice guy.) Bought CMYK, a advertising and design magazine, and David Mitchell's "Number 9 Dream" which was very highly recommended by Iain and which I'm very looking forward to reading.

After that, it was time for the Hub, a local "British Pub"-style restaurant that has very cheap g&t's until 7. Yay. We were chatted at (rather than to) by a local thespian who apparently suffers from an acute case of the Lake Wobegon effect. Wikipedia it. We also chatted, Iain and I, about different universities in the UK for me to go to for my Masters. (Have I mentioned this yet? I'm thinking not. I'm thinking of moving to England to get my Masters. That England. With Jo.) Edinburgh (which isn't technically in England, being in Scotland) and Leeds are topping the list right now, with Sheffield and Galsgow (also not England) coming in close behind. Iain's the man.

Met up with Fi and Jo and went to Outback (yes, that Outback. The Aussie-themed American Steakhouse.) for dinner. After having about a dozen bastard Japanese people cut in line (they line up for everything, from toilets to tea, but they can't see us waiting for a table?), followed by a 45-minute wait, Iain finally got his wish: a steak as big as his head. Even though it wasn't as big as his head. It was good sized though, so he wasn't complaining. It did make me long for a tipping society though; our waitress was definitely headed for a two-cent tip.

Dinner was good though, Bloomin' Onion (right) and all, and we followed it up by hitting up the most awesome, under-populated bar in Nagoya: Heaven's Door. I like this place a lot: quiet atmosphere, great music from the huge selection of vinyl behind the bar, and the best (albeit smallest) tacos I've had to date in this country. Good White Russians too.

Then caught the subway home, popped on the air-con, and am sitting in front of the 'puter. Good day off. Did I mention that I was up till 3 this morning watching "Shaun of the Dead" with Francis and Mitchell? And that I didn't get up till 11? Good times.

When it all comes down to it, weekends are good things. Even when they're not the weekend.

Okay, all to bed.

t.i.j.