Archive for May 2007
Psychic Wars on the Sotobo Line
May 21, 2007, 1:12 pmOn the train, especially when crowded, there is sometimes psychic warfare. Sharp, seething glances of harsh disapproval are shot back and forth, especially at those who make noises or allow themselves to be jostled by the train too much. But tonight, it almost came to blows. For 10 chilly seconds, a dignified greyhaired salaryman glared at another salaryman, one who was oblivious and too absorbed in his book to realize that he was in the way. It was tense, and nothing happened, but it was the closest I’ve ever seen to some guy letting out his constipated repressed frustrations and clubbing somebody on the train.
The oblivious one (we’ll call him “Charlie”) was reading a book in the middle of the spot by the door, where everybody crowds on. He wasn’t getting off, but everybody else was, so when (more…)
—Greg | 3 comments
(posted in the livin' category)
in a mall in St. Louis…
May 21, 2007, 5:19 am(with my cousin in a mall in St. Louis, killing time, drinking slurpees, wandering around looking at mass produced consumer goods, waiting for the next something or other to happen)
“Come here, I wanna show you this phone, you gotta check this out.” We were in front of a ridiculous looking electronics store, one of those that specialize in weird-looking and expensive things. The showroom was nearly empty. There were some shelves on the wall with phones and things, and a few speakers on display, and then there was a special room with some kind of special speakers. There was one guy in the place. He was not overly fat, but slightly tubby, like he rarely got up from the computer, and he had tight curly black hair. He had an intelligent look in his eyes and a self-satisfied curl of his lip. He did no more than look up at us for a second when we entered. (more…)
—Greg | 3 comments
(posted in the livin' category)
George Bush Airport part 2
May 19, 2007, 12:48 am(from the Missouri journal… this is us looking for our gate at the GBIA)
Now, the monitor thing clearly said we were at Gate 87, so we proceeded to where the signs indicated. Somehow, we had misunderestimated, because Gate 87 was apparently not anywhere near Gates 86 or 88, and was instead down an extra long hallway at the edge of the George Bush Intercontinental Airport. It was some kind of aberrant gate and was divided into Gates 87A-H. I knew there had to be some flaw under the sleek exterior of the George Bush Intercontinental Airport. There had to be.
The minute we got there, we could tell something was terribly wrong. (more…)
—Greg | no comments
(posted in the livin' category)
The George Bush Intercontinental Airport
May 18, 2007, 5:53 am(From my Missouri journal last year… landing at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston… yes, that’s what it’s called)
The GBIA is as bland, blank, cold and soulless as the rest of New America. It is clean and efficient and there are giant open spaces where nothing is going on. You proceed down endless lines of people who are herded along by vaguely uniformed employees who appear out of the shadows, talking on cellphones, distracted and oblivious, who take notice of you just long enough to yell at you, “Down this way! Keep moving sir!” You put your luggage into these giant tubes that curve down into the ground and they (more…)
—Greg | no comments
(posted in the livin' category)
Missouri Facts And Figgers
May 17, 2007, 1:28 pmPretty soon, I’ll be headed to the States for a month. I’ll be spending most of my time in Arizona and Missouri, two cultural hotspots. I have lots of things I plan to do there. One of those things is to write like a crazed benny freak with a typewriter and a ream of endless paper. I plan to recount all my fabulous adventures, such as going to Wal-Mart, driving long distances and talking about Japan a lot, right here on this very site.
Last year I went to Missouri for 10 days, and I kept a pretty detailed journal even though nothing remarkable happened. At that time, I didn’t have a website, so I didn’t publish it anywhere. So, until I’m off in the (more…)
—Greg | no comments
(posted in the livin' category)
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