Daily Routine
I've been asked how my normal weekday goes several times, so I thought I would simply write about it here. This is exactly how my Friday went, and how most of my weekdays are spent:
6:00: First alarm goes off, which I turn off.
6:30: Second alarm goes off, which I again turn off.
6:50: Third and last alarm goes off, so I wake up, but stay in bed.
6:52: I turn the tv on from my bed, as well as the heater. This is the only time I ever turn the tv on during the day, and I only do it because it displays an accurate clock in the corner.
6:52-7:20: I check my email, websites, weather forecast, downloads, talk to people in the US since they are actually awake at this time.
7:20-7:31: I quickly get dressed and leave for the bus stop
7:37: The bus comes, but not before I talk with the gossiping old lady. I found out that she owns a bar that's half a block from my apartment, so I will go try and cajole free food and drink sometime next week.
8:15: The head manager gives a speech; I don't understand what he's saying; eventually, everyone dismisses and I head to the first floor.
8:25ish: The floor manager for the first floor gives another speech; more vocabulary that is beyond my grasp.
8:35: I'm given something to do (hang these...things with holes on wires)
9:00: I finish hanging everything, so I loaf around until someone is not busy, and tell them I finished. I'm told to remove all the screws from some giant tank that has just been coated. Oh, and this is outside, where it's 35 degrees and windy, so I get my jacket.
9:30ish: I start shivering, which causes me to slip and mar part of the coating. I point this out to the closest manager, who gets someone else to finish, and finds something new for me to do.
9:35: I'm told to cut away some coating from the inside of a pipe. This is a bit difficult to explain, but I'll try. Imagine a pipe about 1' long, with a diameter of about 6". It's really thick metal, and the flared parts of the pipe, that lead to the inside, has been coated. This needs to be cut away with an exacto knife, which is an extremely difficult process. There are about 20 of these pipes of various sizes, and I'm given the largest one to start with.
Noon: Lunchtime, and I still haven't finished the pipe. I'm maybe halfway done, and it's taking forever. I eat my lunch of rice and shrimp.
0:30: I meet with some coworkers that are practicing English, and we have a 30 minute conversation classes where we talk about the weekend, what we did last night, etc.
13:00: Back to cutting the pipe.
14:30: I'm still working on the same pipe, and thinking more and more how doing this work is an extremely big waste of time. I could help a lot more with other things within the company, but so far, the only skills I've learned are how to wrap pipes in aluminum foil. Oh, and I'm pretty good with an exacto knife, too.
15:00: More of the same pipe. I also begin to wonder why they hire really qualified people at the company, to do really monotonous, blue-collar-type work. Not to insult those that choose to work in this field, but my coworkers all have degrees in civil engineering or chemistry, and all they do is spray coating onto products. It seems very unfulfilling to me, and I wonder if it's just my company, or if this is common in Japan.
15:15: Someone brings rice cracker snacks, so we all take a break and eat. This greatly improves my day of stewing over the same pipe.
16:30: I FINALLY finish the pipe. I then debate if I should try to start on another one, or just do nothing until 16:45...
16:31: I grab another pipe and start to work. I figure I might as well try anyway.
16:55: I forget to watch the clock, and end up leaving a little bit late. Which is alright, because I have to ask off for a trip to Tokyo, and it looks better on my part if I'm doing so after I just worked a little longer than normal.
17:05: I change, get the days I needed off without any trouble, then head for the bus stop.
17:17: The bus arrives, and I head back to the apartment.
After this, my normal weekday evening consists of little more than watching American tv, or reading, or writing emails. Then I cook something to eat, read some more, and go to sleep.
Luckily, today is Saturday, and I've decided to have a lazy weekend where I don't do much. Diana had wanted to go to Inuyama Castle nearby, but I just didn't feel like doing much besides looking for souvenirs for my family. I figure I'll get all my souvenir shopping done early, that way, I can send the stuff back with Caitlin in April; if she has room.
So I waste more money than I planned to, but only part of it was on a single record, which is an improvement. I almost went back to get another one, but I'm trying to force myself to wait until after Tokyo. I want as much money set aside as possible to waste at secret base.
A lazy day of buying stuff, and oddly enough, having a lady much older start flirting with me through the glass that separates the smoking and non-smoking section of a cafe. I ignored her at first, but then when I got up to leave, she decided to walk with me for a while. Still, a bit odd.
Tomorrow, assuming this rain lets up, I'll hopefully have a junk record player that works. Plus, if I can find the materials, I'll be doing some painting as well. All in all, a day of listening to music and painting. Then the coffee shop. Sounds like a fine Sunday to me.
6:00: First alarm goes off, which I turn off.
6:30: Second alarm goes off, which I again turn off.
6:50: Third and last alarm goes off, so I wake up, but stay in bed.
6:52: I turn the tv on from my bed, as well as the heater. This is the only time I ever turn the tv on during the day, and I only do it because it displays an accurate clock in the corner.
6:52-7:20: I check my email, websites, weather forecast, downloads, talk to people in the US since they are actually awake at this time.
7:20-7:31: I quickly get dressed and leave for the bus stop
7:37: The bus comes, but not before I talk with the gossiping old lady. I found out that she owns a bar that's half a block from my apartment, so I will go try and cajole free food and drink sometime next week.
8:15: The head manager gives a speech; I don't understand what he's saying; eventually, everyone dismisses and I head to the first floor.
8:25ish: The floor manager for the first floor gives another speech; more vocabulary that is beyond my grasp.
8:35: I'm given something to do (hang these...things with holes on wires)
9:00: I finish hanging everything, so I loaf around until someone is not busy, and tell them I finished. I'm told to remove all the screws from some giant tank that has just been coated. Oh, and this is outside, where it's 35 degrees and windy, so I get my jacket.
9:30ish: I start shivering, which causes me to slip and mar part of the coating. I point this out to the closest manager, who gets someone else to finish, and finds something new for me to do.
9:35: I'm told to cut away some coating from the inside of a pipe. This is a bit difficult to explain, but I'll try. Imagine a pipe about 1' long, with a diameter of about 6". It's really thick metal, and the flared parts of the pipe, that lead to the inside, has been coated. This needs to be cut away with an exacto knife, which is an extremely difficult process. There are about 20 of these pipes of various sizes, and I'm given the largest one to start with.
Noon: Lunchtime, and I still haven't finished the pipe. I'm maybe halfway done, and it's taking forever. I eat my lunch of rice and shrimp.
0:30: I meet with some coworkers that are practicing English, and we have a 30 minute conversation classes where we talk about the weekend, what we did last night, etc.
13:00: Back to cutting the pipe.
14:30: I'm still working on the same pipe, and thinking more and more how doing this work is an extremely big waste of time. I could help a lot more with other things within the company, but so far, the only skills I've learned are how to wrap pipes in aluminum foil. Oh, and I'm pretty good with an exacto knife, too.
15:00: More of the same pipe. I also begin to wonder why they hire really qualified people at the company, to do really monotonous, blue-collar-type work. Not to insult those that choose to work in this field, but my coworkers all have degrees in civil engineering or chemistry, and all they do is spray coating onto products. It seems very unfulfilling to me, and I wonder if it's just my company, or if this is common in Japan.
15:15: Someone brings rice cracker snacks, so we all take a break and eat. This greatly improves my day of stewing over the same pipe.
16:30: I FINALLY finish the pipe. I then debate if I should try to start on another one, or just do nothing until 16:45...
16:31: I grab another pipe and start to work. I figure I might as well try anyway.
16:55: I forget to watch the clock, and end up leaving a little bit late. Which is alright, because I have to ask off for a trip to Tokyo, and it looks better on my part if I'm doing so after I just worked a little longer than normal.
17:05: I change, get the days I needed off without any trouble, then head for the bus stop.
17:17: The bus arrives, and I head back to the apartment.
After this, my normal weekday evening consists of little more than watching American tv, or reading, or writing emails. Then I cook something to eat, read some more, and go to sleep.
Luckily, today is Saturday, and I've decided to have a lazy weekend where I don't do much. Diana had wanted to go to Inuyama Castle nearby, but I just didn't feel like doing much besides looking for souvenirs for my family. I figure I'll get all my souvenir shopping done early, that way, I can send the stuff back with Caitlin in April; if she has room.
So I waste more money than I planned to, but only part of it was on a single record, which is an improvement. I almost went back to get another one, but I'm trying to force myself to wait until after Tokyo. I want as much money set aside as possible to waste at secret base.
A lazy day of buying stuff, and oddly enough, having a lady much older start flirting with me through the glass that separates the smoking and non-smoking section of a cafe. I ignored her at first, but then when I got up to leave, she decided to walk with me for a while. Still, a bit odd.
Tomorrow, assuming this rain lets up, I'll hopefully have a junk record player that works. Plus, if I can find the materials, I'll be doing some painting as well. All in all, a day of listening to music and painting. Then the coffee shop. Sounds like a fine Sunday to me.
posted by Onwi at
10:11 PM
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