Nobu’s Weblog

2010 / 09 / 07

After work I went home straight. When I was going to open the wooden door, I heard a noise. This noise was definitely coming out from my flat. “zzz …zzz…zzz”. I was thinking what kind of noise it could be. May be the fridge? May be the TV? I did not know. “Never mind.” I thought, shrugged my shoulders, turned the key and finally opened the wooden door. “ZZZ … ZZZ…. ZZZ”  - much louder than before - sounded from every corner of my flat, I carefully turned on the light and ＼(>o<)／WAHHHHHHHHH?! I wanted to screamed, but I could not. I lost my voice. My flat was full of green frogs. “ZZZ … ZZZ…. ZZZ” I have never ever seen so many frogs at one time.
Yes, I like frogs. I even was thinking about to have a frog as pet before. But.. but .. but .. these are too much!
I could not…. I even did not think about to take a picture, but if I could, you would see the whole situation. Terrible!
Close to the desk lamp, hidden in the shadow,  I recognized a big, probably the biggest frog (may be a frog prince/king? – Nobu, no time to joke around now!!!!). Suddenly he looked at my eyes, jumped in my direction, and bared its teeth (frogs have teeth? I did not know!!!). Ahhhhhhhhhhhh, help! I
 
I was sweating, when I woke up. I opened my eyes, found out lying on my bed and looked around. No frogs. No real frogs. And no frogs with teeth. Only my frog toys. I breathed out, and felt happy when I realized that it was only a dream. I grabbed my alarm clock, only 4am. I am still very tired, I fell asleep again.
 
I could see how the big-teeth-baring- frog was approaching me. Once he landed at my shoulder, it bit my cheek. Its sharp teeth speared every layer of my skin. Warm blood came out from the wound and running down my cheek, mouth and neck. Although I pressed my lips together, I tasted my own blood. I smelt blood. Suddenly I felt an extremely huge pain, this frog just tore off a part of my cheek and split it onto the floor. Once my part of the cheek touched the floor, all the other frogs jumped towards on it, bit it, and ate it like hungry piranhas. After they finish this small part, it seems they has just got hungry and seeking for more. All frog eyes starred at me. “ZZZ..zzz…ZZZ” I could hear them, they came closer and closer. The last thing I saw was all the frogs, small ones, big ones, fat ones, was baring their teeth and jumped towards me. Then I lost conscience.
 
When I woke up, I was not bleeding any more, but sweating much more than before. My alarm clock tells me the time: 6am. I could not slept any more, because I was too scared of my beloved frogs would attack me again. Therefore I decided to have a rest in the living room first.
 
Although I woke up already, my cheeks were still painful. I touched my cheek. Everything is ok. I felt a bit released. Then suddenly I was able to hear “ZZZ….zzzz… zzz” . I stopped breathing. “Nobu, this is a dream only, wake up, WAKE up.” I was keep on saying to me. But how can I wake up, when I am already wake up? I could clearly hear a “ZZZ…zzz” from one corner and after a while “ZZZ …zzz” from the other corner. I felt scarred, but I could not help, so I decided to go towards the sound. This is definitely not the TV, it is also not the fridge. I was sitting there and listening（ ・＿・）hmmm. Suddenly I have realized that one “zzz..zzz” responds on the “zzz….zzzz”. Sigh… now I knew what kind of sound it is: two salamanders are probably flirting with each other…

2010 / 08 / 30

End of July I had several short circuits in my little tiny flat. My bulbs got broken one by one. I still had one and I hoped deeply that this would survive until I can repair the other ceiling lights. One day I came back from home, pressed the switch and suddenly a lot of sparking light came out ＼（〇_ｏ）／and finally my last bulb was now broken. I was standing hopeless in the darkness. It was the first midnight of August.

The next day, I immediately bought and changed new bulbs for my bedroom. At least I had some light in the bedroom. My biggest challenge was the bulb in the living room: My chair was not high enough, so I could not reach very well the ceiling light. Further on, only the glass part of the bulb could be taken out, while threads of the bulbs were still stacking in the ceiling light. They got rusty?! ＼（〇_ｏ）／I was also a little bit afraid of the sparkling. That must be not safe.

My colleague & engineer Henry explained me because of the humidity there might be more short circuit and I need to be careful. He borrowed me two torches for the time being without light. He also gave me step by step instruction for safe bulb changing.

My other colleagues helped me to buy the correct energy saving bulbs in a proper shop for a fair price. My bulbs are not common size, so I could not get them in the supermarkets…

Friends Quyen and Theo have just moved to the district where I am living, so we tried to follow that instruction without success. We have found out that the thread got melt with the socket of the ceiling light?!.＼（〇_ｏ）／ They gave me the advice informing the landlord about my dark situation. And he should call the electrician.

Few days ago an electrician (?) carrying a big jusco plastic bag with all his tools came and helped me to change the bulbs. He was accompanied by his wife, which also entered my flat. She even was not assisting his husband. I did it!!! But she kept asking his husband in Putonghua, why I am not able to change the bulbs by myself. Argh!!!!!

However, after 30 minutes 4 bulbs in the living rooms have finally replaced successfully. Hurray, I have light now in my living room! It is much brighter then before. It is like daylight! d=（＾o＾）=b　I love it!!!!

Herewith I would like to thank you also to Ben, Henry, John, T.Y., Theo and Quyen for their help, advice and support! Thank you!

2010 / 06 / 21

Although temperature is not that high - it is about 30 Celsius degrees-, I feel it is very hot in Hong Kong recently へ（×_×；）へ ヘニョヘニョ. Humidity is high (around 80%). Actually I thought that I am already get to used it, but this year I nearly can’t stand this weather, which makes skin sticky all the time, but not sweating a lot and which let me breathing the heavy air. Well, the last one may also caused by air pollution. I am desperately seeking for natural freshness and coolness, but even under the fewer trees we have in Hong Kong, I cannot find any comfortable natural cool place. Even the water of the swimming pool or the sea is too warm (and dirty) AND there are so many people in the water. I cannot enjoy swimming, especially not when my swim mates have just finished the lunch and burping around, so everyone can smell what they have ate for lunch: garlic. Hong Kong people are burping a lot, I should get to use to it. But these days it drives me or my stomach crazy: I eventually nearly throw up. 

I was a bit released when I read the newspaper this morning. It is saying that today it will be a rainy day. Hopefully the rain can bring some freshness to Hong Kong and wipe away the humidity and also my bad mood (=_=).

2010 / 04 / 29

Probably whole Hong Kong was in Nodame Cantabile fever in March: we had classic concerts playing soundtrack of this j-doroma including piano pieces played by Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HKPO) and also western pianists. Those pieces had been played by Chiaki or Nodame in the dorama before. There were a lot of advertisements on buses, in local newspapers, big posters at bus stations - just in order to promote Nodame Cantabile.
Honestly I did not know that Nodame Cantabile is SO popular in Hong Kong as well.
However, I was happy meeting Nodame and Chiaki, no matter where I was in Hong Kong. I really love this dorama, it makes me so happy, smiling and laughing! Really, I can recommend this dorama to you!

Beside the airport-event, there was another big event: Nodame Cantabile (original tone with subtitels) Movie in Hong Kong Cinema. ＼（＾O＾）／ YEAH! I did not think that long, I bought ticket immediately and went by myself to the cinema in Whampoa Garden. I felt happy and my heart was jumping as I had been fault in love o（＾＾o）　（o＾＾o）　（o＾＾）o . WOW ! I could meet Nodame and Chiaki at the BIG screen! Somehow I was so happy and so excited that I missed out one detail, so after the movie my mood turned 180 degrees and I got disappointed. I was expecting a great great end (a happy end for Nodame) but I found out that the movie has been splitted up into two parts!!! (T__T)Ah!!!!!!!! I have to wait until part 2 will be released in HKG!!!!!!!! I even did not realize that there is second part, when I was watching at the trailer …. 。・°°・(;>_<;)・°°・。

After having Lisa/pizza/visa diseaster on phone or the ATM accident few years ago,today I had a further interesting phone.

This time I (N) called the bank, a yound lady(B) picked up the phone:

B: Bank xx xxxxx, may I help you?
N: Hello, yes. May I know when you close today?
B: Close? What do you want to close?
N: … Am I calling the bank branch or a service line?
B: We are Bank xx xxxxx, xxxxxx branch.
N: Ok. Thank you. May I know your opening hours, please?
B: Opening HOURS?!
N: Yes… when do you open the bank?
B: Ah, you would like to open an account!!
N: No! When do you start work and when do you stop work?
B: One moment, please.

After a while listening to music, another lady (A) picked up the phone. According to her pronounciation, her English sounds better. So I was optimistic that this conversation would be more helpful.

A: Bank xx xxxxx, may I help you?
N: Hello, yes. May I know when is your opening hours?
A: Opening HOURS?
N: Yes, when do you open and ..
A interrupted me immediately.
A: 9am
I was trying to finish my sentence.
N: .. and when do you close?
A answered immediately again.
A: NOW!
N: ….
It seems A would like to emphasize and summarize our conversation, so her conclusion was:
A: We open at 9am and close at 5pm.
N: Thank you.
A: What kind of service would like to use?
I stopped making full sentence and answered simply
N: Billpayment in cash.
A: Then please come back tomorrow!

Those kind of conversation happens often actually.
If I talk/write about, it might be funny. But we should remember, if that language is not your native language, we always face this conflict. Considering this point, I need to study Chineser very well, in order to avoid such a diseaster.

After happy new year, which I had definetely (!!!!) , Chinese New year is now coming… and this is not happy at all T_T, since so many things have to be setteled before.

21 / 10 /2009
Once people know that I can speak German, Japanese and a little bit of Chinese, the majority will ask “Say something in German!” or “Say something in Japanese!” I really do not like these phrases, because of “something” is very general. What I should I say? What would you like to know? Generally the majority does not want to listen particular words in Japanese; they just want to have proof, that I DO speak that language. But honestly why should I proof it? They do not believe me?

The minority will ask e.g. “What’s hello in Japanese?” In such case I am welcome to answer this question, because these people will repeat my answer and try to remember it. It is not like I have to proof something; it is more a learning process.

There are some people on the world; they try to use me to “show off” to their friends. I feel very uncomfortable. Well, actually I could also see it from those people’s view, they might proud of me to be my friend, but I am not happy about it. Some people like to decide what I am saying e.g. “Say ‘hello’ in Japanese!”, “Say ‘thank you. Nice to meet you, too.’ ” In such a moment I feel like a speaking doll. You just press my button on my nose, and I will say the sentence. I really hate it. I am not a doll and I am able to hold my own conversation! モォ (｀ヘ´）

My nose has been pressed too often, it is broken now:
 “Say something in Japanese/German/Chinese.”-service has been suspended!

Yes, during the mid autumn festival I went back to Japan for one week.
Now I am back and I wished I could keep my “japanese mood” for a longer time, but life in Hong Kong and Japan is too different.
Following incidents forced me to remember local mentality and let replace my “japanese mood”. （。＞。＜。）

INCIDENT 1
In Japan, usually before we get on the train, we let people get off the train. Here in HKG, once the door of the train is open people get in and off at the same time! モォ (｀ヘ´）If I wait, there might be not any space any more for me in the train, so I need to fight to get into the train.

INCIDENT 2
In Japan, during rush hour people including me try to get into the middle of the train, so there is more place to new passengers getting into the train. Here in HKG people seldom get into the middle of the train. I guess they are afraid that they cannot get out, because here seldom people make space for people, who wants to get out the train. So therefore all the crowd will be at the door! ＼(｀0´)／キイッッ

INCIDENT 3
While I was taking out my money for paying the goods in the supermarket, people standing behind start to push me! Usually in Japan people will change the cashier or will look at their watch to indicate they are in hurry. I usually dont do it, but I looked very very angry ｏ(゜^ ゜）○ウッキー, so the lady, who pushed me strongly, seems to be afraid, went two steps backwards!

INCIDENT 4
During meal, in Japan we always ask “Would you like to have the last piece?”, but here the last piece is gone already. Nobody will ask you. Everything is based on “First come, first serve.”

Please kindly be note this is based on my experience only!
If you would like to share your experience, I am looking forward to read them!