Nobu's Weblog

2011 / 03 / 30

Although I have been living here already for 5 years, and believed got to be used to the local life, there are always some challenges I have been confronted, which I have never expected to be confronted. Indeed life is a challenge; every-day-life is still an adventure for me.

Well, I was looking for a chair/stool, which is durable for me. I have never thought about the maximum loading weight of a chair, as I always assumed a chair on the market would be suitable for me. I was totally wrong.

The first chair I bought was like a one-person-sofa-made of wood with storage underneath. I was sitting on this chair less then one hour and then it broke. The sitting area was completely broken.  When I returned to the shop, the servant could not believe me and was laughing at me. I needed to fight to get back my money and I even need to show my weight on the scale they are also selling. I guess they never thought a non-pregnant woman could weight that much. This was 4 years ago and the last time I bought something in JHC.

The second chair was made of plastic, bought in one of those local shops. It got a crack. I returned the chair, but I could not get back the money. Instead the shop owner highly recommends buying one more chair, in order to put them together and have better stability?!

Recently I bought a chair made of metal. After sitting for a while, the sitting area was deformed!!!

Now I bought a ladder made of aluminum. The maximum loading weight is 100kg. And the shop owner was still asking, whether 100kg is still ok for me… Hey, I am not THAT heavy! Now this ladder is my great friend, for not only reaching high areas, but also for eating my dinner at the glass dining table, a little bit uncomfortable, but without any breakdowns.

EDIT
Today I have just a sign in our lift suitable for maximum 7 persons, total weight of 525kg! If 7 adults are in the lift, one person should not weight more than 75kg! Wow!! The average weight per person is so low. No wonder, that I cannot find a chair with at least 80kg loading weight…

2011 / 03 / 31

Occasionally I am wearing make-up. I think to do make-up every day is not good for the skin, as the skin also needs to breath. The other reason is, I am just simple to lazy to do the make-up every morning.

Today I DID a make-up, I tried to do it as natural as possible. But my colleague did not like it. He took a memorial photo for “Nobu’s heavy make up”.  Though I like the photo he made!

2011 / 03 / 30

It might sound very harsh, when I wrote last time “Life is going on” in subsequent to the earthquake in Japan on 11th of March.
 
Honestly, I was sad, shocked, worried and helpless at the same time, when I knew that there was a huge earthquake in Japan. Suddenly so many questions raised up in my head. I felt lost. I called my mother in Germany – she could reach some our relatives and friends in Tokyo already. They are safe. I also tried to get in contact with my friends in and around Tokyo. I wrote emails and tried to get through the telephone line. No answer. I got panic in Hong Kong, 2800km away from my Japanese hometown.
 
At around 4pm on 11th of March, I have received an email from my Canadian friend Drew – currently living close to Tokyo. “I am safe!” he wrote and I felt relieved. Further on, he shared his first “amazing” earthquake experience, but then asked me about my status about my removal. I was shocked again. And I was also confused. I was wondering why he could ask such a question after THIS earthquake. He might not know or was not aware of the consequences of this earthquake or even he did, no matter what, he remembers me that life is going on. The earthquake will not stop the time. Thank you, Drew!

Following entry has been written originally on the 11th of March. As there was an huge earthquake in Japan, I thought it unsuitable to upload this in my blog. But during the last 7 days I have learnt that life is still going on, so I have decided to post this text with a little bit delay. This entry is the continuation of my previous entry “Challenges of life in HKG“.

2011 / 03 / 11

Actually I started to look for a flat early October, when I became worried at the first time.

I was looking in different district for a flat in Mong Kok, Yau Ma Tei, Tsim Sha Tsui, Prince Edward, Jordan, Sai Kung, Choi Hung and Hung Hom. But I just could not find a proper flat with my requirements: separated bathroom and kitchen, newly renovated, bright, clean, safe environment, windows, lift, security man and around 4k for myself or 6k for flat-sharing.

During this period I have been forced to admit the high property market price. They are amazingly expensive and still rising! E.g. my first flat in HKG cost in 2006 4.6k, in 2009 7.8k and now 10.5k.

Last week I found a new flat in Hung Hom (Hung Hom again, it must be destiny! ^_^). Although I am facing a lot of troubles and organization at the moment, I am looking forward to start a new safe life in Hung Hom.

2011 / 03 / 10

As a part of my ceiling fell down two weeks ago＼（O_o）／コワイヨー, I decided to move out as soon as possible.

Last year an old building nearby collapsed, therefore the Building of Authority in HKG started to check those old buildings older than 50 years old.
Last summer I received a letter from them that my building is “liable to become dangerous”, if the construction will not be done very soon.
Honestly speaking I was not THAT worried as there was not any serious visible damage and for me it looks still ok. I mean, in case of a real danger, all the residents would be evacuated, right?
But I started to be worried early October, when I came back from my Japan trip: The stair case was broken, a part was missing and I could see the iron frame.
The other day I saw a notice of an electricity company it was mentioned that the system must be renewed, because is too old and there is a danger of fire.
When I came back from my Germany trip end of December, water was dripping from the ceiling in the corridor.  It seems that somebody repaired it, but obviously not properly. Then soon after, water was dripping at from different locations. The main problem has been not solved, only the surface has been repaired. Hence, a part of ceiling fell down two weeks ago. I can see the rusty iron bar. The ceiling is now deformed, and I am pretty sure it is just matter of time that more will fell down. Meanwhile a soft yellowish mildews layer is growing on the wall and ceiling…

Those problems I would never face in Germany. Sigh, life in HKG is so different.

2011 / 03 / 04

“等一下儿，上帝”是日本的NHK在二零零四年上演的晚间电视连续剧。
“Wait, God” is a Japanese NHK evening drama shown in 2004.
这套电视剧是根据日文的一本叫”秋日子かく語りき“的漫画改编的。
The storyline has been adapted of the manga called ”秋日子かく語りき“
它的作者是大岛弓子。
The author is Yumiko Oshima.
虽然她的漫画很有名气，但是我还没有看过。
Although her manga gained great reputation, I have not read it yet.
我看完“等一下儿，上帝”以后，也想读原著，因为很感人和很有意思。
After watching “Wait, God”, I would like to read the original work, as it is very emotional and interesting.

这个电视剧有两个女主人公， 一个是中学生，还有一个是大约四十岁的主妇。
There are two female main protagonists, one is a high school student and the other one is a housewife around 40 years old.
演女学生是宮崎葵。
The actor of the student is Aoi Miyazaki.
她是我最喜欢的演员，因为她很美丽，有个性，而且演得很自然，很真实。
She is my favorite actor, because she is beautiful, has personality, and also she is acting naturally, real.
因为是宮崎葵演的这部电视剧，所以我开始看。
Because of her, I have started to watch this drama.

我不太喜欢大部分的摄影场，因为那里的风景不好看，不自然，所以我觉得拍的地方一定是影城。
Most locations shown in the drama, I do not like so much, because the landscape looks not good, it looks unnatural. Therefore I am thinking they filmed this drama in a studio.

剧情是主妇走了以后，让上帝借给她女学生的身体开始生活。
The story is about after the housewife passed away, God let her start having a new life by renting the body of the female student.
女学生的生活不满意，她很难过，因为妈妈和爸爸打算离婚。
The life of the female student is unsatisfied. She is very sad, because her parents are going to divorce.
她觉得没有人爱她，突然离开也没关系，所以那一天她骑自行车的时候故意撞到了一辆大车。
She thinks nobody loves her. So if she disappears, nobody will care. Therefore one day she bumps into a truck on purpose with her bicycle.
之后背景是女学生和主妇站在上帝的面前。
Then the scene changes: the female student and the housewife are standing in front of God.
上帝告诉她们刚才的交通事故是主妇死了。女学生还在，她一定要回去人间的世界。
God is telling them, that actually the housewife was killed by this accident.
The female student is still alive and she needs to go back to the human world.
但是她不想去。主妇想回去，因为她还想做很多事儿。
But she does not want to go back. The housewife would love to go back, because there are still a lot of things she would like to do.
但是她的身体不能用，所以上帝解给她女学生的身体。
As her own body cannot be used any more, God borrows her the student’s body.
因此活在学生的身体里，主妇就可以在人间的世界解决自己的问题。
Because of living in the body of the student, the housewife is able to solve her own problems in the human world.
女学生看到了主妇的顽强的生命力。
The student can watch the strong living power of the housewife.
即使主妇的生活不如意，有很辛苦和难过的时候，她也能保持快乐。
Even life is not going so smooth as the housewife wants, even there are a lot of struggling and sad moments, she is able to keep her happiness.
主妇教她，有问题的时候不要逃避。
The housewife is teaching her, not to run away whenever she faces a problem.
主妇给女学生生活的勇气。
The housewife gives her the strength and braveness to live.
最后主妇向自己的家人辞行，还给她的身体。
At the end the housewife says goodbye to her family, and returns the body to the student.
现在女学生回去人间的世界开始了她的新生活。
The female student returns to the human world in order to start a new life.

这部电视剧给我们很多重要的信息。你同意吗?
This drama gives us a lot of important messages. Do you agree?