A. Noyd @A_Noyd@octodon.social

Say hello to Nikki. She’s with me for a week or two to see if my other #cat accepts her.

Cat: *launches self face-first into wall*

Me: I see that it's random-derangement-o'clock.

#cat #cats

Me three minutes ago: This #futon is only comfortable if I lie like *this*, but then I’m too close to the wall.

Me just now: You’re on a *futon*, you nitwit. You can just *slide it away from* the wall.

I’m so tired right now my language skills are deteriorating. I was trying to tell a shop clerk that it’s not that I don’t like soft boiled eggs or that I have texture issues, but that they’re hard to peel. The words weren’t coming so I was like (in equivalent #Japanese, with accompanying pantomime), “You go ‘clonk’ and they go ‘ploop’.”

During my washing machine installation today there was a problem with the supply tap leaking. It kept slowly oozing water even after it was turned off. Lacking plumbing tools, the installation guy was at a loss for what to do, even though it wasn't technically his problem.

I provided a temporary fix by whipping out a maxi pad and taping it around the tap. The look on the installation guy's face when he realized what I was doing was so precious.

Just got back from a run to the recycle station. Couldn’t find #cat anywhere. Tried to close open dresser drawer. Couldn’t.

Found cat.

If you're a foreigner in #Japan taking over a position from someone else, #Japanese drinking culture offers an excellent way to make yourself distinct from your predecessor.

Otherwise you kind of get generalized according to your role. (Pretty sure it works that way for non-foreigners, too, actually.)

If I wasn't too #drunk to look it up, I'd see if anyone's ever written a thesis on this.

After a week of commuting to and from my new schools, I'm very, very glad I chose to move closer. I'm already tired of over-crowded #buses. I'll be able to #bike from the new apartment.

The costly mistake of setting up a move during Golden Week (a series of holidays in #Japan) finally got me to change the calendar on my Mac and iPhone to display #Japanese holidays instead of US ones. I do not understand why Apple made it so unnecessarily complicated to do that, though.

It's sad that #Japan is losing so many small home businesses. Shops like that often repair the things they sell.

My friend thought she was going to have to replace the fancy umbrella she's had for 5 years, but got it fixed for the equivalent of a few bucks instead.

I really hope Homura wants a companion #cat. It would be nice if she could take out some of her boundless energy on a like-minded creature.

Today I discovered the special hell that is explaining #Japanese addresses over the phone.

Place names and building names here are a clusterfuck of antique obscurities and modern randomness wrapped up in a simultaneous combination of four different writing systems, all made worse by a ward and block system that cuts regions into smaller and smaller pieces rather than assigning addresses by street name and number.

I got approved for the new apartment! It's in a superb location and allows pets.

My excitement is somewhat tempered, though, by the thought of setting up a move in my second language. It's always been a daunting enough task in my native one.

Luckily I know a bit already since I helped a friend move a few months ago, and my realtor is amazingly helpful. He's getting a thank you gift even if it's not a Thing People Do here in #Japan.

Well, I officially have a #cat now. Someone contacted me confirming that the cat I picked up in February is a stray. Whoever they are, they had her spayed, but couldn't keep her. They're very happy I'm going to give her a home. Her name is #Homura .

２月に拾った猫を正式に飼うことになった。飼えないのに、避妊手術を施して解放した人からの連絡がきた。野良猫だったということを確認してくれた。私が飼うつもりと伝えたら、あの人がほっとして喜んだようです。猫を「ほむら」と名付けた。

#猫 #ねこ #ほむら

I just accidentally smacked my #cat in the face with the handle of her toy. Then apologized to her in #English. Then chided myself for speaking English to my #Japanese cat.

Because obviously she would have understood the apology if it had been in Japanese.

I'm trying to rent my own apartment here in #Japan. (Currently going through my employer.)

The realtor's contract states that I can't be part of a criminal gang. The agent laughed at my shocked reaction to that stipulation. She said it wasn't personal, just a standard part of the contract.

I considered joking that #American citizenship should probably count as a criminal gang affiliation these days. But I restrained myself in the end.

Me: Time to play some Monster Hunter World and get a few more weapons upgraded.

Pair of Glowing Eyes Deep Within the Storage Closet: Think again. It’s random-derangement-o’clock in #cat time. If you don’t play with me *right now*, I’ll go on a chaotic rampage through your tiny apartment with all the force my small, furry body can muster.

I went to a #historical building event/tour thing today and tried asking the guide why people in an earthquake-prone country like #Japan used to use such tall and thin candle holders (like the ones on display there) in houses made out of wood and paper (like the one we were in). He totally avoided answering the question. *sigh*

I translated an 80+ question survey today from #Japanese into #English for a student from the #Philippines.

I don't mind that the student's homeroom teacher asked me to translate it as a favor to her. I do mind that the major corporation behind the survey couldn't bother themselves to provide the damn thing in other languages for foreign students in the first place.

Too bad I can't bill them for my #translation.

Why does random-derangement-o'clock in #cat time have to happen so damn early in human time?