I have been thinking about a lot of interesting things recently, at least I find them interesting, and thats probably why I have been thinking about them. I felt like just writing them out, to share, or whatever, I dont really know why. I think its because I am bored with just repeating my daily experineces on here, but I feel like I have not been updating enough.
First thought. There are a ton of abandoned bicycles and mopeds here on campus. Some are rusted beyond repair, and some are pretty nice. They sit there for months at a time, not moving, just getting older and nastier. My though... maybe I could take one and fix it up, and use it to get around the area near my dorms. It seems silly to take the train everywhere, since my line is all underground, and you really dont get to see much when you are flying through a pitch black tunnel. I would rather travel above ground so I can see more of the city. Unfortunatly, all bicycles here are registered, and if you get pulled over by a police officer, you then get your regristration number ran, and if it is registered to somebody else you get taken to the slammer, and then deported if you are a gai-jin. (foreigner) Not fun, so I am trying to see if there is any way I can find out if a bike is registered, or somehow go through a process to adopt one of these unloved peices of equipment to get around yokohama when I just want to explore.
Second, I have been considering getting a scooter here. I went to a place called The Red Baron, which is a used motorcycle and scooter shop, along with repair facility, here in yokohama. The law here, as in the USA, is that if you have a car license you can drive a moped under 50cc. I found a nifty one for about 1,200 us dollars that has gears rather than a doofy centrifugal automatic, and is something you actually ride rather than sitting on it like you would a bar stool. However, you also need an international license to drive if you are an american here, because unlike many EU countries, the US embassy here has not taken the time to fill out the necissary paperwork to make us elegible for the Japanese police ot honor our licenses. Thanks guys. I therefore need to try to aquire an international license if I want to do that. HOwever, I dont really have the 700 to 1.2k for a scooter anyway right now, so I guess its all silly to think about that at the moment and such.
Third, we should have our next run of products soon with my startup. I would bet good money, and in fact aI am betting good money, that they will be perfect and ready to sell. The last batch was fine, but you could bend them if you tried intently and repeatedly. I want to make an indestructable product, so we are currently going with a material that is stronger than steel, we will see how that goes. I would give 2 to 1 odds they will be perfect, and I will be making some money off of soon.
Fourth, I am thinking about getting my motorcycle license when I get back to the USA. I would like to, some day, have a motorcycle for fun, the high gas millage, and a secondary toy to work on and play with the mechanics of without risking trashing my daily driver. I love cars, and they will always be my first love, but for an apartment dweller it makes more sense to have a bike to mess around with and a car to drive, than somehow find a place to stash two cars. The thing that has been stoping me, is the fear of injury. I dont really mind the whole fact that you may get killed on one, but I do mind the fact that more likely you will get horribly injured, disfigured, or disabled. I am therefore trying to research the dangers, and ways of dealing with them, to decide if a motorcycle is really right for me or not. I have read some materials reguarding reducing your risk, of course you cannot elimnate it, but hey cars are dangerous too. The whole goal, is to manage risk. I have found suggestions that are very good, such as wear a full face helmet, buy a bike that you fit and can control easily, always wearing full protective gear, choosing your times to ride, choosing where to ride, and figuring out the safest way to learn. My first step I think will be a motorcycle saftey course, or often called MSF course, when I get back. They are many hours long, and actually allow you to take a test in a controlled envoirnment with a motorcycle they provide. I have ridden on the back of a few friends bikes in the past, but I was always strangely scared by the experience, but interested at the same time. I am less afraid of the speed, than the "what if. I guess the best way to decide if this would be fun, or a waste of time and effort, is just to educate myself and see what I think. I think the class with help clairify issues, and if I do get a motorcycle endorsement on my license but choose not to buy a motorcycle, then its just a cool extra skill up my sleeve for a rainy day. This is all going to be saved for the whole, after college, after I get a good job, toy to congradualte myself with. We will see... maybe I will strike it rich with my new buisness venture and I can stick to my ultimate dream which is owning a campgana T-rex... part motorcycle, part car... all fricken sweetness.
Are we noticing a two wheel theme? Maybe all of this being a pedestrian is really getting to me.
One thing that I know is getting to me, is being in Japan. Not in a bad way though, it just makes me think about ways of dealing with problems from a different light. For example, attempting to interact with people and cordinate work from the United States and Japan has made me think about how people interact over long distances. I was dreaming the other night about somehow creating a very large virtual shell on a server computer, and having it as a workspace for everyone in a given work group of a buisness. That way, when you are working together, there is no need to try to send eachother work and files and describe what they are, people can simply scroll over to your area of the work space, or you can drag your work over and share it with them, etc. Broadband internet makes this essentially an easy concept to execute. Hmm... maybe I should do a certified mail to myeslf with descriptions of this idea, so I can record that I had this idea when.... and maybe aproach buisnesses about it.
Also... for you car lovers out there, the new nissan skyline GTR has been released, at least pictures and specs that is. Its about 500 horsepower 3.8 liters, has a midship mounting position for the motor, the transmission in the back, near perfect weight distrobution, and is smarter than you... and me... combined. This car is everything I hoped it would be and more. Whats the point in having a dream car if it doesn't inspire dreams. This thing is amazing, google it.
In a few minuites I have my Japanese automobile technology class. I feel a bit sick, and sore, and tired, so I hope it is interesting and keeps me with it. I will probably grab some milk tea out of one of the many MANY vending machines around here to try to keep myself awake.
Oh... and I also have a lead on two different places I may be able to tutor for english to see if I like teaching english, and I can make some money. One pays about 15 bucks an hour, and will hire you for 8 hours on a weekend. Another pays almost 30 bucks an hour, but is only for an hour at a time. SWEEET! I could pretty much cover my weekly food and transportation costs with that kind of income, if I can get it to be regular... like a person who eats a lot of fiber...
... yeah too much info.
-Colleen
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