Japanese

天気予報では Labor Day Weekend は3日とも雨とのことだったが、今朝おきたら降っていない。グレイな空だが数時間はもちそうなので、雨になる前にひと滑りと思い、手早く朝食をすませてCentral Park へ。

朝9時ごろの公園はバイカーとランナーは多いけれどスケーターは少ない。スケーターは寝坊ぞろいなのだろう。
朝の爽やかな空気、空いている公園でのスケートは気持ち良い。

Skate Friend と会い雑談していたら、別の Skate Friend がスケートを履かないで袋をさげてやってきた。
「今、Bloomingdalesに行って日本のケーキ買って来たところ。日本人のガールフレンドにあげるのだ。」と嬉しそうに箱を開けてみせてくれた。フランス風ケーキが3つ入っていて、　日本風サイズ（小さい）ケーキには、こちらの店ではお目にかかれないような繊細なデコレーション。「わー、芸術だねー」と盛り上げてあげる。

もうひとりのフレンドはワイフが日本人だということで、わたしも日本人の配偶者を持てば共通の話題が増えるところだが、わたしは自分自身が日本人だからこのままでOKなのかな。

TAX FREE WEEK

今日から9月2日の　Labor Dayまで “Tax Free Week” で衣料品などにNYのSales Taxがかからないのだそうだ、と聞いて「あれ？」と思った。だって、NY市ではもともと110ドル以下の衣料品は無税の筈。そう言ったら、それは前市長の時の話で今のブルームバーグ市長に変わってから市の財政建て直しのために歳入増加を目的として無税枠は撤廃されたのだそうだ。服を全く買わないので知らなかった。服や下着、靴下などを買うのは今週がチャンスですよ、と言われたが、当面必要なものは無いし。

Wow! Nice clear day and temparature is only 65F or so.
What a great day.
Got to go out :)

Packing List:
Water (with ice), MP3 Player, spare batteries, Digital Camera, spare battery.

Blackout of 2003

Again, I expereienced historical event. 3rd times in this 10 years.

On Thursday 16:11, light went out, PC became off.
That how Blackout started.

Stayed work for a while, but no recovery can be expected, so, I left work little later than 17:00.
No signal lights on the street, but there was no caos, no panic. People were very calm.

Climbed up 33 stories - where I live. Actually climbing does not bother me very much. Phsically, it's very easy thing to me, but there is no air conditioning, so very hot. That bothered me.
When I arrved home on 33rd floor, there was no hot water, since Con Edison's steam line was down as well.

Took cold shower, and then pooled water in bath tub for future use.
Because, electiricity is needed for high rise building to pump up water to the top of the building.
There was No tap water at around 19:30 or so.

Accoriing to radio news, Electiricty is back in Bronx around 22:00 or so. So, I thought electricy would be back to my aparment in Manhattan soon. Anyway, I went to bed at 23:00.

-----

Friday morning,
There was still no electricity in my apartment, however, 10th AVenue and B'way, 6th AVe., and Fifth Avenus had lights back.
I went to work. Still not enough power to boot up network, so very little to do. Went to backup center in NJ. Stayed there for a while, then, came back to Manhattan and left work around 16:00.

Arrived home at 16:15, and there was power. How nice. It was around 12:30PM when power came back to the aparmrtment, according to the aparment management.

It is so nice out, so I went out to Hudson River Park for inline skating. Skated a little more than 10 miles. Felt great!

Phone line came back on 20:00.
But, still No hot water .

-----

Saturday

Finally hot water is back. I did not know up to this moment that hot shower is so nice thing to take.

Cheked refrege and through out yogurt and carrots, both looked spoiled.
Got some groceries.

Life is getting normal -

This is my weekend

降ったり降らなかったりとはっきりしない日が続く。
雨の合間で路面の濡れていないときをみつけてインラインスケート。だからまとまった距離が滑れなくてちょっとフラストレーテッド。

Humidity is too high だし。

Anyway, Weekend is now dying. *sob*

Need to be patiend just another five days .....

RAIN AGAIN !!!!
Nine (9) days in a row.

Rain again !!

Had prunes.
Eating prunes makes me feel like knowing the end of summer.
Well, at least, it is toward ending, even though I have not really enjoyed summer-like days much.

Actually, they did not taste too good, so, probably it is still summer.

Another hazy day.

Having spent crazy busy morning at work, went out for a lunch.
Air here in NYC is absolutely too humid - current humidity is 87%. Gimmie a break !

Hopefully thins go peaceful this afternoon so that I'll be able to go to the "Air Show" this evening.

Another rainy day.
I need a day with no rain in order to skate out.
I have not had good amount of inline skating since Thursday.
Feel like my body cell is getting very dull....

It was quite a busy day at work.
I stayed until 18:00 or so to finish certain review that is requested to be done within today. I wanted to leave work at 17:00 sharp, but it was raining anyway, so I finished the review.

Got up at 07:45 by a harsh sound of an alarm clock.
It was poring out, so I was planning to wear Timberland boots.
But by the time I finsish a shower, rain stopped falling and even some sun was there.
That's how I started this week - it's OK.

Had one meeting in the afternoon, other than that, it was relatively a peaceful day.

About 16:30 or so, the sky went so dark and a hard rain has started with a nice sound of thunder. I like thunder so much except I have to go out to home.
Should I wait for end of thunderstorm ? - No, I sould rather get wet than being at work.

Remarkably busy day.

• 08:45 - Woke up. Butter roll and coffee for breakfast.
  
• 09:30 - Went out for skating. Skated 6.5 km at the Hudson River Park
  
• 10:30 - Came back from skating. Took a shower.
  
• 10:40 - Left home to 42nd E-Walk Cinema.
  
• 11:20 - Terminator 3
  
• 13:30 - Out from the movie theater.
  
• 13:50 - Got a quick lunch.
  
• 14:00 - Out to Central Park for skating.
  
• 14:30 - Caught by a heavy shower, but skated. It was actually a fun.
  
• 15:00 - Came home. Immidiately started maintenance of the skates.
  Removed all wheels and bearings. Cleaned boots, wheels, axles and bearings.
  
• 16:30 - Phase I of cleaning compelted. Phase II starts when bearings are dried.
  
• 16:40 - Took another shower.
  
• 17:00 - Check e-mail, etc.
  

シャワーで手についた汚れなどをよく洗ったけれど爪の間に入ったグリースは落ちにくい。エンジニアの証だと思って我慢しよう。

I've just come back from Central Park.

Inline Skate で、lower loop x 3 laps, Skate Circle x few laps.
気温はそんなに高くないのだけれど、humidity が90％とすごい。
But skating made me feel great.

There was a live musci performance at the Bandshell
by a Big band. Swing and Broadway musical tunes.
Very nice.
I wish if I had a camera.
I encounter with nice sceneries whenever I do not
carry digital camera. C'est Murphy's Law.
------

Got up at 08:45, and found out another rainy day....

TVを点けたら「The Fifth Element」をやっていた。
大好きな映画のひとつ、そのままおわりまで観てしまう。
何回みても　Gary　変、　リリュー　可愛い、　クリス・タッカー　Good。
音楽サイコー。

People's mind is no longer at work in the Friday afternoon.

Thinkin' 'bout plans for the weekend.

``Things must be completed" and ``Things that can be done next week"
Sort itmes and piles on the desk into two categories.
Progress only the items put inot first category.

Level of focus power goes so strong. Great !!