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The Week #295
by James- π The emperor's birthday was this week and the weather was a fantastic 21c. Worrisome for end of Feb, but fantastic nonetheless. Leo decided it was a good day to wake up and stick to me from 4:30am. We did a reverse loop to Katase-Enoshima for a burger and to look at the water.
Or rather, I looked at the water and Leo threw rocks into the ocean...but no kid goes to the ocean and doesn't get in. Good thing I saw that coming a mile away and brought a towel and change of clothes.
On the way to the monorail we heard the theme song to Dragonball GT coming from one of the shops. And to my surprise, despite waking up at 4:30am, and walking and riding his bike Leo made it through the day without a nap and in good spirits. - π© I finished reading Enshitification. It's a bit of a frustrating read because it so accurately describes the situation that we collectively find ourselves: beholden to fewer and fewer number of conglomerates. Maybe the backslash from the current US admin will help introduce more choice (and hence competition) back into society so we'll have interoperability and an internet closer to the old, good internet.
- π I took my car in to get repaired after the repairman put his laddar through my side door and they gave me a gasoline kei-car. It's the worst. Gasoline cars are loud, they don't respond immediately when you press the accelerator,Β and they move forward if you don't keep your foot on the brakes. Like what are we even doing? It feels like going from any elevator made in the past ~40 years to one of the old timey ones.
- π The emperor's birthday was this week and the weather was a fantastic 21c. Worrisome for end of Feb, but fantastic nonetheless. Leo decided it was a good day to wake up and stick to me from 4:30am. We did a reverse loop to Katase-Enoshima for a burger and to look at the water.
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Checkin to Doutor Coffee Shop (γγγΌγ«γ³γΌγγΌγ·γ§γγ)
Waiting for a watch battery change. -
by JamesMorning Run with Leo
Had a partner on the run. Pushed him up the hills and stopped by the conbini (though photographed is a sushi-go-round)4.0km
37.9min
23.6m climbed
138.6avg bpm
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Checkin to MOS Burger (γ’γΉγγΌγ¬γΌ)
Post English class lunch. Kids toy is a great pen. -
The Week #294
by James- π Leo turned 8! He got his first in a series of 12 build boxes from Crunchlabs and they're freakin' great. We (mostly Leo) built a disc launcher learning about flywheels. On the weekend we had a sponge bob themed birthday party with decorations brought from America. It looked class.
Leo wanted a chocolate cake, without any fruit or anything, so rather than get a smaller cake with fruit and slice of what Leo wanted, I went to the cake shop and bought an entire cake that is usually sold by the slice. It was the second largest cake I've ever bought (the largest being my wedding cake). Man was it rich. - π΄ I was off from work and it was much needed. Leo being off from school for most of the week worked out pretty well. Minus the day where he slept all day long, he was fine and thus got to spend extra time with my mom.
- π€ I went to karaoke twice. Once on a rainy day with the fam and other with my mom, father-in-law, and one of his friends. This is more karaoke than I've been to in <checks notes> at least 14 years combined. But it was rather fun, so maybe it will turn into a regular rainy day activity for us. Ride on Time is now my goto Japanese song.
- πͺ© Somehow Leo heard early 2000's hit eurodance hitΒ Dragostea Din Tei by O-Zone and has started singing it (and having me listen to it when we're in the car). I can't say I'm unhappy with this development. Next, I need to find a way for him to "discover" Underworld and Orbital.
- π Leo turned 8! He got his first in a series of 12 build boxes from Crunchlabs and they're freakin' great. We (mostly Leo) built a disc launcher learning about flywheels. On the weekend we had a sponge bob themed birthday party with decorations brought from America. It looked class.
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Checkin to Narita International Airport (NRT) (ζη°ε½ιη©ΊζΈ―)
Successfully got mom to the airport and checked in. Breather while I wait for the NEX. -
by JamesSpring Vibes Morning Run
Run to Queenβs A Night at the Opera. Hard not to karaoke run.4.3km
30.3min
22.8m climbed
157.9avg bpm
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Checkin to Yokohama Museum of Art (ζ¨ͺζ΅ηΎθ‘逨)
Deep. I should visit Korea. -
Checkin to MOKICHI TRATTORIA
Lunch π -
The Week #293
by James- π΅ My mom has come to visit us for a week and a bit. She flew in to Narita, which meant I had to go to Narita for the first time in about 3 years. It's so far away. This time I tried taking the SkyLiner (changing at Ueno) as Jorudan told me it's about Β₯1,500 cheaper than taking the Narita Express (NEX). There were soo many tourists in Ueno (makes sense, line direct from the airport to a world class city terminates there). The train itself was fine, but, maybe because its popularity, I saw private security folk walking down the aislesΒ on the train β it almost didn't feel like Japan.
Having ridden both I think I prefer the Narita Express, especially as I do not need to transfer. On the way back we took the Narita Express and I saw a group of skiers do a walk of shame from the first class towards the back of the train with a conductor following them.
Train antics aside, it's been really good to just hang out and take things easy with my mom. It's not her first time to Japan so the pressure to play tour guide is off.Β And that's good because.... - π€ Leo developed a fever the day before Mom arrived and it only got worse the next day. We kept Leo back on Monday and he slept for about 20 hours. He got what was going around the school as there have been class closures and this time it was his class' turn β closed through Thursday. So if he goes to school this week it would just be Friday.Β
- βοΈ We got proper snow in Kanto! I...didn't take any photos or I'd share them. Snow is great as a kid, but as an adult, once a year is more than enough for me.Β
- π§βπ» I made my first PR into Tanzawa in <checks notes> more than a year. It was a smallΒ optimization to the /runs/ page to help an N+1 query I put in there. I had some ideas of using Claude to help me upgrade dependencies and do some maintenance work, but stopped when it started asking for subscription plans and such like β not about the actual cost, but extra decisions that didn't want to make. Let's hope the next PR isn't in another year.
- π΅ My mom has come to visit us for a week and a bit. She flew in to Narita, which meant I had to go to Narita for the first time in about 3 years. It's so far away. This time I tried taking the SkyLiner (changing at Ueno) as Jorudan told me it's about Β₯1,500 cheaper than taking the Narita Express (NEX). There were soo many tourists in Ueno (makes sense, line direct from the airport to a world class city terminates there). The train itself was fine, but, maybe because its popularity, I saw private security folk walking down the aislesΒ on the train β it almost didn't feel like Japan.
