1998.06.28 SUN

I was looking for a store in Osaka City today and I ran into a somewhat interesting pet shop. It looked pretty normal at first - small cages with ferrets, squirrels, and monkeys. Two little chimps in a cage about a foot and a half square. They looked downright pathetic in their cages, but that wasn't all - while I was watching, the guy took one of the little squirrels out and strapped a collar onto it - but the collar was attached to the top of a cage. For the little critter to even stand up, he'd practically be choking himself, the 'leash' was so short. Felt really sorry for the animals there...

Had an interesting trip, otherwise, though. Right before I headed back to the university I stopped to get a drink at a machine, but since I didn't have any more coins on me, I put a 1000-yen note into the machine. Forgot my change, I didn't remember it till I had already walked back to the station, so I had to run back to the drink machine and get it. If I had been in the Tennouji district instead of Nippombashi, I probably wouldn't have been able to get it back, considering how often I saw people checking the change returns on the machines there.

But... it was an interesting trip, otherwise. Didn't find the store, but I didn't really expect to. Ran into the Gateway 2000 store in Nippombashi - that was a weird visit. Doesn't seem like there's as many choices for computers over here, strangely - most of the computers that I've seen are either NEC, Epson, Fujitsu, IBM, Mac, or Gateway. Doesn't seem like there are the individual companies building custom computers quite so often here, at least not from what I've seen.

I'd guess, though, that most people here don't have home access to the internet. From what I can tell, it's pretty expensive no matter which internet provider you choose - not to mention the fact that all calls, even local calls, are charged by the minute (so far as I can tell). So if you aren't hooked up at your company or a school, no go, I guess. :/

I started with today's activities because I can't remember what happened on Friday or Saturday. I think I just mostly slept and practiced drawing, I started using a new technique. Most pro comic artists use a special kind of material called screen-tone - adhesive backed, it has dots (or images, sometimes) printed on a transparent piece of film. The film can be placed over artwork to give the effect of a 'gray', even though photocopiers and lithographic printers can only print in dots. Anyways, in America, one sheet of this stuff is about $12. Here, they're about $3, so needless to say I wanted to try my experimentation phase over here, where it's a biiiit cheaper. The test came out okay, I think - I'll post a scan of it if I can get the scanner software to work.

In any case, I just wanted to say to all of you - thanks for sticking with me and helping me get where I am and/or deal with the situation! I'm learning a lot - socially, intellectually, artistically, mentally - and I think most, if not all, of it is for the better.

James has already changed a lot since he's been here, and I think I will too. I didn't expect to return to the States as the same person, and I don't want to. Back in America, it's like, there was a wall I couldn't get past - I couldn't get away from the way I'd been doing things for the past 21 years. Here, I've more or less been forced to, so I think it's good. :) Thanks again - if you think you didn't do anything, you certainly have, and if you think that I'm not grateful, I really am - I really appreciate everyone's help for me during this time of social transplantation :)

Until next time, take care!