Today has been another successful Japanese day.

I went to the くすりや (drug store) to buy a drink and nail clippers. I couldn’t find the nail clippers, so I decided that I would ask the attendant. Unfortunately I also didn’t know the word for nail clippers. Worse still, I’m enough of a chowder head that I left my expensive electronic dictionary in my bag upstairs. I’m sick and tired of pantomiming my communications, so I decided that I would have to be inventive. I realized all of a sudden that I know the words for nail and thing. I couldn’t quite remember the verb ‘to cut’. Was it きる (kiru), きく (kiku) or something entirely different? I took a breath and asked the attendant, “つめをきるものをうりますか (tsumewokirumonowourimasuka). She didn’t even hesitate as she circled the counter, repeated the word/s, きるもの (kirumono) and headed straight for the nail clippers. Victory!
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Well, I’ve settled into a rhythm.

• Monday: Wake up thirty minutes before I have to be at work. Shower, dress and walk briskly to the train. Attend Japanese language class from noon until one in the afternoon. Return home at about six, eat dinner, watch T.V., study kanji and vocabulary, take a bath and finally go to bed.
• Tuesday: Do the same thing as I did Monday, except the language lesson is from five pm until seven pm.
• Wednesday: No language lesson.
• Thursday: Language lesson at noon, Kendo lesson from seven thirty pm until nine pm.
• Friday: No language lesson.
• Saturday: Run errands and do all sorts of fun and exciting things.
• Sunday: Kendo lesson from 9:30 am until 11:30 followed by all sorts of fun and exciting things.

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The entire week before my arrival in Japan was spent moving my belongings out of my house and into storage, so the pain in my lower back was hardly unexpected. It was a abnormal that the pain returned every time I picked up anything over five pounds during the last month. I’ve also felt shooting pain in my upper arms while working on the computer at work. The worst has been the incredible headaches that started two weeks ago after I Reiko got sick. I thought all of these ailments were independent of one another, but I was wrong.
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令子 and I planned to meet for dinner at Omotesando 表参退 last friday, but she came down with a terrible cold, so we spent the night in the hotel. Saturday morning and afternoon were busts due to her cold too. The evening was much better though.
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Days in country: 09

Arrival
My plane landed safe and sound on Monday February 2, one hour ahead of schedule. I was lucky enough to upgrade to first class during my layover in Chicago, so I was one of the first to get off the plane and also one of the first to get to immigration. The immigration officer took one look at me, affixed a 90-day tourist visa to my passport and waived me through. I picked up my bags and walked through customs without incident. The bus ride from Narita to my hotel (The Okura) took about an hour and a half.
After checking in I sat in my hotel room and read for three hours. I didn�t sleep on the plane for more than an hour and was determined to stay up until at least 21:00 in order to better acclimate to the time shift. I managed to keep my eyes open until 20:30. When I opened them next it was 06:30. Over the last 9 days I�ve managed to stay up until 23:00 and usually wake up without an alarm at 07:00.
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