PHONAGE!

Got to the Post office this morning, and the card delivered was NOT, in fact, my bank card. So I basically went WFT and decided to use my american CC for the first month's payment. Of course, had no idea what the rest of the day would turn into.

Kuri tipped me off to a BBQ happening by the American consulate. So I hightailed it out to Tameike-Sangendo for the festivities... which after a journey over the mountains and through the woods, we found was sold out. So we spent a pleasant time in a little italian place in Suntory Center eating pasta/pizza and chatting (me, Kuri, Kuri-bo, and two Japanese friends of Kuri's).

Headed out for a bike shop with Kuri and her man on what I'm mentally now calling, "Surviving the Arashi Tsunami" as apparently a popular band was playing near the same station we had to go through to get to said shop. Needless to say, the absolute horde of fan girls and the 50 people trying to scalp tickets to the concert throughout the station were extremely amusing. I'll post some of the gems later. We did end up finding the bike shop, eventually, and meeting up with their friend (HN).

After a while at the bike shop, we went on a veritable QUEST, yes, QUEST to get me a cell phone, because dammit, I wanted my own phone! So we walked from Sendagaya to Harajuku (a couple miles maybe?) only to be met by a 30 minute wait at the phone store......... so we migrated to the Softbank in Ebisu and I got my Brand Spanking New phone, for more than I would normally care to pay. (Note: generally they split the phone cost into 24 payments over monthly periods. But because I wasn't carrying my passport and just my gaijin card, I had to make a contract under credit card and Insurance card (thank god that worked) so I payed the price up front... and no, don't ask me what it cost, because I'd prefer to not think about it). So now I'm playing with the phone til the cows come home, so shiny! And sadly, it's built in camera has higher megapix than my regular camera. I'm going to be relatively useless for the next few days playing with this *squeeeee~*