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One Weird Day
I will not try to hide the fact that my stay in Hong Kong is becoming increasingly boring compared to Osaka; not only for the extreme pace of life which I cannot adjust myself to or the detached daze which I walk around in most of the time to escape the heat. I should say that my stay is becoming boring because I have no one to relate to, and while it may suck almost beyond all else in my mind to admit such a needy side of myself, yes, it's there. And while I enjoy my solitude greatly (in fact I generally prefer to be on my own), it's very different to being left behind, or leaving others behind for that matter. (Yasu, you bald awesome dude, I salute your words. *Phoenix salute*)
Today however while still missing compatible, bright, prism-like and/or dorky company, I had a marginally more interesting day.
My sight is directly connected to how in-control I feel. :3
Without my glasses, I feel extraordinarily vulnerable and dependent. My myopia, inherited from the Chinese part of my mother's side of the family, is remarkable BAD. Right eye: -11.00. Left eye: -11.50. Yikes.
If that wasn't bad enough, I have astigmatism in both eyes as well - high in my right. Back in the UK, if I wanted to wear contacts, they had to be glass permeable. They wreaked so much discomfort on my eyes that even though I bought a pair, I ended up wearing my glasses 95% of the time anyway. To my surprise, here in Hong Kong they told me they had the technology to make me soft lenses of my prescription. Woo! 8D
So! I got my new glasses today. Yay. And am currently trialling a pair of soft lenses. They seem to be working so far. I'm not continuously crying, I can look sideways without turning my whole head. I still like the feel of glasses more though. They put less strain on my eyes.
On the other hand, I've been told both by my own optician and by the one in Hong Kong, that my irises are unusually large. This was the reason for the bad scatter-light effect, whether in broad daylight or even worse at night, I had with the smaller hard lenses when in the UK. Now, understand that my myopia is bad enough that whenever I put my glasses on, it makes my eyes look a lot smaller than they really are. But since I have large irises, the effect is nulled somewhat so I don't look like I'm constantly surprised or about to go on some sort of rampage.
I had an unusual situation today whereby due to the trying of many different lenses on, the constant shifts in focus of my sight were messing with my brain and giving me a bad headache, as well as activating the mild photosensitivity I have even indoors and away from the sun.
The optician's is in a mall. A policeman patrolling about took one look at me as I was walking around afterwards with a raging headache, bloodshot eyes from trying on several hard lenses, and mynaturally huge irises and thought I was stoned.
DDDDDDD8!!!
I tried explaining things to him in Cantonese, but I couldn't remember the right words since it's not my first language so I uhm-ed and ahhh-ed at several points, which only served to increase his suspicions (probably thought I was high...). The only reason he didn't haul my ass to the station was because I eventually switched to English, and then flashed my passport. XDD;; He then let me go on my merry way being both very amused and exasperated.
Queuing up for the checkout at the huge local supermarket (I couldn't resist the cake gundammit it was calling me! And it had fresh strawberries, mango and mandarin slices on top of it!! D8), I was amused and oddly comforted to realise that the young couple behind me were in fact Japanese. I suspect the guy may have been Chinese, since he spoke Standard with a bit of an unconventional slur/mumble, and at times I had trouble making out what he was saying due to that, but the girl was definitely Japanese. Not to nosy in on their conversation, but since they weren't talking about anything personal, I decided to try and decipher as much as I could for practice. The results were amusing.
The guy, explaining different types of food to her, was obviously smitten. :3 "What about these?" he'd said when I first started listening, and so far as I could make out, the girl said she "Didn't like them". She then shook her head vigorously and said that she "Didn't eat sweets." Okaaaay. Well I can't imagine it was a weight thing because she was very pretty and cute, but who knows? Maybe she wants to keep her figure? "And what about those?" The guy asked, "Those are healthy."
But again, no. She didn't eat sweets, she reiterated, and didn't eat raisins or almonds either. But wait, were those sweets from Japan? :3
Why yes, the guy replied. They were.
She seriously stopped and considered getting some then (homesick?), but eventually passed them up too, only to get distracted by dried mushrooms. "What are these?" Well they were a special type of Chinese mushroom, a little stronger in flavor than your average ones and dark brown/black in colour. "What about those? Are those from Japan?" Yup, those other ones were from Japan. She bought those. XD
So, all in all I was pleasantly surprised to realise that I could understand almost everything they said, so I thank my lucky stars (and the lovely couple) that they were having a simple conversation so that I could put by most basic Japanese to the test. Arigatou gozaimasu. m(_ _)m
And the final part of the exchange:
GUY: "Where do you want to go after this?"
GIRL: "I'm hungry."
GUY: "Where do you want to go eat?"
GIRL: "That nice restaurant in Admiralty [note: nice and EXPENSIVE quarter in HK] you took me to last night?"
GUY: "But that's on the other side of the city!"
GIRL: "But..." (big eyes)
GUY: (quickly) "There's an MTR station not too far from here, we can take that there."
GIRL: (beams)
GUY: *______* (MELTS)
Haha. Ah, young love.
Today however while still missing compatible, bright, prism-like and/or dorky company, I had a marginally more interesting day.
My sight is directly connected to how in-control I feel. :3
Without my glasses, I feel extraordinarily vulnerable and dependent. My myopia, inherited from the Chinese part of my mother's side of the family, is remarkable BAD. Right eye: -11.00. Left eye: -11.50. Yikes.
If that wasn't bad enough, I have astigmatism in both eyes as well - high in my right. Back in the UK, if I wanted to wear contacts, they had to be glass permeable. They wreaked so much discomfort on my eyes that even though I bought a pair, I ended up wearing my glasses 95% of the time anyway. To my surprise, here in Hong Kong they told me they had the technology to make me soft lenses of my prescription. Woo! 8D
So! I got my new glasses today. Yay. And am currently trialling a pair of soft lenses. They seem to be working so far. I'm not continuously crying, I can look sideways without turning my whole head. I still like the feel of glasses more though. They put less strain on my eyes.
On the other hand, I've been told both by my own optician and by the one in Hong Kong, that my irises are unusually large. This was the reason for the bad scatter-light effect, whether in broad daylight or even worse at night, I had with the smaller hard lenses when in the UK. Now, understand that my myopia is bad enough that whenever I put my glasses on, it makes my eyes look a lot smaller than they really are. But since I have large irises, the effect is nulled somewhat so I don't look like I'm constantly surprised or about to go on some sort of rampage.
I had an unusual situation today whereby due to the trying of many different lenses on, the constant shifts in focus of my sight were messing with my brain and giving me a bad headache, as well as activating the mild photosensitivity I have even indoors and away from the sun.
The optician's is in a mall. A policeman patrolling about took one look at me as I was walking around afterwards with a raging headache, bloodshot eyes from trying on several hard lenses, and my
DDDDDDD8!!!
I tried explaining things to him in Cantonese, but I couldn't remember the right words since it's not my first language so I uhm-ed and ahhh-ed at several points, which only served to increase his suspicions (probably thought I was high...). The only reason he didn't haul my ass to the station was because I eventually switched to English, and then flashed my passport. XDD;; He then let me go on my merry way being both very amused and exasperated.
Queuing up for the checkout at the huge local supermarket (I couldn't resist the cake gundammit it was calling me! And it had fresh strawberries, mango and mandarin slices on top of it!! D8), I was amused and oddly comforted to realise that the young couple behind me were in fact Japanese. I suspect the guy may have been Chinese, since he spoke Standard with a bit of an unconventional slur/mumble, and at times I had trouble making out what he was saying due to that, but the girl was definitely Japanese. Not to nosy in on their conversation, but since they weren't talking about anything personal, I decided to try and decipher as much as I could for practice. The results were amusing.
The guy, explaining different types of food to her, was obviously smitten. :3 "What about these?" he'd said when I first started listening, and so far as I could make out, the girl said she "Didn't like them". She then shook her head vigorously and said that she "Didn't eat sweets." Okaaaay. Well I can't imagine it was a weight thing because she was very pretty and cute, but who knows? Maybe she wants to keep her figure? "And what about those?" The guy asked, "Those are healthy."
But again, no. She didn't eat sweets, she reiterated, and didn't eat raisins or almonds either. But wait, were those sweets from Japan? :3
Why yes, the guy replied. They were.
She seriously stopped and considered getting some then (homesick?), but eventually passed them up too, only to get distracted by dried mushrooms. "What are these?" Well they were a special type of Chinese mushroom, a little stronger in flavor than your average ones and dark brown/black in colour. "What about those? Are those from Japan?" Yup, those other ones were from Japan. She bought those. XD
So, all in all I was pleasantly surprised to realise that I could understand almost everything they said, so I thank my lucky stars (and the lovely couple) that they were having a simple conversation so that I could put by most basic Japanese to the test. Arigatou gozaimasu. m(_ _)m
And the final part of the exchange:
GUY: "Where do you want to go after this?"
GIRL: "I'm hungry."
GUY: "Where do you want to go eat?"
GIRL: "That nice restaurant in Admiralty [note: nice and EXPENSIVE quarter in HK] you took me to last night?"
GUY: "But that's on the other side of the city!"
GIRL: "But..." (big eyes)
GUY: (quickly) "There's an MTR station not too far from here, we can take that there."
GIRL: (beams)
GUY: *______* (MELTS)
Haha. Ah, young love.
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I'm burning out. Mentally more than anything, I'm burning out. The toll on me physically due to the excessive heat does not help, but I can handle it with enough willpower. People in Hong Kong are blunt. Their idea of "humour" is harsh. People talk fast, live fast.
Life is too fast in Hong Kong. I can't handle it. I may be mostly Chinese in terms of family geneology, but I can't handle Hong Kong. Everything is too LOUD and bright/harsh. And packed. I feel trapped.
I like my extended family, but I don't get along well in terms or PERSONALITY with them. I continuously butt heads with my cousin, who, even though she was educated in England for secondary and university, still has that goddammed Hong Kong Chinese personality I JUST-CAN'T-GET-USED-TO. You know what I'm talking ab out right? Elitist without meaning to be? Big-headed a tad bit? I'm always right and you're always wrong? Telling me what or what not to do even though she's not my parent and not even on an upper generation level? She's on the same gen. line as me as a cousin. She's only older by a few years. Oh my god, I'm ranting. Sorry Heiko...
Yeah. My heart is set on Osaka now. I originally wanted Tokyo but... after a week in Osaka it won me over. Completely, totally, and willingly. :)
OMG I DUNNO WHY. IZZIT BCOZ SUM GRRLS CAN BE CUTE THEMSELVES AND U R NOT A GRRLY GRRL BUT INSTEAD A WELL ROUNDED PERSON LIKE MOI WHO CAN APPRECIATE BOTH SEXEZ AND NOT JUST DA OPPOSITE ONE? :OO
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About contacts : am not surprised HK had better tech, Asia in general has MUCH better eye care than the west. Cheaper too. I hear South Korea is the best place in the world for it atm.
^^;; about the police..
Wah cake :3
XD; about that couple. They sound cuteh
I bet the girl just didn't want to eat anything not-Japanese for fear of not knowing what her reaction to it will be. Don't blame her for sticking with the familiar. And "no sweets" probably IS a weight thing; they're CRAZY here you know...
GO HYUU'S JAPANESE SKILLS 8DD
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I didn't know South Korea was the best for eyecare at the moment. Cool. Yeah Asia does have heck of a lot better eyecare. I was dreading getting new glasses, but the optician was quick, speedy and accurate. The eyesight test took less than 5 minutes! And he had my new glasses in a week, AND the prescription was ACCURATE first time round. 8D I was like --> :D
Yeah the policeman was a little... XD;; Now that's an experience I'm not going to forget in a hurry. Stoned indeed XDDD
YEZ CAKE. OMG I MISS JAPANESE CAKES SO MUUUCH *_________* They cake in HK are nice too but the Japanese ones are better. And... the ones in the UK are NOTHING compared to the ones in Osaka. I walked past the Haagen-dazs parlour in Times Square yesterday and... almost died. T___________T I mean it's not just ice-cream... their dessert CAKES. I mean... they... they...
T_____________________T HOMG NANANIIIIII........
They had a menu for all the different dessert designs and and and-- They looked so GOOD because they were stock photos and I was like (T.T) and they had some premade and ON DISPLAY in the fridges and they looked JUST as good and I was like ALSGHA;OGNSKLGHSHALGSK!!! >.<
But I couldn't buy any because I was on my own and I wouldn't have been able to finish an ENTIRE one by myself but but but... *CLINGS TO YOU* Ohh~~ the temptation...
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Well I have heard good things about SK opticians via coworkers anyway. I know someone who took a trip to Seoul just to get new glasses, and well given the relative currencies and the fact that it's pretty close to here, it's definitely worth it.
The fast tests 8DD! In Canada you have to make an appointment and wait and wait and the test takes ages and then you wait and wait some more... when I got new glasses here I was AMAZED at how quick it was @.@
mmm caaaaaake. I just got back from another work reception and MMM hotel cake 8DD There was so much of it to nomnomnomnom. :3
You will nomnom some cakes with me again soon!
*flapclinglick* 8D
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Yes, the fast tests 8DD! Same in the UK. I go to a private opticians but it's the same thing - and several times my glasses came back and I couldn't see a thing. It's like they don't know how to test me or something...
Oh yeah, and instead of the whole alphabet the guy in Hong Kong used a chart with on only three different symbols. E, 3, and M - all in a font that made them look identical to each other except rotated around.
D8! Hotel cake... you got to eat hotel caaake... (btw, work reception? Eh? Who for this time?)
I'm currently debating within myself whether I want to brave Typhoon #8 for the 3mins it takes to run to the local mall, because my cake-yearning is growing. I guess I'll wait it out. A test of my willpower I could call it :3
Dude, if there's cake involved we'd have to invite Bri and co. ;) Then I can have a big fight over who gets to eat what and how much. 8D
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Work reception - we have them very often in my department, usually for guests from a sister city, or for any IR related event in town (like the G8 summit). These few weeks, there are a lot of sister city annual commitee meetings so yeah, I'm busy~
We could just buy you guys more cake XD
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Waarkkk. Busy Bardo. Come, let me huggle you. *holds you* At least it's work for wich you get much pay :3
Dude, either way there's going to be:
1) Cake battle between Hiro and I. (I take dibs on all parfaits and Haagen-dazs' RIGHT HERE at this moment. Er... he can have miscellaneous sweet-things.)
2) Banana milkshake battle between You and me. XD (Possibly you will win this one with your awesomeness)
3) Much coughing at Hitomi's cigarettes. :3
4) Probably an alcohol battle between all the others at some point. That can almost be guaranteed methinks. XD
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