Grown Up ― 2024/02/20
What a surprise! A few weeks ago, I found myself no longer getting furious when happy families get into my sight.
In fact, I found such scenes heartwarming. I used to avoid going to AEON or other places that attract "proper" looking people, such as young families with small children and people with friends, because I felt an indescribable anger and urge to disturb their seemingly peaceful lives.
But now I can see them without negative emotion, or even feel something warm from them.
Does this mean that I have matured enough to celebrate other people's happiness? or that I got too old to keep the energy to get mad at the happiness of complete strangers?
Being Belittled... ― 2023/12/19
A story about being belittled for the first time in years.
I used to be the subject of light-hearted insults from shop assistants, hairdressers, nurses and other hospitality workers. But in the last 10 years I haven't felt looked down on. Or rather, people seem to have become polite and kind to me. I assumed it was because I got older and had an air of dignity about me.
Today, in a butcher's section of Iwataya department store, an obachan behind the counter who looked as old as me insulted me to my face when I asked her for some pieces of pork belly with less fat. I said, politely, "Sorry to bother you" and she retorted: "Yes, indeed it's too much of a bother" (note: my translation with a very negative impression).
I felt myself looking upset. Then she said "I was joking" -- obviously trying to patch things up, but without saying sorry.
I still don't think I was a bad or intimidating customer to her, but my humble attitude may have triggered her sadism. Or I may have expected too much from this local department store, which is the last one that does not rely on lower-priced retailers, such as Muji in Daimaru and Daiso in Mitsukoshi, to attract customers.
Anyway, the most annoying things about this incident are that I acted as if nothing had happened, not even talking back or asking her to take her boss with her or reporting the rude remark to the customer service desk, and most of all, spending my life grumbling about such a trivial thing at the end of the year when I am supposed to be busy doing this and that.
The bellies I bought? They were, as you may well imagine, full of fat. Perhaps even fatter than I would find in Marukyo. I had to remove a fifth of the weight I had paid for before cooking the Dongpo pork for the New Year.
My Birthday Feast 2023 ― 2023/11/05
My birthday feast this year was packs of takeaway Sushi from Hyotan Zushi. I still can't be brave enough to eat inside a packed restaurant where unmasked chefs are preparing raw seafood with their ungloved hands and unmasked people are placing their orders at the top of their voice.
今年の誕生日のごちそうは、ひょうたん寿司の持ち帰り寿司でした。お店に入る勇気はまだありません。このお店ではぎっちぎちに詰まったノーマスクのお客さんが大声で注文を出して、それを手袋もマスクもしていない板さんが握っているので、それを見るのも怖い...。
Actually, there is always an unbearably long queue of people waiting for their seats to be available. But if you go for takeaway, you don't necessarily join the queue. Just picking up what you like from the case in front of the restaurant. That's all. You even don't have to see how your sushi is prepared. Ignorance is bliss, you know.
お店の前はいつも長い行列ができていて、中に入るだけでも大変です。持ち帰りにすれば、お店の前の冷蔵ケースから好きなのを選ぶだけで、行列する必要もありません。お寿司が握られているところを見なくてもすみます。見ぬもの清し。
A pack of the nigiri (picture above) cost 1980 yen. The price of a set of nigiri starts at 1000 yen (this one looked alike one you can find at supermarkets), and ones priced at 1600 and this 1980 yen were also available when I visited. I could have been OK only with the nigiri, but once I saw the battera's thick fillet of mackerel,
I simply couldn't resist it. I paid additional 1000 yen for it.
Two packs were more than enough to feed two of us old people. In fact, I got so full that I couldn't fall asleep afterwards.
今日は1980円の握りずし（写真上）を買いました。握りセットは1000円からあるみたいですが、これはスーパーマーケットのお寿司みたいな感じでした。それから1600円、1980円の三段階の値段になるようでした。握りだけでよかったのですが、バッテラの分厚い切身を見ると、これも買わずにはいられませんでした。これは1000円でした。この２つで年寄り二人の夕飯には十分すぎるほど。私はその後、寝つきが悪くなるほど満腹になりました。
I also got a couple of small cakes from an extremely high-end chocolatier which doesn't exist in my everyday life. I am a Fujiya type.
それから、普段は思い浮かべもしない（私は不二家で満足するタイプ）超高級チョコレート屋で小さいケーキを2つ買いました。
I now think I (or my greed) got out of control while I was shopping at Iwataya. However, my digestion system couldn't cope with my desire. After the big meal, I could only had a teaspoonful of a cake with chestnut paste, called "Mont Branc (I don't know why this cake came to be called so)".
今思えば、岩田屋で買い物して浮かれまくっていたのでしょう。とはいえ、私の消化能力はもはや私の欲についていけず、食後は、茶さじ1杯分のモンブランが精いっぱいという体たらく。ところで、モンブランってどうして「モンブラン」と呼ばれるようになったのでしょう？
My First Obachan Bag ― 2023/10/16
About 10,000 yen at an outlet store
You will find many middle or advanced aged ladies carrying their Kanana Project bags in tourist places across Japan. Bags from this bag label are very functional, durable, lightweight, and relatively accessibly priced （and you can find old models sold at discounted prices quite easily).
日本のあちこちの観光地では、「カナナプロジェクト」のバッグを持っている妙齢のご婦人がたが大勢おられると思います。カナナプロジェクトブランドのバッグは非常に機能的で丈夫、軽量、
お値段も比較的低めに設定されています。しかも、値引きされた型落ち品も見つけやすいです。
Especially designed for travels, it serves as a tote as well as backpack. 旅行に特化した仕様になっており、こちらのバッグはトートバッグとしてもリュックとしてもご利用になれます。
Has lots of pockets inside and outside.
内側・外側ともに多数のポケットを備えております。
You can keep valuable items in the back pocket, feeling at ease.
貴重品はバックポケットに入れれば安心。
I spent most of my time travelling in September and this bag has been together during all the way. I could keep everything I needed in one bag and throw everything I got on the way into it. Very reliable buddy.
9月は旅行してばかりでしたが、このバッグはどこに行くにも一緒でした。必要なものを全部1つにまとめて、道中で手に入れたものもすべて放り込んでおける、頼りになる相棒になってくれました。
So I know there is nothing wrong with this bag. Or rather, this is made extremely well, having every characteristic that attract an obachan. Having said all that, to be honest with you, there is nothing exciting with it, either. ...Well, maybe I am too demanding hoping a bit of fanciness for this type of practical items.
というわけで、このバッグには非のうちどころがないのは分かりました。というか、おばちゃんのお気に入りポイント満載の、すごくよくできたバッグです。とはいえ、申し訳ないのですが持っていて楽しくないのも確か。この手の実用品にオサレを求めるのは用きゅしすぎなのかもしれませんが。
Dazzling Summer ― 2023/08/22
Recently I started thinking I should enjoy the oppressive heat while I am able to feel and relish it, which means I am strong enough to do so.
At Tenjin ― 2023/08/09
The other day, I went to Tenjin to get my bankbook renewed (at the cost of 550 yen, but this is another story). While waiting my turn to come, I saw many slightly old-ish middle-aged, apparently retired men in the waiting space and found more than half of them were carrying Porter Yoshida bags.
It was a bit of surprise because I assumed Portor was a brand for much younger, say, our, generation. Then, the next moment I came to realize an inconvenient truth: I myself has become a person who should be categorized into the old-ish middle-aged! Absolutely no wonder that Porter is their favorite.
ちょっと前、新しい通帳をもらいに天神まで行きました（新しい通帳に550円かかりましたが、これはまた別な話）。待合スペースには明らかに定年後の、ちょっとお爺さん寄りのおじさんたちがいました。おじさんたちの半分以上がポーターのバッグを持っていました。
ポーターは私たち世代のバッグだと思っていたのでちょっとびっくりしましたが、次の瞬間、私自身もお婆さん寄りのおばさんになっちゃてるんだと気づきました。
First Ice Cream 2023 ― 2023/05/14
240 yen at McDonald's
Here, a high-tech McDonald equipped with unmanned ordering stations at the entrance, I have uttered for the first time in my life the all too familiar line: "I'm not that old (meaning Don't patronize me because I'm old)." to a lady behind the counter who tried to be kind to an aged customer. Ice cream itself was nice, but I was more shocked by my own remark than pleased by the cold sweet treat.
入口に無人注文機が置いてあるハイテク（死語か？）マクドナルドにて。色々世話を焼いてくれようとしてくれたカウンターのお姉さんに、生まれて初めて「そこまで年取ってませんから！（『年寄りだからってバカにすんな』の意）」というおなじみのセリフを言ってしまいました。
まさか自分がそんなことを言うようになるとは。アイスクリームのおいしさよりも、そっちの方にびっくりしました。
Splash Out at Dentist ― 2023/03/02
I used to splash out on all-night Karaoke, taxi rides and European-made shoes and clothing...but you can't stay in bubble age forever.
Now my shopping sprees usually take place at reception at my dentist's office where today I bought two toothbrushes, a tongue brush and a foaming tooth paste at around 2300 yen in total.
You need to spend more in order to (wishing to, to be more precise) avoid pain and death, rather than to improve your appearance or to enjoy a good time. You know this only after having lived a half century with three emperors.
かつてはオールナイトカラオケやタクシーやヨーロッパ製の服や靴にうつつを抜かしていた私ですが...いつまでもバブルのままではいられません。
今、私がガンガンお金を使うのは、歯医者の受付となりました。今日は歯ブラシ2本と舌ブラシ、泡歯磨き粉に2300円ほど、パーっと行きました。
半世紀も生きて、天皇陛下も3人も変わると、見た目を良くしたり、楽しくしていることよりも、（できれば）苦しんだり死んだりしないためにかかるお金が増えます…。
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