Too Lucky to Be True ― 2024/02/11
Let me show you how lucky I have been in these two months! If you are the jealous type, you might want to skip this post altogether. If I were you, I definitely would.
Since the beginning of 2024, I have been unexpectedly fortunate with prizes and awards.
First, I won a 2000-yen Amazon gift card in a small translation competition.
And then, without my knowledge, I won a 10000-yen shopping voucher in a lottery organized by a local drugstore.
The lottery was quite exclusive: only those who received a New Year's card from the store AND brought it into the store AND bought something within a certain period. So the odds were much higher than any other lottery anyone could enter.
As a glass-half-empty kind of person, I began to worry that I had used up this year's luck in these pleasantly surprising events. And what about this year's tax return?
BookOff and I ― 2023/11/04
This is a story about professionalism and selflessness BookOff demonstrated when the book I ordered was in an imperfect condition. This is partly why I haven't abandoned this second-hand bookstore for other online stores, such as Axxxxn where everything is jumbled up.
今回は、ブックオフについてお話します。ブックオフは、注文した本が美品ではなかったとき、非常にプロらしい、損して得取れの態度を示してくれました。私がアXXンではなく、ここで古本を買う理由はここにあります。
The other day, I ordered online two books at BookOff online store, specifying that I would collect them at one of its brick-and-mortar stores.
ちょっと前、本2冊をオンラインで注文して、店頭受け取りを指定しました。
To my pleasant surprise, one of them, the big and heavy photobook, priced at 950 yen, came free as the quality of the book didn't meet the store's standard. Actually, the spine and cover were slightly faded and aged.
そのうち、大型本の写真集（950円）を、店で売れる状態ではないので、といって無料にしてくれました。これはうれしい驚き。実際には背表紙とカバーが若干日焼けしていた程度だったのですが。
I was informed this (the book was free) three times; first by an e-mail, then a store staff member who handled my order, and a note put in the book.
このこと（不良品だからただだよ）を、今回は三回聞かされました。まずメールで、それから店頭の販売員の方から、さらに、本にもメモがはさんでありました。
The degree of the sunburn looks nothing for me. Or rather, considering the fact this book is forty years old, I would say this book's condition is quite good.
日焼けは気にならない程度だったし、実際、40年前に出版された本としてはけっこうキレイなほうだと思います。
I have come across a number of books in much more horrible condition than this at libraries. Some books had its pages stuck together, some with a lot of lost (or stolen) pages, or countless slashes on pages. Some books carried numerous silly and pedantic notes directly written onto pages and dog-ears. The most disgusting ones (not one) were those with something seemingly produced in someone's nostril rubbed on inside. I'd better stop here.
図書館にはもっとえげつない状態の本がたくさんあります。ページがくっついてたり、ごっそりなくなって（盗まれて）たり、切り刻まれていたり。あと、知ったかぶりの書き込みがめちゃくちゃたくさんあったり。一番いやなのは、ページに鼻から出てくる何かが擦り付けられた事例です。しかも一度だけじゃなかったし。もうこの辺でやめときますが。
Coming back to the free photobook, despite the decently aged cover, the inside of the photobook looks almost new, as if they had been printed yesterday.
By the way, I haven't seen books made of this thick and quality paper for ages. Books of these eras may have already been becoming "vintage."
タダでもらった写真集に話を戻すと、カバーはまあこんなもんかなという程度に古びていましたが、中は新品同様。昨日印刷されたみたいでした。
話は変わりますが、ここ何年もこれほど厚い高級紙を使った本はみたことがありません。この年代の本もすでに「ヴィンテージ」になりつつあるのかもしれません。
Today's Treat and Freebie ― 2022/01/21
Rusk-like French toast and coffee at a eat-in space at a bakery. Then they gave me a something called salt roll as a token to mark a major change to their product line-up.
Actually, I haven't been to this location, or used any indoor eat-in space for a really long time. I think this bakery used to deal with "high-end" pricy loaves of bread and sandwiches at Tokyo price in this local town, but this time the price, also still much more expensive than Ryoyu or Yamazaki, seems to be little more accessible.
Today's Freebie ― 2022/01/14
At a post office...
A 2022 calendar, a towel hankie, a pack of disinfecting wipes.
The calendar is what they have given me for the past several years, but the others feel new. Especially the wipes with alcohol-based disinfectant is very 2022.
My Latest Achievement ― 2019/05/21
I have finally got my members card at a local cinema fully stamped! I am awarded with a free view of any show screened within three months from today.
The girl behind the counter also gave me this card which allows me to watch any film at a discounted fee.
In general, cinema is too expensive in Japan. If you don’t apply any discount measure (coupons, affiliated members cards, or having a powerful friend in the industry), a program costs 1,800 yen (and it is expected to rise as a major film complex is planning to do so).
Even with this blue card, you are supposed to pay 1,500 yen—with which you could get three-day supply of fresh fish. Thank you very much for generous discount, but it still feels a bit costly for me. Probably
I will keep going cinema on “Ladies Day Wednesday” on which you can enter any cinema at the cost of 1,100 yen-- as long as you look like a female. I haven't been asked to show my ID to prove my gender on entering any cinema nationwide.
Today's Freebie ― 2018/11/14
Some leaves of lettuce from a local chicken butcher.
I have heard the previous shopkeeper ("my father", said the girl behind the counter) enjoys growing vegetables in his garden. So lucky customers occasionaly get his vegetables when shopping chicken.
Today's Freebie ― 2018/07/19
From a bank. A mini towel and a sachet of washing-up powder(sample?), a small tube of toothpaste (sample?) and a pack of wet tissues. These reminded me of free amenities I was given in an airplane when I traveled overseas for the first time nearly 20 years ago.
I wish they game me a bit of interest instead of these almost meaningless giveaways...
Today's Freebie ― 2018/05/24
A floppy summer hat from Chifure Cosmetics (for the purchace of a lotion and a serum).
Unlike usual women's hats, this hat can accomodate my giant head, which is nice.
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