Gas station vero beach
Fuck Zyn
2023.06.09 22:46 nollidbrook Fuck Zyn
Have been a can a day user for about 7 or 8 months now and I am finally ready to call it quits. I still remember my first Zyn like it was yesterday, feeling extremely ill and sweating profusely. I vowerd never to touch Zyn again. That was until I discovered an old can in my room one day and decided to pop one in for the hell of it. Weird. No sickness... Just an enjoyable rush that seemed to lower my stress signficantly while allowing my thoughts to flow seamlessly. Naturally I continued using them, while inadvertently increasing how many I would use each day. How bad can a non-smokeable form of nicotine be? Dr. Huberman even recommends nicotine for Alzheimer's patients (lol).
My life began to revolve around my zyn pouches and no day was manageable without a pack in my pocket. (Maybe) even an extra one in my car too. The enjoyable rush I first experienced was now replaced by a crippling addiction that controlled my every move. When my friends and family began to notice my addiction, I was quick to cite Dr. Huberman and reference evidence about nicotine and the treatment of brain diseases. Even the lady who sold me my zyn pouches began to question my purchases, recommending that I tried 3mg instead of 6mg. In the moment it annoyed me but looking back I am thankful for her concern.
I am finally ready to release myself from the prison that is Zyn-addiction. No longer will I be desperately rushing to a gas station to find Zyns. Yes it will probably suck but the sense of accomplishment I will feel after quitting will be worth it in my opinion. Thanks
submitted by nollidbrook to QuittingZyn [link] [comments]
My life began to revolve around my zyn pouches and no day was manageable without a pack in my pocket. (Maybe) even an extra one in my car too. The enjoyable rush I first experienced was now replaced by a crippling addiction that controlled my every move. When my friends and family began to notice my addiction, I was quick to cite Dr. Huberman and reference evidence about nicotine and the treatment of brain diseases. Even the lady who sold me my zyn pouches began to question my purchases, recommending that I tried 3mg instead of 6mg. In the moment it annoyed me but looking back I am thankful for her concern.
I am finally ready to release myself from the prison that is Zyn-addiction. No longer will I be desperately rushing to a gas station to find Zyns. Yes it will probably suck but the sense of accomplishment I will feel after quitting will be worth it in my opinion. Thanks
2023.06.09 22:24 throwaway71278129197 My (35M) relationship with my critical father (70M)
I (35M) have a lot of issues with my father (70M), especially regarding finances and his attitude towards me. Here are some examples of what he has done:
TL;DR: My father has taken money from me, put me down, and made me feel guilty for not giving him more. I want to have a better relationship with him but I don’t know how.
submitted by throwaway71278129197 to relationships [link] [comments]
- He took my tax refund from my first summer job without telling me and refused to give it back, saying he paid for my college education ($250k) so he deserved it.
- He took money from me that I gave him to invest and never returned it. He also expected me to keep giving him money forever after I graduated.
- He got angry at me for not giving him $50k from a bonus I received to pay off his business loans.
- He also criticized me for paying off my wife’s student loans ($250k) instead of giving him that money.
- He has been berating me for 10 years for not helping him financially and for giving him bad advice on selling his house (I told him to sell since he couldn't afford it; he ended up renting it out which worked out much better financially).
- He compares me unfavorably to my sister saying that she's better than me and insults me for trivial things like saying "You're a mean little thing" for saying I wouldn't let a car cut me off in a long gas station line
TL;DR: My father has taken money from me, put me down, and made me feel guilty for not giving him more. I want to have a better relationship with him but I don’t know how.
2023.06.09 22:21 Xtreemenature101 Wale wa sinanga business idea
RAW BUSINESS IDEAS 1.Rental houses 2.Transport vehicles 3.Motorbikes business 4.Bars and pubs business 5.Dairy farming 6.Cattle runch business 7.Poultry farming business 8.Videos and cinemas 9.PS halls 10.Salons and kinyozis business 11.Music industry 12.Entertainment industry 13.Private schools 14.M-Pesa shops 15.Airtel money shops 16.Gym and sauna business 17.Purchase of land for investment and resale business 18.Tree planting business 19.Fishpond and fisheries business 20.Butchery business 21.Poshomills business 22.Security service industry 23.Petrol station business 24.Car wash 25.Cyber business 26.Gas cylinders business 27.Hardware 28.Driving school 29.Computer packages school 30.Broadcasting industries/Media groups 31.Making of posters business 32.Pool 33.Phone shops business 34.Rental rooms for business 35.Pharmacy/Chemistry 36.Private hospitals 37.Welding sites business 38.Supermarket business 39.Writing books for sale/publishing 40.Small shops business 41.Tatoo buildings business 42.Movie shops 43.You Tube channels 44.Online jobs 45.Kungfu,martial arts,boxing,tai kuondo halls 46.Shoe repair Business 47.Digital marketing 48.Drug dealing 49.Tents and plastic chairs supply 50.Solar panels business 51.Betting companies business 52.Beautiful scenaries eg parks business 53.Photography 54.Videography 55.Electronics shop 56.Ice creams business 57.Smokies and eggs vending/Kahawa and mandazis/mtura/soup/nyama china business 58.Necklesses business 59.Sales person 60.Dealing in clothes (Ready made/Second hand-mtumba) 61.Green houses 62.Dancing crue and hall business 63.Putting money in fixed deposit accounts 64.Saccos and chamas 65.Buying of shares in unlisted companies 66.Treasury bills and Treasury bonds 67.Develop an app 68.Shares in listed companies 69.DJ 70.Chauffer 71.Body(ear,nose etc) piercing business 72.Insurance and reinsurance company 73.Boutique 74.Cosmetics 75.Fighting equipments(guns,bullets,bombs etc)shop 76.Ships and boats 77.Furnitures shop 78.Agrovet business 79.Livestock farming (goats,ships,rabbits,pigs etc) business 80.Acting on trends 81.Agricultural factories 82.Warehouses business 83.Barkery 84.Restaurants business 85.School requirements shop 86.Garage 87.Private toilets/bathrooms 88.Giving out credits at an interest rate 89.Guide(business, education etc)books/PDFs business 90.Supplying industry/supplier 91.Flowers for export business 92.Daycare business 93.Airtime(Safaricom, Airtel, Telcom etc) Business 94.Bookshop 95.Gift services overview 96.Laundry business 97.Nails making business 98.Forex trading 99.Bitcoin 100.Fruit and juice parlour 101.Podcasting 102.Yoga studio 103.Catering services 104.Computer repair business/shop 105.Modeling 106.Purchasing existing website 107.Organic vending business 108.Virtual assistant business 109.Translation service 110.Online tutoring business 111.Content writer business 112.Web design 113.Career coach business 114.Start a blog 115.Amazon reselling 116.Coffee shop 117.Home food delivery 118.Currency trading 119.Event planning business 120.Interior design business 121.Selling of phone case and other accessories business 122.Property management business eg Chakra company 123.Drive for Uber or Lyft 124.Water supply services 125.Personal fitness traineInstructor 126.Tour guide business 127.Accounting and bookkeeping business 128.Caregiving business 129.Transcription 130.Data analysis 131.Fast food restaurant 132.Yoghurt business 133.Nail and eye brows parlour 134.Screen printing 135.Real estate 136.Human billboard 137.Affiliate marketing 138.Pool cleaning business 139.Designing and selling print-on-demand t-shirts 140.Junk removal service 141.Printing services 142.Custodian 143.Dropshipping business 144.Craft business 145.Landscaping business 146.Bicycle rentals/Bicycle repairs 147.Painting business 148.Flower shop 149.House cleaning 150.Grocery delivery 151.Resale store 152.Subscription box business 153.Import/export business 154.Laundromat business 155.Party bus 156.Staffing services 157.Antique dealer 158.Construction business 159.Used car rentals 160.Cafe/Sandwich shop 161.Logo design business 162.Shoe business 163.Marine electronics/waterproof electronics 164.Publicity business 165.Drone business 166.Gutter cleaning business 167.Garden center 168.Kitchen store business 169.Cookie business 170.Framing business 171.Mushroom farming 172.Vending machine for fruits 173.Laundry services 174.Agribusiness 175.Business in waste management 176.Urban transportation business 177.Fin-tech business 178.Urban logistics 179.Automobiles 180.Bee keeping (Honey,wax etc) 181.Study platforms for Students 182.Financial consultancy firm 183.Stationery shop 184.Appliance repair shop 185.Party decoration services 186.Sewing business 187.Handcraft business 188.Online travel agency 189.Samosa business 190.Pancake and Chapati business 191.Wrap up 192.Milk bashop 193.Mobile money agent 194.Farming 195.Cake baking business 196.Selling snacks 197.Selling computers and accessories 198.Internet connection to the customers living nearby 199.Selling fruits and vegetables 200.Brick making 201.Selling handbags 202.Cereal shop 203.Paxful's affiliate program and peer program 204.Invest in mutual funds or ETFs 205.Data entry 206.Popcorn business 207.Bead making and wire wax 208.Sell perfumes 209.Designing book covers 210.Dog walking 211.Tailoring 212.Sale of hair extension 213.Dry cleaning services 214.Stadiums 215.Candle making 216.Mobile repair shop 217.Tuition 218.Hauling service 219.Home staging business 220.Window treatment business 221.Dreadlock business 222.Fashion house 223.Oil business 224.Music sounds for hire 225.Start a football club 226.Blended education programs 227.Wholesale business 228.Ironing services 229.Swimming pool 230.Mandazis and donuts business 231.Seedlings for sale 232.Soap making 233.Selling soft drinks,fresh juice and snacks 234.Stationery supply to rural areas 235.Tuk tuk business 236.Selling baby diapers 237.Start a video game lounge 238.Manicure, pedicure and facial scrubbing business 239.Landscaping and gardening services 240.Land brokerage 241.Eggs wholesale 242.Spare parts(motorcycle, bicycle, vehicles etc)shop 243.Pork meet business 244.Charcoal and coal business 245.Gambling business 246.Agricultural value addition business 247.Camels 248.Facebook 249.Instagram 250.Chicken spare parts business 251.Shopify 252.Hawking business 253.Amazon FBA 254.Flipping collectibles 255.Tik Tok 256.Carpets 257.Curtains 258.Mutual funds investment 259.Precious metals business (eg gold, silver and bronze) 260.Sport shoes/jazies/balls etc business 261.Grow profitable vegetables and fruits 262.Invest in the capital market via Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE) 263.Dealing in second hand goods eg furnitures, electronics etc 264.Candle production 265.Plantain chips and bhajia business 266.Errands 267.Lawn care 268.Miti shamba/Dawa za kienyeji/Herbals 269.Beddings eg Mattresses 270.Homemade gourmet foods 271.Flea market vending 272.Music Instructor 273.Making custom furniture 274.Banking services 275.Own a tap/boreholes 276.Flight services eg Air hostess 277.Clothing lines 278.Book publishing/ebooks 279.Start charitable business 280.Pet training and grooming services 281.Data entry provider 282.Start a pop-up shop 283.Rent your car on Turo 284.College admissions essay tutor and editor 285.Travel consultant 286.Tax preparation 287.Commision-only sales 288.Ebay sales 289.Fiverr Gigs 290.Airbnb 291.Patreon 292.Alteration Services 293.Professional organizing services 294.Aquarium maintenance 295.Home inspector 296.Review website 297.Home Appraisal 298.Sell Jericans from certain suppliers 299.Referral services 300.Recycled goods seller
submitted by Xtreemenature101 to Kenya [link] [comments]
2023.06.09 22:20 Rickyszn034 Toki Time Travel
 | So we see Toki randomly on the beach of some random island when we meet her character, and this is how she came into Odens life and story and eventually joined the WB pirates alongside Oden. As Oden and Toki were getting to know the members in particular Toki. submitted by Rickyszn034 to OnePiece [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/3sspgtjhg15b1.jpg?width=772&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d5167384502266de3e3b3cdbb08671f5c0567a3b She would have noticed the lack of female members on the crew, and realised aside from her Whitey Bay was the only female on the crew, meaning of all the Wb pirates aside from Oden she formed the strongest bond with Whitey bay, this is highlighted twice where she is seen beside her in the montage of their adventures I actually believe her and Whitey Bays relationship was initiated by a mutual connection both of the 2 had. As we know Toki came from the past to odens timeline, but we don't actually know how many years she jumped into the future each time she did, but one thing we do know, from what she said as she was about to jump from odens timeline highly suggests that jumping to the future is an extremely routine thing for her, meaning she did not jump 800 years in one go. To put in other words she is basically saying "Here we go again" what people say when something is a Normal and regular occurence but inconvenience https://preview.redd.it/mw4rexfle15b1.jpg?width=1014&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=85a45fd4b8a3404286087675582381512967158d Since Toki was very likely given a mission to help ensure the dawn comes to the future by likely Joyboy or another important figure, it makes no sense that they would force Toki to do this mission alone, she was young at the time and they were forcing her to leave her family and friends, it makes extremely logical sense that she had a companion accompany her on said Time travel. She sent the scabbards with momo to accompany him, The first and last time toki travelled to the future alone was when Joyboys daughter decided to remain in the timeline with Rocks D. Xebec There are several people in the void century far more significant than Toki, but one thing i want to address is as the Kozuki realised that Kaidou was going to win and take over, Toki believed they should send the heir of the Kozuki to the future to ensure that the bloodline survives. We know Joyboy is a far more important figure in the world than the Kozuki and as King of the Ancient Kingdom, his own bloodline is of the most significant in the country. https://preview.redd.it/58r596ere15b1.jpg?width=1046&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c48ec74dd33704f7e3a2f7bc897cc94ab8298631 I do not believe Joyboy is of any of the current D families, he isn't Portgas Monkey Gol and so on. More than likely he gave the name to his crewmates and he himself didn't take the name but was the creator of the name. The wg went ham trying to end rogers bloodline, let alone Joyboys bloodline, they definetely wanted to erase that even more, but as we know more than likely they failed, but the reason they failed is because i believe his bloodline was no longer in their timeline, and his daughter went to the future with Toki. Toki was close friends with the daughter of Joyboy and the 2 of them travelled to the future jumping timelines together, everytime they got bored of a timeline they leaped into the future, more than likely Joyboys daughter was deeply traumatized by the destruction of the ancient Kingdom and the death of her Father, the PTSD did not allow her to make friends as they jumped through the timelines and she bore large levels of hatred towards Imu, all she wanted was revenge. Everytime they saw a potential for the Wg to find them they went to the future So biggest question is why was Toki not with Joyboys daughter when she came to Odens timeline, this is because she stopped in a previous timeline, more than likely for the same reason that Toki stopped in Odens timeline, she said that shit, that she felt like she reached her destination. So she fell in love with someone in a previous timeline and no longer wanted to travel to the future anymore. So Toki and her parted ways https://preview.redd.it/k8b6yot1f15b1.jpg?width=1031&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=af8e2fff3bf35a68b444761d75ac2c32023245c9 And that person she fell in love with was Rocks D. Xebec. Toki and Joyboys daughter met Rocks when he was young before he became a legend maybe like 18/19. So how does this link to Whitey Bay and WB. These 2 were on Rocks crew prior to the Wb pirates, they are the 2 back to back in that panel, whitey bay is the 2nd apprentice of Rocks crew, and this is the reason why she told marco apprentices can't do certain things because she also had those restrictions. https://preview.redd.it/i602alsl815b1.png?width=393&format=png&auto=webp&s=06db9016d027e7176f0e557e5ca35f23c9696477 https://preview.redd.it/qt786dhjf15b1.jpg?width=751&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f781c0d9169c59d10b8a9357854d78a4e97931c0 Rocks made Whitey Bay his apprentice and was drawn to her because she reminded rocks of his wife Joyboys daughter, who died in rocks timeline. Toki also saw the similarities between Joyboys daughter and Whitey Bay and told her that's probably the reason why rocks favoured her so much and made him her apprentice. Toki likely said she wanted to meet Rocks and Stella but Wb and Bay told her that Rocks died a couple years ago and his wife died I believe the name of Joyboys daughter is Stella, and she had a tragic death involving the celestial dragons, and the stella from film gold is odas own draft for the narrative. As Joyboys daughter she was insanely powerful, we see how powerful Yamato is as Kaidous daughter, Joyboys daughter and Rocks wife was likely comparable to Wb roger and rocks, and definetely stronger than big mom. More than Likely rocks had to beat her in a fight before she opened up to him. So the idea of measly celestial dragons killing her is impossible, the only celestial who had the power to kill her was IMU, this on top of IMU being the ultimate scum is what fueled rocks hatred We see that Toki's name means Time in Japanese, and she has the Time Paramecia, the ability to control time I believe Stella has powers that are in relation to her name aswell, we know Stella means Star in latin, I believe she is the former user of the Yami Yami no mi, the ability to create control and become Darkness, and this fruit chose her because of her desire to bring the Dusk to the future, in a similar fashion to Blackbeard. https://preview.redd.it/13lx2pzf815b1.jpg?width=1052&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5480540ceb3be785a3a5a5ddaddbf1a3a0c993ff This is an extremely difficult fruit to use and requires the user to be highly versed in astronomy and to be extremely intelligent. Yes i believe she was an a Astronomer with the yami yami no mi, its essentially the equivalent of a Scientist/Chemist with the Gas Logia the way ceaser is. The type of attacks one would come up with from this is shit like Quasar, Dark matter, Black hole, Vortex. Dark nebula, things like that and would require seriously advanced understanding of space. https://preview.redd.it/i01ll45iv15b1.jpg?width=1061&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ac6149d8a52a204bafec110d950ed1fb7821fe1d https://preview.redd.it/b5epcgb7w15b1.png?width=533&format=png&auto=webp&s=7672d27793ebb79b37b5ab7c6e1705806866cb16 Notice how all these aspects of her character heavily connect. Name is Stella meaning STAR in latin, an astronomer, scientists who study STARS and SPACE, desire to bring dusk to the world and erase the SUN, the SUN = STAR. Has the literal power to destroy celestial objects and STARS. Darkness is essentially Space. So controlling darkness is essentially controlling SPACE She controls SPACE. Toki controls TIME. Space Time, Toki and Stella's goals were opposite Toki - Bring Dawn to the Future Stella - Bring Dusk to the Future https://preview.redd.it/8fci6oi8915b1.png?width=905&format=png&auto=webp&s=bd4cd5c9fa119a7adac054a6f46a93af67973eb8 Tokis powers made her goal possible, and Stellas powers made her goal possible Don't wanna be a nerd here but curvature of Space time is gravity, the only thing that match the gravity of darkness would be Time. Toki was the only one who could counter Stellas gravity in both a figurative and literal sense Only one Stella could open up to and wasn't crushed by her intense personality and saw the good in her, and with the capacity of the time fruit could match her fruits gravity but as we know Toki was nowhere near smart or strong enough to use that fruit in combat So i believe that Rocks was the counter to the Darkness of Stella, while she created literal darkness he created Light, I do not believe rocks is user of the light logia, i believe he is the user of the Hoshi Hoshi no mi, The Star logia, the ability to create stars and other celestial objects https://preview.redd.it/bkzdjy5jj15b1.png?width=626&format=png&auto=webp&s=198a81e0a99f326d32aeb0176905e3980e63494f This is the opposite ability of the Yami Yami no mi, which is the ability to destroy stars and other celestial objects. Both abilities which require the user to essentially be an Astronomer and Astrophysicist. She taught Rocks astronomy and he became an astronomer and taught whitey bay astronomy. Toki saw that Bay and Stella were both astronomers and they had a similar love for astronomy, she inherited the dream and will of Rocks wife. Just as rayleigh sees roger in luffy, Rocks and Toki saw Stella in Bay and were drawn to her because of that. Rocks taught her astronomy while she was his apprentice on the rocks pirates and she eventually went on to teach Monet astronomy. https://preview.redd.it/4lhtdjpiu15b1.jpg?width=982&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c929fbd736ad27d28966a2c9b2ef025115439570 Rocks saw the fruits potential through his wife and inherited her will, the desire to bring the DUSK to the world that his wife had before him. BB his successor inherited the astronomy notes and studies of rocks and used them to hunt down the yami yami no mi and used the notes to use the power at a basic level https://preview.redd.it/ckglo71ph15b1.png?width=411&format=png&auto=webp&s=5aef4390cf4e85e8e2432403fe30a35552ec9838 https://preview.redd.it/ep99suumh15b1.png?width=907&format=png&auto=webp&s=c6b75aa4e2bf09c48d326cabb0d58d6887aa31d1 So as Rocks wife more than likely the 2 had children and that child is Dragon, Dragon is the son of Rocks and his wife Stella. https://preview.redd.it/4sqyorvdi15b1.jpg?width=827&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=635a1ef78978b1de99dadea7cc27748aa0bde25c Dragon is the name Rocks gave to his son, and is a testament to rocks endeavour to take down the celestial dragons and take their place and reshape what it means to be a celestial dragon, and he named his son Dragon in the hopes he would become that. Imma keep it real, guys who can't see the obvious evidence for this and how garp and dragon are nothing alike in any regard, don't look alike, don't act similar in anyway, garp is extremely stupid while dragon is cunning and intelligent. https://preview.redd.it/yvscdm3mj15b1.png?width=1053&format=png&auto=webp&s=46bcbb0fa98d651c7eeb589ce3a5983136654ef3 One parent is always gonna look like the child, and if dragon doesn't look like luffy, then luffys mother looks like him and if she looks like him she looks like garp, pretty simple man. People thinking it makes sense for Garp to name his son dragon are also ridiculous, Garp isn't some elevated thinker, he is just a wise old man who loves a good time, he is alot like luffy, empty headed. So in this era i believe the 2 people rocks has the closest Father child connection to is with Dragon and Whitey Bay. These 2 are connected by their tie to rocks. I believe Rocks taught each of them one thing. He taught Bay astronomy and gave Bay his Hat, parallel to Roger and Shanks. And He taught Dragon Martial arts, specifically the Ryusoken And what is significant about this hat and technique. They were passed to the brothers of luffy https://preview.redd.it/ii13w0xro15b1.jpg?width=1035&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=30b8c6c88cdca4879412722184515330e02d8370 Bay gave Ace the Hat Dragon gave Sabo the technique Ace got the hat after sabo went missing from goa, in that time frame i believe Bay went to Goa kingdom, because she believed Rocks grandson was potentially on the island and wanted to give him rocks hat, Shanks had a hunch Rogers son was on the island but instead found luffy, hat he was gonna give to rogers son he gives to luffy Bay had a hunch Rocks grandson was on the island but instead found ace, hat he was gonna give to rocks grandson she gives to Ace https://preview.redd.it/0669hecru15b1.jpg?width=601&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b992442996939cb279136ad84b9330499699e524 Rocks saw the similarities between Stella and Bay and saw Bays potential to become like Stella his wife, Bay saw the similarities between Ace and Rocks and saw potential for Ace to become like Rocks Roger and Rocks relationship started out like the relationship between ace and luffy became like the relationship between luffy and blackbeard. They weren't brother but likely close friends. |
2023.06.09 21:46 Kl-B0 [USA-FL] [H] Yellow DSI LL [W] Local Cash or PSVITA
I have a japanese yellow DSI LL, asking for 80 or for a ps vita, I'm willing to negotiate on the price if you don't have a PSVITA
Currently don't have a car, so we have to meet up at my local gas station
Local ONLY! Located in Spring Hill, FL
TIMESTAMP
submitted by Kl-B0 to hardwareswap [link] [comments]
Currently don't have a car, so we have to meet up at my local gas station
Local ONLY! Located in Spring Hill, FL
TIMESTAMP
2023.06.09 21:44 ronscott999 The Three Most Annoying "Features" That Can't Be Corrected Through Coding.
New 2017 i3 owner -- don't get me wrong, I love the car. But these are the three quibbles that I don't think can be fixed by coding. If I'm wrong (which hopefully I am), please let me know!
#1 All Doors Auto Lock
As an adult, I can decide when I want the doors locked. Even in the short time I've owned the car, I've gone to the rear a half dozen times to open the rear hatch, only to have to return to the passenger compartment to unlock or to get my keys to unlock the hatch. From my Googling to try to resolve this, I think non-US models have the "don't lock" or "unlock when in park" (which would be fine also) feature, but there's no coding or other fix for this for US models.
#2 Air System Will Always Start
There seems to be a Bimmercode option for this but only for remembering fan speed, auto recirculation, etc. But at startup, I'd like the system completely OFF. Not set on low. Just OFF. Doesn't seem possible.
#3 Car turns off with driver's door open
Unless I'm not understanding the Range Extender, it can be set to attempt to maintain the last state of charge when it is activated and it is off by default. So if you turn it on at 70%, climb a mountain on a hot day with full a/c, you might reach the gas station at the top with only 45% (for example) of state of charge. Get out to fill the gas tank and the car turns off. Get back in, start the car and re-engage HSOC. But the current value (i.e. 45%) when the car turned off is now the new max value, regardless of how long the REx runs.
There doesn't seem to be a work-around for preventing the car from turning off with the driver's door open other than a seat belt extender.
submitted by ronscott999 to BMWi3 [link] [comments]
#1 All Doors Auto Lock
As an adult, I can decide when I want the doors locked. Even in the short time I've owned the car, I've gone to the rear a half dozen times to open the rear hatch, only to have to return to the passenger compartment to unlock or to get my keys to unlock the hatch. From my Googling to try to resolve this, I think non-US models have the "don't lock" or "unlock when in park" (which would be fine also) feature, but there's no coding or other fix for this for US models.
#2 Air System Will Always Start
There seems to be a Bimmercode option for this but only for remembering fan speed, auto recirculation, etc. But at startup, I'd like the system completely OFF. Not set on low. Just OFF. Doesn't seem possible.
#3 Car turns off with driver's door open
Unless I'm not understanding the Range Extender, it can be set to attempt to maintain the last state of charge when it is activated and it is off by default. So if you turn it on at 70%, climb a mountain on a hot day with full a/c, you might reach the gas station at the top with only 45% (for example) of state of charge. Get out to fill the gas tank and the car turns off. Get back in, start the car and re-engage HSOC. But the current value (i.e. 45%) when the car turned off is now the new max value, regardless of how long the REx runs.
There doesn't seem to be a work-around for preventing the car from turning off with the driver's door open other than a seat belt extender.
2023.06.09 21:42 Vipermark1599 Well I did a thing and ran outta gas not thinking where the closest gas station was just looking at the little kitty CAT
 | submitted by Vipermark1599 to snowrunner [link] [comments] |
2023.06.09 21:39 lbabinz Weekly Top Deals Sale at Best Buy: June 9 - 15 (PS Days of Play, Xbox Digital Games / Controllers, Meta Quest 2, SEGA, Square Enix, Play at Best Buy, more)
Top Deals
Play at Best Buy
Smart Home Sale
Outlet Center Sale
LEGO Sale
Video Games
submitted by lbabinz to VideoGameDealsCanada [link] [comments]
Play at Best Buy
Smart Home Sale
Outlet Center Sale
LEGO Sale
Video Games
Video Games
Play at Best Buy
Top Deals
Outlet Center Sale
Smart Home Sale
2023.06.09 21:39 seeldoger47 [H] $500 Amazon GCs [W] 85% Western Union/BTC [H] PayPal, Cash App, Crypto, Apple Pay, or Venmo [W] All Your Gift Cards
You can download the WesternUnion app and send the payment from your phone and I will pay the fees.
Desktop Users: Comment on this post and Click here to start a trade App Users, please include the following in your PM (Remember to comment on this post as well):
- Type of card(s) and amount of each.
- What payment method you accept.
- How you acquired the GC and why you're getting rid of it.
I only have Steam as a substitute for cash payments in gift card trades.
| Want ↓ | Cash or a Gift Card ↓ | BTC ↓ |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | 60%4 | NA |
| Amazon.ca | 50% | 50% |
| Amazon.co.uk | 50% | 50% |
| Amazon.com | 70% | 55% |
| Amazon.de | 50% | 50% |
| Amazon.es | 50% | 50% |
| Amazon.fr | 50% | 50% |
| Amazon.it | 50% | 50% |
| Amazon.jp | 30% | 30% |
| Arrow Films | 65% | 60% |
| Barnes & Noble | 50% | 50% |
| Baskin Robbins | 60% | 60% |
| Best Buy | 60% | 60% |
| BJ's (not BJ's restaurant)4 | 60% | NA |
| Bloomingdales | 50% | 50% |
| Burger King4 | 60% | NA |
| Clothing Shops (Small Boutique) | contact me | contact me |
| Dell4 | 60% | NA |
| Delta gift cards4 | 65% | NA |
| Delta Sky Miles4 | PM me | NA |
| Delta Vouchers4 | 65% | NA |
| Dicks Sporting Goods 4 | PM me | NA |
| Disney Plus | PM me | PM me |
| DoorDash | 70%6 | NA |
| Dunkin Donuts4 | 60% | NA |
| eBay | 70% | 70% |
| Fandango4 | 10% | NA |
| Five Guys4 | 60% | NA |
| Gamestop | 60% | 60% |
| Gas Station Cards4 | PM me | NA |
| Grub Hub | 70%6 | NA |
| Gyft | 70% | 70% |
| Half Price Books | 50% | 50% |
| HBO4 | 70% | NA |
| iTunes4 | 60% | NA |
| J crew | 40% | 40% |
| JCPenney | 25% | 25% |
| Jersey Mike Subs4 | 60% | NA |
| KFC4 | 60% | NA |
| Khols | 30% | 30% |
| Macys | 35% | 35% |
| Magazines.com | 40% | 40% |
| McDonald's 4 | 60% | NA |
| Microsoft6 | 60% | NA |
| Moe’s Southwestern Grill4 | 60% | NA |
| Nintendo Eshop6 | 70% | NA |
| Nordstrom | 50% | 50% |
| Panera bread4 | 60% | NA |
| PSN6 | 60 | NA |
| PSN Plus 12 month4 | NA | NA |
| Saks Fifth Avenue | 50% | 50% |
| Sears | 50% | 50% |
| Sephora | 50% | 50% |
| Speedway4 | 80% | NA |
| Starbucks | 55% | 55% |
| Steam6 | 60% | NA |
| Subway 4 | PM me | NA |
| Taco Bell | 60% | NA |
| Target | 50% | 50% |
| Uber6 | 70% | NA |
| Urban Outfitters | 50% | 50% |
| Vudu4 | 50% | NA |
| Walmart | 60% | 60% |
| Wendys4 | 60% | NA |
| Xbox (gift cards)6 | 60% | NA |
| Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (12 month/6 month/3 month/1 month)6 | PM me | NA |
| Other Clothing Stores, Gas Stations, Grocery Stores, Restaurant, & Fast Food gift cards | PM me |
What I don’t buy:
Any fees are built into the price.
- Amazon.au
- Bass Pro Shop
- buffalo wild wing
- Canadian tire
- Cold Stone
- Dairy Queen
- Fanatics
- Google Play
- Hilton Honors
- Hot Topic
- iTunes from anywhere but the US
- Krispy Kreme
- old navy/gap/banana republic
- Patxi's pizza
- PSN Canada or UK
- publix
- Raceway
- Scheels
- Shell Gas Stations
- Spotify
- Tractor supply
- Xbox Canada or UK
- Xbox live gold
Selling
I have:$500 in Amazon (can be broken up) and am selling at
- 85%: WesternUnion
- 85%: btc
- 90%: Apple Pay or Chime
2023.06.09 21:39 seeldoger47 [H] $500 Amazon [W] 85% Western Union/BTC [H] PayPal, Cash App, Crypto, Chime, Apple Pay, or Venmo [W] Apple, Amazon (CA, Com, DE, ES, FR, IT, UK), B&N, Dunkin, eBay, Grub Hub, Gyft, iTunes, JCPenney, Microsoft, PSN, Steam, Target, Uber, Walmart, Xbox + more
You can download the WesternUnion app and send the payment from your phone and I will pay the fees.
Desktop Users: Comment on this post and Click here to start a trade App Users, please include the following in your PM (Remember to comment on this post as well):
- Type of card(s) and amount of each.
- What payment method you accept.
- How you acquired the GC and why you're getting rid of it.
I only have Steam as a substitute for cash payments in gift card trades.
| Want ↓ | Cash or a Gift Card ↓ | BTC ↓ |
|---|---|---|
| Apple | 60%4 | NA |
| Amazon.ca | 50% | 50% |
| Amazon.co.uk | 50% | 50% |
| Amazon.com | 70% | 55% |
| Amazon.de | 50% | 50% |
| Amazon.es | 50% | 50% |
| Amazon.fr | 50% | 50% |
| Amazon.it | 50% | 50% |
| Amazon.jp | 30% | 30% |
| Arrow Films | 65% | 60% |
| Barnes & Noble | 50% | 50% |
| Baskin Robbins | 60% | 60% |
| Best Buy | 60% | 60% |
| BJ's (not BJ's restaurant)4 | 60% | NA |
| Bloomingdales | 50% | 50% |
| Burger King4 | 60% | NA |
| Clothing Shops (Small Boutique) | contact me | contact me |
| Dell4 | 60% | NA |
| Delta gift cards4 | 65% | NA |
| Delta Sky Miles4 | PM me | NA |
| Delta Vouchers4 | 65% | NA |
| Dicks Sporting Goods 4 | PM me | NA |
| Disney Plus | PM me | PM me |
| DoorDash | 70%6 | NA |
| Dunkin Donuts4 | 60% | NA |
| eBay | 70% | 70% |
| Fandango4 | 10% | NA |
| Five Guys4 | 60% | NA |
| Gamestop | 60% | 60% |
| Gas Station Cards4 | PM me | NA |
| Grub Hub | 70%6 | NA |
| Gyft | 70% | 70% |
| Half Price Books | 50% | 50% |
| HBO4 | 70% | NA |
| iTunes4 | 60% | NA |
| J crew | 40% | 40% |
| JCPenney | 25% | 25% |
| Jersey Mike Subs4 | 60% | NA |
| KFC4 | 60% | NA |
| Khols | 30% | 30% |
| Macys | 35% | 35% |
| Magazines.com | 40% | 40% |
| McDonald's 4 | 60% | NA |
| Microsoft6 | 60% | NA |
| Moe’s Southwestern Grill4 | 60% | NA |
| Nintendo Eshop6 | 70% | NA |
| Nordstrom | 50% | 50% |
| Panera bread4 | 60% | NA |
| PSN6 | 60 | NA |
| PSN Plus 12 month4 | NA | NA |
| Saks Fifth Avenue | 50% | 50% |
| Sears | 50% | 50% |
| Sephora | 50% | 50% |
| Speedway4 | 80% | NA |
| Starbucks | 55% | 55% |
| Steam6 | 60% | NA |
| Subway 4 | PM me | NA |
| Taco Bell | 60% | NA |
| Target | 50% | 50% |
| Uber6 | 70% | NA |
| Urban Outfitters | 50% | 50% |
| Vudu4 | 50% | NA |
| Walmart | 60% | 60% |
| Wendys4 | 60% | NA |
| Xbox (gift cards)6 | 60% | NA |
| Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (12 month/6 month/3 month/1 month)6 | PM me | NA |
| Other Clothing Stores, Gas Stations, Grocery Stores, Restaurant, & Fast Food gift cards | PM me |
What I don’t buy:
Any fees are built into the price.
- Amazon.au
- Bass Pro Shop
- buffalo wild wing
- Canadian tire
- Cold Stone
- Dairy Queen
- Fanatics
- Google Play
- Hilton Honors
- Hot Topic
- iTunes from anywhere but the US
- Krispy Kreme
- old navy/gap/banana republic
- Patxi's pizza
- PSN Canada or UK
- publix
- Raceway
- Scheels
- Shell Gas Stations
- Spotify
- Tractor supply
- Xbox Canada or UK
- Xbox live gold
Selling
I have:$500 in Amazon (can be broken up) and am selling at
- 85%: WesternUnion
- 85%: btc
- 90%: Apple Pay or Chime
2023.06.09 21:35 TommyChi Does Suboxone prescription go on Medical record thru QuickMD if you don’t use insurance? In MS.
ZaZa Silver addict 2 bottles a day for 2 year with 1 week CT break in the middle here. Trying to get as much helpers as I can before Mississippi bans it. I need Gabapentin and Suboxone, just enough for 1-1/2-2 Weeks then I’ll taper off it. I want to be able to work and move houses, without my fiancé knowing I’ve been taking gas station drugs. Does anyone have any suggestions? What about blood pressure and keeping it low? I’m trying to be able to work
I’m ordering L-Glutamine, Magnolia Extract, Glycine, Thiamine, and maybe Emoxypine if I have to taper Phenibut. Apigenin helps.
Is there anyone experienced with quitting Silvers that would be down to chat with me? I keep getting worked up over this and really just want some input.
Thank y’all so much for everything. I don’t know what I’d do without this sub.
submitted by TommyChi to QuittingTianeptine [link] [comments]
I’m ordering L-Glutamine, Magnolia Extract, Glycine, Thiamine, and maybe Emoxypine if I have to taper Phenibut. Apigenin helps.
Is there anyone experienced with quitting Silvers that would be down to chat with me? I keep getting worked up over this and really just want some input.
Thank y’all so much for everything. I don’t know what I’d do without this sub.
2023.06.09 21:25 IvorFreyrsson A Hellish Offer, Ch. 2
[First] / Next
After sitting, Markus realized that he would need to exchange his money for the local currency. He rushed back into the airport and found an exchange service. He traded nearly a thousand dollars for yen, receiving nearly 140 thousand yen, in bills and coins. Thanking the trader, he rushed back outside to wait for his bus.
As he was waiting, he spied a taxi nearby and wondered if it would be better. He walked over and knocked on the window.
“_I’m sorry, excuse me? How much to get to Rikyuan Kyoto Nishikyogoku?_”
The driver blinked twice and looked at this rude American. “_Nine thousand. No less._”
Markus slid into the back seat and fished out ten thousand yen, and handed it to the driver.
“Thank you, sir. Today is my first day in your country, and I would just like to get to my room and sleep. I have an important meeting tomorrow, and I’d like to be as refreshed as possible,_” While Markus’ Japanese wasn’t great, it _was passable, and better than most Americans.
The driver grunted an acknowledgement, and off they sped into the night. Along the way, Markus watched the lit streets for anything recognizable. Finding little beyond 7-11 gas stations and some obvious convenience stores, he quizzed the driver.
“_Excuse me? Where can I find a stylist? I’d like to look my best for my meeting._”
“_A stylist? For hair? You’re as bald as a baby. Or do you mean that mop on your face?_”
Markus looked sharply at the rearview mirror, only to see the smiling, mirthful eyes of the driver. He laughed softly. “_Yes, friend. I’d like to get this unruly mop tamed. Do you have any suggestions?_”
The driver was quiet for a moment, apparently thinking. “_One moment, please. I have to call him,_” he said as he pulled out a cell phone and dialed a number.
“_Yes? Gen-kun? You want to make some money? Got an American here. Needs his beard taken care of professionally. Says he has an important business meeting tomorrow. Where? I dunno. Let me ask._” The driver spoke up to Markus. “_Hey, man. Where did you say this meeting was?_”
“_Uh…A place called Kitcho Arashiyama, I think. Why?_”
The driver let out a low whistle. “_Kitcho, huh? They must have some money. Hey! This offer will be amazing, man! You better take it. Not everyone can afford to eat there._”
“_Really? I think we are just meeting for tea, though. I don’t even know this man. Just got a letter out of the blue, and here I am. A lonely gaijin here in your amazingly beautiful country for the first, and probably last, time. I hope I’ve not been tricked. The gods have been merciless toward me lately,_” Markus replied.
“_Gen-kun? You hear all that? He’s going to Kitcho. Do him up right, and we might be taken care of, too! Okay. Okay. I’ll tell him. Bye, bro._”
Markus laughed softly. “_I’ll tell you what. If I land this job, or whatever it’s going to be, and it’s lucrative enough, I’ll call on you and your brother to drive me around and make sure I am as presentable as possible, and I’ll make sure you two are taken care of. How does that sound?_”
The driver looked up in the mirror, awe evident on his face. “_You would do that? A lowly cab driver like me and a hair stylist like my brother?_” he asked quietly.
“_Absolutely. I reward kindness with kindness my friend. I don’t have much right now, but if this goes well enough, I will take care of you and your brother._”
“You have a deal, American. What is your name?”
“Your English is pretty good. I am Markus Barton. And you are?”
“I am glad to meet you, Barton-san. I am Kimura Atsuki.”
“Thank you, Kimura-san.”
Atsuki grunted an acknowledgement and refocused on the road. In a few more minutes, they arrived at the small inn.
Markus got out, retrieving his bag from the back seat. Atsuki exited as well, taking a good look at this surprisingly kind, yet rude, American.
He saw a man, heavily built, with a bushy black beard that reached down to the middle of his chest. Broad shoulders that wouldn’t be out of place for a farmhand, but decidedly odd for a salaryman. A slightly too small t-shirt clung to his body, showing a bit of a beer belly, and most interesting of all, he seemed to be wearing a black skirt.
“_Barton-san? Why do you wear a woman’s skirt?_”
“_Hmm? Oh this? This isn’t a woman’s skirt. It’s called a kilt. It comes from the people of the British Isles. My family comes from that area, and once I tried it on, I was hooked. No pants for me ever again._”
“_Huh. You learn something new every day._”
“_Here is my contact information, Kimura-san. I will call on you should I take the offer. By the way, do you know of any decent restaurants or noodle shops in the area? I’m hungry._”
Atsuki laughed loudly. “_You were my last fare. I will wait, and then take my new friend out for dinner at a good place. Go. Check in, and I’ll see you back here._”
Markus smiled and nodded. He rushed inside and took care of business, being shown to a room on the ground floor. He deposited his bag inside, just past the genkan, locked the door, and returned to his new friend, hopping back in the taxi, to explore what Kyoto had to offer.
Atsuki took an appraising look at Markus. Nodding his head with a finality, he said, “_I am taking you to a good ramen-ya. You say you are hungry, and I say you will eat. Let’s go!_” He smiled and slapped the dashboard of his taxi, taking off into the night.
Atsuki and Markus chatted in a mish-mash of English and Japanese, getting to know each other as well as they could in the fifteen minute drive to the ramen-ya.
It turned out that Atsuki was recently divorced from his wife of four years and had no children. He and his brother, Gen, lived in a modest apartment not terribly far from the Rikyuan that Markus was staying at. He was an avid gamer, something of a shut-in, and had a collection of U.S coins.
“I am only missing the Arkansas _(he pronounced the final ‘S’), and the Marysland state quarters for 2022. I have the other years already. They are in mint condition and sealed in special bags so that they do not tarnish. Pretty neat, huh?_”
Markus gave him a lopsided grin. “_Have you ever met another American, Kimura-san?_” When Atsuki gave him a negative answer, Markus nodded. “_Very well. I shall help you some. I’m not really into coin collecting, but I think it’s pretty neat that you are. You’re the only person I know who is, if I’m honest. The state names are pronounced like this: Arr-can-saw and Maryland. There isn’t an ‘s’ in Maryland. I know it seems like there should be, but there isn’t. I can’t really tell you why Arkansas is said the way that it is, though. I don’t think I have either of those two quarters on me, though. Let me look._”
Markus dug around in his left pocket, pulling out the change there. He shuffled through the coins, not expecting to find anything larger than a dime, but came across a quarter. He unlocked his phone, using the screen to illuminate his findings. It was a 2022 quarter, but it was Hawai’i, not either of the ones Atsuki needed.
“_Nope. Just Hawai’i. Sorry, man._”
“_Bah. Thank you for looking, though. You’re a good man. I appreciate it very much. Ah. We are here. It may be just a little hole in the wall, but it happens to be one of my favorites. I apologize for the traffic. We would be here in half the time, had it not been bad,_” Atsuki said.
Markus smiled. “_Fifteen minutes is a short drive where I’m from. Don’t worry about it. Let’s just enjoy some ramen, yeah?_” he asked.
Atsuki nodded with a smile, and the pair walked in. Markus noticed that the shop was sparsely populated with people, and the gentleman behind the counter was relaxing with a book. Decidedly odd.
“_Yo, Komamura-san! Two bowls of tonkatsu with lots of chashu for me and my new friend, Barton-san! Firm, please. Thank you._”
Komamura grunted a reply and set about making the requested ramen, and the pair sat at the counter. Atsuki ordered a beer for both of them, and the two chatted and ate for quite some time.
At least until the shop began to get busy. When Atsuki noticed the line beginning to form outside, he paid the bill and thanked the chef.
Komamura glared at Markus for a moment, his face devoid of expression. “_Why did you bring a gaijin to my shop, punk?_”
“_This gaijin, my friend, has an interview tomorrow at Kitcho. He has promised to take care of my brother and I if he gets the job. Right, Barton-san?_” Atsuki shot back.
“_He is right, Komamura-san. If I do well, I will do what I can for the brothers. Kimura-san has been very helpful to me, and if his brother can tame this mop on my face, I’ll help him, too,_” Markus said, gazing softly at the older man.
Komamura grunted a reply and returned to his customers. As the pair were leaving, he shouted “_Good luck, Barton-san! You’re still a punk, Kimura-kun!_” and laughed loudly.
“_What was that about, Kimura-san?_” Markus asked as they got back in the car.
“_Ahhh… I might have stolen a few bowls in my younger days from old man Komamura-san. He never called the cops or anything. Just made me and my brother clean his shop when I did. He’s a good man, and I try to pay him back every time I come, but he never takes it. So, in return, I try to drive as much business to him that I can,_” Atsuki replied, somewhat embarrassed.
“_I see. Well, it is good that you are trying to correct your past wrongs. I’d say the old man has a fondness for you. You’re a good man, Kimura-san,_” Markus stated with finality.
“_Bah. I’m still a punk kid. I’m just lucky it was Komamura-san that I stole from. Other ramen-ya are said to be tied with our local gangs. I don’t ever want to step out of line again, so I stick with Komamura-san. He’s safe. The last time a gang tried to tangle with him, he sent them all running. He may not look like it now, but the old man used to be quite the fighter back in his younger days,_” Atsuki explained.
Markus nodded and yawned. He checked his phone. Good grief, it was already two in the morning. “_Kimura-san. It’s late, and I’ve been on a long flight. Plus I’ve my meeting tomorrow. I’m sorry to ask, but could you please take me back to my room?_” he asked, his face a mask of apology.
“_What? How late?_” Atsuki checked his watch, and saw the time. “_Oh shit. I should get home, too. My shift starts in four hours,_” Atsuki explained, heading back to Markus’ room.
The pair rode in relative silence for the remarkably shorter trip back. Markus exited the vehicle and turned to Atsuki. “_Thank you, Kimura-san. If tonight and tomorrow are all I have in Japan, You’ve made it all the richer. Be safe getting home,_” he said with a smile and a polite bow.
“_Let me know how it goes, yeah? I’ll send you a message so you have my number. Good luck, my friend!_” he called back, and drove off into the night.
Markus stumbled to his door, and went in. Shucking his shoes at the genkan, he stripped and fell into the surprisingly soft bed. He was asleep in moments.
Waking to his alarm always sucked. Markus reached out blindly and grabbed his phone. Shit, it was already noon. He checked his messages and saw a few from an unknown number. It was Atsuki. Apparently, he and his brother would be over in roughly forty-five minutes.
That gave Markus just enough time to shower and get dressed for his meeting. Hopefully. He scrambled for the shower, and got himself clean and dressed in thirty minutes. He was sitting there on the bed when he heard a knock at the door.
Opening the door, he saw the smiling face of Atsuki and a younger, much more shy man behind him.
“_Barton-san! I have brought my brother, Gen-kun and he will tame that mop on your face! Ha!_” Atsuki said jovially as he and his brother bowed respectfully and entered the small room.
“_I am so sorry, Barton-san. I speak no English. Forgive me,_” Gen said sorrowfully.
“_Think nothing of it, my friend. I understand you well enough. I only hope my Japanese is good enough for you,_” Markus replied with a soft smile on his face.
Gen nodded with a smile and set his bags down. He certainly carried a lot of product with him. Markus watched with interest as he set various amber-colored glass vials down, along with a bottle of yellowish oil. He also set out several tins with screw-on tops. Most interestingly, he had what looked like a spice shaker filled with coffee beans.
“_So, what do you have here?_” Markus asked the younger man.
“_I have various scented oils that I will blend for you to bring out your manly scent. It will be tailored specifically to you, Barton-san. No other may wear it and smell quite so nice,_” Gen explained.
“_Neat. So what is in the metal boxes?_”
“_Different lightly scented balms to help moisturize your “mop” of a beard. How do you want it styled?_” he asked.
“_I was thinking of a pair of braids, honestly. Or a single, thicker one if you think that would look better. I also brought some jewelry to put in it,_” Markus explained.
“_Show me._”
Markus fished in his bag and pulled out a small bag with a few metal beads in it. They all had different designs. Gen gently took it and selected a few after some moments of thought. \ \ “_These are what you will wear. Now be quiet. I need you still, calm and quiet for the next few minutes,_” Gen said to Markus.
Markus nodded, closing his eyes as Gen closed his own, centering himself.
“_I will drive you, Barton-san. You need not worry with me around!_”
“_Quiet, brother. I am concentrating._”
“Sorry.”
Gen sat still for several more minutes, then opened his eyes. He leaned in, sniffing Markus by his neck, behind his ears and even the top of his head. He lifted his arms and smelled his armpits, his back and his chest. Markus was certain he’d just been violated, but was too intrigued to say anything.
Wordlessly, Gen turned to his vials and opened three of them. Inhaling the aroma of the coffee first, he sniffed each vial in turn. Shaking his head, he closed one, and selected another. This pattern went on with periodic sniffs from the coffee until Gen had three vials in front of him. Taking an empty vial from another bag, he opened it. Wordlessly he dripped several droplets of the various scented oils into the empty vial, then filled it from the bottle of yellowish oil. He shook this concoction up, thoroughly mixing the blend.
Next, he opened each of the tins in turn, sniffing them and rejecting a few. In the end, he had two left, and proffered them to Markus.
“_Choose._”
Markus, confused, took first one, and then the other, smelling each. “_What does the oil smell like? Am I to pick one that compliments it?_” he asked.
“_No. They both do that. Which do you prefer?_” was the answer he received.
“_This one, then,_” Markus said, handing one to Gen.
Gen took the small tin and set it aside, and then concentrated on Markus’ beard. It was freshly cleaned and slightly damp. Gen took a towel and gently dried Markus’ face. Afterwards, he generously applied the oil to his hands and massaged it into Markus’ face. Markus recoiled slightly from the unusual scent, then gave a nod of approval.
Gen grinned. His gift had yet to let him down. He oiled his clients face, then massaged the balm into his hair. Such a lovely beard. Long, thick and curly. Just as it should be. Once his beard was tamed, he put a pair of braids in it, each hanging down from roughly the corners of his mouth. Once he was satisfied with their length and evenness, he slipped a barrel bead over each braid. They had a curious symbol on them, but his favorite were the pair of oni skulls the man had, that he slipped on under the barrel beads. These were surely the secret to his amazing looks and presence. To have a pair of oni looking after you was especially noteworthy. In his mind, at least.
Finishing his work, he handed Markus a mirror. Markus examined himself and smiled. “_This is perfect, my friend. Let’s get the final ties on them, and we can head out!_” Markus exclaimed as he looked at his phone. It was nearing three-thirty. How had two hours elapsed already?
Gen finished the work in front of him and nodded. “_I can do no more. I would surely be treading upon God’s territory if I tried. Get him to his meeting, Brother. I have a good feeling!_” Gen exclaimed.
Markus thanked the younger man and pressed a few bills into his hand. He rose, slipping on his new boots, and together with Atsuki, walked out to the car.
[First] / Next
Hey! I’m also uploading my work on RoyalRoad! Here is my profile IvorFreyrsson
Join me over at Words_From_Ivor for more!
Master List
submitted by IvorFreyrsson to HFY [link] [comments]
After sitting, Markus realized that he would need to exchange his money for the local currency. He rushed back into the airport and found an exchange service. He traded nearly a thousand dollars for yen, receiving nearly 140 thousand yen, in bills and coins. Thanking the trader, he rushed back outside to wait for his bus.
As he was waiting, he spied a taxi nearby and wondered if it would be better. He walked over and knocked on the window.
“_I’m sorry, excuse me? How much to get to Rikyuan Kyoto Nishikyogoku?_”
The driver blinked twice and looked at this rude American. “_Nine thousand. No less._”
Markus slid into the back seat and fished out ten thousand yen, and handed it to the driver.
“Thank you, sir. Today is my first day in your country, and I would just like to get to my room and sleep. I have an important meeting tomorrow, and I’d like to be as refreshed as possible,_” While Markus’ Japanese wasn’t great, it _was passable, and better than most Americans.
The driver grunted an acknowledgement, and off they sped into the night. Along the way, Markus watched the lit streets for anything recognizable. Finding little beyond 7-11 gas stations and some obvious convenience stores, he quizzed the driver.
“_Excuse me? Where can I find a stylist? I’d like to look my best for my meeting._”
“_A stylist? For hair? You’re as bald as a baby. Or do you mean that mop on your face?_”
Markus looked sharply at the rearview mirror, only to see the smiling, mirthful eyes of the driver. He laughed softly. “_Yes, friend. I’d like to get this unruly mop tamed. Do you have any suggestions?_”
The driver was quiet for a moment, apparently thinking. “_One moment, please. I have to call him,_” he said as he pulled out a cell phone and dialed a number.
“_Yes? Gen-kun? You want to make some money? Got an American here. Needs his beard taken care of professionally. Says he has an important business meeting tomorrow. Where? I dunno. Let me ask._” The driver spoke up to Markus. “_Hey, man. Where did you say this meeting was?_”
“_Uh…A place called Kitcho Arashiyama, I think. Why?_”
The driver let out a low whistle. “_Kitcho, huh? They must have some money. Hey! This offer will be amazing, man! You better take it. Not everyone can afford to eat there._”
“_Really? I think we are just meeting for tea, though. I don’t even know this man. Just got a letter out of the blue, and here I am. A lonely gaijin here in your amazingly beautiful country for the first, and probably last, time. I hope I’ve not been tricked. The gods have been merciless toward me lately,_” Markus replied.
“_Gen-kun? You hear all that? He’s going to Kitcho. Do him up right, and we might be taken care of, too! Okay. Okay. I’ll tell him. Bye, bro._”
Markus laughed softly. “_I’ll tell you what. If I land this job, or whatever it’s going to be, and it’s lucrative enough, I’ll call on you and your brother to drive me around and make sure I am as presentable as possible, and I’ll make sure you two are taken care of. How does that sound?_”
The driver looked up in the mirror, awe evident on his face. “_You would do that? A lowly cab driver like me and a hair stylist like my brother?_” he asked quietly.
“_Absolutely. I reward kindness with kindness my friend. I don’t have much right now, but if this goes well enough, I will take care of you and your brother._”
“You have a deal, American. What is your name?”
“Your English is pretty good. I am Markus Barton. And you are?”
“I am glad to meet you, Barton-san. I am Kimura Atsuki.”
“Thank you, Kimura-san.”
Atsuki grunted an acknowledgement and refocused on the road. In a few more minutes, they arrived at the small inn.
Markus got out, retrieving his bag from the back seat. Atsuki exited as well, taking a good look at this surprisingly kind, yet rude, American.
He saw a man, heavily built, with a bushy black beard that reached down to the middle of his chest. Broad shoulders that wouldn’t be out of place for a farmhand, but decidedly odd for a salaryman. A slightly too small t-shirt clung to his body, showing a bit of a beer belly, and most interesting of all, he seemed to be wearing a black skirt.
“_Barton-san? Why do you wear a woman’s skirt?_”
“_Hmm? Oh this? This isn’t a woman’s skirt. It’s called a kilt. It comes from the people of the British Isles. My family comes from that area, and once I tried it on, I was hooked. No pants for me ever again._”
“_Huh. You learn something new every day._”
“_Here is my contact information, Kimura-san. I will call on you should I take the offer. By the way, do you know of any decent restaurants or noodle shops in the area? I’m hungry._”
Atsuki laughed loudly. “_You were my last fare. I will wait, and then take my new friend out for dinner at a good place. Go. Check in, and I’ll see you back here._”
Markus smiled and nodded. He rushed inside and took care of business, being shown to a room on the ground floor. He deposited his bag inside, just past the genkan, locked the door, and returned to his new friend, hopping back in the taxi, to explore what Kyoto had to offer.
Atsuki took an appraising look at Markus. Nodding his head with a finality, he said, “_I am taking you to a good ramen-ya. You say you are hungry, and I say you will eat. Let’s go!_” He smiled and slapped the dashboard of his taxi, taking off into the night.
Atsuki and Markus chatted in a mish-mash of English and Japanese, getting to know each other as well as they could in the fifteen minute drive to the ramen-ya.
It turned out that Atsuki was recently divorced from his wife of four years and had no children. He and his brother, Gen, lived in a modest apartment not terribly far from the Rikyuan that Markus was staying at. He was an avid gamer, something of a shut-in, and had a collection of U.S coins.
“I am only missing the Arkansas _(he pronounced the final ‘S’), and the Marysland state quarters for 2022. I have the other years already. They are in mint condition and sealed in special bags so that they do not tarnish. Pretty neat, huh?_”
Markus gave him a lopsided grin. “_Have you ever met another American, Kimura-san?_” When Atsuki gave him a negative answer, Markus nodded. “_Very well. I shall help you some. I’m not really into coin collecting, but I think it’s pretty neat that you are. You’re the only person I know who is, if I’m honest. The state names are pronounced like this: Arr-can-saw and Maryland. There isn’t an ‘s’ in Maryland. I know it seems like there should be, but there isn’t. I can’t really tell you why Arkansas is said the way that it is, though. I don’t think I have either of those two quarters on me, though. Let me look._”
Markus dug around in his left pocket, pulling out the change there. He shuffled through the coins, not expecting to find anything larger than a dime, but came across a quarter. He unlocked his phone, using the screen to illuminate his findings. It was a 2022 quarter, but it was Hawai’i, not either of the ones Atsuki needed.
“_Nope. Just Hawai’i. Sorry, man._”
“_Bah. Thank you for looking, though. You’re a good man. I appreciate it very much. Ah. We are here. It may be just a little hole in the wall, but it happens to be one of my favorites. I apologize for the traffic. We would be here in half the time, had it not been bad,_” Atsuki said.
Markus smiled. “_Fifteen minutes is a short drive where I’m from. Don’t worry about it. Let’s just enjoy some ramen, yeah?_” he asked.
Atsuki nodded with a smile, and the pair walked in. Markus noticed that the shop was sparsely populated with people, and the gentleman behind the counter was relaxing with a book. Decidedly odd.
“_Yo, Komamura-san! Two bowls of tonkatsu with lots of chashu for me and my new friend, Barton-san! Firm, please. Thank you._”
Komamura grunted a reply and set about making the requested ramen, and the pair sat at the counter. Atsuki ordered a beer for both of them, and the two chatted and ate for quite some time.
At least until the shop began to get busy. When Atsuki noticed the line beginning to form outside, he paid the bill and thanked the chef.
Komamura glared at Markus for a moment, his face devoid of expression. “_Why did you bring a gaijin to my shop, punk?_”
“_This gaijin, my friend, has an interview tomorrow at Kitcho. He has promised to take care of my brother and I if he gets the job. Right, Barton-san?_” Atsuki shot back.
“_He is right, Komamura-san. If I do well, I will do what I can for the brothers. Kimura-san has been very helpful to me, and if his brother can tame this mop on my face, I’ll help him, too,_” Markus said, gazing softly at the older man.
Komamura grunted a reply and returned to his customers. As the pair were leaving, he shouted “_Good luck, Barton-san! You’re still a punk, Kimura-kun!_” and laughed loudly.
“_What was that about, Kimura-san?_” Markus asked as they got back in the car.
“_Ahhh… I might have stolen a few bowls in my younger days from old man Komamura-san. He never called the cops or anything. Just made me and my brother clean his shop when I did. He’s a good man, and I try to pay him back every time I come, but he never takes it. So, in return, I try to drive as much business to him that I can,_” Atsuki replied, somewhat embarrassed.
“_I see. Well, it is good that you are trying to correct your past wrongs. I’d say the old man has a fondness for you. You’re a good man, Kimura-san,_” Markus stated with finality.
“_Bah. I’m still a punk kid. I’m just lucky it was Komamura-san that I stole from. Other ramen-ya are said to be tied with our local gangs. I don’t ever want to step out of line again, so I stick with Komamura-san. He’s safe. The last time a gang tried to tangle with him, he sent them all running. He may not look like it now, but the old man used to be quite the fighter back in his younger days,_” Atsuki explained.
Markus nodded and yawned. He checked his phone. Good grief, it was already two in the morning. “_Kimura-san. It’s late, and I’ve been on a long flight. Plus I’ve my meeting tomorrow. I’m sorry to ask, but could you please take me back to my room?_” he asked, his face a mask of apology.
“_What? How late?_” Atsuki checked his watch, and saw the time. “_Oh shit. I should get home, too. My shift starts in four hours,_” Atsuki explained, heading back to Markus’ room.
The pair rode in relative silence for the remarkably shorter trip back. Markus exited the vehicle and turned to Atsuki. “_Thank you, Kimura-san. If tonight and tomorrow are all I have in Japan, You’ve made it all the richer. Be safe getting home,_” he said with a smile and a polite bow.
“_Let me know how it goes, yeah? I’ll send you a message so you have my number. Good luck, my friend!_” he called back, and drove off into the night.
Markus stumbled to his door, and went in. Shucking his shoes at the genkan, he stripped and fell into the surprisingly soft bed. He was asleep in moments.
That gave Markus just enough time to shower and get dressed for his meeting. Hopefully. He scrambled for the shower, and got himself clean and dressed in thirty minutes. He was sitting there on the bed when he heard a knock at the door.
Opening the door, he saw the smiling face of Atsuki and a younger, much more shy man behind him.
“_Barton-san! I have brought my brother, Gen-kun and he will tame that mop on your face! Ha!_” Atsuki said jovially as he and his brother bowed respectfully and entered the small room.
“_I am so sorry, Barton-san. I speak no English. Forgive me,_” Gen said sorrowfully.
“_Think nothing of it, my friend. I understand you well enough. I only hope my Japanese is good enough for you,_” Markus replied with a soft smile on his face.
Gen nodded with a smile and set his bags down. He certainly carried a lot of product with him. Markus watched with interest as he set various amber-colored glass vials down, along with a bottle of yellowish oil. He also set out several tins with screw-on tops. Most interestingly, he had what looked like a spice shaker filled with coffee beans.
“_So, what do you have here?_” Markus asked the younger man.
“_I have various scented oils that I will blend for you to bring out your manly scent. It will be tailored specifically to you, Barton-san. No other may wear it and smell quite so nice,_” Gen explained.
“_Neat. So what is in the metal boxes?_”
“_Different lightly scented balms to help moisturize your “mop” of a beard. How do you want it styled?_” he asked.
“_I was thinking of a pair of braids, honestly. Or a single, thicker one if you think that would look better. I also brought some jewelry to put in it,_” Markus explained.
“_Show me._”
Markus fished in his bag and pulled out a small bag with a few metal beads in it. They all had different designs. Gen gently took it and selected a few after some moments of thought. \ \ “_These are what you will wear. Now be quiet. I need you still, calm and quiet for the next few minutes,_” Gen said to Markus.
Markus nodded, closing his eyes as Gen closed his own, centering himself.
“_I will drive you, Barton-san. You need not worry with me around!_”
“_Quiet, brother. I am concentrating._”
“Sorry.”
Gen sat still for several more minutes, then opened his eyes. He leaned in, sniffing Markus by his neck, behind his ears and even the top of his head. He lifted his arms and smelled his armpits, his back and his chest. Markus was certain he’d just been violated, but was too intrigued to say anything.
Wordlessly, Gen turned to his vials and opened three of them. Inhaling the aroma of the coffee first, he sniffed each vial in turn. Shaking his head, he closed one, and selected another. This pattern went on with periodic sniffs from the coffee until Gen had three vials in front of him. Taking an empty vial from another bag, he opened it. Wordlessly he dripped several droplets of the various scented oils into the empty vial, then filled it from the bottle of yellowish oil. He shook this concoction up, thoroughly mixing the blend.
Next, he opened each of the tins in turn, sniffing them and rejecting a few. In the end, he had two left, and proffered them to Markus.
“_Choose._”
Markus, confused, took first one, and then the other, smelling each. “_What does the oil smell like? Am I to pick one that compliments it?_” he asked.
“_No. They both do that. Which do you prefer?_” was the answer he received.
“_This one, then,_” Markus said, handing one to Gen.
Gen took the small tin and set it aside, and then concentrated on Markus’ beard. It was freshly cleaned and slightly damp. Gen took a towel and gently dried Markus’ face. Afterwards, he generously applied the oil to his hands and massaged it into Markus’ face. Markus recoiled slightly from the unusual scent, then gave a nod of approval.
Gen grinned. His gift had yet to let him down. He oiled his clients face, then massaged the balm into his hair. Such a lovely beard. Long, thick and curly. Just as it should be. Once his beard was tamed, he put a pair of braids in it, each hanging down from roughly the corners of his mouth. Once he was satisfied with their length and evenness, he slipped a barrel bead over each braid. They had a curious symbol on them, but his favorite were the pair of oni skulls the man had, that he slipped on under the barrel beads. These were surely the secret to his amazing looks and presence. To have a pair of oni looking after you was especially noteworthy. In his mind, at least.
Finishing his work, he handed Markus a mirror. Markus examined himself and smiled. “_This is perfect, my friend. Let’s get the final ties on them, and we can head out!_” Markus exclaimed as he looked at his phone. It was nearing three-thirty. How had two hours elapsed already?
Gen finished the work in front of him and nodded. “_I can do no more. I would surely be treading upon God’s territory if I tried. Get him to his meeting, Brother. I have a good feeling!_” Gen exclaimed.
Markus thanked the younger man and pressed a few bills into his hand. He rose, slipping on his new boots, and together with Atsuki, walked out to the car.
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2023.06.09 21:25 IvorFreyrsson A Hellish Offer, Ch. 2
After sitting, Markus realized that he would need to exchange his money for the local currency. He rushed back into the airport and found an exchange service. He traded nearly a thousand dollars for yen, receiving nearly 140 thousand yen, in bills and coins. Thanking the trader, he rushed back outside to wait for his bus.
As he was waiting, he spied a taxi nearby and wondered if it would be better. He walked over and knocked on the window.
“I’m sorry, excuse me? How much to get to Rikyuan Kyoto Nishikyogoku?”
The driver blinked twice and looked at this rude American. “Nine thousand. No less.”
Markus slid into the back seat and fished out ten thousand yen, and handed it to the driver.
“Thank you, sir. Today is my first day in your country, and I would just like to get to my room and sleep. I have an important meeting tomorrow, and I’d like to be as refreshed as possible,” While Markus’ Japanese wasn’t great, it was passable, and better than most Americans.
The driver grunted an acknowledgement, and off they sped into the night. Along the way, Markus watched the lit streets for anything recognizable. Finding little beyond 7-11 gas stations and some obvious convenience stores, he quizzed the driver.
“Excuse me? Where can I find a stylist? I’d like to look my best for my meeting.”
“A stylist? For hair? You’re as bald as a baby. Or do you mean that mop on your face?”
Markus looked sharply at the rearview mirror, only to see the smiling, mirthful eyes of the driver. He laughed softly. “Yes, friend. I’d like to get this unruly mop tamed. Do you have any suggestions?”
The driver was quiet for a moment, apparently thinking. “One moment, please. I have to call him,” he said as he pulled out a cell phone and dialed a number.
“Yes? Gen-kun? You want to make some money? Got an American here. Needs his beard taken care of professionally. Says he has an important business meeting tomorrow. Where? I dunno. Let me ask.” The driver spoke up to Markus. “Hey, man. Where did you say this meeting was?”
“Uh…A place called Kitcho Arashiyama, I think. Why?”
The driver let out a low whistle. “Kitcho, huh? They must have some money. Hey! This offer will be amazing, man! You better take it. Not everyone can afford to eat there.”
“Really? I think we are just meeting for tea, though. I don’t even know this man. Just got a letter out of the blue, and here I am. A lonely gaijin here in your amazingly beautiful country for the first, and probably last, time. I hope I’ve not been tricked. The gods have been merciless toward me lately,” Markus replied.
“Gen-kun? You hear all that? He’s going to Kitcho. Do him up right, and we might be taken care of, too! Okay. Okay. I’ll tell him. Bye, bro.”
Markus laughed softly. “I’ll tell you what. If I land this job, or whatever it’s going to be, and it’s lucrative enough, I’ll call on you and your brother to drive me around and make sure I am as presentable as possible, and I’ll make sure you two are taken care of. How does that sound?”
The driver looked up in the mirror, awe evident on his face. “You would do that? A lowly cab driver like me and a hair stylist like my brother?” he asked quietly.
“Absolutely. I reward kindness with kindness my friend. I don’t have much right now, but if this goes well enough, I will take care of you and your brother.”
“You have a deal, American. What is your name?”
“Your English is pretty good. I am Markus Barton. And you are?”
“I am glad to meet you, Barton-san. I am Kimura Atsuki.”
“Thank you, Kimura-san.”
Atsuki grunted an acknowledgement and refocused on the road. In a few more minutes, they arrived at the small inn.
Markus got out, retrieving his bag from the back seat. Atsuki exited as well, taking a good look at this surprisingly kind, yet rude, American.
He saw a man, heavily built, with a bushy black beard that reached down to the middle of his chest. Broad shoulders that wouldn’t be out of place for a farmhand, but decidedly odd for a salaryman. A slightly too small t-shirt clung to his body, showing a bit of a beer belly, and most interesting of all, he seemed to be wearing a black skirt.
“Barton-san? Why do you wear a woman’s skirt?”
“Hmm? Oh this? This isn’t a woman’s skirt. It’s called a kilt. It comes from the people of the British Isles. My family comes from that area, and once I tried it on, I was hooked. No pants for me ever again.”
“Huh. You learn something new every day.”
“Here is my contact information, Kimura-san. I will call on you should I take the offer. By the way, do you know of any decent restaurants or noodle shops in the area? I’m hungry.”
Atsuki laughed loudly. “You were my last fare. I will wait, and then take my new friend out for dinner at a good place. Go. Check in, and I’ll see you back here.”
Markus smiled and nodded. He rushed inside and took care of business, being shown to a room on the ground floor. He deposited his bag inside, just past the genkan, locked the door, and returned to his new friend, hopping back in the taxi, to explore what Kyoto had to offer.
Atsuki took an appraising look at Markus. Nodding his head with a finality, he said, “I am taking you to a good ramen-ya. You say you are hungry, and I say you will eat. Let’s go!” He smiled and slapped the dashboard of his taxi, taking off into the night.
Atsuki and Markus chatted in a mish-mash of English and Japanese, getting to know each other as well as they could in the fifteen minute drive to the ramen-ya.
It turned out that Atsuki was recently divorced from his wife of four years and had no children. He and his brother, Gen, lived in a modest apartment not terribly far from the Rikyuan that Markus was staying at. He was an avid gamer, something of a shut-in, and had a collection of U.S coins.
“I am only missing the Arkansas (he pronounced the final ‘S’), and the Marysland state quarters for 2022. I have the other years already. They are in mint condition and sealed in special bags so that they do not tarnish. Pretty neat, huh?”
Markus gave him a lopsided grin. “Have you ever met another American, Kimura-san?” When Atsuki gave him a negative answer, Markus nodded. “Very well. I shall help you some. I’m not really into coin collecting, but I think it’s pretty neat that you are. You’re the only person I know who is, if I’m honest. The state names are pronounced like this: Arr-can-saw and Maryland. There isn’t an ‘s’ in Maryland. I know it seems like there should be, but there isn’t. I can’t really tell you why Arkansas is said the way that it is, though. I don’t think I have either of those two quarters on me, though. Let me look.”
Markus dug around in his left pocket, pulling out the change there. He shuffled through the coins, not expecting to find anything larger than a dime, but came across a quarter. He unlocked his phone, using the screen to illuminate his findings. It was a 2022 quarter, but it was Hawai’i, not either of the ones Atsuki needed.
“Nope. Just Hawai’i. Sorry, man.”
“Bah. Thank you for looking, though. You’re a good man. I appreciate it very much. Ah. We are here. It may be just a little hole in the wall, but it happens to be one of my favorites. I apologize for the traffic. We would be here in half the time, had it not been bad,” Atsuki said.
Markus smiled. “Fifteen minutes is a short drive where I’m from. Don’t worry about it. Let’s just enjoy some ramen, yeah?” he asked.
Atsuki nodded with a smile, and the pair walked in. Markus noticed that the shop was sparsely populated with people, and the gentleman behind the counter was relaxing with a book. Decidedly odd.
“Yo, Komamura-san! Two bowls of tonkatsu with lots of chashu for me and my new friend, Barton-san! Firm, please. Thank you.”
Komamura grunted a reply and set about making the requested ramen, and the pair sat at the counter. Atsuki ordered a beer for both of them, and the two chatted and ate for quite some time.
At least until the shop began to get busy. When Atsuki noticed the line beginning to form outside, he paid the bill and thanked the chef.
Komamura glared at Markus for a moment, his face devoid of expression. “Why did you bring a gaijin to my shop, punk?”
“This gaijin, my friend, has an interview tomorrow at Kitcho. He has promised to take care of my brother and I if he gets the job. Right, Barton-san?” Atsuki shot back.
“He is right, Komamura-san. If I do well, I will do what I can for the brothers. Kimura-san has been very helpful to me, and if his brother can tame this mop on my face, I’ll help him, too,” Markus said, gazing softly at the older man.
Komamura grunted a reply and returned to his customers. As the pair were leaving, he shouted “Good luck, Barton-san! You’re still a punk, Kimura-kun!” and laughed loudly.
“What was that about, Kimura-san?” Markus asked as they got back in the car.
“Ahhh… I might have stolen a few bowls in my younger days from old man Komamura-san. He never called the cops or anything. Just made me and my brother clean his shop when I did. He’s a good man, and I try to pay him back every time I come, but he never takes it. So, in return, I try to drive as much business to him that I can,” Atsuki replied, somewhat embarrassed.
“I see. Well, it is good that you are trying to correct your past wrongs. I’d say the old man has a fondness for you. You’re a good man, Kimura-san,” Markus stated with finality.
“Bah. I’m still a punk kid. I’m just lucky it was Komamura-san that I stole from. Other ramen-ya are said to be tied with our local gangs. I don’t ever want to step out of line again, so I stick with Komamura-san. He’s safe. The last time a gang tried to tangle with him, he sent them all running. He may not look like it now, but the old man used to be quite the fighter back in his younger days,” Atsuki explained.
Markus nodded and yawned. He checked his phone. Good grief, it was already two in the morning. “Kimura-san. It’s late, and I’ve been on a long flight. Plus I’ve my meeting tomorrow. I’m sorry to ask, but could you please take me back to my room?” he asked, his face a mask of apology.
“What? How late?” Atsuki checked his watch, and saw the time. “Oh shit. I should get home, too. My shift starts in four hours,” Atsuki explained, heading back to Markus’ room.
The pair rode in relative silence for the remarkably shorter trip back. Markus exited the vehicle and turned to Atsuki. “Thank you, Kimura-san. If tonight and tomorrow are all I have in Japan, You’ve made it all the richer. Be safe getting home,” he said with a smile and a polite bow.
“Let me know how it goes, yeah? I’ll send you a message so you have my number. Good luck, my friend!” he called back, and drove off into the night.
Markus stumbled to his door, and went in. Shucking his shoes at the genkan, he stripped and fell into the surprisingly soft bed. He was asleep in moments.
**********
Waking to his alarm always sucked. Markus reached out blindly and grabbed his phone. Shit, it was already noon. He checked his messages and saw a few from an unknown number. It was Atsuki. Apparently, he and his brother would be over in roughly forty-five minutes.
That gave Markus just enough time to shower and get dressed for his meeting. Hopefully. He scrambled for the shower, and got himself clean and dressed in thirty minutes. He was sitting there on the bed when he heard a knock at the door.
Opening the door, he saw the smiling face of Atsuki and a younger, much more shy man behind him.
“Barton-san! I have brought my brother, Gen-kun and he will tame that mop on your face! Ha!” Atsuki said jovially as he and his brother bowed respectfully and entered the small room.
“I am so sorry, Barton-san. I speak no English. Forgive me,” Gen said sorrowfully.
“Think nothing of it, my friend. I understand you well enough. I only hope my Japanese is good enough for you,” Markus replied with a soft smile on his face.
Gen nodded with a smile and set his bags down. He certainly carried a lot of product with him. Markus watched with interest as he set various amber-colored glass vials down, along with a bottle of yellowish oil. He also set out several tins with screw-on tops. Most interestingly, he had what looked like a spice shaker filled with coffee beans.
“So, what do you have here?” Markus asked the younger man.
“I have various scented oils that I will blend for you to bring out your manly scent. It will be tailored specifically to you, Barton-san. No other may wear it and smell quite so nice,” Gen explained.
“Neat. So what is in the metal boxes?”
“Different lightly scented balms to help moisturize your “mop” of a beard. How do you want it styled?” he asked.
“I was thinking of a pair of braids, honestly. Or a single, thicker one if you think that would look better. I also brought some jewelry to put in it,” Markus explained.
“Show me.”
Markus fished in his bag and pulled out a small bag with a few metal beads in it. They all had different designs. Gen gently took it and selected a few after some moments of thought. “These are what you will wear. Now be quiet. I need you still, calm and quiet for the next few minutes,” Gen said to Markus.
Markus nodded, closing his eyes as Gen closed his own, centering himself.
“I will drive you, Barton-san. You need not worry with me around!”
“Quiet, brother. I am concentrating.”
“Sorry.”
Gen sat still for several more minutes, then opened his eyes. He leaned in, sniffing Markus by his neck, behind his ears and even the top of his head. He lifted his arms and smelled his armpits, his back and his chest. Markus was certain he’d just been violated, but was too intrigued to say anything.
Wordlessly, Gen turned to his vials and opened three of them. Inhaling the aroma of the coffee first, he sniffed each vial in turn. Shaking his head, he closed one, and selected another. This pattern went on with periodic sniffs from the coffee until Gen had three vials in front of him. Taking an empty vial from another bag, he opened it. Wordlessly he dripped several droplets of the various scented oils into the empty vial, then filled it from the bottle of yellowish oil. He shook this concoction up, thoroughly mixing the blend.
Next, he opened each of the tins in turn, sniffing them and rejecting a few. In the end, he had two left, and proffered them to Markus.
“Choose.”
Markus, confused, took first one, and then the other, smelling each. “What does the oil smell like? Am I to pick one that compliments it?” he asked.
“No. They both do that. Which do you prefer?” was the answer he received.
“This one, then,” Markus said, handing one to Gen.
Gen took the small tin and set it aside, and then concentrated on Markus’ beard. It was freshly cleaned and slightly damp. Gen took a towel and gently dried Markus’ face. Afterwards, he generously applied the oil to his hands and massaged it into Markus’ face. Markus recoiled slightly from the unusual scent, then gave a nod of approval.
Gen grinned. His gift had yet to let him down. He oiled his clients face, then massaged the balm into his hair. Such a lovely beard. Long, thick and curly. Just as it should be. Once his beard was tamed, he put a pair of braids in it, each hanging down from roughly the corners of his mouth. Once he was satisfied with their length and evenness, he slipped a barrel bead over each braid. They had a curious symbol on them, but his favorite were the pair of oni skulls the man had, that he slipped on under the barrel beads. These were surely the secret to his amazing looks and presence. To have a pair of oni looking after you was especially noteworthy. In his mind, at least.
Finishing his work, he handed Markus a mirror. Markus examined himself and smiled. “This is perfect, my friend. Let’s get the final ties on them, and we can head out!” Markus exclaimed as he looked at his phone. It was nearing three-thirty. How had two hours elapsed already?
Gen finished the work in front of him and nodded. “I can do no more. I would surely be treading upon God’s territory if I tried. Get him to his meeting, Brother. I have a good feeling!” Gen exclaimed.
Markus thanked the younger man and pressed a few bills into his hand. He rose, slipping on his new boots, and together with Atsuki, walked out to the car.
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As he was waiting, he spied a taxi nearby and wondered if it would be better. He walked over and knocked on the window.
“I’m sorry, excuse me? How much to get to Rikyuan Kyoto Nishikyogoku?”
The driver blinked twice and looked at this rude American. “Nine thousand. No less.”
Markus slid into the back seat and fished out ten thousand yen, and handed it to the driver.
“Thank you, sir. Today is my first day in your country, and I would just like to get to my room and sleep. I have an important meeting tomorrow, and I’d like to be as refreshed as possible,” While Markus’ Japanese wasn’t great, it was passable, and better than most Americans.
The driver grunted an acknowledgement, and off they sped into the night. Along the way, Markus watched the lit streets for anything recognizable. Finding little beyond 7-11 gas stations and some obvious convenience stores, he quizzed the driver.
“Excuse me? Where can I find a stylist? I’d like to look my best for my meeting.”
“A stylist? For hair? You’re as bald as a baby. Or do you mean that mop on your face?”
Markus looked sharply at the rearview mirror, only to see the smiling, mirthful eyes of the driver. He laughed softly. “Yes, friend. I’d like to get this unruly mop tamed. Do you have any suggestions?”
The driver was quiet for a moment, apparently thinking. “One moment, please. I have to call him,” he said as he pulled out a cell phone and dialed a number.
“Yes? Gen-kun? You want to make some money? Got an American here. Needs his beard taken care of professionally. Says he has an important business meeting tomorrow. Where? I dunno. Let me ask.” The driver spoke up to Markus. “Hey, man. Where did you say this meeting was?”
“Uh…A place called Kitcho Arashiyama, I think. Why?”
The driver let out a low whistle. “Kitcho, huh? They must have some money. Hey! This offer will be amazing, man! You better take it. Not everyone can afford to eat there.”
“Really? I think we are just meeting for tea, though. I don’t even know this man. Just got a letter out of the blue, and here I am. A lonely gaijin here in your amazingly beautiful country for the first, and probably last, time. I hope I’ve not been tricked. The gods have been merciless toward me lately,” Markus replied.
“Gen-kun? You hear all that? He’s going to Kitcho. Do him up right, and we might be taken care of, too! Okay. Okay. I’ll tell him. Bye, bro.”
Markus laughed softly. “I’ll tell you what. If I land this job, or whatever it’s going to be, and it’s lucrative enough, I’ll call on you and your brother to drive me around and make sure I am as presentable as possible, and I’ll make sure you two are taken care of. How does that sound?”
The driver looked up in the mirror, awe evident on his face. “You would do that? A lowly cab driver like me and a hair stylist like my brother?” he asked quietly.
“Absolutely. I reward kindness with kindness my friend. I don’t have much right now, but if this goes well enough, I will take care of you and your brother.”
“You have a deal, American. What is your name?”
“Your English is pretty good. I am Markus Barton. And you are?”
“I am glad to meet you, Barton-san. I am Kimura Atsuki.”
“Thank you, Kimura-san.”
Atsuki grunted an acknowledgement and refocused on the road. In a few more minutes, they arrived at the small inn.
Markus got out, retrieving his bag from the back seat. Atsuki exited as well, taking a good look at this surprisingly kind, yet rude, American.
He saw a man, heavily built, with a bushy black beard that reached down to the middle of his chest. Broad shoulders that wouldn’t be out of place for a farmhand, but decidedly odd for a salaryman. A slightly too small t-shirt clung to his body, showing a bit of a beer belly, and most interesting of all, he seemed to be wearing a black skirt.
“Barton-san? Why do you wear a woman’s skirt?”
“Hmm? Oh this? This isn’t a woman’s skirt. It’s called a kilt. It comes from the people of the British Isles. My family comes from that area, and once I tried it on, I was hooked. No pants for me ever again.”
“Huh. You learn something new every day.”
“Here is my contact information, Kimura-san. I will call on you should I take the offer. By the way, do you know of any decent restaurants or noodle shops in the area? I’m hungry.”
Atsuki laughed loudly. “You were my last fare. I will wait, and then take my new friend out for dinner at a good place. Go. Check in, and I’ll see you back here.”
Markus smiled and nodded. He rushed inside and took care of business, being shown to a room on the ground floor. He deposited his bag inside, just past the genkan, locked the door, and returned to his new friend, hopping back in the taxi, to explore what Kyoto had to offer.
Atsuki took an appraising look at Markus. Nodding his head with a finality, he said, “I am taking you to a good ramen-ya. You say you are hungry, and I say you will eat. Let’s go!” He smiled and slapped the dashboard of his taxi, taking off into the night.
Atsuki and Markus chatted in a mish-mash of English and Japanese, getting to know each other as well as they could in the fifteen minute drive to the ramen-ya.
It turned out that Atsuki was recently divorced from his wife of four years and had no children. He and his brother, Gen, lived in a modest apartment not terribly far from the Rikyuan that Markus was staying at. He was an avid gamer, something of a shut-in, and had a collection of U.S coins.
“I am only missing the Arkansas (he pronounced the final ‘S’), and the Marysland state quarters for 2022. I have the other years already. They are in mint condition and sealed in special bags so that they do not tarnish. Pretty neat, huh?”
Markus gave him a lopsided grin. “Have you ever met another American, Kimura-san?” When Atsuki gave him a negative answer, Markus nodded. “Very well. I shall help you some. I’m not really into coin collecting, but I think it’s pretty neat that you are. You’re the only person I know who is, if I’m honest. The state names are pronounced like this: Arr-can-saw and Maryland. There isn’t an ‘s’ in Maryland. I know it seems like there should be, but there isn’t. I can’t really tell you why Arkansas is said the way that it is, though. I don’t think I have either of those two quarters on me, though. Let me look.”
Markus dug around in his left pocket, pulling out the change there. He shuffled through the coins, not expecting to find anything larger than a dime, but came across a quarter. He unlocked his phone, using the screen to illuminate his findings. It was a 2022 quarter, but it was Hawai’i, not either of the ones Atsuki needed.
“Nope. Just Hawai’i. Sorry, man.”
“Bah. Thank you for looking, though. You’re a good man. I appreciate it very much. Ah. We are here. It may be just a little hole in the wall, but it happens to be one of my favorites. I apologize for the traffic. We would be here in half the time, had it not been bad,” Atsuki said.
Markus smiled. “Fifteen minutes is a short drive where I’m from. Don’t worry about it. Let’s just enjoy some ramen, yeah?” he asked.
Atsuki nodded with a smile, and the pair walked in. Markus noticed that the shop was sparsely populated with people, and the gentleman behind the counter was relaxing with a book. Decidedly odd.
“Yo, Komamura-san! Two bowls of tonkatsu with lots of chashu for me and my new friend, Barton-san! Firm, please. Thank you.”
Komamura grunted a reply and set about making the requested ramen, and the pair sat at the counter. Atsuki ordered a beer for both of them, and the two chatted and ate for quite some time.
At least until the shop began to get busy. When Atsuki noticed the line beginning to form outside, he paid the bill and thanked the chef.
Komamura glared at Markus for a moment, his face devoid of expression. “Why did you bring a gaijin to my shop, punk?”
“This gaijin, my friend, has an interview tomorrow at Kitcho. He has promised to take care of my brother and I if he gets the job. Right, Barton-san?” Atsuki shot back.
“He is right, Komamura-san. If I do well, I will do what I can for the brothers. Kimura-san has been very helpful to me, and if his brother can tame this mop on my face, I’ll help him, too,” Markus said, gazing softly at the older man.
Komamura grunted a reply and returned to his customers. As the pair were leaving, he shouted “Good luck, Barton-san! You’re still a punk, Kimura-kun!” and laughed loudly.
“What was that about, Kimura-san?” Markus asked as they got back in the car.
“Ahhh… I might have stolen a few bowls in my younger days from old man Komamura-san. He never called the cops or anything. Just made me and my brother clean his shop when I did. He’s a good man, and I try to pay him back every time I come, but he never takes it. So, in return, I try to drive as much business to him that I can,” Atsuki replied, somewhat embarrassed.
“I see. Well, it is good that you are trying to correct your past wrongs. I’d say the old man has a fondness for you. You’re a good man, Kimura-san,” Markus stated with finality.
“Bah. I’m still a punk kid. I’m just lucky it was Komamura-san that I stole from. Other ramen-ya are said to be tied with our local gangs. I don’t ever want to step out of line again, so I stick with Komamura-san. He’s safe. The last time a gang tried to tangle with him, he sent them all running. He may not look like it now, but the old man used to be quite the fighter back in his younger days,” Atsuki explained.
Markus nodded and yawned. He checked his phone. Good grief, it was already two in the morning. “Kimura-san. It’s late, and I’ve been on a long flight. Plus I’ve my meeting tomorrow. I’m sorry to ask, but could you please take me back to my room?” he asked, his face a mask of apology.
“What? How late?” Atsuki checked his watch, and saw the time. “Oh shit. I should get home, too. My shift starts in four hours,” Atsuki explained, heading back to Markus’ room.
The pair rode in relative silence for the remarkably shorter trip back. Markus exited the vehicle and turned to Atsuki. “Thank you, Kimura-san. If tonight and tomorrow are all I have in Japan, You’ve made it all the richer. Be safe getting home,” he said with a smile and a polite bow.
“Let me know how it goes, yeah? I’ll send you a message so you have my number. Good luck, my friend!” he called back, and drove off into the night.
Markus stumbled to his door, and went in. Shucking his shoes at the genkan, he stripped and fell into the surprisingly soft bed. He was asleep in moments.
**********
Waking to his alarm always sucked. Markus reached out blindly and grabbed his phone. Shit, it was already noon. He checked his messages and saw a few from an unknown number. It was Atsuki. Apparently, he and his brother would be over in roughly forty-five minutes.
That gave Markus just enough time to shower and get dressed for his meeting. Hopefully. He scrambled for the shower, and got himself clean and dressed in thirty minutes. He was sitting there on the bed when he heard a knock at the door.
Opening the door, he saw the smiling face of Atsuki and a younger, much more shy man behind him.
“Barton-san! I have brought my brother, Gen-kun and he will tame that mop on your face! Ha!” Atsuki said jovially as he and his brother bowed respectfully and entered the small room.
“I am so sorry, Barton-san. I speak no English. Forgive me,” Gen said sorrowfully.
“Think nothing of it, my friend. I understand you well enough. I only hope my Japanese is good enough for you,” Markus replied with a soft smile on his face.
Gen nodded with a smile and set his bags down. He certainly carried a lot of product with him. Markus watched with interest as he set various amber-colored glass vials down, along with a bottle of yellowish oil. He also set out several tins with screw-on tops. Most interestingly, he had what looked like a spice shaker filled with coffee beans.
“So, what do you have here?” Markus asked the younger man.
“I have various scented oils that I will blend for you to bring out your manly scent. It will be tailored specifically to you, Barton-san. No other may wear it and smell quite so nice,” Gen explained.
“Neat. So what is in the metal boxes?”
“Different lightly scented balms to help moisturize your “mop” of a beard. How do you want it styled?” he asked.
“I was thinking of a pair of braids, honestly. Or a single, thicker one if you think that would look better. I also brought some jewelry to put in it,” Markus explained.
“Show me.”
Markus fished in his bag and pulled out a small bag with a few metal beads in it. They all had different designs. Gen gently took it and selected a few after some moments of thought. “These are what you will wear. Now be quiet. I need you still, calm and quiet for the next few minutes,” Gen said to Markus.
Markus nodded, closing his eyes as Gen closed his own, centering himself.
“I will drive you, Barton-san. You need not worry with me around!”
“Quiet, brother. I am concentrating.”
“Sorry.”
Gen sat still for several more minutes, then opened his eyes. He leaned in, sniffing Markus by his neck, behind his ears and even the top of his head. He lifted his arms and smelled his armpits, his back and his chest. Markus was certain he’d just been violated, but was too intrigued to say anything.
Wordlessly, Gen turned to his vials and opened three of them. Inhaling the aroma of the coffee first, he sniffed each vial in turn. Shaking his head, he closed one, and selected another. This pattern went on with periodic sniffs from the coffee until Gen had three vials in front of him. Taking an empty vial from another bag, he opened it. Wordlessly he dripped several droplets of the various scented oils into the empty vial, then filled it from the bottle of yellowish oil. He shook this concoction up, thoroughly mixing the blend.
Next, he opened each of the tins in turn, sniffing them and rejecting a few. In the end, he had two left, and proffered them to Markus.
“Choose.”
Markus, confused, took first one, and then the other, smelling each. “What does the oil smell like? Am I to pick one that compliments it?” he asked.
“No. They both do that. Which do you prefer?” was the answer he received.
“This one, then,” Markus said, handing one to Gen.
Gen took the small tin and set it aside, and then concentrated on Markus’ beard. It was freshly cleaned and slightly damp. Gen took a towel and gently dried Markus’ face. Afterwards, he generously applied the oil to his hands and massaged it into Markus’ face. Markus recoiled slightly from the unusual scent, then gave a nod of approval.
Gen grinned. His gift had yet to let him down. He oiled his clients face, then massaged the balm into his hair. Such a lovely beard. Long, thick and curly. Just as it should be. Once his beard was tamed, he put a pair of braids in it, each hanging down from roughly the corners of his mouth. Once he was satisfied with their length and evenness, he slipped a barrel bead over each braid. They had a curious symbol on them, but his favorite were the pair of oni skulls the man had, that he slipped on under the barrel beads. These were surely the secret to his amazing looks and presence. To have a pair of oni looking after you was especially noteworthy. In his mind, at least.
Finishing his work, he handed Markus a mirror. Markus examined himself and smiled. “This is perfect, my friend. Let’s get the final ties on them, and we can head out!” Markus exclaimed as he looked at his phone. It was nearing three-thirty. How had two hours elapsed already?
Gen finished the work in front of him and nodded. “I can do no more. I would surely be treading upon God’s territory if I tried. Get him to his meeting, Brother. I have a good feeling!” Gen exclaimed.
Markus thanked the younger man and pressed a few bills into his hand. He rose, slipping on his new boots, and together with Atsuki, walked out to the car.
2023.06.09 21:21 Lackingmorals512 How I almost met my mother in law
This is how my relationship with my future wife developed and what I’d call our real first date.
I met her around Christmas of junior year when I went out with her roommate. They didn’t get along well so if I was going over she was never there. I still remember the first time I saw her though. I was hanging around her floor and she was walking by to go to the bathroom before bed to brush her teeth. She had on a red union suit with a trap door and the guy I was with yelled “Does the trap door work”. She pulled it down for ½ a second and it was so innocent yet sexy I was hooked.
I thought she was attractive and talented but she was supposedly “Pre engaged” to her high school boyfriend who was at Cornell. Also academically she was a mess. She didn’t get along with her mother and chose RIT because it was the furthest college away from her parents with an art program. Her major was Environmental Design which she chose because she hated it the least. By the middle of junior year she was already almost a year behind in her major mostly because she didn’t go to class. But what was obvious was she was an incredibly talented artist. She drew almost constantly. Every night a bunch of our friends would meet at the dining hall and she always had her Rapidograph with her and she would draw on the trays and take requests and people might not know her but everybody recognized her trays and they were a big hit.
So we hung around more and more and by the end of junior year we were really close to being a couple but when school ended I was going to stay at school to be a teaching assistant and she was going home which she wasn’t looking forward to. That summer I was a TA I was in charge of opening the darkrooms and then I sat in this windowless room with this guy Bruce and students would bring their prints out for advice. Mostly Bruce and I just talked. We weren’t friends at the beginning but if you’re stuck in a small room with someone you have to find something to talk about and we became friends.
That summer I had a Volvo 144 which was a fun car but it needed new brakes and carbuerators and stupidly I thought I could do the work myself. The car sat on blocks almost the whole summer, undriveable. Most days when I was bored watching the darkrooms I’d write her a letter, make her a collage or do anything I could do to impress her. I wasn’t trying to but I’m sure her mother saw everything I sent and now realized I was a threat to her plans for Bethany. I don’t remember how but we made arrangements to get together and go to NYC for the night. My best friend at the time Dave was working at a newspaper in Northern New Jersey so the plan was that I’d hitchhike to New Jersey, he’d pick me up and we’d go and pick up a girl he was interested in who wasn’t too far from Bethany’s house.
So I started hitchhiking early one Saturday and I only remember one ride on the way down and one on the way back. On the way down I had every male hitchhiker’s fantasy, An attractive horny girl picked me up. I didn’t hitchhike a lot but I think I only got picked up by women once or twice. She was driving a convertible and wearing about the shortest cut off shorts you could imagine. She kept telling me how attractive I was and I’m no angel but I was already behind schedule so I just kept telling her I was going to see my girlfriend. Eventually she gave up and told me my girlfriend was really lucky and she started flashing any truckers that went by. She dropped me off and I never got picked up by a horny woman again.
I got to New Jersey late, Dave picked me up and we headed towards Westchester where Bethany and the other girl lived. When we got to Bethany’s house I was all set to meet her parents but as soon as she heard our car she came running out. It was dusk so I think it was 9 o’clock by then. Halfway to the city I said that I was surprised her parents were letting her go to the city. She said she had just told them we were going to a local bar. That wasn’t encouraging but I was so glad to see her I didn’t say anything.. We got a parking space right in the middle of Greenwich Village and we decided we’d meet back at the car at 1. Then it was a really sweet date, we walked around Greenwich Village, Little Italy is right next to the Village and there was a feast to a Saint and they had rides set up and I remember we went on the Ferris wheel.We held hands but we never even kissed. At 1 we met Dave and his date back at the car and headed back to Westchester.
It was during one of the late 70’s gas crises, OPEC had cut back production and there were lines at every gas station. Every station we tried to stop at had a line of at least 50 cars even though it was 1:30 in the morning. The further we got away from NYC the more remote it got and we didn’t see any gas stations so when we pulled into her driveway it was 4am. Dave’s car was running on fumes and Bethany said her Dad would have gas for his lawnmower. As soon as she started to open the garage door all the lights went on in the house and her mother started screaming, “I can’t believe it, I can’t believe it”. The 3 of us looked at each other and decided leaving as fast as we could was the best choice so Dave and I took off and left Bethany to deal with her mother. We finally ran out of gas 50 yards from a gas station and pushed the car to the pumps and fell asleep. When the station opened they woke us up and gave us gas. Dave had to work for the newspaper so he dropped me off at the Thruway and I started to hitchhike back to Rochester.
I only remember 1 ride on the way back. A guy picked me up and the sun was warm and I was asleep in 5 minutes. I don’t know how long I slept but I woke up and something seemed different. There were all these porno magazines spread out and if you’re not expecting porn it takes a while to understand what you’re looking at. So I’m looking at these pictures and saying “Well that’s a penis and there’s another one”. I kept looking for girls but I realized it was gay porn so I sat up straight. The guy was cool and invited me to his house but I said I had to get back to Rochester. If you were a young guy hitchhiking you always got picked up by gay guys but I never had any problems. It’s hard to imagine now but in 1979 you had to work to find porn, now you have to work to avoid it. The standard pickup line by these guys was “So what do you think of those porno films”. They were just pathetic and lame.
So somehow I made it to Rochester and the Thruway entrance is about 7 miles from RIT. I had barely started walking and a good friend drove by, looked at me, and didn’t stop. I saw him the next day and he said “I thought that was you”. So I walked the 7 miles to campus and I was exhausted but excited because I finally felt like I had a girlfriend.We finally became a couple in October and soon after things with her parents got even worse if you can imagine.
submitted by Lackingmorals512 to dating [link] [comments]
I met her around Christmas of junior year when I went out with her roommate. They didn’t get along well so if I was going over she was never there. I still remember the first time I saw her though. I was hanging around her floor and she was walking by to go to the bathroom before bed to brush her teeth. She had on a red union suit with a trap door and the guy I was with yelled “Does the trap door work”. She pulled it down for ½ a second and it was so innocent yet sexy I was hooked.
I thought she was attractive and talented but she was supposedly “Pre engaged” to her high school boyfriend who was at Cornell. Also academically she was a mess. She didn’t get along with her mother and chose RIT because it was the furthest college away from her parents with an art program. Her major was Environmental Design which she chose because she hated it the least. By the middle of junior year she was already almost a year behind in her major mostly because she didn’t go to class. But what was obvious was she was an incredibly talented artist. She drew almost constantly. Every night a bunch of our friends would meet at the dining hall and she always had her Rapidograph with her and she would draw on the trays and take requests and people might not know her but everybody recognized her trays and they were a big hit.
So we hung around more and more and by the end of junior year we were really close to being a couple but when school ended I was going to stay at school to be a teaching assistant and she was going home which she wasn’t looking forward to. That summer I was a TA I was in charge of opening the darkrooms and then I sat in this windowless room with this guy Bruce and students would bring their prints out for advice. Mostly Bruce and I just talked. We weren’t friends at the beginning but if you’re stuck in a small room with someone you have to find something to talk about and we became friends.
That summer I had a Volvo 144 which was a fun car but it needed new brakes and carbuerators and stupidly I thought I could do the work myself. The car sat on blocks almost the whole summer, undriveable. Most days when I was bored watching the darkrooms I’d write her a letter, make her a collage or do anything I could do to impress her. I wasn’t trying to but I’m sure her mother saw everything I sent and now realized I was a threat to her plans for Bethany. I don’t remember how but we made arrangements to get together and go to NYC for the night. My best friend at the time Dave was working at a newspaper in Northern New Jersey so the plan was that I’d hitchhike to New Jersey, he’d pick me up and we’d go and pick up a girl he was interested in who wasn’t too far from Bethany’s house.
So I started hitchhiking early one Saturday and I only remember one ride on the way down and one on the way back. On the way down I had every male hitchhiker’s fantasy, An attractive horny girl picked me up. I didn’t hitchhike a lot but I think I only got picked up by women once or twice. She was driving a convertible and wearing about the shortest cut off shorts you could imagine. She kept telling me how attractive I was and I’m no angel but I was already behind schedule so I just kept telling her I was going to see my girlfriend. Eventually she gave up and told me my girlfriend was really lucky and she started flashing any truckers that went by. She dropped me off and I never got picked up by a horny woman again.
I got to New Jersey late, Dave picked me up and we headed towards Westchester where Bethany and the other girl lived. When we got to Bethany’s house I was all set to meet her parents but as soon as she heard our car she came running out. It was dusk so I think it was 9 o’clock by then. Halfway to the city I said that I was surprised her parents were letting her go to the city. She said she had just told them we were going to a local bar. That wasn’t encouraging but I was so glad to see her I didn’t say anything.. We got a parking space right in the middle of Greenwich Village and we decided we’d meet back at the car at 1. Then it was a really sweet date, we walked around Greenwich Village, Little Italy is right next to the Village and there was a feast to a Saint and they had rides set up and I remember we went on the Ferris wheel.We held hands but we never even kissed. At 1 we met Dave and his date back at the car and headed back to Westchester.
It was during one of the late 70’s gas crises, OPEC had cut back production and there were lines at every gas station. Every station we tried to stop at had a line of at least 50 cars even though it was 1:30 in the morning. The further we got away from NYC the more remote it got and we didn’t see any gas stations so when we pulled into her driveway it was 4am. Dave’s car was running on fumes and Bethany said her Dad would have gas for his lawnmower. As soon as she started to open the garage door all the lights went on in the house and her mother started screaming, “I can’t believe it, I can’t believe it”. The 3 of us looked at each other and decided leaving as fast as we could was the best choice so Dave and I took off and left Bethany to deal with her mother. We finally ran out of gas 50 yards from a gas station and pushed the car to the pumps and fell asleep. When the station opened they woke us up and gave us gas. Dave had to work for the newspaper so he dropped me off at the Thruway and I started to hitchhike back to Rochester.
I only remember 1 ride on the way back. A guy picked me up and the sun was warm and I was asleep in 5 minutes. I don’t know how long I slept but I woke up and something seemed different. There were all these porno magazines spread out and if you’re not expecting porn it takes a while to understand what you’re looking at. So I’m looking at these pictures and saying “Well that’s a penis and there’s another one”. I kept looking for girls but I realized it was gay porn so I sat up straight. The guy was cool and invited me to his house but I said I had to get back to Rochester. If you were a young guy hitchhiking you always got picked up by gay guys but I never had any problems. It’s hard to imagine now but in 1979 you had to work to find porn, now you have to work to avoid it. The standard pickup line by these guys was “So what do you think of those porno films”. They were just pathetic and lame.
So somehow I made it to Rochester and the Thruway entrance is about 7 miles from RIT. I had barely started walking and a good friend drove by, looked at me, and didn’t stop. I saw him the next day and he said “I thought that was you”. So I walked the 7 miles to campus and I was exhausted but excited because I finally felt like I had a girlfriend.We finally became a couple in October and soon after things with her parents got even worse if you can imagine.
2023.06.09 21:19 SouthOrlandoFather Had a blast at Vero Beach from 6/3 to 6/7.
 | submitted by SouthOrlandoFather to disneyvacationclub [link] [comments] |
2023.06.09 21:19 CrazyFoodie226 Please help, can't see my spedometer during the day
 | the picture was taken during the day under a gas station canopy its much worse when driving in the sun submitted by CrazyFoodie226 to MechanicAdvice [link] [comments] |
2023.06.09 21:14 Gist_it James Watt, sharp-tongued interior secretary under Reagan, dies at 85
James Watt, the controversial pro-development interior secretary under President Ronald Reagan, has died aged 85.
Legacy: Watt was known for his aggressive approach in granting oil, gas, and coal leases on public land, as well as increasing offshore drilling and limiting the expansion of national parks and monuments. * He tripled the amount of onshore land being leased for oil and gas exploration and doubled the acreage leased for geothermal resources. * His efforts in utilizing natural resources led him to claim that America was stronger.
Controversial figure: Watt was often criticized by environmentalists and offended various groups, including fans of the Beach Boys when he attempted to ban their music from Fourth of July festivities. * The Sierra Club collected over 1 million signatures in 1981 seeking his ouster due to his policies on public land and environmental regulations.
Later years: After leaving the Reagan administration, Watt worked as a consultant, represented Indian tribes, and worked in federal housing, which led to a scandal involving the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
View original article on NPR
This summary was created by an AI system. The use of this summary is subject to our Terms of Service.
submitted by Gist_it to SummarizeNow [link] [comments]
Legacy: Watt was known for his aggressive approach in granting oil, gas, and coal leases on public land, as well as increasing offshore drilling and limiting the expansion of national parks and monuments. * He tripled the amount of onshore land being leased for oil and gas exploration and doubled the acreage leased for geothermal resources. * His efforts in utilizing natural resources led him to claim that America was stronger.
Controversial figure: Watt was often criticized by environmentalists and offended various groups, including fans of the Beach Boys when he attempted to ban their music from Fourth of July festivities. * The Sierra Club collected over 1 million signatures in 1981 seeking his ouster due to his policies on public land and environmental regulations.
Later years: After leaving the Reagan administration, Watt worked as a consultant, represented Indian tribes, and worked in federal housing, which led to a scandal involving the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
View original article on NPR
This summary was created by an AI system. The use of this summary is subject to our Terms of Service.
2023.06.09 21:05 jbrc89 What's up with all the slot machines in gas stations?
I went to my local liquor store yesterday and the parking lot was packed. Walked in no body buying booze but 5 people playing what looks like slot machines. When I go to the gas station I want to get my stuff and be on my way quickly not be depressed by seeing sad looking people flushing money down the drain. If I wanted to see losers I would go to the casino. How are these legal?
submitted by jbrc89 to missouri [link] [comments]
2023.06.09 20:55 BeautyStitches Is it illegal for gas stations not to tell you that you have to manually collect your change from a paid pump?
You know how when you are at the gas station and you go inside to pay for gas, any remaining change goes right back in your account? Well, there's a gas station in my area that doesn't refund the money automatically. That wouldn't be a problem, except they never tell the customer that they have to come back inside for it. So you might end up losing all that extra money without knowing it. Is that illegal?
submitted by BeautyStitches to NoStupidQuestions [link] [comments]
2023.06.09 20:45 LazyEntertainment368 Recurring Fraud Issue Resolved!
I'd posted a few weeks ago about recurring replacements for cards on my Amex account. I'd specifically had my Platinum card replaced 4 times in 4 years which I found really odd since I don't do anything particularly risky with the card.
Well, a few days ago, I had fraudulent charges show up again on my two week old Platinum card and was truly confused. I had never physically used the card. I'd used it via ApplePay a few times for travel purchases but nothing else - no online merchants, no in-person taps, inserts or swipes. The fraudulent charges were at CVS, Walmart, Gap, and a few gas stations in and around Miami, FL where I haven't been in several years. I was traveling and only noticed when I got home. Over four days there were 11 approved transactions worth around $1,800 total. No authorized users on the card, etc. How could it have been compromised so quickly, and why only my Plat amongst all of my cards?
I called Amex and asked to speak with someone who could give me a little more info about fraud on the account, rather than the standard-issue dispute and replacement I'd done 5 times already. Well, after 60 seconds looking at the account, the more senior person on the Fraud team told me that all of the fraudulent charges on this card and all of my prior replaced cards were actually coming from my very first Platinum card from back in 2020! I knew that as a courtesy Amex approves charges from merchants with prior recurring transactions, so that Members don't have to replace their card info at numerous sites. But apparently they actually just allow all charges and simply replace the physical card and virtual ApplePay card.
So, no joke, I've had five Platinum cards issued over fraudulent charges thinking that each time my new Plat was being compromised somehow when, in actuality, one card was compromised four years ago and that cloned card has been used repeatedly. I truly could not believe that I'd gone through the hassle of replacing the card over and over again because some jerk in Florida with a cloned card can just swipe away and get charges approved on a card that I'd thought had been closed years ago.
So, if you have repeated fraud issues on your Amex, it's worth asking the Fraud team to check to see if they're truly on your replaced cards, or if they're on older still-active cards. If so, Amex can fully deactivate the old cards to block any future charges. Absolutely mind-boggling. But, thought I'd share as a DP for anyone with a similar issue.
submitted by LazyEntertainment368 to amex [link] [comments]
Well, a few days ago, I had fraudulent charges show up again on my two week old Platinum card and was truly confused. I had never physically used the card. I'd used it via ApplePay a few times for travel purchases but nothing else - no online merchants, no in-person taps, inserts or swipes. The fraudulent charges were at CVS, Walmart, Gap, and a few gas stations in and around Miami, FL where I haven't been in several years. I was traveling and only noticed when I got home. Over four days there were 11 approved transactions worth around $1,800 total. No authorized users on the card, etc. How could it have been compromised so quickly, and why only my Plat amongst all of my cards?
I called Amex and asked to speak with someone who could give me a little more info about fraud on the account, rather than the standard-issue dispute and replacement I'd done 5 times already. Well, after 60 seconds looking at the account, the more senior person on the Fraud team told me that all of the fraudulent charges on this card and all of my prior replaced cards were actually coming from my very first Platinum card from back in 2020! I knew that as a courtesy Amex approves charges from merchants with prior recurring transactions, so that Members don't have to replace their card info at numerous sites. But apparently they actually just allow all charges and simply replace the physical card and virtual ApplePay card.
So, no joke, I've had five Platinum cards issued over fraudulent charges thinking that each time my new Plat was being compromised somehow when, in actuality, one card was compromised four years ago and that cloned card has been used repeatedly. I truly could not believe that I'd gone through the hassle of replacing the card over and over again because some jerk in Florida with a cloned card can just swipe away and get charges approved on a card that I'd thought had been closed years ago.
So, if you have repeated fraud issues on your Amex, it's worth asking the Fraud team to check to see if they're truly on your replaced cards, or if they're on older still-active cards. If so, Amex can fully deactivate the old cards to block any future charges. Absolutely mind-boggling. But, thought I'd share as a DP for anyone with a similar issue.
2023.06.09 20:45 borkmaster0 Track Fire Between Brighton Beach & Sheepshead Bay - Local to Express
Southbound Q trains are running express from Kings Hwy to Coney Island-Stillwell Av.
B trains are running with delays in both directions.
FDNY is extinguishing a track fire between Brighton Beach and Sheepshead Bay.
If your station is skipped, take a northbound train.
submitted by borkmaster0 to nyctransitalerts [link] [comments]
B trains are running with delays in both directions.
FDNY is extinguishing a track fire between Brighton Beach and Sheepshead Bay.
If your station is skipped, take a northbound train.
2023.06.09 20:30 Timely-Elk8291 Trip report: Geezer first-timers--May 8-June 5. Kyoto, Izu Peninsula, Tokyo, Nara, Kamakura (Part II)
It was a long trip. This is a long post. Apologies in advance.
HIGHLIGHTS (Days 1-14 of 28) KYOTO--Kiyomizu temple; Nanzenji temple; Nijo Castle; Sanjusangendo temple; Shugakuin Imperial Villa; Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion); Fushimi Inari shrine; 184th Kamogawa-Odori geisha show HIMEJI-The castle and garden. NARA-Todaiji temple UJI-Byodoin temple IZU KOGEN--Jogasaki Coast nature trail
TOKYO, Monday 5/8
We arrived mid-afternoon at Tokyo/Haneda, right after Golden Week ended. It turned out to be, coincidentally, the day when the Japanese government officially downgraded the Covid pandemic to the level of a seasonal flu.
Fresh off a 13-hour flight and experiencing Japan for the first time, we went from touchdown to hotel check-in in something like 90 minutes, braving an almost-rush-hour crush on the Keikyu Line train from the Terminal 3 station.
Experience has taught us that meticulously planning every step of arrival in a new country is crucial to avoiding confusion, getting lost or simply wasting time.
Pre-loaded Suica cards on our smartphones led us straight to the train without standing in any lines.
We' chose the Shinagawa Station area of central Tokyo to spare our jetlagged selves another leg of indeterminate length--four or five hours at least--to reach our Kyoto base. Shinagawa is a straight shot--no transfers--from Haneda and a great place to catch a bullet train.
It was a geezer move that gave us plenty of time to familiarize ourselves with the layout and operation of one of Japan's busiest train stations.
Before crashing for the night, we'd taken care of some business by getting cash from an ATM and picking up reserved seat tickets for a post-Kyoto leg. We used a JR Railway ticket machine to print out the tickets, using QR codes emailed to us the previous month when we bought the tickets online directly from JR-East railway (we avoided costly middlemen in all our travel and entertainment purchases, something that requires planning but is easily doable from abroad). Like all our electronic machine transactions in Japan, there was an English language option on the touch-screen.
A machine also checked us in at the Prince Hotel Shinagawa, part of a modern high-rise development, chosen mainly for convenience. It's a one-block walk from the train station and was perfect for a couple jet-lagged Japan newbies. What we got, for the princely sum of $116 USD, was a spacious (by Japan standards) room on the 34th floor with a dead-on view of Tokyo Tower. Dinner was carryout sushi from the Queen's Isetan department store on the opposite side of the station, plus beer and sake from a convenience store, all consumed in the hotel room with Tokyo's skyline at our feet.
KYOTO , Tuesday 5/9
On the advice of an old Japan hand, we made Kyoto our base for the first two weeks. It worked well. We explored a fabulous city, took three day trips (Himeji/Osaka; Nara; Uji) and left town wishing we'd had time for more.
We expected our first full day to be a blur, due to jetlag, but it wasn't too bad. Following advice from this sub for first-time shinkansen travelers, we got to the station an hour early.
We bought far enough in advance on the Smart EX app to get a slight discount. We booked back row seats on the right-hand side for easy luggage storage but discovered that both our bags (including my larger one, which measures 142 cm [L+H+W]) also fit on the overhead rack. We never had luggage problems on trains during our trip.
Our train to Kyoto had great Fuji views, our first. After depositing the bags in a Kyoto station storage locker (rented with the smartphone Suica card), we made our first sightseeing stop: Toji Temple, a quick subway ride and walk away.
About picking hotels
We used triangulation to pick hotels; that is, cross-checking information from various sources to give us the best possible chance of getting a good place at a decent price. Sources included a handful of guidebooks from the public library, Trip Advisor and this sub.
Solaria Nishitetsu Hotel Kyoto Premier ($221 USD per night with massive breakfast buffet, best of the trip) turned out to be a great base. We paid extra for a room facing the Kamo River, a popular gathering spot for locals, tourists and joggers. We benefited from early booking (more than six months in advance, shortly after Japan began opening up). Inflation and other factors have since raised the price of the same room by about 10 percent.
The newish (opened in 2017) hotel attracts mainly Japanese/Asian travelers who, like me, enjoyed the onsen in the basement. We also put the coin-operated washedryers to good use.
KYOTO, Wednesday 5/10
Up and out, thanks to jetlag, shortly after 5 a.m., walking deserted streets to the foot of magical Kiyomizu temple, arriving just as it opened at 6 a.m. We were back at the hotel for breakfast by 8, after walking down the picturesque, cobbled streets of Sannenzaka, shops still closed, with more tourists starting to trickle in.
About choosing sightseeing spots
I'm a sucker for ratings, assuming they're done well. So, guidebook must-sees, like DK Eyewitness's or Lonely Planet's, star ratings in the Michelin Green Guide to Japan or in the downloaded Gateway to Japan guide (a steal at $10 and in your pocket for free on Kindle app) and, finally, Japan Guide's recommendations helped guide our steps.
That's how we ended up spending the afternoon at Nanzenji, a must-see Zen temple, which, like Kiyomizu, is laid out at the foot of the mountains east of town.
Lunch this day was at Junsei, a yudofo (boiled tofu) restaurant we stumbled onto near the temple. We used wooden sticks to skim the surface of an iron vat filled with simmering soy milk, that was set before us over a gas flame.
About finding restaurants
If you've never been to Japan but lurk on this sub, you've already heard that it's practically impossible to get a bad meal. We booked a handful of places before leaving home but agree with others that you rarely need to do that to eat well. If you're determined to hit a place that's highly popular, often with deep-pocketed foreign tourists, reservations may be required.
We're foodies, up to a point, but Japan's profusion of starred Michelin restaurants was wasted on us. We've learned over the years that we seldom enjoy paying the inflated cost. Over four weeks, we ate once at a Michelin one-star, chosen for other reasons.
That said, Michelin's Bib Gourmands (good, affordable restaurants) never disappointed us. They are plentiful in Japan, especially in Kyoto and Tokyo, and worth seeking out. Most of the time, though, we picked places to eat by cross-checking Google (asking for "soba noodles" near me, for example) and Tabelog, the indispensible crowd-sourced Japanese website (we looked for places in the 3.5 range).
Non-speakers of Japanese can have a hard time making reservations. We found that we could make them in advance from abroad through services like TableCheck (and an apparently expanding number of others aimed at tourists, usually charging a fee; sometimes small, sometimes steep). On the ground in Japan, we sometimes reserved for free through Google and Tabelog (at random places which you can find on Google or Tabelog restaurant listings); they were always honored. We also asked hotel reception desks for reservation help on occasion. We went to a couple restaurants in person and booked a table for later. But the easiest and often best way to get in is simply to arrive on the early side for lunch (by 11:30 or so) or dinner (between 5 and 5:30). More than once, we walked right into a place and were seated, only to discover lots of people waiting in line outside when we left. That said, if you're looking for an above-average meal on a Saturday night, especially in a popular location, you might want to book in advance.
Konbinis (convenience stores) are cheap, good and extremely reliable sources of takeout. And though we liked what we got there (mainly onigiri), we wound up relying on them less and less as the trip went along. The same was true of department store basements, which lived up to their reputation as fantastic food sources, for locals and tourists alike. We learned that we could often eat for the same amount or less in restaurants geared to locals or foreigners on limited budgets, rather than chowing down in our hotel room.
KYOTO, Thursday 5/11
We hit Nijo Castle in the morning and Sento Imperial Palace, one of several attractions we reserved in advance through the Imperial Household Agency. All were well worth it (and free of charge). The agency website explains the rules, which vary somewhat from site to site. We also toured Kyoto Imperial Palace.
About navigation
Just as the Google Translate app (and similar devices) have broken down language barriers, several travel apps have vastly simplified the business of getting around. Google Maps was our basic navigational tool and it rarely failed us. Another app that helped work in concert with Google Maps was Navitime's Japan Travel guide. Both provide alternate routes, detailed information on trains and stations and much more. Sometimes, when we popped out of subway station, we'd check the compass app on the smartphone to make sure we were heading off in the right direction. It doesn't hurt that public transit throughout the country increasingly uses English or romaji to translate Japanese. Over four weeks, we only found one place where we had trouble deciphering the destination signs on buses (oddly enough, in Himeji, a tourist magnet).
KYOTO, Friday, 5/12
A busy day started at Katsura Imperial Villa. Like other Imperial Household venues, a guided tour (in Japanese, but with free English audio guide) is the only way to see the place and its beautiful gardens.
We also caught a kabuki for beginners show at sumptuous Minamiza Theatre--tickets purchased online in advance--after briefly stopping by bustling Yasaka-jinja shrine down the street.
Dinner was our priciest splurge: Itoh, a serene, traditional style steak house in the atmospheric Gion neighborhood. We hadn't initially planned on eating Kobe beef, since we've pretty much given up beef in our everyday lives, but we were persuaded by a family member who correctly posed the question: If not now, when? Worth the steep tab ($264), not least because our table overlooked the tiny Shirakawa canal, the service was great and now we can say we know what Kobe beef is all about. Like buttah.
KYOTO, Saturday 5/13
We were at Sanjusangendo when it opened and glad we'd gone. The display of 500 life-size, gilded 1000-armed kannon in Japan's longest wooden structure was unforgettable.
We're museum people--either you are or you ain't--and the special exhibition at Kyoto National Museum on the 850th anniversary of the founder of Shin Buddhism was well worth it. Unfortunately, like most Japanese museums, photos were prohibited inside. In this regard, technically advanced Japan lags much of the civilized world; even Old Europe has greatly loosened such restrictions in recent years. Smartphone cameras can be a nuisance to other visitors, but they are a quick and easy way of capturing what you've seen and preserving it for later study.
Lunch was at Vegan Ramen Uzu Kyoto, a Bib Gourmand and the weirdest place we ate. Expanded availability of vegetarian ramen is a promising, healthier trend, and we enjoyed it at several places in Tokyo and Kyoto. A TableCheck reservation, made well in advance, got us seats at this cutting-edge spot. Dining is at a polished black surface in a darkened room bathed by the illumination of a giant, swirling teamLab artwork. Pricey but good.
KYOTO, Sunday 5/14
We're horseplayers and enjoyed a day at recently reopened Kyoto Racecourse, capacity 120,000. Betting is easy; just stop by the information desk for instructions in English.
Dinner at Tiger Gyoza Hall was lively, inexpensive and delicious. It was the only restaurant on our trip that we visited twice; reservable on Google.
KYOTO, Monday 5/15
No place put us through more hoops than Kokedera, better known at Moss Temple. It was well worth the difficulty of getting a needed reservation; if you do it by mail from abroad--the least expensive way to go--you need a couple months head start (and an International Reply Coupon, which you have to buy online from the Swiss Postal System). We got there and back via city buses. Along the way we crossed Togetsukyo Bridge in the very congested tourist hotbed of Arashiyama. It didn't make us regret our decision to skip the area.
Afterward we visited Ninnaji temple. Ryoanji temple and its famous rock garden (where noisy fellow tourists made a Zen experience impossible) and Kinkakuji, the incredible Golden Pavilion. The place was jammed but crowd control is excellent and we're glad we made it.
KYOTO, Tuesday 5/16
Shugakuin Imperial Villa, a vast imperial property of gardens and buildings (which you cannot enter) on the northeastern outskirts, was our favorite Imperial Household Agency site. We felt fortunate to get advance tickets through their lottery but saw that same-day tickets were also available there and at other Agency sites; it would be a long way to go, however, if all tickets were gone on the day you wanted to enter. Since we made a conscious decision to visit Japan after the cherry blossom and Golden Week crowds were gone, we have no idea what things are like during busier times.
We strolled the Philosopher's Path after lunch. Perhaps if it had been a quiet early or cherry blossom time, we might have been blown away. Instead, it was a rare disappointment. It struck us as a very conventional touristy trail; nothing special at all.
On the other hand, Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion), near one end of the path, lived up to the hype. We capped the day by off by catching the procession of Aoi Matsuri, or Hollyhock Festival, one of Kyoto's three big annual festivals. The parade of hundreds of elaborately costumed people, some on horseback, highlighted by a pair of ox-drawn carts, was a hoot. What surprised us was the absence of music or any sort of percussion.
HIMEJI and OSAKA, Wednesday 5/17
A shinkansen whisked us to Himeji for a tour of the incomparable castle and impressive gardens. We took advantage of the unique Himeji Castle English Speaking Guide service, which generously provides personal tours with an area resident, in English, at no cost (book online in advance).
Lunch was at Mentetsu, a very good ramen shop at a mall located between the train station and the castle. Recommended.
We finished the excursion at Osaka's famous, crazy Dotonburi neighborhood, a cross between Times Square and Disney. Dinner was our first okonomiyaki, deliciously prepared at Okonomiyaki Mizuno (a Bib Gourmand). We're allergic to standing in line---life is too short--and we never waited more than 30 minutes for a table on our trip. They took our order at Mizuno while we were in line, and it was prepared before our countertop seats shortly after we got in. Oishī!
UJI, Thursday 5/18
Uji is renowned for its tea and Byodoin temple, best known for its elegant phoenix hall, which is pictured on the back of the 10 Yen coin. It was a great day trip, including lunch at a traditional local soba shop that served cold noodles sobayu style; you pour hot soba stock--the cloudy water the noodles were boiled in--into what's left of your soy-based dipping sauce and drink the (supposedly) healthy brew. Definitely the way to go. Mampukuji, a Zen temple, was a worthwhile stop before we caught a train back to Kyoto.
NARA, Friday 5/19
Our first day of heavy rain failed to dampen the visit to one of the best places on our trip. The town, a tourist favorite because, or in spite of, the overpopulation of overly friendly deer, is well-described elsewhere. We toured Todai-ji, with its giant Bronze Buddha, had lunch at the cute and delicious Pizzeria Trattoria Magazzino (Bib Gourmand) and checked out Kohfukuji temple, too.
KYOTO, Saturday 5/20
Fushimi Inari shrine, on almost every Kyoto must-see list, lives up to its reputation. We followed good advice from this sub and arrived early, a few minutes before 8 a.m. Already, crowds were building. We detoured from the main path through thousands of torii gates and wandered instead up an almost totally deserted sylvan trail on the south side of Mt. Inari, past bamboo groves, a few minor shrines and some houses. After about 45 minutes, we reached a set of stone stairs to the summit. From the top, we took the main path down, dodging the stream of fellow tourists as best we could and gaping at the gates and the view from the halfway point. We highly recommend this alternative way of seeing the best of two Fushimi Inari worlds.
We celebrated our last full day in Kyoto, and our 40th wedding anniversary, with a memorable kaiseki lunch at Hana Kitcho, a Michelin one-star booked weeks in advance from home. The beautifully decorated private room, attentive service, imaginative presentation, museum-quality stoneware and delicious food were certainly up to one-star standards.
The minute that advance online tickets went on sale for the 184th Kamogawa Odori, I jumped on them. The tourist-oriented geisha dance performance is held in May at a theater that overlooks the Kamo River. We were lucky to have been given seats in the front row and when one of the geishas tossed a white cloth package in my direction I snatched it. I now have an unexpected souvenir, a cloth banner autographed by the geisha herself. The fantastic show will remain in memory.
IZU KOGEN, Sunday 5/21
We left Kyoto for the Izu Peninsula and what turned out to be the best single night of our trip. Hanafubuki, a modern ryokan I learned about on this sub, was everything we could have wanted. It features 9 private outdoor onsens on beautifully landscaped property and elegant guest rooms with fluffy futons for sleeping on tatami mats. The ten-course dinner was exquisite. Breakfast, a seven-course feast that featured whole grilled horse mackerel and golden-eye sea bream, was simply amazing.
IZU KOGEN, Monday 5/22
A short walk from the ryokan is the scenic Jogasaki Coast nature trail, a rugged stretch of rocks and pounding surf. A guy I met there who introduced himself as Zeus, a Japanese native currently living in California and in town to visit his parents, compared the coastline to Monterey Bay. We could have used another night to allow us to explore the trail at greater length.
Lunch was at a great local restaurant, walking distance from the train station, Honke Maguroya, featuring local fish and top-grade tuna. The wasabi rhizome, which you grate yourself, is a tipoff to the quality of the sushi, but the prices are extremely reasonable. Recommended.
From there we headed back to Tokyo and the remainder of our trip. Highlights and a full (too full?) final report coming soon.
submitted by Timely-Elk8291 to JapanTravel [link] [comments]
HIGHLIGHTS (Days 1-14 of 28) KYOTO--Kiyomizu temple; Nanzenji temple; Nijo Castle; Sanjusangendo temple; Shugakuin Imperial Villa; Kinkakuji (Golden Pavilion); Fushimi Inari shrine; 184th Kamogawa-Odori geisha show HIMEJI-The castle and garden. NARA-Todaiji temple UJI-Byodoin temple IZU KOGEN--Jogasaki Coast nature trail
TOKYO, Monday 5/8
We arrived mid-afternoon at Tokyo/Haneda, right after Golden Week ended. It turned out to be, coincidentally, the day when the Japanese government officially downgraded the Covid pandemic to the level of a seasonal flu.
Fresh off a 13-hour flight and experiencing Japan for the first time, we went from touchdown to hotel check-in in something like 90 minutes, braving an almost-rush-hour crush on the Keikyu Line train from the Terminal 3 station.
Experience has taught us that meticulously planning every step of arrival in a new country is crucial to avoiding confusion, getting lost or simply wasting time.
Pre-loaded Suica cards on our smartphones led us straight to the train without standing in any lines.
We' chose the Shinagawa Station area of central Tokyo to spare our jetlagged selves another leg of indeterminate length--four or five hours at least--to reach our Kyoto base. Shinagawa is a straight shot--no transfers--from Haneda and a great place to catch a bullet train.
It was a geezer move that gave us plenty of time to familiarize ourselves with the layout and operation of one of Japan's busiest train stations.
Before crashing for the night, we'd taken care of some business by getting cash from an ATM and picking up reserved seat tickets for a post-Kyoto leg. We used a JR Railway ticket machine to print out the tickets, using QR codes emailed to us the previous month when we bought the tickets online directly from JR-East railway (we avoided costly middlemen in all our travel and entertainment purchases, something that requires planning but is easily doable from abroad). Like all our electronic machine transactions in Japan, there was an English language option on the touch-screen.
A machine also checked us in at the Prince Hotel Shinagawa, part of a modern high-rise development, chosen mainly for convenience. It's a one-block walk from the train station and was perfect for a couple jet-lagged Japan newbies. What we got, for the princely sum of $116 USD, was a spacious (by Japan standards) room on the 34th floor with a dead-on view of Tokyo Tower. Dinner was carryout sushi from the Queen's Isetan department store on the opposite side of the station, plus beer and sake from a convenience store, all consumed in the hotel room with Tokyo's skyline at our feet.
KYOTO , Tuesday 5/9
On the advice of an old Japan hand, we made Kyoto our base for the first two weeks. It worked well. We explored a fabulous city, took three day trips (Himeji/Osaka; Nara; Uji) and left town wishing we'd had time for more.
We expected our first full day to be a blur, due to jetlag, but it wasn't too bad. Following advice from this sub for first-time shinkansen travelers, we got to the station an hour early.
We bought far enough in advance on the Smart EX app to get a slight discount. We booked back row seats on the right-hand side for easy luggage storage but discovered that both our bags (including my larger one, which measures 142 cm [L+H+W]) also fit on the overhead rack. We never had luggage problems on trains during our trip.
Our train to Kyoto had great Fuji views, our first. After depositing the bags in a Kyoto station storage locker (rented with the smartphone Suica card), we made our first sightseeing stop: Toji Temple, a quick subway ride and walk away.
About picking hotels
We used triangulation to pick hotels; that is, cross-checking information from various sources to give us the best possible chance of getting a good place at a decent price. Sources included a handful of guidebooks from the public library, Trip Advisor and this sub.
Solaria Nishitetsu Hotel Kyoto Premier ($221 USD per night with massive breakfast buffet, best of the trip) turned out to be a great base. We paid extra for a room facing the Kamo River, a popular gathering spot for locals, tourists and joggers. We benefited from early booking (more than six months in advance, shortly after Japan began opening up). Inflation and other factors have since raised the price of the same room by about 10 percent.
The newish (opened in 2017) hotel attracts mainly Japanese/Asian travelers who, like me, enjoyed the onsen in the basement. We also put the coin-operated washedryers to good use.
KYOTO, Wednesday 5/10
Up and out, thanks to jetlag, shortly after 5 a.m., walking deserted streets to the foot of magical Kiyomizu temple, arriving just as it opened at 6 a.m. We were back at the hotel for breakfast by 8, after walking down the picturesque, cobbled streets of Sannenzaka, shops still closed, with more tourists starting to trickle in.
About choosing sightseeing spots
I'm a sucker for ratings, assuming they're done well. So, guidebook must-sees, like DK Eyewitness's or Lonely Planet's, star ratings in the Michelin Green Guide to Japan or in the downloaded Gateway to Japan guide (a steal at $10 and in your pocket for free on Kindle app) and, finally, Japan Guide's recommendations helped guide our steps.
That's how we ended up spending the afternoon at Nanzenji, a must-see Zen temple, which, like Kiyomizu, is laid out at the foot of the mountains east of town.
Lunch this day was at Junsei, a yudofo (boiled tofu) restaurant we stumbled onto near the temple. We used wooden sticks to skim the surface of an iron vat filled with simmering soy milk, that was set before us over a gas flame.
About finding restaurants
If you've never been to Japan but lurk on this sub, you've already heard that it's practically impossible to get a bad meal. We booked a handful of places before leaving home but agree with others that you rarely need to do that to eat well. If you're determined to hit a place that's highly popular, often with deep-pocketed foreign tourists, reservations may be required.
We're foodies, up to a point, but Japan's profusion of starred Michelin restaurants was wasted on us. We've learned over the years that we seldom enjoy paying the inflated cost. Over four weeks, we ate once at a Michelin one-star, chosen for other reasons.
That said, Michelin's Bib Gourmands (good, affordable restaurants) never disappointed us. They are plentiful in Japan, especially in Kyoto and Tokyo, and worth seeking out. Most of the time, though, we picked places to eat by cross-checking Google (asking for "soba noodles" near me, for example) and Tabelog, the indispensible crowd-sourced Japanese website (we looked for places in the 3.5 range).
Non-speakers of Japanese can have a hard time making reservations. We found that we could make them in advance from abroad through services like TableCheck (and an apparently expanding number of others aimed at tourists, usually charging a fee; sometimes small, sometimes steep). On the ground in Japan, we sometimes reserved for free through Google and Tabelog (at random places which you can find on Google or Tabelog restaurant listings); they were always honored. We also asked hotel reception desks for reservation help on occasion. We went to a couple restaurants in person and booked a table for later. But the easiest and often best way to get in is simply to arrive on the early side for lunch (by 11:30 or so) or dinner (between 5 and 5:30). More than once, we walked right into a place and were seated, only to discover lots of people waiting in line outside when we left. That said, if you're looking for an above-average meal on a Saturday night, especially in a popular location, you might want to book in advance.
Konbinis (convenience stores) are cheap, good and extremely reliable sources of takeout. And though we liked what we got there (mainly onigiri), we wound up relying on them less and less as the trip went along. The same was true of department store basements, which lived up to their reputation as fantastic food sources, for locals and tourists alike. We learned that we could often eat for the same amount or less in restaurants geared to locals or foreigners on limited budgets, rather than chowing down in our hotel room.
KYOTO, Thursday 5/11
We hit Nijo Castle in the morning and Sento Imperial Palace, one of several attractions we reserved in advance through the Imperial Household Agency. All were well worth it (and free of charge). The agency website explains the rules, which vary somewhat from site to site. We also toured Kyoto Imperial Palace.
About navigation
Just as the Google Translate app (and similar devices) have broken down language barriers, several travel apps have vastly simplified the business of getting around. Google Maps was our basic navigational tool and it rarely failed us. Another app that helped work in concert with Google Maps was Navitime's Japan Travel guide. Both provide alternate routes, detailed information on trains and stations and much more. Sometimes, when we popped out of subway station, we'd check the compass app on the smartphone to make sure we were heading off in the right direction. It doesn't hurt that public transit throughout the country increasingly uses English or romaji to translate Japanese. Over four weeks, we only found one place where we had trouble deciphering the destination signs on buses (oddly enough, in Himeji, a tourist magnet).
KYOTO, Friday, 5/12
A busy day started at Katsura Imperial Villa. Like other Imperial Household venues, a guided tour (in Japanese, but with free English audio guide) is the only way to see the place and its beautiful gardens.
We also caught a kabuki for beginners show at sumptuous Minamiza Theatre--tickets purchased online in advance--after briefly stopping by bustling Yasaka-jinja shrine down the street.
Dinner was our priciest splurge: Itoh, a serene, traditional style steak house in the atmospheric Gion neighborhood. We hadn't initially planned on eating Kobe beef, since we've pretty much given up beef in our everyday lives, but we were persuaded by a family member who correctly posed the question: If not now, when? Worth the steep tab ($264), not least because our table overlooked the tiny Shirakawa canal, the service was great and now we can say we know what Kobe beef is all about. Like buttah.
KYOTO, Saturday 5/13
We were at Sanjusangendo when it opened and glad we'd gone. The display of 500 life-size, gilded 1000-armed kannon in Japan's longest wooden structure was unforgettable.
We're museum people--either you are or you ain't--and the special exhibition at Kyoto National Museum on the 850th anniversary of the founder of Shin Buddhism was well worth it. Unfortunately, like most Japanese museums, photos were prohibited inside. In this regard, technically advanced Japan lags much of the civilized world; even Old Europe has greatly loosened such restrictions in recent years. Smartphone cameras can be a nuisance to other visitors, but they are a quick and easy way of capturing what you've seen and preserving it for later study.
Lunch was at Vegan Ramen Uzu Kyoto, a Bib Gourmand and the weirdest place we ate. Expanded availability of vegetarian ramen is a promising, healthier trend, and we enjoyed it at several places in Tokyo and Kyoto. A TableCheck reservation, made well in advance, got us seats at this cutting-edge spot. Dining is at a polished black surface in a darkened room bathed by the illumination of a giant, swirling teamLab artwork. Pricey but good.
KYOTO, Sunday 5/14
We're horseplayers and enjoyed a day at recently reopened Kyoto Racecourse, capacity 120,000. Betting is easy; just stop by the information desk for instructions in English.
Dinner at Tiger Gyoza Hall was lively, inexpensive and delicious. It was the only restaurant on our trip that we visited twice; reservable on Google.
KYOTO, Monday 5/15
No place put us through more hoops than Kokedera, better known at Moss Temple. It was well worth the difficulty of getting a needed reservation; if you do it by mail from abroad--the least expensive way to go--you need a couple months head start (and an International Reply Coupon, which you have to buy online from the Swiss Postal System). We got there and back via city buses. Along the way we crossed Togetsukyo Bridge in the very congested tourist hotbed of Arashiyama. It didn't make us regret our decision to skip the area.
Afterward we visited Ninnaji temple. Ryoanji temple and its famous rock garden (where noisy fellow tourists made a Zen experience impossible) and Kinkakuji, the incredible Golden Pavilion. The place was jammed but crowd control is excellent and we're glad we made it.
KYOTO, Tuesday 5/16
Shugakuin Imperial Villa, a vast imperial property of gardens and buildings (which you cannot enter) on the northeastern outskirts, was our favorite Imperial Household Agency site. We felt fortunate to get advance tickets through their lottery but saw that same-day tickets were also available there and at other Agency sites; it would be a long way to go, however, if all tickets were gone on the day you wanted to enter. Since we made a conscious decision to visit Japan after the cherry blossom and Golden Week crowds were gone, we have no idea what things are like during busier times.
We strolled the Philosopher's Path after lunch. Perhaps if it had been a quiet early or cherry blossom time, we might have been blown away. Instead, it was a rare disappointment. It struck us as a very conventional touristy trail; nothing special at all.
On the other hand, Ginkakuji (Silver Pavilion), near one end of the path, lived up to the hype. We capped the day by off by catching the procession of Aoi Matsuri, or Hollyhock Festival, one of Kyoto's three big annual festivals. The parade of hundreds of elaborately costumed people, some on horseback, highlighted by a pair of ox-drawn carts, was a hoot. What surprised us was the absence of music or any sort of percussion.
HIMEJI and OSAKA, Wednesday 5/17
A shinkansen whisked us to Himeji for a tour of the incomparable castle and impressive gardens. We took advantage of the unique Himeji Castle English Speaking Guide service, which generously provides personal tours with an area resident, in English, at no cost (book online in advance).
Lunch was at Mentetsu, a very good ramen shop at a mall located between the train station and the castle. Recommended.
We finished the excursion at Osaka's famous, crazy Dotonburi neighborhood, a cross between Times Square and Disney. Dinner was our first okonomiyaki, deliciously prepared at Okonomiyaki Mizuno (a Bib Gourmand). We're allergic to standing in line---life is too short--and we never waited more than 30 minutes for a table on our trip. They took our order at Mizuno while we were in line, and it was prepared before our countertop seats shortly after we got in. Oishī!
UJI, Thursday 5/18
Uji is renowned for its tea and Byodoin temple, best known for its elegant phoenix hall, which is pictured on the back of the 10 Yen coin. It was a great day trip, including lunch at a traditional local soba shop that served cold noodles sobayu style; you pour hot soba stock--the cloudy water the noodles were boiled in--into what's left of your soy-based dipping sauce and drink the (supposedly) healthy brew. Definitely the way to go. Mampukuji, a Zen temple, was a worthwhile stop before we caught a train back to Kyoto.
NARA, Friday 5/19
Our first day of heavy rain failed to dampen the visit to one of the best places on our trip. The town, a tourist favorite because, or in spite of, the overpopulation of overly friendly deer, is well-described elsewhere. We toured Todai-ji, with its giant Bronze Buddha, had lunch at the cute and delicious Pizzeria Trattoria Magazzino (Bib Gourmand) and checked out Kohfukuji temple, too.
KYOTO, Saturday 5/20
Fushimi Inari shrine, on almost every Kyoto must-see list, lives up to its reputation. We followed good advice from this sub and arrived early, a few minutes before 8 a.m. Already, crowds were building. We detoured from the main path through thousands of torii gates and wandered instead up an almost totally deserted sylvan trail on the south side of Mt. Inari, past bamboo groves, a few minor shrines and some houses. After about 45 minutes, we reached a set of stone stairs to the summit. From the top, we took the main path down, dodging the stream of fellow tourists as best we could and gaping at the gates and the view from the halfway point. We highly recommend this alternative way of seeing the best of two Fushimi Inari worlds.
We celebrated our last full day in Kyoto, and our 40th wedding anniversary, with a memorable kaiseki lunch at Hana Kitcho, a Michelin one-star booked weeks in advance from home. The beautifully decorated private room, attentive service, imaginative presentation, museum-quality stoneware and delicious food were certainly up to one-star standards.
The minute that advance online tickets went on sale for the 184th Kamogawa Odori, I jumped on them. The tourist-oriented geisha dance performance is held in May at a theater that overlooks the Kamo River. We were lucky to have been given seats in the front row and when one of the geishas tossed a white cloth package in my direction I snatched it. I now have an unexpected souvenir, a cloth banner autographed by the geisha herself. The fantastic show will remain in memory.
IZU KOGEN, Sunday 5/21
We left Kyoto for the Izu Peninsula and what turned out to be the best single night of our trip. Hanafubuki, a modern ryokan I learned about on this sub, was everything we could have wanted. It features 9 private outdoor onsens on beautifully landscaped property and elegant guest rooms with fluffy futons for sleeping on tatami mats. The ten-course dinner was exquisite. Breakfast, a seven-course feast that featured whole grilled horse mackerel and golden-eye sea bream, was simply amazing.
IZU KOGEN, Monday 5/22
A short walk from the ryokan is the scenic Jogasaki Coast nature trail, a rugged stretch of rocks and pounding surf. A guy I met there who introduced himself as Zeus, a Japanese native currently living in California and in town to visit his parents, compared the coastline to Monterey Bay. We could have used another night to allow us to explore the trail at greater length.
Lunch was at a great local restaurant, walking distance from the train station, Honke Maguroya, featuring local fish and top-grade tuna. The wasabi rhizome, which you grate yourself, is a tipoff to the quality of the sushi, but the prices are extremely reasonable. Recommended.
From there we headed back to Tokyo and the remainder of our trip. Highlights and a full (too full?) final report coming soon.