Wow, this really has been a week for extravagant purchases. Yesterday I bought a used washing machine to replace the old one, and after I get paid today it’s back to the bike shop to get an armored jacket and some rain gear.

So why did I buy another washing machine? Well, let me explain how older washing machines in Japan work. The machine has two tubs, one for rinsing and one for spinning. You have to stand there in front of the machine and turn the tap on to fill the rinsing tub, watching to make sure it doesn’t overflow. Then you wait 5 minutes while it washes and churns in the rinsing tub. Then you move all the laundry out into the spinner, where it spins for a few minutes. Meanwhile you have to drain the other tank manually and then fill it back up again with clean water. By the time that’s done, the spinner has stopped and you need to move all your clothes back into the rinser. Now do all that again to spin out the rinse water. That’s one load. Now honestly, if you have to stand there the whole time, why would you buy a machine for this? By this point, you might as well get a washboard and a pail of soapy water and just scrub the damn laundry by hand. So yeah, that’s why I went out and spent a hundred bucks on a real washing machine.

There was a magnitude 6.8 quake centered in southern Miyagi about 11:45. Knocked the clock off the TV set. No real damage though.

Here I am stuck behind enemy lines while the school (and for me the Internet) is behind locked doors. I’m also stuck without transportation until tomorrow. Apparently this is one of those holidays which is not on any calendar. Lovely.