The week that was, was busy

Sneaking in under the wire of my at least once a week blogging promise, tonight's blog is brought to you by De Bortoli and New Corona Light.

I had been paying my rent at Nakano via an automatic bank deposit into my landlord’s account. I had to cancel this myself. My bank and her bank are the same, and it is a nationwide bank. I went to the Ichigaya branch, which is not one minute from my company. The kind lady who greeted me when I entered looked at the information printed on the outside of my bankbook and advised me that I should go to the Saginomiya branch. Saginomiya is about 40 minutes train away, and so I politely declined to do so. She next took my bankbook and went behind the counter. On her return she suggested that I go to the Nakano branch, which was where I originally authorized the automatic deduction. Nakano is closer (about 30 minutes), but I again felt that that was not an option. After all, I was in this branch now.

Finally I found out the problem. They can’t access the details of automatic deposits that were done at another branch via computer. She had first assumed that I had authorized the deposit at Saginomiya, as this was the branch at which I had opened the account. When she found out that I had actually done that at Nakano that was her next suggestion. She said if I knew the bank details of the automatic deposit (especially my landlord’s bank account), she could do it here. Otherwise I had to get the information from the Nakano branch. I instead suggested that she contact the Nakano branch and get the details. Two faxes later the problem was solved. Thinking back on it I got out of that one very lightly.

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The Road Not Taken
I pay into the national health insurance scheme. Although it’s a national scheme, it is administered at the local level. I have no idea why. Thus, the move to Yokohama necessitated me to alter my details with them. I haven’t had to do this with my previous moves, for when I was on the JET Program it was taken care of by them, and when I left Saginomiya and moved to Nakano I remained in the same area.

Well a couple of months ago I went to the ward office for Tama Plaza to register my change of address from Nakano. It was a pretty painless process, but while I was there it would have been nice if someone had mentioned that I had to walk two counters down to change my insurance details, too.

Thus after recently going to the dentist here in Tama, I got a letter from the Nakano city office saying that I owed them the money for the visit as I shouldn’t have used my card as I don’t live there anymore. They also suggested that I update my health insurance details. Fair enough.

I determined to go to the ward office again to update my details. I thought that I remembered where it was, so I took the train a few stations down the line to Aobadai. When I got off the train I was convinced that I had the correct station as I remembered the bakery at the station. I set off walking, but even though I’d only been here once before I decided to take a different way.

Well I was pretty wrong on all accounts. After 15 minutes walking I realized that I didn’t have a clue where I was. I like walking, but have often had this trouble in the past. I start walking in a new area and get completely lost and have to retrace my steps. I remember the first night I visited my brother in Newcastle. I set off on what was billed as a "half hour walk". An hour later I had to admit to myself that I had to return the way I had come. On my return journey I discovered that at one point I had been a block from my destination, and could have easily cut the walk in half. Valuable local information should I return to visit my brother in the house he no longer lives in.

I returned to the station and emailed Mari. She confirmed that I was indeed at the wrong station.

Robert Frost is full of shit. Pass it on.

So after taking the train to Ichigao, the correct station, I walked the 5 minutes to the ward office. There the very nice lady informed me that everything would be OK once they found out how much I’ve earned. This info will come from Nakano ward office sometime soon.

Now I’ve received a sealed letter from Nakano. I have to take this to the ward office at Ichigao if I want the money back from the dentist visit. Why Nakano can't send this straight to Ichigao, I cannot understand. Also they won’t give me cash money, but they will deposit it in my bank account if I give them the details. I’ll be doing this maybe Monday. The logic is… irrepressible!

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Come sail your ships around me
One of the great things about having all my stuff with me again is access to my CDs. Last night for the first time in a long time I put on the boatman’s call.
Mari asked, “Who’s that?”
I answered, “Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds.”
She said, “He sounds like a guy singing at karaoke who isn’t really trying.”
Told Nick.

The Movie Maven bids you welcome
I've decided to outsource the reviews of my week's viewings over to The Movie Maven. Incredulous wanted the job, but his test review was mostly a rant. The Movie Maven has promised spoiler-free, quality-free reviews.

House of Flying Daggers
If I'd watched House of Flying Daggers last year, it would have battled Van Helsing for the worst movie seen in 2004 (Now that’s a fight I’d like to see - wire fu Zhang Ziyi vs. the wolfed-out VH! Down you sad fan boy, down). The two films suffer similar problems. Where Van Helsing tried for too much entertainment and forgot the other aspects of a film, House of Flying Daggers tries to be capital "A" Art, and forgets to be entertaining.

The film focuses on its two hours of glorious visuals. Oh God, those beautifully composed shots! The juxtaposition of colors! I wonder why the unending beauty of the world they inhabit doesn’t distract the characters.

It’s because they have nary a thought between them. The characters don’t have recognizably human motivations, they are just puppets for the scenery. I've liked the three leads in other films, but here they don’t convince that they are real people. They are used just for their visual impact. Usually attractive, they are instead dressed up like gaudy Christmas baubles. And like Christmas baubles they are hollow inside.

Characterizations are minimally presented, as is script, plot and all other aspects of cinema. What takes their place are some wirework and a story that can't survive its own plot twists. The director's previous work, Hero, was a good movie that would have been great under the firm hand of a more economical editor. House of Flying Daggers takes the weaknesses of Hero and wallows in them. However no amount of editing can save it.

It is for those who like style over substance.

Phantom of the Opera
Lavish and loud, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I’m not a fan of musicals, but the melodrama of Phantom of the Opera got me in. I can’t say anymore without compromising my integrity.

It is for those who like… musicals.

And back at reality central
Armageddon is on TV. Is this the greatest fucking movie ever, or what?