Ahh, my cash advance is finally in the bank! Booya. Creature comforts (coffee and shoes) await me.

The first of these comforts is more financial necessity. I love coffee, but a small coffee at a bistro/deli/shoppe/whatever here runs about ?300 = $3.00, which is no good for anybody. Well, it might be good were the coffee good, but it's kind of thin and bitter and generally dissatisfying. It's no Blarney, that's for sure. So, at least if I make it at home (in soon to be purchased contraption) and bring it to work (in soon to be purchase thermos) I won't be spending a heinous amount on- an equally heinous tasting beverage. Solved!

And the second of these comforts . . well, you see, I feel weird here, becuase apparently to blend in with the crowd a true lady's shoes must double as spy-worthy weapons of impalement. And actually, I hesitate to put new shoes into the category "creature comforts" because, you see, a true lady must walk about 1.5-2 miles a day to getting to and from work, which means a new pair of trendy shoes may actually end up being pretty unfriendly to the feet. But, you can't blame a girl for trying. I'm already in something of a lose-lose situation* and, well, I might as well be stylish. Maybe.

I found an really breathtaking shrine by my apt in Takao. I took lots of good pictures, and wish I could share 'em . . almost as much as I wish I knew what the shrine and all its accompanying statues and signs are supposed to pay homage to. Someday, someday.

Yours in using the "Teacher's We" like I never thought possible. Ugh.

*On my first day of work I took a dive down my concrete apartment steps face first (not as bad as falling off the roof, I imagine, but painful nonetheless) in what I thought were stair-safe shoes, which means I won't be much worse off even if I find my new purchases painful.