Fireworks, cubic watermelons, cucumber pepsi and no sleep

I don't have long to write this article because I have to go to class in about an hour. Last Thursday I went over to my friends house to help another friend create a mathematical model for his research. But, since the friend that I was going to help was late at arriving (to his own apartment), my friend Paul (from Equador) and I went out to eat at a place called the Bikuri (surpised) Donkey. This place was decorated in the Japanese idea of the old west style. The Japanese idea of the west (and places like Texas) is that we eat a lot of hamburger steaks (not hamburger sandwiches) and infact we call hamburger steaks, Salisbury steak (I have never seen it writen as a hamburger steak on a menu in my life). I their idea of the west is a little off (but maybe people did eat a lot of hamburger steaks a long time ago). Anyways, on the way to eat, Paul and I came across a EXPENSIVE fruit shop with interesting fruit. I saw a regular size watermelon (which claimed to be the egg of Godzilla) for about $90 (the picture is below) and I also saw a cubic watermelon (price not listed).

Actually, I have read about these cubic watermelons before. They are created that way so that they can be shipped and stacked easier (it's easier to but cubic shapes on top of each other than round shapes, plus they take up less room). I thought it was interesting when I read about it, but I thought that the ease and efficiency of shipping should make the price go down (not up). Of course, I did not actually see the price, but all of the fruit at that store was extremely expensive (so I assume it was high).

Last Saturday I went to joint some friends at Nagoya port to see fireworks. Unfortunately I did not get to meet them. The reason that we did not get to meet was because there were too many people using their cell phones. The network was too busy and I could not get through on the phone (it was because the port was too crowded with people using their cell phones).

It reminded me of how much I don't like crowded places and why I try to avoid them (that's very difficult in Japan). But, I must say that Japanese firework displays are very good. They are much longer and more compact than U.S. firework shows. The fireworks lasted for about an hour and there were very few gaps inbetween (they were practically continuous). After the fireworks were over I had to go home by EXTREMELY crowded subway. I know I said this last time that I went to Toyata city to see the fireworks, but I won't go to another firework show in Japan (even though I think that they are very goo). It's not worth fighting the crowd.

In Japan, naturally there are flavors that we don't have in the west (mainly because our tastes are different), the opposite is also true. One flavor that is a big hit in Japan that would never pass in the U.S. is Cucumber flavored Pepsi cola. I was talked in to trying some of this (pictures posted below).

I understand why pepsi does not market this flavor in the U.S., Brazil or Equador. My friends reactions were about the same as mine.

Last and least, I made a mistake on the deadline of one of my reports. Usually one forgets about the deadline until the last minute, but I thought that the deadline was today and I stayed up all night (literally I have not left the lab...I've been here since 8am yesterday...it's 8am now) trying to finish it. Well, I finished and then I looked at the deadline again (AUGUST 24). The professor gave us 1.5 months to do a simple report (that just take about 8 hours straight through). Yes, that means I didn't start on it until midnight. I did not expect to receive that much time, but that is not the only class with that deadline. Today is the final day of another one of my classes (I will be down to 2 out of 5 after today). As soon as my 8:45 class is over I am going to my apartment to sleep. I really don't like staying up so late.

Other than that I am not so busy. I have to prepare for 2 seminars and I have one more report to submit before the end of the month (maybe I will finish it tomorrow). Most of my friends are returning to their countries over the summer break (but I have to do internships). I'm sending my applications for graduate admissions to UNT and UT this week (but I'm having a little trouble with the GRE people...I can't get ahold of them, only a recording). Nothing else. I guess I'll write again when there is something to write about. Adios.