Self-sustainable survival skills...

New York City....

Ohhhh you finally listened to my wish and made recent days so warm....

It's about goddamn time!!! GOSH!

As my graduation day getting closer and closer, I am concerned for the future of unemployment...

What's gonna happen to the wooooooooooorrrrrrrrllllllllllllllldddddddddd!!!

With static economic and worldwide natural disasters and political crisis and disgusting reality show galores, I think world is heading to a crazy place.

But you guys all know that you can still live (relatively) comfortably without being employed right?

How, you may ask. Let me answer you.

The answer.... find a sugar daddy/mama. 

JKJKJK!!!!

This post is dedicated to Japanese homeless people.

If you have lived in Japan for long enough, 

you have probably seen those nomads in parks, closed train stations and roofed building entrance. 

I have seen plenty of documentary about those people when I was in high school.

I didn't think about those shows very much, but recently something reminded me of those. 

I must say, Japanese homeless people are quite self-sufficient and sustainable. 

No, they don't beg on the train or on the side walk, 

shaking cups from the fast food places (occasionally singing and yelling). 

Instead, they build their "temporary houses" out of mainly cardboards and some other disposed materials like lumber or plastic sheets.Some guys go to the extent of finding broken electronic like radio or TV, fix them and  hell, they use those!!! What the heck!! That skill itself can already get you a job!

They also collect cans for recycling (it gives them i think a dime per can or so) and old magazines to re-sell them on the streets.

Some homeless, in spring season, get paid to reserve a spot for people going to Hanami (refer to my previous post). They basically get a spot from like 2 days before the weekend, stay there until party arrives.
Intensity much?

It's almost like a lifestyle.
Yes, the nomads-kind of life style.

There are so many facilities like comic cafe, which provides you with a small compartment (well, for those fanatic comic readers who stay there for hours and read) that has bathroom you can shower (!) for like couple dollars per hour. Obviously, many homeless take advantage of this system.

Well, at least they take care of their personal hygiene!!!

So I'm just putting this out there for those who are concerned about the future of the job market and employment.

AFRAID NOT, THOU LOST LAMBS.

You can always come to Japan and enjoy this nomad-type lifestyle! (or we can call it modern lost gypsies.)

I really think these self-sufficient homeless should do workshop in NYC and teach those cup shakers some skills.

I think NYC will somehow start smelling much better.

Another reason to feast... just because it's spring time.

 IT'S FINALLY SPRING!!!!!

These trees are planted near my apartment.

They used to look like skeleton, without flowers or leaves.

But look at them now!!!

All flowery and colorful and cheery and springy!!!

How beautifuuulllll..

To celebrate this flower blossoming occasion, one must.... FEAST!!!!

But guys, I'm not saying this just because I want to feast.

It's a legit festivity in Japan, which is called "Hanami"

--> direct translation, "flower viewing." 

Despite the highly unoriginal name for the event, it is a big deal in Japan.

It usually involves viewing hundreds of cherry blossoms under the tree, eating, drinking, and being obnoxious. 

Sounds silly?? YOU BET NOT.

In Japan, we even have blossom forecast, where the weather cast predicts WHEN the flowers are going to bloom and WHERE.

Some people even pay homeless people to reserve the spot under the trees, especially in popular parks/gardens.

You still think it's silly????!!!

Well just google image Hanami.

There should be thousands of photos that show gorgeous trees with full pale pink blossoms...

There are so many of them that it looks like there is a pink fog in the air for miles....

Oh how poetic. 

But you probably can guess that I, being a feast lover, am much more concerned about what to eat.

There is a saying in Japanese "dumplings rather than flowers," indicating that people are more interested in the feast part, rather than the flowers.

Well DUHHHH-----.

But do not misunderstand me that this even is just another reason for people to get obnoxious...

It is actually a thousand years old tradition, started around Heian period (early 700A.C.). 

It is quite cultural...cherry blossom is also a symbol of Japan... a fragile, delicate and breath taking flowers have always been the subject of poems, paintings, and heck tattoo patterns. 

Anyways, Hanami is still one of my favorite feasts of all time.

Having a good time with your friends and family under the cherry trees full of flowers, that only last for couple of weeks...

This might be just another reason for people to get together.
But don't you think it's quite a sophisticated reason to feast? 

How to get extra something for free at Shake Shack

I know what you are thinking...

I know you are thinking.. "wow yuri, someone's been too lazy to post anything for 14days."

Please! Please don't give me that dirty look!!
I'm sorry! I'm sorry!

Ok, whatever.
Man, I think I am falling into running-out-of-ideas-to-talk-about syndrome that I believe all bloggers face all the time.

Anyways!

So the other day, I was craving burger.
Succulent, meaty, and sexy burger.
It was around 4pm on Sunday.

So what would Yuri do?

Go to Shake Shack!!!
I'm not crazy about that place, to be honest.
I just don't think they are as good as people rave...
That's just me though!!

But I wanted a decent burger without tipping anyone, or being seated.
So I headed to Shaky Shacky.

There were small line, despite the odd time of the day.
I finally got to the cashier, who kind of looked nervous; perhaps it was his first day of work.

I ordered, double shack burger and cheese fries.
Don't judge.

After saying my order, he goes
"do you want everything for your burgerS?"
I caught that he spoke in plural but ignored and said
"no onions"
Then he goes
"Anything else beside burgers?"
I was confused but I said
"um, the cheese fries?"

Then the check-out proceeded.
I wasn't really paying attention and looked back my receipt 2 seconds after he swiped my card.

"WTF $15!!!????"

Apparently he put in extra cheeseburger, as he misheard me when I ordered cheese fries in the beginning.
No wonder he asked me twice and no wonder the burger was plural.

So I went back to cashier to cancel my order.
Obviously he refunded me for the extra cheese burger.

BUUUTTT here's the miracle.

When I got to the counter to pick up my goodies,
the extra cheese burger was waiting for me.

As a good citizen, I told the staff the cheese burger was by mistake.

Staff:  "well, we made it already so you can take it."
Me: "what, er, are you sure?"
Staff: "...yeah. I mean it's free for you."
Me: "I know but um, OK!!!THANKS!!!"


End of story.

The moral: when you go to shake shack, mumble your order so the cashier mishears you and charge you for extra something. Then go back to him and complain so he will refund you while the item is already in the making, and take the free stuff.

What a wonderful world.