ZOSO, GUAPO, FAXOIDS, AND SEIJIN SHIKI

Today was the birthday of two great guitarists. Jimmy Page (left) of Led Zeppelin. He "comes from the land of the ice and snow. From the midnight sun where the hot springs blow". And Guapo Gustavo (above, with me at Abuello's). He "comes from the town next to Mexico. From the desert land where the Grande flows". Or El Paso.

Happy Birthday, lads. Keep rockin'.

It was a frustrating day for me, personally. I had to get a new cover for my front right blinker light, so that I could pass inspection. I went online and found a cheap place that could send it to me by Wednesday. But they needed to fax me over an order form, so that I could fax them back with my debit card information. And a photo copy of my driver's license. Being that I don't have a fax machine, I gave them the fax number at Borders. The guy said he would send it immediately, so I wouldn't waste a trip to work. So I drove all the way out there (during my vacation) and waited for half an hour for the fax to arrive.

It never did.

Realizing that I had negelected to bring their phone number with me, I went all the way back home and called them again. So they said they would fax over another copy. Then I called work and got Jerry S. to check and see if my fax had finally come through. He said, "Yes. In fact, there are two of them." I said, "Fine. Just put it in my mailbox. I'll come get it tomorrow." No way in hell was I driving back up to work during my vacation. Besides, any orders sent to the auto parts place after 4pm wouldn't be processed until the next day, anyway.
So, if I fax it tomorrow, I can get the part by Thursday. And, possibly, I can get my car inspected then or on Friday.

On a brighter note, today was seijin shiki, the Japanese coming-of-age ceremony. Celebrated, annually, on the second Monday in January, seijin shiki centers around the passage into adulthood which, traditionally, occurs at age twenty. The festivities usually take place in the morning at local city offices. Gifts are presented to the new adults. Local officials give speeches. All the local residents, who will reach the age of twenty during that school year, are invited. Women wear a furisode, and men, traditionally, wear a hakama (each a unique type of kimono). However, these days, many of the young men and women wear modern business attire. (So there's variety.)
After the official ceremonies have ended, the new adults often go out to drink and party with their friends. Evening trains are filled with wobbly, drunken twenty-year olds heading home.

Happy seijin shiki!

Bibliography:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seijin_Shiki