The clock strikes 3...

I work the late night shift so I get a 2 hour break from 3-5am. The city is so strange because it's so vibrant during the day and so quiet at night. So, last night I went walking through Osaka's infamous Love hotel district. I was just curious to what all the hub-bub was about. It was surprisingly quiet. I was expecting the quiet shuffle of lovers sneaking between the hotels or perhaps the sound of that oh so familiar yakuza looking guy handing out flyers encouraging you to try out so-and-so's hotel or whatever. To my surprise none of the sights and sounds were present. In there place were the quiet sounds of blinking neon signs, the tired footsteps of bar and restaurant employees on their way home. The surprising screech of bicycle brakes as an older lady on a bike comes barreling around one of the narrow blind corners, almost hitting me, a common thing even in the daylight in open areas. Unimpressed with the ambiance I slothfully meander back to the office.

I only have 3 more lessons after the break is over.

I need to do a little more grocery shopping but I think I'll just go home after work is done.

I still need to get a cell phone.

Hopefully my advance has been deposited into my account at the UFJ.

I'm in search of a Martial arts school while I'm here too. I feel very lost without my practice I work-out occasionally at home and at this little park just on the other side of the building but solitude is getting me. I feel like I've confined myself somehow. I did contact a southern shaolin school. They gave me info on their school and they also suggested that I go to some other school. The school they suggested looks more gaijin friendly...I don't how to take their suggestion...Kind of offended I guess. I'll call and inquire more with the shaolin school. I don't want to practice dancing around and looking hard (the suggested school taught breakdancing, wing chun, capoeria, martial art trickz, and just seemed like a ball of money grubbing cheese). There's also this boxing gym right across the street from the office that teaches boxing, obviously, and some other martial art. I think judo but I can't read the first kanji character. I'm up for anything though...
I'd also like to get out and see some more of the city and surrounding areas. I think this weekend will be a good time for that. Perhaps Osaka castle or I might try heading to Tennoji again (I didn't quite make it there the first time!). My friend owns a restaurant near there in Abeno. There is also this big park in Tennoji with a zoo. The more I write about it, the more it sounds better than the touristy and bum infested Osaka castle. My roommates and friend tell me there is a large homeless settlement in the forest surrounding the castle. Blue tarped shanties with A/C powered by car batteries.
That is one thing I discovered when I was wandering towards Tennoji the other day, the homeless are quite cunning. They have these tarped and cardboarded houses everywhere in unassuming places, that are just as big as my room; bikes and carts used for transporting their building materials (more boxes and tarps). And some of them even have pet dogs! How they feed the dogs and themselves is beyond me. And the dogs are so docile here. I have never had one just growl aggressively or bark at me. They don't even care that you are walking by. The bums are much the same way. They just go about their business of collecting boxes and getting there occassional drink from a vending machine without an outstretched hand begging or panhandling. They just do their thing...whatever it may really be?!
I'm the only person that I know of that has the weekends off so it's kind of difficult to organize an outing with friends. I also work at night so, me sleeping during the day doesn't help either. However, some of the boys and girls do enjoy staying up until the sun comes up drinking...makes me wonder how they make it to work in the morning...or early afternoon depending on their shifts.
As I said I get a 2hr break from 3-5am. It's nice to sit in one of the unused break rooms and look out on the city as it wakes up. Today seems like it's going to be very humid. There is a very thick haze over the buildings. From the 14th floor, I can barely make out my apartment building only a few blocks away. I think rainy season has started too as the past few days have been nothing but a moderate drizzling of rain. But what's Japan without it's humid and rainy summer?...It's to be expected.