Jottings from the journal (and jet 2?)

I could not believe it and I was extremely embarrassed!
I stood by the store check-out with my credit card in the reading machine and it was declined!
The store clerk just looked apologetic and then at the queue behind me.
I also briefly looked behind me and saw the accusing faces, the bemused faces and the empathic faces.
"I know my account is healthy", I said to him, well I may also have said to myself as if to affirm my thoughts.
I have several regular and separate incomes that allow me to live quite comfortably.
"Let me try again please" I asked and he shrugged his shoulders and touched his touch screen monitor a few times.
At his direction I again inserted my card into the slot and waited to punch in my code and again it declined me.
"I'm sorry, I'll have to call the manager and void your transaction" he said.
There were a few impatient movements and sounds behind me.
I was quite angry now. I did not want to go to the post office or the bank in the rain to draw money from the machines. I was going to get wet enough carrying my shopping home, should I ever get it and go home in this sudden downpour.
He called the manager and he explained my predicament and the manager then voided the whole list and he apologized to me and called the person in the queue behind me up to the check out.
"I am so sorry Miss," he said to me shaking his head, "But for whatever reason we can't take your money."
"This is a new card and I know I have money in my account, a lot of money but your store is far from the dispensing machines and it like a typhoon rain outside!"
He stroked his chin while looking at me.
"A new card you say..."
I nodded
"Let me try something." he said and he picked up my baskets of shopping and took them to an unused check out. He scanned everything and asked me to insert my card. I did so and again it said I was declined.
My heart dropped into my stomach. I knew he could see the disappointment and frustration on my face.
"Let's try one more time but this time please swipe it like you did with your old card."
My new card has a computer chip in it and it has not caused me any difficulties before but I did as I was asked and swiped the magnetic strip the old fashioned way.
"Processing" flashed on my little readout window and then came the printout which I signed and he was smiling at me as he checked my card signature.
With the shopping finally mine, I regarded him with a smile, one of joy and also one of relief.
"I do not know, sometimes these new cards have problems in my store but at least we can still do it the old way. I am sorry we caused you distress and hope you will shop with us again."
To try and tell you how relieved I was could not do my emotions justice. I thanked the store manager for all of his help and said I would be happy to come again.
Two shopping bags, two hands, no way I could use the umbrella - I managed to get a taxi but I still got home soaking wet. At least I did have my shopping!
At least now I know if I get a computer chip error again I'll insist that the store swipes my strip.
Three years ago I was given the option of taking a card with a chip or not and I chose not to. I don't know why I said no, it was perhaps that I wanted to see the technology working first and see the little problems cured before personally taking one but now all new cards are chipped. I have had this one for a few months now and I don't use it a lot because I usually carry cash but the times that I have used it I have never before encountered any problems.

Hitomi spends a lot of time in her new studio. We put a small bed in there and she sometimes just curls up on it and reads or takes her ipad or chats on her phone. I even caught her asleep in there with the radio on but most of the time I think she or the both of us will add our little deft touches. She has advertised in the local papers and of course at her agency and our friend Yoshie, who works in the business, is very interested.
T.W has a friend, whom she met on a fishing trip along with her boyfriend and who she says would love to pose and pay for a shoot to start a portfolio.
Things look good from such auspicious beginnings!

Recently, as I recall, there were several articles in the papers regarding the control of official uniforms. Apparently some uniforms, especially those of the 'JAL' air stewardesses, were being sold simply to give the new owner an air (pun intended) of authenticity as they worked in a totally unrelated field.
I'm not really going to go on about the sex industry which is second biggest industry in Japan (the first is actually cars), because everyone knows nearly exactly what it is all about. It has existed here for almost five centuries in a form above and beyond the oldest profession but thankfully it has not had to suffer the indignant moral judgment of any Juedo-Christian religious philosophy. Perhaps it is something that is not so open even to the many foreigners that live or visit here because it predominantly opens its doors to Japanese nationals only, at least ninety-nine per cent of the time. But one American Journalist, Joan Sinclair did manage to find her way in and eventually publish a very good photo-journal account called the pink box after a particular establishment in Osaka. Don't we just love eye-openers and insights into the ways of those peoples far away!

Not that we are working in such clubs. Our uniforms are certainly not authentic and so won't cause any offense to our wonderful airlines but hopefully they will bring a few smiles as we go to the cos-play party at the Mars.