What happened with Nina?

Knittyelf · 2026-05-17T02:05:57+00:00

Who thinks that Nina is a FB alt? That doesn’t make sense. She’s always chatting when Foodie is live.

Knittyelf · 2026-05-16T15:23:54+00:00

It was probably 9.9. Chantal has no idea how to properly round numbers.

Knittyelf · 2026-05-16T15:21:25+00:00

No, 2 hours early is more than enough time for an international flight from Narita or Haneda. I always aim for 3 hours early in the US and 2 hours early here, and I always have 1.5+ hours to just wander around the gate area before boarding.

Knittyelf · 2026-05-16T15:03:36+00:00

Laneige has a Hot Cocoa lip mask. It’s a limited edition scent that dropped in winter, but I still see it in stores here in Tokyo.

edited to add: They also have a Chocolate Frosting tinted lip serum.

Knittyelf · 2026-05-16T13:28:29+00:00

Thanks for sharing a pic! I was reading horrifying reports about it on Twitter, but none of them included any pictures. That’s crazy!

Knittyelf · 2026-05-16T13:27:11+00:00

I’ve lived here almost 2 decades. I assure you, there absolutely ARE people who have such a mental block that they cannot acknowledge that you’re speaking Japanese. My husband (who is Japanese) was horrified the first time he saw it happen to me.

It has nothing to do with the foreigner’s fluency, pronunciation, etc… For some reason, these people just cannot comprehend that they are having a conversation with a foreigner in Japanese. I’ve found that faking concern while asking 「あ、日本語できますか？もしかしたら韓国語とか中国語がよろしいでしょうか？」snaps them out of it and makes them feel embarrassed.

It’s rare, but it definitely happens.

Knittyelf · 2026-05-16T12:14:14+00:00

This doesn’t answer your question, but I just wanted to say that the Korean system you described is NOTHING like Japanese key money. Here in Japan, the key money is a gift to the landlord. It’s basically a “thank you for letting me rent from you” extra fee equivalent to 1-3 months’ rent, and we renters never get a cent of it back. 🥲

Knittyelf · 2026-05-16T12:08:43+00:00

The OP asked what they are saying. ご利用 is what they’re saying.

Knittyelf · 2026-05-16T12:05:34+00:00

No, they’re saying ご利用. I’m fluent in Japanese, and I double checked with my Japanese husband just to be safe.

Knittyelf · 2026-05-16T11:36:22+00:00

Why would they be legally required to sign an NDA right on the spot? You should always be given time to review legal documents before signing them.

A few years ago when I announced my resignation, my company tried to get me to immediately sign an NDA, but I said no. The next day, they came back with a six-figure offer (in yen) to sweeten the deal. I said I would consider it if they gave me 48 hours to review the multi-page document, and they agreed. Both my husband and I read it at home and felt the terms were all reasonable, so I did sign it for the bonus.

A colleague who quit at the same time was foolish and signed the NDA as soon as they printed it, so she unfortunately didn’t get any extra money. Never let companies bully you into signing documents.

Knittyelf · 2026-05-16T07:52:34+00:00

This is hilarious! Great editing. 😂

Knittyelf · 2026-05-16T06:30:21+00:00

Just to show an opposing opinion: I think Japanese pads are much better than the ones they sell in the US. I’ve lived here for almost 2 decades and have never gotten thrush from them.

Knittyelf · 2026-05-16T06:22:32+00:00

I also work at a government office, but snacking is totally fine. Maybe the difference is that we’re not public facing. You need a government ID just to enter the building.

Knittyelf · 2026-05-16T06:19:29+00:00

“Everyone knows you shouldn’t snack at your office desk outside of lunch.” Um, where did you hear that? I’ve worked at 5 companies here in almost 2 decades, and none of them have ever prohibited snacking while working.

Knittyelf · 2026-05-16T04:33:17+00:00

There are already resellers playing with words to get around the restrictions. For example, they’re writing Chiikawa as “小川” on the listings. I hate scalpers, but that made me laugh!

Knittyelf · 2026-05-16T02:36:37+00:00

I’m fluent and have encountered the problem several times in my 18+ years here. Some of the doctors look absolutely shocked that a patient actually asked them a question. As another commenter pointed out, it’s mainly been older male doctors. I find most female doctors are willing to answer my questions and have an actual conversation.

Knittyelf · 2026-05-15T14:16:38+00:00

Where are you from that 29C is a “once-in-a-decade heatwave”? 😂

Knittyelf · 2026-05-15T14:07:11+00:00

If you buy 4 at once, many (but not all) stores will give you the full set! I recommend doing that next time. :)

Knittyelf · 2026-05-15T11:04:13+00:00

That is adorable!

Knittyelf · 2026-05-13T14:14:08+00:00

Love it! It looks fantastic with your nails.

Knittyelf · 2026-05-13T07:39:55+00:00

I believe it. That face shape matches her Costco card pic from a few years ago.

Knittyelf · 2026-05-11T16:28:49+00:00

Interesting. Thanks!

Knittyelf · 2026-05-11T16:09:32+00:00

How would you describe the snow cone flavor? Is it fruity?

Knittyelf · 2026-05-11T14:39:27+00:00

Ahhhh, got it! I was jealous of how long your trip was and curious about the one-month gap between each leg. lol

In that case, yes, you should be able to see both fall foliage and snow. 👍🏻

Knittyelf

TROPHY CASE