Fact.
You know nothing of the modern world unless you have recently moved into a newly constructed ‘smart building’ in Tokyo. The building is so smart; the same construction company ought to diversify into making people smart enough to comfortably live in it without feeling inferior to the concierge.
You know nothing of the modern world unless you have recently moved into a newly constructed ‘smart building’ in Tokyo. The building is so smart; the same construction company ought to diversify into making people smart enough to comfortably live in it without feeling inferior to the concierge.
Here I am sitting on the floor of my new smart house, just me, two cans of coke and a take out lunch box meticulously divided into 7 compartments, rice with a purple topping, weird green paste, weird fish, weird pickled vegetable (one piece of), weird piece of something round and a fried green bamboo-like stick.
The house is entirely empty, no chairs to sit on yet so I am embracing the local culture by sitting on the floor and picking at my weird plate of lunch. All day long there has been a procession of people from Tokyo Gas, Secom Security and several others I cant positively say which company they represent. The Tokyo gas guy showed up with a realtor (moonlighting as translator) to tutor me on using the ten control panels meant to make my life easier! Spectacular failure!
Why do I need the intercom between the bath (not bathroom mind you- the intercom is electronically connected to the BATHTUB itself) and the kitchen? And adding to the growing list of absurdities, there is a button in the kitchen that automatically fills the bathtub with water! All hail the brave new bathtub…
There is a more logically placed button (in what the Japanese call ‘powder room’) for reheating the water in the tub. A japanese voice (coming from what must be the secret world behind the bathroom wall) tells you the temperature of the water in the tub...With all that water and electronics I am surprised death by electrocution is not a bigger issue in Japan.
But what really made me feel like that monkey in Odyssey 2000 are the sci-fi control panels for BAKING FISH. The fish is a big deal here, obviously, it merits a special fish specific oven and hence a special set of million control buttons and one big touch screen panel.
Never think to disrespect another housewife, if she is from Tokyo chances are NASA and CERN are her recruiting about now.
Once I have bathed and baked the fish I might as well eat the fish alone, looking at the intercom makes me not want to buzz people in....ever.
this is my view -from one smart building you can clearly see other equally smart buildings.
Of course the bath and kitchen intercom are for the bather to request snacks and drinks and such! Ask Ali, its not pleasant hearing your name yelled from the other side of the house...."Bring me some water! bring me some tea!" Now if i had that intercom, i'd simply press the button and kittenly request my tea when my darling sister was already in the kitchen. maybe she'd oblige.
ReplyDeleteYour view is incredible...... I need to visit.
ps- More lunch boxes?! So neat, so gentle....