FINALLY AN UPDATE

GUESS WHAT...I GET MONDAY OFF FOR, UM, "REMEMBER THE TOKYO OLYMPICS OF THE 1940s" DAY. Thats cool and the free time gives me reason to finally update this beast. Oh, and by the way, I will be updating this site everyday (within reason) from now on! I hope you are happy, Helen and Hiroko. MY ONLY livejournal friends--I feel so unloved.

Actually, this weekend was a great time for loving. I dont mean that in a perverse way, in case that is what you are thinking. Me and some local foreign teachers connected over HISTORY of all things. Yep, my friend Robert, the oldest 22 year old that I have ever met (well with the exception of Haigo) answered all the questions that I had regarding British Imperialism. Geez, the guy is smart! Well that makes sense...he is, after all, a graduate of Oxford University. I was a stupid American and asked if Oxford was in London. It isn't and I felt like a right fool. Oh well, you can't be intelligent all the time.

And, on Sunday, the dinner at Youma's was quite excellent. Youma, in case you are wondering, is a crazy Japanese older guy who really likes JETS. He invites all of the local JETS, along with his Japanese friends, to a full dinner EVERY sunday. The guy's English is really quite good and he always seems interested in the mundane things that I have to say. What a decent man!! Anyway, we had salad, Japanese style burgers, and eggy type pasta with sausage. I even ate the raw fish that was swimming in what looked like, er, snot. You are supposed to pour soy sause on the snot and then mix it all up. The soy sause doesn't make the snot much better but I ate it against my stomach's better judgement. I was being a good guest for once.

This week should be interesting. I ASSUME that I will actually have to teach at the elementary school this week (the powers that be have cancelled my elementary school visit for two Wednesday's in a row). The first class that I taught at the elementary school--three weeks ago--went really badly. I was quite embarassed and I hope to make a better impression this week. If I can't, I better start screwing my head on a little tighter. Also, I teach my first english class to the local adults on Wednesday night. I have virtually no idea what to expect from that one! In 2004, I taught one english lesson to 3-4 Japanese women every week. That series of lectures were received quite well...I least I think that they were. With adults, who strive to be polite and look interested at all times, you can never really tell. I'll just stick with my rosy memories for the time being.

I wish I could send you all some pictures but I still have no digital camera. My friends have taken some crazy good pictures and video since they have been here...i need to borrow some of their work and post it online. They have several great shots of the time I dressed up in a Spider-Man mask and ran around Osaka. THAT was an experience that I'd love to share with you!!!

Today, I need to decend the mountain once again in order to buy food and maybe rent DVDs. I only have a few chocolates, some bananas, a tomato, two heads of brocolli, and some bacon left in my fridge. And I'll I really want is a sandwich. And a back massage. Somebody better fly out here right now to rub my back. When I become famous, I'm only going to buy the most comfortable chairs and couches. No curb-crawling for me, thanks very much!

-Love to Everyone

"And we're never gonna survive unless
We get a little crazy."