On Friday.
(While staring at the wall.)

Principal: Kate-san!
Kate-San: (snaps to) Yes?
Principal: 800 meters, okay?
Kate-San: Um, you mean running? (swings arms in pendulum-like motion)
Principal: Yes! Running. (He is referring to the upcoming Sports Day. It's like field day but in a more military/borderline violent way.)
Kate-San: Um........... (enter other English teacher)
English Teacher: She doesn't like sports. (Kate shoots grateful, non-athletic look.)
Principal: Oh.....well.

(a few hours pass)

Gym Teacher: So you're running in the teacher relay, right?
Me: (having already given in) Yeah, I guess so.
Gym Teacher: Good. It's only one hundred meters each. Besides, you're the youngest teacher, so you should.

Damnit! This is going to result in a pulled muscle and a lot of shame.


This weekend was a doozie. Went to a beach party about an hour out of Nagoya. Lotsa bands, lotsa DJs, lotsa kebab sandwiches. Will's band played and rocked a jelly fish or two for sure. It was so much fun that at some point we ended up in the back of a Cadillac limousine with free beer playing with the buttons that make the partition go up and down. Gangsta.

Cutesy, loud, obnoxious? Check, check and check.

Check out those gams!

Arty band photo.

Today I woke up on the floor with tatami mat etched into my face, so the day began kind of rough. That is until Mihoko and Linea came to visit me from Toyama! It was fun to see them! I'll be headed back there in a few weeks for a show.