Expatriate Kate

In the last month I....

2007-04-12T14:16:00.000+09:00

showed my fams Nagoya, moved, said goodbye to great people, went to oodles of Japanese temples with the Moms, went to Japanese Disney, turned 24, went to the west coast, visited The Kyle Davis, saw otters, read Monster Hotel, ate at too many fabulous eateries thanks to Samantha, was underhandedly traded sheep, lost cell phone(s), karaoked with the bestest/funnest person in the whole world (duh, it's Jayne), saw good bands, saw sh*tty bands, got a few decent job prospects, went to college with Steve (totally Back to School style-without the Oingo Boingo), drank delicious beers.

And so friends, this is the end of our road together. The main reason for ceasing this blog: too many memories.

I'm not sure where I'm going, however, I hope that I will blog again. If nothing else, I hope you enjoyed this blog. There were great times, bad times, and weird times. But there were, most definitely, times.

If you need me, I'll be doing the crossword puzzle...........

Easy bake......

2007-03-22T22:08:00.001+09:00

The last two weeks have been absolutely insane. Just read the article.

I sent out four resumes today.

2007-03-11T19:52:00.001+09:00

I stayed in a temple last weekend with my friend Shiho. Her family lives here. They are great!! We had an awesome time.

Yesterday some goon came over from the recycle center to buy my high quality sh*t. With shiny ¥¥ signs in my eyes, I invited him in.
It went like this:

Dude: Okay, so we’ll give you about ¥3,000 for these things (reads huge list) but you’re going to have to pay us about ¥12,000 to dispose of the TV, microwave and chair.
Kate: !!!!! Um, what?
Dude: You see, the television and microwave are old and you have to dispose of them.
Kate: Yes, but everything works. Nothing is broken. And the chair is brand new.
Dude: …
Kate: …
Dude: Yeah, so we’ll be back on Thursday to pick everything up for you!

Like, huh?! Apparently this is the norm for recycle centers. They will get money for my stuff, and then most likely turn around and sell it at decent prices. As if!! I have already beat the system and this weekend have a dude who sells secondhand crap coming over to take it all for no charge. Take that, Japanese secondhand bureaucracy!

Yay! Click here.

2007-03-01T17:55:00.000+09:00

I'm not covering my mouth when I cough.

2007-02-26T21:55:00.000+09:00

Chelsea came to visit me this weekend. We had a blast and did a lot of neat things all over Nagoya like art museuming, shopping, buffet eating and more! She got all the good photos, but I did manage to snap one!

In Japan, if a dog is cute enough, it can do anything it wants, like jump onto the table of complete strangers while they’re having tea. His name was Shorty-notice his fancy Chanel coat.

The next three days at work are test days. I spent today sitting at my desk wearing jeans openly drinking a carton of grapefruit juice with a straw. And I looked for work on the Internet. So pretty much broke every rule I could have. Well, there wasn't any vodka in the juice. Three weeks to go people.

I have a sore throat, which I think is directly attributed to hay fever. In other sickly news, they had to cancel 2nd grade classes (equivalent of U.S. 8th grade) because everyone is getting the flu. That’s a little thing we like to call, “karma”. They are mean, and I will surely gloat over their misery.

I need opportunity, I need skills!

hmmmmmmmm

2007-02-22T23:32:00.000+09:00

I had a great weekend in Toyama. I realized several important things.

1) Just about everyone I know there is fun and interesting.

2) I love babies.

3) Pink wigs are where it’s at. And I like wine.

Thanks to everyone for their awesome hospitality. Miss you guys a ton. And Rachel, for goodness sakes I didn’t get any pictures of you-send them!!

As of right this second I have some pretty good job stuff lined up for return to the motherland, at least I think so. As long as I can make enough money to buy a drum kit and support my candy habit, I’ll be okay.

Today I read one job posting that said "Seeking Exceptional People who can change everything!" Naturally I clicked on it and went straight to their website about saving lives in Africa and giving back to the world. And then I saw a picture of Bono. Sorry exceptional people seekers, Bono is a tool. As denoted here.

Yeah, so things are kinda f*cked. Am I faking it well?

Only two decent things to report.

2007-02-10T00:18:00.000+09:00

1) I passed the Level 4 Proficiency Test, i.e. I am now certified to run a snow cone stand at the Zoo.

2) Keds are comin' back. You heard it here first.

Lonely at Denny's

2007-02-05T13:51:00.000+09:00

2007-02-01T15:59:00.000+09:00

Click here.

2007-01-25T10:11:00.000+09:00

Hmmm, maybe I'll consider staying.

Whew!

2007-01-25T09:04:00.000+09:00

There was so much going on last weekend I almost soiled myself. But I didn't. Here's a small fraction of the action.

Deerhoof was awesome.

As was the robot museum!

The next few months are going to be super busy. My Mom and lovely Aunt are paying me a visit at then end of March, and I will be heading to the west coast, a.k.a. Tha Best Coast, to see The Kyle Davis as well. What better birthday present could I give to myself?

For those of you who didn't believe me, click here.

2007-01-17T13:43:00.000+09:00

I will totally open my own franchise. Who wants to be a bazillionaire with me?

And this is just awesome.

2007-01-17T13:42:00.000+09:00

Workin' it.

2007-01-15T10:16:00.000+09:00

So I'm coming home in March and looking for jobs online. It's pretty much terrible, but that's the working world for you. Actually I don't know because on an average day, my working world is eating candy from my stocking while reading online interviews with Bill Stevenson.

Jobs I have applied for:

* Refugee placement coordinator
* Museum curator/educator
* Communications coordinator for after school girls program
* Art teacher for a company called, and I wish I was kidding, Abrakadoodle
* Executive Assistant to CEO of Girl Scouts
* Writer/Copy editor for a mystery East Georgia newspaper
* Exchange Program Coordinator

A few follow up e-mails, but nothing so much yet. Here's my motivation.

I'm gonna need some Aquanet.

the past month

2007-01-11T23:39:00.000+09:00

Home was fun. I have a few pictures. Please enjoy.

Nagoya airport.

My introduction to home-nachos belle grande.

Our new cat. She beats up the dog.

Barbeque doesn't exist here yet, so I ate it at home.

I'm not even going into all the New Years shenanigans. Not even. Let's just say that Jayne and I managed to salvage the evening and enjoy ourselves. It ain't easy keeping your cool when hippies steal all of the provided parking spots and a bum scams you for 10 bucks.

The party we went to set off fireworks.

Then Jayne decided to work out.

Yeah!

I've been gone about a week now and I'm back in the swing of things here. Trying to apply for jobs, tie up lose ends and enjoy what Japan has to offer for the next two months. Stuff like this.

..... this...

.....and this.....

Headed home.

2007-01-06T05:48:00.000+09:00

Goin home tomorrow. Gonna be quite a transition.

It was great to see everyone. Have a good New Year, see ya in the spring.

2006-12-29T15:34:00.000+09:00

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-26T09:44:00.000+09:00

Happy Holidays everybody. Hope you had a good one. Like whoa.

Home is....

2006-12-20T23:36:00.000+09:00

great because of:
* Jayne
* Steve
* Family
* lasagna
* general stranger friendliness
* real Christmas Trees
* opinions
* Jello Pudding Snacks
* DAWG

crap because of:
* traffic
* bad customer service
* angry fat people

It's been three days and things are going pretty well. Tryin to handle a few creeping holiday blues, but having lots of fun. I do prefer American Christmas, yet there are some things I miss.....

Hooray!

2006-12-15T16:02:00.000+09:00

I just went to a Christmas party where the Principal dressed up like Santa Clause and did the robot. Then we played Bingo.

No more school until January-keg stand!

できた！

2006-12-11T16:22:00.000+09:00

Finished the Japanese test last weekend-now I feel like doing this!

It was long, it was tough, but I think I passed. Let's hope so. Incidentally, it was the most International event I've been to in a while. There were at least 20 countries represented. Hope I did mine proud.

Less than a week, folks, and I'm headed to the land of the free and the home of my bed that isn't on the floor.

I've been working like crazy to make a fun Christmas lesson for the students. Also at work, I've been looking for jobs online. It might be the worst thing ever. Today I read this want ad:

"Woman voice needed to talk to customers-no sex talk."

Okay.

Slowly and slowly I feel more like this. Every time I leave the teacher's room I get shocked by the metal handle on the door.

It seems like almost everyone who's someone in my life is going through some major shit right now. I love all of you, and I'm here with the Christmas hugs if you be wantin em.

Last weekend.....

2006-12-02T16:51:00.000+09:00

...I took a weekend trip to Yamanashi ken to visit my friend Chelsea. I met her in Atlanta before we came over to Japan, and I hadn't seen her since. Here she is looking tough in crocheted hat and scarf combo.

She lives in a delightful little town called Minobu. She met me at the station on Friday night and took me to dinner at a local restaurant and from there the weekend was a whirlwind of fun, new people, blueberry pancakes, delicious curry, temples, steps to temples, fruit parks, onsen, hot sake, and noodles.

Lots to say, we did a ton, and it was great to see Chelsea.

Minobu is famous for wine.

View of Fuji from the Fruits Park onsen. Can you see it? It's behind those smaller, insignificant mountains.

Minobu San-287 steps to Enlightenment.

After the steps. If achieving enlightenment really means feeling the embarrassment knowing that two people in their 60's beat me to the top of the steps, then yes, consider me enlightened.

Houtou, famous Yamanashi noodles.

sighbarfcrap

2006-11-28T11:58:00.000+09:00

The proficiency test is on Sunday, I have 3 free days at work due to testing and I cannot concentrate enough to study. It's like when you read the same sentence 75 times in a book you can't get into.

This is the kanji I have to memorize.

http://www.kanjisite.com/html/start/jlpt/4/all/index.html

Not hard at all if you've lived here for a year. But I can't be bothered to review them.

Someone give me some motivation, a beer, and a one way ticket down to Eaaaaaassssy Street where I'm gettin that duplex with Jayne.

Back to smoking heavily...or something.

Thanksgiving Day 2006

2006-11-27T08:40:00.000+09:00

Pumpkin Overturn was pretty much a success. It wasn't the best thing I've ever made, but it was certainly the best thing I've ever made with gelatin. It was more like a pudding than pie, yet acceptable.

Thanksgiving Day for me started out at the Laundromat. Yes, I cleaned my clothes here. Next order of business is finding a place to do my wash that isn't condemned. Seriously, I think there was a cat living in one of the dryers.

I played drums for an hour, met up with my buddy Helen and we had a Thanksgiving dinner at the local foreigner hook up bar. The location sucks, but we enjoyed ourselves, talked about lots of things and watched hookers play pool over turkey, gravy and mashed potatoes. More soon about my fun weekend.

The Dumps, Down in

2006-11-21T20:54:00.000+09:00

Why is it that every time you're feeling really terrible all the songs you hear go right along with your mood? Except at the foreign food store. They were playing Xanadu. And last time I was in there they were playing that song by Hot Chocolate about "You Sexy Thing." I gotta start hanging out there more often, and not just for the wholesale salsa at low, low prices.

Incidentally, Kyle I found you on Aisle 2.

Ugh. Well, I did manage to get a free t.v. today, so that was good I guess. Let's be honest, the best part of my day was a chocolate mochi I ate. And it wasn't even that tasty. I should have gone with the soda flavored gum.

If you need me I'll be trying to make a Thanksgiving pumpkin pie with no oven and no crust. I shall call it, "Pumpkin Overturn."

2006-11-20T00:26:00.000+09:00

Should we be concerned about this? Click here.

2006-11-17T12:00:00.000+09:00

Sweet T.V.

2006-11-17T09:37:00.000+09:00

If there's one thing I've learned in Japan it is never underestimate the value of a television series. We are currently in the middle of watching Twin Peaks. I think there's only about 7 or so episodes left. My favorite character this week is Denise. If you'd have told me when we started the series a month ago that I'd be seeing David Duchovny in drag I probably would have laughed at you and said, "Oh you, what do you know?"

I like it a lot, but some of the subplots are getting kind of lame like the one with the adopted boy being accused of killing his parents. Maybe there will be some significance to that later. I would explain more, but you can't talk about the show without ruining it for other people, so to save you all I will change the subject

Things sure are picking up at work. I am currently coloring vegetable pictures and researching the best recipes for pumpkin Creme Brulée. After class I will show my most eager students the rest of The Ring. Don't ever try to scare Japanese kids. It doesn't work. They all told me they think the movie isn't scary whatsoever. !!!! We have better insulation and toothpaste, but I guess America just can't compete with the Japanese horror movie.

2006-11-13T10:10:00.000+09:00

Friday night was a huge disappointment. I went out to a drinking party with my teachers and spent two awkward hours trying not to drink myself to the point of oozing under the table. Now I'm at a point where I feel confident enough to communicate fairly well in Japanese, but none of the English teachers showed up, so everyone was afraid to talk to me without the possible aid of a translator. Nobody even took the conversation bait when I asked questions about what we were eating, as if I have no idea what f**king pudding is. In fact, the only thing that saved the evening was the pudding. I've been to parties like that knowing about 10 words of Japanese and had a blast. I digress, maybe I should have tried harder....next time I'm putting my feet in the nabe pot and eatin with my toes. Screw it, if you can't join 'em, make 'em uncomfortable.

Thankfully, the rest of the weekend was pretty great. Saturday we went to Seto outside of Nagoya, a city know for it's delightful pottery. It was cold and rainy, but the town was cool and worth going back. Saturday's dinner was at a real Spanish restaurant with some new friend's of ours. Sunday was a company picnic that was really fun. Later we ordered pizza for dinner while watching Audition. I don't know in what context that movie and eating go together, but we gave it a shot. Right now I'm gluing paper fruits onto paper for tomorrow's lesson about........fruits. I want to get a puppet, too.

I'd type more, but every time I try to focus there's a little clear thing that floats in front of my eyeball. It's like I'm looking into a microscope with those shaky things in the lake water.

In summation I need:

* More trips outside the city
* More iron in my diet
* Less gore during pizza time

Home again

2006-11-10T08:35:00.000+09:00

Well readers, I'm coming home for Christmas. I'll be there starting December 17th. If you wanna hang, lemme know. I plan on doing lots of relaxing, eating Kraft Macaroni and Cheese and little else. So fire up the yule log, and don't make me get jolly on your naughty asses.

2006-11-08T12:45:00.000+09:00

Hmm, what's new.

I was in a Foreign Artist Exhibition last week that was fairly interesting. Met some cool people anyways. One guy even put in his fake nail art. Sparkly.

Saturday night I went to The Nagoya University of Art festival at which I saw a badass band covering Black Sabbath with two of the shittiest singers I've ever heard. It was fun though, and they had cheap food.

The only thing keeping me sane at school right now are these girls. Every Thursday we hang out and watch English movies and talk about American holidays and eat candy. Here they are making Halloween cards.

I will be consulting the Colonel for possible job options.

New Hobby Alert: I started taking some drum lessons, just to get the basics down. I suck bad so far, but my teacher has white hair and Hammer pants, and I'm in a class with 4 High School girls.

Weekend........and more

2006-11-02T09:17:00.000+09:00

Last weekend we went camping with some of Will's friends. Camping really isn't the right word for it. Really I'd call it livin' it up like Snoop Dog's crew sipping Hennessy on a golf course. No seriously, look!

It was fun, there were lots of families with cute kiddies and we played bingo.

You cannot be in the proximity of a 6 year-old girl for more than 10 minutes without getting covered in stickers.

So you all know that Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, and this year it was celebrated in style. Will took the title of Halloween King with the best costume at the party we went to. I think if you look at the pictures you'll agree.

Here's to you, anonymous!

2006-10-30T04:57:00.000+09:00

I was supposed to be a member of Team Zissou from "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou". I think we should all try to be a little more like Bill Murray, am I right? I even had the black gun leg belt thing too. It's too bad my efforts were wasted because nobody had any clue who I was. That's life in the fast lane.
More soon about my fun weekend!

Karaoke Halloween Hamburger

2006-10-24T10:23:00.000+09:00

Friday night I went out to karaoke with some work people to practice songs for an upcoming music c.d. we'll be recording. The songs are for elementary school kids and cover such topics as fruit, liking fruit, animals, liking animals and so on. On top of that I sang some old favorites and drank my share of watered down gin and tonics.

Saturday I went shopping for my Halloween costume. I was disappointed in myself for purchasing a costume in a bag, but that's life when you don't care enough to shop around for weeks to put together a badass costume like this.

Later hung out with some new crazy friends, Koji and Junko.

Sunday got taken out for a mouth fulla hamburg steak at Tokyo Kitchen. I will dub this as highlight of my weekend. Hamburg steak is a popular dish here, and it usually consists of a hamburger and a carbohydrate thrown on a plate with some gravy, like this:

(Thanks Japan, I'll go to my local truck stop at home and get the same deal for $3.)

Normally I would never eat such a thing because to me a burger without a bun is lame, and gravy is the sauce for people who just can't do any better. But this place is a special place and the burger was so importantly delicious that it was covered in cheese in its own special dish, I received an extra piece of silverware to eat it and was warned about 7 times by 4 different staff members that it was hot and to be careful. Wow.

Also got some paintsyn done but not as much as I shoulda. The exhibition opens in a week, and I have some work to do.

Read this, Japan.

2006-10-17T13:08:00.000+09:00

Festival Time

2006-10-17T02:01:00.000+09:00

Hi readers. Today is test day at school, and I am sitting around for about 8 hours with nothing to do. Thusly, I will fill you in on what's been doin'.

Last Friday night was a huge drinking party at work. You might recall my recent pledge to lay off the hooch, but it was for the greater good of building a strong foundation between my peers. (It was a retarded idea which led to lid-flipping, and I totally barfed. )

The rest of the weekend was filled with Nagoya Matsuri. This festival was big and great. I ate festival food, saw weird stuff and ate more food. More pictures to come, here are a choice few to wet your whistle.

The remainder of my day will be filled with wandering around the school library (they have the entire Beatrix Potter Tales-I sure missed that dumbass Jemima Puddleduck) and making flash cards. The proficiency test is only a few months away and to save myself some embarrassment, I need to get on the study ball.

3 day weekend

2006-10-12T00:42:00.000+09:00

Three day weekends are good, like finding $5 in last Winter's coat, those extra few Hot Tamales at the bottom of the box, or updating Wickipedia. We spent this 3 day weekend enjoying random Japanese construction. For example:

On Saturday we went to a real fake Italian village! Initially it looked like they modeled it after Venice, but they had a statue of Michelangelo's David and a Monty Python poster. Oh well. Although mostly a glorified shopping mall, the Italian Mura had good food.

Afterwards we took to the seas on a ferry. Almost getting blown into the water at least 17 times, we docked and kissed the land.

Sundays are always good for a barbecue, especially by a big pointless tower in the middle of nowhere. And we managed to teach some Japanese folks how to toss around the old pigskin. How's that for internationalization?

138 tower.

Quincy, random friendly girl, Willster, Katester, tiny fishy.

Monday was a trip to the museum to check out some history. The recent exhibition was about Ise Shrine and pilgrimages to said shrine. I didn't understand most of it, but there were fun pictures of people dressed up like animals. Check out this neat garden!

Recently I've been trying to lay off the sauce. Besides my lack of expendable budget, it's time I cut back. I'm no spring chicken anymore, and besides, what has binge drinking ever done for me? (Anyone with an answer to that, keep it to yourself.)

"Eflerwannerseyeryooouufucks,"

2006-10-06T00:54:00.000+09:00

said Shane MacGowan as he took the stage. The Pogues show was awesome. I've never seen people get that excited at a live show in Japan. It was a sweaty, happy romp which will not soon be forgotten.

This is the only picture I took before I got yelled at by a fat security guard with glasses.

2006-10-04T07:42:00.000+09:00

This past weekend, as the weekends prior, flew by. Some highlights:

Friday- Drinking party

Saturday- Work all day, drinks with Irish ambassador, 4:00 a.m. squid snacks

Sunday- Matsuri and party at friend's house with pot pie

And now for some whining! I rarely bitch about work on this blog, but I'm lettin 'er loose. It has recently come to my attention that I am slowly starting to dislike my job. As many of you know, I have been put into the "tape recorder" position dreaded by so many English teachers. I am literally repeating vocabulary words and dialogue ad nauseam to the point where even I'm bored in class. It's like that movie Groundhog Day except I don't get to impress everyone by knowing all the answers on Jeopardy.

I have created a graph which shows the proportionate job dissatisfaction to my consumption.

And it's not that my ideas of what we could be doing in class are better than the teacher's, it's just hard for me to stay excited about book work. But I know people who have done this job far longer than I have and still keep on truckin'.

Enough complainins, I'm going to The Pogues in a few hours. Report on that soon. Oooo, maybe I'll make a graph about Shane MacGowan's progressive drunkeness throughout the show!

Sportiness

2006-09-29T12:12:00.000+09:00

Yay for Sports Day! And we won the teacher's relay-take that you whipper snappers.

2006-09-25T10:49:00.000+09:00

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.

Tuesday doesn't have to be Monday to suck

2006-09-21T04:26:00.000+09:00

Yesterday sucked. There was a fight at school (student on teacher-totally nuts), we had mystery meat with an even more mysterious sauce for lunch and I had to wait at the doctor for three hours listening to Muzak versions of the NeverEnding Story themesong. But once I got home I was greeted with a delightful homemade chicken soup a la Pooty (a.k.a. the Ladle of Love) and 4 episodes of Arrested Development. Needless to say, things got better.

The weekend was okay-went to a wedding party and won a plastic boob. There was a nose hair competition too, but didn't win any. Love those wedding games. Found a good public bath not too far from here too. Nothing like a good starin' to make you feel good about your naked self.

As for today there's not much going on at school as the kids train for Sports Day. I need money, and I'm trying to land some private lessons up in my hood, we'll see how that goes.

(P.S. I'd love a Twix bar. If anyone has the gumption, feel free to mail me one, and I'll send you a picture of me eating it. And don't try to fun size me either. There's nothing fun about less Twix bar.)

Can I get a "what the hell did you just say to me"?

2006-09-15T06:34:00.000+09:00

So my new school is pretty great, but there have been a few down sides. For example:

(In the lunchroom)

Jerk-off Harassing Kid: Hello!
Delightful English Teacher Me: Hello!
Jerk-off Harassing Kid: Suck my d**k!
Delightful English Teacher Me: Watch it buddy.
Jerk-off Harassing Kid: Oh, sorry! I'm so sorry.

He probably didn't know exactly what he was saying, and at least his English was correct, but I gotta say, the urge to snatch his ear was far stronger than my appreciation of his grammar. Like seriously, who says that to a teacher? And again...

(In class)

Patient Saintly Kate: Let's talk about our dislikes! Hey, what do you dislike?
Racist Little Bigot: Foreigners.
Patient Saintly Kate: Oh, that's too bad. It's a good thing I'm Japanese.
Racist Little Bigot: Huh?

Sigh. That being said, most of the kids are genial, funny, and generally don't talk sh*t. Just found out there's a new, young English teacher starting at our school next week. I'm trying to toughen her up like Burgess Meredith in Rocky, but I don't know if she quite knows what she's in for. No worries, tomorrow is Friday and my favorite class is cooking spaghetti with yours truly. It will no doubt be the envy of all the other classes, especially considering there are chocolate chip cookies to be had as well.

Yay three day weekend!

I'll Shows you mine

2006-09-10T18:11:00.000+09:00

Apart from swell public transportation and delicious eateries, living in the big city also provides endless evening entertainment! Here's the last week-in shows.

Saw a bunch of arty/sounds bands at a club I'd never been to before about the size of my kitchen. I think my favorite was a group called Steve Jackson. I don't know who this Steve is, but he inspired a melodious cover of "Anarcy in the U.K". Also got to hear some original bird noises.

This was a concert put on by Will's work. We weren't really sure what we were in for. This band was like over the top Poison meets Van Halen at Bon Jovi's pool party. I think the lighting says it all.

Will's buddies, Elekibass, are the nicest band in the world. They might just be the happiest band on earth. At least the happiest band in suits and derby hats.

This is an old picture, but I've been to bluegrass a few times now and it's so much fun. The soft tacos only add to the experience.

2006-09-04T08:58:00.000+09:00

Had my first day at school Friday. It was great! The commute isn't too terrible either.

I will now rate my new school based on my highly evolved 1-10 school rating system.

Coffee: 7-Because it isn't that instant crap.

Assorted Snacks Next to Coffee Maker: 9-some were from Austria. Nothing says "welcome to our school" like eating Mozart's chocolate face.

My Desk: 8-The view is good, and my chair is new.

Tea Lady Friendliness: 8-She is on top of her game. It's gotta be the apron.

Principal Friendliness: 9-He smiled a lot and asked me about Georgia.

Overall Teacher Friendliness: 10-Everyone was so damn nice, set me up with lots of extra pencils and even invited me to lunch. One teacher was friendly enough to share his favorite c.d. with me-Boston "Third Stage."

I don't want to speak too soon, but things are starting off well. I teach my first classes next Tuesday. That's when I get to the meat and potatoes of liking my job-the childrens. Speaking of meat.....

....that's whale. I didn't eat any, but I imagine it would taste like how Mastodon sounds.

And it might cause this.

Updates and new hates!

2006-09-01T09:12:00.000+09:00

Hey there, ladies and germs. Thought I'd throw a little update out there for yous guys. This week has been super busy with training for my new job which starts tomorrow. I'll be working at a Junior High School, same as before, teaching.......English! I went there on Tuesday to meet them and the teachers seem pretty okay.....except for one. I have a feeling one of my teachers is going to be difficult, like really difficult. But we'll wait and see. Maybe my exotic charm and big teeth will win her over.

Not so worried about her as much as what will soon become the new bane of my existence.

It's called "Rhythm Tengoku" and a certain someone bought it today. The music is super annoying, especially when hooked to the t.v. at full volume. (It is pretty fun though.)

Mostly settled into the new apartment. Got a fridge, stove, easel, and I'm getting a free table and chairs this weekend. Living in the city is proving to be really fun. Checked out a good show last weekend, there's always different places to go and new things to do and I just spruced up my bicycle to tool around the town. Sometimes a small part of me misses the relaxed country way of living, at which point I come to and realizes that renting movies and eating bentos by yourself in your underwear every night is more than a little lame.

2006-08-29T21:49:00.000+09:00

Oh boy, Obon!

2006-08-24T08:24:00.000+09:00

Just got back from a week long tour of central Honshu, and my brain feels like the stuff that collects in the sink drain. Will's friend Chris came to visit from America to check out the scence. It was pretty fun-saw four cities, beaches, mountains, museums, temples etc. Here are some highlights for ya.

The view from the top of the Hilton Hotel in Nagoya. They offer a happy two hours all you can drink at sunset while listening to crappy live Stevie Wonder covers. This is where we kicked off the week long party.

Hours of conversation were avoided thanks to our travel partner Nintendo DS.

Wakasawan

Wakasawan

New beachy friends!

Kurobe Gorge.

Takayama.

I found the only 8 bagels in Japan!

This sake brewery is my favorite because they have happily desecrated an ancient tradition by making fruity sake slushees. They're delicious.

Whew.

The recent skinny

2006-08-06T19:47:00.000+09:00

So I've moved into my new place. I must say, it's great. Way nicer than my last apartment and didn't come with ass tons of other people's stuff!

It's nice to have my own little patch of space and live off the fat of the land. And by fat of the land I mean the sandwich I make between the two love hotels on either side of the building. I spent all Friday moving and watching high school couples stumble out of parking lots into the light of day. I'm glad that the first thing they saw after their impassioned meetings was a short, sweaty foreigner awkwardly juggling kitchen appliances.

Otherwise things are pretty much just the normal "get used to living somewhere new" routine. I went to the international center this week to get some information and a look at their library. They have some good random stuff, lots of romance novels and about 10 books on Irritable Bowel Syndrome. I'm meeting a Japanese woman for a language exchange this week. I've been meeting with my new company about the job at my new school which is only about a 30 minute subway ride from here. I'm a little worried because the last teacher gave it a pretty bad review and said the kids are lazy and disruptive. I'll be watching Dangerous Minds everyday to prepare myself. Ahoy inner city apathy, here comes Kate aboard the good ship English!

What's new

2006-08-02T04:56:00.000+09:00

So I'm in the big city, and things are going smoothly. This past weekend was busy-I think I've sort of recovered. All I know is at one point I found myself eating fine cheeses in a fancy apartment while sipping wine. I guess I really have become an adult!

It's kind of amazing to live somewhere that I actually have several choices of things to do as opposed to dealing with what's available. For example, last night Will and I went to see Terry Gilliam's newest movie Tideland.

I'm still trying to figure out exactly what I thought of it. It was like a weird drugged up fairy tale mixed with backwoods shock value irreverence. I will say that the colors were pretty and the performances were good. Has anyone else seen it?

Found an apartment, rather one was found for me, and it's in a great location between an art museum and a love hotel.

I think I'm anemic. And yesterday for a split second I thought I had meningitis.

I'm studying for one of the Japanese proficiency tests in November. I've got lots more to learn.

Goin to the beach in a few weeks, pretty excited about that. According to one online guide, it's is a nice place to get away from all of life's "hurly and burly". Whatever. Just give me a mai tai and a big floppy hat and bring it.

THE YEAR

2006-07-29T05:32:00.000+09:00

Here's some pictures from the past year. Please enjoy them!

It's over

2006-07-25T09:45:00.000+09:00

Well it's all done. I've finished my year in Toyama. The past week has been an absolute insane bunch of crazy. I had my last days at school, speeches, final parties, and all that stuff.

These girls are always together and asking me why I don't shave my arms and how many boys I've kissed.

My final enkai. Lotsa beers, lotsa people I didn't know. But it was pretty fun, I drunkenly explain "grits" to the superintendent.

That's Yamada San, she's about to have a big strapping baby boy. He is actively learning English in the womb. To the right is Lee, my sempai/supervisor/neighbor/personal consultant. That there in the middle is my new summer yukata courtesy of the Board of Education.

My three Eikaiwa students. They lived in Greece for three years and on Saturday they experienced Hawaiian pizza for the first time. It made them do this!

Then the leavers party at Bananas. Rachel and me, sans her sword of doom.

The past year has been fun, crazy hard but interesting. I was really lucky to meet some great people. Everyone is welcome to come and visit anytime!!! Now if only Nagoya wasn't the hottest damn city this side of the island, I'd be all set. I walked outside to buy a light bulb today and lost ten pounds. Thank the lord for burritos. Next post will be a recap of the last year, so get ready.

2006-07-20T09:16:00.000+09:00

It's my last week here, and I'm getting ready. It's the week of last classes, goodbye parties, final vacuuming, etc. It's kind of sad, but I'm super excited because Raschelle is here in Osaka! Talked to Monday, she's already hittin up the sake with her host family.

Here's some pictures from last week/weekend. Took four Toyama ladies (Rachel, Lydia, Gill and Sharon) down to Nagoya for a stay in the Will Youth Hostel this weekend. Crazy times and someone left their underwear.

Had my last lesson with Kamio San, my Japanese tutor. She likes tongue twisters and The Carpenters.

The three kids I tutor just found a kitten under their house. Her name is Minya and she almost ate my sandwich.

On the way to Nagoya.

Hmmmm, that's a tough choice there.

Okay, one more.

2006-07-14T09:54:00.000+09:00

In attempts to show up Steve's mangled theatre hand, I decided yesterday would be a fine day to try to cut my finger off with an oscillating fan. In a mad dash to get my keys to go the video store to rent National Geographic documentaries about sharks, I somehow managed to ram my middle finger into a high-speed fan blade. After lots of bloody deliberation, Lee took me to the hospital. If you ever need immediate awesome medical care, go to a Japanese hospital. I was in and out in about 15 minutes, had 3 people helping me and got my medicine right afterwards. Got some powdered Japanese pain killers, a.k.a Kool-Aid packets and antibiotics.

The culprit.

The victim.

2006-07-12T12:57:00.000+09:00

Had a super great weekend. Friday's farewell party was fun. Nagoya was great - lotsa bluegrass, lotsa sumo! I'm considering combining the two to make some sort of fusion soley viewable by proper registration and to be enjoyed only with tacos.

For real bluegrass. In Japan.

Sumo!

Oh man, moving. It's rough. I've accumulated a lot of stuff in the last year, but I think I can manage to cram it all in a few boxes and put it somewhere else. I’m currently trying my hardest to focus on my last week of lessons, but it’s getting harder with every loose end to tie, piece of paper I have to sign and tiny detail added to my list of “stuffs to do that I don’t wanna”.

2006-07-05T15:12:00.000+09:00

Happy 4th everyone. It's only fitting that this Fourth of July I am currently reading an Outline of American History. I'm only up to the French and Indian War, but here's what I've learned so far:

* Doing anything significant in the 1600's required seeds, boats and the name "John"
* Harvard is way old. So is Yale.
* Barbecues are a fine American tradition rooted in colonial times
* There was a sort of JET Program in the 1700's for Scottish and Irish people to come to America to teach

Had a little barbecue outside the mansion here to celebrate. Got some fireworks too.

2006-07-04T04:03:00.000+09:00

You know those weekends in Japan where you sit back on Sunday night and you're like, "Oh, that was unexpected." Kinda had one of those.

Started Friday night in Toyama meeting up with Rachel. Went out for some food and drink, enjoyed Toyama's best kept secret "Jazz Bar". Drinking in there should require a cane and/or smoking jacket.

Saturday was spent cleaning, running and partying. Went to 135's to see The Bento Boys last night, enjoyed the atmosphere-everyone seemed to have a lot of fun......until the soccer game.

Sunday was spent with Gill and Amy eating a 15 course lunch with some ladies from Colare and then onsening in some crazy cedar bath. Lotsa fun, perfect weather for a lazy day.

Later we went to Colare for Tanabata Festival decorating. We had to write wishes down to hang from the pole. (I wished for health and happiness as well as a cane and/or smoking jacket.) Here it is a in a photoy nutshell.

The whole thing ended in noodles and hula.

2006-06-30T13:59:00.000+09:00

Last night I had a series of horrible, gross dreams. In one I was eating McDonald's by a moldy old pool in the middle of a sorority rush.

This morning I was quickly revived by a new activity, Squiggles. I found it in an old book. You give the students some squiggly lines and they have to make a picture out of it as well as write an English sentence or two.

Here are the best ones!

Woo Hoo!

2006-06-28T13:34:00.000+09:00

I got a new job!!!!! In Nagoya!!!! I'm so excited!!!!!

After a lengthy, nervous, but nice interview with a super cool guy on Saturday (which I posted about yesterday and Blogger magically ate), I heard back quickly and found out I got the job! I'll start training in late August and the actual job in September! Celebratin' with my buddy Rum Raisin at the moment, fill you in on more details as they come. The only thing that could make me possibly feel better at this very moment would be if Johnny Thunders serenaded me personally with a badass version of "Crawfish." (I didn't mean that. I decided today that this might be the worst song ever recorded. It sounds like some bullshit rip off of Kokomo that The Police screwed up with a harmonica solo and a Casio. I can't imagine the Elvis version is much better.)

Been in touch with my successor and in the process of cleaning the apartment out for her. I feel great!

No snake in my boot!

2006-06-21T12:26:00.000+09:00

Because sun "block" just wasn't enough.

Tastes Like Burning

2006-06-20T12:36:00.000+09:00

Every time the weather is mildly temperate in Kurobe, the sun shining high and the wind blowing low, you can prepare your olifactories and respiratory system for "Burn Shit Day." Although it initially appears like any other day, "Burn Shit Day" is where the citizens of town get together and collectively and carefully, just watch me now, burn shit. No one really knows what it is they're torching, and it would seem to me that this smoky phenomenon happens only on days when it's worth going outside or when I'm about to go running.
After careful research, and a few more years shaved of my life, I've been able to clearly identify particular burning categories.

* Burnt hot dogs in buns with brown mustard
* Charred rice and chili powder
* Skunky Pot....nobody's fooling me on this one
* Burnt rubber bouncy balls and hair
* Smoldering leaves with a hint of those little fire works that snap when you hurl them at the ground and/or your friends
* Charcoal and coffee grounds

2006-06-19T11:55:00.001+09:00

Charity Show was this weekend in Takaoka complete with various variety acts and a funny Japanese version of Cinderella which should have been subtitled "The Prince and His Remarkable Balls". Good job everybody! Thanks to Lee, I was lucky enough to have some paintings on display in the lobby alongside Owen's photographs. I'l post a photo of one of my favorites, if you want to see some more just let me know and I can e-mail them to you.

Will and I went to the Unazuki footbath today. It was delightful!

Got an interview for a new job next Saturday. I'm a little nervous. Someone give me a belly to rub for good luck.

Bushels of Bushes

2006-06-12T04:22:00.000+09:00

It was a two week Bush Family invasion, one which will be spoken of for years to come.

There was some of this.....

....this.......

......and only a little of this.

Please enjoy this stylish, hand selected photo montage, created to satiate all of your "foreigner antics in residential vicinity of expatriate family member" needs.

Hit it up, Dad.

Kimono festival in Hiroshima.

Hiroshima dome.

Miyajima

My Dad suggested we hike down this mountain, and we all reluctantly agreed. While my quads got quite the work out, I think a small part of me will always remain on that mountain, the least of which is my cardiovascular dignity.

Who knew that 200 yen worth of crackers would create a deer feeding frenzy? I saw one eat a map out of some guy's hand.

Biggest rice paddle in the world.

Kanazawa market.

2006-06-05T22:23:00.000+09:00

I am currently away from my desk right now visiting islands and castles, taking boat rides, watching monkeys, feeding deer, eating beans and entertaining four family members. If I make it out alive, I will post pictures.
Speaking of vacations, I would like to extend some big hugs to those valient ATLiens involved in the recent car accident. Get well soon, I'll send you some jam. Maybe Caroline can cheer you up!

"That sure was a good Bikkle." Caroline Bush, DDS

Guess I forgot to put the fog lights in

2006-06-02T13:09:00.000+09:00

Today I taught a lesson on commercials. I was explaining slogans to my kids, and I thought about this guy. I haven't eaten Golden Crisp in years, but I remember the time I bought a box and got a Japanese coin inside!

2006-05-29T13:23:00.000+09:00

Well hello everyone. Things got crazy for a bit, but now I'm back on track, for the most part, and feeling like spoonfuls of shiny marmalade on warm toast.

Stuff has been sorta busy at work, and I'm painting lots in preparation for a small show in a few weeks. It's better than being bored and forced into watching the Dolph Lundgren movie I just found under my T.V.

Had a Willin/Barbequein weekend and watched lots of movies, including Babe which I had never seen before. It's cute.

This happened during the week.

Yeah I know. Had to drive 30 minutes into the mountains to get a physical this week and they totally injured me while taking blood. The whole ordeal was a funny process, and the school nurse told the entire teacher's room how much I weigh.

Here's some photos of Kanazawa.

Things are lookin up, Daddy Warbucks

2006-05-24T14:25:00.000+09:00

2006-05-19T14:02:00.000+09:00

And that about sums it up for now.

Hi!

2006-05-12T13:26:00.000+09:00

I've been slacking on the blogness. Don't judge me.
Last week was Golden Week and I spent it with Sir Will of Cultus. We went onsening, arting (Rob and Owen's show), barbequing (complete with random Japanese naked beach volleyball), after wedding partying (buncha crazy Canadians in animal costumes), and did lotsa driving on Route 41 in Will's new ride.
Nothing new to report except that work is as busy as ever, and I've been painting a bit. I'm finding it hard to believe that I graduated almost a year ago and even harder to believe that the weather is warming up. In no time I will be sweating my face off like the first two months I was here.

Questions I've been asking myself recently:

1) How is my house plant still alive? I'm serious, this thing is some sort of superplant. I won't water it for weeks, and it keeps on tickin'.
2) Why is it kinda cold? In May?
3) How the hell did an entire Bruce Springsteen album end up on my iPod? And better yet, why does my song shuffle feel the need to play a song off of it everytime I turn it on?
4) What ever happened to Swatch?

Here's some pictures of Kurobe when it isn't a snow covered hell! Kinda pretty, eh?

2006-05-09T09:48:00.000+09:00

Here's what I've been doing. More later, got Easter candy to eat.

My Weekend

2006-04-26T10:51:00.000+09:00

I had to work on Saturday for parents day, that night headed to Toyama for Amy's bike ride fundraiser dinner. I ended up with a belly full of organic food/two delicious beers and a painting of a house.
Sunday was the Namerikawa Firefly Squid festival. There was squid, a mini flea market and squid eyeball spitting. Yeah, seriously. It's like watermelon seed spitting, but tinier and kinda cruel. I sucked so bad my eyeball actually ended up behind me. *shrug* The winners received grills, beers, and a kilo of.....squid!
Also, if anyone ever comes up to you with a video camera, a whiteboard and a marker and wants you to write something in Japanese and answer questions about yourself, you will get a free pencil. Incidentally, look for me on the NHK channel Tuesday nights at 11:00. Wasn't given a date, so keep those eyes peeled-or I will spit them onto astroturf.
Did some taiko drumming Sunday night for the first time and they want Amy and me to perform with them. Let you know how that turns out.

Foot bath!

Squid!

Squid eating.

Projectile squid eyes.

Been painting some, it's going okay. Working my tail off at school, getting ready for a fun Golden Week with my sweetie who's comin up here to shake it with me. Yay!!!!!

Hmmmm

2006-04-23T01:33:00.000+09:00

If Thomas Moore, the Pope, and Horatio Algiers all went out for pizza.....

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4925844.stm

2006-04-18T16:01:00.000+09:00

Crap I'm tired. Spent a fun weekend in Nagoya with Will "rinse and repeat" attending a wedding party for Josh and Mihoko. It was at the Asahi Beer Garden. The food was good, the company was friendly (including some German dude using filthy English) and I inherited a blender from the Bingo game. Celebrated Easter with one of Will's students and his wife and white gyoza.

On the work front, I'm really busy. Yeah, no one's more surprised than me. When you go from doing next to nothing to planning all your own lessons it's likely to wear you out. It's nice to have some input into the job I'm doing however and I plan on making the next few months worthwhile.

Checked out a hanami in Uozu this evening. Was treated to free yakisoba and shamisen.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have slushees to make.

2006-04-11T03:54:00.000+09:00

2006-04-10T04:05:00.000+09:00

Well it's a new school year, and I've got a new schedule. It's all Junior High School from here on out. I'm teaching a bunch of English conversation classes with my friend Yamada San who's super sweet. This is her first time teaching Junior High, but she was a flight attendant for six years, so she's used to dealing with loads of crap. We had a big enkai the other night to welcome the new teachers, and they all had to perform something. I saw:

* one of my teachers strip down to his underwear and swim on the floor.

* another teacher dress up like a gypsy and give out chocolates.

* two teachers wear school uniforms and perform terrible karaoke.

Enkais are pretty great.

Had a productive, arty weekend with some new ideas. I hope they turn out, got a lot of work ahead of me. Much thanks to Rob for the use of his apartment.

If you took Inuyama Matsuri and shrunk it by about 96% you would have the Unazuki Matsuri. Went on Sunday to see Yutsuke perform, and it was very friendly-given loads of beer/food and asked many colorful questions.

Inspecting a worm.

2006-04-05T13:24:00.000+09:00

Mmmmm, smell that? That, my friends, is the friendly aroma of Spring. It's a lot like Fall but with sweaty promises of Summer. Check out what I've been doing!

Ate at this amazing Brazilian buffet where they bring out big hunks of meat and cut off pieces for you until you tell them to stop. They also played Avril Lavigne videos, which didn't add much to the meaty experience.

Atsuta Jingu.

NEAR......................far.

I'd be scared if I were you, chickens. I think I saw one reach for some pepper spray.

Saturday was Inuyama Matsuri. Will helped push a gigantic dashi, big shrine. It was an all day affair, lots of food and people. There's 13 floats all in all and at night they light em up. Very crazy and very fun.

Sunday we saw The Nagoya Dragons play the Hiroshima Carps, and Nagoya won! Japanese baseball games are a lot like American one's, but the field is smaller and you can buy lots more tea.

Nagoya Dome.

These hooligans spiked my tea when I went to the bathroom.

P.S. Don't leave your camera lying around when you go to the bathroom either.

Takayama

2006-03-29T16:15:00.000+09:00

Oh sweet mother of pearl, will the birthday fun ever stop? Went to Takayama this weekend. After three trains and a bus, I met Will "Shama Lama Ding Dong" who bought me an awesome teapot for my birthday. We spent the weekend enjoying Takayama, meeting cool people, tasting sake/beer and eating way too much food. Such a great time, feast your eyes on these!

My present!

Sakurayama Hachimangu Shrine

Miyagawa River

This guy ran the reggae bar we hung out at.

Big market area.

Met these guys in one of the sake breweries. They're traveling around Japan for a few weeks. Such interesting guys.

The best dinner I've eaten in a long time. Shabu Shabu is a Japanese meal where you shake things in boiling water and eat em.

What, jive turkey?

Hida-Kokubunji Temple

Birthday Butthole Bonanza

2006-03-25T17:01:00.000+09:00

I'm 23? When the sh*t did that happen?
This was a good birthday. I was inundated with presents, cards and goodwill and peace towards men. Had some dinner with the Niikawa folks last night. Kei even showed up in a suit! It was fun-thanks everybody for a comin. Headed to a birthday weekend with my recently turned ruthless business tycoon. Yay!

Congratulations cotton candy! You win for the best gift!

I was supposed to be looking sophisticated here. The more accurate term is loaded. I think Naomi is trying to ignore me.

2006-03-22T16:58:00.000+09:00

This is what I did on my day off.

http://www.town.nyuzen.toyama.jp/cosmo/gallery/koshiji/index.htm

http://museums.toyamaken.jp/e_kenpaku/e_kenpa/e_10.html

2006-03-21T12:50:00.000+09:00

Had a good weekend. Went to Aeon on Saturday to get a haircut, tasted "best ramen in the ken", hung out in Toyama with Ms. Bunny on Sunday. Took some pictures.

Got this angry poo on a stick from Amy. I think I will use it to point at things I think are shitty. Look out, George Bush! You and the Japanese driver's license I have to get are first!

Because finger puppets for other people are total crap.

Remember Peanut Butter and Giggles cookies? They're back! Or like many things, maybe they just never went away in Japan.

Meet Korikki. Rachel actually knows about this guy. He has a music video on the Internet. It can be found here. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=426566504844044258&q=korikki&pr=goog-sl

Hung out with my buddy Rachel on Sunday. She wasn't too happy about me taking a picture I guess, but maybe she's just practicing an eye roll for her moo school.

Today these two chicks came to school and played shamisen for the kids. They were awesome, but between songs reminded me way too much of those Delicious Dish ladies from Saturday Night Live.

Gradumacation

2006-03-19T09:11:00.000+09:00

Graduation for junior high 3rd years was Wednesday! I could only go to one of my schools, but it was great. The kids were excited and the ceremony was crazy serious and emotional. Got tons of sweet letters from my students. The enkai was also fun, talked to lots of the teachers. Hungover at work, but I wasn't alone. The science teacher told me he doesn't remember anything. I remember him telling lots of jokes I didn't understand.

Omae Sensei, the English teacher, is in the middle.

Lunch.

Risako and Saori. They're always smiling and asking me about my nose ring. They want to live abroad and learn other languages. And get nose rings of course.

Yochien graduation was today and boy was it ever cute. Lots of crying too, these kids are emotional like pregnant women watching Lifetime.

Hammy.

2006-03-15T16:12:00.000+09:00

Went to Nagoya this past weekend, went to Toyota-saw the Toyota Museum and had a super fun party with Will's students (including Uno!), saw Will's band play for one of the member's wedding party. They were great, it was great, isn't that great?

Came home to this. It's March.

The 3rd years graduate tomorrow and it's been a hectic, but fun week getting them ready. Thusly, tomorrow I'm eating a $25 lunch and a $50 dinner.

You girls get to go from the semi-cute sailor uniform to scandoulously short skirts and blazers. Congratulations!

Circus tent graduation? Bring on the tight rope! I can do more than teach English.

For those of you who don't believe me, or just want to see lots of people refusing to smile for a picture, here's the staff photo from the yearbook.

My tutor took me to her ichibana class this evening. This is what I made. It was hard-I kept dropping things.

That Mary Poppins and her death propaganda

2006-03-14T15:01:00.000+09:00

http://www.best-breezes.squarespace.com/display/ShowJournal?moduleId=323705&categoryId=24294

"Let's have big dreams!" my week thus far

2006-03-10T15:19:00.000+09:00

It's been a good week, and the first week I haven't worn long underwear since November.

Wack M.C.'s-yo time is up.

* Helped record a c.d. on Tuesday for an English version of "karuta", a Japanese game. I had to read a list of phrases, my favorites being "How fast the Shinkansen is!" "Let's play with insects." "P.E. is fun!" "Let's be on time!"

* Ran into one of my adult conversation class students for the third time in a week in the exact same place. We figured there must be some reason it keeps happening, so she invited me to her house sometime soon.

* I told my Japanese tutor I've been trying to watch what I eat, so at our lesson she brought me low fat mayonnaise. She's the best. Last week she gave me crackers.

* Taught a fun St. Patrick's Day lesson. Try explaining green beer why don't ya. One girl told me if she caught a leprechaun and got his pot of gold she'd buy a boyfriend.

* Got called "Jackie" (my predecessor's name) about three times in one day by the art teacher. It's too late to correct her now. I do fantasize about getting all Japanese soap opera on her and the next time she does it, banging my fist on the desk, slowly turning towards her in my chair and while looking really mad and hurt saying in a warbling, about to cry voice, "Katie........desu."

* About once a week I wander down the hall to have tea with the school nurse. She wants to learn English and is always worried that her son won't get married and that Japanese people don't express themselves enough. She gives me seaweed candies and cough drops.

* Planning a few trips for the future, one for my birthday weekend, one to China with the family, and one tomorrow to the old faithful Nagoya!

* Oh, and since there's probably only about 4 people who read this blog with any regularity, and 2 of them requested more milk carton pictures, I must oblige. You gotta give the people what they want. And the people want cows. Who am I to stand in their way?

Weekend

2006-03-07T15:56:00.000+09:00

Saw some great Indian music on Friday night.

Saturday was pretty snowboarding weather. Got to ski with one of my co-workers and her family who have been skiing for years and years. They politely complimented my skills, I politely accepted, knowing that they are now somewhere laughing at me falling on my snowy face.

Kirsten, Kanako and Jamie's Birthday Party

Sunday was more of the same, snowboarding and soreness. Conditions weren't the best, but the sun was out and that's all that matters.

Girls, Girls, Girls

2006-03-06T15:19:00.000+09:00

This week at yochien we celebrated Hina-matsuri (Doll Festival). It's also known as Girls Day and people pray for the good fortune of their daughters. About three weeks ago they put this up in the foyer of the school.

It's a bunch of dolls who ward off evil spirits, including the emperor and his wife on top, some mochi and other assorted people of the court. You have to put it up right after the festival's over for fear that your daughter will someday become a spinster, like the one's in your neighborhood who always give you apples instead of Halloween candy and only eat peanut brittle. They had all the girls do a dance to the official Hina-matsuri song, had everyone dress up like the emperor and empress and then we drank piping hot Calpis. (Yeah it sounds like I said "Piping Hot Cow Piss"-good one.) It was cute, as usual. I'm going to miss this yochien when I leave.

Sangin'.

What, I ain't no girl!

Nice hats...............

Masa-chan.

cities, music, and watery things

2006-02-28T05:57:00.000+09:00

Whew! Was all over the place this weekend. Headed to Nagoya Friday night, had some enkai action with Will and Will's student's. Learned about Japanese gold in the Philippines. Saturday got up and went to Osaka. Being in Osaka is like repeatedly chugging cough syrup cocktails sprinkled with crushed red pepper and fish flakes. It's way different than other cities I've been to in Japan, kinda intimidating, but endearing with many fine smells. Had Chinese food and went into a cool record store. Met Will's friends, went to Deerhoof and Afrirampo. Mostly saw the back of people's heads because the stage was ridiculously low, but enjoyed the show overall. There was loud music and dinner roll tossing, how could it not rule? Spent the night, hit up the Osaka Aquarium on Sunday, which is pretty awesome, took the bus home. It was busy, but a fun one. My new pink shoelaces helped.

by the way

2006-02-27T17:37:00.000+09:00

I think it was Steve that asked me about the beer vending machines. Here ya go. This one is right outside the Kurobe station so that when you step off the train and see all the snow you can deal with it immediately.

I love these kids

2006-02-24T11:09:00.000+09:00

So maybe the President's Day lesson wasn't the most fun, but leave it up to my third years to spice up my grading. This was our last class together. I'm gonna really miss these kids. I hope Old Honest Abe has a sense of humor.

2006-02-23T16:15:00.000+09:00

The weather was so nice out today. I've seen the sun almost every day this week. This whole feeling like getting up to face the day and live thing is pretty exciting. I'm really happy because I'm going to Nagoya and then to Osaka this weekend for some music.

I'm doing a fairly dry lesson on President's Day tomorrow. Trying to find ideas on the Internet isn't too fruitful either. Man, if only we could make log cabins out of pretzels and chocolate frosting. If it can't be interesting, it should at least be delicious.

Side note: As it turns out, when Yankee Doodle put a feather in his hat and called it macaroni, he wasn't talking about noodles. He was referring to a fancy Italian clothing style popular in Britain at the time, and by doing so, proclaiming himself proud to be an idiot because England thought American was full of bumpkins...................good thing that was the past and things are completely different now. Look at the cow!

Okay, okay, I know. Just one more. Saw this in the supermarket.

Festin'

2006-02-20T13:44:00.000+09:00

Saturday was JET FEST, an international festival in Namerikawa to celebrate countries that aren't Japan and to show just how great we are. There were lots of booths representing everywhere from Ghana to Russia, a fashion show, a gaijin auction, dancing etc. It was a long day, but I think it went well. The kids seemed to have lots of fun. And I got a free box of Cocoa Krispies. The evening entertainment was at Banana's in Uozu with Rob and Mark as the always popular Bento Boys. Let me just say for the record that the two most boring words in the English language are "designated driver". No worries though, I had a really good time. (How could I not, they played the Humpty Hump.)
Today I made French Toast and then screwed around until 3 when I went to Uozu to buy some paint. Lazy Sundays are the best.

Our America booth successfully overtook an entire huge corner which shouldn't surprise anyone.

Whee!

A costume from Yunnan in Southern China. The hat was the best part. It was like a colorful rack of lamb.

Lots of drunk foreigners.

Gettin' down at Bananas. Amy had on the cutest shirt I have ever seen.

Normalcy

2006-02-17T21:23:00.000+09:00

After three days of medicine, lying in bed and the Godfather Trilogy, I am back to normal life. My first day back at work was okay-nothing too crazy. The three students of mine who interviewed for the international course at the local High School all got in! I'm really proud of these girls, they worked so hard and they all want to live abroad very badly.
Note: Don't ever eat natto with kindergartners while on medicine that gives a weak stomach. Between the smell and the stringy goo I almost gagged.
Tomorrow's Saturday already? Man, I could deal with some more of these two day work weeks! I've been painting a bit recently, maybe I'll post some pictures. I am currently compiling pictures of famous Americans and making Stovetop for tomorrow's international festival. Nothing says internationalization like those sexy Wright Brothers and rehydrated bread crumbs.

The good, the bad and I'm ugly with the flu

2006-02-15T16:57:00.000+09:00

It's official. I won't be in Kurobe next year, I signed the papers Friday. It was tough, every one was sad and like "Oh, what a shame-we were sure you were going to stay!" If there's one thing I hate it's letting people down. I've still got another 6 months though, and I intend to make the most of it.
This weekend provided a snowy bundle of winter fun in Unazuki with Will. We headed up Saturday and stayed at a nice hotel where you wear Japanese robes all day, take lots of baths and they wait on you hand and foot. Ate a bunch, met cool people, hung out and had a great time. There was some neat winter stuff going on around the town, so we caught that also.

Waitin for the train. Will trying to politely comprehend the old man Toyama-ben.

View from the room.

The room.

The room below ours had a garden.

First part of dinner. They brought enough food to feed about 4 Americans or 11 Japanese people.

This is what happens when you eat too much blowfish.

Fireworks!

Ice lanterns.

Breakfast was also delicious and it didn't even have Cap'n Crunch or BooBerry!

Started feeling a little sick over the course of the weekend, but tried to ignore it. Sadly sent Will off into the snow on Sunday evening, and went about my way planning a wicked Valentine's Day lesson for the kiddies. By Monday morning it was as if sulfur was raining in my brains. I called in sick to work-for the first time in my life-and headed to the doctor. I got the flu, so I'm at home watching movies and feeling generally gross. Things are bad-send candy.

Right after the barrage of embarrassing questions and right before the snot test.

2006-02-10T15:22:00.000+09:00

Saw a great shamisen concert last night. These two guys, the Yoshida Brothers, played at the local international center. It was pretty awesome, save a Mannheim Steamroller epic rock breakdown near the end which was about as lame as eating finger sandwiches with Julian Schnabel on the set of Basquiat.
It's been a good week overall, had a great day at school today and I'm looking forward to a visit from Sir Will of Greene tomorrow night. C'mon weekend!

This is a shamisen. It has three strings and is played with what looks like an ice scraper.

Not the best photo-but you get the general idea.

2006-02-08T14:31:00.000+09:00

I can't get enough of these milk pictures. I think there was a contest to see who could get their picture on the milk carton and these were the runners up. My favorite is the second one.

On my milk

2006-02-07T12:49:00.000+09:00

Is "ironic" the word to use for cows themselves being on the sides of milk cartons?

From bored to board

2006-02-06T15:13:00.000+09:00

Went snowboarding again today, improved a bit and had a lot of fun-missed out yesterday due to bad roads. The weather here has been horrible, so embracing it is the only way to salvage any semblance of sanity. Took one nasty cartoonish spill, but otherwise did okay! Yoshida Brothers concert on Wednesday!

Lifty lift lift.

This is me right after I nailed my head big time. I called it a day shortly thereafter and ate an onigiri while getting stared at by an entire restaurant full of people.

Unarobe or Kurozuki? Throw beans at them and decide.

2006-02-04T16:53:00.000+09:00

Had an enkai last night, ate a lot talked about Kurobe merging with our neighboring town Unazuki and the new English conversation classes next year. The highlight was demonstrating a game for the amusement of the attendees. Way to go foreigners!

This was close to the end. Enkais are great because literally within minutes of cracking open beers and sake, people are absolutely loaded standing way too close to you and saying funny things.
e.g. "What's that in your nose? An earring?" Yeah, and it's been there the last 175 times I talked to ya.

This morning, after drawing flowers for two hours at yochien, I was asked to come to the gym and sit with the kids. The principal came in with a pot of cooked beans and told a story involving ogres. Then the teachers came in dressed as said monsters and acted out a scenario. Then we threw beans out the window and at each other. Then we had to eat a bean for every year we'd been alive.

As it turns out, it's Setsubun-the beginning of Spring on the Japanese lunar calendar. Throwing the soy beans (fukumame) is supposed to keep away evil spirits. Okay! Leave it up to the kids to make it adorable.

Demon Teacher.

Bean toss.

Toss em, kiddies.

This cutie pie already tossed all her beans.

2006-01-31T11:33:00.000+09:00

My weekend flew by. Went on trip to Nagoya complete with cute children, white gyoza and old art. It was fun, but too short as always and maybe a tad too exciting. (Next trip I'm suggesting barbiturates and an Ingmar Bergman film marathon to balance it out.) Had a good time, went to tutor some of Will's hilarious/cute younger students, met a bunch of Will's pals and enjoyed the general merriment. Went to Tokugawaen and the Tokugawa Art Museum. Got a great new book from Will about large folk art environments from all over the world which in turn features two Georgia artists. Something about our fine state breeds a particularly eccentric brand of creative weirdos and I am happy to call it home. Admittedly I'm a bit down to be back home because many aspects of my current situation are absolutely pissing me off besides the fact that I miss Nagoya-in particular the aforementioned resident within its borders. All this will be solved in due time.
Snowboarding again this weekend-look out mountain, I'm gonna getcha!

White gyoza are a tad different from other gyozas in that they are harder on the outside. Plus they don't have any rhythm.

Met this guy at a flea market.

The weather was so nice on Sunday......

.......we went to Tokugawaen.

Because the "let's take a cute couple picture" never gets old and you know it.

2006-01-26T16:34:00.000+09:00

My Japanese tutor let me borrow this c.d. today.

Whoosh! It's apparently one of the top selling albums of all time in Japan which is totally believable because it sounds like ABBA meets Miami Sound Machine meets Barry Manilow. And I bet you didn't know that one of the guys from this band composed music for Sonic the Hedgehog.

It's been sort of a long week, but it's about to be over and then I'm gonna go visit this character.

Oi!