Crap its my Sunday.

I REALLY dont want to go to work on Saturday. Ah hell. Well Japan can now relax; they won a medal in figure skating. Yes, that is their ONE medal. Interestingly enough China and Korea have like ten between them, and since we all know they are inferior to the great Japan it must leave us to wonder who was tallying the votes!

I am eager to hear my students explain to me why exactly it is more important for Japan to have won THAT medal, and not any other. I am sure there will be a theory. I have a theory too. They got their ass kicked by those they consider inferior. Oh well, you come to learn and learn you do.

Bought a book on Japanese body language; it is pretty cool. Some odd stuff, and some stuff that is not really right, but a lot of good info. I would be pissed if not, it was expensive. It was about 14 bucks for a book smaller than most novels.

I know whats right; I got just one life.

I gotta say again; I am really happy with my speakers. Bose you know, and loud as hell. I am listening to the Man in Black; a hell of a guy and a damn fine American. I imagine I am driving my roommates absolutely batty, but to hell with em. There is something heartening about listening to the old country classics. Especially in a land that values the progressive and modern so deeply.

Saturday...Yee haw

My roommate is snoring in the next room. The walls here are so thin that if you cut a loud fart everyone will know. I look forward to letting him know that he snores tomorrow. He has been quick to tell me I do. Anyway. Good day. Hung with some folks, did some things. I bought a bottle of soju (Korean sake, kind of-except that it is totally different.) Made in NORTH Korea. Please dont tell George I supported the NK gov! I undoubtedly did by buying it! I must be a bad person. OH CRAP! That reminds me. When I was in Osaka, Mike and I downed a bottle of CUBAN rum (before we went to the bar!)! Am I supporting terrorism? Have I crossed that line? I may just end up in Guantanamo Bay! Oh well, I can sing the Marines Hymn. They will love me there. So, then, since I am an American living in Japan, does that mean the NSA can, or can not spy on me? Oh wait, I forgot, it dont matter anymore! Actually, to be honest I could care less about that. As long as they ignore the little shit and concentrate on the big shit with their snooping they are welcome to listen and read anything of mine. I got a boring ass useless life that if you are so bored and useless as to be interested in you are welcome to. Miyazaki food is good. Some girls are bitches. Some are quite nice. I got five bucks for anyone who can tell me where I heard the following...

"Plum trees bloom
nightingales sing
All alone."


Kobayashi Issa


Well?

decisive if nothing else

OK.  I am on the prowl for a new gig.  Should have an interview lined up this week.  I am seeking ALT work-in the public schools.  The pay is OK, about 2500, but there is about 7 weeks off a year and I will be one of less than 10 at any one school with any reasonable English skills-read as I CAN ACTUALLY SPEAK JAPANESE EVERYDAY.  I consider this a major bonus.  The extra 300 a month wont hurt either, but I will have to pay my own transportation fees, that will suck a bit.  I will also have to move out of my latest comfort zone into much more rural environs.  I am quite the city boy nowadays, but I can always move back at a later date.  Too bad, I wont have anyone to talk to after work or anything like that.  All kinds of positives and negatives, but I am going for it.  Hell with it, you only live once.  I hope.

Friday...whoo hoo.

I am looking for a new job again. Not whole-heartedly, but I am looking. I have almost decided I should go somewhere else. I figure if I go work for a tiny school somewhere away from Nagoya I will learn more Japanese. I am simply not making enough progress here. I dig my pad, and my area, but I can move back if decide to, and a 25% increase in pay would not hurt either.

So anyway, up at 830, and out the door by noon or so. Yet another lazy day. I stil have no idea what I am doing today, and it is half over. I need to get off my ass and do something more often. I am inherently lazy, and really just want to go to the coffee shop. Crap.

When in doubt, punch it out.

Chilling at home. Got my cell phone bill, and that, on top of my hangowver, is keeping me indoors. I have been listening to NPR again on podcasts. I am very happy. It is funny, but my old man still thinks NPR is the same thing as his conservative talk radio. I keep telling him that the subjects discussed are far more varied than simply politics. I just listened to an hour on the fishing industry and sustainable fishing. Then I listened to an interview with Dave Barry. I like that guy, he is funny as hell. Granted, now I am listening to some crap about the state supreme court looking at gay marriage. I am pretty sure he wouldn't like it! Anyway, today I think I will either make kimchi soup with fish, or pork and soybean stir fry. Hmm....

Here is a picture of Sakae, the entertainment section of Nagoya at night. The water is a pond on top of a building. Pretty cool huh?

Dont let me down!

Give me all your loving, all your hugs and kisses too! I am chiling, listening to the eighties sounds of internet radio while I surf. Some friends are coming by, and we will get drunk and see what happens. Probably a movie or something. I have Japanese class in the morning so nothing fantastic is expected. I am supposed to hang out with one of my students pretty quick. 45 year old dude who seems younger. I like him. He is quitting Nova, and I am happy for him. He can get better education elsewhere. We are supposed to get a beer sometime. Maybe next week. Who knows. Anyway, I have an UME CHU HAI waiting, and I better get er done... =) Take care all.

Say hello to heaven

I am chilling, drunk and home, listening to my new purchase. I bought Bose multimedia speakers to go with my laptop. You can talk all the crap you want, but my shit sounds tight to me. 100 or so bucks, and I am no longer listening to my music/movies on computer speakers. These are small, loud as hell, and have a decent enough sound quality to suit my needs. I am happy. Also, I found em 2000 yen cheaper than I thought I would, and so saved money on em. Also, I found 5000 yen in my wallet. (just subtract 2 zeros and you have a basic dollar amount) Life is as good as it will get any time soon. ooh mother frickin rah. PS: name that band.

Mike and Osaka Castle!

Me and a rock. I named it...Rock.

Fire stuff

Osaka Castle? You GOT IT!

Osaka Castle

More fire stuff, Osaka

We are go for the internet!

Yup, I am writing you from the comfort of my own bedroom, small as it is. I had a decent dinner of Japanese Curry with pumpkin and mushrooms. Pretty good all in all, and I have some left for tomorrow’s lunch as well as rice for breakfast. I have finally developed a taste for natto. I eat it most mornings now. It ain’t bad, though I don’t think many will be convinced by my saying so. My condition seems to be improving a bit. I only hacked three or four times today. Not bad, but I was really tired. Great gift ideas…I am sitting here eating peanuts thinking “how great would it be to have a giant Costco/Target/etc thing of mixed nuts?” Just an idea kids, just an idea.

Who dat?