Weekend Fun
What a weekend! I love Halloween! I still need to catch up on sleep... seeing as I missed out on it on Saturday night...
On Friday night, I went to the "Izumi-kai"... an enkai for Sakai Izumi, the hot teacher at my school. She's getting married on the 23rd of November so we had a party in her honour. So from 6:30-9:30, dinner and nomihodai... It was good fun. Enkais are much better when the teachers aren't afraid to talk to the foreigner. It was really fun and lighthearted... not at all the same atmosphere as the formal enkais. After dinner, we did some karaoke (there was karaoke at dinner too but I wasn't really in form so my rendition of Unchained Melody sucked really bad--though Higashi and Matsumura sensei's re-enactment of the pottery scene from "Ghost" strangely reminded me of the demise at Kawayu... oh the memories...) I sang Billy Joel and Culture Club... got requests for the Carpenters but I don't know any of their songs...
I didn't get to sleep until 2AM because I was reading Harry Potter (yes, again)... and then I had to be up early because I promised Geoffrey that I'd go hiking with him... Saturday was raining all day so the hiking was cut short but nice views nonetheless.
After hiking, I went home, grabbed my stuff and headed to meet up with people for the Loop Line Halloween party. We got to Osaka station around 8:40 and there were hundreds of foreigners in costume standing on the platform. I was dressed up as an anime character from some obscure movie... Picked up the costume at the Loft and decided to take a risk... Anyway...
The Loop Line party is basically 500 people crammed into 2 cars on the Osaka Loop line. The train goes in a loop (!) and at every stop, you stampede out and change places. It was insanity but great fun.
After that, we headed to club Triangle in Amemura. Fun times. Was dancing up a storm with some English dude. Then I got dragged away from him to go to Sam & Daves... which sucked because it was packed. I couldn't even get on the dance floor... So I paid 2000 yen to spend 2 hours sitting outside. After the traditional ramen, I started to make my way home but then realized that I had left my house keys in my sweater (which I had lent to Olivia... who was in Ikoma). So instead of going home, I had to go to Ikoma and pick up my keys. Crashed there for a bit but only got about an hour of sleep... Went to brunch with Adam, Angie and Olivia then headed home because I had to go to the Moritanis to teach French at 3PM. They had invited me over for dinner so I didn't get home until about 7:30. I took a nap before talking to my parents but didn't actually get to sleep until 11:30PM... And now I'm sitting at my desk in Oji trying to stay awake... Happy Halloween ^_^
Under Control!
FINALLY!!! After three weeks of walking around in a zombie-like state... seriously lacking in motivation to get.... well... basically anything done... I've got it all under control. My apartment is clean, my desk at school is clean, all 1000+ papers (although it was probably closer to 1200) corrected, graded and commented on and what not... It took me a little while to get back on my feet but now I'm ready to take on the world again. Boy does it ever feel good to get something accomplished.
Now I have to start reviewing for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test... it just never ends... but at least I can get it done in a clean house. ^_^
The Diary of Pippy Longstocking
Here's why I love my ESS Club...
I decided to teach my students how to play Crazy Eights today, so I explained the rules, told them all the special cards and we started playing. Akane, one of the 2nd years, would keep putting down eights and the other girls would say "sukina maaku wa?" (which suit do you like) and Akane would always say "Haato" (hearts) and then we'd continue playing with hearts. About 3 games in, Kuniko (a 1st year) decided to help Akane out because Akane still seemed like she didn't understand what was going on. Finally, Akane puts down an 8 and Kuniko says "sukina maaku wa?" and Akane says "Hearts". Kuniko says: "But you don't have any hearts!" Akane thought that she was supposed to pick her favorite suit... not the one that would help her get rid of her cards... ^_^
After about an hour of playing cards, I took out my hair clip to rearrange th mop on my head and all the girls stopped and looked. My hair is quite long and no one at school really knows this because it's always up. However, at the sight of my hair, the girls looked all excited and started playing with my hair, asking me what shampoo I use and what hair products and such and such... (I don't use any because I can't be bothered really)... Next thing I know, all the girls are crowding around me asking my cup size and if I use a pencil to draw in my eyebrows... They seemed to be fascinated with both topics, the eyebrow thing especially... I felt like I was at a slumber party or something... By the end of the interrogation, I had 2 french braids in my hair and the girls were saying "Wakai, Wakai!" which means "Young"... And sure enough, I saw myself in the mirror and I looked about 12 years old (as if I don't look young enough already)... Then they dragged me into the teacher's room and started showing me off... Kawaii Samansa! I kept hearing...
If it sounds like I'm complaining... I'm not... I love the attention! ^_^
edit: I deleted the picture of me sporting the braids because I realized that I looked kinda dumb.
Shaking my Sillies Out
Sadly, today was my last day at elementary school until December (T_T)... Had a fabulous time these last few days and I'll be looking forward to going back. I really hope they don't take away my one little joy. Another ALT will be visiting that school too and I'm afraid I'll lose that happy time too... and now that I know what its like, I don't want to go back.
Back to Kashiba tomorrow... I even have classes tomorrow... the difference is going to be extra pronounced. I still have to finish correcting exams. Blech!
In other news, the Daiei in Takada closed... My 6-floor, wonderful Daiei... My 100 yen store... the grocery store where I bought cheese and everything for my house... GONE! I hopped of the train to make a pit stop for some cleaning products and when I get there, it's gone! Bankrupt! AHHHHHHH... Amanda and I had such good times there... purikura, UFO catchers.... all the money we wasted was for naught... I was shellshocked... it was like losing my best friend! Sadness... Moment of silence for my dearly departed department store... I will miss you.
All Hallow's Eve
It's Halloween in just a few days and I just spent 3 hours in Osaka trying to find a costume. The Loop Line party is this weekend and although I still don't know if I can go, I had to purshase something to wear. I'm not telling what it is just yet. You'll all just have to wait for the pictures to come out. However, I'm going on a strict diet of fruit and tofu for the next few days... gotta look my best ;)
I may still have to remove a couple of ribs but I'll still have ten left after, right?
Bring on the NABE!!!
There are 2 good things about Japanese winters (besides the fact that I don't have to deal with -40C and 2m of snow): 1) the kotatsu and 2) NABE!!!
A kotatsu is a small table, quite low to the ground, that has a heating element attached to the bottom. It is a wonderful thing!
Nabe, in Japanese, literally means pot. Basically, what you do, you set a c
amping stove on the kotatsu, you put a large clay pot on the stove and you cook everything in the pot, with everyone sitting around the kotatsu, feet nice and cozy underneath the blanket. You cut up vegetables, meat, fish, whatever tickles your fancy, bring the nabe sauce to a boil and start popping in the food. Then, once you've gorged yourself on meat and vegetables, and the broth has acheived ultimate flavour, you put in noodles to finish off. It's fun and it's delicious.
Yesterday, I spent the day correcting papers (which I have yet to finish... stupid midterms... remind me next time to make them easier to correct...) I had planned to go to the gym to relieve some of the stress of sitting at my desk correcting 600 test papers (plus 100 speeches) but I get a message from E&C asking me if I wanted to go over for nabe... answer... DUH! Oh nabe, how I love you so... When I go home, nabe is one tradition that I will be starting... Just like Sunday Morning Breakfast at my house, Nabe Night will be a welcome addition, I'm sure of it. Just have to be very careful not to do it to often... ever wondered what the secret to a sumo wrestler's size is? NABE (^_^)v
BFD
McGill cancels Redmen football season... Is this really big news or are people just talking about it to tarnish McGill's reputation? Honestly, no one really cares about the CFL (I like it but let's think realistically here)... And even less people care about CANADIAN college football... Now the players are
whining about postponed careers for "harmless" initiation games... Oh come on... You play for McGill... Not Colorado. None of you are going to the NFL. Suck it up and grow a pair...
True Calling
OK... So one of my
first posts on my blog was about my elementary school visits and how much I love them. It's midterm time again in high school, which means that I get my moment in the sun at Showa Shougakkou. OMG! This week has sucked. Honestly. But the only thing keeping me going was my elementary school visit. Thursday was the only thing that I had to look forward to when I hit rock-bottom on Monday... And sure enough, it came through for me. Classes all morning, then lunch with the kids and then playtime with them too. Today I did colours, right and left and finger, thumb, hand, arm, and leg. I think the only thing they remembered after today was the colours. I must have sung the colour song 18 million times. Oh and maybe they'll remember my Hallmark Graduation Teddybear. Thank you Aunty Wendy. I'm surprised Teddy still has arms and legs after the abuse he suffered at the hands of 80 little children... Today was just the first-graders. Next Monday I go back for the second-graders and Tuesday, back to first grade.
I wish I could explain in words how much of a high these kids leave me on. It sounds so cliche, but despite how miserable these last 2 weeks have been, seeing these kids just made it all go away. I love kids. I love teaching. Why the heck didn't I make a career out of teaching kids?! Oh yeah, now I remember... because I got laughed at when I said I would go to law school... Darn you, BD... Darn you, stupid pride... darn you...
Day #2 of forced confinement
Well, I don't know what the sleeping pills are supposed to do but I used them last night. Fell asleep no problem but I still kept waking up. Not every hour granted but still... And then when I woke up, I was disoriented and dizzy. Maybe tonight I'll try sleeping with no medication. I want to say that I feel better, but I really don't...
As predicted, the Moritanis came to visit again this morning with orange juice, CC lemon and vitamin powder. And some chicken soup: the cure-all, even in Japan, apparently. Anyone who complains about how Japanese people treat foreigners should be told off... I have received nothing but kindness in this country. Yes I get the constant staring on the train, which is very annoying, granted... but people here are SO nice. In fact, as a general rule, I've run into more closed-minded, loud-mouthed foreigners than I have closed-minded, loud-mouthed Japanese people.
I'm going to get out of my house today. Going to my Japanese lesson, even though the doctor said that I need to stay in bed. I can't stay in bed. I'm going insane. I need to get out and walk or something... I've already cleaned my apartment. It felt nice to throw away some of my accumulated crap. I think maybe I'll go buy some flowers for my vase. It's been looking lonely.
Music Soothes the Soul
Reason #1 why Richard Marx has been my secret favorite singer since I figured out that there was music on the radio... no matter how lame he is, no one has ever been able to put my feelings
into words better than he can... although, Simple Plan's
Perfect World is also another good one.
God, why am I so lame...
Useless Japanese Medicine... but fabulous Japanese People
So I went to the hospital this morning and the doctor gave me an antiemitc, medicine to stop the dizziness and tranquilizers to help me sleep. Well, 3 hours later, I'm still dizzy and the tranquilizers didn't help... Tried to sleep for a few hours but kept waking up every hour (which is exactly why I'm sick in the first place... gd insomnia). Never in my life have I had trouble sleeping. Sleeping used to be one of my favorite passtimes... and now? I need medicine to help me sleep... The world is upside down!
I got a phonecall from my adopted family just a few moments ago. I don't know why they called originally because all was forgotten when I told them I was sick. I told them that I had the flu because whatever is wrong with me is way to complicated in Japanese... besides, I don't even know what's wrong with me... But, anyway, the Moritanis called and since I had been asleep I was slightly disoriented. And they asked me if I was sleeping and then when I said yes, they asked me if I was alright (since it isn't normal for people to be sleeping at 6:30PM). I told them that I was a little bit sick but that I was fine. And then they got really worried, asking me if I had enough food and drink. And I said yes... which apparently they didn't hear because then they asked me what I needed. So I said nothing and that I was fine. Which I don't think they heard either because tomorrow morning they will be coming to my apartment to bring me food.
SCRATCH THAT... They just showed up now... with more food and water than I can fit in my fridge. They also brought me heating pads and some sort of cooling patch for my forehead, just in case I get a fever... And they will be coming back tomorrow, probably with more food... I LOVE THIS FAMILY! They are so nice to me, I want to cry. ^_^
Not that strong...
So it's Monday morning and I should be at work but I'm not... My body gave up on me this morning. I woke up at 6:30, stood up and got hit by a wave of dizziness and nausea. Hooray! I was supposed to go to Oji today so I searched frantically for the number of my supervisor there... couldn't find it. Then I searched frantically for the number of my supervisor at Kashiba.... couldn't find that either. The only number that I found was Matsui Sensei's number... and like the wonderful person that she is, she told the right people and then came to get me to take me to the hospital.
I've caused so much strain on my body these past two weeks that it just decided to tell me that enough is enough. No sleep will probably do that to you... I guess my body isn't as strong as my mind... So I've been forcefully confined to my claustrophobic apartment... which is the exact thing I have been trying to avoid... Great. October can burn in hell...
Edit 1: I take that back... apparently my mind isn't that strong either
Edit 2: The rain is winning 8 to 6...
Dreams...
Yesterday was Takatori Thursday and once again I had a fun time. A couple of drinks with friends, dinner and a movie is always a nice way to spend an evening. We watched "Galaxy Quest", a movie which I'd never seen before, but clearly remember laughing at the preview when the little aliens see Tim Allen (fearless commander) and say "What is it? I don't know. Let's hit it with a rock!".
Anyway, for those of you who haven't seen it, it's a spoof of Star Trek, which is fitting considering my post yesterday... In the movie, not to spoil it for anyone who hasn't seen it, the Galaxy Quest crew is supposed to save the last of a dying race of aliens... blah blah blah, science fiction movie...
[I had an entire tirade written after that first paragraph but decided against posting it... so there was a point to this... but posting it probably would have meant starting an Internet feud and that is the LAST thing I want to do... I need to be more careful about what I write...]
Thanks E&C... The movie was funny. THE END
Risks
I used to write poetry all the time when I was younger but a certain event 7 years ago emptied me of any inspiration I'd ever possessed. But I'm feeling inspired today. Not enough to write my own stuff so I'll put one of my favorites up. However, I can't find the original author's name. When we studied this in high school, I remember it being anonymous so we'll just stay with that.
I do miss writing my own stuff though... Maybe I should sit down and force my inspiration to come back (^_^)
TO RISK
To laugh is to risk appearing the fool;
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental and soft;
To reach out for another is to risk involvement;
To expose feelings is to risk exposing our true self;
To place your ideas, your dreams before the crowd is to risk loss;
To love is to risk not being loved in return;
To live is to risk dying;
To hope is to risk despair;
But risk we must because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing and is nothing.
He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he simply cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love -- LIVE.
Chained by his certitudes, he is a slave; he has forfeited freedom.
Only a person who risks is free...
And that is that... Words to live by, ne? Not everything can fit into the nice little package that you have in your head. Life is not a fairy tale. You can't just sit around in your pretty little princess tower and wait for Prince Charming to sweep you off your feet. You have to get out there and live and love and sometimes even lose... You've gotta gamble if you ever want to win. Because if it works, then it will always be worth it in the end. And you'll never know if it'll work if you don't even try. Giving up before even starting is a cop out... self-preservation my a**...
Head or Heart? Love or Logic? Sometimes the logical course of action isn't always the right one, Cap'n... no matter what Mr. Spock says...
Sunny Days Sweeping the Clouds Away...
It's amazing how a little bit of sunshine (and good friends) can change one's outlook on life. Today was a good day. I had no classes so I decided to relax and take it easy. I spent the morning chatting with my friends and the afternoon reading "Angels and Demons" (good book and so what if I'm a sheep. Good reading is good reading...)
The thing that made my day though... at the same time probably making me look like a complete idiot in the teacher's room because I was laughing so hard... was when two hot guys starting arguing over me...
The real names have been omitted to protect the people involved but the conversation went something like this:
WT: Have you seen the hot Samantha picture?
TS: Yeah I know
. tsss it's hot
WT: I've spent hours staring at those lovely... I mean her lovely smile.
TS: Hey watch it! she's still my girlfriend and first love.
WT: True as it may be, you've been more absent from her world than I've been (and I'm pretty absent)... I think she's mine by default...
[...change of subject for a bit then back to arguing about me ^_^]
TS: He can argue all he wants... I have precedence
WT: She's mine! I saw her last!
TS: I had lunch with her the week she left...
WT: Besides... you're too tall for her
TS: You're too built
[...end conversation]
What would I do without you guys... Too bad you are two of my oldest and dearest friends ;) You've both been awesome this last week... really... Keep the compliments coming! Argue as much as you want. God knows these days I need to feel like I'm worth fighting for... (even if it's just pretend fighting ^_^)
The pic in question:
Bring on the sunshine!!!
A final message to you
It stopped raining!!!! ^_^
Looks like today will be nice. Opened my curtains this morning to see blue and and almost sunny sky! Very relieving, if i do say so myself. Everything already seems much better.
Yes, i realize that i have been a little bit melodramatic lately. Overreacting is what i do best. Usually i'm much worse though, so despite my defeatist posts on here lately, i'm not doing too badly.
Got a total of zero classes today. Excellent... not. Oh, i can already feel the boredom. Full day of school and no classes (aside from my lunchtime eikaiwa... at least there's that ^_^). Fun times! Really shouldn't complain though. Easy, nice, relaxing day will be good for me... besides i really need the break. Yay for life as a teacher!
edit (friday, oct 14): there actually is a message to you in this post but i guess you missed it...
Still Raining....
Man this sucks... I don't know how people in Seattle and Vancouver do it... It's only been raining for a week and I'm already ready to chuck something at the sky. I need sunshine! I need blue skies and happiness! I don't know how much more rain I can take before I have a mental breakdown. I've been good this past week. Surprisingly good. I've been keeping myself so busy that the only time I have to think about the pain is just before bed. And by that time I'm usually to tired to do too much thinking. Haven't had a relapse or anything. I don't know how much longer I can last though. I can feel the lump in the back of my throat growing and growing with each additional raindrop that falls from the sky... And I may just be about to burst. We'll see though...
Maybe I shouldn't wear my heart on my sleeve. Maybe I should learn to keep my thoughts and feelings to myself... But it's hard. I've never been like that. Maybe that's why I'd make a crappy lawyer. Another thing I learned in Japan...
SSDD
It's raining again... It's basically been raining every day since Tuesday. I have no idea what's up with the weather. I don't remember it being this rainy last year but then again, October was my crappy month last year too. Ah... culture shock... how I hated last October... This one hasn't started off in the best of ways either.
I've been keeping busy though. Went to Costco Japan for the first time. OMG! It was so weird... It was like stepping into a different world... well actually it was like going home. Real bread, real muffins, Ruffles, Tootsie pops, Dr. Pepper, root beer... It was like taking a transporter back home. I bought 20,000 yen worth of stuff.... Oops... Well at least I don't have to do the groceries for the next 3 months...
It's a holiday Monday today. Raining. I'm missing turkey and stuffing and yummy yummy thanksgiving cooking. HOWEVER, this year's thanksgiving will be WAY better than last year. I'm meeting up with friends to play cricket and go to onsen... although I doubt we'll be doing the cricket part... since it's raining and all. Last year I was all alone and for dinner I had a lovely dinner of crackers... I guess that's an improvement... Still feeling like a truck ran over my head though. YAY October!
And the sky cried too...
Well it's been raining all day which is a little bit weird considering the day it's been. Like the sky wants to make sure that I don't feel better. Well take that sky! I do feel better. I realize that I'm far from home but no matter how far away I am, those who are close to me will always be close and will always be there whenever I need them... come rain or shine.
So thank you... all of you who were worried about me today, I'm fine. Well, I will be fine. I deal... I always deal. That's what I do.
I want my Daddy...
And that's all I have to say...
