It's back...

Being faced with a few days of office confinement, and having spent the entire day Thursday studying my hypothetical nards off, I am posting a blog. Oh my, desperation? No, not only that. You see, some of my dear friends from all over the damn world are quite difficult to keep in contact with on a regular basis. So, I am making an effort to update more (we'll see how long this lasts) and perhaps provide a clue as to what is happening on the shores of Nippon.

Life isn't necessarily glamorous, but it's fun as hell. My personal contemplations of late are revolving around ways to cut my nutty schedule down. The following runs through my head repeatedly: "I am really busy right now, but if I just make it through till .... (next month, next week, etc.) then I will have more time to relax, see my friends, spend with Josh..."

Perhaps I need to get rid of one of my eikaiwas? I love both of them for different reasons, but as 2kyuu comes creeping up ready to devour me in December (I know it's a LONG time away, but it's a scary test!), I desperately want more time to devote to studying. This inevitably leads to me pondering if I would actually use that time I would have opened up in my schedule to study. Honest evaluation of my slacker psyche mostly sounds like giggling. I have been doing well on my weekly quizzes, but I'm afraid it's solely due to my short-term memorization prowess. The words, you see... they leak out of my brain at night. I think that's what causes the pillows to have those creepy yellow stains on them when you take the pillowcases off to wash. Eeew... dirty kanji.

In happy domestic news, I have been on a cooking experimentation spree. Thus far, J appears to be happy with the majority of the concoctions. Either that, or he is so hungry by the time I finally finish cooking (sorry!) that he'd eat dog poo with relish. This week's crowning glory was a cooperative effort of J's secret red sauce, and my attempts at Italian cooking... calzones! Mmmm... too bad my oven is slow as molasses. Oh man, does that make me southern? I blame you for making that phrase a part of my vernacular, Dad!

Sweet lord... is it time to go home??? FREEDOM, I can taste it!

Join us tomorrow for the WHY DO I HAVE TO WORK ON SATURDAY edition.

A blur



No, sadly, not the "wooo hoooo!" Blur that was probably called to mind. But nonetheless, I have provided dancing milk for you. The past week and 1/2 has flown by. J is here now, and finally getting settled in with work etc. My schedule has calmed down and straightend out a bit as well. My two eikaiwa are both on for this week, and my lessons are in place also. I just need to buckle down and study the two-weeks worth of material I promised my sensei I would have under control for Thursday's lesson.

My new camera arrived last week as well, yet I have had no time to fiddle with it. The ume and sakura are starting to bloom in Kanazawa already. Hanami will soon be upon us, with the grad return of the Baron, and a multitude of boozed up games in Kojo Koen. Just hope I have shook this damn cold before then. Also I require 2 bicycles of decent build, so that we can enjoy the warmth and inevitable sunlight that it will bring. Oh, and perhaps car tires to lock them to, to prevent theft...

Onward to the depths of kanji memorization hell I go. Pray for my soul...

A break, for my poor finger


I suppose that sounds a bit filthy, maybe not... maybe that is just me. I am in the weekly process of making between 50-90 kanji flashcards. After writing so much, my finger KILLS. My new book is prep for 2kyuu (Japanese Language Proficiency Test level 2), and that is about 1000 kanji if I remember correctly. Remembering the little bastards is one thing, but learning all the vocab that comes along with is the real killer. Wooo 78 this week, all including じ　ず　そ　た　good times. I admit, I am bit concerned about retaining a lot of the vocab, but if I somehow manage to review continuously, there is a chance. It has been done before. Plus, I will have J here to beat me with the old hockey stick if I slack off.



My kiddies had graduation this week. It was tearful at times, but I was more proud than sad. I have some photos to post as soon as I get around to uploading them. I really need to get a new camera, sigh. Mine is being held together with packing tape. No lie.

The Toyama JETs Team Teaching Handbook of doom is finally finished. I went in on Monday to get the damn thing completed, and after pasting 165 tiny numbers onto individual pages (hurrah for numbering the old-fashioned way!) finally filed it in the finished file. Just for clarification, the finished file is a recycled cardboard box. Stay classy GEC.

Rounding out the week was downloading some fantastic music I have been meaning to for a while. I have Caribou's The Milk of Human Kindness on repeat, currently. I could listen to "Pelican Narrows" for 3 days straight and never tire of it.

Last, but not least, I have a few hidden Saipan photos that J posted on Facebook, and I have the privilege of putting up here! (the opening photo, and the one below) I love seeing old photos that I forgot were taken. They always make me happy.