On Sunday, I woke up to the mailman ringing and bringing me the two Bright Eyes records that I have been waiting my whole life for, it seems. So I laid in bed before church and listened to the one that's actually really good. And I'm sure you've heard it so I won't bother you with quoting lyrics or talk about how dreamy what's-his-face is (although I'm sure all of that is true). But it's fabulous and I love it and I want to be swallowed up by it.
Speaking of being swallowed, I took another turn at watching *Apocolyps Now* (there's an I in there somewhere, I just know it). The last time I saw it, I slept through most of second half. Well, I missed a good one, let me tell you. I liked it enough to maybe watch the last 45 minutes again tonight. In school, I read so much about Vietnam for that project I was doing, but it never really got into me until last year. Like I hadn't heard what I read, I had just kind of put it on lay-a-way. Now that I'm a 4.8 point Pacifist (that's out of five), it's become very useful. Especially when talking to my dad.
DeWalt, that older brother of mine, is one sterling thinker. I hope he helps change the world and let's me in on a little of the action.
I think I might have a part-time job in the next couple of weeks. I sense it. You know that a low rate for a private English teacher in Japan is like $35 an hour? That's insane. I think I'll be able to affoard school in the fall and make Tom's wedding should someone see how wonderful I really am.
Because I'm wonderful, right?
28 February 2005
24 February 2005
It's been snowing again
Not completely worthless, I guess. It's been snowing again. And raining. But spirits are high. Let me explain: I recently purchased a Cat in the Hat hat to aid with my number related games. I hate teaching numbers. They suck. But this hat is like an injection of wild turkey. I got the kids jumping up and down, shouting, laughing. It's like magic.
Two weeks ago, I was called into the special ed. classroom to help teach Sumo wrestling to the kids. I lost to all the kids, but I think I was certainly the most flaboyant wrestler.
On Monday, I get paid, really paid for the first time. Unfortunately, I begin at once my savings plan for grad. school.
Someone, tell us an interesting or amusing story.
Two weeks ago, I was called into the special ed. classroom to help teach Sumo wrestling to the kids. I lost to all the kids, but I think I was certainly the most flaboyant wrestler.
On Monday, I get paid, really paid for the first time. Unfortunately, I begin at once my savings plan for grad. school.
Someone, tell us an interesting or amusing story.
18 February 2005
Snow tires
I'm trying to decide where to go to school in the fall. I think I'm going to end up putting names in a hat.
I thought I was going to get out of this month having gained a little finacial ground. Unfortunately, just in time for spring, my company decided to give me some financial assistance in purchasing snow tires. So now, I don't have 27,000 yen and I have snow tires that are completely worthless until next winter.
I did however see a really wonderful Japanese film called Metropolis. Wonderful might be overstating it. There were parts of it that were simply beautiful to watch.
I thought I was going to get out of this month having gained a little finacial ground. Unfortunately, just in time for spring, my company decided to give me some financial assistance in purchasing snow tires. So now, I don't have 27,000 yen and I have snow tires that are completely worthless until next winter.
I did however see a really wonderful Japanese film called Metropolis. Wonderful might be overstating it. There were parts of it that were simply beautiful to watch.
16 February 2005
And queer not meaning gay
Have you seen Meet Joe Black? I have. And I'm watching it again. I love it. Can I say that? I love it. What a wonderful movie.
What a wonderfully dark movie. What I think is also just fabulous is that, you know when what's his name is dying and the voice says, "Yes?" Well, if you haven't that's what the voice says. Anyway, what's so fabulous is that the Japanese subtitle says, "Iesu" (in Japanese, of course) and "Iesu" is also the Japanese word for Jesus. So the voice says Jesus to him. I think this is fabulous not in some evangelical way, like maybe the voice is saying that he needs Jesus, but in sort of queer, ironic way.
And queer not meaning gay (and gay meaning homosexual not happy). Queer meaning weird.
See that's the trouble with words. They can't ever pin anything down.
I also think that thinking about death is fabulous, in a fabulously dark way. Not in the way that kids write poetry about, you know, walls bleeding or whatever, but in the way that one actually begins to understand that they will die. I've been on this hobby horse for a while now. Because I am terrified of death. I'll admit it. I always have been. I never have not been. But now, only recently, maybe the last year and a half, I've decided to not be terrified anymore. It's hard, not being terrified of death is. Because you have to begin to know God, and begin to know that all of this is created and finite. And these are all terrible and wonderful things.
Also, I'm starting to think I might want to fall in love. Sometime soon.
What a wonderfully dark movie. What I think is also just fabulous is that, you know when what's his name is dying and the voice says, "Yes?" Well, if you haven't that's what the voice says. Anyway, what's so fabulous is that the Japanese subtitle says, "Iesu" (in Japanese, of course) and "Iesu" is also the Japanese word for Jesus. So the voice says Jesus to him. I think this is fabulous not in some evangelical way, like maybe the voice is saying that he needs Jesus, but in sort of queer, ironic way.
And queer not meaning gay (and gay meaning homosexual not happy). Queer meaning weird.
See that's the trouble with words. They can't ever pin anything down.
I also think that thinking about death is fabulous, in a fabulously dark way. Not in the way that kids write poetry about, you know, walls bleeding or whatever, but in the way that one actually begins to understand that they will die. I've been on this hobby horse for a while now. Because I am terrified of death. I'll admit it. I always have been. I never have not been. But now, only recently, maybe the last year and a half, I've decided to not be terrified anymore. It's hard, not being terrified of death is. Because you have to begin to know God, and begin to know that all of this is created and finite. And these are all terrible and wonderful things.
Also, I'm starting to think I might want to fall in love. Sometime soon.
10 February 2005
iBooks
Hey, hey.
Well, officially, the weather is the cause of my on-again, off-again relationship with my iBook. We are on again as the weather was fantastically warm. So warm, in fact, I'm thinking about riding my scooter naked up the coast.
What was it that I wanted to say again? Oh yeah, two things. 1) That *No More Cry* song is the dumbest Japanese pop song I have heard. I want to throw it in the woodchipper. 2) Two is too hard to explain, I decided. Suffice to say, Japanese kids trying not to win games so they can be the object of attention sucks. Try to win, you stupid kids!
There, I feel better.
Well, officially, the weather is the cause of my on-again, off-again relationship with my iBook. We are on again as the weather was fantastically warm. So warm, in fact, I'm thinking about riding my scooter naked up the coast.
What was it that I wanted to say again? Oh yeah, two things. 1) That *No More Cry* song is the dumbest Japanese pop song I have heard. I want to throw it in the woodchipper. 2) Two is too hard to explain, I decided. Suffice to say, Japanese kids trying not to win games so they can be the object of attention sucks. Try to win, you stupid kids!
There, I feel better.
09 February 2005
Emotions
I'm teaching this lesson on emotions right now and it's great because I'm using pictures of friends and family for the emotions. Berto is sad, Tom is Angry, Beau is happy. See? If you let me take your picture, you could be a minor celebrity in a very small part of Japan.
I'm learning to play pachinko tomorrow, the gambling game of millions of depressed middle-aged Japanese men. Afterwards, me and Ishikawa sensei is going drinking. Should be a wonderful way to prepare for National Foundation Day on Friday, which I will spend trying to find a couch.
I'm learning to play pachinko tomorrow, the gambling game of millions of depressed middle-aged Japanese men. Afterwards, me and Ishikawa sensei is going drinking. Should be a wonderful way to prepare for National Foundation Day on Friday, which I will spend trying to find a couch.
07 February 2005
03 February 2005
02 February 2005
Shit
Me and my sister had this great conversation about how I wanted to die from a long illness rather than suddenly in a boating accident namely because I didn't want my last words to be, "Oh shit." Like I told my sister, I think God might, upon my appearance before him, look at me skeptically and say something to me like, "'Oh shit'?"
Last night, because it's been snowing since January 8th and the Japanese don't plow their roads and I was in a hurry, I lost control of my car out on this little road in Kameda. Luckily, as I slid into the oncoming lane, everyone saw me and stopped. And I continued, happily on my way.
But last night, it would have been, "Oh shit. Shit, shit, shit."
The new Catch is so hot. It's hotter than most everything I've seen in the last 22 years of my life.
Last night, because it's been snowing since January 8th and the Japanese don't plow their roads and I was in a hurry, I lost control of my car out on this little road in Kameda. Luckily, as I slid into the oncoming lane, everyone saw me and stopped. And I continued, happily on my way.
But last night, it would have been, "Oh shit. Shit, shit, shit."
The new Catch is so hot. It's hotter than most everything I've seen in the last 22 years of my life.
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