I am on the train to Niigata City from Shibata, going to the last get together I have with the people from my old job. Luckily, we are just drinking and I will be woefully underdressed for the occasion. This will be the second event that I will be underdressed for today as I also went to the entrance ceremony for Naomi's day care/ preschool and did not wear an ill-fitting wrinkled suit, which seemed to be what everyone else was wearing.
This preschool is connected to a Buddhist temple, but we were assured that there wasn't anything religious that happened. By nothing religious happening, apparently they meant burning incense in front of the Buddha statue and singing buddhist songs because that is what we did today. I'm not particularly interested in it one way or the other, but today it really bothered me. Maybe it was the fat monk who looked unhappy to be there and because I was recently in Laos where the monks seemed truly joyful and actually lived monastic lives. This guy seemed like a joke — the only thing I can think of that's worse than teaching small children religion is hypocrites teaching hypocritical religion to small children.
Other than that, things are going relatively well, as long as I don't think about my bike being stolen from in front of the house. I am confident that I will get it back as it is such a unique looking bike, and the bastard that stole it will have to ride it to Kyushu before no one recognizes it.
The new job which looks to be what I have been waiting for, more or less. Not a lot of hours, good working conditions, nice co-workers. Good boss. Gym with shower on campus. Ten minute walk to work. Fifteen weeks of classes and one week of finals. What more could you ask for.